Continuing the tradition of the Nokia NSeries is the Nokia N73, with its stylized design and improved multimedia features. The greatest asset of Nokia N73 is its 3.2-Megapixel camera featuring a myriad of imaging features. While it’s considered a multimedia god, the N73 has been attacked with some issues related to performance, although some has found the glitches forgivable, especially as it managed to get into the standard in terms of construction and comfort.
N73 features a commendable QVGA screen, at 2.4 inches on a 240 x 320-pixel resolution. It displays 262,144 colors with brightness and contrast automatically adjusted to environmental factors. The theme is interchangeable and the backlight is also adjustable.
Below the screen are the navigation controls and a alphanumerical keypad. The front panel includes the Talk and End buttons and a joystick for scrolling. The joystick acts as the select key when pressed. On the sides of the keypad are additional controls: two of which are shortcuts to the Menu and Edit functions, a multimedia button and a clear key. The problem with this arrangement is that the layout appears to be cramped, which can cause wrong dials and accidental opening of applications.
Situated on the right spine of the N73 is where the camera capture key, review button, a zoom in/out button and volume controller. The last two functions are shared on a single button. The miniSD expansion slot, protected by a cover, is on the bottom portion, a departure from the usual location of the memory slot of earlier Nokia phones (behind the battery cover). On the back side of the phone is the camera lens. Another camera is located just above the screen in the upper right corner.
Phone capabilities of the N73 have always been the point of contention especially by mobile phone critics, despite having been deserved its self-acclamation of being the “multimedia computer.” The address book has a limited memory of 42MB with the SIM card adding up 250 contacts. Photos can also be assigned as caller IDs. N73, being a quadband phone, also includes a speed dial, voice command support, a vibrate mode, a speakerphone, and text and multimedia messaging.
N73′s operating system is the Symbian OS 9.1 which offers a calendar, a to-do list, notes, a calculator, a voice recorder, a currency converter, and an HTML/XHTML Web browser on its list of productivity tools. Viewing (without editing) Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point documents are possible with Quickoffice. There is also an Adobe Reader for viewing PDF files.
Connectivity options with Nokia N73 includes Bluetooth 2.0 and GPRS/EDGE connections although the absent of the Wi-Fi can be a bit disappointing. E-mail capabilities include support for SMTP, IMAP4, and POP3 accounts and full attachment viewing. Nokia N73 can easily be synchronized with the computer via the Nokia PC Suite.
The N73 is at its best with its multimedia features. Its 3.2-Megapixel camera has the Carl Zeiss Optics lens, an autofocus function, and 20X digital zoom. eight scene modes, four image qualities, five resolutions, and a number of imaging and video recording and editing features. It also includes an integrated music and video player that supports a myriad of music and video formats.
Notable for its mammoth-size, the Nokia E90 is a smartphone that completely juxtaposes with its size: a phone that offers a wide variety of features and promises solid performance to business users. The E90 was introduced in the in Barcelona, Spain at the 3GSM Mobile World Congress (now known as the GSMA Mobile World Congress), in the same year when the E61i and E65 were introduced. One of the biggest drawbacks of the E90 is that it’s very expensive, although the details written in this article may help explain the price.
Sporting a dimension of 5.2 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches, the Nokia E90 Communicator is large enough to care about comfort although as stated above, this 7.4-ounce gadget redeems its downside by proving its power. Its 2-inch screen has 16 million-color display at a 320 x 20 pixel resolution. Text and images are brightly lit and can be read even direct sunlight exposure. Below the screen are the navigation array and the alphanumeric keypad. The keys are large enough and are very easy to press. What explains the bulkiness of the E90 Communicator is that it can be opened to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3.6-inch internal wide screen display with 16 million-color display at a 800 x 352 pixel resolution.
