If you've been a Nokia fan for years, then you'll have noticed that the Finnish firm hasn't been competing at the sharp end of the game for a while now.
The likes of the N97 and X6 have both been trumpeted by Nokia over the last year or so, but neither has particularly won critical acclaim, mostly due to a sub-par OS when compared to the whizz-bang-iness of the iPhone and Android set, as well as taking a veritable age to start using the latest technology, like capacitive screens and slimmer lines.
Now the N8 is here, bringing all manner of high end features to a Nokia phone: 12MP camera, HD video recording, reams of internal storage and a high end media player, as well as the new Symbian^3 OS.
But is it a case of all spec and no trousers? Or is this a phone that truly sees Nokia combining the best of the tech with a great UI to properly challenge the smartphone frontrunners?
The Nokia N8 is a fairly large device - but that's not to say that it's chunky. It's merely large due to having a large 3.5-inch OLED screen, and it comes in at just 12.9mm thick.
Admittedly it's not the thinnest on the market, but when it's down to a matter of a few millimetres, it doesn't really matter in the pocket right?
The Nokia N8 is ridiculously packed with all manner of technology, and for once you can see it when picking up the phone for the first time.
Although, before we get into all the great things the Nokia N8 does, it does rankle that the phone doesn't have a removable battery, with the case being screwed down tightly.
As you can see this means the only way to get the SIM card and microSD memory is through some side doors - fiddly to use but do add to the overall slick feel of the phone.
Not letting you remove the battery is a pretty big statement from Nokia, as it's saying that it won't be plagued by the freezing bugs of before - battery pulls used to be a necessity in those situations.
However, the phone sites nicely in the hand despite the larger size, and you can't help but feel that the overall impression is increased by the sleeker look from no removable battery cover.
The frame is covered in anodised aluminium, which Nokia was keen to show us was resistant to scratches. However, as you can see by the side unlock switch, this isn't always the case - some colour has been lost.
The Nokia N8 is the first device on the market to use the new Symbian^3 OS, and we had high hopes for it being a real departure from the much-used Symbian^1 version.
Sadly, that isn't the case - but it should be remembered that this is very much a new build. Still, we were hoping for more than something that looked like an (admittedly good) refresh from the interface used on the N97.
The widgets are back in full force, the menu screen looks the same, and while there are three home screens, the whole experience bounced and juddered when attempting to scroll through.
Again, remember, not final build - but we really hope Nokia gets this element fixed before the impending Q3 UK release date.
One area we don't think will be overhauled enough will be the internet browser on the Nokia N8 - it reeks of older Nokias, like that used on the X6 or 5800. It seems to be data hungry and a little slow - nothing like the speed of the iPhone 4 or HTC Desire to which we've become accustomed.
Things just seemed to lag and need loads of data to happen - we're not sure why, but it seems that the N8 web browser just isn't as well optimised.
However, there are some neat features - the task manager, which is accessed through a long-press of the home button at the bottom of the phone.
You get large panels showing what's happening in any given program, and a simple tap of the 'x' in the top right hand corner shuts it down - much simpler and more effective than other models.
Battery life is also likely to be a worry, as it's only 1200mAh - nearly 20% less than most other smartphones on the market, and this looks like it's going to be a power-hoover.
We would have preferred some extra width and a bigger battery, if we're honest; we weren't all crying into our cornflakes when we had slightly thicker phones, were we?
We're excited to see whether this phone is a media marvel but nothing else when it's announced, or whether Nokia is true to its word and is going to make this phone perfect before it finally unveils it to the public.
We hope it's the latter, as this could be a real winner for those that have grown up with Nokia phones and like the simplicity - however, if it gets it wrong it's a long old wait until Symbian^4 or MeeGo show up to hopefully save the day.
Nokia N8 Smartphone
Nokia introduced the Nokia N8, the latest smartphone that intuitively connects to people, places and services that matter most. The Nokia N8 enables people to create compelling content, connect to their favourite social networks and enjoy the latest on-demand Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps.
12mb Camera
The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras. People can also make HD-quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite.
Unrivaled entertainment system
The Nokia N8 offers a true home theater experience with HD quality film and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. You can plug the device to your home theatre system with an HDMI cable.
The Nokia N8 enables access to local and global Web TV services that deliver TV programs, news and entertainment from channels such as CNN, National Geographic, E! Entertainment and Paramount directly on the homescreen.
Social media
People can update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen. Calendar events from social networks can also be transferred to the device calendar.
Software
The Nokia N8 comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, taking you where you want to be and showing you what want to see in over 70 countries worldwide.
Memory
The Nokia N8 has 16GB of in-built storage space, expandable up to 48GB with a Micro SD card. Large files can be easily transferred to a memory stick with the USB On-the-Go.
