Nokia NK702 Review

Good Points
Robust
Lightweight
Fully-featured
Well thought out
Complete
Reliable

Bad Points
Dodgy screen connector
No vibrate built-in

General Comments
I've been using this Nokia nk702/61xx mobile phone since October 1998 on the Orange network and have never regretted my purchase. I bought this phone aroundabout the time when it was one of the first mobiles to use the small SIM card size - not the credit card size SIMs my friends had. When it came out, my mate was using a Motorola mr30 - a real brick of a phone that came with SIM cards as they used be - credit card size, and this phone was about a third the size and weight. I thought that was a good reason to buy, but the phone has surprised me ever since at how advanced it is.



As a mobile phone for talking, it can't be bettered. The reception is simply superb, giving steady signal in places where even my friends' newer phones (Philips Savvy, Trium Mars, Sony CMD J-70 etc) while even using the same networks. Over the three and a half years I have had it, it has been dropped onto hard surfaces (concrete from about waist high a couple of times), stood on and even left out on a field while raining for two nights (inside it's leather holder) and it still works.



Even the battery has yet to be replaced and is still going strong - when I got the phone it would last up to 5 days on standbye, and go as low as two days with a lot of talking, but these days it can go for 3-4 days on standbye and still goes 2 days with a lot of talking. All this despite being told I would need to replace the battery about once a year! To be fair though, I bought a Nokia desktop charger for it after a couple of months that is supposed to have battery management circuits built in to help extend it's life, and since I got it it always goes into it's charger at night when I have the desktop charger around.



It has some functionality that frankly, I don't want to go without, like it's Profiles, where certain settings - ring tones, volume, vibrate (if you buy the battery with one built in) etc depending on where you are - so in a meeting you'll want it silent or discrete etc, outdoors loud and distinctive. This is something that has stopped me from upgrading to any other phone. Also, something that very few phones can cope with is phone conferencing. When ennabled, you can call or receive up to 5 other people and have them all talking to one another, and even take one of them aside for a private chat while the others talk amongst them selves.



Then there is the nice features I try not to take for granted. Somebody includes a telephone number in a txt? The nk702 will pull it out and allow you to save it or dial it straight away. Composing an txt and someone calls? No problem, take the call and the phone will remember the txt (Really big plus and something not every phone allows, much to my sisters annoyance with her NEC DB4000). Composing an SMS and want to look up someones number or do something else (ie call someone, read a txt or look at your calender)? No problem, just press the red button to go back to the main screen, do what you want to do then go into write messages and voila! your txt is still there. Forgotten a birthday? Calender will store them and remind you. Want to know if work is calling? Store a number as a 'work' number, as opposed to friends, family, VIP etc. Want a friend to have a number (Nokia only) just pick the number in the phone book and pick who to send it to. Want to know if your txt has arrived at the phone? Activate delivery reports for free! Can't use your mobile where you're going? Divert calls to a number of your choice. Want to call someone without looking up there number? 8 speed dials for you, or press the green button and scroll through your last 10 dialled numbers, even if you didn't save them on the phone memory. Talking on the phone and want to read out someones number or txt? No problem, Options->Names and find the number while talking to your friend, albeit without hearing them (need to look at the screen) - unless you've got a hands free kit like me... And, should you ever feel the need, play 2 player Snake over the IR link. You can even download a single ringtone, enough to store your favourite one. Do you really need to store 10 downloaded ringtones? I didn't.



I'm not saying this so you can all rush out and buy one, because they are no longer available except second hand. I just wanted to pay tribute to the most satisfying phone I have ever come across. And that is despite it having a trait of the Nokia 702 family where the screen can disconnect from the contacts and temporarily fade out unless you press parts of the upper casing in. BTW, if you want to get one of these second hand, just always check the screen and the battery.



Since after the 12 month contract expired, I moved the phone onto the Virgin Tariff on Orange's Value Promise, and intend to keep it on there indefinitely, line rental free, even when I upgrade to the 6310, it's spiritual successor maybe giving it to somene or keep it as a spare backup.



All in all, this phone has been the best money I have ever splashed on anything electronic - even my Playstation hasn't stayed ahead of the pack this long. :)



Ben