Its been a while since we published the hardware look at the N86 , this has given us time to get used to the software package on the N86 and should allow us to give you the nitty gritty details on the everyday usage and nitpicks we found from the software. So here we go !
1. Home Screen
When you first switch on the N86 , you are led through a welcome menu which guides you through basic setup of the device. Once that is done , you encounter the S60 Homescreen. The default on the N86 is the ‘Ovi’ homescreen which brings several Ovi services to the homescreen. Of note is the Ovi Chat present on the homescreen. In the pic below please note that the default applications on the home screen HAVE been customised.
The various options included for the standby theme are shown below in the screen shot. We have the OVI home theme as shown above. The basic layout whihc gives us two shortcuts via left and right keys. The horizontal layout , is the standard S60 layout with application shortcuts and Nokia Messaging , Share Online on the homescreen.
2. Menu Layout
The N86 8MP runs on S60v3 FP2. The menu layout here is exactly the same as you have seen on the myriad of S60 devices in the past. The default icons on the menu allow you to do everything from messaging , games , music , store , applications , photos , calendar and contacts. While definitely utilitarian , the same gripes remain that the UI is definitely looking dated. More than looking dated , it is the shear number of icons that over whelm new users. 67 icons , hows that for a number ! With separate iconns for podcastin , music , internet radio , FM transmitter and Music Store , It is a daunting experience for new users. The music application could easily have been more integrated. The same applies for photos and galleries which duplicate functionality. More about these when we cover the N86 from a multimedia aspect.
3. Customisation Options
Being a standard S60 device , a large number of software features are identical to what everyone has been using for several years now. In this section we will focus on certain features which are relatively new or atleast play an important role in the “N86 Experience”.
First of all , we come to gesture recognition. What we have here is support for accelerometer based gestures. These gestures include turning the phone to silence a call and snoozing alarms in addition to the usual screen rotation.
Next we have the much touted ‘Active Kickstand’. Now what the ‘active’ part of the kickstand basically does is allow you to launch any application you want to just by flicking the stand open. This can quite convenient as it may allow you to launch you favorite movie viewing application like maybe Coreplayer etc as soon as you flick open the stand.
Along with the above we also have the concept of ‘Notification Light’ which has carried forward from the E Series devices. The notification light is located in the standard N Series Multimedia key. The key enables for soothing ‘breathing effects’ which allow the user to locate the device evenin pitch black conditions. More useful applications for the breathing light includes notification for missed calls , emails and messages.
Well that rounds up our coverage on the software aspects of the N86. Ha Ha … not quite 
Tomorrow we’ll bring you a look at the N86 from a multimedia device aspect along with a brief look at the PIM Applications on the device. Hope you enjoy the gallery attached below with loads of user interface shots
