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Nokia N8: Inside out

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Had the Nokia N8 been launched a couple of years ago, or when the other smartphones were still finding their feet, it would have brought accolades to Nokia. To say that that the N8’s hardware is great would be a crime, because it’s simply awesome. But, combine it with the sluggish Symbian^3 OS and this is where the slide begins. The limitations of this software prevent this phone from being the savior it could have been for Nokia in the smartphone arena.

Features:

The N8 is a curious mix of the best and the worst. The excellent hardware starts to impress you the moment you hold the phone in your hands. Its full metal chassis donning anodized scratch proof paint gives you a great deal of confidence as well as a sense of longevity. The N8’s 113.5x59x12.9 mm dimensions and 135 g weight strike a perfect balance between ease of carrying and making its presence felt. The 3.5 inch screen is large enough but packs a meager 640×360 pixels. Otherwise, the scratch resistant Gorilla glass AMOLED screen gives perfectly vivid colors and responds amazingly well to touch.

Although the smartphone’s 680 MHz ARM 11 processor and 256 MB memory sound below par, the phone still acts swiftly. The key to this is Symbian^3, Nokia’s latest and greatest OS created till date. Other essentials like HDMI output port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G connectivity, an accelerometer and magnetometer, and 16 GB of internal memory hardly make the N8 under featured. A handy feature of the phone is the USB-on-the-go feature which allows the connection for USB flash drives.

The N8’s ability to play 720p HD video natively explains the presence of the HDMI output port. Also, the phone is equipped with a video editor to manipulate the HD video it records as well as the photo editor for the spectacular images it captures. The presence of an FM transmitter in the N8 is a surprising inclusion as it has very few users, although it works pretty well.

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Nokia’s OS, despite having functionality, is not as usable as some of the other more popular ones. The Webkit-based browser in Symbian^3 makes browsing a little annoying as it loads the mobile version of many websites rather than the normal version. The user interface feels archaic and navigation is virtually handicapped by the absence of a physical ‘Back’ button. Social media integration strikes fairly weak as the N8 lacks the dedicated approach taken by its counterparts. The phone falls far behind even in terms of the apps ecosystem. The Ovi Store is almost dry at the moment with no evidence that it will ever be able to satisfy your appetite for apps. The latest models of the smartphone are born with Symbian Anna, with the option to upgrade the old ones via OTA firmware update. However, it doesn’t do a great deal in improving the reputation of Nokia’s OS as one of the poorest in the business.

The highlight of the N8 is the camera, which can serve as an ideal replacement for a compact shooter. The camera which boasts of a 12 megapixel sensor, along with a 28 mm Carl Zeiss lens and a powerful Xenon flash, is utterly brilliant. When viewed on a large screen, the images will definitely blow you away.

High points:

1. Nokia N8, in conjunction with Symbian 3, offers an enhanced user experience as compared to the earlier devices offered by the company.

2. The phone delivers absolutely stunning picture and video quality.

3. The smartphone’s hardware is rock solid and has no equal to it in its class.

4. Ovi Store’s promise of free lifetime satellite navigation is an excellent option for anyone looking to replace their dedicated sat nav.

5. The QWERTY keyboard that could be used only in landscape mode can now also be used in portrait mode thanks to the OTA firmware update.

Low points:

1. The below par performance of the OS makes the N8 very sluggish at times.

2. Lack of a replaceable battery compounds the problems of the N8.

Price:

The Nokia N8 is available at a staggering $389. It’s the final nail in the coffin for the device as there are bucket loads of better performing smart phones in the market at much lower price points.

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