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Review Nokia 5140

Nokia 5140, live pictures

Nokia 5140, official pictures

Standard kit

Phone
Charger
User's guide
Headset

For a certain number of years the Nokia Company was the only one to produce the phones in the pseudo-protected manner. These phones were of so-called "outdoor" segment (Active are the other names for it). These products were always in a moderate demand. New Nokia 5140 is not an exception out of this rule; this phone will carry on the traditions started by Nokia 5210 and 5100. Nokia 5100 is easy to recognize, its resemblance with the older models was emphasized on purpose in the phone’s design. Technically wise, the phone is based on the platform 40; the user will not see in it any extraordinary features. The secret here is that the Nokia model will not enter the market alone; it will appear with its rival Siemens M65. This is not a joke for the group in which these phones will be represented-there might not be enough purchasers for both models, which will lead to the great challenges and competitiveness. Let us consider the pros and against of Nokia 5140 to estimate its market prospective.

The phone’s design accentuates the resistant qualities of the phone: layers of the rubberized plastic on the sides, latch covering the interface connector, padding over the battery. Everything taken together gives an impression of the total protection of the phone from any disasters. Of course, when compared to the regular phone, the protection level is higher. I would not recommend though smashing the phone against the wall on purpose or throwing it out of the window-the phone might not stand such treatment. Plunging the phone into the bucket of water automatically means saying “good bye” to it forever. Do not forget that the phone is of pseudo-protection, which means that the phone was not designed for a lifestyle inspired “too much” by sports. Actually, there are very few phones with the real protection; Nokia 6250 was the only one of the series models. However, for many users such protection is satisfactory; these models are normally purchased for the summer camping, mountain skiing or some other entertainments of this sort. It is remarkable that in most cases, this phone becomes a second one for a user.

Normally, the phone is equipped with the flashlight located on the upper butt-end; you can activate it out of the stand by mode by pressing the # key. The flashlight does not work with the locked keyboard. It is not very clear why it was done so and you have to unlock the keyboard before using the flashlight. The power on/off function is also located on the upper butt-end; you can quickly change the profiles at the stand by mode using it. This key is installed deep inside and it is a bit troublesome to press it.

The phone has almost the same dimensions as the previous model (106.5x46.8x23.8 mm). Its weight is 101 gr.

On the external panel, you can see a round white window-it is a level. If you put the phone into the horizontal position, on the table, for example, the slope of it will be identified. The level is necessary because of the integrated digital compass. The function is worth of additional comments, so I will come back to it later.

The phone’s display is just like in any other model of the 40 series; the matrix is the STN one; there are 4096 colors, the colors’ reflection is rather pasty. Such displays look outdated to the average consumer; they cannot even compete on the market with the present phones. Two years ago, such displays were more or less acceptable, but now even the low-end phones are equipped with the similar or even better displays. The display can read up to five text lines and one information bar.

Technologically wise, the phone is identical with Nokia 5100. The design of the phone is such that all the key and operating elements within it are fixed very close to each other. On the one hand, this increases the level of water resistance; on the other hand, you have to make an extra effort when pressing the keys. The volume control keys on the sides and the PTT button on the right side are a bit stiff. This has to be taken as a special feature of the phone. The backlight works through special LED located at the sides of the keys themselves. The signs on the number keyboard are very well distinguished in any conditions, which certainly is an improvement as compared to the previous model.

To open the frame case you have to press into the two side curves and then push with forces. The basic block is moderately hermetic, but subjectively the imminence of the rims here is worse than in Nokia 5100. Partially this is connected with the lack of the expanding spring on the sides, here they are replaced with plastic (a more economical solution to the problem although decreasing the safety level from moisture or from the cuff).

The keypad is removable; it is easy to take it off as a single block. The keys of the first two horizontal rows are very convenient for typing; the same is not that much true about the lower rows. The same thing is fair for the scroll key-on the one hand, it is handy location and size wise, and on the other hand, fingers get tired of pressing against the rubber. The classical design of the keypad taken into account, I would say that it is possible to come to grips with its inconveniences; there are no distinguishable “pros” or “buts” about it.

