I got my Nokia E 71 a few month's back from India when on a holiday and sufficient time has passed to give an honest opinion on my experiences using it.

Initally when I landed in India, I did not want to replace my oldish Nokia (some number I do not remember) but as luck would have it the battery died completely. The choice was between replacing the battery or the phone. I went for the latter as having planned to start a new company in UK it made sense to also go foa 'phone makeover'.

So I started making out a list of the phone features that a CEO of a startup would normally require. I would call it mandatory.

Mandatory Feature

1. Top of the list was the obvious Email - a startup needs emails more than an established company since we do not have the luxury of huge telephone and/or travelling budgets. And then you constantly need to check your mails hoping to get some favaourable response from anywhere and at anytime.

2. Second was the VOIP, sadly not web browsing (I would have like it since I am a compulsive surfer), and
3. Was the Skype ( thank GOD they got this idea to save us poor startups)

And of course the basic phone features was also up there on the list....
I started looking at different phones. Blackberry (the email phone) was the obvious one- bold, black and beautiful but did not fit the budget. iPhone was also an option - trendy with glitter and thousands of apps.......again pricey and did not fit the 'business types' and yes most importantly 'NO SKYPE'. Then somebody mentioned Nokia E71 (obviously I had been a nokia user and as a phone it had served me well).

So I went to the nearest Nokia store to check it out...and bought it.......and here is how it has performed till date.

I will start with what I desired.....and whether it was a Delight or a DUD.
Email

Qwerty keyboard (pad I mean) - small keys but even my spatulate fingers does type it well and fast enough (Delight)

No Push (Dud) but has a messaging app (Intellisync is suppossed to do the push but I do not know wnough, havn;t used yet

Multiple options - for push , still not tried but one can go for google app, emoze, profimail or the seven push something....

VOIP

Skype is there and works to a T, Also one can use the built in VOIP - just enter the SIP details and call (Delight)

Now the ones that gives me pleasure though were not on my mandatory app list.

QuickOffice

Great to have it, works well - word, excel,...

PDF

Adobe....nothing more one can seek

Wifi
/==GPS==

Outstanding accept that one has to define access points for WLAN all the time

Battery

The salesman had said that it is the best one can get in the Smartphone - last 2 days normally if used reasonably, charged everyday if use lot of features esp WLAN

Feel

Simple, sober design, I have got black - surface may get scratches eventually, the rubber pads on the side to cover the USB's etc are a bit weird - looks like sticking out and makes you feel as if there are going to fall apart

Customization

Good shortcuts, apps and screen change options
Menu search

one touch search for docs, apps... everything, good

Calendar is there with 2 pane design, video is also smooth and the inbuilt flashplayer takes care of youtube, music mgt and speaker are fine,
There are other features I have noticed and used sparsely like active notes, MAPS, etc and they seem to work fine

Letdown

Camera only 3.2 megapixel.......had hoped for something better

Also reviewed for Ciao UK under same name and title.