After pushing back the release of their first Series 90 (S90) media-based platform for almost a year, Nokia finally releases the 7710 – a Symbian OS based smartphone with a high-resolution widescreen user interface that's designed to provide the ultimate mobile multimedia experience.
With the original plan for S90 to make its debut on the 7700 model, which was later scrapped due possibly to bad timing (i.e. time of release) plus the fact that it had a side-talking design (unfavoured and even loathed by many N-Gage users), the release of an alternate handset many more months late allowed Nokia to further improve their UI and physical designs.
While I did get the opportunity to try out a pre-release version of the 7700 back in CeBIT Hannover 2004, which seemed quite innovating at the time, my impression of such a product has since changed after having given the 7710 a good workout. In short, I feel that Nokia still doesn't quite get it when it comes to producing and offering a proper-working product – being an especially important point to consider when it comes to one that has so much to offer its user.
Read on to find out what Nokia could've done to make things that much better…
Physical aspects
The horizontal orientation used for the 7710 was a “first” on two regards – the first PDA-based smartphone ever to come with a dedicated widescreen (rather than a long one) display, and the first product by Nokia to feature a touch-sensitive display panel and UI setup. These are probably achievements that the Finnish manufacturer would be proud to be associated with.
But alike most other “firsts”, one has to keep in mind not to be too critical when it comes to such products – which includes my observations and experiences relating to the 7710.
In general, the overall design of the 7710 on a physical level wasn't too bad at all. When I look at it in terms of a completely new product idea, Nokia seems to have taken most of the design concerns into consideration and provided us with a well-presented handset that can be used for many purposes.
Starting off with the size of the unit, Nokia has already made the 7710 a tad smaller than its supposedly-released predecessor, the 7700. Ultimately, there isn't really a way to make this phone any more smaller (or lighter) – otherwise, it would affect the overall usability of such a device, one that's designed to do far more than offer voice calls and mobile office functionality.
Which brings me to my next thought – its physical setup.
Since the 7710 comes with a UI that primarily requires the use of a stylus for input and selection, it was only logical that no physical keypad was included into its design. But to assist with the use of such an interface, Nokia has added several hard keys on both sides of the large widescreen display.
And the best thing about them is that all of these buttons are very usable – where they provide good tactility and feedback to its user on each and every press. Something important for buttons that ends up getting a lot of attention through every-day use!
Its stylus, resembling those offered on standard-sized PDAs, was another one of those better things about the 7710 when compared with other similar devices. Having a shape and size that resembles close to the typical pen, it makes (most importantly) text input very much easier than those included with some other devices – which can get quite difficult to handle properly at times. And when a user's done with it, they can simply slot it into the bottom right-hand corner – where it “snaps” securely into its very-accessible storage compartment.
For those remaining buttons – including the power (on/off), answer/end, and “voice key” buttons, these lesser-used function keys have been appropriately placed on the sides of the 7710. However, with the exclusion of the power button, I have a concern for how these other three buttons have been set up (which will be explained in more detail in the “problems/issues” section of this review).
And if you didn't know, the 7710 actually comes with removable front and back panels – or Xpress-on Covers. This means that users who want their Nokia to look more funky can actually opt for some optional covers – or even those rather unique-looking after-market ones… ;)
User interface and display
The Nokia touch-screen UI
Another unique design proposition of Nokia's S90 interface, apart from the fact it's their first touchscreen-based, is the higher display resolution being supported. At 640x320 pixels, this makes the 7710 one of the very few mobile phones to support such a high screen resolution – following closely to that of their 9300 and 9500 Communicator products.
But as a product that's aimed towards a more general consumer base, having such a high screen resolution on a display measuring 3.2 by 1.6 inches (or with a 3.5-inch viewable diagonal) means that both text and graphics will look absolutely stunning as compared to the likes of current smartphones or PDA-based devices. This distinction is clearly presented to its user each and every minute that its user is on the 7710 – through the presentation of the S90 UI…
On the first time that the phone gets turned on, the 7710 will go through a step-by-step setup process that allows its user to properly configure it for use. This includes setting the current time and date, MMS and WAP/Internet access settings for the current network (most of these are pre-configured – a simple matter of choosing the country and network), regional settings, as well as other phone-related options.
Once completed, it will enter the 7710's standard operating mode – or the “Desk” display, which is similar to the “Menu” display on a Series 60 based device. By default, “Desk” lists out all of the 7710's applications and functions – including those installed on an inserted MMC memory card.
Some common elements of all Nokia “smart” phone platforms
Alike the different Nokia-based Symbian platforms, including the Series 60 smartphone and Series 80 Communicator offerings, S90 also comes with a common set of menus and dedicated function keys allowing for general functions to be performed – such as those related to navigation.
