Inspired by the impressive N95, the Nokia N96 is even smarter. It is a true multimedia computer phone.

Slimmer than its older brother (18mm compared with 21) and with smooth and curved edges, the N96 is a sleek dual slide handset that fits well in your hand and your pocket.  The navigation keys located below the excellent 2.8 inch display only stick out slightly and will be familiar to Nokia lovers.

The dual slide functionality allows you to change the phone depending on what you are using it for. Sliding the face of the N96 forward gives you access to the T9 numeric keypad for typing and calling, while sliding it backwards reveals a set of music player control keys. This motion also automatically reorientates the screen to landscape mode, the preferred layout for Nokia's inbuilt music player.

From this feature alone it is clear that the Nokia N96 is a great multimedia handset. There are stereo speakers built in, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can plug in and use your own headphones to listen to tracks. Another great feature is a kickstand built discreetly into the back of the phone. With this little piece of plastic, the N96 allows you to watch movies and videos more comfortably than with many other portable viewing devices.

The Nokia N96's 5-megapixel camera is linked with the phone’s built-in GPS mapping, which means you can now ‘geotag’ all of your pictures with location information. You can also capture DVD-like quality videos and then choose from the wide range of playback format compatibilities. To make the most of these camera and music functions, Nokia have wisely included a microSD card slot that can take up to 16GB of extra storage.

Additionally, the Nokia N96 includes full WiFi and 3G HSDPA connectivity, nicely rounding off a quality package.