Nokia E71 - first impressions

There have been many excellent, in-depth reviews posted about the E71 so rather than go over everything again I've aimed to highlight the features that have really caught my eye. So, after yesterday's launch event of the E71 and having had the opportunity to now use the handset, what are my initial impressions?

I love the form factor - considering the handset has a qwerty keypad, the size is excellent. Still fits in a shirt pocket which works for me! The build quality is also fantastic. The steel construction makes the handset feel very solid when sitting in your hand.

Moving to the software, what's new and innovative? Nokia's email setup wizard makes configuring an email service very simple. All you need to do is enter your email address and the handset uses a database of ISPs to automatically configure the settings. Switch mode is a very neat facility that allows you to differentiate between two different user modes, typically business and home. You can have two separate sets of settings, e.g. home screen, email, ring tones, with a single menu selection - very simple but also innovative. This recognises the fact that many people use their handsets in two distinct environments.

The distinction between consumer focussed handsets (N Series) and business focussed handsets (E Series) is starting to blur, with the incorporation of Switch Mode, a better camera (3.2MP), Share on Ovi and Nokia Maps. This is a sensible recognition of the fact that many people use handsets in both environments.