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Tag: Nokia

  • Nokia Asha 302 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia Asha 302 review. The new 2012 Nokia Asha 302 is part of a series of value for money feature phones that Nokia started releasing to the world in November 2011. The selling point is the mini QWERTY keypad as there aren't many high end keyboard based mobile phones any more, apart from Blackberrys. Nokia has discontinued the E series Symbian OS phones so the S40 based phones are the only keypads you can buy new. So if you've always wanted a Nokia E-series get one now before they disappear forever. The Asha 302 is priced as around $129 as a pre-paid package but less than $200 outright. In terms of construction the 302 is very good. For a cheap phone there's real metal surround and back plate! You should not need to buy additional 'fancy phone cases' to protect it. The keypad feels OK but not as good as the E series. We don't understand why Nokia simply didn't re-use the old parts since they were some of the best out there. The screen looks Ok for the price and the only thing missing was GPS functionality. In terms of use the Asha 302 feels like a quality mobile phone. The speed and responsiveness is great, all the features are there for texting, email, and web browsing in a low priced package. With Wi-Fi capability and the updated  web browser it works better that other 'cheap' mobile phones in the same price category and similar to the one in Symbian Belle. The final feature is the amazing battery life of any phone based on Nokia S40 interface - which equates to about 1 month left in standby mode. So far all the Android based qwerty phones we've tried have only been impressive due to cheap prices. These cheap phones may use the latest OS but their speed makes them impractical to use. The Asha 302 proves that you don't need Android or Symbian to be a genuinely useful and modern phone that can do everything and most of all have amazing battery life. Overall we liked the Asha 302 and only missed GPS functionality or an additional 'wow' factor. Apart from that it has all the key components and capabilities of a very good regular mobile phone. It is one of the best available in the price category. Specifications
    • Nokia Asha 302
    • Network Dual or Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (dependent on country) Tri or Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (dependent on country) HSDPA 14.4 Mbps HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
    • Design QWERTY
    • L116.5 x W55.7 x D13.9 mm Weight 99 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320 Resistive touch screen
    • Camera 3.2MP Full focus
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU 1Ghz
    • Memory Up to 100MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 Music and Media player FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BL-5J 3.7V 1320mAh Up to 34 days Standby Up to 9 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $129 AUD November 2011 (Pre-paid only)

  • Nokia C2-03 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia C2-03 review. The Nokia C2-03 released in late 2011 is one of the new generation of dual SIM mobile phones from the company and targeted at developing countries that have a multitude of networks but mostly GSM networks that offer different plans and have borders with multiple countries with equally numerous networks. In these counties the C2-03 in one of the leading models however over here is definitely very cheap. The C2-03 besides being a dual-SIM phone it is also a touch screen in a slider phone design. It comes in a variety of colours and strangely the combination does work for people that are still texting and talking. The dual SIM setup also allows for live swapping of SIM cards without turn off.  Unfortunately features that are missing include the lack of 3G or Wi-Fi but it does include the latest Nokia Browser and Apps for the usual social networks. In terms of construction the  C2-03 is very made.  Sure it's plastic and looks designed in the early 2000 it still feels good with a reasonable heft and quality parts. The keypad is typical Nokia and the touch screen despite old tech looks good and scratch resistant.  Overall it should last for a few years. In terms of operation the C2 uses the latest version of the S40 operating system customised for touch screen and physical keypad. They work well together with minimal lag and little to complain about especially at this price point. The only issue is the limited frequency choices that the phone access to.  The user interface is old school Nokia and easy to find every function. The is yet another perfect phone for those only into talk and text there is nothing significant to complain about. Overall its another very good phone for the price and better made than the lessor known brands available.  There is nothing exceptional of the phone apart from the ability to use 2 SIM cards at the one time and the low price. However the main thing differing this model to the others is design and style which very few in the price category can match - at this point in time anyway. Specifications
    • Nokia C2-03
    • Network Quad-band GSM 900/1900 Dual SIM
    • Design Slider
    • L103 x W51.4 x D17 mm Weight 118 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 320 x 240 pixel main video camera 8FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU xxxMhz
    • Memory Up to 10MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-5C 3.7V 1020mAh Up to 16 days Standby Up to 5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $120 AUS mid-2010 (Pre-paid)

