Nokia E6 features review

 



Nokia E6 features review, a deep view of the main functionalities of the Nokia's device, with Symbian Belle OS (recent update)

1. Evaluation of construction and overall quality

The E6 is a Nokia Smartphone visibly elegant in black color, with rounded lower ends contrasting with superior corners more angular. In the front there are two elements that define it very well: the backlit QWERTY keyboard (with ñ) with sensitive and curved design keys for easy touch; and the 2.46-inch TFT- LCD touch screen , which offers good viewing of content even outdoors: the display has a very good response, and the glass used is made by Corning (Gorilla Glass with highest hardness and scratch resistance). In the top right we have a secondary camera.

The center button is mechanical, to select, and has directional keys to move through the user interface and apps. The other buttons just below the screen are also mechanical.

   

The elegance of the E6 is also marked by the chrome finish that stands out along the perimeter of the housing, a phone with an evident quality of finish: the back cover is stainless steel.

If you look at the connections and openings in the upper side we find the power button, 3.5 jack for headphone, and a cover let us to access to the micro SD card slot. In the lower end is located the connection for standard Nokia charger. On the left side, there is a USB port, while on the right is locate the backlit volume control, locking / unlocking screen rocker, a button for voice command, and just at the bottom a couple of holes to tie a lanyard.

   

In the back we get an 8MP non-autofocus lens, speaker and double-LED flash.

To access the SIM card we must remove the battery. I particularly like the solution adopted by Nokia to provide external access to the micro SD card, which facilitates a frequent exchange.

 

Finally, the Nokia E6 denotes a weight of 133 grams, which conveys quality in its accomplishment, besides being a device comfortable to hold. The headset, a little big, let us to answer or end calls only.

2. Battery capacity and performance

The Nokia E6 has a 1500mAh battery, which I personally value because ensures extensive use of the phone for a whole day, also thanks to the small screen which helps to make better use of the 1500mAh, specially when content is displayed for a long period of time.

Test

Configuration: display brghtness between 75-100%, 2G/3G dual network, 2 push email accounts (Gmail + Yahoo), Twitter account synchronized every 2 hours.

Charge: 100% at 08:10 and near 0% at 00:05 the same day.

Use: 76 minutes of DivX video playback, 40 pictures taken in one hour an a half, 26 minute of voice calls, 3 hours and 10 minutes of music playback, sending and receiving email (normal use).

I realized that the video playback and the use of the camera function were two of the activities that reduced the most the battery life. I am very pleased with the performance of Nokia E6 in this section.

3. Evaluation of the UI and OS: Symbian Anna

Together with the Nokia X7, the E6 is the first device to incorporate the new OS, Symbian Anna, a clear vision of the modernization for the classical Symbian. Symbian Anna forget a simple design of the UI in order to acquire a more colorful, attractive and rounded icons: The pictures below these lines are good examples of this.

  

Below the screen we have 4 directional keys and 4 mechanical buttons around that, if we press them a few seconds, let us get access to: new email, new appointment, new contact or view the multitasking menu.

With Symbian Anna we have, in the Nokia E6, up to 5 spaces, several widgets to organize, direct accesses, WLAN connectivity, favorite contacts, notifications, and a little else. It would have been interesting to include in this review of Symbian a full-screen widget for Facebook and Twitter, but the newest things is related to the social networks widget, that provides a bucle's view of the last social feeds notified.

The 5 home screens have enough space to accommodate up to 15 widgets, but the variety is not a lot to fill them from a useful perspective: note that in each of those 5 home screens we get three fixed elements such as clock, access to the sound profiles, and an apparently empty space where are shown events such as missed calls or received messages.

  

Thanks to this version of Symbian, the user can distribute at will the location of the menu icons and create new folders as well, getting a more personalized user interface (UI).

Symbian is flexible to assign tones for calls, messages or emails. It's still strange that Anna will not have visual notification (flashing light in the center button) for incoming of e-mails. It's always a pleasure configure up to 6 sound modes, which are suitable for different situations or moments of the day: the offline mode disables all wireless connectivity.

  

I recommend the "search" application or widget, really useful when we need to look for specific information contained in a particular e-mail, or find an entry in Google too.

