Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Review in the Philippines
UPDATE 3: I have a review up of the new Nokia N97 — following the successful touch screen experience of the 5800.
UPDATE 2: More hands on with me playing with the phone. I talk about the touch screen in particular.
UPDATE: From Nikka Abes of Nokia Philippines:
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone is selling at a preorder price of P20,000.00. To place a preorder please sign up at the Nokia Philippines website. This goes to the first 58 sign ups.
The price of the 5800 XpressMusic is pegged at about P18,000 without tax so we can estimate this to be at the early P20,000 mark when it comes out officially (nota bene: this is only speculation, btu it gives you a rough estimate how much of your Christmas money to save).
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NOKIA 5800 FIRST IMPRESSIONS
A bit of history: the XpressMusic line is Nokia’s flagship brand for anything and everything music. If the Nseries concentrates on multimedia (video mostly), the E series on corporate use, the XpressMusic line is distinct because it has two things – a separate high quality audio hardware (loud and crisp speakers) and a 3.5mm speaker jack. This is consistent throughout all the Nokia phones branded as XpressMusic.
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone is Nokia’s first Nseries touch screen device as well. Nokia has had two other semi popular touch screen phones in the past – the Nokia 6708 and the Nokia 7710, released back in 2006. Here is a walk through of the various features. My first impressions were very positive as the touch screen integrates well into the device. Unlike the iPhone which is an SMS composing nightmare, the 5800 slightly vibrates each time you press a button. There are three text input modes available – full QWERTY keyboard, mini QWERTY keyboard and the traditional numerical keypad.
Photos and full feature after the jump.
Full QWERTY
Mini QWERTY
Numerical Keypad / T9
The first two methods present a slight learning curve, and this to me is no surprise, especially for the mini QWERTY where a “widget keyboard” pops up in the message composition screen (stylus use advised!). The traditional text input (numerical keypad) is perhaps the most efficient way to enter text and the overall experience doesn’t stray from having a real hardware buttons. In other words, you can type on this third input method with 100% accuracy once you get hold of the device. As expected, it supports predictive text (T9) as well.
The Nokia 5800 comes with a built in accelerometer that tilts the device depending how you hold it. Landscape mode is the default mode for the 3.2MP auto focus camera. Here is a sample shot I took sans the flash (the yellow table decor below) using the 5800. All the controls are in the touch screen with a slight variation in the user interface. The virtual camera buttons are bigger so that they can be pressed easily.
The home screen is completely revamped. According to Nikka Abes from Nokia Philippines, you can now assign special four contacts to your home screen. These four contacts (i.e. “best friends”) will have pertinent information displayed, apart from making them easy to reach. Such information would include RSS feeds from their blogs so you are constantly updated on their lives. To the right of the 5800 XpressMusic branding is a small icon that is actually another shortcut button to open up more functions.
The 5800 only has three buttons on the front face – two for accepting or rejecting calls and a middle home button. There is a jog slider on the right side of the phone for locking and unlocking the device.
Bottomline
The 5800 XpressMusic is a stroke of genius from Nokia. If you’re the type of person who is allergic to a touch screen interface, I urge you to give this a try when it comes out in your local dealer’s display. You’d be amazed how intuitive the tactile feedback responds, especially in the regular virtual keypad mode. The new S60 v5 software is also fast, decreasing UI lag by leaps and bounds.
The 5800 is packed with strong features including wireless Internet (802.11g), GPS, Bluetooth, a decent 3.2MP Zeiss auto focus camera, TV out, 3.5mm jack, 140MB of internal memory and 8GB microSD expansion card included in packaging. It also comes with a stylus which slides into the back of the phone and is used, I assume for the mini keyboard.
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I want one na! How did you get it?
is this already out?
I want one! So when is the estimated release date here in the Philippines?
yeah, how were you able to get one? where? im definitely getting this phone/ i also have an e71, bagay sila ng 5800….
the phone will be out in a couple of weeks. up next is my first impressions of the t-Mobile G1
Any idea about it’s initial price in the PHilippines? What concerns me is that its cost almost double the projected value in Russia and Spain etc. I hope it won’t cost more than P20,000 in our country. What do you think Jayvee?
@jhoravi – prediction is around 20k actually. reasonable in my openion. what do you think?
sir,
This is a great review for the much-awaited 5800XM! How’d you get one?
Btw, the 5800XM is not Nokia’s first touch screen device, but the 7710.
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_7710-921.php
Thanks and keep it up!!!
@seth
Yeah, and there’s also another touchscreen by Nokia. believe it or not it’s running UIQ!
http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_6708-1518.php
hi seth,
thanks for the correction – the 7710 was a really old device. maybe we should include their browsers as well. the 5800 though is the first “non experimental” touch screen device as i’d classify the 7710 under nokia’s line of experiments. i used to have a 7710 for a couple of days way back and wasn’t very impressed.
@JhorAvi – here’s my Nokia 6708 review from way back!
http://www.cellphone9.com/nokia-6708/
[...] few days ago I reviewed the most advanced XpressMusic phone from Nokia, the 5800 XpressMusic phone. Today, we reveal the Finns’ cheapest XpressMusic phone, the 5130 which is due on shelves [...]
I heard there is a bit of a delay in the release. Do you guys know when this baby will be out?
i just buy nokia 5320 xpress music last month and now the come to know about nokia 5800. tell me when it will available in india and what will be price . i want this phone as soon as possible.
great review
when will the fon be released in the philippines???????
