Nokia N78

[blue-eye-boy]

I tried searching for this phone here, but without success. I saw on a mtn price list they have it on for R89 pm, so I thought to take a look. Looks nice must say. But I have a few questions:

Many complain about the keypad, but is it really that bad? Can anyone tell me if it is a "touch sensitive" keypad, or the good old press type?

I see it has a "navi wheel". How does that work, nice or a pain?

Then it has a gps too with a-gps support. Now from what I've read the a-gps uses your data to support the satellite gps, am I right?

Without the a-gps support, how good is the gps reception overall?

I know this wont ever compare to a standalone gps device like garmin, but is it possible to drive around with the small gps screen? Or is it too difficult?

I thought that if I decide on a phone with gps, I'll rather take the garmin route. But, what I need to know, what garmin maps do I get for a cellphone, and where? Do I have to pay for it, and if yes, more or less how much? Sorry, I just need to get in the right direction on this.

This phone has a lot of nice features I like, like hsdpa, wifi, fm transmitter and the symbian os, which I'm not familiar with at all, so it will be a nice change.

Any views on this I appreciate. I cannot have a expensive contract with a high spec phone, but this looks good to me.

 

[Pooky]

It's a nice phone inside, but outside it's really fugly. The buttons are a stupid design. they do depress but they are so small and annoying. Rather go for the N79 I would say, although I do not know the price difference....

 

[blue-eye-boy]

It's a nice phone inside, but outside it's really fugly. The buttons are a stupid design. they do depress but they are so small and annoying. Rather go for the N79 I would say, although I do not know the price difference....

Nope, way out of my budged. On special it was like R309 p/m. Just tell me, the keypad buttons, I cant see on the pictures what you press. Do you press on the letters itself, or the strips underneath it? Dont know if you know other nokias, but my wife has the 6111, and it's keys are also very small, but I text on it without hassles. So if it is the same size, then it's okay by me.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Okay, after a few more searches I found this thread. Will check there for the gps part of my question.

 

[Pooky]

Nope, way out of my budged. On special it was like R309 p/m. Just tell me, the keypad buttons, I cant see on the pictures what you press. Do you press on the letters itself, or the strips underneath it? Dont know if you know other nokias, but my wife has the 6111, and it's keys are also very small, but I text on it without hassles. So if it is the same size, then it's okay by me.

You press on the little strips. It's a good phone, it just looks ugly, that's usually the main factor when I'm choosing a phone.

 

[Sackboy]

I tried searching for this phone here, but without success. I saw on a mtn price list they have it on for R89 pm, so I thought to take a look. Looks nice must say. But I have a few questions:

Many complain about the keypad, but is it really that bad? Can anyone tell me if it is a "touch sensitive" keypad, or the good old press type?

I see it has a "navi wheel". How does that work, nice or a pain?

Then it has a gps too with a-gps support. Now from what I've read the a-gps uses your data to support the satellite gps, am I right?

Without the a-gps support, how good is the gps reception overall?

I know this wont ever compare to a standalone gps device like garmin, but is it possible to drive around with the small gps screen? Or is it too difficult?

I thought that if I decide on a phone with gps, I'll rather take the garmin route. But, what I need to know, what garmin maps do I get for a cellphone, and where? Do I have to pay for it, and if yes, more or less how much? Sorry, I just need to get in the right direction on this.

This phone has a lot of nice features I like, like hsdpa, wifi, fm transmitter and the symbian os, which I'm not familiar with at all, so it will be a nice change.

Any views on this I appreciate. I cannot have a expensive contract with a high spec phone, but this looks good to me.

I don't have this model, but I can talk about Nokia GPS and how it works on a 6210 Navigator.
A-gps is used for getting a quick position fix. Online is also used for searching for locations, such as roads and shops and for using the satellite pictures (like Google Earth). The data used for purely a-gps is quite small though.

