Introduction

As somebody that’s passionate about music, I prefer a very specific combo: in-ear type earphones with a portable amp. The reason is simple, if audio is your number one priority, this combo easily outperforms any other setup. An added bonus is the fact that in-ear earphones basically act like earplugs, passively providing lots of sound isolation.

As always, there’s a catch: this setup isn’t that very portable or convenient: In-ear earphones, usually called In-ear-monitors or IEM require a tight seal in order to perform, requiring the need to be placed uncomfortably deep inside the ear-canal. For this reason they also require constant cleaning and it’s also the reason why IEM are not something you could share with others.

Another difficulty comes from the fact that you need to put them in correctly, requiring specific techniques like slightly opening the jaw or moisturizing the sleeves. Many first-time IEM buyers usually don’t know about these techniques and end up with a subpar listening experience. They are extremely effective at blocking out all sounds, meaning that throughout the day you’ll find yourself constantly taking them out just to have a normal conversation.  Lastly, there’s also the issue with wires and lugging around an amp isn’t my idea of fun.  I needed something more practical which brought me to the Nokia BH-905 and the updated BH-905i. Armed with almost $500 worth of 905 goodness I set to answer the question: IEM (Shure SE535 and SE425), 905 or 905i?

From 9 to 5 and 5i.

Based on price alone, both the BH-905i and 905 are stand-out products in Nokia’s line of audio accessories. With current prices varying anywhere from 230 to $300 for the 905i and 160 to $225 for the the 905, it instantly becomes clear that this is Nokia’s most expensive accessory  to date. To put things into perspective, a Nokia 700 costs around $329, which especially puts the 905i close to a full-featured smartphone! But judging by the prices alone, the regular BH-905 is an incredibly good value, as it can be found for just a bit below $200. In some cases even around $160, where it can be considered a steal. The value of the entire 905 series becomes clear when you compare it to other noise-canceling headphones of the same class and performance. For example Sennheiser’s Bluetooth and noise-canceling PXC 360 BT and 310 BT cost $589 and $499 respectively. Sony’s DR-BT50 is now $199 but lacks the noise-canceling feature and Bose’s QuietComfort series does have the noise-canceling function, it’s not wireless ($299 or $349). One quick look at similar headphones and it becomes clear how much you really get for the price, especially the current price for the BH-905.

The 905 series also stands out because of the designated 9xx numbers, a line normally reserved for Nokia’s best (performing) accessories (like the BH-904) and it just happens that the 905 and 905i sit at the very top of this line!

In contrast to the discreet nature of IEM, the 905 makes a statement due to it’s large size and plenty of chrome accents. It’s not bold like Skullcandy headphones with the crazy design and wild colors, but if you’re looking for something that’s as discreet as possible (and possibly smaller) you’ll need to look somewhere else. Despite the large size, the 905 exudes sophistication with it’s quality materials and understated Black color that makes it look smaller than it really is. It’s splashes of metallic accents that keeps things from getting too dull. In terms of design, the 905 series reminds me of the Bose QuietComfort line , but with a more modern twist to this familiar theme.

As expected from this this price range, IEM like the Shure SE425/535 and both the 905 and 905i come with plenty of accessories. One key difference between the 905 and 905i is the inclusion of the Audio Adapter for VoIP AD-77. It’s basically an adapter that allows you to connect your Nokia headset’s 3.5 mm plug to your PC and use both the microphone and the headphones. Handy if you plan on  using the 905 wired while making Skype calls,  but considering  that many laptops now include Bluetooth, I rather use the 905 wirelessly, which works just fine on my VAIO Z.  Because of this, the omission of the AD-77 from the 905’s package isn’t a deal breaker, in fact with an fairly up to date laptop, I doubt you’ll miss it. In case you do, the AD-77 can be purchased separately. Another small difference is the inclusion of a smaller inner pouch with the 905i  where the rest of the accessories can placed. The 905 un the other hand  uses a much larger pouch, where all the accessories can be hooked to the inside of the pouch. Not the most elegant solution, but it does the trick.

In terms of design of the headphone itself, they’re almost identical save for 905’s headband which makes a more dramatic outward curve. There’s been a lot of talk about the 905’s Princess Leia headband and generally people don’t seem to like. I’m not a fan of it myself and prefer the updated design of the 905i. In terms of durability there is  one huge difference. Due to the bigger curve, the 905’s headband is more likely to flex unnaturally and in many cases breaking the surrounding plastic. There have been many reports where the plastic simply breaks after days of usage. This happened to my 905 and several other people I know. This doesn’t seem to be an issue with the newer 905i since pressure is not applied to the plastic cover, but the metal that separates the upper from the lower part. This definitely  isn’t something you can’t fix with super glue, but just be aware that if you do get the 905, chances are, the plastic will eventually break.

Compared to your typical IEM, the 905 series are more practical for daily usage. Both use an supra-aural design, meaning they sit directly on top of the ears, not requiring any specific techniques to put them on. This will come down to the fact that you’ll always get the best performance, without the need for complicated techniques to worry about when putting them on. If you’ve ever owned IEM, you’ll know that you constantly have to clean them due to the fact that they collect ear wax when sitting in or near the ear canal. With supra-aural designs this isn’t an issue, instead it’s simply a matter of placing them on top of the ears and your set. One notable aspect of the 905 series is that they’re extremely comfortable due to the use of lot’s of padding, something that can’t always be said about IEM. In fact many have a lot of trouble getting used to IEM due to the uncomfortable feeling of having an external object in your ear canal.

Performance

There’s no doubt about it: generally IEM win by a wide margin when compared to similarly priced supra-aural headphones. I would be go as far as saying that IEM one or two steps lower in price range could still outperform a specific supra-aural design. This is especially the case with noise-canceling headphones, which  require expensive and complex  systems that take up a good chunk of a product’s total “budget.” For example, a $100 to $150 IEM from Shure, Ultimate Ears or Etymotic will easily beat the BH-905/i. This doesn’t mean that the 905 doesn’t sound good, in fact it sounds great. (The 905i is another story.) Generally IEM will easily outperform them for the simple reason that they have a higher dedicated “budget” for producing sound, while 905 and 905i have to divide between  sound being and noise-cancelation. IEM also have an unfair advantage since they sit in the ear canal.

