Even though it has been tagged as a low-budget handset, Nokia 2690 is one of those phones that seem to be subsidized for what they have to offer. Boasting lots of features that are usually included in medium ranged mobile phones, Nokia 2690 is also looking very nice.
Launched only one month after Nokia 2220 slide, the 2690 model comes on the same emerging markets where applications such as Nokia Life Tools have become a necessity. Thus, based on your location, Nokia 2690 might or might not come with Nokia Life Tools, but either way the device is definitely worth the money in case you're looking to spend only a few bucks for a phone.
Announced in November 2009, Nokia 2690 was made available on the market in March 2010 and can be bought for only USD90 without any subscription. The bar mobile phone comes in four colors, and users can choose from: Graphite, White silver, Hot pink and Blue.
Design Nokia 2690 is a medium-sized, slim handset, which fits perfectly in all standard pockets. Apart from the fact that the white version of the phone will probably become the same color of the pocket you're keeping it in, the phone really looks nice. I'm not sure about the other color versions of the handset, but it’s a real pain to keep the white version unstained. The front and the back parts are covered by a white glossy plastic, while the keypad is made from a shiny black plastic. Even though most of the front part seems to be covered by the display, in fact this is only an illusion as the actual screen only measures 1.8-inches, which is sadly one of the smallest displays on the market.
Below the screen, there are the four keys used to handle the phone's menus: Accept and Reject call keys, as well as two contextual keys. The Navy-Key in the middle is surrounded by a thin metallic stripe, which makes it easy to click on. The keypad might seem a little too small, but you won't have too much trouble when you need to use it. The backlighting is very good and even on all keys, so using the phone in darker areas will cause no troubles at all. The back cover of the phone features a grid pattern that improves the grip over the phone. The phone's module camera is also on the back side of the phone, together with a small loudspeaker.
The left side of the phone features a small microUSB port, while on the left side there a microSD slot for memory card. On top of the phone one can notice a 3.5mm jack port, as well as the small charging port. Nokia 2690 measures 107.5 x 45.5 x 13.8 mm and weighs 80.7g (including battery). Overall, I think Nokia did a good job with this model when referring to design. Without being too impressive in terms of look, Nokia 2690 still manages to outclass most of the handsets in its low-budget range.
Display and Camera Nokia 2690 includes a 1.8-inch TFT display that supports 262K colors and a 128x160-pixel resolution. This is one of the smallest displays and the only excuse for Nokia including such a downrated display is the fact that Nokia 2690 is a low-budget phone. At least the colors and contrast look pretty good, while the quality of the image on such a small display is pretty low. Sunlight eligibility is somewhat mild, but dialing will not cause you any problems.
The VGA camera embedded in Nokia 2690 doesn't have any additional features, and it can capture shots with a maximum resolution of 640x480 pixels. Thanks to the Bluetooth and microUSB port, users will be able to transfer their pictures or store more on a microSD memory card.
There are only the standard additional settings for the camera software, such as White balance and Effects. As there's no dedicated key for camera, users will have to use the big Navi-Key button as shutter.
When it comes to quality, taking into consideration that the maximum resolution you can use is 640x480 pixels, there's really nothing to discuss. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that people who buy this device will not complain because of the camera, which should not be the reason you're buying it.
Menu and Software Nokia 2690 runs on a Series 40 5th Edition platform with Feature Pack 1. One of the most user-friendly interfaces on the market, the S40 seems unchanged on the surface, and offers the Nokia 2690 user an excellent experience. The phone's firmware includes Flash 3.0, animated menus, submenus and icons.
Nokia's Series 40 5th Edition UI allows you to experience streaming videos, image rendering, mobile 3D graphics and scalable 2D Vector graphics. The Series 40 5th Edition also supports Adobe's Flash Lite 3.0, the interoperable platform that enables the accelerated development and delivery of rich graphical mobile content, and includes audio file playback and streaming capabilities that provide audio and music enhancements to mobile gaming and the multimedia experience.
