The Nokia N78 is designed to take advantage of the suite of Nokia services. The Nokia N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps,... more
Every Crystal Case is made from the special type of durable scratch resistant polycarbonate plastic that\ s used to make protective eyewear. Durable scratch resista
A review by duskmaiden on Nokia N78 September 27th, 2009
Author's product rating:
Look & Feel
Good
Durability & Robustness
Weak
Battery standby time
Good
Value for money
Good
Range of features
Large selection
Advantages:
nice size, big screen, maps and camera
Disadvantages:
keyboard, not too durable,
Recommend to potential buyers:
no
Full review
New does not always mean improved especially when it comes to mobile phones. I had been very impressed and happy with my Nokia 6300, as it was slim, sleek, robust and ultra user friendly so when it was time to upgrade in January 2009 I automatically opted for another Nokia phone the N78 and it really does not compare. The N78 is the type of phone that does everything but make a cup of tea (or maybe it does but I just have not worked out how to do it yet!), as its got GPS, two cameras and a video camera, a FM radio and transmitter, MP3 player, the capacity to receive mobile TV and blue tooth alongside all the usual things such as text and picture messaging, calculator, a;arm and calender. Oh and you can use it to make and receives telephone calls. How novel and quaint is that!
As stated my N78 was an upgrade with an 18 month contract with Vodafone so I am not sure how much it would cost if it was pay as you go. The phone arrived in the box with a the usual computer software and user DVD, a manual headphones, charger, a USB cable top connect to the computer and another gadget, which I think is a dongle but I am not sure as I have never used it.
The N78 looks quite simple and minimalist. It is made mostly of black plastic an at feels quit chunky compared to my old phone. .I like its size and weight as its not too hard to find when lost at the bottom of your handbag. I also liked the large bright screen which takes up more than half of the phone.
It was easy enough to set up although I had a bit of difficulty loading he software onto my computer.
I found the N78 took a while to get used to due ti its unusual interface. The keyboard is made up of little silver ridge rather than individual keys with the more usual central; joystick just above the keyboard. Access to the usual extended Nokia menus is available by toggling the edge of the keyboard. I find this can be hit and miss and often seem to have to go through the short cut menu a few times. I also find the joystick to be a bit hit and miss at times. The number of times I have put people on hold instead of finishing a call or selecting video call instead of a normal one , as the joystcik and software do not seem to be in harmony. For a couple of weeks I could not go left as the joystick seemed to be stunk or broken but that seems to have rectified itself . I do have the problem of occasionally the joystick and cursor going manic and just scrolling through he words on a screen when text messaging and that is annoying. I tuned to rectify it by turning the phone off then back on.
Using the phone for what is meant for making and receiving calls is straight forward. I found it easty to make new entries in my contacts list. I have found the battery life to be fairly good and on average recharge the phone every second or third day.
Texting to begin with was a bit of a nightmare as I found the keyboard hard to get used to and it is easy to press another button by mistake and coming up with the wrong character. What makes it worse is I can not find a back space delete button even now and if i want o delete a character or a word I have to go through the menu to get the edit function then cut the word or character out. If it is a word I tend to get round this by using the spell function in predictive text to get the word I want.
The other main feature I find useful is the camera for taking unusual snaps of things on my travels, and th odd one of colleagues and friends at after works drinks. There are in fact two cameras but I have only used the primary one. I am not sure why people would need a secondary camera. The primary one is fairly easy to use. Just point and press the camera button on the side. At first I wanted to to use the joystick, as that is what I was used to with my old phone. The camera uses a Carl Zeiss lenses and the photographs are up to 3.2 mega pixels. There's a flash and a zoom and a number of different modes similar to my digital camera. I am very pleased with the quality of the pictures and is a satisfactory alternative to a stand along digital camera. I very occasionally use the video camera but not half as much as the camera.
