Nokia has announced a new phone for T-Mobile USA, the first carrier-supported handset from the manufacturer to come with free voice-guided navigation (via Ovi Maps 3.0) in the States. Called the Nokia 5230 Nuron, the device will be a full-fledged touchscreen smartphone running Symbian S60.
With the GPS feature as its biggest selling point, the handset will come preloaded with maps of the US, Canada and Mexico, along with easy download access to 180 other maps via the Ovi service and the Lonely Planet guides. It will also come preinstalled with the Ovi Store app, which gives users access to Nokia's application and content storefront.
The Nokia 5230 Nuron doesn't veer away from its European version, featuring a 3.2-inch touchscreen (with 360 x 640 resolution), a 3.2 megapixel camera, a 3.5mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth and microSD card expansion. It boasts fast HTML browsing via 3G and full messaging support (including IM and corporate mail), apart from the usual niceties offered by Symbian S60.
No official pricing has been given, with availability vaguely stated for "the coming weeks." According to rumors, though, T-Mobile might be offering the Nuron for as low as $69.99 on contract, which is a huge value, especially with free GPS software and a full smartphone OS in tow.
Nokia just put an official stamp on the new Cseries, with the first phone rolling out of the gate being the Nokia C5. Unlike most new smartphones, there's no touchscreen and no QWERTY keypad here - just a regular candybar with a T9 keyboard layout.
At first glance, it looks nothing more than one of the Finnish manufacturer's seemingly-endless inventory of basic feature phones. Begin using it, though, and you'll be surprised to find that it's running Symbian S60 3rd Edition. Yep, it's a full-fledged smartphone for people who prefer a more traditional aesthetic.
Details of the C5 include a 2.2-inch LCD with QVGA resolution, a 3.2 megapixel camera module (with autofocus), aGPS (with Ovi Maps 3.0), a 3.5 mm audio jack, microSD card expansion (up to 16GB), stereo speakers and an FM radio. It comes with HSDPA connectivity, but drops WiFi.
Since it keeps the hardware simple, the device has managed to remain both slim at 12.3mm and light at only 89 grams. It's looks like one sturdy piece of work, too, with a body built out of mostly steel parts. Battery life is very generous, as well, with a rated talk time of 12 hours. Other features include Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and a new phonebook with Facebook integration.
Along with the release, Nokia has announced a new naming convention for their phone models - one letter and one number. The letter will indicate the type of phone (music-centric, camera-centric, etc.) while the number will refer to the market class it's aimed at. Sounds like a long overdue change.
Intended as an entry-level smartphone, the Nokia C5 will be available for €135 (minus tax and subsidies). Release is slated for the second quarter of the year.
A video demo of Nokia's Symbian^4 operating system just came out, which is high-time, since everyone's basically leaving them in the dust of the smartphone playing field. The OS, which the company is currently working on, will be a complete redesign of the now open source platform, such that apps from old versions won't even run on it.
Why should we care about Nokia? Even though they're noticeably lagging in the functionality department, Symbian remains as the most widely-deployed smartphone OS in the world. Even with iPhones, Blackberries and Androids hogging the limelight, Nokia continues to own 46.9 percent of the mobile smartphone market (to the tune of 80.1 million units sold last year). Believe it or not, their sales remain strong.
From the looks of it, the new UI will be a simplified, multi-screen, widget-based system. The first video doesn't show much, but you can apparently drag and drop widgets between screens. The second one is just a demo of the photo gallery. While we like some of the functional control system, there's absolutely nothing that other OSes have already been going. Plus, it's really not that attractive-looking.
Obviously, it's hard to discern much from such a short demonstration. In fact, the videos have prompted me to lower my expectations. It will likely be a long time until Nokia deploys the Symbian^4 (man, I hate uncommon symbols on the name), so a lot could happen. Still, what's on these videos don't really inspire much.
Clamshells aren't the most exciting handsets around, but the Nokia 2720 Fold isn't half bad. Not only does it have some decent features, it comes with looks that does seem just a tad more attractive than other phones with a similar form factor.
Physically, you'll most likely love the smooth lines, stylish appearance and glossy finish. While good-looking, the surface is an absolute magnet for fingerprints. Weight is extremely light, making it very easy on the pocket. Despite that, overall construction feels sturdy, with extra thick hinges to inspire further confidence.
The black and white external display measures 1.36 inches and displays only the most basic information. Flipped open, it shows off a 1.8-inch LCD, with 128 x 160 resolution and 65,000 colors. Both the T9-style keyboard and the navigation array are designed really well, making input largely trouble-free.
As a phone, the 2720 Fold makes for high-quality calls that are noticeably clearer and better-sounding than other handsets in the same price range. Callers, on the other hand, can detect some amount of sharpness, but reported excellent conversations anyway. Speakerphone was decent and usable, but is far from the best. Battery life is rated at three hours, which should make it good for a day or two of regular use (maybe more if you seldom make calls).
Being a cheap phone, features are obviously a little on basic side of the spectrum. You get a 500-entry phone book, Bluetooth, messaging capabilities (SMS, MMS, IM and IMAP/POP email), WAP browsing (Opera Mini) and PIM tools.
More advanced features include a 1.3 megapixel camera and a music player. The camera module barely offers any options, but manages average quality for such low-resolution hardware. Music player is basic, which is expected, but the 2.5 mm jack just makes it downright disappointing.
Want a cheap phone for North American use (yep, it's strictly for local users)? The Nokia 2720 Fold is absolutely down there in terms of value. Features are very slim, but at the price ($20 on T-Mobile, $9.99 on AT&T and $125 unlocked), I can't see anyone complaining.
A simple phone for simple needs - that pretty much sums up the Nokia 2320 experience. Available from AT&T as a prepaid handset, it's expectedly basic, albeit a little too much in fact.
Physically, it's a moderately attractive candybar device. It has smooth lines, simple controls and a largely plastic build - very usable, though probably not that sturdy. The screen is quite small at 1.75 inches (160 x 128 resolution), but it does make for bright and vibrant colors (sharpness at this resolution, of course, is expectedly poor). All ports are proprietary, though, which is normal for a prepaid phone (still, I'd prefer otherwise).
As a phone, the dual-band 2320 manages good calls. Voices sounded clear and natural, although the lack of a side volume rocker made adjusting loudness hard. There was some robotic quality to the sound, but it was very minimal. Speakerphone, on the other hand, was just poor, with voices being barely intelligible. Battery life is rated at 3.5 hours of talk time, which should last such a basic device for a good couple days of normal use.
Features are expectedly skimp. There's a 500-contact phone book, basic productivity tools and standard messaging (SMS, MMS, IM and mobile email). It comes with a few useful apps, such as Wikimobile and Mobile Banking, as well as a WAP browser. There's no Bluetooth and no camera - those are, apparently, moderate luxuries.
Yep, it's a call and text phone - the way mobile handsets were meant to be used when SMS first popped into our vocabulary. At $29 prepaid, it's a fair deal. Would have been good if a volume rocker and a more decent loudspeaker found its way into it though.
Nokia 2320 GoPhone Texts, Calls And Not Much Elseunratednoel2010-02-02 12:47:26
Phone ReviewsNokia 2320 GoPhone Texts, Calls And Not Much Else
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