Nokia N96
Monday, October 26, 2009
 Key Specs | |
| EDGE; GPRS; HSDPA 2.8 inches Symbian OS 9.3 No Yes (5 megapixels) Yes 16GB Yes (MicroSD) 2.5 to 3.8 hours (talk time); 8 to 9.5 days (standby time) 4.05x1.97x0.63 inches 4.5 ounces | |
Nokia N96 Review | |
| Reviewed by: Louis Ramirez Review Date: March 2009 | |
| Nokia's N96 comes with every feature you'd want in a smartphone. This update to the N95 includes HSDPA (3G), Wi-Fi, 16GB of built-in memory, and a 5-megapixel camera. Unfortunately, when compared with a svelte and more advanced device like the Apple iPhone, the portly N96 fails to impress us. With its unsubsidized $705 price tag, it's also out of touch with reality. When it first debuted, Nokia's N95 put its competition to shame with an abundance of media-oriented features. The N96 picks up where the N95 left off, but ditches the N95's matte finish for a stylish high-gloss exterior. Although the glossy finish is more in line with today's trends, there's no escaping the N96's cheap, toy-like feel. In fact, a few times the phone's rear casing came loose or squeaked, since it's only held in place by one latch. Otherwise, the N96 isn't a radical departure from its predecessor, though Nokia managed to trim a bit of depth from its waistline. Like the N95, the N96 is a dual-sliding phone. Slide the screen upward to reveal the phone's numeric keypad; slide it down to access a column of four media-playback controls, which light up when the phone is on. Besides being an unlocked phone (you can use it with service from AT&T or T-Mobile), one reason for the high price tag is that the N96 is loaded with features. The problem is that if you live in the United States, you can’t use a lot them. The N96 has the ability to stream live television, but the service is not offered by AT&T or T-Mobile. It supports video calling and music downloads from Nokia Music, but both are not available stateside. But even if these capabilities become available, the price is still high when you compare it to smartphones like the iPhone, T-Mobile’s G1, and even some of the newer BlackBerry models. The front of the phone is dominated by a 2.8-inch QVGA (240x320-pixel) display, which (surprisingly in this iPhone age) is not a touch screen. Although the LCD is perfectly adequate for photos and video, the display falls short on resolution, trailing behind the iPhone’s 480x320-resolution display and other large-screen phones like it. Navigating through the phone's interface is easy, thanks to the N96's four-way directional pad and Symbian OS. Although the lack of a QWERTY keypad makes the phone feel dated, the directional pad proved to be more efficient than most touch screens we've used. On the rear sits the phone's 5-megapixel sensor with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flashes. Images looked superior to those of most camera phones and can stand up to those from your average compact point-and-shoot. Conveniently, the N96 has a GPS receiver built in. The phone uses the Nokia Maps application to display maps, and users can add optional navigation services such as voice-guided driving instructions. In terms of connectivity, the N96 packs HSDPA, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. However, Web addicts will find Nokia's Web browser very dated, especially after seeing the HTML-rich pages of the iPhone's Safari browser. Although Flash is supported, Web pages on the N96 were slow to load and oftentimes loaded incorrectly or with errors. In addition to the N96's 16GB of onboard memory, the phone also supports MicroSD cards. This is particularly useful if you want to use your N96 as your personal media player, since it already includes a 3.5mm headphone jack and sports an FM tuner, along with support for most popular audio formats (such as MP3, WMA, and AAC). To watch videos, upload an MPEG-4, WMV, or Real file. Call quality on the phone was loud and strong. Likewise, its built-in stereo speakers were among the strongest we've seen on a smartphone. The N96's battery lasted for two business days with a combination of moderate wireless use, voice calls, and standby time. Although the N96 is filled to the brim with lust-worthy features, it doesn't come close to rivaling the user experience provided by devices like the iPhone or Blackberry Bold. And for a phone that costs nearly eight bills, that's a huge setback. If you crave a Nokia N-series phone but can't stomach $705, check out the well-built, cheaper (but still pricey) N85. Price (at time of review): $639 (direct price) | |