Nokia has released a mini version of its popular N97 smartphone model - cutting not only the size of the device, but also the price. In what seems to be the natural evolution of the N97, the mini version enjoys many similarities to its predecessor and a few welcomed enhancements.
The N97 Mini weighs in at 138g, 12g lighter than the original, and skims 0.3 inches off the screen. The 14.2mm thinness of the phone makes for easy handling compared to its bulkier predecessor.
The N97 Mini is based on the same tilt stand display as the original N97. With a device as petite as the mini version, I was often worried the tilt would snap when opening it, and even more fearful of the damage that could be done if the phone was dropped with the tilt open.
One cut that was not as welcome was a chop in the device's onboard memory - while the original N97 boasted 32GB of onboard memory, the mini version only offers 8GB. Other than this, all of the technical specifications of the Mini N97 are the same as the original.
In the review of the N97, I noted the device was a social networker's dream tool, in that it offered always-on Internet that allowed for on-the-go blogging, chatting, posting, texting and e-mailing.
The N97 also introduced the concept of 'social location', which allowed users to update their 'status' on social networks automatically with real-time information, and share their 'social location' as well as related pictures or videos.
To this end, the N97 Mini goes a step further, as the first of Nokia's phones to offer Lifecasting - an app that emerged from Nokia's partnership with social networking giant Facebook.
Lifecasting allows people to publish their location and status updates directly to their Facebook account from the homescreen of the device. The N97 Mini also brings with it Nokia's free Ovi Maps navigation offering.
The game changer for the original N97 was its ability to fully customise the homescreen. New software on the N97 Mini improves on this function, offering new homescreen widgets and offering thousands more applications for download from the Ovi store.
Reviewing the original N97, I also reported the touchscreen to be slow at times. This seems to be resolved in the mini version, as it introduces flick scrolling to its touch functionality.
Also, the alarm clock on the original was very unreliable, but the mini version was painfully accurate in waking me up every morning.
Overall, the Nokia N97 Mini is a vast improvement on its predecessor, going even further to bring social networking to the palm of your hand.
Share