As a late adopter of handset designs that stray from a classic candybar-style, Nokia has so far this year shown us two of its slider phones, the small and bulbous 6111, and the bulky 3G 6280. Perhaps we're just getting familiar with ultra-thin phones like the Samsung Z510 and Motorola's SLVR, but with the 6280 measuring 100 x 46 x 21mm, we didn't have room for much else in our pocket and there was no way of hiding this oversized device. If you're looking for a more inconspicuous slider, you'd be better off with Samsung's D820, which shaves a couple of millimetres off the Nokia's thickness.
With the slider closed on the 6820, Nokia still gives you access to functions such as push-to-talk and camera mode, with dedicated buttons for each on the side. You can also browse the menu with the navigation key to read messages and make calls from your phone book. Sending a text message requires you to slide up the display to access the keypad, which is a decent size and fairly well spaced out for the fat fingered amongst us.
Similar to Sony Ericsson's K750i, the Nokia 6280's viewfinder and shortcut key are orientated for landscape mode when taking pictures, so it feels somewhat like using a regular digital camera when you're taking snapshots.
Features
One of the star features of the 6280 is the 2-megapixel camera on the back with a tiny flash and self-portrait mirror built-in next to it. There's also a secondary VGA camera on the front for video calls.
Nokia allows you to assign video ringtones to profiles for incoming calls, either a master video for all incoming calls or one for individual contacts, which you can add at the same time as you enter a new phonebook entry.
Navigating around the new Nokia Series 40 interface shows off the 6280's snazzy high-resolution QVGA screen (320 x 240 pixels), which can display up to 262,144 colours. We had no problems reading text messages outside on sunny days, nor did we ever struggle to hear calls as the volume of the speaker can be set quite high.
Using the built-in music player, we were able to listen to MP3s and unprotected AACs (sorry, no WMAs), either stored on the 6280's meagre 10MB of internal memory or on the hot-swappable 64MB miniSD card Nokia provides in the box. Although we managed to squeeze about 16 songs on the memory card, 64MB is hardly enough to use the handset as a portable video player, even though it supports 3GP with H.263 or MPEG video files (QCIF resolution), has the same resolution and can display more colours than the video-capable iPod. There's also an FM radio tuner onboard, but this requires the supplied headset to be connected to act as an antenna.
Other applications pre-loaded on the 6280 include a Web browser, voice recorder, organiser, world clock, unit converter and three games -- Golf Tour, Rally 3D and Snake IIII. Fans of the classic time-passing game Snake will be delighted to see Nokia has developed it into a 3D cartoon-like animated game that remains true to the original.
PC connectivity is possible via or Bluetooth 2.0 or USB (cable provided) and Nokia includes a CD with synchronisation tools and drivers. Unfortunately, this software suite doesn't run on Mac OS X but now that Apple has released Boot Camp, Intel-based Mac owners can dual-boot into Windows XP if the need arises to use Nokia's software, which includes applications for backing up, synchronising Outlook or Lotus contacts, installing add-ons, transferring music, creating wallpapers and ringtones, sending SMS via your PC, and connecting to the Internet. Mac users can still access the phone as a storage device using Bluetooth.
Performance
Sending a six-minute MP3 from a MacBook Pro to the 6280 via Bluetooth took under a minute (at an average of 120KB), after which we could set the song as a ring tone or listen to it through the built-in media player.
The stereo headset Nokia supplies in the box is average in sound quality and its tangle-prone lanyard design won't be to everyone's tastes. Unfortunately, the 6280 uses Nokia's proprietary Pop-Port connector for the headset so you're stuck with the fairly low-end supplied set for music. There is, however, an inline remote control with a volume switch, a single button for changing the song, radio station and answering the phone, and a microphone for voice calls.
A thoughtful addition Nokia bundles is an adapter to use standard Nokia chargers with the 6280, although it's sad to see the number one phone manufacturer changing its signature power plug after all this time.