High-end IEM like the Shure SE535 produce an impressively tighter lower-end and is able to dig quite deep with it’s triple driver design, while keeping up with fast and complex bass laden songs like THX’s World’s Deepest Bass. The 535 is able to present a meaty and solid foundation for the low-end without being exaggerated, presenting a very convincing and  impressive performance of the low-end.  Admittedly, many low-end single-driver IEM  will surpass the 905s when it comes to bass, again digging much deeper and providing a lot more detail, but obviously not as articulate as the $500 535.  The 905’s performance can be considered good to very good, especially considering the current prices. When  compared to IEM, the bass just didn’t go as deep and could be considered quite a big sloppy and vague. Overall  still quite impressive. In fact the average listener should be very pleased with the low end. It’s specifically the ability to go deeper and its tendency to keep things a bit vague that hinder it from getting an even higher score. The 905i disappoints here with insufficient volume and simply isn’t able to do any justice to the lower notes. While there is some bass to speak of, it’s nearly not as impressive as the cheaper 905 and lacks severely in volume.

In term of the mid-end the 905 impresses with plenty of volume and detail without being in your face. It does a pretty convincing job with male voices which are a bit more difficult to faithfully produce . I do wish it had little bit more mid-bass to support the mid-end, but overall very nice. The 905i does pull ahead here with it’s effortless performance, strangely  providing an even more uniform sound and details than 905. Ironically, there’s also a lot more mid-end bass which creates an even sweeter and convincing mid-end. This is strange considering how much the 905i lacked in the much deeper tones. Sadly, without enough volume headroom and an almost non-existent base, I can’t give it higher marks. The 905i simply couldn’t reach the same volumes as the older 905, even with its volume and sound enhancing features set to On.  Low-end IEM equal the 905 in terms of the overall mid-end, but when it comes mid-end bass they slightly pull ahead. IEM in the same price class of the 905 series obviously outperform it with an impressive mid/mid-end bass combo that’s not only even more detailed but very present.

Lastly, both the 905i and 905 do an average job when the higher notes are concerned, the same can be said about low to mid-end IEM: recessed, vague and at higher volumes sometimes too edgy. The 905 for example looses composure when you set it at max volume, where the reproduction is just all over the place. Usually you’ll have to move up to $500+ IEM to get a more detailed high-end, with the Etymotic being the rare exception.

IEM also provide superior sound isolation without complex electronics, blocking ALL external sounds, not just background noise like the 905 series. This is even more dramatic when you use custom-made sleeves. The 905 with it’s 8 mics does very good job at canceling background noise. No matter how many times I’ved used it before, it still manages to impress each time. It cancels and in some case lowers background noise, but there’s always a noticeable “hiss” heard. With music playing you can’t hear the hiss. I did see a huge improvement in noise-canceling performance with the 905i, a very dramatic improvement. The 905i’s active noise-cancelation is one of the best currently on the market and unexpectedly beats the previous 905 by quite a bit.

Conclusion

In terms of pure audio quality there is no doubt about it: IEM one or two steps lower in price  could still outperform most supra-aural designs, including the 905 series. IEM in the same price range as the $300 905i provide a far superior performance in a more compact package. The same can be said about the 905. But as always, there’s another side to the story. The 905 specifically represents an incredible value considering current its prices below the $200 mark . In fact you’d have to go above the $400 range to find a wireless headphone of this caliber that also has noise cancelation and Bluetooth connectivity, making the BH-905 a unique product not only in Nokia’s line, but also the entire market. Performance is impressive and should be enough to impress 90% of users, but audiophiles should stick to their beloved IEM. The BH-905i on the other hand is a more expensive product that simply can’t perform as good as the older and cheaper 905, lacking in volume and base. It does make up for this with the one of the best active noise-canceling systems on the market. Sadly this is not enough for me to recommend it, instead I prefer the older 905.

Speaking of noise-cancelation, you still will get better results with IEM as they block all sound and not just suppress or block background noise like the 905 series. Worth noting, is that the 905i has one of the best active noise-cancelation on the market and Nokia should be applauded for this remarkable feat. I’m anxious to see where they take this and is with future products. There’s also the convenience factor to consider here. While IEM do a better excel at audio performance and noise-cancelation, they are uncomfortable to use and require constant cleaning. the 905 series with its generous padding is extremely comfortable and provides a more sensible solution for daily use.

If you’re only concerned with audio, I’d suggest having a serious look at IEM, but the BH-905 provides a more complete and convenient package at a very good price. Users should be careful though with issues surrounding the cracking headband plastic. But if you can get a BH-905 for around $160 I’d say buy and run! The 905i’s audio performance simply isn’t enough for me to recommend it. The BH-905 gets an 8.5 out of 10, while the BH-905i gets a 6 out of 10.

The current trend of thin, large screen slate-type smartphones might offer more power and lots of screen real-estate, but due to the the lack of a stand they sure make it more difficult for you to just glance at the screen and get the information you want. As screens get larger and widgets more advanced, it’s seems like every new generation of devices seems to be able to show more info at once, on a single screen. Yet at the same it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a device that can stand upright or sideways on its own and actually allow you to see what’s on the screen, without having to pick it up, sort of like a night clock.

Earlier devices like N96, N86 8MP made it easy due to the inclusion of a kickstand, while smartphones with a flip-out keyboard (E7, N97) also have an angled screen that make this possible. The same can’t be said about the N8, for example. It’s even worse with those 4.3” monstrosities that can’t stand upright, at least not at an angle, requiring you to constantly pick it up. Holding a phone upright, even for a 15 minute video can get tiresome. I’ve had my share of trying to balance my N8 in front of a heavy device, only to find the angle not quite right or the device falling flat.

