Nokia E63 Mobile Review

It seems that Nokia is in tune with the budget-conscious mentality of the current age after the release of its latest E-series mobile phone: the E63. The E63 is best described as a slimmed-down version of the previous E71 you get the main meal here, without the extra trimmings.
Thats not to say the E63 isnt a tasty dish, and this QWERTY-based smartphone packs a hell of a lot of value into its relatively tiny frame. At a glance, you can see this phone has business written all over it, but look a little longer and you will see that leisure hasnt been left off the list.
The build quality is to the usual Nokia standard (high quality), and you have the choice of Ruby Red or Ultramarine Blue plastic covers. While the E71 utilised steel covers, the E63 sports solid matt plastic that will suit most users just fine. The soft rubber keypad is easy to use, and the dedicated programmable function keys and navigation pad make perusing this phone a pleasure.
Thats just the beginning of the potential benefits of this attractive E-series, so lets have a closer look at what the E63 has to offer.

Nokia E63 Features

Believe it or not, the E63 is actually slightly larger than the comparable E71 even though it has fewer features. However, it is still a compact and pocket-friendly phone, and its certainly not hard to carry around. You can play with it on the go without people thinking youre pulling out a laptop, and the QWERTY keypad will have people thinking it costs three times more than what you paid for it.
The screen does not disappoint with size or quality, and a side-by-side test shows it looks comparable to many iPods and other small devices you might use for portable video. With 16 million colours and a 2.36in TFT QVGA display, its really no surprise.
On the topic of multimedia, the E63 features a handy headphone jack at the top of the phone, so if you did want to play music on your way to work or catch up on an episode of your favourite TV show, its a no-hassles affair. Nokia's D-pad, music player and the addition of RealPlayer means multimedia playback comes naturally to this mobile.
That surprised us considering we thought the lower price tag would see this as a bare-bones business unit. You do miss out on a decent selection of games (ours had Solitaire), but as you no doubt know, there's always the option of downloading a application of your choice. This brings us to the main features of the phone:

Connectivity

The Nokia E63 features almost all the connectivity options you could want. That includes 2G, 3G, Bluetooth, USB and WiFi. The only exception is HSDPA, but for business applications, we think most users will barely notice. It will slow downloads for heavy mobile internet browsing (videos, streaming), and its an individual choice when deciding if this affects you. For many people, it should not be a major concern.
There was one other omission to the E63 package, which is an included USB cable to connect to your PC. Of course, you can buy these fairly cheaply and easily (you may even already have one), but this is fairly annoying since the majority of projected users will want to use the mobile in conjunction with their PC.

Web, Email and Messaging

Messaging and internet use is this mobiles strong point. The full keyboard-style pad makes messaging a breeze once you get accustomed to it, and you can take advantage of predictive text and spell checker capabilities.
The Nokia web browser works as well as ever on the wide screen, and there are all the supported formats you need to surf the web. This phone proves how far weve come with mobile email use, and practically any email application can be easily integrated into the phone, which includes full support for attachments (videos, JPEGs, etc).

Office and Organising

The E63s calendar and organiser functions do almost everything except complete the actual tasks for you. You can make multimedia memos using ActiveNotes, set events and meetings on the calendar, and once you get your hands on a USB cord, the whole lot can be synchronised with your PC.
Theres also a dedicated switch function that changes the mobile phones home screen between business and personal modes. It allows you to access many functions speedily, and once you get used to it, you will wonder how you managed without it.

Applications

A range of applications is included as standard on the E63, and others you can trial, download or purchase if you are so inclined. Two of the primary included apps are the Nokia Search tool and the Ovi file-sharing program. The Search tool lets you browse everything from the internet to your own memory card easily, which is handy once you start to build up files.
The Ovi application is included as part of the package for free for 12 months. It lets you access files on your PC from your phone even when your computer is turned off. Nokias Quickoffice is included as standard fare, so you can not only view Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel), you can also edit them or create your own.
Some users may be interested in the Advanced Call Screening application. This allows you professional call screening abilities, and you can tailor the program to send automatic responses or to screen calls at various times. While it was included on the E71, you will eventually have to pay for the license for this one on the E63.
There are the usual alarm clock functions, a calculator, convertors and various others available too. Even a torch function is included to save you groping around in the dark.


Maps

One of the main exclusions on the E63 is a lack of in-built GPS. You can buy one as an accessory, but we would suggest looking at the E71 if this was a real concern for you. The Nokia maps application is still included, and while the lack of GPS does hinder the program, with a little perseverance, you can still plot routes, search addresses and view places of interest like petrol stations, public transport or shopping centres.
Its a personal decision, and remember you still have to pay an access fee to Nokia if you want voice navigation.

Camera Functions

The 2 megapixel camera is downgraded from the 3 megapixel unit found on the E71, but it still seems to work okay in the right conditions. Its not the best camera phone on the market, but were yet to see too many happy snappers that would swap a dedicated digital camera for their mobile phone yet anyway.
The E63 will satiate your desire for those unexpected quick snaps while out and about, and theres also a video camera that captures at 15fps in case video footage is necessary. No doubt the lesser camera is one area that helps save excessive costs.

Memory and Performance

Quick as you like, the Nokia E63 does not lag under normal operation. The battery provides brilliant longevity even under heavy use, and an included 1GB memory card will last most people a while. Of course, you can easily upgrade to 8GB with this hot-swappable unit.
Its good to know that the phone has its own data encryption methods that will lock any sensitive information in an electronic vault. You can even remotely lock or wipe the phone, so if you lose it, you can lock and erase information to deny prying eyes any details you have stored on your mobile.

Overall

As you can see, there is a lot crammed into this mobile phone for the price tag. For those inclined, 3 mobile is even offering it under a $29 cap plan at the time of writing you really are getting a lot for your money with the E63. Of course, the Nokia E71 offers a bit more for those that can stretch the budget, and if GPS and HSDPA are concerns for you, we would consider looking at this phone.
However, the E63 does not disappoint and we think many users will enjoy its easy-to-use nature over the many handy functions. When it comes to first-class mobiles on economy prices, the E63 shows mobile phones everywhere that its business time.