Thursday, March 20, 2008

DESIGN

Technology enthusiasts will remember glumly the bad old days when 3G-capable phones were the size of bricks and quality coverage was but a dream. But things change fast in the mobile world and Nokia's latest 3G compatible phone, the 6233, is one the Finnish phone maker's smallest third-generation mobile handsets to date.

Nokia's 6233 is essentially your typical candy-bar style handset, but with better parts. While most mobile users will have become accustomed to an abundance of plastic used in the production of their favourite tech toys, the 6233 has a sleek, sophisticated and refined feel to it, which is exemplified by its high-quality stainless steel finish and a soft-matte backing.

Nokia describes the handset's design as complementing the corporate lifestyle, but with excellent multimedia features onboard the phone could just as easily be adapted to personal use as well. The model we tested was the more neutral black version, but the handset comes in the silver variety too, for that slightly more feminine look. At 110g the phone is marginally heavier than most handsets of a similar size, but with 3G compatibility included this is hardly surprising. Overall, the 6233 feels comfortable to hold -- robust even -- and with its moderately sized keypad, suits those who are after a conservative classically-designed handset.