Nokia Music streams Rihanna gig

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:13:55 +0000

This should be interesting. At 8:00pm GMT Nokia will be streaming a live performance from Rihanna.

Check it out here.

Introduction to the Carl Zeiss App for S60

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:56:01 +0000

Let's be honest, professional photographers probably visit blogs like this and laugh heartily as they read geeks like me pontificate about the differences between two similar tiny lensed smartphones. In their minds smartphone photography is currently as the same embryonic stage as digital photography at the turn of the millennium, an interesting distraction from the true art form.

We all know how that played out, digital cameras advanced rapidly. Now, even midrange digital cameras outperform the pro-amateur analogue cameras of yesteryear in many ways. How long before midrange smartphones outperform the digicam classics of today? Eight, perhaps ten years?

However, before I fall into my usual trap of putting the technological horse before the creativity cart, let me back up a bit and explain something that's been frustrating me for the last three years.

If bloggers, forum admins, pundits, commentators and readers put as much thought and research into the art of photography as they do into the feature list of Nokia's newest phones then we could all take wonderful photos right now without pinning our hopes of the next thing.

With this in mind let me tell you about a new S60 app I've been alpha testing for Carl Zeiss. In essence, it's a 'How To' guide to photography, not just smartphone photography but all photography. It includes technical information such as, 'What are the numbers on my lens?', and follows with something a little more human like, 'How can I make people look more relaxed when taking portraits or group photos?'.

One interesting section is entitled 'Top Tips'. I've been informed that there is a good possibility that this section will be populated with tips from the likes of you and I, complete with links to your online presence. Neat!

The interface is extremely basic, not much more then a hyperlinked list. But to be fair this is a product in its early stages. Though I'm not expecting it to work in some radical new fashion, I'm sure each new build will add layers of polish.

I've included a video (in HD no less!) so that you can get a feel for the style of the Carl Zeiss application and a taste of the information it offers. I'm showing it to the Nokia Creative community at this early stage to obtain advice to pass onto the developers.

Please leave your thoughts, observations and questions below. Would you welcome this application? Would you expect to see hints and tips offered for your specific model of smartphone or are you happy with the more generic focus that this app currently has? Let me know in a comment below, and stay tuned for updates with each new build.

N86: Day 8. Wide Angle Photos

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:31:12 +0000

One of the big selling features of the Nokia N86 8MP is the wide angle lens (28mm equivalent). What difference does this make in practice?

When I first heard of the specifications of the N86 I was convinced that the wide angle lens and 8MP combo would put the N86 streets ahead of previous Nseries devices. The capacious nature of this lens/chip setup makes the N86 the most flexible camera phone I’ve ever used.

Yes, I was expecting the N86 to be more than capable in many situations, but I had assumed that there would be considerable lens aberration at the edges of the frame. Thankfully, I need not have worried, it’s surprisingly solid, even in the corners.

I can assure you that going back to a more narrowly framed camera is quite a shock after being blessed by the wide angle of the N86. I could rant on for quite some time about the benefits, but perhaps it would be easier to show you rather than keep typing.

This Flickr set contains the full resolution versions of the each photo, but for a quick overview please check out the wide angle shots below.

Please let me know what you think of these photos in a comment below, do you think the wider angle makes a difference?

Next up, colour accuracy. It’s all rosy, kind of...

SPECIAL REPORT: Nokia & The Road to HD Video Capture. Chapter 10

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:12:37 +0100

It’s finally here, the very first phone to capture HD video. You thought the i8910 HD was nice, well this is the real deal.

The video above -- courtesy of GSM Arena -- shows what Samsung's limited release W880 HD is capable of. Like the Nokia N93 before it, this is more camera than phone. From the front it looks like a camera, from the back it looks like… well, it looks like a camera.

Ironic that this limited feature phone would be the first to feature HD video capture. The i8910 HD was supposed to be the first, but as sharp eyes will confirm, the frame rate is choppy and the audio is only average.

All things considered it's not that the W880 HD itself that is so exciting, but rather, it's what it alludes to. Samsung are on a self-imposed crusade, a drive into the very heartland of imaging. Devices like the W880 point to a future where Samsung tower over the camera phone market in way that Nokia did from 2002 to 2008. Where does this leave loyal Nokia fans?

