Nokia 6210 Cyber Silver

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The new Nokia 6210 Cyber Silver has the software component to take advantage of Bluetooth technology. However, you still require a Bluetooth chip that is not built into the phone but comes in the Nokia connectivity battery. This battery is part of the Nokia Connectivity Pack that also ships with the Connectivity Card and Bluetooth Software Suite.

Walk On The Blue(tooth) Side
For those still wondering what it's all about, Bluetooth is a wireless technology that provides connectivity between any compatible devices. Based on radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (microwave) in the frequency range of 2,400MHz to 2,500MHz, communication does not require line-of-sight or cables for communication.

The Connectivity Pack (pricing not yet available) is Nokia's first Bluetooth solution and intended to provide wireless communication between Bluetooth-supported devices. Note, though, that the Bluetooth specification profiles supported are the Dial-up Networking Profile and the Fax Profile; meaning that other devices like a Bluetooth headset is not supported.

The good news for owners of the older 6210 is that you can get a free software upgrade from any Nokia Service Centre. So how do you know if your Nokia 6210 is not Bluetooth enabled? Well, for one thing, it's probably not in Cyber Silver. The true test is when you insert the connectivity battery and turn the phone on. A Bluetooth-enabled 6210 will show a "connectivity" icon in the upper left corner of your phone display. Of course, the smart consumer will probably check his phone with the good folks at the Nokia Service Centre before rushing out to buy the Nokia Connectivity Pack.

Now that your Nokia 6210 is Bluetooth enabled, you have access to wireless convenience to transfer data between your mobile phone and compatible Bluetooth devices. Specifications provide for a distance of up to 10m between devices and do not require line of sight, meaning that your phone can be hidden away in your bag or anywhere else that pleases you.

A Wireless Test Drive
Testing shows that the Nokia Connectivity Pack performs pretty close to the specifications of 10m. One problem is that the phone may hang when you bring the phone beyond the specification and the connection drops during a data transfer.

The Connectivity Card follows CompactFlash specifications and can be either slotted directly into your device or using the supplied PC card adapter into your PC or laptop PCMCIA card slot. All you need to do is activate the Bluetooth software on your device or PC and you are ready to go. The Bluetooth Software Suite that comes with the connectivity pack is relatively easy for typical Windows users to install; it includes drivers for Windows 98, Me and 2000.

Testing took place on a Windows 98-installed laptop in an IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN environment. The laptop would sometimes drop a data packet while Bluetooth connections were being established between the notebook and 6210. That aside, despite all the speculations about conflicts between Bluetooth and 802.11x wireless LAN, both technologies appeared to work well together.

Do You Need Bluetooth?
So what can you do with a Bluetooth connection between your PC and 6210? The 6210 can act as a wireless modem for accessing the Internet, checking email, and other forms of data communication via GSM. Using the Nokia PCSync software, your phonebook and calendar data can be synchronized with your PC or laptop. The best part is you have access to all this convenience with your phone in your bag or coat pocket.

Other cool stuff included in the Bluetooth Software Suite is the ability to create customized ringing tones using the PC Composer and your own picture messages and display icons with the PC Graphics. Your creations can then be uploaded to your 6210 using Bluetooth. These are just some of the many features available to help you manage your life and phone. As Nokia would put it, this is "Human Technology".

Looking Good
Besides looking cool in Cyber Silver, the new Nokia 6210 is packed with features and has a streamlined and sturdy look with its hidden internal antenna. Weighing a mere 107g with the lightweight Lithium-polymer battery, you get 3 - 5.5 hours of talktime and 60 � 310 hours of standby time. Using the Connectivity Battery, you get 2 - 4 hours of talktime and 45 � 170 hours on standby.

The battery itself weighs a hefty 52g and is almost twice the thickness of the lightweight battery. In today's world, the 129.5 x 47.3 x 17 mm phone may be considered too big for some. For those with large fingers, the well-spaced keypad is a blessing. And the large phone display means you can stop squinting as well.

Abundant Features
Easy to configure, the WAP 1.1-compliant phone supports Internet browsing with up to four lines of display. The built-in High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) modem supports up to 43.2Kbps. Before you start drooling, you may want to know that the local mobile operators offer services of only up to 14.4Kbps. You can still speed up transmission when connecting to a compatible laptop via IrDA or data cable, though.

Too strapped for cash to purchase the Bluetooth enabled Connectivity Pack? You can still use infrared, the poor cousin of wireless communication, for phone-to-phone transfer of names, numbers and calendar notes between compatible Nokia phones and IrDA-compliant devices.

The Nokia 6210 has sufficient memory capacity to store 220 calendar notes, 500 phonebook entries, 150 short text messages or 50 picture messages or a combination of both. Besides the 10 preloaded pictures, 35 ringing tones and 10 pre-defined template messages, you can either upload your own creations or receive operator logos, ringtones and other data via Nokia's Smart Messaging Services. You can also set up seven different profiles, personalizing the ringing tones and other phone settings to match your usage profile in different environments and situations. There's no "gaming profile" but the phone does come with three games: Snake II, Pair II and Opposite.

Voice dialing performed up to expectations. The voice tags are independent of language used and the recognition software was able to recognize my mumbling with ease. Other features include a full-featured calendar, calculator and SMS functions with archives and personal folders. Both reception and clarity remained good in most situations.

Verdict
Overall, the Nokia Connectivity Pack together with the new 6210 Cyber Silver enables wireless data communication, and performs the job without major glitches and disappointments. The only gripe is the size of the Bluetooth Connectivity Battery, making an already pretty big phone even bigger.

Bluetooth provides you with the convenience of eliminating the infrared line of sight restrictions. You may not be willing to pay for the Nokia Connectivity Pack just to avoid having to take out your phone and line the infrared ports of the devices before doing your data transfer or Internet dialup. With Bluetooth, all you need to do is link up the devices and the connection is maintained until you shut it down or someone steals your bag and brings your mobile phone out of range. Further down the road, we will see application of Bluetooth in more areas, justifying our purchases.