This wide screen is perfect for browsing web sites and reading documents and e-mails. Another set of Talk and End buttons are included. Included in this interface is a dedicated number row. Below the display are shortcuts to various applications: Contacts, Messaging, Web, and Calendar. The Nokia E90 Communicator operates on Symbian OS 9.2, Series 60 3rd Edition. Among the number of applications that it runs are the Quickoffice suite that enables users to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents and the Nokia Team Suite to define members, conference call numbers, conference call PINs, and Web pages according to “teams”. Adobe Reader, Zip Manager, calendar, notes, calculator, clock, voice recorder and currency converter are also included. There is also an access to third-party applications. it should be noted that E90 can accommodate 120 MB of its built-in memory and the user can add up to 2GB cards on its microSD expansion.
E-mail capabilities of Nokia E90 support Microsoft Exchange Server, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP accounts, and a full attachment viewer. Call features are its best with quad-band world roaming, a speakerphone, conference calling, speed dial, voice commands, and VoIP support. Connectivity features include integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0 and a built-in GPS radio.
One of the multimedia offerings of the Nokia E90 is the 3.2-Megapixel camera with flash, autofocus, and video-recording capabilities, although a number of users have commented that it has poor image quality. It also features a music player that can play MP3 and AAC files. There’s also an FM radio. The RealPlayer can play videos in MPEG-4, MP4, 3GP, RV, RA, AAC, AMR, and MIDI formats.
While some have dismissed that the Nokia E series is a mediocre line of mobile phones as compared to the N Series, the emergence of the Nokia E71 might have toppled the stereotype on the E-series a bit, especially that the bulky design was cut off to a compact and solidly-built QWERTY device, measuring to 4.4 x 2.2 x 0.4 inches, weighing 4.4 ounces. The phone also showcases a solid performance, with strong messaging and productivity features.
The front panel consists of a 2.36-inch QVGA non-touch display with a 16-million-color output and 320×240-pixel resolution. Texts and images look sharp in the E71 and it is equipped with a light sensing technology which adjusts the display’s brightness depending on the environment. It also included a Business and Personal home screens which allow users to toggle between two different home views. The Business screen gives users access to work tools, such as e-mail, the Web, and the file manager while the Personal screen serves access to music and photo gallery, and switching screens is very easy. The standard navigation array is located below the display and it has two soft keys Talk and End buttons, and a four-way toggle with a center select key.
There are four shortcuts as well: the Home screen, Calendar, Contacts, and Messages. The QWERTY keyboard is a bit cramped as it has a smaller compact body, but is still easy to use. The left spine of the phone is where the microSD slot and a micro USB port are located while the right side has the 2.5mm headset jack, a volume rocker, and a voice command activation key. Located on the top is the power button while the power connector is on the bottom of the unit and the camera, flash, and self-portrait mirror are on the back.
E-mail solutions in the E71 includes supports with Microsoft Exchange Server, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP accounts and has a full attachment viewer, as well as compatibility with push e-mail solutions such as Intellisync Wireless E-mail, Visto, and Seven Always-On Mail, but it didn’t include preloaded instant messaging clients but software can be downloaded. E71 runs on Symbian OS 9.2, Series 60 3.1 edition and it comes with the Quickoffice suite which can open Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. It is also equipped with the Nokia Web browser with support for Flash. Productivity tools include Adobe Reader, a Zip Manager, a calendar, notes, a calculator, a clock, a voice recorder, and a currency converter.
Connectivity features of the Nokia E71 includes Bluetooth 2.0, which supports profiles such as mono and stereo Bluetooth headsets, hands-free kits, dial-up networking and file transfer and Wi-Fi. E71 is also equipped with GPS and preloaded Nokia Maps 2.0 application for navigation.
Among the multimedia features of the E71 are the built-in music player, that supports MP3, WMA, W4A, AAC, AAC+, and eAAC+ files, as well as OMA DRM 2.0- and WM DRM-protected songs, RealPlayer, that supports 3GPP and MPEG-4 files and the 3.2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities. The camera has auto focus, an LED flash, exposure compensation, and digital zoom, although the picture wasn’t great because of the grainy product.
The Nokia E65 was introduced in Barcelona, Spain at the 3GSM Mobile World Congress (now known as the GSMA Mobile World Congress), the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, attracting mobile operators, vendors and mobile scholars around the world. It was one among the trio of E series smart phones introduced in the congress, including the Nokia E61i and Nokia EE90 Communicator. The Nokia E65 has been hailed as the most exciting unit among the three, sporting a slider-type phone, a rarity in the world of smartphones. E65’s offerings will give businessmen a wider perspective on the use of smartphones by instilling them the idea that they can have fun too.
