Retro Review: Nokia N-Gage QD Handheld Gaming Phone [Taco Phone]

Throwback look at the unique Nokia N Gage QD phone.
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Details:
2.1 inches, TFT, 4096 colors, 176 x 208 pixels (~130 ppi density), Four-way directional controller
3.4MB Storage + 20 voice dial numbers, MMC Card slot
Symbian 6.1, Series 60 v1.0 UI, CPU : 104 MHz ARM 920T, Removable Li-Ion 1070 mAh battery (BL-6C)

The N-Gage QD is a phone built especially for gamers. It brings you wireless multiplayer gaming with full colour 3D graphics, top titles by the best developers, and the extensive features of a well equipped mobile phone. N-Gage QD gamers also have access to the worldwide N-Gage Arena community, where you can play games online or connect with your gaming friends wherever you go. The smooth design is optimized for gaming, and the compact size makes the gamer's phone fit perfectly in your pocket.

The N-Gage QD is a handheld game console and smartphone by Nokia, and a redesign of the N-Gage. It was unveiled on April 14, 2004, and was released on May 26, 2004, running the same Symbian OS v6.1 with Series 60 1st Edition FP1.

N-Gage attempted to lure gamers away from the Game Boy Advance by including telephone functionality. This was unsuccessful, partly because the buttons, designed for a telephone, were not well-suited for gaming. The original N-Gage was described as resembling a taco, which led to its mocking nickname "Taco phone".

Nokia introduced the N-Gage QD in 2004 as a redesign of the original "Classic" N-Gage, fixing widely criticized issues and design problems. However, the new model was unable to make an impact, and with only 2 million units sold in its two years, the N-Gage and its QD model were a commercial failure, unable to challenge their Nintendo rival

It revised the device's physical design, being smaller and rounder. It corrected the flaw of the cartridge slot with a more convenient one on the bottom of the device. This design also moved the earpiece to the face of the device, rather than on the side, as in the previous model.

Instead of using cables, multiplayer gaming was accomplished with Bluetooth or the Internet (via the N-Gage Arena service). The N-Gage also included MP3 and Real Audio/Video playback and PDA-like features into the system.

Besides its gaming capabilities, the N-Gage was a Series 60 smartphone, running Symbian OS 6.1, with features similar to those of the Nokia 3650 (it does not have an integrated camera, however). It was able to run all Series 60 software (other than those that require a camera), and Java MIDP applications as well. Its main CPU was an ARM Integrated (ARMI) compatible chip (ARM4T architecture) running at 104 MHz, the same as the Nokia 7650 and 3650 phones.