vB Easy Archive - Nokia 6500 Slide Review [WARNING

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Nokia 6500 Slide Review [WARNING - PIC HEAVY]
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: gib

Please note: this is a mini review as I have used the phone for less than 24 hours. Also I was too busy taking pictures to set the proper date and time on the phone, which is why some pictures of it with the wrong date and time may look a tad odd.

Introduction
At around the end of May nokia announced two new phones, the 6500 and the 6500 slide. I received the press release and deleted it after skimming over it quickly, I just thought meh another s40 phone without anything substantial. However when the first previews on the phone appeared on the internet I started to get more intrigued by this phone. It was the first nokia slide phone that actually looked good. Don’t get me wrong, the N95 is nice but the slide looks nicer in brushed aluminum. The two main things that appealed to me with the slide were the 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and the new version of s40, v5. I spent a lot of time looking at reviews, previews, video and pictures of this handset before I finally bit the bullet and ordered one from o2 online.

Initial impressions

When my phone finally arrived from o2, 3 days late, I grabbed my camera and thought lets have a go at reviewing the phone. It was clear from the moment I opened the box that this handset was going to be good. It looked perfect sitting there with the aluminum finish.

Design and build quality
As previously stated, the phone is a slider with a semi aluminum exterior. It was a light sensor and a small camera situated on the front next to the earpiece, with the main camera and flash module on the rear. The speaker is also located at the rear, towards the bottom of the handset. Upon first viewing the handset it seems kind of chunky but its only when you hold it that you realize that it’s the perfect size. It seems heavy at first but it’s the perfect weight for a phone, it feels sturdy enough without feeling like a brick. It’s not too big and it’s not too small. In my opinion the phone is similar to the 6233 in size, and also a successor to that phone as it has a bigger screen, better camera plus S40v5.

The phone can also be compared in size to the N95, it feels like a baby N95 in my opinion. [Please excuse the lack of battery cover on the N95, I lost it somewhere

]

It looks large when compared to the nokia 6300 or the Samsung u600 but those are both “slim” phones designed mainly to look good.

The charger socket is situated on the top, not the bottom, along with the micro usb and headphone sockets. This seems like a strange idea as it will make it awkward for nokia to make a suitable car holder or desktop charger for the phone.

The keypad is roughly the same size as the N95’s although they are flat on the slide and raised on the N95.

The camera button and volume buttons are situated on the right hand side.

The slide mechanism itself is solid, with no unwanted movement to the sides. However the sound of the click when the phone is slide up or down is not as nice as the N95 or the 8800 I used to own.

The battery cover is opened by pushing down on a button situated between the charger and usb sockets. The memory and sim cards are stored above each other.

Screen
The slide has a 2.2” QVGA screen with a resolution of 240x320 and supports 16.7 million colors. This was a step up for me from my 6300 which has a 2 inch screen although the resolution is still the same. In my opinion the display on the slide is not as bright as the 6300, but it still is more than adequate. The increase in screen size is handy for web browsing.

Camera
One of the main features of this phone is a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The camera also comes with a powerful double flash. There are also the usual options of white balance, effects, self timer, night mode and image sequence.

To test out the camera I decided to take a few shots with it, as well as my n95 and my 6300 so I could use them as a benchmark. The N95 is the flagship nokia phone and has a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and flash, whereas the 6300 had a normal 2 megapixel camera with no flash.

The picture comparisons are shown below. All shots were taken on the highest settings and then resized to 640x480 for this review. In my opinion the phone slots in perfectly between the 6300 and the N95. The camera is good but not as detailed as the n95, which was to be expected. Overall the camera on the slide is ideal for taking snapshots but like most phones it cannot match the quality of a standalone camera.

