A friend of mine has bought mini short before the new Nokia N97, and I could also test with the same views and have considered myself to write with the help of my friend a report about it. In addition, we have in the electronics market and the big brother looked at the N97 and compared.

Nokia N97 Mini Reviews Reviews Nokia N97 Mini : The Little Big Brother Of The N97

Design & Processing

Externally, the N97 looks very much his brother mini N97 similar, the differences lie only in the details. Due to the small screen and the omission of Navkeys on the standard keypad, the dimensions of the small N97 shrink in all directions by several millimeters. Even when a 12 gram weight saving Nokia. This is much handier than the Mini’s big brother, but still offers almost the same technique.

And not only that the N97 Mini comes with a battery cover that is made of aluminum, while the N97 as far as I know is completely out of plastic. I think it looks clear from the mini nobler than the larger sister. Unfortunately Nokia patzte again in the processing, for while the aluminum cover perfectly on one side closes gaping, on the other a visible gap. So the good first impression on closer inspection is modulated. Otherwise, I can not fault in the processing.

The camera is hidden no longer behind a mechanical cover, but is delivered scratches almost defenseless. Since the entire camera module including a protruding double LED flash about a millimeter from the rest of the case, the Mini is on smooth surfaces that is directly on the protective Plexiglas window in front of the lens.

Display & Keyboard

The display is shrunk down to 3.2 inches, but otherwise the same specifications as the N97: It turns on its display is 640×360 pixels and plays at 16 million colors. With the smaller display at the same resolution appears eshöchstens something sharper. Well, I think the display responds to the slightest touch.

The Honorable keypad Nokia N97 has managed the Mini is much better than the bigger brother. She now has more space – and that, Despite the fact that the housing has shrunk compared to the N97. Is probably because that was the great Navkey wegelassen the Mini model.

The users will be pleased, because the keys have a larger distance to each other. Moreover, they are out of something more edgy and can therefore be much better distinguished from each other.

Voice quality and battery

Understanding of problems should not there be during a telephone call. The user hears slight bit of noise and lack of heights, yet talking sound very realistic. Noise is not heard at the other end of the line.

When the battery manufacturer has saved much about it, because now holds only about one to two days with normal use. No wonder, while the large N97 has 1500 mAh, comes in the N97, only a small power pack with 1200 mAh used. Too bad really.

Multimedia and Storage

The internal memory of Nokia has reduced to eight gigabytes, the smartphone also swallows up to 16 gigabyte micro-SD cards. That’s a great music collection. Especially good is to praise the sound of the phone `s.
The supplied in-ear headset delivers rich sound, which unfortunately does not reach the top models of the Walkman series from Sony Ericsson, but offers enough lots of bass and treble. A 3.5-mm port is available to allow you to easily connect normal headphones, either it works via Bluetooth. The mobile phone has a direct link to the Nokia Music Store, where you can download music.

The intigrated FM radio offers standards such as automatic channel scan and memory space for about 20 channels. It also provides RDS information such as the transmitter and the current program.

I particularly like that you put off with the Nokia N97 Mini just the right place at the table and can easily watch movies. The mobile phone Flash dominates the browser, so you can look one way or the Youtube client related videos. Xvid or DivX codecs currently rules the phone but not On the QWERTY keyboard of the N97 Mini can be very fast and accurate typing. And even at night, for the white and orange keyboard light is illuminated very strongly.

But unfortunately there are also express criticism. The frequently used shift key for uppercase and lowercase letters sits in the bottom left corner of the keyboard. To take it one must, therefore, almost dislocate his left thumb. In a separate number series is no place had more but with such a phone to cope with.

The camera

As the great N97 and the N97 Mini snaps photos with 5 megapixels and takes videos in VGA resolution. There are many settings it is not, but that is not even necessary. The image quality of Carl Zeiss optics corresponds to the N97 and is the resolution in accordance with very well. Sharpness, color accuracy, image noise and contrast are primarily from optimal. The flash range is approx 2 meter wide and therefore allows also do interior shots in total darkness, as long as one has snapped at close range. The focus here is fully in order.
The VGA-quality videos of the Mini are also very good. The refresh rate of fluid 30 frames.

Internet and PIM

Nokia N97 used in the known S60 Mini browser, which is also on the N97 used. We again see that the best times of this browser are over. It provides Internet sites are indeed accurate and controlled even Flash Lite 3, but now its speed is lagging significantly behind more modern software such as Safari or Opera Mobile. The scrolling on the pages is not entirely smoothly, but hardly a disturbance while surfing.

When setting up e-mail inboxes, Nokia, the mini-usual helpful. An assistant takes over almost all the settings automatically. It can be set up multiple mailboxes, a global inbox for all messages is lacking. The overview in the individual mailboxes is good in portrait mode, up to 7 e-mail one time.

The entry of new contacts with the full keyboard and touch screen are very comfortable, over 40 information fields can be compiled for each entry. The calendar can be specified with a few clicks, new appointments and tasks.

Operation and navigation

The firmware of the N97 Mini finally allowed Kinetic scrolling. Therefore, list menus can now nudging the finger, Trashed they move more slowly, until they come to a standstill. As far as we could learn master this form of the menu control almost all the other touch phone `s the competition, although for some time, at Nokia, it is but the first time that a mobile phone is shipped with this function.

The start screen of the N97 Mini looks because even fresher. He is like the N97 from widgets that can be freely placed on the screen and moved. He continues to deliver information about upcoming appointments or running in the background music. A horizontal wiper on the startup screen gives away all the widgets and provides a view of the background image. Also keep Clock, date and the selected profile visible.

The responsiveness of the system offers little cause for criticism. The smartphone also has GPS and can be used as full navigation. The map software Ovi Maps 2.0 is up to the voice guided navigation for free. The navigation function can be tested 10 days free, pedestrian navigation is free.

My conclusion for this business phone in small.

The Nokia N97 Mini is better in your hand, looks elegant and has the factory finally Kinetic scrolling. In addition, the keyboard has been improved. For display and internal memory are much smaller, weaker the battery and the price on the open market is even slightly higher. As I got to know this phone is by my buddy in practice, I can only recommend a purchase, I personally consider my next contract extension well if I buy this phone or a more recent but until then. My friend is very satisfied and does not regret the purchase.

Pros : good phone BUSINESS, very good workmanship, good service,
Cons : bad battery, to be achieved Schwerz Shift – key to cost more than N97