21-10-2008: At the beginning of October, Nokia came with her long-expected announcement of her first real touchscreen device: the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Here is our exclusive preview with good photos.
By: Tim Wijkman
Nokia announced her first real touchscreen device in the shape of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic at the beginning of October. Despite of the news value of the announcement Nokia only had place for a limited amount of press representatives from the Netherlands so there were still no good live photos of the newest Nokia family member in the Netherlands. We change this today and bring you an exclusive preview of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic.
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
Years and years passed by before the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic was announced. Even a long time before the Apple iPhone was announced there were rumours about this first real touchscreen device of Nokia. Of course, Nokia already tried to launch a touchscreen device in 2005 in the shape of the
Nokia 7710, but the market wasn't ready for it at this point. Since the introduction of the Apple iPhone, at the beginning of 2007, this totally changed. Nokia was almost the only brand that didn't set foot in the touchscreen market.
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is the first adult touchscreen device of Nokia, but certainly not the last. At the Symbian Smartphone Show, which is held in London these days, we already met
some other touchscreen devices of the Finnish brand. we can expect several more touchscreen devices of the brand on a short term, under which one touchscreen device under the N-Series flag. Unfortunately it sticked to watching, feeling and trying, because we weren't allowed to photograph these new devices. This is the same with the specs of these new touchscreen devices because this is an agreement we had to sign in order to meet the devices.
Internet on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
Back to the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. this device received a very distinctive position on the market. When it comes to specifications, the 5800 XpressMusic would do quite good in the N-Series section but Nokia chose to place the device under the XpressMusic flag. Why this is the case became clear today. "That other device" scores well because it combines an iPod with a phone and that is what the market is waiting for. So, Nokia flows along with a trend that was set by another company. If Nokia put the device under the N-Series flag, a large part of the target group would have left because N-Series devices are known as very expanded but expensive devices. With an expected rerail price of about 300 euro the 5800 XpressMusic is everything but expensive.
Despite the fact that music is one of the key features of the 5800, the device scores better on all kinds of other areas. Internet, for example. the large touchscreen is very suitable for surfing fullscreen. Unfortunately, Nokia can't win from the navigation comfort the iPhone offers.
Despite the fact that the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic should be a competitor of the iPhone, this device will never become one. the touchscreen that Nokia uses in this device is a so-called "resistive touchscreen". This means that the display reacts to pressure / touch. It is only possible to scroll in a flexible way when there's pressure on the display and when this pressure is moved. A so-called capicitive touchscreen, as is used in the iPhone, reacts to the energy differences between the display and a finger, due to which the touchscreen reacts well to finger touch. Scroll and zoom functions work better on a capicitve touchscreen. Operation of the device is possible with the fingers, but Nokia deson't deliver a stylus with the device just for nothing.
Left side Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
Around the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
First of all, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic attracts attention because the device has a lot of keys, especially for a touchscreen device. At the left side it is possible to place a memorycard.
Right side Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
The right side of the device offers more keys. First of all, a little panel catches our eye. with this panel it is easy to "lock" the device so you can make sure that the device doesn't call or shoot some "pocket photos" when you don't want it to. At the top we find the volume keys and at the bottom the shutter key for the camera is placed.
Back of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
At the back of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic we come across the 3.2 megapixel camera. It is distinctive that the camera is nto protected by a little panel so dust, filth and scratches could easily reach the lens.
Playing games with the accelerometer of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
A Nokia device is not a device without games. An extra reason for Nokia to bring a touchscreen device as the 5800 under the N-Series flag. You can install games and software on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic without any problems. The accelerometer of the device can be used in order to operate the game by moving the device. A race game was installed on the device we handled and this could also be operated by moving the device.
Applications on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
The space underneath the display isn't the only space where Nokia placed some keys. At the right upper corner, just above the display, another small key can be found. With this key, a list with quick options can be openend, for example to go to the photo library or to open the internet. On one hand, this is handy, but on the other hand this is quite inconvenient because every option is hidden somewhere else.
At the top of the device a 3.5 mm audio connection is placed, so you can use your own headset besides the standard delivered headset.
Unfortunately, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will not reach the shops in most European countries before Christmas. At the moment, we believe that this will happen round January or February. If you like to see the full specifications of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic before it will come to the shops, you can surf to her
specifications page.