Nokia N92 Preview

Nokia N92 Preview

Introduction

With an integrated DVB-H receiver (a mobile TV broadcast technology), 802.11g Wi-fi, a 2.8 inch 240 x 320 pixel 16 million colour screen, FM Visual Radio, 2 megapixel camera and 3G connectivity, the N92 is a true top range multimedia smartphone. Nokia are using the N92 to showcase DVB-H technology, which is truly impressive, but the device has plenty to offer besides mobile TV.

Design

The N92 is a chunky handset and given what is packed inside it is not surprising that it tips the scale at a relatively heavy 191g, but size-wise at 107 x 58 x 25 mm it is not a total pocket buster.

The N92 offers a new design form factor – a flip and fold – with a total of four usage modes. In closed mode there is a small secondary screen that displays a limited amount of information (time, message, battery and signal notifications). In flip-open mode the phone operates as a traditional flip phone and it fits snugly in the hand.

In capture mode, the screen is twisted around 90 degrees so that is at right angles to the keypad. The camera is located in the barrel of the hinge with a button on one end acting as the capture key. This mode has already been very popular in the 6260 and the N90 so it was good to see it included here. It makes taking pictures a much more intuitive process. Unfortunately, unlike the N90, there are no softkeys or direction pad on the screen of the phone. Consequently, it's actually quite difficult to change settings or access the menus in this mode because it's more difficult to associate the keys with the labels on the screen and the ergonomics are such that two hands are a necessity. On the plus side, the capture button is ideally located for one handed use so it should be a bit easier to take those time-critical snapshots.

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