The battery is covered with a special plastic cover; you have to pull on the catch to open it. The BL-5B lithium-ionic battery of the 760 mAh capacity is used in Nokia 5100. The manufacturer claims that the phone can work from 150 to 300 hours at the stand-by mode and from 2.5 to five hours at the talking mode. The phone worked in the Moscow MTS-network five days in a row with the functions maximally is use-calls up to 45 minutes duration, the 25 minutes menu navigation and work with SMS. As the synthetic test proved, the switching off the adopted mode for the ring level, inactivity of the built in thermometer and the flashlight increases the work time for 8 to 9 hours with the same time of using other functions. The results are similar with the last year ones for Nokia 5100, which is rather odd since in the new model the battery of the bigger capacity is used.

On the backside of the phone, you can find the window for the VGA-camera that is technologically the same as in the last Nokia models.

The interface of this phone has gone through several changes since the phone is based on the new 40 platform of the second version. In all the lists now, there is an option of their presentation in different ways. By default, it is the name list, but you can also opt for the common list and for the files demonstration in a way of symbols. The last mode is very interesting; it is just perfect for the images and pictures’ representation. The names of the files are not as important here as the images themselves. In some way the folders with pictures here are similar with the ones you can see on PC desktop.

One of the interface’s advantages is the possibility to switch from one function or another to the other phone’s services. For example, when choosing an image for the wallpaper, you go through all the folders and then you install one (or change its colors) extricating it out of the Option menu using the left soft key. It is great how the new options appeared in the phone; however, it would be better if you did not have to confirm your commands by additional presses that were not necessary before. The impression of the phone is controversial- on the one hand, the range of the possibilities enlarged, on the other, all the functions take more time and efforts, not all the menus are arranged logically, which also causes difficulties especially for the inexperienced users. I have to confess that a thought of the lack of Quick or context menu in the phone (similar to the one used in Sony Ericsson phones) flashed in my head several times.

Here is the last rather unusual reflection for the fans of Nokia phones. The choice of this or that function is assigned here to the joystick and not to the left soft key. Sometimes you tend to press the left soft key unwillingly, but you find nothing there, just the blank field. All the various functions taken into account, I do not see why overloading the menu with different functions while not using the empty space.

You can call up the menu by pressing the central key then you see the rows of icons in the main menu. Up to nine icons can fit the display simultaneously, but if there are more of them (for example, SIM-Menu) you can scroll down the display. In the case of Nokia 5140, the developers tried to preserve the icons in the overall style of the phone, however the impressions of this attempt were divisive. The icons look the same and you loose track of them. There is always an option of switching the main menu into the standard mode when you have the icons arranged vertically, having a caption under each one.

One of the phone’s particularities is such that at the incoming call the menu (if you are working within it now) disappears and comes up again once the talk is over. When you dial a number, the wallpaper wanes and you see the white background instead. This was not the same in Nokia 6230 and it did cause certain problems with the font not being very legible. One of the interface’s disadvantages is that the indicator of the battery charger and of the level of the signal is not well seen. Depending on the color specter of the display, these indicators may not be seen at all.

A digital clock- a screen saver-appears on the screen at the stand-by mode along with the icons of the missed calls, this is certainly very convenient.

By titling the joystick to one direction or another, you can also activate different function that definitely eases the work with the phone. You can assign any function to the right soft key (you choose out of the suggested list); you can also make a list of the mostly used menu functions. What's more, you can assign the voice tags to the ten functions; the phone recognizes the tags very well. Before talking about the other functions, I want to draw attention to the phone’s ROM. The capacity is of four Mb.

