Nokia N8 review: Director of photography

12 October 2010
We’ve come to take Nokia for granted in the low end or the business class but it seems it has lost the knack for killer phones, run out of royal blood. It’s up to the Nseries to fix it all up. The Nokia N8 may just turn out to be the right cure. With that kind of hardware. Update, 08.02.2012: Symbian Belle update hands-on...

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  • n8 lover
  • TKk
  • 14 Oct 2010

Alui, 13 Oct 2010"every os has its compromises and unless you can make ... moreif ur so.good program ur own os.lets see how.good it is.

    • d
    • deep space bar
    • NMv
    • 14 Oct 2010

    [deleted post]how about
    for iphone
    i don't have good build quality XD a spec of dirt can cause huge scratches WTF is that about

    or i don't have proper dedicated GPS software

    remember GOOGLE MAPS is not apple's it's
    GOOGLE's

      • E
      • Engineer Man
      • n5Q
      • 14 Oct 2010

      One comment about the 720P video playback. I'm not sure that the Nokia N8 can playback anything over 640x360 on the screen itself. Maybe the Nokia N8 GPU & S^3 can playback the full 1280x720P of Video movies or camera videos & images over HDMI model only to the HDTV.

      So you are likeley to make sure the formats aren't likeley to exceed 640x360 pixels? I hope it can playback a relativly high video bitrate. I bet HD movies look good enough at the screens size & pixel count anyway as gsmarena well pointed out. The good contrast of the AMOLED screen showed pretty good detail...

        • E
        • Engineer Man
        • n5Q
        • 14 Oct 2010

        I just would like to say a few things before I get started. I don't want to be criticized for pointing out issues. I have read the full review & I wish for my comments to remain UNBIASED & neautral. I am very happy with gsmarenas overall review & I am also very happy with the N8's performance of hardware & software overall & the many improvements. So please consider this before reading further. Also some of my points may be moot points but they can be analysed, refuted or agreed upon. I am not trying to pull down Nokias massive efforts here. This is for all our benefit for future updates.

        Thanks & read on my mini re-analysis of things which I have clear regard for concern as do gsmarena for improvements.

        I'm quite unsure why in HDMI mode, - it can't send images larger than 1MP. Also the poor fact that zoom mode canot be used for images in HDMI mode either. But then I've never really realized a need for this as I transfer the iamges across to USB stick & view the phone images from that across to my HDTV & used the poor limited steps of the t.v. zoom mode.

        I think the issues Nokia now need to focus on are the Web Browser UI. Here focus on tabbed browsing for new pages. Next, Pinch to Zoom needs to be faster, smoother. Also what about resizing & fit to page, this could do with working on. The Web Browser could also integrate some difficult to get to quickly menu buttons, to look a bit more modern. The camera mode UI could look more modern, the Video mode UI could look more modern. Also for some reason you can't playback 720P quality files over 2something gig. So what type of quality are we looking at here.

        Also I think Nokia need to update the QWERTY Virtual Keyboard to something better than opening in new window. Like Android type keyboard also with swipe. Also the Image viewer, Pinch to Zoom, swipe in image viwer working in landscape & Portrait.

        If I am to summarize all the S^3 elements that need to be worked on to cheer everyone up. Then maybe Nokia will look on here & think about working on these one day soon..

        Summary of fixes for Nokia

        Virtual QWERTY Keyboard (open in new window + swipe lol)
        Old S^1 style UI for camera, video mode, modern menu ui less tap to select
        HDMI display higher than 1MP, allow Zoom control, maybe (if possible)
        Web Browser Auto resizing
        Web Browser improve Pinch to Zoom
        Web Browser integrate options from menu to toolbar such as New tabs (New Page)
        Image Viewer improve Pinch to Zoom. Make sure swipe to view in landscape & Portrait is there.
        Fix quality of the type, size & resolution allows video playback upto 720P & limitations of the 2Gb something file size restrictions lifted.
        Possibly allow USB OTG to work with other brand phones. (or larger range of branded or universal unbranded flash drives!)

        Well what do you think. Maybe have these submitted to Nokia for investigation for future updates.







          • F
          • Faizan
          • x}p
          • 14 Oct 2010

          @GSM Arena:
          There is NO mention of Nokia N8's Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround anywhere in the N8's review?? I thought GSM Arena was the BEST and fairest reviewer in the world!!
          Please update, and comment on the audio quality of this feature, when you mention the audio quality of the device. I know there was too much to comment on the whole device: It is loaded with quite a lot.

          And can you be clearer with the 1MP thing you guys mentioned (HDMI section). It looked important, but didn't tell us much.

          Also, update the 25fps story here as well. If there is an option to upgrade, please let people know.

          And the comment about the physical design is a bit too harsh. I ABSOLUTELY love the design over the iPhone 4 (by MILES). You also forgot to mention the video stabilization feature.

