Slider Phone: Review of the Nokia 5610 XpressMusic

Because the horizontal navigation while in camera mode doesn’t give the phone a practical and functional advantage, it can be considered a flaw that detracts from the phone’s simplicity.

Sure, once you figure it out it’ll become simple and easy to use going forward, but the form and function has strayed here unnecessarily.

In addition to the music player, FM radio, a 3.2-megapixel camera and 2 gigabytes of pre-packaged storage space, the Nokia 5610 XpressMusic also features:

1. Video capture and playback
2. MP3 and video ringtones
3. Stereo Bluetooth connectivity (i.e. for a Bluetooth wireless headset)
4. A 2.2-inch display with up to 16 million colors
5. A speakerphone
6. Voice dialing, voice commands and a voice recorder
7. Quad-band technology on GSM (which means it’s effectively a “world phone”)
8. A pre-packaged USB cable for side-loading music from your computer
9. The just-right dimensions of 3.88 inches by 1.91 inches by 0.67 of an inch
10. The just-right weight of 3.92 ounces

The 5610 features 4 hours of talk time (which is about average these days) while the 5310 features only features a talk time of 3 hours based on its battery.

The 5610 comes in two colors: black with red accents and white with silver side accents. The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic and Nokia 5310 XpressMusic phones both went on sale on Aug. 11, 2008 at select T-Mobile retail stores and online.

While the 5610 isn’t perfect, it earns the majority of its $99.99. The $99.99 price is available for customers who agree to a two-year T-Mobile service agreement. The downgraded 5310 XpressMusic retails for half the price at $49.99.

The 5610 is priced $30 higher than the new Samsung Slash slider phone for Virgin Mobile, which currently retails for $69.99. Read on for the pros and cons of spending $50 less for the downgraded Nokia 5310 XpressMusic candy bar phone...

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