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Nokia 6820 Wireless Messaging Handset Reviewed

Posted by michael on from the stuff-to-drop dept.

Brainsur writes "The Nokia 6820 is an ergonomically pleasing handheld device that integrates short text, multimedia and instant messaging capabilities with all of the features and functions that one normally would expect to find in a dedicated GSM/GPRS cellular phone."

112 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Yes, but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can it make phone calls?

  2. WTF? by powerline22 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds kinda like someone paid Slashdot to put this on. Looks too much like a press release for my taste

    1. Re:WTF? by Erwos · · Score: 5, Interesting

      "Looks too much like a press release for my taste"

      That because it's probably taken straight from the media kit for the product.

      I'm doing tech support in a teaching theater for a PR class this summer. They barely ever require my help, so I sometimes listen in on what's going on.

      One of the most fascinating things they talked about was how important "ready-made" materials that could be presented as a "story" were. Basically, reporters are generally lazy. If you send them stuff they can mostly cut and paste that's informative and doesn't look _exactly_ like an ad, they'll use it almost verbatim.

      To be honest, I almost got the impression that the "reviewer" had not used the product at all.

      -Erwos

      --
      Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
    2. Re:WTF? by yasth · · Score: 1

      Ready-to-runs are nice and all but I doubt they would give it a 3.75 in a ready to run piece. Besides the business orientation of it is really odd as Nokia doesn't really think of the phone as a business phone. This looks more like laziness, I mean any review where one can't tell if they ever looked at soomething more then a spec sheet is just not worth running (or reading).

      --
      I'd do something interesting, but my server can't handle a slashdotting.
    3. Re:WTF? by Westech · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If I pay for a /. subscription will I still see stories like these?

    4. Re:WTF? by okigan · · Score: 1

      "WTF" is exactly what i thought, what is this
      www.mobiledia.com ? or slashdot.com since when
      is this consumer electronics review site?

      I dont mind a post about consumer electronics, but hey 6820 has been out for a while.

      and I HAVE that phone !!!!
      (and no, i am not posting my review here)

    5. Re:WTF? by Master+of+Transhuman · · Score: 3, Funny

      If you're dumb enough to pay for a /. subscription, you SHOULD see stories like this.

      --
      Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
  3. That review sucked.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It needs more pictures.

  4. IMO by kc0re · · Score: 1

    This is kinda handy. However, as long as I don't Mr. Corporate, or Mrs. Soccer-Mom, or worse yet even, Mr and Miss High School driver, going down the road typing away on AOL like I see them now. Gabbing on their phone, putting on makeup, reading the paper (yes), reading books, and eating their chessburgers.. but yet, Cell phone use without a earbud or something similiar is illegal. However, it would be neat, from a geek perspective to have IM on your phone. What kind of Security issues though, does this bring up? Being able to use quite Instant Messenging in Secret meetings for the government and such. You already can't have cell phones in secure facilities, so how do we get around that? Turn off the ringers, well, if people can IM in a Top Secret conference.... see where i am going with that?

    1. Re:IMO by sysopd · · Score: 2, Funny
      [...] eating their chessburgers [...]

      Is that anything like a checkerstaco?

      "I'd like a connectfoursalad with a side of strategofries please."

      "Would you like any chutesandladders sauce?"

      "No thanks, I always keep some hiddenvalleyaxisandalliesranch on me to dip them in."

    2. Re:IMO by rokzy · · Score: 1

      IM on your phone?

      SMS has done that for years.

      or if you want to go via internet, buddy list etc. then I use jMSN.

    3. Re:IMO by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And while you are watching them do all this, you get in a crash.

    4. Re:IMO by JabberWokky · · Score: 1
      "No thanks, I always keep some hiddenvalleyaxisandalliesranch on me to dip them in."

      I wouldn't if I were you. It would take several evenings to eat one order of fries.

      --
      Evan "Some advancedsquadleaderbarbeque sauce for me, please"

      --
      "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
    5. Re:IMO by Doppler00 · · Score: 1

      IM on your phone is MUCH different than SMS.

      SMS only allows you to directly contact other cellphone users, and unfortuntately you pay a silly $0.05 fee per each message.

      IM on a cellphone using GPRS data services is much cheaper in comparison and you can contact people who are at their computers, not at their phone and see if they are available.

  5. EDGE by Lispy · · Score: 2, Informative

    Pleae note that the EDGE protocol has to be supported by the phone-providers. At least in Germany this is not a reality yet.

    1. Re:EDGE by gingerTabs · · Score: 1

      Sorry, but I call bullshit on this one.

      EDGE is an upgrade to GPRS providing better data rates, and is not mandated by any of the specs. It's entirely an operator decision to request this from its network vendors, and hence if no operators demand it, no phone providers will build it into the phone.

      It is being deployed in some european countries, and I think the AT&T network in the US has it already, so phones will arrive, but slowly

  6. I have one... by cballowe · · Score: 5, Informative

    I like it... You can even get a slow but useable SSH client that runs on it from www.idokorro.com. The electrical connections between the keyboard portion that flips seem to be a little flimsy, and sometimes certain keys don't have the expected behavior. Other than that, it's a nice unit. I definitely like the fact that it has a normal phone form factor, unlike my previous phone... the Nokia 3300 mp3 phone.

    1. Re:I have one... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 4, Funny

      I definitely like the fact that it has a normal phone form factor, unlike my previous phone... the Nokia 3300 mp3 phone.

