It’s been a full year since the Nokia N8 Symbian smartphone was released and in that time it has proved a huge hit with smartphone users the world over. With its stylish anodised aluminium design, high-definition support and, of course, that stunning camera, we’ve taken a look back at all that has made the Nokia N8 such a landmark device.
Nokia N8 review
When it first arrived late last year, the Nokia N8’s most publicised feature was its ultra-sharp 12MP camera, but there was so much more to this ground-breaking smartphone than a camera alone. With its gorgeous design, high-definition video support, built-in satellite navigation and WebTV, there was plenty to love about the N8. So, a year on, we’ve taken a look at the top ten features that defined this fantastic phone.
Anodised chassis:
Crafted from anodised aluminium, the Nokia N8’s stylish, hardwearing design comfortably set it apart from its rivals, presenting itself as the high-end handset to beat. While its gorgeous looks helped catch people’s eyes, the tactile feel made it incredibly comfortable in the hand, quickly making the N8 the smartphone that everyone wanted in their pocket.
Ultra-sharp camera:
With its 12MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens, the Nokia N8’s camera broke new records. The Xenon flash made it as easy to take high-quality pictures in low-light conditions as in bright sunlight and the N8 wasted no time in staking its claim as the perfect smartphone for capturing high-quality photos and filming high-definition video on the move.
Full auto-focus:
Thanks to the use of continuous auto-focus, the Nokia N8 made it easier than ever to record the best quality videos, no matter how near or far the subject being filmed. Using Nokia’s Active Hyper-Focal Distance technology, the 28mm lens was able to provide the largest depth of field and keep objects in full focus, ensuring your videos stayed perfectly sharp at all times.
Macro-mode:
As if the Nokia N8’s camera, lens and focus weren’t impressive enough, the addition of a macro-mode for shooting the most finely detailed photos possible sealed the deal. Letting you get up-close-and-personal and take stunning photos of the smallest subjects, the N8 was confirmed as the best camera-phone you can buy, making it the choice of photographer’s worldwide.
High-definition recording:
And it wasn’t just still photographs that the Nokia N8 excelled at. Letting you record high-definition 720p video just as easily, the N8 let you pack your digital camera and camcorder away for good and hit the road with only your smartphone in tow, making it the ultimate smartphone for capturing your life’s most memorable moments.
DivX support:
As well as enjoying your own home movies on the Nokia N8, its full support for DivX encoded videos meant you could also enjoy a wide range of the most popular video formats. Adding to its already excellent multimedia credentials, this made the N8 a full media centre in your pocket.
On-demand WebTV:
And if comprehensive video support and high-definition recording weren’t enough, the Nokia N8 even let you watch TV on-demand wherever you went, thanks to full WebTV support. Whether you wanted to watch the BBC for the latest news updates, or enjoy a bit of nature on the National Geographic, the N8 had it all, with plenty more channels available from the Nokia Store.
HDMI-output
But what good would all that glorious video and TV have been if you couldn’t watch it on your HDTV when you got back home? Well, the Nokia N8 had that covered too. As one of only a small selection of smartphones to come fitted with a digital HDMI port, it had never been so easy to hook your phone up to your TV and relive the day’s antics, adding yet another string to the Nokia N8’s multimedia bow.
USB On-The-Go
While most smartphones need to be connected to a home PC to share files from USB flash drives and hard drives, the Nokia N8 cut out the middleman, letting you plug external storage devices straight into the phone via a handy USB adapter. Making it easy to back-up your photos, videos and music, as well as easily share files with friends, USB On-The-Go proved a quick hit on the N8.
Sat-nav
And finally, while every other smartphone manufacturer was charging you to enjoy full satellite navigation on your handset, the Nokia N8 was kind enough to let you have it for free. Giving you free walk and drive navigation for life, as well as turn-by-turn voice guidance, the N8 always kept you on the right track and let you save bags of money in the process.
With so much to still love about the Nokia N8 a full year after its release, the sheer quality it delivered only makes us even more excited to see what’s next to come from Nokia. If the N8 is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat when the first Nokia Windows Phones arrive in the coming months and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news as it arrives.
Until then, what have you loved most about the Nokia N8? Was it the stylish design, market-leading camera or HD support that blew you away, or was it something else entirely? Why not let us know in the Comments section below?