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Nokia C2-01 review: Verdict
The Nokia C2-01 is an old-fashioned candybar handset. The operating system is old hat, the screen small, and there's 3G but no HSDPA. It does a good job of voice calls and SMS, and there's a range of built in apps, which you can augment with more. Battery life is good.
A few years ago, this would all have been fine for a price around £80. But you can get an entry-level Android handset like the Orange San Francsico at a comparative price now, and this will add Wi-Fi, GPS, full 3G, a larger screen and a bumper app store into the mix, as well as an operating system that was made for touchscreens.
We liked
The chassis is well made and the keyboard is comfy to use, so it's easy to text at speed. It's nice to be able to customise the single Home screen, and battery life is good, too.
The camera is not especially fancy, but its shooting features deliver some fun images, and the editor adds a little extra enjoyability to working with the camera.
We disliked
Web browsing is a chore, with low-speed 3G that's far outstripped by HSDPA. There's no Wi-Fi as an alternative, either and the screen is too small for easy viewing.
S40 feels like it should be retired. It simply can't stand up to operating systems that don't have nested apps, offer good quality touch control, and are designed with a modern bright, airy feel at their core.
Verdict
The Nokia C2-01 ends up being quite a disappointing handset. It suffers too much from its small screen, style-cramping operating system, and lack of features like Wi-Fi and GPS.
We can see how it might appeal to smartphone naysayers who just want a handset for voice calling and a little SMS action, but even such people might like to consider taking their £80 and looking for a smartphone alternative – just in the interests of value for money.
However, if it's simply calling, texting and not much else (especially if you're a die hard Nokia fan and willing to part with £80) then this might be worth looking at - although the budget options of the C1-02 are probably more your cup of tea.
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