Nokia 5800

Editor's Review of the 5800

Also called the XpressMusic phone, the Nokia 5800 is a lightweight handset weighing 105 grams, and with the full measurement of 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 millimetres. It is clad in a black-coloured casing highlighted by the red shade, which makes it stunning and sophisticated. The device is part of Nokia's XpressMusic lineup, which includes the Nokia 5320, the Nokia 5610 and the Nokia 5700.

A highlight of the Nokia 5800 is its 81.28-millimetre touchscreen that functions with the touch of a fingertip or a stylus that comes with the handset package. The wide screen displays 16 million colours on a 640 x 320-pixel resolution and can be viewed either vertically or horizontally. Users will find inputting of messages handy through the mini and full QWERTY keyboard. The phone also has a handwriting recognition feature. Users can give their handset a personal touch by selecting from a range of AAC, MP3, Polyphonic and video ringtones.

Operating on Symbian Version 9.4 operating system and running on S60 software, the Nokia 5800 is a 3G-enabled handset equipped with Smartphone features. With its 3G HSDPA capability, this is a multitasking handset with fast internet access. It comes with the built-in features of GPS navigation and Nokia Maps to assist users on directions to certain applicable areas.

The Nokia 5800 is a quadband handset that works over GSM 1900, GSM 1800, GSM 900 and GSM 850, as well as HSDPA 2100. For instant connectivity to the Internet, the phone is pre-installed with a WAP Browser in HTML and XHTML, complete with RSS feeds. Connecting to the World Wide Web anytime is possible with the support for WiFi technology that allows users to go online wirelessly through a local WLAN or a nearby hot spot. As its connectivity features, there is of course a Bluetooth wireless connection or micro USB to allow users to transfer files and data to or from a computer, a printer or a laptop, as well as other compatible devices. It's also powered by EDGE technology, which trims downloading time with fast downloading rates.

The Nokia 5800 can pass for an efficient assistant with its organiser features such as a phone book, a calendar, a clock and a calculator. Frequent travelers will still be able to use their mobile phone by activating the handset's Flight Mode option. Similarly, making or taking calls is also convenient with the support for push-to-talk technology (where supported by networks), handsfree speaker feature and speed dialing. Additionally, the mobile phone is capable of handling conference calls.

Staying true to its standard functionalities, the mobile phone supports both text and multimedia messaging services complete with the Predictive Text feature. Thanks to the Internet connectivity it offers, users can create, receive, send, store and forward emails with document attachments.

Users who enjoy snapping photos at any time and place will enjoy the Nokia 5800's 3.2-Megapixel camera equipped with Carl Zeiss optics. The camera has a 3x digital zoom and an auto focus feature to precisely take pictures. It also comes with a dual LED flash and a dedicated camera button for ease of use. In addition, the handset can be used as a video recorder at 30 frames per second and on a 4x zoom. It has the ability to take video clips of up to 90 minutes, and allows enhancements and addition of video effects through its video settings. For purposes of 3G calls, there is a second camera on the front of the device.

As a music-focused handset, this little beauty boasts of top-of-the line features including a built-in music player with a display of album graphics. It also supports music selection through categories Album, Artist, Genre and Composer. Anyone can create their own playlist for convenience. For quality listening experience, it comes with a graphic equalizer, a bass booster, stereo widening and integrated stereo speakers. The handset is also characterized by quick access to music, images, video, the Web and a video centre features through a media bar. Users who prefer to listen to their favourite tunes on-air may opt to use the integrated FM radio complete with RDS.

The 5800 does not stop at entertaining its users with music-oriented features. The handset transforms itself into a portable gaming zone with its embedded Java games, and support for other downloaded games from the Internet.

There is 81 Megabytes of internal memory plus an additional 8 Gigabytes through a MicroSD card that can be expanded to 16 Gigabytes of memory. You can use the mobile phone for 8.8 hours in talk time for GSM, and 5 hours for WCDMA. The handset can also last for 35 hours for its music playback. In addition, the Nokia 5800 has a standby time of 406 hours for GSM and 400 hours for WCDMA.

Some users have complained about the Nokia 5800's user interface being less friendly and touchscreen sensitivity being of average functionality. Other observers also find that being a music phone, the handset lacks external music keys and controls. Nevertheless, the usability and entertainment-focused features of the phone make it a must-have for modern users.