It's, hand-down, the smallest and lightest and - almost - most powerful QWERTY smartphone ever created. But is the E55 any good? Find out in my full review. Of its two Unique Selling Points, I was impressed by the tiny EDoF camera, which produces results beyond expectations, but I was left feeling that the 'half QWERTY' keyboard implementation needs a little more software intelligence behind it. A great value smartphone overall, but the bottom line is that its fiercest competition will come from its own sister phone, the E52.
Read on in the full article.
Great review I have been waiting for this.
Cheers!
Just to point out I had a more positive experience with the keyboard, as I mentioned in my first look review. In contrast to Steve I found speeds nearer a full QWERTY device than I did a 12 key device.
I think this illustrates the issue of user choice / opinion nicely. Basically there's no way to get a full QWERTY on to the E52 form factor so the E55 solution is the best compromise. Looks like there's room for improvement though on software (I don't have the E55 so can't check what I was doing when entering punctuation etc.). I will point out it is self learning so for names etc it will get better with usage (same as T9).
I'm also a lot fonder of word auto-completion than Steve (gimmicky - not for me!)... and the Eseries switch home screen tool - I wish all Nokia devices had it...
There' also still plenty of stuff on the E55/E52 we've not talked about. I'll try and address some of this in more detail in due course (with regards to some enterprise extras).
Rafe
The screenshots show how pathetically small the QVGA resolution. The letters are pixelised, blocky and just plain ugly.
Let's not get into the screen resolution debate again. For a 2.4" screen, QVGA is absolutely fine. It only starts to look blocky ON THE DEVICE once you get to 2.6" and 2.8" displays, IMHO.
Hi Steve! Excellent review (as always!). The quirk you mentioned with using punctuation (it'a, etc.), can than not be rectified by intoducing that as a new word? And how did you find it for one-handed use? Cheers.
I have had my E55 & 52 for two weeks so will share a little input. For one-handed use the E52 is a much better solution.
The half QWERTY is designed to be used with two hands but it is possible to use one handed. You have to be more accurate and in a weird way I felt like I would drop the device when trying to use it one handed (My thumb was going all over the place). The E52 is a lot more comfortable one handed. I am walking around most of the time and found myself constantly stopping to text or email with the E55 were, as with the E52 it felt more natural. If you have both hands free then you won't have any issues.
Hi
Just a question, slightly off-topic: how do you find out which version of Web is installed? (I have a Innov8, which is also S60v3 FP2, but I guess it's not as updated...)
Thanks
Ricky
xxnoelziexx, does the E55 have T9 for the numeric keys? If so, that would still be a one-handed option, right?
Does a long press on the fullstop/comma button enable you to choose whether to have a fullstop or a comma? Likewise for an apostrophe can you long press on the appropriate key to bring up an apostrophe?
>>Does a long press on the fullstop/comma button enable you to choose whether to have a fullstop or a comma? Likewise for an apostrophe can you long press on the appropriate key to bring up an apostrophe?
Long press on the ., key gives a semi colon. Long press on the l key gives apostrophe.
Re: Web version: if your copy doesn't have an 'About' menu item then you have the 'old' one! 8-)
Great review!
Does the E55 have a digital compass? If so, do Ovi Maps and the N97Compass app work with it?
Have you checked to see if by chance either Podcasting or Internet Radio were available from Download!? Alternatively, does the version of Podcasting that Nokia offers as a free download for older devices work on the E55?
RickyS, another, slightly more scientific, method is to visit with your phone some site that show you your user-agent string, for example http://www.useragent.org/.
The older Web application uses version 413 of the Apple WebKit. For example, the user-agent of your i8510 may look something like this:
Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.3; U; Series60/3.2 Samsung/I8510/XXHJ3; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/413 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/413
By contrast, the newer Web app uses version 525. For example, the user-agent of the E55 is:
Mozilla/5.0 (SymbianOS/9.3; Series60/3.2 NokiaE55-1/021.008; Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 ) AppleWebKit/525 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 BrowserNG/7.1.13841
Version 525 is also the one used by the browser on the iPhone OS 2.0, whose user-agent is:
Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5A345 Safari/525.20
Will you be getting the Nokia E72 in for a hands-on any time soon? I still really can't make my mind up between the E55 or the E72!
Has anyone measured the battery lifetime with WLAN active all the time? I'm planning to have push-mail, RSS-feeds and SIP VoIP on all the time while in range of a hotspot (e.g. at home or the office). I heared the first WLAN-enabled phones had battery issues when used this way.
Unregistered wrote:Has anyone measured the battery lifetime with WLAN active all the time? I'm planning to have push-mail, RSS-feeds and SIP VoIP on all the time while in range of a hotspot (e.g. at home or the office). I heared the first WLAN-enabled phones had battery issues when used this way.
With Sip/Voip constantly connnected over wifi - 24 hours a day, and with moderate usage (a few calls, some internet and gratity(twitter) usage), I am getting two days from fully charged to four bars.
I haven't let the battery drop below four bars yet.
It would have been amazing if the half qwerty was the kind implemented by SE in M600 and the P1i, i.e. press the left side for Q and press the right side for W. No T9 needed in that case and it works almost like a qwerty.
Word suggestion is still a good feature though and definitely increases speed, but may not work at all.
I am confused about the memory of this device. For me, the amount of RAM is the most critical information when it comes to smartphones (that is why I have N82). There is really nothing more frustrating than "Sorry out of RAM" messages while being under a time pressure.
On the official site you get the following information (http://www.forum.nokia.com/devices/E55):
Memory Functions
Maximum User Storage 60 MB
NAND Memory 256 MB
Memory Card type Micro SD
Memory Card Features Hot Swap
Maximum Memory Card Size 16 GB
Maximum Heap Size Unlimited
Maximum JAR Size Unlimited
Where is RAM? Or is NAND (the flash type memory) used as such? Could anybody please clarify this for me?
