Video capture is quite decent too, recording at maximum 640 x 480 resolution at up to 30f/s in MP4 format. Playback is smooth and looks pretty good for a phone. Again, the dual LED illumination doesn't do a bad job for night shots.
There's a fold-out viewing stand, but the 2.6in screen isn't ideal for watching video
Nokia has provided a regular set of S60 video player options: RealPlayer is pre-loaded and Nokia’s own Video Centre app provides fast access to and management of a selection of streaming and downloadable video services. Video playback looks impressively smooth and rich, if small on the wee screen. The N86 supports MP4, 3GP, H.263 and H.264 file formats, and can be connected to a TV, though Nokia doesn't bundle a cable.
It does, however, include good quality in-ear buds that present a detailed and pleasingly well-balanced sound. The N86 has a 3.5mm headphone socket so you can easily use other earphones. The bundles remote control unit has a 3.5mm socket too.
The N86 8MP’s music player puts in a fine performance. The user interface is familiar and easily controlled from the navpad or the upper slide-out button panel. Radio entertainment is well covered too. As well as a slick FM radio, there’s an internet radio app, making it easier to find and tune into services online. A podcasting app also allows you to find, subscribe to and download podcasts.
Additionally, a built-in FM transmitter enables you to broadcast tunes playing on your phone to FM radios within a 3m radius, whether in-car, at home or even another radio-toting phone. It’s simple to tune in to an appropriate radio frequency and works very effectively.
The secondary slider gives you extra media controls
With Wi-Fi as well as 3.6Mb/s HSDPA 3G, the N86 8MP’s Nokia Flash-friendly browser is able to work its away around websites speedily. It has a shortcuts toolbar you can pull up with a long press on an empty area of the page. Alternatively, you can use numberpad shortcuts to help navigate around the screen, save bookmarks, go to your homepage and so on. Granted, it’s not iPhone slick, but it is an improvement on earlier N-series browsers. Pages are tidily rendered, and you can use the upper slider zoom buttons for fast zooming.
COMMENTS
The point of having a camera phone
I have an N82 for the simple reason that the photo you took with the camera you had in your pocket will always be better than the photo you didn't take with the camera you didn't have in your pocket. And I've only got so much pocket space. And I carry my cellphone no matter what.
Yes, the resulting photos are poor compared to even a cheap dedicated digital camera. But I get photos, as opposed to nothing. So from that perspective, it seems sensible to try to get the best cellphone camera possible - because I'm always going to have it with me, so I'll always be capable of taking photos of some sort.
But yeah, looking at this as a real replacement for a real camera is, of course, silly...
Works for me
I got this for my wife on a T-Mobile upgrade. It's much better than the N95 she had before (which died after a drinks leakage in the vicinity) - the maps work really well with a very fast GPS lock, the pictures are perfectly good enough, and the music plays fine.
It was around £25 for the upgrade which to be honest I think made it a bit of a no brainer.
Er What?
Hopeless and pointless, its a bit sad really that with so much interesting stuff happening on iphone and android, nokia come up with this crap. Sure they'll sell a few to some of the die-hards above, but at this rate they'll easily halve their current market share within a couple of years. Good Job Nokia!
"S60 3E user interface is beginning to feel old hat"
Understatement of the year. Or even the past 5 years.
@MacroRodent
Thanks, but in all fairness, I should point out that I'm pretty sure I'm paraphrasing Dan of dansdata.com. If only I really was that clever.