The Nokia E65 is gorgeous on its silver and mocha casing while sporting a slim dimension of 4.1 x 1.9 x 0.6 inches and weight of 4.0 ounces. It is comfortable to hold and is easy to grip. Its 2.2-inch FTF screen displays 16.7 million colors at a 320 x 240 pixel resolution. The display is commendable although it’s not that bright as compared to the rest of the E-series. The intensity of the backlight and themes are all customizable. Navigating around and launching applications of the Nokia E65 is easy despite the absence of the touch screen.
Below the display are the set of keys. On the left side is where the control buttons are located; on the right side is where the voice recorder launcher, edit key and volume up/down buttons are situated. The navigation array also consists of the Talk and End buttons, a Main Menu shortcut, and a clear key. The alphanumeric keypad is easy to use, with its more spacious and large features. The camera lens is located on the backside, the power button on top and the power connector and USB headset port on the bottom. The misroSD card that accepts up to 2GB cards is located behind the battery cover.
While the lack the QWERTY keyboard signifies that E65 isn’t much focused on e-mail capabilities (although the phone has e-mail features), more efforts are put on the voice features. Being a quadband world phone, overseas calling is seamless in E65. it also supports speakerphone, conference calling, voice dialing, speed dial and VoIP.
In addition, it offers a number of wireless options. Bluetooth 1.2 can be used to connect to wireless headsets, hands free kits and keyboards. The Bluetooth enables transferring contacts and files and also for dial-up networking. It also includes Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), for fast connection to the web, and infrared. Some wish that 3G is also included.
The Nokia E65 operates the Symbian operating system. Among the notable applications that run in the OS are the QuickOffice for viewing Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents and Screen Export for displaying the screen through a compatible projector.
As mentioned above, Nokia E65 is among the best phones that converged business applications and media applications. The built-in music player supports MP3, RealAudio, and AAC music files and the songs can be sorted according to artist, album, genre or composer. The RealPlayer can play videos in MP4 and 3GPP formats. Its image viewer can open JPEG, BMP, BNG, and GIF files. It also includes a 2-Megapixel camera that also offers video options. Picture quality is good, but the absence of flash has incurred a number of limitations.
Overall, the Nokia E65 is a sexy slider phone which is recommendable for business and casual mobile users who use the voice calling features more than the messaging. Its productivity tools and wireless options are also big plus.
The Nokia E63 is touted as the complete successor of the E71 smartphone, which makes it sound an automatic good phone. Before jumping to conclusions, the two phones have a number of differences. The E63 is slightly wider and fatter than its predecessor and sports a plastic-rubber battery cover as opposed to original metal, which is actually a good decision, making it easy to grip. The bottom line is, the E63 retained the classiness of the E71 despite the few materials alteration.
Keyboard is unarguably the best thing about the E63. It has a Blackberry feel with the large and slightly domed keys, making the individual letters easy to hit without accidentally pressing the neighbor keys. You don’t need to hit the shift key for ‘@’, full stop and question mark characters, another important innovation that cuts off typing time. Overall, the E63′s keyboard is an improvement from the E71, with its shortened space bar and inclusion of ‘Ctrl’ and ‘Char’ functions on the right.
There are shortcut buttons for home screen, calendar, contacts and messaging above the keyboard and a traditional four-way d-pad in the center. The relatively small 2.36 inches display has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels that still offers crisp graphics and texts. The screen is bright enough that reading texts under direct sunlight can be done.
Messaging is a big plus on the E63. Setting up an e-mail account is easy: just enter email address and password and the phone’s software configures and runs the account. It supports IMAP4, POP and Exchange protocols. Opening email attachments is no problem. QuickOffice supports viewing and editing office files. There is also a PDF reader and ZIP utility.
