Nokia’s E71 will be the first Nokia QWERTY phone with 3.5G data-connection speeds to hit the U.S., and even at its relatively steep asking price of almost $500 (unlocked), it’s a very enticing option for business users who want to stand out from the BlackBerry-toting masses. In addition to snappy performance and a very good Web browser, users will appreciate the Symbian S60 interface and the ability to switch between work and play profiles. (Editor's Note: Nokia hasn't announced a definite price as of yet, but they did tell us the phone will cost less than $500 and will hit shelves sometime in Q3 2008.)
Slim, Stunning Design
We weren’t kidding when we said the E71 was thin. At 4.5 x 2.2 x 0.4 inches in size, this device is thinner than the BlackBerry Curve (0.6 inches thick) and just a sliver thinner than the Samsung BlackJack II, which measures 0.46 inches. The E71’s stainless steel exterior, available in two versions (white steel with a white keyboard, and gray steel with a black keyboard), make this phone one of the classiest we’ve ever held.
Its 2.4-inch (320 x 240 pixel) display is slightly smaller than the 2.5-inch display on the BlackBerry Curve, but it offers the same resolution and is large enough for viewing Web sites and watching videos comfortably. However, we wish this LCD were slightly brighter.
On the left side of the E71 is a microSD slot and a mini-USB port for transferring data to and from your computer. The bottom of the phone has a small charging port, and the right side has volume controls, a speech command button, and a 2.5mm headphone jack. The power button and a small speaker are on top of the device, and a 3.2-MP camera with flash is on the back.
Keyboard and Buttons
The keys on the E71 are a bit chubby. They’re comfortable and provided good feedback, but they’re set a little too close together for our tastes. In general, we prefer the BlackBerry Curve’s more spacious keyboard to the layout on the E71, but the E71’s keyboard is fine once you get the hang of it.
We really appreciated the four shortcut buttons just above the keyboard for quick access to the home screen, our calendar, the address book, and our messages. Around those shortcut keys are four buttons, two for placing and ending calls, and two soft-keys for UI menus. In the center is a D-pad with a silver border for navigation.
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