The handset also includes some useful applications, such as Alarm clock, Calendar, To-do list, Notes, Calculator, Timer and Stopwatch. The menu is fully customizable and you can designate any MP3, MIDI or AAC file as a ringtone. The candybar comes with Opera Mini browser installed by default, so the experience will be smooth.
The phonebook can store up to 2,000 contacts, and each can be filled with up to two different phone numbers. The fonts can be customized, but only those displayed when opening Contacts and messaging sections.
Also, some Java games come preinstalled – Block'd, Club Painball, Miki's World, Sudoku and Snake III. The handset is compatible with Java MIDP 2.1 applications, but there is a limit to the size of any app that you might want to install on the phone, and that's the usual 1MB. This might be the case for most Java-compatible applications, but I noticed that I could run some files that were around 1.5MB in size. Nevertheless, not all Java apps will work on this mid-end device, so you might want to try that out for yourselves.
Communication Nokia 2690 candybar is fully compatible with GPRS and EDGE Class 10. Benchmarks revealed that the performance was pretty average when it came to data-transfer speeds (EDGE 149 Kbit/s download and 70Kbit/s upload), but that may greatly vary depending on location and carrier.
The phone features Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support and microUSB connectivity. Synchronization with the PC is possible as long as you get a microUSB cable.
In terms of messaging, the candybar accepts standard text messages, MMS, as well as emails. The native email client works with POP3, SMTP, and IMAP4 protocols.
The quad-band (GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) network-compatible candybar has a good GSM signal reception. The sound is average in quality at both ends. The vibration alert is medium, which means you won't miss too many phone calls if you keep it on the Silent profile.
Processor and Memory Nokia 2690 is most likely powered by an ARM9 family processor running at speeds of up to 220 MHz. While not the fastest phone on the market, it won't lag more than its class competitors when browsing through the menus.
The candybar embeds 32MB internal memory, but only 25MB is user free. The storage space can be expanded as the phone features a microSD slot card, up to 8GB.
Multimedia Thanks to the microSD memory slot users will be able to use the phone as an MP3 player also. And 2690 does not disappoint, especially if the stereo headset (WH-102) coming in the original package is replaced with better 3.5mm headphones.
Even though it doesn't provide the best multimedia experience, for the price you pay, the handset does a great job. Besides the embedded music player, you will be able to take advantage of the stereo FM radio function, which only works when headphones are inserted into the 3.5mm jack port.
Battery The 860 mAh Li-Ion (BL-4C) battery has an officially stated life expectancy of 336 hours in standby and of about four hours and 30 minutes in talk-time mode. I wasn't expecting anything good from this battery knowing that it's the same as Nokia's 2220 slide handset, which isn't a great one when it comes to talk time. Fortunately, my 2690 made it for about 3 days on a normal use, but you can easily keep it for at least 5 days without recharge. I consider the overall autonomy of the battery more than acceptable for a low-budget device.
Impressions As a low-budget phone, Nokia 2690 impresses through its features and then thanks to its stylish design. If you are looking for a well featured phone and don't want to spend too much money, Nokia 2690 is the perfect choice. There are about 6 phones compatible with Nokia Life Tools application that offer various services, especially in India, but I'd say Nokia 2690 is the best choice.
The Good Besides the low price, the candybar includes lots of features that almost qualify it for the mid-budget line-up: Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support, microUSB port, microSD memory card slot. I was also pleased with the battery's autonomy and sound quality of the music player and stereo FM radio function.
The Bad I think the only drawback of the device is the embedded camera, but even that cannot downrate the device too much as it's not the main attraction of the phone. It seems that Nokia didn't fail with this handset, as it offers even more than you could expect for such a low price.
Sales Package Nokia 2690 handset
Nokia Stereo Headset WH-102
Nokia Compact Charger AC-3
Nokia Battery BL-4C
User guide
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