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.