Unlocked Cell Phones - Customer reviews - Nokia N97 Unlocked Phone, Touchscreen, 3G, 5 MP Camera, A-GPS, 32 GB, MicroSD Slot, and Integrated Ovi Applications--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black)


Nokia N97 Unlocked Phone, Touchscreen, 3G, 5 MP Camera, A-GPS, 32 GB, MicroSD Slot, and Integrated Ovi Applications--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black)
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Manufacturer: Nokia

List Price: $699.99
Our Price: $699.99
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Refurbished Price: $430.78
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Average Customer Rating: -

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Spotlight customer reviews:

Name: Tor Slettnes
Location: SF Bay Area, USA
Date: 2009-06-18
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Beauty and Brains - Together at Last!
Comment: [This is an updated review; some of the issues that existed when the N97 was first released have since been addressed. Also, I have moved some of the more elaborate details of the original text into a new review ("A Guide") that I created for the white version.]

Nokia E- and N-series phones have for some years now had, by far, more capabilities than anything else out there - but they have not always been the sexiest or had the widest mass appeal. Plus, although Nokia sell more smartphones than anyone else worldwide, they have not targeted or marketed the US market very heavily (thanks in part to our combination of non-standard wireless technologies and frequencies, consumers' focus on style over substance, and Nokia's unwillingness to cater to the fairly heavy-handed branding and crippling of functionality demanded by US network providers).

Much of that is changing with the N97. As you can see it definitely has the visual appeal. Also, its main enhancements over the most recent N-series phones (such as the N95, N96 and N85) are user interface centric:
>> 640x360 WVGA LCD
>> Touch screen
>> QWERTY keypad
>> Faster CPU (ARM11 at 420 MHz vs. 332/369 MHz in the N95/N85, and two ARM9 cores at 265 MHz in the N96)
>> Configurable widgets for the home screen

There are a couple of other improvements as well:
>> 32GB of built-in storage, µSDHC card slot for up to 32GB more (Nokia always advertise only the tested configuration, 16GB)
>> Additional sensors: Magnometer (electronic compass), Proximity

So, yes, Nokia have finally bit the dust and moved onto the post-iPhone touch screen bandwagon. But whereas Apple borrowed quite a few UI elements from the Motorola Ming, and other manufacturers in turn tried to copy the iPhone look and feel, Nokia has taken a decidely different approach: They have taken most of their new design elements from their own Internet Tablets line (e.g. exchangable home screen widgets, keypad layout, etc). They have also done so while keeping the underlying OS from their previous smartphones, Symbian/S60.

I don't care much for this direction. To this day, I would take the E90 any day over the N97, had it been released with support for North American 3G (UMTS) bands. The E90 does not have a touch screen, but does have a numeric keypad on the outside in addition to the QWERTY inside the shell -- this allows you to "type" with one hand using the native T9 predictive input, and mostly keep your eyes elsewhere while dri... eh... walking.

As it is, Nokia ended up with touch screen phones (starting with the 5800 XpressMusic) kicking and screaming - it kindof shows. The user interaction paradigm is a little odd at times -- probably mostly due to the S60 legacy. [Lipstick/pig joke deliberately omitted here]. For instance:
>> You need to double-tap on icons (once to select, once to open)
>> They still retain "soft keys" on the side to access menus an the like (though now they are located on the display itself, and occupying quite a bit of space). The home (previously "standby") screen has three soft keys; the left and middle are always "Options" and a a dial pad, while the right one is configurable ("Contacts") by default.

There are some other usability issues with this phone as well:
>> Copy & Paste functionality is a bit more cumbersome. There are no keypad shortcuts; with the keypad open, cut/copy/paste are only available via the menus! Moreover, not all text input screens have such a menu available - in which case you need to close they keypad in order to bring up a virtual numeric keypad with a context menu at the top of the screen. Or, if you use an external Bluetooth keyboard, you can press Ctrl-X/C/V.
>> The keypad layout is a little unusual at first. The navigation keys are on the left (which some gamers like, but I don't). The space bar is in an odd location on the right. Mixed alpha/numeric input is cumbersome because the digits 0-9 are "shifted" via a key on the right side of the keyboard, while the standard shift key is on the left. Plus, in some dialogs you get a helpful numeric keypad on your screen, but it defaults to text input (2=abc, 3=def, etc) rather than give you quicker access to digits! (Why, Nokia? You already have the keyboard? What are you thinking?). That said, the tactile feedback is good, not too "firm" or "clicky", but with a good feedback.
>> There is a nice E-mail status widget for the home screen, but you can only have one of these. If you have multiple e-mail accounts (e.g. for work/home), you can only monitor one of them. The same goes for some of the other widgets too.
>> Direct media controls are gone (the N95/N96/N85 had a dual slider design giving ready access to play/pause/previous/next). There is a home screen widget available, but it is hardly as convenient (e.g. if you are using an application, typing a mail, etc).

