Just as there is a market for mobile phones choked full of the latest features, there is also a demand for basic handsets with nothing fancy at all. Nokia's latest venture, the 6030, is one such instance.

Design
At 104 x 44 x 18mm and weighing 90g, the Nokia 6030 is surprisingly lightweight despite its rather thick dimensions. On the upside, the phone comes with a comfortable, rounded design that gives it a somewhat sleek and thin look. The black Xpress-on cover that came with our test unit also added a metallic feel to the phone, even though most of its construction is made of plastic and its gloss finish leaves smudgy fingerprints easily. The 6030 is also available in champagne and silver.

The 128 x 128-pixel, 65K-color screen performs well even under bright sunlight and the large keypad is easy on the thumbs and has a great tactile feel. However, the select/confirmation button stands out as being somewhat not as responsive.

Features
In terms of features, the 6030 is very similar to the Nokia 3100, which was also designed as a basic, functional phone with minimal features. The only connectivity options available are GPRS and WAP. Even that is limited to GPRS Class 6 and WAP 2.0. The absence of all other connectivity options means you must purchase the data cable to connect the phone to a computer or to another device

While the phone runs on the Nokia's popular Series 40 platform, it has the barest of PIM features. You get Alarm, Calendar (limited to month-view only), a standard calculator and a simple currency converter. A slightly better converter can be found under the Applications folder.

The key feature on the 6030 is undoubtedly the integrated FM radio. Although the onboard tuner handles only mono-quality reception, you can preset up to 12 radio stations. The standard bundle includes a set of earphones with microphone.

Polyphonic ringtones are supported on the phone, together with the speakerphone function which is quite useful for handsfree discussions during calls.

Reception And Battery Life
During the review period, we encountered no issues with reception or voice clarity. The speakerphone was loud and clear and the supplied 900mAh Lithium-ion cell lasted for about five days of moderate use.

The highest SAR value for this handset is 0.70W/kg, which meets international guidelines for exposure to radio waves.

Conclusion
Nokia 6030 is directed at basic users and is ideal for the less tech-savvy older generation, the army boys and young children whose mobile needs are simple. The candy-bar handset will also appeal with its attractive pricing, which is set as low as S$38 with a two-year plan and S$268 without.