Nokia N82 goodness
In the year and a half I’ve been writing this blog I’ve used a lot of nice camera phones, including the i-mobile 902, the Nokia N95 & N95-3 (which is currently my main device), and the Sony Ericsson K850i. Usually, I purchase them and keep them for several weeks or even months before selling them used, but in good condition…
But lately, I’ve also been fortunate to have access to devices through Nseries WOM World, each for a few weeks at a time. So far I’ve played with the Nokia N800, Nokia N76 and most recently the awesome Nokia N82. I have to admit that I’ve become a bit jaded with all this technology, but the N82 is the only device I’ve reviewed so far that was difficult to return!
There’s no question that the N82 falls into the über phone category – it’s pretty much a candybar version of the original N95, but with a xenon flash, which makes a significant difference in extremely low light (more on this soon).
Here are some pictures and a couple videos (one and two) of the N82.
Compared to the N95, US version, it removes US-compatible HSDPA, but adds the oh-so-important lens cover, and the xenon flash. The N82 features a smaller and dimmer screen (2.4″ vs. 2.6″) and a micro-USB connector (vs. mini-USB on the N95). Here are additional observations:
Pros:
– Same crazy features as the N95 (5 megapixel Zeiss camera, WiFi, GPS, etc…)
– Lens cover & xenon flash
– Faster camera startup time
– Automatic screen rotation
– Candybar form factor (lighter, fewer moving parts)
Cons:
– No US-compatible HSDPA
– Smaller, dimmer screen
– Poor build quality (chrome paint flaking off on this well-used demo unit)
– Unable to stand on its side
– Fingerprint magnet
So, now for the million dollar question. Is the Nokia N82 the ultimate N-series device on the market today?
In my opinion, yes – especially if Nokia decides to make a version with US-compatible HSDPA. The N82 feels faster than the N95, and offers subtle improvements to the user interface that make it easier to use on a day-to-day basis. In fact, I think the N82 is the best camera phone currently available.
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