Customer Reviews

T-MOBILE POSTPAID NOKIA 6101

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I would've given this phone a 3 and a half stars if it gave me the choice.I think this is my 7th phone or so and I mean, it's pretty good for what it's suppose to do. Come on, people, this is a phone. If you want a MP3 player, get an MP3 player... if you want a camera.. get a camera. For its intended use, this is a pretty decent phone. I will be making some comparisons with some of my older phones in the review so judge for yourself.

PROS:
1. Good reception- Nokia has always been known for its good reception and awesome battery life. Well, this one doesn't fall short from the rest. I am able to hear clearly and not drop a call at all even in places where I have one bar to no bars. In fact, my Samsung E715 phone.. would even drop a call around places where it had two bars.
2. Good battery life- Like I said before, Nokia is known for their battery life. I had a Nokia 6800 and the battery life on that phone was pretty good too but it doesn't seem to be as good as this phone. I had talked on the phone for over an hour the first day and left it laying around for 3-4 days and only then did the battery bar drop one bar.
3. The price on this phone is excellent. Where could you find such a deal for a camera... video playback, speaker phone?
4. The speakerphone function is actually not too bad. If you are in a decently quiet room with some background noise, you can hear your caller just fine. I don't know why you would be on speakerphone when you are out in a crowded place... You don't have Nextel or Boost Mobile.. this is T-mobile we're talking about. and if you cannot even hear a caller well under such conditions, maybe it's not the phone that is the problem.
5. The ringtones that come with the phoone is actually decent. I actually enjoyed some of them.. And just to clarify.. THIS PHONE IS NOT A MP3 PLAYER. It can play MP3 ringtones.. but in no means is this to be used like an ipod. If you want an ipod that badly.. then get an ipod!
6. It's a pretty good job by Nokia considering it is their first flip phone. It seems pretty sturdy.. unless you are going to drop it a hundred times. But no phone is going to survive that kind of brutality.
7. Good thing about T-Mobile phones is that they give you a free headset with the phone. This helps tremendously since you cannot listen to the radio without the headset.

CONS:
1. Like many people have stated before.. the memory on this phone sucks. I think it has about 3MB or so for you to use.. which really isn't much. But if you're not going to be downloading a hundred things onto your phone, it's not a big deal. And if you really really need to download a bunch of games so you can play it everywhere you go, you might as well get a gameboy or a PSP.
2. The annoying Nokia tone and t-mobile tone cannot be deleted in the ringtones section. Everything else that comes with it can be deleted. but it's those two annoying tones you are pretty much unable to delete.
3. The T-zones button gets hit really easily. I don't know what it is or if anyone else has had this problem. But there are tons of times where I go to open the flip after closing it for a while.. and for some reason.. it's on the t-zones page. I think the problem with that is the button to select t-zones is so close to the edge that when you close the flip, it's easy to trigger it.
4. No bluetooth! For a phone jammed packed with stuff, there is no bluetooth whatsoever. I've never had a bluetooth phone so it may not matter to me but for those of you who cannot live without bluetooth.. this isn't the phone for you.
5. There are just somethings about the design of the phone that does not make sense to me. First of all, if you want to set a caller ID for someone after you have taken the picture, you cannot just simply go to the picture and set it.. you have to go to the contact name and add the detail in. This is annoying since with all my previous camera phones, you can just go to the picture you want and select from there. Also, like someone else said, there is no button that goes straight to vibrate. The # sign and the * sign don't even put this phone to silent, which is pretty annoying.
6. EDIT: I have now just downloaded some ringtones from the t-zones section. Just a warning to everyone.. the ringtones that I downloaded sound absolutely horrible. It hurt my ears to listen to them. And it's about 2 bucks for one ringtone. So do not use t-zones to download ringtones.
7. Unlike many other Nokia phones, this Nokia does not have those awesome changeable faceplates. In fact, if you do what to change the faceplate for the phone, you'd probably have to get it off of Ebay and it requires you to use a T6 screwdriver in order to change it.. not worth the hassle.

Overall, don't be fooled by some of the negative reviews you read. Sure, this phone has its flaws.. but so do every other phone. The thing to remember is that this is suppose to be a cell phone and not a all-in-one kind of deal. The camera is decent for a camera phone. Not the best I've had but good enough. And so far, I am pretty satisfied with it.