The StuckBuddy Suction Cup Stand or just StuckBuddy for short is aims to add an instant stand to any phone or device  and is one of those simple “why didn’t I think of that?” type of ideas. The StuckBuddy is basically a Black rubber suction cup with a ball on the other end. The idea is that by sticking it t your device, you instantly get a stand. The ball on the other end makes for quick, precise and smooth adjustments in any direction, while the rubbery material means that it will grip to even the slickest or uneven surface. The oversized rounded sidealso prevents the device from tipping over or even moving when using the touch screen. It’s made from a single piece of rubber, so no moving parts,  it won’t break if it falls and a bit of water will make it look brand new. Those are qualities rarely found in any accessories before. It’s also pretty small small, meaning that you could easily throw it in your pocket or purse. 

At first I thought that the suction would be enough to stick the Stuckbuddy to my N8 and of course that didn’t work as it would quickly come of after a few minutes. This was until I realized that the suction does need  a single drop of water, which helped wonderfully, creating a very strong suction. It would take a few minutes for the suction to “settle”, but afterwards I’d be willing to hold my N8 a few feet of the ground, dangling by the tiny StuckBuddy.

A certain specific angle can be even achieved by sticking the stand at specific location, the lower you stick it, the more upright your phone will stand. Sticking it higher tilts the screen backwards.

Currently it only comes in Black but I kind of wish they would offer more colors. There isn’t really anything bad I could say about the StuckBuddy it simple and does what it’s supposed to do really really well. It’s small and handy, although in some cases you don’t always have access to water that allows for the strong suction. Highly recommended: a 10 out of 10.

The StuckBuddy can be purchased at Mobile Fun.

Pros

-Cheap

-Simple, small and durable

-Instant stand

-Universal

Cons

-Needs water

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Nokia N8 cover

As a camera-centric device, the N8 almost begs for an “always-on” case that doesn’t require you to constantly take it out and put it back in, matching the N8’s “ready to shoot” philosophy. Could Nokia’s own Silicone Cover CC-1005 be that case?

The CC-1005, as the name suggests, is a silicone case made specifically for the N8 and is Nokia’s first foray into the silicone case business, which traditionally has only been about cases made out of leather or cloth. The 1005 is available in 4 colors, (almost) matching the 4 colors available for the N8: Blue, Black, Green and a Pinkish Red. I say “almost,” because even though Nokia is offering the Pink CC-1005 color, there is no matching Pink N8. As you know by now the N8 is offered in Orange, so it’s a mystery to me as to why Nokia wasn’t able to create a matching case. If you’re the owner of the Orange N8, you’re pretty much out of luck here, unless you decide to settle for the Pinkish Red color or choose one of the other three colors.

Compared to cheaper silicone cases you find on Ebay, the 1005 offers a case that’s not too thick or too thin, yet it still able to keep it’s shape without deforming from the simple act of taking it off. Unlike the those really thick silicone cases, that add way to much material, the 1005 seems to have gotten it just right with just the right amount of padding without looking too chunky. On the other hand there are those cases that are way too thin that wiggle and shift just from holding the device, this is not the case with the CC-1005.

Worth noting however, is the fact that this shade of Blue is quite a bit different than the Blue on the N8 itself, going for a darker  Blue instead of the N8’s more neutral light Blue. In the image above you can’t quite see  the true shade of Blue of the case, but what you can see is that the two colors don’t quite match fully. For most this should be fine and overall it does look  good on the N8, but those looking for the colors to match exactly should look elsewhere. The case is also very easy to put on or take of and doesn’t add any measureable weight to the N8. What it does add however is much needed grip as the N8 is a very slippery device.

On the back there are cutouts for the camera, Xenon flash, speaker and rear microphone. The case also ads a few extra millimeters to the height of the camera island, in essence creating a higher “wall” for the lens, raising a bit higher of any flat surface, making it a bit more difficult to get scratched. A Nice touch is the silver Nseries logo on the case itself, a little detail that you won’t easily on a cheaper silicone case.

On the left side there is an opening for both the microUSB and charging light, but strangely not for the microSD/SIM card slot. Admittedly these aren’t functions that most people will be using often, but in the case you do, it might get very annoying having to constantly remove the case to access these features. One reason why they might have done this is to have a more better fitting case. Having larger openings means that overall structure is like to bend or loose it’s shape with time.

On the right side, there’s an opening for the lock switch and they even added some extra touches like icon indicating where the camera button is and even creating two raised bumps for the volume, just like on volume button of the N8.

The case has all the necessary opening for the HDMI port and 3.5mm jack. A raised area for the power button should make it easy for you to turn on the N8, even in complete darkness.

One area where the case literally really shines is when it come to the menu button. Other cases just put a raised area where the Menu button is supposed to be and that would be about it. In this case they made this area thin enough that the light could shine through, allowing you to see the menu button in the dark, but also have the benefit of notification with the flashing menu button. It also gives this very cool Blue glowing effect.

There are the necessary openings for the front mic and Nokia 2.0mm charging connection.  Another interesting detail is that with this case, the N8 is unable to stand upright while with other and cheaper cases it was.

Conclusion

An always-on silicone case is perfect for a device such as the N8. allowing you to quickly take shots without ever worrying about flaps or taking it out of a case and in the process missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot. In typical Nokia fashion, the quality of the 1005  is miles above other cheaper cases, but do expect to pay quite a premium for any genuine Nokia case, even if it’s just a silicone case. The CC-1005 look extremely good and has cutouts for most features of the N8. Strangely they decided to not include openings for the microSD/SIM card slot. I’m not sure why they did this, but judging by the large space these two opening would take, they probably decided to sacrifice this for overall better fitting and stronger case.

The CC-1005 has nice cool touches such as the silver Nseries logo on the back Blue glowing effect that it adds to the Menu button and while it the color doesn’t fully match the Blue of the N8, it does match the N8’s overall handsome looks. I do wish they made the bottom a bit flatter so the N8 could stand upright like other cases, but in the end, even with some small faults, the Nokia CC-1005 is probably the best case out there for the Nokia N8. It gets a 9.8 out of 10.

Pros

• Adds much needed grip
• Always-on protection
• This add any measurable weight
• The material isn’t to thick or thin like some cheaper silicone case
• The Nseries logo is a nice touch
• Opening for most function of the N8.
• Raised Camera and Power Button.

Cons

• Colors doesn’t fully match the N8
• No Orange CC-1005
• No opening for microSD/SIM card slot
• The N8 can’t stand upright with the case on.

