Nokia 2650

Discontinued
14th June 2004

One of a trio of clamshells announced at the same time, the Nokia 2650 is a low-end but interesting phone that's surprisingly capable. The 2650 is only a dual-band GSM 900/1800 phone, but it does have GPRS and an XHTML web browser, Java support for  games and applications, MMS, polyphonic ringtones, flashing LED alerts on the outside, wallpapers, colour schemes and Personal Information Management (PIM) functionality.

OK, these features are all pretty standard. Except that this is a Nokia 2xxx series phone, meaning that this is an  entry-level offering - we think maybe priced at around €250 without a contract. The screen is only 128x128 pixels, and there's no external display or camera. However, this phone offers very good value for money, and it certainly looks different.

In the looks department, it's certainly "different" and "interesting". To put it delicately, the Nokia 2650 in white looks a little like a woman's sanitary product when opened up. Or possibly a sun lounger when seen from the side. We'd hoped that Nokia was going to be a little more sober in the design department after the truly awful Nokia 7610, but it seems that Nokia wanted to have a go at something wacky. We think they were trying to be retro-futuristic or something. Still, it might grow on us.

Love it or hate it, you'd never mistake the Nokia 2650 for something like a Samsung, and perhaps that's the whole point. The slightly rectangular design is typical of the new Nokia clamshells, and it certainly has some "wow" factor.

The Nokia 2650 weighs 97 grams and measures 85x45x23 mm. It has 3 hours talktime, and up to 12 days standby. Available in a variety of colours depending on region, and due out sometime in the third quarter of 2004.

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