16
May
2010
Nokia N8 taking Symbian to the next level
The newly announced Nokia N8 is set to improve Nokia’s offering in the smartphone marketplace. Sporting a large screen and bags of features, can it compete with the already hugely successful iPhone, and HTC Desire?
The Nokia N8 will come complete with a 12 megapixel camera sporting the usual Carl Zeiss lens and Xenon flash. The camera will be capable of capturing HD footage and even better you can relay this footage on any HD ready TV via its HDMI output. For a more detailed explanation of the camera specs check out this Nokia N8 review. There are a couple of other nice features as well. We particularly like the 16GB of internal storage as standard. This is very similar to the Nokia X6 16GB and of course you can expand this to 32GB via its Micro-SD slot.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the Nokia N8 is the fact that it will be the first handset to make use of the new Symbian 3 Operating system. This promises to allow the use to use multiple Apps at once, as well as offering pinch and grab functionality. We may sound a little cynical, but you can probably expect an Apple lawsuit to follow, if the pat years antics are anything to go by.
We are really excited about the Nokia N8 and cannot wait to get our hands on it to have a play with the new OS, as soon as we know more we will be sure to let you know here.
25
Sep
2009
Nokia Booklet 3G. Worst phone ever
What’s that? A 1.3MP camera, are you havin’ a bubble bath? And weighing 1250g? That’s obscene. That’s like the Johnny Vegas. A ten inch screen? Fair enough, better than an iPhone. But what about… oh… wait… right… we seeeeee.
Ladies and gentlefolk: this ain’t no phone. This is, excitingly, Nokia’s first ever foray into the real mobile computing world (not the fake mobile computing that phone manufacturers claim just because their phones can just about log on to a Gmail account). Step forward the Nokia Booklet 3G. And boy, is it a mighty step. This thing isn’t just good, isn’t just pretty decent (as so many Nokia phones are), this thing is drop dead fantastic.
The physical design of the thing is just stunning. So many netbooks are being chucked towards the market these days that people seem to have lost all regard for making the things look anything better than kids toys. Not this thing. With its aluminium finish, glass screen and curves to die for, you can be as confident pulling this thing out of your bag as you would a Sony Vaio. It really does look that good.
Then there’s the Nokia 3G Booklet‘s innards… 3G, on a laptop? Yes please. And some A-GPS to work with the pre-installed Ovi Maps? I should say so. A little WiFi. A sprinking of the all-new Windows 7… it’s got it all, and it’s got a lot, lot more (just check out the official page for a full spec-check).
So there we have it. You might be sceptical, you might think Nokia would be better of working on some more mind blowing phones, but we say: forget all that. This thing rocks, this thing needs to be bought, and this thing will make you very happy indeed if you agree with us.
Check out this Nokia Booklet 3G review for some similar thinking, or just have a little look at the video below.
22
Sep
2009
Nokia N900. Disengage the cynicism
Videos by Nokia…bah, grrr, annoying… such poor quality… darn it and so on… why can’t they just spend some money… grumble grumble…
Or at least, that’s how a blog like this would normally go. You know the pattern well enough by now. Nokia release a new phone that is at least worthy of our attention, if not actually really good, then we go about bringing you news of it, and in so doing want to show you a video to back up the cesspool of our words. Then all we can find is one of those terrible self-made videos that Nokia seem to painfully adept at creating. Then we post it anyway, having lost the will to live, let alone the will to search any deeper for an even half decent video. Then we grumble, complain and generally bring you down about said video and Nokia’s idiocy.
Then we have the N900, and the video below. So we found it, tutted, clicked play, tutted some more. Swore at the screen a little bit as those ridiculously trying-to-be-trendy Finns started prattling on about this and that. But… but then, something magical happened: they showed us the phone in action. And we paused, mid swear. Fair enough, we didn’t believe that these people were suddenly cool (far from it), we didn’t think that Nokia had actually made a deceptively interesting video (far, far from it), but… the phone… The Nokia N900… just look at it!
