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Should I get the N8 or the E7? That’s the question many buyers are and will be facing. This is a question I faced myself, but after debating the pros and cons of both devices, one clear winner emerged: the N8. Choosing the N8 instead the E7 of course means giving up on some features, but in the end I feel it’s the more compelling package. Here are a few reasons why you should choose the N8 instead of the E7.

1.Text Input: It is widely accepted that in most cases a full QWERTY keyboard is going to be faster then any form of touch input. Based on this this reason alone, the E7 will generally seem to have  for most an edge over the N8. But before you call this a win for the E7, consider the one exception to this rule: Swype for Symbian.

With Swype installed, the N8 does come close to the speed of a dedicated QWERTY keyboard. In the proper hands and with some training it can even surpass a full QWERTY keyboard when it comes to speed. Just take look at the video below:

For Swype to work it’s magic,  you’ll need support for your native or most used languages, otherwise you won’t get any speed benefits. Currently it supports English, Spanish, Canadian French, Portuguese and has limited support for some additional languages, with more language and improvements constantly being added.

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One device, different peripherals

The most important thing to realize here, is something that the C7 product manager mentioned:

“The C7 shares the same engine as the N8, C6 and E7. They’re all exactly the same. Same hardware, same chipset, same everything, same clock speed, processor, absolutely everything. In terms of performance, there’s no compromise, they’re all running the same engines. The differences are in the way the peripherals are arranged between the devices. On the N8 for example we’ve got a 12MP camera with Xenon flash and so on, on the C7 we’ve got an 8MP camera with LED flash. On the N8 we’ve got 16GB of memory and on the C7 8GB of memory and both expandable through microSD cards.”

So basically we have three devices at their core with the same hardware: a Single ARM 11 CPU running at 680Mhz. On the graphics front, we have a chip capable of 2D/3D Graphics HW acceleration with OpenVG1.1 and OpenGL ES 2.0 support. The differences lay in the peripherals and these peripherals will vary depending on the price, position and use of the device. As an imaging device, obviously there’s going to be a lot of emphasis on the N8’s camera for example. Think of Charles Darwin’s finches, they were all finches, but with different beaks to adapt to their environments and diets.Choosing one of these devices means, choosing the combination of peripherals that suits you best.

Above you can see a handy chart that compares the features that these three devices don’t have in common. They features have been categorized in three groups: Green (Good), Yellow (Neutral) and Red (Bad). Notice that this is a subjective categorization, as negative to some might be neutral to other, etc.

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With its QWERTY keyboard, bigger (and wider) touch screen and large internal storage, it’s clear that the N97 has its advantages when you compare it to the N86 8MP. In some cases I even tried touching the N86 8MP’s screen!

But, as Nokia’s flagship camera smartphone, the N86 8MP has a few tricks up it’s sleeve when the camera is concerned. As we compare it to the N97, these advantages become very evident.

Wide-angle lens

               Nokia N86 8MP                                         Nokia N97

With the N97 and the N86 8MP positioned at the exact same spot, notice how the N86 8MP’s wide-angle lens is able to capture more of the keyboard in the shot. I was surprised to find that the N86 8MP lens not only captures more data in the width, but also in height as I can see more of the tile flooring. Perfect for in door shots, where there’s little space to back up to get everyone in the shot and great for panoramas.

Useable digital zoom

When it comes to zooming I had one rule: if it’s not optical, don’t use it. For this reason, I only used it on the N93 and N93i. Despite being blessed with only digital zoom, the zoom function on the N86 8MP is very usable, capturing lots of detail even when almost completely zoomed in. The N97 and other digital-zoom-equipped Nokia’s can’t keep up.

If you’ve owned a N93 you’d also know that the optical zoom mechanism produces an annoying buzzing sound while zooming in, not an issue with the N86 8MP.

Better Flash

             Nokia N86 8MP                                         Nokia N97

Both of these smartphones use dual LED technology, but the N86 8MP’s image is better illuminated and looks more neutral.

As for the operation speed, both seemed fast. I thought the N86 8MP would be faster, but the two devices are about the same. But when you consider that the N86 8MP has to work with larger 8MP images, it’s clear that it’s working harder (and faster) to stay at the same level as the N97 that has to process smaller 5MP images.

Other than these advantages, the N86 8MP also has Face Detection and focus point indication, features that the N97 lacks.

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If you are thinking about upgrading to the N86 8MP, here’s a comparison between the N82 and the newly released N86 8MP. What do you think of the results?

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In CNET’s latest Prizefight, the BB Bold is put against the Nokia E71.  CNET thinks that the E71 is sexier and sleeker and matches the Bold in features, but in the end the Bold is declared the winner due to the better multimedia features and navigation.

Do you agree? What if the Bold was put against the E75, would the Bold still win?