  • Nokia Asha 300 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia Asha 300 review. The new Nokia Asha 300 is part of a series of value for money feature phones that Nokia released to the world in November 2011. To be completely honest we are tired of smartphones that are priced at HUGE amounts of money. Very few of us use all the features that the latest smart phones are capable of and even if we didn't like them they are too expensive to try something else. Like the majority of people on the planet we just want a phone that does calls, text and emails very well followed by internet capability of course comes and next followed by 'Apps'.  Long battery life is also common requirement and most of all we don't want to be tracked! The result is the Asha 300 and it also happens to be one of the nicest regular mobile phone we have tested in the last 6 months. In the hand the Asha 300 is very well made. Although made of plastic there are no creaks, is not too heavy or too light and most of all DOES NOT feel cheap, even the panel shut lines are hair thin. The buttons feel good although a little small but everything is logically placed.  The screen also looks good despite the relatively small and has low tech resistive touch screen, which admittedly helps reduces the problem of obvious finger prints. Highlights include a decent 5Mp camera and quad band 3G, meaning it will work on all phone networks. In terms of operation the latest S40 OS is easy to use with the touch screen a really useful addition to the interface. The customizable standby screen with short cuts to regular contacts and calender entries and so forth work very well. The screen is responsive and works well especially considering it uses cheaper technology and anyone complaining is being pedantic or has never use one. The surprise is that the phone uses a 1GHz CPU which makes the phone as quick as much more expensive models although it does really show when using it for normal functions. Although we think the Asha 300 is a great package for the price but you may miss A-GPS and Wi-Fi but considering it is a fully functional 3G phone you can always use Google Maps for GPS work and the small screen is not really suitable for hard core web browsing anyway. Nokia have included GPS and Wi-Fi in these types of phones before but clearly there are not many buyers hence they don't offer them. However they are missing the halo effect from having these features whether people want to use them or not. With the Asha you are also unlikely to exceed your data plan too quickly. Overall the Nokia Asha 200 is a very good regular phone that works well and feels good. If your needs are reasonably basic than this is the phone to get. It does all the basics of email, Facebook, text, contacts and appoints really well. The in-built Nokia browser is also one of the best in this class of phone with FLASH compatibility. It makes most of the phones in this style and  price bracket like the Telstra/ZTE and the Sony Ericsson Cedar feel and work cheap. We don't have any serious complaints, only one in fact and that is not even related to the Asha - why haven't Nokia made a more stylish (Vertu-ish) but value for money handset like the old 6500 classic without its flaws? - regardless we are considering purchasing one ourselves for benchmarking purposes! Specifications
    • Nokia Asha 300
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 HSDPA 10.5 Mbps HSUPA 2 Mbps
    • Design Candybar
    • L112.8 x W49.5 x D12.79.9 mm Weight 85 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320 Resistive touch screen
    • Camera 5MP Full focus
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 30FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU 1GhzMhz
    • Memory Up to 140MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-4U 3.7V 1100mAh Up to 24 days Standby Up to 6.9 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $129 AUD MArch 2013 (Outright only) Under $149 AUD November 2011 (Outright only)

  • Nokia E52 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia E52 review. The Nokia E52 was released in late 2010 to cater for the customer who wanted a relatively featured business mobile that wasn't a touch screen. It comes with all the usual business software like word, excel and powerpoint editors, PDF reader, ZIP expander, Flash viewer, email software, a good web browser, Wi-Fi  and A-GPS. It's plain exterior designs hides a powerful mobile phone. Like a few other Nokia's in the last 12  months we didn't bother writing about it because while it's a great phone there is nothing that we could promote as a key selling point... The E52's construction quality is typical Nokia which means very good.  The keypad has the right amount of feedback and feels like it will last forever, the screen is bright and the sound quality loud and clear. However we did not like the lightness of the E52. It would be all too easy to lose the phone and not know it. The network reception for the E52 is noticeably better that the old RAZR 3V which has great reception, that we had along as a comparison, the RAZR showed 5 and the E52 2 more! (Meanwhile the iPhone was struggling at about half - as usual.) The E52 has a fast user interface and works at the speed you work at.  There are also many customization options in terms of interface and hardware settings that you play with that it does get confusing but it is hidden away so that to most people it is not necessary to manually adjust - unless you really want to. The other features that you will enjoy using include Wi-Fi and the free navigation software and maps. Overall we liked the E52. It can do everything we wanted in a speedy and reliable fashion. However the Nokia E72 or E71 are still available at very reasonably prices so it is easy to over look the E52 because the other two are even better. Specifications
    • Nokia E52
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
