Best mobile phone ever made

June 13, 2008 2:44 AM

The best mobile phone ever made. The Reg loves it and describes as 'breakthrough'. It still costs more (is worth more) than the new iphone. There's a healthy ebay market for it. Discuss!

I have 7 of them (in case I lose one, I have years of backups) and you can prise them from my cold dead hands. I dont own a charger as 30 minutes plugged into my car keeps it going for over 10 days easily. As a phone its unbeatable. I've dropped it every day for about 5 years (I'm clumsy) and it works just fine. I'd like to claim that its perfect. Discuss.

Disclaimer: I dont work for Nokia and I've never even seen the Fjords.

posted by daveyt (18 comments total)

Really?

Sorry. Excuse me. I'll try again:

Really?
posted by sourwookie at 2:49 AM on June 13, 2008

i'm not getting any bars in here.
posted by quonsar at 2:51 AM on June 13, 2008

Your first paragraph is discussing with the second.
posted by CautionToTheWind at 2:56 AM on June 13, 2008

Thanks daveyt!

Now what refreshing beverage should I enjoy with my new wonderphone?
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 2:57 AM on June 13, 2008

I heard the Fjords are in Norway.
posted by uncle harold at 2:59 AM on June 13, 2008

I drove a Fjord once. Or was it a Czevy?
posted by Zonker at 3:00 AM on June 13, 2008 [1 favorite]

I sometimes think the best 'phone I've ever had was the first one, a Nokia 5110, or maybe a precursor of that model, as I don't remember being able to replace the fascia on mine - built like a brick shithouse, really simple UI.

I'd still have it, but the poor thing never recovered from being dropped in a toilet mid-flush (don't text drunk, kids!).
posted by jack_mo at 3:02 AM on June 13, 2008

I have to concur with the sentiments that it is the best phone ever- had one for five years and volleyed it across parking lots, dropped from 5 floors up, and threw at walls in petulant rage more than once and still worked a dream. A friend made the observation that the designers would have gotten a lot of stick from Nokia as their indestructible nature and battery life means that you never have the need to upgrade. I had to give the phone back as it was a comapny one and I left that job; every phone I've had since has been rubbish in comparison. No gadgets, gizmos or cutting edge aesthetics- it just did it's job.
posted by Gratishades at 3:05 AM on June 13, 2008

The best phone in the world is the one you have when you need to use it.
posted by Science! at 3:06 AM on June 13, 2008

Is the 6310 the phone that encouraged Nokia to actually make stuff a bit shittier? A bit more built-in obsolescence. People were holding on to those babies for so long that they realised that they had actually made them too good and they weren't buying their upgrades. Although, I can find no source for this at the mo.

I remember the cool blue backing light. Very Ford Mondeo dashboard.

I don't think the Pepsi Blue snarks are justified here. I know people who are not fan boys about anything but love these babies.
posted by ClanvidHorse at 3:07 AM on June 13, 2008

Is the 6310 the phone that encouraged Nokia to actually make stuff a bit shittier?

Yes, i think the decline started here. I've spent the last 2 years trying out replacements. After 6 months of checking, I bought an N73. It lasted a week. I dropped it (on to grass) and the microphone stopped working.

Its the same for many things though. My 160GB ipod classic, is worse than my 40GB 3G ipod. The classic is just a little bit less responsive than the instant 3G.

The overal quality of gadgets has declined I believe. I'm talking in the engineering sense.
posted by daveyt at 3:13 AM on June 13, 2008

Indeed it was ClanvidHorse who had remarked previously about the designer's getting whupped for longevity. It was also ClanvidHorse who commented on the Ford Mondeo non coolness of the machine that everytime he saw it he imagined Foreigner playing in the background.

RE Pepsi Blue allegations- as the company doesn't make it any more I doubt that's the case- unless daveyt has a couple of hundred that he's looking to sell. (If so daveyt then MeMail me).
posted by Gratishades at 3:15 AM on June 13, 2008

How do you ssh with it?

This FPP would be better with less ad copy and less of your life story.
posted by Eideteker at 3:22 AM on June 13, 2008

I'm guessing that this hail storm that woke me up early hasn't hit the neighborhoods of any of the admins... thus accounting for the presence of this fpp...

I suspect, given the amount of love expressed here, that daveyt has uses for that phone well beyond what is considered normal... just sayin'.......
posted by HuronBob at 3:26 AM on June 13, 2008

The real breakthrough was imho the 2110, which was the first mobile to have a decent sized display and basically the same OS that the 6310 had.

I had one of those after my 8110 broke down and 7110 was stolen.... A good phone indeed. But why on earth do I remember all the type numbers of these obsolete gadgets but still can't remember my girl friend's birthday?
posted by hoskala at 3:27 AM on June 13, 2008

I think that while mobile phones were originally designed with an eye to their basic functionality, to make voice calls, the market has changed, and the phone designs along with it. Phones have progressed(?) to become a fashion item, and fashion items don't have a terribly long shelf life. Also, phones are getting smaller and lighter. This generally means smaller batteries and thinner plastics. So though you might argue that quality has designed, I think the manufacturers are just responding to demand.
posted by SteveInMaine at 3:30 AM on June 13, 2008

Will trade mine (in mint condition) for beer.
posted by uandt at 3:51 AM on June 13, 2008

I'm guessing that this hail storm that woke me up early hasn't hit the neighborhoods of any of the admins... thus accounting for the presence of this fpp...

I've been around. Hadn't noticed it before since people weren't actually flagging it until now...
posted by vacapinta at 3:53 AM on June 13, 2008