While the 7710 is designed primarily for use with a stylus, Nokia has made it quite possible for users to navigate in and out of screens, menus and dialogs without any need of poking at the screen for anything. Great for situations when the device is used for viewing multimedia content or browsing the web (or whenever a Bluetooth keyboard accessory can be used as the primary means of text input!)
The common keys available include:
• 5-way navigation – allows the navigation and/or selection of item(s) in a menu, list or dialog; and the scrolling of windows in either an up/down or left/right direction;
• “Menu” key – brings up the context menu for the currently-active application, which can also be done by tapping on the application tab on the top-left corner of the screen;
• “Desk” key – similar to the “Menu” key on S60-based devices, this brings up the main Desk display at any time during the phone's operation;
• “Zoom” key – adjusts the current zoom level of the currently-selected window, with three different sets of magnification available;
• “Switch” key – allows a user to switch between different views for the currently-active window (available to selected applications only whenever applicable); and
• “Esc” (escape) key – identical to the one found on a standard keyboard, this allows a user to quickly close dialogs, return to the previous view, or “cancel” actions in dialogs when cancelling is applicable.
Apart from the 5-way and “Menu” buttons, the other most commonly-used button here would probably be the “Zoom” key. Given the higher resolution of its display, as compared to other similar devices, it becomes possible for the 7710 to display text – as well as graphics – at a lower level of magnification without having to worry about poor quality output.
For example, if having up to 30 different application/function listings shown on the same Desk screen is too much for you, or the fact that the icons-plus-text are just too small, simply press the “Zoom” key to have them shown as slightly-larger items – or even bigger by pressing the same button one more time. A further press will bring it back to the lowest zoom magnification once again.
As for all new UIs, it does take the average user a bit of getting-use-to before he/she becomes familiar with its workings. To get use to pairing the use of the stylus with these buttons can become quite confusing at first. But eventually, the benefit of being able to choose between either a point-to-click or simply-press method, and interchanging between these depending on the usage situation, becomes apparent over the course of the time spent with the 7710.
Text input
Out of the many PDA-enabled phone devices using stylus-based input, the Sony Ericsson P910i was probably the one and only that managed to get it right most of the time by enabling individual letters to be written in an area larger than the average input area offered by other such devices. And the adoption of the CICs JotPro system was another reason for its higher accuracy rates and ease of use, since it doesn't go too far in changing just how letters are written (as opposed to Palm OS's Graffiti).
But with the S90 and its HWR (or Handwriting Recognition) system, the 7710 may probably just take this honour away from the P910i. Apart from being able to recognise letters as well as the JotPro system, HWR offers several important usability improvements as well as the ability for the 7710 user to “teach” the system how he/she writes specific alphanumerical characters and punctuation.
Let's start off with general use. Each time when text input is required, a little dialog will pop up on screen. This is actually the virtual writing area, which can be moved and placed anywhere on the screen at the user's discretion (to allow for the user to be able to write or scribble letters as comfortable as possible). Also, the dialog's semi-transparent background makes it possible to have it placed even on top (or over) the currently inserted text.
In addition to the writing area, being simply a squared-off area with a horizontal line (a virtual representation of the line on a page being written on), a list of different input modes is available for choosing. Represented by self-explanatory pictures, with the currently-selected method highlighted, the following input modes are available:
• Alphabetical letters mode (tap to change between lowercase, uppercase or sentence case mode);
• Numbers mode;
• Special characters mode (includes support for punctuation, currency symbols, and other non-standard characters);
• Language selection (changes from the currently-selected default to another language supported by the handset); and
• Keyboard input mode (brings up the virtual keyboard; ability to switch between standard alphanumerical characters and accented letters, as well as bring up the keyboard layout for a specific country almost immediately).
This may all sound rather complicated here. But I can guarantee that once you've laid hands on the 7710 and begin the process of text input, everything will fall into place. Once again, the HWR system included on the 7710's S90 is extremely self-explanatory and requires no prior experience or knowledge with performing inputs on such devices. In other words, it's all natural… :)
Should you end up having problems understanding everything, simply tap the question mark icon on the top left-hand corner of the input dialog box – and a respective help screen will give you a brief outline of how the HWR handwriting recognition system works. Most people would never need to refer to this – but it's not so bad an idea to check it out should you ever have the chance!
And finally, for those who feel that the system isn't working quite that well, it may be because the finer settings for HWR needs to be tweaked according to your writing style.
In most cases, it is the speed of the recognition that can bother users – since we all write differently in terms of style and speed. Five different speed settings are available – very slow, slow, normal, fast, and very fast – with the default setting set at the obvious “normal” setting.
