Top 5 reasons the Nokia N8 kicks ass
The Nokia N8 was one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2010. It’s the latest weapon in the Finnish mobile giants' arsenal. The Symbian^3 device has courted media attention of a magnitude usually reserved for the likes of the iPhone, and we wanted to give you a rundown of what the N8 does best. So without further ado, here are our top five features of the Nokia N8:
Camera
You cannot talk about the N8 without first mentioning the camera. Nokia have packed an impressive 12-megapixel snapper into the device, which boasts Carl Zeiss optics, auto focus, a Xenon flash and 720P video capture, which records at 25fps. The device’s unique sensor size allows you to take wide angle photos which look as beautiful on the devices screen as they would printed and framed. We really can't think of enough superlatives when speaking about the N8's camera, it is without question the best camera phone that the world has seen and even kicks some dedicated compacts into touch.
Screen
Nokia didn't scrimp on screen real estate with the N8, it comes packing a roomy 3.5-inch AMOLED display, which one could quite comfortably use for viewing movies, without succumbing to eye-strain.
Another win for Nokia is the use of Gorilla Glass, which means that, unlike other large touchscreens, you don’t have to feel as though kid-gloves are needed when handling the phone, or dropping it in a pocket. This is a huge bonus as so often we purchase expensive handsets, only to feel as though we have a Fabergé egg in our pockets, rather than a functional and hard-wearing device.
Design
Nokia devices have always been lauded for their durability, and the N8 is no exception to the rule. With the N8, Nokia has opted to use a unibody design which means the device is hewn from a solid piece of aluminium. The weight of the device is reassuring and the lack of sliding parts means that you will never hear a creak or grind emanating from parts unknown.
The front of the device sees a shift to a more minimalist ethos for the Finns, it only has one small button on the front, and although there are the usual buttons on the side Nokia have made these discreet and unobtrusive, keeping the phone looking svelte and unencumbered.
Media
Another impressive feature of the N8 is its capacity to consume media. Nokia has equipped the device with a Micro HDMI port for TV-Out functionality, which means that you can watch all of the HD videos you've captured, on your television.
Combine this with the added Dolby Digital Plus when connected to a home theatre and the ability to stream media from your PC or laptop via Wi-Fi, the N8 really commits to giving you the best entertainment experience possible, and doesn't cut any corners in the process.
Connectivity
One of the advantages of the huge amount of competition within the mobile market is the constant improvement on existing technology, and it is to this end that Nokia is the first manufacturer to introduce a pentaband 3G phone, as well as offering the usual such as quadband, GPRS, EDGE and 3G with HSPA (10.2 Mbps HSDPA and 2.0 Mbps HSUPA). No smartphone would be complete without Wi-Fi, and the N8 doesn't disappoint there, either. Considering all of these options, with the N8 it's hard not to stay connected, so this is definitely not a phone for the technophobic amongst us!
Final Thoughts
Overall we found the N8 to be a fine, fun handset to use day-to-day. It has its foibles, not least of which being its ageing Symbian operating system, but the few quirks are heavily offset by the device's myriad of pro points.
If you're looking for a new device that allows you to leave the camera at home when you go out, the N8 is definitely it. Similarly, if you're looking for a break from the norm of iOS and Android, give it a look, we suspect you won't be disappointed.