      Damn... thanks for subsidizing Nokia's R&D for the rest of us.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    2. Re:I have one... by XMyth · · Score: 1

      AT&T WS literally gives these things away.....with a 2 year contract (or renewal) but still.

    3. Re:I have one... by cballowe · · Score: 1

      I fried my 3300 by falling out of a boat with it in my pocket - replacement was a necessity and I wanted a different feature set anyway. (Actually, falling out of the boat didn't really do it ... it worked for almost a year after. I think the green stuff growing on the board is what did it.)

  7. Phone Quality by Icarus1919 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    When are phone companies going to actually ask the public what they need and use their phones for? There are gadgets out there that already do what these features, and do them better than the cell phones could ever hope to achieve at a reasonable price.

    What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability.

    1. Re:Phone Quality by nkh · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The public needs to read books, stop watching TV and practice sports. Companies tell the public what it needs: more expensive phones (and more TV watching all day long).

    2. Re:Phone Quality by Koyaanisqatsi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability

      And who provides that are carriers, not phone manufacturers like Nokia ...

      But I understand your point.

    3. Re:Phone Quality by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

      "There are gadgets out there that already do what these features, and do them better than the cell phones could ever hope to achieve at a reasonable price."

      At only 4x the pocket space!

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    4. Re:Phone Quality by Stauf · · Score: 1

      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability.

      The public already has these things (or at least, the GSM-using public has these things, assuming adequate coverage) - what they don't have is a need to buy a new mobile phone.

      As things stand now, everyone that wants a mobile phone has one, and all these new phones with the extra features and gadgets are designed and manufactured for the section of the market that sees the phone as a fashion item.

      Simply, if you want a phone that'll just make phone calls, this phone is not for you. If you want a phone that'll wow your family and friends with just how hip and trendy you are, it may be worth a look.

    5. Re:Phone Quality by oh · · Score: 1
      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability

      Until my battery started dying on me, I was pretty happy with the reception and quality. I have problems in some buildings, but you have to expect a couple of meters of reinforced concrete to interfere with radio/microwaves. I can take my phone overseas with me and it still works, and if you do a little research on the providers in the country you are visiting, doesn't even cost that much. I suppose the problem with the battery could be called a reliability issue, but after 2 1/2 years I expect something to give.

      I don't own a PDA, I don't see it as cost justified. Something to remind me of appointments, tell me the time, do simple calculations, that would be useful. Most phones can almost to these to an almost acceptable level, and these are features I will look for when buying my next phone. As a phone the current products work well, but a phone could do the most useful (to me) functions of a PDA would be a great time saver. Why should I carry around multiple gadgets? Why not have one that does it all?
      --
      Democracy isn't about no one telling you what to do. It's about everyone telling you what to do.
    6. Re:Phone Quality by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      "What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability."

      Quality? Nope, the quality is 'good enough'. That's not because consumers are stupid, it's because a phone isn't worth $600 just because it can last 20 years.

      Better reception? The phone manufacturers have little to do with that. More towers need to be placed.

      Reliability? I'll give you partial credit for that. Better battery life is okay. There's a point of diminishing returns, though. People actually do want cameras on their phones. People actually do want to play games on their phone. People actually do want MP3 ringtones on their phones. People actually want their phones to be cool, not just functional. Don't believe me? Go sit down at a Cingular store for half an hour. Reliability is a distant 3rd compared to "What am I getting with my $200 purchase?"

      It's really cool to complain about cell phones lately. For some reason, though, nobody seems to understand that people actually have to buy these phones to make them popular. Otherwise, the units without the nifty features at much cheaper prices would be far more popular. They're not. Why? Because a cellular phone has become an entertainment device as well as a communications device. Who cares if the games aren't Game Boy quality? Who carries their Game Boy around 24/7? Who cares if the digital camera is only 640 by 480? Who carries their $500 camera around 24/7? Who cares if the appointment book is a bit difficult to enter new memos into? Who carries their $500 PDA around 24/7? Who carries ALL this stuff 24/7?

      I can't believe that the self proclaimed 'nerds' don't understand the value. It's like we're all minimalists all the sudden. Funny what earning karma can turn ppl into.

    7. Re:Phone Quality by Doppler00 · · Score: 1

      When I think of better quality and reception I think of the quality of the audio you are listening to when talking to a person. I think it's really time they up it to 16Khz 16 bit at the minimum. After a voice has been downsampled and scrambled through a compression algorithm it loses a lot of life. I would gladely pay $10 more a month if they could double the audio quality when the cellular bandwidth is available.

    8. Re:Phone Quality by 1000StonedMonkeys · · Score: 1

      It's because all the "trendy" people discovered cell phones first. We're jealous and we're damn well not going to let them realize it.

    9. Re:Phone Quality by 10Ghz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There are lots and lots of phones that offer just the basics when it comes to features. If you don't want all these features, then go ahead and buy something like Nokia 1100 (I bought my non-technological mother that one. Really solid construction, works very well, good reception and it cheap as well!)

      Me? I have a Nokia 6600 with just about all the imaginable features. And I do use those features (yes, that includes the web-browser!).

      Seriously: It's pointless to whine "But I just want to make phone-calls! I don't need all these features!". In that case: just buy a basic phone! There are lots of those available! just because there are phones that are packed with features, does not mean that you are forced to buy one.

      --
      Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
    10. Re:Phone Quality by wfberg · · Score: 1


      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability.

      Just pick a phone with an external antenna and a big honking battery with outrageous SAR values.

      Though if you gauge what the public want by what they actually buy, they want the exact opposite.

