Nokia 7250

Click for more pictures of the Nokia 7250

In the 7250, Nokia finds a formidable lieutenant to spearhead its army of camera-phones. Stylish, feature-rich and bearing the Nokia moniker, it won't be long before every other person and his dog own a unit of this mobile. But when you take a closer inspection--as we did--just how savory is the 7250?

Cool Looks
The phone certainly holds several pluses that we can't quibble with, such as its good looks. This handset is evidently a remake of last year's 7210, and retains the trendy facade of its predecessor. Our trial unit came in the forceful tones of gray and black, looking like brushed metal but feeling a tad plasticky. The pinhole camera eye lies on the back of the phone, slightly recessed to protect against scratches.

Nokia mercifully abandons the difficult keypad of the 7210, which had buttons arranged in narrow, vertical slits. Instead, the 7250's keys are responsive and large enough. We also like the sleek frame of the 7250. At 92g and measuring 19mm in thickness, the mobile is quite pocket-friendly. So unlike the cumbersome 7650 and 3650, you'll be more tempted to whip out the 7250 for snapping candid shots.

Fretting Over Photos
While the 7250 is one of the smallest and most attractive camera-phones currently out in the market, it simply isn't the best. In terms of picture quality, it’s about average. You need steady hands as the camera appears sensitive to shake. Close-up shots usually turn out better. To be fair, camera miniaturization has yet to mature as a technology, and most photo-capable phones offer mediocre quality.

Therefore, our main complaints about the 7250 are not directed at the camera per se, but at its supposedly complementary functions. The phone's passive display supports up to 4,096 colors, which is adequate for basic menu navigation and everyday use. But it falls short when employed to take pictures. When you activate the camera, the mobile’s screen doubles as an electronic viewfinder. The problem is the 7250’s display isn't really up to the task. It isn't as bright as the 3650's screen, and images look blurry. Furthermore, when you reposition the phone too quickly, the viewfinder goes awash in after-images. This is perhaps because the 7250's display doesn't refresh quickly enough to keep up with changes in the actual scene.

As a result, the electronic viewfinder works best for framing shots--using it to check for sharpness or image quality is futile. You only know if your photos have come out right after you've transferred them to a PC.

Transfer Woes
That’s also when we discovered the other major issue with the 7250: Limited photo sharing options. From the phone, the chief way to send out pictures is by using MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). In fact, clicking on "Send" in the image menu takes you directly to a new MMS message. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to spend S$0.30 per multimedia message (operator-dependent) every time I want to check how a photo turns out.

A good thing, then, that there is another method to transfer your pictures. You can initiate data sharing if you have a computer running the Nokia PC Suite program. However, even this poses two problems: First, you need either a direct cable connection or infrared to connect the PC and phone. Few desktops come with an infrared port, while the synchronization cable has to be bought separately.

Second, you won't be able to share images with your handheld. Nor will you be able to beam pictures directly to and from another phone, even if it’s a Nokia.

A colleague recently suggested that the 7250 is a vehicle to promote MMS. Is it right to see integrated cameras as merely a means to push MMS? No. I think phone makers should concentrate on delivering the best camera phones before worrying about MMS. When camera-phones become popular and actually gratifying, MMS traffic will follow.

Abundant Features
The other features of the 7250 do quite well, though. Nokia has done a fabulous job at incorporating FM radio with its phones, and this has become an oft-requested feature. The 7250 doesn't disappoint in this area.

At the same time, the phone's polyphonic capabilities are also credible, although not as sparkling as Samsung's. The ringer volume is loud, and the 7250 comes with a good collection of melodies.

Other features include triple band technology and a handsfree speaker. The impressive Triple Pop game in the 7210 also makes a return. MMS messages, ringing tones, images and Java applications share a memory pool of 3.5MB. At less than 20kb per photo, this means you can snap more than a 100 pictures before running out of space.

SAR Rating, Reception And Battery Life
The SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) value, as indicated in the manual, is 0.6W/Kg. Based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, this is well below the limit of 2.0W/kg.

We experienced no problems with the signal reception of the phone, while voice quality was good. Battery life was also satisfactory, with the 720mAh Lithium-ion cell giving us four days of average usage.

Conclusion
At S$728 with a two-year contract, the 7250 is perhaps overpriced. This is especially true when you consider that the Panasonic GD88, a superior camera-phone, is in the same price range, albeit a bit more expensive.

Sometimes when you are the biggest kid on the block, you take it upon yourself to do the "right" thing. For Nokia, it seems determined to drive the mobile imaging industry, and the 7250 is a prime example of its efforts. But while well-intended, this ultimately comes across as a hasty implementation of a camera-phone.

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