We must not forget that this is a powerful 3G smartphone with a good music player. The camera seems shy of megapixels at only 2 megapixels. The 3.5mm jack problem we can live with but can imagine the type of posts this will feed on our 3G Forum.

So even though it’s not absolutely perfect, it comes pretty darn close. It’s comfy to use and works just fine. Just remember to keep it covered at all times lest it lose its shine.

It’s not a small phone, by any means, but if you want something stylish and shiny and capable of excellent multimedia playback, the N76 is a winner.

Apart from its sexy look and its slim silhouette, Nokia N76 offers quite a lot of possibilities as a Symbian S60 smartphone.

Getting down to the N76’s flaws, I have to name its ergonomics in the first place – as a matter of fact it’s the most awkward folder of all I have got my hands on over the past few years, flipping it open is a real pain.

Its ergonomics aren’t the best and there are a number of places in the software that we hope to see improvements in, including the lack of consistency with settings organization and the instability of cover display UI. The background hissing noise heard when playing music is something that I think really needs to be solved first.

It has some good calling and messaging features, and the Symbian OS has a wide range of available apps, but the phone disappoints in areas where N-series phones usually shine, especially with its camera.

There’s a lot be said about the N76’s freedom and versatility. However, if style is your game-and $499 is your price ceiling-you’d look cooler with an iPhone. If the sky’s the limit, consider the $749 Nokia N95, which sports GPS and an even sharper 5-MP camera.

Nokia N76 can be considered an interesting purchasing option mainly by people who refer to their phone as to a stylish fashionable accessory and do not care about its functional abilities too much.

The Nokia N76 has the looks to compete with the iPhone, but using it is a dissatisfying experience all around.