Nokia N8 case

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A headset that has a reasonable price, is splash resistant, wireless and even sounds as good  as other headphones in the $250 to $300 range? And did I mention that it even supports the futuristic NFC feature? Sounds too good to be true? Surprisingly such a product does exist and it’s called the Nokia BH-505. The BH-505 is one of those hidden understated gems, that doesn’t get much attention when in fact it should. Let’s take a closer look at the 505s and see what makes them so great.

The BH-505

The BH-505 is a futuristic looking beast, looking like something you’d expect a jogger to wear if you were to head ten years in the future and step straight out of a time machine. That’s nothing new for Nokia Nokia accessories as they generally tend to look very green, organic and futuristic. This is especially true for the BH-505, that seems to push the bar just a tad higher. This effect is further enhanced by the curvy shape, the choice of very neutral colors and lastly the fact that it is incredibly light yet extremely tough and flexible. In fact, when you first pickup the 505s it doesn’t even seem electronic in nature, let alone something that produces sound.

1. Indicator light                             7.Rewind/fast-forward key

2. Cover of the charger connector  8. Microphone

3.Power key                                    9. Play/Pause key

4.Answer/end key                           10.NFC

5.Earplugs

6.Volume key

It all could have gone horribly wrong with a busy design scattered with buttons, but instead they did an amazing job when it comes to the integration of various functions in the overall design, creating a marvel of minimalistic design. For example if it wasn’t for the manual I would have never guessed that the charger connector was hidden behind a plastic flap that simply and beautifully disappears in the overall design. Another example is the NFC function that uses a large part of the headset, but again is seamlessly integrated in the overall body, without standing out like s sore thumb. If you don’t plan on using NFC, you’ll never know it’s even there.

While at first look it doesn’t look like it offers any audio controls, the BH-505 offers plenty of control for music and phone calls, in fact all the essentials are there: volume controls, rewind/fast-forward, play/pause and even call/end call. All of the buttons are well placed and some of them are extremely large like the play/pause button and call/end call. It will however, require a little bit of getting used to and remembering where all the buttons are located, for example: that music controls are on the left and that pushing the rewind/fast-forward up will skip to the next song.  It’s also safe to say that in about  a day’s use it will all become second nature. Considering its target use, I especially wanted to get a feel how easy it was to use these controls, during activities where you are not just sitting down. I particularly wanted to see how these would fair while jogging. They not only proved quite easy to use, but they didn’t take away from the actual activity and the headset stayed nicely in place.

Nokia went with a very neutral two-tone color scheme, wisely choosing a darker grey for the inner part of the headset. This has probably to do with the fact that as a headset for “active” use it will probably get dirty and a darker grey color is probably a better choice. What at first was a mystery to me is the use of the light-grey, almost white color, on the outer par of the headset. While it does look extremely good, I had to wonder how I would be able to keep it clean. This is especially the case for a headset where you’re not expected to sit in an office all day and listen to music, but rather go out in the real world, where it could easily could get dirty. Strangely enough, it never did get dirty and with a little wipe it should be able to keep this look for a very long time. It seems they were able to do this by a combination of some material where dirt doesn’t stick to it and a light, almost white color that does have a very light tone, but at at the same time grey enough to keep it looking good.

One huge plus of the 505 is that uses interchangeable earplugs. Nokia generously provides 3 sizes of both in-ear and regular ear pads. This mean that you could easily use the size that best fits your ears, or even use third party plugs like triple -flange or even foam tips. This is important as you’ll always be able to replace these with newer and cleaner ear pads. This is also key when it come to the the overall audio performance: The quality of the sound depends greatly on getting a good seal and having the ability to change earplugs that more effectively creates a seal will make or break audio the performance.

The 505s don’t have any kind of manual adjustment, it simply relies on the flexible plastic to  adjust to the size and width of your head. Due to this flexible, one thing is for sure,  the headset will not fall of no matter what the activity is. I did however wish that earphone themselves were adjustable. The reason is simple: depending on the shape of your head, ear and and ear canal they could slide out of your ear, breaking the seal and audio performance would be greatly reduced. During my grueling 1 hour rope jumping exercise, the ear pads tended to gradually slide out of my ears, breaking the seal. This only happened during rope jumping, but this was enough for me to wish that these were somewhat more adjustable. In the BH-505 defense, it really all depends on many factors, like I’ve sad before the shape of your head, ear and ear canal, but also on the activity. Rope jumping is an extreme where it’s really difficult for many headphone to stay in place. The BH-505 did however shine during activities. I absolutely loved these while running, no problems whosoever during running and the fact they are so light makes you even forget that are even there.

The pairing process is exactly like other Bluetooth audio device. The 505 is an oddity in the sense that it does include NFC, a wireless feature that is rarely seen in acccesroies and is just now starting to appear with phones like the Nexus S and Nokia’s own C7. I didn’t have to none of these phone in house, but I was particularly impressed by the inclusion of this forward-looking feature that makes the 505 even more future-proof.

Performance

The 505s really shine when using in-ear type plugs. While Nokia includes the regular ear pads they don’t sound nearly as good as in-ear pads, simply a night and day difference. This really is a shame as many consumers will probably just stick to the regular ear pads and never know how good their 505s really can really sound.

To give you an idea as to how good these sound, we’ can say that they sound exactly like the Nokia BH-214, which we reviewed a few months ago, save for a bit less volume headroom. This is even more impressive when you consider that these should cost less then $70! Even at this relatively lows price they come close and in some cases even surpass the flagship BH-905 which cost roughly 4 times as much! Once you factor in all those details, you truly start to see the great value that is the BH-505 and it’s spiritual twin the BH-214. With regular ear pads, the 505s sound about average, but with the right in-ear pads they are capable of some pretty impressive performance and sound isolation. When it comes to sound isolation, these are of course passive, which is more effective then active systems which the BH-904s use. Basically the in-ear pads of the 505 acts like earplugs blocking external sound without the need for complicated electronics and in the process keeping the price low.