Symbian Anna offers good fluidity and softness when interacting with the system, which is important when we show our photo album for example.

I would like to point out a number of things: it is important to install the software updates proposed by Nokia (menu, applications, tools, Update. SW), which fixes some lags and make improvements; if we touch at the top right corner of the screen (where is localted battery indicator), we get a pop menu through which we will quickly get into the connectivity options (BT, Wi-Fi, USB ....).

And finally, as a curiosity, if you push down the lock / unlock rocker during a few seconds....it will be activated the dual LED flash to act as a flashlight, do we need light?

Symbian Anna provides a better user interface for the generation of the "E Series" with vertical QWERTY keyboard, while we enjoy a smooth navigation through menus and options of the system.

4. Apps: OVI Store

Main Apps Included

Symbian Anna and the Nokia E6 include OVI Maps (great app to get benefit from location based services), Social (specially useful to manage tweets), Quickoffice (to read, edit and create excel and word documents), Recorder (to record voice notes in high quality sound) and Microsoft Communicator (instant messaging solution to be in touch at work)

Downloadable apps

Through OVi Store it's possible to download some apps to complete the software and usefulness for the device: Snaptü will allow us to get better experience than "Social" with Facebook; AccuWeather or ForecaWeather, to be informed about weather in our location; IM for Nokia is a recommended app to be in touch with our friends of Yahoo!, Google or Hotmail; and Angry Birds to get some fun in our spare time.

  
note: Nokia Social App (on the left); FB with Snaptü (both images on the right)

5. Voice and Data

Voice: the sound is clear and loud, and there is no lags during the conversation.

Data: I have been generally quite satisfied with the management of email, but on the side of social networks, the application "Social" doesn't provide fluent Facebook access, so it is preferable Snaptü (downloadable from the Store OVI)

-Email:  mail application on Symbian Anna is more friendly and flexible than in Symbian ^ 3, and both access and message management has been improved. After testing the Yahoo and Gmail accounts, i can conclude that on the first push mail sync (in real time) is within the normal range, while in the second case is synchronized with a slight delay. Accounts that have not had a chance to try, such as Microsoft Exchange, I have been confirmed that run fluid.

The Nokia E6 is the newest member of the E series QWERTY vertical devices, and I can say it owns soft and curved design keys. There's nothing like a physical keyboard for greater control over what we write, whatever the language we use.

-Web browsing: 2.46-inch capacitive touch screen, with excellent sharpness and image definition, very good response .... but of course size is not large enough to present a comprehensive and visually appealing content.

The Symbian Anna OS have really improved the Nokia explorer: the content loads more smoothly, it shows better compatibility with websites and we get better response when zooming with fingers.

If you start the web browser address bar will also serve to perform a search directly on B ing or Google.

-Instant Messaging: Staying connected to friends or contacts through Yahoo! messenger, MSN Messenger, Google Talk...IM for Nokia works quite well and allows you to connect to different systems with only one app.

-Tethering: The best way to share the 3G Data Plan of our Nokia E6 is the use of USB data cable. In Microsoft Windows PCs we will have to instal "Nokia PC Internet Access." But if we want to avoid cables, Nokia has intelligently included the app "JoikuSpot Premium" for its ability to make tethering via Wi-Fi. ¡Great!

To share our Flat Rate 3G with a Windows computer, via cable, we change the USB connection of our E6 to "Con Int PC ": from the application menu, settings, connectivity, USB. After Windows recognizes our Smartphone, installed drivers, and once you install the software ... we'll be able to surf the Internet using your phone's 3G.

The advantages of Nokia PC Internet Access control is that both connection time and the amount of data used: if our flat rate for unlimited use 3G (100MB, 300MB or 500MB ....), Thanks to this program will always be certain that exceed the limits.

6. Multimedia performance: audio and video

Music playback: great sound quality, even with the headphones included. Symbian let us adjust the sound values thanks to the equalizer and its up to 5 preset modes, and also loudness and stereo widening effects. 

   

For lovers of "playlists" I can say that the software is practical and useful: we can create a new list, and include certain songs, or select the whole album with a single selection.

And if you are someone who is addicted to listen to music with the phone, my recommendation is to buy the Nokia WH-701 in-ear type headphones , allowing control over the  playback, and even adjust the sound level.