Powered by the Maemo operating system, the Linux-based thing that’s been powering Nokia’s so-called internet tablets for a while now, it maybe shouldn’t be such a surprise that thing works so well. Even less so given the up-to-1GB of processing power that the phone can allocate to juggling multitasking applications. Or the up-to 48GB of storage space. Or the… well, or the everything else. Because as this Nokia N900 review, or as a look at the official stats will show you, this thing is just plain brilliant. Like, **** hot brilliant.
And when a phone is this good, hell, who needs a decent video.
21
Sep
2009
Nokia 5230. Special videos by special people
Nokia’s promotional videos… is there anything they can’t do?
Well, short answer: yes, lots. Succeed; make their products look good; have a soundtrack that doesn’t make deafness an attractive life choice; have any kind of narrative; not feature someone with weird hands; not have annoying, inane titling; be watchable in any way, shape or form: these are all the things that Nokia’s promotional videos can’t do.
But now we can add another thing to the list that their videos have failed to do, and this one’s a cracker. Because the video for the Nokia 5230 shows a phone actually failing. Not massively. The phone doesn’t explode and maim the handler, for example (though we’re expecting to see that one in the not too distant future). But if you have a little look at the video below, jump to 36 seconds in (don’t, for the love of god, make yourself sit through any more than that) you’ll see something. First you’ll see an ugly finger sweeping down the screen. Then, about a second later, that screen decides to scroll how it was supposed to. Huge, gaping, obvious, painful lag.
Now, being the generous kind hearted souls that you know we are (hey, no laughing at the back), we’re willing to consider the possibility that maybe this was a prototype. That the final Nokia 5230 wouldn’t have any such lag and everything will be as smooth and streamlined and tra-la-la perfect as can be. But, even if this is the case, who in the hell made this video, who edited, which absolute tool didn’t watch that and think, you know what, maybe we should just re-record that bit where we make out product look ****ing terrible. You know? Maybe that might have been a good idea. Idiots.
And it is, in all honestly, a shame. Because the 5230 is a very decent phone for what it is. And what it is is a very affordable but still feature-packed touchscreen device, as this Nokia 5230 review, or this handy official page will reveal.
Just… seriously… Nokia… At least employ people who aren’t blind/retarded to make your videos. Please.
16
Jul
2009
Nokia 6700. So unspecial its special
When something works, as you all know, it’s best not to do all that much to change it. And Nokia have made a very smart move with the Nokia 6700 by doing just that. Because as you can well see, this phone’s an evolution of the 6300, one of the most popular phones Nokia have ever released. And, in our minds, one of the best phone’s ever released. And why is that, you asking with a tut? There was nothing ground-breaking about it, it didn’t bring the mobile consumer anything new or exciting or revolutionary. Well, as regular readers of this blog will know, the so-called revolutionary is exactly what we get sick to the hind teeth of here.
So many phones claim to be bringing us something revolutionary – what was it Sony Ericsson claimed recently for the Satio, “visual communication like never before”… – whereas all they’re doing is bringing out ever-so-slightly improved specs on the last iteration, or a slight improvement on the current sector leader. The Nokia 6700 classic makes no such claims. Even though it does have some pretty impressive specs for its size: a very decent camera, super fast HSDPA speeds, one of the best web browsers out there. (Have a look at Nokia’s official page or at this Nokia 6700 review for a fuller rundown of all the necessaries. And check out these Nokia 6700 deals). No, the 6700 does being us some very respectable stats. But this phone’s main feature, the reason you won’t be hearing fanfares or screaming adverts about this thing is about just that – it’s a phone for people who like respectable. Who want a fully functioning phone that they can slip in their pocket, use as and when necessary, then forget about in the meantime. Not a battery guzzling, superwidescreen flashing monster that scares the life out of babies and old children if you use it in their vicinity. And we like that. We like that a lot. Have a look at this suitably calm video for a sense of what we mean.
