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A smartphone is a trusted gadget you rely on every day. It is not just an accessory you might need occasionally as you type away on a laptop.
As such, a phone must be capable of doing much more than just a simple calling device: it must be expandable (both with apps and with more memory) and easy to use.
We liked
As an entry-level model at an affordable price, the Nokia 5230 is a good choice for those who can live without some of the latest perks of more modern smartphones, such as Wi-Fi and a full-size hardware keyboard.
We disliked
We question some of the interface challenges on this device – menus you have to wade through to find the option you want.
And, slow processing speed meant running even simple apps such as the contact manager caused some frustration.
While this will be a major issue for more advanced smartphone users, it will only become a minor annoyance for those who primarily just need to access email and text messages, make calls, and browse the web a few times per day.
Verdict
The most important realisation with the Nokia 5230 is that it is not intended as a power user device and just does the smartphone basics.
However, in our final analysis, we found the Nokia 5230 to be an intelligent device that we would use if the iPhone, Nexus One, and other models were just a figment of our imagination.
Basically the Nokia 5230 would be an outstanding touchscreen phone about four years ago. Today, it is just an average buy for the price.
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