Nokia N97 Mini review

Slick version of Nokia flagship phone arrives to upstage its big brother

Nokia N97 Mini
The N97 Mini is a slightly cut-down version of the full-blown N97, but it's still a winner

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nokia n97 mini

Nokia's Ovi Store applications and content download store is just one of many online-based applications that come pre-loaded on the N97 Mini, connecting you to mobile-optimised internet services and social networking sites.

With Wi-Fi onboard, when hooked up to a hotspot you can enjoy speedy zipping around websites and uploading or downloading of content (the phone also has a Share Online facility to bring together your online accounts details, speeding up the content sharing process).

High-speed mobile connectivity is available too via HSDPA (the up-to-3.6Mbps variety), so is pretty nippy for downloading too when you're out and about.

nokia n97 mini

The Nokia browser used on the N97 Mini is a tidy piece of software without dazzling with innovation. It renders full web pages quickly and efficiently, and supports Flash Lite. The user experience is an improvement over earlier S60 browsers.

Touchscreen buttons can be used to call up address bars, zoom in and out, plus a grid of navigation and control options can be brought up with a quick finger tap. It makes it easier to negotiate than on previous conventional S60 phones.

nokia n97 mini

nokia n97 mini

However, it's still not got the intuitive, smooth ease of use of the iPhone or some Android devices; there's no pinch zooming, for instance. Still, websites look good on the 3.2-inch screen, and you can view full screen in landscape mode.

nokia n97 mini

Among the online services to hand on the N97 Mini are social networking favourites like Facebook - there's a widget for it pre-loaded onto the home screen - MySpace, Friendster and Hi5.

Some online-based services included in Applications folder, such as YouTube, simply take you to mobile-optimised sites, though there are some useful and entertaining apps among a well-populated selection that includes CNN Video, Bloomberg, the Reuters Slideshow image-based service, Amazon, Metro, AccuWeather.com's weather forecasts app, Psiloc's useful World Traveller software, ESPNsoccernet football news service and an Elle magazine app.

Nokia's also included a Qik application that allows users to stream live video online or upload footage for viewing later.

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