US$ 729 US$ 660.00

My high expectation on the arrival of Nokia N96 is not unfounded. Nokia N96 is the successor to the revolutionary N95 and the new-born of the highly successfuly Nokia N-series. How can anyone not look forward to it?

Let’s start with the package. Nokia N96’s package comprises the N96 phone body, 1 BL-5F Battery, a microUSB cable, an AV cable, a stereo headset, a mobile charger, a travel charger and a user’s guide.



N96 has an appealing outlook. The glossy black surface looks smart and sophisticated. I like how the send and end keys are placed aside with the touch pad in between. It gives the phone some unconventional touch. The round-chiseled corners make the phone less intimidating than its predecessor N95.



The number keys are revealed when it is slide-opened. It still shouts glamour.



The number keys are sensitive and easy to the fingers, just like any thoughtful design from Nokia. The USB plug-in and charger connection are subtly placed at the bottom.



When you slide-open to the other side, four media-control keys are found. N96 is equipped with auto-rotation technology, when you place the phone horizontally, what’s shown on the screen will automatically rotate to fit it. It’s especially good on a multi-media-highlighted phone.



N96 is equipped with stereo speakers on both ends of the phone which gives excellent audio quality.



3.5mm head phone is compatible. I just don’t understand why mobile manufacturers are still producing phones without 3.5mm jack! It’s so much more convenient to have it on a multimedia phone!



The 3D-graphic menu is impressive. It operates smoothly and I like how the sub-categories are clearly laid out.



N95 has a built-in memory of 16GB with a GB or two eaten up by the data come along with the phone.



You can upgrade the storage to 24GB maximum with MicroSD which allow me to store my large compilation of audio and video files. It has to be the case when N96 has a wonderful video playing and recording technology, right?



The 5.2 mega-pixel Carl-Zeiss camera is hard to beat. The double LED flash provides lighting good enough for many photo occasions. What’s more, its continuous illumination allows you to record video in the dark!



Users have lists of functions to choose from to help get the best picture they want: Auto-focus, auto-exposure, white-balance and color tone adjusters. N96 has even a built-in anti-handshake!



Here are the photos taken. All the pictures are taken indoors.



Look at how sharp the colors are.



The next two photos are taken with the flash on. It’s bright and clear. The contrast is in good condition.





Nokia N96’s highlight is its Video Player and Mobile Live TV. Its 30fps DVD-quality video recording is ace. It supports a wide range of video formats, youtubing is not a problem. Assisted by DSPs and video acceleration chips, 3-D games have found its best platform. DVB-H mobile TV receiver will pick up TV signal from the airwaves ensuring a smoother TV live streaming.

In conclusion, N96 is nothing ground-breaking (you have to blame its predecessor N95 for setting the bar too high), but it has given a much more stable platform than N95. It’s definitely an unrivalled do-it-all phone, Although it focuses on Multi-media, it has everything that makes a great phone, HSDPA, Symbian OS 9.3, great design, light weight and powerful camera. What can you ask for more? (Except for lowering the price!)

  Video Review