9 months after its release this is a phone that still amazes me.
This is one device that only have to pick to notice the level of detail that went into the design, solid and resilient yet weighing only 135 grams. With a scratch resistant anodized casing and Gorilla Glass display even with every day use the device will stay in near new condition. Well placed and easy to use buttons along with easy to access connection ports complement the overall aesthetics.
Coming from the Nokia 5800 then the N97 mini the N8 is pleasure to use with the capacitive screen as opposed to resistive touch, introducing more accurate response and multi-touch. The AMOLED screen makes gives it amazing contrast between bright whites and pure black.
Camera
The one thing I look at first in a phone is the camera, I am not much of a photographer but it is very handy to be able to whip out your phone during the day to take a few spontaneous high quality shots. With the N8 you will not be disappointed, 12 megapixel with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon Flash and 720p resolution video output. Here is a sample of a few of the high quality pictures I have taken with this phone so far…
Apps and the Ovi Store
What I found from upgrading from the N95 (non touch screen) to the 5800 was a lack of apps at the time, with Symbian 3 you do not have this problem with now over 50,000 available via Ovi Store and near to 1,000 more being added weekly. The Ovi Store may not have as many apps as the iPhone app store or Android Marketplace but almost all the quality ones are available. Check out the app for app iOS vs Symbian comparison article at AAS.
Dual Charging
The phone comes with both the traditional Nokia 2mm and microUSB, I use the 2mm for the nightly charge and carry a USB to microUSB cable in my bag for when the battery does not make it though the day, handy for at work. As like most smart phones it is common that they will not last a full day without a recharge, as the battery is not easily removed on the N8 without voiding your warranty I suggest purchasing the Nokia Extra Power DC-11 or the slimmer Nokia Extra Power DC-8 for extra power on the go. Another good article by Steve Litchfield over at AAS will help you maximise your battery life.
Maps
Ovi Maps (soon to be Nokia Maps) is by far the best all round navigation solution available on any mobile platform, to add to this Nokia has been continually updating this service since the N8 was released. Here are a few screen shots from the recently released Nokia Maps Beta V3.08.
In summary this is the first phone in a long time I have been completely happy with, you know that itching feeling for the next big smart phone on the market, well not with this phone and with the upcoming Symbian Anna update will stretch the life out on this device even longer.
Recently purchased a Nokia N8? check out the ultimate user guide over at noknok.tv. We would also like to hear your thoughts.
