[navin]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Navin, why are you looking at a phone about 5K?

You will get good phones with 2.2 inch 320 x 240 pixel screeen for that budget. Or did I miss anything?

No I am looking at phones in the 25K+ budget. This is my short list of features.

• Excellent QWERTY keybaord for fast SMS
• Good Camera 5MP is adeqaute but low light capability is preferred
• Simple un-clutered UI screen

Originally Posted by MCR

Navin Sir, may be you can have a look at Motorola Charm. It runs on Android 2.1 and has a huge QWERTY keyboard. But the only downside is its 3.1MP camera.

Thanks MCR we never even looked at Motorola. All the fingers we asked pointed to Apple, Nokia, Samsung and BB. Ok I was the only person to suggest a BB to her.

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

Try the Nokia C6-00

We do intend to try that. We figure since teh E7 is a bit longer and does not have a joystick the keypad would be better placed out. I called some friends in Nokia and they said the E7 has some new focusing software called "all focus" which keeps all object in focus from 10cm to infinity but so far they are still haivng a few bugs which the development team will have to work out before they release the phone.

Target date March 2011 but it might get pushed to May 2011 It certainly wont make the Jan CES in Las Vegas or Mobile World Congress in Feb.

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

I would suggest some of the sony phones. ..e.g. C905a.

The C905 was tried by me some time back (as a replacement for my G900) but once I went QWERTY i think my wife will like it too.

[Sn1p3r]

^howz 2730 classic as a simple phone? Voice clarity and battery talktime?

[lambuhere1]

@ Sn1p3r, Backseatdriver : I am in a dilema between Nokia X2 and 2730. X2 comes to around 4.8K and 2730 around 4.2 K. But looking at feature wise, I am more inclined towards X2.

Comments welcome

[navin]

Originally Posted by Sn1p3r

^howz 2730 classic as a simple phone? Voice clarity and battery talktime?

Does it have a good camera?

[Sn1p3r]

Sir, I seek a simple robust phone sans features for myself

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by Sn1p3r

^howz 2730 classic as a simple phone? Voice clarity and battery talktime?

Wife owns/ed 2730. (well, we had taken both the phones to the terrace, and while playing, kids accidentally dropped them to the ground - we are told that the screens (only!!) need replacement, but for time being, since we cant spend 2-3 days without a pone, got new ones - me an X2 and wife a 2690).

2730 gives 6 days backup for somebody with approx 350 INR post paid monthly bills and plenty of incoming calls. It has no music keys (the keys on the side). Is 3 G capable. The keys were hard initially, and softened up a bit over time. Wife was angry with me over the keys initially.

I have not tested battery backup of the X2. It has stayed for real long connected to the PC over the USB cable, and it charges through the USB cable. So, I really cant say. My guesstimate is I will get 4-5 days backup, compared to 3 I used to get with 5130XM.

Originally Posted by lambuhere1

@ Sn1p3r, Backseatdriver : I am in a dilema between Nokia X2 and 2730. X2 comes to around 4.8K and 2730 around 4.2 K. But looking at feature wise, I am more inclined towards X2.

The X2 I use is a vast improvement over the 5130XM I owned. In software, capabalities, etc. Unfortunately, I am looking to sell it hardly 10 days into ownership - because I am unable to restore my address book from 5130 to the X2. My Desktop OS is Linux. I stayed awake up to 2 AM yesterday to restore some numbers, but periodic backup and restores will be a pain.

So I have listed it in the classifieds for sale at 4.8K. (a post here was deleted by the mods.)

It has very soft and comfortable keys, which are conveniently placed (especially the side ones), 5 MP camera (have not really tested it), a dedicated camera key, LED flash, came with a 2 GB card, data card, etc.

Only reason I am selling it is compatibility issues with my desktop OS. Maybe, wammu/gammu will improve, but I cannot wait till then.

X2 anyday if music keys, better camera, and better browsing are important.

2730 if battery longeivity is more important.

BTW, the SBI mobile banking application does NOT work on X2. My broker's mobile trading application does.

Originally Posted by navin

Does it have a good camera?

Yes, a 5 MP camera. But I am not a very avid photographer - so "good"ness is very subjective.

I really do not know how to test the camera.

[navin]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Yes, a 5 MP camera. .

Thanks. We will check it out.

[Sn1p3r]

@BaCkSeAtDrIVeR: Thanks! I will check this one out tomorrow. All I need is a basic phone with good build quality, nice voice clarity with bluetooth and battery life. Thats it. I think the smart phone makes me look dumb

[rajesh1868]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Any Nokia XpressMusic will do it. Suggesting that because I have used 5130 XM. X2 too does have a reasonably good voice recorder (both from the calls and external). Both cost around 5K.

I say "reasonably good" because other brands I have owned did not have this feature, but those were very basic phones.

