reviews · smartphones · nokia s60 (symbian) · nokia · michael oryl
Video review of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic w/ touchscreen
Review by Michael Oryl on Tuesday November 18, 2008.
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
T9 on the 5800 XpressMusic works fantastically well thanks to the haptic vibration feedback the touchscreen provides, but there are times when QWERTY is better (URLs in the web browser, for instance). As it stands with this firmware revision, at least, you have to manually switch to QWERTY mode, and any text input while in that mode will require you to flip the phone in landscape mode for text input, even if you are using the phone in portrait mode. This means you can end up being forced to rotate the phone whenever you need to enter text.
There are a few minor physical design issues, too. The phone feels a bit hollow and plasticky. It seems well built, but it just doesn't have that rock solid feel that phones like the 5310 XpressMusic do. The covers for the microSD and SIM slots look great, but can be a nightmare to open. I also dislike the narrow stylus, and have no interest in using the attachable "guitar pick" that ships with the phone. Thankfully, the touchscreen itself works very well with just a finger. I love the vibration feedback when it is tapped, and it is nice that you can adjust that (or disable it) in the profiles.
So apart from the previously mentioned minor details, I'm pleased. The web browser works really well. WiFi is fast, and a bit easier to deal with in this edition of S60. The music player isn't going to wow you, but it works fine. And the camera does a decent job as well. The main features are all executed well enough for most people to be very happy with the device. It lacks the visual pizazz of the iPhone or T-Mobile G1, but it all works predictably and thoughtfully.
We'll reserve final judgement on the 5800 XpressMusic until we get our hands on a production device, but suffice it to say that so far, so good.
Enjoy the videos. Click on the videos to get to the version hosted on YouTube if you have the bandwidth to support the high quality mode. It's a much better viewing experience.
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
 Nokia 5800 XpressMusic |
Part III - menus and web browsing
Part IV - Camera, music, and apps
About the author
Michael Oryl
Michael is the Philadelphia based owner and editor-in-chief of MobileBurn.com. He also operates several other tech sites, including AndroidAuthority.com. You can follow him on Twitter as @MichaelOryl
Francis McGuire @ 1:56:10AM EST on Saturday February 28, 2009
All of the reviews on this website have helped me to choose between phones, I espicailly like the 5800 review, simply because Michael Oryl goes into great depth to his reviews. Awesome phone and Michael Oryl diplicts it the way it truly is.
gezers @ 3:59:56PM EST on Thursday March 5, 2009
Liked the demo. well shown.
gave me exactly the info I was looking for to take my decision of buying this phone.
Well Done!
flagpole_sitta @ 6:00:31PM EDT on Wednesday June 17, 2009
Looks like a really cool phone,i would like to of seen a demo of the nokia maps application though!!
Zack S @ 5:35:57AM EDT on Monday July 6, 2009
Love the reviews, seriously considering picking the phone up sometime soon.
cheko @ 2:58:56AM EDT on Tuesday July 14, 2009
hey can somebody help me with something? im looking forward to buy a nokia 5800 from ebay, and alltough it says that comes without contract and works for any company, would it work with my telcel sim card... im from mexico!!!
william @ 9:19:11AM EDT on Saturday July 18, 2009
thanks mate, it helped me to decide what phone i would like to buy. i was in troublesome spot deciding between the Samsung Blade from Vodafone, or the Nokia 5800 from Vodafone, and i have now chosent this. thanks very much. :D
Anwar @ 8:55:35AM EDT on Thursday August 20, 2009
ima buy it for my birthday on 15 sept heehee hope i dun regret though.. my first ever expensive phone.. poor me...
Brick @ 11:53:15AM EDT on Tuesday August 25, 2009
Thanks for a concise review that I find very useful in determining my next mobile. The 5800 looks as if its just the job for me.
Richard @ 8:42:06PM EDT on Friday October 23, 2009
Review very helpfull
Anna @ 3:27:45PM EDT on Thursday October 29, 2009
That was great. I think I'm going out to get one tomorrow and now I know how to drive it
gs1 @ 2:16:48PM EST on Saturday December 12, 2009
phone died in 5 days. 4 and counting attempst by nokia to repair - SAME ISSUE
if you find anything wrong. RETURN for REFUND immed if possible.
Purhcased at NYC flagship store. I had the phone working for 1st 5 days. When the battery started to discharge, i tried charging. It didnt charge at all. Store gave me new battery saying battery was at fault. Again same issue. It wudnt even turn on with the charger connected - so clearly its not just battery problem. By the time this battery discharged , the 14 day return period was over - pretty sure they knew it.
Then started the saga of sending to nokia service center - PALCO. Already sent 4 times. each time had to ship back same evening or next day. Same problem for "repaired" "replaced" and "repaired again" phone.
First they claim its "repaired", then 2nd time they claim "cannot be repaired...so replaced"...why did they send it then?
but the so called replaced also had same issue - how can this be co-incidence?
again sent...they claim repaired....but same issue.
When i call....they dont agree to send me a courtesy phone since its clearly their mistake and 4 attempts are enough to figure out im being cheated.
They wont give me refund or replacement.
They wont even agree to send me a email saying they take responsibility to resolve the issue.
5 is not my lucky number....i have no hope it will get resolved.
looks like they will continue playing ping-pong till end of 12 months.
WORST set of people.
Bottom line: NEVER BUY UNLOCKED PHONES- even if its nokia flagship store
NEVER BUY NOKIA
RETURN WHEN YOU CAN