Some other limitations that I found so far when compared to their previous N-series phones:
>> The amount of available RAM (dynamic memory) available for applications is low (around 55MB, versus about 75MB in the N85/N95). UPDATE 2009-07-01: This may not be an issue after all. With the latest firmware update from Nokia, the available memory seems to have increased to about 65MB - and in general, the only time I have had a "out of memory" error was while running RoadSync, which explicitly warns that it is not compatible with this phone.
>> Adobe Reader is no longer included in the price of the phone. It is still preinstalled, but now only on a trial basis. If you want to continue using it after some days (about 3 weeks I gather), you need to purchase it - similar to QuickOffice.
>> The number of applications available for this phone is somewhat more limited; this is only the second Nokia phone to use the new S60 5th edition user interface w/touch-screen support. Although most of the older applications will still run on it, there may be some that don't. Notably, Nokia Internet Radio is not included, nor is it available for download yet. :(
>> Synchronization of phone contacts/events/todos is not yet supported on the Mac, as Nokia have not as of the time of this writing released an iSync plugin for it. (You can still synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, use the built-in "Switch" application to copy contacts from another Nokia phone, or you can transfer contacts as vCards from another phone).
>> Getting Bluetooth Stereo Audio (A2DP/AVRCP) to work with your Bluetooth car stereo is hit and miss. More on my experiences in this regard in the "white" model review.
>> The UI is generally a bit "sluggish" - moreso than my previous phone, the Nokia N85, despite a faster processor. The touch UI probably has a lot to do with this. (Then again, both the N95 and certainly the N96 did not break any speed records by any stretch of the imagination).

All that said, most of these issues are software/firmware related, and will improve over time. As it is, the N97 is perhaps the most capable phone on the planet today -- a jack of all trades, if you will. It certainly has improved over previous N-Series phones in a number of ways as well:
>> E-mail reading is dramatically improved - especially in clients with HTML support (e.g. System SEVEN). Also, because most of these integrate into the "Messaging" application, messages are listed much more nicely in the mailbox -- the larger screen is used very well here.
>> Web browsing - what a pleasure. This was the main attraction of the iPhone - but I think the N97 surpasses it. Kinetic scrolling, variable zoom, and quite a speed improvement. Of course the previous strengths are there too - the way the "Back" button brings up snapshot views of your previously viewed pages, Flash, etc.
>> The phone has quite a "solid" feel to it, without feeling like a tank.

To be sure, there are phones out there with better cameras (e.g. Samsung Pixon), more newbie-friendly user interfaces (iPhone), better support for a variety of corporate e-mail standards (Blackberry), and so on - but hardly any that have the combination of all these features in one device. The closest may be the close cousin Samsung Omnia HD, which:
>> runs the same OS, has the same screen resolution and many other features
>> has a better camera (yeah "megapixel blur" but also optics), HD video recording
>> faster CPU (600 MHz vs 420 MHz)
but:
>> does not have good support for U.S. 3G frequencies, and
>> does not have a keypad (QWERTY or otherwise).
These two shortcomings pretty much kills the Omnia HD as an alternative for me.

Also, aside from the N85, the N97 is the first Nokia phone to support tri-band UMTS ("worldwide" 3G). This means that you will get 3G speeds (mostly) where they are available: 850/1900 MHz for AT&T Wireless and other carriers in the Americas, 2100 MHz elsewhere (including Japan). That said, for complete worldwide coverage you would need "penta-band" UMTS, with the additional inclusion of 900 MHz for Europe, and 1700 MHz for T-Mobile USA. No phones currently support all of these bands. NOTE: There is also a "standard" version of the N97 for international markets, with support for 900/2100 MHz internationally and 1900 MHz for roaming in the Americas.

You probably won't see this phone subsidized on contract by a carrier anytime soon. The primary candidate would be AT&T - but it looks like they have passed on it (perhaps they don't believe it has mass market appeal). Then again, if you are looking to get this phone, you are not likely to be the type of person who would accept their lockdowns in the first place. Look no further than the differences between the unlocked Nokia E71 versus AT&T's E71x for a prime example: In AT&T's version, various features are disabled (keyboard shortcuts for copy&paste, the S60 native e-mail reader, network selection), and instead a number of non-removable, non-renamable, non-movable AT&T specific applications are installed.

Another upside of buying an unlocked phone like this is that it may cost you less in the long run. It seems I'm unable to get actual numbers past Amazon's editors here (see comments) - but if you have a standard SIM from AT&T, you can plug it into this phone and add a standard "data unlimited" feature. In contrast, if you get a smartphone on contract from AT&T, your data plan will be at least twice as expensive - which adds up over the 2-year contract term to cover (at least) the price difference between most of these and the unlocked N97. Plus, you would of course not need to renew your contract with an unlocked phone like this. AT&T's generally subsidize their phones a couple of hundred bucks versus the unlocked equivalent (except the iPhone, where the subsidy is closer to four hundred, but where the more expensive data plan is mandatory).

