Product Listing

Nokia N96 - Revealed and Reviewed

By Seow Tein Hee - 26 Aug 2008

Conclusion

Aye or Nay?

At the end of the day, the biggest question that needs answering is this: is the Nokia N96 THE definitive successor and upgraded version to the successful Nokia N95 and its 8GB variant? While it's undeniable that the N96 does come with a thinner profile, the overall feel of the device in the hands won't be able to match up to the comfort level one gets with the N95. True enough, the N96 has managed to pull it off in the subtlety department, but it won't garner high points due to the compromising of a flat and stiff numeric and multimedia keypad in favor of a smooth and unobtrusive layout.

Features, however, are of a different issue. It can be said that the N96 is more of a complement to the various services (Nokia Music Store, N-Gage and Share on Ovi) that was launched in the first half of 2008, and with the connectivity options present on the N96, you won't find a lack of things to do on the move. While there isn't much to be in awe of in terms of its multimedia aspect, it does manage to deliver what one looks for in a convergent device that does it all. With a high storage capacity of up to 16GB internally and microSD expandability thrown in for good measure, you probably be looking for more things to toss into the N96 to listen and watch while you're commuting to work.

But the biggest grouse we had (and probably some of you might have) would still be the battery performance of a device that's supposed to be the epitome of multimedia convergence on the mobile phone. Still, this is easily rectified if one were to charge their N96 daily, but you'll probably have to cut back on the multimedia usage if you wish to stretch the N96's usage to the max. If your primary aim is a device that gets you connected easily, and comes with a huge range of online services, not to mention if you're an avid tech follower who chases after every new device that appears, the N96 should land as one of your to-get items for the year when it hits our shores at a recommended retail pricing of S$1258 during September.

Aye or nay for the Nokia N96? As usual, we've given you the breakdown of the device's capability and usability. What really matters when and if you should wish to purchase the N96, is whether you are willing to fork out that extra cash to upgrade to the latest device on the market.

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