Nokia N9 hands-on: First look

Introduction

Today's smartphone scene is one of fierce competition and breakneck growth. Rarely though do announcements get any bigger than this. The Nokia N9 seemed forever stuck in rumorland, but never lost its grip on users' minds. The handset is rightfully enjoying as warm a reception as it would have had if it had been announced a year ago.

Nokia N9 official photos
And you can easily see why: a spanking new OS based on some pretty impressive (and novel!) concepts, sleek unibody design, some decently powerful hardware (even if the N9 missed the dual-core train) and that magnificent 3.9" curved AMOLED of FWVGA resolution is a package that's hard to resist.
We got our hands on this baby today, and although our meeting was brief, it was enough for it to earn a special place in our geeky hearts. The Nokia N9 is an excellent device based on an exciting UI concept and boasting some sleek hardware. But what casts doubt on it is the claim that it represents a dead end in the smartphone tree of evolution.
But let’s not get all emotional now, the thing isn’t even on the market yet. And it looks like the right thing to help Nokia through the hard transition period in the second half of 2011. What we know for sure is we would love to have more whence this came from.
Here are the key specs of the Nokia N9 but remember these numbers tell only half the story:

Nokia N9 at a glance

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone
• Dimensions: 116.5 x 61.2 x 12.1 mm, 76 cc
• Weight: 135 g
• Display: 3.9" 16M-color FWVGA (480 x 854 pixels) AMOLED capacitive touchscreen; Gorilla Glass, anti-glare polarizer, curved display, multi-touch input
• Chipset: 1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU, TI OMAP 3630 chipset
• RAM: 1GB
• OS: MeeGo OS, v1.2 Harmattan
• Memory: 16/64GB storage, no microSD slot
• Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with face detection, touch focus and geotagging; HD (720p) video recording at 30fps, LED flash, front facing camera, video-calls
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 2.1, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack, TV-out, NFC
• Misc: Polycarbonate unibody, built-in accelerometer, proximity sensor, uses microSIM cards

On paper, the Nokia N9 looks like solid, if not spectacular. As soon as you set eyes on the real thing though, there's no mistaking a smartphone that will reach for the top rather than settle for anything less.
The premium finish and the outward curved screen are nothing short of outstanding. And the great news is that the good impressions don't end with the exterior. We were pleasantly surprised by the MeeGo Harmattan platform and starting to doubt whether switching to Windows Phone 7 was the only option available to Nokia.

The Nokia N9 at ours
There's a time and place for that discussion, and they are not here and now. We know you are as eager as we are to see what the Nokia N9 is really made of. Join us after the break for the hardware checkup.

Nokia 700 preview: First look

Introduction

Good stuff coming from Nokia lately but there’s always room for more. We like to be surprised and the Nokia 700 does just that. Instead of quietly falling in line behind the obvious leader, the 1GHz Symbian Belle powered Nokia 701, the Nokia 700 puts on its best suit and goes it alone. A cute little smartphone ready for big things.
Just don’t let the size fool you. The slim Nokia 700 is no lesser smartphone than the Nokia 701 that we recently enjoyed in a preview. With a 1GHz processor and Symbian Belle, it’s got both its media and communication bases covered.

Nokia 700
You need to hold the Nokia 700 in your hand to appreciate how small it really is. It looks like a toy compared to, say, the Galaxy S II all the while packing some of the best Nokia has to offer. The revamped Symbian Belle shows its friendlier side on a 3.2” ClearBlack AMOLED touchscreen. NFC pairing is the icing on the cake in the connectivity department featuring quad-band GSM and penta-band 3G support.

