The N78 has been made available in some countries during the past days, and quite a few bloggers have had their hands on it, unboxing it, taking poses of it, putting it through its paces. I for one, was interested in what’s beneath that black plastic, ie Feature Pack 2, and what new functionality it will bring to the S60 front. But I know many of you are looking at this handset as a potential replacement for your current one, so here is a quick recap of N78 pictures, videos and reviews.
First, Rafe at AAS has put up a huge gallery of N78 photos and asked whether you have any particular aspects that you’d like him to cover in his review. Zach from Symbian in Motion has also got his hands on one, and delivers a video walkthrough of the handset. Zach seems rather unimpressed with the new features and the lack of IMAP support in email, except the speed and the transitions which he likes.
On the review end of things, is Jeb Brilliant with a short overview of the N78, agreeing with Zach in that he hates the NaviWheel, but likes the UI and the speed. For more details, you can also check the detailed review that Bog at Mobile Arsenal has published.
After going through these posts, I am rather disappointed with the N78 and FP2. I am almost sure that unlike everyone, I will like the NaviWheel, but the fact that the vertical icons in the vertical standby theme can’t be customized is a big letdown. I was hoping that FP2 would bring some of the standby screen customization that I’ve been rooting for ever since I tried Windows Mobile, but apparently, I will still have to wait. Anyway, I will reserve my final judgment until I have one of these in my hands and can try it for real.
What do you think? Did you buy an N78 or are you interested in it, and if so, why? Is it the form factor, the build quality, and/or the features? Or do you want a taste of FP2 before the N96 hits the market? Will the N78 be your main phone, and in this case, what handset are you sporting currently?
I have been wondering whether N73 owners would plunge on the N78 because of its sleeker look, GPS and FP2, 3.5mm plug, or whether they will move to something on the higher end of things, like an N82 or an N95, especially since the N78 sports the same camera as the N73, and lacks the xenon or the multimedia and gaming keys.
