Introduction

It seems as though QWERTY keypads are suddenly popping up everywhere nowadays. And the 3300 is not all that it seems to be. Yes, it is slightly larger than most phones, however it isn't just another full keypad phone. Underneath the cover lies one of the most robust music phones today.

Design

First the 6800, and now the 3300, full QWERTY keypads seem to be here to stay. For frequent text messaging, full keypads are a must. While at first glance, the 3300 seems very large, it is still easy to talk on the phone with its unorthodox shape.

The 6800 folded into a compact design, but the 3300 has a sideways block form with no ability to fold. However, in reality it is only slightly larger than your average phone. With a full keypad, size limitations are a factor, since you can't make it so small that they keys are too close together.

Basic Features

Different versions of the 3300 are planned for release. This review will focus on the North American version which has a full QWERTY keypad. European and Asian models feature a 4 directional navigation button on the left half, and numeric keys on the right and are to be released after.

Screen

The 3300 comes with the same 4096 color STN passive matrix display in all Series 40 phones. It has a resolution of 128 x 128 px and shows 5 lines of text and a service line. When messaging, 8 lines of text and 2 service lines are displayed due to scaling.

STN display (as opposed to TFT) does not have the circuitry on the glass and has to scan the pixel locations. This slows the response time and produces what is commonly referred to as "ghosts." Most phones use STN because the need for fast refresh rates aren't needed, and ghosts aren't a big deal. However, if you plan on playing a fast action packed games with a lot of motion, then this could potentially be a problem.

With games that change a lot, you'll see remnants of the previous screen when it changes to the new screen. It's not that noticeable when you're using slow changing menu functions, but a game like bounce makes it more noticeable. The screen is bright and clear in dim conditions. However in sunny weather, the screen becomes a bit washed out.

Audio

In addition, the 3300 has the best audio capabilities to date. You won't be bored with the 3300 around. The 3300 contains a built-in music player that can play MP3's and AAC files. For those of you who don't know AAC, it's a file format with a more sophisticated compression algorithm. So theoretically, you can compress a song in AAC format, have the same sound quality of a MP3, and be half the file size.

The 3300 can also use MP3's as ring tones. MP3s are far superior in sound quality when compared to polyphonic ring tones. However, if you still want to use midi files, the phone can play up to 24 simultaneous chords.

Nokia also packed the same great dynamic FM radio found in other Series 40 phones of the past. And as if that wasn't enough, Nokia included a loudspeaker so you don't have to hold the 3300 to your ear to listen.

It's no wonder the 3300 is a much anticipated phone. With the much saturated camera phone market, Nokia has jumped out in front to lead start the music phone. The 3300 can play MP3's, AAC files, has a built-in radio, and loudspeaker.

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