If that still doesn't work, you can “train” the HWR system to learn how you write specific letters, numbers or symbols. By tapping on the “training” button in the “pen input settings” menu (found under the Control Panel), a user can pick the specific character that he/she is having trouble with getting the system to recognise. Once the problematic letter/number/symbol is chosen, simply tap “train” and write the respective letter into the box. For each stroke written into the box, a different colour will be used to indicate the total number of individual strokes.
Once completed, just tap the “OK” button and the new writing method will be remembered for that particular character. One thing good about the HWR's training system is that it doesn't require its user to do every single letter and number – but only the specific ones that may be problematic. Again, the S90's input system does a very good job when it comes to character recognition.
... and in general?
After that long intro about the S90's specifics, I think I should keep it short from now on…
Anyway, there are several common elements of S90 that I thought was worth mentioning. These include:
• Creation of shortcuts to be placed on the Desk – if there are those frequently-used documents or multimedia files, maybe it's a good idea to create a shortcut for them and have these listed on the Desk instead. Once assigned, the shortcuts are shown along with the other Desk listings – and tapping them will automatically launch the required application associated to the respective file;
• Opening shortcuts and applications – simply tap twice on the respective icon to launch it, just as you would with any GUI-based computer operating system;
• Moving icons around the Desk – thanks to the stylus-based UI, it is now possible to move application and shortcut icons around the desk by simply holding down the stylus on the respective icon and drag it to wherever you want it;
• Holding down on the “Menu” key or virtual button – instead of listing the currently-active (or open) applications on a S60-based device, this will instead list the four most recently-opened applications on the 7710;
• Status indicator area – shows various icons representing the activation of specific phone functions and modes (e.g. Bluetooth activity, current voice line settings, “silent” mode, message received, etc). A user can tap on these to launch the respective application; and
• Flight (offline) mode – all of the 7710's radio features can be disabled by choosing this particular profile, enabling other on-board functions (e.g. camera, media player) to be used in radio-sensitive environments such as aircrafts and hospitals.
What about that 640x320-pixel-of-a-display?
It's probably one of the best displays I've ever seen on a smartphone-based device – or even on any mobile phone for that matter!
While it may not be able to reproduce pictures that are as vivid as those newer 262,144-colour displays, its ability to squeeze in over 200,000 pixels on a display with a viewable diagonal of just 3.5 inches (being just 0.5 inch more than the P910i's) is already something to be impressed with. This is probably the one thing that makes the 7710 handset all that worthwhile to use.
Probably the first few applications that come to mind for a handset to include such a high-resolution display would be multimedia-related. Yes, the 7710 is considered by Nokia as a media device, and includes the ability to snap pictures at up to 1.0 megapixel and the viewing of video clips with the RealPlayer application – all of which get the improved visual support.
And what about the PDA side of things? Well, I can tell you for a fact that using any of the integrated Microsoft Office based applications – including Documents (DOC), Sheet (XLS), and Presentations (PPT) – on the 7710 will look and work far better, on a practical level, than on most other PDA-based devices. Again, this is because of the higher resolution display that can also display text-based information with a level of clarity and detail not previously possible on such handheld devices – until now.
Overall, the S90 interface design – along with the 640x320-pixel LCD – makes everything very pleasant to look at whenever the 7710 gets used.
PDA applications and their performance
Slightly more powerful than those found on Series 60 based devices, the PIM-based applications available on the S90-enabled 7710 are enhanced by the device's larger display resolution plus the ability to navigate, select and input with a stylus (rather than being restricted to a keypad-based setup).
Applications included with the 7710 include:
• Calendar – day/week/month view options with the ability to freely enter schedules (i.e. allows entries to be scheduled between two times, all-day entries possible, ability to repeat entries up until a certain time, possible to set alarms for schedules possible);
• Calculator – standard operations only, along with the possibility of adjusting its layout (number pad and output display) and view (normal or “till roll”);
• Clock – local and world time display (one city only) with support for multiple alarm settings (once only, next 24 hours, daily, weekly, working days options available);
• Contacts – equivalent to an address book application of a PDA, it has the ability to store addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, URLs and birthdays;
• Converter – supports the conversion of currency, area, energy, length, mass, power, pressure, temperature, time, velocity and volume units;
• Editors – ability to create/edit Microsoft Word based documents (DOC) and Excel (XLS) spreadsheets using the “Document” and “Sheet” applications respectively;
• Email – ability to send or receive emails via the IMAP4/POP3/SMTP email protocols (also supports TLS, IMAP4S/POP3S and SMTP authentication) via a data connection with the Internet (dial-up or GPRS/EDGE). Multiple accounts supported. Accessible from the phone's “Messaging” application;
• PowerPoint-based viewer application (Presentation);
• To-do list – checklist-style list of tasks that can be marked off, prioritised, and include an alarm for reminder purposes; and
• Voice recorder – voice recording capability.