Local video player: the E6 plays DivX content smoothly and with great image quality, but it only allows stereo sound channels: 5.1 multichannel won't provide any sound. 

YouTube video playback (via Wi-Fi): The pre-installed app leads to the mobile site of YouTube. Unfortunately, the video quality has not convinced me: too bad because the screen can distill good image sharpness.

Video Recording: good performance of the Nokia E6 when we capture motion sequences. The scene is clear, defined, and with a level of "noise" indistinguishable, at least in this recording. The sample is in HD 720p (1280 × 720).

The storage format, MP4, requires a space of 4GB to record almost 45 minutes of HD video (720p): mp4 is a good encoding format election, so it's compatible with the most Blu-ray players and TV with USB port, and this is an advantage if we play our recordings on a large screen.


Sample video: YouTube link

7. Test! IMAGE: camera photo

8MP lens (with dual LED flash) and no-autofocus (AF). The results that we will get are formidable for a product aimed at professionals, and although not having AF: fabulous lens, in my personal opinion.

   

   

   

   

   

note: size, 3264 × 2448

To complete the image sample selection i attach a night photography, and two others taken at 7-8 pm, with the sunset.

  

note: size right images, 3264 x 1832

About software, we can configure widescreen format image (40x23cm), in a 6MP lower resolution. Other options to mention: 4 scene modes, choice of pictures in sepia / B & W, Face Detection, 3 sharpness level, contrast and brightness levels, or try three ISO values.

The Nokia E6 does not have an external button to start the camera function, we have to proceed from the application menu or via the widget on the home screen, but to capture the scene we will enjoy the use of the central button located in the front of the phone.

In my 40 picture's selection, file sizes have ranged from 1MB to 3.6 MB, which is conditioned by the colors and detail level on the scene.

Nokia include a complete photo editor to apply effects, adjusting brightness / contrast, resize, "red eyes", adjust color tone, insert text, etc etc.

8. Connectivity and Storage Available

The E6 have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (3.0) wireless connectivity. Apple Mac users will enjoy an alternative way to get files via Bluetooth: having activated Bluetooth, one option is to "explore device ..." (click! the BT logo stayed in the top right on the Mac screen), which allows you to freely navigate through the device memory by folders, and you can select the files to be imported to the computer: it is the most practical way to obtain, for example, 30 photographs.

The micro USB connection also owns a triple function: first, to charge the device when connected to a computer; second, to store or transfer files or folders with the simple act of copy/paste; and third, thanks to an adapter to standard USB, we can connect an external hard drive or a pendrive to read the contents and transfer files from one place to another.

About storage, the Nokia E6 has 8GB of internal memory, and also a micro SD slot to extend the available memory.

9.  Weaknesses / strengths

The purpose of this separation is not to attribute strong positive or negative points, but to establish which are improvable.

Strenghts

-Touch screen with excellent contrast / brightness

-Design and quality of finish

-Battery

-Music and DivX video playback (2 audio channels for video)

Weaknesses

-No autofocus on the lens 8MP

-YouTube video-playback

10. General Opinion

Having had the opportunity to test the Nokia E5, I have previous experience to say that the new Nokia E6 turns into an audacious successor for professionals, or even consumers, who look for a product with a QWERTY keyboard, compact dimensions, good battery and an excellent level of finishes: it's more portable and an alternative to the powerful Nokia E7.

It's not only a nice Smartphone, but also a device to enjoy with digital music, and the tool to immortalize the moments of our personal life with an 8MP camera. It's a business oriented product but with multimedia skills.

And of course, a new and improved software to manage email more efficiently and smoothly. Yes, Nokia has done a good job, also we can appreciate the good visibility of content that provides the display outdoors, specially on sunny days. The touch screen feature makes the E6 more attractive to this generation of Nokia phones.

Main features: LCD-TFT 2,46-inch touchscreen, 1500mAh, autonomy of 7.5 hours under 3G networks, 115.5 x59x10, 5 mm and 133 grams, 8GB internal memory + micro SD, BT 3.0 + Wi- Fi + GPS, OVI Maps software, QWERTY keyboard, 8MP lens no-AF.

Alexi's TechBlog Review (spanish)

More information, Nokiandtech