After using the phone over a weekend, here's my observations on the Nokia E7.
Things I liked about the E7
QWERTY Keyboard
It was the reason why I bought this phone in the first place. I found it tough to slide the keyboard out at first, but given some practice, it became second nature. Typing with a qwerty makes a world of a difference and it didn't disappoint.
Phone Interface
I like Belle UI and found it quite refreshing when compared to Android's GB stock and GO Launcher UI. Of all the UIs that are on phones now, my favourite one is still WP7's. But I'm still getting used to switching off the phone via the unlock switch (which is not present on my previous phones).
Camera
Whilst the camera isn't the top-of-the-line and doesn't have autofocus capability, the shots (in good light) are still quite acceptable. Sharing of photos via FB works quite well and quickly.
Phone Quality
Reasonably hefty, it seemed that it had taken a beating at the hands of its previous owner but could still render good service to its current one.
Things I didn't like about the E7
Battery Life
With Exchange, WhatsApp actively pushing mails and updates, I managed to squeeze out only about 3-4 hours of phone use before requiring a charge. Considering it's a smartphone, I expected it to last at least a day.
Camera
The minimum distance of 20cm constrained composition for photo-taking. Not exactly a show-stopper but that was something that I had to sacrifice when I decided on the E7 instead of the N8.
Keyboard
Though I liked the keyboard a lot, it was a little hard to type given the width of the screen. This meant that the keys were a little more. Typing and balancing the phone on one hand was quite impossible.
