Conclusion
Much of the Nokia 3200's features look similar to previous Nokia phones.
Items such as the 4096 color 128 x 128 px screen and 16 chord polyphonic
ring tones are soon to be outdated. Others such as the FM radio, loudspeaker,
voice recorder, and xHTML capabilities are a welcomed return. But perhaps
the most powerful feature of the 3200 is its ability to adapt.
At
first glance, the Nokia 3200 can turn people away or lure them in. A sign
of the wonderfully versatile features of Nokia's latest phone. Depending
on how creative users want to be, the 3200 can become colorful and unique,
or just plain ugly. But for those who don't want to customize its looks,
three printed templates come with the phone.
Probably the most unutilized feature is its support of EDGE technology.
EDGE is still relatively new. However, if your service provider supports
it, you can download content, applications, and access the internet at
data rates of approximately two times (up to 118 kbps) that of conventional
dial-up (56 kbps). Nevertheless, mobile browsing technology has yet to
catch up with the bandwidth capacities.
The text messaging capabilities of the 3200 are all here: MMS, SMS,
EMS, and email. The robust features will allow users to communicate through
text, images, and sound. But perhaps the largest obstacle in messaging
is the physical layout of the keypad. The V-shaped button design assigns
two characters to a single button. Nokia was probably attempting to appeal
to the youth market with this radically unique design. However, in terms
of functionality, the 3200 is a disappointment. The keypad requires users
to carefully press each button, or they may get the wrong character. Typing
becomes tedious and unusual.
However, with all the successes and flaws of the 3200, readers should
keep in mind that this is an entry level phone meant for the youth. And
as such, not all the features will be available on the 3200 that are on
high end phones. Therefore, taking into account the price and target audience,
the 3200 comes with a strong set of options.
The strengths far outweigh the drawbacks. And its ability to change
everything from the design to recording ring tones allows teenagers to
define their phone to suit their unique personality. Add to that the solid
built-in options of the FM radio, voice recorder, flashlight, and downloadable
games and you've got quite an impressive package. Therefore, overall we
give the Nokia 3200 a rating of:
Above Average
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