: The hero of our today's review is the fashionable Nokia N76 folding phone. The model turned out to be somewhat different from what was expected before the first photo leaks appeared on the Internet.

As we all know, the key event of the beginning of the 21st century in the mobile phone industry was the effect. The phenomenal success of Motorola, which released the fashionable folding phone RAZR V3 Silver in January 2005, played a huge role in shaping users' ideas about the definition of an image device. If previously, for the “fashion phone” nameplate, either an unusual form factor, or metal parts of the case, or a large color display were sufficient, but now only a combination of these concepts can be called an image solution. We won’t go into the specifics of Motorola’s marketing policy, which made it possible to turn the RAZR project into the second best-selling project right after the great Finnish tandem &. At the same time, when all other manufacturers began to focus on customer demand directly related to everything “thin and metallic,” Nokia focused the image segment of its products on the innovative design of the classic form factor. One of the most striking examples is,. Moreover, the company rejected the need to create subtle image solutions. In response to the thin body, the 6100 appeared, the metal body was embraced by the titanium 8910. The problem was that the company ignored the uncompetitive hardware of the phones, such as STN displays, quiet speakers with weak polyphony, small amounts of memory and poor camera modules. All this, being a complex problem with most solutions, resulted in a rapid loss of loyalty on the part of users.

But let's not talk about sad things. Especially considering the fact that by this year the company managed not only to catch up with the rest, but also to take a leading position in all aspects mentioned earlier. At the same time, the gap in the segment of thin fashion folding phones had to be quickly filled.

The way out of the situation was the enormous popularity of the company’s smartphones, coupled with the incredibly successful Freescale hardware platform. In connection with this fact, it was decided to use this particular hardware platform, which has proven itself in the development of other solutions (6290, 6120 classic, 6110 Navigator). At the same time, the model had to be part of the N-series segment, and therefore have some kind of multimedia focus. Considering the demand among customers for solutions that can play the role of an mp3 player, the musical focus turned out to be the most interesting from the company’s position. In addition, we must not forget about the timing of creating the solution: while the usual period is 2-3 years, this model was released in a record 8 months. True, it took the same amount of time to obtain stable operation of the device and maximum time battery life. As a result, at the 3GSM 2007 exhibition the world saw the world's thinnest S60 smartphone, a clamshell form factor - Nokia N76.

Appearance

At the first glance at the device, an association involuntarily arises with the Motorola product. This is largely due to the fact that the upper half of the body is a centimeter shorter than the lower half, the protrusion of which fills the difference in length. However, Nokia's product also has a rather large block on top. Due to this, the dimensions obtained are uncharacteristic for folding phones: 106.1x52x14mm, although the manufacturer indicates 106.5x52x13.7mm. With such dimensions, the methods of carrying the device, taking into account the weight of 115g, remain similar to all-in-one PCs or smartphones. Carrying the device in a summer shirt pocket is inconvenient, primarily due to its weight.

Coverage problems

The device is supplied to the Russian market in two colors: Red and Piano black.

In both cases, we are dealing with a silver edging and a mirror surface around the display. The rest of the body, depending on the color, can be either varnished black or varnished red. Now a few words about the process of obtaining such a case. How is the black or red surface made? In the first case, a thick layer of alcohol-based paint is applied to black ABS plastic. In the second case, we are dealing with a white base. Problem? The type of plastic used is too hard, as a result, the paint does not eat into the base and can fly off from the body in pieces. Cause? The engineers wanted to create a strong body, and they succeeded.

Next on the list are chrome parts, the area of ​​which is equal to 20% of the entire body. How is this coating made? Take a plastic base and place it in a galvanic bath. Without going into physics and chemistry, I will only say that this process, in appearance, is similar to painting from a can of aerosol paint. As you may have guessed, the white plastic base is too hard, and the chrome coating only holds up on its word of honor. As a result, absolutely all commercial Nokia N76 are subject to catastrophically rapid peeling of everything that covers the plastic base. A very interesting fact is that the silver buttons are made in the same way, only their plastic is softer, as a result of which they are not prone to abrasion.

No matter how humorous it may sound, “they wanted the best, it turned out even worse” is the most accurate description of the problem. The prototypes used plastic of European origin, while commercial samples are made from a Chinese analogue.

We apologize for the photographs of just such a worn-out sample.

Appearance and controls

As we have already said, the device is made in the form factor of a thin clamshell. The front panel is notable for the presence of a rather large mirror surface, under which there are three navigation keys with multimedia symbols: Backward, play/pause, forward. The company logo is located under the keys.

When you turn on the device, a relatively large external display is found in the center of the mirror, made using TFT technology, displaying up to 262,144 colors. As you understand, this meaning is more of a tribute to fashion, because... The picture quality is more similar to the average screen displaying 65,536 colors. The physical dimensions of the display are 21.5x27mm, which, given the resolution of 128x160 pixels, gives us a grain size of 0.16 x 0.16mm, which has a positive effect on the perception of information.

In the sun, due to the mirror edging, it is difficult to see the information on the screen, but indoors you can easily use the main innovation of FP1 - cover UI.

In the current generation, the interface uses screens with diagonals of 1.5 inches (N90), 1.36 inches (6290, N76). In the case of the N90, we see the beginnings of what is implemented in the hero of our today's review.

In standby mode, all the necessary information is displayed on the screen: indicators of signal reception, battery charge, date or name of the active profile, operator name, time, icons of unread messages, Bluetooth connection activity, as well as captions for three contextual buttons. The first one is used to go to the player library, the central one is to launch the music playback window, the right one is responsible for turning on the radio.

Long presses launch PTT, the playback window, and, accordingly, launch voice dialing/control.

If there are unviewed messages, the left key is used to launch the voice message reading program.

Let's move on to examining the right end of the body. It is notable for its large and tactilely pleasant volume rocker key. It is convenient to work with due to the tactile central recess. When talking, holding the phone in your right hand, your thumb rests directly on it. Lefties, like the author, will find it no less convenient to adjust the volume with their middle finger. So, this key is used to navigate the external display interface. Below it there are two buttons - launch the gallery, and the camera activation / shutter button.

