We're still waiting for N-Gage to launch for real, so the Nokia N81 didn't take our breath away at first sight. Still, we think the phone is a compelling choice due to its good mixture of multimedia features on one hand, and its calling and messaging functionality on the other hand.
As a music phone, the 8GB version will easily compete with other phones of that kind. As a gaming phone, it'll likely be the best one available for quite some time. Worth noting, however, the N81 is no über-smartphone of Nokia N95 or i-mate Ultimate 9502 caliber.
As a music phone, we think the Nokia N81 8GB performs pretty well. That said, the N81 has its flaws and shortcomings, such as the lack of HSDPA and microSD slot. But so does most of the other 8GB music phones available.
Although we were skeptical when it was first announced, we think Nokia's N81 8GB may become a popular choice in the multimedia phone market.
The Quad-band Nokia N81 8GB should be available as an unlocked phone soon, selling for approximately $600, initially.
|