Hesitant to splurge all that money for a PDA-phone but need more than a simple mobile? That's precisely the void that smart phones such as the Nokia 3230 hope to fill. Symbian-based handsets such as this and other new models like Panasonic's X800 are starting to populate the market, and the 3230 is another worthy addition even without bringing any new cards to the table.

Design
We have to confess. The 3230's overall design concept--be it the black-rimmed frame or silver-decked numerical keypad--is unusually reminiscent of a certain Sony Ericsson T610. Thankfully, apart from upsetting design purists, the 3230 does look the part of a high-end Nokia mobile. Immediately impressing is its huge display screen which seems sharper than those found on its previous Symbian counterparts, the 7610 and 6670.

Unfortunately, the keypad's reduced dimensions and thickness make the grip slightly uneven and the handset top-heavy. For our money, we don't mind sacrificing a little horizontal screen real estate for a better, more consistent feel. The phone also weighs in at 110g.

Critics of the 7610's elliptical numerics and softkey placement will be happy to learn that Nokia has opted for a conventional, logical mapping with the 3230. However, the upper row of menu softkeys is too small and rigid for comfortable usage, such as the bead-sized clear button. Also, the menu shortcut text at the base of the display (just above the keypad) appears right in between its intended buttons and the neighboring keys, which may be confusing.

Disappointingly, like the 6670, you won't find any dedicated volume controls on the 3230. In addition, the power button is slightly recessed and rather stiff, which makes it unusually difficult to press.

Features
The 3230 sports the same speedy Nokia Series 60, Symbian-driven user interface as the 6670. Messaging is quick and typically intuitive, and you can configure for mobile email access. Besides your usual helpful features like calendar, notes, currency converter and wallet, the phone allows for voice recording, albeit with a 1-minute duration cap. Applications load fairly briskly as well.

Where imaging is concerned, Nokia hasn't made any significant advancement with the 3230. Looking past the lack of an onboard photo light, we cannot help but lament a 1.5-second shutter lag which significantly dampens its snap-shooting capabilities. Photo quality is comparable with its Symbian counterparts, so while megapixel captures in ample lighting are reasonably sharp, performance under low-light conditions suffers considerably. In short, casual shooters should be satisfied with the 3230 as a makeshift camera, but it doesn't challenge the picture settings packed in other megapixel camera-phones like Mitsubishi's M900 and Sony Ericsson's S700i.

Similar to the Nokia 7710, this model comes with the Visual Radio feature. While such content isn't currently available from local radio stations, FM radio reception is acceptable. Strangely, Nokia allows broadcast through the phone loudspeaker, but only if the headset is connected. Should you chance upon your favorite tune and decide to share it with everyone else traveling on the morning commute, results should be interesting, especially since the 3230's built-in speakers can produce really loud volumes.

The preloaded game Warrior runs in landscape orientation which makes effective use of the large display real estate that the 3230 possesses, while Rally Pro's simplistic 3D graphics are rendered smoothly without any noticeable lag during gameplay. The most interesting game, though, goes to Agent V. This Matrix-themed virus hunter uses what the camera captures as a background and translates actual phone gestures into gameplay movements.

Nokia has included a 32MB RS-MMC in the package which, while hardly generous, should suffice for a small collection of photo captures and the odd song or two. Connectivity options include infrared and Bluetooth. While the 3230 supports push-to-talk technology, trials are still being conducted locally for the cellular service.

Reception, Battery Life And SAR
We didn't have any issues with voice quality or reception during our testing. On moderate usage, the triband 3230's 760mAh Lithium-ion battery lasted about two-and-a-half days.

The highest SAR value for this handset is 0.39W/kg, which meets international guidelines for exposure to radio waves.

Conclusion
The 3230 currently retails for S$598 with a two-year plan and S$748 without contract. At that price, you'll be getting a Symbian-powered, high-end Nokia mobile which packs some decent features. While certain design flaws and weak photo-taking capabilities may put some off, this Nokia offering is a safe bet for those eager for a Symbian phone and fancy the 3230's look and feel.