Mobile Phone Reviews

GadgetNutz have just published a Mega Review of the Nokia N76 Clam Shell smart phone

The Nokia N76 Mega Review: Thin and Smart they called it

Check the review on http://www.gadgetnutz.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=00381

Nokia release another one of its unique “Flip-Keyboard” regular sized phones.

But this time the task is harder

The E60, E61 and E70 are the first of the E-series and will be available in the first quarter of 2006. They run on Symbian operating systems and will work on GSM and 3G networks. They can also link to WLANs using Bluetooth and infrared. According to Nokia they are easy for IT departments to manage security settings, corporate apps and data.

Nokia said: “when developing these devices, two clear new trends emerged: the need for IT departments to have a secure and manageable platform, and the need for devices to support a variety of employee preferences and different working styles.”

The E61, which looks like a PDA, has a full keyboard and joystick and will support many email clients including BlackBerry Connect, Goodlink, Seven Mobile Mail and Visto Mobile. Visto said the phones: “will meet the needs of business end users and the IT professionals that support them.”

The E70 has a fold-out butterfly keyboard, full colour screen which can handle email and basic editing.

With its unique, flip-out thumbboard and the powerful Symbian OS behind it, the E70 promises to be a happy marriage of form and function. Does it deliver?

Design

The most striking aspect of the Nokia E70 is its unique design. The number pad lifts up and over the screen to reveal a QWERTY keypad that splits with the display in the center. The display changes from a portrait to landscape view when you open the phone, resulting in a pause that takes up to ten seconds. It took us just a few days to grow accustomed to the comfortable keyboard, but we were annoyed by the too-cozy placement of the “End” key next to the space bar. The phone uses a joystick button for navigation, and we found the button itself hard to press. At 352 by 416 pixels with 16 million colors packed into its 2.1 inches, the E70’s display is among the sharpest screens we’ve seen.

Calling - Very good

Call quality on the Nokia E70 was good, though sound was a bit dull. Noise was not an issue, on the street or in the office, and reception was always full strength. The robust address book outshines even the mobile Outlook; you get all the fields you could ask for, including fields for push-to-talk and video chat numbers. Conference calling is more difficult than it should be, with lots of digging in menus required to call a second number from your contact list. All in all, using the QWERTY keyboard to search contacts is always pleasant and intuitive, while the numeric keypad seems out of date by comparison. Though predictive text is available, it isn’t as smart as you would find on a Blackberry Pearl or the Samsung SGH-T719, so you will probably find yourself opening the keyboard frequently.

Messaging - Very good

The Nokia E70 is an e-mail powerhouse. Third-party applications give it BlackBerry Connect and Exchange server support, along with the built-in POP3 and IMAP4 functions. SMS supports a full-message 160 characters on screen at once in both landscape and portrait views. Unfortunately, the messaging app doesn’t give you live search results when you start typing in the “To” field; instead, it takes you to the address book, where you must select the best matches, a tedious extra step compared to other smartphones we’ve tested. The lack of copy/paste functions in the e-mail application was also disappointing, but the interface was otherwise attractive, similar to Outlook Mobile on Windows smartphones. Typing messages on the phone’s unusual keyboard requires a steep learning curve. We found ourselves jerkily glancing left and right to search for the right keys, but after a couple of days, we were hardly hunting and pecking.

Scheduling - Good

Like the messaging application, the calendar and scheduling app on the Nokia E70 bears a welcome resemblance to Outlook. You can set the calendar to open to your preferred view, but we were annoyed that there’s no “go to today” option, which comes in handy if you jump ahead a few weeks or months. Also, though the calendar also handles your task list, any task without a date gets piled up at the beginning of the current day, which makes for annoying viewing. The calendar itself felt a bit static, with no easy way to drag appointments around the calendar without digging into the menus. Scheduling information can be synchronized with your PC using Nokia’s PC Studio software, or with a server, such as an Internet Exchange server. Synchronization options are myriad, including USB 2.0, Bluetooth 1.2, IrDA, and even Wi-Fi connections.