Funnily enough, the 7710 doesn't come with a dedicated notes application of any kind – which would, in normal circumstances, allow both text-based and hand-written notes to be created and stored.
If you're looking to do up some text notes, the native “Documents” application is the only one that can help. For hand-written ones though, you'd need to start “Images” and choose the “create new sketch” option – which would subsequently bring up a blank screen area for you to scribble on.
Personally, I just don't understand why Nokia didn't simply include another application to offer this feature. Having a centralised place to store all your notes is a better than needing to go through all your documents and images repositories just to find something you jotted down.
Synchronisation capabilities are limited to entries made inside the calendar and contacts (phonebook) applications, and can be performed with a compatible PC (local) or a SyncML-compatible server over the Internet (remote). For the former, the task of sync-ing phone data with your PC's PIM-based software has been made easier thanks to the broader handset supported provided by the latest Nokia PC Suite (version 6.x), which now also covers all Series 40, 60, 80 and 90 devices.
And for remote, or Internet-based, syncs, updates can be made over high-speed data connections (i.e. GPRS, EDGE) – and most GSM operators today will have this support already. As for sync servers, an increasing number of these are becoming more widely available (if your operator or company doesn't already support this).
Messaging
For the avid mobile messenger, one of the bigger concerns with the 7710 is the idea that it doesn't come or support any kind of button-based input method. Apart from the virtual keyboard that can be brought up on-screen, a user would spend most of his/her time scribbling in letter after letter.
This may be okay for those basic and short inputs. But come the time to do up those long e-mails, it may become more than just a concern. As much as I find the HWR system to be very usable, the act of endlessly scribbling individual letters onto a screen can ultimately become quite torturous!
But in any case, should you choose to go with the 7710, it will provide you with all the basic messaging capabilities found on most other smartphone and PDA phone devices. This includes the ability to send and receive basic text (SMS), multimedia (MMS) and Internet-based e-mail messages (supporting IMAP4/POP3/SMTP mail protocols, as well as security support). The large internal memory area provides ample space for users to archive their messages, which can be appropriately categorised into custom folders.
Making and receiving calls
Every time I pick up the 7710 to make or receive a call, I find myself in a brief state of confusion whenever I try to find out the correct way of holding the phone or whenever I need to locate and press any of three buttons on the top side of the unit (i.e. answer/end and “voice key” buttons).
This is because trying to work out which way is “up” on this particular device isn't at all second nature.
For almost each incoming call, I would pick up the phone – which is resting flat on the table facing upward – and realise, before pressing the green ANSWER button confidently with my thumb, that I've gotten the unit upside down. So subsequently, I would have to turn it around (with the help of my other hand) and attempt to properly finger the green button instead to try and take the call once again.
If you were left-handed, this situation will probably not apply to you. But for the greater number of people, the right hand is usually the more popular choice – and I strongly believe that most people would go through a similar level of inconvenience should they adopt the 7710 for their own use.
However, should a user be actively using the device – with 7710 in the left hand and stylus in the right – and an incoming call was received, the current setup would probably suit quite well. So I can't really say that this particular setup is entirely wrong…
Another concern when using the 7710 for calls directly through the handset is the possible discomfort caused by the need to hold the device in a particular way, so that a user's face would not come in contact with the touch-sensitive display (another issue that will be discussed further in the “problems/issues” section of this review).
But fortunately enough, there are several other call handling alternatives available that can minimise the level of inconvenience caused by this design oversight – with these including the use of a headset (included with the 7710's sales package), activating the integrated speakerphone (or handsfree) feature, or using a Bluetooth-compatible wireless audio device (i.e. headset, car kit, handsfree).
Other features of interest include the ability to use digital audio files as ringtones (e.g. MP3, AAC, WAV, NB-AMR); the addition of extra phone (or alert) profiles on top of the default five (excluding “flight”) already available; and the ability to set an “expiry” time for a to-be-selected profile (or timed profiles).
Connectivity
The 7710 comes with the now-standard Pop-Port adapter that's found on most Nokia models available today. On the data side of things, the Pop-Port can provide USB data cable connectivity to users – allowing for high-speed data transfers with a compatible PC as well as near-hassle-free setup (since USB devices are detected automatically on connection with a Windows-based PC).
Alternatively, users can go for the Bluetooth wireless transfer method – which can be used instead of the Pop-Port cable. It can also be used to send and receive images, videos, music, ringtones, or even business card and calendar entries.
