The Nokia 3210 is a throwback to a time when texting was starting to take off and photos were taken by ‘real’ cameras. This is what last week was like for me with the iconic Nokia phone. The modern version of a classic body now made by HMD. And let me make it clear, I love it, despite its massive limitations.
Every week, after I finish my tech chat with Tim Gilbert on Sky News Weekend Edition, we usually share congratulatory texts. But last week there was a problem. I had no idea what Tim was communicating because I had swapped out my iPhone 15 Pro Max for refreshed Nokia 3210.
Instead of a ‘thumbs up’ or ‘fire’ emoji, I got a couple of square characters as you can see in the image below. It did frustrate me, not knowing what emoji praise Tim had fired off to me. Let’s face it, a ‘thumbs up’ is boring but a ‘fire’ or ‘fist’ emoji really gets you pumped. So I had to use my dumb phone, which had no contacts, to call Tim and find out what he sent me. I think it was a ‘love heart’ .. can’t remember.
No emojis with this dumb phone
Aside from missing out on emojis, I couldn’t take a decent photo. The camera has a basic 2MP camera on the back. It also records rudimentary video. This is the big downside to a cheap, dumb phone. We are so used to capturing the moment with excellent cameras on smartphones, it’s hard to go back. Give me a dumb phone with a great camera and we might be able to do a deal.
Having used pretty much every Nokia phone ever made, I found the 2024 update to an old classic extremely satisfying to use. Despite the issues noted earlier. I used it on-and-off for a week, with my main SIM and although fun, it was challenging. Given my job as a technology journalist and reviewer, I could not survive on a dumb phone like the 3210 alone. But I could definitely use it as a secondary device when I want long battery life (couple of days) and only need to talk or text via its dual SIM trays.
It’s also a great option for kids. Very basic with a painfully slow browser that will frustrate even the most patient of kids trying to get on Facebook. It’s comes with the classic game ‘Snake’ and more. You also get a torch on the back (which doubles as a flash) and FM radio. The speaker is also very loud but you get an old school headphone jack at the top.
I must say the 3210 feels great in the hand. As you can see side-by-side with the Samsung S24 Ultra, it’s pretty small.
Considering the design goes back to 1999, I’m impressed with the overall look and feel. HMD has clearly tapped into the nostalgia trend and I’m totally for it. In 2023 HMD saw sales of the Nokia 2660 Flip phone double. The HMD remakes are all 4G VoLTE compatible and ready to handle Australia’s modern networks. The charging port is USB-C and it has Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. It’s also very snappy. So although it’s a dumb phone, it has a lot of modern features that make it more than usable in 2024.
So, when it comes to backup phones, a Nokia 3210 or one of its mates, is a no brainer.
Pricing and Availability
The Nokia 3210, 215, 225 and 235 are all available across Australia from Monday, May 13:
Nokia 3210 – RRP$129 – available in Scuba Blue, Y2K Gold and Grunge Black from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, Big W and Amazon (colours may vary).
Nokia 235 – RRP$109 – available in Black, Purple and Blue from JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Big W (online) and Amazon.
Nokia 225 – RRP$99 – available in Dark Blue and Pink from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, Big W and Amazon.
Nokia 215 – RRP$79 – available in Meteor Grey and Peach from JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Amazon..