The Nokia N78 Review
by n78review
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Loving the Choons
When I first started this Blog I mentioned that I was, without doubt, a two device man... And that, in fear of being without my beloved N95 8GB for any amount of time, I'd be swapping OUT my E61i and swapping IN the new N78 to use as ny business phone...
Unfortunately, necessity came before intent when last Friday my N95 bought the farm on the way down to a weekend in Essex. With my E61i back at my flat west of London, I had no choice but to make the N78 my one device.
And that is how it has remained since!
Even though I am now back home with spare devices coming of my ears... I quite like being a one device man and the N78 is proving suprisingly capable!
I digress.
What I really want to talk about right now is the AWESOME music functionality on this phone... I say 'this phone' because I mean the N78. The phone I'm writing this post on right now on a bus in London..
The AWESOME music functionality.. Yeah. So. Not only is the sound quality on this handset some the best i've ever heard (and that's saying something) but also, the introduction of an FM Transmitter into the mix really is a stroke of genius.
Initially, something that I first perceived as a gimmick, the FM Transmitter is now one of my favourite features of the N78.
Pitched at drivers who want to listen to their phone's music collection through their car stereo, I didn't think it'd be something I'd be interested in... (I don't drive) ...but lately, I've been using this awesome feature around the home. Tuning all of the radios in my house to the N78's broadcast channel means I now have full remote control, wherever I am in the house.. Built into my phone!
Seriously, it doesn't sound like such a big deal now I come to write it up but, this thing totally rocks my world.
mat says:
Actually, that does sound pretty useful. Shame FM buggers sound quality, but it's only MP3 anyway (I assume the N78 doesn't do lossless codecs like ogg and flac and the like?)
Big question - have Nokia learned how to make an interface that human beings can use yet? That's always been their biggest failing imo - spectacularly poor user-interface design.
n78review says:
I haven't tried Oggs or Flacs actually.. I know you *can* get an oggplayer for S60 devices - but whether that is compatible with the transmitter or not remains to be seen.
When you say 'Nokia' do you mean, S650 or S40 when it comes to the UI?
TBH the new FP2 (which I'm yet to write about) attempts so much but falls down with equal gusto.
So if anything, it's got worse...
mat says:
When I say "Nokia", I mean "every single Nokia device I've ever used". All their interfaces - that I've seen - have been awful. People say "oh, they're lovely once you're used to them", but that's not really the point. A good interface design shouldn't need to be learned, it should "just work". Sony Ericsson manage it - my Mum can use my phone without asking me where things are or how to do X.
It's a shame, 'cos Nokia's hardware is usually really nice, and they have good ideas like an FM broadcast thingy.
