Nokia 3610 fold Review, Mid-budget clamshell with classy look

Nokia 3610 fold is a mid-end handset that has almost the same features as the Supernova-series 7210 phone. While the design of these mobile phones is totally different, there are lots of similarities regarding their features: display, internal memory, EDGE class 32 connectivity, microUSB 2.0. Still, if you are into clamshell phones and don't have a high budget, Nokia 3610 fold is the phone that can satisfy most users’ needs. I consider Nokia 3610 fold a much better bargain, as it features a substantially better battery, better keypad and 2 displays. If you like the layout and design of the clamshell, but still want something better in terms of features, I strongly recommend checking out Nokia 6555, which seems to be the enhanced version of 3610.

Announced in August 2008, Nokia 3610 fold was made available on the market in November the same year. The clamshell can be acquired for no more than US$165, without any plan. Prices may vary depending on location and carrier, so chances are high that you'll be able to get it for under US$165. The phone is available in a wide range of colors: Blue, Red, Green, Rose.

Design

I was surprised to find the new design that Nokia clamshells have adopted. I was pretty bored with the usual stuff that the Finnish giant didn't bother changing in years, but checking some pictures that leaked on the Internet with the 3610 fold handset, I thought I saw some innovation. Even so, I wasn't expecting too much from the phone, as it's only a mid-budget device after all. Basically, what I could notice at first glance was its low width and its smooth finishes. The only thing I didn't like about it was the fact that it was way too long when unfolded. I myself, felt somewhat ridiculous when talking on the phone outdoors.

Also, I think that the phone should've been a little bit sleeker when closed, as it barely fits in a normal pocket. Nokia 3610 fold measures 99.6 x 44.3 x 19.6mm and weighs only 97g (including battery). When it is closed you can see the rounded folding mechanism, which is quite annoying. Still, this one disappears when you unfold the clamshell and you can only remark its fine finishes. The phone looks really sleek when you keep it open, but, as I have mentioned above, it seems a little bit oversized. The right side features two very small ports for headset and charger, whereas the left side sports a volume key, a dedicated camera key, but also a small microUSB port.


The front part of the clamshell features a low-end 1.3 Megapixel camera, a secondary TFT external display (1.36 inches), but also a considerably large loudspeaker. Opening the phone reveals a very generous keypad with a simple layout. The D-pad controller is also large and easy to handle. On each of the four corners of the D-pad there are 4 contextual keys: Accept and Reject call keys and 2 soft keys. The main display can be considered of medium size at exactly 2 inches. You will probably wonder if this phone has a microSD slot card. Well, it does, but this one has been placed under the back cover, and also under the battery, which makes it non hot-swappable.


Another drawback of the clamshell is the plastic used, which might give the impression of cheap, but that depends on what color version you opt for. Otherwise, Nokia 361 fold is one of the goodies in its mid-budget class, with excellent value for money and pretty nice design. While the clamshell is still far from anything attractive, it's still one of the pleasant surprises from Nokia.


Display and Camera

Nokia 3610 fold features a medium sized 2-inch TFT main display, supporting 262k color and 240x320 pixel resolution. This might seem a little bit small for those who are using their phone to surf the Internet or watch movies, but this is a mid-budget phone and browsing on EDGE connectivity might not be such a good idea anyway. The screen is visible enough when outdoors in strong sunlight. The quality of the image displayed is pretty good, bright and with excellent color contrast. Likewise, the secondary TFT display is visible enough and displays time and also the number that is calling you. It has 1.36 inches, it supports 262k colors and features 128x160 pixel resolution.

The 1.3 Megapixel camera lacks auto-focus and flash capabilities, but at least it can record videos. The maximum resolution available is 1024x1280 pixels for pictures and 176x144 pixels for movies (15 fps). The camera interface doesn't come up with anything new; it's pretty standard and straightforward, with the usual settings, such as Effects (False colors, Sepia, Greyscale, Negative, Solarise), White Balance (Daylight, Tungsten, Fluorescent), Self-timer, Sounds.


The camera lens is not that well protected, but for such a low-value module I don't even think it matters. As the phone features a dedicated camera button, you'll be able to use the camera to take self-portraits, even when the phone is folded. Otherwise, you can use the big D-pad to easily capture pictures, when the phone is opened.

The camera takes good pictures, but I have noticed that it takes a little more time than usual to save them. Even though it's only 1.3 Megapixels I believe that it makes for a good addition to the phone and pretty much satisfies the needs of a medium user. The camera can also record movies and save them in 3gpp format, but the resolution is so low that it's not really worth it. Check out the samples below for a better understanding.

