Our Review of the Nokia N95 8GB
As we've said elsewhere on this site, the Nokia N95 was probably the phone of 2007, combining a 5 Megapixel camera, fast 3G net access, and powerful media player. The new N95 now comes with 8GB of internal memory...
As we've said elsewhere on this site, the Nokia N95 was probably the phone of 2007, combining a benchmark raising 5 Megapixel camera, fast 3G net access, and powerful media player, all encased in a wonderfully thought out dual slide design, which say the phone's display switch from portrait to landscape mode, meaning that web pages and video footage could be properly viewed using the biggest dimension of the TFT enhanced 2.6" screen.
The N95 was released to near universal applause, with the underwhelming drain the phone's various high powered applications placed upon the poor old battery being the biggest criticism of the phone. The maximum 2GB worth of memory afforded to N95 owners at the time (via microSD cards) was also cast into the shadow of the iPhone which came with a towering 8GB.
Nokia have addressed both of these concerns, firstly by installing a more robust battery capable of dealing with the various power-hungry features the phone packs (more on those in a bit!) and beefing up the memory of the new edition N95 to 8GB. It's called the Nokia N95 8GB for a reason.
The N96 8GB doesn't really do anything that the N95 didn't - it does more of the same, only better. We've already mentioned the fact that the battery can take much more punishment than before - making those pesky multiple charges per day a thing of the past - so heavy users can snap and film away on the same uber powerful camera, surf the interweb via 3G and listen to as much music as they like without having to worry about where and when the charger needs to be plugged in again.
The TV-out feature is back, meaning the near-DVD quality video footage shot on the N95 8GB can be broadcast on compatible TV sets. The adapter is also more stylish and comes with more controls.
Aside from the memory boost, perhaps the biggest difference here is the screen size, which has been increased from 2.6" to 2.8". Wow, a 0.2" difference? Big deal, you might think. But in reality it does make a difference - browsing web pages, plotting car journeys on the GPS tracker and watching videos is that much more enjoyable.
With the massive 8GB of onboard memory, Nokia have understandably deemed that there is no need for a card slot for expansion. Whilst some people like to be able to transfer information via microSD, Bluetooth and USB connectivity options come included, so all is not lost. The lens cover for the camera is also missing - apparently, the opening and shutting of the cover on the original N95 is what accounted for a signifcant percentage of battery drain, so in responce to the criticisms, Nokia decided to do away with it.All of the improvements, such as the 0.2" increase in screen size to the longer lasting battery all help to make the 8GB version of the N95 that much better.
The same dual-slide chassis of the original is also present, and this has also been altered with some small but welcome improvements. The four media keys are much more tactile, and the screen now slides into place with a much more satisfying click. The screen also does not automatically switch to multimedia mode once you slide it down (a good thing) and is instead activated manually. Also, when the phone is held horizontally, it orients itself accordingly; another neat touch.
Whilst the N95 8GB does more of the same, Nokia haven't been sitting on their laurels. This is a revamped and repackaged version of a powerful handset which rejuvenated the mobile market.
Pros
8GB of internal memory.
High speed HSDPA access.
Great 5 Megapixel camera.
Cons
No microSD slot.
Our Rating
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The N95 is back and better than ever. Battery drain is a thing of the past, and the minor improvements, such as the increase in screen size and enhanced tactility of the media keys are all very much welcome.
