We're not sure how much all of this is necessary, but being able to control music playback without having the flick open the phone is a big plus. The downside is that you have to open the phone if you want to access any other application.
Underneath the hood is a surprisingly high capacity 1500mAh battery, which Nokia claims yields up to six hours' talk time and 350 hours on stand-by, and in real conditions we found that's largely what you get. Annoyingly, you can't charge through the USB lead – but even more annoying is the position of the charger connector, which is on the lower right-hand side and makes using the phone while it's charging almost an impossibility.
HSDPA 3G support and Bluetooth 2.0
From a technical standpoint, the 6650 has 3.6Mb/s HSDPA 3G support, which is fine for mobile broadband, and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP wireless stereo. There's a minute 30MB of internal memory, but a 1GB Micro SD card is provided in the box.
The 6650 also has GPS built in, which is very surprising on a unit of this size and low price. Nokia Maps is installed as standard, but you'll probably want to install Google Maps instead, which is freely available and handy for walking around big-city streets.
The Symbian software is not traumatic to use – although finding things is often a struggle, being incredibly nested and not entirely black and white over what option is considered a tool and what's considered an application. It is, however, responsive and anyone used to T9 won't have a problem sending text messages or email.
Verdict
This is a light phone with most of the features you expect to see on any S60-based device but at a very basic price. The lack of a standard headphone jack is a pain, but not a unique one - and the 6650 does good job of converging a mobile phone and media player on a budget.
Nokia 6650 clamshell phone
COMMENTS
£15 a month free
Here you go:
http://www.beepy.co.uk/mobile-phone-deals/nokia-6650-silver-black-t-mobile-combi-15-18-month-ab-motion-trainer-with-v-fit-twist-stepper/
Even comes with a couple of freebies too
The supplier seems OK too, I have just order a second new handset from them and all in all it has been pretty painless
Nice phone
I've just swapped to one of these from an N95. I got fed up with the bulk of the N95 and wanted something more pocket friendly, which the 6650 is.
Comparing the two: obviously the camera is nowhere near as good but then the N95 camera was pretty rubbish (good pixel count, horrible delay between pressing the button and the picture being taken) as well.
HSDPA, which is what I use it for most, works perfectly.
GPS is a revelation compared with the N95. I quite often get a fix indoors which the N95 never managed.
The FM radio actually works.
Battery life is much better. Uses the same charger so I now have a spare.
Comes with a useful set of apps that run using the cover display so will work while the phone is closed. The music player was mentioned in the review, but there is also a stopwatch (which multiple split times) and a count down timer which is really useful.
Cons: headphones are really uncomfortable - they don't fit my ears and keep dropping out. Speakerphone mode is pathetic - the single biggest weakness for me.
Watch out for the usual T-Mobile left-hand right-hand non-aquaintance: they have an offer of Combi 30 contract, free 6650, free web'n'walk and free bluetooth headset at the moment. They were fine about letting me switch to this contract and about letting me pick the phone up from a shop (rather than have it posted which would have been inconvenient). But the shop said the bluetooth headset was for new customers only and I would have to contact T-Mobile. T-Mobile say that it is for all customers and I have to go back to the shop. <rhetorical> Just how hard is it to run a simple business? <rhetorical/>
Happy with the phone though.
Had one for four months now
It's not a bad phone at all - install Opera Mini and it becomes a really rather good web browser. Obviously not up there with the iPhone or WM devices, but usable enough.
I sometimes find that Symbian has a wobbler, and it will reset itself, but it's never done it on a call - only with Opera Mini - and it's entirely possible that it's Opera with the problem I suppose.
Looks are subjective, but I like the relatively subtle design. Feels nice in the hand too.
I'm not sure about the comment about the speakerphone though; I had my bro on speakerphone stepping through stripping down the washing machine [didn't want to have the hands free cables dangling around] and there weren't any problems understanding what he was saying, although more volume would have helped. For music though, it is a bit tinny, but then aren't they all?
Overall, really not bad at all. Also, don't forget that if you hook up the Nokia software to an XP Laptot/SCC, you have a 3.6Mbps modem, there and then. haven't had that work on Linux yet though, but I understand it is possible with a *lot* of work.
I like my 6650d.
Steven R
Free on contracts as cheap as £15 per month?
Looks like a good phone but can't find the free on £15 contract deal at the T-Mobile web site !?!?