When closed, the first button serves to switch between standby mode, monthly calendar, and wallpaper. The second key serves its intended purpose - a long press activates the camera. We'll talk about working with the camera in a separate part of the review, but now let's move on to looking at the left side of the body.

There is only a 2 mm connector hole here for charger and a sliding cover for the microSD memory card slot. The plug extends 5 mm forward, after which it tilts to the side. Due to the fact that the working position of the card is 2 mm above the folded cap, removing or installing the card is possible even by pressing with your finger, and not with your nail. As in other new products from the company, the slot is passive and opening it does not launch a utility to close all running applications.

The bottom end is notable for its strap fastening eyelet, the installation of which is a fascinating logic puzzle for enthusiasts. The problem is that the strap loop stubbornly resists any attempt to thread it through this obstacle. You have to pick up a thin thread, a needle and remember the different types of knots.

The second element is two large holes of a polyphonic speaker. We will mention it when reviewing the player, fortunately, it deserves it.

At the top end there is an on/off key and a miniUSB connector plug for connecting to a PC. The plug bends 180 degrees, so it won’t cause any problems. The last, and most interesting, is the 3.5 mm four-pin jack for connecting a headset or any other headphones equipped with such a plug. At first, the plug is fastened quite tightly, 3 mm before the stop position, the user will encounter a stop that prevents full installation plug. You have to press hard to get past that fourth contact, which is used to operate the microphone on the headset.

The connected headset/headphone jack does not allow the case to be opened completely. With a plug, the opening angle is 120-140 degrees, while the stop operates at a position of 170 degrees. In general, a lot can be said about the opening of the device. If the Motorola RAZR V3 product had side ledges, then Nokia considered this unnecessary plagiarism. As a result, you can comfortably open the device with only two hands.

However, it is better to look at the video demonstration.

Opening the device, we see a fairly large 2.4-inch TFT display with a resolution of 320-240 pixels. Display of up to 16 million colors is claimed. In fact, we are faced with one of the best displays used in the company’s smartphones in terms of color reproduction.

The colors look very saturated, and the maximum of 30 possible backlight brightness values ​​are simply eye-catching.

The screen has protective plexiglass combined with a light-absorbing substrate, as a result, bright Sun rays They only contribute to the fading of the picture, while the clarity remains at the same high level. Of course, like other QVGA displays in Nokia products, viewing angles are at least 160 degrees both vertically and horizontally.

Above the screen there is a narrow wide mesh of the earpiece, a light sensor that regulates the backlight of the screen (the range is from -20% to + 20% of the value set by the user, even the maximum) and the keyboard. To the right is a barely noticeable lens for an additional QCIF camera for self-portraits and video calls.

The keyboard in the Nokia N76 is created in the image and likeness of the aforementioned RAZR V3. This is a flat metal plate with through holes of various shapes filled with plastic. As you understand, we are talking about a method for obtaining key designations, as well as tactile marks between the rows of buttons. The keys themselves have a short stroke with a clearly noticeable click. You can work with the keyboard without any special complaints due to the vertical, fine-tactile ribbing of the surface of the buttons. Naturally, there can be no talk of any blind dialing of SMS or phone numbers. Let's write down the ok key, which is located flush with the others, as a disadvantage, and the pencil key as a plus.

At the top right, above the keyboard plate, there is a microphone hole. The solution is illogical, right down to the first bell in windy weather - no wind whistle, despite good audibility.

The battery compartment cover is made in a very original way - it is a kind of glass that completely covers the stop at the bottom of the case. To remove the cover, it is recommended to turn the case over with the lens of the built-in two-megapixel camera facing up, then grab the bottom part phone in the manner of a knife handle and, staggering, pull the body out of the embrace of the lid. You can do it easier and use the large rubber pad at the bottom of the lid.

Having removed the lid, we involuntarily become witnesses to what is commonly called: “packed to capacity.” Let's go through it briefly: in the area of ​​​​the Nokia inscription there is an antenna, below there are service connectors, a protective casing of microcircuits, and the central element - a tiny BL-4B lithium - ion battery, capacity 700mAh.

Its charge is enough for:

• 7 hours 36 minutes listening to music.


• 2 hours 15 minutes of watching videos or working at maximum load.

The battery charge lasts exactly one working day, not counting the night. In talk mode, using the services of the MTS operator, I managed to talk for a full 80 minutes, after which the device turned off. Even with zero use of no more than 10 minutes a day, by 5 o’clock in the morning the device begins to display messages about the need to charge the battery. Is this normal? Naturally, it's up to you to decide.

The SIM card slot is reminiscent of the times of Siemens C35, SL45. Under the textolite board, to which the contact part of the slot is soldered, there is a space into which a metal scoop is pushed. The card itself is inserted into it, after which the whole sandwich is sent back to its place.

Symbian 9.2, S60 3ed Fp1

As we have already mentioned, the hardware of the Nokia N76 is as similar as possible to the 6290. But they are completely and completely different things. In the case of the N76, the user receives the most modern variation of the OS, along with one completely unadvertised breakthrough.

Now the device uses a 64 MB partition random access memory, while all other company smartphones up to the N95 used 32MB. Considering the fact that the operating system constantly uses 12-16 MB of memory, we get 48 MB instead of the usual 16-18 MB. Add to this the fact that some applications can take up up to 20 MB of memory. It turns out to be a strong leap forward in comparison with previous products.

Interface

As you already understand, before us regular smartphone on s60 3ed fp1. What does this mean for the user? The fact that the speed of menu navigation, program operation, and overall performance is almost twice as high as that of previous models. For those who are familiar with symbian 9.2, you can skip the next paragraph of the review. For the rest, I advise you to read about the general idea regarding the interface, call service, and working with messages.

Brief features of S60 3ed Fp1.

The interface for working with the device resembles that in most modern phones. At the top are signal reception level indicators cellular network, clock, profile name (if there is a regular profile, the date is displayed), operator name, as well as a battery charge scale. The names of applications associated with the soft keys are displayed at the bottom. There may also be active standby on the screen.