Phone book. The maximum number of files that you can save in the phone book is 1000 names. You can attain that many files if you do not enter too much information for each, but just one or two fields. If you enter approximately six or seven fields for every name, you will be able to save no more than 500 files. As it is clear now, you can insert up to five phone numbers for a name and choose a type of the number (mobile, business, home, fax or mostly used one). The first entered number becomes the one by default; you can change it later if you like. At the first data insert, you enter the name and one main number only; all the further operations are conducted later with the help of the editing menu. Such data entering might not seem very convenient to some of us, although the others will say that they enter only one number for one name anyhow and both arguing sides will be right. Taken into account that the data entering is the same in all the Nokia phones, it can be firmly asserted that it does not cause any problems.

As the additional information for each name, you can enter e-mail address, web address, mailing address, and some text note. One new function, the USER ID for the service presence, is truly noteworthy. This is an ICQ of a sort, since this function tells you which subscriber out of your list is available at the moment. It is not clear yet how interesting this function might become.

You can assign a picture for every number (the image mode only or an automatic photo correction for the convenient size). When looking through the information for one name, you will not view the picture automatically; you will have to open a special function for it. On the other hand, you can set a preview of the name and the image in the main list. In such mode, the icon is not very big and does not give a full impression of the picture. Other viewing modes of this list are standard here just the names or the names with the numbers. The main list can show the numbers from the SIM-card memory as well as from the phone’s memory. You can assign up to 25 voice tags to the selected numbers.

All together, you can assign 100 pictures to the names. At the incoming call the number of the subscriber is showed along with his/her picture. On the display, the picture looks a bit bigger than in the list, although it is smaller than it could be. It will take you an effort to figure out who it is on the picture since as the photo diminishes, the image somewhat transforms. Overall, the picture takes very little space on the display what is logically inexplicable. Now this function is developed very poorly when compared to the phones from other manufacturers equipped with this function. Let us hope, it will be improved soon.

There are five groups of subscribers in this phone, what is not typical for the Nokia phones. You can assign a melody for each one of the groups.

I would say that the overall organization of the phone book is mediocre. On the one hand, there are many fields in it, on the other, the data entering is more convenient for the PC, but not for the phone itself. I will stress that the phone book is rather typical for the Nokia phones; there are no main changes in it. If ranking the phones for the phone book qualities, I would assign the leading position to the business phones from Siemens, then I would name Sony Ericsson phones followed by Nokia only then.

Messages. The phone supports the Nokia Smart Messaging standard, which means that you can send/receive to/from compatible phones the melodies as well as the black and white pictures. Apart from Nokia Samsung, LG and some new Motorola phones, also support this standard. You can find up to ten image samples in the phone memory for the purpose of this function. Unfortunately, the company’s standard sets a limit on the number of users since the alternative EMS standard is now in a very high demand for it allows you to not only send the melodies and the pictures, but edit text also. The popularity of the EMS standard is huge for the European countries while its negligence in the Nokia product is very disappointing. In Russia, only big operators have a hold of the EMS support, the lack or the presence of this standard in regions is not critical. Probably this moment is worth arguing, but the lack of EMS in Nokia phones certainly is a minus.

The company supposed that MMS can substitute EMS. The MMS-technology is becoming ordinary, but it allows to create more pleasant messages, which include photos, color pictures, melodies and so on. Each messages can be of 100 Kb. MMS work correctly in the phone without any problems.

The phone is equipped with the built-in mail client, which works with POP3/SMTP protocols. The client’s possibilities are very limited-it does not support attachments and the phone recognized Russian encoding only. When there are no alternatives, you can be satisfied with this client, but let us hope that the Java attachment will appear for the platform 40 with the extended possibilities especially granted that the client described is a Java program.

There are mailing lists for the regular messages where you can add subscribers to from your phone’s book memory. This is truly convenient especially if you tend to send alike messages to a number of your friends or colleagues. Traditionally, there is an option of using the messages’ samples, of your own folders’ creation and of sorting out the sent/received messages into these folders.

