If phones were like wine, Nokia 7260 definitely looks like a good vintage that will attract fashion-conscious connoisseurs. Simply put, it's a headturner and isn't shoddy on features, too.

Design
The Nokia 7260 is part of a series of phones with an art deco design theme and, aesthetic-wise, the Finnish giant should be applauded. Available in either white or black, the silver-cast buttons on the handsets are laid out in a concentric pattern. In addition, they emit a red glow whenever activated. While irregular in shape, the rather stiff keys aren't a huge concern as quick practice gets us up to a good messaging speed.

Nokia's insistence on using a fast-aging 128 x 128-pixel display gets our thumbs down. At the current retail price of S$468, there are choices aplenty that sport better screen and multimedia functions. A five-way directional pad sits just below the 65k-color TFT. Like most camera-phones, the lens is housed at the back of the unit.

On a brighter note, the 7260 comes with a slew of accessories which include a matching pouch and leather strap. This carrier has a magnetic closure so you don't have to fiddle with buttons or drawstrings. Beware, though, as the ends are open and there may be a tendency for the mobile to slip out. Instead of packing in the commonly found black charging adapter, Nokia has thrown in one decked out in white. There's even a rubber cap that hides the wires. The included stereo handsfree, also white in color, features the same concentric circle design on the controls. Paying attention to details, the company has even gone as far as to use a nylon coating for the headset

Features
This mobile sports an onboard FM radio tuner that functions well for most stations with good reception. However, certain stations posed a problem and we ended up receiving a lot of static. The sound quality is commendable but it's unfortunate that MP3 playback is missing. Keeping in line with the retro theme, the handset comes with a large number of retro-inspired ringtones so you'll be spoilt for choice. Although it's sufficiently loud, the 16-chord polyphony fails to impress compared with offerings from Samsung and LG.

The integrated VGA (640 x 480 pixels) camera allows you to take photos in three resolutions but imaging tweaks are limited. When tested, it exhibited a noticeable shutter lag that irked. In addition, the video taken was also exceedingly small and you can hardly make out details when played back on a desktop.

Running on the Series 40 platform, this triband handset presents an interface that most are familiar with. Plus, its zippy performance and messaging engine should keep frequent texters pleased.

With the fashion crowd in mind, this handset comes with a clothes/shoe size converter. Additionally, the phone comes with a mobile wallet for storing confidential numbers and passwords.

For connectivity, the 7260 supports EDGE (Enhanced Data for Global Evolution), an upgrade for the GSM/GPRS network that promises increased data speeds over standard GPRS. However, users in Singapore will not benefit from this as operators here do not support it. An infrared port is also in hand but Bluetooth is omitted.

Reception, Battery Life And SAR
Reception was generally good throughout the period of testing and we encountered no problems with voice quality. The onboard speakerphone worked as advertised and benefited from the loud volume. The 760mAh Lithium-ion cell lasted just short of four days on moderate use.

Fully Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) regulations compliant, this mobile had a low rating of 0.51W/kg when tested.

Conclusion
Available at S$468 with a two-year operator's contract and S$568 without, this looker's adequate features should keep the style-conscious clique happy. Best of all, it comes with a host of accessories that match.