Nokia N75 Review - Messaging, Internet & Connectivity

Messaging, Internet & Connectivity

The extensive messaging features found on all Series 60 handsets are present on the N75.  SMS and MMS messaging and email are all managed by the Messaging application, which can handle POP3 and IMAP email protocols.  Cingular’s proprietary Email and IM clients also came pre-installed on my review phone, and they afford easy access to Yahoo!, AOL, and Hotmail email along with AIM, MSN, and Yahoo! instant messaging. 

Setting up email access via either application was relatively painless, and the Nokia application will automatically retrieve new email at preset intervals if you leave it running in the background.  The Nokia app also supports Email attachments (a handy feature combined with the QuickOffice document viewer).  I was also able to access my Webmail via the handset’s Web browser.

Nokia’s predictive text system worked pretty well on the N75, but I tend to prefer those found on Sony Ericsson and Samsung handsets a bit more.  Whether it’s my usage habits or actually unavoidable, I wind up needing an extra button press or two to choose from word matches or add my own words to the dictionary on Nokias.  On the other hand, the N75’s giant alphanumeric buttons probably raised my accuracy a good 10 or 20 percent when it came to tapping out messages.

The N75 has one of the best Web browsers you’ll find on a cellphone anywhere.  My review unit actually came with two browsing applications - the standard Series 60 browser (the excellent one) and a Media Net-branded browser (a lesser browser not really worth using).  I had to dig down a few levels to find the S60 browser, but it’s there in all of it’s Full HTML glory. 

If you’re used to WAP browsers like Media Net, meant only to show mobile optimized sites, the S60 browser will blow you away.  It shows real Web pages and features a nifty mini map that lets you scan a thumbnail of the active page for easier navigation on cell phone-sized displays.  The browser also supports RSS feed subscriptions, a feature that more and more seems like it was custom made for cell phone-based information retrieval. 

Connectivity
The Nokia N75 is a quad-band GSM phone that’s locked to AT&T’s network in the United States, and compatible with GSM networks overseas (check with AT&T for global roaming information).  An unlocked version is also available direct from Nokia.  The phone can connect to AT&T’s GPRS, EDGE, and UTMS data networks in the US, though it’s not compatible with the faster HSDPA data speeds supported by AT&T in some areas.  If you’re a heavy data user, this might be a significant knock against the N75, as AT&T offers a few other flip phones with music players and HSDPA compatibility.  It’s really too bad that AT&T customers have to choose between the flexible power of the S60 operating system and the superior data speeds of HSDPA.

Nokia built Bluetooth v2.0 into the N75, but not the A2DP profile for stereo audio.  I was able to transfer files back and forth between the handset and my computer, and also sync my contacts and calendar data.  File transfer is also supported via a Pop-Port to USB cable.  The N75 can also be used as a data modem for laptop tethering via Bluetooth or USB.

Next: Conclusion »