The Nokia N81 is one of the mid-range phones made by Nokia, and this is surprising when you take a look at the specifications below-

WCDMA 2100 + E850/900/1800/1900MHz- Automatic switching between bands and modes
Active matrix 2.4” QVGA main color display (320 x 240 pixels), up to 16.7 million colors
Operating system: S60 software on Symbian OS, User Interface: S60 3rd edition, Feature Pack 1
Speaker independent name dialing (SIND)
WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g with UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) support
Bluetooth Specification 2.0 (profiles supported: DUN, OPP, FTP, HFP, GOEP, GAP, SPP, HSP, BIP, A2DP)
Micro USB 2.0 Full Speed (mass storage class)
Up to 2 megapixel (1600×1200 pixels) camera, MPEG-4 VGA video capture of up to 15fps
Front camera (CIF)
Video call and video sharing support (WCDMA network services)
Integrated flash (modes: on, off, automatic, redeye reduction)
Nokia Nseries digital music player supports MP3 (VBR), AAC, eAAC+, AAC+, WMA/M4A, WAV
Stereo FM radio (87.5-108MHz /76-90MHz)
8GB built in memory storage

The 2MP camera will be a disappointment to some in these days of 5MP picture taking monsters, and the design is a little bland to fit with the general idea that a phone must be fashionable to fly off the shelves. Nokia are not good at making good looking smartphone of which the N95 and E61 are two examples, but they do know how to pack a lot into a small space.

What’s in the box?

The box if fairly business like and does not scream entertainment, and there is an average set of accessories included. You get-

A/C adaptor
USB sync cable
Remote control in-ear headphones (these are very nice)
Software CD
Nokia Music Store voucher for 1 album (or 10 tracks)
Paper manual

Out of the box (Design)

The N81 is not a good looking device and the shiny black coating attracts fingerprints very easily. The slide mechanism is quite strong, but once open is a little wobbly (at least in the one I was sent), and this gives a feeling of fragility over the unit.

The keys are well sized and work well, but the naviwheel (a new feature) is rather poor. It is about as accurate as the JOB strip on an HTC S620 and thus will be consigned to ‘off’ status for most people. There are stereo speakers either side of the screen and the standard volume up/down and camera keys on the right, plus an unusual lock slider key at the top which is actually very handy.

This is a music centric device and as such there are dedicated music keys surrounding the navigation button alongside the usual call start / end keys and the S60 menu key. All in all, this is neither a standout design nor one that could be considered ugly- for an entertainment device though it could look better.

Music

Nothing in the box is too exciting, but the voucher is a good move and one that makes a lot of business sense. Within 5 minutes of turning on the N81 I had purchased a track over Wi-Fi via the music store and was more than happy with the experience. Six more tracks were pre-loaded on the E81, but they were the type of songs that 20 years old like in the Nokia adverts, but they may grow on me

The audio quality is extremely good, and definitely better than my iPod Touch with extra loudness and stereo widening available to suite individual tastes. The whole set up works well for new users and certainly opened my eyes to the potential for mobile phone music in a way that no Palm or Windows Mobile devices have done in the past. Of course, the 8GB of internal memory is ideal for carrying a large library around with you as well, and there is a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top- hooray!

Camera

Only 2MP may seem stingy in 2008, but it is not a bad addition at all. The snaps I have taken have come out well and the video recording is also quite impressive. It will never match the N95 photo quality, but for someone used to other mobile platforms it feels like a quality camera. To be fair, that says more about other phones than the N81.

The flash works fairly and you can use both of the included cameras to take pictures when needed. The menu options and camera software are logical and being able to zoom in and out with the volume keys is a good practical touch.

There is a lot to talk about with the N81, so I will be back soon with more observations of which some are extremely positive.

My first experiences of the Nokia N81 were extremely positive, and initially they continued to be so. It is marketed as an entertainment device and Nokia has made efforts to ensure that there is a rich entertainment experience out of the box.

N-Gage

Three N-Gage games are pre-installed (trial versions) and these do highlight the potential of this platform in the mobile form factor. The Fifa football game is stunning and on it’s own is enough to ensure immediate recognition of N-Gage as a viable alternative to dedicated handheld consoles.

Music

The Nokia Music Store is well thought out and the included free credits are a nice touch. I found the entire experience to be on a par with iTunes on the iPod Touch, and was more than impressed with the set up. There are some issues such as a smaller database and DRM, but it is a genuinely positive experience.

Camera

The camera is merely a 2MP affair with an LED flash, but it is still better than the majority of cameras from HTC and Palm. For an entertainment device, a 5MP camera could be expected, but I can cope with the one built in to the N81.

Speed

In normal use the N81 is pretty quick, and MS Exchange syncing in the background causes no slow downs at all. I also dallied with Nokia Maps and was impressed with what it had to offer. It still feels unfinished, but potentially could become one of the big boys in the mobile navigation sector.

Call Quality

This has always been one of Nokia’s hallmarks, but in the case of the N81 I struggled to get a loud enough sound during calls. No matter how many settings I tweaked, I simply could not make it loud enough for my needs. This is a shame because the speakerphone is good and the sound is clear, but there is definitely an issue with loudness (it could just be the phone I had though).

Internet

The internet experience was much more impressive than I expected. Wi-Fi connected first time for me and when it was not available 3G worked well. The included web browser is one of the best on the market, and I personally rate it very highly. The mobile web experience on the N81 is excellent and a joy to use- make sure you have an unlimited data plan though.

Battery

No complaints here, but that is because I use a Palm Centro at the moment which suffers in the power department. I discovered that 3G does not have a dramatic effect on the battery, and that a normal charge is more than adequate for 2-3 days usage.

PIM

As per usual, the standard S60 3rd Edition calendar and contacts applications never fail to disappoint. They are so basic, yet Nokia has made few efforts to improve them at all. So much investment goes in to GPS, cameras, fitting every possible feature into a small phone and design considerations, yet it refuses to do anything with the PIM functions on it’s smartphones. I do not understand the reluctance to add extra functionality to these areas, which would cost little yet potentially bring in more ex-smartphone users from the Palm and Windows Mobile sides.

Navigation

The S60 3rd Edition operating system lends itself well to navigation through dedicated keys, and has certainly grown on me over time. You may have to undertake a few more key presses than with other systems, but it is acceptably fast in normal use.
Conclusion

The N81 is without doubt an ‘entertainment’ phone, and it excels in this regard. It is also capable of smartphone functions, but the standard keyboard and non touch screen hamper this somewhat.

The N81 is not the phone for me, but the potential of Symbian looks brighter to me than any other mobile operating system at this time. If they can come up with a QWERTY keyboarded device soon, which is expected, they could really do something big in the corporate market. The N81 has some features that simply blew my socks off!