An upgraded version of Nokia’s 6700 classic with a sliding form factor in a range of colours – what’s not to like?
It may look like a typical lifestyle handset, but in fact Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition is in operation here (as opposed to the Series 40 interface of the 6700 classic) allowing for much more customisation and a wider range of additional applications. There’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to the home screen, with four standby themes offering alternative layouts, including options with notifications for email, calendar and contacts plus a strip of shortcut icons. Internally the menu is traditional Nokia fare, uncomplicated and intuitively easy to operate.
Elsewhere the feature sets of the two 6700 modesl are virtually identical. The slide retains the excellent 5-megapixel camera of the classic, with a lightning start-up time and decent results in all lighting conditions thanks to the powerful dual LED flash. There’s the obligatory media player with Stereo Bluetooth and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but Wi-Fi is still missing and it’s a disappointing omission for a phone in this class.
The process of removing the battery cover almost requires its own instruction manual: you have to first unhook a flap protecting the microUSB slot at the top of the handset, then press down with a fingernail on a thin catch to release the back fascia before sliding it off. It’s especially frustrating because the memory card is housed behind this cover; it would have been far better to provide a slot in the side panel to quickly swap cards.
Social media addicts will be more than satisfied with the networking options available; there’s links to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube alongside Nokia’s own Ovi services, plus the ability to instantly share photos online with a couple of clicks from the home screen.
With a variety of practical and powerful features running on an advanced operating system, the pretty-coloured 6700 slide is a smartphone in sheep’s clothing.
Verdict
A sliding version of Nokia’s 6700 classic, with an upgrade to Series 60 for full smartphone functionality. The 6700 slide has the same stylish appearance and powerful feature-set of the classic, with a truly excellent 5-megapixel camera and free GPS navigation with Ovi maps. You get an array of bright candy colour schemes to choose from, but there’s still no Wi-Fi connectivity which is a surprising omission. Ultimately those that prefer the merits of a sliding form factor to protect the keypad and lock the handset will find much to admire here.
Ratings (out of 5)
Performance: 4
Features: 4
Usability: 5
Overall: 4
