The Nokia E6 is the first smartphone to ship with the Symbian Anna update. It’ll soon be rolled out across the Nokia Symbian^3 portfolio and along with greater stability, a new web browser and improved Homescreen there are a number of key changes. Find out more with our Nokia E6 software review.
The Nokia E6 comes with a 2.46-inch touchscreen display that has a super-sharp resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. Like the Nokia E72 before it, the screen is a compact display sitting above the QWERTY keyboard, this means Nokia has had to tweak the display to better suit the layout of the device.
Check out the Nokia E6 homescreen hands-on
To this end, you’ll find the layout of the Nokia E6 comes with slightly larger virtual software keys on the base of the screen and a more rigid looking layout – the clock is present on all four homescreens, for example, something you won’t find on larger device, such as the Nokia X7 and Nokia N8.
Getting around the screens is quick and nimble and as part of the Symbian Anna update you’ll find you can now preview the upcoming Homescreen, which is a nice feature. The speed of switching between screens is impressive. You’ll find four homescreens, with each one having space for three widgets, or up to 12 app shortcuts per page.
Icons look sharp and getting about the screen is easy. Being a business phone you’ll find that Messenger loads quickly and while the message pane is small compared to that on large Nokia smartphones you’ll find all the same functions and tools on show.
Nokia E6 and Web browser 7.3
Perhaps the big news for business users is the arrival of Web 7.3 as part of the Symbian Anna update. We’ve found this a great deal easier to use and certainly feels quicker when loading. The browser has pinch functions, so you can zoom in and out and we found this worked well.
The look and feel has been improved, with the Address and Search bar now at the top of the page, while in the bottom corners you’ll find a Back button (left-hand corner) and Function key in the bottom right. The result is that you’ll find a reasonably large viewing area for web pages and is certainly a step in the right direction for anyone web browsing.
Nokia E6 and Calendar
Calendar also sees something of an update with Symbian Anna, with the main improvements being a tweaked layout that is easy to access. Month view, for example, now offers a list view as well as a grid layout, while a new Day view has been added and is easy to scroll either by touch or using the keyboard.
The Nokia E6 adds a whole host of new features and comes across as a highly self-contained device. There are little hints everywhere of the updated OS, Ovi Store is simply referred to as Store for example, while Ovi Maps is Maps. Once you open the apps themselves they still have the Ovi branding but that will change in the coming months.
Other features of Symbian Anna, such as the Portrait virtual keyboard and the split screen messaging don’t really have a place on a device like the Nokia E6, due to the addition of a QWERTY keyboard.
Bundled software on Nokia E6
When it comes to apps included you’ll find a whole host on offer, from Communicator and F-Secure for business users, to apps such as World Traveller, Notifications and JoikuSpot. The Office tools offer up a great selection, with everything from QuickOffice and Adobe Reader pre-installed, to Zip, Intranet and even a Dictionary. It’s worth noting all these apps are a mix of trial versions and full editions.
The Nokia E6 is a great all-round device that comes with everything the business user, and increasingly the social networker, needs in a compact and quick smartphone.
Check out our Nokia E6 software review photo gallery:
