With a snazzy design straight from the space age combined with state-of-the-art WAP support, the Nokia 7110 is a well-rounded phone/organiser mix.
With a sliding keypad cover and rolling "mousewheel" style interface, the 7110 features ease of use as a central theme. While not exactly miniature, it certainly is slimline enough for a phone with so many advanced features. You pay for them however; the 7110 has a retail hardware cost approaching the price of two home VCRs.
Along with WAP Internet services and a massive storage capacity for names and contacts, the 7110 has a comprehensive calendar function with reminder alarms. This calendar is of sufficient quality to rival similar functions provided many PDAs on the market today. Its large screen accommodates 6 lines of text, can display animated graphics and has built in support for Chinese characters.
The "Navi-Roller" switch is ideal for choosing items from a list, scrolling text while reading, and general interface navigation. As well as rolling in two directions the Navi-Roller can be depressed to activate selections. The 7110 has a "predictive text input" feature designed to assist when composing SMS messages or email. It is supposed to predict what you are attempting to write and "auto-complete" the word for you, however the limited storage space for dictionary information has been coupled with a decidedly overly proactive intervention system. Attempting to write "Hello, how are you" without deleting any characters results in the rather cryptic "Hidel ignom appre wwwoo?". A serious digital dictionary would require masses more space than the 7110 has available -- this feature is insanely optimistic, even considering the advanced characteristics of existing mobile technology.
About the only thing wrong with the 7110 is its inability to attach the creative housings which are available for many Nokia models. The Nokia 7110 comes in irreversibly demure "earth-tone" colours, which undergo subtle shifts between pine green and a fused copper hue in different lighting conditions. A slightly disturbing chapter in the phone's manual describes how to re-attach the sliding keypad cover/microphone extension, should it "accidentally come off". Apparently this flimsy-seeming peripheral has a tendency to fly off at speed if you drop the phone when the slide is open. At least they acknowledge the tendency by providing the simple fix, which usually restores unimpaired operation.
Beyond that, it's a neat device with practical features and very friendly design.
The Nokia 7110 is the first phone available in Australia to offer connection to WAP services. The Optus Networker is the only WAP service provider thus far, offering news in general, technology, business, sport (with sports results) and entertainment flavours along with ASX stock quotes, indices and company announcements. Australia-wide movie session information and horoscopes are also included, along with localised weather forecasts and full email(POP3) access to any Internet server. The services are certainly welcome and convenient, but at the steep pricing of 25 cents per 30 seconds, WAP costs can rapidly overtake the amount you spend on calls.
A particularly harsh aspect of this pricing is that you are continuously charged while you are reading the downloaded information, rather than just during the data transfer. However as there is technically no subscription fees, the pricing is understandable in the "first provider monopoly" that Optus has in place. When WAP services arrive from competitors, and more generic phones provide WAP capability, the pricing models are likely to become more consumer-friendly.
Key Features:
Rating: 4 Star
Price: AU$319 (Through Optus on a $35 monthly plan with 24 month contract.) / AU$865 retail, no plan
Company: Nokia, Inc.; www.nokia.com
Requirements: GSM mobile telephone service contract, with WAP service provision.
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