Nokia E71 review
By Paul Miller 
posted Jun 19th 2008 4:38PM
posted Jun 19th 2008 4:38PM
Nokia is also (finally) taking form factor much more seriously: at 10mm thick, the E71 is one of the slimmest Nokia phones to date, and Nokia claims it's the thinnest QWERTY smartphone on the market. The E71 also attacks the drab, plastic looks of its predecessors with chrome accents and a glossy screen. The phone is incredibly pocketable, and comfortable to hold and use. Of course, with the smaller size Nokia had to cut down on screen real estate and keyboard spacing, but at a QVGA resolution there's little suffering on that front. The keyboard had a much more rigid, clicky feel to it compared to the spongy keys of the E62, and we were virtually typo-free on it within minutes.
With all this concentration on the exterior, Nokia hasn't forgotten the feature overload of old. The E71 includes A-GPS, WiFi, a 3.2 megapixel camera, A2DP Bluetooth, 110MB of built-in memory and a microSD slot. There's also plenty of software to take advantage of all that tech, thanks to the quite-mature S60 platform. It's running 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1, which lacks the screen transition fanciness of FP2, but seems much more stable and usable to us than its fresh-faced successor. Being a business centric device, the E71 comes with a full complement of office, email and PIM software, including a feature to switch on the fully between business and personal accounts, complete with separate mailboxes and home screens.
We'll confess to being spoiled by the iPhone's touch interface -- while there is more customizability and more power at your fingertips with the standard, d-pad controlled S60, there certainly seem to be an abundance of button presses to accomplish even simple tasks, though we never feel lost or confused by the OS. Some of the truly powerful features include Nokia's impressive Maps 2.0 application, the WebKit-powered S60 browser (which even includes an easy-to-use feed reader), and a strong integration with online photo services such as Ovi and Flickr, the former of which even includes geotagging for your photos. Nokia's own music store doesn't yet support the United States, but while the media-playback interface pales in comparison to today's more music-centric phones, playback support is certainly there, including true YouTube and Flash support.
The screen isn't particularly stunning, only 2.36-inches diagonal, QVGA and none-too-bright, but it certainly gets the job done and leaves room for all that QWERTY. Battery life is basically a non-issue, with 20 days of standby, and 10.5 hours of GSM talk, though the 4.5 hours of 3G talk might pose an issue. We didn't really put the processor to the test, but load times for just about everything were quite zippy, especially compared to the E62's consistent sluggishness in loading up simple things like recent calls and the address book.
Overall it's all about your OS of choice and what exactly you want to do with your phone. If music and video playback are key, the E71's screen and interface are going to pose a challenge, and if typing is paramount you might need a slightly larger QWERTY keyboard -- though our typing speed after about a day was roughly equivalent to our iPhone speed after about a year of use. As for accomplishing what it sets out to do, the E71 manages it all with style, providing a plethora of features in a speedy, beautiful and miniscule device. Since Nokia won't be working with American carriers right away on subsidizing the E71 -- thouch we can keep hoping for an AT&T berth -- you'll have to spring about $500 to bring one home, but it might just be worth it.
Hot little device. Are the keys rubberized or plastic?
This might be what ive been looking for? can we see the themes in action, maybe?
Go to an S60 themes site, such as www.babinokia.com. All of those will work, as long as the creator added a landscape version.
Go Review Engadget. The device looks good looking forward to getting one in my hand.
Where can I plunk down my cash to order up one of these in the usa?
buy.com has a preorder page:
http://www.buy.com/prod/e71-wht-nam-qwerty-smart-phone-systunlocked-camera-email-wifi-voip/q/loc/101/208270176.html
Too bad they skimped on the multimedia functions. I wish they could build something like this, but put the interface & additional features (i.e. camera) like on an N82 or N78. I know it's a different market, but I believe that N buyers also type emails & text messages as well.
They didn't at least partially
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/reviews/item/Nokia_E71-focus_on_multimedia.php
just for example, it has one of the closes macro modes in the whole Nokia range
So, we're looking at compusa picking this up on their site ? they seem pretty good with picking up nokia phones worth buying.
http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3948581&CatId=1809
and there we go.
Me want now!
I'm sure it'll be another lowblow from them. I have an E61i, which came out with S60v3 when the FP1 devices were coming out. Sure enough, they sure aren't upgrading it to FP1. Be prepared for this to be completely useless in about a year when all of the apps are coming out for FP2 and up only.
