Nokia 7210 - Flashy, Bold and Contemporary
ngws 12th Oct 2002

Others

Extras

    There's the usual Extra section with calculator, countdown timer and a stopwatch. 

Connecting and Waking you up!

    The  Connectivity folder to activate IrDA and setting up your GPRS. There is the usual Alarm Clock as well. I was hoping for a customizable alarm clock tone but no chance of that here.

My favorite website

    Services (virtually identical to the one found on the 7650) stores your bookmarks, option to clear your cache etc.

Conclusion 

    Critics abound and some will condemn the Nokia 7210 out right for not giving this and that. Do you believe that there are people out there with the Nokia 7650 and they have NEVER install any Java applications, don't have a clue what Bluetooth can do and they didn't sign up for a GPRS/WAP subscription with their provider? Nonetheless, times are changing and maybe one day, people will stay away from a phone without WiFi!

    As for the missing Bluetooth (BT), it's a double edged sword. Let's face it ... BT is still very much in its infancy stage. Look around you. A simple BT printer adaptor can costs a few bombs. BT headsets are big and you look like a telephone operator with that extended boom. The only exception to this rule is probably the Nextlink Bluespoon ... it's so small (and very expensive) that you look like a secret agent on the prowl. BT is something that requires a substantial investment should you plunge head-on into. A new CF BT card for your PDA or a new adaptor for your desktop PC. All these for simple chores of files transfer, internet surfing or answering calls. Yes .. yes .. it's very convenient when you are driving but I believe most users would go for a $10-20 wired earpiece over a $150 wireless headset (most of them don't have a problem with the wires anyway). Likewise, I wouldn't leave my phone in the car while I enjoy my picnic a few metres away. I would want to know who is calling and what if I want to make a call .. take a walk back to my 'wireless' phone? And no, internet surfing is not free either as you will need to pay for your GPRS traffic. As much as I enjoy BT for the past year with the T68m/i and the Nokia 7650, BT is just not catching on. AFAIK, Samsung, Siemens, Motorola are not putting it in in the near future. So, you will have to ask yourself if it's all worth your while ... and money.

    In my opinion, the Nokia 7210 has enough features to satisfy a wide range of needs. It has the essentials like GPRS, an IR port, MMS, Java support, polyphonic ringtone, a 4096 colors screen and a host of customizable functions. To add on, there is a nice stereo FM radio and a great loudspeaker mode. Just remember to buy within your budget and with the features you want ...

Pros

• 4096 color screen
• Very good reception
• Loudspeaker is loud and very audible (very little noise)
• Ringtone/SMS Alert volume is loud too
• Exciting future for Pop-Port^TM connector
• XPress-on^TM covers
• Polyphonic ringtone
• MMS
• Stereo FM Radio
• Fast SMS
• Support J2ME applications
• Big and manageable Phone Book
• Customizable wallpaper
• Customizable ringtone
• Customizable SMS alert tone
• Customizable caller group ringtone
• New words can added to T9 dictionary
• Fast SMS
• Timed option profile
• GPRS
• Tri-band

Cons

• No Bluetooth (Personal preference)
• Odd Keypad (Personal opinion)
• No font size control
• No contrast control
• Slight flickering on screen
• Odd positioning of displayed date (Right in the middle?!)
• Only 4 Polyphonic ringtone
• Slight ghosting due to STN screen
• No picture phonebook
• No POP3 email clients
• Extremely stiff volume lever

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