      --
      SCO employee? Check out the bounty
    11. Re:Phone Quality by Euro · · Score: 1

      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability

      And who provides that are carriers, not phone manufacturers like Nokia ...

      ...although Nokia does also development of GSM/GPRS/CDMA network equipment as well.

      But I understand your point. :-)

    12. Re:Phone Quality by Fizzleboink · · Score: 1

      Wow. I just agreed to everything you said. Beautiful post.

    13. Re:Phone Quality by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 1

      When are phone companies going to actually ask the public what they need and use their phones for?

      I'm pretty sure they already do that. In fact, I'd be suprised if there were a single major cellular carrier or handset manufacturer that DIDN'T do focus group testing to find out what people want in a phone.

      What the public wants now is quality, better reception, and higher reliability.

      No, that's what YOU want. Don't make the mistake of assuming most other people are like you.

      The group of people sitting in front of the two-way mirror in a side room of some mall somewhere has apparently decided that fold-out QWERTY keyboards and cameras with digital zoom are more desirable than marginally improved reception. Sorry, but that's how the system works.

    14. Re:Phone Quality by der_joachim · · Score: 1

      There are gadgets out there that already do what these features, and do them better than the cell phones could ever hope to achieve at a reasonable price.

      You are partially right. However, when I bought a new cell phone, I bought one with a built-in MP3 player, FM radio and decent storage. It saved me the trouble of having to buy a portable MP3-player (which I had wanted to do for some time).

      There are tons of features on my current phone that I will not use (often), but there are also some that I would not have thought I would ever use and which happen to be very handy indeed.

      der Joachim

      --
      Geek runner, motorcyclist and professional know-it-all
    15. Re:Phone Quality by SpooForBrains · · Score: 1

      Better reception? The phone manufacturers have little to do with that. More towers need to be placed.

      If this is the case please explain to me why my Zircon Z3 (with external antenna) holds calls significantly better than the Nokia 6310i that I use for dialup over bluetooth ... which beats the crap out of my old Ericsson T68, which had possibly the worst reception of any phone I've ever used?

      --
      "The dew has clearly fallen with a particularly sickening thud this morning"
  8. What the? by LilMikey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So SlashDot is now turfing for cell phone reviewers? There's nothing especially exciting or geeky about this device. They've been making the flip-open messaging handsets for a while now. Hell, even the reviewer in underwhelmed (3.75/5). It's not exceptional in any way.

    The title of this article should read "Nokia comes out with new version of same old crap... like they do a dozen times every year."

    --
    LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
    1. Re:What the? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      From the "not-a-paid-advertisement-honest-i-swear dept."

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:What the? by haggar · · Score: 1

      OK, but the phone came out more than 6 months ago.
      Also, what other company makes a phone with this sort of keyboard? I know only of the Nokia 6800, that's it.

      --
      Sigged!
    3. Re:What the? by LilMikey · · Score: 1

      The 6820 is directly based on the 6800 which came out Q2 2003. It's the only *line* of phones with that specific style of keyboard but if you wanted to open that ball of wax Slashdot better start covering the Nokia 3650, Siemens SX1, the Blackberries, Sidekicks, and plethora of smartphones. All of them have unique keyboards and more features than the 68xx.

      --
      LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
  9. Re:How the hell? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    How the heck did this make it to the /. front page? was OSDN paid to foist that on there or what?

    Ever since everyone* started using either Squid with adzapper, or Mozilla/Firefox with Adblock, OSDN has had to find new ways to raise ad revenue.

    * If you don't do one of these two things, you are statistically insignificant. And a sucker. Or using some other ad blocker.

    :) <-- smiley for the humor impaired

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  10. More info by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    The link over at Nokia.

  11. OLD NEWS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This phone has been out for months now. Edge is supported by AT&T Wireless, but it's all going to be replaced by the next gen stuff before it really becomes useful anyway.

  12. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by maxbang · · Score: 1

    Whaddya mean their quality has fallen dramatically? I'm using one right now to post this comm KABOOM! *shrapnel, bone fragments, brains oozing through hole in skull*

    --
    I also reply below your current threshold.
  13. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by jolyonr · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hah! That'll teach you for using a non-nokia battery!

    --


    Please read my Canon EOS tech blog at http://www.everyothershot.com
  14. A quick question by ElForesto · · Score: 3, Informative

    Who has two thumbs and thinks this phone is a waste of money? This guy.

    I don't particularly care for Nokia phones, and even my Sony Ericsson T226 is overkill for what I need. I can understand integrating your address book into your phone, but the rest of this stuff is a waste of circutry. I'd rather they spend the manufacturing dollars on a phone with clearer signals and better durability. I'd pay good money for something like that.

    --
    There is a difference between "insightful" and "inciteful" other than spelling.
    1. Re:A quick question by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Insightful

      * I'd rather they spend the manufacturing dollars on a phone with clearer signals and better durability. I'd pay good money for something like that.*

      would you? would you really pay more to get less?

      then do so and buy some of the high-end business models they like to put out as well with reduced functionality and added impression of being rugged(8xxx)

      anyways.. most of the people that complain how they would just like to have clearer signal seem to come from the same areas.. particulary areas where a better phone even couldn't cover up for the SHITTY NETWORK. I honestly can't see any difference in different manufacturers receptions around here unless I go underground(in a cave) and even then they all just drop dead.

      anyways, these flip-out a full alphabet pad phones from nokia have a very solid feel into them.

      urgh.. well.. back to porting infones to s60!

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:A quick question by 10Ghz · · Score: 1

      Buy a Nokia 1100. It has just the basic features.