The BH-505 is capable of an overall well-rounded performance, shining with a laid back, but detailed mids and a punchy but not particularly deep base, as expected from this price class. They are adequately loud at max volume, but the BH-214 are a bit louder. The BH-505 effortlessly produces the mids, without sounding harsh, in your face  and with coloring the always difficult to produce mail voice.  There’s lots of detail to be found here, especially when considering the price class. The base nicely blends in with mids, without ever over powering it creating a rich and dynamic sound. The 505s weak point are the high, which I must admit are difficult to produce, even for headphone in the $500 category. They do an extremly good job however, with high that again nicely blend in, with a sound that perhaps a bit vague, lacking a more aggressive attack and brightness. There are no doubts here, the BH-505 is sure to impress, making those that bought the BH-905 wonder where exactly the remaining $230 price difference went.

Audio performance is again very impressive, no lag or stutter during normal use. If you do walk away from your source, you can clearly hear a tiny pause, perhaps the unit increasing the transmission power to keep up with the increased distance. I was able to use the 505 close to the max 10 meters in my house which has very thick walls and electronics. The wireless range on the 505 was about the same as 214, but better then the expensive 905.

Conclusion

The Nokia BH-505 is best described as a reasonably priced headset that’s splash resistant, wireless and even sounds as good as much more expensive headphones. It’s also basically the BH-214 in a more modern package with the NFC and splash resistant features added, however you can’t use other wired earphones like the BH-214 can. Keeping up with the BH-214s tradition, the BH-505 sounds very impressive. This impressive sound is only achieved with in-ear pads, with regular ear pads these sound quite average.

I was particular impressed by the beautiful minimalistic and tough design of the BH-505 and really liked the fact that it has interchangeable ear pads, but real wished that it was a bit more adjustable. They are perfect for the active lifestyle, but if you’re planning on doing rope jumping I’d suggest looking for other alternatives. Even with some small flaws the BH-505 is a compelling product and is a step higher then the BH-214 and gets a 10 out of 10.

Pros

-Light colors that still manage to keep dirt away

-Interchangeable ear pads.

-Very light, yet durable.

-Impressive audio quality

-Future with NFC included

-Comfortable

-Splash resistant

Cons

Headphones come out during rope jumping

-No adjustment

A big thanks to our friends at MobileFun for providing this review unit.

Cheap Calls to Australia

Nokia is known for it’s excellent camera smartphone’s but what many are not aware of is that under the hood, some of these are amazing music devices. We’re not just talking about devices marketed as “Music phones”: edgy look, bundled improved quality headphones (or speakers) and media keys. While some of the Nokia devices do have many of these traits, they’re actually capable of pumping out some seriously good tunes using audiophile grade head/earphones. Perfect examples of these are the N91, N91 8GB, N81, N81 8GB and even the N900.

With the N8 now readily available, we wanted to check out how it truly faired on the music front. Testing the N8 would also give you an idea of what to expect from the C6, C7 and E7 as they all share essentially the same hardware.

When we’re talking about audio quality, we’re not talking about the built-in speaker or the Dolby surround feature using HDMI out. In fact surround sound does not necessarily equal good audio quality, as many would think. In this case it’s purely the stereo output through the built-in 3.5mm headphone jack and doing some serious listening, using some audiophile grade in-ear monitors (IEM) from Shure and 320kbps MP3 and Wav files.

I started the test with Lakmé’s The Flower Duet, testing the N8’s capability to cope with a very dynamic classic. The N8 passed the test with flying colors, faithfully producing The Flower Duet with all it’s dynamic complexity while still being able to drive the Shure earphone without a portable AMP at glass breaking volumes. I was also impressed with the amount of detailed produced during the low-volume parts of this piece. Older Nokia’s were plagued with lack of ample audio headroom, but the N8 is another those devices can go loud, and I do mean loud.

I played a bit with the equalizer, but felt that using the default setting, the N8’s output was good enough to get the most out quality headphones without the need for further adjustments.

I continued the test with Cirque du Soleil’s Ibis at max volume to see how it would perform with a more dramatic and energetic piece. The deep tones at the beginning of the sound were nicely produced with the N8 and Shure combo and all the string instruments at ending stood as the combo revealed some impressive details. The N8 was definitely capable of driving earphones without the need of an external AMP, impressive!

The music player benefits great from the N8’s speed and graphics processing power to quickly and naturally zip through the tracks with the added visuals of the album art displayed at 60 frames-per-second, but definitely missing is a search feature to quickly get to a specific feature. The N8 a powerful graphics system, so where are the visualization effects?

Alphavile’s Forever Young played with authority and the dramatic echo was now clearly heard adding a dramatic effect, something that  would barely be audible using a lesser combo. Adam Lambert’s Whataya want from me sounded a bit harsh at higher volumes, bit faired excellent at up to 95% of the volume, the N8 reached it’s limit driving the Shures, indicating that some songs would actually benefit from an external AMP. The N8 was still impressive, on par with the best out there, but a notch below the golden standard: The Nokia N91.

Lastly we tested the N8’s ability to drive the Shures using base-only THX’s World’s Deepest Bass! The Shure went deeep without any problems or serious flaws, again showing the N8’s audio prowess, even when it comes to low-pitched audio frequencies.

Conclusions

The N8 joins other impressive Nseries devices capable of some serious audio performance. This also gives us an idea of what to expect from other devices like the C6, C7 and E7 as they all share the same hardware. The N8 is capable of driving even high-end earphones at high volumes levels, while still producing the most detailed and complex parts. In some cases ( and those cases were rare) I would still recommend an external portable AMP, but I admit that were talking about $500+ earphones in those specific cases. The UI is simple yet beautiful and greatly benefits from the added speed and graphic hardware-acceleration. A big negative is the lack of search feature, although the speed at which you move through tracks is remarkable. Also where are the visualization effects? The N8 could easily be used as a dedicated music player and even audiophiles should be happy. It is however a step below the N91.

Find out more about the Nokia N8 phone online with Dial A Phone where they have a great blog which reports all of the latest news in the mobile phone world.

Well, technically it’s about 56.93GB of total storage, since the way electronic devices process these Gigabytes is different. So in reality that 32GB SanDisk microSDHC card is actually more like 29.8GB. Same thing can be said for the N900’s built-in 32GB, minus a few system files of course.

