Yep, it's the long awaited part 2 of Rafe's definitive hands-on preview of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, a.k.a. the 'Tube', this time covering all aspects of multimedia, from camera to Web to games. The touchscreen and wide display make for a unique form factor among Nokia's current line-up, and Rafe leaves no stone unturned in his quest to evaluate the device.

Read on in the full article (http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/8554_Hands-on_Preview_Nokia_5800_Xp.php).

Comments now fixed - sorry about that.

Rafe,

Is it possible hide the toolbar in Web so as to view a web page in full screen landscape? All the screenshots/videos I have seen always show the toolbar.

It seems a shame to have 640 pixel wide screen but then to chew up a third of it with permanent (and overly wide) toolbar.

xerxes

xerses - yes it is - it works in both landscape and portrait. its the full screen option shown in the shortcut panel in the screenshots.

is there any possibility that nokia maps is joined up with any other apps in 5th edition. In other words, can one touch an address in a webpage or an email, and have it locate you in the maps app? this is seems like a function that would be available by now considering all s60 phones have nokia maps installed out of the box.

Nice review,
1. What existing Nokia model is its camera quality comparable to? (if megapixel doesn't matter)

2. How may seconds does it take for the Camera app to show?

3. How many seconds is the interval between shots?

thanx

Hi Rafe,

Nice review, looks more and more like Nokia did a nice job. Still I am getting frustrated about no official new about an N-series version with a release date. More and more I am getting convinced I want a 5 Mpixel, qwerty version. More so I want xenon flash back, the dual led is not worthless for photo's and video. It's BTW the only thing SonyEricsson got right.

I wished Nokia proved themselves to be on the ball at the smartphone section again. December is almost here and it's begging for a hot news item.

Cheers,

Dirk

Hello Rafe

Excellent review - this is the best one i have read so far about this device, and that's saying something, considering that i usually rely on a certain Russian guy. The way you have covered makes me feel like I had the phone in my hands.

As for Iphone comparison - there is no contest. This phone LACKS NOTHING. It's a Nokia N85 with two fewer megapixels. In fact, provided enough people are willing to port/program software for it, I think it represents a better deal than any Nseries device right now. Iphone may be the beauty queen, but this is the bespectacled girl who tops the class in the end. She is also considerably slimmer and POCKETABLE unlike the Iphone.

I used to think that I will run my N82 down until it falls apart - but I guess I was wrong. I have a few burning questions, but I guess they will be answered in Part III. Here's hoping we get it in 2008 ;-)

There's also Nokia's standard Search application which gives quick access to Internet results. The search engines available vary by country; in the UK you can choose from Google, Yahoo or Microsoft.

Is the search app actually useful now? Or is it still as slow as in current phones?

Dear Rafe is it possible to modify the media bar

Hi Rafe
Regarding music playing: Is it possible to navigate (outside the music application) to a playlist on an micro sdcard and play it?
Hans

It would be nice to get a version of the updated browser in other devices soon, as the current one is showing its age a bit on some sites.

Nice review,
1. What existing Nokia model is its camera quality comparable to? (if megapixel doesn't matter)

2. How may seconds does it take for the Camera app to show?

3. How many seconds is the interval between shots?

thanx

I would say its quite close to something like an N73. But its a tricky judgement as this is one of the areas most frequently improved in final software. I hope to get the phoen flashed to the release hardware shortly and will report back.

Camera start up (3 ish seconds) and shot to shot (about the same), but see above.

Hi Rafe,

Nice review, looks more and more like Nokia did a nice job. Still I am getting frustrated about no official new about an N-series version with a release date. More and more I am getting convinced I want a 5 Mpixel, qwerty version. More so I want xenon flash back, the dual led is not worthless for photo's and video. It's BTW the only thing SonyEricsson got right.

I wished Nokia proved themselves to be on the ball at the smartphone section again. December is almost here and it's begging for a hot news item.

