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Nokia has confirmed it has dropped the BlackBerry Connect application from its E71 and E66 smartphones.

Finland's Nokia has had a tough time getting its smartphone products into the hands of North American customers…and their pitch is getting even more difficult with news that the company has pulled the BlackBerry Connect application from its E71 and E66 smartphones, meaning customers won't be able to use the units to connect to BlackBerry-enabled corporate and organization email systems. Nokia cites RIM as a competitor, and positions the decision as a way to let customers choose what email solution they want…although, by eliminating the application entirely, Nokia is really asking customers to make a decision about what phone they want.

The Nokia E71 has a full QWERTY keyboard, microSD storage, a 2.4-inch LCD display, and offers HSDPA and GSM connectivity, along with an integrated GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a video-capable camera. The E71 can connect to Nokia's Ovi services like Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi; the phone can also connect to Exchange-based email services, along with consumer email services like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Hotmail. The E71 debuted in the U.S. today at Nokia's flagship New York store for about $500. The E66 has many of the same features, but omits the QWERTY keyboard in favor of a sliding design. Like Nokia's other high-end offerings in the U.S., the company hasn't hooked up with a mobile carrier partner, so E71 buyers will need to strike their own deals (most likely with AT&T) to use the device.