Nokia N78 (unlocked)

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 13 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 9 stars

  Superb smartphone/multi-media device

  by tarheelchris on July 15, 2009

  Pros: Great looking, unlocked, S60, multi-media capabilities, Nokia quality

  Cons: finger-print magnet, keypad, optical scrolling is not very responsive

  Summary: I bought this phone from someone who purchased it and used it for a week or so before deciding it wasn't for them. I got it for about half ...

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  Summary: I bought this phone from someone who purchased it and used it for a week or so before deciding it wasn't for them. I got it for about half of the retail price. This phone is very powerful, and therefore maybe too advanced for some people.
  
  I have been a windows mobile 5.0, 6.0 & 6.1 user for three years. After reading an article about how more people use S60 than any other platform, it sparked my interest. Plus I think the iPhone is a great status symbol & toy but not much of a business device. S60 is truly a superior OS in every respect. It is complicated to setup initially but once you set your menus and navigation the way you like you will really appreciate the amount of customization that S60 gives you.
  
  WM 6.1 does not have many decent 3rd party apps & AT&T charges you for using any of their stuff. S60 has tons of 3rd party apps available. Here on CNET as well as other sites you can find thousands of free downloads, games & apps. Plus, being an unlocked phone you have a lot more flexibility with the apps that you use. Nokia does provide links to their own software store but they don't cram it down your throad. For these reasons I will never buy a carrier-locked device again.
  
  The Nokia maps software is very good and the GPS gets a fix within 30 seconds. I find it very accurate and easy to use. Zooming in & out is very smooth and (unlike google maps) it actually shows the highway exit numbers.
  
  I wasn't looking for a multi-media device but I understand the N-series is all about multi-media. it has a dedicated button. Press it and you are given the choice to play your own music, internet radio, podcasts & FM radio. I love the podcasts. I subscribed to a bunch of sports & MLB podcasts and when a new show is available, I can play it just like any song that I might have on my memory card.
  
  The sound through the earphones is excellent and they include a remote/microphone device that can be connected to the earphones. The remote allows you to talk hands-free, start & stop your music and adjust the volume without messing with the phone. You can also use your own earphones with the remote. Another thing that is awesome is the FM transmitter. So if I am listening to a podcast and it's time to get in the car, no problem... just turn on the FM transmitter and listen to it over the car stereo.
  
  The multimedia & GPS are great but the real reason that I got a smartphone was for the contact management/calender/e-mail capabilities. With my old windows mobile phones I had two seperate sets of calender & e-mail files. One set would sync more detailed information (including contacts) through a cable and the other would sync through xpressmail (and did not include contacts). With the N78, I just set up a sync with an exchange server. All of my contacts, calender & e-mails were loaded through that one connect. There is no need for duplication. It is so easy, I don't even think about it... everything is always there.
  
  This is the first phone I've had with wi-fi and is a nice bonus. My plan has unlimited data, but wi-fi connections are just so much faster and more stable than the 3G connections. I can download a 30 minute podcast in about 30 seconds though a wi-fi connection.
  
  The N78 is great looking and the design is minimalist; almost like they were trying to make it look like an ipod or a touch phone. I guess in comparison to my friends blackberrys, any phone looks minimalist. I personally don't need a full qwerty because I don't do a lot of typing on the phone. I tend to use by phone to get information. If I need to get back to someone, I'll either call them or wait until I can sit down at my computer.
  
  The sound through the phone earpiece is above average but you definitely get a very high quality sound with the earphones. My signal strength is as good, if not better, than any of my other phones. The size of the phone is great and easily drops into my pant pocket. It's neither bulky or heavy. The phone does show fingerprints and I find myself constantly polishing it with a soft-cloth. Also, because of the size and the smoothness, I can imagine easily dropping this phone. I don't really use the camera, so you might want to read what someone else says about it.
  
  Before buying this phone I considered the AT&T locked Nokia e71x & 6650. Many reviews noted that these phones heat up excessively. That is not a problem with this phone. I can listen to music for hours, surf the web & receive and place calls all day long without noticing even the slightest warming. The battery has been excellent. With the constant use that I'm putting it through, I only have to charge it every other day. I haven't left the phone alone long enough to see how long the battery lasts without the constant use.
  
  To conclude this phone is more PDA than I was looking for but I will say that this is the first phone that I've every truly liked.
  
  Updated on Jul 15, 2009

  Something I forgot to point out was how it automatically set up AT&T connections as soon as I put my sim card in. It just took a few seconds and said retrieving settings from SIM. I did not realize that the settings were on the SIM card since my old AT&T subsidized phones usually required me to manually enter the settings.

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• 9 stars

  Cute phone.

  by owllyman on September 12, 2008

  Pros: Glossy, which means classy, an envy to friends.... Great ego boost.
  Impressive macro photo mode.

  Cons: Bad location of the back and hang up key.

  0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 10 stars

  The Best I've used

  by pagani-power on August 27, 2008

  Pros: Almost Every Thing

  Cons: The Build Quality

  0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.

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