Nokia N78 Review
Ξ August 17th, 2008 | → | ∇ Gadgets |
To be clear, there are many other phones that feature a built-in FM transmitter, which routes any music played on the device to a nearby radio—a boon for those who spend hours in the car, no doubt.
But what makes the Nokia N78 stand out is how it packs a complete feature set. In other words, even if you take away the FM transmitter, the N78 is still a pretty versatile cell phone.
So Typically NSeries, With Some Extras
Like its fellow Nseries contemporaries, the N78 has a built-in camera, does 3G, features some basic organizer apps, a slot that accepts microSD cards, Bluetooth 2.0, and an FM radio. It also runs on the Series 60 (3rd Edition) variant of the Symbian OS, and based on its memory-based info management, can support a practically unlimited number of contacts.
Notable features, aside from the aforementioned FM transmitter, are the integrated GPS receiver, 3.5mm jack that accepts standard earphones and headphones, and WiFi. The latter provides a more reliable and affordable (sometimes free) method of surfing the web, through WiFi hotspots. Another highlight is the use of a 1200 mAh battery; it’s high capacity allows the phone to last longer on a single charge.
So Typically NSeries, the Same Pros and Cons
Previous experience with contemporary NSeries phones is reinforced by the N78; navigating menus was a mostly straightforward and more importantly, responsive experience. Unfortunately, the same issues plaguing other models are also present. Sometimes you get the sense that NSeries phones try to do so much. While it’s a jack-of-all-trades, the N78 is sometimes the master of none.
Case in point: the 3.2 megapixel camera. While it can capture high-quality pictures and videos, it only does so under great lighting conditions. Image quality suffers under low-light conditions, despite the presence of flash. Regrettably, while the N78 does a great job of playing music and videos, managing long lists of media is a significant exception to Nokia’s traditionally clear-cut menu interface.
The FM Transmitter
It helps that it’s easy to access the FM transmitter from the music player; it makes switching from the phone’s loud external speakers or earphones to the car radio a speedy process. Setting a frequency to broadcast (which the radio needs to be set to in order to receive music from the phone) is a simple matter of typing the numbers in.
The only issue here is the audio quality, but that’s primarily dependent the auto’s audio set-up. Sometimes signal interference is also a factor, but again, that’s determined on the auto itself, and the chosen frequency. There were less problems involved when using newer cars like the 2008 Mazda 3 and 2006 Ford Focus. (See Finding the Best Frequency for Your FM Transmitters)
Nitpicking the Buttons and Keypad
On the physical side, the N78’s controls take a little getting used to. As an attempt to address the problem of navigating long lists of content (as detailed above), Nokia integrated a touch-sensitive jog-wheel into the four-way navigator. Sliding a finger over the grey oval frame mimics the “clickwheel” of an iPod, but it unfortunately isn’t as easy to use. Worse, the jog-wheel sometimes interferes with normal menu navigation. Luckily, it’s possible to disable the feature.
On top of that, no recessions separate the buttons below the display and on the side of the phone. The slick exterior this produces is visually appealing, but unfortunately makes pressing the wrong button much easier. It was a bit frustrating to seemingly press clear while composing a text message, only to find yourself back on the main screen (with the message automatically saved as a draft) because you actually pressed the red button. Lastly, the horizontally slim keys of the numeric keypad lack the satisfying feel derived from pressing bigger buttons.
A Good Phone, But Not the Best
To make a long story short, the Nokia N78 is a great phone, featuring the same complete feature set of other NSeries, for all its plusses and minuses. Some issues, particularly with how the buttons are designed, mean that this isn’t a must-buy—unless you’re on the market for versatile cell phone also has a built-in FM transmitter.
Additional reporting and photography by Technograph
