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Nokia N81 8GB

From free with contract www..co.uk ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ There are two versions of the N81: one with 8GB of built-in memory and one with a hot-swappable memory card slot. Aside from the memory, the specifications are the Thanks for the memory same for both.

Nokia’s new N81 8GB can pack in the songs and the entertainment, but how does the phone stack up against other members of the Nseries?

NE of the obvious perks offers users the same benefits of writing reviews for as the N81 8GB, as well as O Mobile Choice is that we HSDPA, a better camera and get the low-down on the best lens and built-in GPS for new phones long before they navigation. actually hit the high street. However, as we get to see and Keys, keys, keys hear all about these shiny new For a slider, the N81 8GB gadgets many months before features a plethora of control they land, it’s almost impossible keys, including two soft keys, a to avoid having a preconceived call accept and reject key, a opinion of a phone’s look and feel menu key, a multimedia key and long before we actually ever get a cancel key, plus four dedicated to grips with it. music controls. That’s 11 keys in Because of their incredible total. We found the central Alongside the N95 8GB, this is PC via the supplied USB or a player through a decent set of If you like to share your music feature sets, the launch of any navi-key on the N81 8GB a one of Nokia’s flagship music Bluetooth connection, or you can headphones. Fortunately, the N81 with the world, the N81 8GB new device is a little stiff to control, although it devices, so that’s where we’ll do what we did and log on to the 8GB features a 3.5mm does feature integrated speakers, major event. We were does seem to loosen up with start. Music on the N81 8GB can Nokia Music Store from your headphone connector, so we could which are great for blaring out particularly excited about the use. be accessed either via the phone and download tracks plug in our Sennheiser PX200 ringtones, but not so hot for Nokia N81 8GB because – in The keys are well spaced and multimedia key, or the main menu directly from the website. We headphones – and the sound listening to an album’s worth of addition to its superb nicely laid out. There’s also a (ying/yang symbol) key. Click the actually accessed the Music Store quality was great. The N81 8GB tracks. applications and features – the small lozenge-shaped key next to multimedia key and you’ll be via our Wi-Fi connection at home does feature Stereo Bluetooth phone looks wonderful in all the the phone’s navi-key, which takes shown the song currently playing and each song took about 30 (A2DP), so you can listen to Games press shots. It’s certainly the you directly through to the and the music you have stored on seconds to download to our music in stereo wirelessly with a Serious gamers will love the N81 most attractive Nseries phone to phone’s multimedia menu. This the device. You can also access device. compatible A2DP headset, or you 8GB because it features a date. multimedia button gives you podcasts and playlists, as well as For playing music, the N81 can use the Nokia plug-in stereo preview version of the N-Gage direct access to music, games, shuffle all your stored tracks. As 8GB features dedicated music headset, which comes in the box. gaming application and enables Much multimedia photo gallery, your most for downloading songs to your controls that are positioned However, top-notch stereo you to easily download the full Unfortunately, we have to admit important contacts and your handset, you can do this by around the phone’s navi-key. The headphones from the likes of platform when it’s ready in to feeling mildly deflated when most recent internet bookmarks. ripping and burning CDs to your handset also boasts an equaliser, Bose or Sennheiser will give you we unwrapped our shiny new In addition, on the right-hand PC and transferring them to the as well as controls for balance the best possible sound quality. Continued over >> N81 8GB because it’s finished in side of the phone, you’ll find the phone. You can also buy songs and stereo widening, should you a black plastic casing that volume/camera zoom and the and albums online from the Nokia need them. creaks when you squeeze it and dedicated camera key, and on Music Store. As for the music is a sucker for attracting the top of the phone, you’ll find quality, the true nasty fingerprint smudges. the power button and a nifty Sign up test is to listen Still, if you want a phone phone lock option. As soon as we received our new to a music that excels in music, Slide open the handset and N81 8GB, the first thing we did games and clever you’ll find a well-spaced keypad was sign up to the Nokia Music multimedia trickery, the and you’ll also illuminate the N81 Store by following the three easy N81 8GB is up there 8GB’s fabulous 16-million colour steps: with the best. Of display. ■ Log on to http://music. course, the same can nokia.co.uk be said of the new Nokia Music ■ Register your details to set N95 8GB. And herein Despite only offering a two- up an account lies our main issue with megapixel camera, there are ■ Start downloading the N81; it’s always going some fine features and Once you have visited the store to be compared to the N95 multimedia applications on the and downloaded your music, you 8GB, which is 12g lighter and N81 8GB. can either transfer it from your Review Nokia N81 8GB continued