Menu and Software

Nokia 3610 fold runs on an S40 5th Edition interface, which is one of the latest user interfaces coming from Nokia. If you owned a Nokia handset before and it didn't have a Symbian OS, then this clamshell will probably feel the same. One of the most user-friendly interfaces on the market, the S40 seems unchanged on the surface, and offers the Nokia 3610 fold user an excellent experience. The phone's firmware includes Flash 3.0, animated menus, submenus and icons.

Nokia's Series 40 5th Edition UI allows users to experience streaming videos, image rendering, mobile 3D graphics and scalable 2D Vector graphics. The Series 40 5th Edition also supports the latest version of Adobe's Flash Lite 2.1, the interoperable platform that enables the accelerated development and delivery of rich graphical mobile content, and includes audio file playback and streaming capabilities that provide audio and music enhancements to mobile gaming and multimedia experience.

The handset also includes some useful applications, such as Search, Alarm clock, Calendar, To-do list, Notes, Calculator, Countdown timer, World Clock and Stopwatch. The menu is fully customizable and you can designate any MP3, MIDI or AAC file as ringtone. Nokia's integrated browser has trouble opening websites with rich image content, so I suggest using Opera Mini.

The phonebook can store up to 2,000 contacts, and each can be filled with up to five different phone numbers. The fonts can be customized, but only those displayed when opening Contacts, Web browser and messaging sections.

Also, a wide range of Java games come preinstalled – City Bloxx, Golf Tour, Poppin' Panda, Rally 3D, Soccer 3D, Seasweeper, Sudoku and Snake III. The phone is compatible with Java MIDP 2.1 applications, but there is a limit to the size of any application that you might want to install on the phone, and that's the usual 1MB. This might be the case for most Java-compatible applications, but I noticed that I could run some files that were around 1.5MB in size. Nevertheless, not all Java applications will work on this mid-end device, so you might want to try that out for yourselves.


Communications

Nokia 3610 fold is fully compatible with GPRS and EDGE Class 32, but, as benchmarks revealed, the device attained average scores in terms of data transfer speed (EDGE only 146 Kbit/s download and 70 Kbit/s upload), but that may greatly vary depending on location and carrier.

The phone also features Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and EDR for faster data transfers. Synchronization with PC is possible through the proprietary microUSB port, but charging through USB cable is not available.

The quad-band (GSM 850/ GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900) network-compatible clamshell has a good GSM signal reception. The sound is average in quality at both ends, but a little bit muffled. The vibration alert is very good.

Processor and Memory

Nokia 3610 fold isn't compatible with JBenchmark Pro, so I was forced to use the obsolete JBenchmark 1.0, 2.0, 3D and HD. Even if current devices are over-optimized against many of these old tests, I say that the results are pretty relevant if compared with other handsets in its range.

Nokia 3610 fold is most likely powered by an ARM9 family processor running at speeds of up to 220 MHz. While not the fastest phone on the market, Nokia 3610 won't lag more than its class competitors when browsing through the menus. I have noticed that it opens folders a little bit hard if they're heavily populated.

The Nokia 3610 clamshell embeds 30MB user free internal memory, which can be expanded up to 4GB storage capacity. The memory is not hot-swappable and you must pull out the battery to replace the memory card.

Multimedia

Nokia 3610 fold features a 2.5mm jack port and comes with Stereo WH-101 wired headset that sounds pretty good. Unfortunately, there's no 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter included in the sales package, so you won't be able to change the headphones, unless you get one.

The clamshell features a cool integrated MP3 player, compatible with MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA formats. The interface of the music player looks nice and supports album animations, as well as some basic settings such as Equalizer, Stereo widening, Shuffle and Repeat. Equalizer can be customized, or you can use the predefined settings: Normal, Pop, Rock, Jazz and Classical.

The lack of music-dedicated external keys can be replaced by a Bluetooth headset, as the phone supports the A2DP profile. The loudspeaker sound is average in intensity, but clearly lacks any sort of bass. There's no FM radio function, so I guess you'll have to stick with the music player. Don't expect too much multimedia quality from a mid-budget phone, instead appreciate the features that it offers.