    • Tri-band 3G 850/900/2100
    • Design Candybar
    • L116 x W49 x D9.9 mm Weight 98 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 3.2MP Auto focus LED Flash
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.0 Wi-Fi Micro-USB
    • CPU 600Mhz
    • Memory Up to 60MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Accelerometer Sensor Ambient Light Sensor Compass (Magnetometer Sensor) JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-54L 3.7V 1500mAh Up to 28 days Standby Up to 8 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $xxx AUD 2011 (Plan only)

  • Nokia 6720 Classic Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia 6720 review. The Nokia 6720 Classic version was released in late 2009 to cater for the customer who wanted more than just the basics in a phone but didn't want a business focused phone.  It was launched at a time when the iPhone and Apps wars was just beginning. We did not post this review earlier because there was nothing interesting about the 6720 until now - specifically its low plan price vs its features and its improved reliability. It is basically given away for free on any sort of plan however the legacy of the initial batch of faulty 6720's continue to haunt it. Regardless for a reasonable amount of money the 6720 has GPS built in and access to free maps (but no voice guidance) an OK camera and one of the best web browsers on a non-touch screen mobile phone. Construction wise the 6720 Classic is well built and looks good.  All the curves including the edge at the base does actually give it a sense of style.  However the all plastic and shiny at that doesn't make it a 'bespoke' style impression.  Nokia and the public don't seem to be willing to buy phone that are made of real metal - at least in this price range. The 6720 works very well as a regular mobile phone, it is responsive and lag free.  In the end though the phone doesn't have any features that stand out from the rest. We really need an amazingly designed phone to capture the attention of buyers these days (Eg. the old RAZR and 3210), especially since most are considering an iPhone of some sort. The Nokia 6720 is perfect for those who only want a basic 3G capable phone with some ability to add new software. The relatively large buttons on the surface of the phone will make it easy for those who if the fiddly buttons on other types of phones including touch screens happy. The slightly large screen will definitely make it easier to view what ever information on the screen. The menu system is standard Nokia so you will be able to use it without resorting the the manual. Overall we liked the 6720 and quite sure you will be happy with it too. It can do all the basics easily with all the functionality for most of your communication needs like email, SMS, Skye and so forth.. There are also plenty of apps from the OVI store or carrier network store you can download for free or cheaply to keep you happy until the next model arrives. The 6720 is unlikely to appear as pre-paid phone since it can't really complete with the better Nokia E71 at the moment. Specifications
    • Nokia 6720
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country)
    • Design Candybar
    • L110 x W45 x D14 mm Weight 110 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 5MP Auto focus LED Flash
    • Video Camera 320 x 240 pixel main video camera 8FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU xxxMhz
    • Memory Up to 45MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-6MT 3.7V 1050mAh Up to 21 days Standby Up to 8.5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $xxx AUD 2010 (Plan only)

  • Nokia E7 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia E7 review. The E7 is one of Nokia's final Symbian OS based competitor to the all too common iPhone. The E7 is a fully functional business orientated smart phone that does it all without the need for downloading extra Apps. Sure you can download some new ones from their OVI store but being realistic about the whole App thing 99% of the apps are novelties just like those on any phone.  I guess we are suffering from App fatigue. Firstly the E7 is different from the closely related N8.The major difference is the bigger and better screen along with a fully qwerty keypad on the E7.  The N8 as a smaller case and screen but better camera.  We unanimously prefer the E7 over the N8 because we have more use for the keypad than camera.  The E7 has all the video capabilities of the N8 and thanks to the better screen and tilting function the E7 is also more practical. That said we love the quality of the N8 camera which takes better pictures than the low end digital cameras. In terms of operation the OS the E7 works very well and it is less confusing than Android OS phones. However the E7 is not as responsive. It's not laggy, it just does not have the screen transitions that other phones have to pass the time like the iPhone or high end Android and Windows Mobile phones do more quickly in some situations. Again a few years ago the inbuilt apps differentiated each model, these days thanks to Apps the design of the E7 and of course its hardware is the only factor that makes them different.  In this respect the E7 deserves to succeed. Apart from that, there is honestly nothing really bad about the E7. Even the much complained camera interface is completely unjustified. The camera works fast, likewise the flash. Just press the camera button to activate. Sure the images don't match the N8 but then very few mobile phone cameras do. The other selling points are that it looks and feels great, different from the various slabs of grey and black that we see everyday where every we go.  The tilting screen is a great way to keep up to date with your emails, Facebook and other information feeds at eye view when on your desk. Since they appear as small widgets you don't need to open or close Apps. The fully functional and worldwide capable GPS navigation system also makes this phone worth a close look. Finally the quad-band GSM and penta-band 3G means that you'll be able to use the phone anywhere in the world. Overall the think different mantra applies to Nokia these days. I guess the feel is definitely European in design rather than 'Apple'. We conclude that the Nokia E7 is a great phone for everyday use. A few software upgrades to fix the smoothness and it will be as good as the most popular models. We can't really add much more. Specifications