Symbian 3 advancements
Multi-touch and customizable home screens
Symbian^3 introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers three customizable home screens which can be loaded with apps and widgets.
The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture takes full advantage of the Nokia N8’s hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface.
The Nokia N8 marks the global device debut of the new Symbian^3 software, featuring several major advancements:
• Usability enhancements across the user interface, including single tap, multi-touch and support for gestures such as “pinch-to-zoom.”
•Three personalized home screens on the Nokia N8, easily maneuvered through by a simple flick.
•Faster and more responsive user interface with new 2D and 3D graphics architecture that takes full advantage of hardware acceleration
•More efficient memory management allows more applications to run in parallel for a faster, more complete and efficient multi-tasking experience.
More Features:
HD quality imaging and cinematic sound
•Shoot and edit photos and video with supreme clarity of a 12 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics
•Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound and HDMI connection to a home entertainment system
Personalization capabilities for a truly individual experience
•Personal touches come to life on three fully customizable home screens
•Instant access to Ovi Store’s apps, games and other cool content
•Web TV delivers local and global TV favorites right to the home screen
A seamless and fully integrated social network experience
•Get live updates from Facebook, Twitter, and RenRen pushed right to your home screen, with feeds visible at a single glance
•Connect from anywhere on your phone—your home screen, contacts, or map
•Enrich your social network experience with content from your phone including pictures, location and more
Free navigation, forever
•Free worldwide satellite car and walk navigation from Ovi Maps in over 70 countries
•Built in premium guides from Lonely Plan and Via Michelin for tips on travel, restaurants, weather, and hotels
Operating times:
•Talk time (GSM/WCDMA) –12/5 h 50min
•Standby (GSM/WCDMA) –390/400 h
•Video record –3 h 20 min
•Music playback –50 h
•Video playback –7 h
•Video playback with HDMI –6 h
•Web TV –3 h 20 min
Technical Profile:
System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and
GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Symbian^3
Form Factor: Touch screen monoblock
Dimensions: 113.5 x 59.12 x 12.9 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 135g
Display: 3.5 inch widescreen (640 x 360 pixels)
capacitive touch
Battery: 1200mAh BL-4D
Media Storage/Memory: 16GB mass memory + micro SD card
slot, 135MB internal memory, support
up to 32GB memory cards. RAM256
ROM512
Video Playback: Video recording, Performance: encoding
25fps, decoding 30fps, File Formats:
H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263, Real Video
10, ON2 VP6, Flash video
Music Playback: FM radio, FM transmitter, MP3 player,
Supported codecs: MP3,AAC,eAAC,
eAAC+,WMA,AMR-WB, DRM support, DRM:
OMA DRM 2.0
Main Camera:
• Lens: Carl Zeiss optics
• Image capture: 12 megapixels
• Video capture: HD 720p
• Aperture: F2.8
• Focal length: 5.4
• Flash: Xenon flash
Connectivity:
• Nokia Adapter Cable for HDMI CA-156
• WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/n
• BT2.1 with support for stereo
headsets
• Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN
and Cell-ID
• Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file
transfers and charging
• USB On-the-Go
•Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio
input/output and TV out
Available colors:
•Dark Grey •Silver White •Green •Blue •Orange
The likes of the N97 and X6 have both been trumpeted by Nokia over the last year or so, but neither has particularly won critical acclaim, mostly due to a sub-par OS when compared to the whizz-bang-iness of the iPhone and Android set, as well as taking a veritable age to start using the latest technology, like capacitive screens and slimmer lines.
Now the N8 is here, bringing all manner of high end features to a Nokia phone: 12MP camera, HD video recording, reams of internal storage and a high end media player, as well as the new Symbian^3 OS.
But is it a case of all spec and no trousers? Or is this a phone that truly sees Nokia combining the best of the tech with a great UI to properly challenge the smartphone frontrunners?
The Nokia N8 is a fairly large device - but that's not to say that it's chunky. It's merely large due to having a large 3.5-inch OLED screen, and it comes in at just 12.9mm thick.
Admittedly it's not the thinnest on the market, but when it's down to a matter of a few millimetres, it doesn't really matter in the pocket right?
The Nokia N8 is ridiculously packed with all manner of technology, and for once you can see it when picking up the phone for the first time.
Although, before we get into all the great things the Nokia N8 does, it does rankle that the phone doesn't have a removable battery, with the case being screwed down tightly.
As you can see this means the only way to get the SIM card and microSD memory is through some side doors - fiddly to use but do add to the overall slick feel of the phone.
Not letting you remove the battery is a pretty big statement from Nokia, as it's saying that it won't be plagued by the freezing bugs of before - battery pulls used to be a necessity in those situations.
However, the phone sites nicely in the hand despite the larger size, and you can't help but feel that the overall impression is increased by the sleeker look from no removable battery cover.
