Nokia E71x (black, AT&T)
Starting at: $164.99
CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Bonnie Cha
- Reviewed on:
The good: The Nokia E71x is affordably priced and offers a long list of features, including 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a 3.2-megapixel camera, as well as support for AT&T's various services. The QWERTY smartphone is very sleek with high-quality construction.
The bad: The GPS initially took a while to find our location. The keyboard layout is somewhat cramped.
The bottom line: Affordably priced, the Nokia E71x for AT&T is an incredible value for business users and consumers looking for a robust messaging smartphone.
It's always been a shame that Nokia's E series of smartphones (as well as the Nokia N series for that matter) rarely make it to U.S. carriers since they offer great business features in slick designs. However, AT&T customers got good news at CTIA 2009 when the companies announced that the carrier would bring the Nokia E71x to its shelves.
Sharing the same design (though coming in a classic but sexy black color) and similar features as the unlocked Nokia E71, the E71x is an extremely sleek and messaging smartphone for business users. However, AT&T ... Expand full review
It's always been a shame that Nokia's E series of smartphones (as well as the Nokia N series for that matter) rarely make it to U.S. carriers since they offer great business features in slick designs. However, AT&T customers got good news at CTIA 2009 when the companies announced that the carrier would bring the Nokia E71x to its shelves.
Sharing the same design (though coming in a classic but sexy black color) and similar features as the unlocked Nokia E71, the E71x is an extremely sleek and messaging smartphone for business users. However, AT&T made an attractive device even more attractive by giving the Nokia E71x a $99.99 (with two-year contract) price tag. It's a great value, especially compared to AT&T's other QWERTY smartphones, such as the Samsung Epix and RIM BlackBerry Bold, considering what you get and the quality of the phone's design.
For this review, we'll be concentrating on the new features and performance. For more information on the Nokia E71x, including full details on its design, please check our full review of the unlocked Nokia E71.
As we noted earlier, the Nokia E71x's features are akin to the unlocked version, but it adds a number of AT&T services, including AT&T XpressMail, AT&T Navigator, Yellowpages.com Mobile, and AT&T Music and Video.
We tested the quad-band Nokia E71x in San Francisco using AT&T service and call quality was good. We enjoyed mostly clear audio during our conversations with just some minimal hissing in the background, and we did experience a dropped call. On the other end of the phone call, our friends reported no major problems or complaints. Speakerphone quality was decent with good volume.
The smartphone offers Bluetooth 2.0 with support for a number of profiles, including stereo Bluetooth, file transfer, object push, and dial-up networking. We successfully paired the E71x with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset and Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones.
Hide ReviewCompare to other smartphones
Compare selected Bonnie Cha is chief correspondent for Crave, covering every kind of tech toy imaginable (with a special obsession for robots and Star Wars-related stuff). When she's not scoping out stories, you can find her checking out live music or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California.
User Reviews
See all user reviewsRating Breakdown
Most Helpful User Review
stars 16 of 16 users found this review helpful
"Quality Smartphone for only $99 + compatible w/ macbook" By brunos82
Pros This phone's build is very solid yet still very light and thin.
Four shortcut keys on the qwerty w/ direct access to home/calendar/contacts/mail (very nice). Battery life (3 days no charge).
It feels 10x better to type w/ vs. the blackberry curve.
Cons Very petty but since something must go here:
-the side voicedial button is not customizable and since I don't use voicecalling it is pretty much useless
-I wish there was one button step to press in order to lock the keyboard
Summary Bottom Line: I cannot believe this phone is only $99 bucks. You should pick one up before Nokia figures out its phone is better than the competition that sells for $200+ and change their pricing. For $99 bucks this phone beats most smartphones out right now! Wifi enabled, 3.2 ... Expand full review
Most Recent User Reviews (Showing 2 of 83 reviews)
Specifications
See full specsQuick Specs
- Service provider: Not specified
- Cellular technology: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
- Talk time: Up to 270 min
