If you like touchscreen phones, you should be wetting yourself with excitement about now; the biggest name in the business has announced not one, but TWO mobile phones: the sexy Nokia 5800 and the totally awesome Nokia N97.
Lessons from history – Nokia early learns how NOT to make a touchscreen phone
A lot of people are under the false assumption that the Nokia 5800 is the first ever touchscreen mobile phone to come from the Finnish manufacturer. It isn’t. Actually, there have been several touch-based phones to wear the Nokia brand. Starting at the 7700, there have been a few Nokia mobile phones that work by you pressing directly on the screen. They all shared pretty big touchscreens, but the other feature they had in common, unfortunately, was that they were unbearably hideous. Just one of these mobile phones, the 6708, showed any potential, but it was destined only for China, and so, we never got to play with them in the UK. The mobile phones WE got were, and I use this phrase with much feeling, utter, utter toss.
However, those unpleasant recollections have now been removed because of the announcement of two new Nokia mobile phones, both of which have touch-sensitive displays, and both of which are much, much more alluring…
Nokia 5800 – finger-tapping, toe-taping musical genius
First on the roster is a brand new member of Nokia’s Xpress family of music mobile phones, the gorgeous Nokia 5800. This phone is quite obviously designed for music and video; you can tell by the dedicated XpressMedia touch-key that opens a list of shortcuts to music, videos, the internet, and so on. Oh, and the Nokia 5800 has a 3.2 inch touch-sensitive display, to let you play with all your media content. Basically, the Nokia 5800 was created to be a little portable jukebox and movie player, and as music devices go, this is just about the sweetest. The Nokia 5800 has also got a 3 megapixel camera, HSDPA internet connection and sat-nav, making it a brilliant all-rounder, as well as a superb media player. Oh, and it has a strap to clip on an imitation guitar plectrum. Pointless, but brilliant.
Despite all those features, the Nokia 5800 is very definitely a mid-range device; it isn’t, nor will it ever be, an absolute top-ender. That position goes to a different mobile…
Nokia N97 – phenomenal cosmic power
With the Nokia 5800 on track to deliver touch-based mobile phones to the mid-range market, that opens up a great big gap at the absolute top-end of the product range; well, there IS a touch-based mobile phone waiting to be unleashed to fill that gap: the utterly jaw-dropping Nokia N97. This takes the same Symbian S60 Touch interface and crams it within the body of a proper, full-tilt smartphone. So it’s got an even more huge, 3.5 inch screen, a flip out QWERTY keypad, and the camera now weighs in at a meaty 5 megapixels. The Nokia N97 is, in a very definite way, destined to be the new flagship Nseries mobile phone, and it really is as powerful as we’d heard from rumours, with HSDPA, GPS, digital compass, and built-in Flash, meaning you have an internet experience like no other mobile phones! Put simply the Nokia N97 is unbelievable. It easily outdoes other mobile phones and while the Nokia 5800 aims firmly for the mid-range, I reckon that the Nokia N97 will totally DESTROY the competition in 2009!
Expert on mobile phones, having worked in the industry for over 7 years.
Anyone who likes touchscreen phones should be excited; the most recognised name in the game has waded in with not one, but TWO mobile phones: the sexy Nokia 5800 and the totally awesome Nokia N97.
The history of touchscreen phones – best left in the past…
Many people are under the incorrect assumption that the Nokia 5800 is the first touchscreen mobile phone Nokia have ever made. It’s not. The opposite’s true, because there’s been several touch-based phones to wear the Nokia badge. Starting at the 7700, the world has seen a few Nokia mobile phones which work by you prodding and poking the screen. They had a relatively big (for the time) touchscreen in common, but the other feature they had in common, unfortunately, was that they were utterly hideous. Just one of those handsets, the 6708, displayed a modicum promise, but it was destined exclusively to be sold in China, and thus, it never saw the light of day in Britain. Unfortunately, that meant that the phones we got were utter, and complete bobbins.
However, these bad mental images have all been removed due to the announcement of a pair of new Nokia mobile phones, both of which come with touch-sensitive displays, and both of which are much, much sexier…
Nokia 5800 – music, rhythm, who oculd ask for anything more…
The first phone up is a completely new entrant into Nokia’s Xpress line of music mobile phones, the mouth-watering Nokia 5800. This one’s pretty obviously built for music and video; you can tell by the separate XpressMedia touch-key that pops up a list of shortcuts to music, videos, the web, and more. Then, of course, the Nokia 5800 has a 3.2 inch touchscreen, to actually muck about with those different media files. Basically, the Nokia 5800 was designed to be a teeny handheld entertainment centre, and as music devices go, this is just about the sexiest. The Nokia 5800 also comes with a 3 megapixel camera, HSDPA internet access and sat-nav, so that it’s a wonderful all-round mobile phone, in addition to being a brilliant media box. Oh, and it’s got a strap to clip on an imitation guitar plectrum. Pointless, but brilliant.
Despite all those features, the Nokia 5800 is very definitely a mid-range device; it isn’t, nor will it ever be, a full-fat top-end monster. That role falls to a different mobile…
Nokia N97 – the Superman of mobile phones?
With the Nokia 5800 all set to bring touch-based mobile phones to the mid-range market, that leaves a great big gap at the absolute top-endof the product range; well, there IS a touch-based mobile phone on its way to take its place as the top-end powerhouse: the utterly mind-blowing Nokia N97. This takes the same Symbian S60 Touch interface and crams it within the body of a proper, full-on smartphone. So it has a massive, 3.5 inch screen, a kick out QWERTY keypad, and the camera’s been upgraded to 5 megapixels. The Nokia N97 is, in a very definite way, destined to be the new flagship Nseries mobile phone, and it’s genuinely as powerful as the rumours had us believe, with HSDPA, sat-nav, digital compass, and built-in Flash, so that you have an internet experience that tops any other mobile phones! Put simply the Nokia N97 is awesome. It gleefully relieves itself over other mobile phones and while the Nokia 5800 angles firmly for the mid-range, I’m predicting that the Nokia N97 will utterly DOMINATE the world next year!
Expert on mobile phones, having worked in the industry for over 7 years.