Call lists. The phone is equipped with three lists for received, missed and accomplished calls. Each list can hold up to twenty files. The date and the time of the call are showed in the list, which is convenient. When in the stand by mode, you can press the send button to view a list of the last dialed numbers.

Settings. You can activate the profiles in this menu or turn them on by using the power on/off function. Every profile can be temporarily activated, for a given interval, and then the switch to the profile will be done by default. The sound alarms can be set for all the events; the incoming call for all the calls or just for the selected groups of users. The profiles’ realization in the Nokia phones is of the best ones on the market.

The screen settings allow you to choose the display color scheme, wallpaper, and screen saver. The screen saver is a picture that is displayed at the stand-by mode with the inactive backlight. It is more convenient to pick one of the offered pictures since in this mode they are better seen than the downloaded full color ones. The interval indicates the amount of working time of the screen saver; the digital clock will then replace it.

IrDA switching on is available from the settings’ menu as well as the GPRS-settings.

Among the other settings, the automatic volume control of the dynamic is noteworthy-the phone automatically chooses the sound level depending on the present conditions. You will not notice a great sound difference indoors, although outdoors this function is very useful.

The phone is empowered with the automatic keylock; you can also set a safety pin number so that nobody could use your phone. For the accessories’ purpose, there is now a possibility to set “a mood” of the phone, for example, to choose a profile that will be activated when the battery charger is on. This is an interesting phone’s feature. You can tune in the phone according with your wish and necessities.

Gallery. The folders with various files are stocked here, all of them having matching titles. You can view the folders as a list, as a list with names or as icons.

Media. All the settings connected with the multimedia possibilities of the phone are kept here. Let us start with the Camera. The integrated camera allows you to take the pictures of the VGA-resolution or in a portrait mode (80x96 pixels). The pictures’ quality on the screen is mediocre. After you send the pictures to the PC, they look better although you can still wish for the best. Not that many camera settings are offered; there is a night mode, three quality types and dimensions types. The format of the saved files is JPEG.

You can make 15 seconds videos of the 3GP format (128x96 pixels with the AMR sound) with this phone. Here you do not have an option of setting a maximum duration of the video, as it was in the other phones. The key here must be the limited memory of the phone.

The qualitiy of the video presented on the screen is not very high; the sound does not always fit its descriptions and the image on the screen is dreary and murky because of the display. On the computer screen, the videos do not look very good either; this function is rather simply entertaining, and not very meaningful.

The type recorder allows you to tape up to three speaking minutes; it also works when the phone is on the talking mode. The only limit to the number of recordings is the phone’s memory.

Radio. The phone allows you to save up to 20 FM radio stations and to assign text titles to them. This function is identical in other Nokia phones; key pressing on the headset does the switching of the saved radio stations. Radio can be played when the speakerphone is on, but then it is necessary to plug the headset in since it serves as an antenna. The radio signal can also be used as an alarm clock, but the headset is then necessary too.

Organizer. You can enter from 100 to 250 files into the memory-it all depends on their length. There is an automatic delete of the old files (according to their timely remoteness). You can view a monthly or a weekly calendar divided by hours; there is a quick switch to the chosen date. You can enter events of five different types (appointment, call, birthday, reminder, and memo); you can set an alarm for every event; the events can be repetitive.

The list of things to do lets you create the events of three priorities (high, standard, low) and set a critically important date for each one of the events.

Notes. Every note can hold up to 3000 symbols. Actually, this is more than enough even for the most fastidious user. Just like in messages, two types of font are supported.

Digital wallet- this is where you can create a password for keeping the most essential information such as your credit card requisites. However, if you loose the phone, the one to obtain it will find it quite easy to extricate this vital information, so it would be better if you retain with more important and less risky functions.

You can set only one-time signal with the alarm clock.