There are a number of sacrifices in the E63, being a cheaper unit to E71. Despite being a good Internet gadget, it’s a sad thing that E63 lacks GPS and HSDPA-support, limiting users to 3G and Wi-Fi for web browsing and data downloads. The camera specs are also reduced to 2.0MP instead of the 3.2MP of the E71.
Sync the E63 with the computer through the micro-USB port. Add extra storage space via the microSD card slot located on the left hand edge of the phone. It also employs a standard headphone jack. Call quality is first-rate and battery life is impressive.
The Nokia E62 has been considered as one of the most powerful in the Nokia E Series. While users have started debating the gadget’s bias to corporate users, Nokia E62 is a smartphone that gained its reputation as a very dependable gadget for everyone. Some have even compared the E62 to Motorola Q and the RIM BlackBerry 8700.
This smart phone boasts a dimension of 4.6 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches and a weight of 5 ounces, sporting a wider and blockier body. The 2.8-inch screen has 16-million color output at a 320 x 240 pixels resolution. Text messages, images and videos look great in the large and bright screen, even in direct sunlight. Below the screen are a group of buttons and the QWERTY keyboard. The buttons include left and right selection keys, Talk and End buttons, Menu shortcut, e-mail launch and a four-way navigation joystick. The left side of the phone is where three buttons are located for Volume Up, Volume Down and Voice record. Also in the left side, but is located behind the battery cover, is the miniSD expansion slot. Unfortunately, no camera is included in this business-centric device.The Nokia E62 is powered by the Symbian OS 9.1, Series 60 third edition. It supports viewing and editing of Microsoft Word, Excel and even PowerPoint documents, which is a very rare feature for smart phones.
A Screen Export function is also included that allows the display of the E62′s screen via a compatible projector. It also works with Adobe Reader and Zip Manager. Built-in memory is 75MB but the help of the miniSD slot can extend it to 2GB. E-mail capabilities with the Nokia E62 are very impressive. It supports Microsoft Exchange Server, POP3, IMAP, and SMTP accounts. It can also view attachments of popular formats like word, excel and jpeg. Real-time message delivery is attainable with push e-mail solutions. It also supports instant messaging such as Yahoo and AOL. New messages alerts are in the form of a pop-up box and LED.
Among the connectivity capabilities of Nokia E62 are Bluetooth, quadband GSM/GPRS, 3G and infrared. Just like the Nokia E61i, the Bluetooth isn’t limited for hands-free handsets but can be used for file transfers as well. The smartphone can also act as a modem for laptop. There is no Wi-Fi but connecting to the Internet is possible with GPRS. The 3G, on the other hand, can speed up data transmission whether the data are text, video or music.
Phone capabilities with Nokia E62 offer speakerphone, speed dial, and voice commands and VoIP calls, just like the E61i. Multimedia capabilities include music player, Image Viewer and RealPlayer. As mentioned above, there is no built-in camera for this model. The most important thing is that, all of the features above worked great and Nokia E62 ranked among the most dependable smartphones in the market today.
Joining Nokia’s E Series, a group of phones that is dedicated to satisfy every corporate user’s needs is Nokia E61i. Users have started praising Nokia E61i’s innovative design and its excellent messaging and productivity capabilities.
Nokia E61i’s mocha-brown and silver body sports a dimension of 4.6 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches and a weifhr of 5.3 ounces. The E61i is heavier as compared to other Nokia smartphones as caused by its solid construction and a wider body. The 2.8-inch screen runs 16 million colors at a 320 x 240 pixel resolution that makes viewing text, images and videos at best. Backlighting, contrast and themes can be adjusted automatically or manually.
The navigation keys and the QWERTY keypad are located below the screen. Among the navigation keys are the standard Talk and End buttons, two soft keys, and menu shortcuts. Two quick-launch buttons are also added; one will direct to the contacts and the other one can be programmed by the user to go to any applications. The traditional five-way navigation toggle replaced the joystick controller. The QWERTY has more spacing and most of the keys are large and square in shape.
This is an improvement as the rubbery keyboard prevented any slips that limit away frustration to the act of typing text messages and e-mails. On the left portion of the phone is the voice recorder and volume control. On the backside are the camera lens, mirror and flash. The microSD slot is behind the battery cover on the left side.