We can't really complain too much, it's not like we weren't told that we would have to wait until 2010 for HD. To be honest, at the time I assumed that Nokia executives were simply being too cautious and that HD was right around the corner… Of course, much of the reason for the HD video capture no-show was technical. Chipsets that can give this kind of power to smartphone sized devices have only been available for a few months. However, another reason is that in the winter of 2007 Nokia set sail for a completely different destination, the land of the pocket computers.

Since that time, much of what Nokia has spoken about, acted upon and vigorously promoted has been about computing. Sure we had the strangeness that was 2008 -- who can forget the woeful N96? -- but once the 5800 horse had bolted there was no going back.

Now we find Nokia playing a interesting game, spinning the smartphone shaped plates that feed their current success, whilst building the foundations of their pocket computer future.

The 5800, N900 and X6 provide for the mainstream, the geek and the chic, but what about the creative? The N86 is the closest we have to a device to call our own, but a creative device without a touch screen is like a party with no music, it's just not fun.

Give us the optics of the N86 in the body of the N97 Mini, but loose the slide out keyboard, this is 2009 not 1999.

On the bright side it's only another 94 days until 2010, and a Nokia device with HD video capture is most definitely coming in 2010. Isn’t it?

Previous chapters in this series...

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9

N86: Day 7. 20/20 Vision?

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:40:02 +0100

Nokia’s very first 8 mega pixel shooter. We’ve been waiting for a move up from 5 MP since the original N95, was it worth the wait?

Every now and again the perfect storm of device loans starts to form. In the last couple of months, thanks to Matt from All About iPhone and Steve from All About Symbian I have been able to trial the Samsung i8910 HD and the Nokia N86. Couple these devices with my own Apple iPhone 3GS and a friends N97 and I had the makings of an epic shoot out!

I’ll start with a test of photographic detail in normally lit conditions. Because of the subject matter, this test is all about the angle and clarity of the the lens unit and the amount of pixels that each device is able to capture. Things like compression and image processing will be covered in a later post, but for now let’s talk about resolution.

Okay let’s take it in turn and then we’ll summarise the results at the end...

First the Samsung i8910 HD (8 MP)

Now the Nokia N97 (5 MP)

And the Apple iPhone 3GS (3 MP)

Finally the Nokia N86 (8 MP)

Check out this Flickr set for a more detailed look at the competing photographs. Don’t just take my word for it, examine the full resolution versions of each photo for yourself and post your conclusions in a comment below.

And so to the results

Only the Samsung i8910 HD gives you a fighting chance of reading the eighth line of letters, all the other devices bottom out at the seventh line. This surprised me somewhat, especially given that the N86 is also an 8 mega pixel device. However, it should be noted that the Nokia N86 has a much wider angle than the Samsung and Apple and even makes the N97 shot seem constrained.

If I had to pick a winner--the device that captured that most raw detail--I’d go for the N86. Personally, I have a leaning towards wider angle photography so the more capacious frame of the N86 is more suited to my tastes. If though you tend towards photographs of a single subject, or perhaps macro photography, then the Samsung is going to provide more pure detail in the centre of the image.

Next up, image processing. This is going to be really interesting.

N900: POCKET COMPUTER

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:48:29 +0100

In my opinion the N900 is the most important Nokia device since the 7650. The Nokia 7650 was the first legitimate smartphone. With its robust operating system, brand new UI and colour camera, it really was quite a departure from all that had gone before it. The N900 is to 2009 what the 7650 was to 2002, a fresh start.

Some may argue that the Maemo based 770 was the start of this next chapter of Nokia's story, but the limited CPU performance, tiny memory, non pocket size and lack of connectivity rules out the 770 as a true pocket computer.

Make no mistake the N900 is a pocket computer. Given the right kind of developer momentum the N900 should be capable of performing 95% of all the tasks of a regular desktop computer. It has the horsepower in the shape of the mighty ARM Cortex A8. It has the graphical grunt provided by the Power VR SGX GPU, it has a relatively large high resolution display and most importantly it has a modern open OS developed specifically for the pocket computer market.

I appreciate that the vast majority of Nokia's fortunes are collected from the mid-tear smartphone market, but honestly this is of little interest to me. The smartphone (regardless of manufacturer) was only ever a stepping stone, a place to rest up while I waited for a powerful computer that would fit in my pocket.