Attachments. All the offered Java attachments are kept here together with such standard functions as calculator, counter back timer, and stopwatch (with the intervening intervals). The phone is equipped with one game only; it is Adventure Race, which is an extreme bicycle riding with various obstacles.

Compass. This is the first time when the digital compass was integrated into the phone. To set it up, you have to place the phone horizontally and rotate it with circular movements. If you perform this too fast or too slowly, the setting up will not be complete. Actually, it will be difficult to set the compass in the camping conditions since the flat horizontal surface is needed (that is where “the level” comes onto the stage). One of the additional functions is the possibility to command for a slant.

Thermometer. As it is derived from the title, this thermometer measures the air temperature; the deficiency might be of several degrees. When you turn on the phone for the first time, you have to wait for about 20 minutes so that the real values appear on the display. Overall, the thermometer is rather precise. You can save the thermometer on the display when in the stand-by mode.

The last unique function is the Sound meter. When choosing this function, you can measure the sound volume in dB. The manufacture stresses, however, that this function is not for the professional use. That is exactly the function that helps to tune in the sound in the different conditions. The function works well and the volume change in the speaker is well heard, especially with the great background noise.

Fitness Coach. This attachment allows you to plan your exercises and to make a work out schedule. It is very nice how you have to enter a password for such personal information; the developers thought it appropriate to keep such information out of the sight. As you download, you can see a window that warns you that the program does not guarantee any results-this must be the consequence of the finicky users’ complaints.

Push To Talk (PTT). Nokia 5140 is one of the first models to support the push To Talk technology, so it is even more engaging to see it work. This technology is a walky-talky of some sort that works with the operator’s support. Thus, you need the operator’s support on one hand and the activation of this function if it is there as such.

By activating PTT function, it becomes very easy to define the group of subscribers you will be partners with in using this new technology. For example, this group might be your family, your colleagues or somebody else. The function is designed for several groups of subscribers each of which can include a certain number of the subscribers. The phone can work only with one group of subscribers at once; the phone is also catching a radio wave at the same time. As soon as one of the subscribers from the group presses the key and starts talking, you hear him/her with a little delay (the speakerphone mode, you do not have to bring the phone to your ear). Not everybody can talk simultaneously since this is not a regular walky-talky connection; it is rather a set of simple sayings broadcasted for the whole group.

You can opt for the tete-a-tete mode-that is when you choose it out of menu and nobody of the selected subscriber would hear you (or vice versa). In this mode, nobody in the group will hear you.

The quality of voice transmitting is striking when comparing the PTT mode and the GSM-connection-the words said may be mixed with the background noise and the technical blunders of voice relaying are well heard. The disadvantage is although compensated by the low price of this service (5 to 10 dollars for a month with unlimited time of exploitation). When comparing the different terminals, I notice that the Nokia phones do not have very powerful speakers in the PTT mode; the sound is worse than in the models with speakers designed specifically for this purpose. It is difficult to estimate now the practical application of the PTT function since the first networks supporting it will appear for the first time at the end of this year only.

The key for the PTT activation is located on the right side surface of Nokia 5140.

Services. The phone supports the complete transition of data of 10 (4+2) class, while the wap-browser is of 1.2.1. version (plus the xHTML support what makes it partially compatible with the 2 standard). The settings of the wap-browser differ here from the other Nokia phones with Nokia 6230 being an exception.

Subjectively speaking, the speed of the pages’ downloading in the browser is not very high; the time for the pictures’ demonstration is needed; the phone takes time to move on the pages. The Samsung phones were used here for contrast and it turned out that they take less time for the downloading of the same pages.

Phone’s productivity. The phone supports Java MIDP 2.0, so the JBenchmark 2.0 was used to measure the productivity. The test results were rather striking.

