Customer Reviews

Nokia 6102i - Cellular phone - GSM - folder (flip)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

i just switched from Motorola back to Nokia after a 4 year hiatus. I've returned this phone before even making a call, so I can't review call quality. My impressions from "playing" with the 6102i the limited time I had it:

-At home the Nokia was at full signal strength (bars) where my Motorola was only partial or would be emergency service only. Nokias always did have better connection than other phones; this one seems to be the same as others.
-Everything is very easy to use and understand. Took only about an hour to go from "Motorola-speak" to "Nokia-speak" in my brain, even with the reversing of some key functions between the two companies models.
-I can't evaluate the call volume since I never made any, but the alert and sounds on this phone are LOUD if played at the highest settings. Almost too loud. I don't know why people are saying they can't get the phone loud enough. My guess is they either have a wrong profile in use (sound settings can be made for different profiles), or they can't figure out how to operate the very simple volume control.
-A simple $9 or $10 plug-in from a 3rd party source made this phone sync with my Mac, even though it is not supported by iSync.
-Bluetooth connection was flawless, albeit on my Motorola I could automatically accept all future transfers from a 'trusted' pairing. It seems the Nokia requires a confirmation every time, although maybe I just didn't play with it enough to find out how to do this.
-The camera took MUCH better and clearer photos than my old Motorola V507
-The address book is how an address book SHOULD be: enter the first 2 or 3 letters and the name pops up (unlike Motorola software where you can only enter the first letter, then you have to scroll through all of that letter's entries, which is frustrating and dangerous when in a vehicle).
-I'm a tall person with large hands/fingers. I originally wanted the Nokia 6682 but once it came out and I played with it in the Cingular store, I realized my fingers were too large for the buttons. I could never dial a number correctly, the keys are small/close enough that I would hit multiple buttons at once. The 6102i buttons were much easier to use, probably because they were flat, rows were spaced apart from each other and in-line with each other instead of raised and curved.

Why I returned this phone:
If you have a LOT of contacts (in this case, it seems to be anything over 200-250), this is not the phone for you. At about 1/2 to 2/3 through my address book, the phone displayed a "low memory" alert. I erased every system wallpaper, screensaver, picture frame, clipping, etc. that I could find, and still could not get my entire address book on this phone.

That said, I wish I could have kept this phone. Cingular's Nokia offering is slim, and I've always found Motorola's software to be sluggish and counter-intuitive. Without another phone available that has the features I need (Bluetooth, Camera and LOTS of contact storage) it looks like I'm going to have to go back to Motorola :-(

I give the phone 4 stars because for the normal/casual user, this phone is ideal.

I have used Nokia phones for 11 years: 2100, 6100, 5100, 6200. I was nervous about this one having read the 6210 reviews, but all my concerns were unfounded.

For those who complain about low volume through the earpiece, try setting the "automatic volume control" to on. With this option set, earpiece volume is more than loud enough.

I have been using Nokia phones for years now, always great reception and coverage. I decided to switch to a flip phone and wanted a nokia too, this is an awesome phone. It gets great reception anywhere and it is clear as a bell. Also important the battery life last forever!! It comes with some great features- camera, radio, and bluetooth. I recommend this phone to anyone!

I bought this phone for a few reasons: Nokia's reliability and quality, the big rebate Amazon advertised, and some features Amazon claimed the phone had. The Nokia reliability and quality were the only things I got.

Amazon now claims the rebate did not apply to me because I was renewing a Cingular contract, as opposed to signing up for a NEW phone number. As I read their description (which they have since removed from the website), all I had to do was sign a new 2-year contract with Cingular. The only stipulation was that I was not currently in the middle of an existing contract, and that I was currently in a month-to-month plan. Amazon now says I don't get a rebate. (Live and learn, I guess. Get it in writing first.)

Worse yet, Amazon writes the following in their description of the phone:
"There's also an input to accept universal hands-free headsets, as well as USB and infrared ports for transferring data to and from the handset."

(There is NO USB port on this phone! It's not even mentioned in the Nokia User Guide. If you are expecting to use USB, as I was, you must purchase an optional adapter cable ($25) for USB connectivity. And the connector on the bottom of the phone is NOT a "universal" connector -- it is a proprietary Nokia Pop-Port connector. Hardly "universal". You won't be able to use just any headset.)

