The cursed Nokia 6131
(Credit: Nokia`)The Nokia 6131 always seemed liked a decent cell phone. I never got the chance to actually review it, but when I examined its AT&T cousin, the 6126, I gave it a "very good" rating.
So last week, when I was waiting to receive a new phone that I had ordered, I dusted off a spare 6126 that we had around the office. Unless I'm on vacation, I'm one of those people who has a hard time going without a cell phone.
My broken button.
(Credit: Kent German/CNET Networks)For the first few days, the 6126 worked fine. Though it's not the fanciest handset around, it delivered on call quality and battery life. But that all came to a crushing end two days ago when I dropped the 6126 (as I tend to do). It bounced off my shoe and hit a concrete floor. While it continues to make and receive calls as normal, the flip phone will not stay closed. Each time I try to close it, it just pops back open. That means I have to carry it around in the open position, which needless to say is more than inconvenient. The problem seems to be with the small button on the hinge that you can use to open the phone. The button is stuck in the "pressed" position and I've been unable to pry it free.
Both the Nokia 6133 and the 6126 also feature the hinge button. Have any Crave readers encountered the same problem? I doubt I'm alone but even if I am, that button and the spring-loaded hinge seem to be design flaws.
Update: In response to the naysayers below, I'm quite responsible for my own actions. But a phone's hinge should not break after one drop, even after bouncing off my shoe onto a concrete floor. I've seen the iPhone drop on a sidewalk and come with just a few scratches. And if a button is designed so that it can interfere with the phone staying closed, then that is a design flaw.
Nokia 6131
(Credit: Nokia)Cell phones make calls, take pictures, and play music, but could they replace your wallet as well? We hear a lot of such promises here at Crave; that someday you'll be able to use your phone as a debit card and pay for things like your morning cup of coffee or the evening's movie tickets. Phooey, you say? Well, don't dismiss the idea just yet, as a number of companies already have rolled out the technology.
A company called MobileLime has been around for a couple years now and actually has such technology on the market. But even big boys like Nokia are getting in on the game. At CES, we told you about Nokia's plan to introduce Near Field Communications (NFC) technology into its existing 6131 phone. If you remember, NFC will allow users to make purchases, gain access to an event, or download showtimes--all by using their phone. Nokia promises that by touching their phone to an NFC-enabled business card, advertising display, or menu board, people can use their phone almost as an ID, a wallet, and a computer.
Nokia is so serious about NFC that it is partnering with smart card producer Giesecke & Devrient in a joint venture called Venyon. They'll all be in San Francisco next week to promote NFC and detail its forecast. I'll attend, as the technology certainly is intriguing. Yet on the other hand, I still haven't bought into this whole notion of a cashless society. But I'm even more skeptical of the opening line in the Venyon press release: "First, it's a new dollar coin. Then we're possibly getting rid of the penny. And now, wallets are being replaced by cell phones! What's next?" I'd say what's next is finding a news hook that's not so much of a stretch.
Nokia 6131
(Credit: Nokia)Nokia's 6131 isn't new but the company announced today that it would soon be the world's first cell phone with Near Field Communications (NFC) technology. NFC will allow users to instantly store and access business cards in their phone, gain access to an event, share information, and make quick purchases for items ranging from coffee to show tickets. Nokia promises that by touching their phone to an NFC-enabled business card, advertising display, or menu board, people can use their phone almost as an ID, a wallet, and a computer.
For example, users could download multimedia content from an information kiosk and eliminate the need for paper brochures. Business cards could also be eliminated as could the need to carry cash. Though they work in a similar manner, Nokia stresses that unlike existing key tags, NFC allows for two-way, interactive communications. Also, the company insists that the need for a password ensures an extra layer of security when making transactions.
While that all sounds well and good, it's a bit optimistic at this point. As I said earlier, the technology only will work with something that is NFC-enabled. And since the 6131 is the first NFC phone, I can't imagine the technology is widespread at your local Starbucks.
As for the 6131 itself, it's an attractive flip phone that's quite similar to T-Mobile's Nokia 6133. Features include a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a digital music player, and a microSD card slot.
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