More durable than an iPhone and faster for news flow than Google Reader, the Nokia E90 keeps me connected to people and messaging better than any other device I have ever carried with me. I have owned four other Nokia Communicators, so I am well-used to the large form factor of the Nokia E90. The larger size of the phone directly extends from its keyboard. Thanks to its generous size, I can type articles for the Irish Examiner at a speed of 20 words per minute. The phone's software is stable and a great aid to my normal day. I use Aqua Calendar for quick scheduling, Nokia's podcatcher for downloading audio clips, FreeRange as my news aggregator, Truphone for free international calls, Zonetag for daily shots sent directly to Flickr, Qik for upstreaming video clips, the Jaiku mobile client for specialised chat inside meeting rooms, SIC! FTP for updating websites, and ALON MP3 to record phone calls and spoken to-do lists.

The E90 plays back rich media in my home and car by using systems I have in those places already. I listen to the audio tracks (music and podcasts) through the aux-in lead on a kitchen counter radio. I listen to that content over the car's stereo system by jacking the phone into the BMW instrument panel. I really like the E90's audio and it's enhanced when I plug my Bose earbuds into the bottom of the phone by using a small adapter.

I expect the E90 will last at least four years of daily use. In the first six months of my ownership, the little beast has dropped onto concrete twice. It just keeps working. It's survived one major splash of Guinness in that same time period. Its rugged construction keeps stuff from getting inside the phone and its hinges are the strongest I have ever seen on any mobile device.

I strongly recommend the Nokia E90 to anyone looking at the ultraportable range of mobile computing because I have discovered I'm only a pocket away from doing productive things when I can depend upon this durable piece of mobile communications gear.