This is one of reasons why I've champion the iPhone over the last couple of years. The iPhone, even the original version, was always more about pocket computing than smart phoning.

I'll hold final judgement until I get to play with the N900 for myself. But just from the specifications and introduction videos alone I would say that the N900 is *the* Nokia device that I've been waiting for.

Booklet 3G: Nokia’s Netbook

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:35:40 +0100

Even as computing companies scramble to build smartphones or pocket computers, Nokia enter the mainstream computing marketplace with their first netbook.

I’ll be honest, I was expecting this device to be announced over 8 months ago. Here’s a snippet from my blog post entitled ‘Nokia Netbook Inbound?’ from December 2008:

“My best guess is that this will be a completely new class of Nokia device. At a very basic level the new device could be classed as a sequel to the N810 internet tablet, but with an added SIM slot.

The key features will be:

1. Large HD screen possibly even 16:9 720p.
2. TV out via mini HDMI at 720p HD resolution.
3. Near perfect virtual keyboard text entry (no slide-out keyboard this time).
4. Amazingly long battery life. 8-12 hours of continuous use.
5. Deep integration with Ovi, Music Store, Movie Store and other popular net service.
6. Powerful CPU and 3D processor making it ideal for flash apps and gaming.
7. Will include multi-touch and accelerometer support.

In short, think of highly spec’d netbook with no keyboard and a much smaller form factor. A Nokia netbook built for home use, a perfect complement to your Nseries and Ovi. A Nokia computer designed from the ground up to as a home entertainment device, social networking tool and home control hub.”

This morning Nokia announced a device that is not too dissimilar to what I predicted. The HMDI out, the deep integration with Ovi and the Nokia Music Store (I wonder if it will feature “Comes With Music”?) the ‘full day’ battery life, it’s all there. Missing however is the powerful CPU, multi-touch display and virtual keyboard. In short, all the bits and pieces that would have made even the most cynical computer geek sit up and take notice.

As it is, the Nokia Booklet 3G is a best of class Windows based netbook. If you were in the market for a mini laptop computer surely you’d consider the Nokia Booklet 3G?

Or would you, isn’t the N97 a mini laptop? What does this say about Nokia’s commitment to small pocket computers like the N97? Pretty much everything that the N97 does is duplicated by the Booklet 3G.

I’m sure that there will be a great deal of chatter about the Booklet over the next few weeks. Indeed even as I write this Rafe has indicated that All About Symbian is receiving 5 times its normal server load. How the Booklet is perceived by both geeks and mainstream media will surely make for some interesting reading.

For the record, the first question that popped into my mind upon reading the announcement was, ‘If the Booklet 3G is a big success will Nokia slowly back away from software and focus on hardware?’ Surely if the Booklet 3G is a success it won’t be because of Ovi, it will be the high end hardware and Nokia’s distribution channels that move it forward. Have Nokia found the perfect partner in Microsoft? How long before Nokia consider moving their smartphones to a Microsoft OS? Questions, questions...

Anyway, I think that’s enough for now. Clearly we need more details. On the face of it the Booklet 3G appears to be a very accomplished netbook from a highly regarded manufacturer with a heritage in communication.

What do you think of the Booklet 3G? Is it something that you would be interested in if it was priced appropriately, or would you prefer Nokia got their own house in order before moving into someone else’s?

N86: Day 6. Appearance

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:03:29 +0100

Is the N86 8MP the ultimate design expression of the N95’s dual-slider form factor?

There’s something extremely appealing about the look and feel of the N86. I’m not sure if it’s the colour of the plastics or the radius of the rounded corners, but something about this 8 mega pixel shooter is bang on. It’s usually relatively easy to spot design mistakes, or more accurately, small areas of compromise. That is simply not the case with the N86.

Sure the N82 was a Nokia high end photographic (catwalk) model, but is was no looker! The keyboard and the waste (the bit between the screen and the keyboard) of the N82 was shockingly bad. So much so that it’s still hard to believe that someone at Nokia once said, ‘yes, that’s it, that is exactly the look I’m after’.

I’m thrilled to be able to report that the N86 does not suffer from similar disfigurements. In fact it’s a beauty.