Productivity - Very good

Nokia, with help from the Symbian OS, has really beaten Microsoft at its own game when it comes to productivity. The document viewer on the Symbian OS is among the most capable we’ve seen. All popular Office documents are viewable, including PDF files, and formatting was generally accurate. We were impressed with the E70’s ability to handle complicated functions such as formatting symbols in Word documents and advanced calculations in spreadsheets. Document attachments download in fewer steps than on Windows smartphones, and the file navigation folder interface is easier and more intuitive. Zooming on the small screen should have been a top-level function, and, again, we miss copy-and-paste functionality, but without a stylus, this is an understandable omission.

Laptop sidekick - Good

While the European edition of the Nokia E70 includes support for UMTS high-speed data transmissions, the U.S. version of the E70 only has EDGE data capabilities, an unfortunate oversight. We would love to see Cingular roll out a 3G-capable version of this phone for high-speed tethered modem support. The Nokia includes a “Pop-Port”-to-USB cable for data transfers and dial-up networking at EDGE speeds, but the cable will not charge the phone, so you’ll have to bring the charger with you. The phone also sports 802.11g Wi-Fi, so it can access WLAN signals at high speeds and synchronize with your laptop over Wi-Fi, a quicker option than the Bluetooth 1.2 connection.

Multimedia - Good

Browsing on the Symbian S60 series browser is among the best mobile browsing experiences you can have. As we’ve discussed in other reviews (namely the Nokia E62), the browser handles large pages with aplomb, giving you a navigational “Mini Map” to help pinpoint your position while scrolling about a full-size page. Interestingly, the landscape view on the Nokia E70 appears to sap a bit more memory from the phone; in our tests, the New York Times homepage loaded in portrait mode, but not in the landscape view. Our enthusiasm for the browser was tempered by its bugginess. In every session, unless we limited ourselves to pages optimized for mobile devices, the browser crashed the phone. In addition to the E70’s full HTML browser, there is also a WAP-only version, which is not nearly as capable and lacks the handy Mini Map. The E70 includes a RealPlayer app and Flash Player Lite, while the music player handles most popular non-DRM files.

Details :

The Nokia E70 is the ‘other’ QWERTY keyboard equipped phone in Nokia’s latest E-series range, sharing the feature with the E61. Designed in a similar way as the old Nokia 6800 and 6820, the E70 has a full QWERTY keyboard hidden in a fold open design. For the uninitiated, this means that the E70 will look just like a normal phone with numerical keys when the flip is closed, but opens up to provide a full QWERTY keypad when needed.

Armed with a 2-megapixel camera and WiFi capabilities, the E70 seems like a very good alternative for those who prefer a smaller form factor than the E61. The Nokia E70 is a dual mode phone, featuring WCDMA/GSM operation (GSM 900/1800/1900MHz and WCDMA 2100MHz). This review will be based on the E70’s capabilities in GSM mode, as I do not have access to 3G networks.

Physical Aspects

The first thing that went through my mind was how boxy and brick-like the E70 looks. The Nokia 6820 had smoother curves and sleeker lines, though it was just an S40 phone, without the high tech gadgetry featured in the E70. The flip on the E70 is very square and has sharp edges. The plastics used for the phone also felt cheap, and did not match the high price tag slapped on the phone. However, the phone was solidly built, and I experienced no creaks or squeaks.

On the front, the power button and light sensor are found next to the earpiece above the display. The light sensor automatically adjusts the screen brightness and keypad backlight, saving battery and reducing damage to your eyes when in poor lighting. The left and right softkeys flank the 5-way navigational joystick just below the screen. The numerical keypad is located on the flip, along with the call and end keys. The edit, menu, and clear keys are located just above the numerical keys. I disliked using the numerical keypad, as it was very difficult to press. The keys were slightly stiff, and it seemed as though the phone could not register some of my key presses. But then again, why would you want to use the keypad when there is a full keyboard waiting to be revealed?

On the right side of the phone there is only the Infrared port, and on the left you will find a rubber voice memo recorder button. Similar to the E61, this button can be accidentally pressed far too easily. Add to this the fact that the S60 UI is not equipped with an auto keypad locking function and you will find yourself recording random moments of your daily life regularly. There is nothing on top of the phone, and the Pop-Port connector, along with the charging port, is found at the bottom. The E70 uses the old charging port, instead of the mini charging ports found in recent Nokia phones. The 2-megapixel camera is found on the back of the phone, and there is no LED flash or self-portrait mirror.