Should be in Philippine Nokia stores by mid-to-end January 2009. Save your money for that folks! As soon as pricing becomes available, I’m sure Jayvee will be informed. =)
hi. im selling NOKIA 5800 EXPRESS MUSIC PHONE at ebay.ph
u can also email me at apple_beronio@yahoo.com for any inquiry.
be the first to own NOKIA 5800 in the philippines.
thanks.
when will the fon be released in the philippines??????? pls updte
it comes in blue and red too, right?!
[...] easy to use touch screen device. The obvious competitor would be the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone, which I’ve also reviewed in this blog. The strongest points of the Pixon M8800 are the camera (panorama stitch mode supported) and an [...]
well everybody who wants it should preorder 1st 100 will have th privilage to go to a party and 1st 58 will receive headphones. nice a??
I’m buying this one pag di aabot ng 30k.. oh sana di umabot…. sana sana sana T_T
[...] price of P20,000 which is roughly equivalent to USD $400.00 Live in the Philippines? Have you been eyeing the Nokia 5800? All you need to do is sign up at the launch page and reserve your unit now! Now that’s a great [...]
i want to have it now…kadugay oi…i can’t wait(//_^)
[...] From Nikka Abes of Nokia Philippines through ABuggedLife.com. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone is selling at a pre-order price of P20,000.00. Thanks to [...]
@Rufela – dugay mo lang
nag pre sign up na ko, pero ambot lang kung naka sulod ko sa first 58 signups.. hehe 
This phone really tempts me to buy it. It seems to be so nice and way better than iPhone. My dilemma, is that I’m already super satisfied with my Nokia E51. Hmmmm.
to Jehzeel: ngsign up na pod ko. wEeE… mayta mkauna ta hehehe…
excited nko to have it…merry christmas!!!
It’s selling for 1500 dirhams here in Dubai that’s approximately 18 to 20t pesos.
May sidekick phone nabang lalabas ngaun?? galing T-mobile?? either slide siya or di anggat ?
i just received email from nokia that i can purchase Nokia 5800 XpressMusic device on January 10, 2009 at the Nokia Store, B3 Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City. One pre-ordered registration form equals one device. Be one of the first to own the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic for only Php 19,990!
would it be be possible if i will just purchase it to nokia store here? pls reply
i am one of the lined up customer for this. see you at B3. i have already a registered text and email from nokia. id’s and my credit cards are ready to go. see yah guys. – luis
wEeE…at last i have it nah…kakapagod mgpila kahapon…nasa ika 103 ako n nkapila…grabe! daming pumila…pero ok…meron silang snacks hahaha
I’m no.31!!! Free headset and 2 VIP tickets for the Hedkandi concert!!! =)
Sayang di ata pede magpost ng pix here…
link nalang… hehehe
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3121/3184419261_9dcca51d7c.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/3185356574_0088e5e780.jpg
sobrang ganda nung 5800XM!!! Kaya bili na rin kayo, bago magmahal since I believe magmamahal na sya, since ang dami ng demands… =)
103rd of the first batch? …i wonder,, lahat ba yesterday nabigyan? ..i was 253rd in line but i didnt stay to wait because i was pissed off… i asked the girls in pink if all of the people who are in ine will get a device and she said with a shy smile “yun ang hindi po namen masasagot kase hindi po namen inexpect na ganito kadame” so i was like “huh?” dont tell me il wait here for hours and i have no assurance il get a device,,knowing that i have pre-ordered the device and even got a phone call from nokia that my pre-ordered device is ready for pick up… sheeesh
and i also asked,, after this promo how much is the market price of 5800? ..and she said “20k rin po suggested retail price niya” nyek! ganun din pala!?
[...] folks. You probably read my first hands on with the Nokia 5800 last year. My first impressions still are basically the same, now that I finally have the unit with [...]
[...] Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Review in the Philippines [...]
[...] A Bugged Life [...]
[...] above is the MPro side by side a Nokia 5800 XpressMusic (my reviews here and here) and a Samsung Pixon M8800. As you can see … well, yeah it could very well be mistaken for a [...]
can anyone tell me if secondary camera of 5800 can be used for picture taking just like the other nokia phones. if it does, pls teach me how… tnx(//_^)
i like it too,.
Can i possibly be a model of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic? That fon was very impressive.. and adimres to everyone.. Friendly user..
Can i possibly be a model of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic? That Phone was very impressive.. and adimres to everyone.. Friendly user..
helo guyz i already have updated my phone to v20…checkout this nokia 5800 userthread
if you want to know updates, latest application and answers to your questions about the unit…i hope this could help you…thanks
http://www.tipidcp.com/viewtopic.php?tid=5841&page=58
[...] is pretty much a minimalist when it comes to UI buttons. Using the phone with just the touch screen feels exactly like the 5800 experience. When you open up the phone to reveal the QWERTY keypad, you’re treated with a compact [...]
im working here in saudi arabia as a nurse and 5800 here is everywhere costly 1200 riyals(approximately 15thou pesos) but made in China and im looking for finland or Hungary but according to Nokia salesman there is no available nokia product from finland now……is it true?does 5800 made from China is as good as made from finland?
hi!
i’m selling my brand new Nokia 5800 for 16thou to get new camera lenses.
you can get in touch with me at 09273458392.
salamat!
[...] can summarize the experience in one phrase: the Samsung OMNIA HD is essentially a slightly improved Nokia 5800 XpressMusic phone built within Samsung’s elegant exterior with a bright 3.7 inch [...]
guys, im looking froa brandnew nokia 5800.im working at night then asleep on day. do you know how much is the nokia5800?
My classmate has the same phone. ENVY.
is it cheaper in spain? or anywhere in abroad rather in the Phil. ?? ANSWER PLEASE!
)
mga tol may version 21 na d2 sa pinas update na guys