      I'm getting sick and tired of people whining about the feature-packed hi-end phones. "But I just want to make phone-calls!". Well boo-fucking-hoo! Go right ahead and buy a basic phone with just the basic features! market is full of them! Put your money where your mouth is and stop whining!

      --
      Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
    3. Re:A quick question by Fizzleboink · · Score: 1

      Once again, clearer signals entirely depend upon the towers, not the phones. The phones are fine.

  15. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by xC0000005 · · Score: 1

    Your tag line should have a ? after the indecisive. :)

    --
    www.voiceofthehive.com - Beekeeping and Honeybees for those who don't.
  16. I used the lesser model by gexen · · Score: 2, Informative

    I believe the same problem is in this one if I remember correctly. The power button is actually located at the top of the FRONT FACE of the phone. Thus, if you hold it up to your ear with your shoulder, you turn the phone off. After turning off the phone 5 times in a month while I was talking, I went out and got a Motorola v600 series. It's the best phone I've ever had.

    1. Re:I used the lesser model by cytoman · · Score: 1

      Dude, get a hands-free headset. It solves your problem, and it keeps the harmful RF radiation from cooking your brain.

    2. Re:I used the lesser model by ca1v1n · · Score: 1

      This certainly isn't the case with the 6820. The button is there, but you gotta jam your thumbnail down on it for a few seconds to get it to respond. I'd say they overcorrected, but I guess it's better this way than with what you endured.

      My real problem with it is that when I lose signal for extended periods of time, it sometimes doesn't re-establish signal when I get back to a place where it's perfectly clear, occasionally blaming the problem on a SIM card error, usually just not reconnecting. I have to power cycle it to get back on. It seems like a simple software bug, so I'm holding out hope that I might be able to get an update.

      --
      WARNING: there is a trojan on your
  17. Credibility by Cranx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Slashdot's credibility as a place of discussion is going to sink fast if they continue attempt to pass off advertisements as real topics worthy of discussion.

    Strike one, Slashdot.

  18. My Best Phone Ever by TheScream · · Score: 5, Informative
    I've had a 6820 for about 4 months now and I can honestly say that it has reduced my phone bill as far as calls are concerned. The downside that my costs for messaging and data have skyrocketed because I'm sending heaps of text messages and spending heaps of time on IRC using WLirc. It certainly has the geek factor to be on the bus or train using IRC.

    As far as email goes, I havn't tried it because it seems that the IMAP4 client for the phone is broken. I'm still able to check my mail via IMAP4 on my Pocket PC when connected via the phone using Bluetooth.

    The keyboard is excellent for it's size but I fear about getting RSI in my thumbs. :)

    I certainly get a lot of looks when I whip it out and fold the keyboard open. It is highly common to get the "what on earth is that?!?" comment from some... ahhh back to the days when I had my first US Robotics Pilot 5000 and the continual praise heaped upon one for having such a unique device.

    I find that I'm almost never using my Pocket PC anymore because I can download all my calendar, contacts, etc into this one.

    I don't believe the US version has the Blackberry client but the Australian version sure does. I'm hesitent to get it activated because of the AU$50 (US$35) per month fee that Telstra charge.

    This is a massive leap ahead over the 6800 and when Nokia inevitably release a followup to this one I'm not hesitating in getting it.

    Things I'd love to see in the next iteration of this phone:
    • Series 60 OS (and the associated higher resolution screen)
    • 1.3 Megapixel or higher camera
    • Expandable memory
    • Better quality screen
    • Faster UI

    The low points of this phone are:
    • Very average screen
    • Poor quality camera
    • UI could be faster
    • Joystick could be better
    • No MP3 ringtone support
    • Not much memory (3.5MB)
    1. Re:My Best Phone Ever by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      If you think the UI could be faster you *definitely* don't want a S60 phone. Mine's incredibly slow at everything UI related.

    2. Re:My Best Phone Ever by dwillden · · Score: 1
      Hey for the geek factor don't forget the bluetooth headset (I have Jabra's set for mine).

      This phone is awsome. I agree witht he parent on the lowpoints.

      --
      I'm too lazy to compose a creative sig.
  19. Aw... by gardyloo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Anyone else disappointed when they read that as " Massaging Handset Reviewed" ?

    1. Re:Aw... by questionlp · · Score: 1

      Just turn the phone to vibrate mode and call or send messages to it a couple of dozen times. mmm... personal massaging handset.

      Just wait a while and you'll see a soccer mom driving an H2 using her cell phone not only to talk but also as a personaly enjoyment toy :(

  20. Old news.. but check out the Siemens SK65 by Dynamoo · · Score: 1

    The Nokia 6820 has only been out for [b]six months[/b]. I've seen the 6820 and although the keyboard is clever, the screen is terrible. Check out the Siemens SK65 though - it's a much smarter, more business-orientated phone with a better screen and proper Blackberry support.

    --
    Never email donotemail@WeAreSpammers.com
    1. Re:Old news.. but check out the Siemens SK65 by Dynamoo · · Score: 1

      Yeah [i]silly[/i] me, ubbcode and HTML in the same post. D'oh!

      --
      Never email donotemail@WeAreSpammers.com
  21. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by bhtooefr · · Score: 1

    Must agree there...

    My 3588i has the following problems:

    Broken (and now missing) antenna cap
    Fading Sprint logo on bottom of faceplate
    Shiny paint chipping off of answer/hang-up buttons
    Soft button #1, "1", "4" undersensitive
    "6" alternating between undersensitive and extremely OVERsensitive
    Rubber grip on backplate coming off
    "NOKIA" text on rubber grip gone

  22. El Reg got here ages ago by SpooForBrains · · Score: 5, Informative

    OK, what the hell?? The Register reviewed this phone THREE MONTHS AGO and that was an actual review. You can read it here.