Apart from simply sending data from compatible applications or receiving content through the “Messaging” application, being a common practice for S60-based smartphones, the 7710's OBEX File Transfer support for Bluetooth makes it possible for its user to browse both the media smartphone's 80MB internal and external (removable MMC card) memory areas – which are represented as Drive C (C:) and Drive D (D:) respectively.
And in terms of Internet connectivity, the 7710 provides support for all data standards made available for GSM-based networks – including the standard (CSD) and high-speed (HSCSD) dial-up methods, as well as the more commonly-used GPRS and EDGE always-on data connections. Access to these are made available to the smartphone's on-board applications, native features (e.g. Internet browser, RealPlayer, Java apps), and even to an external computing device.
Build quality
Most of the newer smartphone products from Nokia, with the exception of the 6260 clamshell, have managed to uphold a very positive and high quality level of finishing. This is good news for people who want something that will last them for the times to come – and the 7710, although being the first of its kind, will probably keep many of its users content and well entertained throughout its useful life.
Battery life
On average use, the 7710's larger-than-normal size lithium-polymer battery was able to provide for approximately 3-4 hours worth of talk and up to 3-5 days standby on a single full charge. These times can vary greatly depending on the amount and type of usage applied to it – given that it offers a rich set of multimedia features that can be used with both local (playback of digital audio and video files) and Internet-based content (e.g. video streaming).
And because the 7710 comes with a big and colourful display, the one biggest downside here is the higher power output required to drive it. Undoubtedly, the more active use it gets, the faster it needs another charge of its battery.
Therefore, Nokia has included three different energy-saving options just for the display:
• a brightness level option (4 settings available);
• a backlight timeout feature (various time settings available plus “always on”); and
• a low-power screen saver feature which activates after the specified timeout (a 640x48-pixel bar that displays the date, time, network name, profile name, and respective status indicators).
Apart from that, there's really no other way to truly conserve battery power – not unless you don't use the phone at all, which is out of the question for such a device that has so much to offer in terms of multimedia! But Nokia seems to have finally made the right choice in assigning the correct battery type and size for a device of such…
Camera performance and quality
The thought of having a VGA camera on such a device would've probably shocked almost anyone who was interested in getting this so-called “media device” – especially when megapixel-capable camera phones have moved into the mainstream.
Before the 7710, Nokia decided to only offer this now-limited capability on their original 7700 media phone design. But thanks to its axing, time gave the manufacturer a chance to give it something more deserving.
So how about a 1.0 megapixel camera then – one that produces pictures at up to 1152x864 pixels, or a total of 995,328 pixels all up?
Well, Nokia may feel that they've done what's needed for the 7710. But when you consider the growing number of camera phones out there that can do up to 1.3 megapixels, or even close to that, it really disappoints me to see how they're not making more potential of the product design that they have – especially when it comes with a phone display that leaves others for dead!
Okay, maybe I am overreacting a bit… but seriously, if they were going to make this product so media-orientated, they should've covered all their bases properly. But then, we all know this is how Nokia goes about designing and making phones – they never seem to know how to get it right!
Camera operation and settings
One of the more consistent elements about Nokia's camera-enabled phones is their very easy-to-use interface. Offering only a limited number of adjustable options and presented clearly on just two windows – the virtual viewfinder display and “camera settings” tabbed menu, it is virtually impossible to find someone who can't work it!
After double-tapping the “camera” application icon, the 7710 would almost immediately bring up the virtual viewfinder display – which shows the current camera mode (photo or video – indicated by self-explanatory icons), number of remaining shots possible, image/video quality (indicated by the number of stars), and three virtual buttons on the left. For pictures, the “capture”, “zoom in” or “zoom out”, and “Go to Images” (launches the 7710's picture-viewing application) tabs are shown – while the “record”, “stop” and “go to RealPlayer” labels are shown instead when the phone is in video-shooting mode.
And in the “camera settings” window, users can adjust settings such as picture/video quality, the default filename prefix used, as well as adjusting the brightness and contrast levels of the outputted picture/video. Either the internal or external memory area can be used for the saving of captured images.
For the picture quality setting, the “high” setting is the only one that captures images at the 1.0-megapixel maximum – while for both “normal” and “basic” shots, a 640x480 px (or VGA) resolution is used instead. Nokia has defaulted the camera to the “normal” option, which is suited for pictures that can be sent through MMS.
If you're wondering what the maximum video length possible on the 7710, the answer is 59 minutes and 59 seconds – or 60 minutes if you round it off. All video clips are recorded at QCIF resolution (176x144 px) in 17 FPS (frames-per-second) format.
