Turn it around...

Nokia launched a real temptation for music and techno fans, as well as for all those, who buy objects that provoke others' admiration. It has succeeded the notoriously famous 3230 model modifying its keypad and construction. However, pay attention to one very important detail: Nokia 3250 is not just another example of the groove play of "pick up a successful device, add some colors and a pair of new functions, and start selling it as a brand new model...".Being the first phone on the market to feature Symbian OS in 9.1 version it's worth much more.

the dimensions of Nokia's newly prepared music phone in September last year, I had thought that the device would be much tinier. Besides, it is exactly how it looks in all official photos even nowadays. Held in hand, however, it feels quite big (104 x 50 x 20 mm) and heavy (115 grams). I myself tend to like heavier and bigger devices though, because they look more solid.

Nokia 3250 is not a phone you can easily stick into your pocket. Our team was provided with the pink version of Nokia 3250, which made me feel somewhat embarrassed in public. Nevertheless, the pink nuance used on Nokia 3250 is pretty nice. It resembles the old-fashioned rose pink. The glossy frame around the display is elaborated in a similar color. I guess in this case women will hardly have problems to decide which version to buy. As to men, they will probably go for one of the other three options - green, black or silver.

That's huge

The covers of the phone are irremovable, which promises that its construction should be of the pretty solid ones. And it really is. All parts of the phone stick together very well, giving a strong impression of firmness. In other words, Nokia 3250's body is one of the best on the entire mobile phones market. The lateral sides of the device, including those constituting part of the bottom rotary segment, are all made of metal. They close all parts of the body so firmly that it does not give a single creak or crunch. Both top and bottom areas of the metal lateral sides are decorated with plastic capsule.

The rear cover of the device gets open through a press on the above mentioned locks, which are situated in its bottom area and look like rectangle pads. The rear cover is marked by a huge glossy logo "NOKIA". Once the cover has been removed, you will see a lithium-polymer battery BP-6M of 1100 mAh capacity, which is bigger than the one we have seen in other phones of Series 60. In this aspect, the officially announced 245 hours of stand-by and 180 minutes of calls is probably quite realistic.

Careful with your ears

Do you remember the capsule plastic area I mentioned above? Right there, on the top of the phone is mounted the main switch-off button. It is perfectly positioned as it does not get pressed incidentally, nor does it require too much effort to get working. On the bottom side of the device you will find the grid of the loud speaker, which I am going to pay a closer attention.

Nothing new in the active sector

What a pity that Nokia has not used a QVGA display. Nothing has changed in comparison with Nokia 3230, except for the fact that the display of the new model features 262K colors. All the rest is the same - resolution of 176 x 208 pixels, a surface of 35 x 41 mm.

In comparison to other Nokia models with Symbian OS, the 9.1 version brings along a few innovations, for example a higher amount of icons and far smaller font, which seem to require a higher resolution than the one the phone is equipped with.

As I have Nokia 6681 right next to me, let me offer you some more comparison. Apart from the above mentioned roughness, the display of Nokia 3250 is notably brighter and features a significantly better contrast than the one of Nokia 6681. I like the fact that the manufacturer has once again appealed to the well-proven solution of the cover glass lapping over the surface of the display, as it makes the display look bigger. Image is fine and even. There are no gaps where dirt may enter.

Before I approach to the rotary joint, let me test the keys located right below the display. Designers have used the same distribution method as in Nokia 3230. Apart from the two context keys and the pair of red and green buttons, through which call are controlled, there are several other keys we all know from previous smartphones with Symbian OS:

Plenty of innovative functions

The alpha-numeric keypad of Nokia 3250 is definitely phone's most attractive element. If I am not wrong, Nokia N90 is the only Nokia model, whose parameters include an item "body with a rotary segment", so far (one of our readers made a remark that actually it was Nokia 6260 to first feature this specifications). The same holds true for the new Nokia 3250. Besides a standard keypad its rotary segment also features a 2 megapixel camera and four control keys for the phone's built-in music player.

The bottom part of the device turns one way to an angle of 90° and the other way up to 180°. It moves in four-rev cycles. Stopping is precise, and is accompanied by a pleasant dimmed clap. Apart from fulfilling certain functions rotating is also quite entertaining and reminds me of Rubik's famous cube. I can assure you that if not on Nokia 3250's color your friends' looks will certainly lay down on phone's rotary keypad.

Main number and letter keys are good. Rubber layer guarantees perfect adhesion between them and user's fingers. The keypad is so well elaborated that you will hardly ever write so fast to "make it sweat". Reactions are exact, uplift and overall work are brilliant. All keys are illuminated in white, except for the two receivers, which keep their original color. The left key column seems to illuminate a bit less than the others. In general, however, the backlighting of Nokia 3250 is above average standard.

If you turn the left side of the keypad towards you, you will see the lens of the built-in camera. This position is ideal for self-portraits. Camera is activated from the main menu. If you turn the keypad the opposite way, the camera application starts running by itself. If you turn the keypad to 360°, you will see in front of you four buttons that get automatically illuminated. They control the music player.

What I cannot get is why the buttons serving the music player remain illuminated even after the keypad has been turned back to its original position. To make number keys start to illuminate again you will have to turn the keypad to the position I described first (with the camera looking at you) for a moment and then turn it back. Another drawback - the music player does not get started automatically once the keypad has been turned around, but has to be selected from the menu instead.