I did a thorough search in Nov. 2005 and examined many phones and service providers before selecting "Nokia 6101" and T-mobile. Other providers did not have the flexibility with the prepaid system to meet my needs. This phone has everything I was looking for and it is easy to operate and use. I love the camera and video which are easy to operate. I quickly grasped the "how tos" on making, receiving calls, and text messaging.

You can store 16 MB of information, send photos via email to friends and create photo albums. The text messaging system is super! The Voice Mail was a bit complicated to set up due to my lack of experience and discomfort with all this high tech equipment. I used up minutes unnecessarily listening to the T-mobile prompt telling me about Voice Mail until I realized it was an "information only" call. It dawned on me that I had to read and reread the manual which was not enough so I finally went to the Nokia and T-mobile websites for more detailed precise directions. I finally got it right!

The SIMS chip placement was straight forward, no difficulty with the battery either. Activating the phone and receiving my phone number was a cinch! However getting my 1000 minutes to upload *was* a bit of a hassle, I bought a card which could not be directly uploaded. The help number at T-mobile set me straight. I am not locked into a monthly plan but choose to prepay minutes. I found T-mobile offers the most convenient method and options for obtaining 1000 minutes which last a whole year and whatever you don't use rolls over when you buy the next 1000 minutes. {I do not talk all that much but need the phone for safety and short interval calls.] Other service providers had more complicated methods of buying and using minutes, with a lot of add-on costs. It is so easy! I love the phone! I am enjoying the extra features more than I imagined. It is not *just* a phone - it is a communication device that makes me feel connected to the world. This phone works best for me. [Planning next to buy the headset to use the FM Radio ...] Erika BOrsos (erikab93)

I just made the leap into mobile technology with this purchase, so I can't make any comparisons to other products here. But I prefer to think that will make my review more objective.

I've had this phone for exactly a week at this point and I couldn't be happier with it. It is very compact, yet packed with useful features. The black and silver casing is stylish and professional looking, as well as the blue backlight. The buttons are sensibly positioned and easy to use. The menus are so intuitive I have yet to crack open the instruction book. My initial charging time was only 90 minutes, not the 12-24 hours the manual promises. The battery lasted a good 5 days with no attempt at restricting my usage. The reception is crystal clear, I get 3-4 bars everywhere I go, and not a single dropped call yet.

Many reviewers complain about the low speaker volume, and I solved that problem (as other reviewers suggested) by experimenting with the position of the speaker against my ear. People also complain about the 6101's limited memory, which I haven't come up against yet. I'm not sure what kind of voluminous data these folks are jamming into their phones.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I tried out the included earbuds with the FM radio. This is an excellent feature, but what I love most about it is the earbuds double as a hands-free headset that worked beautifully in the car without worrying about placing a microphone properly near my mouth. I don't know how Nokia managed this...it must be done through magic.

I took away one star because of the camera function. The pictures look great as long as I don't try to put them on my computer, but as everyone says, if you want a camera, buy a camera, not a phone. Live and learn. Also there are only 8 provided ringtones, each one more cheesy sounding than the last. A little more selection without ponying up extra $$ would have been nice.

I really, really wanted a Motorola Razr, but every site I looked at was full of reviews saying the same thing: all form, no function. What good's a phone that is pretty to look at but doesn't do what it's supposed to? The 6101 has impressed me suitably to make me a Nokia customer for life (knock on wood).

Update: Had the phone for 2-1/2 weeks now. I accidentally cracked a tiny part of plastic from the hinge area just from opening it. This made the silver trim come loose and bend at a right angle upward. Nokia claims the "limited warranty" doesn't cover this poor workmanship. Bad form! They still need a little work on clamshell construction, clearly. Would take away a half star for this.

I've had the Nokia 6101 for about a week. It operates well and has good reception. Voice mail and e-mail are easy to use. Overall, I'm pleased.

Pros:

* The unit is small and very light. It comes with a lithium ion battery that can take a charge any time (does not require a full discharge to preserve battery life like older NiCad batteries).

* The keys are large and easy to use. The menu system is highly configurable. Shortcuts are easy to set up.

* You can send and receive text or pictures to/from anyone with an e-mail address.

