re: GSMBOX looks at the Nokia 6510
>> Test: Nokia 6510
Matteo Dal Prà
Translation by Catherine McNabb
GSMBOX
February 13, 2002
After the much-awaited 6310, and the original 5210, the 6510 has arrived in shops throughout Europe. A hard to classify model, part of the now extensive Nokia range (there are now more than 10 GSM models in the current Nokia range!), because it seems in size and technical characteristics, the double of the recent 8310, and also because it is hard to understand how this model fits into the 600 series. The 6000 series generally has different dimensions (much bigger) and target (professional users).
It would be more logical to group it with the 8000 series, perhaps as the 8330, or the 8350, or even the 8510 (but not the 8410, because the number 4 is, notoriously considered bad luck in several Eastern countries, and Nokia takes great care to respect local customs, and in fact no Nokia phone uses the number 4 (and neither do Sony Ericsson's).. one of Nokia's incongruences. The same incongruence is evident in the new 5210, which has little in common with the 5000 series and much more with the 8000 series - as we will explain when we review the 5210.
The dimensions are almost the same as the 8310: 97 x 43 x 20 (the 8310 is just 1 mm thinner), and so is the weight, 84 grams complete with the standard battery, which is the usual lithium BLB-2. The "frame" is also the same as that of the 8310, with, unfortunately, the same bad SIM card housing, with a lightweight panel in ultra cheap plastic that opens too easily.
The front and rear covers are different: their plastic, still very light, is pleasant to touch - a soft "mixture". The design of the covers - sober and elegant, although not as refined and successful as the Kenzo design that distinguished the beautiful 8210 is another novelty. Compared to the 8310, in profile, this phone, a single colour rather than two, seems heavy and chunky, with evident disproportion between the frontal dimensions - short and narrow, and the thickness. The Alcatel 511, for example, which has similar dimensions, has side veining which make it seem much slimmer.
The design of the keys has been modified and made more elegant, returning to the rhomboid Nokia "house style", abandoning the drop shape used for the keys of preceding keyboard. Despite the small size of this phone, the keys are sufficiently large, well spaced and comfortable. They respond quickly and precisely to commands.
Three novelties are noticeable when you turn this phone on. The first is a slightly useless one - in addition to the traditional start-up logo (a pair of joined hands), there is also a short start-up tune (like that of the Alcatel 511, but deeper). The second is the illumination of the display, an electric blue which resembles that of the Philips Xenium or the G2K (Ozeo). The illumination is intense and uniform, and as attractive as the ice blue of the 8310, although it's all a question of taste. The third novelty is the resolution of the display, much higher than that of the 8310. In practice, with the same dimensions, this screen has more pixels, and the result is that graphic images are better defined and there is an extra line of text: on the downside, the characters are much smaller.
Navigating through the menus you then discover the same user interface and the same functions, apart from a few slight, and not very relevant, modifications. The only real novelties are the automatic keypad block, with a programmable timer, a function as simple as it is useful (particularly for the more distracted user), which Nokia has only now decided to introduce in its new models (apart from this model, it is also present in the 5210). The other significant (?) novelty is the new Wap browser with Wallet function, to facilitate e-commerce via Wap, with a system which in practice memorizes an access code containing the user's credit card data. The Wap is version 1.2.1 with the possibility of saving up to 25 selected bookmarks.
Another difference, although a small, and in all likelihood irrelevant one for most users, is the GPRS modem, which in the 8310 could be used I 3+1 slot (3 in downlink and 1 in uplink), or in 2 + 2, which is only useful if you have to send large numbers of e-mails of several Kb each, or in rare cases of transmission of a considerable amount of data. The 6510 is only 3 + 1 (3 in upink and 1 in downlink). A final "difference" is the fact that the radio, according to Nokia, is optional. In reality it is the earpiece to listen to it that is optional, since the radio is built into the phone.
All the remaining functions are practically the same as those of the 8310. To summarize the main ones:
- date, time and alarm
- calculator and currency converter;
- chronometer and stopwatch;
- diary with appointment reminder with day and month views;
- appointments function to quickly store reminders (up to a maximum of 30), according to priority (high, medium, low);:
- possibility of storing up to 500 contacts with 3 numbers each (in addition to the SIM storage);
- Voice Dialing, to recall up to 10 numbers by voice;
- possibility of storing up to 150 text-only messages, or up to 50 with images;
- T9 (implementable) which can be used for notes as well as for text messaging;
- SMS polling;
- 10 predefined SMS with images
- 35 predefined ring tones, plus others to be downloaded via SMS;
- calculator, currency converter, chronometer, stopwatch;
- voice controls to:
- change use mode (there are 5);
- listen to the answering service;
- turn the radio on and off;
- change radio station;
- activate the IrDA;
- activate the recorder (up to 3 minutes);
- possibility of storing up to 5 Wap connection profiles;
- HSCSD (High Speed Data) for continuous data transmission (not packet as for GPRS) up to 43,200 bps (only with certain European operators);
- 4 games (all familiar): Snake II, Pairs II, Bumper and Space Impact.
