Nokia 6170

Nokia has been taking all the efforts to consolidate its grip in a clamshell segment that is new for the company, that's why so many models of the brand appeared in such short time. And even more models based on the 40 platform are expected in the nearest future. Nokia 6170 is one of them. The index of the model indicated the company intends the phone for a business users' segment or according to the second interpretation for a classic one. Taking the form-factor of the phone into consideration that's hard to call it classic, the speech is more about a list of functions and a try to position the device.

The model is extremely interesting in design solutions, in particular it combines various materials like metal and plastic. And if other manufacturers speaking about a metallic body mean some kind of sputtering here it is real metal. That's enough to take a back panel of the device off and you'll see a metallic plate. You may scratch it and get sure the material is not fake.

There is a pressed contact inside that touches the metallic plate of the back panel and that is an earth connection in a way. When the phone is used a charge may appear on the metal and that means the phone may get out of work accidentally. This earth connection is necessary for such cases. That's the first phone in my life with so evident realization of protection from static electricity.

Speaking about the design of the phone I can't but stress a pleasant feeling from metallic panels, they cool your hand so nicely and add ponderability to the phone in your opinion. The clamshell is made very well and its dimensions do play a great role in its perception (88x46x22 mm). The weigh of the device is 121 grams and it distinguishes the phone from a list of similar models much. The reason of the increased weight is not only the metal used in the body. The manufacturers applied two color displays, a standard form and all this prevented from getting acceptable size and weight of the phone. As a result this slight increase of the weight caused by the metal didn't play a great role but has changed the style of the phone and its perception much. Following our evaluation the metal in the phone weights about 14 grams (decorating elements) and that's not much. Even having refused these decoration details the manufacturer wouldn't have won much and the form-factor would remain the same. Nokia 6170 is impossible to call a giant, that's a typical phone for men and has a size a bit bigger than average.

The model is not typical for Nokia and thus you won't find many colours but only one standard. This little attention to the device may be explained by the fact the company considers it a niche model not for a great audience.

A unique feature of the phone is clearly seen with a naked eye. That is an external screen. This is the first time that the screen is colour in a Nokia clamshell. It shows 4096 colours (STN) and has the resolution of 96x65 pixels (25x19 mm). Wallpapers and color schemes may be set for the screen in the menu. Call signal, battery charge and info about current events are always displayed on it. A caller photo may be displayed on the external screen during incoming calls. Considering a small size of the screen and the fact that a photo is shown only on one fourth of the screen you'll have to use your imagination to recognize the one on the picture. I do not completely understand why showing the photo on the whole screen has not been realized still.