The E61i runs under the Symbian OS 9.1, Series 60 third edition. Users are able to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point documents via the Quickoffice Suite. An additional utility is the Nokia Team Suite that can be used for creating teams, members, conference call numbers, conference call PINS and web pages for finding all the information about a single conference calls. Adobe Reader and Zip Manager are also included in the smart phone. Completing the list of tools are calendar, clock, voice recorder, currency converter and calendar. The default memory is 50MB but the microSD can accept up to 2GB of memory.
Nokia E61i ‘s support Microsoft Exchange Servere, POP3, IMAP and SMTP accounts. An attachment viewer is also included. Push e-mail solutions allows real-time messaging in E61i, supporting Intellisync Wireless E-mail, BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Visto, and Seven Always-On Mail. It works with instant messaging clients like Yahoo and AOL as well. Another cool feature, the Message Reader, automatically converts the text messages to speech.
Connectivity features with E61i are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, and Infrared. Bluetooth can be used for file transfers and dial up networking for laptops, aside from hands-free handsets. Phone capabilities in E61i is fantastic as it offers the world roaming, speakerphone, speed dialling, voice commands and conference calls. It also supports VOIP calls.
An addition to the E-series of Nokia which includes E50, E70 and E90 is the E51. The Nokia E51 is a Symbian OS smartphone and has been dubbed as the direct replacement of the E50. Nokia E51 has also been categorized among candy-bar phone types which have been consistently praised for their great designs.
The Nokia E51 has a dimension of 114.8 x 6 x 12 millimeters and is available in black, silver or bronze and is made of durable stainless steel. The slim smartphone’s design is a reserved and simplistic one, reminiscent of the earlier Nokia models, but it remains compact and very comfortable to the pocket. It weighs 100 grams and features a 2-inch TFT display with 16M colors at a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. The LCD also offers an ambient light sensor and LED light indicator which is useful for detecting missed calls and unread messages and e-mails.
Below the screen are shortcut keys and a keypad that is comfortable use. It also includes a Home key that will bring back the user to a standby screen. Buttons on the side are rubberized: volume, power and record. The 2.0 Megapixel camera and speakers are located on the backside.
Nokia E51 has a number of important features on its keypads. Among these is the one-touch dedicated buttons for e-mail, contacts and calendar application and they are also customizable. Activating the E51′s connectivity options is a breeze, by pressing the * button to launch Bluetooth and 0 for the Web Browser. Dedicated keys are also available for muting calls that can be used during a conference call.
Going back to connectivity, E51 supports dualband 3G/HSDPA on 850/2100MHz frequencies, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth stereo, infrared, 2.5mm audio jack, and mini-USB port. It’s also a good news that the mini-USB port and the charging port are separated unlike the other slim Nokia phones wherein these ports were unified into one. The memory is also expandable up to 4GB with a microSD card. The E51 has the following preinstalled applications: Active Notes, In-device Search, Team Suite and Quickoffice, although the version of the Quickoffice can only view documents. Users can download Windows Live services such as Live Messenger, Gizmo for VoIP calls and Yahoo! Go.
The 2-megapixel camera, which may not be at par when matched with normal cameras, is still sufficient for simple snapshots. Other multimedia features in Nokia E51 include Visual Radio, a music player that can play MP3, AAC and other music formats, FM radio, video streaming and playback in H.264 (MPEG-4), 3gpp and Real codecs.
When lightness became a positive trend in mobile phones, Nokia took the term literally and pulled down a set of units to oblivion. The Nokia 7210 Supernova is a small, lightweight and budget-friendly cellphone that most of us aspire for. Pardon the weightlessness; the 7210 Supernova might have unloaded a number of features from what we consider a typical modern phone. However, does it always mean that a lack of features make the phone unworthy of praise?
Nokia 7210 Supernova’s design is one of its highest points, exhibiting a neat exterior. It measures 106 x 45 x 10.6 mm and weighs 70g. Available in blue, pink and gray, the 7210 phones have white, gray and black shades that add life to the color scheme. However, functionality seemed to have been neglected. The flat number pad is flat, requiring users to press harder just to make contact with a key. This means, that text-crazy people are in trouble.