Miscellany
Hidden away in the “Images” application is the photo-editing application that allows its user to annotate shots with a variety of tools – including freehand/line/rectangle/line drawing (choice of different colour and line width possible), text insertion (different fonts and formatting available), area selection, and the trusty eraser. A user can also flip, rotate, resize, increase the area of the image, or even convert the file format of the currently-opened image (supports BMP, GIF, JPEG with quality setting, and PNG).
And should you make a editing mistake, a multiple level undo feature is available – accessible from where else but the “edit” menu of course!
But as powerful as it may be, the editor wasn't able to open images taken at the 1.0-megapixel size – where it would result in a “memory too low” error each time I attempted this. So therefore, only pictures taken at the 7710's VGA resolution settings could be edited. No big deal I suppose…
Road-testing
While almost each and every shot taken with the 7710's megapixel camera may look fantastic on its on-board display, putting them onto a PC or laptop display will prove this very fact wrong.
When compared to other cameras of similar calibre, its performance was probably around the just-above-average mark – clear-enough pictures produced in all quality settings, low levels of picture noise when shots are taken in very dark environments, and good lighting and white balancing controls.
But these shots could've been even better if a lower level of JPEG compression was used, which was noticeable on many of the sample shots taken with the 7710 at the “high” picture quality setting. While the fact that a higher level of quality would result in a larger per-file size is undoubtedly true, I believe that having a better-looking picture would be the more important consideration here – especially when these shots are supposedly taken at the highest quality setting.
And besides, the ability to capture and save files onto an external memory card should rule out such concerns. Probably Nokia doesn't believe in the need for something “special” on their first media-based handset?
To view the sample shots taken with the 7710, simply click on the links below the respective thumbnails to view the original images.
Major Features
Tri-band compatibility (GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz)
The 7710's tri-band compatibility provides its user with access to most GSM networks located throughout the five continents of the world – including the Asia-Pacific, European, Middle East and Africa, and North American regions – that supports the three most popular frequencies used (900, 1800 and 1900 MHz). And the flexibility of being able to swap SIM cards, should you not decide to roam whilst abroad, provides the additional option of using the local service instead!
Series 90 widescreen user interface – supporting stylus-based navigation and input
Nokia's latest smartphone user interface, Series 90, makes it possible for the manufacturer to offer their first product to include stylus-based navigation. The touch-sensitive display on the 7710 allows its user to freely navigate the different phone menus (along with the provided navigational and function-specific hard keys), as well as perform tasks within applications. And its widescreen-based setup, unique to the S90 platform, is a first for any smartphone-based user interface available – and aims to offer an enriched set of multimedia-based features (e.g. audio and video playback/streaming, Visual Radio + FM radio support).
65,536-colour TFT widescreen display (640x320-pixel screen resolution)
The active matrix (TFT) display on the 7710, supporting up to 65,536 colours, is capable of reproducing high quality text and graphics and is viewable under almost any lighting condition – whether in the dark (with the help of its backlight) or under direct sunlight. Its touch-sensitive 640x320-pixel display, being one of the highest for any mobile phone based device, performs outstandingly well when used for the playing-back of videos, or even when viewing pictures with the built-in “Images” application.
Integrated 1.0-megapixel camera for photos/videos (with 2X digital zoom)
The integrated 1.0-megapixel camera on the 7710 has the ability of outputting pictures at a resolution of up to 1152x864 pixels and videos at 176x144 pixels (QCIF resolution). A 2X digital zoom feature is available for photo-taking only.
External memory card support (MMC type) – supports up to 1GB cards
For memory expansion, the 7710 supports the MMC (MultiMediaCard) memory card format. Modules of up to 1GB in size can be used to store phone-related content, pictures, compatible audio and video files, as well as documents and other files that can be used with the 7710. Users can also use an MMC card to move content on and off the phone if necessary.
Bluetooth and USB data cable connectivity
It is possible to connect the 7710 with other computing-based devices for the purpose of transferring data on or off the phone. The USB data cable option allows the phone to be connected with a compatible PC, where local synchronisation and other file-related operations could be performed (PC data suite will probably be required). Similarly, the Bluetooth wireless option can also be used for the same purpose – as well as possibly send and receive files openly between a variety of compatible devices.
Dial-up (CSD or HSCSD) or high-speed, always-on (GPRS or EDGE) data support
The 7710 offers several different options for connecting to the Internet whilst on the move. In this day and age, most people would prefer – and also have access to – the always-on nature of GPRS- or EDGE-based data connections. And if neither of these options is available, the good old dial-up (CSD/GSM Data or HSCSD) method is still available. Most on-board functions and applications requiring an Internet connection, as well as external devices that use the 7710 as a modem, can access this data pipe when required.