Nokia 700 at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 110 x 50.7 x 9.7 mm, 50 cc; 96 g
• Display: 3.2-inch 16M-color nHD (360 x 640 pixels; ~229 ppi pixel density) AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, Nokia ClearBlack technology
• Memory: 2 GB storage memory, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
• OS: Symbian Belle OS
• CPU: 1GHz processor
• Camera: 5 megapixel fixed focus camera with 720p@30fps video recording, geotagging
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, stereo Bluetooth v3.0, microUSB port, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS receiver with A-GPS, NFC
• Misc: Accelerometer, proximity sensor, Stereo FM radio with RDS, Flash lite 4.0
• Battery: 1080 mAh Li-Ion battery.

In terms of continuity, the Nokia 700 will be replacing the C6-01. There is one important thing to note here though. While the Nokia 701 copies the design of its predecessor, the C7, the Nokia 700 is a complete makeover. It’s not an entirely new and original design: the Nokia 700 has a dash of X3-02 in it.

Nokia 700 held in hand
We’ll go ahead and say it: the Nokia 700 is a looker of a phone. Super slim and sexy, it's got what it takes to be a crowd pleaser. There’s a lot for it to prove and this preview is but a glimpse of what the Nokia 700 has to offer. Let’s not keep it waiting.

Nokia 701 preview: First look

Introduction

The Nokia 701 is the torch bearer in a generation shift for Symbian. Belle is a bold stylistic step forward and the Nokia 701 is the first in a trio of phones that will introduce it to the world. The Nokia R&D team left nothing to chance with this one - proven design, a brilliant screen and a 1GHz processor.

Nokia 701 official photos
The 701 is based on the C7. The styling must be a Nokia favorite as they reused it in the gold-plated Oro too. As long as it's the same solid and fairly slim, alloy body we're not complaining.
The Nokia 701 enjoys solid hardware upgrade too. A 1GHz CPU coupled with 512MB RAM is much more than what the lightweight Symbian OS is used to and the 1,000 nit display outshines competing screens.
Not everything has changed though, here's the overview.

Nokia 701 at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 87 cc; 133 g
• Display: 3.5" 16M-color nHD ClearBlack TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen; 1,000 nits of brightness
• Memory: 8GB of storage, 1GB ROM, microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
• OS: Symbian Belle OS
• CPU: 1GHz processor; 512 MB RAM
• Camera: 8 megapixel fixed-focus camera with dual-LED flash, geotagging
• Video recording: 720p video recording @ 30fps (stereo sound)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP, microUSB port with USB on-the-go, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS receiver with A-GPS
• Misc: NFC support, accelerometer, Stereo FM radio with RDS, FM radio transmitter, proximity sensor, TV-Out (SD)
• Battery: 1300 mAh Li-Ion battery; up to 17 hours talk time (!!) and up to 3 days of music playback

The next generation ClearBlack display is based on the IPS LCD technology and promises amazing brightness and 160-degree viewing angles. It's also protected by the popular Gorilla Glass, so you don't have to worry about scratches ruining your viewing experience.
NFC will be a major part of the Nokia experience (they have plans to start enabling it on all their devices) and that, of course, includes the 701. It's a great addition to the connectivity set, which is brimming with features already.

Nokia 701 in our office
Now, get your old maps ready. Our usual hardware tour begins and we've got the feeling we'll be playing "spot the differences" all the way through.

Nokia 500 preview: First look

Introduction

The Nokia 500 is not a phone Nokia desperately needs to succeed. They've got bigger things on their mind and we don't mean Windows Phone 7. With Symbian Belle just launched on two brand new handsets, the Anna-running Nokia 500 is beyond hope of getting in the spotlight.
It's exactly phones like the Nokia 500 though that do well, giving good return of the minimum investment. They thrive in anonymity and get the job done without fanfare. Think Nokia C5-03 but duly upgraded: a 1 GHz processor and double the RAM, a capacitive touchscreen and Symbian Anna - and it will only get better with Belle.

The Nokia 500
The Nokia 500 is an entry-level smartphone and that's what Nokia are good at. It won't deliver super multimedia but it will open those internet pages for you and do it the way a true modern smartphone should - with multi-touch support. It's the complete smartphone experience with the speed of a 1GHz CPU, solid connectivity, free SatNav and multi-tasking, all in a much friendlier Symbian Anna fashion.

