Features
Like the rest of Nokia's N-Series, the N93 is packed with features. The Series 60 software running on Symbian OS provides a platform capable of expansion via downloadable applications for productivity, information management, communications, and entertainment.
Nokia's music player handles audio in MP3, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, and WMA formats and features a customizable equalizer and playlist support. The included Nokia Music Manager software for PC handles CD ripping, music transfer, and syncing with Windows Media Player music libraries. The N93 also features an FM radio with Visual Radio support.
Integrated Real Player software handles playback of video from the onboard cameras or files downloaded or transferred from a computer. A Gallery application provides easy access to photos and videos and includes a slideshow viewing mode. Included XpressShare and XpressTransfer software made it very easy to move audio and video files between the N93 and a computer, and the included starter versions of Adobe Photoshop and Premiere allowed for more powerful PC-based editing of photos and videos. All in all, the N93 is without question a serious multimedia device.
Series 60 also offers robust personal information management capabilities, including a customizable Active Standby mode with shortcuts to appointments, to-do lists, and other frequently used items. Calendar and Contact applications are excellent, and the handset can view - and even edit, to some degree - common office document formats including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, PDFs, and graphics formats including GIF and JPEG.
A 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and 3x optical zoom is at the heart of the N93. The lens is auto focus, the camera software includes myriad settings for shooting mode, white balance, resolution, and other settings. An LED light provides assistance in dim lighting conditions but isn't a true flash. As previously mentioned, the main camera is only available when the camera is in Imaging Mode. Otherwise the secondary camera, which is mounted along the top edge of the main display, may be used. The secondary camera captures images at up to VGA resolution.
Still photos captured with the N93 came out very, very good. I shot a ton of pictures on the beaches of Kauai and in general the N93 did well to capture the island's awesome natural beauty. Unlike most camera phones, the N93 sports optical zoom, and zoomed photos rendered very nicely. But I think the Sony K790/800 CyberShot series holds a slight edge over the N93 in terms of overall still image quality. It's close, though, and the N93 will not disappoint so long as you avoid overly-dim lighting conditions. Nokia's LifeBlog software makes it easy to post photos directly from the N93 to a Blog via WiFi or cellular data connection, and integrated PictBridge supports direct photo printing to compatible printers via USB.
Where the N93's camera really shines, though, is in video capture mode. Nokia packages the handset with a TV out cable, and with good reason: The 640x480 videos I shot on the handset looked -and sounded - great when played back on a television set or on the built-in display. Full 30 fps quality means smooth motion well-suited to capturing everything from vacation scenes to sporting events; in fact, Nokia is currently offering a special N93 Golf Edition to help you analyze your swing using a special capture mode and software.
Built-in software lets you edit your videos and/or reformat them for attaching to Email and MMS messages. I really had fun snapping ridiculous videos and emailing them to folks back on the mainland during my time on Kauai - and then watching them myself on the N93 back in the hotel room. Image quality was excellent across the board.
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4.5
