Customer Reviews

Nokia 5230 Quad-band GSM Cell Phone - Unlocked

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

After I dropped my wife's phone into a lake, it was time to get a new phone. Her phone was a prepaid T-Mobile, so we looked around for a decent replacement. Costco had this phone for sale for prepaid use at a very reasonable price, far less than above.
The good:
Free maps from Ovi Maps. Free navigation can be had by downloading maps and voice and telling the navigation program to work offline. Our phone came pre loaded with the entire US, which takes about 2 gig of the 4 gig card which was included.
Free access to the Ovi App store. We have been downloading some free apps and so far, no charges against our minutes... knock on wood.
Small size but very high resolution. It's about the length of an iPhone, but only about 3/4 as wide. The screen is 3.2" but has a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels. It only has a 2mp camera, but that's plenty to shoot great video.
Bluetooth is fully functional. You can transfer files using it, unlike some other phones that only allow earpiece or speakerphone use through BT.
It comes with a 4 gig card, but with maps and pictures and music and whatever else, I can see it filling fast. It can take up to a 16 gig card.

The so so...
It comes with a little "guitar pic" thing to use the pressure sensitive touch screen. You can use your fingers too, but sometimes the things you wish to click are too small for fingers, so the pic is the better choice. Time will tell whether the touch screen is durable.
No wifi. Wifi would have been nice, but I guess this is what you give up at this price. Oh well.

As a phone...
Calls are clear and no issues with call quality. It has a proximity sensor so you don't accidentally press buttons when you hold it against your face. Dialing or texting by feel cannot be done since there is no physical number pad, it's totally touchscreen. Dialing is easy though, I have not "fat fingered" a button yet.

When I first got this phone, I had no experience with smartphones whatsoever, and neither did I feel the need for it. I was very pulled back by their high prices, and not so convinced by their extra capabilities, which is why I ended up with this phone in the first place. It looked like a good compromise between a budget cell phone and a fancier smartphone. And a good compromise at that.

After more than a year I can't but confirm my first impression. Everything is there that you'd want to have in a regular cell phone, plus:

* OVI Maps: it's almost like having Google maps, just without having to pay for the internet connection, which if you don't have a suitable data plan may be useful (Problem may not exist in north America but other countries are sadly not so up to date..). You just need to turn off the Assisted-GPS in order to be able to use the service free of charge. Unfolding a 3foot wide map on a crowded sidewalk may have some retro allure to it, but it just doesn't compare when it comes down to ease of use.

* Youtube + Internet browser + mail client: which are actually three separate applications. If you haven't yet experienced internet on your cell phone, you may feel like you don't need it, as I did. But once you give it a try you won't be able to deny its usefulness. Be it to be reachable by mail without having to give your cell phone number to everyone, or show your friends a video on youtube which is just not so funny when you describe it with your own words, or just to kill some time when you're bored. Believe me, it's like pringles, once you pop you can't stop. Having 3G makes everything all the more enjoyable.

* 2MP camera: it works fine, at least in good light conditions. At night picture quality drops significantly. Given the price range though, I don't believe one is entitled to ask for more, particularly considering that 10MP digital cameras are available for really low prices nowadays. Same goes for videos

* MP3 and music: Can't say anything about it, as I use an iPod for that

* Ovi store: the place where you'll find all nokia sponsored applications and themes to personalize your phone. You can find a lot of things from pdf readers to games or iPhone style useless apps. Bad news is that you'll have to pay for most of them, themes included, but then you can't pretend to have everything for free.

Battery life is really good when using it as a normal cell phone (3+ days), and drops as expected when using 3G (even under 2 days in case of heavier use).
A couple of drawbacks now: for all the stuff discussed above, the phones memory is ridiculously small. Thing which can partially be overcome with the SD card. Still from time to time, you'll find yourself having to empty the cache while brosing.
Major drawback is that the phone is not powerful enough to run the above mentioned apps. This I noticed after I got used to it, and had the chance to use higher end smartphones. At the beginning it wasn't a problem at all, and I hardly even noticed the extra couple of seconds it took to load heavy web pages, but as soon as you embrace everything this phone has to offer you'll soon find yourself struggling with its hardware limits. These affect internet browsing the most, but also have an effect on scrolling and menu navigation: the phone will occasionally lag, much more rarely freeze. I had the chance to try both the branded (Vodafone) and unbranded versions, and the problem is much more noticeable with the branded version. Apparently Vodafone's done a crappy job at modifying nokia's software.

TO SUM UP:

The real issue with this nokia, is that once you start exploiting the phone's capabilities you'll want more, and you'll start considering spending 500 bucks for a high end phone.
If you're not sure whether you are interested in what smartphones have to offer, this phone is a good way to find out in an economically painless way. If you'll end up using it to phone and send sms as you always did you'll find yourself with a regular cell phone with a fancy touchscreen and a nice camera to go with it.

