E61i - Real life user experiences...

[Raven]

Howdy,

Well, I just received my E61i yesterday. Initially my plan was to wait for the E90, but I started thinking more logically about my usage. How often would I need inbuilt GPS and how often would I require a high specced camera and so forth... After-all I can type just as fast on my E61 (if not faster) than I could on my 9500 and 9300. Of course the E90 has a marvelous screen size/resolution, but then again that would require opening the cover and using it two-handed. The jury is still out on the verdict though. After-all I am merely a weak human and may still end up getting an E90 later on.

Those things that really annoyed me about my E61 - and on top of that list was the god aweful joystick (I've previously written a long rant about it on this forum), and there have been times were I really missed having a camera in my phone. So I decided to get the E61i(mproved version) to see just how much of an improvement it really is. Let me just say; It certainly is the small things that matter. So far I'm loving it!

First of all the looks: It looks so much more stylish with the black together with the silver metal casing, and it is quite a bit thinner - you really feel the difference.

Hardware: I only have one word to describe the build-quality; SUPERB! As far as the keyboard goes the keys are more sqarish and a bit smaller (except for the bottom line of keys), a bit more 'curved' and maybe slightly more space between them. But to be honest I found the E61 keyboard great as well, and haven't noticed much difference in typing speed, but I suppose more time is needed to really come up with a verdict on that one. It is certainly in no way worse than the E61 though - worst case scenario is that they are comparable...

And now, the most important part - the d-pad is a HUGE step up from the abysmal joystick found in its predecessor - the E61 (in my personal opinion of course). The d-pad finally makes navigation feel like a breeze. And on a side-note it finally makes playing all those great Sega Megadrive games a real joy. I used to own a Megadrive as a teenager and it is great reliving those days.

Other hardware improvements include a more recessed voice record button that actually requires TWO clicks to start recording now - no more accidental recording of voice notes - GREAT. And of course you now have two extra buttons - Contacts and 'My own' (-configurable). The W-Lan coverage (reach) also appears to be a tad better on this model compared to the E61. I can now easily connect to a router from a distance I previously had trouble connecting.

Camera: Haven't had much time to play with it yet, but seems good enough for a few snaps and video clips when out and about. The quality does seem quite a lot better than the N70 I had a while back. Here is a short video I shot earlier today using the E61i: http://www.home.no/memento_mori/&#37...42007(001).mp4

Software: It does actually feel quite a bit faster than the E61 - which may either be due to software optimizations or it may be because I still don't have a MicroSD card in it. There are also quite a few minor software changes/improvements here and there... Like you can now set the blinking light to also include SMS, MMS and missed calls, in addition to e-mail. And the standby screen is now more configurable, etc.

Well, that's all I can think of for now... I hope this little preview may have been useful to some, and if you have any questions feel free to ask!


Cheers!

[blush]

I was not going to bother with the E61i but after reading your review Raven I think I'll get one now. How stable is the early firmware? I hate the E61 joystick thing, terrible. What I really want to know is does the E61i run TomTom ok.

[Raven]

Hi blush

The firmware seems stable enough. I've only made it crash to the point where I had to remove the battery once, and that was because of a poorly written third party software. One strange bug though; the number button don't work as shortcuts in the main menu anymore, nor do they work in web browser and several third party apps. Weird and annoying. Hopefully Nokia'll fix it in the next firmware version. The shortcuts work in RealPlayer though - like pressing 2 to make it go full screen...

I don't have tomtom, so I'm not able to answer that question unfortunately.

Cheers

[Raven]

No wait, the scortcuts do seem to work after all, it's just that you have to press the blue button first now. It wasn't like that in the E61 - at least not in the firmware version I had...

[greenteeth]

Wow Raven! I'm really quite impressed with the video capabilities on this phone. I just sold my N95 and am happy to see that the E61i still offers some very respectable video albeit smaller. I too am set on the E90 but can't wait until July to upgrade from the abysmal Cingular branded E62 I've been using. I owned 2 E61's in the past but always sold them for N series devices. Of course it took me a few weeks to realize that I couldn't live without the qwerty or the extra landscape its screen offered me. I may have to give this thing a whirl unless anyone knows of some concrete info on the E90's release date.


