Nokia 6700 Slide

With all of the recent hype surrounding the iPhone 4 and Android EVO 4G, it’s easy to forget that not every mobile phone user out there is after such a complex communications device.

In fact, there are many millions of consumers who merely desire a handset that allows them to make calls, send texts, and occasionally perform other activities like surfing the web, checking emails, and playing games.

This sector of the market traditionally flocks to devices which are rather disparagingly referred to as 'dumbphones'. Instead of boasting the vast repository of features seen in Apple and Google’s handsets, these pieces of technology are more modest in scope.

However, as smartphone capability becomes ever more affordable there’s an opportunity for a savvy manufacturer to bridge the gap – and Nokia is clearly hoping that it’s the company to do that with the 6700 Slide.

On the surface, it’s a pure dumbphone – the menus are simple, the feature list is small, and the design shies away from the current trend of bolting massive capacitive touchscreens onto phones.

However, under the hood the 6700 is in fact sporting Nokia’s Symbian S60 operating system. It’s possible to connect to Nokia’s Ovi Store and download apps as well as tinker with other settings, but the crucial bit here is that all of this capability is rather understated: the Finnish telecom giant is obviously hoping the 6700 can be its Trojan Horse, silently offering smartphone functionality to consumers without them even noticing it.

From the exterior there’s nothing to suggest the possibilities contained in the software: the 6700 practically screams 'entry level handset' thanks to its rather muted curves and tiny 2.2 inch display.

However, there’s something appealing about the brushed metal casing: aside from the top and bottom of the phone, the entire shell is manufactured out of metal. This lends the 6700 a pleasingly robust feel which is nearly always lacking in devices of this class.

Sliding up the phone reveals the 12-button keypad, which is nice enough to use but does come across as a little on the cheap side. The inclusion of a 5-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera might not draw the admiring glances you would have expected a few years back but it produces above average shots, even if Nokia’s image capture software offers little in the way of options.

As a gaming platform the 6700 naturally benefits greatly from the Ovi Store compatibility, but the small screen can make games look a little underwhelming – especially when placed alongside the iPhone or Nexus One.

Of course, as we’ve touched on already, this phone isn’t attempting to compete with such handsets. With games like Peggle and Bounce Tales available – and with its precise and accurate D-pad – the 6700 is bound to keep casual mobile users happy when it comes to portable interactive entertainment.

The 6700’s media skills are a little less impressive. While it can play a wide range of video and music formats it’s saddled with a 2.5mm headphone jack – an almost unforgiveable shortcoming in today’s mobile climate. This issue is compounded by the fact that the bundled proprietary headphones are of a decidedly suspect quality.

If you’re in two minds about whether or not you’re in the Apple or Android camp then chances are the 6700 isn’t going to hold much appeal to you: smartphone veterans will be unimpressed by the dumbphone aesthetics and general lack of grunt. However, Nokia fans and general mobile users will find a lot more to like with this handset.