Flipping the E70 open, the QWERTY keyboard is reminiscent of the one found on the 6820. The screen will switch into landscape orientation when the flip is opened. I noticed that it took more than 2 seconds for the display to switch between landscape and portrait mode. This might be firmware related, but I do hope Nokia looks into this, as it is annoying having to wait out the lag. Keys on the keyboard are placed right next to each other without spaces, and are square in shape. The keys are plastic and are quite comfortable to type on. Tactile feedback is good, and I’m glad to report that none of the problems found with the numerical keypad are found here. It took me some time to get used to the split keyboard design, causing me to look from left to right and back every time I typed a message or an email early on. However, I did eventually get used to it, and I really appreciate the fold over design that keeps the phone’s dimensions to a minimum.

The keyboard, like the E61’s, contains special keys. The menu key is located on the bottom left corner, and there is a light activation key on the top left corner. Pressing this will turn on the keyboard backlight if you ever find the surroundings too dim and the light sensor has not kicked in. There is a Ctrl key found on the bottom right corner that enables you to access functions such as copy, cut, and paste. It works exactly like how your keyboard functions on your desktop PC. The spacebar is located on both sides of the phone, and the Shift key is located on the right side next to the spacebar.

Nokia released a Clam Shell version of the N75, the N76

Nokia announced that the Nokia N76, a stunning multimedia computer with excellent photography features and integrated stereo speakers for optimized audio pleasure, is now available in the US, Europe and the Middle East Region.

Nokia is also pleased to announce that it is working closely with EMI Arabia to bring the latest in Arabic music to new owners of the Nokia N76 in selected markets. Consumers who purchase the Nokia N76 in this region will have as part of the Nokia N76 sales package, a special 1GB SD card with 11 compilation music tracks from EMI Arabia, enhancing their mobile music experience.

The Nokia N76 is a new multimedia computer that brings the complete Nokia Nseries experience to a sleeker body, with little compromise. Using premium materials to enclose world-class Nokia Nseries features and experiences, Nokia has created a perfect blend of style and substance.

“We did not want to compromise any of the key Nokia Nseries experiences when we designed the stylish Nokia N76 multimedia computer,” said Neil Gordon, Vice President Sales and Channel Management, Middle East and Africa, Multimedia, Nokia. “Nokia Nseries consumers are cutting edge technology users and with them in mind we want to offer intelligent and entertaining multimedia functionality in an easy to use, ultra slim package”

This latest addition to the Nokia Nseries portfolio brings a wide range of multimedia experiences to consumers, enabling them to create, consume and connect, using music, videos, images and the internet.

Musical talent
Nokia Nseries music fans will appreciate the dedicated one-touch keys on the Nokia N76, which let you quickly and easily control the device’s music features without having to flip open the device, for instant tunes wherever you are. Holding up to 1500* tracks the Nokia N76 works with industry standard 3.5 mm headphones and supports the popular Windows Media DRM for optimal use.

Surf in style
Viewing the 2.4”, up to 16 million color screen in landscape mode brings a familiar feel to surfing the web on a mobile. Navigate web pages quickly and easily with the Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map and enjoy easy access to popular internet services like Ikbis and Amazon for searching, shopping or sharing.

Nokia’s answer to the RAZR is similar to the N75, but comes unlocked at a premium price. Does the lack of carrier support, or interference, affect the device?

The Nokia N76 is suspiciously similar to the Nokia N75, though the former is available unlocked while the latter is available only through Cingular. The difference between the two phones are obvious at first glance, but beneath the surface, what truly separates them is the difference between buying a carrier-supported phone, and buying what is truly a European import, sold to American customers. Most egregiously, the phone supports 3G networking in Europe, but cannot surf AT&T’s HSDPA network stateside.

Design - Good

The Nokia N76 is a very slick phone from Nokia, an obvious attempt at borrowing some of the design cache that the RAZR still hold, which may unfortunately be none. The phone is a slim, flat flip phone, with a keypad even flatter than the Motorola phone. Mirrored surfaces attract fingerprints the first time you touch the phone, and the display sits so close to the keypad when closed that prints on the screen from the keys appeared after less than a day’s use. The phone looks good, but not great, and could probably have been improved by rounding out some of the edges, as it has a very square look. Navigation is a problem, thanks to the small five-way button and soft keys up top, but dialing wasn’t too bad, as number keys are given more space.