As much as I love Nokia products, this annoys the hell out of me, especially considering even Apple is offering free software upgrades for the iPhone. Apple! Free! C'mon, Nokia!
No worries here as all fp1 apps work with fp2 and other way around. This time it was a must because fp1 has so much of apps that it woulndnt have been possible to do the same as they did with e61. Plus E71/E66 got backported features from fp2 thought all bling is left out behind.
Only thing i'm a bit dissapointed is camera that i was hoping to be about in a same level that N78, but seems it's not.
E66 white to me(sexyest smartphone ever imo)!
Is that an IR port? Mr Realtor -- take note
or does E-Key not work with symbian?
Might be the thing to replace my Nokia E61i. It's either this or the iPhone, but I like my QWERTY keyboard though and this will probably be available unlocked as well so... Nokia it is then.
"...E62's consistent sluggishness in loading up simple things like recent calls and the address book."
This is not E62's fault, folks, it is the freaking s60. I seriousiy bellieve Nokia makes their usability tests with calm, 75 years old sami, in Lapland.
Aye those devices where pretty slow, but they arent anymore thanks to soft updates and better hardware. All new S60 phones are as fast as dump phones thought running 15 apps in backround will of course have some effect.
No, it isn't s60. It's the E62
yea it is the E62's fault, for it having a slower CPU, and half the ram (and probably slower ram too) of the e61/e61i.
@ the reviewers
before knocking a device for taking too many keystrokes to preform tasks, learn the hot keys. many important tasks can be preformed by simply pressing and holding certain keys, not to mention that important apps and utilities can be added to the home screen
for those talking about the e62. Blame att. the e62 actually has a slightly (couple of MHZ) processor yet is still slower. The e61 is quite a bit faster probably due to less crap preloaded into its rom
Very nice. If it lets me customize the home row icons and maybe has a speakerphone button, I'm sold... I like my E61i quite a bit. Since this has a little more memory (won't run out of memory for apps quite as often), and 3G (quicker web browsing and corp email), and a better camera, it would be quite something. If the keyboard is usable, and the screen is visible in sunlight, it'll kick the E61i's butt...
One of the best things with newer generation Nokia smart phones is the upped ram from something like 20-30 to 120mb. You wont be getting out of memories.
It looks great save for that bright ass red button (or port?) on top of the phone.. kinda sticks out
Just checked their web-site to discover that it finally finally! supports SDHC up to 8 GB; glad somebody at Nokia has their brain turned on.
What do you mean? E90, N82, N78, N95, E66 and so on all take 8GB cards. I'm not sure if they say if it supports it, but 8GB cards have been working on N and E series devices for long time.
Are the ergonomics (stiffness and lack-of-tactile feed back) when you click a key as bad as the N810? Or better?
I hope they're rigid enough to not be spongey, but not so rigid that it takes a lot of pressure to press them. Sounds like you're saying they do give some tactile feedback, though. I much prefer the feel of the E62's keyboard over the N810's, for example. If it's somewhere in between, that might be ideal.
The phone of my dreams!
Another keyboard thought/question:
I've seen some pictures (mostly of the darker colored model) where all of the keys have associated symbols and some where the keys don't (mostly the white model). For example, this one has no symbol shown on the Q key (other than the Q, of course).
Are the blank keys just on the pre-release eval units (for language/region neutrality)? will all of the production models have symbols on all of the keys? Or will it vary some? And if so, what will the variance be?
I think it's a regional thing. I'm sure some places in Europe will have qwertz versions while Arabic version will have plenty of accent marks.
that is wonderfully technological, but also hideous looking
my opinon? Kick the chrome, replace it with matte black, whiten the qwerty a bit
looks good but pricey
some questions:
1. what video (playing) formats does it support (mp4?)?
2. read somewhere that its CPU is something like half the speed of the iphone 3G. is there any truth to this? i would love to see a speed test (3g, wifi) especially with browser use. my e61 is sloooow, though admittedly ancient.
3. is it compatible with Tmobile's 3g frequency?
I got my hands on this yesterday and I found it to be very fast and easy to use. Its OS seemed to be right on par with the E61i. I was able to download the same user generated themes without a problem. Also, the maps 2.0 seems to be a lot more user friendly than previous versions such as what is loaded on my N95 8g. I actually understood how the GPS worked, and it resembled Google maps. This is truly a sweet piece of hardware. Keep your eye out the 1Q2009. AT&T should be picking it up. And for ergonomics, nokia is telling the blackberry pearl to kiss it's .....and every other QWERTY smart phone for that matter.
