NOKIA N73 MUSIC EDITION: Calls, shoots and blares

Have you ever stopped to wonder what is becoming of cellphones?

Gone are the days when the cellphone was used just as a phone. In this day, it’s no longer a cellphone unless it’s got a camera, can play music and then some more.

If you go out of your way, like I do, to check out what’s hot in relation to cellphones out there, you would discover that there are cellphones that are called camera phones, cellphones known as communicators (that can do anything from spreadsheets, to e-mail to office reports) and then there are the music phones.

It is no wonder that when making the best choice for a cellphone, the decision is never an easy one. Right?

The choices are many and the hands are two. Same goes for the ears — and the mouth, one.

It was another week of hectic cellphone window-shopping for me recently. I took a trip to my fave cellphone haunts in search of anything new. Funny, but because of the many developments in the gadget department, there are so many things out there that need to be checked out, preferably up close and very personal.

And there it was — the Nokia N73 Music Edition. Black with two-GB memory to boot. Yup, it’s carries the name Nokia N73. But add to that a little extra, the Music Edition.

So, what is new with this phone?

If you are familiar with the Nokia N73, which was launched middle of last year, then you may have missed taking a closer look at this baby. If my memory serves me right, the N73 Music Edition phone was launched in October last year. It never really takes much time before Nokia thinks of something new to tweak an existing unit. And let me tell you, that the tweaking on this cellphone is just great.

The special black edition Nokia N73 offers a fantastic mobile music experience.

Target: young folks.

Of course, when you load the phone with a two-GB memory card that can hold lots of favorite songs, you’re surely looking to capture a younger generation. But in this day and age, that means everyone.

A quick check at the press release when the cellphone was launched says it all: "The Nokia Nseries Music Range combines sleek black design with heightened mobile music experiences appealing to the music enthusiast in everyone."

Whether you’re sitting on the bus, walking down the street, or malling, you can now enjoy your music more conveniently. Your favorite tunes are only one touch away with a dedicated music access key. Managing your music is further simplified with the integrated music player. From the music menu you can build and edit playlists on the fly. It’s also a breeze to rip your CDs, synchronize them with your device, and start grooving on the go with the Nokia Music Manager, a part of a PC Suite.

I must say that the easy access music key, is really that, easy to use. The key is located on the left side of the keypad. I tried it out and was amazed at how simple it was to get to the music I wanted play. When the cellphone is loaded with songs all I had to do was make a selection I like and the music plays on and on.

And being no fan of headsets or earphones, I was pleasantly surprised at the speakers on the phone. I guess it helped that the speakers of the N73 are located at both ends of the phone, making it easy to put the phone on its side, thus the better to listen to the music.

The Nokia N73 Music Edition supports two of the most popular music formats worldwide, MP3 and AAC. This means that no song should go unheard. For enhanced sound quality you can use a compatible high-quality headphone with the standard 3.5 mm stereo headset plug.

Add to the cool music player, the 3.2-megapixel camera and you’re made. The camera is complemented with exquisite photography features, like the now standard Carl Zeiss optics and autofocus.

The Nokia N73 Music Edition marries the best of the digital world and audio. All these packed in a simple, easy-to-use yet elegant mobile.

I remember when the first N73 came out, it was its wide screen that first caught my eye. And then the 3.2-megapixel camera (the better to capture those pet moments for me) and of course, the mini SD expansion slot. At that time, I was told that Nokia called this phone a multimedia computer with excellent photography features and integrated stereo speakers. A camera with which you can call and text for the amateur digital shutterbug and music lover, too. The dedicated controls for capture, zoom and review, together with the active toolbar interface, provide intuitive and fast control of key camera functions.

This beauty weighs a light 116 grams and is only 19 mm wide. As is standard, the phone is dual mode and has tri-band coverage into up to five continents.

And then there’s more. If you like you can shoot videos of up to 175 minutes (total length), store up to 1,219 photos or add up to 1092 songs. The choice is yours. But a word of advice, it’s never good to overload any electronic gadget no matter what the gadget is; overloading is the cause of many of the "hanging" problems.

The bright color display is another bonus with the N73 Music Edition, and I just love the edit function where you can further personalize a photo with clipart and other little odds and ends that come with the phone.

OK, the main attraction of this phone for me is its camera. Have I said that already? The phone shoots just like a camera — yup, it’s better if you turn it on its side for the photo ops. The extra feature of a slide-up camera lens cover is another plus for OC cell owners like me who hate scratches in any manner or form.

But let me just rattle of to you what the camera can do. Here goes… It’s got a 20x digital zoom, two stage capture key for autofocus control, 2.4-inch camera viewfinder in landscape orientation, integrated flash, light sensitivity control and all the settings any not too great photog like me needs. Perfect.

The phone gave me endless shoot Sundays with the dogs. And it’s impressive as an entry to the level of digicams. I really love the no fuss or frills design, just plain and simple lines. The N73 is for the lovers of minimalism among us.

Another plus is the Bluetooth connectivity which is easy to use and connects amazingly quick with some of the other Bluetooth-enabled phones. Photo and video files are easily transferred and at great speeds.

The active toolbar interface provides a one-touch selection to send photos via e-mail, Bluetooth connectivity or MMS, print or upload them. Fantastic.

What can I say, the Nokia N73 Music Edition meets an everyday user’s needs — in one nifty device. The high-performing Nokia N73 Music Edition not only travels with you, but also has functions which make it easy to use. Every aspect of the Nokia N73 has been designed to make photography easy.

And now, listening to music.

May I add one more feature that I love about this phone. And it’s the 3D tunes. I was able to make my ringing tones sound like they were being played inside a cavernous hall or in the middle of the forest. The sounds were great and lots of my friends wanted to have tones just like mine.

Ahhh, Nokia N73 Music Edition in black.

Grade: Top of its class.