Nokia N81 8GB

■ OS Series 60 instant messaging, email December. The N81 8GB gives ■ Size 102x50x17.9mm ■ Internet browser WAP 2.0/ you a real flavour of what to ■ Weight 140g xHTML/HTML expect, with demo versions of ■ Display 16 million colours ■ Email client POP3, SMTP, some of the top N-Gage titles, ■ Resolution 240x320 pixels IMAP4 including FIFA 08 Football from ■ Camera Two megapixels ■ Java Yes EA Sports, Creatures of the ■ Video recording/playback/ ■ Games Yes Deep and Asphalt 3. streaming Yes/yes/yes ■ Data speed 3G N-Gage games – compatible ■ Audio playback MP3, AAC, ■ Frequency Quad-band with the Nokia N73, N81, N81 MPEG4 ■ Talktime 240 minutes 8GB, N93, N93i, N95 and N95 ■ Ringtones Polyphonic, True ■ Standby 408 hours 8GB at launch, with more Tones, MP3 devices to follow – offer gamers ■ Radio Yes Features incredible graphics (we’ve seen ■ Connectivity Bluetooth, USB, ■ Dedicated music controls the games and they blow you Wi-Fi, A2DP ■ 8GB built-in memory (there’s away) and great gameplay. ■ Internal memory 8GB internal also a version with expandable Gamers can also join the N-Gage flash memory memory) Arena, where you can chat and ■ Memory card slot No ■ N-Gage games application blog with other gamers and take ■ Messaging SMS, MMS, ■ 3G them on at your favourite game – even if you’re playing in different countries. Also consider Pictures and video 8GB Although the two-megapixel The other new Nokia Nseries handset, the camera on the N81 8GB isn’t Nokia’s strongest, the phone has N95 8GB, offers the same functionality, along some neat imaging and video with built-in GPS, HSDPA and a better camera. flourishes. When you access a Oh, and it’s 12g lighter too. saved photo or video from the Gallery, you’re automatically presented with a menu of options that appears down the Pros right-hand side of the screen. Verdict The N81 8GB is a tremendous phone for listening to and These menu options allow you to There’s no point carping about send your photos and videos via the fact that the Nokia N81 8GB storing music, for playing N-Gage games and for enjoying multimedia, Bluetooth or the is bigger and bulkier than most multimedia applications. web, share them online, add other handsets. The Nseries them to a print basket, print phones are monstrously powerful them, present them as a and, therefore, you should expect Cons slide show, or just delete to carry a little more phone in A two-megapixel camera is disappointing for an Nseries them. your pocket. So, it doesn’t lose handset, as is the creaky black plastic casing. The N81 8GB also features any marks for size, but it does Nokia’s Lifeblog, which lets you for the creaky plastic finish. keep a multimedia diary and With two Nseries phones organise your photos, videos, launching at the same time, and MC SCORE ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ sounds, text messages, both offering 8GB of built-in multimedia messages and weblog memory, you can’t help but think posts into a chronology that you that most people will go for the Look and feel ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Verdict The N81 8GB is a can browse, search, share and one with the best spec – and Ease of use ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ back up. that’s the Nokia N95 8GB. great all-rounder, but If you fancy watching movies or Whatever the N81 8GB can Features ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ videos on the phone, you can use do – and it is very capable – it the N81 8GB’s Real Player to will always be in the shade of its suffers in comparison to ★ Performance ★ ★ ★ ★ stream files to the device without more illustrious sibling. the new Nokia N95 8GB. Battery life ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ saving them, or play videos that you have already downloaded to Huw Morgan the handset. [email protected]