The screens on the phone are fantastic, and we would expect no less from Nokia. The internal screen was a bit dim, but it could have been the dark theme we were using, and colors showed great depth and contrast. The external screen lights up from under the mirrored exterior, a nice effect. The phone’s interface is standard Symbian Series S60, which grows on us every time we use it, thanks to its polished, modern look. Still, organization could be better, though this iteration is an improvement from the N75 (eg. the radio is now under “Applications,” instead of “Tools”).

As petty complaints, we found the battery cover difficult to slide open, and had a spot of trouble with the SIM card slot. The SIM card must first be placed in a tiny sled, which then slides into the slot. To remove the sled, you pull a plastic tab, and in removing our card from a review unit, the tab broke off. It seems an overly-complicated way to handle the SIM.

Calling - Very good

Call quality on the N76 was notably better than on the N75, on both AT&T’s network and T-Mobile in lower Manhattan. We didn’t encounted the slight static we saw on the N75, and the sound was a bit cleaner overall. The speakerphone on the N76 is among the most clear we’ve heard, though it could have been louder. Still, we’ll take clarity over volume any day. Nokia’s PC suite did a fine job integrating our contact lists from Outlook. In the phone’s push to talk option, we find the first of many features that may be easy to implement for European users, but which could be difficult for AT&T customers stateside. Though we’re not PTT subscribers, in browsing the application on the phone, we’re skeptical that we could get it working on AT&T’s PTT service without considerable help, a situation U.S. customers might not be used to. We’re not a country known to ask for help, after all. For talk time, we got almost four and a quarter hours on the phone, which is more than the 2.75 that Nokia promises, but less than we’d like from EDGE-only phone.

Messaging - Good

Again, the Euro-centric N76 falls short of what we’d normally expect on a carrier-specific phone. Though the phone does have an IM application, it comes with no presets for any of the instant messaging networks that are popular in the States. E-mail is available for POP and IMAP accounts, but also lacks any presets. We never thought we’d ask for some carrier intervention on a phone, but here we wish Nokia would add some pre-loaded settings to make the features easier to use for an American audience. SMS messaging was good, though the keypad was a bit flat for fast typing. Still, the screen was sharp enough to display text quite legibly, and MMS messages were just as easy to send as we’d expect. The phone also has plenty of options for sending messages over Bluetooth or the Web, and printing options for MMS messages.

Camera - Mediocre

We’re sorry to report that the camera on the N76 is just as poor as that on the N75. With such respectable optics on the higher-end N-series phones, this is really an embarrassment for Nokia. Images were blurry and a bit washed out, and only the most distant landscape shots were acceptable, though details were foggy. Again, Europeans get to utilize the user-facing camera for video calls, though U.S. audiences are only teased by its tiny lens, above the internal screen, which can only be used for self-portraits.

Audio - Good

Compared to the N75, music and audio handling on the N76 is a win and a loss. The phone features a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a win, but loses stereo Bluetooth. The jack is poorly placed at the top of the phone, so it interrupts the clamshell from opening fully, but we didn’t mind so much, as the phone is certainly usable only mostly open. Still, it seems like an amateur design flaw. We liked the hardware, and not touch sensitive, buttons on the face, especially the fact that they can be used to access and control a variety of features and menus, from the music player and radio to some basic messaging features. The phone’s speaker, though not stereo, was also very clean, with a better sound quality than we expected to find from the phone. It wasn’t excessively loud, and it didn’t distort at higher volumes, which surprised us.

Web browsing - Very good

In our initial Web browsing tests on AT&T’s EDGE network, we could not achieve a data connection in our East Village offices. Replacing the review unit at our rep’s Midtown Manhattan office seemed to solve the issue, but when we got back down to Astor Place, we had the same problems. Swapping the AT&T SIM with a T-Mobile SIM solved the problem, so we suspect the issue has to do with carrier reception. Even the T-Mobile SIM showed less reception than we were getting on our T-Mobile Wing, so the phone may also be to blame. Perhaps all the metal in the shell is causing interference? In any case, once we got the data connection to work, Web browsing was as good as we’d expect from a Nokia phone. Nokia’s excellent mini-map works on this phone in the default browser, as opposed to the N75, which hides the Nokia browser in favor of the AT&T WAP app. Dig for the Nokia browser if you have that phone, it makes all the difference. Unfortunately, like the N75, the N76 lacks GPS. Fortunately, unlike the AT&T phone, which comes with no accessories, the N76 comes with everything you need, including a microSD card and a lanyard-style stereo headphone setup with a microphone that fits the 3.5mm jack.

