Nokia N97 mini review: Less is more

12 November 2009
The Nokia army of touchscreen smartphones gets larger by the hour and the Nokia N97 mini is surely one of the most interesting new recruits. The Finnish company has obviously reconsidered its priories and now focuses on optimization, rather than expansion with its flagships...

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  • g
  • gagan
  • utp
  • 16 Dec 2009

the loud speaker test gsm arena performs on phones is not proper because phones with mono speaker are performing better than phone than phone with stereo speakers in real life samsung star has very tiny sound but it performs in their test excelently how!! gsm needs to cheak its equipment

    • o
    • oj
    • iAZ
    • 14 Dec 2009

    Just got the phone. It's probably the worst phone i've ever had. Nothing seems to work and everything is so goddam complicated. Battery cover doesn't stay on. The phone gives various error messages such as "memory full, close applications" although there are no applications open. And the OVI service, oh my god, don't get me started. It's basically like the early wap-services in the beginning of this millenium.

    REALLY DISAPPOINTIG! Nokia is doomed, unfortunately.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • uHQ
      • 12 Dec 2009

      The color is a bit dissappointing! Apart from that , everything is good!

      If use 600mhz CPU, then the perfirmance is much better and stable !

        • C
        • Cedric
        • vju
        • 11 Dec 2009

        Actually I have returned and exchanged this phone twice in a span of a week. First time after using for 2 days, the receiver is not working. i cannot hear anything from the other party in conversation. Second time after using for 3 days, the phone cannot be started. It juz froze on the "Nokia" screen. Clearly there's bugs on this model when it first started out.
        Fortunately, the current phone has no issues and working well. There's plenty of customization features and it's a joy to use the phone as time goes by... Even with the intial hiccups, i have no regrets getting this phone. =p

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • ibX
          • 01 Dec 2009

          Anonymous, 14 Nov 2009@Complainers It has newer software. Anyway N900 is way b... moreHow do you know that the N900 is better? Tell me about it & I am eager to know.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • ibX
            • 01 Dec 2009

            Connie, 14 Nov 2009The N97 mini seems like a good phone. It has most of the fe... moreConnie, how I wish if most of the people who have posted here could write simple, mistake free (ocassionaly spelling mistake acceptable due to typing error but grammer mistake is a big NO NO!) & comprehensible message like you.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • ibX
              • 01 Dec 2009

              Anonymous, 15 Nov 2009Guys, if anyone from the reviewers can contact the Nokia's ... moreThere is already a physical qwerty onboard the Mini. You still need another touchscreen qwerty board!!!!!!!!
              I wonder if you have bought a wrong phone for your purpose.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • ibX
                • 01 Dec 2009

                ham, 15 Nov 2009hi there. I need some advice from the person who has this ... moreMy advice ot you is: BUY! BUY! BUY!
                Having said that & for some unknown reasons if you are not happy with it then my advice to you is: SELL! SELL! SELL! or TRADEIN! TRADEIN! TRADEIN!.
                Does my advice make sense to you???

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • ibX
                  • 01 Dec 2009

                  Tom Rees, 20 Nov 2009I've had this phone for 2 weeks now, and I love it. The int... moreTotally agree with you. Nothing touches the iphone when it comes to speed & responsiveness of the UI.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • ibX
                    • 01 Dec 2009

                    phone mania, 16 Nov 2009competition has 12mpx cameras and they all left at 5mp.reas... moreBe patient my friend. My crystal ball predicts that sometime next year a Nokia 12mp camera-centric phone will be out. Nokia was the last to come out with a 8mp after Samsung & SonyE. They are not too keen on mp race but competition will force them to somehow. Start saving my friend! Btw, tell me honestly how often do you use the camera on your phone? Personally, I could literally count with my fingers.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • ibX
                      • 01 Dec 2009

                      ObiJuan, 29 Nov 2009I Had the N97 for my Birthday and it was buggy. After thre... moreYou are right in saying that the Mini is much better than the 97. It has to be after all the 97 was launched first & the Mini is an improved version & in a smaller package. Thank you for sharing your experience with us & enjoy your phone for now!!!!!

                        • O
                        • ObiJuan
                        • t7C
                        • 29 Nov 2009

                        I Had the N97 for my Birthday and it was buggy. After three weeks the mini came out so I traded it in.

                        So far, the mini is far better to use for me despite lacking some of the features like FM transmitter and having only 8GB vs 32GB.

                        It's more compact, build quality is more refined. Also, with the updated firmware, finally COPY & PASTE is universal via the SHIFT key. I like the keypad arrangement much better.

                        The one that I got was the Jasper color and it looks so elegant.

                        Looking forward to some years of enjoyable use with this device.

                        Cheers!

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • wHT
                          • 26 Nov 2009

                          phone mania, 16 Nov 2009competition has 12mpx cameras and they all left at 5mp.reas... moreA Nokia 12mp camera phone will be out sometime next year. Save your $ now. By the time Nokia comes out with a 12mp, god knows what other manufacturers'will be offering by then. Are you one of those mp chasers?
                          Manufacturers love people like you coz you spend!!!!!

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • wHT
                            • 26 Nov 2009

                            Anonymous, 19 Nov 2009Why can`t Nokia make a "all-black" N97 mini phone? Do they ... moreIf you notice Nokia's policy. there will launched a "Black" version at the later stage of the N97's life span.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • wHT
                              • 26 Nov 2009

                              Frustrated, 23 Nov 2009I would like to knwo how Nokia can justify knowingly bringi... moreSmart phones are not actually that "smart" so to speak.
                              I agree with you that Nokia should not have launched a buggy N97. Also on that count, Nika is not the only culprit here. Other manufacturers are the same as well. You want a hassle free phone get a "stupid" aka "no frills" phone like the nokia 3 & 3 series.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • wHT
                                • 26 Nov 2009

                                captain, 25 Nov 2009i am a mobile phones freek and i have tried all the mobiles... moreOh I see!!! You must be the first person in this world to own the N900.
                                I did not know that is even out already.
                                Good for you.

                                  • c
                                  • captain
                                  • n{P
                                  • 25 Nov 2009

                                  i am a mobile phones freek and i have tried all the mobiles in the market, you wont believe me if i told you that i bought the Nokia N900 and returned it back after 2 days and replaced that big chunky crap by Nokia N97 mini, it is soo thin and sleek and amazing to use, yes believe it or not it is better than the N900, and it has everything you need and more...

                                    • F
                                    • Frustrated
                                    • Mfx
                                    • 23 Nov 2009

                                    I would like to knwo how Nokia can justify knowingly bringing out a flawed first design in the original N97 and then some few months later bringing out a new one. Where does this leave us consumers who are tied into an 18month contract?
                                    Well done Nokia well done (sarcastically)

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • n7f
                                      • 22 Nov 2009

                                      I had this phone yesterday in my hands, it's the same size with n5800xm, a bit thinner, better cower materials built, battery pack is to small, but i think i would not give my nokia5800xm for this one, and it's to expensive €549.00, huh you could bay a medium flat TV set and mini lap-top with that cash for sure.

                                        • n
                                        • nokia rules
                                        • eex
                                        • 22 Nov 2009

                                        People, this review is incredible, thank you. Great goals take a lot of time, nokia is a number one in cell phones,i've had it all my life, it may have fallen a little bit behind (still being the best, especially if one loves freedom and versatility), but now it's pulling itself together. Competition beware.