Integrated full-screen HTML/WAP browser
The integrated browser on the 7710 provides support for the viewing of both WAP (WML) and HTML-based pages on the Internet. Utilising the phone's high-speed data connectivity feature, users can view pages in either standard or full-screen modes. And along with the phone's touch-sensitive and high-resolution widescreen display, this makes the overall browsing experience resemble very much to how it's done on a PC or notebook!
SMS/MMS/e-mail messaging capabilities
Messaging support for the 7710 includes the sending and receiving of text (SMS), multimedia (MMS), and Internet based e-mail (IMAP4/POP3/SMTP) messages. The integrated “Messaging” application also provides security-based support for e-mail, as well as the ability for its user to archive existing messages into appropriate folders.
24-chord polyphonic, AMR and MP3/AAC/WAV digital audio ringtone support
Whether it's chords of instruments or the chorus/verse of a song, users of the 7710 can choose to use a variety of different audio file formats for incoming call or message alerts – including MIDI-based polyphonic (supporting files that include up to 24 simultaneous chords), AMR, and AAC/MP3-formatted digital music clips.
Playback/streaming of digital audio and video files through RealPlayer application
The integrated RealPlayer application on the 7710 provides a one-stop location for all compatible digital media types, whether played back directly from the phone memory or streamed over a GPRS connection to the Internet. Typical media formats played back by RealPlayer includes RealMedia (audio and video), MP3 audio, and MPEG4 based video files.
Compatibility with Java- and Series 90 based application
Users of the 7710 can load third-party Java and Series 90 based applications onto the phone's internal or external memory, through either the WAP browser or by sending it to the phone using a compatible PC, which can then be executed directly from the handset itself. Such applications come can come in the form of, for example, a game or productivity tool – which can help enhance the overall practicality of the handset.
PDA-based applications – with local and remote synchronisation capabilities (SyncML)
A standard set of PIM (personal information management) applications is available on the 7710 – including a day/week/month calendar, calculator, multi-detailed phone book, tasks/to-do list application, voice recorder, alarm clock, and world time support. Local and remote synchronisation support is also available for calendar and phone book based entries.
Document and spreadsheet editors available for Excel/Word formatted files
Nokia has included native editors for Microsoft Word and Excel based files – which are appropriately named “Documents” and “Sheets”. While they may not look and work exactly the same as the original product, these two applications are able to provide for the more important functions when required.
Integrated viewer for PowerPoint-based files
Not forgetting those PowerPoint-based presentations of course, the 7710 comes with a dedicated viewer for these files. The native “Presentation” application allows the viewing of slides and included outlines, as well as possibly copying text found in the actual PPT-compatible file.
Visual Radio support – listen to music and interact with the selected FM radio station
Additional to offering just a built-in FM radio transceiver, which still requires a headset to be plugged in for it to work (since it acts as an external antenna), the added Visual Radio support offers 7710 users with an interactive experience – allowing listeners of the FM broadcast to view “visual” content being offered by the same radio station, as well as responding to questions/polls and even request additional information about a given topic. For Visual Radio to work, the FM radio station must support this particular service – and a GPRS connection to the Internet from your handset is also required.
Integrated loudspeaker (for voice calls, FM radio and media player)
An integrated loudspeaker has been included on the 7710 enabling, primarily, handsfree capability for voice calls. Useful for moments when there's no headset around and holding the phone to talk isn't the greatest idea – or even when wanting to share the phone call with several other people! It can also be used with the media player and FM radio features, where the audio is played over the loudspeaker instead (however, the headset is still required for use as an antenna).
“Flight mode” support (ability to use the phone whilst in a radio-sensitive environment)
Whenever the 7710 is to be used in a radio-sensitive environment, such as on an aeroplane or in a hospital, its user can set the phone to go into “flight mode” by tapping on the network indicator (icon with a circle with segments) next to the signal indicator and selecting the respective mode. Once activated, all radio transmitting functions – including Bluetooth – will be disabled until the “handset on” mode is chosen again. Great for those people who may want to utilise the phone's other functions whenever network connectivity is not available and disallowed.
Problems/issues
Application performance extremely slow
I was actually quite looking forward to this particular product from Nokia last year – being their first touchscreen-based product and an all-new user interface to explore and get use to.
But after finally receiving the 7710 for review, it didn't take me long to realise just how wrong I was in thinking this way.
Once again, it seems that Nokia has overlooked the importance of having a smartphone that could perform. Whether it's simply opening the phonebook, viewing an image, or even the capturing of an image or video clip, I found myself complaining each and every time at just how long it took for the 7710 to complete an operation.
For example, each time the “Documents” application opens a DOC-compatible file, it takes up to around half a minute to a full minute for the document to be converted (to the format that the application and read/edit with) and finally opened. Another example is when the “Images” application is used – where the amount of time required to load around 10 different thumbnails can be as much as a minute!