Pros: Slick, shiny design. Great sounding calls. Good music player with dedicated hardware buttons. Rich, colorful displays.

Apple released a comparison chart between it’s upcoming iPhone and leading competitors, including

Nokia N95, BlackBerry Curve, the Treo 750 and the Black Jack

“Take the music with you!” scream songs, adverts, marketing people and excitable shop staff whenever discussions move toward getting a new mobile phone.

But what if I don’t want to take the music with me? Or I’ve got an iPod that’ll hold more songs than if I lugged about a rucksack stuffed with 30 of this review’s subject, the N73 Music Edition?

That’s when the argument falls flat. Despite Sony Ericsson’s best efforts and those of the other major handset manufacturers (did someone say ‘Rokr’?), listening to music on your mobile phone is an uneven experience. You can’t fit much in, even if you’ve got a hefty 2GB memory card, the headphones and sound reproduction are never as good as a dedicated player and, to add to your woes, music playback drains the battery like nobody’s business.

In fact, it leaves us thinking that it would be better all round if, rather than adding MP3 player functionality to your Nokia, someone would add mobile phone functionality to your iPod. Just a thought, and one that’s been initiated by this, Nokia’s latest music-friendly N-Series handset, the N73 Music Edition.

Setting it apart from your standard N73 are a satin black case, a few extra bits of software and – if you’re lucky – an optional microSD card for storing MP3s on. Otherwise it’s the same as a standard N73 (which we think looks nicer in plum and silver, anyway). And we might have thus put it down, walked away and thought nothing more of it or its ordinary sibling.

Except for one fact: in a world increasingly dominated by directional pads, the N73 sets itself apart with its mini joystick, or thumbstick. And for us at Pocket Gamer, this is as close to the Holy Grail of mobile phone gaming as we’re likely to get outside of the pads on our beloved Sony Ericsson W550i or N-Gage QD.

A thumbstick offers a far greater degree of control over games, whether you’re into puzzles or frantic shoot-’em-ups, and leads to less frustration and accidental pressing of other buttons. It is, to be frank, a minor miracle. It’s also what raises the N73 in our eyes, positioning it as a great present-day gaming handset.

Indeed, the N73 has got everything you need: a crisp, bright and large screen, great sound, universal support from games developers and publishers, and a battery that will last more than a couple of days before you’re required to recharge. In short, it’s the business.

That’s not to say that it’s perfect, mind. The numeric keypad, which is more essential in some games than others, is on the small side and, with little definition between the keys, occasionally leads to fumbling and inaccuracy. The N73’s processor, its little electronic brain, is also a bit underpowered, meaning you’ll experience the odd wait when you move around the Symbian Series 60 v3 operating system, though you’ll not notice any such lag in-game.

It’s also heavier than we would have liked, too, but then it is a 3G handset and comes with all the benefits and drawbacks associated with third generation capability. The 3D performance is the biggest payback; you can run proprietary Symbian games and Java titles that feature 3D visuals and not worry about shoddy performance. It’s not up there with the powerhouse that is the N95, but then it doesn’t cost as much.

So, this is a great gaming handset and a phone with which it’s easy to live on a day-to-day basis. The Symbian software will be familiar to anyone who’s used a Nokia before, no matter how old, and the installed applications are comprehensive enough to include anti-virus software, an audio recorder, a 3D ring-tone function and PDF and office software support.

It’s all enough for us to heartily recommend it and, if you go for the standard N73 instead of this Music Edition, you’ll be able to save a few pennies, too.

With our review of the Nokia N95 Cell phone

The phone that might do everything comes to us, with GPS navigation, a 5-megapixel camera and a unique dual-slide design. Is it the best phone we’ve seen?

Nokia’s N95 is truly a flagship phone, it is a model of the state of the art. When we saw the phone back in September, we knew two things about it. First, it could do everything. Second, it would never come here. Then, Nokia inexplicably changed their minds. The company started selling the exact same phone in European and U.S. markets, though some of the most advanced features won’t work on U.S. networks. We tested the unlocked phone using a Cingular SIM card in Manhattan and the New Jersey suburbs.

