Previously, Nokia reigned virtually unchallenged in the realm of smartphones. This era came to an abrupt end when the manufacturer has failed the turn of touch. Since then, he spares no effort to return to the race. After a few models mid-figs, grapes middle, the manufacturer has finally found the right formula with the N8?
Amateur Nokia, rejoice! If you are a devotee of the Finnish brand, you ate more than your ration of black bread in the last three years. But the world's leading manufacturer has heard your prayers, and laments the millions of users who have complained about his first touch models. The reconquest starts with this Nokia N8 and its new Symbian OS ^ 3. To improve its image somewhat tarnished in the segment of smartphones touch, the Finnish manufacturer has put the dishes in the major. It has equipped its new smartphone features premium.
Starting with the 3.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 640 x 360 pixels. Nokia did not skimp on the photo sensor Carl Zeiss is the undisputed "Mr. longer" the sheet with 12 megapixel count! It also proves capable of shooting 720p HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). Side connectors and connectivity, the N8 is one of the most comprehensive mobile either. It is compatible with all existing networks, GPRS to EDGE through HSDPA and HSUPA (3G +). Bluetooth 3.0 and WiFi b / g / n are also present, and there is even a receiver and an FM transmitter. To connect it to a flat screen, the manufacturer has thought to include an HDMI output. Everything is animated by a processor clocked at 680 MHz, based on the ARM architecture 11 and supported by a dedicated graphics chip 3D Graphics HW Accelerator is compatible with the OpenGL-ES 2.0. The smartphone also has a memory of 256 MB SDRAM and a NAND RAM to 512 MB internal storage, again, the manufacturer has been generous with 16 GB of internal memory that you can still inflate via a microSD memory card (up to 32 additional GB).
Package Contents
The smartphone comes in a very complete package including:
• A charger
• Battery 1200 mAh
• A wired stereo headset
• A cable microUSB
• A mini-HDMI adapter
• USB Adapter
• The user manual
One notes with pleasure that Nokia remains true to its old habits by providing a mini-HDMI adapter in the product box. Then simply connect the smartphone via HDMI cable to the TV to enjoy it on the big screen. We also note the presence of a curious adapter that allows connecting a USB device in the Nokia N8 as a USB key or hard drive for example.
Appearance and Design
The time when the Finnish manufacturer of smartphones resembled large brick seems long gone. Just take a look at the design of the N8 and other Symbian smartphones ^ 3 to be convinced. So, obviously, that interests us here is revolutionizing anything in terms of look. But ends a bit atypical in all light curves, allow it to stand out easily from its competitors.
The smartphone is beautifully produced in a piece of anodized aluminum and available in five turns different colors ranging from green to gray through blue, black and orange. These colors are metallic and all offer a superb record. Add to that quality workmanship and flawless finish and you get one of the best smartphones of the moment.
As mentioned above, the thickness is finally becoming reasonable. With 12, 9 mm, the N8 is not the thinnest touchscreen smartphone market, but this thickness is very reasonable and not obstructing anything in a pocket. One can discover a small protrusion on the back of the device, but it hardly makes a small millimeter. And do not forget that this smartphone is powered by the best photo sensor currently available on a phone. Such a component takes place inevitably. From this point of view, the N8 is quite compact.
His grip is nice and the buttons fall well under the finger. We especially liked the force feedback button to lock / unlock the mobile. It provides just enough pressure to be very comfortable.
The locations of connectors are fairly well located and do not interfere. One can only wonder however why Nokia returns to the small round plug to recharge while it tended to disappear on the latest models. Rest assured the manufacturer did not rid the microUSB connector. This not only serves to synchronize the device with a computer, but can also be recharged through it. Mini-HDMI connector is located on the bottom.
The shell model was machined from a piece of aluminum, do not expect to find a removable cover on the back. Memory cards and SIM inserted in two separate locations placed on the left side. Thus, the battery is not removable either and you can not change it alone.
The Homeric Camera 12-megapixel N8 focuses the attention of crowds. Do not forget that this is the first smartphone to ship the new Symbian OS ^ 3. The newcomer follows S60v5 we could find in all touch smartphones from Nokia.
At first glance, not much will change. We find the same home screen fills with widgets that which equips the N97 and N97. Once in the menu, the icons are nice to have been redrawn, the system menus always seem arbitrary. It's not completely ugly, but it really has nothing transcendent. Total disappointment, then? Nay! After a few minutes to manipulate the text, we note that navigation through menus and applications is quite fluid and is made without the latency very annoying from the previous version of the operating system.
The N8 is not a lightning war in terms of responsiveness but it is fast enough not to cause frustration in daily life. When compared to other competing smartphones market, it is in the middle, without of course also an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy 4 S. But we shall see later that he has other arguments to make. And as we spend time with this smartphone, we realize that Nokia has focused more on substance over form with Symbian ^ 3. Mean by that that the changes are not graphics but rather functional. From this point of view, it is a real success.