Cheers,

Dirk

Thanks Dirk :) I don't think you're going to have to all that long and they are definitely on the way. Not so sure you'll be happy with the Flash. I do think we'll see some Nokia news in December, but it may not be what you want... but MWC isn't far away.

Is the search app actually useful now? Or is it still as slow as in current phones?

Its still slow. I still just go to Google - I have it as a bookmark and can it have it loaded in a few seconds.

Dear Rafe is it possible to modify the media bar

No.

Hi Rafe
Regarding music playing: Is it possible to navigate (outside the music application) to a playlist on an micro sdcard and play it?
Hans

Not tried this sory.

It would be nice to get a version of the updated browser in other devices soon, as the current one is showing its age a bit on some sites.

This will probably happen for S60 3.2 devices (especially N85 and N79), not sure about older devices.

No internet radio? Strange.

Could be because of pre-release softwre... although only Nseries have had the combined version thus far. It should be possible to download and install though.

Great Review Rafe,

I realy wish it had a 5mp camera but i still want it, does anyone know the release date yet(even online). i really wanna get this phone soon. Cant wait to see what a flagship touchscreen nokia.

1. There is "Images & Videos" in the Gallery and i guess this mean 5800 organize the images and video files in Albums like Nseries and its compatible with "Photos" PC application...am right?

am asking because i see images in thumbnails not like Nseries.

2. What about the "Photos" application in the device itself?...the one used in N78!!...or i will stuck to the Gallery?

3. Video Editor?

Hi Rafe
Quote:
Camera start up (3 ish seconds) and shot to shot (about the same), but see above.


How come you said in this review that camera-Startup-ime is just one second and then now you say 3seconds? which is true??

sorry for the muddle on the start up times. I tested this both times I wrote this and got different results. As you'll know shot to shot depends on auto four time and processing time. I would say it averages 2 seconds.

Camera start up - I mis typed in the forum answer - should have been 2. of course if the camera app is open it is quicker. Just done some more test. is faster after fresh boot. But I'd say 2 seconds to be safe. Will update review when on PC.

Its worth pointing out these number always change in release / later software.

thank you Rafe for the camera-speed clarification. Now what remains to be seen is if the speed of the picture gallery to improve a bit. It's a common sense programming to load the previous and next picture in the background while you are viewing the current one so that they are immediately available when you flick left or right. That simple trick should have improved our overall experience.

Just to add clarity to camera times (I wrote that last post on the E71 on a train late at night). Done some more testing this morning and the times seem to vary a fair bit, but is generally quite quick (comparable with other devices).... but like I say its early software so.

I would say that if you are wanting a decent camera then wait for a future device. Coming down from an Nseries is going to disappoint.

I'm not hopeful about the performance of Gallery to be honest.

Rafe, thanks for the review. I look forward to part 3.

I'm considering getting the 5800 when it appears with Vodafone in February, according to their website. I have the original N95 and I’m able to upgrade in April but don’t know if it’s worth waiting a bit longer for any N series touch screen phone. I do like touch screen devices, I’ve had many windows mobile and Pocket PC’s so I’m slightly impatient about getting a phone with Nokia’s slant on the idea. Do you think it’s worth me waiting? Will I have to wait very long???

I was thinking the same. Is it worth waiting for the Nseries touch because I'll be coming from an n82 and the camera will surely feel like a downgrade. However, from that leaked product sheet the touch devices are only going to get a 5mp camera without xenon. 5mp camera compared to a 3.2mp camera, both without xenon in my eyes, is not a big difference. If the Nseries touch had Xenon I would no doubt wait for it. IMO the only thing the Nseries touch is going to offer thats different is maybe a slightly more attractive design, maybe a bigger screen and a very slightly better camera.

The Nseries touch products are likely to have oher advantages too.

I've heard in the past that the reason the Japanese phones are so highly specced are because the operator (e.g. NTT DoCoMo) fund the development of the handsets in return for offering them exclusively on their network.

