Nokia E5 review

The Nokia E5 is one of the many Nokia devices around that features a full Qwerty keyboard on the front, just like a BlackBerry.

It's up against the BlackBerry 8520 - a device launched in India a couple of years back, but that doesn't mean Nokia can't take it on.

The Nokia E5 may not be the best looking Qwerty around. Its finish is quite plasticky, but there is a premium feeling metal backplate that feels really sturdy.

Like many Nokia E-series devices, the E5 supports dual mode, allowing you to switch between work and pleasure modes. For example, you can have your work email in work mode and your Gmail or web-based personal email in personal mode.

It's pretty handy to have on a device not limited to business and is simple to switch between the two using a dedicated button.

You'll probably miss a touchscreen on the E5. Although the screen is pretty small, it's not going to come up against RIM's new Bold Touch, but if you do want a touchscreen handset with Qweerty keyboard, we recommend the newer Nokia E6 which integrates the two.

The 2.36-inch display boasts 320x240 pixels, so again, not top of the handset pile there, but it does display a decent amount of information and you won't squint when browsing web pages either. On the homescreen, all the most important shortcuts are displayed, including contacts, app shortcuts and email/calendar information.

Below the screen, there's that Qwerty keyboard. Letters are well spaced and the keyboard provides a decent amount of feedback, so you are aware of which key you're pressing.

The Nokia E5 runs on Nokia's S60 platform. Although it's a little outdated now, thanks to the launch of Symbian^3, the E5 shouldn't be rejected for this. S60 is certainly still a great platform for phones especially those for business use.

Connectivity-wise, Nokia hasn't scrimped. There's Wi-Fi, which is a welcome addition for those who want to browse at faster speeds than you'll be able to get if your area doesn't support 3G yet. Incidentally, HSDPA is included, which is great for those who travel out of India or whose area supports 3G.

An extra Wi-Fi app will search for Wi-Fi spots and alert you when new ones become available so you can lock onto them without any problems.

A-GPS has been included in the E5 too, ensuring you can use Nokia's free maps solution for navigation.

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