    • Nokia E7
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Penta-band 3G 850/900/1700/1900/2100 HSDPA 10.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen slider
    • L123.5 x W62.5 x D13.6 mm
    • Weight 135 grams
    • Display/s 3.5inch External AMOLED 360 x 640
    • Camera 8MP LED Flash Forward facing camera for video calls.
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3 HDMI MicroUSB
    • CPU 680 Mhz Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Free OVI navigation and world maps Compass Accelerometer Dolby Digital OVI Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po BL-4D 12000mAh battery Up to 17 days Standby Up to 12 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $800 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • Nokia C3-01 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia C3-01 Touch and Type review. The Nokia C3 released in early 2011 is one of latest feature phones from the ever changing mobile phone company. The C3-01 is 3G capable phone and the more feature packed version of the related and cheaper C3-00 which is a GSM only version. The Nokia C3 is a a relatively cheap mobile phone in 2011 priced under $250 on release and can only get better. In terms of the use interface the C3-01 is the first touch screen and fitted with a standard keypad. However the most impressive part of the package is that the phone runs the old S40 OS and even more impressive is that Wi-Fi is included and best of all the C3 works amazingly well. The touch screen is responsive and the menu system works in a logical and speedy fashion. We have no complaints about the touch screen interface - in fact it was very intuitive. In terms of design, the C3-01 is better in the hand than the pictures.  The screen seems larger than it is but the keys also larger than you'd expect. The mostly metal case gives it a nice feel too - again no complaints. Although we couldn't install additional software it's standard games will still work using the numeric keypad. The only legitimate issue we have is the stand-by screen design. Clearly the screen is packed with icons and functionality but the need for bigger on screen buttons and that the resolution is relatively small making the graphics looks low end. It also doesn't have GPS but from experience it is not an essential feature just yet. If this phone was released a few years ago the C3 would probably be on best seller lists.  Hopefully Nokia has learnt from past mistakes and release state of the art phones at reasonable prices and time frames from no on. In terms of hardware the phone does have one or two new features but that said - it is only a GSM phone! Among the best features: it uses the latest Transmissive LCD display screen which basically means it can be read more easily outdoors and it has Wi-Fi. Although it is not a 3G capable phone it can still used GPRS for data. Basically all this means is that you can chat and IM and Facebook all your want but can't or shouldn't browse the web until you get access to a Wi-Fi access point because the GPRS/EDGE is really slow. Combined with a massive battery the C3 left on standby can last up to 33 days! All up the Nokia C3-01 is a extremely decent phone and based on the out right pricing of under $250 (Feb 2011)  it does almost anything you'd want in a traditional phone format.  Sure it's not business friendly like the older but comparable E51 but if your needs are text and talk with a bit of internet thrown in like the masses, than you can't really go wrong. Specifications
    • Nokia C3-02
    • Network Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
    • Design Candybar and touch screen
    • 111 x W48 x D11 mm Weight 100 grams
    • Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
    • CPU ???Mhz
    • Memory Up to 35MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • FeaturesFM Radio with RDS JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BL5-CT 3.7V 1050mAh Up to 18 days Standby Up to 6 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under$250 AUS 2010 (Outright)

  • Nokia N8 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia N8 review. The N8 is Nokia's first real competitor to the all too common iPhone.  The N8 release in late 2010 is everything the iPhone is not and that's why we love Nokia's. Out of the box the N8 has all the software you need to have a full functional mobile office and consequently all too smart phone. Built as a competitor for the all conquering iPhone the N8 surpasses it in most instances - except for one key issue. Since most people skip the middle middle bit we now have actually bought a N8 outright for ourselves and so far very happy. The Nokia N8 has the best camera on a mobile phone - no question. The picture quality is amazing for camera phone just as good if not better than most point and shoot digital camera and the screen colors are amazingly accurate to real life. The most impressive thing about the N8 camera is its ability to take impressive night time images. All you have to remember is to select night portrait scene and snap away - no need to hold the camera still forever to get a decent image. The N8 review is going to be difficult because it is a brilliant phone but with conditions attached.  