Unboxing the Nokia 6790 (Surge)

Well look what FedEx dragged in – it’s the Nokia 6790 (Surge), a Symbian smartphone with a QWERTY keyboard running S60v3 Feature Pack 2 that’s exclusive to the US market (AT&T) – at least for now :)

Think of the 6790 as a reduced cost/feature version of the 5730 (itself similar to the E75), just like the E63 is scaled down from the E71/E72.

So what’s been axed from the usual pile of Symbian goodness? WiFi is missing, the camera is only 2 megapixels (without auto-focus or flash, but with QVGA video recording), the audio connector is of the 2.5 mm variety, and the 3G is US-only (instead of tri-band)…

Everything else is there, the 2.4″ QVGA display, the GPS, the accelerometer, the awesome BP4-L 1500 mAh battery (2 weeks standby), the quirky Nokia industrial design, and tons of available apps, both built-in (like the POP3/IMAP email client) and third party (like Qik).

Interestingly, the European version features a better camera (3.2 megapixels). Is the US market getting the shaft again? Stay tuned as I put the 6790 through its paces.

In the meantime, enjoy my unboxing pictures and video!

Podcast: Talking with Matt #13

It’s time for another podcast (35 min) with Matthew Bennett:
- Audio version
- Video version

This week we discussed the Nokia N97, the Samsung i8910 (Omnia HD), and the Nokia E75!

Other topics include Matt’s adventures on the N97 24/7 Tour, plus a few other things, all while sitting outside of Cafe Flore…

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Life with the Nokia E75

OK, I admit it! I’m totally hooked…

I’ve been using the sexy red Nokia E75 on and off for 3 months and I’m still madly in love. In fact, I’ve been procrastinating about returning it – it’s going back this week, I promise :)

So far I’ve unboxed it, shared my first impressions, and reviewed the camera. Without a doubt, the E75 is one of the best non-touch smartphones on the market today, one of my favorite Nokia devices (up there with the N95), and my favorite Eseries to date.

HTC Magic cameo

I spent most of my weekend at the Maker Faire with my Samsung T929 (Memoir) and the Nokia E75 :)

I saw an HTC Magic and all kinds of wonderful people & things! Check out my tweets, pictures and videos…

Nokia E75 camera

There’s no doubt the Nokia E75 is a great device. But the camera really surprised me…

With 3.2 a megapixel sensor, auto-focus, macro, a single LED flash, and VGA video recording at 30 fps, the E75 camera specs fall somewhere in between the “meh” Nokia 5800 camera (which features dual LED flash and Zeiss optics) and the mediocre E66/E71 camera (which only features QVGA video recording at 15 fps).

But in reality, the E75 leaves the 5800 in the dust, beats the decent T-Mobile G1 and teases the excellent BlackBerry Storm to the finish line – check out the pictures and judge for yourself!

Podcast: Talking with Matt #10

It’s time for another podcast (25 min) with Matthew Bennett:
- Audio version
- Video version

This Last week we discussed the HTC Touch Pro/Fuze, the Nokia E75, and the Sharp/T-Mobile Sidekick LX!

Other topics include what we baptized “the June tsunami” of upcoming devices: the Palm Pre, the Nokia N97, the Samsung i8910 (Omnia HD) and of course the next iPhone…

Click here to subscribe to this podcast.

Nokia E75 first impressions

I’ve been using the Nokia E75, US version for a little over a week and I’m very much in love :)

I was in Montréal on a business trip for most of the week, so I was able to evaluate it in a proper setting.

First impressions? Like most other Eseries devices, build quality is top-notch. The E75 looks and feels expensive. The back cover is stainless steel and is laser-etched for better grip. The spring-assisted slider feels buttery smooth and makes a satisfying sound.

Unboxing the Nokia E75, US version

What’s incredibly hot and superbly built? The Nokia E75, US version – in ruby red, of course!

I’ve always been a fan of Nokia’s Eseries devices, especially QWERTY ones like the E71. So ever since the E75 was announced at Mobile World Congress, I’ve been secretly coveting it :)

Before I put it through its paces, here are some pictures and a video (including a few poses with my VAIO P).

Unboxing the Nokia 5800, US version

Hot on the heels of the Nokia 5800, Euro/Asian version that I used for 3 months, here are the unboxing pictures and video of the Nokia 5800, US version!

The Euro/Asian review unit arrived in a generic box without manuals, so I wanted to share the retail box and manuals – not to mention the E75 cameo…