Choosing a modern smartphone is not an easy task, because most models of the same price category have almost identical characteristics (Wi-Fi module, GPS, support for 3G networks, etc.). In such a situation, the appearance of the device, the quality of the case materials and the assembly itself often become the decisive selection criterion. The hero of our review can change colors like a chameleon. Moreover, no additional costs are required, since a set of three interchangeable panels of different colors is supplied with the device.
But this is not the only thing that the Nokia N79 can boast of. As befits a modern smartphone - there is GPS, as well as a wide range of features.
Equipment
So, the Nokia N79 smartphone comes with the following accessories:
• Three interchangeable panels (one of them is already in the smartphone);
• Charger;
• Accumulator battery;
• Cable for connection to USB port of the PC;
• Wired stereo headset;
• Memory card for 4 gigabytes;
• Brief user manual;
• CD with software.
Design and ergonomics
Nokia N79 is made in a classic candy bar form factor. The smartphone recognizes the trademark features of the Finnish manufacturer, and only a few details add variety. The front part of the case, as well as the side edges, are made of gray plastic. The silver insert framing the front panel brings some "freshness". As we said, the back panel is removable. The set of the smartphone that came to us for testing included panels of the following colors: white, red and chocolate. On each of the panels, you can see a "light" pattern. Replacing the panel will change the theme shown on the display. All this happens in automatic mode: when changing the panel, different contacts are closed. There is only one drawback of this solution - if you shake the phone, then weakly pressed contacts will emit unpleasant sounds.
Each of the interchangeable panels has a glossy finish that collects fingerprints. But this plastic is very resistant to scratches. By the way, the situation with fingerprints is ambiguous. So, traces are clearly visible on the chocolate-colored panel, and on the red and white surface - they are absolutely not striking.
In any case, a smartphone needs a cover due to the soiled screen. The surface of the screen is vulnerable to damage (scratches, abrasions) even with careful use.
There are no complaints about the build quality. All parts fit evenly and clearances are minimal. If you squeeze the body of the smartphone a little, it creaks slightly (this is the merit of replaceable panels).
The main part of the front panel is occupied by a display with a diagonal of 2.4 inches. The following elements are located above the display: a light sensor, an earpiece and a peephole of the front camera. A block of control keys, typical for Nokia, is placed right under the screen. In the center of this block is a NavyWeel joystick with a touch element.
Under this block are the usual number buttons. I did not like the backlight of the digital block - it is dull and also uneven. This makes the labeling on the buttons difficult to distinguish at dusk. All buttons on the front are easy to press and move smoothly. Subjectively, they are more convenient than in Nokia N78.
There is only a camera with an LED flash on the back of the panel. The camera lens is protected by a metal shutter.
The left side contains a connector for a proprietary charger, as well as 2 connectors covered with one rubber cap - a micro-USB input and a slot for a memory card. As you can see, hot swapping of memory cards was provided.
On the right side there is a two-level camera button, a pair of loudspeakers, and a volume control button.
Above you can see the traditional power button of the device, a 3.5 mm jack, allowing you to connect standard headphones or video cable. The screen lock slider is also located here.
The bottom edge has a minimum of functions: a microphone hole and a special hole for attaching a lanyard.
Display
The 2.4-inch QVGA display is also equipped with a reflective backing. This solution pays off when working with a smartphone in direct sunlight. The screen has good brightness, which can of course be manually adjusted. Good color rendering and wide viewing angles are also pleasing. All in all, the N79's screen makes a good impression.
Sound
Nokia N79 is equipped with two loudspeakers at once, due to which a stereo effect is achieved to some extent. With particular comfort, you can view videos in a horizontal position. We did not notice any significant shortcomings in the sound of the speakers - the volume margin is good, moreover, wheezing and emphasis on high frequencies is not observed.
Radio
The radio item has two applications. The first is an Internet radio that contains a list of links and plays streaming audio. The second application, VisualRadio, requires a headset, which plays the role of an antenna, for its work. Traditionally, there is an automatic search function, although the application does not create a list of radio stations on its own. The receiver sensitivity is average. In the conditions where the communicator Glofiish M800 found 8 radio stations, the smartphone N79 managed to catch only 5. An attempt to enter the frequency manually ended in failure - the smartphone still refused to play the station. It seems that the N79 deliberately removes stations with an unstable signal. This decision looks controversial, because the user is not given the right to choose. Those radio stations that the smartphone detects are reproduced without much interference (testing took place in an urban environment).