In isolation the N8 has everything you need in a modern mobile phone in 2011. The redesigned operating system works fast and efficiently - so much so that it is the equal to other phones featuring faster CPUs. Android, Windows Mobile.  Although not many people note this in reviews but you can customize everything important on the phone which makes it desirable amongst the anti-establishment these days. Subjectively it is as easy to use as any Android based phone. Sure there are niggles and annoyances but every phone and OS has them. The loud speaker is very loud but hampered by the speaker opening on the bottom of the camera if placed on a flat surface. The sound from the loud speaker is not hi-fi being just loud. Thankfully the in-call sound quality on both ends is excellent very clear. It is easily better than the iPhone models or any other mobile we've tested to date. The N8 screen is also something to boast. The N8's screen reproduces color that almost true to life.  Compare the actual scene with the same picture and it is a very close match. Sure there is some color saturation but its nowhere near as bad a normal digital camera. Most people are fooled by over saturated images with warmth due to saturated greens, red and blue. (eg greener gas or blue sky etc..) The N8 does not its closer to true life than anything bar a DSLR camera. We kid you not. One of the key decisions when buying the N8 is that it is one of the few mobile phones with penta-band 3G - which means it will work on any 3G frequency in the world include Telstra  NextG and the usual quad-band GSM - so will work on any network world wide. The ability of the N8 to hold a signal is also very good. We have no problems in marginal areas like we did on other phones - including the old E71. The Nokia N8 also has in-built fully functional Global Mapping GPS navigation system with free world wide map updates and widgetised home screens. Of course there is also the physical design which is a refreshing change from the other high end slabs on the market. The N8 is most aluminum except for the two ends. The Gorilla glass also means that you really don't need an extra screen protector. We didn't and there are no scratches on the screen despite a couple accidental drops. The other less publicized feature is the fact the N8 can play all the common video files including FLASH and AVI, FLV formats outside the web browser.  The more telling point is that the N8 does not need a 1GHz CPU to play them in complete smoothness! The clearly more efficient OS also means that the standby times and talk times exceed the iPhone and Windows Mobile based phones! The OLED screen looks great too in day light or at night. The OVI Maps navigation starts up quicker than another other GPS software on the market. The A-GPS works almost immediately likewise all the various features of the software. Just as good as other stand alone systems although missing some functionality when not actually navigating. In regards to the N8 camera, all we can say is amazing for 2010 mobile phone.  The N8 image quality is just as good as a point and shoot camera in day light and excellent (ie even better) at night.  Time between images and flash recharge times are quick too with no noticeable delay. There are no complaints about the camera interface either.  Just press the camera button on the side to activate and snap away. Additional settings are a screen icon away and simple to activate. We think every other website who claims it is a problem completely out of touch. Since buying the N8 one of us no longer carries a regular camera when going out that's how good it is. However the N8 is not perfect. The OS still has some rough edges so it is not as smooth as other models.  The battery life is not impressive.  In real life it will only last one day under heavy use. Even on standby 3 or days. However the most annoying thing - although has nothing to do with the N8 its self is the disappointing Ovi Suite. Ovi Suite simply does not work well.  It fails to sync with Outlook 99% of the time.  The prior Nokia Suite worked - so why did they replace it? Furthermore the Ovi Store App on the phone it self does not work most of the time. The Web browser while advanced does need an interface overhaul. That said if you have an Apple Mac the N8 will sync with it without any problems. To conclude the Nokia N8 may represent the last? of the Symbian based high end phones due to their new partnership with Microsoft. Sure there are a few things that make the phone harder to use than others but it feels great to have something that isn't an iPhone. The OS can only get better. Personally I think there is too much focus on the OS and shop app stores (which we love browsing BTW).  So if you can live without too many Apps, want the best mobile phone camera to date then the N8 is the best smart phone you can buy. The N8 is a keeper. It's a pity no one else can recognize that. Note that we are waiting for the Symbian Anna update which promises to fix the smoothness issues with the interface. We'll update the review then. If you want a camera phone equal to any point and shoot camera (eg. Canon ixus series) give the N8 a go its even more convenient that a separate pocket camera and pictures probably a little better too! Specifications
    • Nokia N8
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Penta-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 5.7 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L113.5 x W59 x D12.9 mm
    • Weight 135 grams
    • Display/s 3.5inch External AMOLED 360 x 640
    • Camera 12MP XENON Flash Forward facing camera for video calls.
