I've been using the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic as my primary handsets for almost exactly a week now. My thoughts of it so far are positive. The 5800xm is an iconic handset, it's one of the few handsets that Nokia got right - eventually. Very much like the Nokia N95 it set a benchmark for all future Nokia handsets, but all those that followed it failed for various reasons. More about that later.
The 5800xm was the first Symbian S60 touch handset and upon it's release sold more than anyone actually expected. It's one of the top 3 handsets where most mobile users can agree on being a definitive moment in the Nokia line to be a success; the other 2 are N95 and E71. The initial release version as with most Nokias, was buggy and not up to par with the rest of the market, whilst most weren't convinced Symbian and Touch would go together well - in hindsight they were very much right. With the latest FW (v40) update the 5800 is a lot more stable and responsive than the initial release. But the most interesting point about this handset and one I love most is the hardware.
This handset has some very good hardware. The first thing anyone would notice is the smoothness and the narrowness of the device, it's easy to hold on to whilst speaking on a call (yes, people still make phone calls). The speakers on it are easily the best I've heard on any Nokia in the last 3 years, they're loud enough, put out a good treble range, this should be expected from an XpressMusic handset. Design-wise it's top notch. The connectivity options have been done properly, with thought.
At the top the MicroUSB connection, 3.5mm jack, charging port (if this was made recently, wouldn't be there) and power button can all be located, and that's where they should be. It does make the top of the handset bulge in a strange shape, but I find it's acceptable. The keylock slider, camera button and volume keys can be found on the right side of the handset, which have been designed to blend in with the curvature of the handset, and it's been accomplished damn well. On the left hand is where it gets interesting. The MicroSD slot is located behind a sleek flipper style door and right next to that is a SIM card slot, haven't seen that in any handsets.
Overall the 5800xm is a device it seems was produced when Nokia had the time to sit down and design hardware so not only does it look good, but is practical too. The handset is solid, it feels good to hold, it looks sleek and sophisticated and at it's time had features which could and should have won awards. But all it did was sell a lot of units and run on an ageing OS which is now at it's deathbed. Ironically all handsets which succeeded the 5800xm have all been designed with cost cuts in mind, missing key features and attention to detail, all tailored for a more affordable market. It's sad to see how a giant leader in it's industry has fallen, has let standards fall and not paid attention to the ever changing expectations and quality of build for not only hardware but also software . And for that, they find themselves in a fight to survive for the next 10 years.
Whether they struggle to exist in 10 years or are thriving on top once again, one thing is for sure, they've left a legacy behind them. The 5800xm defines what's great (or was) about Nokia, great hardware. But that's no longer acceptable as the only good thing. Expectations have changed, the product as a whole needs be on par, everywhere, first time.
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