The Nokia 5800, or the Nok formally known at XpressMusic, arrived over the weekend, so we’ve had all of 48 hours to get used to it. This is a full retail version, so all the documentaton, cables and even a funky little stand came with it.
The first thing you’ll notice about this phone is how easy it is to get the SIM loaded, it’s simply a tab on the side, so no messing about with hiding away under the battery, and how simple it is to get to grips with the interface.
The screen test
Given that this is Nokia’s first attempt at a proper touchscreen display, we’re a little more than impressed. We were expecting the screen to feel soft around the edges like some other bigger smartphones we can think of, but it feels nice and tough and responds amazingly quickly to any firm pressure. There's a sensor, so if you're on a call you won't accidently press buttons, which is a nice touch.
The 3.2-inch screen has a 360 × 640-pixel resolution, which is great for those with chubby fingers as it means icons are bigger and bolder. It also means you can watch videos in a decent window, we lost quite a bit of time on YouTube proving this to be more than practical.
When it comes to getting about, the larger screen icons make it easy to grab scroll bars and navigating the main screen is easy. The accelerometer works well, switching the screen from portrait to landscape mode in a single refresh. So far, we’re more than happy with what’s on offer. There’s a stylus tucked away at the back of the device but we found it just as easy to tap away with our thumbs.
It’s all about the music
The Nokia 5800 isn’t only going up to some stiff opposition in the touchscreen market, it’s also hoping to shift units in the tough media player market. To this end we’ve been looking at the built in media player. Instead of being a software tab, you’ll find a quick access button above the screen that allows you quick access to your main needs – music, movies, the internet and even your favourite sites. This is a nice touch and works really well, as it means you don’t have to go messing about to start your music player. We found that files loaded relatively quickly and the sound quality is far superior to other phones we’ve tested out of late.
The little extras
It’s a 3G phone with 3.6Mbps HSDPA, plus GPRS, EDGE support. You’ll also find Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built-in as standard. When it comes to getting these connections running this is an incredibly easy phone to handle. Setting up the built-in Wi-Fi connection had us hooked up to our wireless LAN network in a matter of moments, so making the most of hotspots when out and about is a doddle. There’s a whole host of applications pre-installed, from Maps V2 to the core browser and backup tools that we’ll be looking at in-depth over the next couple of weeks.
Living with the Nokia 5800
It’s early days yet but the Nokia 5800 has quickly become something of a favourite. We’re going to be living with this device for quite a while, looking at how it handles in the real world and whether it’s worth getting really excited about this phone.
Things to love about the Nokia 5800:
Screen: 3.2-inch screen feels solid and responds well to a firm touch
Interface: Simple, elegant and easy to get to grips with
Media Player: Simple to use but too back back clicks
Music: The sound quality is sharp and the bundled headphones actually usable
What do you want us to test out on the Nokia 5800? Let us know in the comments below and we'll report back in future Living With sessions.
