SOMEWHERE along the way, Nokia finally decided that less is more.
Its latest N85 is proof of it. Specs-wise - 5-megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss lens, flash and Wi-Fi - it is the equivalent of the N95 8GB. Yet, it is more compact and has a more polished, streamlined design.
In fact, there are certain features of the N85 that I find superior to even the successor of the N95, the much-hyped N96, that was also launched recently.
For one thing, the N85 has a lens cover for the camera, which should be the norm for all camera phones these days.
The N85 also houses the new AM OLED 2.6-inch screen, which delivers brighter colours and contrasts. It also has a longer battery life, with 6.9 hours of talktime versus the N96's 3.8 hours.
For the convenience of users, the N85 is capable of micro USB charging so there is now one less cable to lug around on your travels.
The most important reason for many, if none of the above has convinced you already, is that the N85 is cheaper than the $1,258 price tag on the N96.
You are merely losing out on a 2.8-inch screen, digital video broadcast support (which is not available here anyway) and 16GB of memory.
Layout-wise, the N85 displays the bare minimum - the four-way navigation keys, Answer and Reject keys, two shortcut keys and the Menu and Cancel buttons.
There is also an easy-access button to the multimedia content within - videos, photos, N-Gage games and the Internet.
Once you get into the phone, the usual styling of the N-series appears.
Slide the display upwards to reveal the numeric keypad. When you slide it downwards, the screen rotates as the device is now in video mode. The top reveals the content playback buttons that also double as the controls for playing N-Gage games.
Camera mode is also one slide away, as revealing the lens automatically triggers the landscape camera phone. If the lens is closed, tapping the shutter release button on the side of the phone will trigger the 3G VGA lens above the display, which can be used to take lower-resolution snapshots.
One gripe is the delayed response from the operating system that freezes the screen when you tap too many keys in quick succession.
Final say
The N85 is an overlooked gem. It is lower in price but its souped-up engine in a smaller package is a winning formula.
This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life on 24 December 2008.
