The single-SIM Nokia 808 PureView has been around for a while and some users can’t stop raving about its 41 megapixel camera. I find it funny and contradictory that some of those same folks are also trashing its other features. I feel it is only fair to review a device feature-by-feature and make comparisons only where required. That way, buyers would know what to expect and be happy for having chosen right based on their requirements. So, let’s take a closer look at the 808 PureView.
Processor: The 808 PureView has a 1.3 GHz (ARM 11) processor, GPU = OpenVG 1.1, OpenGL ES 2.0, which should be more than sufficient to run limited number of apps on the 190 ppi display resolution.
Operating System: The 808 runs on Symbian Belle which I feel is fast being phased out. For very obvious reasons – the Belle gives access to so few apps. The Symbian OS (both Anna and Belle) may have been good but the Android is clearly streets ahead. For memory you have 512 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM.
Screen: It has a capacitive 4 inch touch-screen (Corning Gorilla glass) providing AMOLED display in 640 x 360 Pixels resolution in 16M colors.
Cameras: The best feature of the 808 is no doubt the 41 Megapixel camera with a 3X zoom at the back. Now most people would ask whether it is better than a DSLR camera. It cannot be compared for many reasons, the main reason being you cannot carry your camera everywhere with you. Whereas a phone that is always with you keeps you ever-ready for great photo-opps. And there is no question about it that the pix you take on the 808 are far better than those taken on any other mobile phone.
Also we must understand how Nokia achieves this amazing brilliance in imaging. The 808 employs the ‘oversampling’ technique where data is gathered from around 8 pixels and combined into 1 pixel. This way the images would show zero noise. It would also have amazing detail and sharpness, almost like those taken on a DSLR. The technique is raised to the level of 41 megapixel, hence the breathtakingly beautiful pictures.
The digital zoom in this case is also superb as you can get 3X zoom with absolutely no loss in resolution, even while video shooting (Full HD @ 1920 x 1080, 30 fps). The camera’s sundry features include Carl Zeiss Optics, Xenon Flash, Red-eye Reduction, Face Detection, Auto Focus, etc. as in any digicam.
The front camera is only 0.3 Megapixel, which is okay, since for chatting you hardly require a high-res camera.
Connectivity: The phone is 3G offering 14.4 Mbps HSDPA; 5.76 Mbps HSUPA. It also has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS support with A-GPS and Nokia maps 3.0
Audio/Video: It supports MP3, MIDI, WAV, eAAC+ and for video H.263, H.264, MPEG-4, WMV 9, VP6, 3GPP, AVI, VC-1, ASF, HD Video Playback.
Apps: YouTube, Instant Messaging, Facebook, Twitter; well as I said above, don’t expect more when you have such a great camera from a not-so-great OS.
Storage: The usual 16GB internal with microSD slot for upto 32GB.
Battery Life: When using 2G the phone’s Li-ion 1400 mAh battery will give you up to 465 hours and in 3G, 540 hours standby time. Talktime, likewise of 11 hours and 6 hours.
Price: Around Rs. 33k.
Considering all the above features and the price, I feel it would be just right for someone who has a very active social life and is always updating pix of friends yet wants all those pix to come out great – with amazing clarity in details and brightness. It may also be suitable for the outdoors if you do not wish to carry the DSLR with you. I might add that the price tag of around 33k is a bit high as this is only a single-SIM GSM phone. For that kind of price you might get a quad-core phone that is Android based with a lot more apps. Still, the camera remains the deal-breaker.