Nokia 6233 Music Edition

Nokia 6233 Music Edition
  • Nokia 6233 Music Edition
  • Nokia 6233 Music Edition
  • Nokia 6233 Music Edition
  • Expert Rating

    3.50 / 5

Pros

  • Sleek and stylish design, 2 megapixel camera, microSD storage slot w/ 512MB card, A2DP Bluetooth profile, included music stand

Cons

  • No camera for 3G video calls, average battery life, no standard 3.5mm headphone jack

Bottom Line

The 6233 Music Edition adds A2DP, a 512MB microSD card and a music stand to an already enticing package.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    TBA (AUD)

The Nokia 6233 Music Edition is a largely cosmetic upgrade to its predecessor, the 6233. This new model only differs to the 6233 by adding a new white design, a 512MB microSD card and a music stand in the sales package. It also includes the A2DP Bluetooth profile for wirelessly streaming music to a compatible set of Bluetooth headphones. However, the hardware, including a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth and infrared connectivity and expandable memory capacity, remains exactly the same as the 6233, as does the attractive stainless steel finish.

Features

The 6233 Music Edition includes a 2 megapixel camera, but this is let down by the lack of auto-focus and a flash. The handset design and placement of the camera button means photos can be taken in landscape mode, just like a regular digital camera. The photos snapped are acceptable, but naturally aren't good enough to replace a stand alone digital camera. Like most camera phones, high levels of image noise are prevalent, as well as a significant lack of detail in most of our test shots. The camera includes 8x digital zoom in addition to greyscale, sepia and negative effects, night mode, a 10 second self-timer and white balance adjustment. It can also record short VGA video clips that can be attached to MMS messages.

The 6233 Music Edition has a fair list of multimedia features for a phone in this price range, but as perplexing as it sounds there is no camera for 3G video calling. 3G phones are known most for this feature, so it is surprising to see it omitted from this handset. Nokia has attempted to make up for this by offering a media player, a music player supporting both MP3 and AAC files as well as a stereo FM radio and voice recorder. For music, there's a seven preset equaliser and random and repeat play options, but no standard 3.5mm headphone jack, so users will have to make do with the proprietary Nokia headphones. The Music Edition adds Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), so users are able to wirelessly stream their music using a compatible pair of Bluetooth headphones. Once again, you can also listen to your music through the phones external speaker, and sound quality is better than we expected.

Also differentiating the 6233 Music Edition is the DT-21 Music Stand, included in the sales package. This device has an internal speaker, so docking the phone will allow you to play your music, listen to the phone's FM radio, charge, and connect the 6233 Music Edition to a PC thanks to rear AC and mini-USB ports. Unfortunately, sound quality isn't the best, with a notable lack of bass. However, we found the music stand was much more useful as a charging and synchronising dock, as you can place it on your desk, plug it in and dock the phone when it needs charging or transfer data between the phone and a PC. There are buttons on the top of the stand for volume up/down as well as power (indicated by a small, green LED) and an end call button, which also skips tracks. The DT-21 uses a Pop-Port connector to dock the 6233 Music Edition.

Users can store files on the 70MB of internal memory, or the 512MB microSD card which is included in the sales package. The card is well concealed on the left hand side of the handset, and best of all, you don't need to remove the rear cover or battery to access it. Other features include support for Java, WAP 2.0, polyphonic and MP3 ring tones with vibration alert, a clear and loud hands free speakerphone and SMS, MMS and email messaging with T9 predictive text input.

Design

The 6233 Music Edition doesn't offer anything new in terms of its design, but most users will appreciate the curved edges and sleek look. The handset is available in gloss white. Measuring 108 mm x 46 mm x 18 mm, it is one of the smaller 3G phones currently available on the market. Despite the stainless steel edging, the 6233 Music Edition still manages to weigh a mere 110 grams, so it won't add much bulk to your pocket or bag.

The candy-bar shape of the 6233 Music Edition still manages to allow for a sizeable display and an excellent, well positioned keypad. The keys are sturdy and adequately spaced out and very easy to press. The keypad is separated by horizontal strips of chrome, adding a touch of class. Above the keypad is a simple set of controls consisting of a five-way navigational pad, two selection keys as well as answer and end call buttons. The QVGA display has a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and is capable of displaying 262,144 colours. It's very crisp and clear and has an excellent viewing angle, but suffers slightly in direct sunlight. One of its best features is the fact that it doesn't seem to attract as many fingerprints and smudges as other mobile phone displays.

According to Nokia, the battery life of the 6233 Music Edition is rated at up to four hours talk time and 340 hours of standby time, but this is using a standard GSM network. The talk time drops to just over three hours using 3G. We found the phone needed charging every second night with moderate usage, or every night when a few extra phone calls were made or messages sent. Overall, the 6233 Music Edition is a solid 3G handset that lacks the video calling feature but should serve well in most other areas thanks to a pretty comprehensive features list, all complemented by a stylish design.

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