Remember the 5800 XpressMusic? It's the first touch phone from Nokia, and saw a bumpy start here in the U.S., with units pulled from the shelves because of nonworking 3G connections. It later returned, and now gets a major upgrade in key areas such as responsiveness, data speeds, and camera features.

Eric Ogren, Contributor

March 30, 2009

2 Min Read

Remember the 5800 XpressMusic? It's the first touch phone from Nokia, and saw a bumpy start here in the U.S., with units pulled from the shelves because of nonworking 3G connections. It later returned, and now gets a major upgrade in key areas such as responsiveness, data speeds, and camera features.The free update, available from Nokia's Software Update web site, brings with it some much-needed fixes for the 5800. According to Nokia, once users update their 5800s, they'll see faster mobile data downloads, see a better mobile email experience, and have a better search experience with a new built-in search tool. Other changes include:

  • Faster user interface and faster download time

  • New camcorder features: second camera support for still image capture in addition to video calls, burst mode that allows people to take multiple pictures one after another without needing to repress the picture taking button

  • Mobile Dictionary: built-in dictionary functionality with voice playback of words utilizing text-to-speech technology, support for 38 languages.

  • Application Update: with Application Update people can check for available updates for applications and update them directly in the device. Applications can also be kept up-to-date by setting the checking to automatic.

I am most excited about the new camera features. Having access to the second camera while in video mode will be neat, and the ability to perform bust shots means you have a better chance of getting the perfect exposure.

Soren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Devices, Nokia, said in a prepared statement, "The update includes great improvements in the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. As mobile devices become more and more advanced, additional features and new functionalities are easy to install to the existing device. We recommend people to take advantage of the new features and upgrade their Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, and get more from their existing device."

What's not clear is exactly which set of Nokia 5800s is supported. I've put in an email to Nokia's stateside PR team to verify whether or not the 5800 XpressMusic NAM (North American Version) will be able to take advantage of this update. I'll let you know what I hear back from them.

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