Nokia N77 All You Need to Know – Specs Prices Pros & Cons

Overview of Nokia N77

The Nokia N77, announced in February 2007, is a discontinued mobile phone that was part of Nokia's Nseries line. Known for its multimedia capabilities and support for mobile TV, it was aimed at users looking for a comprehensive entertainment experience in a handheld device. Despite being released over a decade ago, the Nokia N77 still resonates with technology enthusiasts who appreciate its blend of functionality and design.

Design and Build

The Nokia N77 possesses a classic design, characteristic of the mid-2000s era. With dimensions of 111 x 50 x 18.8 mm and weighing 114 grams, it fits comfortably in hand, offering an excellent balance between portability and usability. The phone is available in a sleek black color that complements its sophisticated appearance. It hosts a mini-SIM card, which was standard at the time.

Display

The device features a 2.4-inch TFT screen that supports 16 million colors. With a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels and a pixel density of approximately 167 ppi, the display was considered quite adequate for its time, especially for functions like video playback and mobile TV.

Network and Connectivity

The Nokia N77 operates on GSM and UMTS network technologies. It supports 2G bands (GSM 900/1800/1900) and 3G band (UMTS 2100) with a maximum speed of 384 kbps. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP support, allowing for wireless audio streaming. However, it lacks WLAN connectivity, which was a minor drawback as wireless networking was becoming more prevalent. The phone also features a Pop-Port 2.0 for USB connectivity.

Software and Performance

Running on Symbian OS 9.1 with the S60 rel. 3.1 interface, the Nokia N77 provides a user-friendly experience with access to a plethora of applications designed for the platform. A 220 MHz Dual ARM 9 processor powers the device, a reasonable specification for everyday tasks such as messaging and calls. However, it might struggle with more demanding applications by today's standards.

Storage and Memory

With 20MB of internal storage and 64MB RAM, the Nokia N77's storage capacity is modest by modern standards. However, it includes a dedicated microSD slot for expandable storage, allowing users to enhance their storage capacity up to a considerable limit for the time, crucial for multimedia files and applications.

Camera Features

The Nokia N77 is equipped with a 2 MP rear camera paired with an LED flash. It supports video recording at CIF quality. There’s also a CIF videocall front camera, although video calling was not as widespread or high-quality back then as it is in current smartphones.

Sound and Audio

Audio capabilities include stereo speakers and support for various ringtone formats such as polyphonic and MP3. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a 3.5mm jack, which limits direct connectivity to standard headphones. However, this was somewhat mitigated by its stereo FM radio with a built-in antenna.

Battery Life

Powered by a removable Li-Ion 1100 mAh battery (BP-6M), the Nokia N77 offers a talk time of up to 4.5 hours on 2G and 3.5 hours on 3G networks. Standby time extends up to 170 hours. While modest, this battery performance was standard for devices of that time, providing a reasonable duration for communication and entertainment functions without frequent recharging.

Multimedia Features

The Nokia N77 was notable for its multimedia capabilities, particularly its mobile TV functionality. It came with DVB-H television reception, which was quite innovative, enabling users to watch TV broadcasts directly on their phones. This feature distinguished the N77 from many contemporaries, contributing to its appeal among users who enjoyed on-the-go entertainment.

Market Position and Legacy

With a launch price of about 150 EUR, the Nokia N77 was priced competitively given its features. In the broader context of the Nseries, the N77 stood as a testament to Nokia's vision of converging telecommunications with multimedia. Though discontinued, its influence is felt indirectly in the evolution of mobile technology towards integrating multimedia capabilities synonymous with today’s smartphones.

Conclusion

The Nokia N77, with its robust multimedia features and classic design, represents an important chapter in the history of mobile phones. It showcased how devices could adapt to include comprehensive multimedia experiences beyond voice communication. While technology has advanced considerably since its release, leading to the discontinuation of such models, devices like the N77 paved the way for the holistic multimedia-focused smartphones we use today.