Nokia N78

GPS Features
For full GPS functionality you’ll need to install some other applications. Luckily Nokia has maintained them as freeware that can be downloaded from its website, like the Location Tagger application that stores GPS coordinates on every image taken. Then again that's an unnecessary software as the N78 has a built-in Geotagging feature. Choose an image, select 'Show on Map', and it’ll show you exactly where on the map that image was taken.

The N78 does not come with Maps 2.0. Not yet at least. But if you’re not one to wait, just download it and install. The problem is getting the GPS to actually function properly. Every time I opened Nokia Maps, no matter where I was, it would take a good 10-15 minutes, often more, for the receiver to pick up the satellites. Even with A-GPS activated.

Let me be clear though, that it could be a problem with just this piece. The Google Maps application I installed was of course much quicker. The Location Tagging application also quite strangely picked up the coordinates while using the camera in just a minute or so even while the Geotagging icon in the camera menu still showed no signal.

Another interesting application that can be used in sync with the location tagging on the N78 is Sports Tracker. It’s come a long way since the days of the older N95, with live features that allow others to see you while you're running. It also lets you upload your routes with any pictures you may have taken along the way. The site stores all the data the handset collects while you work out, and stores it a simple and readable interface on the net.

Media
The music player interface is the same as in any other Symbian S60 handset but I’m happy to say this has got to be one of the best of them all. For starters, it’s one of the loudest S60 handsets I’ve ever reviewed. There’s a bit of a problem with the quality – the highs and mids are off the charts and are just too shrill – but there’s no need to worry since you have some EQ presets and an 8-band customizable EQ. Just keep those levels as low as you can. Once you find your balance, you won’t have to worry about noisy commuters or honking traffic, you can pleasantly retire into your own world.

I can’t understand why Nokia can’t have a simple Folder option in the music player so you don’t have to keep creating a playlist every time you copy music into the handset. There are options that store songs by Artist, Genre etc. but the categorization depends on the accurate tagging of the music files. So most of the time you’ll have songs by the same artist showing up in different places. The name, as you may know, doesn’t always help.

With an option for downloading Podcasts, Visual radio as well as Internet radio, the N78 is set for those of us who prefer streaming media rather than plain old MP3 playback. The visual radio or FM radio took a scant 17 seconds to locate and preset all the available radio stations. Having a large display is definitely a bonus, especially when it comes to watching videos. Nokia’s Video Center application allows you to connect to sites like Reuters and YouTube. Like other handsets, it has a voice recorder, a message reader, and text-to-speech. Other features include 3D tones, voice commands, and Nokia’s Switch software for data transfer between phones.

The N78 comes with a video and photo editor for spicing up your pictures and mobile videos. Oddly though, it doesn’t have ANY preloaded games. Though you can download games using Nokia’s Catalogs in their Download section, you’ll find just one free game available. The rest you’ll have to pay for, which is disappointing.

Other features include Quick Office for reading MS document files, as well as a PDF reader. Of course you will have to purchase the license if you want to edit the files. There’s also the usual zip application, notes, calendar, calculator and converter. As word of caution, the handset did tend to hang quite often after I installed additional applications, including games, Google Maps Shozu etc. and the 2GB memory card started to feel a bit full. Again this could be a glitch with this particular handset and hopefully won’t be a generic issue.

Connectivity
The N78 is loaded with various connectivity options. It’s a 3G enabled handset that supports HSDPA. Aside form Wi-Fi connectivity, it also supports EDGE and GPRS/WAP for users on the go. And what would an Nseries be without Bluetooth and A2DP? The N78 also supports USB v2.0 connectivity via its micro USB port. As for email, there's full support for IMAP4, POP3, and SMTP email accounts and a full attachment viewer. It works well with a number of push email solutions, as well as Microsoft Exchange Server synchronization.

The handset allows bloggers to update their profiles and upload images directly from the gallery using clients like OVI or VOX. The easiest way to go about it is to use the Share Online feature. A Print Online feature is present, but there's no support for that in India yet. From the music angle you can also connect to the Music Store to download tracks. Other modes of connectivity include PTT (Push to Talk) and Nokia’s new Home media facility that allows you to connect to your PC in a home environment that’s set up wirelessly over WLAN. The N78 comes with a Search option that’s quite helpful for finding information in the handset itself as well as on the Internet.