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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."

13 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 Westech · · Score: 5, Insightful

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

  3. 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.
  4. 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 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.

  5. 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
  6. 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)
  7. 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 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...
  8. 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.