....and the double click for voice recordings may be the best part about the upgrade!

[spudtheimpaler]

Originally Posted by greenteeth

....and the double click for voice recordings may be the best part about the upgrade!

I like to be cynical sometimes, just to play devil's advocate...

The button press for the voice recorder. An easy fix for new firmwares I imagine, yet this very simple annoyance is fixed in the E61i. Do you think it was put there intentionally just to increase the number of people who would upgrade to the E61i from the other E6*'s?

(Just for the record, i think it was an honest f*ck up, but you still have to ask the question...)

[ratza]

Originally Posted by greenteeth

Wow Raven! I'm really quite impressed with the video capabilities on this phone.

The video is the same as in my N70. I will upgrade to an E70 or E61i in the future, as they seem the best choice for me. Full QWERTY and WLAN are the only things which are lacking in N70.

[greenteeth]

Originally Posted by ratza

The video is the same as in my N70. I will upgrade to an E70 or E61i in the future, as they seem the best choice for me. Full QWERTY and WLAN are the only things which are lacking in N70.

That and all the nuances of V3.....

[ratza]

Originally Posted by greenteeth

That and all the nuances of V3.....

To be honest, I'not so impressed about v3. It's true I haven't play with it too much though...

[joolsca]

Originally Posted by Raven

Howdy,



First of all the looks: It looks so much more stylish with the black together with the silver metal casing, and it is quite a bit thinner - you really feel the difference.


Cheers!

great review...but it is MOCHA, not black...VERY very dark brown....

[themos]

I´m just loving my new e61i too! Brilliant! However, I´m having trouble connecting it to my home w-lan.. It works on other w-lans, but not mine. Any ideas?

[Raven]

Originally Posted by spudtheimpaler

I like to be cynical sometimes, just to play devil's advocate...

The button press for the voice recorder. An easy fix for new firmwares I imagine, yet this very simple annoyance is fixed in the E61i. Do you think it was put there intentionally just to increase the number of people who would upgrade to the E61i from the other E6*'s?

(Just for the record, i think it was an honest f*ck up, but you still have to ask the question...)

Apparently the two button click was added in a firmware release for the E61. I never upgraded mine, but an other user confirmed it.

I´m just loving my new e61i too! Brilliant! However, I´m having trouble connecting it to my home w-lan.. It works on other w-lans, but not mine. Any ideas?

Have you tried restarting your router?

[spudtheimpaler]

Originally Posted by Raven

Apparently the two button click was added in a firmware release for the E61. I never upgraded mine, but an other user confirmed it.

Yeah I have since upgraded my firmware (3.0633.09.04) and that has been changed. Looks like the devil lost this time...

[rmbedi]

Had actually planned to buy the Fujitsu Siemens T830, N95 or E90.

Why did I choose the E61i.

- Firstly had the feeling the Nokia always comes out with a debugged "i"-Version phone and makes minor cosmetic changes. (Slightly slimmer than E61 and does not have the horrible JoyStick)
- The N95 had bad reviews re battery life, who wants to punch in eMails like SMS's buy depressing the keys 3-4 time to get 1 letter on the screen, I do not care re 5 Meg Camera and do not like Slide Phones.
- The T830 is too heavy and had bad reviews re GPS, WIN mobile.
- The E90 is too bulky

With T830, N95, E90 I have the feeling the mfr. packs in so many gadgets into a small phone and nothing will work properly (read quite some reviews on the net, but obviosly only those guys post on the net who are really pxxxx off with the phone.

The E61i functions well incl. the (expensive) Navigon GPS-mouse and the European maps. I liked the fact that the E61i has 2 built-in Antenna's and part casing is metal.

[paperslut]

The video quality is phenomenal. I think you just may have swayed my choice!