By Ty Pendlebury, CNET.com.au on 09 July 2008 12:31 PM
Tags: nokia n78, candybar, phone, fm transmitter, wi-fi, use, wi fi, quite
Manufacturer: Nokia
I've had the N78 for a few weeks now. The review is accurate, there are plenty of problems but overall the phone is pretty good. I don't see the point of comparisons to the iPhone but that's what gets headlines so...
The good: Features, features, features! Memory slot for more songs and photos. A replaceable battery, 3.2 MP AF camera. GPS. WiFi. A million free applications.
The bad: Buttons are awful! Nokia continues to value form over function; phones are tools, not art. Also the S60 platform needs a revamp, there are many bugs and inconsistencies.
So, according to this review, does that mean I cannot change a destination in GPS without having an internet connection of some sort? If I'm out bush without phone service I couldnt change it?I would have thought you can use the GPS feature as a standalone (although with longer lock-in times)
The Nokia N78 is a fun phone to use, and despite some annoyances it's likely to find fans in those looking for a feature-filled Apple alternative.
RRP: AU$779.00
Nokia N78, n78, nokia, candybar, phone, fm transmitter, wi-fi
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| Apple iPhone 3GS 32GB | 33 plans |  1% |
| Apple iPhone 3GS 16GB | 33 plans |  1% |
| Nokia N97 | 37 plans | 1% |
| Apple iPhone 8GB | 33 plans | 1% |
| Nokia E63 | 33 plans | 1% |
| Apple mobile phones | 1% |
| Nokia mobile phones | 1% |
| Sony Ericsson mobile phones | 2% |
| Samsung mobile phones | 1% |
| LG mobile phones | 1% |
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Important: this comment is based only on the review above and NOT actual experience. However, it *appears* the reviewer is trying their best to like this product, rather than being straightforward in its review.
Although there are many positive points highlighted, there are also some fairly serious quality and usability issues, for example:
"The plastic backing feels particularly flimsy... The "hinge" holding the press-button lock even broke"
"Button construction and placement are one of Nokia's weaker points"
"The unmarked "Multimedia" key... does require an initial learning curve. We also dislike the location of the Menu button itself"
"... the poorly placed Menu button makes it a little harder to get around..."
"Using the D-pad like an iPod "click-wheel" is kinda fun, but not very useful due to its small size"
"Unlike the iPhone, we found it difficult to connect to the internet using Wi-Fi"
"Finally, the GPS feature with the additional voice-assistance is a handy feature, but we wouldn't want to use it in a car"
And after all that, I'm amazed how it somehow still manages to get a bottom line of "despite some annoyances it's likely to find fans in those looking for a feature-filled Apple alternative." (7.9/10)
There are curiously quite a number of comparisons to the iPhone, but I'm not sure why it was thought necessary.
There are quite a few other products available (and planned) that are more specifically aimed to counter the iPhone, with touch screens and superior usability - the N78 just doesn't seem to be one of them.