The Nokia N97: What Comes in the Box

By Rico, 5:05 pm Sat Jul 4 2009 - Featured, Reviews - 7 Opinions

The N97 is Nokia’s latest flagship model, available at a price worthy of its status. So for P34,000 at most, what comes with the phone? Find out what Nokia gets right, and how the manufacturer will leave future buyers wanting a bit more. Also, something first-time users should watch out for.

To recap, here’s what comes in the box (at least in the Philippines, and as of this writing):

• The Nokia N97
• Phone case
• BP-4L 1500mAh battery
• Charger
• Charger adapter
• USB data cable
• Earphone-remote handsfree kit
• Manual and warranty docs
• Nokia Ovi Suite installer
• Wipe cloth
• Detachable stylus you can loop into the phone

First-Time Users, Watch Out!

A sticker advertising the Ovi store covers the phone’s display out of the box. Underneath is a transparent film covering the entire faceplate of the N97. It’s possible to remove the Ovi sticker only, something I didn’t realize until I mistakenly peeled off the protective film to see the display, losing the film’s potential as a screen protector.

In short, pull the corner of the Ovi sticker, and not the silver tab, before using the phone.

No Memory Card?

The Nokia N97 doesn’t come with a microSD memory card. The manufacturer probably thought the built-in 32GB memory would suffice, and I agree with them. The phone does have a microSD slot, so those who want even more memory can add up to 8GB of capacity.

The Really Really Snug Case

The phone case for some reason is very very tight. When I dropped by Nokia Philippines to pick up the phone, I eagerly put it into the case, only to have a really hard time pulling it out. After some hilarious attempts involving the front-desk guard gripping one end of the case while I tried pulling the phone, I realized it’s easier to just push the bottom of the case to force the unit out.

Apparently the case becomes looser from use, but a higher-quality case that fits properly right out of the box (instead of this very tight, faux-leather number) would be better.

Cables, Cables, and More Cables

The Nokia N97 comes with its own charger. Nothing special there, but at least Nokia also included an adapter that lets owners use older chargers with this phone’s micro USB port (which both the USB cable and charger plug into). The inclusion of a USB data cable is standard for a high-end phone.

The bundled earphone-remote kit makes the N97 hands-free right out of the box. It lets owners do calls and control music playback while keeping the phone in the pocket. The earphone bud cushions are a bit hard to apply, something more worthy for factory work—especially since no extra cushions come in the box.

The Other Stuff

Nothing special here as well: the manual (parts of which are also available on the phone itself) and warranty documentation are standard. So is the Ovi suite installer CD. A special booklet that introduces Nokia Ovi and the Ovi store is more marketing-oriented than useful.

I’ve never had to use the detachable stylus, which attaches to the bottom of the phone. Nokia included it for precision tapping and handwriting, but the keyboard and virtual numeric keypad already work well enough. I personally prefer the “guitar pick” that’s bundled with the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, but I guess that’s incompatible with the N97’s positioning as the “adult” top-dog phone.

A welcome inclusion with the phone is the soft wipe cloth. Once N97 owners start realizing how easily the chrome and touch-screen of this phone attract fingerprints and oil, they’ll both curse and praise Nokia at the same time. The N97 looks cultivate an OC I-must-keep-my-phone-clean outlook, and the soft cloth provides the means to indulge it.

What Nokia Should’ve Included

Aside from a better case, Nokia should’ve included the N97 into its Comes With Music program (currently unavailable for this phone, much less in the Philippines). The phone isn’t as hip or youth-oriented as the 5800, but purchasing a flagship Nokia model always represents brand loyalty and a significant investment for the buyer. Why not reward that kind of devotion?

All things said, each Nokia N97 comes with a lot of useful items. At the very least, the USB data cable, hands-free kit, charger adapter, and the phone’s built-in 32GB of memory means you don’t have to buy accessories to maximize the N97. The bundle is good, but pretty much standard for a high-end phone.

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