I’ve been putting this phone review off for a bit just cause I wanted to get some time in using it. I’ve traveled a bit now since getting it so I was able to use it in a few countries and feel that this review can be put out.
Right off the bat you have to love just the look of the phone. The QWERTY keyboard is under a good size screen all encased in solid steal. This phone says “High end” right when you look at it and once you get it into your hand you feel something that I had never felt with a cell phone……..build quality!!! This thing is the meeting the design team had when they were planning the E71.
“Ok guys now this is what I want you to do. I want you to build me an M1 Abrams…………….but it has to make phone calls get email and fit into your pocket and oh yeah it can’t kill people”
This phone can be dropped or tossed and other than scratching up the nice steal accents you’re probably gonna pick up a working phone most every time (I know a guy who’s wife threw it at him, missed and hit a concrete wall and it still works).
Now I’m a BlackBerry type phone guy. Not much for the sliders or flips. I like to be able to pull a phone out and have the keyboard right there. The keys are a bit close to each other so fat fingering can be an issues if you have……well, fat fingers. The display is bright and easy to read.
The Symbian OS could use some work. I do like it, but it would seem that some things could be a bit more intuitive. As complicated as phones are getting reading the instructions is always a must, but things should be easy, like getting to your stored music.
The calls I made were always clear and I could always get a strong signal in most places. In fact the only exception to that is in Iraq. The AsiaCell carrier that is out here just sucks depending on where you’re located. The T-Mobile,……….. all worked without issue.
Also this phone is able to perform internet calls so while in the Kuwaiti airport I gave it a try. Skype has to be downloaded and installed on the E71, but the Kuwaiti airport has a smoking quick 10 Meg WIFI connection that’s free (one of the only good things about that god awful airport).
After a quick install I made a few calls and the only issue I notice was that using Skype on the E71 was that it sapped a lot of power. Internet also was easy enough, but the small screen makes surfing a bit annoying. The entire page will not show all at once. You have to not only scroll from top to bottom, but also left to right. No biggie for me though, I’m glad that if I NEED to use it I can.
All and all I love this phone. Looks pretty awesome when you pull it out of a breast pocket of a nice black suit.
Anthony Otomo is an IT contractor living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle (traveling wherever the money takes him). He is currently working in Iraq and plans to put down roots in Jakarta, Indonesia in the near future. He is happily divorced with a daughter.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Great phone, I love Nokia stuff cuz you can toss it out of a window and it will still work
But I still like the N90 more
http://www.expatrockstar.com/nokia-n90/
I’ve used just about every brand of phone out there and Nokia is the best of the lot. This phone is about 17,000 baht here in Thailand if I remember correctly. It’s almost time to upgrade and right now I’m torn between the Nokia 71, Nokia 86 (I think this is the one), the Nokia 95, or one of the Samsung models (I think it’s the i900). Nothing worse than getting a phone and having it turn out to be a piece of junk you wish you’d never bought.