Nokia N73 review: Pole position

Calls and phonebook

Nokia N73 supports all four GSM bands - 900, 1800, 850, and 1900 MHz. In addition, it supports 3rd generation networks, which - together with the second camera located above the display - facilitate video calls, including instant data. Connection to UMTS is user-configurable from the menu - a useful option in case that energy should be saved.

The quality of Nokia N73's sound is rather standard, noise levels are insignificant. Unfortunately, its volume capacity is a bit limited; I need to stick the handset very close to my ear every time I am executing a call in a busy environment. The same holds true for the handsfree speaker. Incoming calls can be silenced; during calling you can also deactivate the microphone or start to record the call. To my and overall disgrace, however, Nokia continues to ignore customers' advice as to the length of its voice records (used for call records) - it is once again limited to a mere one minute.

Received, missed and dialed calls are stored in separate folders of the Log application. Each call record includes date and time. Calls executed to or from one and the same numbers only appear once accompanied by the date and the time of the last try.

Straight from the Log you can make calls, write SMS to a particular number, and save this number into the phonebook. In addition, the Log is able to record the duration of the calls made and data transferred. This last function, however, cannot be run by a mere press on the green key in stand-by mode, but has to be activated from the main menu. The main menu also provides access to a detailed log, which holds information about all processes taken place in the phone, that is, individual and repeated calls, and data transfers. The Log can be filtered both by connection type and selected number.

The phonebook has seen no changes as to former models. All contacts use shared memory, so the phonebook can virtually contain an infinite number of both contacts and phone numbers. Along with first and last name (organized in separated fields), each contact can also be assigned a pile of other fields: company, position, nickname, additional fields, mobile numbers, land-line numbers, video call numbers, Internet numbers, fax numbers, pagers, Push-to-talk addresses, emails, Websites, notes, street addresses, birth date. Each contact can contain an unlimited amount of phone numbers (50 for example).

Phonebook • searching by gradual typing • contact details

Access to the phonebook is user-configurable. As usual, its icon is located on the first position in the active stand-by display, but it could also be assigned to a context key or to the multimedia key. Once you enter the phonebook, just type the initial of the searched contact - the phone will do the rest on its own.

All contacts from the phonebook can be voice dialed. Nokia N73 recognizes any voice, which automatically excludes prior teaching. It works smoothly. When you press the respective key and pronounce the name of the person you want to call, the phone visualizes its image, reads its name with an artificial voice and dials the default number assigned to it. Individual numbers in the phonebook can be represented by a shortcut key.

 
Countless fields to attach to each contact name • a contact accompanied by an image

Sound

Each name from the phonebook can be accompanied by a custom ringtone and an image, which appears once in the phonebook and once as a tiny icon when call is executed. Contacts can also be organized into groups, which help filtering calls in ringing profiles. Each group can be assigned a separate ringtone (but not image).

Selecting a profile • modifying the selected profile

Nokia N73 has 5 standard profiles plus an additional one for work in offline mode. If you need more profiles, there is no problem to configure them on your own. Within each profile you can set up a special ringtone for calls, for video calls, for messages, and for email. Volume level, vibration, keypad sounds and filtering are defined here as well. When filtering is active, only calls from members of selected groups are alerted of by ringtones. Inside the Profiles application you will find a new function: when a call is coming in, after the first ringing and to your will, Nokia N73 can pronounce caller's name with its specific artificial voice. It is a pretty useful function, btw, as it frees you from having to look at the display when you are being called. The only condition here is that the respective caller is included in the phonebook of the phone.

Nokia N73 supports nearly all existing ringtone formats, used by common mobiles, with the basic ones being MIDI and 48-voice melodies (Nokia N70 was able to ring with 64 voices). Besides, Nokia N73 manages MP3, AAC, AMR, Real Audio, RealTones, TrueTones, and WAV. The phone's vibration is not of the most powerful one, but is strong enough to make you feel the device in your pocket; its sound is pleasantly moderate.