Nov 21, 2008 03:57 PM
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Hey guys! M back with my new review on Nokia N85. the newest addition in the Nokia family. Well whatever I would be writing is right now will be out of one day of playing around with the phone (I couldn’t manage to keep it for more than this time, as it belonged to this friend of mine, who is a total geek and upgrades every new phone launch that Nokia does.. talk about being crazy, but if u have all the money in the world what else will you do with it… ) and also on whatever I have heard and seen. Wish could have spent more time to finish some really addictive games on Ngage, but whatever the hell.
Its enuf to write down my initial thoughts. Lets see if I can get it again, I will write more on it. Firstly I believe its one of those offernings from Nokia which has it all. I actually read the spec sheet three times to see for anything that could be missing. But there was nothing major that I could find. Its got everything that a Nokia N96 has at a much steeper price, so I believe the choice should be obvious if u planning to buy a Nseries handset anytime soon. Now, N85 looks again same as N81 or can say a compact version of N96. Would really love to see some new designs coming from Nokia’s side. I believe the design team has gone for a long holiday atleast for Nseries. Haven’t seen anything really cool coming in for quite some time…. Is Nokia listening to us.
There are these subtle ridges between the rows of the keypad which makes it easier to type as compared to an N96. Sliding the phone in the other direction reveals the dedicated music player/ gaming keys. N85 is high on gaming content as it come preloaded with Ngage so if you are a addictive gamer, this is the phone for you.
The UI can also work in landscape mode, so it’s a total experience to be playing these games on it and with the TV out cable, attach with the huge screen and play it like a video game… after my experience a must try. N85 also comes with a free activation code for any Ngage game of your choice… a total treat for gamers, but I so hope they make these gaming titles free soon… Now that would be something.. For those of u who might not be aware wat Ngage
(https://ngage.com/ngi/ngage/web/in/en/community/events/fifa09tournament.html) is - back in 2004, nokia launched a set called N-Gage QD, does that ring a bell?? well. nokia has come a long way from there... N-Gage is a mobile gaming software that is now compatible with 11 phones (https://n-gage.com/ngi/ngage/web/in/en/get_ngage/download.html). Nokia's Mobile Gaming Platform. So, what this means is that if you have one of these phones, u can get access to latest N-Gage titles. these are mobile games... as I hv been venturing into some of them over my last experience with n96 and now n85, I have tried my hands at One, Asphalt3 and the latest (in fact just launched) is Fifa 09 (https://n-gage.com/ngi/ngage/web/in/en/community/events/fifa09tournament.html). here's a link to where you can get the games from https://n-gage.com/ngi/ngage/web/in/en/showroom.html . must admit that inspite of not being so much of a gamer... I am just impressed with the ease of use and quality. must try. The gallery however is an entirely different story.
It takes about a minute to zoom in on a photo taken with the N85 very camera and that's simply ridiculous. As some not so advanced phone have never had a prob. with zoom (atleast not that I have heard of). Therefore I wonder whether some software issues are troubling the N85. If yes, shall be waiting for the latest firmware update. The Nokia N85 user-available memory extends to a little less than 85MB topped with the 8GB card that ships along. So all in a decent memory…I didn't experience any problems with the in-call performance of Nokia N85 also. I found the music player of Nokia N85 quite capable. One great thing is that it supports all kinds of formats, so you will hardly come across any file that the phone cant play. Camera being a 5 MP, it can do better than any other Nokia phone.
But after a few clicks I think an N95 8GB’s 5MP does better than an N85, but still will do after all it’s a 5 MP. Nokia N85 has a built-in GPS receiver and comes with three months of free voice guided navigation. The built-in GPS receiver works with Nokia Maps, which is one of the navigation applications to offer the most detailed maps. Furthermore, it is free and relatively easy to use. You will have to buy the voice-guided navigation license once your three-month free trial expires. The actual purchase itself is quite simple directly via the phone interface. Again the same list as N96, 3 country maps including India and 8 city India maps. Beyond this it has all that a N96 has - features & applications like FM Transmitter, Sportstracker, enhanced version of Sportstracker - NokiaviNe, Wavesecure, Mobiola Screen Capture, Indi SMS, Oxford Dictionary. For a more detailed version on all this read my N96 review (https://mouthshut.com/review/Nokia_N96-154977-1.html) The good thing about Nokia N85 is that it has all that it takes to be a great Nseries and the too in a neat and tasteful package.
Above that Nokia N85 didn't hit the market so bitterly overpriced as the N96, neither the wait was so overhyped. It might not have the best 5 MP camera neither the best styling but it is certainly one of the best all rounder’s. It is a great phone for a newcomer or anyone who might want to upgrade.
So go ahead, take it up!!