    So why is this being posted now? Hmm?

    --
    "The dew has clearly fallen with a particularly sickening thud this morning"
    1. Re:El Reg got here ages ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The Register reviewed this phone THREE MONTHS AGO and that was an actual review.
      So why is this being posted now? Hmm?

      Because /. editors are crap these days. Probably several reviews were submitted as stories several months ago, and got rejected. Finally an old press release gets submitted as a story, and gets accepted. This is nothing unusual in today's Slashdot. We need some competition - a site more or less like /. but with competent editors.

    2. Re:El Reg got here ages ago by ozbon · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I'm guessing that'd be because the Reg reviewed the phone when it was released in the UK, but that Nokia has only just released it in the US.

      Of course, I may be wrong, but the answer makes sense... In many ways cell-phones are more advanced in Europe than in the US, primarily because GSM is common in Europe, and still only really coming in in the US. Hence the "need" for tri-band (and now Quad-band) phones so they work world-wide.

      --
      I say we take off and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure...
    3. Re:El Reg got here ages ago by dave420 · · Score: 1
      "in many ways" = "in every way imaginable"

      Seriously, two of the biggest cellphone manufacturers are over here (Nokia, Ericsson), and we take to that sort of thing faster than the Americans. Minidisc, anyone? You also won't find anyone saying "bluetooth is dead!" this side of the pond, either, as lots of us actually use it daily. :)

  23. Re:whoreabull failure of PostBlock devise reviewed by temojen · · Score: 1

    I'd mod this down, but I can't find the "inane babble" option.

  24. Sony Ericsson k700i by kunudo · · Score: 1

    Has 42 mb built in memory, VGA cam that can also do 80 mins of video in .3gp format, built in pop3 & imap client, 176x220 tft (very nice & bright) display capable of 65536 colors, all the latest java features (midp 2.0, raw sockets), mp3-player (though 42mb isn't a lot of space for storing mp3's), gprs, bluetooth etc etc. It does all this nokia phone does, and is twice as fast and 10x sexier. (I just bought it a week ago, I love it).

    Full specs
    Pics

    Trust me, it's the k700i you really want... :)

    1. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by Talez · · Score: 1

      Nah. The Z1010 is where its at. Clamshell form factor. 3G WCDMA/UMTS support with 2G GSM/GPRS for areas where theres no WCDMA coverage. Memory Stick Duo slot and everything the K700i has besides the camera not being as good. But there are two of them!

    2. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by mad.frog · · Score: 1

      Um, but how much does it COST?

    3. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by kunudo · · Score: 1

      No 3G in Norway yet, so I'm happy, and I hate clamshell phones... :)

      Not that I would mind having 3G in the k700, but I'll probably upgrade when we get it here anyway... :) I was looking at the s700 on the web, it has memory stick support, 1,3 mp cam and a bigger screen, but no 3g... Something like the s700 with 3G and a less clumsy keyboard systen, now that would be something...

    4. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by Talez · · Score: 1

      See I'm the exact opposite. I love clamshell phones. They protect the main screen (great for someone careless like me) and conserve so much battery life not having to drive the TFT all the time.

    5. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by The+Cookie+Monster · · Score: 1

      And what of the important bit - the keyboard?

      There's no point having PDA functions, web browsing, email etc on a phone that only has a number pad.

      Predictive text doesn't work on urls, names, addresses, email addresses etc. If you're going to use it like a PDA you need a keyboard - it's not just txt messaging that the keyboard kicks ass at.

      Having used the 6800, then the 6820, I will never touch a phone without a keyboard again. And thanks to this slashdot article I know know that there is also the Siemens SK65 to consider.

    6. Re:Sony Ericsson k700i by kunudo · · Score: 1

      probably $50-80 more than the nokia one... They're still in the same categor pricewise though. If you're spending that much on a phone, you want it to be good.

  25. Looks like another ripoff of Bell's telephone by IGTeRR0r · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/inventor/bell.html Looks like another cheap imitation of Bell's telephone, and I don't see Nokia giving props to the man who started it: "Bell's "electrical speech machine" paved the way for the Information Superhighway" Just giving the man the respect he deserves.

  26. eBook Potential? by JabberWokky · · Score: 1
    I was thinking about using the non-keyboarded version of this (the 3660? The one with the "normal" key layout) as a phone and eBook reader. Anybody tried to use it? For comparison, I now use a Palm IIIc (with the hypersharp and bright screen) right now.

    --
    Evan "I prefer the IIIc over my iPaq. DateBk5 and the screen."

    --
    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  27. Link to the manufacturer by Koyaanisqatsi · · Score: 2, Informative

    was it too much to ask that this was included?

    http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/6820

  28. Re:I'm amazed... by Txiasaeia · · Score: 1
    ..toilet, airplane, toaster, coffee maker...

    Am I the only one that wants several efficient devices that does each task well rather than a device that does all of them crappily? I'm not going to type off a 20 page paper on a cell phone, nor will I use one for a powerpoint presentation, a wakeup clock radio, etc. etc.

    You might think it's wonderful, but I think that puting all your eggs in one small, breakable, easily stolen/lost basket is a ridiculous idea.

