The Nokia 6630, released last 2004 is, along with the Motorola A1000, a Symbian based 3G capable phone. The Symbian operating system is a great solution for those in search of quick menu navigation, messaging and all around general operations in a handset.

The 6630 is of course Nokia's step towards taking on the future of cell phone mobility, namely the 3G network. 3G of course is the network of choice for many for high-speed data access, video streaming, and the feature that is creating quite a stir in the mobile phone community: video calling. A quick test of the video streaming capabilities would convert detractors of the 3G technology as one would find it almost seamless with minimal buffering required.

Using the 6630's video calling capabilities though is a different story and is not without its hassles. Although video quality is sufficient, setting up for a video call is quite tedious and beats the purpose of the phones supposed mobility. This is because the 6630 would require the user to hook up the PT-8 video call stand which in itself would need to be plugged into a power supply. Plus the PT-8 camera is not very portable as well. The 6630 also comes with the EDGE support, which is a feature aimed primarily to the constant travelers who need network support all across the globe.

Being a phone for the traveling business type though, the handset is a bit heavy, weighing in at 127 g, especially compared with other phones in its class. That is of course excluding the PT-8 video call stand which one would expectedly have to bring to be able to advantage of the 6630's video calling feature. The 6630 is a bit on the bulky side as well, which contradicts its main purpose of being a mobile phone that you can carry around without hassles. In fact it would make a hefty bulge in anyone's pocket. But to be fair, it is still by no means the heaviest among the mobile phones in its class.

The 6630 also comes with the Quickoffice software which is used primarily for editing documents and which can also be used for viewing email attachments.

One novel feature of the 6630 is the capability to be utilized as a modem when connected to a computer via its Bluetooth connectivity. Although not as fast as standard “home” modems, clocking in at an average speed of 40 kbps – about the same speed as a dial up network, it is more than sufficient for browsing through your mail and even downloading email attachments. And for data transfers from a computer to the 6630 and vice versa, a USB cable is supplied. These connectivity options are also very useful for when transferring mp3 encoded tracks and video files onto the 6630. Aside from mp3, the 6630 can also manage the popular audio codec among Apple users, the AAC audio file.

Nokia 6630 Camera and Display

The Nokia 6630 is equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel camera, which at the time of its release was quite the subject of envy for the competitors. The camera is quite good and can be likened to the VGA gadgets available nowadays. The 6630's camera in fact is an improvement over the ones integrated with the Nokia 7610 and the Nokia 6670 which at the time of their respective releases was considered to be one of the best in the market. Not only do images captured with the 6630 look good, but taking photos with it is also a breeze as the camera on the 6630 responds well and very quick, with none of the expected lag associated with camera phones. In fact the user can take a succession of photos with an approximate of just one second gap between shots. And if that is not enough, the 6630 also boasts of the sequential shooting function which offers shorter time intervals in between pictures.

Another function of the 6630 is of course the capability to capture video. But at only 176 x 144 pixels as the highest resolution, the videos do leave a lot to be desired. It is with this resolution though that the 6630 is able to record up to sixty minutes worth of video which is ok, except for the times when one must choose quality over quantity. In this case, Nokia could have given the user the option of recording video at a very high resolution (around 640 x 480 pixels perhaps) albeit on a much shorter duration. That would have rendered the 6630 more flexible.

Nokia 6630 Design and Accessories

With all the wonderful technology inside the 6630, what is outside is quite a disappointment. The overall dimensions and weight is forgivable, but the circular bottom part of the phone looks more like a design flaw and offers nothing in terms of portability and ergonomics. In fact the shape renders the 6630 hard to operate with just one hand - a must for added mobility, and would especially not be suited for users with smaller hands.

Summary of Nokia 6630 Features

• Weight: 127 g
• Width: 60 mm
• Height: 110 mm
• Thickness: 21 mm
• Network: Tri band + 3G, EDGE
• Screen Resolution: Active Matrix TFT display with 65,536 colors, 176 x 208 pixel resolution
• Data: 3G (WDCMA) and EDGE broadband internet (WDCMA) with maximum download speeds of 384 kbps, upload at 128 kbps for 3G and maximum download speeds of 263.8 kbps, upload at 118.4 kbps fir EDGE
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB 2.0, IrDa
• Web Browser: EGPRS, WAP, improved HTML support (supports background images, frames and JavaScript)
• Music: MP3, MP4, AAC
• Camera: 1.3 mega pixel up to 1280 x 960 pixel resolution with 6xsmooth digital zoom, video recording of up to one hour of video at 174 x 144 pixels each
• Messaging: SMS, EMS, Email, Instant messaging
• Expansion Slot: microSD (TransFlash)
• Tones: True tones, Polyphonic ringtones
• Software Features: Java MIDP 2.0, CLDC 1.1, 3D API (JSR-184)
• Other Features: voice command, voice recorder, voice dialing, integrated hands free
• Battery: Standard Battery, Li-Ion 850 mAh (BT50), Up to 4 hours talk time, Up to 200 hours stand by time

PROS: The Nokia 6630 offers great 3G functionality and supports both WCDMA and EDGE. MP3 and AAC playback is also a nice addition to the package.

CONS: A big gripe about the 6630 is the need to attach the PT-8 video calling stand every time you need to take advantage of its video calling capabilities. Also the design of the handset is not very ergonomic and attractive and looks more like it was a design from a Hollywood B movie.

Overall: If you are looking for a 3G phone with a lot more functionalities, then you can not go wrong with the 6630. Being a Nokia, one may be rest assured of its user friendliness and good quality.