The N96 comes loaded with features like live TV and widgets a la Windows Vista, but it runs out of battery a little too soon. The body and finish are not up to the mark either, finds our correspondent
The Nokia N96 has so much packed into it that you will need a few days to know everything about it: 5-megapixel camera with quality lens and autofocus, immense memory space of 16 GB that can be expanded by another 8 GB with a microSD memory card, good quality video and audio playback, a 2.8-inch colour screen, high-speed Internet access with support for downloads and flash video, built-in GPS with free downloadable maps for over 150 countries, even live TV.

The N96 builds on the Nokia N95. It is slightly bigger and heavier but also curvier, with a less confusing keypad. Among the more significant differences are the upgrade of the Series 60 user interface from 3.1 to 3.2, an increase in flash memory from 8 to 16 GB and the introduction of live TV.

Thanks to an internal antenna and a DVB-H TV tuner, the N96 lets you watch television on your phone, but only channels offered by state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. The fun doesn’t stop here. The N96 comes loaded with a generous assortment of preloaded music videos and tracks. The quality of playback, especially video, is very good.

The N96 comes preloaded with a music download application, Nokia Music Store, but this feature isn’t available in India yet. Then there are the games like Tetris, which though exciting, have to be bought online before you can play them using N-Gage.

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