The navigation system is quite good (Nokia Maps). You don't really need to look at the little map because the voice will instruct you. The map will show the road you are on and the road you have to turn into. Apart from that you don't worry about much else. You can also see the speed you are going, and a picture of the upcoming junction to negotiate. You can widen the area of road that is visible, but it does get a bit small.

There is a final Beta version of Maps 2 out, which has some small improvements. Bear in mind that when your navigation license expires, the system doesn't allow you to view the map in navigation 'form'. (spoilsports), even without the voice guidance. It just becomes a moving map.

GPS uses quite a bit of battery, so a car charger is recommended.

 

[elL0L]

I tried searching for this phone here, but without success. I saw on a mtn price list they have it on for R89 pm, so I thought to take a look. Looks nice must say. But I have a few questions:

Many complain about the keypad, but is it really that bad? Can anyone tell me if it is a "touch sensitive" keypad, or the good old press type?

I see it has a "navi wheel". How does that work, nice or a pain?

Then it has a gps too with a-gps support. Now from what I've read the a-gps uses your data to support the satellite gps, am I right?

Without the a-gps support, how good is the gps reception overall?

I know this wont ever compare to a standalone gps device like garmin, but is it possible to drive around with the small gps screen? Or is it too difficult?

I thought that if I decide on a phone with gps, I'll rather take the garmin route. But, what I need to know, what garmin maps do I get for a cellphone, and where? Do I have to pay for it, and if yes, more or less how much? Sorry, I just need to get in the right direction on this.

This phone has a lot of nice features I like, like hsdpa, wifi, fm transmitter and the symbian os, which I'm not familiar with at all, so it will be a nice change.

Any views on this I appreciate. I cannot have a expensive contract with a high spec phone, but this looks good to me.

I'm typing from one now! I love the keypad, easy to use. The screen quality is brilliant. The 3mp is also excellent, with a great flash. A watch a lot of high quality video movies on it, which is great at the 320x240 resoloution and 30fps.

Audio quality is good, but not that loud. The Gps works really good, but the standard Nokia Maps are sometimes quite stupid. Rather use garmin. The navi-weel is fun, but not that usefull imo.

But the fm transmitter is dissapointing with only about 2m distance.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Okay guys, thanks so far. But say I chose to rather use the garmin maps, (sorry I didn't read the maps thread I found yet) what does it cost for that maps,license fees and so on?

Atm I use my dad's gps, but would like my own, so I wanted to get this phone then, and return his gps. normally when I'm driving, I look on the gps where I am, and where I must turn, cause I've found that where streets are close together, the gps tell you to turn now, but actually its the next road. Thats why I prefer lookin on the screen. But I guess you cant have the best of both worlds.

Something else, do you get some kind of a stand or holder for when you use such a phone as a gps in car?

Th fm transmitter will be good enough for me, cause I will use it only in my car.

@ Sackboy, when you say it doesn't use much data for the a-gps, how much is it more or less? Say for a 2 hour driving in town?

 

[elL0L]

2hour drive, about 500kb. If you use Nokia Maps you'll get 1 year free.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Ah okay thanks. I was at a Somersten mall today but no one stock the N78 anymore. Will try my luck next week.

 

[elL0L]

Just updated my phone, and Nokia Maps are much better.

Drove 700km today, and it used about 200kb.

 

[Sackboy]

Just updated my phone, and Nokia Maps are much better.

Drove 700km today, and it used about 200kb.

I hardly ever use it online, unless maybe I'm indoors and want to look up an address or service. I'll turn it on for a shortish journey on Monday and see.

 

[blue-eye-boy]

Just updated my phone, and Nokia Maps are much better.

Drove 700km today, and it used about 200kb.

Which isn't much at all. Not something I'd complain about.

I hardly ever use it online, unless maybe I'm indoors and want to look up an address or service. I'll turn it on for a shortish journey on Monday and see.

Ag no, no need to, not for me anyway. Thanks