Nokia N86 Cell Phone First Impressions Review - Tour & Design
|
Marianne Schultz Published on February 17, 2009 Comment on this |
|
|
|
|
Front Closed
As expected in a slider-style device, the front when closed is dominated by the 2.6" screen. Nokia reps were quick to point out that the screen is scratch-resistant glass. Below the screen are the control buttons, including Send and End keys, 2 soft menu keys, a Menu button, and a clear key. Above the screen is the earpiece speaker, and to its left is the ambient light sensor, and to its left is the front-facing camera for video calls.
The front of the N86 (despite the N85 designation)
Front Open
The N86 slides open in 2 directions. Sliding the screen up reveals the keypad. Sliding downward reveals the media/gaming control buttons.
The front open to reveal the keypad (on the left) and the media/gaming controls (on the right)
Left
The only feature on the left side of the N86 is a sliding lock switch to prevent inadvertent button presses.
The left side of the N86
Top
The top of the N86 features the Micro USB connector, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the on/off button. We're pleased to see the 3.5mm headphone jack: far too many phones are missing that, such as the Sony Ericsson C903.
The top of the N86
Bottom
There is nothing on the bottom of the N86.
The bottom of the N86
Right
The right side of the N86 has the volume up and down buttons as well as the camera shutter button.
The right side of the N86
Back
The camera lens and dual-LED flash are on the back. Like the Nokia N96, the N86 has a kickstand for watching video with the device on a flat surface. The black thing stuck to the back is a security device to stop people stealing the review unit from the MWC show; it won't be present on the final version.
The back of the N86 with the camera lens cover open, and the kickstand extended.
Handling
The N86 is a compact device that feels quite good in the hand. The rear has a matte surface that makes it easy to keep a tight grip. It's well-balanced when open in either direction. You shouldn't have any problems holding on the N86 when making calls, taking pictures, or anything else.
Portability
The N86 is 4.07" long, 2.02" wide and 0.65" deep. It weighs 5.6 ounces, making it heavier than the N96, though it doesn't feel that way, for some reason; it fits nicely in the hand. It should easily fit into a pocket though it may be thick enough to cause an undesirable bulge in tighter pants.
Aesthetics
The N86 was on display in white and black and both were pretty sharp-looking. The control buttons are a little odd and we liked the matte-texture look of the back of the N86. It's not earth-shatteringly stylish, but it's a smart-looking device we wouldn't be afraid to whip out in front of Anna Wintour.
| Previous Next | |||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
