With its integrated VGA camera, MP3 and video playback, the 6230 is all set to claim the position as Nokia's new flagship. A review by Sindre Lia.
The introduction of Nokia's new 6230 confirms the manufacturer still wishes to offer mobile phones - and not just smartphones - with powerful multimedia capabilities. The classic exterior of the phone gives off the impression of a solid and stable product, while at the same time its interior conceals a strong emphasis on multimedia. We've taken a closer look at the high-end handset and its potential to become the long-anticipated flagship in Nokia's wide portfolio of mobile phones.
 | The Nokia 6230 concels a swathe of advanced functionality under its minimalist hood
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Exterior
Heavily influenced by classic Nokia design in areas of shape, colour and design, the Nokia 6230 is a very slender and compact handset at 10.3 x 4.4 x 2 cm and 97 g. Its centerpiece, a 16-bit TFT display, is placed far up on the front of the phone, perched above two navigational buttons and offering a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels.
A 0.3 megapixel VGA camera is placed far up to the right on the hind side of the phone, and its black, protective cover in plastic extends to the left edge of the handset - where its handsfree speaker is placed. And, at the bottom of the phone, we find the battery charging port, as well as Nokia's own Pop-port expansion solution.
Ergonomics
The 6230 lies well in ones hand, with a numerical keypad which emits a minimum of noise, offers appropriately-spaced keys and are pleasantly comfortable in use. The five-way navigational button is also quite muted, although requires a slight adjustment period to get used to - well, using it as a selection button.
Features
Tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz connectivity isn't all the Nokia 6230 has to offer: there's also support for EDGE and GPRS Class 10, HSCSD, and a range of applications such as an XHTML/WAP 2.0 browser, support for Java MIDP 2.0, a Java-based e-mail client, voice commands, polyphonic ringtones, a voice recorder and spacious phone book with Wireless Village instant messaging support well in place.
MMS support in the 6230 has been expanded with SMIL, which allows for multiple pictures in one message as well as audio and text. As for PAN connectivity, the 6230 offers Infrared as well as Bluetooth.
As previously mentioned, the 6230 is also equipped with a 0.3 megapixel VGA camera. Furthermore, it plays host to a music/video player, which is also why it comes with an MMC card expansion slot located under its battery. A 32 MB MMC card comes bundled in the sales package, and the phone also has its own dynamic memory of 6 MB. MP3 and MPEG4 are both formats which can be stored for playback on the Nokia 6230, which incidentally also offers up an integrated FM radio.
Performance
Based as it is on Nokia's Series 40 platform, the Nokia 6230 is both user friendly and agile, while text input is a breeze due to the excellent interaction between keypad and operating system.
Offering quality fully on par with cameras typically found in smartphones with regard to picture-taking under poorly lit conditions, the integrated VGA camera offers a resolution of 0.3 megapixels. A still taken under favourable lighting conditions is available here. Video recording and playback are also supported, while both pictures and video can easily be stored and sent via MMS, Infrared or Bluetooth. The display of the handset, on its side, is approximately on par with Sony Ericsson's T610 with regard to crispness - although its resolution is lower.
The Nokia 6230 performs very well with regard to audio, which is particularly important considering it's equipped with both an FM radio and an MP3 player - the latter of which also offers a handy equalizer.
Battery-wise, the 6230 is listed by Nokia as offering up to 5 hours of talk time and 12.5 days of standby time. During our test period, we experienced a talk time of 4 hours and a standby time of approximately 8 days.
Availability
The Nokia 6230 is now available in most European countries, and sells in the 475 EUR range without subscription.
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