The only time that things didn't seem to drag it heels was whenever I browsed the “Desk” application or inputting text through the handwriting system.
Nokia should have taken these performance issues into consideration before they decided to fit the phone with a sluggish processor, which is the primary cause for this particular concern here.
Back cover can be difficult to remove initially
After having just received the 7710, I found the removable back cover rather difficult to get off. It took me a few attempts before I was able to hold down the cover release button and successfully lift the different sections of the panel off from the unit itself.
One reason was probably due to my unfamiliarity with this model at the time. Another would be because of the brand-new state of the handset, where the different parts have still yet to be “run in” (or used extensively).
But personally, I would much prefer an alternate back cover design cover the one that's being used on the 7710. Although I don't have any thoughts on a better solution, the current one seems to be rather flimsy and can be quite difficult to manage at times.
And seeing that the MMC card slot is located inside the back of the 7710, this was one reason why I chose to raise this particular point/issue.
Design - touch-screen always comes in contact with face
Almost every single time I make or take a call, the 7710 would consistently make these beeping sounds that would annoy the heck out of me! Initially, I wondered why this was the case… and not very long after, I realised what was causing this.
The problem was with the touch-sensitive display – and the fact that my face would always be touching it whenever I was holding the 7710 during a phone call. Apart from readjusting my posture or the way I hold the phone, where the practice can become rather unnatural, the only other way is to enable its keylock or screen lock feature every time – which can be a hassle in itself.
Because of the “flatter” design of the phone, it was not possible to create a slight “gap” between the face and the touch-sensitive display to prevent this from happening. And the fact that the 7710's widescreen is physically larger (or longer) than most other smartphones doesn't help the situation either.
Unfortunately, there's not much that can be done about this. Apart from the things I've mentioned above that can be done to prevent this, the other way is to probably not talk directly through the phone's earpiece/microphone – but through a headset, using the handsfree speakerphone feature, or by using a Bluetooth-compatible audio accessory.
Notes – why not a separate application?
Once again, I question the reason for not including a proper application on the 7710 for the purpose of creating either text-based or hand-written notes. Even though Nokia has seemingly provided for this respectively through the “Documents” and “Images” applications, it doesn't mean they can simply exclude a feature that many people have learnt to take for granted.
By just looking at the many other smartphones and PDA-based devices out there, I can't seem to recollect any that doesn't include a “notes” or similar applications. For devices without touchscreen support, those would include the ability to enter text notes through the provided keypad or mini-keyboard – while those that work only with a stylus would also support hand-written notes.
For example, Windows Mobile based phone-enabled devices all include “Pocket” versions of their Word and Excel applications – as well as a “Notes” application catering for those very needs that I just mentioned previously. Same goes for Palm OS and other Symbian-based devices (e.g. UIQ, Series 60, etc) too.
Which goes to show just how much consideration that Nokia has placed on developing their products and platforms. It doesn't matter whether S90 is a media-orientated UI – at the end of the day, there are those taken-for-granted essentials that just can't be done away with, ever!
In summary...
As much as I would like to praise Nokia for coming up with this unique product (and platform) of theirs, the 7710 was – once again – something that didn't get the attention nor the respect that its designers should have given such a product.
What makes things worse is the fact that it is the first (or second, unofficially) product to show off the concept of having a widescreen (or landscape) display on a smartphone – offered by a completely new Symbian-based smartphone platform, Series 90, designed specifically for use with devices having an emphasis on providing enhanced media enjoyment.
While Nokia may have done this by offering a very-high resolution display (as compared to other smartphone- and PDA-based devices), support for the viewing/streaming of various digital audio and video formats natively, the ability to snap megapixel-based pictures and view them with utmost clarity, and enhancing the use of the FM radio through the new Visual Radio capability, they always seem to forget about the “usability” factor – being an underlying criteria for everything that makes a device all that enjoyable to use.
Anyone can prop up their product's feature list to be seen as one of the best around. But at the same time, if they're not able to produce a piece of hardware that can properly present AND drive (or work) all this stuff, then the value of having the most outstanding features set can subsequently turn worthless.
I cannot deny the fact that Nokia has done up this product well – specifically, in the areas of ergonomics and the well laid out user interface provided by the S90 platform. But when it came to performance, the 7710 couldn't even properly handle those simpler operations that other smartphones dealt with on-the-fly!
Maybe I am being too critical. But for a world-leading manufacturer in mobile phones, why should I be the least forgiving – especially when they seem to have lost their way on the road to further innovation.
It's just so ironic to see a device, which has been pumped up with the best of features, to fail because of the use of improper hardware. This is not the first time it's happened with Nokia's products – and I can promise you that it won't be the last either!
Major features