Also, the E62 had the Wi-Fi stripped out because AT&T wanted it that way. They wanted their customers to be restricted to their network only for data, let's pray they keep the new E71 the way Nokia made it.
C-A-N-T W-A-I-T!!! (Don't let my E61 and E61i know.)
Ah, forgot to link my petition. *LOL*
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?NokiaE71
that phone is sexy
Is it me or is the e61i look better? I personally love the design, heft, and the QWERTY of the e61i ... this just looks tooo thin and small in the palm of the Reviewer in the pictures found on this site.
* It is roughly 0.10inches smaller in length.
* It is roughly 0.50inches smaller in width.
* It is roughly 0.14inches thinner.
This to me adds up to a smaller phone geared towards smaller slender hands, predominantly a growing army of business women that still are being actively wooed. I also understand a smaller dimension is to accommodate a smaller screen, but why reduce screen size, but rather keep the same size of the current e61i?
My ideal incarnation of the e61i is the same form factor, except for the thinness, this could be reduced to that of the current e71. Also Phone Memory could be upped to 110MB as it is in the e71, but even better could the onboard RAM be increased ... so that more than three apps could run simultaneously without issue? A Camera Upgrade is welcome, and a built-in GPS is a boon for this type of device, and North American 3G a required spec in todays phones. I also wish the GUI/ Themes could be improved, but it is okay and workable with how it is now.
Engadget, thanks for the review. While I realize you have to make an obligatory iPhone comparison remark, how about a side-by-side with the Bold? I believe this is a true blackberry competitor, and my choice is going to be between a Bold and an E71. Would love to see how they stack up head-to-head.
This will be a wonderful upgrade to my aging Nokia E61.
Here are some high-quality Nokia themes:series40.net.
Just pre-ordered this phone in the UK Sim Free - cost £299.95 with free delivery off play.com. They expect to get it in on 30th June 2008. The whiite one looks a bit too retro, white was over with first gen ipod in my opinion. The grey looks funky. Went from and E70 to E61i (great phones but memory on both sucks) so am looking forward to hopefully hassle free web browsing. I considered the blackberry bold, but am not a full-on corporate user, web browsing on blackberry's ain't too great so not sure what the BB will be offering. The flexibility of S60 apps give me what I need rock solid web browsing, TSMobile, fring, MSN etc.....The iphone has never been a consideration, one for posing leisure users but definitely not a phone for business! Overall well done Nokia AT LAST a phone without something major missing!! - why didn't you do it earlier? oh I know, so they can keep extracting cash out of me!!!!
The comprehensive review of E71 by smape.com:
http://smape.com/en/reviews/nokia/Nokia_E71-rev.html
This phone shows real improvement over the previous E61/E61i (Really Small & Compact)
http://www.iwebie.com/nokia-e71
I bought Nokia E71 last week and I just love it. I think it’s the best business phone ever!
Read my review of this phone here: http://www.ravivarmapm.com/blog/2008/07/22/mobile-nokia-e71-review/
Nokia has been extremely lazy about updating its support and software sites for the E71. I am based out of India and recently bought the Nokia E71. I was very happy with it till I got on the Nokia site to download the map applications. To my horror I found that the E71 is not mentioned in the supported model list. Further - when I went to search for other application software for E71 - again a blank. Regards, Prabhat
Just received it and I like it alot. I can't find a single thing on this phone that would be negative. The only problem is the resolution. While most of folks might feel confortable with this phone, I am coming from E70 model (3 year old cousin) and has almost double the resolution than this one but the screen size is same. So the screen is really the only thing less than good. If you don't mind "looks" and sharp crystal clear images on the phone display, you would be completely fine with this one. Perhaps it's just the fact I am used to E70 which has a fantastic resolution.
Just wait for a few weeks, they just released it 4 weeks ago.
i want to get this phone is it worth it
This is the worst phone,software loaded in E71 is a mess one,when u on a camera,it suddenly says feature not supported,i am really tired of running around nokia service centres & theservice is really worst,i am really upset after paying 20300/- for the same...................
Simply a shocking phone.
Cannot change settings from automatic to manual. This is apparently "a feature of the phone".
If you want high data charges and roaming costs buy this phone!