Nokia 8800 Increase Volume Dynamics

• Telephone
• Two Li-Pol BP-6X 700 mAh batteries
• AC-3 Charger
• Bluetooth Headset BH-801
• Wired Headset HS-15
• Glass for charging the phone and battery DT-16
• Leather Case CP-104
• Cleaning cloth
• Software CD
• Instruction manual

The release of the top models of fashion devices from the market leader is always a momentous event. For Nokia phones, the flagship models were the 8xxx series, the release of the Nokia 8800 more than a year ago showed that the market for expensive devices was greatly underestimated. In the shortest possible time, this model beat almost all competitors in its price niche in popularity and became a bestseller. The popularity of the Nokia 8800 model in the Russian market was so great that a black version was released specifically for our country. Its cost was initially much higher than the usual silver, at the moment the difference is not so great. The excitement around the Nokia 8800 was due to the real lack of alternatives in the price segment from 900 to 1,200. The release of the special edition of the Nokia 8800 does not mean another variation based on different colors, but a complete update of the device. Saving the model number stems from the popularity of the original Nokia 8800, the desire to capitalize on this success. Hence the minimal changes in the appearance of the models, this is a kind of tuning of the case plus a strong update of the device’s filling (camera, memory, functions). The updated model is called Sirocco Edition, in honor of the wind that originates over the Sahara and collides with the cold waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

The design of the model at first glance has not undergone significant changes, the depression under the screen has increased, originally intended to rest with the thumb and open the device. Now it plays not only a utilitarian role, but also acts as a distinctive sign of the Sirocco Edition, to some extent ensures the play of light on metal, its overflows. The case is still made of stainless steel.

The shape of the stop under the screen has changed, now it’s just a curve, slightly protruding above the surface of the display. When you click on the sides of the curve, you understand that these are soft keys that are quite comfortable. The finger is unlikely to slip, as it could have happened in the Nokia 8800, and touch the screen. The grill of the main speaker is more austerely designed, dust is quickly accumulating in it.

The manufacturer initially provided two solutions for the Nokia 8800 SE, black devices are available, as well as steel.

The size of the phone has not changed almost an iota, the case thickness has increased by 1 mm (107x45x17.5 mm). Given that Nokia is always extremely honest about the size and indicate the maximum thickness, we get an average thickness of about 16 mm, this is similar to the previous model. Weight increased by 4 grams, it is 138 grams.

Before talking about other features of the device, I would like to dwell a little more on the scope of delivery. This device is one of the best equipment on the market, the buyer receives almost everything that he may need to make full use of the phone. So, the kit includes a nice leather case, it resembles the same cases on Vertu as much as possible. You can’t attach the cover to the belt, it’s just a kind of wrapper and nothing more.

A tabletop has become a good tradition for bundling flagship solutions such as this unit. It is pleasant, well complements the look of the phone, allows you to charge both the device itself and the second battery.

A lively discussion caused the presence of two batteries in the kit with the phone and the indirectly mentioned improvements in the operating time of the device. For Nokia 8800, the main problem was the time of work, the phone in active conversations required recharging once a day. This ceases to be a problem when using the car speakerphone kit with a charging function, but their use is rare for this model. Installing the phone in the charge cup during the day can be some kind of solution, but this also suits the minority. As a result, the device is discharged exactly once a day and it has to be charged for the night.

Alas, the hopes for a dramatic improvement in working time remained the only hopes. The manufacturer claims that from one charge the phone can work up to 240 hours, while for Nokia 8800 this parameter was indicated at 190 hours. A quarter-hour increase in working time looks extremely interesting, but it is empirical. In our case, the device continued to work on average for about one day, showing an advantage over the Nokia 8800 by about 10 percent (a comparable number of calls, other manipulations). Indeed, the new lithium-polymer battery has a capacity of 700 mAh, while the lithium-ion battery on the Nokia 8800 has a capacity of 600 mAh. Actually, the understanding of the weakness of the operating time prompted the manufacturer to put a second battery in the standard set. As far as the experience of sales and use of the Nokia 8800 shows, the short run time becomes an unfortunate drawback, but it is outweighed by the image component of the product and its level of status.

