Nokia E71x: No good for me, but good for someone.

Upon taking a look at the Nokia E71x from AT&T the other day, I was thrilled to finally see the first updated qwerty bar model since the forgettable E62 from years past. To see a recent version of the Symbian OS was indeed a treat in regards to the limitations that can so often plague network-locked phones, but this is where the warm feelings had come to an end. It was no surprise to see the E71x lacking in web access, calendar views, and menu shortcut commands in the one hour I had spent at the network store, and I was all the more thankful for my unlocked E71-2 model.

I often do not hesitate to take on the "phone snob" mentality when I come across even one blunder on a mobile device, so it can take considerable effort on my part to be open minded in this manner. There could be a silver lining when I do consider the potential benefits of the E71x to the average AT&T customer. For someone who is only concerned about making/receiving calls/messages and possibly accessing email, there is no doubt I that the E71x can and will deliver flawlessly. The most recent Nokia models can be counted on to provide great sound quality, reliable reception, and suitable camera capability with the reassurance of Symbian functionality. While this depends on the overall stability of the AT&T ROM software installed onto the device, there is at least full tech support available if necessary.

From a different perspective, the changes in certain menus and shortcuts are actually beneficial in simplifying the Symbian OS. Honestly, I can remember the headaches of navigating the labyrinth of E62 menus and feeling like Link in a Zelda RPG video game. After years of experience I have come to be proficient in getting to where I need to go for certain tasks, but the normal AT&T user will not fit this criteria. Overall, I can give kudos to a certain extent to AT&T for at least attempting to make the Nokia E71x more accessible to the general American public.

However, the "phone snob" in me cannot help but address this issue of carriers having to go to such great lengths to alter a phone for its business. I can certainly understand that most people aren't experienced with phone usage and may need things simplified, but their best interest is not always at the forefront of the carrier's operations. There are some alterations to phones in general that still irritate me to no end, for they simply demonstrate the carrier's desire to make money off of the consumer at the expense of functionality freedom. For example, the GPS feature on a Samsung Epix model had been crippled to only work with AT&T Navigator and could not be accessed by Google Maps; this could possibly be the same case for the E71x. Years ago in beginning my stint with Verizon service, I was shocked to find out bluetooth had been crippled to only work with headsets! After I didn't know any better and figured I was at the mercy of the carrier, I discovered the unlocked Nokia E70-2 and hardly looked back since then to the locked models. With unlocked phones I tapped into a broader sense of enhanced phone usage that intrigued me, which gradually transformed me into the tech toy addict I am today!

Despite my being free of carrier dependence, I do realize that not all consumers need or want to be free in this manner. Some may be completely content with the device selection and some simply don't have the capacity to be concerned with such matters. With this in mind and knowing just how reliable the Nokia brand can be, I can say that the E71x can potentially be a great acquisition for an average user.

TRENT
Sent from my Nokia E71
TRENT SENSE blogger/netcast host
trentonnsmith.blogspot.com
youtube.com/absolon3