Battery

The 1020 mAh Li-Ion (BL-5C) battery has an officially stated life expectancy of 19 days in standby mode and about 4.5 hours in talk-time mode. This should do even for a heavy phone-talker. It will need two-day charging for the latter, but can easily last 5 to 6 days if you're only using it 10-15 minutes per day. Nokia 3610 fold seems to be one of the few mid-budget handsets to get such a good-capacity battery, which recommends it even more for medium users.



Impressions

In case you're into clamshell phones and don't want to spend more than $200 USD on a handset, Nokia 3610 fold is definitely one of the best choices. Design and price should help the sales of this device more than its features after all. Overall, Nokia 3610 fold is a good piece and one of the few good clamshells coming from Nokia.


The Good

Besides its design and price, I'd like to mention the above average camera, which takes unexpectedly good pictures. Other than that, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP function, microSD card and friendly user interface are some of the best features of this mid-budget clamshell.

The Bad

There are only a few other things that I would've wanted from Nokia 3610 fold: Radio FM function and hot-swappable memory card. Otherwise, there's nothing really bad about this handset, which might seem weird, but that's a fact.

Sales package

Nokia 3610 fold
Nokia Battery BL-5C (1020 Mhz)
Nokia Stereo Headset WH-101
Nokia Charger AC-3
User Guide

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LG GM630 TV Phone Surfaces

According to the latest news on the Web, mobile phone users in North America will soon be able to enjoy yet another handset that is able to offer something more than most of the crowd would do. We're talking about the new LG GM630, a mobile phone that is able to provide users with TV while they are on the go.

The new LG GM630 TV phone is reported to actually come to the market as an updated version of a device that can already be spotted on the shelves in Europe, namely the older LG HB620T. However, the good news for users in America is that the LG GM630 is said to have been approved by FCC, and that there are some pictures of the handset already available.

The new TV mobile phone comes in a flip form factor, resembling its predecessor, the HB620T, and sports a QVGA internal display, complemented by a smaller external screen and a 2-megapixel photo snapper, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, FM radio and a MicroSD memory card slot offering users additional storage space options.

The photos that are available with the device also show that it includes a dedicated Mobile TV button. One could argue that the display of the new mobile phone might be rather small for a handset that allows users to view TV programs on it, yet it should do for now, given the fact that there are not too many similar devices available on the market.

For the time being, there aren’t that many details on the exact availability of the new LG GM630, but, from what we've heard, the handset might soon get launched in both North and South Americas. No info on its pricing surfaced either, but it should become available in the near future, so stay tuned to learn the news.

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LG KF750, Stylish slider with excellent camera

The third handset that adds to the LG Black Series, KF750, continues the tradition of its Chocolate and Shine predecessors, featuring an exquisite design that seems to target fashionistas. Stage named Secret, the slider combines stylish looks with smart technology and increased functionality. Some of its highlights include: 5 Megapixel camera, carbon fiber compound used as materials, anti-scratch glass that protects the display, Neon touch navigation and Touch media function. One of the most expected handsets in 2008, KF750 impresses thorough its high-quality camera that manages to capture crystal clear DVD-like movies (DivX format). Another attraction of the device, the eye-candy user interface, has been improved and now offers smoother transition effects in menus and more stability.

Announced in April 2008, LG KF750 Secret has been released on the market in June same year. The sleek slider can be bought for about 270 USD, free of contract. Fans of the brand have a wide array of colors available to choose from: Black, Ruby Violet and Titan Gold.

Design

LG Secret, as a premium device, features a stylish design that will stir your interest without a doubt. Thanks to the glossy surface on the front of the slider, it offers more style than most of its fashionista predecessors. In fact, it is well-known that high-end LG phones have an elegant design that projects a premium look and feel. LG KF750 features an amazing stylish design with its sleek slider form and perfectly balanced weight. The phone measures 102.8 x 50.8mm, only 11.8 mm in thickness, and weighs 116g (including battery). The entire front of the handset is completely covered by a strong glass that protects the screen from possible scratches.

Below the screen the slider features four touch controls that can only be seen when the phone is in active mode. These controls are highlighted by bluish lights when you touch them and feature haptic feedback. There's also another set of two contextual keys that aren't highlighted in any way, so you will just have to believe me. The long middle button is mostly used as a confirmation key. At the bottom of these controls you can notice from the pictures 3 common keys: Accept calls, C (Delete) key and Reject calls. Above the display there's a secondary camera used for video-calls and a small ambient light sensor, which can be turned off. The left side of the slider features the universal LG port and a small eyelet where you can put in the small screen wiper that comes in the sales package (see pictures).