I am not one for browsing mobile Internet. I tried to set up my phone to receive my mail. It was easy enough to download toe application but could not get it to work. I do not mind that much , as I very rarely need o access my email urgently. I occasionally use the Internet on the phone for looking up an address or time of event. I find it quick enoughs to load but do not use it due to the keyboard issues I have with the phone.
The other useful feature are the maps. It has Google and Nokia maps and I find them very handy if am out and about without an A to Z. There's no reason why I should get lost now as you can click to your location, as well as find a place and get direction to it.
I am not one for listening to music on my mobile, as I do not want to waste the battery in case need it for that important phone call hence I have very little experience of the MP3 player or radio. As I don't use these features much. I have perhaps six or seven songs on th phone mainly for ring tone usage (oh and for those of you that are nosy I have the Clash's London Calling as mine at the moment). When listening to music I find the sound quality fair but it can get a bit tinny and distorted if the volume is too high. I find the 70MB memory more than enough for my needs which is stori9ngm, contacts, messages, photos an the odd song.
When bored I occasionally like to play the games that come free with the phone. Unfortunately there are no full games on the phone only trial version so you have download and pay for any games you want on your phone hence I have not bothered with them at all.
The N78 is not the most durable phone. In the nine months I have had the phone I have had to send it away twice to be repriced. The first time was when a big crack appeared underneath the screen after the handset falling out of my locker at work. The second time I had to send it back was due to a software fault. The screen was appearing upside down then freezing and crashing.
The menus on the software seem slightly complicated at first but like most things once you get used to them it is easy to move stuff from my PC to my phone set.
The N78 is not a bad phone at all but its not he best one either. I think if you are a techy with a love of gadgets and a need for a mobile entertainment system this would be the ideal phone for you. However its not for me. Once my contract is up in 9 months time I will be seeking a simpler phone with a better keyboard.
Advantages: weight, size, "breathing" light, Disadvantages: shiny plastic, camera pictures
...it. Text selection button(from previous Nokia phones)is integrated in # button.
Wireless LAN sensitivity is very good, I am able easily use browse the net around the house in the garden. There is a plenty of Symbian aplications already for this phone to be downloaded from internet. My favourite is FRING which integrates Skype, ICQ, SIP and others in one software and allows you to send pictures, videos and files from your phone and also allows you ... ...Fring users. You can even use bluetooth handsfree with FRING.
Speakers sounds good, unless on full volume, but still loud enough. Another great function is home media sharing which is provided on DVD from Nokia. You can connect your phone to your network and watch/browse/upload/download pictures and videos(only compatible with integrated phones realplayer).
Flash works on some pages(Youtube), on some it does not. Web browser is quick but sometimes ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: One of the best phones in its range providing you all facilities Disadvantages: The strongest competitor it has is N82 which is a clone of this mobile with additional features.
...are very well aware of nokia N series mobiles.So in this review you will find only additional features and drawbacks Nokia N78 is a wonderful piece.I am simply a fan of this mobile because it has anything and everything you wish to have in your cell phone. ---------------------------- Additional Features ---------------------------- It has additional features like FM TRANSMITTER.Yea you heard it right not FM receiver.Its TRANSMITTER.It means you ... ...memory is just 50mbs so nokia throws in a 2gb card as an accessory with it. The back panel is bit creaky and not intact. Its a bit heavy. It gets warm after prolonged voip chat. Battery needs to be charged after every couple of days. Report has it that the production is on hold as its not a good selling piece due to its unconventional keypad. Overall its one of the finest piece in its range if the looks of the phone doesnt bother you.Also within ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: good looking, easy to use, light, have many function Disadvantages: nothing
...phone I ever used. Nokia N78 Specifications & Features
Screen:
2.4 Inch QVGA TFT 16 Million Colour Screen (240 x 320 Pixels)
Imaging:
3.2 Megapixel Camera
Carl Zeiss™ Optics
Tessar™ Lens
Auto Focus
Auto Exposure
20 x Digital Zoom
LED Flash
Photo Editor
Photo Blogging
Photo Settings (User, Close Up, Landscape, Night & Night Portrait)
Colour Tone (Normal, Black & White, Sepia & Negative)
White Balance (Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Incandescent ... ...(MPEG4,H264, H263, RealVideo & Flash 3)
Video Streaming
Video Stabiliser
Video Editor
Video Calling
Second Camera
Wallpapers & Screensavers
Memory & Talk Time:
70 Mbytes Memory Plus MicroSD™ Memory Card Support
4 Hours Talk Time
320 Hours Standby
Weight & Size:
101.8 g
113 x 49 x 15.1 mm Camera is OK, music player is spot on, radio reception first class & the FM transmitter is a great addition.
