The Nokia E75 launched earlier this year and we were mighty impressed with what we saw and the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic takes the same basic design and adds that unique XpressMusic spin to the QWERTY messenger, making it very much a social networking device. So, how does they stack up against each other and against the entry-level LG KS360? Find out after the jump...
The Nokia 5730 XpressMusic will be the next music phone to appear from Nokia. In fact, you can order it now from Nokia Online for £289 (inc. VAT) SIM free in red and black. In the meantime, while we're waiting for our phone to arrrive, we thought we'd find out how others are reacting to the smartphone.
It doesn’t take a genius to notice that touchscreen smartphones are all the rage. That said, maybe you’ve noticed the growing number of QWERTY slide-slider devices doing the rounds, which are also making something of a come back. Wel, the good guys over at All About Symbian, have compared three such devices, in a Battle Royale of the QWERTY pitching the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic and Nokia E75 against the LG KS360.
Both Nokia devices are significantly more expensive than the LG KS360, however, as you’ve probably guessed, this is all for a good reason. In short, when dealing with mobile devices, you get what you pay for. AAS seem to have some issues with the Nokia 5730, particularly its design and looks. But, as everybody knows, beauty is in the eye of the beholder – especially as we think its a lovely looking device.
Check out our review of the Nokia E75
Design wise, the Nokia devices seem to fare better than the LG phone and rightly so! For instance, the Nokia E75 has a sturdy, metallic finish to it, compared with the plastic of the LG. Adding further fuel to the fire, it seems the LG has really ‘clicky’ keys on its QWERTY keyboard. And no one, whether typing on a phone or sat next to someone typing on a phone, likes annoyingly clicky keys.
Further more, both Nokia devices carry significantly superior camera specs - both have a 3-Megapixel CCD with high quality video capabilities - when compared to the LG’s rather inadequate 2-Megapixel and low-res video recording capabilities.
Check out the full tech spec of Nokia 5730 XpressMusic
Connectivity wise, it’s a one horse race again with the Nokia devices well in front. For example, the Nokia E75 and the Nokia 5730 both feature Quad band GSM, Tri band 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, ensuring you’ll always be able to get online, where ever you might be. Conversely, the LG’s meagre Tri band GSM and Bluetooth connectivity capabilities are pretty substandard, even for a cheaper device.
Now, everybody loves apps. It’s kind of official. So, with that in mind, which device is the best for applications?
Well, in this context, the Nokia 5730 MusicXpress seems the clear winner, as it allows you customise its home screen with MySpace and Facebook apps, as well as a plethora of additional widgets and apps, which you can get from Nokia’s Ovi Store.
Unfortunately, the Nokia E75 is more “business” and therefore not quite as “fun” as its funky music loving sibling, the 5730. However, it still outperforms the LG KS360, which only seems to offer a Yahoo! shortcut and a Stopwatch, which, as we’re sure you’ll agree, doesn’t bode particularly well.
On the whole, we don’t want to be too harsh to the poor little LG device, as it is a cheaper device and therefore at a disadvantage from the get-go. Nevertheless, if there is one thing to take away from the AAS tour de QWERTY, it’s probably this: You always get what you pay for, so in this instance, its got to be the Nokia!
Check out the piece for a full run-down and more side-by-side images, over at All About Symbian