Finally, if you take your unlocked phone with you abroad, you can walk into a store and get a pre-paid SIM -- that way you local tariffs, rather than pay (outrageous!) roaming fees to AT&T.

Now for a couple of practical aspects and caveats:
>> If you are looking for a unique look, go for the white model, not this black one. Some also think it is better looking.
>>If you are going to use the N97 in your car, to play music or for GPS turn-by-turn directions, do yourself a favor and get a cradle/mount for it. For instance, there is a Brodit cradle (available from ProClipUSA) specifically designed for it; this is one part of a two-part mount, the second part will be specific to your vehicle; you can get one from either ProClipUSA, PanaVise, or Pro-Fit International - they are all compatible. Or, if you want a universal holder, the Bracketron Grip-IT works nicely for the N97, and can also be put on the same vehicle specific mounts.

Finally, if you are looking to get this phone, it is important that you get it for the capabilities, not ease of use. Like other Symbian/S60 phones, getting used to it takes a little persistence and discovery, but it will grow on you over time as you explore it and learn more about its esoteric features.




Name: Shu
Location:
Date: 2009-06-30
Customer Rating: -

Summary: A Nice Phone
Comment: My colleagues got their iPhone 3GS on June 19. I had the pleasure to play with them. After one week with iPhone 3GS, I am glad to have my N97. There are no so-called perfect phone. but this is what I can do with my N97, very basic, I can change the battery any time I want. I can pop in or take out my SIM card for or from another phone. I can expand my memory capacity by switching my memort card. When 32GB MicroSD is available, my N97 will have 64GB in total (my colleagues were so mad when I slowly put in the battery and 16 GB MicroSD card in front of them). The phone is solid built with great screen display quality. I love the keyboard. iPhone 3GS costs $699 without a contract. I paid less than that for my N97. I have no complain.


Name: Omagus
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 2010-01-20
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Great phone (finally) that's not for everyone
Comment: The Nokia N97 is a great phone. However, there are two things that need to be made clear about it:

1) It did not start off as a great phone.
2) It is not for everyone.

I got my N97 in July of 2009 after pre-ordering it from [...]. I have had several S60 Nokia phones in the past that I have absolutely loved (6682, N95, N82, E71) and thought that the N97 would be the ideal phone to marry business and multimedia features as well as touch technology with a full QWERTY keyboard. However, the phone was very buggy and frustrating to use initially. Truth be told, Nokia should have never released the phone with the firmware that it initially did. I would try using the N97, inevitably get too frustrated to continue and just go back to my E71. My plan was to sell it online and wait for something better I liked to come along but I never got around to it. And I'm glad for that. In December 2009, I decided to give the phone another shot so I did a hard reset, installed the most recent firmware...and finally discovered the phone that I had been expecting all along. Great hardware, very good software and the versatility to be able to please a wide range of users. However...

...this phone is not for everyone. Before its release, Nokia tried to hype it as being an answer to the iPhone. It is certainly not that. The iPhone follows the Apple philosophy of being a product that can be mastered relatively easily. That is a major dividing point between the two devices. I absolutely would not recommend the N97 to someone who is unfamiliar with S60. It would simply be too frustrating for that person to try and learn a new OS, especially since it was never designed to be used with touch. However, for anyone who is familiar with Symbian/S60 and wants a phone that is essentially the mobile version of a Swiss army knife, I would absolutely encourage you to check out the N97. If you were someone who was turned off by the initial bad reviews, just know that they have pretty much all been solved and the phone is now what it was meant to be.


Name: Shannon Kittel
Location: Eden, VT United States
Date: 2009-09-13
Customer Rating: -

Summary: Introducing: the iPhone killer
Comment: The N97 beats out the iPhone hands down. Every single feature the iPhone has, Nokia has done better... plus it has more features. It has a significantly better camera (actually it has two cameras). It can have up to 64 GB of space. Tethering is easy. You can have multiple apps running at once. The only downside is that the Nokia apps store is small compared to the Apple apps store.


Name: Basil Balogun
Location: Atlanta, USA
Date: 2009-11-12
Customer Rating: -

Summary: SERIOUSLY -- THE BEST SMARTPHONE NOW!!!!
Comment:
I just got my N97 phone few days ago and I'm already enjoying the everything about the phone. Its fast, it responds very well to touch. One of the great thing about the phone is the double clicking. It means you can open/select what you really wish to open instead of mistaken opening something else because you touched the wrong part of the screen.

Well, with the problems all other people are having with the phone, my advice for people buying this is that:
As soon as you buy the phone, before you install, copy or enter any contacts, calender or even do anything. Just put your SIM card in the phone and go to the Nokia PC Suite to upgrade to the latest firmware. That was exactly what I did and its working great.


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