19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lots of features that need to be accessed using small keys., July 28, 2008
This review is from: Nokia N82 Unlocked Phone with 5 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)
So... I waited for the iPhone to go 3G. I was even willing to pay for a data plan I did not need, then I found out it's going to cost even more. I bought this unlocked Nokia instead and kept my cheap voice plan only. So far I'm very happy with my decision.
This phone had built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth; but it does not have 3G coverage in the US. Being a smart phone it has robust calendar and contact applications. It also has a great 5-mega-pixel camera with auto focus and a powerful Xenon flash that really does light up your subject. The pictures are comparable to an average compact point and shoot camera. Moreover, it geo-tags your photos so you can see where you took the photo on a map. You can also upload your photos to the web, although I have not used that feature. The music player is robust as well and since the phone has a 3.5mm headset jack on the top it's easy to use your favorite headphones. Lastly, it is very attractive in black, and feels, for the most part, solid and well constructed but also lightweight.
I have not used the software that came with the phone since it is not for MACs. Nokia has a plug-in you can download on their website to use the phone with a MAC's iSync software and it works seamlessly. The phone also works well with the HandsFreeLink Bluetooth in my Acura. You can download MSN Messenger and Hotmail for the phone, as well as check your POP-3 based e-mail. The web browser works well and most pages display fine, if a little slowly (even over Wi-Fi). The map program is accurate as well, although you have to subscribe to a service for voice guided turn-by-turn directions. If you don't pay for that you just get the directions displayed on the screen all at once.
Battery life and call quality are great. The phone lasts me about 4 days before it needs to be recharged. I am by no means a power-user though.
The negatives I have is that the keys are way to small for the phone. I am an average sized male and my hands are not huge, but I have some issues with hitting the wrong keys. Additionally, the keyboard area of the phone is very creaky; when you press the keys it makes creaking sounds. The phone can be slow with some operations, specifically zooming into pictures and opening the picture gallery. Lastly, the built-in accelerometer is finicky and often the screen will switch from portrait to landscape when you do not want it to, but NOT when you actually want it to.
All in all, it's a great phone with lots of features (and a phenomenal camera) and well worth the asking price. Sorry for the long review, but it's got a lot of features to discuss.
8/1/08: Two more things: I downloaded Opera Mini and it is far superior and faster then the built-in web browser. Secondly, you can take the phone off the cell network and just use Wi-Fi, which is great when I am home because the cell signal is weak in my house.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent camera phone but not quite perfect, January 3, 2009
This review is from: Nokia N82 Unlocked Phone with 5 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)
I've had this phone for about two weeks now and used pretty much everything on it and I'm proud to report that this phone was well worth the investment. I am a big time gadget geek and I had been watching this phone for the last year. I flew out to Chicago and checked it out in April at the Nokia flagship store and was a little turned off by the keypad so I waited patiently for more reviews (and newer phones) to come out before I would make my final decision. Excited by the new phones that Nokia had in the making, I later found myself disappointed by the fact that none of the new ones include a xenon flash, which is a huge downgrade in terms of picture quality, which is my primary interest in this phone. After all was said and done, I spent my points on my credit cards and finally sprung for one of the black N82s. I couldn't be happier with my choice.
Pros:
-The phone is very responsive with little or no lag time between menus and applications. This is due to the huge amount of available RAM on the phone and fast processor.
-Photos come out amazing for a camera phone, and it's actually now the replacement for my standalone digital camera. It's great having a camera wherever I go without having to carry extra stuff.
-Web browsing is effortless and the standard browser has great speed, at least for me, but I've updated the firmware to v30 which has increased battery life significantly and speeds up performance.
-The calender application works great, though it's a little slower to put in entries than my old phone because it's a little more complex.
-GPS works fast, and I can usually get a lock-on in less than a minute, even without network assistance.
-Uploading photos to web couldn't be easier and geo-tagging is a cool feature to see on my Flickr account.
-Tons of available apps for the S60 OS
-Mp3 player works great, albeit very simple, but is sufficient at playing music well.
-Decent build quality, though I wish mine wasn't made in China.
Cons:
-The phone is a fingerprint MAGNET! Be prepared to wipe the phone down regularly to keep it smudge free, especially if you have oily fingers.
-The flash almost always produces redeye in my photos. I don't know if it's because of the timing or position of the flash or what, but I have also yet to try the redeye reduction setting. So far though my pictures are coming out great except for this one aspect.
-The GPS does not work as well as my standalone unit, but in a pinch it's a great feature to have.
-Battery life could be better. I'm somewhat of a power user and I have to charge the phone every day or it will die on the second day.
-Yes the keypad is a little on the small side, but I still find it to be very functional and I can text just as fast witht his phone as my last phone. The raised buttons have a very tactile feel. Just keep your nails trimmed and that should help with the button presses.
Conclusion:
For what you pay, this is the most feature laden phone in it's class with a nice balance of size and functionality. The screen size is sufficient for most uses and the phone works well as a PHONE, unlike the iphone that I want so badly for them to make right. If given a second chance, I would have had no hesitation to buy this phone when it first came out. Now that the price has gone down this phone is a bargain, and until they come out with an S60 phone with a xenon flash and Nokia reliability, I can see myself keep this phone for quite a while. Theres only a few things I wish that they can do for the next generation and that includes the xenon flash, 8mp camera, gps, wifi, touch screen, qwerty keyboard. Until then this is the best that they get without spending an arm and a leg for the even higher end phones.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
MORE THAN JUST THE CAMERA. A complete features run-down, May 8, 2009
This review is from: Nokia N82 Unlocked Phone with 5 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) (Wireless Phone Accessory)
All you need to know...
