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Nokia E90 InDepth Review and Price Analysis

Release Date
2007, June
Camera
3MP
Battery
1500mAh
Screen
4.0"
Storage
128MB , microSDHC slot
Operating System
Symbian 9.2, S60 rel. 3.1

Overview of Nokia E90

The Nokia E90 Communicator, introduced in 2007, represents a unique blend of smartphone functionality and a full QWERTY keyboard in a clamshell design. It was aimed at business professionals who needed to stay connected and manage multiple tasks on-the-go.

Design and Build

The Nokia E90 is built with a solid and sturdy design. It measures 132 x 57 x 20 mm and weighs 210 g, making it hefty by today's standards but solidly constructed for its time. The clamshell design provides protection for its main screen and keyboard, with the external portion featuring a smaller screen and a basic keypad for quick access functions.

Display

The main internal display of the Nokia E90 is a TFT screen with 16 million colors, measuring 4.0 inches with a resolution of 800 x 352 pixels. This large display, for its time, was a highlight feature, offering a clear and vibrant viewing experience. The screen-to-body ratio was approximately 50.6%, providing ample screen space within the overall device size.

Keyboard and Usability

A standout feature of the Nokia E90 is its full QWERTY keyboard, which was perfect for business users who needed to draft emails or documents. The tactile keys provided a comfortable typing experience, which is a rare feature in today’s smartphone landscape dominated by touchscreen interfaces.

Camera Capabilities

The Nokia E90 features a single 3.15 MP rear camera with autofocus and LED flash, making it competitive in mobile photography of its era. It also supports video recording. Additionally, a front-facing QCIF camera is included for video calls, demonstrating its aim at business communication.

Platform and Performance

Powered by the Symbian 9.2 operating system with the S60 rel. 3.1 interface, the Nokia E90 provided a robust platform for new applications and connectivity. The CPU clocked at 330 MHz was reasonable for its time, ensuring smooth performance for most tasks.

Memory and Storage

Internally, the Nokia E90 comes with 128 MB of storage, which was quite limited. However, it supports expandable storage through a microSDHC card slot, allowing users to store more applications, files, and media, enhancing its utility as a business tool.

Connectivity and Networking

The Nokia E90 includes a variety of communication options. With GSM and HSPA network capabilities, it supports 2G and 3G connectivity. Wireless networking can be achieved using its Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g feature. Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, infrared port, miniUSB 2.0, and FM radio make it versatile in connectivity. Additionally, GPS and A-GPS with Nokia Maps offer reliable navigation support.

Battery Life

A 1500 mAh removable Li-Ion battery powers the Nokia E90. It offers up to 330 hours of standby time and up to 5 hours of talk time, catering to the needs of active professionals needing reliable battery performance throughout their workday.

Audio and Entertainment

For audio, the Nokia E90 includes a loudspeaker and supports vibration, alongside downloadable polyphonic and MP3 ringtones. However, it lacks a 3.5 mm audio jack, which was becoming standard around the same time. Users looking for portable media could find its FM radio facility a useful feature.

Market Position and Pricing

At its release, the Nokia E90 was priced at around 400 EUR, positioning it towards professional and business users rather than everyday consumers. Its comprehensive feature set justified its premium pricing, marking it as an exclusive business communicator.

Conclusion

The Nokia E90 Communicator remains a memorable piece of mobile technology with its distinctive combination of a large display and physical keyboard, aimed squarely at business professionals. Although tech evolution quickly moved beyond many of its features, the E90 represents an iconic step in mobile productivity solutions.

Key Features of Nokia E90

  • Network Technology: GSM / HSPA
  • QWERTY Keyboard for easy typing
  • Large 4.0-inch display with 16M colors
  • High resolution display: 800 x 352 pixels
  • Powered by Symbian OS 9.2, S60 rel. 3.1
  • Expandable storage via microSDHC card slot
  • 3.15 MP main camera with autofocus and LED flash
  • Wi-Fi connectivity: 802.11b/g
  • Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support
  • Built-in GPS with A-GPS and Nokia Maps
  • Infrared port for data transfer
  • FM Radio for entertainment
  • Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery with up to 330 hours standby time
  • Available in two colors: Red and Mocha

Disadvantages of Nokia E90

  • Heavy and bulky design: Weighing 210 g and dimensions of 132 x 57 x 20 mm, the phone is relatively heavy and bulky compared to modern smartphones.
  • Outdated operating system: Runs on Symbian 9.2, S60 rel. 3.1, which is obsolete and lacks support for modern apps and features.
  • Limited internal storage: Comes with only 128MB of internal memory, which is quite restrictive for today's standards.
  • Low processing power: Equipped with a 330 MHz CPU, which may result in slower performance for multitasking and newer applications.
  • Basic camera capabilities: The main camera is 3.15 MP only with basic LED flash and lacks advanced features available in contemporary smartphones.
  • No 3.5mm headphone jack: Missing the standard headphone jack, which limits the ability to use wired headphones easily.
  • Discontinued model: No longer receiving official support or updates as it has been discontinued.
  • Limited connectivity speeds: Supports HSPA with speeds up to 3.6/0.384 Mbps, which is slow compared to modern 4G and 5G networks.
Network
Technology GSM / HSPA
2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands HSDPA 2100
Speed HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps
Launch
Announced 2007, February. Released 2007, June
Status Discontinued
Body
Dimensions 132 x 57 x 20 mm, 140 cc (5.20 x 2.24 x 0.79 in)
Weight 210 g (7.41 oz)
Keyboard QWERTY
SIM Mini-SIM
Display
Type TFT, 16M colors
Size 4.0 inches, 38.1 cm2 (~50.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Resolution 800 x 352 pixels (~219 ppi density)
Platform
OS Symbian 9.2, S60 rel. 3.1
CPU 330 MHz
Memory
Card slot microSDHC (dedicated slot)
Internal 128MB
Main Camera
Single 3.15 MP, AF
Features LED flash
Video Yes
Selfie camera
Single QCIF videocall camera
Video
Sound
Loudspeaker Yes
Alert types Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones
3.5mm jack No
Comms
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
Bluetooth 2.0, A2DP
Positioning GPS, A-GPS; Nokia Maps
Infrared port Yes
Radio FM radio
USB miniUSB 2.0
Features
Sensors
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Battery
Type Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery
Stand-by Up to 330 h
Talk time Up to 5 h
Misc
Colors Red, Mocha
SAR 0.59 W/kg (head)     0.72 W/kg (body)
SAR EU 0.65 W/kg (head)
Price About 400 EUR

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