* Besides e-mail, the phone has an infrared port, so users can exchange info with a PC directly via wireless infrared (no cable is necessary).

* Reception and voice quality are acceptable. The handset has acceptable volume and the volume is adjustable.

* The phone comes with a bunch of nifty extras like a voice recorder, a stopwatch, FM radio, and a camera (stills and moving video).

Cons:

* The camera works well in standard or bright light, but it's not good at low light levels. Also, it doesn't have a zoom. So I would say the Nokia 6101 camera is substandard compared to most cameras in phones and most digital cameras.

* After you stop pressing keys, the phone's lighted screen stays on between 10 seconds and 30 seconds depending on your menu level. Then everything goes black. You have to push a key (any key) to get the light back on. There is no way to adjust this (that I have found). This is a nuisance when you're learning how to use the phone, but it's not a big deal when you're familiar with the menus and quickly clicking through the various menus.

I have read comments here that say the phone is cheaply made, or is cheap looking. I disagree. It has a sleek silver and black outer case, and it seems reasonably sturdy. The buttons have a nice firm feel. But of course, it is a tiny lightweight phone (only 3.4 ounces). The casing is made of thin plastic and (I suppose) the back cover flanges could crack if the back cover were to be removed roughly or forced incorrectly into position. So...um... Don't do that. The phone should hold up well to standard handling.

It works as advertised. It was worth the price. I'm satisfied.

OK, the one absolutely great thing about the phone is the weak signal reception. This phone will hold a call with good clarity way better than several Motorolas and Samsungs I've tried with T-Mobile.

Now to the stupid stuff.

The backlight only stays on for 14 sec. and no way to adjust it. You really can't see the display if the backlight is off. Really annoying when trying to listen to/send voice mails.

All the key presses you do stay on the display unless you specifically clear the display. It doesn't clear automatically when you close the flip. This is an ID theft issue if you use you phone to pay credit card bills, mortgage payments etc, and you don't clear the display, and then loose your phone.

But the big screwup is the tiny little pinhole opening for the ear speaker! This is why some people complain about the volume. The actual volume is fine, but the pinhole is an opening that's probably only 5-10% the surface area of most phones. Talking with several people who own the phone, how this bothers you apparently depends on the shape of your ear's pinna. That's the outside of your ear. If you don't have the opening positioned directly over your ears canal, you can't hear worth crap. If the opening touches your skin on the outside of your ear, it's like holding your thumb over the speaker, you simply can't hear. I have one of those ears! This was incredibly annoying and caused me to return the phone. Almost all other phones I've seen have several openings over the speaker, and I don't have the problem.

I recieved the Nokia 6101 (which is essentially the same hardware as the 6102) cell phone from t-mobile a 2 days ago so here are some of my early impressions about the phone:

Pros:
- The great reception as with most nokia phones: My appt does not recieve a great coverage from my t-mobile and the only phones that work are ones from Nokia. I used a 6610 and a 6230 and there are no problems with the reception of the 6101.
- IRDA to sync data: I own an IBM laptop which have IRDA build in. So it is convinent to use the Nokia PC Suite to sync the phone with my outlook.
- Supports Mp3 ringtones

Cons:
- No Bluetooth: Unlike the 6230 the 6101/6102 does not have bluetooth.
- Limited memory: I do not understand why Nokia did not include the external memory card slot, and music player compatibility with this phone. If it can play Mp3 ringtones then surely it can play mp3s, and it would have been great to add a 512 MB card to play music on the go.
- Size and Weight: The phone is a bit bulky and heavier than other flip phones but not so much that it becomes uncomfortable in to carry around
- Different charger: For some reason Nokia has a different charger for this phone. So your chargers for older models of Nokia will not be compatible.

Overall I think this is a nice cell for business use. For entertainment and such, I think 6230 is still the Nokia leader.

I read all reviews here before I bought this phone. After I read the review I did have some concern since some reviews are really not good.Finally I still decided to get one because I trust Nokia.Now I have used this phone for three months, I LOVE IT Absolutely. Now I'd like to give my own comments.

First of all, some reviews are really NOT reasonable, they complain there's no bluetooth on this phone, come on, before you buy, you should know this is NOT a bluetooth phone, right? then why complain? You also can complain this is not a PDA phone even there's bluetooth.