Slide

N95

6300

Video
I have not had a chance to test the video function but will update this review once I've found something interesting to film

OS

The 6500 slide is one of the first nokia phones to come with S40v5. The differences between this and previous versions of the S40 operating system are minimal. The main differences that I have noticed from this and my 6300 are that the message editor now has an extra bar at the bottom. This allows you to insert pictures, videos, contacts etc directly into the message. The media player has been changed with better support for playlists, along with new skins and now when you receive a message the picture of the sender will also show if you have a picture saved for the contact. Overall it’s pretty much the same old S40 interface which we all know [and some of us love]

Reception [RF]
The reception quality for me has been ok on standard gsm mode, 3g has been a bit of a hit and miss as I tried to make a video call and I couldn’t get full 3g signal where I live. This is the first time that I’ve tried using 3g mode for video calls, I will be retesting it later on whilst out and about to see if I can get a good signal

Battery Life
Battery life seems on par with my 6300. I personally think with a full charge the phone would last for at least 2 days before it would need to be recharged. That’s with around an hour of talk time plus 20-30 texts a day, along with some music and camera use.

Pros
Camera plus flash
Large Screen
Build quality and design
TV out function [with provided cable]

Cons
Delay when answering calls with slide
Unable to set a sound for when slide is opened
Operating system can be slightly slow at times [e.g. when playing video and changing mode from normal view to full screen]
No option to “add number” when writing a sms

Summary
Overall the slide is a perfectly decent handset. The camera is good enough for the job and the added features of S40v5 are handy. Hopefully more functions will be added with updates and current niggles fixed as well. Unfortunately the handset I received has a problem with the dpad and the surround keys as they don’t work at times but I will be getting a replacement soon and will update this review once it arrives.

If you have any questions then please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them as best as possible

Posted by: The Rever

Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Gib. I appreciate that you've taken the time to look at and lay out your experiences and thoughts about the 6500 slide. And I really like your comparison, particularly to the n95. I am considering the slide and the n95-3, so your photo comparison is helpful.

While I have seen the comparison pictures, do you find the difference between the two cameras to be generally substantial? In other words, does the n95 give you an "Oh!" factor concerning its' camera, more so than the slide?

And would you say that the slide is considerably easier to handle than the n95, or does the rubbery back really contribute a lot to secure handling?

Thanks again.

Posted by: gib

No probs. In my opinion there is a difference between the n95 and the slide, the n95 looks clearer and there is less noise in most photos. Not sure if I would describe it as a "Oh!" factor. As for the handling I feel the slide is easier to handle due to the metal and build quality

Posted by: The Rever

Thanks, Gib.

So you don't think the slide is a little too slippery? The phone I have now has the rubbery back, and I think it adds a lot to the feel of the device. Perhaps that's just me.

I am in a bit of an awkward situation in that I have T-Mobile, since AT&T does not have good service in my area--I don't get 3G, which both phones have. Wish I did, but...

But what I want is an all-around device with a quite good auto-focus camera. I love photography, so the difference between these two matters to me.

By the way, about WiFi--can I surf the net with that, or must I use Edge?

Thanks, Gib.

Posted by: gib

Personally I dont think the slide is too slippery. Theres a rubber strip designed to help grip which is situated just below the screen which helps. You can use the WiFi on the N95 to surf the internet. As for the camera personally I think if your after a phone mainly for the camera then the N95 would be a better choice

Posted by: paperchasin

another great review...now its only a matter of time before I bite the bullet...=P

Posted by: nokian73

First all would like to thank gibs for an amazing and honest review.
Couple Reasons i dont even want it anymore:
1) The keypad is roughly the same size as the N95’s although they are flat on the slide and raised on the N95. Small keypad, that is ridiculous.
2) However the sound of the click when the phone is slide up or down is not as nice as the N95. The N95 doesnt even have a hard click noise and if this is even worse hahah.
3)The reception quality for me has been ok on standard gsm mode. umm i dont want ok reception.
4) Battery life seems on par with my 6300. Meh! Need a better battery with my 3 hours talk time and 100 txt a day.
5) Delay when answering calls with slide - A Bit Annoying
6) Operating system can be slightly slow at times - A Piss of after using a S60
7) No option to “add number” when writing a sms - Even better

I aint going to bother spending $500+ on such a phone that is not worth $350. Imma wait till the upgrades are up and its $350 only then i will get it cause its honestly not worth that. Those who want it get it and be the first couple ones but its not worth it anymore after such a review. For now i quit both on Sony Ericsson and Nokia.