Camera - Very good

The Nokia N95 has a 5-megapixel camera on its back and a VGA camera up front. The rear camera features auto-focus with a two-step shutter release and a Xenon flash, still a rarity on camera phones. The Carl Zeiss optics are hidden behind a lens cover, opened with a switch.

Pictures taken with the phone were among the best we’ve seen on camera phones, with the exception of the Sony Ericsson Cyber Shot line, perhaps, which also use the Carl Zeiss optics. We still don’t think the image will replace a good, dedicated camera, but images from the camera would have been fine for Web publishing or small print jobs.

The phone includes plenty of camera options, including various shutter modes for fast-moving subjects or night time portraits. The phone also has a variety of transfer options, including e-mail, printing, IR transfer and Bluetooth capabilities, as well as direct access to Flickr accounts.

Video looked very good as well. Again, we don’t think the N95 will replace a nice, standalone camcorder, but its recording quality, at VGA resolution and 30 frames per second, means that videos will look just as good on a television as they do on the 2.6-inch screen, though our review unit lacked the TV-out cable included in the retail package. Our only complaint is that we can’t use the front-facing VGA camera for video calls.
Design

The phone has an overall look reminiscent of a simple point-and-shoot camera. Because of its massive feature set, the Nokia N95 was always bigger in our minds than in our hands. Though it is thick for a multimedia phone, with everything it can do, we still expected it to be larger, more like an internet tablet. It is smaller in every way than our Palm Treo 700p, except when the numeric slide makes it a bit longer. The dual-slide design of the N95 looked nice, and worked well, but may have caused more problems than it solved. Though we liked the tactile, not touch-sensitive, playback controls, the slide itself seemed a bit loose, and often, closing the numeric pad, we would pass the nuetral point and open the playback controls. Perhaps these controls could have been placed elsewhere, and the novelty of a dual-slide could have been replaced by sturdier design.

The interface is mostly standard Symbian fare, which is not our favorite, but probably because we lack the extensive experience needed to decode the tiny 3-D figures and swirling geometric shapes that make up the interface icons. Still, Nokia has included an additional media-centric menu, activated through a dedicated button or by sliding open the playback controls. This menu takes a moment to open, but is PC-like in its fluid animation and beautiful icons. For example, the media menu’s background is a soft focus photograph that moves in and out of focus as you spend time browsing the icons. Very classy.

Calling - Excellent

The Nokia N95 makes calls that sound great. We had some occasional noise issues, but listeners reported above average sound at all times. Reception was also top notch, 7 bars (Nokia’s maximum) when our Cingular RAZR had 3/5. Battery life was good for calls, at more than 6 hours for a single charge, probably because calls on the U.S. networks don’t use WCDMA, which requires more power.

In terms of call features, the N95 does everything, a mantra we’ll repeat in this review. It uses Bluetooth 2.0, has a very loud speakerphone, features speaker-independent voice dialing and makes conference calls easily. The contact list is more robust even than Outlook, with three fields each for Internet and Video calling numbers, as well as a slot for Assistant’s name and Assistant’s phone number. Contact list backup is handled through Nokia’s PC Suite software, which can synchronize with Outlook and other PIM programs.

Push to talk is available through Nokia’s proprietary service, which we haven’t seen stateside, so AT&T push to talk fans are out of luck. Because this phone is basically a European guest on our networks, U.S. buyers won’t have access to video calling, among other HSDPA goodies. We’ve been dying to see this feature in action, but instead we’re taunted by the front-facing camera.

Messaging - Very good

The Nokia N95 has a nicely curved, comfortable keyboard, and does a fine job as a basic messaging phone. Though plenty of additional IM options are available for Symbian S60 phones, the Nokia N95 lacks some of our favorite pre-loaded messaging services, such as Yahoo or MSN for e-mail and instant messaging. POP3 and IMAP e-mail is available, and worked nicely. If you really need to do some hardcore messaging, the N95 also has a Bluetooth keyboard profile built in. The screen fit a full outgoing and incoming SMS message at once, and characters were perfectly legible. Sending photos and videos as messages couldn’t have been easier, as this was a top-level menu option from the camera app.

