Nokia has done it again!
Written: Feb 02 '02 (Updated Mar 27 '02)
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Pros: Plenty of customisable covers; great games; voice- and one-touch dialing; durable; vibrating alert; internal antenna
Cons: Battery life is a joke; sound quality was bad (at first)
The Bottom Line: I recommend the Nokia 3390 to anyone who needs a wireless phone. It is small, sleek, and packed with features that everyone will enjoy.
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| jpobre's Full Review: Nokia 3390 |
After having hundreds of hours worth of conversations with my Nokia 5190 over the past two years, I began to have interest in other phones that are out there. I had a long talk with my old phone, and we both decided that it was best for the both of us to part and find another significant other. It didn't take me long to fall in love with the Nokia 3390; this small and lightweight phone has something for wireless newbies and seasoned veterans alike.
I use this phone with Cingular Wireless service. Check out the review at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_51352735364
The physical design
Just like the 5190 and other models, the 3390 has a simple button layout, consisting of a two-direction scroll button, the centre Navi-Key for performing phone functions and voice dialing, a Clear key, and your standard 12-key numeric keypad. The buttons are small but spaced far enough apart so that you won't accidentally hit the wrong key. I don't have to press hard on the keys whilst using the phone; they have a really good tactile response, and I get a nice, satisfying "click" when pressing on them. The power button is conveniently located on the top of the phone.
The menu and features
Since I'm familiar with the 5190's menu system, I learned how to access the phone's features in no time. Even if you've never had your hands on a Nokia before, you'll find it easy to navigate through the menus and get to the feature you want, although I must admit that you may have to spend a little extra time looking for certain less-frequently used features.
Besides the standard phone book and basic calculator that you'll find in almost every other phone, the 3390 has a lot of unique and useful functions. You can assign one of 40 ring tones (35 included + up to 5 downloaded/composed) to each name on your phone book, so you can differentiate between incoming callers. You can also choose to play no tone when a certain someone, such as your boss or ex-boyfriend, calls. ;o)
In the Text Messaging department you'll find T9 predictive text software. This is a text messaging junkie's dream; it allows words to be spelled out with less effort, which means you can write longer messages in English, en Español, ou en Français in less time. There are also pre-made templates and picture messages to help quickly send commonly-sent messages via e-mail or to other mobile phones via SMS.
You can create custom profiles and set up the right combination of ring tone, volume, vibration, and warning tone settings. For example, you can choose to vibrate only whilst in an important meeting or in a loud place where you wouldn't be able to hear your phone ring. Then quickly change the current profile as your situation changes.
The phone's new games are fun for the kids or for those boring, idle moments in the middle of the airport terminal. Treat yourself to a game of the new-and-improved Snake II, Space Impact, Bantumi, or Pairs II (an improved version of Memory).
The calendar does a great job at keeping appointments and birthdays. One major downside is that T9 prediction isn't available, so you'll have a harder time making entries into the calendar.
You don't always have to make your fingers do the navigating and dialing; you can set up your phone to dial up to eight numbers stored on your phone book using your voice. Note that this feature is not voice-activated; you still have to press and hold the centre Navi-Key to make the phone ready for you to speak the name. Nonetheless, this feature works very well and is a good way to impress those around you. :o)
The performance
The sound quality on calls made on this phone was unacceptable--at first. I found out that the bad quality was due to a setting that made longer battery life a priority over good sound quality. Dialing a special code dramatically improved the quality at the expense of battery life, and it now sounds just as good as the old 5190.
I used to believe that internal antennae decrease signal quality and cause more dropped calls and bad sound quality compared to phones with external antennae. The 3390's internal antenna actually performs better than the 5190's external antenna, and well exceeds my expectations.
If you need a long-lasting battery, or you're used to the battery life of most other models, the battery included with this phone will disappoint you. The standard battery lasts no where near the standby times Nokia states; if you plan to use it often, plan to either plug it in to an outlet at least every other night, or invest in another battery; prices start at $36, which is a bit too much for my wallet.
Overall, I'm pleased to say the Nokia 3390 is a much better phone than its predecessors and a lot of its competitors. It's not only convenient to hold and carry but also much fun to use and customise.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 20
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Epinions.com ID:
jpobre
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Location: Los Angeles, CA USA
Reviews written: 14
Trusted by: 4 members
About Me:
Jonathan is a 16-year-old junior in high school.
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