Nokia 6500 slide

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Toward the end of May 2007, Nokia launched two 6500 handsets: 6500 classic and 6500 slide which we're reviewing. At a glance, it may seem like they are replacements for the popular 6300 and 6288. The 6500 classic retains that familiar slim and eye-catching candy-bar form factor of the 6300, while the 6500 slide has a more futuristic look with its stainless steel body and clean outline compared with the 6288.

The 6288 was a very popular handset and it has been on our top 10 charts for many months. With the arrival of the 6500 slide, it seems the latter is positioned as the flagship model for the Finnish company. The new slider brings with it not just the latest Series 40 5th Edition with Feature Pack 1, but also a decent Carl Zeiss camera, superb build quality and cutting-edge design.

Design

There's nothing we don't like about the design and build quality of the 6500 slide. In fact, this Nokia is one of the best sliders we've handled so far. Stainless steel wraps around most of the 6500 slide and even the battery cover and soft touch keys are crafted from the same material. There are still parts that are plastic, though, such as the bottom edge where the phone's antenna is and the top end that caps the handset.

The 6500 slide is a very solid device. Pick it up and you'll feel the substantial weight with an assuring metallic feel, but not to the point of being too heavy. A two-way spring-loaded mechanism completes the sliding of the handset, while a thin rubber strip below the 2.2-inch LCD screen adds more traction for the thumb.

There are no signs of any loose parts on the device. It slides with ease and what's not supposed to budge stays absolutely still. Both the control keys and alphanumeric keypad are well-spaced, reasonably large and provide excellent tactile feedback. Frankly, there's really nothing to complain about here.

At the top, you'll find a micro-USB port, 2.5mm audio connector, charging port and a release catch for the battery cover. With the micro-USB port, this means the mini-USB cable you've been using to sync with all your various devices is rendered obsolete with the 6500 handsets. The microSD expansion card slot hides underneath the battery cover, but fortunately there's no need to remove the battery to swap cards.

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