On the right side there's the usual dual volume key, touch media key, shortcut menu key and a dedicated camera button. The media key is used to turn on/off the touch sensitivity of the screen. The back cover of the phone is made of carbon fiber, which features a chess pattern. It really looks shiny and great, but I have noticed that after heavy use it peels off and becomes mat. The upper part on the back of the phone is made from a leather-like plastic that looks very cool. The 5 Megapixel camera on the back also features LED flash and a small auto-focus assist light. When slid upward, it reveals a generous keypad, which seems to be responsive enough. Backlighting is strong and even for all keys, so you won't have problems typing in darker areas.

Overall, I believe LG Secret is one of the most appealing LG handsets in terms of looks. Featuring exquisite and stylish materials and a perfectly balanced slider form factor, LG Secret will definitely impress those favoring looks over performance.

Display and Camera

Clearly, LG KF750 features a marvelous TFT touchscreen display that supports 262K colors and QVGA 240 x 320 pixel resolution. Pity that it is only 2.4 inches wide, otherwise it would have been perfect. One major drawback of the screen is the inability to use it in the sunlight. This is pretty much the same problem that almost all LG handsets are suffering from. The anti-scratch surface protects it from soft scratches, but don't throw it off, as it won't stand a chance.

The small display features accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and limited touchscreen functionality. Basically, you'll only be able to use the touchscreen with just 5 functions of the phone: music player, gallery, document reader, M-Toy (games) and FM radio. These can be easily accessed via the Touch media key on the right side of the phone.

The 5 Megapixel camera doesn't feature the worthy Schneider-Kreuznach optics, but that doesn't seem to affect the quality of the pictures. If I were to compare it with Viewty, which also had a 5 Megapixel camera with the above mentioned optics, I can definitely say that LG Secret takes a little bit better pictures. If you check the samples below you'll notice that pictures taken with Secret have little to no noise. This might seem a good thing at first glance, but then you see that the decoding software also misses lots of details. Depending on what you value most, you can consider LG Secret's camera over Viewty's or the other way around.

Users can take pictures with a maximum resolution of 2592x1944 pixels. The interface of the camera is much more complex than in any other LG phone, and can be compared with top-notch camera phones like SE's K850i and Nokia's N95 8GB. Starting with the full preview of the pictures, red-eye reduction and ISO function, LG KF750 features one of the best module cameras on the market. Users can also take advantage of a wide array of scene modes (Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Night, Beach, Sports, and Party) and shooting modes (continuous shot, panorama and frames). The usual White balance and Colour tone settings are also available and can be used whenever necessary. The camera interface can be easily controlled using the touch panel, as the touchscreen sensitivity isn't active for this feature.

Those who are expecting to shoot high-quality clips won't be disappointed by LG Secret's recording camera capabilities. The maximum resolution that can be used is 640x480 pixels, but all movies are saved in AVI format and feature DivX encoding. The camera supports movie capturing in VGA resolution at 30fps or QVGA at 120fps. Overall, LG Secret's camera exceeds all expectations and rivals with latest 5 Megapixel dedicated camera phones like Sony Ericsson's Cyber-shot series.

Menu and Software

The LG firmware is continuously improving from handset to handset. The LG KF00 slider offers a wide range of customization options such as flash themes, wallpapers and screensavers, also with support for flash animations, which can make the device more attractive. There aren't too many applications and productivity tools included in the phone, but we're not really missing out on anything here, given that the slider's target is fashionistas. Having a Flash UI (user-interface) really makes a difference, especially if it is backed by such a high-quality touchscreen display. Still, keep in mind that the layout of the menus did not change too much and if you owned one of the latest LG handsets, you will get used to this one pretty fast. I was pretty excited when I discovered the touchscreen sensitivity function, but then I was immediately disappointed to find out that the feature was limited to only 5 functions of the phone. Still, the handset offers a glimpse of Viewty with hints of KF600, so it's all good in the end if you're not looking for a full touchscreen display.

There's an Organiser containing 5 utilities: Calendar, Memo, To do, Secret Memo and Date finder. In terms of productivity tools, owners will find only the basic versions of the most used applications: Alarm clock, Calculator, Stopwatch, Unit converter, and World clock. The file manager tagged as "My stuff" is one of the improvements offered by the firmware. It can now list the folders made by users on the phone's memory, thus they will be able to copy their music in their own folder, other than the usual Sounds folder made by default. For those looking for some entertainment, the slider also embeds 2 Java-compatible games: Grand Golf and Sudoku Puzzle. If you choose to use the Touch interface you'll be able to access another set of 6 games from the M-Toy menu (Dart, Magic Ball, Maze, Homerun Derby, Hammer, and Fishing), which are taking advantage of the embedded accelerometer. From the same Touch interface you'll able to read any document or .PDF file. The slider also comes with a Google package that includes: Google Search, Gmail, Google Map, Youtube, Blogger.

