QWERTY keyboards on mobile phones seem to be a feature geared towards serious business people. Recognisable from a dozen BlackBerry phones and counting, the full-sized keyboard often says "This phone is not a toy", but it seems the kids aren't listening. While a QWERTY keyboard will definitely help you compose lengthy replies to important work-related emails, they are becoming increasingly popular with the socially networked. Whether you're a Tweeter, a Facebooker or a textaholic, a full-QWERTY pad on your mobile should be high on your list of priorities.
Upside
Judging by the images, the Nokia 6760 looks to have the goods in the input department. The QWERTY keyboard seems well-spaced, with Nokia keeping a simple four-row configuration. The numeric keypad shares space with the letters positioned in the centre of the keyboard, and while this might not be everyone's cup of tea, we think it's better than having a secondary numeric keypad under the screen.
Features-wise, the 6760 is decently specced but lacks a few key smartphone hardware components like Wi-Fi. It does have 3G network compatibility with HSDPA which should be sufficient to pull down your email, update your Twitter and stay on top of your latest Facebook notifications. The 6760 also ships with Google Talk and Windows Live Messenger apps pre-installed.
It also boasts A-GPS capabilities and the latest version of Nokia Maps, including 3D landmarks and turn-by-turn navigation, though no word yet on what length the navigation subscription will be included — typically Nokia includes a three-month trial subscription with its higher-end N-series devices.
There's a rear-mounted 3-megapixel camera for snapping Tweetpics, but strangely no front-facing camera for video-calling. The pics you take will be stored on an included 2GB microSD card and is expandable up to 8GB with the purchase of additional memory cards.
Downside
Choosing a mid-range phone is always a juggling act of gains and sacrifices. You won't pay top-dollar and you get certain benefits — the keyboard and 3G speeds stand-out in the 6760 — but you'll always end up missing out somewhere along the line. If you compare the 6760 to a more expensive Nokia, the N97 or the upcoming E72, the most notable absence is Wi-Fi. To be fair, Wi-Fi in Australia is hampered by a scarcity of public Wi-Fi hotspots, but it's still a feature we think should be included in any self-respecting web-connected handset.
Another inclusion that has us scratching our heads is the 6760's 2.5mm headphone jack. Why not install a 3.5mm headphone socket instead? There can't be such a great difference in cost for Nokia and a standard-sized socket would allow us to use our favourite headphones, rather than the sub-par headphones we tend to find bundled with phones.
Overall
Nokia seems to have hit the nail right on the head with this model. We've seen similar phones succeed over the last few years, the Motorola Hiptop Slide and the LG WebSlider come to mind. Nokia's boring-looking Series 60 user interface isn't the most teen-friendly, but hopefully it ships with some funky wallpapers to cover the blandness. Look out for a full review of the 6760 closer to its release in October.
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