Nokia N78: A fully loaded candy bar

One of my favorite shopping experiences is going to a candy store or if that option is not available then I make my way to the snack and candy section of the grocery store.

I guess it is the variety and the colors of all the candies in a candy store that call out to me, “buy me, buy me” and in a trance-like state, I buy, I buy. 

I take the same attitude when I shop around, or rather window-shop around for the other things I really like.

And, it was on one of these window-shopping around days that I chanced upon the newest Nokia candy bar on the market — the N78.

At first glace I was not too impressed with the Nokia N78, perhaps because the one I saw was a very business-like black unit. Not one to judge gadgets by their cover I made sure that I gave the N78 a chance.

I was not disappointed. The compact Nokia N78 put the world in the palm of my hands — it is a multimedia computer with options for sharing music, navigation and photography. I was told that with the N78 the Finnish company designed it to take advantage of the new suite of Nokia services, including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, and Share on Ovi — a new online service that enables consumers to share their personal media. 

It amazes me just how quickly technology grooves and moves. With the speed of developments in the cellphone industry even Superman would seem like a slowpoke.

The N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD memory card, currently available at up to 8GB, to store favorite music and media.

Something new

There were two features that caught my fancy. One is the geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.

I just love how the N78 has been able to make good use of its integrated A-GPS functionality and its 3.2-megapixel camera. It is what is called geotagging — the N78 automatically tags images in a captured location, making it possible to view the captured location as a pin on a map either on the device itself or online.

Of course, because of the high-speed Internet connectivity, over WLAN or HSDPA, uploading photos and videos to online communities like Share on Flickr is just a keyboard tap away.

Last year, there seemed to have been a race for which cellphone could have the biggest megapixel camera; it was a time when the quality and size of images taken on a cellphone camera were what sold it. 

This year it seems that Nokia has moved to more than just being able to take photos on the cellphone to making the photos serve a purpose, more than just for wallpaper and blackmailing other innocent folk. 

Nokia is focusing its efforts more on being able to use the photos to help people on the go. It must explain why priorities have shifted from just high megapixel cameras to being able to use the photos taken to help in GPS navigation. It helps a lot that the connectivity of the telcos allow for better access to the Web services because of higher data transition rates and better connectivity.

I was also impressed by the FM transmitter function of the N78. As far as I can hear, music is still a core feature of the Nokia N78. The FM transmitter allows broadcasting the radio signal to a compatible audio system or a car receiver.

The radio functionality is split into two — visual radio and Internet radio. Visual radio allows for visual services like Album Arts while Internet Radio is a Web service which works with the help of Wi-Fi and 3G networks.

So what’s the big deal?

Well, when I am in a rush I sometimes leave the trusty iPod at home. At least now I know that I can still listen to my fave tunes. Thank God that I never leave home without my cellphone.

Form follows function

As I said at the start, the N78 is not eye-candy and may be considered quite boring at first sight. I guess it’s because of the glossy face surface which is pitch black. The only accent on the phone is its silver-colored navigation button and the multimedia menu launch button.

I am a matte person; I am not too fond of glossy finishes — on anything. So, I had to adjust a little when I held the N78. It’s too glossy for me. The surface is also very smooth and prone to fingerprints marks and smudges.  

I guess it must be true what I have known all along, that there is no perfect cellphone. I have always believed that cellphone manufacturers make handsets with something missing so that we will also be on the lookout for a better unit.

Just like when we deal with people — or even with ourselves for that matter — we have to remain open to the different quirks that make us who and what we are.

In a world that is always changing, it is good to know that the cellphone will always be in step with whatever the changes may be.

“The Nokia N78 truly lives up to the Nseries promise of delivering unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences with the very latest technologies and services,” said Chris Carr, Nokia vice president for sales in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, in a press statement. “The Nokia N78 empowers people to explore their passions, enjoy their favorite music and share their experiences with others and is set to continue the range of well-balanced Nseries devices such as the successful Nokia N73.”

A candy bar cellphone that does good business is what the Nokia N78 is all about. Perhaps next there will be a business phone that will make a great fashion accessory.

Change is like that; we never know what will happen next.

And yet we can’t wait for it to happen.