    Furthermore, I can't even find a basic cell phone that dials out a number - I either need to pay an ungodly sum for a "basic" (i.e. SMS, colour screened flip phone with more RAM than my laptop) phone, or sign my life away with a 2 year contract. Note to cell phone manufacturers: I would pay big money for an indestructable, IBM-quality cell phone with *basic* features that would last me for the next ten years!

    --
    Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
  29. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by techfury90 · · Score: 1

    I agree. I don't like nokias either, due to their crappy creaky dust gathering "XPress-On" covers. They also just rerelease the same thing over and over again these days. Nothing of good value. Pathetic 128x128 screens on Series 40, which JUST became 65k color. I'll stick with my SE T637 thank you very much.

    --
    I'm friends with the youngest daughter of the former head of the PowerPC division of IBM you insensitive clod!
  30. Used to have one by hkb · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Used to have one, awesome phone, but wasn't Symbian OS, didn't (and probably never will) work with ISync, sold it, bought a 3620, haven't looked back. The 6820's thumb keyboard was awesome for composing emails and instant messaging, however. Even had an SSH client on it.

    --
    /* Moderating all non-anonymous trolls up since 2004 */
  31. I'm not that big a fan of Nokia... by ultramk · · Score: 1

    But if you want to talk drool-worthy phone, take a look at the Moto RAZRV3

    I mean yeah, I guess it'll make phone calls and stuff, but good lord. Nice match for a 17" Powerbook...

    m-

    --
    You catch enchiladas by picking them up behind the head and holding them underwater until they don't kick anymore -VeGas
  32. Pushing something up by Neo's+Nemesis · · Score: 2, Interesting

    WTF is wrong with slashdot? Posting a cheap review of a mediocre phone on front page is foolish. Or does it have some hidden handshake with certain *uhmm* manufacturers.

    The phone obviously reeks of average functionality, with a not-so-good camera, same ice-cream bar design, average features, etc. They haven't talked about its voice clarity, signal catching strength, enhancement software with camera, durability, software, and many other things. Am I supposed to read directly from the company's press release text?

    This is insanity!

  33. Bluetooth, Keyboard, Camera by your_mother_sews_soc · · Score: 3, Informative

    I bought one just last month and switched providors to do so. I bought it primarily for the Bluetooth capability - I'm on a kick lately, as I bought a Palm Tungsten T3 and a Navman Bluetooth GPS module to go with my PowerBook.

    Like all Nokia phones, the battery is incredible. The keys are a little small for an old phart like me, but they are very useable. The clamshell QWERTY keyboard is also a little hard to use, but easier than ditsing around with the keys when trying to type more meaningful memos. I used it to the max for the first month sending text messages and it was better than my whining makes it out to be.

    In addition to the phone, I bought a Motorola Bluetooth headset. It is by far the best complement to the phone! The two make an unbeatable pair. Oh yeah, the phone has a camera and the one time it screwed up was when I took a booty shot of my wife. Um, this is slashdot, right? Scratch that. The video mode is cool. Anyway, the 6820 is a solid phone and I hope to get a few years of service out of it.

    --
    My user name was a mistake. Input wasn't restricted, my bad.
  34. Thank goodness I have nextel by prisoner · · Score: 1

    so I don't have to worry about new phones with any kind of new features. Nextel phones are good but wrt functionality, they really do stick with the Henry Ford credo about car colors. Nextel's idea of a "new phone" is to put some nascar shit on it. The features are the same as the first nextel phone i bought like 4 years ago. Oh wait, they added java. That is very useful, I can play tiger woods golf demo (!) while I'm waiting for something to happen.

  35. Nokia 3660 Recommendations by Doppler00 · · Score: 1

    I recently purchased a Nokia 3660 on Amazon.com for $275 (and $300 in rebates). My service provider is T-Mobile. This is what I've been able to do so far:

    * IM using Agile Messenger (ICQ, MSN, AIM, Yahoo)
    * Send/Receive my comcast.net POP e-mail

    As a plus, I can do all of these things without paying silly little per KB or per message fees. T-mobiles "t-zones" for only $5/month allows you to access unlimited GPRS data so it's a very good deal.

    I tried looking for adobe's PDF reader, but it doesn't work on my phone (unsupported, the phone only has 4MB of RAM!).

    I would highly recommend the 3660 though as it does quite a lot for the money. I only wish the Nokia 7610 was out, I would have chose that instead.

  36. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by Doppler00 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Maybe Nokia has just realized that people are going to buy a new phone every 2 years anyway, so why make them to last longer? (joking...)

  37. Euphamisms by phwiffo · · Score: 1
    "On the downside, Nokia has given the 6820 a mere 3.5 MB of internal shared memory, which some business professionals may find insufficient for storing all their e-mails, text and multimedia messages, ring tones, images, video clips, calendar notes and "to-do" lists -- not to mention any of the available Java Latest News about Java applications that they may want to download to the device."

    Yes. For my "business". You just keep telling yourself that you are not a phone fashion geek but a "business professional" and maybe, if you wish hard enough, it will come true!

    --


    Trolls, it must be cool to be that bored.
  38. A very handy phone by galtenberg · · Score: 4, Informative

    I bought the 6820 about four months ago, and love it more than any other electronic gadget I own, even over my Sharp Zaurus.

    What stands out is how natural the keyboard is. The device is weighted perfectly. You can also type quite fast, as the two halves of the keyboard are roughly a hand-length apart. Handtop makers and PDA designers should take particular notice in how much more natural this design is than a thumb keyboard exposed on the bottom of a device. This really is the future, I believe in the design that strongly.