This phone is not metal finished, so comared with a metal-finished phone, it looks like it's not that good, but this phone is well made. I used it for three months, it's still like new, no chipping off.

This phone's voice quality and volume is good. Some guy complain it's not clear. Actually you need to put this phone on the right position, not too below your ear, then everything it's ok. We all get used to our own phones, after you buy a new phone, you need to adjust your habbit a little. After several days use, I can put the phone on the right position without any problem.

Some guy complained this phone is difficult to use, for example, he need to press 6 times to reach 'silent' option. This is absolutely wrong. That's only original setting. This phone provide quite flexible personalized menu button option. You can re-define those button's funtion. It's very useful.

Your can re-define those 4 navigation button (left,right,up, down) to any funtion you like so they provide 1-click access. For example, I define my 4 buttons as 'alarm clock, calculator, games,phone book'. You also can refine that "Goto" menu, both the contents and order. I define my 'goto' menu as 'meeting, normal, missed call, recevied calls....' since these are frequent function I use. You even can define that 'exit' button ( the button just on the right bottom of the screen) which seldom phones provide re-define for it. After you take a while to define these buttons, you will feel this phone is just right and convinient for you.

Don't feel reception problem.

The alarm clock funtion is fantastic. It provides 'graduate' wake up which means it increases the alarm sound gradually so that you won't be shocked. Plus I define it as 1-click funtion, now this is my favorite alarm clock. Easy to set.gentle for use.

Image and video quality are vivid. Radio function is excellent.

Then why don't I give it 5 star rating?

Radio function need headset be pluged even you want to listen it from speaker. This is at least inconvient to me since I seldom bring the headset.

Background light always turns off automatically if you don't press any key for several seconds. I can't find any way to make it on constantly.This is really inconvient, sometimes I can't keep pressing key since I'm reading the games help or just look at those pictures.

BTW, I bought it from TMOBILE prepaid and then unlock it easily myself. I found the shortcut menu to "voice mail box" still stick to the prepaid phone number. THere's no way to change it. so now if I want to listen to my mail box, I have to dial my phone number, not just press "voice mail" menu.

http://unlock.nokiafree.org

To unlock this phone... go the site, in the DCT4 menu type in the IMEI of you nokia 6101 or 6102. Then pick USA - T-mobile as a provider for 6101 or Cingilar Orange for 6102. In GEN menu select "original". In the model menu "asic 2". Press get code. turn the phone on without sim or with wrong sim, enter the first code to unlock. For p, w, and + ---- press * multiple times until the desired character appears

This phone is a great phone to have. It has so many great features, and it also has great reception wherever I go. I have had this phone for over a month now, and it has not yet once done anything weired to me or anything to question it's value. There are some cons to this, but not a lot.

Pros:

Great reception (better than most other phones).

Videos are very decent quality.

Pictures are very decent quality.

Includes an fm radio that sounds great.

The fm radio can be either listend to on headphones or on it's loudspeaker.

The loudspeaker on calls is very loud if you want it to be.

The loudspeaker can be used with the phoned closed.

The phone has a very sleak design.

The ringtone of the phone can be set to be very loud.

There is basically a personnal planner in the phone.

You can record messages or other things.

Theres a timer that can be set off at a certain time.

And there are many other more features that are great on this phone.

Now for some of the Cons.

This phone does not have a desirable amount of memory for it to hold too much. It is compatible with mp3 ringtones and videos and all that stuff, but you come with only about 2.5 megabites, so the memory on this phone isn't that good.

This phone also has to have the headset in no matter what if you want the radio to play, even if you are playing the fm radio on the loudspeaker.

The material for this phone feels kinda like cheap plastic. I don't necessarily know if it is that durable, I mean I have dropped it many times so far and it hasn't broke yet, but I don't know still if it is able to resist a fall on concrete. I make sure it is in a cover for it most of the time just in case.

This is about it for this phone. In my oppinion, this is a great phone and I would still want this over almost any other phone. But, if your the kinda guy who needs more than 3 megabites of memory or like to drop your phone constantly on concrete, this phone might not be for you.

If you are looking for a phone with lots of cool features this one is not for you.

PROs

- Great reception

- Looks nice

CONs

- No Bluetooth

- Average camera