          But overall, I think that this was the best and most extensive review I've ever read!! I've been waiting for this particular page for more than 6 months, and it WAS worth it. Thanks.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • fuK
            • 14 Oct 2010

            Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010except camera, n8 use same processor as n97 and half of iph... moreFunny that. I went on the iphone page, and its review, which was published on 1 July, has 206 comments. So I do not know what page you saw "N8 fanboys" bashing the iphone.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • qVw
              • 14 Oct 2010

              Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010haha liar!! 5800 can be sold only for 100dollars at most no... moreAnd many, many, many more problems and issues than I ever had with the 5800.

              Thats why I said earlier that Samsungs are all foam and no beer and they write checks that the products can't cash in the real world.

              Overhyped pieces of plastic in my opinion.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • qVw
                • 14 Oct 2010

                Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010haha liar!! 5800 can be sold only for 100dollars at most no... moreI used "trade up" as a figure of speech and as a term.

                When you change something, you can call it trading up. Doesn't mean that you literally traded something for something.

                I had an unlocked no contract 5800.

                Then I signed a contact and got a Vibrant.

                I didn't actually trade phones for money. I traded in a phone and used another.

                Understand?

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • q9P
                  • 14 Oct 2010

                  Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010I had a 5800 as well and I NEVER had a msg delivery report ... morehaha liar!! 5800 can be sold only for 100dollars at most now. u trade in to get galaxy s at least bring capacitive screen and really good android web browser

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • q9P
                    • 14 Oct 2010

                    Camry, 14 Oct 2010LOL. Sometimes you fanboys make the stupidest comments.. Wh... morei still own iph 2g without single scratch on screen without screen cover. it is aluminosilicate mate!!

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • qVw
                      • 14 Oct 2010

                      Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1kSNMFe-Rc the... moreI had a 5800 as well and I NEVER had a msg delivery report problems.

                      I was stupid though and traded up for a Samsung Vibrant Galaxy Phone and had far worse problems then msging delivering reports.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • q9P
                        • 14 Oct 2010

                        Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010Big deal...lol A Messaging Delivery Report Problem Youtu... moreiph 4 signal issue never make my call drop. signal attenuation happened since my first mobile 7 yr ago

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • q9P
                          • 14 Oct 2010

                          Camry, 14 Oct 2010LOL. Sometimes you fanboys make the stupidest comments.. Wh... moreexcept camera, n8 use same processor as n97 and half of iph4and latest android ph ram from tear down of n8. n8 is a piece of crap and i am done with n8 fanboys coming to iph4 page bashing apple

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • qVw
                            • 14 Oct 2010

                            [deleted post]Big deal...lol

                            A Messaging Delivery Report Problem Youtube Vid is all you can come up with LOL

                            I wonder if it still delivers phone calls though.

                            Yep! And you don't need an app for that.....or a case LOL

                            What phone have you ever used or heard of where EVERY single thing worked perfectly and there were no hiccups.

                            Please don't say the iPhone.....LMAO

                            And if you say Samsung Galaxy, I'll double LMAO casuse I owned a Vibrant so I know better

                              • C
                              • Camry
                              • KxZ
                              • 14 Oct 2010

                              LOL. Sometimes you fanboys make the stupidest comments.. When the iphone's hardware is less you blabber about how great the os is compared to symbian. Then if the os is better in one way you blabber back on the retina display and stuff.

                              Whats the point? I just dont get you guys. People have their own preferences and that doesnt mean you need to condemn about it.

                              Some prefer fluidity of os, some just want the hardware function. Heck, my 5800xm + PSP does anything i need nicely without needing to worry about getting it scratched or damaged, both can take a beating. Or if im going for a function, I'd just bring along my 3gs. (no i dont have a ip4 yet).

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • q9P
                                • 14 Oct 2010

                                Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010which problems exactly?watch this
                                http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1kSNMFe-Rc
                                the problem started since 2009

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • fuK
                                  • 14 Oct 2010

                                  Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010n8 retains same prob as 5800 that i used to havwhich problems exactly?

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • j%w
                                    • 14 Oct 2010

                                    n8 retains same prob as 5800 that i used to hav

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • qE{
                                      • 14 Oct 2010

                                      [deleted post]well android got avatar now sorry

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • qVw
                                        • 14 Oct 2010

                                        Anonymous, 14 Oct 2010sure?? iphone use its own software and verizon iphone 4 is ... moreApple is a brand and that is a bit different. Apple is powerful enough to do that to this point, but they are the lone exception.

                                        And lets wait until the Verizon iPhone appears if it actually does and we'll see if there's no changes on the Verizon Version.

                                        Cause Big Red loves it's crapware and it's own branding fingerprint, and most of all Apple needs Verizon more than Verizon needs Apple so we'll just see how that turns out.