I’ve just received a Nokia N97 Mini on loan from the great folks over at WomWorld Nokia, for me to review.  The N97 Mini will be a difficult device for me to review, mainly down to the fact that I was an actual N97 Classic owner, and really didn’t get on with that device.

So, has the N97 Mini changed my initial impressions?  Lets find out.


The box that the N97 Mini comes in is small.  And I mean, really small.  I haven’t done any maths, but in terms of volume, it’s got to be getting close to the same size box as the Apple iPhone.  I think this really shows Nokia’s push towards the greener and more efficient side of life.  There is still a bit of empty space in the N97 Mini box, though, so there is always room for improvement.  I have also got plenty of micro USB cables and chargers, so i would like Nokia to move towards an option policy of say getting a £20 reduction in retail value of a device for example if you opt out of having a wall charger and/or a USB cable included with your device.

Another thing which is small is the N97 Mini itself.  It really doesn’t do it justice in the photo’s.  Even when sat next to another device, the full story is not told.  The ergonomics of the relatively minor reduction in size over the N97 Classic are exponentially magnified.

The keyboard feels good in my first couple of tests, and there is definitely more space between the keys.  Although, I actually quite liked the D-pad on the Classic, so I feel the direction arrows on the Mini to be a slight irritation, and find I actually have to look at the keyboard to check I am hitting the correct arrow sometimes.

The great Nokia build quality is apparent from the moment you first snap the device open and closed.  The edges seem slightly more rounded, and the addition of some extra metal in the construction is much appreciated.

It is not overly clear how to insert your SIM card when first setting up the device.  However, Nokia have printed a small diagram in the battery tray to assist with this.  It still doesn’t make the process any less fiddly and unnecessarily cumbersome.

It’s also a shame to see that Nokia haven’t managed to squeeze to BP-4L 1500 mAh battery in this time, and have instead opted for the BL-4D 1200mAh version.  I have yet to test it’s endurance though, so will hang fire on a judgement, and am willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.  The reduced overall size of the device has had to come from somewhere though, so it may ultimately end up being a price worth paying.  We will see.

Overall, so far my first impressions are good.  I look forward to giving the N97 Mini a good workout over the next couple of weeks, and writing my review accordingly.

If you have any specific areas you would like me to investigate for you, then please feel free to leave a comment, or shoot me an email to steve@thenokiaetwork.com or twitter me.

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