Absolutely essential for travelling on business. Can you let us know when it arrives then I will buy either e55 or e72 according to how I like the keyboard
I wonder if Nokia will ever make a non-touch phone better than the E90.
This one has the E90's battery but nothing has the E90's screen, even the bug-crippled N97, and it looks like hardware graphics acceleration is gone for ever. If I had to replace my two year old E90 now I could only do so with another E90, even if I take cost out of it. Or maybe Apple will have cornered the market in another year or two... they deserve to.
About the camera, is it good enough to shoot business cards? and of cos the square Qcodes lol.
Possible to post a test? 😊
@Pintofale
We are on the same boat. I am using the E90 from 11 month and i used to upgrade each 10 months but now i cant find a successor even on non-Nokia and non-Symbian phones. I am afraid i will go the wrong way and buy a Netbook or WM device.
From E55 i miss:
1. Speed & performance.
2. Photos application to organize my huge images collection.
3. Better Calendar. (now using 3rd party).
4. Ngage.
But what i will miss if i leave E90 to dust is more important. I cant exchange the huge screen,keyboard for just (just fior me) Ngage.
@rvirga Thanks! I'll check it out
nice 2 read your reviews !! almost perfect 😉
i have a question 4 those have this device. how is typing with it ? i spend too much time 4 texting. most handsets give me pain in hand !! ow about E55 ? how much keyboard is soft and easy ? thanx
Radin
Can you confirm which 3G Bands are supported? Thanks!
hi, i've recently bought an e55 from tim, i'm in italy for the moment. could someone help me with the right product code for an unbranded, plain english speaking phone, so i can re-flash my device?!
bastards at TIM made a mess out of the e55, which is by all means, a great phone in my hand.
cheers,
/shark.
Unregistered wrote:nice 2 read your reviews !! almost perfect 😉i have a question 4 those have this device. how is typing with it ? i spend too much time 4 texting. most handsets give me pain in hand !! ow about E55 ? how much keyboard is soft and easy ? thanx
Radin
you'll probably spend about 1-2 hours to get aquainted with the new two-thumbs half-qwerty style, but if you're a fast keyboard typer, just let your brain do the work. 😉 you'll not even notice when you'll start using the keyboard. or, maybe it's just up to your geekness level 😊)
/shark.
mihaiparlea wrote:hi, i've recently bought an e55 from tim, i'm in italy for the moment. could someone help me with the right product code for an unbranded, plain english speaking phone, so i can re-flash my device?!
bastards at TIM made a mess out of the e55, which is by all means, a great phone in my hand.
cheers,
/shark.
Productcode for TIM E55 :0586709
Europa code:0580935
Includes Enlgish deutsch Turkce Esti Francais Italiano
For me is the problem that the europian version has No dutch.
The TIM version has got dutch so i have to stay on that one.
Is there anyone out here know if there are other firmwarecode's WITH dutch language included.
0584287 021.013 BALKANS White Al
0568630 021.013 EURO1 Black Al
0582012 021.013 LATVIA LITHUANIAN Black Al
0580935 021.013 EURO2 ALS Black Al
0584222 021.013 SCANDI 2 White Al
0584268 021.013 EURO3 White Al
0582009 021.013 EURO1 ITALY Black Al
0584277 021.013 EURO7 White Al
0584274 021.013 EURO6 White Al
0578286 021.013 BALKANS Black Al
0578267 021.013 SCANDI2 Black Al
0584285 021.013 MOLDOVA White Al
0575067 021.013 EURO3 Black Aluminium
0584215 021.013 EURO1 White Al
0582008 021.013 EURO1 GENERAL Black Al
0584283 021.013 RUSSIAN BELARUS White Al
0584286 021.013 RUSSIAN CIS White Al
0584216 021.013 EURO1 GENERAL White Al
0578275 021.013 GREECE Black Al
0584279 021.013 BALTIAN White Al
0586636 021.013 SCANDI 1 FINLAND White Al
0578271 021.013 EURO8 Black Al
0584217 021.013 EURO1 NETHERLANDS White Al
0584271 021.013 EURO4 White Al
0584278 021.013 GREECE White Al
0578277 021.013 BALTIAN Black Al
0578274 021.013 HISPANIA Black Al
0582010 021.013 EURO2 LUXEMBURG Black Al
0584265 021.013 EURO2 White Al br
0578279 021.013 RUSSIAN BELARUS Black Al
0582007 021.013 EURO1 NETHERLANDS Black Al
0586638 021.013 HEBREW ISRAEL White Al
0584282 021.013 BALTIAN ESTONIA White Al
0578285 021.013 RUSSIAN CIS Black Al
0578269 021.013 EURO4 Black Al
0575066 021.013 EURO2 Black Aluminium
0578272 021.013 EURO6 Black Al
0584284 021.013 RUSSIAN UA White Al
0586637 021.013 EURO9 White Al
0578287 021.013 HEBREW ISRAEL Black Al
0584218 021.013 EURO1 ITALY White Al
0586641 021.013 SCANDI 1 FINLAND Black Al
0584220 021.013 SCANDI 1 White Al
0584227 021.013 EURO2 LUXEMBURG White Al
0578268 021.013 EURO9 Black Al
0578278 021.013 BALTIAN ESTONIA Black Al br
0578280 021.013 RUSSIAN UA Black Al
0578282 021.013 MOLDOVA Black Al
0584281 021.013 LATVIA LITHUANIAN White Al
0575065 021.013 SCANDI 1 Black Aluminium
0578270 021.013 EURO5 CZECH Black Al
0578273 021.013 EURO7 Black Al