Having had the opportunity to experiment and explore the salient features as well as intricacies of Nokia N96 mobile phone even before it was launched in the market, I likened myself to a doctor meticulously diagnosing a patient for illnesses rather than a pianist eager to play a brand new state-of-the art piano. After subjecting the N96 into innumerable tests and intense usage, I can't help but compare its features with those of other brands in the same category or even with other Nokia models. After almost three months of rigid use (if not abuse), I gave N96 an 83 percent mark, in favor of its avant-garde features. However, let me highlight first the negative findings. Regarded as the “icon of convergence,” the much-ballyhooed N96 did not receive the expected accolade when it finally hit the Saudi market for some obvious and practical reasons, such as being bulky which makes it inconvenient to use with only one hand. Its camera key is a bit awkward to operate. You need to exert an extra effort to press the button, which can be cumbersome if you have large fingers. The back cover and the D-pad on the front panel is made of plastic, which looks appallingly cheap. And to make the matter worse, the keypad creates a creaking noise when the buttons are pressed, which can be quite annoying when sending SMS or emails. The phone doesn't charge when plugged into a computer's USB port. Considering its modest battery capacity, well, this is bad news indeed because you need to keep that lowly charger always close at hand. It has included, though, a car charger in the package to, perhaps, compensate for this limitation. The battery is limited to a two-hour lifespan when used continuously with the Internet or with the GPS, but lasts to up to two days with normal use such as phone calls, sending SMS and a few emails. Aesthetically, the bulkiness and the inferior plastic encasing make N96 more expensive than it warrants. It should have been more sleek and strongly built, short of being water resistant. Although it is designed for great video and live TV watching, personally, it is not worth spending longer time, otherwise, its 2.8-inch illuminated screen would eventually affect the eyesight. Let's stick to basics. It's better to watch your favorite TV program or video on a wider screen TV at home. The same applies to use of the Internet. To be fair, occasionally, and on emergency cases, using the video or TV features of N96 serves the purpose. On the other side, N96 is a good choice for those who would use, on a daily basis, all the advanced features available in a trailblazing mobile phone such as camera, digital player, FM radio, GPS and TV. One can enjoy high-quality video on a large bright display with superb sound, store more of your videos, music, pictures and maps with massive storage, and choose from several high-speed connectivity options to access content and services. Its phone has a unique DVB-H digital TV receiver that enables you to watch live feed TV over the air. The N96 also comes with a massive 16 GB internal memory and can be expanded up to 32 GB with a micro SD memory card. Thus, you are assured that this multimedia giant can accommodate all your photos, favorite videos and even your entire music collection. Another feature that stands out on this gizmo is the innovative kickstand on the back cover that positions the phone at its optimum viewing angle, however, I say again, not for too long, otherwise it would ruin your eyes. One minor upgrade worth mentioning are the music keys on the front panel. You can instantly browse over your playlists without using the phone's slider to display the dedicated media keys at the other end of the unit. Overall, the N96 is a phone that might be popular among gadget lovers, but again short-lived, considering the advances and revolutionary features available in other mobile models and brands. Anyway, mobile phone turnover is so fast that you hardly enjoy one only to be sidelined by a new model. Unfortunately, in the gizmo planet, fashion and loyalty go hand-in