It consists of 6 icons quick launch any applications assigned by the user, a reminder line, as well as an information line describing the track or radio station being played. By pointing at it using left and right movements, you can adjust the volume or expand the window by pressing the confirmation key.

To enter the menu there is a key of the same name, a long press on which launches the running applications manager, which can be navigated by short presses on this key. Holding down again maximizes the window of the selected application, and the c key allows you to close it.

An innovation in Symbian 9.2 is the fact that, when active standby mode is disabled, to enter the menu, just press the OK key.

The appearance of the menu can be represented by a 3x4 matrix of icons, a list, or a radial menu, where pressing left serves as a back button, and pressing right serves as an entrance to the selected folder from the menu.

Another type of representation is also available: v-shaped display, in which selection and cancellation occurs due to vertical clicks, unlike the previous representation.

There is digital navigation. All icons can be moved, application shortcuts can be sent to folders, which can also be created either in the root directory or inside any other folder.

Subfolders can be created at an unlimited number of sublevels, which was not the case in the previous version operating system. Otherwise, this is a completely convenient and intuitive interface, as similar as possible to regular ones. mobile phones.

The settings menu item has undergone evolutionary changes. Another section has appeared - applications. It contains settings for most built-in applications, namely: radio, Real Player, with the ability to configure the address of the streaming link, as well as change the image contrast. Next on the list is a voice recorder, where you can configure the recording duration and the type of memory for saving. In the application manager settings, you can quickly disable certificate checking, and the call list settings allow you to change the duration of storage of entries in the list.

Organizer

The alarm clock and voice recorder have undergone changes.

Alarm

The functionality of the alarm clock has been significantly expanded. Now it is possible to create an unlimited number of alarms, each of which can be well customized: set an alarm time, rename the name, set the repeatability (no repeat, daily, once a week, on weekdays), and also select the required day of the week.

Dictaphone got the opportunity to unlimited recording duration. Otherwise, he is still ordinary.

Multimedia

The smartphone has the “Gallery” application, familiar to us from the Nokia N73. Working with photos/videos is carried out in a frankly inconvenient manner horizontal mode.

Naturally, there is the ability to view photos in slideshow mode. You can see the implementation of this function in the video below.

There is also the possibility of direct launch graphic editor, the capabilities of which include: rotation, changing sharpness, painting over the red areas of the picture, changing the brightness and contrast, cropping the picture, changing the size, overlaying applications and text, as well as adding frames.

Similarly, you can call up the video editor, familiar to us since the days of 6630.

In general, everything is pretty good, considering that this is not a photo solution, unlike the N73 gallery, which is identical in capabilities.

Player

Before we begin describing the built-in mp3 player, I would like to touch on a few words about the components used. We all remember and know about, which is considered the current standard in terms of sound quality. Now let's remember what determines the quality of the sound output to headphones. First of all, this is the quality of the audio material, therefore, when assessing the sound quality, music in mp3 320kb/s LAME codec format was used. The next step is the conversion of the audio path on the way to conversion systems. In our case, the ARM11 processor transmits a 44100 kHz 16-bit signal, so losses are minimal. Then the signal is converted into an analog frequency response using the TPA4411YZHR, which also plays the role of a 40 mW amplifier. Despite the complex solution, we can confidently say that the level of sound processing is different from the previous generation of devices. In turn, it was not without reason that we touched upon the company’s musical flagship. Nokia N91 uses a similar amplification component sound signal- TPA4411YZH. The differences in circuitry are that the N91 has a separate DAC (TLV32CAIC33), while in the N76 the sound is processed only by a component amplifier. One more interesting fact The point is that in both smartphones the output signal power is 40 mW per channel.

We will return to the issue of the quality of the audio path, and now we will dwell in more detail on the software implementation of the player.

In the case of Nokia N76, exactly the same program is used as in,. The user can sort songs by genres, albums, composers, performers, playlists, as well as display all tracks in a single list. As usual, playlists of frequently played, recently listened and recently added songs are automatically created. The advantages include the absence of problems with displaying the Cyrillic alphabet in lists. The disadvantages are the lack of a library auto-update function.

The playback window is made in a comfortable style, combining the best practices of the personal audio industry. At the top you can see indicators of signal reception level, battery charge, as well as the name of the current playlist.

Next is the album cover, the resolution of which is 115x115 pixels; icons are displayed to the right of it, indicating the activation of repeat or random playback modes. The last thing that is located on the same level as the album cover is an indication of the track's position in the list.

Immediately below the album cover we see a large signature with the name of the track, and the name of the artist is displayed below it. The central area is closed by a large scroll bar, to the left of which the elapsed time is displayed, and to the right - the remaining time.

At the bottom there are icons that display the assignment of navigation key deflections.

Sound settings are represented by a five-band equalizer, the persistent values ​​of which do not greatly affect the congestion of the output signal. It is possible to create an unlimited number of your own settings.

It is also possible to change the channel balance in 0.25 increments in values ​​from -1 to +1.

Enhanced stereo traditionally mutes the center spectrum to enhance the stereo effect. Volume. Unfortunately, the Nokia localization department considered that the word Volume was incorrectly translated into Russian as meaning “volume”. As planned, this is a surround sound effect similar to SBS Wow, Spatial Audio. True, this function is of no use - only clarity is lost.

Visualization

Visualization means a full-screen background display of the album cover or two built-in effects: a stuttering spectral oscilloscope or a spectral effect, also displayed on an external display.

Cover Flow playback. When closed, you can control the player using external controls. The purpose of the three softkeys under the display does not need any comments - they are labeled on the display. The volume rocker is responsible for adjusting the volume (10 positions when playing through the speaker, and 20 through headphones). The gallery key launches the audio library menu, which can be navigated using the same rocker key.