The overall score 35
Image manipulation 31
Text 58
Sprites 133
3D Transform 4
User interface 51

128x96, Color screen true, number of colors 4096

Total memory 524288

Free memory 220984

Microedition Configuration CLDC 1.1

Microedition Profiles MIDP 2.0

Microedition Platform Nokia 5140/3.06

The comparison with the direct rival Siemens M65 will be mostly adequate here. The overall score for this model is higher; it is 77. When comparing the different test parameters, it has to be noted that there is practically no difference in the work with sprites and the pictures’ transformation within the phone (Siemens scored 144, 35 while Nokia 5140 had 133, 31). On the other hand, the interface operations take less time when working with Siemens (79 as compared to 51) and when considering the three dimensional transformations, it turns out that Nokia has no chances here ( 4 points for Nokia with Siemens M65 scoring 53). I have to acknowledge, that the display sizes and the colors reflected have to be taken into account; the three-dimensional games are worthy of a doubt, so the test result should not be considered as a negative one, it is just that the phone is not equipped with this function. The speed of the interface operations is not that much lower, you normally do not notice that when working with the phone.

Additional accessories for Nokia 5140 or the GPS-receiver

In contrast with Nokia 5100, the company rejected the idea of changeable panels for these phones since they were not in a big demand among users. However, the GPS-receiver is one of the unique accessories that are available in this phone. This function is inbuilt within the frame case and when you simply change the panels, you have a wholesome receiver. The GPS-receiver is charged with the phone’s battery (the energy consumption is from 30 to 85 mA) and it is an advantage of a sort since you do not need any additional charging devices. On the other hand, with the GPS-receiver fully working with the battery charged, the charge will be good just for a day and a little more. Taken into account the receiver works anywhere around the world and even in places where there are no GSM networks or sockets for the battery charger, you can face several problems. In this sense, the GSM-receiver working on regular R6 (AA) batteries or with the compatible battery charger is handier. Of course, there is a chance that you will be using disposable battery chargers (3-4 charges until they wear out); they are quite expensive but there are no alternatives to them.

It will take you 90 seconds for the cold start of the receiver-that will be the first switch on or the work resumption after a long period of the phone being switched off. The warm start takes up to 50 seconds that is when the receiver was out of use for no more than two hours or the GPS-attachment of the receiver was off. The hot start takes up to 10 seconds that is a perfect timing.

The format of the information received is WGS84, the positioning precision is up to 25 meters horizontally (the receiver has 12 channels, the antenna is built in). The phone’s memory is capable of saving up to 30 channels; the maximum number of channels is 100. Actually, this is typical for the low-end receiver. There is a function of channels’ saving; the return to the starting channel, the depiction of moving speed and of the distance covered. You can send the gained channels by the SMS, which is an interesting option.

You can obtain a user’s map with the help of Travel Guide Service; the year subscription of this service comes along with the GPS-Shell. The maps are available for most of the European countries and in addition to that, the bonus service lets you search for the restaurants, museums, and addresses.

As for now, none of the manufacturers has a similar function to offer. Think of it: if you add this function to the phone, you will get almost a complete analogue of Benefon ESC! (it are not on sale any longer). The disadvantage of this solution is the small display and when on the sunshine the screen is difficult to manage, which cuts off any possibilities of the professional use. On the other hand, for the sake of pseudo-extreme tourism and the camping weekends, the function is very convenient; you can also share your map with the group of friends (even with those not equipped with such phone, but with a simple phone and the standard GPS-receiver).

The price of the GPS-panel depends on the country and varies from 150 to 180 dollars. The price looks acceptable due to the lack of competing products, however when compared with the standard GPS-receiver, the price looks rather high. Now you can purchase a professional receiver for a just bit higher of a price.

The Polar Watch for professionals or simply for the rich Nokia 5140 users.