Posted by: gib

Quote:

Originally Posted by nokian73

First all would like to thank gibs for an amazing and honest review.
Couple Reasons i dont even want it anymore:
1) The keypad is roughly the same size as the N95’s although they are flat on the slide and raised on the N95. Small keypad, that is ridiculous.
2) However the sound of the click when the phone is slide up or down is not as nice as the N95. The N95 doesnt even have a hard click noise and if this is even worse hahah.
3)The reception quality for me has been ok on standard gsm mode. umm i dont want ok reception.
4) Battery life seems on par with my 6300. Meh! Need a better battery with my 3 hours talk time and 100 txt a day.
5) Delay when answering calls with slide - A Bit Annoying
6) Operating system can be slightly slow at times - A Piss of after using a S60
7) No option to “add number” when writing a sms - Even better

I aint going to bother spending $500+ on such a phone that is not worth $350. Imma wait till the upgrades are up and its $350 only then i will get it cause its honestly not worth that. Those who want it get it and be the first couple ones but its not worth it anymore after such a review. For now i quit both on Sony Ericsson and Nokia.

1) i personally wouldnt call the keypad small, its better than the likes of the new sony ericssons such as the w880
2) the click sound is described by nokia themselves as smooth
3) reception has never really been a problem or a major thing for me, suppose thats due to living in the uk and gsm quality being decent over here
4) the phone wasnt fully charged by me before playing. i will be charging it full overnight and will report back on the battery life
5) the delay with the slide is annoying, but this should be fixed by a firmware update
6) i agree the operating system problem ive had is annoying but i do think ive been given a faulty phone, especially due to the keypad problem ive had which no other owners have reported yet. i will see how it goes when i recieve a replacement
7) this option should be added with a firmware update

i personally dont tihnk you should write this phone off, try going into a store and having a play. the majority of my problems are due to my phone being borked but hopefully my replacement will be trouble free

Posted by: The Rever

Quote:

Originally Posted by gib

Personally I dont think the slide is too slippery. Theres a rubber strip designed to help grip which is situated just below the screen which helps. You can use the WiFi on the N95 to surf the internet. As for the camera personally I think if your after a phone mainly for the camera then the N95 would be a better choice

My thanks for your help, Gib.

Posted by: MobileSlider

First off....thanx for the review gib...

With a full charge, I can get 3 days of battery life with moderate usage.

The keypad is really not that small. Texting is quite easy.

I think gib is talking about not being able to make a custom noise, i.e. ringtone, SMS tone, when you open/close the slide.

It is however, much smoother & solid than the N95.

Posted by: nokian73

Quote:

Originally Posted by MobileSlider

First off....thanx for the review gib...

With a full charge, I can get 3 days of battery life with moderate usage.

The keypad is really not that small. Texting is quite easy.

I think gib is talking about not being able to make a custom noise, i.e. ringtone, SMS tone, when you open/close the slide.

It is however, much smoother & solid than the N95.

I dont even know anymore

Posted by: break-r

Thanks for the review!
Battery life on par with nokia 6300?
I had one of those, and the battery life wasnt great..

Posted by: flexwong

any chance there could be a price drop come december/january =D i really want one but i think it is too pricey for my budget.

Posted by: shadtacular

Do they have an opening for a wrist strap?

Posted by: MobileSlider

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadtacular

Do they have an opening for a wrist strap?

yeah....there is an opening for a wrist strap.