Sound

Sound quality is certainly one of the most important criteria for today's phones with a built-in player. We have already found out that the audio path of the current standard - Nokia N91 - partially coincides with the N76. In particular, the same output power gives hope for the large, 70% volume reserve present in the N91. Unfortunately, the nominal volume of the N76 is equal to that of the 3250 with firmware 3.21, 3.24. A comfortable value is 75% on in-ear headphones and 85-100% on on-ear headphones. At the same time, the presence of a specialized amplifier is felt in the operation of the equalizer - maximum amplification of the first two bands leads to a painful level of bass, even when using Audio Technica CK5 headphones. A smooth frequency response in the equalizer is required only when using monitor-type on-ear headphones; in other cases, it is recommended to lower the value of the two right bands. I would also like to note the capriciousness of the amplifier regarding the sensitivity of the headphones. For example, the included headphones (MDR EX51), with a sensitivity of 98 dB, are well suited for use with the Nokia N76, while the Sharp HP-MD33-S, whose sensitivity is 106 dB, turn the phone’s output signal into an unpleasant set of whistles, wheezes, and frequency drops.

If we compare the quality of the audio path with other mobile phones, the Nokia N76 is inferior only to the Nokia N91, Motorola ROKR E-series, . All other products sound worse, even if fans of Walkman solutions from Sony Ericsson.

Speaker

Perhaps one of the most interesting features multimedia component of the device.

To this day, the standard of clear and pleasant sound in the built-in speakers was the product of the same Nokia - 6233. Next to it was an old and. Let me make a reservation right away, we are not talking about deafening volume (6110 has few equals in this criterion), but about maximum reproducibility frequency range. Sure, high frequencies can be reproduced by many speakers, but what about Middle Bass? This is where the N76 speaker is different. These are not the makings of low frequencies that we heard in the Nokia N91, 6233, these are full-fledged, so to speak, basses.

However, you can familiarize yourself with the audio path of the speaker by watching the video.

Radio

The phone has a built-in FM radio. There is an auto search feature, as well as a memory for 20 radio stations. In general, everything is at the same decent level as in other products of the company.

Productivity, games

The expanded amount of RAM did not affect the performance of the device in any way, but it made it possible to keep 10-15 programs running instead of 3-5.

Parameter	6110 Navigator	6120 Classic	N76
Jbenchmark1	5339	5347	5772
Text	1747	1747	1623
2D shapes	1547	1552	1491
3D shapes	511	509	695
Fill rate	137	137	367
Animation	1402	1406	1596

Parameter	6110 Navigator	6120 Classic	N76
Jbenchmark2	689	685	619
Image manipulation	406	409	377
Text	753	753	743
Sprites	574	575	551
3d transform	957	965	953
User interface	901	902	617

Parameter	6110 Navigator	6120 Classic	N76
Jbenchmark 3d
Jbenchmark 3d hq	203	201	213
Jbenchmark 3d lq	376	379	380
Triangles pear second	53187	53287	53998
Ktexels pear second	3529	3519	3544

Parameter	6110 Navigator	6120 Classic	N76
Jbenchmark hd
Smooth triangles	105445	105451	104972
Textured triangles	82020	82017	84143
Fill rate (ktexels)	2243	2239	3239
Gaming (frames per second)	154 (5.1)	157 (5.2)	157 (5.2)

Parameter	6110 Navigator	6120 Classic	N76
Spmark score	1026	1038	1028
3d game (frames per second)	13.06	13.22	13.01
3d fill rate (mtexels/s)	3.16	3.13	3.07
3d poly count (krtriagles/s)	88.41	88.53	88.43

To confirm this fact, we provide comparative data for the 6110 Navigator. 6120 classic, N76.

The phone has one pre-installed game - 3D Snakes. There is no point in describing it.

Camera

The smartphone has an ordinary 2-megapixel CMOS camera located on the rear surface of the body. It would seem that, given the size of the body, it would be possible to work with the camera in a vertical orientation, but the use of an interface similar to the N73 led to very original consequences, which we will now dwell on in more detail.

You can use the internal display to operate the camera. From the outside it will look funny, as if you are viewing pictures or videos. The ergonomics of this mode of operation are close to zero, because You must use the navigation key, but at the same time do not cover the camera lens with your fingers. However, if you just need to press the shutter button, there won’t be any problems.

It is much more convenient from an aesthetic and ergonomic point of view to use an external display as a viewfinder. In this case, the convenience of controlling camera settings does not cause any problems - the soft keys under the display do their job well.

In the settings item we are offered the opportunity to select the resolution for photos or videos.

Photo	Video
2mp(1600-1200)	high(320-240)
1mp(1152-864)	regular(176-144)
03mp(640-480)	compatible with MMS(176-144, 30sec.)

For photo mode, it is possible to configure custom scenes, among which there are: automatic mode, portrait shooting, landscape, night mode, night portrait with flash. In addition to this, you can adjust the flash mode, exposure (from -2 to +2, in steps of 0.33), white balance (automatic, sunny, incandescent, or fluorescent). Naturally, there is the possibility of using color effects (sepia, black and white, negative, normal). One nice feature worth noting is the ability to fix the ISO value (low, or up to 200, normal - up to 400, high - up to 800).

Despite the large number of settings, the quality of the resulting images is at the level of other devices from the company that have the same 2-megapixel camera. The pictures are pleasant to look at on the built-in phone screen, but on a PC many artifacts become noticeable, including the traditionally terrible dynamics of the brightness range.

They say that Nokia N76 is just a tribute to fashion. This is not entirely fair. Of course, the stylish thin body, ideologically identical to the famous MotoRAZR, cannot be called a “gray work mouse.” However, the phone, despite its bold design, which is more typical of frivolous fashion models, is quite functional.

Specifications:

• The N76 case type is hard to call with the trivial word “clamshell”, although that’s exactly what it is. The phone is not designed for rush and fuss - it is best to open it with two hands. If you have a Bluetooth headset, you don’t need this either, since dialing and voice control are provided.
• There are two displays. The external one, measuring 1.6 inches, is capable of displaying 262 thousand colors 89 with a resolution of 128x160. To perform simple tasks - reading messages, monitoring the management of certain functions, etc., this is quite enough. The internal display is brighter and has significantly more capabilities - 2.4' size, 240x320 resolution and support for more than 16 million colors.
• The phone's memory capacity is not very large, only 26 megabytes. However, this can hardly serve as an obstacle to its purchase. For those who want to fully use the player and other multimedia functions to the maximum, there is an expansion slot for microSD memory cards.
• Nokia N76 can work in both traditional networks and next generation networks. Supported GSM standards 850/900/1800/1900, as well as UMTS (WCDMA) - 3G.