Having mentioned that two batteries are included in the package, I would like to talk about the package as a whole. The phone is in a cardboard box with a metal clip, removing it, you open the box and marvel at the richness of the package. The HS-15 wired mono headset is familiar from the previous model, it is for those who are conservative.

Of interest is the BH-801 Bluetooth headset, it was released specifically for this phone model and is currently only supplied with it. From the name it follows that this accessory is derived from the BH-800, the way it is, but in terms of form factor, fastening, and the filling it is also similar to the BH-700 (this is a simplified material version of this headset). The appearance of the headset was created as closely as possible with the Nokia 8800 Sirocco Edition, hence the combination of white metal and black lacquered, as well as a matte surface. The headset is available in only one color. The bow can be installed, but you can use the headset without it. You can read the review of the BH-700 on our website here.

Back to the product differences, now it comes to the keyboard. We see that the keys on the Nokia 8800 SE occupy a slightly smaller area. But they were made beveled, voluminous, which increases their ergonomics, it is pleasant to work with them. The bottom row is not always comfortable, since you can touch the edge of the slider, but in general everything is at a good level.

The operation of the slider mechanism has not undergone significant changes, the device is easy to open, just as easily slides back.

The navigation key is beautifully designed, but its ergonomics are not so good, it is worse than that of a similar key in the Nokia 8800. The call and end keys are made with large metal plates, an unusual solution, but nice. The backlighting is white, it is clearly visible in various conditions.

The screen was inherited from the Nokia 8800, no changes have occurred. This is a TFT-matrix with a resolution of 208×208 pixels with a physical size of 31×31 mm. The number of colors displayed is up to 262000. The small screen size makes the picture very smooth, pleasant. For a product of this size, the screen is excellent; it has no analogues in this segment. By the way, the screen size did not allow to make the keyboard more comfortable. The screen fits up to five lines of text and up to two service lines. It is possible to change the font size, in the largest style, the number of lines is reduced to 4, the readability of the font increases slightly. The smallest font displays up to 6 lines. We read the screen in the sun, but thin fonts are practically invisible. Changing the font size, reducing it has become a necessity due to high resolution. The quality of displaying photos from the built-in camera is not bad due in large part to the characteristics of the display, although the colors are faded, especially in comparison with the predefined graphics.

The amount of internal memory was expanded to 128 MB (the user initially has access to about 105 MB), this is a sharp improvement compared to the 47.5 MB available in the Nokia 8800. The absence of a memory card looks like an anachronism, apparently, the manufacturer left this option for the next model of the family, which will appear in the middle of next year on the shelves.

The expanded memory does not mean free life, it will not work to use the device as an MP3 player, the manufacturer deliberately cut back on such functionality. The calculation is simple: you want music. then focus on a specialized device, for example, Nokia N91. By the way, the radio still remains in mono sound, sound transmission to the Bluetooth stereo headset when listening to the radio is not provided. There is support for the A2DP profile for Bluetooth, but it has remained at the level of Nokia 8800, Nokia 6233. Lack of player control from the headset (only sound volume), very average playback quality, more reminiscent of mono-sounding. It remains to state the fact that this product is not positioned as a musical one, moreover, the manufacturer himself seeks to limit its use to those who are looking for functional, youthful solutions. An interesting marketing move aimed at more segmenting the audience, isolating the “right” customers, who in turn create an additional image for the product, give others an incentive to buy it.

The lack of a strong musical component does not mean that the designers of this model forgot about sound, this is not so. The melodies for this unit were written by Brian Eno, the founder of a whole direction in music (ambient). The melodies sound pleasant and match well with the appearance of the device. For flagship solutions, the use of their own, special themes is becoming a good tradition, as was the case with Nokia 8800. For the previous device, most of the calls were made by Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.

