Dialed In: Nokia Brings the Keyboard Back

Every now and then, Nokia launches a phone that flies under the radar and develops a small but loyal following. Such was the case with the company's 6800 series of phones, which included both the 6820 and 6822. Launched a few years back, these compact phones were ideal for text messaging and e-mail, thanks in large part to their flip-out keyboards--a novel concept at the time. Sure, the phones looked dorky with the keyboard flipped out (as this picture indicates), but the design was very handy.

Unfortunately, 6800 series phones are no longer available from Nokia or from carriers. But now Nokia has upgraded the series with the similarly styled, business-centric Nokia E70.

Like models in the 6800 series, the Nokia E70 features a keyboard that flips open 180 degrees. When closed, the phone is about the size of an ice-cream sandwich. In my tests, call quality was usually pretty good, though my caller's voice dropped in and out during a few calls, both indoors and out. The handset's volume would have benefited from more oomph, but the speakerphone volume was loud enough.

The E70 isn't available through a major carrier right now; but it supports GSM networks, which means that you can use a SIM card from carriers such as Cingular or T-Mobile. Because no carrier subsidizes the E70, it's relatively pricey: You can buy an unlocked (and contract-free) handset for $449 from the Nokia retail store in Chicago (312/670-2607) or New York (212/758-1980), or you can find it at various online dealers (prices vary)

This carrier independence offers one major benefit, however: You can switch wireless providers or swap SIM cards whenever you like (when traveling overseas, for example, you can use a local carrier's SIM). It also permits easier file transfers and sharing between the phone and your PC. To make things run even more smoothly, Nokia provides a USB cable and PC syncing software.

The E70 owes its business focus to its Symbian Series 60 operating system, a platform that supports a few Microsoft Office apps--Word, Excel, and PowerPoint--along with e-mail clients like Intellisync for Wireless Email and Mail for Exchange. You can also download such programs as Adobe Reader, Handy Expense ($15) for tracking expense reports, and Zip Manager. For viewing documents, the E70 is a little easier on the eyes than its predecessors were, thanks to its larger screen (about 2.2 inches diagonally).

To type, you orient the device in landscape mode. The screen is in the middle, with half of the keyboard on the left and the other half on the right. The keyboard was comfortable to use, and the included apps generally worked well. On the other hand, I occasionally noticed a 1- to 2-second lag when refreshing the screen or moving to the next selected task.

You also get Wi-Fi support, a 2-megapixel camera (without flash), and a 64MB miniSD memory card. Unfortunately, the card slot is accessible only when you remove the bottom back cover. In my tests of the camera, most of the daytime, outdoor shots I took looked bright and colorful--certainly adequate for e-mail and Web posting--though the edges of objects weren't terribly precise. Most of my indoor and nighttime photos lacked sharpness and showed a lot of image noise and artifacts.

Despite the camera's so-so performance, I enjoyed using the E70 overall. Though I wouldn't buy it for the quality of its camera, I appreciate its keyboard, Wi-Fi, not-so-fussy data transfers, and support for Office apps.

Comments or questions? Drop Grace Aquino a line.