tanding at the top of Nokia Nseries line, N96 has been stuffed with all the latest features that you can think of. While N95 was highly acclaimed at the time of its launch, expectations became even higher once Nokia announced its plans to release an even better Nseries handset – N96. Unfortunately, as you will probably discover in the following review, Nokia 96 has pretty much disappointed what was expected from it for various reasons. Even though it still has some of the latest technologies included, its design and life battery autonomy drop its functionality at a lower lever than that of its N95 predecessor. Announced in February 2008, Nokia fans had to wait till September for N96's launch on the market. The multimedia handset is selling for the hefty price of USD 600$, but can go lower if you opt for a plan. Apparently, there is only one color version available – black, and it doesn't seem that Nokia will add another one for N96.
Design
In case you are familiar with N81 (with or without 8GB), you'll notice that Nokia N96 features almost the same design layout. The plastic used is exactly the same as that of N81, only sizes are different. Also, N96 is a dual-slider, just like its N95 predecessor, so you can slide it down when you want to watch movies or play a game.
Bulky and unattractive, Nokia N96 measures 103 x 55 x 18mm and weighs around 125g (battery included). Even to a Nokia fan, the phone proves that the Finnish handset manufacturer hasn't made any steps forward regarding its designing methods.
Clearly, Nokia N96 is a multimedia device, so I haven't been surprised by the large 2.8" screen and the fact that it's a dual-slider. The device also features stereo speakers, which have been placed on both corners on the right side. You'll also be able to notice a dedicated camera key and a dual volume button on the same right side of the phone.
The left side only features a microSD card slot, which has been covered by a plastic stripe. On the bottom part of the handset, there's a microUSB port and the charger port. The power button, a 3.5mm jack port, as well as a Lock slide key have been placed on top of the phone. The back of the slider has been provided with a 5-Megapixel camera with a Dual LED flash. The silver-colored plastic that surrounds the camera can be pulled out, so you can prop the phone in case you wanna watch a movie without holding it in your hand. As you slide the device up, you'll notice a small keypad, much like the one embedded into the N81 model. The keys aren't separated too well, which makes texting or calling a nightmare. But the real issue regards the D-pad and control of the soft keys. They're not responsive enough, you'll almost break your fingers trying to browse through the menus. I haven't met something similar in ages. As you can see from the pictures, the keys have been incredibly crowded, while the layout strongly resembles that of N81.
Green and Red buttons are extremely hard to use, while the big D-pad is too rigid for a smooth experience. Above the large screen, a secondary camera has been placed. It can be used for video-calls, but you can also take pictures with it. When slided down, the phone reveals four special keys that can be employed in two modes. The first enables users to take advantage of all four as "music keys," while in gaming mode only the two buttons in the middle will be active.
One thing that I have found positive about N96's design is the material used for manufacture, which doesn't "attract" fingerprints. Both parts of the phone, front and back, should be clean even after heavy use. Another good trait of the handset is the fact that it doesn't look cheap like N81 does, thanks to the well polished plastic and excellent finishes. Otherwise, it's a standard Nokia Nseries slider, nothing that will make you too excited.
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