Media:

• Like almost all relatively expensive Nokia models, the N76 has a full range of basic media functions. First of all, it is an MP3 player. In addition to MP3 itself, the most common music formats are supported - AAC, eAAC+, WMA. In addition, it is possible to play quite high-quality video - the player can play MPEG-4 files. The playback quality matches the excellent screen properties of the N76.
• In addition to playing multimedia files, you can also simply listen to FM radio. It is very convenient that control of the player and radio is available from the external panel of the phone.
• There is also a standard voice recorder with a traditional set of functions.

Camera:

• In fact, there are two cameras. One, with low resolution, is located on the internal panel of the phone and is almost useless for now - it is used for video communication in 3G networks.
• The main camera is located on the external back panel of the phone. This allows you to take pictures without opening the phone. For greater convenience, buttons for controlling digital ZOOM and calling up the photo gallery are located on the side panels. For Nokia cameras The N76 uses a 2 megapixel CMOS sensor. The quality of the images corresponds to the priority tasks of the phone - although it is quite satisfactory, however, the N76 is first and foremost a “mobile phone”, and only then a camera.
• Video shooting is possible in resolutions up to 320x240, 15 frames/sec. The quality is sufficient for shooting simple amateur video clips (for more details on quality, see “camera”).
• To edit images, a special program is installed with a set of simple filters that usually no one ever uses.

Battery:

Capacity of the "native" Li-Ion battery Nokia N76 - 700 mAh. According to the manufacturers, a single charge is enough for 2.7 hours of continuous talk time or 8 hours of multimedia use or 200 hours of standby time. There are different reviews from users about the real possibilities, but if you do not intend to replace a full-fledged iPod with your phone, the charge will last for a long time.

Equipment:

• Actually the Nokia N76 smartphone itself,
• Battery BL-4B
• Map microSD memory 256 megabytes
• Charger Nokia AC-4.
• Stereo headset (wired) Nokia HS-43
• User's Guide.

Overall, the Nokia N76 smartphone gives the impression of a device that should only be handled in clean hands. Firstly, to match its high level, and secondly because fingerprints are very visible on the stylish glossy case.

Nokia has long and stubbornly ignored the market for thin solutions, despite their obvious popularity and demand. The success of the Motorola product line, united under the common name RAZR, was enormous; this caused the appearance of clones in terms of design not only from all kinds of second-tier manufacturers, but also from large companies. Samsung followed the same path, in a short time showing a huge number of thin solutions, setting a number of records and thereby becoming a trendsetter in the segment of thin phones; the release of Ultra series models brought the manufacturer good profits and allowed them to increase their market share. Nokia, for unknown reasons, was in no hurry to get involved in the millimeter race, and showed its first thin phone (13 mm, all-in-one) only in December of this year, two whole years after the release of the RAZR model. This could be achieved by increasing the height and width of the device, but in the case of the 6300 model this did not happen, because its thickness is far from record-breaking. After introducing the first such device, the company set a course to increase the number of thin devices, transferring this parameter to various segments and form factors. Thus, on January 8, 2007, Nokia N76 was announced, a clamshell smartphone with a thickness of only 13.7 mm. Some time later, the thin slider E65 was shown; it has already gone on sale and offers excellent functionality in the segment of thin devices; other thin solutions from the company will soon be presented on the market, including in the premium segment.

It is worth saying that until now, thin solutions did not have high functionality, they belonged only to the number of fashionable, stylish devices, functionality faded into the background. Today we will talk about a device that successfully combines both the latest technology, catchy appearance and small dimensions.

Nokia N76:: Review:: Design and Features

The first thing that caught my eye was the striking similarity of the design of the Nokia N76 with the Motorola RAZR V3, almost the same dimensions (the height of the model is slightly larger), the same thickness, the same sharp edges of the halves, the same protrusion in the lower part of the body, and without With the Nokia logo, the device is perceived as another product from Motorola. On the one hand, such a comparison only benefits it, because in the minds of many the concept of a thin, stylish phone is associated with the RAZR, but on the other hand, the model is devoid of individuality and originality. You immediately understand that this has already happened, and the new product is just copying the successful design of a competitor. Judge for yourself, we invite you to find ten differences, so to speak, using the following comparative photographs. From a marketing point of view, everything is fine; this design solution is still extremely popular and in demand on the market.

Many will immediately object that you cannot compare the RAZR from Motorola with the Nokia product, because there is a huge gap in terms of the functional equipment of the devices. Of course, this is true, but this does not excuse the secondary design of the device. In any case, the appearance of such a device will change the market for stylish phones; time will tell to what extent, but there is no doubt that the bar has been raised. What's funny is new level implementation and content was presented for the first time by a company other than the one that came up with the idea, this is a plus for Nokia engineers and designers.

So, let's start describing the design elements. The dimensions of the device are 106.5x52x13.7 mm, the height is somewhat beyond the generally accepted limits, but the difference is not critical, it is due to its increase that such a thickness of the model is achieved. The width is standard for this class of devices and does not cause any complaints.
The photographs show the progress that has occurred over the past two years in terms of smartphone sizes. Words are unnecessary.