6
Jul
2009
Nokia E52. A lady of the night
Apart from on the seedy streets of Soho late on a Friday night, it’s not often that you get to say that ‘businesspeople get to have all the fun.’ But, in the world of mobile phones at least, that can sometimes seem the case. Take the new E52, for example. As with all the other handsets in the E-series, it’s a thing designed primarily for the business user, with its Mobile VPN capabilities, its Call Connect support, and other things we won’t bother to bore you with the details, you might be tempted just to yawn and move on.
But before you do, consider this: the Nokia E52 has a standby battery life of some 25 days. That’s days, not hours. It has a digital compass to go with its A-GPS, not to mention the more than cool Nokia Maps. It can film video. It has a 3.5mm audio jack for your favourite headphones. It has a dedicated camera key for one-shot picture-taking.
And aren’t these all things you wouldn’t necessarily associate with the suited amongst us? Maybe we’re just being prejudiced, but then if we are, then there’s a chance a lot of you might be too. But take this as a warning from us – just because the E52 is being released as being “business-oriented”, doesn’t mean that those of us whose only business takes place in the bathroom couldn’t get more than a little enjoyment out of it too. Check out a full list of all the specs and features in this Nokia E52 review, or have a look at this somewhat seedy little video below.
29
Jun
2009
Nokia 2720 Fold. Retro stylings about to get big
Remember how a while ago people started wearing those crappy digital watches that they’d been given as a kid? Tiny little things, with a rubber wrist strap, little metal buttons, with the only functions being a backlight, a stop watch and, if you were really lucky, a countdown timer. There was something nostalgic about them, clearly. Something that when people saw them again as adults, made their more embittered, cynical hearts yearn for the days of such simple pleasures.
Well, we think the same thing might be about to happen with mobile phones. We’ve already recently talked about the 2730 classic, but the 2720 Fold lowers the bar to a new (though also old) level. Unlike the 2730, the fold knows nothing bout 3G. The fold pales before the Classics mighty 2MP camera (with only 1.3MPs), shudders at the sight of it’s whopping 2” screen (with only 1.8” itself)… but you know what, maybe the fold isn’t shuddering and shaking, but laughing. The 2720 Fold might well be chuckling to itself at the sheer ostentation of the Classic. It would probably wet itself in huge guffaws if it ever got a look at some of the ‘real’ phones being released these days. With their 3G-this, and WiFi-that, all their ridiculous functions that don’t actually work that well.
The Nokia 2720 Fold, then, might just be the kids’ digital watch of the near future. With people sick of phones that freeze and crash and eat up batteries in a matter of minutes, who’s to say having one of these dinky little things in your pocket is going to become some kind of statement. A stand against the frivolousness and waste of the modern era. Or even just a little bit of an understated fashion statement, a look-at-my-kitcsh-retro-new-toy kinda thing. Either way, you know who to thank for telling you first. Read a Nokia 2720 fold review here for more sparse facts, and check out this house-addled video below for a chuckle of your own.
23
Jun
2009
Nokia 5530 XpressMusic. Going, going, gone
As with many others things these days (jobs, confidence in the very way the country is governed) it seems Nokia have decided that less is more. So while they’ve been shouting about all the features of the new Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, it’s interesting to see what’s been booted out to make room:
- Full touch interface – GONE are all physical buttons
- 2.9” touchscreen – GONE is the 3.2” version (though the new one is much brighter and has a cool tactile feedback thing going on)
- New home screen and contacts bar – GONE are, well, the old versions)
- a sightly smaller and sleeker package – GONE is that plasticky obesity
- Bluetooth, WiFi, and EDGE for all your connection needs – GONE is the 3G, along with the GPS
That’s a lot of trims. So does the 5530 XpressMusic suffer because of it? Not a chance. The new package is far, far better looking and lighter too. And to be honest, this is first and foremost a music phone (and a great quality one at that), so the GPS and 3G won’t be missed by any more than a few. Roll on a leaner future, we say. The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a cracking phone that blows most other music phones,and indeed most other music players, out of the water. Read this Nokia 5530 review for more convincing. Or wince you’re way through this terrible, terrible video if you dare.