The 2-inch screen is small, but its 240 x 320 pixels resolution makes it look sharp. The problem with small display nowadays is that web browsing became a challenge. Imagine scrolling up and down, left to right, which make reading contents seem to last forever.
The sad thing is, you may not want using its web capabilities, as it is a tedious activity in itself (read: waiting time plus un-inspiring web browser). Don’t expect much with the camera too, despite boasting a 2MP one. The resulting images are very entry level and there are no self-portrait mirror, no auto focus and no dedicated side-button for starting its software. To activate the camera, you need to push up the D-pad. Shoot images by pressing the select button in the center of the D-pad. The camera isn’t actually a product from hell, as it features self-timer, white balance settings and effects like grayscale, sepia, solarize, negative and false colors. At least you have something to experiment with. You can also upload your images straight to Flickr.
Remember to delete and/or save your images in other device as the phone is only equipped with an in-built 30MB memory, although there is a card slot that can store up to 2GB only.
While there is a number of features in the 7210, most of them are in the losing side. Music playback is acceptable although it lacks support for album art and sports a 2.5mm headset slot rather than the 3.5mm one. The Wi-Fi and GPS were added to bulk up the brochure, without actually giving something phenomenal. And there are problems with mobile email as well.
Other features of the 7210 Supernova include a voice recorder, alarm clock, calendar, to do list, notes maker, calculator, countdown timer, stopwatch and, in the apps folder and a number of games. If you’re looking for a phone simply for calling and texting, this is the perfect one for you.
If you’ve seen the Academy Award winning superhero movie The Dark Knight, you might have at least experienced a visual taste of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Yes, you got it right, the 5800 made a cameo as Batman’s phone, as a sonar imaging device. Lest, before we became overhyped with this metal fella, also known by its nickname, The Tube, as the sonar thing is a little too much for a commercial phone. Nonetheless, the 5800 has a strong connection with sonar as it is a wonderful music phone.
So this is Nokia’s attempt to bring down the iPhone, again. It features a good range of multimedia features, slim packaging and touch screen. It offers an easy to use design, not to mention a very attractive with some characteristics from the iPhone and Samsung Omnia. It sports a dimension of 4.37″ x 2.04″ x 0.61, with a weight of 3.84 oz. The build factor is also impressive and its very comfortable to hold in the hand. Nokia 5800’s touch screen is as big as the iPhone’s 3.2 inches, supporting 16M colors and an aspect ratio of 16:9. The result is a screen offering bright and vibrant colors and sharp graphics and photos. You can even change brightness, font size and backlighting according to your preference. The lighting adjusts automatically to different lighting conditions.
It features a responsive screen, whether you use your hands or stylus. Tick on the items and they will open quickly, no need to press too hard, although some may find it hard scrolling through long lists a little daunting but users will surely get used to it. The display is also equipped with a vibration feedback.
Aside from the touch screen, user can also type using the spacious QWERTY keyboard. Numbers and symbols have a separate keyboard and switching language alphabets and writing languages is so easy with the touch of a button. The dedicated shift keys, large space bar and back and return controls are also delighting in the typing features.
The thin yet tactile Talk and End buttons and menu control are housed below the display. The volume rocker, handset-locking switch and camera shutter are on the right spine while the SIM card and microSD card are on the left spine. Atop the unit is a dedicated power switch along with the 3.5mm headset jack, a micro-USB port, and the charger port. It is composed of two camera lenses, a 3.2MP and a VGA lens located on the back and above the display, respectively.
Features in the 5800 include vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, a calendar, a calculator, an alarm clock, a world clock, a notepad, a currency and unit converter, a voice recorder, a speakerphone, and a notepad. We also found full Bluetooth with a stereo profile, file and application managers, speaker-independent voice commands, PC syncing for music and photos, instant messaging, USB mass storage and a file manager. It also includes a Wi-Fi and GPS support.
Of course, this won’t be called the XpressMusic, without the music feature that makes this gadget special. It offers a great sound, whether you go the headphone of speaker route, which can be further enhanced with the equalizer.
read comments (0)