The Nokia 3310 (2017) is one of the best feature phones that you can definitely flaunt! Most countries across the world have limited availability which shows even HMD wasn’t sure of the demand this device would generate. Contrary to popular belief, HMD Global is the manufacturer of the Nokia 3310 Reboot handset and not Nokia.They’ve acquired rights to the brand name Nokia from Microsoft for 10 years. Let’s see if the device is actually a “modern classic redesigned”.
Coming out of a tiny square colourful box, the 80gm device is definitely a treat to look at if you’ve been a fan of the Nokia 3310. HMD has gone ahead and given the device 4 colors (Blue, Yellow, Red, Orange) that might appeal to the younger customers and perhaps the first time users.
At only 12mm thick, the Nokia 3310 fits easily in your palm. It definitely feels great holding such a device in times when massive 6” phablets have become the standard. The 2.4” screen has a full fledged numeric keypad below it with a 3.5mm jack at the bottom. At the top edge is the Micro USB port (thank God! You’d find a Leprechaun easier than a thin pin charger in this day!). The edges are smooth and rounded at the removable cover has a matte finish. At the back is the 2MP camera with LED flash and speaker grill right next to it. It’s a dual SIM device that also supports a Micro SD card upto 32GB which will be a must since the internal memory is only 16MB (enough to click 7-8 2MP pictures!). In the box you get a Micro USB charger and a pair of standard earphones.
The phone software runs on Nokia S30 platform which is very easy to use and understand. No fancy fingerprint or Iris scanners here to unlock here. Default is call end/power key + left key and an optional security code. The Home screen is a “menu” that can be brought up by pressing the Home button which also has a 4 axis key/direction pad, each of which can be assigned a shortcut like calendar/ messages etc. Only software features you get here are “Games” and the “Snake” is back! Made by Gameloft it’s nothing like the classic game. This snake is colourful and bendy who eats Apples to get bigger in size. Other game demos include “Asphalt 6’ & “Diamond Twister 2” which can be bought via SMS. There’s a Mobile Store to download other apps and games but it’ll take ages on a 2G network since the phone doesn’t support 3G or Wi-Fi. Browsing on Opera reminds me of the mobile web pages from the 90’s ! You can’t have custom ringtones and there is only FM and a built in MP3 player that does the job if you are running short of power on your primary device.
When you search or type on this keypad, it’ll be a jolt to your memory trying to figure out what was easier, this or the T9 keyboard? But in a few mins, you’ll enjoy the typing. Not for long though when you have to reply to a message. I miss you Swipe keyboard :(
The 2MP camera takes decent pictures in daylight and above average in low light, if you don’t compare it with any other smartphone camera. The photos look good on the phone screen but not on a computer. It does have burst mode & some color filters and the camera takes VGA videos as well.
The 1200 mAh battery lasts almost 2 days (Hell yeah!) and on standby the promised time is 25 hrs! Charging takes just over 3 hours using the provided 550 mA Micro USB charger. I also managed to drop the phone twice, once from my denims and once from my shirt pocket, besides a few scratches on the body it was as if nothing happened!
There’s really not much you can do here and the Nokia 3310 will only appeal to those who have a nostalgia attached to the classic 3310. For everyone else it can become a secondary “calling only” device with a great battery. Unless you want to live under a rock, give it a miss and look for cheap smartphones in this budget.
★★☆☆☆
Pritesh Khilnani
The NEW Nokia 3310 at CeX
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