Thanks to our friends at MobileFun, we’ve gotten our hands on the new Sandisk 32GB microSDHC, the SDSDQ-032G-A11M to be exact. Putting this into N900 adds A LOT to the already impressive storage amount available on the N900. So yes, that’s 57 GB(!) of storage, on a mobile device! Stay tuned for our full review.

The Nokia BH-214 is probably one of the most overlooked Nokia accessories, standing in the shadows of the popular “single-ear” Bluetooth headsets such as the BH-607 and the stereo Bluetooth headsets such as the mighty BH-905. Considering it’s versatility and performance, we kind of expected these to be more popular, but it seems that the majority of the consumers prefer standard Stereo Bluetooth headsets or the traditional Bluetooth headsets. Next time, should you consider the BH-214 instead?

The BH-214

Nokia BH-214 Adapter

The BH-214 is a Stereo Bluetooth adapter with a built-in clip and 3.5mm audio jack, allowing you to use your headphone of choice. If you noticed we called it an adapter and not a headset. Technically a headset  consists of both headphone and a microphone. The microphone itself is built into the BH-214 and it isn’t until you attach an ear/headphone can it be categorized as a Bluetooth headset. Even though you do have the option of using you own headphone, Nokia does include one (in-ear) called the Nokia Music Headset HS-44.

Nokia HS-44

The BH-214 seems to be a direct replacement for the Nokia BH-500, gaining a more refined and sophisticated design, but looses the included Nokia Wireless Audio Adapter AD-47W, a Bluetooth USB adaptor which lets you use the BH-500 with your PC. But as most modern laptops and desktops already have built-in Bluetooth, we certainly agree with Nokia’s decision to drop that accessory, which should help lower the overall price. And in fact it did. The Nokia BH-500 was a fairly expensive accessory and it was pretty common to see it offered well above the $100 mark, while the BH-214 can be easily found in the $50 range, making it a very good deal.

Compared to its predecessor, the 214 seems to be the overall winner and even though it does have a smaller rechargeable battery, Nokia has managed to squeeze similar talk/music times as the 500, which is a very impressive feat by itself. However its still a mystery to us as to why the older BH-500 has the more advanced Headset profile 1.5, while the newer product includes the lower 1.2 profile.

When it comes to design, the BH-214 takes the complete opposite route compared to what we saw on the BH-500 and goes for a white and light grey theme. The overall look is traditional Nokia with the square shape, rounded edges and an almost futuristic design typically found with Nokia accessories. The overall white and grey theme holds surprisingly well against scratches, dirt, smudges and anything else that the elements can throw at it. You will have to clean it from time to time, but not as much as we expected.

***Pic Glass front***

The front of the adapter is dominated by a see-through plastic that has a light Blue-Grey color, giving it an almost glass-like effect. They also subtlety integrated the answer/end and music controls in this see-through plastic, giving it a nice minimalistic look. Completing the design is the Nokia logo behind this plastic cover. Despite throwing it into a bag full of keys and other gadgets that might get it scratched, we were surprised to find that it’s virtually scratch free.

The back of the unit is done in a light silver plastic finish, but is mostly dominated by the integrated clip. The clip is integrated into the shell of the body, making it very sturdy and difficult to break. The top has microphone, power button and indicator light. This light if of the multi-color kind, serving several purposes instead of cluttering the overall clean design. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack right where the body and clip are held together. The right side has the volume controls , while the bottom and left side are free of any buttons.

The supplied Nokia  HS-44 are mostly White, but has a light Blue-Grey accent to match to the BH-214. In certain situations we did find the cable for the HS-44 way too short and a bit to thin for our taste. For this last reason we really don’t expect them to last long and they got tangled way too easily. With the addition of the clip, Nokia expects the BH-214 to be held close to your head making the short cable something you could work with. But in certain cases you’d want to clip the BH-214 lower, for example on your belt or pocket. For these cases the cable is simply too short, forcing you to clip it closer to the neck area. However we do expect that a good chunk of BH-214 owners will buy this product for its music capabilities and simply swap the HS-44 for high-end headphoneS or in-ear monitors.

Performance

Both the BH-214 and HS-214 impressed us during the performance tests. Nokia states that fully charging the battery can take up to 2 hours, but during our testing we found this to more in the range of 30 to 45 minutes which is reasonably fast. However in future version of the BH-214,  we would like to see a fast-charge system,  like the one used on the BH-904. We were easily able to connect it to our laptop, Playstation 3 and several mobile phones without any problems. You can pair it with up 8 devices, but it can hold a connection with only 1 device at the time. In future versions we would like to see it have the ability to connect to two devices simultaneous, like a mobile phone and laptop for Skype calls. This is a future we’ve already seen on the BH-904.

The Bluetooth wireless range was something that truly stood out. Perhaps due its larger size, the BH-214 was able to hold a connection at almost twice the usual 33 feet (10 meters) range of your typical Bluetooth headset and has the longest Bluetooth range we’ve ever seen! This was only equaled by the ultra expensive Nokia BH-905.  As we moved farther away from our test mobile device, the music seem to almost pause for a split second, but quickly continued without any problems. Our guess is that as you increase the distance the BH-214 will increase it’s power to keep performance in check. Another interesting observation was how the BH-214 maintained its solid performance even with 2 walls between us and the test mobile device.

But were the BH-214 truly excelled was in the audio department, earning a flawless performance. Even more impressive when you consider that this is coming from a $50 accessory. The supplied earphones are usually the last thing manufacturers think about, but despite the HS-44’s short and thin cable, it also positively surprised with us a very good performance. Listening to these was like listening to $75-$100 earphones and not some bonus earphones included with an accessory. We decided to takes things a step further and attach the $550 Shure SE530 PTH to the BH-214. This little wonder was able to easily drive the SE530 with clean audio and plenty of volume headroom into levels that would do damage. With so many Bluetooth accessories lacking in volume, the BH-214 falls into the rare category that does. We simply couldn’t tell the difference with the our reference Shure SE530 plugged directly into our test Nokia N900 or wirelessly connected to the BH-214, proof  of its audio output quality.