I think this is the design to end all physical alphanumeric designs. It looks purposeful, powerful and well protected. What more can you ask for?

N86: Day 5. Zoom Zoom Pow!

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:51:28 +0100

Wide angle lens? Yeah, lovely. Advanced LED flash? Brilliant! Mechanical shutter? Nice. But it’s the digital zoom for video that really impresses.

Steve Litchfield has kindly published my Nokia N86 8MP observations. Hop over to the masterful All About Symbian to see if you agree. Here’s a brief snippet.

“... Proper digital zoom. This in my mind is the killer feature. I still cannot understand why this isn't featured heavily in Nokia's advertising. I found this feature to be every bit as useful as I'd hoped.”

One the main reasons why people (myself included) still rave about the Nokia N93 is because its unique lens set up which--amongst other things--blessed Nokia’s 2006 (yes, 2006!) powerhouse smartphone with optical zoom.

I’ll be honest, I had given up hope of ever seeing a decent zoom system on a Nokia device and had pinned my hopes on HD video capture to fill the gap. Then along comes the N86 8MP with its swanky newfangled digital zoom. Not some bodge job this, no rather a proper zoom that provides many of the benefits of an optical zoom lens.

I could talk all evening about the benefits of a decent zoom capability, but surely the best thing to do is to show you. Check out the video above. In my estimation the N86 manages the equivalent of about a 5X optical zoom. Try a 5X digital zoom on your current smartphone, Nokia or otherwise, and see what you get... Rubbish isn’t it.

This is what I would have seen from my 8 metre vantage point had I been using an N95 or N97.

Thanks to the N86 I got this altogether more impressive capture!

Innovations like this are encouraging. It proves that Nokia is still able to pull a rabbit out of its dusty old hat from time to time.

What innovations might Nokia have saved for their first HD video capture device. Let me know in a comment below.

N86: Day 4. N86 Vs. Bungee

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:52:22 +0100

Though not strictly part of the Nokia Creative N86 review, I just had to post this video. If you’re sat in a dull office watching your coffee going cold, be sure to feast your eyeballs on this!

James recently got to Bungee jump over the Victoria Falls and being the mobile fiend that he is James opted to record the entire experience using his Nokia N86 8MP.

Yes there’s some frame tearing, the compression is struggling to make sense of what’s flashing by and the colours are a little off, but hey, considering the circumstances I think the N86 did Mr. Whatley proud!

Good work James, that’s a hard act to follow dude!

N86: Day 3. Go Flash Go!

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:05:11 +0100

What does the lack of Xenon flash mean for the Nokia N86 8MP? Witness this classic shootout, N86 versus N82, N97 and Samsung i8910 HD.

How does the LED flash of the N86 compare to the Xenon flash of the N82 in identical circumstances? That’s what I intended to find out.

Let’s get one thing clear right from the outset. The Xenon flash of the legendary N82 *is* more powerful than the optimised dual LED flash of the N86 8MP. We’re talking about tried and tested verses cutting edge photographic flash technology. As was clearly demonstrated in Day 2 of this Nokia N86 8MP review, this new flavour of flash is astonishingly good at lighting a scene at 30 frames a second, but how does it perform when lighting 8 mega pixel still slices of the very same scene?

The image above compares the N82 (left) with the N86 (right). When studying this particular image you should keep in mind that I have adjusted the colour temperature of the N86 image to more closely match that of the N82 photo. The purpose of this adjusted comparison shot is to show the amount of detail the N86 captures in complete darkness when assisted by the dual LED flash.

I was pretty impressed with the N86 in this situation. What it lost because of a less powerful flash, it somewhat made up for by simply bringing more pixels to the frame. This is nicely demonstrated by the blue and white ‘Fire Door Keep Shut’ sticker. Yes, the N82 *is* a better photo, but it’s certainly not light years ahead of the N86, and when you consider the video performance of the N86...

This Flickr set contains four comparison shots:

Nokia N82

Nokia N86 8MP (with an unadjusted colour temperature)

Nokia N97

Samsung i8910

It’s interesting just how much better the N86 is over the N97. Though the N97 has a powerful camera solution - especially considering the social media focus of the device - the N86 is just that much better. The Samsung i8910 puts in a sterling performance, once again bearing its photographic teeth.

