As the newest member of Nokia’s elite superhero Nseries, it’s clear from the get go that the N78 is being touted as the long awaited successor to the uber popular N73. But Nokia has dutifully dragged this smartphone’s feature suite up to 2008’s ultra high standards, fitting this dapper mobile with a sharper Symbian S60 operating system complete with geotagging wizardry, a built in GPS receiver for satnav, rapido HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, and a FM transmitter! Phew.
In fact, the only traces of the N73’s legacy are the 3.2-megapixel Carl Zeiss optic-packing snapper and its chassis design lines. But while it may resemble the N73’s prosaic form, Nokia has still awarded its successor a leaner profile, a new glossy but slightly creaking noir coat and keypad overhaul.
And it’s the new-look controls that unfortunately might well be the N78’s downfall. If you thought the N73’s slippery but sturdy joystick was tricksy then the spongy five-way joypad (like the N81 designed to incorporated the superfluous navi-wheel) will provoke you to commit hari kari. Press up on the rocker switch and you will inadvertently but routinely active the selection command. Grrrrrr.
Also out to alienate our fat fingered friends is the keypad that takes its cues from the N82’s tiny tab arrangement, but ups the fiddly factor by forgetting to include spaces between each key. Double Grrrrrr. But at least the UI has been given swish and smoother menu transition graphics to distract us from this keypad faux pas.
But overlook these operation quirks and the N78 remains a seriously well-equipped ‘multimedia computer’. The camera, fitted with autofocus and all the N95 photo mods, delivers surprisingly noise-free snaps with spot on colour depiction. And now with a built-in GPS receiver you can geotag your photos with location info, not to mention enjoy a satnav masterclass via Nokia’s new Maps 2.0 software.
Another sweet addition to the N78’s feature line-up is the FM transmitter. This will let you broadcast your stored tunes over your car stereo or house radio via a free and designated FM frequency. It’s a cinch to set up but the signal did have a tendency to cut out, especially when we took it on the road. Still, music fans will nevertheless dig the accomplished player and handy integrated 3.5mm headphone socket.
Verdict
This nifty new Nseries is a perfect upgrade for N73 owners in the features department, although it’s sadly hamstrung by a soft-centered joypad and tricksy keypad design. But if you’re nimble fingered this multi-talented smartphone is definitely worth considering.
Best features
Latest high speed connectivity
Capable 3.2-megapixel camera
FM transmitter for playing music over the car radio
Sat nav and geotagging skills
Integrated 3.5mm headphone jack
Not so good
Frustrating to thumb joypad and keypad
No Xenon flash
Creaking battering cover
100% secured payment