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Despite having done various comparisons here at the Nokia Guide between the N82 and N95 8GB, the battle goes on! People are still unsure whether to get the N95 8GB with its unique form-factor and large screen or the N82’s compact size and amazing camera. One of the more talked about differences between these two devices is the camera and when talking about the camera there is one difference that is always mentioned: The Xenon flash on the N82. Based on the tests performed here, it’s obvious that Xenon will have the upper hand when it comes to low-light photography; this is even the case when compared to the newer dual LED-based devices. As Dotsisx at the Symbian-Guru has pointed out, the dual LED solution on the newer N96 and N85 are “still swept in pictures,” when compared to the N82. 

At the N82 launch we were told that it uses the same 5 megapixel camera module as the N95. With this in mind, many tend to explain this picture quality on the N82 as being “due to the inclusion of a Xenon flash”, but does this paint the full picture? If the Xenon flash is turned Off, would we see any differences? Let’s find out!

Despite using the same 5 megapixel camera module, these tests reveal that the N82 is better even when the flash is turned off. In the first test both devices were used to capture the fine details on a 50 Guilder bill. The bill has fine dots that are truly captured by the N82, while on the N95 8GB they appear to be almost washed out. In the second test the N82 shows colors that are true to the original and the overall image is much sharper. This difference can be explained by a better in-camera image processing software on the N82. Conclusion: The N82 takes better pictures not only because of superior flash, but also due to better image processing software. Based on these test it’s clear that if you have a N82, it would be a very good idea to hold on it, even as newer devices are coming out, as even these can’t quite match the mighty N82’s imaging powers.

Recently I found about this great show called The Gadget Show, a program all about tech airing on UK’s channel 5. This is a UK only TV program, making it out of reach for the rest of the world, luckily I’ve been able to watch it on Joost, but because it isn’t quite up to date with the latest shows I’ve missed their latest comparison where they put the iPhone 3G against the Nokia E71. The E71 managed to equal the iPhone 3G’s 4 out of 5 score on the Gadget Show.

At first glance you’d be more inclined to put the N96 or even the N95 8GB against the iPhone, but once you think about the E71’s stylish and thin looks, it indeed could be a rethinking and even better alternative to the slim and almost button-less iPhone 3G. What do you think? Are the E71 and iPhone 3G evenly matched?

Judging by the Eseries and Nseries segmentation, it almost seems as if Nokia wants you to have both an Nseries device for Multimedia and an Eseries for work related tasks. For most of us however it will come down to just having one device that will have the difficult task of juggling both business and multimedia duties. One of these devices is of course the new and popular E71, which obviously shines when it comes to productivity. Until that magical device comes along that harmoniously does both business and pleasure, going Eseries means giving up on some of the multimedia performance and features. Yes, I know the E71 is a business device, but people still use it for multimedia consumption and creation, despite of what Nokia wants you to think.

For those of you looking to get the E71 and want to use it for both business and pleasure, this post is just for you! Let’s try to answer the following question: When it comes to choosing the E71how much do you loose on the multimedia side of things?

To answer this question the E71 will be compared against the obvious multimedia kings: The N95 8GB and N82.

Imaging(N95 8GB images first)

More megapixels doesn’t always mean a better camera, but the N95 8GB’s 5 Megapixel with it’s extra pixels (compared to the E71’s 3.2megapixel camera) means extra room when it comes to cropping.

During the day the N95 8GB is way ahead of the E71 when it comes pictures, but surprisingly the E71 does fairly well despite its business roots. Why is the N95 8GB ahead? Due to better dynamic range handling, better color accuracy and detail. The N82 is way ahead of both. In other words, the N82 is a camera replacement device, the N95 8GB can double as an emergency camera while the E71 has a bonus camera.

In low-light conditions the gap widens even more due to the E71’s lesser flash and noisy pictures.

On top of that the E71 lacks the N95 8GB’s Sports Scene mode. And while the E71 does have both the Single and Burst shot options, it lacks the 10 sec, 30 sec, 1, 5 and 10 minute interval shot timer. Other things missing on the E71 is the ability to set the Sharpness and ISO.

Video

The E71’s 320×240 video resolution at 15 fps is a dramatic step down from the N95 8GB’s 640×480 at 30 fps.  The lower frames per second means video that won’t look as smooth as the one on the N95 8GB. Frames per second aside, the higher res video will look better and less pixilated on high resolution screens or monitors.

Music

The E71 lacks that handy 3.5mm audio jack, which basically means not being able to use your own earphones (fans of expensive In-Ear-Monitor should look elsewhere) or plugging your device to portable speakers or speakers systems with an auxiliary 3.5mm audio jack. The audio quality on the E71 isn’t on par with the N82 and N95 8GB and way behind the N81 and N91. You could always use the a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter but that beats the idea of having a built-in, no-adapter solution.

When it comes to the built-in speakers, the E71’s top-mounted single speaker is loud, but isn’t as loud as the N95 8GB’s potent stereo speakers you’ll definitely hear the lack of the stereo effect.

Taking a look at the Music Player and you’ll see that most things are left intact expect for the lack Visualization effects on the N95 8GB and the option to set the currently playing song as the ringing tone.

No TV-out

With it’s out of-the box office editing options, having the TV-out function would have ideal for quick notebook-like editing with a Bluetooth keyboard or Powerpoint presentations. But for Multimedia it means no sharing of video and pictures on the big screen or just about any mobile related task you can think of including web surfing, chatting and Youtube.

