The ultimate student handheld
After months of silent deliberation, endless research, multiple considerations and more coffee than you can imagine, I have in my hand the ultimate device for students. Something for Christmas, maybe?
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The first thing you'll see; quick access to your important applications, your email and text messaging inboxes, any to-do's for the day and any meetings to attend.
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If you're working with someone, you can easily send data - a PDF, a Zip file, a Word document or an image - via Bluetooth or infrared.
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If you need to send a whole load of files, you can zip them into one compressed file for emailing or sending over Bluetooth.
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There are many connectivity options; from SIP (VoIP), data calling and using the device as a modem, VPN for connecting to internal university networks, and WLAN - the key feature in this device.
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If you lose your phone, you can borrow a friends to text a key word to your device, and it'll be locked remotely. Brilliant for if you lose your phone and don't want others snooping onto it.
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There are of course the usual features; a calendar, note taking, calculator, a converter and voicemail.
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The mobile browsing experience on this phone is fairly unique. It uses a mobile browser but can render ordinary web pages really well. It may not be as good as the iPhone browser, but it handles everything really well.
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Whenever you connect, or use an application to connect, you can select the most appropriate connection. Whilst some may find this annoying, it'll save you money when connecting to a WLAN point than using 3G when it's not needed.
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Facebook on the mobile, works a treat.
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Outlook Web Access, used by many, renders perfectly. If the page is too big, a thumbnail option will show up to help you navigate your way around the page.
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Downloading is available on this device, whether it's a PDF, a Word document or a media stream, it can take it.
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Although the streaming quality isn't always great, you'll find watching television broadcasts easy.
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Nokia Email is a separate download, but manages the email much better than the default program.
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It allows you to take control of your inbox, email people back, flag messages for later, and download attachments.
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When composing email, you can include signatures, add attachments, CC and BCC as many people as you wish, and set the priority of emails.
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Nokia Maps is a free service which lets you search around your location for places of interest, buildings, banks and fun things to do. Many more free applications like this are available from the Nokia website.
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Windows Live Messenger works on the E61, and works pretty well once you get a good connection.
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For those who can't or won't get an iPod, a music player comes with this phone. The sound quality is indistinguishable from that of any other MP3 player.
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Having a productivity suite on your phone is something you don't often get. Nokia includes this word processor, which has more features than Windows Mobile Word, and with the QWERTY keyboard, I find it a piece of cake to take notes in a lecture or write articles on the go.
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For those who need spreadsheets to do their work, a spreadsheet program is also available part of the package.
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For those who need to make and edit presentations, these can be done on the device. With an integrated program to allow users to connect to a projector, this makes creating and giving presentations.
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Printing drivers are provided on the phone, so printing over WLAN, Bluetooth or infrared can all be used.
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Adobe PDF Reader is provided by Nokia, so you can view PDF documents on the go.
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Google Maps can be downloaded, and using MyLocation, it can determine whereabouts you are in the world without using GPS. It's especially handy if you get lost...
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Consider it a full version of Google Maps but for the mobile device; you can even check train times and bus timetables from here...
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...and the satellite view works as well. If you use WLAN to connect, it'll load the images within seconds, and slightly slower on a 3G connection.
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For those in lectures but cannot be bothered to listen, you can use the in-built voice recorder so you can listen back at your leisure.
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The Series 60 Symbian platform is a highly developed platform. There are plenty of applications to be downloaded, such as this one from YouTube.
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Keeping the fun side of the phone, you've got a full image gallery, photos, sounds tracks, video and streaming radio links.
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The streaming links use the WLAN or 3G to connect, and allow you to listen to the radio on the go.
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For those who want to keep call costs down on the cheap, using Push To Talk to keep in contact works brilliantly. It's like two-way radio but uses packet data to transmit and receive voices.
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This phone can provide you with Bluetooth, infrared, push-to-talk, Internet telephony if you're on a corporate/VoIP network, as well as being used as a modem.
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Games can be installed, some with full 3D graphics ;-)
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And finally, for those who are living abroad, you can keep tabs on what time it is in different parts of the world with a couple of thumb-presses.
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