The Nokia N91 has been one of the most highly anticipated music phones. It was one of the phones touted to be an iPod killer, as it has a 4GB hard drive similar to the now defunct iPod Mini. After being delayed for some time now, the N91 is finally here, and Mobile Burn managed to get hold of one for a test drive. The Nokia N91 runs on Symbian OS v9.1 and, like the previously reviewed N71, it also features the much improved 3rd edition of the S60 user interface.
Sporting a 2-megapixel camera and WiFi connectivity, the N91 has a lot going for it. The Nokia N91 is a dual mode phone, featuring WCDMA/GSM operation (GSM 900/1800/1900MHz, WCDMA 2100MHz). I do not have access to any 3G SIM cards, so this review will be about the N91’s capabilities in GSM mode.
So is the N91 really an iPod killer? Let’s check it out.
Physical Aspects
Many have commented on how ugly and huge the N91 looks when pictures of it first surfaced on the World Wide Web. I was one of the ones who thought the N91 was too chunky, and it just didn’t appeal to me. When I first held it in my hand, all thought of that vanished. The stainless steel body of the N91 oozed quality. It has a matte finish, mind you, and thus it does not attract fingerprints as much as the Nokia 8800, which is also encased in stainless steel. The glossy dark grey chrome areas around the screen and music control buttons were also surprisingly resistant to fingerprints. This is definitely a great plus point, since I did not have to spend much time cleaning it each time I used it. The build quality is one of the best I have experienced so far, and there were no squeaks or creaks found anywhere. The slider mechanism is not spring loaded, but it was solid with no looseness felt anywhere.
The first thing you notice about the N91 is that it does not have a second forward-facing camera; this makes it difficult to make video calls. The second thing is the absence of the light sensor so often found in previous S60 phones. Just below the display, you will find the 5-way navigation joystick, which is flanked by the right and left soft keys and Call and End keys. The joystick felt just right and was not too stiff. On the slider, you will find the music control buttons shaped in a rectangular box, which is slightly raised, enabling easy access even in the dark – an important point, as these buttons are not backlit. The music control keys consist of Play/Pause, Next, Previous, and Stop. The music access key sticking out of the top right corner of the rectangle allows you to easily switch to the music player application.
On the right of the phone, you will find the Menu key situated near the top. This is quite an unusual place for the button, as it makes accessing it difficult for left-handers. It is easy to reach with your thumb when it is in your right hand, but with the phone in your left hand, you have to position your index finger in an awkward position to reach it. The back cover release button is also situated on this side of the phone. Both of these buttons are clad in chrome, a very nice touch, and this adds to the top class feel that this phone has to offer.
On the left, the volume keys are situated just above the loudspeaker. The mini USB 2.0 port is located near the bottom of the phone. I was disappointed when I found out that I could not charge the phone via the USB connector. However, the transfer speeds were decent with the bundled USB data cable. The charging port and microphone are located at the bottom of the phone. On top, you will find the Power button along with the keypad lock switch. Yes, the N91 comes with a switch that allows you to easily lock the keypad, something like the Silent ringer switch found on the Treo 650/700. The best thing about the N91 is the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, situated on the top of the device. This means you can use your favorite set of headphones when listening to music on the N91. The N91 also ships with a remote control, which doubles as a microphone, along with a set of ear buds.
The 2-megapixel camera is located at the back of the phone. The battery cover is made of stainless steel, and it was secure with no noticeable gaps. Sliding open the N91, the blue backlit keypad seems tiny, like each key is a grain of rice. The Edit key is placed to the left of the numerical keys and the Clear key to the right. It took some time for me to get used to the keypad because of its size, but after awhile, typing an SMS did not seem as daunting. The raised profile of the keys helped in providing good feedback, and prevented wrong key presses. Overall, I would have preferred bigger keys, but the N91’s keypad works just fine with some getting used to.
Measuring 113.1mm x 55.2mm x 22mm (4.45″ x 2.17″ x 0.87″) and weighing 164g (5.78oz), the Nokia N91 is certainly a huge and chunky phone. However, with the excellent build quality and top-notch materials used, I have no complaints about it. In fact, many of my friends have commented on how cool the phone looked, especially with its stainless steel body. (www.mobileburn.com)
Filed under: Nokia
