Nokia N97 Cell Phone First Impressions Review - Tour & Design

Front Closed
The front of the N97 is dominated by the 3.5" touchscreen. Above it is the earpiece speaker, along with the front-facing camera, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor. Below the screen are touch-sensitive backlit Send and End buttons and a physical menu button.

Front Open
The N97's keyboard slides out to the left. It is a full QWERTY keyboard with a D-pad to the left.

Left
At the top and bottom of the left side, there are stereo speakers. In between these are the micro USB port and a hold switch to prevent inadvertent input when desired.

Top
The power button and 3.5mm headphone/TV out jack is on the top.

Bottom
On the bottom is a lanyard loop hole.

Right
On the right side are the camera and volume up and down buttons.

Back
The camera lens and dual-LED flash, protected by a sliding plastic cover, are on the back. There is no kickstand to prop the N97 for video watching, as there is on the N86, since the screen tilts up for easy viewing when the keyboard is revealed.

Handling
The N97 is a a fairly long device but is narrow enough to feel comfortable in the hand. We'd rather a different surface than the glossy plastic that makes it a bit slippery. When the keyboard is released, it's well-balanced and easy to hold on to while typing.

Portability
At 4.61" long, 2.18" wide, and .63" and weighing 5.29 ounces, the N97 isn't dainty, but it will still fit into a deep pocket easily enough, as well as any but the smallest evening purse.

Aesthetics
There aren't many ways to package a QWERTY slider to make it stunning. The N97's glossy surfaces and minimalist approach to buttons certainly make it look modern, but it's not such a looker as to draw the eye in a spectacular fashion.

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