Amazon continues with their erroneous description:
"This update to the 6101 and 6102 adds Bluetooth wireless technology to the mix. This clamshell GSM phone also includes ... [a] stereo FM radio..."

(Amazon somehow forgets to mention that "A compatible headset or enhancement needs to be attached to the device for the FM radio to function properly." [Nokia 6102i User Guide, pg. 73])

Otherwise, I suppose it's a nice phone. Sounds good. Works well. Nice simple camera. Easy menus. Nice displays.

I just can't trust Amazon anymore. And you should be more cautious than I was. The only response they've given me is to "return the phone" if I don't like it. Thanks Amazon! I'll keep that in mind for the rest of my holiday shopping.

My favorite phones are Nokia and of those the 6230 was the best. It was small, great functionality, easy to use had Bluetooth, etc. The 6102i is the flip phone version of the 6230 plain and simple. It has the exact same look, feel and features of the 6230. The phone gets great reception, is very light and compact, bluetooth works perfect and takes decent pictures. My previous Nokia 6682 took better pictures because it had a flash, the 6102i does not. Anyway, if you really want great pictures go buy a digital camera not a phone. One last important point: make sure that you get the SIM card with 64K memory, not 32K memory. The people that are complaining about no memory or storage space must have purchased this phone when it first came out in '05 and had 32K memory. I just got one 2 days ago and it has 64K memory which makes a big difference.

Update on 4/9/07: Ok, this phone is not perfect. Why? Because the camera sucks and it is impossible to get a cable that works between your phone and your computer to sync contacts and upload these crappy photos. I have a cable from Nokia and I have tried for weeks to get the stupid thing to work with my computer and it won't. I have PC Suite on my PC, but the cable won't work. grrrrrrrrr... frustrating!

Pros:

Compact
Great battery life
Little/No cost for phone

Cons:

Cheap casing
Poor sound quality
Bad camera

This phone feels basic, in that it's not superstylish, and doesn't really have any really "sexy" features. The camera is so-so. It does have a speakerphone and voice dialing.

The reason I gave it 5 stars is that, in terms of doing the primary functions of a cell phone, i.e., making and receiving calls, it is superb. I live in a "moderate signal area," and the Motorola V3r sounded just awful in my house. The LGCU500 didn't ring at all when people tried to call, and just went straight to voicemail. But everyone says the sound is great with my Nokia 6102i, including with the speakerphone. I was trying to get a phone with all those coolo features, but in the end, I need a phone.

The phone is plastic, and the design is OK. It doesn't feel cheesy, just not slick and fashionable. It's not remarkably big or small. The functions are reasonably easy to figure out.

For someone who makes calls in weak signal areas, I'd definitely recommend this phone. If you're trying to impress people, this probably won't do it ;)

This new phone which I bought through Cingular at a discount is good, but not great. The ONE thing I really don't like about this phone is the volume. I can barely hear someone on the other end. Even after turning the volume all the way up and turning the noise detection program on and off...still nothing. My Nokia 6010 was much better. The camera is okay, nothing great. Turning this thing on and off takes forever....much slower than my other Nokia, which was 3 years old. Yes, it has a radio, BUT you have to BUY a headset to be able to listen....rip off!

I like: The MP3 ringtone, speaker phone and Bluetooth capability. I love Nokia's customer friendly/ease of use. I will keep this phone because it was cheap and it's not really, really bad. But if you want something with better volume/ speaker and higher resolution camera, look elsewhere.

Moses W.

Harrisburg, PA

I ordered Nokia 6102i directly from Cingular without knowing anything about it. I got a little nervous so did an search and began reading reviews at CNET. After reading several negative comments I was totally prepared NOT to like this phone, with the full intention of sending it back.

I am actually very impressed with it (though not the camera images but, hey, I didn't buy the phone to take pictures). It's plenty sophisticated for my needs. Love the way the bluetooth pairs with my car.

I must start by saying that I am impressed by the call quality of this phone; I was a loyal Motorola customer until I used the Razr (which my boyfriend is about to change it like me because of the poor call quality); then I heard about Nokia and its reputation and decided to give it a try and I have no regrets so far. The only thing that it is taking me a while is to become used to the menus, which are waaaaay different than in Motorola, but for the price you can't beat it.