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3 HDMI MicroUSB
    • CPU 680 Mhz Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board Up to 32GB microSD
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible A-GPS Compass Accelerometer Dolby Digital OVI Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po BL-4D 12000mAh battery Up to 17 days Standby Up to 12 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $850 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • Nokia 7230 Review
    Welcome to the Nokia 7230 review. The Nokia 7230 was released in late 2009 to cater for the sweet spot between the standard and mid-range 3G capable mobile phones.  Price wise the 7230 is in a great position at under $180 outright and even less as a pre-paid package. Construction wise the 7230 is built very well.  However it is a slider phone so expect some slack over time but the demo model we tried was still working perfectly despite obvious hard use.  The metal frame and patterned plastic works well and will be attractive to most people. Although one of the cheaper models in the range there is not much to complain about. Conservative and well though out slider. Nokia has been making variations on the same theme for ages and their experience shows in the functionality that the 7230 has.  A decent sized screen, responsive menu system and all you need for voice calls, SMS and emails, Facebook, IM etc.  The keypad is Ok to use but we think the button feel designed to cater for those who love to text message rather than the occasional texter..  We still prefer the bigger buttons on the Nokia C5-00 mind you. The 7230 comes with 2 web browsers, Opera and the Nokia Webkit version.  The latest Opera version is the better one to use on a small screen if you want to see full web sites.  The screen is larger than most in the category but like the others still too small for full websites regardless of browser.  You need to find 'bite size' internet sites to be of real use.  It also lacks fast internet data download and upload capabilities. Call quality was typical Nokia although sounded 'tinner' - it seems to be a trend with the company compared with say the Hi-Fi ish quality of the old 6233.  The network signal was relative good despite being in a marginal area - ie 2 bars. It runs the S40 OS so our software works well with it - just turn bluetooth off if the apps fails to start. This phone is perfect for those who only want a basic 3G capable phone with some ability to add new software.  The large buttons on the surface of the phone will make it easy for those who if the fiddly buttons on other types of phones including touch screens happy.  The slightly large screen will definitely make it easier to view what ever information on the screen.  The menu system is standard Nokia so you will be able to use it without resorting the the manual. Overall we liked the 7230 and quite sure you will be happy with it too.  It is a simple phone with all the functionality for most of your communication needs.  There are also plenty of apps from the OVI store or carrier network store you can download for free or cheaply to keep you happy until the next model arrives. The key selling point is the outright pricing of less than $180 AUD and a pre-paid package of around under $130. Get the outright version so you can use other SIM cards with it. Strangely we prefer the 7230 to the 6700 Slider.  Finally the 7230 is available on most phone carriers except for Telstra at the time of writing. Specifications
    • Nokia 7230
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country)
    • Design Slider
    • L98 x W48 x D14.75 mm Weight 100 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 3.2MP
    • Video Camera 320 x 240 pixel main video camera 8FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU xxxMhz
    • Memory Up to 45MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-5CT 3.7V 1050mAh Up to 16 days Standby Up to 5.3 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $160 AUS mid-2010 (Outright) Under $130 AUS mid-2010 (Pre-paid)