Review: Nokia 7230

Premier partnerSamsung

3G connectivity on a budgetStylish design and ergonomic feelEase of calling and messagingImpressive internet experienceGood quality apps pre-loadedDecent outdoor images from the 3.2MP camera.The disappointing performance of OviIncredibly slow emailPoor audio quality of media playerLack of flash on the cameraLow-quality indoor and low light snapsLess-than-intuitive interface.Page 1 of 8Nokia 7230: Overview and designNot everyone needs a phone with a million apps and a 20MP camera.
Sometimes you just want to make calls, text and browse the internet for basic information, with a little style thrown in.
Something like the Nokia 7230 slider phone for example.
At only 10 x 5.5cm when folded, you're easily able to slip the Nokia 7230 into your suit or trouser pocket with ease.

But it still packs plenty of everyday essentials, including a featured 3.2MP camera, 3G connectivity, a media player with radio and a 2.2-inch screen for viewing everything from messaging and checking your email through to web browsing and fast access to Facebook and MySpace.

And there are apps too via Ovi if you want them, with a few demo games and utilities to get you going. All of that in a phone that's mostly free on contract or at £129 should you opt for pay-as-you-go, which isn't bad as a stylish-looking 3G phone.
Nokia 7230: Design
Small, functional and with smooth curves the 7230 is classic Nokia design. Sized at 98(h) x 48(w) x 14.75(d) mm and weighing in at 100g, the phone is small and light enough to fit into anyone's bag or pocket, with curved, chromed edges that contribute to an ergonomic shape for your hand.

Within the fairly minimalist design is a mini-USB slot (although the cable for hooking up the phone to a USB slot doesn't come as standard), a headphone point and those front facing controls for accessing/ending calls, along with an additional three menu-based controls for getting round the 2.2-inch TFT screen.

Memory card slot? That's located inside the handset, with a 2GB microSD down to come as standard..
The rear of the phone is devoted to photography, with a dedicated camera key on the side (or on top if you're taking pictures in landscape) turning your phone into a reasonable outdoor snapper in seconds.

The sliding mechanism is a dream, a 'glide' rather than a 'clunk', exposing a keyboard that's spacious enough for error-free typing and sufficiently responsive when you hit the keys. When you close the slide, the phone automatically locks, kicking off that lock when you flick it back open.

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Review: Nokia 5230

Premier partnerSamsung

Light and portableGood battery lifePlenty of appsGood Bluetooth supportHigh call qualityLack of Wi-FiSlow speedsTouchscreen lagsConfusing menus at timesNo physical keyboardPage 1 of 8Nokia 5230: OverviewOne of the great truths about smartphones is that you should always match a phone to your actual needs. The Nokia 5230, despite falling short of expectations, is an intelligent device that offers a wealth of unique features. Whether these features match your needs is the real question.
Before covering the failings, let's cover the basic advantages of using this phone. The Nokia 5230 is the bargain-bin version of the flagship phone, the Nokia N97.
We say 'flagship' as a somewhat slippery term, because the N97 is by no means as powerful as, say, the Google Nexus One and is actually second-rate compared to the much faster Nokia N900.
Yet, the N97 is the touchscreen phone set to compete with the Apple iPhone and just about every Android, Palm and Windows Phone device.

As the entry-level version of the N97, the Nokia 5230 is about £118, or about half the cost of competing smartphones that run well over £200.
That's an attractive price point – one that provides all the functionality of a touchscreen device, apps galore, GPS, media playback, a 2MP camera with advanced options such as setting ISO level, and 4GB of storage (on an included microSD card).

No, the Nokia 5230 is not an iPhone or HTC Desire competitor, but does have some powerful features.
What you don't get is Wi-Fi, and that is one of the major problems with this device. Wi-Fi is useful because it means you can continue using the device inside when your carrier service goes AWOL or when you want to download huge files.
The Nokia 5230 also lacks a full hardware keyboard, runs a bit slow at times, has a confusing turn-by-turn voice nav for GPS routing (although the phone supports many languages), low camera quality at just 2 megapixels, and a few minor glitches.

In the box Nokia has included the typical charger, manual, and a pair of earbuds with a 3.5mm connector that you will likely discard for a much more adequate set. Our test unit included a 4GB card already inserted into a side compartment, which is included with every Nokia 5230.
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