New Nokia Phone: N93

I just got a new Nokia N93 [full disclosure: courtesy of the Bloggers program], and the thing is really sweet.

3.2 megapixel camera, with Carl Zeiss lens. It's the first cell phone I've ever seen with a lens cap! Can take 2048x1536 resolution pictures, as well as various lower res pics. 5 levels of video quality: I've read in a few places that these files can get really large if recorded at the highest quality, but that's a general issue with image quality.

I have only taken a few shots, but boy:

The camera is wifi enabled, but I haven't explored that deeply. First of all, the software to allow the phone to be accessed with a Home Network requires a Windows PC (hiss), and since I can already bluetooth pictures and video from the phone, it's a bit redundant for me. Might be nice to browse files on my Mac from the phone, however...

Music player -- Yes, but I have been unimpressed with this sort of thing in the past, and the N93 offers no way around iTunes DRM. On the other hand, video podcasts might make sense on a phone like this, since my iPod doesn't support video.

Video calls -- Yes, like the N90, the N93 can make video telephone calls. Requires

1. 3G UMTS network on both ends of the connection
2. Video Sharing has to be installed on the N93
3. Both phones have to be video sharing capable (like two N93s)

These requirements make it almost impossible to use except, for example, members of a family that all sign up for the same cell phone service and get a passel of N93s.

The phone supports SMS, MMS, and email.

The n93 is at least 20% larger than my sony ericsson s710a, which is no peeny little thing. So it will be a real commitment to lug the thing around. But, compared with carrying a phone and a camera, it's more convenient.

The real barrier to me adopting this phone is the lack of iSync support. It's too new for Apple to have sync support, and I have become accustomed to using my phone as a (relative passive) organizer. For that, I need iSync support.

I also haven't explored the complexities of using the N93 as a data modem, which took a long time to get worked out with my s710a. It's not obvious to me how to do this, and it is squarely in that no man's land where neither the phone manufacturer or the cell service provider are willing to take responsibility for making it really work. [With my s710a I had to depend on modem scripts from some third party hacker.] But I guess I could lug around the s710a just to use it as a modem.

So, I guess I will start lugging it around in my pack -- comes with a protective cloth bag, thank goodness -- like a camera, and I will swap the SIM chip in whenever I think there is something worth taking pictures of.

It seems likely that I am headed toward a multi cell phone future, no matter what comes. Especially if the N80 is as cool as it looks to be.

tags: n93, nokia, nokia+bloggers+program, n73, n90, n80

Comments

[Roland Tanglao]

iSync works with the N93 with the Mactomster plugin:

http://www.mactomster.de/isync/

happy n93-ing

i have taken lots of videos and the video is the best part of this phone methinks!

[Cris C]

Roland,

I tried the mactomster.de isync plugin for my N93 but it doesn't work. Does it require isync 2.0? I only have 1.5 currently.

Thanks much.

Cris

[kardash steven]

the phone is fantastic,with lots of fantastic features.i wish i could afford one or gat one free.i am a great fan of n93.i have friends that have it,its the best nokia product.