The Finish Company Polar is one of the biggest manufacturers producing professional equipment for sportsmen such as cardio monitors, speed monitors, heart rate monitors and others. Two Polar products are of interest for the Nokia 5140 users-these are 625X and 725 Polar wristwatch. To be fair, you can hardly these devices “a watch” since the time telling is the least of their functions. The first model is designed for those doing track-it measures speed, slope, load, and heart rate and is even equipped with a program that allows you to identify the best exercising level. This model is also equipped with the optional sensors that let you extend the standard choices. The X-ray port allows you to send your exercising results to the PC or, as you have probably figured out already, to Nokia 5140 (then you may send them whenever you wish using the SMS). The difference of the 725 model is that it is designed for the bike-riders.

The phone’s display shows you the diagram of the blood pressure and heart rate and sums up the results of the work out. You will not have the same possibilities of the analysis of your work out using solely the phone. However, with the Polar software will provide you with access to the special website where you can find the work out schedules and obtain the consultation saving all your information at the same time.

The Polar watch would override it its possibilities any product presently put on the market (I am not a professional of this field, but I did not manage to find anything alike). The price for this service is high. While the sale price of the first model is about 500 dollars, the price of the second one is 550-600 dollars. It might be assumed that due to the high price these devices will not be in a big demand among sport amateurs, but rather among the real professionals. Well, of course there will be those young people who simply afford such a toy. Russian market is potentially the biggest one for such products, however the watch is not on the market yet, which leaves tempting possibilities to the one to throw it onto to the market first.

The real rival Siemens M65

As for now there are not that many phones on the market in a protected frame case designed for the active lifestyle. It is even more surprising then that such two models entered the market simultaneously. It is interesting to compare these phones for those thinking of purchasing one.

Design and protection. Everyone chooses the phone according to his/her taste, the advice are priceless here. However, the safety levels can be compared. As Siemens M65 is concerned, all the technological apertures, for example the ones of the speaker, are equipped with special water-resistant cloth pads that let the moisture disappear in case it gets inside. Nokia 5210 was supplied with similar pads but they were rejected later.

Siemens M65 is equipped with the external exoskeleton that looks like a metal layer and becomes a part of the frame case. In addition to that, all the apertures look like the interface connector, the camera has the rubber mufflers of its own. Thus, Siemens M65 is protected slightly better, although this difference should not become a decisive factor.

Display. Since the information in the phone is obtained through the display, it plays an important role. Siemens M65 has a screen of 132x176 pixels resolution that reflects up to 65000 colors. Due to the big screen size, the phone is bigger as well-that is something to be kept in mind. As compared to its rival, Nokia 5140 with the display of 128x128 pixels resolution capable of 4096 colors reflection looks less appealing.

Memory. Nokia 5140 has a four Mb memory capacity, while the rival has 11.5 Mb. Granted that both phones are equipped with cameras and the Java support, the second phone looks more alluring.

Working time. That is where the Siemens phone looses since the big screen needs more energy and the phone can work for approximately two days. Nokia 5140 can work up to 4-5 days at the same rate (and with the same number of talk etc.).

Polyphony. The level of the Nokia polyphony reminds on the technical level of two years back in time; no improvements are seen in Nokia 5140. Siemens M65 overrides Nokia 5140 in this sense.

Special features. Among those, the digital integrated compass, thermometer and the option of purchasing additional accessories (GPS-receiver for instance) can be list for Nokia 5140. The most noteworthy accessory for Siemens would be the little Bike-o-Meter for bike-rides.

Impressions

The quality of connection is typical in Nokia 5140 especially the platform 40 taken into account; there are no problems here. The vibrator is of moderate or even of a weaker force (when compared to the other phones, the sound in the platform 40 phones is weaker). The volume of the polyphonic ring is not that high at all; you can easily miss the call.

One of the Nokia 5140 advantages is a well protected frame case; there are very few alike phones on the market. Another advantage is the unique function of compass and thermometer. Judging the more usual aspects, the phone works long enough after one full charge. Of course, the GPS-receiver looks great. Finally, the company equipped the phone with an excellent wholesome IrDA that allows you to send any melody, picture or video from the phone’s memory to the other device; the files’ receiving process also works well.