Videos - Very good

Through a special deal with YouTube, Nokia has its own access to an updating list of popular YouTube videos. Over Cingular’s EDGE network, we were pleased with the streaming quality, which was on par with the streaming video applications we’ve seen on most carrier-locked phones.

While this video looked good, with only a slight blockiness, the N95 did an even better job playing MPEG-4 videos. We ripped a Simpsons episode off our TiVo and played it on the N95 - the picture looked as good as any portable media player we’ve seen.

We were disappointed that the memory tops out at 2GB, and even if Nokia surprises us with microSDHC card support, we would have liked to see a few gigs tucked away inside for real media fans. Still, playback controls worked well with the video functions, and we were pleased to find that A2DP support works for videos as well as audio content.

Audio - Very good

The Nokia N95 is a musical powerhouse, with support for a wide range of file types, including MP3, AAC and even some DRM WMA files. The music controls work well, and we definitely prefer the tactile control to touch-sensitive buttons, even if the buttons were a bit stiff. On the Nokia 5300 XpressMusic phone, pressing play on the music controls activates the music immediately, and though we like that music is generally the default app on the media menu, we would have liked an instant-on feature for the playback controls.

Nokia’s PC Suite includes a music transfer application, and this works better than some other manufacturers’ apps, but pales in comparison to iTunes. Still, the phone and software read ID3 tags better than some we’ve seen, so our album information was preserved, though our artwork was lost.

The music player is simple on the surface, but packs some impressive options, including an equalizer with presets that you can manually fine tune, and a nice, though not too trippy, visualizer. FM radio is built-in, with an app that can download local frequencies and radio call letters.

Perhaps best of all, the phone features a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can use whatever cans you choose, in addition to A2DP for stereo Bluetooth. Without the headphones, the phone is straddled by stereo speakers that are almost as loud as the Samsung YP-K5, the micro-boombox MP3 player.

GPS - Excellent

Though it takes a moment to warm up and find your location, once the GPS sensor on the Nokia N95 is tracking you, it can be tenacious. The sensor and included software are easily the best we’ve seen on a phone, even with the additional subscription fee for navigation and voice directions.

The map works as a 2D top-down or 3D map, and it tracked our location quickly and accurately, turning with us as we went through intersections. The zooming globe map clearly takes advantage of the graphical firepower of the N95, as visual effects are smooth, and the map zooms better than any map we’ve seen.

Web browsing - Very good

The Nokia N95 features the same Web browser we liked so much on the Nokia E62, with its smooth scrolling and mini-map navigation panel. The phone chewed up any web page we could throw its way, including The New York Times and our own infoSync World home pages. Of course, more advanced AJAX pages won’t work, but most pages come through accurately, and navigation is a breeze with the accelerating pointer.

Gaming

With Nokia’s N-Gage system soon to be available on N-series phones like the N95, we are happy to report that gaming performance on the N95 is much closer to a portable console system than to an average cell phone. Games looked clean, with textures and smooth 3-D animation that reminded us more of a PSP than a RAZR. Phone controls aren’t desirable for gaming functions, we’d like to see a joystick or more sensitive control scheme, but the processing power seems to be there.

Office

The Nokia N95 includes the QuickOffice suite for reading Office documents and Adobe’s Acrobat PDF reader. For a fee, users can upgrade to a more fully-featured QuickOffice that allows for document editing. We found QuickOffice to be reliable and accurate on Excel and Word documents, though it did leave out our hidden comments on both. PDF files had perfect layout and typesetting, and navigation was generally easy, though we would have preferred less digging through the menus.

Battery life

Though we got a satisfying amount of talk time from the phone, battery life is more of an issue as you turn on more features. Navigation uses a tremendous amount of power, with its combination of sensors, always-on backlighting and voice directions. Music and video drain the battery further. Wi-Fi access is another battery hog.

I imagine, with every bell and whistle blaring, you could drain the battery in under an hour. In our few days of testing, with above-average use, we needed to charge the phone every night before bed, and it died once on our commute home, while we were navigating.

Value

The Nokia N95 costs $750. There are more expensive phone out there, but most of these fall into the luxury category and involve precious metals and/or stones. For U.S. importers, who won’t even get some of the best capabilities of the phone, the 3G networking and video calling, the phone couldn’t possibly be worth the price. And yet, it literally does everything. If you want the best phone on the market that has all the features you could ask for, this is the phone, and the price might not matter as much as the resume.