Replacing my 6190
Written: Sep 08 '00 (Updated Sep 08 '00)
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Pros: Small, lightweight, cool, voice dial ability, predictive text input
Cons: Pricey, no analog ability
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| jmoral's Full Review: Nokia 8890 GSM Cellular Phone |
I saw this phone at my GSM provider (Powertel) last week. I knew it was time to upgrade from my 6190. I picked up my 8890 4 days later, swapped the SIM from my old phone to my new and powered it up...
Let me back-track just a bit, first, I didn't know how to slide the back cover off the 8890 to insert the SIM card. The sales clerk showed me the concealed release button. With this design, it appears that it would be difficult to accidentally release the back cover. Removing the battery was the next challenge. A small cut-out in the housing around the battery compartment allows you to get a fingernail in there to lift the battery out, or so I thought. There was no notch in the battery for my nail! I then just flipped the phone over, cupped my free hand and pretty much dumped the battery into my palm. I could then slide the SIM card into place. I replaced the battery and secured the back cover.
Powering up the phone, I saw the my provider's familiar logo and then was prompted for my security code. "Great! It's reading my SIM card!" I got right into the phone and saw that my phonebook entries were intact. All of this went off without a hitch, everything was there.
Nokia's user interface was familiar to me so I had no trouble navigating the menus. The newer features of the phone such as voice dialing and predictive text input do require a quick read of the user's manual to figure out, ESPECIALLY the predictive text input. If you do not read the manual, you will think something is not working correctly! Believe me, it is.
How does it sound? Very good. As good or better than my 6190. The earpiece volume control is on the side in the same position as the 6190 as well although instead of being a pair of rubber-covered buttons, you have a slim, chrome rocker-switch of sorts.
As a 2+ year veteran of 6190 use, I did have several accessories on hand. Out of them, I could use the cigarette lighter adapter... I thought I could use the rapid travel charger I had, but in looking at the labels on both the rapid charger that came included with my 8890 and the one that I had for my 6190 (genuine Nokia) the 6190's had a higher output rating! I didn't want to take the chance of smoking my new phone so I did not try the old charger with it. I also had a Plantronics earphone/mic combination that I plugged into the jack on the bottom of the 8890 that I had used with an adapter on the 6190. It didn't work... The 8890 came with an earset as well and I plugged it in only to find it working properly. I compared the connectors on the ends of the adapters. The new earset has 3 divisions on the connector while the Plantronics only has two. Grrr... I really liked my Plantronics...
The 8890 comes with one battery. The charging stand that comes with it accommodates the phone only, nothing extra. I have seen aftermarket stands with a slot for a spare battery, but the Nokia-supplied one does not.
The phone also comes with a IR port of which I have not tried as of yet. I will try uploading some group graphics and ringtones soon to see how well that works. I WISH they had software for this that runs on the Palm platform since it's easier to find someone with a Palm (which has an IR port) than a PC or laptop with an IR port. Minor gripe. I hope that with an IR connection, I can edit the entries in my phonebook as well. Nokia has the software for this available for free on their website.
All in all, I really like this phone. It was quite expensive in my opinion, but I look back and remember how much I paid for my StarTAC 8500 (analog) when it first became available. In that light, the 8890 was a bargain!
Voice quality is great, talktime is adequate with the included 650mah LiIon battery, and its compact size makes for a very portable communications device. You can really carry this phone in your pocket since it's so small and there's no exposed antenna. I wouldn't put anything else in my pocket though for fear of scratching the phone up. For me though, I bought the Nokia hard case for it which holds the phone horizontally on your belt.
The only thing I will really miss on my 6190 is the fact I could use my analog module to access a cellular system in non-GSM areas. My travel lately has been to GSM covered areas so my need for analog access is greatly diminished.
The last thing... you have the "WoW" factor of the phone. Yes, it IS cool.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 470
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Epinions.com ID:
jmoral
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Location: The deep South
Reviews written: 16
Trusted by: 9 members
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