Among the disadvantages, I would name the mediocre display that cannot clearly show the pictures taken with the in-built camera. The video function on such screen is useless. The keypad would be handy for men. Ladies, if you wish to use the phone, forget the manicure!

Nokia 5140 would be appealing for those skiing, biking, roller skating and leading the active lifestyle. The users of this phone will be mostly people of young generation (if judging by the design) for whom this phone will become a second one (you cannot take it with you when you are dressed up). Since the price of the phone was 300 dollars when it entered the market (now its wholesale price is 260 dollars), we should not expect a blazing success for it. The additional functions of this phone are not that extraordinary while the price is fitting for the middle price or business phones. The experience with Nokia 5100 does not let us wait a noteworthy price fall for the model discussed.

In March 2003, Nokia 5100 was put on the market with the 300 dollars sales’ price. In a year and three months, the price decreased by 120 dollars and now its average price is 180 dollars (the wholesale price is 171 dollars). If we consider the price change in the case of Nokia 5210, we will see a picture very much alike. All of this lets assume that the price for Nokia 5140 will fall by 200 dollars (retail price). There is a little “but” here though-we have to take into account that the Nokia of 40 series slowly becomes scarce on the market and the move for a new platform is detected. It is also not clear how the entrance of Symbian-smartphone of 5000 series will influence the Nokia 5140 price especially since the Symbian-smartphone will be empowered with a great number of functions. Let us presume that the sales’ price of this model upon its entering of the market will be about 400 dollars and then will fall to 330-350 dollars in several months. The comparatively small number of the potential users of these models taken into account we may assume that Nokia 5140 might be simply “devoured” by these new products. All of this can critically change the price of this phone or just wipe it out of the market in no time.

It is interesting that now the second protected phone to evoke users’ interest is Nokia 5100. The phone has the same display as Nokia 5140 but the smaller memory capacity; besides, its software is not that exciting. However, the phone is equipped with the thermometer and the volume level billing, so these phones are alike in this sense. I doubt that the lack of compass can be counted toward a big disadvantage. Because of the screen quality, the camera in Nokia 5140 is not a big asset. The PPT technology could potentially take this phone to a leading position; however, the lack of the support from the operators crosses out all the chances.

Siemens M65 will price approximately 300 dollars (with the wholesale of 266 dollars) in July; however, the price decrease will be more dynamic, what is actually a professional Siemens’ style. These two models are the great rivals and will be of the same success even regarding some of the Siemens advantages (that is where the brand’s popularity, the small market etc. comes onto the stage).

The water-resistant cases for the phones can serve as the alternative for the phones described; some manufacturers will produce these cases for the most well known companies. A great advantage of these cases is that they are universal and practically any phone can fit into them. The price of such case will be no more than 40-50 dollars; this case can be plunged into the water (what was not true for the previous models) and it will protect the phone from smacks and slaps. This is a great alternative since if you decide to change the phone; you can always keep the case that will be fitting for the new phone as well.

To round up on Nokia 5140, I wish to note that the model is nice primarily for its additional accessories. That is the way for the future industry and Nokia will be the first one to stress its viewpoint here. Just imagine that the phone you buy is equipped with basic functions and only when you buy this or that panel (or a set of them) you expend the phone’s possibilities to the needed maximum. On the one hand, this facilitates the process of choosing the phone and the user has more options, on the other hand, the manufacturer cuts off the expenses. This means that the production of the basic version, or of the platform if you kike, will be easier and the innovations will be needed for the small panels and their technological possibilities only. With such an approach, the basic block will serve you for years while the changes will influence only the external part of the phone. However, this is a matter of the nearest future.

P.S. The software version is 3.06 dated May 1 2004. The blunder was noted at the assigning of a standard picture to the SMS, the phone is gets overloaded.

The ring tone samples (mp3, 190 Kb)

Eldar Murtazin ([email protected])
Translated by Maria Kapustina ([email protected])

Published — 06 July 2004

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