I believe any phone with an addon memory card can reasonably do it, but I have not tried.

Both phones allow me to configure the voice recorder to one of the shortcut keys, and I simply hit the key when I want to record a call. Now that I can access that feature, I need it very frequently. :-D

Wife has a 2730, which too has a recorder, but have not tried it so far.

Thanks for that.Will compare other features of these before deciding. recorder is mainly for external recording

[shankar.balan]

thanks
for a relatively tech unfriendly chap like me, the N8 is a nice phone.
12mp camera is fantastic. Carl Zeiss lens optics!!! here are a few pics attached taken in different resolution settings.
the phone is easy to use - i find it very easy with a blue tooth permanently hooked to my ear.
touch pad is sensitive and easy to operate.
sms is easy
various applications are fun
office documents and pdf files etc are easy to read and edit where required (Ive bought the quickoffice edit application)
all the apps are easy to download from Ovi store and there are a host of nice applications too like Real Golf 2011, weather reports and a host of others.
Incredible application loading speed for a phone
Symbian v3 seems a relatively better software (atleast to me)
I never open more than one application at a time so I have not experienced "hanging" issues etc yet.
the GPS function seems nice - helps in accessing the weather report etc very quickly.
gmail is quick and good - easy to configure and it becomes absolutely LIVE - no need to logon to gmail on the computer any more.
TBHP application does NOT work properly - dont know why. It says DNS error each time I try to logon.
There is a nice phrase translator upto 12 languages. Useful.
The internal 16gb memory is superb - can manage almost anything. can upgrade it to 48gb with an additional memory card which I will probably do and make it a supermachine.
migration from the N82 to N8 via Backup/Restore through Ovi and a USB cable is very very easy indeed. No data loss. Just a simple seamless transfer process since it is still a Nokia.
SIM card loads from the side and one cannot open the battery compartment - and a good thing too - let the service centre handle all that.
the usb cable allows the phone to charge while connected to the computer.
the charger is a super stylish one which I like a lot.
the original earphones they give with the phone are also very good indeed.
one must keep it in a cover and thats best for the phone to avoid scratches etc
ensure one uses a screen protector and camera lens protector too
unlike the N82, this camera doesnt have a protective shutter - I wish it did, but with a little care one can manage. One cant rough use this phone as much as one could with the N82 though. But the 12mp camera is better than the 5mp camera - indeed on this phone even the pics taken with the 5mp camera look wonderful. Nokia has hit it BANG on the Head by Allying with Carl Zeiss optics for their lenses - their cameras are way way better than anyone else at the moment (on the mobile phone front).
Video quality is superb.
Sound is excellent and realistic - the golf game really is realistic - even to the sound where the ball falls into the cup on the green - fantastic.
the graphics and colours are wonderful indeed - nice medium large screen so resolution etc is very good in my opinion.

Plus it is an elegant looking phone and very very aesthetically designed. I just love its look and feel. It is NOT so expensive as some other phones - I got it from Sangeetha Mobile at a nice price - some 24grand including free one year anti theft, liquid damage and general damage insurance, a carry case, one extra screen protector cover and a pair of lovely Sennheiser headphones free. good deal I thought.

All in all am happy I stuck with Nokia - am a bit of a diehard that way.
Glad I upgraded to this and didnt go to I Phone and Android and all that, despite various people's advice.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by MCR

Congrats on the phone shankar. Please do post a detailed review and your take on the N8.

[shankar.balan]

Here are some more photographs taken with the N8.
Pictures taken in close up mode of my eldest dog and then of a couple of calendars in my work-cabin

[Sn1p3r]

We are glad you like the phone. As I mentioned earlier, the hardware is very nice, the only gripe was the software n user interface isn't as good as the new gen phones.

[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by navin

Does it have a good camera?

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Yes, a 5 MP camera. But I am not a very avid photographer - so "good"ness is very subjective.

Nokia X2 has a 5 MP camera but no auto-focus or Carl-Zeiss optics. Don't expect good picture clarity from this basic 5 MP camera.

Rohan

[Raccoon]

^^^Yes! 5 MP really doesn't mean anything. Only thing that matters is the picture quality. And I really don't see any point in a 5 MP shooter on a phone. Why would anybody want to take such a big picture on such a mediocre phone camera? A lower MP cam with better lens and AF is what Nokia should have used. Instead, for reasons best known to them, Nokia is only providing these mediocre 5 MP cams on most of their current models. :(

Just check pics taken with these 5 MP cams before falling for Nokia's scam. They are quite below average.

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Have taken some snaps with my X2 earlier today evening. Will post pics later; right now, my browser is acting up.

Edit:- Getting a "connection to the server was lost while loading the page" error - from firefox. Is this a browser issue or server issue?