View source for Engineering:Nokia N81

{{Infobox Mobile phone
| name = Nokia N81
| image = NokiaN81.jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| manufacturer = [[Company:Nokia|Nokia]]
| carrier = 
| available = 2007
| screen = 240 x 320 pixels, 2.4", 16M Colors
| camera = 2 MP / 1600 x 1200 px
| 2nd_camera = CIF Video Call Camera
| operatingsystem = Symbian OS 9.2
| input = Keypad
| ringtone = Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3
| memory = 
| memory_card = <!---microSD (SDHC supported)--->
| networks = UMTS/GSM 850/900/1800/1900
| battery = Li-Po 1050 mAh (BP-6MT)
| connectivity = <!---Bluetooth, USB-to-Pop-Port, SMS, MMS, Wi-Fi--->
| size = 102 x 50 x 17.9 mm, 86 cc
| form = Slider
| weight = 140 g
| music = <!--AAC, eAAC, AAC+, MP3, WMA--->
| predecessor = Nokia 6111<br>[[Engineering:Nokia N80|Nokia N80]]<br>[[Engineering:Nokia N91|Nokia N91]]
| successor = [[Engineering:Nokia N85|Nokia N85]]
| related = Nokia N95 8GB<br>[[Engineering:Nokia N78|Nokia N78]]<br>[[Engineering:Nokia N82|Nokia N82]]<br>[[Engineering:Nokia 6110 Navigator|Nokia 6110 Navigator]]
}}

The '''Nokia N81''' is a Symbian OS [[Engineering:Smartphone|smartphone]] announced by [[Company:Nokia|Nokia]] on 29 August 2007 and released the next month. It runs [[Software:S60 (software platform)|S60]] 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1.

The N81 was marketed as an entertainment device focused on music and gaming.<ref>https://www.stuff.tv/nokia/n81/review</ref> It was the first device that came preloaded with the N-Gage 2.0 gaming service in 2008 (albeit in public beta), and it features two dedicated gaming keys that can be used for N-Gage games (this would later also appear on the [[Engineering:Nokia N96|N96]]<ref>https://bgr.com/2008/02/11/nokia-announces-n96-fun-while-it-lasts/</ref>, [[Engineering:Nokia N85|N85]]<ref>http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/19764/nokia-n85/</ref> and 5730 XpressMusic<ref>https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_5730_xpressmusic-review-385.php</ref>). During the launch of N-Gage 2.0, the N81 was specifically chosen by Nokia in advertisements. It was also much marketed as a music-centric smartphone and was one of the first to support the Nokia Music Store service.<ref>https://www.cnet.com/news/ovi-service-becomes-gateway-to-nokia-music-store/</ref> It has stereo speakers that are considered to be very loud.<ref>https://gizmodo.com/294492/hands-on-the-nokia-n81-verdict-really-loud-music-phone</ref> Several reviewers have claimed that the N81 has, much like the older [[Engineering:Nokia N91|Nokia N91]], a very high sound output quality and therefore highly suitable for [[Engineering:Audiophile|audiophile]]s.<ref>https://www.zdnet.com/article/first-impressions-of-the-nokia-n81-8gb-music-now-rocks-on-a-smartphone/</ref><ref>http://www.intomobile.com/2007/10/22/review-nokia-n81-8-gb-too-much-money-for-too-little-hardware/</ref><ref>http://www.mobile88.com/cellphone/Nokia/Nokia-N81-8GB/review.asp</ref><ref>http://www.gadgetnutz.com/2007/10/25/first-look-of-the-nokia-n81-music-and-gaming-first/</ref>

The four-way silver-coloured [[Engineering:D-pad|D-pad]] below the display also contains a new capacitive sensor called the Navi wheel, which allows scrolling in the S60 gallery and music player applications by 'stroking' the key, in a similar manner to the iPod click wheel.<ref>https://phoneboy.com/1915/nokia-n81-8gb-the-sexy-navi-wheel</ref> It is a unique feature that rarely appears on mobile handsets.<ref>https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_n81_8gb-review-176p3.php</ref> The Navi wheel would later also appear on other Nokia Nseries handsets: [[Engineering:Nokia N78|N78]], N85 and [[Engineering:Nokia N79|N79]].

Other than these the N81 has more modest specifications compared to the [[Engineering:Nokia N95|Nokia N95]], with a 2-megapixel camera, lacking both [[Engineering:GPS|GPS]] and HSDPA, and weighing 20 grams heavier.<ref>https://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2007/12/04/review_nokia_n81_smartphone/</ref> However the N81 did have an [[Engineering:ARM11|ARM11]] 369 MHz processor, the fastest on a Nokia device at the time.<ref>https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_n81_8gb-review-180p3.php</ref> The Nokia N81 notably features a sliding spring-loaded physical keylock on the top of the device, located next to the 3.5 mm jack.<ref>https://www.engadget.com/2007/11/15/hands-on-with-the-nokia-n81-8gb/</ref> It is the first Nseries device that swapped the miniUSB port in favour of microUSB.

A variant called N81 8GB with 8-gigabytes of internal flash memory was also announced at the same time. This version retailed for 430 euros before taxes, 70 euros more than the standard version which requires a [[Engineering:MicroSD|microSD]] memory card to expand its 12 megabytes of storage.<ref>http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/5827_Nokia_N81_N81_8GB_and_N95_8GB_.php</ref> N81 would be succeeded by the N85.

== Reception ==
The Nokia N81 had a lower sound output compared to the N91 due to the release of the new firmware version. According to Nokia, they must follow an international standard wherein a device's initial or default volume must be set too low to cause any damage to its users.

CNET found it buggy, slow, and badly designed.<ref name=cnet>"Review", CNet, http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/nokia-n81-8gb-unlocked/4505-6454_7-32581816.html</ref> S21 gave it 3/5, praising its feature set, while again criticising the "plasticky" design.<ref>"Nokia N81", S21, http://www.s21.com/nokia-n81.htm</ref> However its musical capabilities have been highly praised.<ref>https://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2007/12/04/review_nokia_n81_smartphone/</ref><ref>https://gigaom.com/2007/11/09/nokia-n81/</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Nokia phones}}

[[Category:Smartphones]]

{{Sourceattribution|Nokia N81|1}}