NEC N923 Comprehensive Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Revealed

Overview of NEC N923

The NEC N923, announced in the fourth quarter of 2004, was one of the feature phones typical of the early 2000s era. Manufactured by NEC, a giant in the electronics industry, the N923 is emblematic of the period's mobile technology, which emphasized basic communication functions with some multimedia capabilities. As of today, it has been discontinued, but it remains an interesting subject of inquiry for enthusiasts of mobile phone history and technology.

Network and Connectivity

The NEC N923 operates on GSM networks, specifically supporting the 900 and 1800 frequency bands for 2G connectivity. While it does offer GPRS capabilities, providing users with basic internet browsing, it lacks EDGE support, reflecting the limited data transmission speeds common to its time. Connectivity options such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and positioning technologies like GPS were notably absent, which was standard for devices in this category during that era.

Body and Design

The NEC N923 is designed with portability in mind, measuring 85 x 54 x 9.5 mm and weighing a mere 70 grams. This made it exceptionally compact and easy to carry, especially by the standards of the mid-2000s. It uses a Mini-SIM card, consistent with the period's technology before the advent of smaller SIM cards like micro and nano-SIMs. The form factor of the phone is typical of flip phones and compact handsets which were prevalent before the widespread adoption of smartphones.

Display

The device features a TFT display capable of showing 65k colors, which, at the time, provided fairly vibrant visuals given the limitations of feature phone displays. The screen resolution is 120 x 160 pixels, conforming to a 4:3 aspect ratio. It wasn't designed for HD content or video streaming but served its purpose well for basic phone functions and simple graphical interfaces.

Memory and Storage

The NEC N923 comes with a very modest amount of internal storage, at only 2.7MB. There's no option to expand this storage with an external card, which reflects the era's technology where extensive storage for multimedia was not a primary concern. The phone does support maintaining a phonebook and call log records, accommodating 20 dialed, 20 received, and 20 missed calls. As a feature phone, its functionality was fundamentally geared towards communication rather than media storage.

Camera

A VGA camera is present on the NEC N923, with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels. Designed primarily for capturing low-resolution images, it also supports basic video recording. The absence of a front-facing selfie camera is reflective of its time, as the focus was not heavily placed on photography but more on voice communication and messaging features.

Sound and Alerts

The NEC N923 does not include a loudspeaker or a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that became a staple in mobile devices later on. However, it offers downloadable polyphonic ringtones and uses vibration alerts for incoming calls and messages. These alert types were standard, allowing users to personalize their call and message notifications to some extent.

Communication and Messaging

While limited by modern standards, the NEC N923 supports SMS, EMS, and MMS messaging, which were among the primary ways users communicated beyond voice calls. The inclusion of a WAP 1.2.1 browser allowed for very basic web features, aligning with other feature phones of the time in offering rudimentary internet access.

Battery Life

Powered by a removable Li-Ion 300 mAh battery, the NEC N923 could remain on standby for up to 120 hours and offered a talk time of up to 2 hours. This battery performance was typical for feature phones, where energy demands were much lower due to the absence of energy-consuming applications and functionalities like those found in modern smartphones.

Miscellaneous Features

Gaming on the NEC N923 was limited to simple pre-installed games similar to those found on early mobile devices. The absence of Java support indicated a restriction on running more dynamic content or applications that were starting to emerge during its release period. The phone's lack of sensors, and other advanced technological features observed in later phone generations, highlighted its focus on essential telecommunications capabilities.

Conclusion

The NEC N923 represents a period in mobile technology characterized by the focus on compact, easily portable devices with emphasis on voice communication and basic messaging services. Its design and functionality are reflective of the limitations and technological expectations of the mid-2000s mobile phone market. While it may not compete with the advanced capabilities of contemporary smartphones, its simplicity and focus on essential features hold nostalgic value and represent an important step in the evolution of mobile technology.