Introduction

The battle for the megapixel camera phones was launched with Sony Ericsson's announcement of the S700. And not to be outdone, Nokia has released a built-in megapixel camera of its own, the 7610.

Much like previous battles, manufacturer constantly outdid each other by providing the brightest screens, most realistic sounding ringtones, and the most feature packed devices, raising the bar with each new phone released. And with megapixel camera phone, the competition will surely be just as fierce.

As the need for integration of do-it-all mobile devices becomes more and more realistic, manufacturers will need to find new ways of pushing the limits. Whether it is adding radios, cameras, or even televisions, new phones need new features to draw interest from consumers.

Design

Nokia has taken a more aesthetic approach when designing the 7610. From one look, the vivid casing colors and stylish keypad layout provide a unique and unforgettable impression. The Nokia 7610 comes in two colors: Silver Grey, and Black / Red, however additional colors can be purchased through Nokia's X-Press cover accessories.

The front of the 7610 features a 65K color 176 x 208 px TFT screen. The LCD doubles as a viewfinder when camera mode is enabled. A cascading keypad layout is located below. Users with bad flashbacks of the 3650's rotary keypad can be at ease. Unlike the former, the 7610's artistically designed layout is as functional as it is fashionable, with a 5-way directional keypad to navigate the Symbian OS menu as well.

The back of the Nokia 7610 is colorfully designed with intricate patterns and shapes. It is also where the camera lens lies. Featuring a 1 megapixel built-in camera, the Nokia 7610 has the ability to capture images at up to 1152 x 852 px. Unfortunately the lens is unprotected, so scratches will occur if not careful.

Underneath the back cover where the battery lies, contains the expansion slot for RS-MMC (Reduced Size MultiMediaCard) cards. Getting to the card is quite a chore; fortunately it doesn't need to be accessed frequently.

On the bottom is the outlet for charging the phone, and a system connector, Pop-Port. Pop-Port is a Nokia designed outlet that automatically identifies accessories attached to the phone. Normally, it also offers stereo sound with the use of headphones. However, as will be discussed later, the 7610 only outputs mono. Lastly, it's also where you can charge your accessories with a single USB cable without the use of separate power sources. Pop-Port transmits up to 230 kbps.

Regardless, due to such a unique design, the Nokia 7610 will not be for the faint of heart. It will surely draw crowds that either love the artistic expression and unconventional curves and lines, or drive away traditionalists who think the 7610 is hideously designed.

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