Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia officially unveiled  a few days ago the Nokia C5, its first handset part of a new lineup of devices, the Cseries, and now this low cost smartphone has just received approval from FCC. In other words, it seems that the new Symbian-based handset from Nokia is almost ready for take off, and we might see it hitting the shelves in the United States in the near future.

When announcing the new mobile phone, Nokia said that it included the capabilities of a smartphone, even if it sported a low price tag. The model that passed through FCC's courtyard now sports quad band GSM and 900 / 2100MHz 3G connectivity, which means that it might not actually be put on sale in the United States, even if the idea of getting a smartphone for under $200 unlocked is a very appealing one.

The specifications list of the Nokia C5, in case there are some of you who might have missed them, include a compact, candybar form factor, a 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD memory card slot for additional storage space, pre-loaded Ovi Maps so that users can enjoy free walk and drive navigation on their handset, and great connectivity so that one can stay in touch with friends at all time.

One of the main features of the handset is its support for social networking sites, as it sports direct access to favorite contacts straight from the home screen, while Facebook updates are visible directly from the phone book. Moreover, users will find it very simple to upload photos on such sites, including Facebook and MySpace, while also benefiting from instant messaging and email on the go from Ovi Mail and other providers. The new Nokia C5 has been slated for a market release as soon as the second quarter of the ongoing year, which means that it shouldn't be too long before we can see it available on shelves, so stay tuned for more.