Nokia N80 is a letdown
People should stop giving opinions based just on the facts they read on the net. The Nokia N80 may sound fantastic on paper but let me give you an insight to my experience with it
The WLAN reception is very poor. This isn't to say that it doesn't work but you definitely won't be using your neighbour's network with this device. It just doesn't catch on to the reception well
Plus, when you are using WLAN, there's a 3G logo on the top left corner. Which was initially confusing, because it's perpetually there, regardless if you choose 3g or wifi. You can't even gauge the signal strength. You have to base your perception of the bandwidth based on how long it takes to load a page. Not good. What's even worse, is the way you browse the net with the small screen. This isn't Nokia's fault, but generally, browsing the web and reading off the small screen is just not feasible for me, for more than 10-15 minutes. I get a headache, scrolling from left to right, top to bottom.
One more thing, you can't enter a web address in the web browser, until the page you want to load has finished loading. If you key in cnetasia.com and press enter, then change your mind. You have to wait till everything is loaded before the option to "go to web address" will be available to you. This can be annoying
The n80 is also a HANGING monster. If you're using it for more than just making calls and reading text, you're in for a surprise. This device hangs oh-so-often. Within 2 weeks of using it, it's hung 3 times. Nokia says nothing is wrong. After I've exited every single program, I tried to run Snake 3D game, and it says "out of memory". This happens rather frequently. I'd say even if you're not a power user, it can pose a problem
Oh, and the built-in memory is pathetic. If you are familiar with Nokia phones, you'll be aware that every file you receive through Bluetooth comes in as a message in the inbox. So by havin such limited space restricts what u can receive through BT. Example, if you store pictures, songs and misc in your phone. You use about 50% of the phone memory. Then you want to receive a few MP3 files from your friend. Assuming you each file is 5MB- you can receive ONLY three files and then you will have to open items inbox, save the file to card. Repeat for every MP3, then delete them one by one from the phone memory. Why the hassle? Why can't it just go into the card, where you want to store all your files in (due to the small built-in memory in the first place?) With a Sony Ericsson phone, you can directly specify to save files you receive in the phone or the memory card
The sliding isn't as smooth or as elegant as the one implemented in the Samsung SGH-D820. Imagine, if a phone that's so slim, can be such a joy to slide, why can't nokia do the same for one of its top-of-the-line, chunky device which happens to be one of the most highly anticipated phone of 2006
You see that four-way arrow key? The second last button on the right (bottom)? This is a shortcut function. But don't expect it to shortcut a lot though. If you put anything graphic intensive, like say... open picture gallery or customize it to shortcut into the web browser, it will hang and say "out of memory" too. I dare anyone who's posted a GOOD rating for this phone to try this and tell me if you notice that it's strange for this supposed-powerful phone to hang under a simple task like viewing photo gallery. I have about 20+ pics inside, it's not like I have a chockful of photos
The phone has even hung while accessing SMS. This phone is powerful, on paper... but the implementation is buggy at best and the reviewer at CNET definitly need to test these products and give constructive and honest views. There's no use fluffing up to the companies that give you these gadgets to review. It defeats the purpose of a review, in the first place. TOO CONFUSING? Well, let me just put it this way, Even if you have 20 gigabytes (figure of speech) in your memory card, but you only have 5MB of free space in your phone memory, you cannot receive anything more than 5MB through Bluetooth. No matter how big your expandable memory is. How silly right? This is because everything you receive through Bluetooth automatically gets stored in the phone first. I've tried receiving a high quality MP3, that's 10mb into a 12mb of free space and the phone tells me it's run out of memory. So you go figure that out... its mind boggling why people put up with this
Finally, all I'd like to say is I am sure the readers out there would appreciate a more objective opinion in this column, rather than just spewing random and ambiguous views like "great phone, nice features, but too bad it's so expensive". I think some opinions out there can be vague and totally based on perceptions rather than actual knowledge of a product.
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