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 Items such as the 4096 color 128 x 128 px screen and 16 chord polyphonic ring tones are soon to be outdated.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:

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