| To say that the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic was | | | | dropdown menu for music, images, media sharing, |
| eagerly anticipated is an understatement. Leaked | | | | video and browsing. A welcome addition, just the |
| images of the first Nokia touchscreen phone | | | | addition of yet another method of navigation |
| known in development as the 'Tube,' (possibly in | | | | smacks of indecision as to the direction of the |
| reference to the long and narrow screen) did the | | | | first Nokia touch phone. |
| rounds and were lapped up by the online media, | | | | This extends to entering text for messaging and |
| whilst a cameo in the Oscar-nominated Dark | | | | the like. Offering a traditional alphanumeric keypad, |
| Knight movie and Britney's comeback video got | | | | fully QWERTY, half-screen QWERTY and |
| the masses into a lather. | | | | handwriting recognition seems gross |
| Finally the 5800 XpressMusic in within the hands of | | | | overcompensation for not finding a definitive |
| mortals as well as fictional billionaire businessmen, | | | | reliable input on their screen. Or perhaps they are |
| but is it as good in the flesh? | | | | still thinking about the Asian market, who are still |
| Well, it's not an iPhone. Let's get that out of the | | | | big on character inputs and stylus use whilst the |
| way, pronto . Both have touchscreens, both are | | | | rest of the world goes touch crazy... |
| impressively specced, and both handle multimedia | | | | The inputs using a finger do often feel woolly and |
| nicely. However, the familiar red, green and white | | | | unsure unless the screen is pressed what feels |
| buttons at the base of the handset remind you | | | | far too hard, and even the impressive haptic |
| that this is a Nokia, and pressing these (or sliding | | | | feedback is insufficient if speed is of the essence |
| the lock button on the right side) brings the | | | | when composing a message. The 5800 definitely |
| screen into life reaffirms the fact. | | | | seems happier when using the stylus, or even the |
| Design-wise, this is an immediate and immaculate | | | | plectrum. |
| Nokia. The sturdy shape, the curved edges, the | | | | One place the 5800 XpressMusic definitely |
| fingerprint imagery on the back, everything about | | | | impressed was multimedia. The video playback |
| the 5800 XpressMusic screams quality, but | | | | was crisp and clear, and the 16:9 aspect ratio |
| without the opulent touches of an N-series device | | | | came into it's own when watching BBC iPlayer or |
| like the Nokia N96. | | | | a video off the memory card. The former is a |
| Equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera with dual | | | | touch choppier than the iPhone's digital output of |
| LED flash, an nHD 640 x 360 display, a second | | | | the Beeb's finest, but the picture quality is still |
| camera for video calls, built-in GPS and 8GB of | | | | excellent. |
| memory as standard (upgradable to 16GB), you | | | | Audio is nice, the stereo speakers on the left side |
| are certainly getting a lot of bang for your buck | | | | of the 5800 belt out the tunes at a fair whack, |
| with the 5800. | | | | and the music options in terms of playback are |
| Despite running on shiny new Symbian S60 5th | | | | more than enough for an aficionado. The |
| edition touchscreen software, the Nokia 5800 | | | | headphone jack is placed dead centre in the top |
| XpressMusic feels like business as usual, with their | | | | of the phone, and is entirely welcome. |
| standard 4 x 3 icon layout behind a strangely | | | | Browsing with the Nokia is...average. Having been |
| sparse home screen. | | | | spoiled rotten by slick Opera and Safari on other |
| It is definitely an evolution rather than a | | | | touchy phones, the Nokia browser is adequate, |
| revolution, as the Nokia interface is easy to | | | | but lacks the sweet zooming and text rendering |
| navigate if you've ever been exposed to any | | | | options the others have. Also the issues with |
| handset from the Finnish manufacturer in the last | | | | landscape for left handers rear their ugly head |
| few years. | | | | again... However, Flash playback within the |
| The phone is tailored to be functional from both | | | | webpages was a pleasant surprise, the 5800 didn't |
| portrait and landscape, but the first thing noticed | | | | have to boot up a separate program to show |
| when trying to take advantage of this is that the | | | | you a YouTube video for example. |
| 5800 hates left handed people. Hates them. | | | | That sparse front end sparks into life once you |
| The accelerometer only works when turning the | | | | have some contacts, a couple of reminders and a |
| phone to the left through 90 degrees, which | | | | track going on the media player. It becomes a |
| means all of the features from the media | | | | hub to instantly access all manner of social |
| playback to browsing to even navigating the | | | | functions on your phone be they texts or images |
| menus has to be done with the phone tilted the | | | | uploaded by friends, or a status feed to see what |
| 'wrong' way for me. | | | | everyone you know is currently up to. An |
| In turn, using the plectrum shaped of the two | | | | impressive interface that integrates what were |
| included styli (it is a music phone) in the wrong | | | | initially disparate phone features. |
| hand became a chore, and really left a steeper | | | | As a phone it is also more than competent, with |
| learning curve to using the phone than expected. | | | | the calling functionality easy to get around, and |
| Another thing that took some getting used to | | | | contacts able to replace apps on your home |
| was the inconsistency of the user interface in | | | | screen for easy access. |
| terms of how to navigate. Sometimes item | | | | All of these latter features are saving graces in a |
| selection required a single tap, other times a | | | | handset that has some ways to go to find itself |
| double press was required, some menus used the | | | | in a crowded mobile phone market. It is an |
| iPhone 'grab to scroll' method, whilst others need | | | | impressive first step, and Nokia are certain to |
| the sidebar for scrolling up and down Windows | | | | build on the 5800 XpressMusic with future |
| Mobile-style. | | | | handsets, but for now the Tube will be a phone |
| On top of that comes a media bar touch key | | | | best suited for cool music lovers, early adopters |
| existing above the entire touchscreen next to the | | | | and those eager to see what the biggest phone |
| 'XpressMusic' logo, giving instant access to a | | | | manufacturer has done to combat the iPhone. |