Nokia 7280 mobile phone

Nokia 7280 is a tri-band cameraphone, which makes it a suitable model to take with you when you go global roaming. This is the third in Nokia’s range of art deco style mobile phones for the fashion conscious user (the others being the 7260 and 7270). On first impressions the appearance of this model is even more startling and distinctive than the other two in the range - the phone has an amazing slider design and might give the impression that it is a fancy cigarette lighter, or even a spy camera. This is all part of Nokia’s secret plan, which is to create the illusion that there is something mysterious about this phone.

Nokia 7280The specification of the 7280 is also pretty impressive too, and it makes one marvel at the way the phone’s innards have been packed into such an unusual case. Some of this model’s main features are Bluetooth™ wireless connectivity, EDGE GPRS and HSCSD data handling, a WAP 2.0 and XHTML browser, MMS multimedia messaging, video clip download and playback, video and audio streaming, FM radio, voice memo recorder, speakerphone for hands-free conversations, voice control, and polyphonic ringtones. There is also an active slide feature, because the action of sliding open the phone will accept a call, and sliding it closed will end the call.

Even installing the SIM card is a bit more of an adventure with this model, since the card fits into a little drawer that has to be removed from the side of the phone. A SIM release tool is provided, but you can always use the end of a paper clip if the tool is not available. Another difference, which potential buyers should note, is that the battery is a fixed item inside the phone and is non-removable by the user, although if necessary it can be replaced by taking the phone to an authorised service facility.

With just 6 controls on the outside of the case, and no sign of a conventional alphanumeric keypad, the user might be a little confused as to how to operate all of the phone’s many functions. This secret is solved by the clever design of the phone’s 3 soft keys and the Navi™ spinner rotating control, which take you through the phone’s menus. The “end” and “call” keys complete the number of controls. A pulsating light on the top end of the phone alerts the user to some phone actions, such as an incoming call, and this can be set up for any profile you wish to use it with. Despite all this cleverness, the use of the Navi spinner might prove a bit tiresome in practice, especially when used for entering phone numbers or composing text messages. You have to rotate the Navi spinner control to individually select numbers and letters, although this is made somewhat easier by the help of predictive text input.

The Nokia 7280 has a reasonably large and high definition TFT active matrix LCD display, which is a good screen considering the constraints of the phone’s shape. The display has a resolution of 104 x 208 pixels, and this screen can also reproduce up to 65,536 different colours. The display gives off a red glow, which is yet another unusual feature that sets this phone apart from most others. The screen presentation is slightly different to the usual layout, due to the requirements of the navigation system and the landscape orientation of the screen in its normal mode of use. However, the display does provide adequate means to cope with the menu selections, and it notifies the user of the phone’s signal and battery status, as well as offering the chance to view pictures and video. There is also the useful menu feature, as provided in other Nokia phones, of a “go to” system, which lets you rearrange the phone’s functions into a personal shortcut list, to enable you to quickly select your favourite functions.

There is an integrated VGA quality camera (640 x 480 pixels) hidden in the 7280. You might wonder where the camera is, until you realise that the case slides open to reveal the lens fitted on the back cover of the phone - yet another bit of James Bond chic maybe? There are two available picture sizes of Standard or Portrait, and three picture qualities of High, Normal or Basic. The photo quality depends on how much the picture file is to be compressed when saving it - this means that “high” quality photos will give the best image, but they also occupy the most memory space. Pictures may be edited if you wish, and it is possible to crop the image to a smaller size, or insert text, a frame or clip-art. Other camera features are digital zoom, the provision of a night mode setting to help with the taking of photographs in poor light conditions, and there is also a timer to use when taking self-portraits.

This mobile phone has the ability play video clips in 3gpp format, with QCIF or SubQCIF resolution and AMR audio. You may download video clips over-the-air, such as those that show entertainment or sports highlights, and these clips can then be played back on the phone. The 7280 has a media player that can stream audio and video directly to the phone from the network.

A significant feature offered by the Nokia 7280 is its MMS capability, which means it is able to send and receive multimedia messages of up to 100 kB in size. MMS messages may contain a combination of text, sound, and a picture, or a video clip.

Another very useful feature is the chance to listen to your favourite radio channel, as the 7280 has an integrated FM radio concealed within its case. The tuning of the radio can be performed either manually or by an automatic channel search. Up to 20 radio channels may be selected and stored as presets in the phone, so that it is quick and easy changing from one channel to another. In order to get the best reception from the radio a headset needs to be connected, as the headset lead serves as the radio’s antenna. The radio may be listened to in private via the headset, or alternatively you can play the station through the phone’s internal loudspeaker, and share your listening with those around you.

You might think that, with its unique appearance, there would be no need for further personalisation, but this model can still be given different guises by downloading new ringtones, skins, themes, screensavers, and wallpapers. You can change the themes on the phone when you wish - themes can include a screen saver, a wallpaper image, a ringtone, and a colour scheme to customise the phone for different events and environments. A photograph taken with the camera may be used as your personal wallpaper, or you can attach a thumbnail picture to a number of your contacts so that it is displayed when they call you. Five profile settings are available for different events or environments that you find yourself in. You can set up caller groups, each with their own ringtone and an image to help you identify the caller group.

With its GPRS, HSCSD and EDGE data capabilities this phone gives fast access to the network and good data transfer speeds. The additional benefits of the phone’s data handling technology are that the user gets an “always on” connection, and you only pay for the actual amount of data transferred, rather than the time you are connected to the network. Apart from WAP 2.0, the 7280’s browser also handles XHTML, to give better quality graphical content from Web pages. The phone offers good access to the mobile Internet, and is capable of providing you with the opportunity to enjoy all the services and information sources that are now available to mobile phone users, such as news reports, sports, traffic information, weather forecasts, entertainments, business, shopping, and other online services. In addition, for the business user, this phone supports the exchange of vCard business cards.

There are several connectivity options offered by the 7280. With its built-in versatile wireless Bluetooth™ technology, the phone can communicate at a range of up to10 metres with other Bluetooth devices. Alternatively, you might use the phone’s infrared port to link up with other IrDA devices, and to then transfer information between them. This model does not support data cable connections. After establishing a connection you can use the phone to transfer personal information, or pictures and sounds, and to carry out synchronisation of the data in your phone book or calendar, for example. A further possibility is to perform a remote synchronisation over the network using the phone’s support for SyncML.

The organiser features available in the Nokia 7280 are a calendar, to do list, notes, clock, and alarms. The phone also has predictive text input and a vibration alert.

Nokia 7280 Cameraphone specification

Nokia product page

Manual and phone support

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Last updated 30th January 2008, 14:39 GMT