UPDATED!
after some time with this device, i updated my review. also, i wanted to give this 5 STARS, but amazon doesn't allow changing ratings.
here's my review:
i bought this e71 from amazon for $329 to replace a blackberry 8700. what an upgrade this is. in fact, anyone who has experience with an 8700 knows that it's a waste of time to compare the two. so i'll just share some pros and cons...
pros:
1. good clear call quality; ultimately this is a phone and it needs to make calls and keep calls. i have att wireless service, and i am on the phone day and night, and it hasn't drop a call yet, not even in areas where i know the signal is weaker. overall the 3G reception is good and fast.
2. useful and fun features; gps, wifi, usb, bluetooth, stylish look and feel, small size, qvga quality (although bigger screen size would be better, you'd have to increase the size and weight of the device), games, downloads, music, image viewer, video, etc.
3. battery life; it's just amazing - i've used the gps, a lot of wifi and 3g sessions, downloading and installing lots of apps, updating software, updating nokia maps and all the stuff one does when one has a device with so many features. after 2 days of doing all this stuff, the battery meter is only half way.
4. i am very superficial about devices; this phone looks and feels sexy all over. it's solidly built, feels heavy and looks sturdy, and it is tiny.
5. qwerty keyboard; for anyone who is upgrading from a non-qwerty phone, this is quite a pleasure to up to. if you've had a blackberry, i think this won't be a downgrade, but it'll take some getting used to the smaller size, esp if you have large thumbs like me. i admit i do miss my old 8700 keyboard, but i'm getting used to the small one on the e71 and am mistyping words less frequently.
6. email integration; i'm currently on a corporate imap, so exchange with activesync doesn't relate to me. but at least my gmail and yahoo mail accounts are a breeze to set up and manage. so far, the email client is very speedy and functional.
7. downloadable apps; there's nothing i hate more than being stuck with a set of features or apps; with that said, the e71 gives you a lot of apps to download and add to your lineup - skyfire, opera mini, joiku light, gizmo5 (for VOIP and multiple IMs services), g-maps, ssh, etc.
8. skyfire; yes, it deserves its own section, and yes it's a 3rd party app that works on other phones... but if you want a full web browsing experience that puts the built-in nokia browser to shame (ok, maybe a bit drastic), then you got to get skyfire. opera mini, based on a few days of usage on the same sites, actually loads faster. but, what makes skyfire better in my book is that some sites presented in their mobile versions in opera, whereas every site i've opened in skyfire is same as i would see in browser running on a laptop/desktop.
9. replaceable battery; i've had previous phones where the battery died and my phone was fine otherwise. there was nothing i could do since i couldn't replace the battery. amazon sells batteries for the e71, get a spare one for ~$35 if charging is too slow an option for you.
cons:
1. the camera software is great; so many options - white balance, exposure, zoom, etc. but that does not compensate for the disgustingly shameful camera on this oh so beautiful device. the first time i took a picture with this 3.2mp camera, i almost cried. the picture was blurry, fuzzy and had a purple tint. what a disappointment this is; i don't know exactly why it is so bad - perhaps the sensor, optics and flash are just POC (pieces of crap) components - whatever the reasons, the important thing is that the end results are crappy pictures in such a great device.
the latest firmware is supposed to improve the quality of photos by this camera (along with enhancements in stability and performance in other apps).
my phone came with the first firmware (from 8-2008) and other phones from amazon are likely the same. for more info on the firmware versions, go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_E71#Firmware_History
i've tried to update the firmware for this device with info from this forum...
http://www.symbian-guru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422&page=4
in summary, my e71-2 device was safely firmware upgraded - it worked for me the first time. just remember to install pc suite, NSS, hard reset the device, use the correct code for your keyboard layout before you do the actual upgrade.
although my upgrade went well and all is fine, the camera is still crappy.
2. non-standard audio jack; my bose noise cancelling headphone doesn't fit? thanks nokia. i guess i'll have to stick with my pc and my ipod. sure they sell adapters, but they're bulky and ugly. why nokia? why!
3. no microSD card; for the US version, there's no included card. there's a slot, but no free card. small problem, but still annoying.
4. there either is no way or i haven't found a way to get all internet-connection-based applications to always connect over a default connection instead of asking me every single time. it's a little annoying.
5. fingerprints; it's true what everyone says. but oh well, whatever.
6. Yahoo Go 3.0 runs 25%-50% slower than other apps on this phone. the UI isn't any more graphics heavy than the other s60 apps, so i'm guessing it's making many HTTP requests and they're all adding up to 4-5 seconds of load time for each page/screen.
conclusion:
i've forgotten about the crappy camera and moved on because i have a really good camera anyways. you can't expect a phone camera to perform like an SLR, and thats what i use for pictures anyway.
i also bought two necessary items for this phone:
1. flexskin: http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-E71-FlexiSkin-Low-Profile-Black/dp/B001H3JXNE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_9?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1233858881&sr=8-9
2. minsync car charger: http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-E71-miniSync-Charger-Bundle/dp/B001EHLSRC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1233859147&sr=8-3
i've had this device for 5 days and it has been all joy. everytime i pick it up, i'm happy before, during and after using it. it's just great.
buy it already, it's just N I C E!Get more detail about Nokia E71 Unlocked Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Media Player, GPS, Wi-Fi, and MicroSD Slot--U.S. Version with Warranty (Gray).
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