Nokia C6-01 review

Can the cheapest Symbian^3 phone to date offer good value?

Nokia C6-01
The definitive Nokia C6-01 review

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Nokia C6-01 review: Contacts and calling

Within the Contacts app, a number of subtle improvements have been made from the application offered on S60v5 devices.

Integration with the Social app enables you to link friends' details in the Contacts app with Twitter and Facebook accounts. You can use a profile picture from either service as the contact's image in the Contacts app, and you can navigate to the Social app directly from a contact entry. You're limited to one Twitter and one Facebook account per contact, which is a standard situation found on a number of handsets.

The integration and application are the same as that offered in the Nokia C7 and Nokia N8, which has been somewhat improved since the original release of these devices thanks to improved rendering and direct linking to the profiles.

The main disappointment is that the Social app opens as a separate app, reducing the feel of integration. This issue has been somewhat reduced in the latest update to the Social app, which provides Facebook and Twitter updates within the Contacts app, although the Social app needs to be running in the background with a constant data connection - it's certainly not in the same league as the likes of HTC's Sense platform.

Nokia c6-01

Although this is an improvement, there is a way to go the reach the integration provided by the likes of the Vodafone 360 service.

Maps integration brings with it the ability to add two modes of address detail to each contact; Standard postal address and map location using 'Select from map' for quick directions from the Contacts app.

There is also a 'My Card' line at the top of the Contact list, which enables the user to set their personal details for quick sharing with others via Bluetooth, SMS message or e-mail.

Nokia c6-01

Another nice carry over from the S60v5 on the Nokia N97 is 'Favourite Contacts' which sit at the top of the contacts list for faster access. Another development deriving from a mix of the N97 and 5800 is the Contacts Home screen widget, which provides the user with a horizontal bar capable of supporting an scrollable list of contacts, while displaying four contacts at any one time.

The downside is that changing Home screens does not permit a change of Contacts bar contents so that the Home screens cannot be setup as Home contact and Work contact views.

One obvious change when transitioning from S60v5 Nokia devices to the new Symbian^3 range is the Call screen, which provides the user with alphanumeric contact selection alongside standard calling without the need to open the Contacts app. Additionally, the call log can be quickly accessed through a long press of the green Call button, providing access to missed calls and dialled numbers.

Nokia c6-01

A tap on the 'Options' soft button provides the user with a number of other useful features, including recent calls, your contacts list, speed dial, contact search, editing options (for pasting in a name or number) and call settings (which are the same as in the main Settings menu, but faster to access).

When it comes to making calls, the Nokia C6-01 shares its high-definition call capabilities with the rest of the Symbian^3 range. While testing the phone, no call or reception issues were encountered no matter where we were or who we were talking to.

The Nokia C6-01 supports MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA, AMR-NB, AMR-WB ringtone formats for when the call arrives.