Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition

The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition (or just "MTVE" for short) is a DVB-H enabled handset aimed at those markets where a mobile digital TV rollout is taking place.

Regular readers may remember the original Nokia 5330 XpressMusic which was announced back in March, but this handset failed to materialise and was presumably cancelled. That version of the 5330 was notable for being an exceptionally ugly device to look at, but the MVTE version has been redone in glossy black with silver highlights and looks much better - Nokia say that there is a glossy white version available too.

It's perhaps a strange phone for mobile TV - the 5330's display is a standard 2.4" 240 x 320 pixel panel which isn't exactly huge. The DVB-H picture displays in landscape (wide) mode, so it does make the best use of the limited display. The rest of the phone is pretty straightforward - it's a 3G device (but doesn't support 3.5G data), comes with GPS and Nokia maps, a media player, an FM radio, a 3.2 megapixel camera and all the other usual features that you would expect from a midrange Nokia such as Bluetooth and microSD expandable memory.

The relatively large 1000 mAh battery gives over 7 hours talktime and 14 days standby time. Nokia say that the 5330 MTVE can play DVB-H for up to 6 hours, using the bundled wired headset as an antenna.

Nokia are planning to roll out the 5330 MTVE in markets where DVB-H broadcasting already exists or is being implemented. This is actually a pretty limited market, in Europe only Italy, Finland, Austria, Albania, the Netherlands and Poland have a nationwide rollout complete, with France and Spain hoping to follow soon. Outside of Europe, Vietnam, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia and parts of India have coverage too.

If you live in the UK and Germany, then it's worth noting that although there have been some DVB-H trials, there seems to be no move to roll it out. Russia is looking quite likely to have a DVB-H service in major urban areas from next year.

To give Nokia credit, they have been committed to DVB-H for some years and have made several handsets that support it, including the popular Nokia N96. Nokia do have an ulterior motive though, their partner Nokia Siemens Networks is a major manufacturer of DVB-H network equipment, so there are more than just handsets at stake.

Nokia plan to roll the 5330 Mobile TV Edition during Q1 2010 priced at around €155 before tax and subsidy, which seems to be a pretty low cost way of getting a DVB-H receiver.

Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition at a glance

Available: Q1 2010

Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 and
UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 or
UMTS 900 / 1700 / 2100

Data: GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G)

Screen: 2.4" 240 x 320 pixels, 16m colours

Camera: 3.2 megapixels

Size: Medium slider
101 x 48 x 14mm /113 grams

Bluetooth: Yes

Memory card: MicroSD

Infra-red: No

Polyphonic: Yes

Java: Yes

GPS: Yes

OS: Series 40

Battery life: 7 hours talk / 14 days standby

Nokia 2220 Slide

Aiming to be in the shops before Christmas, the Nokia 2220 Slide is a very low cost slider phone. The attractive appearance of the 2220, combined with the very low price tag of €45 makes this handset an appealing proposition, especially as a gift.


This is a conventional Series 40 device with a 1.8" 128 x 160 pixel TFT display, a VGA resolution (0.3 megapixel) camera, GPRS and EDGE, web browser and an email client. There's no MP3 player, but the 2220 slide does comes with an FM radio (with radio recording), and the standard sales package includes a WH102 stereo wired headset that plugs into the 3.5mm audio socket.

Some additional features include Nokia Xpress Audio messaging, Ovil Mail, MP3 ringtones and Nokia Life Tools in selected markets.

It's a good looking device, available in Hot Pink, Graphite, Turquoise, Warm Silver, Purple and Blue colour schemes. The Nokia 2220 Slide certainly looks more expensive than you would expect from a phone with such a low price.

The Nokia 2220 Slide may seem a little old-fashioned when it comes to specifications, but then this phone primarily sells on excellent value for money rather than technical features.

Nokia 2220 Slide at a glance

Available: Q4 2009

Network: GSM 900 / 1800 or 850 / 1900

Data: GPRS + EDGE

Screen: 1.8" 128 x 160 pixels, 65k colours

Camera: 0.3 megapixels

Size: Medium slider
97 x 47 x 16mm / 94 grams

Bluetooth: No

Memory card: No

Infra-red: No

Polyphonic: Yes

Java: Yes

GPS: No

OS: Series 40

Battery life: 5 hours talk / 20 days standby

Nokia 1280

Billed as the cheapest Nokia phone ever, the Nokia 1280 is designed to sell for just €20. Aimed primarily at emerging markets, the 1280 should have wide appeal to anyone who is looking for a really inexpensive but practical phone.

As you would expect, this is a fairly basic phone.. but it does come with a surprising number of useful features. There's a monochrome 1.36" 96 x 68 pixel display, an FM radio (requires the purchase of a headset), a built in flashlight, MP3 grade ringtones and a built-in speakerphone. It's a Series 30 handset with a very simple user interface that should be familiar to most longtime Nokia customers. The 1280 also supports Nokia Life Tools in certain markets.

The 1280 is designed to be shared, so it has multiple phonebooks and very loud ringtones so that it can be left in one place. Part of the idea here is that if four people share the purchase price of the 1280, then it works out at just €5 each which is an attractive proposition for emerging markets.

There's no getting away from the slightly retro looks that the small screen brings, but it's quite a smart looking device and very obviously a Nokia. Good spacing between the keys means that the 1280 should be easy to use, even if wearing gloves.

The cover is dust and scratch resistant, which gives the 1280 a certain amount of durability. The standard covers are available in red, blue, grey and black colours, and these can be interchanged.

The handset comes with a standard BL-5C battery and very common AC-3 charger, giving up to 8.5 hours talktime and 22 days standby time. It's a lightweight phone, coming in at just 82 grams and measuring 107 x 45 x 15mm.

A cheap Nokia like this is certain to have wide appeal in a number of markets, in some places it may well be shared between different customers, in others it might appeal as a second phone, especially one for outdoors use. With a pricetag like this, many customers will see it almost as a disposable item.

Nokia say that the 1280 should be available during Q1 2010.