Review: Touch Screen Nokia 6708 Smartphone

Nokia 6708

Nokia 6708

Nokia 6708

The Nokia 6708 is the latest smartphone from Nokia, and the first to feature a touch screen. Looking suspiciously like the BenQ P31 that was announced eons ago, the 6708 runs on the UIQ platform, similar to the one found in the Sony Ericsson P-series of smartphones. With a 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth v1.1, the Nokia 6708 seems equipped with yesterday's technology. It is a tri band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) phone, so business users who travel frequently will have to look elsewhere, since this isn't a world phone.

Physical Aspects

The Nokia 6708 isn't a bad looking phone. It is a little chunky and long, but overall it has a clean, understated look. The plastic used in its casing is pretty solid, and there were no squeaks or creaks found on our review unit. The stylus included is the collapsible kind, and is well weighted at the tip, making it quite comfortable to use.

On the front, the colossal touch screen takes up most of the real estate. Below this, the left and right soft keys are flanked by the call and end keys, and the blue backlit keypad can be found just underneath this. The power button is located next to the earpiece, and to the right of this you will find the LED indicators. The top indicator flashes blue when you are in your home network, and will flash quickly whenever there is an incoming call. The lower indicator flashes yellow when there is a new message, a missed call, or if someone is trying to beam you a file. It will also turn red when the battery is running low, and it lights up permanently red when the phone is charging until the battery is full.

On the left of the phone, you will find the function key, which can be set to any desired function. It also activates voice command when held down for about three seconds. The volume keys are located just below the function key. Toward the bottom of the phone on this side the memory card slot and headset connector and be found, and both are protected by a rubber cover. The 6708 utilizes SD memory cards, but Nokia bundled the phone with a miniSD card with an adapter. Why they didn't just bundle an SD card is beyond me. I found the rubber cover quite an annoyance, since it is left dangling about when a headset is connected to the phone. It might have been a better idea to just cover the memory card slot, and leave the connector exposed.

On the right of the device, you will find the dedicated camera key, which activates the camera when held down for three seconds. The top of the phone houses the Infrared port, and the bottom is where you will find the charging port and the Mini USB port for connecting the data cable, which incidentally can also charge the phone. On the back of the phone, the stylus silo is located next to the loudspeaker, which sits just above the self-portrait mirror and 1.3 megapixel camera lens.

Measuring 118mm x 52mm x 18mm (4.65" x 2.05" x 0.71") and weighing 150g (5.3oz), the Nokia 6708 is not your average lightweight phone. However, with its rounded edges and fairly streamlined design, the 6708 is still quite pocketable.

 

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