Thus, the homepage has not changed since it is always composed of widgets. But you can now create three instead of one. You will appreciate the appearance of a clock on the standby screen of the mobile, which is visible ... even when the phone is off! Nokia has said it does not impact the battery life. It is certainly very useful as there no need to switch the mobile just to see the time or date. The radius of the improvements in Symbian ^ 3 include managing the HDMI output, recording and playback 720p HD video, better management of autonomy in a specific profile, the management of multipoint screen and a manager of improved multitasking.
As mentioned above, this is not immediately in the eyes insofar ^ 3 Symbian S60v5 very similar to the previous OS version, graphically speaking. But everyday, the N8 is much more pleasant to use than previous models.
Imaging functions (Photo)
The first Tactile offered honest, Nokia hardware, but nothing that allows them to stand out from the pack of competitors. Nokia changes its approach with the N8. If its new smartphone does not have the operating system's most innovative and most attractive market, it may rely on features photos / videos absolutely exceptional!
The current trend in image capture for smartphones top-end is 5 megapixel camera and the 720p video. It is therefore surprising and refreshing to see Nokia put a 12 megapixel sensor in the bowels of the N8. But if you're familiar with new technologies, you're probably aware that this is not piling megapixels we get to create a good camera phone. Nokia also knows his product and not only has the largest resolution available today on a phone, but also and above all the best photo sensor in terms of quality. Like all NSeries past three years, this approach meets stringent specifications to be labeled as "Carl Zeiss". It offers features specifically astounding that we are rather accustomed to find in the data sheet for a compact camera. The sensor measures 28 mm 1/1.83''for an f/2.8 aperture.
The N8 also offers a real Xenon flash that is proving far more effective than the LED flashes to accompany the photographs of mobile sensors. In theory, the newest Nokia smartphones is the best camera phone market. And in practice? Because there is no use having a technical tempting if the picture quality does not follow. Fortunately, Nokia has not missed. The rendering of the photos captures the N8 rivals simply with that of most compact digital cameras (NPC) of the market.
Photos taken from the Nokia N8 [click to enlarge]
The photos are crisp, enjoy a good sharpness and color fidelity. When the brightness decreases, the Xenon flash works wonders. The different modes are as successful as each other, be it macro mode, panorama, etc.. You can choose different scene modes, enable or disable the detection of faces, display a grid, affect the white balance, exposure, etc.. In short, not only ensures the N8 in terms of photo quality, but it also reveals almost as complete as a way to AFN terms of features.
You'll understand that this phone is the crème de la crème of camera phones. And for capturing video? Its characteristics are again on top as he is able to shoot in 720p HD resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. But unlike the resolution for photos where the N8 outclasses all its rivals, such a resolution for video is now commonplace for smartphones high-end. But even if the gap is not as pronounced as for photography, capturing video of N8 is once again ahead of the pack. The smartphone can shoot at 25 frames per second. The result is smooth video, featuring a high level of detail and color fidelity to reality. If high resolution is not used much when watching movies on a mobile screen, it makes perfect sense however when you decide to watch them on your flat screen. As discussed further, the N8 has a mini-HDMI output. Nokia has had the good sense to provide an adapter to the HDMI standard in the mobile pack. In short, everything you need to do is plug the adapter into the smartphone and connect to your TV with an HDMI cable all there is more classic. The image appears on screen, in HD 720p please. Videos filmed in good lighting conditions with the mobile are especially impressive on a large flat screen. Note that the N8 tools includes tools for editing photos and video. They are fairly basic but have the merit to exist. And they can still make some nice little touches and fixtures.
And the benefits of this HDMI output does not stop there. Nokia has indeed finally incorporated a DivX / Xvid video in the player's smartphone. In fact, the N8 is the first Nokia mobile to be natively compatible with these formats. All Symbian smartphones ^ 3 will be as well since it is one of the new OS. And frankly, at a time when screen sizes are mostly at 3.2 inches and beyond, is far from being a luxury. In fact, you can now enjoy most of your videos on the N8 without having to re-encode, even if they are in HD, up to 720p. In practice, the smartphone has been able to read almost all the videos. "Avi" but has been less comfortable with. "Mkv". It happens to read some but not all. For the rest, ". Mp4" and other ".3 gp" are well managed long ago. Overall, the N8 is behind the reference of its kind for video playback, the Samsung Galaxy S. But the smartphone from Nokia has a sacred asset up its sleeve: the famous HDMI output! It transforms the mobile multimedia center pocket that simply connect your TV to watch your videos and photos in HD. And since we are talking about pictures, know that the viewer has the N8 is the most classic. This does not prevent it from being effective and perfectly fulfill his office. The multipoint now being managed, it appreciates the opportunity to zoom in and out easily with two fingers.
