I’ve owned and loved every top of the range Nokia since the Chrome-bodied 8810 and my personal favourite remains the Titanium Bodied black 8910i.
Low on features but ahead of all that might challenge for pure looks and wow factor. Its combination of cold metal, slow automated rising motion and colour screen (if somewhat primitive now) still get looks from all who see it in use.
Not so for the 8800. It may look nice at first but it’s a bitch to use, something I will elaborate on shortly, and it’s the equivalent of a modern-day ball and chain. The phone should come with a Nokia-tailored belt as an accessory - something you’ll be in need of in order to keep your pants up should you find yourself having to arrive anywhere on foot.
Yes, as previously mentioned, it is pretty. It does have a nice camera, the screen is beautiful to behold with colours rich and vibrant and the specialised ringtones make for a unique touch. However, its shortcomings, unfortunately, far outweigh its talents. It’s heavy to hold - and this is easily noticable when comparing it to its titanium bodied predecessor.
The buttons, whilst being of a larger dimension to their 8910i counterparts, are so closely spaced that navigating menus is maddening. Another thing this model sadly falls up short on is pure impact. It maybe attractive but what it does not have is something even remotely close to being revolutionary. The sliding facia, whilst it does slide upwards, is merely an evolution of the original 8810 design. What made the 8910 and 8910i so unique was the revolutionary way the keypad was hidden when not in use. At the press of a button the entire body rose gracefully frome the key pad shield; something that, as stated, still attracts attention years after its release. Unlike past models, namely the 8800 and 8910i, I do not see this phone standing the test of time and remaining something of beauty in years to come.
It also lacks any support for memory cards - but then again, the fashion based high end Nokias have not been competitive in the features department since the 1998 release of the 8850.
The 8800, therefore, cannot be recommended unless you have a passion for the sliding face Nokias - as I did - and are prepared to sacrifice almost all else for this. Personally, I am now waiting on the upcoming release of the credit-card-sized Samsung whose facia, I hope, will be redesigned in the near future.
In summary, for the fist time following the release of 88/89 series Nokia, I find myself awaiting the release of a competitor. Sad but true.