No UPnP/DNLA

No UPnP means not being able to wirelessly connect to the ever growing list of UPnP/DNLA devices like the Playstation 3, Digital Video recorders, Audio-Video systems, Network attached storage systems, PC’s/Notebooks,  DVD players, Blu-ray recorders/players, Digital cameras and printers to send and receive digital media.

No Accelerometer

No accelerometer on the E71 means not being able to use those cool Shake application like ShakeSMS or FlipSilent or even getting that automatic screen rotation like the one on the N82 or N95 8GB.

No N-Gage

The E71 is still blessed with S60 goodness being able to install many native or Java apps, when it comes to N-Gage you are pretty much out of luck.

No Hardware accelerated 3D graphics

With the lack of the OMAP 2 chipset found in devices like N95, N93 and N82, the E71 lacks hardware accelerated 3D graphics which. With rumors floating around that 3D accelerated  graphics coming to N-Gage, we might see a performance and Graphics qualiry and effects gap between devices with and those without 3D acceleration.

Conclusion

Answering our initial question, the E71 lacks a lot in the multimedia department in the case you plan to use it as your main device. But I guess this is expected, especially in the case of camera and video performance. But not having things  3.5mm audio jack, TV-out and accelerometer are in my opinions BIG omissions and should be in any high-end Nokia device, whether it’s an Nseries or Eseries.

But, in the E71’s defense there is no denying the exceptional built-quality and QWERTY keyboard that simply cannot be matched by the N82 or N95 8GB. Another trademark feature of the Eseries which the Nseries lacks is the out-of-the-box editing features provided by Quick Office. Or what about those one-touch shortcut keys? Other things worth mentioning are the Active notes, the new Mode switcher, Speech text reader, enhanced Contacts version, Enhanced Calendar, Dictionary, to name a few things. Last but certainly not least, the E71 menu speed is way ahead of anything I’ve seen on the Nseries.

Recently the local providers of Curacao (UTS) and Aruba (SETAR) have launched the Caribbean’s first UMTS network (including HSDPA). Besides offering just the mobile options, users can also opt for the HSDPA access modem, in this case the Huawei E220 for PC’s and especially Notebook access. The E220 is an all-in-one solution including HSDPA modem, USB mass storage device and virtual CD-ROM device. Opting for the modem means paying the expensive local purchase price or adding an extra fee to the monthly charge. As an official tester for UTS I decided to put the N95 8GB and the Black N82 against the Huawei E220 HSDPA USB modem. Would the Nseries be slower? How long would the batteries last when tethered?

The N95 8GB and the Black N82 were able to perform just as fast as the dedicated HSDPA modem, clocking close to the 3.6 Mbit/s limit as indicated by www.speedtest.net  An interesting observation however is that the N82 seemed to disconnect more frequently than the N95 8GB or the HSDPA modem. This could be pure chance, but it also could be that it’s less sensitive at picking up signals. During the course of 3 days, the HSDPA disconnected just 1 time just like the N95 8GB, while the N82 disconnected 5 times.

As for the battery life, the N95 8GB lasted 2 hours and 24 minutes tethered to my laptop, while the N82 lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes before its battery died. The HSDPA modem was USB powered so it could keep going for as long as your Notebook could.

Conclusion

The N95 8GB and N82 work well as HSDPA modems giving you virtually the same performance as a stand-alone HSDPA modems. With the latest Nseries devices you can expect battery life of about 2.5 hours, which by itself isn’t bad, but can’t compete with a USB powered unit like the Huawei E220 in the sense that most notebook can keep going for longer than 2.5 hours. In the case that your notebook is plugged in and you didn’t bring your charger along means that the HSDPA modem could keep going while the the N95 8GB and N82 would be dead in less than 3 hours. Getting the Nokia Nokia Charger via USB port CA-100 should bring the latest Nseries devices on par with a stand-alone HSDPA modem.

James Powell from the Talk About Nseries blog has found a PDF document highlighting the differences between the N95, N95 8GB and the N96. No surprises here, but analyzing the document reveals a few interesting details. First of all the document indicates that the N96 includes A-GPS, but that it has an improved antenna. Another interesting detail is that they mention that the N96 has “Enhanced Audio Quality.” But it’s still unclear whether they are referring to the Digital Audio Processing for music playback or that audio-recording during movies has been improved. The N96 also appears to have the ability to natively playback WMV and WMV-DRM (finally!) But the most interesting information has got to be the fact that they indicate that the N96 will have an effective transfer rate of about 50 Mbit/s, 10 times faster than the N95 8GB and N95 which is a huge improvement over current devices on the market. It’s something that we’ve been complaining about and I’m glad to see the the official numbers. I do have to say that the real-world transfer on the N95 8GB is more around 0.8 to 1Mbit/s (the document mentions 5Mbit/s) which I think should put the real-world transfer of the N96 more in the 10-15Mbit/s range which is still pretty fast.

The documents can be found here and here.