The Nokia N97

Nokia are the world`s largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with just under 40% of the market share and they`ve built their reputation with landmark handsets showcasing cutting edge technology, as well as with more moderately priced offerings which provide style and functionality. Their N series phones represent the best and brightest, forming a line up of smartphones that work more like pocket PCs than standard handsets. With the latest in the range, the N97, they`ve once again upped their game, but can they win back customers won over by Apple`s iPhone?

N97 Technical Specs and Design

The N97, like many of the N series phones, packs in a lot of features and as a result it`s fairly bulky. The bulk is added to partly by the full QWERTY keyboard which lurks beneath the large 3.5″ touch screen and is revealed when the screen is slid upwards. This is a fair trade off as using the keyboard to type long emails or messages is very easy, with the keys positioned naturally and the sliding hinge angling the screen so that viewing videos and photos can be done without having to hold the N97 at an angle the whole time. Inside the N97 has a gargantuan 32GB of storage space for files, videos and photos taken with the 5 mega pixel camera and should you need it there`s even a micro SD card slot, taking the total storage potential up by another 16GB. The camera itself has a screen guard and the chunky design is reassuringly expensive.

N97 Screen and Interface

The touch sensitive display is a hit and miss affair, perhaps because Nokia haven`t used touch screens on many of their other handsets. It requires a significant amount of force to register a button press and those who are used to touch screens from other manufacturers will find this dull and unresponsive. Nokia have attempted to tart up their Symbian operating system to work with this new interface style, but the N97 has a faintly bland look to its home screen and there`s no multi-touch capability to make web browsing that much easier.

N97 Software and Connectivity

The N97 features plenty of widgets, with everything from facebook to the stock market available on your home screen and as the information is kept up to date in real time you`ll be able to monitor changes at a glance. There`s also access to the Ovi store wherer you can download new programs and applications for the N97, something we`ll sure will become a feature of other nikia mobile phones in the near future. With 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi and HSDPA connectivity you`ll be able to browse the internet on the N97 wherever you roam at fast speeds and always be able to find your way home, but these aren`t unique features by any stretch.

Conclusion

The N97 will do everything you could need and more, it`s just a shame that it is let down by its presentation and interface.