All About Symbian and GSMArena praised the clear display, responsive Feature Pack 2 software, capable daylight camera and useful GPS. They disagreed about typing: All About Symbian found the narrow keys surprisingly usable after adjustment, while GSMArena found them awkward. Both noted accidental Navi-wheel activation and a moving battery cover on early units; All About Symbian later reported the cover fixed in newer production. GSMArena criticised wired-audio distortion and weak FM transmission, whereas All About Symbian found the transmitter useful at short range. Both treated 15 fps video and low-light imaging as limitations. These are contemporary production tests with firmware and unit differences retained.
2.4-inch QVGA display with up to 16 million colours. GSMArena’s exact-model specifications classify it as TFT LCD; no maker refresh-rate figure published.
Performance
Storage
70 MB
Memory
Maker launch sheet publishes up to 70 MB internal storage, not installed physical RAM. GSMArena reports 76 MB internal storage and 96 MB RAM on its tested unit; structured storage retains the maker figure and RAM is omitted pending maker evidence.
Storage type
Hot-swappable microSD slot. Launch sheet includes a 2 GB card; launch release mentions cards available up to 8 GB. Card capacity is separate from internal storage.
Cameras
Main camera
3.2 MP
Ultra wide camera
None
Telephoto camera
None
Optical zoom
None
Main camera
3.2 MP CMOS autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics, 2048 × 1536 images, single LED flash, 4.6 mm focal length and 10 cm to infinity focus range. No protective lens cover.
Front camera
Secondary CIF camera for two-way WCDMA video calling; no megapixel figure inferred from the format name.
Video recording
VGA at up to 15 fps; VGA playback up to 30 fps is separate from capture.
Camera features
GPS location tagging, scene modes, white balance, exposure compensation, self-timer, sequence shooting and composition grid. Later software and network-service availability vary.
Battery and charging
Battery
1,200 mAh
Wireless charging
None
Battery life detail
Removable BL-6F, 1200 mAh. Launch claims up to 190 minutes WCDMA or 260 minutes GSM talk, 320 hours standby for either network, and 24 hours music playback. Actual endurance depends on network, settings and battery condition.
Wired charging
Dedicated Nokia charging connector; supplied mains charger is separate from the micro-USB data cable.
Design
Type
Standard
Weight
101.8 g
Thickness
15.1 mm
Height × width
113 × 49 mm
Colours
All About Symbian lists Pearl White, Cocoa Brown (spelt “coca brown” in the article) and Lagoon Blue rear variants. Black front face; recovered maker photos show different side/rear finishes.
Buttons
Physical numeric keypad and five-way scroll control with touch-sensitive Navi wheel; multimedia, power, camera and volume controls. Navi wheel can be disabled; breathing light indicates standby or missed events.
Speakers
Integrated stereo loudspeakers; Bluetooth stereo and standard wired headphones are separate listening options.
Software
Operating system
Symbian
Software features
S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2, based on Symbian OS 9.3 as identified by the full reviews. Music player, FM receiver/transmitter, Internet Radio, media sharing, web browser and document viewers. Launch sheet lists N-Gage as a later download; initial-firmware reviews found it unavailable. FM transmitter varies by country; RM-235 guide gives 88.1–107.9 MHz and up to 3 m operating distance.
Release detail
Maker launch sheet and reproduced release plan Q2 2008 shipping, not confirmed first retail. All About Symbian reports Finnish retailer shipping by 24 May 2008 and tests a production handset in June. Year precision retained pending exact maker first-sale evidence. Maker says it continues a range such as N73, without explicit direct replacement wording.
Connectivity
Mobile network
Launch sheet covers WCDMA 900/2100 and GSM/GPRS/EGPRS 850/900/1800/1900 with HSDPA. All About Symbian distinguishes N78-1 European/Asian bands from N78-3 850/1900 WCDMA; regional bands are not combined.
Wi-Fi
IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP home-network sharing and synchronisation.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 2.0 with enhanced data rates. RM-235 guide lists A2DP, AVRCP, imaging, printing, dial-up networking, file transfer, hands-free, headset, HID, object push, SIM access, synchronisation, serial-port and phonebook-access profiles.
USB
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 through micro-USB for data; standard 3.5 mm audio connector. No TV output, distinguished in All About Symbian’s exact-model review.
Positioning
Integrated GPS and assisted GPS with original Nokia Maps. Historical navigation subscriptions and retired online services are not promised as current features.
Storage options
Storage
70 MB
Pros and cons
Pros
+Wi-Fi, assisted GPS and microSD storage
+FM transmitter, stereo speakers and standard headphone socket
