Nokia E75 model lives up to its billing

Dubai: Nokia's E75 is a good example of how the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Nokia's latest smart phone doesn't introduce anything new in terms of software or functionality. Instead, it's a physical redesign of its predecessor - the E71.

The result is a smaller, more compact phone that does everything its predecessor did, including a 3.2 megapixel camera, excellent video and audio recording, the ability to surf the web, and a decent media player.

When the E75 is closed, it resembles an older Nokia, complete with a 12-key number pad. The phone also retains the same 10 navigation keys pretty much standard on all Nokia models.

The largest change is in the placement of the Qwerty keyboard. The E71 placed the keyboard on the front of the phone, resulting in a wide phone with a relatively small key pad.

With the E75, the phone's faceplate slides up to reveal a keyboard that runs the entire length of the device. The result is a keyboard almost twice the size, and this definitely makes for much easier typing.

At first glance, the E75 seems slightly less sturdy when opened, although a closer examination of the phone shows that it is well built. I just wasn't used to having such a slim device to type on.

The E75 also gives up on the hard, rounded plastic keys of the E71 in exchange for flat, soft plastic. This isn't a complaint, but it took me a while before I felt comfortable with the key positions to touch-type (well, as much as that's possible using only your thumbs.)

Web browsing isn't as smooth as you get from the iPhone, but it isn't bad either.

Users looking for a larger screen will be disappointed, as the new model is exactly the same size as the old.

When the keyboard closed folded up, the screen is vertically oriented, but when opened it switches to horizontal, making web browsing much easier.

This is certainly a good phone and lived up to what is expected from Nokia.

Nokia E75: Model specifications

- 3.2 megapixel camera.
- Flat, soft plastic keys as opposed to hard, rounded plastic keys of the E71.
- Sliding faceplate that reveals a Qwerty keyboard running along length of phone and which is almost twice the size of the E71 keyboard.
- Vertically oriented screen which when opened switches to horizontal for easier web browsing.
- 12-key number pad and 10 navigation keys which are pretty much standard to all Nokia models.
- Excellent video and audio recording.