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Clamshell world smartphone lacks a QWERTY keyboard
- Fast 3G data network
- Push-to-talk function
- Symbian OS good for business apps
- Has camera, music player
- 2.2-inch main internal display is pretty good
- Good battery life
- Controls awkward and too sensitive
- Symbian OS takes getting used to
- Letters on keypad are hard to see
- No QWERTY keyboard
Reviews say the Nokia 6650 clamshell smartphone is thin enough and boxy enough to be confused with a Motorola RAZR, but looks don't tell you everything, or in this case, tell you much. The Nokia 6650 is a smartphone with high-speed 3G network capability. Its quad-band support allows a world traveler to use this phone in most places. It's a true business phone with push-to-talk functionality, although some reviews incorrectly state that the feature does not work in the United States (it does work with AT&T).
The controls, especially the volume rocker, get some criticism, and InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne says he kept accidentally hitting the push-to-talk button while trying to adjust the volume. Owner reviews suggest that the controls are so sensitive that some can be accidentally engaged while the Nokia 6650 is in your pocket. CNET's Kent German agrees that the volume control is awkwardly placed and adds that the keypad is a bit flat, which can make dialing by touch difficult. Some reviews also say that the Nokia 6650's Symbian S60 operating system has its advantages for business users, especially in email and address book synchronization, but that it may feel a bit unfamiliar to U.S. users. InfoSyncWorld's Berne calls it "convoluted." Most reviews say call quality is good or very good.
Otherwise, the Nokia 6650 has what CNET's German terms "respectable" features: voice-guided AT&T Navigator (GPS) with a dedicated button; 2-megapixel camera/camcorder; music player and AT&T Mobile Music; web browser and support for email, text messaging, instant messaging; video sharing; conference calling; microSD memory card slot; and good-looking displays. The Nokia 6650 has a 1.36-inch color outer display screen and 2.2-inch high-resolution interior screen that German calls "positively gorgeous."
Reviewers who test the battery get wildly different results, but all exceed the promised four hours of talk time. CNET, for instance, yields an incredible 12 hours, while InfoSyncWorld.com gets half that. CNET's German notes that the letters on the alphanumeric keypad are so small that "users with visual impairments (should) take the 6650 for a test drive before buying." Roundups of the best business smartphones are a bit dated right now -- the discontinued but somewhat available AT&T Tilt had a lot of fans -- but InfoSyncWorld.com's rankings chart puts the HTC Touch Pro atop the list.
We found the best reviews at CNET and InfoSyncWorld. We usually rate them highly because of their expertise, thoroughness and impartiality. MobileBurn.com usually does a fine job, but its Nokia 6650 is reviewed in the United Kingdom using T-Mobile and thus lacks the AT&T-specific features and access to a 3G network. We found the most owner reviews at AT&T's website and a good sampling at CNET and Amazon.com as well.
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Our Sources
1. CNET
Kent German rates the Nokia 6650 as "very good," and about 20 owner reviews combine for the same grade. German says the Nokia 6650 has a "respectable midrange feature set" and call quality that's "quite good." Battery talk time tested at nearly 12 hours, about triple what's advertised.
Review: Nokia 6650 -- Silver (AT&T), Kent German, Nov. 24, 2008
The Nokia 6650 doesn't quite score high enough to make InfoSyncWorld's list of best business smartphones listed at the bottom of the review. Philip Berne criticizes the "clunky" interface, flat keys and "buggy" GPS. The battery test yields six hours, two hours more than promised.
Review: Nokia 6650 Review (AT&T), Philip Berne, Dec. 3, 2008
This review is less useful than most others because the AT&T version isn't tested -- Russell Jefferies reviews a since-discontinued T-Mobile model in the United Kingdom that lacks some AT&T features, such as support for 3G networks. Still, the Nokia 6650 gets a Highly Recommended designation.
Review: Review of Nokia's 6650 Smartphone -- Coming to AT&T, Russell Jefferies, Aug. 27, 2008
4. ATT.com
More than 20 owner reviews combine to give the Nokia 6650 a good average score, with about a third praising the camera/camcorder. Several people say ease of use is a shortcoming, however.
Review: Nokia 6650, Contributors to ATT.com
5. Amazon.com
About two-thirds of the handful of owner reviews here are positive, but there are some complaints about controls being too sensitive and calls being dropped. The red model is listed separately and gets a few reviews as well.
Review: Nokia 6650 Phone, Silver (AT&T), Contributors to Amazon.com