Overall I'd recommend this phone to anyone. ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: functionality, built in gps, fm transmitter, battery life, size Disadvantages: slightly creaky keypad, back is a bit plasticky
...beat with inbuilt GPS and Nokia Maps, I downloaded Google Eearth which I find a little easier to use because it offers you an aerial view of wherever you are, infact Google Earth Mobile is probably one of the most useful tools on a mobile phone (after talking and texting), I use it to create routes, find shops/pubs/banks/campsites in the surrounding area and generally snoop about. Anyway I digress. I got this phone because it is smaller than the ... ...Camera is good- only 3.2Mp but a Carl Zeiss lens to pictures are of a high quality, video footage is really good also. Battery life is also good, I caharge it about once every 3-4 days and probably use the phone for about an hour a day - better than my girlfriends N95 (probably due to slightly smaller screen). All said, a great phone, I would recommend it to anyone ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: small and lightweight, lots of great features, looks great! good camera Disadvantages: buttons can take a bit of getting used to, freezes but very rarely
I have always loved Nokia N series phones due to there smart look and individuality because they are really like nothing else. The N78 itself looks very unique and stylish and some people may have there views about the design of the phones such as the keys which I have to say take a bit of time to get used to at first. The Nokia N78 has no lack of features with wireless connectivity, and a camera that is 3.2 MP which may not sound like very much ... ...some of the more expensive Nokia N series models and this is definitely not expensive for what you get. I am due for an upgrade in a couple of months time but to be honest I am seriously conisidering upgrading to something else beacuse I have never really gotten bored of this phone, it suits me great and I love it! ...
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates For Global Evolution): Built-in - Class 32
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service): Built-in - Class 11
Mobile Email Client: Built-in
Multimedia features
Playback Digital Video Formats: RealVideo and RealAudio (RealMedia), MPEG-4, 3gp, H.263 video and AMR audio, H.264
Downloadable Content: Audio files, video files, themes, games, ring tones, screensavers, wallpapers
Digital camera
Digital Video Formats: MPEG-4
Video Recorder Resolutions: 352 x 288 (CIF)
Camera Light Source: Flash
White Balance: Automatic, presets
Special Effects: Negative, Black & White, Sepia, Vivid
Min Focal Length: 4.6 mm
Still Image Resolutions: 2048 x 1536
Optical Sensor Type: CMOS
Sensor Resolution: 3.2 Megapixel
Manufacturer's product description
The Nokia N78 is designed to take advantage of the suite of Nokia services. The Nokia N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD memory card, currently available at up to 8 GB, to store favorite music and media. The novelties of the N78 are geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home. Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and 3.2 megapixel camera, the Nokia N78 introduces the increasingly popular online practice of 'geotagging' to a Nokia device. The Nokia N78 automatically tags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the device itself, or online. With its high-speed internet connectivity, over WLAN or HSDPA, uploading photos and videos to online communities like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube is a single key stroke away. Music remains a core feature of the Nokia N78 and Nokia's range of N series multimedia computers. In addition to the up to 8 GB of memory, internal speakers and support for standard 3.5 mm headphones, the N78 also comes with Nokia Internet Radio, giving instant access to thousands of radio stations around the world.
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
