Review: Nokia N73 mobile phone

Nokia's N series of phones have usually been enormous monsters; powerful and multi-functional, but lumbering and slow. The N73, though, has a fast processor, is small enough to be manageable, much more enjoyable than its predecessors, and just as smart.

The 3.2megapixel camera is safely hidden away behind a large sliding cover - although this can slide open in the pocket, draining the battery. The phone has a Carl Zeiss lens and autofocus, which go some way to making up for the lack of optical zoom. And while it has an LED flash, it takes great pictures even in low light.

The large, bright, high-resolution screen displays the photos beautifully, too. The camera springs into life as you press the dedicated button, automatically re-formatting the screen to landscape so you can hold it more like a digital camera.

The N73 has another photographic trick up its sleeve – Flickr. After a shot is taken, the image can be committed to the phone's memory or uploaded to the photo-sharing website. This is easy and convenient and, given that this is a 3.2megapixel camera, a function that before now would have been redundant.

Music is another key element of the N73, with the 42MB of internal memory expandable thanks to the memory card slot. Add a 1GB card and you have plenty of space for tunes. Music playback through the headphones is good, and the playback software is easy and intuitive.

The phone's keyboard, though, is a disappointment. Not in the way that Nokia's handsets can sometimes deliver keys that are peculiarly shaped, oddly positioned or hard to identify. No, here they're regular and clearly defined. But they're also small and tightly packed so that dialling, let alone texting, can be treacherous.

Battery life, given the large screen and the demands photography and music make, was surprisingly good, lasting a couple of days between charges.

Recent Nokia smartphones, like the N80, have included Wifi among their capabilities, paving the way for making VoIP calls on your mobile. This is missing from the N73. Still, other 3G Nokia handsets have also omitted a camera for video calls, too, and at least that's here. Though will you ever use it?

It's a great-shaped phone, with an excellent camera and some neat features, really only let down by fiddly keys.

Also consider
Samsung D900
Overall: Samsung's latest D900 is that rare treat - a catwalk model with brains
Rating: 3
Price: From free depending on contract; £250 (pay-as-you-go)

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