But if you do get sucked into the smartphone world, prepare to change your phone after a relatively short time.

This phone over all comes in at about a B-. The phone itself is great, excellent reception, sound and call quality. The interface isn't bad. People who cut down Symbian typically never gave it a chance, or used it. It is a FINE interface for just about everything you would need to do. It doesn't look as cool as the newer DROID or iPhone GUI, however look at the price compared to them, and you don't have to sell your soul to AT&T or T-Mo. Battery is OK. Email support is better than before. OVI Maps is really good for navigation, not so good for finding points of interest. I would recommend Google Maps as a back up for finding Points of Interest, getting that address, then putting them into OVI Maps and use it's navigation.

PROs
Cheap Unlocked Phone (For use with AT&T's 3/3.5G network)
Free Navigation
Decent Email
Sound Quality/Call Quality
No Contract Needed
Comes with some pre-loaded Apps

CONs
Symbian OS can take a little time to learn - it is NOT difficult - it is LOGICAL
Battery could be better for a 1320mah Battery
Small Data Cable
OVI Store - Getting Better All The Time
OVI Maps iffy for POI's
Not the fastest phone/GUI out - but ample - even for a heavy user
NO Wifi - But for it being so cheap you can't complain

I have to say that this phone is an excellent value in every aspect. It has any feature you could want except wifi but this phone is NOT considered a smartphone by AT&T so you DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THE $30 DATA PLAN FEE and you can use the $10 per month unlimited data!! I bought this phone for my husband because it seemed like the best alternative to an iPhone and similar touchscreen smartphones without the issue of having to pay the ridiculous "Smartphone Plan" fee. The camera works great even though it has no flash. You just set it to night mode and can get a better picture in low light settings. The internal data is plenty generous and you can also add an SD card for more memory. My husband particularly likes this because it means he can use it just like an iPod or any other MP3 player and it also has the built in radio so he can listen to it while at work (he is a residential/commercial remodeler) if he doesn't want to listen to his stored music. You can still answer calls right from the earbuds while using the radio feature. The touch screen is great, the screen size is great. It has fast response time from input or touch. We have absolutely no complaints at all.

Some people might not like the idea of not having wifi, but if you think about it, if you buy any similar phone you're going to have to pay the stupid $30 extra monthly fee even if you do not use AT&T internet. With this phone you can just get the $10 unlimited data plan and be done with it. The internet works great on this phone and is fast in our experience. Very happy with the purchase and the price is amazing. Call quality is great as with all Nokias. No issues whatsoever and highly recommended!

it works great in costa rica. i just put the sim card in and it worked just fine. i had a gsm sim card, but i upgraded the same sim card at the kolbi's ice celular office, it took them 3 minutes, i kept the same number and sim card and the phone its great. i love the nokia ovi store, many free application that work down here as well. its just a cool phone, i get clear and fluent reception everywhere i go including internet. overall, it was a smart and cheap purchase... if u like it, dont doubt it, go for it...

Bought this phone to use it abroad. It works great with no problems. The interface is very responsive and quick. Sync'ed it with my contact on my computer and started using it immediately with no hassle.

got this unlocked phone for this Christmas but wanted to try it out on a trip to England.
Not used much yet but so far so good. Got it working with an H2O sim card (uses AT&T)in the US for $10 and a Tesco sim card (uses 02) in England for $15. Downloaded US and UK maps and voice guidance files from nokia and got the GPS working fine in US and England.

I really wanted to like this phone. The dealbreaker is that it doesn't support 3G on Tmobile network. It is roughly 3 times slower compared to an TM506 when downloading. On the product page if you look carefully, it does show that 3G is not supported on Tmobile. This should be emphasized more -- here in the US you basically have two options AT&T and Tmobile, and if you have Tmobile you are pretty much out of luck.

Hotmail ActiveSync -- Exchange implementation on this phone only partly supports hotmail activesync. After doing a software upgrade (which wasn't obvious) on the phone its hotmail email support is actually not bad. It synchronizes 2-way with your inbox and other folders. It also synchronizes with hotmail calendar, but only the main calendar, couldn't figure out how to synchronize with other calendars (like the birthday calendar). Contacts is the worst -- it didn't synchronize in my case. I probably had a couple of hundred contacts maybe that is the reason.

There is also a nokia email app that supports multiple services which has a decent interface. I don't think it supports custom folders on hotmail though.

I've read bad reviews about its touchscreen, but it is not too bad. It is no iPhone, but given it doesn't require an expensive data plan and its price, it is certainly perfectly fine.

Browser seems to be working fine.

Didn't have issues with GPS locking, it was pretty reasonable. (similar to TM506, maybe a bit slower than iPhone)

I haven't tried gmail synchronization yet.

It does take a bit of an effort to get all its software updated and configured.

I probably would have kept this phone if I had AT&T.