Whilst this is only a limited test of the dual LED flash of the N86 8MP, I am encouraged by its performance in this particular test. The ultimate test would be a trip to the pub with friends, something similar to this 6220 Classic photo shoot should do the trick!

On Day 4 of the N86 review I’ll be getting to grips with the all new digital video zoom. You really will not want to miss this one!

N86: Day 2. Night Video

Thu, 6 Aug 2009 12:56:44 +0100

How does the ‘fully optimised LED unit’ perform as a video light?

If you haven’t done so already, please head over to Nokia Conversations and check out the article, ‘Being flash isn’t always the answer’. It includes some excellent observations from both Damian Dinning (N86 Team Leader) and N82 users alike.

One thing is quite clear, the N86 has been optimised for photography, and more specifically low light photography. Some of the decisions that Damian and his team have made make the N86 a superior video capture device. The wide angle lens unit, the proper digital zoom and the optimised LED flash unit, all go a long way to making the N86 the best video capture smartphone in Nokia’s current smartphone line up.

The Samsung i8910 is also a device with a photo and video slant. So it seemed appropriate to use the i8910 as a modern testing partner.

The video above contains footage captured with both devices in complete darkness. The distance is about 3.5 metres. Clearly the i8910 is struggling to light the scene, only really managing to do so at a distance of about 1 metre. On the other hand, the N86 is able to capture the entire scene even from full distance, quite a achievement if you ask me. Even more impressive is the colour accuracy and general quality of the footage.

As video capture slowly takes over from still photography on the priority lists of smartphone manufacturers, the more important question is not going to be, how can we best light this scene for 1/30th of a second? But rather, how can we best light this scene continuously, and without adding too much bulk to the device. It’s good to see Nokia answer this question so early.

Photography: How does the LED flash of the N86 compare to the Xenon flash of the N82 in identical circumstances? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

N86: Day 1. N82 Killer?

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 20:26:11 +0100

Xenon, and on and on?

The Nokia Creative N82 Introduction Video is by far the my most viewed YouTube video. It still makes me smile to think that it has been played almost half a million times. The truth is, the Nokia N82 is a popular smartphone, perhaps not as popular as the N95 or the 5800, but it certainly has a large and loyal fan base.

To this day, the N82 is still Nokia’s imaging king, producing wonderful images in any range of lighting and bringing home the video capture bacon.

It’s hard to believe that the N82 is now over 17 months old. I count the time I spent with the N82 (thanks to the ever awesome WOM World who let me keep it for almost 6 months when it should have been just 2 weeks!) as some of my favourite Nokia times. The N82 is solid device that punches above its weight in all kinds of ways.

Which brings me to the N86.

From the first minute I picked up the N86 I was reminded of the N82 and N95. There’s something very N82‘esque about it. It’s a solid, ‘take no prisoners’ device with the body of a tank and the heart of a lion.

However, in today’s post iPhone world is there really a place for the dual-sliding-non-qwerty N86? That’s what I intend to find out over the next few days.

I’d like to thank Steve Litchfield for loaning me his N86. Much appreciated Steve.

Ovi: Get your Ovi Files Connector for Mac OS

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 14:34:50 +0100

I’ve just tried it out and it seems to work wonderfully. The biggest bonus over other similar services it that Ovi Files is totally free, you don’t even need a Nokia device to use it.

From the Ovi blog...

• Remotely access the files stored on your OS X 10.5 (Leopard) based Mac from your mobile phone or web browser
• Send files to your friends, even if they don’t use Ovi
• Create an on-line mirror of content stored on your Mac using our Anytime Files feature.

Sign up for FREE at https://files.ovi.com

Good work Ovi team!

Blog News: Samsung Creative is live!

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 17:05:52 +0100

If you are keen on the very latest high end smartphone offerings from Nokia, then there’s a good chance that you’ll enjoy my other blog, Samsung Creative.

Despite some of my misgivings of late, I have no plans to give up on Nokia. In fact, the N86 has restored some of my faith in Finland’s finest - more on that soon!

However, Samsung have been on my radar quite a lot lately, the Omina HD (now the i8910 HD) especially so. If like me you’re curious to see how Samsung stack up against the Nseries devices, head on over to Samsung Creative now and be sure to bookmark as they’ll be plenty of activity over the next few weeks.