The frame is covered in anodised aluminium, which Nokia was keen to show us was resistant to scratches. However, as you can see by the side unlock switch, this isn't always the case - some colour has been lost.
We'll start with the high end features when talking about the innards of the Nokia N8 - and they're immense.
The first is the camera, which Nokia claims is the best on any phone in the world. While we're sure we could find some models in deepest Asia that will challenge that claim (perhaps this one from Altek) it's certainly the best we've seen in the flesh.
The 12MP camera with Xenon flash might look like an attempt to grab some headlines with specs, but in reality it's tip-top. We took some sample shots (that we sadly can't show you here) but the clarity was good, and the shooting speed fairly impressive, even on this early model.
We would have liked to see a camera cover to shield the lens, but if that would have added a lot of thickness then we'll trust the glass will be OK.
We were shown some footage taken with the onboard HD video recorder, and it too looked impressive, although Nokia's claims that the phone's dual microphone approach gives constantly good sound recording was a little bit of a stretch - it didn't sound brilliant to our ears. Not bad, but not excellent.
You can pump 720p HD video out through the mini-HDMI slot (the Nokia N8 comes with a full HDMI adaptor in the box) and it looks great on a large screen TV. We're hoping there's a way to synchronise it wirelessly with your internet connected TV and PC, but we'll have to wait for the full Nokia N8 review sample to find out.
The music player is also pretty darn nice - fast scrolling through your list of tracks and artists thanks to the dedicated GPU working in tandem with the 1GHz CPU mean there's no juddering here, and it bodes well for Nokia that the rest of the phone can follow suit.
Add to that the strong possibility that the Nokia N8 will support Comes with Music for loads and loads of tracks for your phone whenever you want it, and this turns into an impressive proposition for media, especially with 16GB of internal memory and room for more expansion via microSD.
The video player works well on the large OLED screen as well - it might not come across well in the picture but the detail is clear, the running smooth and even pumped out to a larger screen it still looks great.
The first is the camera, which Nokia claims is the best on any phone in the world. While we're sure we could find some models in deepest Asia that will challenge that claim (perhaps this one from Altek) it's certainly the best we've seen in the flesh.
The 12MP camera with Xenon flash might look like an attempt to grab some headlines with specs, but in reality it's tip-top. We took some sample shots (that we sadly can't show you here) but the clarity was good, and the shooting speed fairly impressive, even on this early model.
We would have liked to see a camera cover to shield the lens, but if that would have added a lot of thickness then we'll trust the glass will be OK.
We were shown some footage taken with the onboard HD video recorder, and it too looked impressive, although Nokia's claims that the phone's dual microphone approach gives constantly good sound recording was a little bit of a stretch - it didn't sound brilliant to our ears. Not bad, but not excellent.
You can pump 720p HD video out through the mini-HDMI slot (the Nokia N8 comes with a full HDMI adaptor in the box) and it looks great on a large screen TV. We're hoping there's a way to synchronise it wirelessly with your internet connected TV and PC, but we'll have to wait for the full Nokia N8 review sample to find out.
The music player is also pretty darn nice - fast scrolling through your list of tracks and artists thanks to the dedicated GPU working in tandem with the 1GHz CPU mean there's no juddering here, and it bodes well for Nokia that the rest of the phone can follow suit.
Add to that the strong possibility that the Nokia N8 will support Comes with Music for loads and loads of tracks for your phone whenever you want it, and this turns into an impressive proposition for media, especially with 16GB of internal memory and room for more expansion via microSD.
The video player works well on the large OLED screen as well - it might not come across well in the picture but the detail is clear, the running smooth and even pumped out to a larger screen it still looks great.
The Nokia N8 is the first device on the market to use the new Symbian^3 OS, and we had high hopes for it being a real departure from the much-used Symbian^1 version.
Sadly, that isn't the case - but it should be remembered that this is very much a new build. Still, we were hoping for more than something that looked like an (admittedly good) refresh from the interface used on the N97.
The widgets are back in full force, the menu screen looks the same, and while there are three home screens, the whole experience bounced and juddered when attempting to scroll through.
Again, remember, not final build - but we really hope Nokia gets this element fixed before the impending Q3 UK release date.
One area we don't think will be overhauled enough will be the internet browser on the Nokia N8 - it reeks of older Nokias, like that used on the X6 or 5800. It seems to be data hungry and a little slow - nothing like the speed of the iPhone 4 or HTC Desire to which we've become accustomed.
Things just seemed to lag and need loads of data to happen - we're not sure why, but it seems that the N8 web browser just isn't as well optimised.
However, there are some neat features - the task manager, which is accessed through a long-press of the home button at the bottom of the phone.
You get large panels showing what's happening in any given program, and a simple tap of the 'x' in the top right hand corner shuts it down - much simpler and more effective than other models.