The phonebook of the slider looks standard and holds 1,000 contacts. Users will be able to see contacts by Name only, Name & number or only those with picture. The all-time famous "clock delay" bug has also been corrected, which marks a second improvement of the updated firmware. Overall, the user interface is not far from what LG has already gotten us used to – plus some welcomed eye-candy improvements that should add to its functionality.

Another drawback of the firmware is the inability to use the GSM capabilities while the phone is synchronized with a PC.

Communications

LG KF750 supports GPRS and EDGE connectivity, both class 10, but also HSDPA 3.6 Mbps. Data transfer speeds are average, but it is clear that this handset has not been made for browsing because of the small screen and low data speed connectivity.

In terms of messaging, the slider is compatible with a wide range of message types: SMS (500 max.), MMS, EMS, email (no SSL support), and Bluetooth (2.0) messaging.

The triband (GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900) network-compatible slider has a good GSM signal reception. Sound is pretty loud and clear, thanks to the Voice Clarity technology embedded, so this is another good point scored for LG's KF750.


Processor and Memory

LG KF750 features one of the lowest ARM7 family processors, which runs at speeds of up to 70 Mhz. This could have been better, especially since LG included a Flash UI that asks for a better CPU than those usually embedded in low-end handsets. Perhaps the problem of powering a much better processor scared the Korean company, which is not reckoned for its batteries.

Basically, it's less speed for longer battery life. I say it's a good choice, as the CPU manages all the basic operations with no problems. The phone comes with 100 MB of internal memory, but can be upgraded through the microSD slot card, up to 4GB. Still, I have tested the device with an 8GB microSD card and it worked flawlessly.

Unfortunately, the memory card has been placed under the battery cover, so you'll need to take it off every time you need to pull it out.

Multimedia

LG KF750 targets fashionistas and could not lack in rich multimedia capabilities. Besides Camera and Video camera, the Multimedia category also includes an MP3 player, a Video player, an FM radio and a Voice recorder. The earphones that come with the phone have been changed and will easily fit into your ears. Also, this time the headset comes with a 3.5mm adapter, which means that you can attach your own headphones.

In terms of sound quality LG KF750 scores as one of the best LG music phones. You could easily compare it with the famous iPod, as this baby sounds astonishing. Unfortunately, you will not be able to create other settings for the Equalizer and choices are limited to 10 predefined modes. Music can mostly be stored on the external memory because the phone is low on internal storage space. The MP3 player is compatible with MP3, WMA, AAC and AAC+ file formats.

The FM radio lacks a RDS function, but features autoscan ability, which automatically memorizes any base stations in range. Reception is very good and sound is pretty loud. Music player and radio can both be run in the background if you want to use other applications. Overall, LG KF750 is definitely the best multimedia-oriented product that comes from the Korean company.

Battery

LG KF750 features an 800 mAh Li-Ion battery, which depletes faster only if you use the camera. The official numbers stated by LG are 260 hours in standby mode and 4 hours of talking. I kept the phone for about 5 days and used it for calls around 20 minutes, after which I made 4 pictures and the battery discharged completely. It might take longer, around 7-8 days if you only use it for 1-2 short calls per day.

Impressions

LG KF750 is the place where technology meets style, transforming the phone into a fashion icon of LG's Black Label series. Combining limited touchscreen functions with standard handling, Flash UI and eye-candy customization, KF750 seats on top of LG's handset lineup in terms of design and performance.


The Good

This is definitely one of the best good looking sliders on the market, but also one of the best feature packed phones coming from LG. Camera-related features and easy control of the interface are among the best traits of the handset.

The Bad

The only thing I found weird was the felling that the phone hasn't been finished, because of the limited touchscreen usability. Also a better battery and an up-to-date CPU (at least ARM9) would've made the phone's interface much faster.


Sales package

LG KF750 Secret handset
800 mAh Li-ion Battery
USB Sync Cable
Phone Strap
Stereo Hansfree Headset with adapter
Software CD
Home Charger
User Manual

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