Phone calls with the BH-214 sounded excellent, with the supplied in-ear HS-44, it sounded a bit too good. However be prepared for a few stares while using the BH-214 for calls.

With a tiny and compact body, the BH-214’s 3.5mm jack could easily be put to use with more than just earphones and headphone. It worked nicely with speakers that accepted a 3.5mm audio-in, making our Bluetooth enabled smartphones a surprisingly good wireless remote.

Conslusion

If you love music, especially streamed wireless, you should take a serious look at the Nokia BH-214. Audio streamed vai Bluetooth has been synonymous with lower quality and in fact it still is. The BH-214 is one of those rare devices that shows that wireless audio can sound as good or close to what can be achieved with a direct cable connection. During our testing with high-end earphones the BH-214 proved that it can sound as good as plugging our reference In-ear monitors directly to our mobile device. The supplied HS-44 earphones sound surprisingly really good, even though its cables are thin and way too short. This shouldn’t be such a big problem as we expect many owners to simply swap these with custom with high-end earphones or headphones. The BH-214 had one of the longest wireless range we’ve seen on an accessory and battery life is equally good to its predecessor with a smaller battery.

If you own high-end earphones or headphones and want some wireless freedom? We highly recommend the Nokia BH-214. It gets a 9.9 out of 10.

Some great Stereo Bluetooth Headphones can be found at our friends at MobileFun.

Pros

-Holds surprisingly well against dirt and scratches.

-With smaller battery gets equal music/talk time

-Impressive audio quality

-Supplied HS-44 earphones sound very good

-Lightweight and sturdy body

-Built-in clip

Con

-No microUSB charging

-HS-44 cables are too short

When we took a look at Nokia’s first and official case for the N900, the CP-321, we liked the stylish and simple design, but it was several steps back in convenience: It lacked any access to the lock switch, microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, camera button and both the camera lens and speakers were blocked. It was pretty and helped to to protect the N900, but it sure wasn’t useful. Nokia went back to the drawing board and came up with what we have here: the Nokia CP-408. Would we choose it over the CP-321? Is it the ultimate N900 case?

In many ways the CP-408 is the complete opposite to the CP-321. While the 321 helps to soften the bulky, “man phone” design of the N900, the CP-408 pretty much continues the utilitarian look of the N900 and almost perfectly matches its design.

The case consists of two stiff plastic faux leather parts that are joined using stitching by a flexible faux leather material. The insides of the case are done in a soft cloth material that did a good job in protecting the device from scratches, but did seem to attract dust and as a resulted needed a cleanup from time to time.  The entire case is held together by a strong plastic frame, that also adds some extra rigidity. While Nokia didn’t use real leather, we were impressed with the overall quality feel of the materials used and build-quality. We also liked design details such as the stitching on the front and the side of the case and the Nseries logo. The CP-408 isn’t the most stylish, but it certainly does look good in a functional sort of way.

Once you pop the N900 into the case, there’s really no need to get it out. The case has been designed in such a way that you can use all of the N900’s features with the case on. What we simply LOVED is the ability to keep the N900 protected, while still have access to the  the lock switch, microUSB port, 3.5mm headphone jack, camera button, camera lens cover and volume rocker. Even the speakers and IR port have openings. Worth noting is that there is no way to get the stylus out with case closed, you actually need to open the case to do this. This makes sense as you still have to open the case to have access to the touch screen. Another nice little feature is that this case has a slot on the inside for credit cards, memory cards and such.

Because of the opening for the camera lens/cover you still have access to the kick-stand, as a result even the kick-stand can be used with the N900 in its case! However you will have one huge flap hanging on the front part of the phone. Functionally it doesn’t stand in the way of using the device, but for some this might be a problem. The biggest downside to this case is when making and receiving phone calls, but this of course will vary depending on your taste: you will need to pull the flap to the back of the device, which can be a bit awkward. When texting you also have this large flap hanging in front of you. Again, while this doesn’t come in the way of functionality, for some this might be annoying.

Overall, we feel that CP-408 is not as stylish as the CP-321, but certainly does look good with it’s all-black design and stitching. It does  easily make up for lost points with a design that perfectly matches the the N900 and is one of the more functional offerings out there. While no real leather was used, overall the build quality is good with excellent quality materials used. It’s safe to say that you can use the N900 without ever taking it out of the case, however some will find the front flap a bit awkward or annoying when texting or making calls. Even when considering this, the CP-408 is easily the best option for power user, those that favor design should have a look at the CP-321. We give the CP-408 a well deserved 9.2 out of 10.

The Nokia CP-408 can be found at MobileFun as well as other Nokia N900 cases.

Pros

-Design perfectly matches the N900

-Access to all of the N900 features

-Kick-stand can be used  with the case on

-Slot for credit cards

-Quality materials and good build-quality

Cons

-Front flap can get in the way while making calls/texting.

I’ve always been impressed by those high-speed memory cards, offering speedy transfer rates of several MB/s over the standard vanilla cards. The advantages are clear in multi-megapixel digital SLRs and even compact digital cameras that are now capable of HD video capture. But how would these fair in the mobile environment? Are there any benefits when compared to slower Class 2 and 4 cards? One would certainly think so, especially since 8+ Megapixels, HD video capture and multi-Gigabytes of media is quickly becoming the norm. Enter Lexar’s High-Speed Mobile microSDHC Class 6 cards, with both 8 and 16GB flavors and includes their Mobile USB Card Reader. Let’s find out as we review Lexar’s speediest solution.

The SD association defines three levels of Speed Class: 2, 4 and 6. Interestingly these Class levels reveal a card’s minimum transfer and not the usual maximum speed: “Speed Class 2 guarantees a minimum transfer speed of 2 mega bytes per second (MB/s), Speed Class 4 guarantees a minimum transfer speed of 4 MB/s and Speed Class 6 guarantees a minimum transfer speed of 6 MB/s.”

Armed with Nokia’s flagship N900, we decided to put the Lexar’s 8GB Class 6 card against an 8GB Class 4 and a 16GB Class 2 Sandisk cards.

