The Nokia 3200 is a neat and tidy budget camera phone with a few annoying quirks. Read our Australian review.With its customisable phone covers and integrated camera, the Nokia 3200 is an archetypal youth-orientated phone, but as a budget camera phone, with XHTML web browser supporting WAP 2.0, 16 polyphonic ring tones, tri-band GSM and infrared connection, it doesn't pull up too badly either.
How visually-pleasing the handset looks is down to you and how creative you are with what you choose to put behind the plastic fluorescent casing. But is there substance beneath the surface features?
Weighing in at 90 grams, the handset has a volume of 80cc, and measures 107.5mm x 45.1mm x 20.8mm. It's essentially a budget version of the very popular 7250i. Its Lithium Ion batteries are rated at up to 4 hours digital talk time, and up to 12 days digital standby time, and it lived up to this during the review period.
Aesthetically, the 3200 impresses with its quirky and yet handy features such as the integrated flashlight at the base of the phone, as well as with purely useful features such as a built-in stereo FM radio and a mono headset.
The headline feature however is the integrated camera, which takes low resolution 352 x 288 images with three image quality options (high, normal, basic), using the phone display as a view finder. The lower resolution is compensated for by the instant, no-nonsense fun appeal for patience-challenged teenagers (or adults). There's also a 10-second self-timer, although we're not sure how you'd manage to make proper use of this without propping your phone somewhere precarious. Attempts at using the night mode resulted in a fuzzy unrecognisable image, even under quite good lighting, suggesting that this function is a bit hit and miss.
The 3200 has a small but decent display, which measures 27.3mm x 27.3mm and has a 128 x 128 pixel, 4096 colour screen. The screen quality is actually quite good, although difficult to see in sunlight, but you can adjust the brightness control.
The keypad features a four-way navigator switch which make it quick to get around, with two side switches to drill in deeper. At first it is a bit unnerving that two digits and six letters share each button on the keypad, and you have to quite carefully press down on the top or the bottom of each button to make your selection. This is a deviation which would slow down even SMS aficionados but like most things you get used to it. Standard features include speed dialing up to eight names; last number redial; automatic redial and answer; call waiting, hold, divert and timer; automatic and manual network selection and a hands free speaker option.
The phone book carries up to 256 contacts, in addition to SIM card contacts, and 50 SMS messages can be stored in addition to SIM card inbox messages. Up to 100 calendar notes can be entered and there are 11 present non-removable ring tones.
One of the quirkiest features of the 3200 is the bundled cut-out blank covers which allow you to draw, download or capture with the integrated camera your own custom-made designs, which can then be slipped under the plastic handset cover. With the integrated camera, you can modify your photos with the phone's built-in picture editor. These can then be ported over to a PC, printed, and turned into custom face plates, with the included transparent templates and special template cutter.
The phone is also Internet-capable so you can alternatively download and modify online pictures, and custom ring tones can be downloaded and added to tie-in with the custom face plates, if required. For non-creative types, the phone comes with a set of pre-designed covers which are ready-to-go if a fresh look is desired. The handset also comes with three predefined wallpapers, three predefined SMS pictures, three predefined frames, and three predefined clip art pictures. You can also record up to one minute of voice which can be used as a ring tone or shared via MMS.
The phone offers fairly standard mobile messaging features. Via MMS, users can send, edit, forward, and receive image and text messages to and from compatible phones or PCs, up to a maximum size of 100kB per MMS message. Images and ring tones received via MMS can be saved in phone's handy image gallery. There's also e-mail, instant messaging capability, and predictive text input, for all major languages in Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific and American markets. The 3200 operates on GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz bands, so travelers will be able to use it in Australia, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa.
And with the built-in Internet browser, you can download new wallpaper and graphics, and more Java applications and games in addition to the rather frugal two games which are included - Virtual Me and Bounce. The 3200 also allows for multi-player gaming over infrared (for downloaded games, with a maximum download size of 64kB per application) between compatible devices.
Organisational features include an audio memo recorder with up to one minute memory, a calendar with monthly view, and an alarm clock. Users can also wirelessly sync their data sync with a PC via infrared beam and the included Nokia 3200 PC Suite software. GPRS high speed data transmission is also available.
Overall the Nokia 3200 is a neat and tidy budget camera phone, with a few annoying quirks which probably won't grate enough to put off the target youth market.
Nokia 3200
Company: Nokia
Price: AU$579
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1300 366 733
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I found this a very good appraisal of this 'phone.I am about to purchase a new mobile (probably my 5th)and I am 68 years of age. This is a decision I do not take lightly and by now I have a good basis in many ways to do so. However I must commend you for all your interesting reviews. I am very pleased to have a resource like this which is comprehensive and helpful. Thank you for your efforts. I will keep reading your reviews.