Posted by: s1n z

Nice review mate :]
If possible, how about a review of the media player and if you can compare it to any SE phones

. I may have missed it since its 2:32am here :X
By the way, you have lots of phones.. you must be making the big bucks :]

Posted by: gib

the courier came to pick up my faulty 6500 slide today, and instead of leaving me with a new slide they left me with a classic :| looks like i will have to complain to o2 about it tomorrow, but i may have dabble with it tonight and put a short writeup about it

Posted by: catalysto

That would be cool if you could. I'd like to know more about the classic's battery life and reception.

Posted by: aEGo2

Hi bro gib jus got my 6500 slide and i oso experienced the dpad and surround buttons not responding sometimes. any bros experiencing this? Is there as remedy for this? thanks a lot!

Posted by: who_me

Hey gib,

Wondering whether to get the 6500 slide as my next phone from o2...you seem to have used a lot of phones so though I'd ask...

Currently using the SE w810i and still kinda attached to it but I feel it is dying on me..

Not used a Nokia in a while so wondered if there are any major differences between Nokia dn SE UI?

I love the activity button on SE does the Nokia have a similar feature? Can you change the shortcut buttons? From someone elses response I take it you can't change the message tone alert to one of your own like you can an SE?

Posted by: MobileSlider

Quote:

Originally Posted by who_me

Hey gib,

Wondering whether to get the 6500 slide as my next phone from o2...you seem to have used a lot of phones so though I'd ask...

Currently using the SE w810i and still kinda attached to it but I feel it is dying on me..

Not used a Nokia in a while so wondered if there are any major differences between Nokia dn SE UI?

I love the activity button on SE does the Nokia have a similar feature? Can you change the shortcut buttons? From someone elses response I take it you can't change the message tone alert to one of your own like you can an SE?

You can make your own shortcuts however you choose. You can also set the SMS tone to whatever you like. The S40 V.5 UI is very nice. I like it more than the SE UI. It is more intuitive IMO.

Posted by: who_me

Quote:

Originally Posted by MobileSlider

You can make your own shortcuts however you choose. You can also set the SMS tone to whatever you like. The S40 V.5 UI is very nice. I like it more than the SE UI. It is more intuitive IMO.

Great thanks!...argh I'm still in 2 minds, 6500 slide or the finger print magnet SE k850i or the k770i (though depends if my network has it)

Posted by: nokian73

Quote:

Originally Posted by who_me

Great thanks!...argh I'm still in 2 minds, 6500 slide or the finger print magnet SE k850i or the k770i (though depends if my network has it)

6500 slider all the way IMHO. k770/k850 are like plastic buddies... dont bother wasting your money on them... u want something get the k800/790a

Posted by: miki69

Nice review GIB,

however I have to point that images you shot for some reason don't do justice to 6500 slide, as if you judge by images, 6500 slide does look 3 times thicker than 6300/U600, in reality it's thicker only by 4mm (about 30%).

Posted by: gib

i'll agree with you miki69, the pictures dont do the phone justice. to be honest its one of the best s40 phones ive ever had, and ive had a lot of them. unfortunatley i sold it to my brother as i needed the cash for a new car (but then i went an wasted that on a dig cam but thats a diff story) but i may get one in the not to distant future once ive sold my n95 as the slide is a better phone for me than the n95 since i rarely use the wifi or the camera on it that an the fact that i loate symbian

Posted by: miki69

Gib,

can you please give us your comment on N95 vs. 6500s slider mechnism. Is it more robust, smoother, louder

.

Comparing to 6280 except for obvious better construciton (and better materials unsed), I can say sliding action is not so "fast", its more like smooth "glide", but the "click sound" is similar.

Posted by: cta16

Thanks for the review Gib. Your review answered a lot of my questions. I was wonder how many hours of music can you play on one charge? I'm hoping its really good but at the same time, I hope its bad. If its good, I might have to retire my SE phone =(

Posted by: Rob_vya

Hi gib, thanks for the review...

and i also wanted to know more about the music capacity of the 6500 slider?

is it worth buying it for music?
what kind of headset jack does it have(2.5mm or 3.5mm)?