Nokia 1800

Editor's Review of the 1800

Nokia comes out with yet another back-to-basics mobile phone that is a good handset to use and to buy if you want a sturdy phone without the budget outlay.

There will always be those people who would not care what features are available on their mobile phones. Children, for one, only need the convenience of being able to call or text their parents when they need to get picked up from school, or if they need something bought, or for other similar situations. The much older individuals also fall into this category as most of the elderly do not bother with new technology and would rather go with what they already know and are comfortable with. Even people who belong to the 'middle category' -- the ones belonging in the age range between children and the senior citizens -- may want to have a second yet no-fuss phone as a back-up just in case their trusty smart phones bog down.

In any case, even as the race seems to be about which handset could come up with the biggest screen, the latest technology, and 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, people still really appreciate having a low-cost alternative without the frills.

This is where the Nokia 1800 comes in. The 1800 does not connect to the Internet, does not allow Bluetooth connections, and doesn't have a GPS or even a camera. But it does come with a very attractive price tag that makes it perfect for people who want a no-frills phone with just the basic functions.

The Nokia 1800 comes with a choice of four casing colours out of the box. You can choose from ash blue, silver grey, black, and orchid red. The casing cover is exchangeable and you can change it as often as you want to any colour you want in the future.

Announced in November of 2009 and launched in June 2010, this candybar mobile works on any GSM 900 or GSM 1800 network. It is very easy to operate, measuring only 107 mm long by 45 mm across and a little more than 15 mm in thickness. By now, most people are familiar with Nokia's patented design of having the numeric keypad underneath the display. The Finnish mobile company has used the same layout for the 1800.

The full colour display is TFT LCD affair that measures 1.8 inches diagonally and can display up to 65k colours with resolutions of up to 128 by 160 pixels. The keypad uses the same layout that are seen on most candybar Nokias: the spacious alphanumeric keypad with the chrome Navi key, the call and end buttons and two other function keys on top.

The 1800 comes with tools that are very much useful in everyday life. It comes with a built-in radio tuner that allows you to tune into your favourite radio shows. You can also use this handset as a torch. Further, it helps you keep organised with the calendar, speaking alarm clock, and even access to Nokia Life Tools. It also has a good selection of pre-loaded games.

Memory is understandably limited to store 500 entries in your phone book. You can log up to 20 received calls, outgoing calls and missed calls each.

What is more, Nokia promises that the 1800 would be a very durable mobile phone that is made of the best materials that are designed to help make the phone last.

As always, Nokia allows you to personalise your phone to your heart's content. Aside from the already mentioned exchangeable casing covers, you can also choose you own MP3 and polyphonic ringtones that are pre-loaded into the phone.

Standby time on a single charge of its 800 mAh lithium ion battery goes right up to 528 hours and talk time is pegged at 8 hours and 30 minutes.

Limitations

Nokia has been known to come out with a new phone every month that is closely similar to another handset released just recently. It would seem that the Nokia 1800 is a victim of this as Nokia only came out with its 1616 in March 2010. But with the 1616 and the 1800, it becomes more complicated as both have the same features, except that the 1616 has a dust-resistant keypad.

It does not make much sense to have two very similar models released in just a matter of months.