Lexar 8GB Class 6 microSDHC

Lexar’s Class 6 cards obviously look no different from other microSDHC cards. The small “6” printed on the card is about the only indication of the card’s speedy intentions.

The card does come with a handy card reader, something that is quickly becoming the norm with these high-end premium cards. Not only can it double as a convenient and very tiny USB thumb drive, but it also helps with the not-so-speedy transfer rate of smartphones when connected to your PC via USB. While their USB transfer rate has increased in the past years, it’s pretty rare to see anything above the 10Mb/s when smartphones are concerned.  This where these card readers come in. They have a much speedier USB interface and can easily achieve speeds way above the the 10Mb/s mark, allowing for nearly triple to quadruple the speeds that can be achieved with most smartphones.

Lexar also includes a media management program called mediamove. The program is included on the card in a hidden file of about 90MB, but will be removed once the card is formatted. If you do have the need to format the card, I would suggest go into options and enabling hidden files and just making a backup copy, as the program doesn’t seem to available for download on the Lexar site. Its not a must, as its functionality can be achieved with other popular or preloaded Windows programs. It does simplify the process and the interface is very straightforward, allowing you to copy, sync and even upload media to popular online services like Youtube. We also liked the fact that it’s easy on our system’s resources. Should easily be netbook friendly.

How fast is the card?

HD Tach

During our testing we used the Lexar 8GB Class 6, Sandisk 8GB Class 4 and Sandisk 16GB Class 2.

Using HD Tach we got the following numbers.

Both Sandisk cards prove to be a bit faster than the Lexar Class 6, with results very similar to HD Tach.

Real World Test

Our real world test consisted of copying 5.8GB of MP3 files to the memory cards.

Even though both Sandisk cards were able to outperform the Lexar card in both benchmarks, the Lexar  pushes ahead in our real world test. Copying large files using the Nokia N900 from phone memory to Lexar card went significantly faster when compared to the Sandisk Class 2, but overall performance was similar to the Sandisk Class 4 card, but overall responsiveness was unaffected.

Conclusion

As our tests revealed, having a Class 6 rated card merely guarantees a minimum speed, but doesn’t say anything about the maximum or average speeds. As a Class 6 card, Lexar’s High-Speed Mobile microSDHC cards are speedy and easily surpass the minimum transfer speed of 6 MB/s. It should also exceed the performance of any modern (smart)phone currentlyon the market. The included card reader is handy and should offer performance that’s faster than any smartphone connected via USB. We were surprised that both Class 2 and 4 Sandisk cards were able to outperform the Lexar Class 6 card. But most importantly in our real world test, Lexar manages to push significantly ahead of the Class 2 card and just slightly  ahead of the Class 4. Lexar’s Class 6 cards should be perfect for those that want to quickly and frequently transfer large amounts of files to and from your PC. Our tests have shown that it does, speed the copying of files on smartphones, but but overall speed and responsiveness of our test N900 was unaffected. The mediamove software is handy and very straight forward and we loved that it went easy on our systems resources. The Lexar gets a 7.9 out of 10.

If you prefer multimedia, there are certainly better devices out there like the N86 8MP and the N97, but the E75 seems to be the best balance between both worlds. For a best smart phones comparison with contract and pay as you go mobile broadband plans, broadband genie has some of the cheapest mobile internet deals for smartphones.

Ever since Nokia discontinued the DT-22, it has become almost impossible to get your hands on one or even an alternative. Well, that’s until now. We’ve recently got our hands on another tripod that does the job quite well, the Fly Mobile Holder.

This little tripod is perfect for mobile phones, because unlike most digital cameras, mobile device lack a built-in tripod mount. By using the adapter (Mobile Holder) you could in fact mount the device to the included tripod or just about any other tripod system, even the larger ones. This makes it very useful for mobloggers or just about anybody that tried to do a one-handed unboxing video or had countless group photos where they were missing from the shot. It’s also great for preventing camera-shake, also works perfectly for stop-motion video and even HDR photography.

There seems to be two units available, but the one we got was the model number S2120W. It comes in glossy black that perfectly matched our test Nokia N900 and consists of two parts: an adapter and the mini tripod.

The adapter is actually the most important part as it allows you to connect your device to any tripod. It’s adjustable at two key point, allowing you to adjust both the height and length. It has a spring loaded mechanism to control its extended height, but it’s not manually adjustable to a specific length. You can pull it up so that the device can fit in, and the strong spring loaded mechanism pulls it back down until it rest on the device. The mechanism has a VERY strong spring in the sense that it requires you to pull really hard to get get your device in.

In contrast, the DT-22’s solution works by using a screw to open or close its adapter. Both of these systems get the job done, but the DT-22 screw system allows for finer adjustments and requires a lot less force to pull it up. Strangely, the the part that extends the length of the adapter is fully (manually) adjustable  and uses another adjustment system. This part requires little force and allows for precise adjustments. I also like the fact that the adapter has rubberized pads on the inside that should prevent any scratches. Other than a strong spring, it’s simple to use and it works quite effectively in securing even a large and heavy device such as the N900.

The tripod is very compact, but the legs can be extended to almost double its height. With the legs extended and pulled together, it can even act as a monopod to get a shot above a crowd or even tight situations such as beehive. The tripod base uses a ballhead which allows it to pan and tilt in every possible direction and can be locked into a specific position using the key. As a plus, it can be removed from the adapter and used with most point-and-shoot digital camera and was even able to support a heavy camera such as the Canon Powershot G10.

Overall build quality is really good. The adapter does feel a bit plasticky, but seems to be strong to handle heavier devices such as the N900 and even survive a fall. It’s also light enough as to not add much weight to your mobile device. If you like taking pictures or videos with your smartphone, this is a must have and gets a 8.7 out of 10. The Fly Mobile Holder can be purchased at MobileFun.co.uk. 

Pros  

-Steady shots for HDR and stop-motion photography

-Good build quality

-Adapter can be used with other tripods

-Rubberized pads to protect your device

-Tripod can be used with digital cameras

-Highly adjustable

-Tripod can be adjusted to almost twice it’s height

-Supports even larger/heavier devices such as the N900

Cons

-Spring mechanism for height adjustment requires a lot of force