The device fits perfectly in the hand, it is comfortable to use, the downside is that the block in which the clamshell hinge is located is too protruding; when talking, it rests on the cheek, which causes some discomfort. The next controversial point is the opening mechanism: firstly, the halves fit very tightly to each other, there is no recess for a nail, all this leads to the fact that it is very difficult to open the phone with one hand. Further, due to the new implementation of the hinge, there is no automatic adjustment, that is, we are accustomed to the fact that when opened to a certain angle, the mechanism completes the movement, but this is not the case here; you need to open and close the device completely independently. To prevent statements about inconvenience, let’s say that this fact does not create discomfort, the movement is smooth, easy, and you quickly get used to it. There is an external screen on the front surface of the model, and although it is quite large - 1.36 inches, its dimensions are not perceived as such, this is due to the large height and width of the device; it looks disproportionate. In the inactive state, the display is not visible, it is hidden behind a mirror insert; a similar solution was used in the Nokia 7280, 7380. Thanks to the same mirror insert, the screen brightness is low, readability is at the same level - this is due to the soiling of the coating (the mirror surface gets very dirty, fortunately, the marks are visible only on it; the plastic, although glossy, does not suffer from such a problem), its reflective ability. The screen resolution is 128x160 pixels, this is a good level, one of the best external screens today. We will tell you more about the high functionality of the screen below.

Below the screen there are three keys responsible for control when closed. We could see such a solution in the manufacturer's devices for the first time in the 7390 model, however, there these buttons were implemented a little differently: the two outer ones were responsible for scrolling through the list of functions, and the central one was for selecting/confirming. Here each received its own, higher functionality. The keys are marked with rewind and play/pause symbols, which clearly hints at their musical purpose. The symbols are highlighted in blue in the black color version and red in the red version, respectively, quite brightly. Above the screen there is a small LED that can blink blue in standby mode.

The buttons are quite large, their movement is soft, clear, they seem to fit into the chrome insert under the screen. This insert marks the edge of the top cover, which is not visible when closed. The insert smoothly transitions into the edging on the sides of the device and the insert on the back surface of the device, it all looks good and diversifies appearance models. There are two colors available - black and red, both are successful. The emphasis on the image component of the product is obvious, positioning it also for a female audience, as evidenced by the use of bright colors. The body of the device is made of high-quality glossy plastic, the elements fit together tightly, nothing creaks, the assembly deserves praise. The gap between the halves of the case is minimal, and, as already mentioned, opening the device with one hand is problematic.

On the back of the N76 we can see the peephole of the built-in camera with flash; there is no mirror for self-portraits. There is a small insert made of matte material visible on the battery compartment cover, perhaps it is designed to prevent the glossy plastic from coming into contact with the surface and thus avoid scratches. The lid itself can be removed quite easily, just slide it down; the design resembles a pencil case. Under it we find a battery that is familiar to us from some of the manufacturer’s other models, BL-4C, 700 mAh, which has far from the best energy capacity. We were surprised by the open contact groups; this had never been seen before in devices from the Finnish manufacturer, although this could be seen more than once in some devices from other companies. Perhaps the reason for this is the thickness of the model, but this fact does not cause any inconvenience, it also cannot serve as an aesthetic disadvantage, because it is unlikely that you will often watch the phone with with the lid removed battery compartment. The SIM card slot is not located under the battery, but there is no hot-swappable SIM card; the card is inserted from the side. There is no holder as such; to remove the card, you need to push it out from the outside of the device.

The sides of the Nokia N76 are not overloaded with controls; on the right side there is a camera activation button and a quick access to the gallery, a paired volume key is immediately revealed. The side volume keys are chrome-plated, they are quite small, and due to their small thickness it is not always comfortable to use them, but there are no problems with the other two keys. On the left side of the device there is a slot for a memory card, it is possible to hot swap. The memory card slot plug is made of metal, and it would be more correct to call it a “latch” - it slides out of the case, and after some time it begins to noticeably play and dangle, this is a minus for a fashion device. Actually, the memory cards supported by the device are those that have become standard for Nokia microSD, on this moment Memory cards with a capacity of 2 GB can be found on sale. On the same side there is a thin charger connector; it is surrounded by a chrome border and is not visible at first glance.

The bottom end of the device is not of interest at all; here you can only see a hole for attaching a lanyard and a polyphonic speaker. Due to this arrangement, the speaker is often blocked by both your hand and if the phone is in your trouser pocket, you can miss a call.

The top end is much more interesting. Thanks to its thickness, it accommodates a standard 3.5mm headset jack, allowing you to directly use third-party headphones without the need for adapters. Nearby there is a miniUSB connector for connecting the cable, covered with a plastic plug; this is a standard for Nokia today. The next element on the top end of the device is the power off/change profile button; it is quite large, but at the same time recessed into the body, so there should be no accidental presses. I would like to dwell in more detail on the layout of the elements - when open, you will not be able to press the power button, nor can you safely use a third-party headset - the top cover of the model will interfere with this. There will be no problems with the cable, but you will have to select a headset with a small plug, or use a standard one, since it alone is not bad. In any case, when the headset is connected, the opening angle of the device is approximately 135 degrees. The angle is quite comfortable, that is, you don’t have to hold the phone any other way to see all the information on the screen, fortunately its viewing angles are large, but this feature is curious in itself, it cannot be called a plus, nor, indeed, a minus.

So, let's open the device. Immediately attention is concentrated on the keyboard of the model; it is designed in the style of the RAZR we have already mentioned. The design is extremely similar, as are the sensations when working with it.

The keys are flat, made of metal, they are not smooth, but slightly textured, this does not allow your finger to slip, you can feel the relief of the keys, plus everything else it looks stylish.

The travel of the keys is small, but due to their size they are comfortable to use. The buttons are separated by blue and red grooves, respectively, in both color schemes of the model. The backlight of the keyboard is blue, it is very bright, clear, uniform, but the color does not fit well here; a white backlight would look better. The keyboard is completely surrounded by a chrome insert, which looks stylish, but fingerprints are quite visible on it and you have to wipe it often.

The screen in the device is large, 2.4 inches, or 36x48 mm, it is capable of displaying up to 16 million colors and shades. Surprisingly, unlike some of the company's latest devices, it is equipped with protective glass. Now it becomes completely incomprehensible that it was abandoned in other, non-thin models, because one of the versions of its absence was the desire to reduce thickness. But that’s not what we’re talking about now. I don't know if subtlety is to blame protective glass, but the colors on the screen are displayed perfectly, the brightness and clarity of the image are at a very high level, this is, without exaggeration, one of best screens On the market. The difference with the 7390 is very large, although the latter's screen is also very good. There is a peephole above the screen front camera for video calls, which is still useless in our country, a light sensor and a speaker hole. The screen does not behave well in the sun - the lack of a mirror substrate affects it. The picture fades and it is often difficult to make out the information. This is one of the first Nokia smartphones whose screen is not readable in the sun. The external screen, unlike the internal one, is perfectly readable in the sun.

