Nokia E71 gets pre-review; best Nokia ever?

Nokia's E71 today has received a review ahead of its official release date that suggests it may be the cellphone maker's best device yet. BGR notes that the QWERTY keyboard smartphone is more polished and slimmer than the E61i it replaces without sacrificing features; confirming earlier leaks, the device sports 3G for North American HSDPA networks as well as GPS and Wi-Fi. It also brings a large-capacity battery that lasts through more than a whole day despite "heavy" usage, according to informal tests.

The handset is also believed to have excellent call quality and easy expansion. In software, the phone includes proper Exchange e-mail support, Flash Lite for web video, and RealPlayer. An iPhone-like predictive text algorithm is also in place that lets users complete words or correct them simply by pressing the spacebar. The only significant flaws are said to be a slightly inconvenient keyboard layout and a smudge-prone design.

The review doesn't indicate when the E71 is set to launch and suggests that the device may not be ready for an immediate shipment; software is still rough and may affect the camera quality, BGR notes. In the US, AT&T is most likely to pick up the Nokia phone for its network, while Fido is considered a possibility for Canada. Regardless, the device is considered in the review as a strong rival for nearly any other smartphone.

"This really is going to be the phone to beat by a lot of manufacturers," the site reports. "From the design, to the specs, to the size, the feel — it has the entire package."

Filed under: gadgets
Other story tags: AT&T, Nokia, Flash, Symbian, Fido, Real