As such, the mobile screen is a great success. At first glance, it does not change in the characteristics when compared to the first 3.5-inch N97 with the same resolution of 360 x 640 pixels. But comparisons end there, because the display of interest here is capacitive, ie more pleasant to use the finger. It mainly offers a much higher rendering thanks to its AMOLED technology. Sunlight readability is improved, but otherwise, it's a no-fault with bright colors, brightness, sharpness and a nice comfortable.
Other features (MP3 player, WiFi, Bluetooth ...)
The N8 is certainly building photo / video out of the ordinary, but Nokia did not put all your eggs in one basket so far. Its new flagship smartphone is a complete product that can not be found wanting in terms of functionality. Today, any self-respecting smartphone and wants to reach the summit should permit the recovery of his emails and the ability to comfortably surf the web. The foundation that manages the Symbian OS eponymous team that reviewed the N8 web browser. The base is the same, ie it is always the Webkit rendering engine that is in command. The good news is that its performance has been boosted, both in terms of speed of loading and managing large pages and functionality. Multipoint requires, it is now possible to zoom in and out easily by the famous gesture of pinching. The only significant defect that remains the face of competition is that we can not open multiple windows at the same time voluntarily. Ie, it occasionally happens that the browser itself opens a link in a new window but there is no option that allows you to do yourself. Similarly, when you zoom, the text does not automatically adjust to screen size. We appreciate, however, that Flash technology is at least partially managed with FlashLite 4.0. Overall, the browser has improved but remains a tone above the best of its kind.
The Message Manager Messaging Nokia pays less open to criticism. He reveals to be always complete and can perform most common tasks of mail directly from your smartphone. Virtual qwerty keyboard is not always comfortable and lacks the precision that can type very fast once the habit. But it remains correct to use.
Now to one of the undoubted strengths of Nokia smartphones: Maps. The integrated GPS navigation solution for Nokia is better than troubleshoot. It integrates voice navigation and pedestrian traffic and is revealed to both complete and functional. Without spending a penny more, you get maps of 70 countries in 40 different languages, and even infotrafic for ten countries including France. Of course, all the maps are not loaded since this would require tens of GB, but if needed, simply download the map you want on the Nokia website for free then. The Maps interface is nice, enjoys a good ergonomics and offers different display modes with the 2D or 3D, satellite, etc..
The OVI Store has also received attention from Nokia. The App Finnish manufacturer does not always compete with its rivals from Apple or Google but the number of applications is growing, and there are now many applications really interesting. It is on track, thanks to an improved interface and ergonomics faultless. No more tantrums to download an application, it is now easy and effective.
Let's finish this overview with the music player. Its interface has evolved positively with the transition to Symbian as ^ 3 now offers a few flirtations like the cover flow mode for displaying album covers.
To activate it, it is very simple since it suffices to change the orientation of the smartphone in the passing landscape display. The sound is really excellent for its part, actually much better than most dedicated players. There are also the usual options such as the ability to create playlists, equalizers to adjust to your listening tastes, etc.. If you're tired of your songs, you can also turn to the radio since the N8 also incorporates an FM receiver. And also an FM transmitter! Concretely, this feature allows you to enjoy music from your mobile on a Hi-Fi as long as it receives the radio waves!
The largess of Nokia do not stop there because you can also connect an external source such as a USB N8 through your cable. The smartphone will read all files that are stored on the storage device you have connected it, as long as it is compatible with those files. This means he will not be able to read Photoshop files or videos for example 1080p. But for photos, most videos, music, office files, ... no problem!
Conclusion
At decision time, it is clear that if you change phone these days, the choice looks Cornelian. It was already not easy to choose between the iPhone and Android, but that Nokia is back and the new Windows 7 Phone, the task becomes even more complex.
N8 This deserves your attention anyway. As you will understand by going through this test, it is the best touchscreen smartphone from Nokia to date, which is a feat in itself. What is more significant is that it competes with its competitors in several areas and even beat soundly in photo and video. Besides, if you're the kind of draw your mobile regularly to photograph and film, look no further, this is the N8 you.
Overall, this smartphone is in our opinion the best for multimedia. Others do better in some areas but there is one that is better balanced and it brings new features rare as the FM transmitter, the HDMI or USB input. The radius of the defects, Symbian ^ 3 is not the luster of an IOS, an Android or even a WebOS. But it is now stable, relatively fluid and is relieved of some of the burdens which handicaps.
Rating: 90/100
Pros:
• Screen Size
• Beautiful rendering of the AMOLED
• Design a very pleasant
• Best for photos
• Quality of video captured
• Plays DivX / Xvid
• Excellent audio player
• system responsive enough
• Self correct
• Off-price pack quite reasonable (Nokia)
Cons:
• User Interface still ugly
• Unable to open a new window in web browser
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