N86: Whatleydude's fab photos

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:32:49 +0100

Would you like to see the subtle tones that the N86 is capable of capturing?

As I’m sure many readers will already know James has recently been adventuring in Namibia. He had a considerable arsenal of gadgets with him to record the fun for the official Lucozade Energy Challenge blog, one of which was the brand new N86 8MP.

Check out this Flickr set to get a feel for James’ journey and the photographic abilities of the N86.

Good work James, I’m impressed!

N93i: Continuous Autofocus Test Videos. Those were the days...

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:39:01 +0100

Just when will continuous autofocus in video capture make a return the Nseries range of devices?

As a followup to my previous post, ‘N86 Digital Zoom...’ and inspired by Steve Litchfield’s ‘Nitty Gritty...’ post on AAS. I thought it would be timely to dig out some old N93i videos and get them up on YouTube for the world to see. To see the original post triggered by my discovery check out my blog post over at The Creative Life Blog.

As Steve points out, there were indeed good reasons for Nokia to knock this N93i feature on the head. But that doesn’t mean that it should be gone forever. Though I have no inside information, I do feel that its time is coming, and soon.

The way the iPhone 3GS handles video capture is almost perfect for a smartphone. But even the 3GS doesn’t support continuous autofocus. Touch the screen to refocus on any part of the scene during filming seems to me to be the obvious solution, keeping amateurs and ‘professionals’ alike happy.

N86 Digital Zoom: No video capture innovation for 3 years, then when they do, they tell no one!

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:35:23 +0100

Perhaps it’s just me, but if I was Nokia and I’d just improved video capture by a factor of six I’m pretty sure I’ll tell someone about it.

I was once sent a Nokia N93i that had a naughty feature that wasn’t supposed to be there. Continuous auto-focus in video capture was the feature, and I can tell you now I was pretty excited by its inclusion. Here was a yet another reason to ditch the traditional camcorder and go smartphone all the way. Sadly, the standout feature of the N93i was just a glitch, a piece of code that should have been removed long before it found its way to me.

Now, thanks to a hint from one of his readers, Steve from All About Symbian has found a similar killer feature in Nokia’s new N86. A feature so important that it puts the already impressive N86 far, far ahead of all the other Nseries devices when it comes to video capture.

That feature is zoom. Not just blocky - squint and it’s passable - video zoom, but honest-to-goodness full resolution zoom, giving results that are extremely close to a proper optical zoom, as last seen in the legendary N93.

With the N86, you can capture video starting at this nice wide angle...

...and ending with this six times magnified tight angle, with only a small loss in image quality. This is a *BIG* deal, a very big deal.

Let’s face it smartphones and pocket computers are never going to feature huge lens units as seen in DSLR’s from Canon and Nikon. This kind of perfected digital zooming is going to be the only way to compete with the powerful optical zoom as seen in most decent digital cameras.

I’ll be the first to admit that whilst I’ve been waiting for Nokia to implement just this very feature, I figured that it would take hardware far more powerful than the N86 to bring it to reality. In truth, I assumed that it might make its debut on Nokia’s first HD video capture device, the N99(?). Clearly I was wrong, and clearly I’m happy to be wrong.

That leads me to the thing that I’m not so happy about...

What happened Nokia? This is Nokia Creative, I write about pretty much nothing other than photo and video capture using your very own Nseries devices. At the very least you could have sent me a small email to outline the benefits of this stunning new feature. A demo unit would have been nice. I’m 100% certain that I would have found this feature within the first 10 minutes, with or without your help...

Is it possible that nobody told Nokia PR/blogger relations about this feature? Certainly. But why is this kind of thing happening? Personally, I think its down to a general disregard toward photo and video capture within Nokia. The lack of innovation is disappointing at best. The lead that the N93 had above all the competition back in 2006 was massive. That lead has dwindled to the point where even the iPhone 3GS can put the Nseries devices to shame in good light conditions.

The N86 is good start on the road to recovery. Features like the mechanical shutter, wide angle lens and this surprisingly effective video zoom are hopefully important signposts showing the way forward, but please Nokia, at least tell someone about it!

As an aside, I’m quite prepared to accept that Nokia have told people about this new feature and that I’ve somehow missed it. So if you can find reference to it anywhere then do please let me know in a comment below.