First things first, operating system is the key factor which decides the usability, efficiency and UI of any device. And this one works on a Symbian S60, 5th revision platform which makes the UI quite funky and easy to use. Also, the thing I liked about this phone was that it could handle every memory card I put at it with great speed, stopping at nothing. Be it 1GB, 2GB, 4GB or even a 16GB one! The User Interface was quite responsive and usually one or two finger touches were enough to do common tasks such as checking your email or SMS or accessing the recently called list or even browsing the Internet. There is a quick access shortcut button to access frequently used media applications such as Music, Video, Picture Gallery, Browser, etc.
The Home screen is fully customizable; you can add upto 20 top dialed contacts with thumbnails for each one, on a contacts bar that is displayed in the top half of the screen. You can add shortcuts to 4 applications or web addresses on the bottom half of the screen. Or, you could keep it simple by just showing a contacts shortcut button and a dialer button beside it.
The phone also features A-GPS functionality which makes finding directions and getting to places easier than ever. One thing that may put off some users is the lack of wi-fi which means that 3G remains the only method of high speed data transfer and communication.
The 5230 comes with a huge 3.2 inch Touch screen TFT display, which is a treat to the eyes. There are 3 hardware buttons just below the screen which can be used to access the main menu, accept or end a call. There’s a proximity sensor which senses the phone’s closeness to the user during a call which then switches the touch screen ON or OFF, and which can be also used to snooze alarms, etc.
It also has hardware buttons for camera, volume, locking the touch screen. The battery cover also functions as a holder for the stylus which I found to be very weak and could break easily. Nokia has given a spare stylus with a wrist band, which I think is better than the original stylus.
Also, many of us try to protect the screen of our phones from scratches by using a transparent cover on it. However, the included Nokia stylus gives your cover a hard time by putting a dozen of such scratches on it every time you use it. But, the problem is not there when you remove the cover. Basically, the cover is only used to protect the screen from fingerprints of the user and not from the stylus. On checking, I noticed that the screen itself was stylus friendly and not a single scratch could be seen on it.
I wonder why Nokia does not call this phone “ExpressMusic” like its other series. This phone possesses all the features a good music phone except stereo sound speakers. It can play music upto 33 hours non-stop as boasted by Nokia. I don’t know if the figure is right, as I don’t have 33 hours to spare for testing it! The phone has a 3.5mm audio jack, which allows you to plug in your standard high quality headphones or PC speakers without the need of any adapter.
The phone has a 2 Mega pixel Camera that lacks flash and auto focus. But, it also comes with some advanced features such as self-timer, exposure settings, VGA quality widescreen compatible video recording, light sensitivity settings, sharpness, sequence image capturing, white balance, etc. Now, I am really impressed by the image and video quality as it was totally brilliant for a 2 mega pixel camera.
The Nokia 5230 series has two handhelds, 5230 and 5233. The difference between the two is that the 5230 has 3G, which lacks in the 5233 edition.
And now, I’ve kept the best feature for the last. The Motion sensor or the accelerometer, which can be used to play games using real life motion to the device and this is the principle behind the UI-auto rotation feature of the phone. Those who don’t know what motion sensor gaming is, let me tell you. You can play a motion sensor game by tilting your device left or right or up or down and the corresponding action takes place in the game too. You can play a motion sensor game right out of the box on a game called “ROLLER COASTER REVOLUTION”.
The verdict: On the whole, if you want to buy a new affordable phone that offers excellent value for money, then 5230 is the right choice for you. However, if you don’t require 3G then 5233 is a cheaper option.
Wait for my next review for the latest products.
All comments from readers are welcomed.
Thanks.
----------------
For a more detailed comparision between different phones, contact me at dhar.mrinal@rediffmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment