Photos are grainy and colours muted, with the added problem of the lens being too close to your supporting finger – which often makes a guest appearance as a result. There's also no dedicated shutter button. An 8x digital zoom and double LED flash make the specs sound more healthy, but the overall effect is unchanged.

The poor quality of the camera is particularly frustrating given Nokia has pre-installed a Flickr app to make uploading images to the site quick and easy. But this handset simply isn't geared towards imaging, and video fares similarly badly.

Impressive music player

Music is a different story, and Nokia's adeptness in this field shines through with a decent player and FM radio including RDS.

Good all-round functionality is enhanced by comprehensive format compatibility, including MP3, MIDI, AAC, AAC+ and WMA. There's also a graphic equaliser to tinker with the bass and treble, a stereo expansion feature and A2DP support for Bluetooth stereo headsets.

Nokia includes as standard a 512MB MicroSD card, as the 15MB of built-in memory won't get you far. Naturally, higher capacity cards (up to 4GB) can be slotted in.

Reliable performance

Nokia is a pretty safe banker – even in the current rather chilly economic climate – when it comes to phone performance. Yes, the 6600 Fold may not be bursting at the seams with high-end features, but what it does it does well and ultimately what's more important?

Call quality is great tonally – if occasionally on the quiet side – and gaining a decent 3G signal was never a problem during our time with the phone. Messaging options are plentiful and well laid out, with an email client, Yahoo Instant Messenger, Voice messages and Video messages all on offer.

If it's an eye-catching, reliable handset you're after and you don't care about the latest business apps and high-spec functionality, the 6600 Fold is definitely one to add to the list. It'll get you noticed and won't let you down when you need it. Job done.

Network availability: 3, O2, Orange

Looks: 8/10
Ease of use: 9/10
Features: 6/10
Call quality: 9/10
Value: 7/10