The phone is built on platform 40 of the third edition, you can read the full description of all the functions here.

Preinstalled applications. A good tradition for expensive devices of the company is becoming more than in conventional models the number of high-quality games, this model is a record holder for this parameter. In the game section you can find. chess, Golf Tour (good three-dimensional golf), Snake III (no need for submission), as well as Solitaire (ordinary solitaire).

There are not many applications, this is world time and Converter II.

A feature of the image apparatus is a large number of predefined themes for every taste (there are exactly a hell of a dozen of them), all of them are graphic, some are very pleasant and very suitable for the appearance of the model.

Camera. The device has a 2-megapixel camera (CMOS), which by modern standards is not so much. In this model, they decided not to rely on the photographic component as in Nokia 6233, the camera became optional. Because of this, the camera module was also chosen as one of the most inexpensive, which ensures average quality, if not bad. In dark conditions, the camera refuses to work normally, the shutter speed increases here, and any movement with your hand leads to blurry pictures. over, the dark conditions are shooting in the daytime on the street, but not in the bright summer sun. Indoors, the camera behaves even more ugly. As a nominal solution, the camera is quite comfortable, given the small screen size, the pictures on the device itself do not look very good.

The following image resolutions are supported:

Two minimum resolutions are added to create photos as screen wallpapers. Three types of JPEG file compression are supported: basic, normal, high. Given that the quality does not shine anyway, you can safely set the maximum, it will not be worse.

You can turn off the shutter sound during shooting, there is x8 digital zoom, you should not use it. The effects in the device can be applied to already obtained photographs, whether it is worth using them initially is up to you to judge. Available effects such as Greyscale, Sepia, Negative. There is a self-timer for shooting yourself.

I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the photographs in various situations, I think you can make your own judgment about their quality yourself (maximum resolution, best quality).

Video. The device allows you to record in 3GP format, the resolution of the clips is 128×96 pixels or 176×144 pixels. Recording quality also varies in three ways. You can limit the recording time, but it can be maximum, as long as there is enough memory of the device. Effects can be applied tos in the same way as for photos, their number is the same. When viewing on the phone, the quality is mediocre, not amazing. examples. High, 176×144 pixels:

Impressions

The volume of the 64-tone call is high, the device is clearly audible in various conditions. There are no complaints about the quality of communication with the model; it shows itself typically for current-generation phones. Vibration alert is average in strength, it is felt when the phone is in your pocket. Possible disadvantages include a high mark of the case, especially for the black version. On the other hand, hand-made stains on metal are not so striking, the case material ennobles the phone. The main disadvantages of the model are, perhaps, only the operating time for one day, there are no other problems with the device.

The tunes from Brian Eno are pleasant, but not stunning. The obvious drawbacks for a product of this class include a very modest call, one speaker can’t cope and the sound at a maximum volume is a little rattling. For the first time, the image flagship is inferior to the mid-range device. for example, Nokia 6233, in such an important parameter. Other roughnesses include the rapid ingress of dust on the speaker grill, it can be seen with the naked eye. You have to clean the speaker from time to time in order to return the device to a finished look.

The cost of the model is 1000 Euro, it will remain unchanged for a long time. The device is called to be the first in a new segment from 1000 Euros and above, Nokia intends to approach the line of 2000 Euros and mass-produce such models in one or two years. It is curious that there is a slight movement in the lower price segments for Vertu products, even if it is not so noticeable. As an investment in the phone, the Nokia 8800 SE is very interesting, the model will remain prestigious for a long time.

