Review of Nokia's subtle, but powerful, N79 smartphone

Nokia's latest candybar cell phone, the N79, brings memories of days gone by with its simplistic design and easy to use numeric keypad. However, it hides a powerful 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, Carl Zeiss optics, and a dual-LED flash, and is powered by Nokia's versatile S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 user interface. We put it to the test to see if Nokia still knows how to make a killer candybar smartphone.

Physical Aspects

The Nokia N79 candybar smartphone features the standard numeric keypad, with a small array of S60 navigational buttons. The front of the phone is white plastic (there is a grey version also available) with a clear shiny layer on top, to catch fingerprints. The outer edges are a steel grey color, and there are three different colored backplates included in the box. Each of these Xpress-On backplates features a small chip that allows the phone to automatically change the interface theme to match the installed backplate, for a fun, fashion-oriented experience.

The whole phone is made of high-quality plastic, but squeaks a bit when in use, unfortunately. Though not terribly loud, the sound is noticeable. The keypad can also get rather noisy if you are a quick typist, which can be an issue if you spend a lot of time texting in the library. Aside from that, the phone is built quite solid. The back covers snap firmly into place, and the front keys are all nicely tactile, with no sign of mushiness.

The front face of the Nokia N79 is split evenly between the 2.6" QVGA (240x320 pixel) TFT display and the keypad, which offers a balanced in-hand feel. At the top right-hand corner of the phone, above the display, you'll notice the VGA-resolution secondary camera and ambient light sensor, along with an opening for the speaker. Below the display is where you can find the S60 navigational cluster, centered around the d-pad. The left and right softkeys are raised slightly, as are the dedicated end and send keys, making it slightly difficult to access the S60 menu button and the back button centered between them, on either side of the d-pad. The d-pad on the N79 is slightly difficult to use, since the outer ring is flush with the front of the phone, with only the center button raised slightly. The d-pad also features Nokia's NaviWheel technology, which allows you to move your thumb around it in a circular motion, for navigating through long lists easily. Unfortunately, this NaviWheel is overly sensitive, which forced me to disable it through the phone's settings.

Off to the left, a nondescript silver button opens the Nseries Multimedia menu, which consists of a series of floating panels, each focused on a specific multimedia feature. These panels can be reorganized through a settings menu, and provide easy access to music, Internet, N-Gage, and other phone features.

The numeric keypad on the Nokia N79 is made up of 4 strips that run across the phone, with three numbers on each. Despite the lack of separation between each key, I was able to type quite quickly on this keypad, and was pleased to find that each button offers a very distinct click when you press it. Unfortunately, the keypad backlighting is rather weak, and does not light up every key evenly.

The bottom edge of the Nokia N79 features two small openings - one for a wrist strap, and one for the microphone. The left edge of the phone is similarly sparse, only offering the standard 2mm Nokia charging port, the micro-USB data port, and the microSD card slot. These last two are grouped together, with a single attached door to keep debris out. The top edge of the phone, however, is packed with a spring-assisted slide-lock, the standard 3.5mm audio port (which also supports the included TV-Out cable), and the power button. The right edge of the phone is also packed, with a stereo speaker on either end, and the volume rocker and dedicated two-stage camera button positioned between them.

The Nokia N79's camera lens is located on the top half of the back of the phone, protected by a sliding lens cover. The dual-LED flash is positioned just above the lens, too. As mentioned, the entire backplate of the phone is removed to access the 1200mAh battery, and also the SIM card slot.