In the end, I would like to say that the design of the model is consistent and very good. There are some shortcomings - the keyboard backlight is not very attractive, the hinge is too protruding, the mirror insert is soiled - but this is more than compensated for by the high-quality materials of the case, excellent quality assembly, one of the best screens. It is this device, in the understanding of many, that will become a real continuation of the traditions of the Nokia 7610.

Nokia N76:: Review:: External screen

Unlike almost all previous models, the functionality of the Nokia N76 is maximum when closed - on the external screen you can view SMS messages, control the music player, camera, etc.

In standby mode, three icons corresponding to three control buttons are displayed on the screen; they cannot be changed. Initially, all three icons are associated with music - this is the launch of the radio, the player, and calling the list of songs.

When playing, you can select options for repeating songs and playing them separately, and you can display a graphic equalizer. All the song sorting options known to us from smartphones and phones from the manufacturer are also present.

What made me especially happy was the ability to read text messages on an external screen. The font is not too smooth, but quite readable. This feature is not provided in clamshells built on the Series40 platform. Obviously, it will appear in the future, but at the moment the Nokia N76 and 6290 are the only clamshells on the European market with such functionality. We can talk for a long time about its uniqueness, but we note that almost all of this was possible in the N90 model, with the only difference that instead of three keys under the screen, control was carried out by a five-way side joystick, and the screen had even larger physical dimensions and the best quality (subjectively). On the other hand, such features are implemented for the first time in middle-class clamshells.

During a conversation, the handset is shown on the screen, there are no differences from the N90 either. There is an animated screensaver - two intersecting black lines on a white background, which seem to diverge in different directions, revealing an image on the screen when the phone is closed. The digital clock is large enough to be seen clearly.

The screen also displays missed calls, connection mode, and notifications of received messages.

In camera mode, all options are available on the external screen, just like in the open state, a pop-up menu with icons appears, changes are made using the left key, moving between items is done using the volume buttons.

As a result, you can see that such functionality is appropriate in a smartphone, it’s convenient. As a small addition, in future models I would like to see even more expanded functionality, for example, the presence of a full menu, the ability to talk when closed through an additional speaker. The latter is implemented in 9xxx series communicators, but a similar feature would be extremely popular in standard clamshells.

Nokia N76:: Review:: S60v3 FP1 platform software, user interface

The Nokia N76 model is built on the S60 platform, third edition Feature Pack 1, this is the latest edition of the platform. Differences with previous versions quite insignificant, they are described mainly by support at the OS level for the A2DP Bluetooth profile, an updated version of the Nokia Web Browser, and support for Freescale processors. The latter is one of the key points; a smooth transition to the use of processors other than TI OMAP and an expansion of the product portfolio are planned.

Nokia N95 is also built on the basis of Feature Pack 1, however, the software implementation of many things is not the same, which once again indicates their optionality depending on the purpose and positioning of the model. The N95 is a multimedia computer in the company's understanding, and accordingly, the emphasis on multimedia capabilities is very strong. Thus, when you press the Multimedia Key in the Nokia N95, a 3D animated menu appears, a number of pleasant features such as a menu background, which can be a set of photographs to which effects are applied. The menu itself is animated. Nokia N76 has implementation at the level of other models of the company; there are no such innovations here. The menu can be presented in four types, two neo-3D views Horseshoe and V-shaped are not convenient, but look interesting. There is no menu animation, but a nice feature is the following: in the upper right corner of each item, regardless of whether the icon is responsible for launching one application or is a folder, a semicircular icon is displayed if the application is currently running and running in the background.

There is no point in dwelling on the description of the standard functionality of the platform, the messaging service, phone book, the organizer has not undergone any changes, the implementation is the same as other Nokia smartphones. The device comes pre-installed with 6 themes, each interesting in its own way. The red theme fits perfectly with a smartphone of the corresponding color, it looks organic. It is possible to set a screen saver.

Nokia N76:: Review:: Performance

In terms of performance, there is quite a big difference here with many other smartphones from the company; the standard processor frequency was 220 MHz, the TI OMAP 1710 chipset was used. Here we see a large increase in performance, which cannot be explained by anything other than the new hardware platform. Without going into technical details, let's say that the speed of the smartphone is very close to the speed of regular phones, it is at a very high level. There is no difference at all in the speed of many operations, this is a huge plus of the model. In terms of hardware, Nokia N76 apparently coincides with Nokia 6290, this fact is indicated by comparable performance, specifications. Until this moment the most productive smartphone The Finnish manufacturer was the Nokia N93, built on the TI OMAP 2420 chipset with a frequency of 330 MHz, but there is no real difference in operating speed with the new N76 and 6290 models.

Table "JAVA" Nokia N76
Platform	Nokia N76
Characteristics
Platform	MIDP 2.0, CLDC 1.1
Tests
JBenchmark 1.1.1	6393; Text/1868, 2D/1628, 3D/765, FillRate/399, Animation/1733
JBenchmark 2.1.1	688; Image/415, Text/808, Sprites/591, 3D/1029, UI/648
JBenchmark 3D	HQ/200, LQ/394, Triangles/55684, KTexels/3624,

The model operates under the control of one of latest versions Symbian operating system, it is 9.2, S60v3 FP1. There is no Fast Boot time here, but the model still turns on quite quickly, it takes 20 seconds to load.

Nokia N76:: Review:: Multimedia: MP3 player, radio

The player's user interface has been redesigned and is different from previous devices. This kind of player organization can be seen in all new devices built on the S60v3 Feature Pack 1 platform (for example, Nokia N95, 6290). The controls are quite convenient: in the open state, you use the navigation key to rewind/play/pause, while in the closed state, you use the buttons under the screen. The artist/song is displayed in standby mode on both the external screen and the internal screen. The player, like the radio, is launched by control buttons on the top cover of the phone; playback of the last played song does not start immediately, this is logical. During playback, the external screen displays all song data, graphic equalizer, total time/playing time, time, battery charge, and captions for the function buttons. The shortcut key to the gallery here calls up the music menu, it is possible to control any available options, this is extremely convenient.