    An especially handy feature is that as soon as you start typing, the phone goes into "Note" mode - just type the first letter of a sentence, and you're inputting into a notepad-like application. No frills, but you can save and edit easily, then email or SMS the text.

    There's also a cool keyboard-light button at the top left, to illuminate the whole device for typing in low light. I can't tell you how stylish the thing looks with light streaming out from each key on the pad.

    There's also a customizable "GoTo" button on the phone face, so you can instantly utilize the voice recorder, alarm clock, timer, calculator, your inbox, and the other dozen+ applications.

    The camera is about one-half or even one-third megapixel, I'd say - still looks fine (tho small) when emailed. There's a built in mini-Outlook, with audio reminders and all, which is now 100% usable thanks to the keyboard. Literally, there's no need for a PDA if calendar, contacts, and notes are your primary apps.

    It's one of the rare devices that earns a 5 out of 5 rating. No astroturfing here, this thing has earned my love.

    1. Re:A very handy phone by galtenberg · · Score: 1

      I tried like 10 different ways to add Note to the GoTo menu ;) Then I got an inspiration :)

      Kinda agree on the other points (could be improved, I guess), but also I'm not unhappy with those aspects.

  39. My eyes hurt! by metalligoth · · Score: 1

    This is much better.

  40. Mod the article down by Donny+Smith · · Score: 1

    REDUNDANT REDUNDANT REDUNDANT

    (Well, this post is redundant too, but at least - unlike to /. - I don't post redundant stuff five times a week)

  41. This seems a lot cooler by GrodinTierce · · Score: 1

    This phone seems to do much the same, and looks a lot cooler to boot.

    --


    Tierce
    Who sponsors your feelings?
  42. Privoxy by giminy · · Score: 1

    The review according to privoxy:

    Privoxy blocked http://ads.osdn.com/?ad_id=4780&alloc_id=10190&sit e_id=1&request_id=1755696.
    See why or go there anyway.

    Cheers,
    Reid

    --
    The Right Reverend K. Reid Wightman,
  43. 128x128 screen by S3D · · Score: 1

    All the the EDGE/GPRS/multimedia messages functions are wasted on the device with 128x128 screen. Browse the internet on the 128kbt/s on the 128x128 screen ? Thanks no. Nokia have some quality smartphones but that not one of them.

    1. Re:128x128 screen by MrRTFM · · Score: 1

      I've found that too. Complete waste of time on a small screen - maybe good if i had a custom app to check my bank balances or something.

      --
      You can't expect to wield supreme executive power, just because some watery tart threw a sword at you
  44. Re:Yeah but cheap quality by 10Ghz · · Score: 1

    Well I have a Nokia 6600 and it has worked really well. In fact, we have about 50 of those in my workplace and they all work very well. Before that we had 6310i. Again: very few problems. Before that I had Nokia 7110. Worked flawlessly. Nokia 6150? Zero problems. 5110? Zero problems.

    I have personal experiences regarding six different Nokia-phones and they have all worked very well. Two of those models (6130i and 6600) have been in wider use, so I have had the possibility to see how well they work. And they work really well.

    As far as I'm concerned, I have no problems with Nokia or their quality. If you want to talk about crappy phones, think Motorola. Or, to a lesser extent: Siemens. Like that one Siemens "business-phone" where you can't use the headset. Why? Because if you have the headset plugged in and somebody calls you, it plays back the ringtone in the headset. At full volume. In a Nokia-phone (and in any phone that has been designed by people with functional brains) it sends a faint notification to the headset. Loud enough for the user to notice it, but not so loud that it cripples the users hearing (like on the Siemens). Well, the Siemens's manual did mention that the headset is not to be used all the time. Apparently you have to answer the call and THEN plug in the headset!

    --
    Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
  45. AT&T Has An Exclusive Contract With Nokia? by lanner · · Score: 1


    I have a conspiracy theory. I noted when AT&T came out with the Nokia 6800, the precursor to the 6820. I even went to an AT&T store to check one out, and the 6800 phone in the AT&T store said that it was compatible with "AT&T" "Cingular" and "TMobile", under the services section of the Nokia OS. Now the 6820 has been released and at almost the same exact time, TMobile has released the 6800 as one of their products. I am willing to water that AT&T paid a good sum to Nokia to have exclusive rights to sell this phone along with service in the United States. It won't stop you from buying a phone from Nokia directly or eBay, but I bet that in almost exactly a year, TMobile will have this phone available for their network.

    I am a TMobile customer.

    1. Re:AT&T Has An Exclusive Contract With Nokia? by lanner · · Score: 1

      That's "wager", not "water". I am not going to water myself any time soon if I can help it.

  46. Could be worse, it could be a Nokia 6600 by B747SP · · Score: 1
    Got suckered by the big screen and the bluetooth and the tri band and the gprs and stuff, didn't I. My Nokia 6600 turned out to be a lump of dodgy experimental crap that probably should never have left R&D. The phone is totally non-Nokia - all menus and functions are as non-intuitive as a third party phont, it's the first telephone to have a virus in the wild, and it won't talk to a PC for anything useful.

    One might assume that, since pretty much all previous Nokias worked, that things like editing phone book data and send/receive SMS messages might work with the included Cellular Data Suite software, right? WRONG. The Nokia 6600 can't do any of this stuff, and even all the pay-ware requires you to load and run a daemon on the phone before basic functionality like that works. Bad Nokia, bad!

    /rant!

    --
    I find your ideas intriguing and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
  47. Re:I'm amazed... by Alif · · Score: 1

    Like Nokia 5100?

