Just recently, we got the opportunity to pick up one of the classy Nokia phones for a review – the Nokia N96. This one phone surely caught our attention and we thought it would be a good idea to review it.
The Nokia N95 may not have been a popular choice of the masses, but the N96 sure raises the hopes for Nokia. The Slider phone looks sleek and compact, but don’t be fooled by its compact and simple looks, as the phone packs in a bundle of features that will surprise you one after the other.
To get a clear unbiased review, we have classified the phone’s review in forms of its plusses and drawbacks. So have a look at it and you’ll get to know more on this phone.
Pros:
It is always believed that the positive features should be placed in the beginning. So we follow the tradition and list out the positive features and specifications of the phone.
At the first look, the phone is surely compact and smart looking. The screen lights up brightly and in a suave manner. The two way slider sorts out the keypad accordingly, whereas slide the screen downwards and the phone shows its music and video controlling keys, whereas sliding down the lower base of the phone downward displays the standard keys.
Next on the list is the camera of the phone, the N96 boasts of a smart 5MP camera that flaunts its Carl Zeiss Optics with Tessar lens. The slider phone clicks away in glory and offers clear and crisp pictures. If you are a night owl, need not worry as the phone takes good quality pictures even in dark with its dual-LED camera flash, video light and auto-focus assist light.
The Phone also packs in a GPS mapping system that will give access to free downloadable maps of over 150 countries. If you are driving get guided by the phone’s voice guided car navigation. Find a particular location interesting? Just geo-tag using your very own phone.
The music and videos sizzle on the phone. The Nokia N96 loads on dedicated keys for ease of use for playing music and video files. Slide the screen downwards and the phone displays the screen in a landscape format which is best suited for watching videos and of course Mobile TV. If your network service provider offers mobile TV service, then the phone is a treat in your hands.
The battery life of the phone seems satisfactory, but if you plan on using a lot of multimedia functions, then be ready with your travel chargers.
Since this is a 3G phone, the N96 also has the capacity to make and receive video calls, provided that your network service provider supports the same.
Cons:
Now coming to the bad side of the phone, like each coin has two sides, even this phone has its own downsides. Let’s take a closer look of what is the ‘con’ factor in the device.
The two-way slider may look ultra cool, so are the suave keypad lights, but the slider is definitely not suited for the ones owning the title of ‘Butter Fingers’. The slider can get a little tight or loose depending on usage.
The size of the phone makes it a little bulky when compared to the slim and sleek phones that are out in the market.
The keypad also can get a little difficult to use, as the keys are placed quite close to each other. One with the big fingers is sure to press 2 buttons at a go.
Don’t be disappointed if the phone freezes as you move on from one application to another. This is one drawback which high-end phones have not been able to combat.
All in all, the N96 fares well and would be ideal for the ones who are addicted to the media features on their phone. The bulky shell looks rigid; however the slider functionality cannot receive the title of ‘Sturdy and Rough’. As far as the rating is concerned, we give the Nokia N96 an 8 out of 10.
Apart from our ratings and opinions on the phone, check the salient features of the phone:
So if you are a person who worships multimedia functions on your phone, as explained in the title, this phone is worth a try!