Nokia 500 at a glance:

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 111.3 x 53.8 x 14.1 mm, 73 cc; 93 g
• Display: 3.2-inch 16M-color nHD (360 x 640 pixels) TFT capacitive touchscreen
• Memory: 2 GB of inbuilt storage, microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
• OS: Symbian Anna OS
• CPU: ARM 11 1GHz processor, 256 MB RAM
• Camera: 5 megapixel fixed-focus camera with geotagging, VGA video recording @15fps
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, stereo Bluetooth v2.1, microUSB port, 3.5mm audio jack, GPS receiver with A-GPS
• Misc: Accelerometer, Stereo FM radio with RDS, Flash lite 4.0, changeable colored back-panels, proximity sensor
• Battery: 1110 mAh Li-Ion battery, quoted for up to 7h/5h talk time in GSM/HSDPA mode and 500h/455h standby.

With an upgraded processor, penta-band worldwide coverage and improved data speeds, the Nokia 500 means business. But it knows its target audience and tries to stays relevant with the feature set and customization options including exchangeable back covers.

The Nokia 500 in hand
It keeps an eye on budget too. The all-plastic finish, garden variety TFT display, fixed-focus camera with no flash and VGA-only video are compromises that had to be made. It still looks like a viable option - a young, affordable smartphone with a good speed boost and colorful personality.
Looks like an easy one to get along with. We guess we can cut the courtesies and move on. We only have time for a short preview anyway.

Nokia C2-02 review: A simple touch

Introduction

As Nokia smartphones struggle to hold the line against the storming droids, more and more pressure falls on their feature-phone squad. It will be up to those foot soldiers to buy enough time for the heavily armed Windows Phone 7 reinforcements to arrive.

Nokia C2-02 official photos
The Nokia C2-02 is the first of a trio of handsets to try and make the most of what's probably Nokia's last remaining stronghold - simple to use phones with good looks and an attractive price tag. The Touch and Type series has been doing well for Nokia and even though they scrapped the name, the spirit will live on.
To get us started, here's what the C2-02 is all about:

Key features

• Dual-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• 2.6" 65K-color resistive TFT QVGA touchscreen
• S40 6th edition
• 2 megapixel fixed-focus camera
• QCIF video recording at 15fps
• Stereo FM radio with RDS, Visual radio
• Bluetooth v2.1 (with A2DP)
• Standard microUSB port
• microSD card slot (32 GB supported, 2GB included)
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Extra smooth and precise haptic feedback
• Attractive price

Main disadvantages

• No Wi-Fi
• Doesn’t charge off USB
• No screen brightness control
• No document viewer
• No smart dialing
• No video-call camera
• No accelerometer sensor means no cool features like tap-for-time and turn-to mute
• No multitasking

If you’ve been keeping track, you’d surely find the flaw list familiar. S40 made the leap to touchscreen but Nokia still didn't bother packing it with smart dialing and multitasking – features already available on competing feature phones for years. The screen itself is nothing to shout about: a small, low-res, resistive display. But the slider form factor makes quite a bit of sense - especially if you had doubts about the first Touch and Type candybars. Sliders make better use of space: the C2-02 gives you a reasonably comfortable dial pad and a bigger screen.

Nokia C2-02 studio shots
The C2-02 is supposed to make traditional Nokia users less anxious about giving touchscreen a try. It should be a small and tentative first step - a proper keypad is still a must. What’s more, texting is a relevant feature to both the budget range and the demographic profile.
Ultimately, it's the familiarity and ease of use that will help the likes of Nokia C2-02 reach their intended audience. It's a huge pool to draw from given Nokia's strong grip on the low end of the market. Not a bad place to start at all. We, on our part, are ready to start exploring this S40 touchscreen slider. We've got a full review to do before we can say we like it as much as, say, the X3-02. The hardware inspection begins right after the break.