YES, THE CAMERA: Enough has been said of the camera. It's all true. I can take a photo in pitch blackness. The infrared will shoot across a room to auto-focus & the bright Xenon will illuminate the room to take excellent, quality photos in complete darkness. This is no exaggeration. It has replaced my actual camera so I can carry less. I record all of my YouTube vids with the phone, too.
It's not just the flash. It's not just the 5 megapixels. It's not just the lens cover. It's a lens that can handle the megapixels and an autofocus that makes it worth while. Most of us aren't trying to take poster-sized photos. For best results, I reduce the initial size of the photo (to 5x7 or so) so it doesn't have to be edited down.
OTHER COOL FEATURES:
TV-OUT function that comes w/wiring. Plug the N82 into a tv and see the webrowser, photos, movies, MSWord docs, Excel docs, PowerPoint, PDF files, etc. Record video and see it on the screen simultaneously.
(If you purchase a collapsible bluetooth keyboard and mouse, you'll have a 'laptop' that is more portable and has a larger screen than a Mac Air, fits in a jacket pocket and uses any modern tv's screen.)
MEMORY: Comes with 2gb memory card. I added an 8gm sdhc Ultra to mine. It's fast, no delay. It can take 16gb card. 128mb RAM. Never get 'memory full' warnings. Dual ARM 11 332 MHz processor w/ 3D graphics hardware accelerator
GPS (comes w/ Nokia maps as well, but download Google Maps for free. It's better). At cost, you can add voice-guided directions as well.
DOCUMENTS: You can view MSWord docs, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF. With an upgrade, you can even edit them.
ZIP: Creates, opens, downloads and sends ZIP folders
WiFi that is very easy to configure. UPnP to wirelessly connect with other wireless electronics
VIDEO CALLING: This feature doesn't work in The States, but it allows you to take self photos/videos and see yourself as you shoot. In a few years when video calling reaches us, your N82 will be ready.
...Bluetooth, Podcasting, FM radio, currency/measurement converter, world clock, photo editor, video editor, NGage games
This is not a slider or a flip. It's a solid piece and that means it's very sturdy. Sliders come with flex cables that are subject to damage. Just Google "flex cable" and add any slider phone.
N85 & N86: These newer models are sliders which look cheap. One of them has an 8mp camera, but no Xenon flash to accompany it.
OTHER OPTIONS - WINDOWS MOBILE OR APPLE OR PALM: No other operating system offers as many downloadable apps as the Symbian systems. This means you can download Symella and download music, video and files to your phone like LIMEWIRE. You can download Handwave and direct your phone w/o even touching it. You can download Nokmote, Rockandscroll or Rotateme and direct the N82 by motion. There are countless more free apps available. It's just more expandable than any other operating system.
Touch screens are gimmicks. They require a greater range of motion, usually two hands and make your screen dirty. A cursor only requires I move my thumb a few millimeters whilst iPhoners are using two hands and strokes. Cute, but not practical.
CONS
SMALL KEYS: The keyboard is the size of my thumb. Although the keyes are are spaced, Braille-touch is still near impossible because even my pinkie finger can touch two keys at once. The rice grain keys require a vertical touch w/your nail Ridiculous!
NO QWERTY: The T9 is both predictive *and* teachable. After a short while, you'll teach it most of the odd words you're going to use. I can key in my name by touching the same amount of keys as I would on a QWERTY, but w/o the range of motion and the bulk of a QWERTY.
SPEAKERS: Considering this unit has two speakers and is an upgrade from the N80, the sounds isn't quite as clear, good or powerful as that of an N80. There is an equalizer, boost & surround feature, none of which improve the sound. The sound is good, but not what it should be and is an obvious step down from the N80. That 'said,' the N82 offers a 3.5mm jack. The headset sound is stellar.
3G: The N82 doesn't come w/ US 3G frequency, unfortunately.
CONFIGURATION: If this is your first smart phone, you should know that, because it's not released under the umbrella of a carrier, it will take a lot of configuration. You won't be able to just pick it up and do all of the things I've listed here w/o downloads, upgrades, input. These are not simply calling phones. They aren't for teens who just want games and music. Know this.
SMALL SCREEN: The screen isn't as small as you may think. It's bigger than most and as large as some PDAs
LOOKS: This stealth phone definitely flies under the radar. No bling. No wow factor. I like to think of it as a high end, understated Benz whilst the iPhone is a mass-marketed, gold-laden, flashy Cadillac. Of course, the iPhones aren't even remotely in this phone's league. The upcoming N97 from Nokia has more features, but it is larger, is a 'slider,' uses a touch screen and doesn't have a Xenon flash. Oh, and it's $300-400 more expensive.
CARRIER
If you pair the N82 w/ T-Mobile in The States, you can enjoy unlimited web usage and downloading. If you go w/ AT&T, you'll pay as you go. Although AT&T offers 3G in The States, the N82 doesn't carry US 3G frequency so save money and spend all the time on the web w/ T-Mobile.
If you opt for PDA like a Blackberry with any carrier, you will have to pay an additional $25/mo to be able to access the Internet. Nokia's smartphones are more expensive to purchase because they don't come with service in The States, but they are cheaper to operate because they can be configured to us the Net w/o hefty, monthly PDA fees.
This phone runs circles around almost anything you'll come in contact with. The best part (to me) is that it's feature-packed but stealth, tasteful, compact, sturdy and doesn't shout "trend follower".
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