And now for the audio quality. The sound received and heard in the earpiece is loud and clear. The transmitted sound is slightly metallic (as for most Nokias), with a slight background hiss. Good, although not excellent, overall (and in fact, there is better around). Pay attention, though - if you don't remove the protective plastic which covers the display and earpiece) which usually has slits near the holes), the sound is very low.
In reception this model, like its predecessor the 8310, is rather disappointing, particularly on the 1800 MHz band, although it is nothing special on the 900 MHz band either. However, none of the Nokias with built in aerials have particular good reception or signal stability. Transmission power is slightly better, once the network connection has been established and the call started it is unlikely to be cut off.
The battery supplied is the standard BLB-2 lithium battery (already supplied with the 8210, 8850, 8890 and 8310), with 750 mAh power (in the past the amperage was 650 mAh), which, with the low energy consumption software permits working autonomy of over 100 hours on stand by, and 3 hours call time. In practice it can be easily be used for 3 days. Pretty good.
As well as the battery, all the other accessories (battery charger, earpieces and cigar lighter handsfree loudspeaker PPH-1) are the same as for the preceding models in the 8000 (8210, 8310, 8850, 8890) and 3000 (3210, 3310, 3330) series. A practical professional handsfree kit (CARK132 with connector for external aerial) is also available.
The range of standard accessories is very limited: a battery, the usual travel charger (ACP-7), the well designed and complete CD ROM with a presentation of the phone and PC Suite (version 4.51) for synchronizing and exchanging data with a PC (Internet connection, Phone Book, diary and SMS management). Compared to the 8310 it lacks the dual earpiece that is essential for listening to the radio. The front covers, Nokia's strongpoint, are interchangeable. The phone is supplied as standard with a gold/champagne cover, and 4 other elegant colours are optionally available (dark blue, light blue, cherry red, purple).
Like most high end Nokia phones, the 6510 is produced in Finland. The mode we tried had a V.3.22 software version dated 10 January 2002 (to display this information, just type *#0000#), and was produced in February 2002 (to display this date, type *#92702689# in sequence, then turn the phone off to unlock it).
The retail price of the 6510 recommended by Nokia Italia is the same price as the 8310 and the 6310, 448 euros. Fairly step, considering it is not triband, and it does not have Bluetooth.
Also Consider ...
With 50 euro less you could buy the beautiful Motorola V66, a GSM GPRS phone with similar functions, with a less simple and intuitive menu, and a less comfortable keypad, but with a third band that means it can be used across the Atlantic. The V66 has no interchangeable front and back covers, but front ones only, and it is also made of better quality plastics, which gives the phone a more solid appearance. It has no IrDA port, but can be connected to a PC via a serial or USB cable. Or you could buy the most technologically complete and competitive phone on the market, its direct competitor, the Ericsson T39m, which has no interchangeable covers but is enviably well made (high quality plastics and light magnesium alloy), with a slightly smaller but highly legible display. It also has both the third band, and Bluetooth and ...costs 160 euro less ...more technology for a lower price and the same quality (!!!).
Final Verdict
A generally well made GSM phone. Ultra compact, but still with a sufficiently comfortable and precise keypad. Excellent uiser/graphic interface, as always very simple and intuitive. But the SIM card housing is terrible (the same one as the 8310) - surely they could have changed this! After the innumerable software bugs which have afflicted users of the 8310, and made Nokia look pathetic, this new model includes more reliable software which so far has had no operating bugs (V.3.22 of 10-01-02). Good, but not excellent, audio quality and signal sensitivity.
The autonomy is excellent, and the graphic resolution is better than that of the 8310, with more pixels. This solution gained better graphic definition and another line of text, but at the expense of the characters - now much smaller. The possibility of connecting the ^%!) to a PC only via the IrDA port, not through a serial or USB cable, is limiting, and nor does this phone have the Bluetooth technology its brother 6310 has.
A phone with many functions, although some important ones present in competitors' phones, which might justify such a high price (448 euros), such as the third band and Bluetooth, are missing. The accessories supplied as standard are minimal (a battery, battery charger and CD ROM with PC Suite) - unlike the 8310 the dual earpiece needed to listen to the radio is not supplied. A final consideration: since the 6510 is a revised and corrected 8310, why classify it in the 6000 series, with which it has little or nothing in common? <<
- Eric - |
