Nokia E7 in review

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By Stephen Ebert on December 28,

2011 at 00:00,

When it launched, the Nokia E7 was one of the most exciting Nokia phones around. It combined the looks of the Nokia N8 with the added functionality of a QWERTY slider keyboard. A serving of impressive specs contributed to one of Nokia’s best ever phones. Find out more in our Nokia E7 in review roundup.

Even well ahead of its Nokia World 2010 reveal, the E7 was the subject of much rumour and speculation. In September we had the full specs. Key features of the Nokia E7 include a 4-inch AMOLED screen, 16GB of memory, an 8-Megapixel camera, 720p HD video shooting and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. Specs-wise, the Nokia E7 was, and still is, an impressive handset.

Nokia E7: The Key Specs! 

We later got hands-on with the Nokia E7. It might be big, but it still feels comfortable in the hand, much like the Nokia N8, as you can see in our Nokia E7 hands-on preview. And when the Nokia E7 finally arrived on our desk, we couldn’t wait to give it a full test run.

There were no surprises when it scored highly in our unboxing review, going on to perform even better than we’d hoped.   ClearBlack technology made its display one of the best around. We also discovered subtle differences between the Nokia E7 and the N8, like different camera controls and more attention to detail.

 Nokia E7 Unboxing Review

We also came away highly impressed by the camera, giving it a score of four stars out of five. Its 8-Megapixel camera takes some cracking photos thanks to features that include auto exposure, face detection, full focus, red-eye reduction and more. As for the hardware itself, it was difficult not to be struck by how well the Nokia E7 was built, as the aluminium unibody design is solid, yet pleasing on the eye.

Nokia E7 Quick Camera Review

Tapered edges give it that premium look that makes the Nokia E7 so desirable. We also found the keyboard was built with lots of care and attention. In our hardware review we were very pleased overall.

HD video shooting, Wi-Fi, an 8-megapixel camera and free Ovi Maps navigation made the Nokia E7 a hit in our eyes. For a roundup of all our Nokia E7 reviews taking in the keyboard, camera, software and the hardware itself, hit the link below.

Nokia E7 Review Roundup  

Once we got to grips a little more with the Nokia E7 we compiled a number of user guides showing new users how to get the most from their new phone. From changing and setting the alarm to customising the Nokia E7 using themes, you can find out how to do it all in our Nokia E7 Ultimate User Guide. And to help you get even more out of your Nokia E7 we drew up a list of the top ten free Nokia E7 apps.

In October talk turned towards Nokia’s new Symbian Belle operating system arriving on the Nokia E7. Symbian Belle will transform the Nokia E7, bringing it up to par with some of the latest smartphones, introducing new features such as resizable widgets, more home screens, better multitasking and a pull-down notifications bar. So, soon the great Nokia E7 will be getting even better.

Nokia E7 And Symbian Belle: What Can We Expect?

Do you own a Nokia E7? Why not let us know what you think of it in the Comments below. Or in the meantime check out some of the top Nokia E7 apps you can install on your handset below.

Spider-Man: Total Mayhem
Take on the role of the web-slinging superhero in this battle to save New York from a breakout of super villains.

ESPNsoccernet
Use ESPNsoccernet to keep up to date with all the latest football scores. The app features detailed fixture lists, tables and team tracking.

Nokia Internet Radio
Enjoy access to thousands of radio shows transmitted over the Internet for an even bigger selection of music to listen to, no matter what your musical tastes.

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Allancain

i think the e7 is old and slow the cpu on it is slow from day one its only just faster than my old 9500 and u cant put a micro sd card in it 16 gb to small i need 64 gb it not that good
Anonymous

As with Allancaine, I too am not overly impressed with the E7, BUT I think we have both been a little “spoiled” in that we have both used the 9500 Communicator. Personnaly I don’t like touch screen phones anyway (You can’t accidentally touch the hang up “button” with buttons: you have to physically push it!), but I did want a positive touch and decent sized QWERTY keyboard. There were only two devices available, the E7 keyboard felt far superior to the other device, although it has to be said, it is not as comfortable to use as the 9500. But I can live with this…
What really don’t like is (again with Allancaine), is the lack of an external memory card socket, and most importantly for me (a “pop” at ALL devices), the car kit connection. With the 9500 I just popped it into a cradle, which not only muted the radio on calls, but also charged the device. Because the connecting is hard wired, the sound quality is very good. Not so with the awful bluetooth connection we now HAVE to adopt, and of course, if we want to charge the device “in car”, we have to hook up to the ciggy lighter socket as well! Untidy and another “action” to be completed before you can start driving!
A massive backwards step, and I can’t wait for nokia to bring out a device that all I will have to do is change the cradle on my CARK 91 kit.
Can’t do it on the E7 because of how the connection are- massive design error here at Nokia, so I’m left to transfer my sim from the E7 to the 9500 when I’m driving. That said the E7 is better for carting around, fiiting neatly in the pocket, and the weight is just heavy enough to know you’ve got it and not left it somewhere.

Of course, if I hadn’t had the 9500, I probably wouldn’t have been so hard (what you don’t have, you don’t miss), but just becasue technology is moving forward (touch screen and the car kits especially), does not mean that a device is better for using it.

So Nokia, for the future, three requests: 1. A decent sized qwerty “positive touch” Keyboard (The E7 has this). 2. Can I have “old style” buttons on the front, rather than a touch screen? 3. Would you please design a device and cradle that I can use with my “old” (but better than anything else currently available on the market) car kit?
Badbhai

The only reason i still use the E7 is for whatsapp. Nokia made a mistake not supporting the N9, it’s far better than any symbian device i’ve used.
Bt

Hi there – just to say that I’ve had the E7 since July 2011 and it just gets better. Running Anna is a great improvement, Nokia Belle will be even better. I love the build quality and features such as 4 inch gorilla glass screen and slide out QWERTY keyboard. Sat Nav is terrific and easy to use with screen up. Lovely music/video/photo viewer. Office is great but with Belle will get the real version from Microsoft! However annodised aluminium case is as slippery as a fish so get a flip case straight away. Absolutely the best phone I have ever had!
Bt

E7 is superb! Jumps over old 9500 also has 8mp HD video camera for bonus. Get a life!
Alexyfoot

Guys, I am thinking of buying this following my E63. Would be glad if anyone can answer the following questions:
How is Opera on Symbian Belle? Running OK with touchscreen?
Does the software crash? My E63 does sometimes when I overload it restarts with no notice.
Are the hinges durable?
Does the screen resists stain, scratches, etc, well?
Is the web browser up to standard as that’s the thing I use the most on my mobiles?
Is the chassis reliable when dropped (I’ve dropped my E63 dozens of times and not a hint of breakdown)?

Would be glad if some user can answer as I am thinking of buying it.
sonofpsion

Opera works really well with touchscreen and/or keyboard. I often have 6 or seven tabs open with no issues.
Software doesn’t crash but sometimes there are issues – I find some widgets are a bit iffy at updating, but I don’t use them much anyway because they eat battery.
The hinges seem fine – in fact all build quality is ace.
Screen is gorilla glass. I have dropped the phone a couple of time and it is ok, but I do have it in a Nokia case, as it is v slippy otherwise.
One app I recommend getting is BizCalendar, which is great. The built in calendar is pretty poor, as is the built in browser. But Opera is fine so no problems.
I recommend the E7 especially if you need to write on the go – it’s almost a mini laptop as it’s so easy to write with the superb keyboard – backlit even!
sonofpsion

Opera works really well with touchscreen and/or keyboard. I often have 6 or seven tabs open with no issues.
Software doesn’t crash but sometimes there are issues – I find some widgets are a bit iffy at updating, but I don’t use them much anyway because they eat battery.
The hinges seem fine – in fact all build quality is ace.
Screen is gorilla glass. I have dropped the phone a couple of time and it is ok, but I do have it in a Nokia case, as it is v slippy otherwise.
One app I recommend getting is BizCalendar, which is great. The built in calendar is pretty poor, as is the built in browser. But Opera is fine so no problems.
I recommend the E7 especially if you need to write on the go – it’s almost a mini laptop as it’s so easy to write with the superb keyboard – backlit even!