Battery life is also likely to be a worry, as it's only 1200mAh - nearly 20% less than most other smartphones on the market, and this looks like it's going to be a power-hoover.
We would have preferred some extra width and a bigger battery, if we're honest; we weren't all crying into our cornflakes when we had slightly thicker phones, were we?
We're excited to see whether this phone is a media marvel but nothing else when it's announced, or whether Nokia is true to its word and is going to make this phone perfect before it finally unveils it to the public.
We hope it's the latter, as this could be a real winner for those that have grown up with Nokia phones and like the simplicity - however, if it gets it wrong it's a long old wait until Symbian^4 or MeeGo show up to hopefully save the day.
Nokia N8 Smartphone
Nokia introduced the Nokia N8, the latest smartphone that intuitively connects to people, places and services that matter most. The Nokia N8 enables people to create compelling content, connect to their favourite social networks and enjoy the latest on-demand Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps.12mb Camera
The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras. People can also make HD-quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite.
Unrivaled entertainment system
The Nokia N8 offers a true home theater experience with HD quality film and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. You can plug the device to your home theatre system with an HDMI cable.
The Nokia N8 enables access to local and global Web TV services that deliver TV programs, news and entertainment from channels such as CNN, National Geographic, E! Entertainment and Paramount directly on the homescreen.
Social media
People can update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen. Calendar events from social networks can also be transferred to the device calendar.
SoftwareThe Nokia N8 comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, taking you where you want to be and showing you what want to see in over 70 countries worldwide.
Memory
The Nokia N8 has 16GB of in-built storage space, expandable up to 48GB with a Micro SD card. Large files can be easily transferred to a memory stick with the USB On-the-Go.
Symbian 3 advancements
Multi-touch and customizable home screens
Symbian^3 introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers three customizable home screens which can be loaded with apps and widgets.
The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture takes full advantage of the Nokia N8’s hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface.
The Nokia N8 marks the global device debut of the new Symbian^3 software, featuring several major advancements:
• Usability enhancements across the user interface, including single tap, multi-touch and support for gestures such as “pinch-to-zoom.”
•Three personalized home screens on the Nokia N8, easily maneuvered through by a simple flick.
•Faster and more responsive user interface with new 2D and 3D graphics architecture that takes full advantage of hardware acceleration
•More efficient memory management allows more applications to run in parallel for a faster, more complete and efficient multi-tasking experience.
More Features:
HD quality imaging and cinematic sound
•Shoot and edit photos and video with supreme clarity of a 12 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics
•Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound and HDMI connection to a home entertainment system
Personalization capabilities for a truly individual experience
•Personal touches come to life on three fully customizable home screens
•Instant access to Ovi Store’s apps, games and other cool content
•Web TV delivers local and global TV favorites right to the home screen
A seamless and fully integrated social network experience
•Get live updates from Facebook, Twitter, and RenRen pushed right to your home screen, with feeds visible at a single glance
•Connect from anywhere on your phone—your home screen, contacts, or map
•Enrich your social network experience with content from your phone including pictures, location and more
Free navigation, forever
•Free worldwide satellite car and walk navigation from Ovi Maps in over 70 countries
•Built in premium guides from Lonely Plan and Via Michelin for tips on travel, restaurants, weather, and hotels
Operating times:•Talk time (GSM/WCDMA) –12/5 h 50min
•Standby (GSM/WCDMA) –390/400 h
•Video record –3 h 20 min
•Music playback –50 h
•Video playback –7 h
•Video playback with HDMI –6 h
•Web TV –3 h 20 min
Technical Profile:
System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and
GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Symbian^3
Form Factor: Touch screen monoblock
Dimensions: 113.5 x 59.12 x 12.9 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 135g
Display: 3.5 inch widescreen (640 x 360 pixels)
capacitive touch
Battery: 1200mAh BL-4D
Media Storage/Memory: 16GB mass memory + micro SD card
slot, 135MB internal memory, support
up to 32GB memory cards. RAM256
ROM512
Video Playback: Video recording, Performance: encoding
25fps, decoding 30fps, File Formats:
H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263, Real Video
10, ON2 VP6, Flash video
Music Playback: FM radio, FM transmitter, MP3 player,
Supported codecs: MP3,AAC,eAAC,
eAAC+,WMA,AMR-WB, DRM support, DRM:
OMA DRM 2.0
Main Camera:
• Lens: Carl Zeiss optics
• Image capture: 12 megapixels
• Video capture: HD 720p
• Aperture: F2.8
• Focal length: 5.4
• Flash: Xenon flash
Connectivity:
• Nokia Adapter Cable for HDMI CA-156
• WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/n
• BT2.1 with support for stereo
headsets
• Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN
and Cell-ID
• Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file
transfers and charging
• USB On-the-Go
•Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio
input/output and TV out
Available colors:
•Dark Grey •Silver White •Green •Blue •Orange
