Nokia N82 smartphone

The A-GPS system uses network-sent location information to speed up positioning and improve location accuracy in some circumstances. Part of the out-of-the-box deal gives users three months of voice-guided turn-by-turn navigation - after this, you can subscribe to the service. The Nokia Maps service works abroad, too, with additional maps sent over the air for free wherever necessary. You can also buy additional guides and services from links in the Nokia Maps software.

The system works very well, and is intuitive and easy to get to grips with. You can set it for pedestrian or in-car instructions too. It’s fast, both for getting a satellite fix and for searching and looking up routes. Having the system on a Micro SD card also gives you the flexibility to use a third-party navigation application if you prefer. Of course, the 2.4in display isn’t going to deliver the same view as a dedicated 4in-screen in-car system, but it’s still mighty handy to have in a phone.

The Nokia Maps service also works when overseas

The N82’s multimedia package is enhanced by a Nokia S60 music player that’s the same quality performer as is built into the N95 8GB. It supports the usual spread of music file formats, including MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA and M4A. Pleasingly, Nokia has included a standard 3.5mm headphone jack sitting on the top of the phone – sensible for easy headphone lead access from your pocket.

Adding your own headphones can make an instant improvement to the sound quality, but the supplied stereo earphones deliver a reasonable performance. There are no dedicated music controls on the N82, so the nav-pad operates the player. It’s worth creating a shortcut to the music player on the Active Standby page if you expect to use it in the background and want quick access to switch the player on or off.

You can download tracks straight to the N82 from the Nokia Music Store, using Wi-Fi or a mobile network data connection. Over-the-air downloads from mobile operators’ music and video services are also supported, if the service is compatible.

The N82 is as well equipped with software as any recent additions to Nokia’s N series. It supports the revamped N-Gage interactve gaming platform, although our review sample was only equipped with a demo, pending the imminent launch of the N-Gage service. The demos of FIFA 07 and Asphalt Street Rules 3 are graphically impressive, but we’re keen to see – and play - the real thing. The closely-aligned nav-pad button control array may not be the most digit-friendly for gamers, judging from our sample play.