Nokia N76 hotness

What’s all red (or black) and chrome, thin, and sprinkled with Symbian goodness? Well it’s the sexy Nokia N76 of course :)

Thanks to Nseries WOM Word, I was able to use the N76 as my primary phone for a few weeks and gather a bunch of pictures, a couple videos (one & two), and some thoughs…

Since the N76 was released several months ago, there is plenty of information available online already, but here are my observations.

Pros:
– Thin and sexy N-series device
– Standard 3.5 mm audio connector (with TV output)
– Standard mini-USB connector
– Nice internal screen

Cons:
– No WiFi or US-compatible 3G
– No GPS
– So-so camera performance (compared to other 2 megapixel N-series devices – probably a firmware issue – more on this soon)
– Poor build quality (chrome paint flaking off on this well-used demo unit)

I think the N76 is a better choice than the N75 (which I reviewed last year) because it’s thinner, sexier, and features standard connectors. Sure, the N75 adds US-compatible 3G, but it’s only UMTS, and EDGE on the N76 is almost as fast!

There are a couple of areas where the N76 suffers from form over function. The lid cannot be fully opened when a cable is inserted in either the audio or USB connectors. The mirror-like external screen is too dim when viewed in direct sunlight.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with the N76 despite it being a clamshell phone (which is my least favorite form factor). It’s a very attractive N-series device which obliterates the Motorola RAZR and the like (after which it’s clearly modeled) in terms of features.