Perfect for entry-level smart-phone users, the Nokia X3 Touch and Type is armed with both a touchscreen and button interface, as well as a drop-dead-gorgeous design. Its relatively outdated operating system won't please smart-phone veterans, though.
The original Nokia X3, the X3 Touch and Type boasts a raft of improvements, including 3G and Wi-Fi support, and a dual touchscreen and keypad interface. It's also blessed with a sleeker and more alluring design, but the outdated S40 operating system and an alphanumeric keypad, instead of a QWERTY one, mean that it's not a complete success.
The X3 Touch and Type is available from free on a £15-per-month contract, with pay-as-you-go prices starting from around £90. Alternatively, you can expect to pay about £150 for an unlocked, SIM-free unit.
Nokia is in a bullish mood, picking fights with everyone it can. At the upper end of the scale, the N8 is trying to take on the iPhone, while the company's also fighting for its share of the budget market with phones like the 1616 and 2220 Slide. It's a curious hybrid that straddles two sectors of the market and offers a potential stepping stone into the smart-phone arena for befuddled newcomers.
The X3 Touch and Type's design blends sharp lines with rounded corners and a distinctive curved bottom, which again calls to mind the aesthetic of RIM's phones. The battery cover is the only metal element used in the X3 Touch and Type's case, which gives the phone a light weight of just 77g.Music lovers will take heart from the fact that the X3 Touch and Type has a 3.5mm headphone jack, along with support for microSD cards up to a capacity of 32GB.
It lacks a touchscreen the Qwerty-packing Nokia E5 is arguably a better choice if you're harboring aspirations of firing off countless missives from the comfort of your mobile.
News Source: reviews.cnet.co.uk
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