The application allows you to create a list with 50 cells, which will seem even a lot to the average average user. There is no possibility to record radio broadcasts.
The N79 also has a built-in transmitter that allows you to transmit the sound reproduced by the smartphone to the car radio in the frequency range 88.1-108 megahertz. With such a transfer, the sound quality deteriorates somewhat. In any case, this function will definitely be useful.
Interfaces
After you connect your smartphone to the USB port of your computer, you will be offered several connection options: PC-Suite mode, removable storage mode, media and image transfer mode.
Several connection options are provided for the 3.5 mm jack: headphones, TV-out, music. stand, line-out.
Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. There were no problems with Wi-Fi. In those places where there is an access point, the device demonstrates reliable reception. Blue-tooth interface 2.0 supports EDR and a lot of profiles: Phonebook Access, Hands-Free, Files Transfer, HID, Object Push, SIM-card Access, Basic Imaging and Printing, AAD (advanced audio distribution) and many others.
TV-out
Nokia N79 supports two systems: NTSC and PAL. Thanks to this, the smartphone can be connected to almost any TV or monitor. We connected the N79 to an LCD TV. As a result, the image is not stretched to full screen. When rotated 90 degrees, the picture on the screen is noticeably stretched.
Camera
The N79 is equipped with a 5-megapixel autofocus sensor and high-quality Carl Zeiss optics. As mentioned earlier, the device has a dual LED flash. The camera lens is securely protected by a metal sliding shutter.
The transition to the photo mode is carried out by shifting this panel. The camera button is useless in this case. After the panel is moved, not only the camera is launched, but the phone is also unlocked (if it was active).
There are a sufficient number of options and settings for photography: portrait, landscape, macro mode, night mode, sports, automatic mode.You can configure how the flash works, for example, forcibly turning it off. The timer, burst shooting, etc. are also configurable.
Separately, there are settings for white balance, sensitivity and contrast. Since Nokia N79 is equipped with a GPS module, the user can record the coordinates of the captured image.
As with any modern smartphone, the N79 is capable of capturing videos. The maximum resolution in the video recording mode is 640x480 pixels at 30 frames per second. There are two video recording modes: standard and night. In the settings, you can find several simple effects. The camera is not equipped with an optical zoom, so you have to be content with only digital zoom.
The quality of the camera meets the declared characteristics. The quality of the photo (especially in good lighting) and video is good, but you shouldn't expect anything supernatural. The disadvantages include slight slowdowns in the camera menu.
Module Gps
The N79 has a built-in GPS module with A-GPS support. To download maps to your device, you need to connect to your PC and download maps from Nokia Map Loader.
Nokia Maps is the main navigation software. There are three modes: standard, satellite view and mixed mode. When using Nokia Maps, keep in mind that the maps you download do not contain satellite imagery, so keep an eye on your internet traffic.
Maps can be displayed in 2D or 3D. The 3D mode cannot be called full-fledged, it is rather a semblance of 3D. 268 seconds - this is how much time it takes for a cold start.
Platform N- Gage
The gaming platform allows you to play N-Gage games, in addition, the smartphone boasts a full-fledged N-Gage interface. By default, Nokia N79 comes with 15 preinstalled games, all of which have demo restrictions.
Autonomous work
Since the smartphone is equipped with a wide range of functions, it simply needs a capacious battery. The battery capacity is 1200 mAh, which is pretty good. By the way, the same battery is installed in the N78.
In the mode of playing music files through the headset with the display off, the device lasted for 24 hours. Note that the tests were carried out with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned off.
When playing video content (maximum brightness, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled), the smartphone worked for almost four and a half hours. In the operating mode of the GPS module, the indicator was about three and a half hours.
If you do not overload the device, it can safely work without recharging for several days. But GPS-navigation "eats up" the battery charge just before our eyes.
Conclusion
The Nokia N79 smartphone made a good impression. No pronounced shortcomings were found in the testing process. The build quality is good. The only thing you can find fault with is a slight creak when squeezing the case, which is to blame for the fastening of removable panels. But thanks to interchangeable color panels, the coloring of the phone can be regularly updated. The advantages of this model include a high-quality display with good color rendering and brightness. Among the shortcomings: the interface is slowed down while the camera is in operation, a weak radio receiver. At the moment the price of the N79 is less than 300 hryvnia, which makes the device extremely attractive considering the range of functions.
