The Nokia E75 is a business-oriented smartphone running S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2. Over the past few weeks I’ve been using the E75 as my daily device (replacing my iPhone 3GS and BlackBerry Bold). With a history of E Series devices, the Nokia E90 being my favorite, I was very optimistic about using the E75 since it embodied a similar landscape keyboard. Unfortunately despite the dual keypads, 3.2 megapixel camera, VGA video recording and a feature set that holds its own against most competitors, my overall feeling was heavily based upon what I consider a dated OS.
Features
The E75 features front-facing number keys for the traditional N-series user as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for the business power user. The device measures 111.8 x 50 (closed) / 80 (open) x 14.4mm and weighs in at 139 grams. When holding the device, whether open or closed, it feels very solid and built from quality materials like the E71 and E72.
The screen is 2.4-inches and runs at QVGA (320 x 240 pixels). This is one area which I would like to see improved since resolution and dimensions are both below average when compared to other business smartphones available today. Since the E75 only features 50MB of internal dynamic memory, a microSD slot has been included along with a 4GB SDHC memory card (max size 16GB).
Keyboard
Being a fan of landscape QWERTY keyboards has caused me to exhibit bias towards traditional vertical oriented keyboards. My only complaints on the E75’s keyboard is that after using so many HTC devices I have become accustom to space between my keys. If I was coming directly from the E90 to the E75 I would expect the transition to be rather seamless, but as of today I prefer the HTC Touch Pro2 keyboard.
Battery Life
This is one area that every Nokia device I’ve owned (other than the first-gen N95-1) continues to excel. While the Sprint Hero which I am currently testing has trouble lasting more than 8 hours under heavy use, the E75 could handle 1.5 days on a single charge. For reference, my daily usage consisted of 50 to 100 emails via MS Exchange, 1 hour of voice calls and 150 to 200 text messages.
Camera
The 3.2-megapixel camera with CMOS sensor, autofocus and LED flash performs about the same as my E71. I did notice less over saturation in bright lighting compared to my E71, but overall the camera performs the same. If you are looking to match the camera of the N Series Carl Zeiss Optic line up I recommend you look elsewhere, but if you need basic phots taken the E75 will do the trick.
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, GSM Radios
Since I was reviewing the E75-2 which is compatible to At&t’s 3G network I had quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and tri- band WCDMA 850 / 1900 / 2100 HSDPA. The only difference between this and the E75-1 is the 850 MHz WCDMA is replaced by 900 MHz. Network performance on the E75 was excellent in both reception and voice clarity and exactly what I have come to expect from Nokia.
I had no problems connecting to my home WiFi network which features WPA2 protection. I was up and running in a matter of minutes and did not experience any disconnects or handshake issues. For Bluetooth I tested the device with several headsets and even the Motorola in-car Bluetooth unit which all performed excellent. When it comes to connectivity, Nokia is always on top of the ball.
Final Thoughts
I really didn’t have many issues with the Nokia E75 because it delivered upon all of it’s promises and specifications. The dilemma I faced is that I’ve grown tired of the Symbian OS after using WebOS, Android, iPhone OS and the new BlackBerry OS on a normal basis. The entire Symbian interface looks aged and lacks the wow factor I have grown to expect from top of the line handsets. I understand that the E75 is marketed towards the business user who wants the option to use his/her device in either portrait mode with a traditional keypad or landscape with a full QWERTY, but at the end of the day the device left me wanting more.
I was willing to accept the shortcomings of S60 with my E71 because the device dimensions were amazing and I enjoyed the keyboard so much I was willing to overlook the obvious flaws. Keeping in mind that the N900 and Maemo (linux) look to be the future of Nokia devices I cannot recommend the E75 to the power user wanting the best-in class business device. I would strongly advise waiting for T-mobile’s Project Dark and the N900 release or even the N97. If you are on a budget and need a decent business tool, but want a device that is not in your local carrier subsidized line-up, the E75 is a viable option.
by Nick Marshall posted on Oct 14, 2009 Tags: Hands On, Nokia E75, photo gallery, review