Just over a year ago, I got one of these for free with a two year contract with T-Mobile. Fourteen months later, I'm still delighted. It's no Iphone or Android, but as a platform for phone calls, texting, music, and GPS, it's been great.

This is a basic smartphone using Nokia's symbian operating system. Using the internet or a PC, you can connect to Nokia's "OVI Store" to download apps, update map files, etc. I basically just wanted a phone, but the non-smart phones seem to be falling behind, and the smart phone features are nice, even without a data plan. Small touches like a hidden off-screen touch point to launch the media player, smooth switching between portrait mode and landscape mode, and other nice interface design add up, and I have ended up really liking this.

There are a few minor annoyances, but I can live with them. In particular, it's a pain that Nokia has a proprietary charging point instead of charging through the micro-USB port that Nokia uses for data connections. The contact book seems limited - you can only store 2 phone numbers per contact, which is a pain when someone has work, mobile and home numbers, and there is no way to assign personalized ring tones. Since it's a smart phone, those issues may be resolvable by getting the right apps, though. The biggest drawback is that there are nowhere NEAR the number of apps for this that you can get for an Android phone or i-phone, but you have to figure you get what you pay for. The phone is thicker than an i-phone and feels a little plasticy, but still fits fine in my pocket. (I invested in a screen protector to cut down on scratches). I wish that it had wi-fi so that I could use the internet features when in hot spots.

As a phone, it's great. Reception and call quality are as good as anything else I've used, and it works well with my Jawbone Icon bluetooth headpiece. Texting is also good - it only took me a day or so to get used to using the virtual qwerty keyboard with my fat fingers, and at this point I can type quickly with few or no misses. The phone defaults included vibration feedback when you type keys, but that was easy to turn off, and also has handwriting recognition. The music and video player is fine but hasn't blown me away. Like most phones, the camera is adequate for spur of the moment shots, but has no flash or optical focus, so I still carry my point and shoot if I think I may need photos.

The nicest surprise is that this phone comes with OVI maps - a decent gps and routing program that is completely free. You can download maps over the USB cable from your PC, so the map program works fine for a cheapskate like me who won't pay for data.

I'm too cheap for a data plan, so I just have a phone plan plus texting. (If I was getting data, I might spring for a used Iphone 3g or gs or an android platform). There is no wifi, so I use the PC connection to load songs, maps, apps, and videos. Unfortunately, Nokia's OVI store will only download directly to phones over a data connection, so if I want apps, I need to get them from the non-nokia sites. (Grrr! Nokia could at least allow me to download the friken FREEWARE to my PC!)

The screen is not as responsive as an i-phone, but is fine. Instead of a stylus, Nokia included a "plectrum" - a guitar pick thing that you can attach by a lanyard. I've left mine off and just use my fingers or the back of a pen. The scroll bars are occasionally hard to work with my fingers, but I usually get them by the second try.

The phone can take up to 16 GB of memory, and includes a 4 GB chip, which is nice of Nokia and has been adequate so far. (Of course, if you want the street maps for the whole US, that costs 1.4 GB right there, so I may be upgrading my memory soon).

All in all, I'm very pleased. The phone does what I want - makes calls, sends texts with a qwerty keyboard, and does a lot more. A great value for the price.

Accessory recommendations: My favorite accessories so far have been:

- Jawbone ERA Headset: A pricey bluetooth earpiece, but awesome for those who aren't bothered by the fit issues.
- SanDisk 16 GB microSDHC Flash Memory Card SDSDQ-016G (Bulk Packaging): So that I can carry tons of music, video, and maps.
- Accessory Combo For Nokia Nuron 5230: Screen protector, belt case, car charger, and silicone skin.
- Rapid Travel Home Wall Charger (CLA) for Nokia Nuron 5230: The proprietary charging port is enough of a pain that I wanted a second charger for the office.
- Black Mesh Gym Armband Case Cover for Apple iPhone: Originally bought for an iphone, but great for using this phone as an mp3 player/radio/etc while working out or mowing the lawn.

I travel a lot and this is what I needed at a very reasonable price. I never owned a smartphone before, so I must say I love it. Its been a month and I am still getting my way around it. For now, here are some of the pros n cons

The OVI maps are preloaded. I can find the restaurants near by or explore the area.
Love the OVI store and the free apps
Sound quality is good.. can't get better than this
Setup Email(s)with ease
Battery life is good upto 3 days, if you are not using much
2 MP Camera. Good when using during the day.

Cons:
No Wifi.

Maps: Its a bit difficult for me to use the maps.. When I add the route and say start drive, it says correct for few mins and if you happen to drive over or under a bridge or flyover, it tries to recalculate the route. Its not helping me much. I downloaded the OVI suite for PC so that I can sync contacts or maps with my phone. It is the worst, it does not even recognize my phone. So I ended up transferring files via Bluetooth.

Memory: very small. 4 GB is not enough you have to delete cache from browsing now n then.

Overall, I like the look and feel of the phone. You can't expect more for such a price.