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Nokia N8 hands on |
Today I finally got a chance to play
with the Nokia N8. I got to use
prototype hardware (still labeled C0)
running early software (not even
pre-release).
In short, I’m definitely impressed. But I’m still concerned that the N8 will not be able to compete with iOS and Android devices when it’s launched later this summer.
Read on for my thoughts…
The hardware
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the hardware is fantastic. There’s absolutely no doubt that Nokia knows how to build top-spec phones, and when it wants to, top-quality hardware. The N8, even in prototype form, showcases the best fit, finish, and materials of any Nseries device to date.
The device is slim and light yet solid. The body and most buttons/covers are made of machined and anodized aluminum – only the plastic endcaps look and feel out of place.
The glass capacitive OLED display is beautiful and responsive. The features are impressive – 12 MP HD camera, penta-band 3G (including AWS for T-Mobile USA), WiFi b/g/n, HDMI output, USB On-The-Go!
The only N8 available for me to handle was the green one, which is not a particularly flattering color for this phone. The blue version I saw looked more attractive.
The software
Unfortunately, my time with the software was pretty limited, but what I saw surprised me by being fast and slick. It’s clear that the user interface makes extensive use of hardware acceleration and that the user experience is a significant improvement over S60v5.
But will Symbian^3 be able to compete with iOS and Android? I’m not convinced. Despite multitouch support and streamlined controls, it’s still Symbian at the core. For users familiar with Symbian like myself, that’s fine, but for new users I think the learning curve is still to steep…
The camera
I was only able to test the camera indoors, and in poor conditions, but I’m extremely pleased with the results: the N8 outperformed my point-and-shoot camera, with less noise and more detail.
Matthew Bennett was kind enough to pose for this shot, taken with the flash in auto mode – check out the awesome low-light performance. With the flash turned on, it’s pure xenon magic :)
In terms of HD video recording, the N8 promises 720p at a consistent 25 fps, and I was able to confirm this claim after some brief testing.
The verdict
Fantastic hardware, promising software, and an unrivaled camera – that sums up the Nokia N8 at this point in time. Still, I’d prefer to see MeeGo on this device.
Take a look at my pictures (slide show) and my video of the N8.
Here are a couple things I forgot to mention in the video:
- There’s a standard Nokia power connector on the bottom endcap (in addition to USB charging)
- There’s multitouch support on the capacitive screen (pinch-to-zoom in the browser, maps, and gallery)
Thanks to Nokia Blogger Relations for inviting me, and to Dolby for hosting the event.
For more information, visit tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/nokia-n8 -hands-on/
In short, I’m definitely impressed. But I’m still concerned that the N8 will not be able to compete with iOS and Android devices when it’s launched later this summer.
Read on for my thoughts…
The hardware
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the hardware is fantastic. There’s absolutely no doubt that Nokia knows how to build top-spec phones, and when it wants to, top-quality hardware. The N8, even in prototype form, showcases the best fit, finish, and materials of any Nseries device to date.
The device is slim and light yet solid. The body and most buttons/covers are made of machined and anodized aluminum – only the plastic endcaps look and feel out of place.
The glass capacitive OLED display is beautiful and responsive. The features are impressive – 12 MP HD camera, penta-band 3G (including AWS for T-Mobile USA), WiFi b/g/n, HDMI output, USB On-The-Go!
The only N8 available for me to handle was the green one, which is not a particularly flattering color for this phone. The blue version I saw looked more attractive.
The software
Unfortunately, my time with the software was pretty limited, but what I saw surprised me by being fast and slick. It’s clear that the user interface makes extensive use of hardware acceleration and that the user experience is a significant improvement over S60v5.
But will Symbian^3 be able to compete with iOS and Android? I’m not convinced. Despite multitouch support and streamlined controls, it’s still Symbian at the core. For users familiar with Symbian like myself, that’s fine, but for new users I think the learning curve is still to steep…
The camera
I was only able to test the camera indoors, and in poor conditions, but I’m extremely pleased with the results: the N8 outperformed my point-and-shoot camera, with less noise and more detail.
Matthew Bennett was kind enough to pose for this shot, taken with the flash in auto mode – check out the awesome low-light performance. With the flash turned on, it’s pure xenon magic :)
In terms of HD video recording, the N8 promises 720p at a consistent 25 fps, and I was able to confirm this claim after some brief testing.
The verdict
Fantastic hardware, promising software, and an unrivaled camera – that sums up the Nokia N8 at this point in time. Still, I’d prefer to see MeeGo on this device.
Take a look at my pictures (slide show) and my video of the N8.
Here are a couple things I forgot to mention in the video:
- There’s a standard Nokia power connector on the bottom endcap (in addition to USB charging)
- There’s multitouch support on the capacitive screen (pinch-to-zoom in the browser, maps, and gallery)
Thanks to Nokia Blogger Relations for inviting me, and to Dolby for hosting the event.
For more information, visit tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/nokia-n8 -hands-on/
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items are from 14 Jun 2010.
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