Battery-wise, we consistently got three full days use out of the 6280, but much less with frequent use of the radio and MP3 player.
riphamilton
27/06/2008, 10:55 PM
rating
2/10
Possibly the worst, most annoying, most problematic phone ever manufactured. It turns off within two and half minutes if you're using (to text or call or browse or whatever) and it has nothing to do with the battery....(I've tried new batteries but the same thing still happens). I thought I was the only one with this problem but obviously the other posts on the page suggests otherwise. Also, as others have stated, the settings reset every time you turn it off which is even more annoying seeing as how it turns off every 2.5 minutes! Honestly, it's actually more of a joke than a phone. It should be illegal to buy one. It makes me physically sick. I'd rather carry around a home phone and plug it in when needed. Seriously.
Pros: Seeing it in the bin gives you so much pleasure.
Cons: Uhhhhh hows about everything?
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mud02
24/06/2008, 11:32 PM
rating
2/10
I suffered with this phone for over a year. It switches itself off for no reasons (while I was talking as well). Finally I lost it and didn't even bother to recover it
Pros: Nice screen and that is it
Cons: Bulky
Buggy
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wombat
06/06/2008, 11:44 PM
rating
1/10
I had this phone for a total of 5 weeks before I got sick to death of it jamming, turning on and off when it liked, people on other end couldn't hear me speaking, would not save my preferences (wallpapers, themes and tones) they reset every time it turned off, I even took it in to get the patch when it came out ( i got the phone very shortly after 1st release) and was told by nokia staff it was full of bugs. Aweful. got rid of it and bought yet another 6230i which is my perfect phone. Now if they'd just re make that with a better slightly bigger screen i'd pay top dollar for that!!
Pros: looked good, big clear screen, some functions still available when closed, nice big buttons on front.
Cons: many software issues, many many annoying bugs. can't change cover. a big expencive irritation!! Don't get one.
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no more nokias for me
26/05/2008, 06:43 PM
rating
1/10
I had my nokia 6280 for 1 month before it started jamming. sent it in about 4 or 5 times would work for a few days and jam again. It still turns on but no use out of it as it won't do anything but jam. piece of junk
Pros: can't think of any
Cons: Its software was no good as it kept jamming all the time
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Rrezarti
26/05/2008, 02:58 AM
rating
10/10
It`s really a good phone,it has thousands functions,it has 2 cameras,voice is good,it is fast and not hard to use
Pros: it is beautiful.,it has 2 cameras,it is fast
Cons: nothing
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nicky
25/05/2008, 02:39 PM
rating
7/10
had this phone for 2 years. Is alright at first. After awhile the slider gets a bit grainy feeling and the buttons get weird, you have to press them twice. The photos also take awhile to load.
Pros: Used to be a good phone
Cons: grainy pictures, grainy slider after awhile, buttons dont work after awhile. Was a good phone when it first came out, Much better ones now.
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Shakti
23/05/2008, 12:37 AM
rating
8/10
Its a stylish phone with many great features
Pros: A classy keypad
A wonderful camera
Cons: It fails to activate GPRS in applications that require GPRS
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nokia 6280
12/05/2008, 11:51 PM
rating
8/10
I like this Nokia 6280 phone because its functions are quiet fast and understandable. Easy to use its controls with hard body.
Pros: Hard body.
Stylish casing.
Good camera performance.
Cons: No any memory card.
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steve
05/03/2008, 05:31 PM
rating
2/10
What an absolute piece of junk! I had to return this for repair 4 times in 6 months. On the final occasion Nokia refused to fix it saying that it had liquid damage (even though it was never exposed to liquid) so i now have a $400 paper weight - steer clear of this one
Pros: Useful as a paper weight
Cons: Too bulky; flimsy feel to sliding mechanism, camera didnt work when memory card was in; constant key and screen lock-ups. very unreliable - shame Nokia shame
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quik08
23/02/2008, 03:31 PM
rating
3/10
Alright phone (when it was out of the repair shop) but not what you would expect for $300
Pros: Camera (when it worked)
KEys far apart (When they worked)
Speaker (when it worked)
Loudspeaker (When it worked)
Cons: THE WHOLE THING BROKE!!
Speaker, Camera, Keypad, Call Service -- EVERY-THING!!! but if it hadnt of broke -- wuld ov been a 7/10 :D
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