Five reasons to choose… Nokia and Symbian

Confused about the ever-expanding number of smartphone platforms? Unsure which is the right one for you? Our Five Reasons to Choose series gives you an instant guide to the things you need to know about every mobile OS.

Part two: Nokia and Symbian

1. Media creation
No smartphones quite match the capabilities on many Nokia devices, including the N97 and the upcoming N900. Many Nokia phones provide a 5 megapixel camera and additional camera and video features for setting white balance, adjusting zoom, and adding photographic effects.

2. Durability
Nokia smartphones are known for their durability and reliability. The N97, for example, has a thick metal casing that can withstand a drop or two even on a hard surface. The iPhone and Palm Pre, meanwhile, are more susceptible to breakages and scratches when dropped.

3. Corporate backing
A woefully overlooked factor when it comes to smartphones, the Nokia brand has stood the test of time with millions of devices in use all over the world, strong corporate backing, and wide appeal. This means it is easy to find accessories and get technical support – or even someone else in the office with a charger on hand!

4. Removable media
Considering both the Palm Pre and the Apple iPhone do not even provide an external storage option, one benefit to the Nokia platform is that most devices support flash cards, so you can easily expand storage, install apps to cards and even use multiple cards interchangeably as you see fit.

5. Unique apps
Nokia smartphones usually use the Symbian OS (although the new N900 uses the Maemo OS) that tends to have a bit more of an “open source” mentality. Users create unique apps, games, and utilities that serve very specific purposes, such as finding nearby movies. They often lack the finesse of other platforms, but are immensely powerful.

See also:
Five reasons to choose… iPhone

Series written by John Brandon. Originally published in Smartphone Essentials magazine.

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