Among the player settings, we note five preset settings for a 5-band equalizer with the ability to create an unlimited number of custom equalizer settings. Possibility of balance adjustment, extended stereo sound, loudness mode. Various options are available, such as: division by artist, album, genre, etc., repeat songs and playback separately. The sound quality does not reach the level of the Nokia N91, although it is as close as possible to it and coincides with the Nokia N95. The presence of a 3.5 mm jack on the body only confirms the positioning of the model as a musical solution, however, in MP3 listening mode, the device will not show a long operating time, the battery capacity is too small, the continuous playback time is 8-9 hours.

As already mentioned, the phone can be used with any 3.5 mm headphones. In this case, the headphones can be connected both to the phone and to the remote control that comes with the kit. Like the Nokia N95, a new type of remote control is used here; subjectively, the N91 remote control is more convenient, although it offers exactly the same functionality. When you connect headphones to your phone, the device prompts you to choose what exactly you have connected (there is no auto-recognition function): a headset or headphones. It’s not entirely clear why in the settings there is no option to select a default accessory; choosing the type of connected device every time is not the most interesting thing in life.

It is possible to visualize when playing music, it looks beautiful, and when using the function, the phone’s backlight does not turn off, so using it in this mode reduces the time it takes to use the device. On the external screen of the device, visualization is displayed in more in simple form, the view cannot be changed. The disadvantages of the player implementation include the lack of support for Russian tags, however, we tested the device with European firmware, perhaps this situation will change in Russified devices.

Nothing special can be said about the radio, memory for 50 radio stations, unlike 20 in previous devices, support for visual services (not supported in Russia). To work, you need to connect a headset that acts as an antenna. The sensitivity of the radio is good, the sound in the headset is also good.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the Nokia N76 is a very good music solution, the advantages include good sound quality when connecting headphones from a third-party manufacturer, very high playback volume, a standard 3.5 mm jack on the device body, extremely convenient control when closed thanks to fully functional external screen.

Nokia N76:: Review:: Camera

The camera's characteristics are very similar to those used in the N70, N71, 6290 and other models of the company, that is, 2 megapixels, flash, lack of macro mode and autofocus. The quality of photos and videos is at the level of the already mentioned models; there are no prerequisites for improving or deteriorating these parameters. Thus, we have a good quality camera implementation; for a thin product, the characteristics are standard, but not maximum. For example, the same Samsung D900, with a comparable thickness, has a three-megapixel module with automatic focusing capabilities.

There are two cameras in the phone, as befits a 3G phone, but there is no point in talking about an auxiliary camera for video calls. In our country, for now it can only be used as a kind of mirror and for taking self-portraits; switching between cameras is possible through the options. The camera's user interface is entirely made in landscape orientation. On the right is the settings menu, which includes:

switch to video mode

selecting a shooting mode (auto, custom, portrait, night, landscape, night portrait)

flash control

timer (2, 10, 20 seconds)

burst mode

exposure compensation setting (from -2.0 to 2.0)

white balance adjustment

effects (color tone)

In most cases it is enough automatic settings cameras. However, there are situations when activating the appropriate mode is necessary. Among other settings, we note the ability to turn off the shutter sound, select a folder for saving photos and videos, a standard name, quality of photos and videos. Videos are recorded in a maximum resolution of 240x320 (QVGA) at 15 frames per second.

In general, the camera controls are very convenient, the interface is well thought out, in general the controls are most reminiscent of those in the Nokia N95, although when the internal screen is the viewfinder, you cannot switch to portrait orientation, there is no such option.

The quick access button to the gallery in camera mode is responsible for switching between photo and video shooting modes, and the volume keys for digital zoom.

Conveniently, in the closed shooting mode, all options are available on the external screen, a pop-up menu with icons also appears, changes are made using the left key, moving between items is done using the volume buttons.

On the device screen, the photos look very good, primarily due to the large, high-quality, bright screen, but on the computer screen the photos look quite bad. Naturally, the quality directly depends on the shooting conditions; pictures taken in daylight conditions turn out to be of quite acceptable quality.

Nokia N76:: Review:: Impressions, conclusions

The Nokia N76 model deserves, without a doubt, very close attention. As already mentioned, the device is in many ways reminiscent of the Motorola RAZR V3, including ease of use; the differences here are minimal. Those who are used to using thin Motorola clamshells, but were not satisfied with the functionality of their devices, received an excellent replacement. At the same time, their design is as similar as possible; you won’t have to relearn and get used to the form factor. Associations with this phone will constantly arise, but no matter what, the N76 will be one of the most popular devices of 2007, it is an obvious bestseller. This fact will not be affected by the relatively weak battery (700 mAh), with which, at an average load level, the device will last no more than a day and a half without recharging, nor by other disadvantages of the device.

Nokia N76 is a classic example of ergonomics being sacrificed for design, however, many other fashion devices have the same shortcomings. Thus, opening the phone with one hand is problematic, the keyboard is also not the most comfortable, the mirror insert on the front surface is prone to contamination and is difficult to clean, information from the main screen is not readable at all in the sun, and the battery life is short. If such disadvantages for you are compensated by high functionality in minimum size smartphone housing, stylish design, then Nokia N76 can be called a good purchase.

The device currently has no direct competitors; indirect competitors can be considered Motorola models KRZR K1, V6 MAXX, but they are inferior in functionality, quality of screens, both internal and external, the difference is great. Also Nokia N76 can be compared with another thin smartphone manufacturer - E65, their sizes are comparable, but E65 looks preferable in terms of ergonomics, functionality (WLAN support), it provides long battery life, has more interesting materials housings. The subjective factor plays a big role here; the N76 will be in great demand due to its low price and mass design, with an emphasis on the musical component.