than a year ago, in the “Impressions” section of the Nokia 8800 review, your humble servant wrote the following: “The device’s greatest strength is its design, at the moment there are no analogues in the market from such materials and in the same form factor. Taking into account the cost of the model of 850-900 Euros, it can be safely considered one of the most expensive devices on the market (not taking into account the Vertu series). There are no competitors for the model, neither Samsung products (metal in the sliders, the image is more focused on a wide audience) nor Motorola solutions (RAZR, PEBL are interesting, but also focused on the mass audience) can claim their role. Nokia 8800 is an ideal phone to demonstrate its status, because the principle “the more expensive, the better and more prestigious” is still valid in almost all markets. Based on this, it is impossible to talk about any flaws in the software or functionality, the same radio is not very interesting for the target audience. Nokia 8800 will not have direct competitors during the year, the appearance of a similar product from Motorola will occur only at the end of the second quarter of next year. Given that Nokia has already prepared an updated version for the Nokia 8800, the prospects for the Motorola phone are visible only in the segment of about 600-700 Euros. The Nokia 8800i model (let’s consider everything written below as malicious assumptions and only) will differ from the original device in color scheme (varnish in the style of Darth Vader or his mask, more precisely, very pleasant and unusual), a 1.23-megapixel camera, stereo output and a memory card (microSD, apparently, although this is a matter of ongoing discussion). The battery capacity will be very slightly increased, which will save about the same time. All other characteristics will be fundamentally comparable (well, if you do not consider the presence of Wireless USB Storage fundamental). You can expect the announcement of such a product a year after the start of sales of the Nokia 8800. Another question is that such an announcement will greatly depend on the timing of the release of similar products from other manufacturers. ”

The conclusion, written about a year ago, is quite applicable to the modern Sirocco Edition model. Success in the Nokia 8800 market made the release of the updated version with a large number of qualitative changes harmful, because such a device could adversely affect both the sales of the Nokia 8800 and the perception of this device as a status one. If sales were more moderate, the manufacturer would try to spur them on due to the better functionality of the new model, but this did not happen.

Models from Motorola (KRZR, RIZR) were very late; due to technological problems, the companies equipped them worse than previously planned. All this resulted in positioning in a different segment than the Nokia 8800 SE, that is, the devices actually appeared on the market with a delay of one quarter from the original plans.

Based on the market situation, you can expect the next update to the Nokia 8800 SE next summer. The main points, apparently, in this device will be: stereo output, support for memory cards, updated software version (FP1 or 2 S40 of the third edition). Just like the year before, the Nokia 8800 was largely a copy of the Nokia 6230i, today the Nokia 8800 SE is a copy of the Nokia 6233. Accordingly, the appearance of the flagship among devices on the S40 will trigger the release of the next image flagship. Many will be interested in the question, “what will be cut back in the updated model compared to its analogue in the 6000 series?” The answer is quite obvious, in my opinion: the need for WiFi in the image device is minimal, as a result, this technology will not be presented.

In conclusion, I will immediately answer the most popular question of the last month from our readers, my friends, and colleagues. Should I replace the Nokia 8800 from previous editions with the Sirocco Edition? Outwardly, the differences are not too large, as well as differences in cost are not so dramatic. Previous versions of this device retained their image charge, did not fall much in price, as a result, they fulfill their main role in full. Why then change these phones to the new version? In my opinion, this is not worth doing, although, on the other hand, if you want and have money, why not allow yourself to change the device?

A possible alternative to the Nokia 8800 Sirocco can be only Vertu phones, at a cost of a little over 4 times, they offer a really different level of image. The functionally new Constellation collection, which will begin selling in November, is equal to the Nokia 8800 SE minus the camera, the disadvantage of which is offset by various pleasant services.

If you are not ready to spend 4000-4500 Euros per phone, but want an expensive solution, then the only choice is Nokia 8800 SE. Among mass production products, this one is the most expensive. Speaking about mass sales, it is necessary to understand that by “mass” we mean this phone exclusively in the application to our target audience, its penetration level will be maximum. The model is doomed to become a bestseller only due to the price and glorious heritage of the previous devices of the series.

SAR value for this model is 0.5 V / kg