19
Jun
2009
Nokia E72. So shiny it hurts
But hurts in a good way. In a cold shower on a hot day kind of way. Because that’s what we think the Nokia E72 is – an unexpected, short sharp shock to the senses that, after the initial surprise, is a damn nice experience. Not only does the E72 have absolutely stunning looks (take a look at the video below for some great light-glare moments, and to really appreciate how slim the whole package is), but it’s as you read about the specs that you realise just how much effort Nokia have put into this.
The E71 sold faster, and sold more, than any QWERTY-keyboard handset Nokia had ever made. No surprise there though, as it was an absolute corker. But that might have meant that with the Nokia E72 they might have just played around a little bit. Added and updated here and there but basically charged you more for nothing more than a perfunctory upgrade (“just like the iPhone 3G S” do we hear someone shouting at the back?). Well, that’s definitely not the case. As the Nokia Vice President has been quoted as saying, “Despite the outstanding market performance of the Nokia E71, we still continually look for ways to enhance the device.” Don’t believe him, have a look at this list of Nokia E72 improvements:
1. Faster general performance and internet speeds thanks to upgrades to how the Symbian S60 system runs
2. New version of Quickoffice, delivering Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility (along with access to any subsequent upgrades)
3. New optical navigation key for intuitive scrolling and fast panning
4. Desktop like email experience imported from the E75
5. Top-loading 3.5 mm audio jack added
6. Camera upgraded to 5 megapixels (with autofocus and flash)
7. New IM features allowing you to connect to your current IM accounts (Yahoo, Google, Ovi, etc.)
8. A-GPS and compass with integrated Maps
9. Active noise cancellation helping improve general call quality
10. Spacebar key-activated torch function
Or you can read this Nokia E72 review. Or dance along to the banging dance track backing this simple but effective video from Nokia themselves:
25
Mar
2009
The new Nokia E75
Carrying the Nokia’s trade mark rectangular look, the Nokia E75 has got a sideway sliding QWERTY keyboard which is quite easy to use. This too was announced about at the Mobile World Conference 2009 Barcelona, Spain.
Nokia E75 is not second to any other mobile phone in the category, with a 3.2megapixel camera accompanied by autofocus & LED flash, internal memory of 50MB which can be enhanced up to 16GB with microSD card, FM radio, 3.5mm audio jack for headphones so that you can connect your favorite headphones instead of the custom given ones. The E75 also is integrated with Nokia’s NGage games as well as Nokia Music Store. The display of this phone is of 2.4 inches QVGA (240x320pixels) TFT.
111.8mm x 50mm x 14.4mm of size and 139g of weight it looks very attractive and unlike in Nokia’s E55, the QWERTY keyboard is nicely organized with appropriate finger space with one key allocated for one letter. It comes in silver, black, red, and copper yellow housing. Looking at connectivity, its quad-band on GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz and tri-band on UMTS 850(or 900)/1900/2100MHz and you also get HSPA, WiFi, GPRS, EDGE and WCDMA. There is a 1000MHz battery and you can stay on standby for 11 days and get 5hrs and 4hrs talk time on GSM & 3G respectively. Further the inbuilt GPS receiver will enable you to use Nokia Maps with voice guided turn-by-turn navigation. You can see more info here.
The E75 will be available in the market after March 2009 and you can buy it for around US$475. If that’s a quite high price for you, what you can do is get it through a E75 contract. Nokia E75 contracts are similar to a temporary loan to buy your phone. You can pay in installments. Further, you can also get Nokia E75 tariffs suitable for your financial abilities. So do some background check on some Nokia mobiles deals available before finalizing anything.
If you are looking for network specific deals, follow the links below:
Nokia E75 on Orange
Nokia E75 on O2
Nokia E75 on T-Mobile
Nokia E75 on Vodafone
Nokia E75 on 3 Mobile
Nokia E75 on Virgin
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