With its excellent design and all of its computing power, the Nokia N97 smartphone has plenty of potential. Sadly, though, its usefulness is drastically hampered by the Symbian operating system it runs.
Design
Nokia's phones aren't always known for their good looks, but the N97 is one of the more attractive Nokia phones. Available in white or black, the N97 largely resembles an iPhone--on the surface, anyway. It features a big (3.5-inch) touch screen and minimal hardware controls.
But--unlike the iPhone--the N97 features a full hardware-based QWERTY keyboard. Its screen slides up--tilting slightly--to reveal the keyboard. When the phone is open, the screen sits at just the right angle, making it easy to see while you type. And the spacious keyboard is top-notch, making typing a pleasure.
The 3.5-inch touch screen is gorgeous, too, with its 640-by-360 resolution. It's a resistive touch screen, though, and it's not always as responsive to taps as you'd expect, though, making it somewhat frustrating to use. And, overall, the N97 looks a bit boxy: it's thicker and bulkier than the sleek iPhone 3GS and not as eye-catching as the Palm Pre.
Making Calls
The N97 is sold unlocked, so you'll need to supply your own SIM card to get voice and data service. The N97 supports GSM networks (850/900/1800/1900) for voice; that means it will work on both AT&T's and T-Mobile's networks in the U.S.
I tested it using a SIM from AT&T. During my test calls, voices were loud and clear on both ends of the phone
Web Browsing
The Nokia N97 includes support for high-speed data access via HSDPA and Wi-Fi networks, a definite bonus for browsing the Web. The spacious 3.5-inch screen is another bonus; it offers plenty of real estate.
The included browser, though, is only fair. It does offer support for Flash Lite 3.0, so you can view videos within the browser--something the iPhone's Safari browser still lacks. But zooming in and out on Web pages feels clunky, as it requires tapping a slider bar. And the overall experience simply isn't as elegant as it is on the iPhone or the Palm Pre.
Software
The N97 is based on the Symbian operating system, and comes with plenty of apps on board. You also get plenty of storage space -- 32GB of internal flash memory, plus an expansion slot for adding more --for adding additional apps.
Nokia preloads the N97 with a ton of software, too. You get the QuickOffice mobile office suite, Adobe PDF, a notepad, a YouTube application, AP News, Bloomberg, Facebook, Hi5 social networking, Qik (a video sharing app) and more. And what you don't find on the phone, you can download from Nokia's recently-launched Ovi Store.
The home page displays up to eight widgets, which are shortcuts to the apps you use most, or even mini apps (like news or RSS feeds). You can add and remove widgets relatively easily, too. The home page also allows you to keep an "always open" window to the sites or services you use most, like Facebook or MySpace.
The functionality of the home page is great, but its overall look feels dated -- just like the Symbian OS does. It lacks the polish of the iPhone OS, and it lacks the wow factor of the Palm Pre's webOS. The Pre's webOS lets you minimize and maximize application windows, for example, and sling them off the screen when you're done using them. With the N97's Symbian OS, you're stuck digging down through folders to find something and then pressing the "back" button (sometimes repeatedly) to find your way.
Messaging
The N97 does not include the updated Nokia Messaging application that I liked on the Nokia E75. But you still get support for IMAP4, POP3, and SMTP e-mail accounts, and the phone can sync with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Notes. You don’t get any instant messaging clients installed on the phone, though, and none of the major IM clients (AOL, Yahoo, Windows Live, or Google Talk) is available in Nokia's Ovi Store as of yet.
Camera
The N97's camera is a 5-megapixel camera with flash that's also capable of capturing video at what Nokia calls "DVD quality." The camera includes a 4X digital zoom, autofocus, geotagging, and more. In my tests, both still photos and videos looked great. Colors were rich and clear, and images were sharp. Video quality degraded noticeably when I used the zoom, though.
Music, GPS, and More
The N97 includes its own music/video player, as well as the RealPlayer app. You can download tunes from Nokia's music store, too.
The N97 also is GPS capable, and Nokia is offering three trial to its service that delivers turn-by-turn driving and walking directions to the phone.
Bottom Line
The Nokia N97 sells for about $600 here in the U.S. That may sound expensive, but it's about what you'd expect to pay for such a powerful phone, especially one that's sold unlocked. If only the Symbian OS were as powerful as the phone itself, I'd say the N97 would be worth the high price. As it stands right now, though, I can't make that claim.
