Symbian Belle - sorry, 'Nokia Belle', Feature Pack 2 has been available now for a few weeks and it's time to take stock. How many steps forward did this take the OS? And how many steps back? What's in Belle FP2 and how does it compare to other smartphone user interfaces in 2012?
Something very different for AAS here - what we have here is custom firmware for a Nokia smartphone, in this case created by a Colombian enthusiast and aiming to bring old S60 5th Edition phones up as close to the modern Symbian experience as possible. That 'CFW Symbian Anna 7.9' (links and caveats below) ultimately still disappoints a 2012 phone user is 99% down to the limitations of the hardware of the time, mainly in terms of free RAM - but such improvements are still tremendously interesting, which is why it's receiving the review treatment here.
In part 1, I looked at the Nokia 808's hardware, in part 2a, I showed how PureView works, in part 2b, I tested the 808 head to head with its predecessors, in part 2c, I looked at the new Camera interface and in part 2d, I looked at the 808's video capture capabilities, including the Rich Recording system. Most recently, in part 3, I looked at the 808's OS, performance and multimedia functionality. In this, the final part 4, I cover other applications, notes on updates and my summary of this landmark (in a number of senses of the word) device.
In part 1, I looked at the 808's hardware, in part 2a, I showed how PureView works, in part 2b, I tested the 808 head to head with its predecessors, in part 2c, I looked at the new Camera interface and in part 2d, I looked at the 808's video capture capabilities, including the Rich Recording system. In this, part 3, I'm looking at the 808's OS, performance and multimedia functionality. Still to come, in part 4, will be coverage of other applications and my summary of this landmark (in a number of senses of the word) device.
In part 1 of my Nokia 808 PureView review, I looked at its hardware and capabilities as a smartphone, in part 2a, I showed how PureView works, in part 2b, I tested the 808 head to head with its predecessors, and in part 2c, I looked at the massively reworked Camera interface. In this, review part 2d, I look at the 808's video capture capabilities, including the Rich Recording system for high quality audio capture. Still to come in the remaining parts of my seven part 20,000 word review are apps, multimedia, performance and much more.
In part 1 of my Nokia 808 PureView review, I looked at its hardware and physical capabilities as a smartphone, in part 2a, I showed how PureView works, along with samples of its output and comments on the quality produced, in part 2b, I tested the 808 head to head with its predecessors in the Symbian world, along with the best competing (non-Symbian) camera phone for challenging light situations, the HTC One X/S. In this, review part 2c, I'll cover the massively reworked Camera interface and look at ultimate quality in like-for-like conditions versus the N8.
In part 1 of my Nokia 808 PureView review, I looked at its hardware and physical capabilities as a smartphone, in part 2a, I have a summary of how PureView works, along with samples of its output and comments on the quality produced. In this review part 2b, I'm going to be testing the 808 head to head with its predecessors in the Symbian world, along with the best competing (non-Symbian) camera phone for challenging light situations, the HTC One X/S. Future review parts will cover the massively reworked Camera interface and testing the video capture/Rich Recording capabilities, in addition to looking at the Nokia 808 as a smartphone platform in 2012.
In part 1 of my Nokia 808 PureView review, I looked at its hardware and physical capabilities as a smartphone. But I stopped short of going into depth on the 808's main Unique Selling Point, the monster camera, since this deserves its own review parts. Four of them, in fact, starting in this, part 2a, with a summary of how PureView works, samples of its output and comments on the quality produced. Future 808 camera parts will cover comparisons with other competing smartphones, the massively reworked Camera interface and testing the video capture/Rich Recording capabilities.
Symbian's 'last hurrah' is here at last, now in Western Europe and looking good. We've got a review Nokia 808 PureView in the house and here starts our in depth review coverage, starting with a look at the hardware and build, at the 808's performance and feel as a smartphone, and an initial look at the capability of its unique selling point, the monster 41 megapixel sensor and PureView processor.
A few days ago, I covered impressions of the Nokia 701 in comparison to the heavyweight from the initial Symbian^3 line-up, the N8. You may also remember that, I did formal review parts on the 701 before, in review part 1 and review part 2, but since then the device has received a big Feature Pack 1 update, including a processor speed bump, so it's high time to refresh our memories and to look in detail about what's changed and what's new.