  48. QWERTY Keyboard Layout is Just Fine by PhillC · · Score: 2, Informative
    "Moreover, the layout of the keys deviates from the usual Qwerty configuration in several respects. For example, Nokia has elected to switch the positions of the "@" symbol and the double-quote keys from their usual Qwerty assignments."

    Actually the locations of the @ and double-quote symbols are in exactly the same place as on all my regular desktop/laptop keyboards. The double-quote is above the number 2 (shift-2 to access) and the @ symbol above the single quote near the enter key (shift-' to access).

    I think what the author of the review doesn't realise is that UK and US QWERTY keyboards have slightly different layouts. The switch of @ and double-quote being one of the differences. There's also, for example, a £ symbol above the number 3 (shift-3 to access) which is extremely useful when dealing with Pounds Sterling.

    So as far as I can see Nokia hasn't elected switched anything. They've just produced a QWERTY keyboard based on the UK model.

    I've had a 6820 for about 4 or 5 months now. It's an OK phone. I find that I can type SMS messages quicker using the fold out keyboard than even with predictive texting on and using the number pad. The camera is a bit crap and I rarely use it. As for other messaging capabilities, frankly I may not be a big enough geek because not enough of my friends have compatible devices that I can send to.

    --
    Brought to you by the author of such childrens' classics as "Some Kittens can Fly!" and "All Dogs go to Hell."
  49. now, you fool by RMH101 · · Score: 1

    they sell a variety of handsets. the more popular dictate what the public wants. the ones that die off into oblivion don't. end of story.

  50. SSH question by welshwaterloo · · Score: 1

    Possibly a trifle off-topic - but have you (or anyone else) found a decent ssh device? It's not something that's mentioned much in phone reviews...

    1. Re:SSH question by cballowe · · Score: 1

      The danger handheld from t-mobile is pretty nice, and the blackberry phone unit seems to work ok, but unless you get it from nextel, it needs to communicate through a Blackberry enterprise server. The nextel model actually has a local IP stack. Of course, the Idokorro SSH client for blackberry is nearly $200, for the 6820 it's $40.

      The CPU in the 6820 is grossly underpowered for extensive use of the SSH client - session startup is painful, but it works in a pinch. In my blackberry, it's not so bad.

  51. The one thing I need... by mikrorechner · · Score: 1

    ...is a business phone with Bluetooth, calendar and stuff, but *without* a camera.

    I don't know about the situation in the US, but here in Europe, camera phones are not allowed in many companies for fear of industrial espionage.

    I really like the Sony-Ericsson phones, but they don't seem to make any camera-less ones any more...

    --
    "Oh, a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-my-own-Grandpa." - Dr Hubert Farnsworth
  52. Re:I'm amazed... by dave420 · · Score: 1
    Then this phone isn't for you. It is incredibly popular, so you are in the minority. If you want a basic phone, go and get one. Nokia still produce several base phones without all this "nonsense".

    Lots of people have use for these sorts of phones. I know I do (I have a T610).

    Of course, this is /., so people tend to think that everyone else thinks exactly like them. Oops.

  53. Explanation for the Slashdot crowd by Echnin · · Score: 1

    This is like when you water cool your computer case, except it's for buildings. Get it?

    --
    Lalala
  54. Compatibility by Rethcir · · Score: 1

    Looks like a really nice phone! All the wizbang features and it actually looks cool, unlike a lot of the phones in the retailer's display cases these days. The article says it 's availible for AT&T wireless (which a /. article a few weeks back basically said was the worst carrier around).. as a contract slave to Verizon for another year and a half or so, do you think I'd be able to get it to work on their network?

  55. Re:I'm amazed... by Txiasaeia · · Score: 1

    good god no! that phone has a browser, an fm radio, messaging services, a *thermometer*... by "Basic" I mean something that you turn on that dials out and receives incoming calls. That's it.

    --
    Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
  56. Very Useful Application by orn · · Score: 1

    Here's an application that I find incredibly useful on my 6820: an opensource spreadsheet.

    MicroCalc

    Other (free?) applications that people really like on the 6820?

    --
    1. 2.
  57. nokias by phpsocialclub · · Score: 1

    My roomate has one of these and it is pretty cool, the keyboard is not so bad for messaging,

    I have a 6600, which rocks, the battery lasts for ever. I can get my powerbook online via bluetooth and GPRS with cingular. The address book and calendar syncs with Ical. I can play gameboy color games, IM, ssh, and various other things.

    This is my 4th nokia phone and surprise all of the charges still work, so I have a bunch of them, that is the best part

  58. Have own the 6800 for almost a year now... by barks · · Score: 1

    ...and it's a pretty sweet device. Haven't regretted buying it for a moment. Every time I flip it open it defiantly turns heads and gets attention (I'm still not certain this is a good thing). I can say it's without a doubt awesome to send text messages using its full keyboard. As far as browsing the Internet I hate it. Usually the sites are too large in size to view. I have yet to find a search engine that works with it...I've tried Google's cell phone page without success.

    I've recently notice some of my games I haven't played in awhile will pause in mid-play...not a biggie but something I have to investigate. One of the things that I liked was that it ran Java on it and assumed that I would be able to program a few custom appz for my own amusement. Realizing I hadn't programmed in Java in a long time proved challenging as finding a decent Java IDE that's FREE seems next to impossible and gave up trying.

    All in all my Nokia 6800 is still the cat's meow compared to all my friends' cell phones. I'm sure there are plenty of cell phones that put it to shame but I have yet to met someone that has one.

    --

    Some aim to please, I aim to tease.