Is there any chance that something like the Casio EXILIM W63CA (3.1" WVGA OLED 480x800 with an 8.1 MPix camera - http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&u=http://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20081027/au.htm ) could be unveiled by Nokia next year as a touch-screen, S60v5 handset?

Hello Rafe!

Do you know if Nokia will support 5800 on its viNe application? Thanks!

Just 1 Important question!

We know that both variants of the N95 and N82 record their video with the embedded graphics chip, which is why coreplayer and other specced symbian phones such cant play them properly, but will they play on the 5800 as they do from their native devices?

cheers

The Tzar of ......................

I read on this site dat d guitar game u mentioned above is actually part of the first ngage titles to cum to d nokia 5800. Can u confirm dis please?

Hey this item was posted on 25th nov..... 2day its 29th nov.... where's part 3???


Thx!

You can see part 3 in the reviews section (just haven't made the post on the front page yet).

I read on this site dat d guitar game u mentioned above is actually part of the first ngage titles to cum to d nokia 5800. Can u confirm dis please?

No it will be a stand alone game first, though it could, in theory be included in the N-gage line up.

For the most part, I live off of the stock applications that come from the phone and I don't use it very much with other applications, except 4.

SMS Export from S60.com, YBrowser, cCAM, and Screenshot are a must for me.

I work in retail and conduct most of my business through SMS or email. At the end of the day, I need to turn in all SMS and emails to be filed away on the computer. Email is simple, but I use SMS Export for all my texts.

Does anyone know for sure, or can you Rafe, do me the favor of checking if these four applications are working perfectly on the 5800?

If they are, I'm getting one the same day i get my answer.

UHHH the bad news!!
If Nokia couldnt make a Kill on the Browser, how do they expect to make a Kill on Apple.

Im personly dissapointed with nokia for their half-baked 5th edition browser, i figured they woulda learned from the mistakes from others, and offer custimize web settings(user friendly settings) like preset zoom, or center, or keep same zoom for next, you know annoying stuff that comes for the iphone.

ahh a sad day for me.

Hello Rafe

First of all the review was fantastic. Helped in making up my mind. Just have one question. I'm very much into the music thing. I owe a Sony Ericsson W series phone and the music quality is excellent for that hand set. Does Nokia 5800 provides the same level of clarity and quality? I dont like other express music editions in this regard.

Best,
Saba

As this is the "Multimedia" part of the preview, would it be too much to ask to actually provide some video samples?

this telephone has remote control to pc(connect the telephone to pc and control the currsor)????

an officemate recently bought this phone, and until now, he doesn't know how how to used the front camera....the question is -
is the front camera can be used for taking (self)photos and (self)videos or only for video calling?
if it can be used, how?
thanks in advance for the answer...

hi i have purchased 5800xm 2 days ago in india. It is prized 22000 INR in india about 2000 above n-78. Very good phone and far away from iphone except touch interface. After all it is king move. I agree with ur review. But 3.5 mp camera is sort of obsolete for a future device as now 8.5 mp is making news. And no lens cover, still checking battery backup. On the positive side video playback is awesome in 9hd screen. They have given 1+ gb software with memory card. Trailer of dark knight just rocks. And as for as my knowledge only 5800 and n97 r based on s60 5 ed in 2009 . Imho 5800 is worth purchase even u have n series. (i have n70 and n80 )

Dear Rafe,

Good Day!

As you mentioned that nokia 5800 can connect to pc monitor but how?

I have a HP 22" Monitor and its the following port connection;

VGA
HDMI
DVI

It has no input port for me to connect the tv out of nokia 5800 which is 3 RCA.

Please help.

Best regards,

It is possible to use the 5800 to webchat via an IM like Windows Live or Skype?

How do i change the colour of my menu bar etc ? as my friend has a pink bar and i was wondering how to change it ?