The Independent Republic of Colin Butler

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New Retro Nokia – Marketing Gimmick with Real World Use

The Nokia brand made a comeback at this year's Mobile World Congress event, and along with three Android Smartphones came the rebirth of the Nokia 3310.

HMD, who now own the Nokia brand has obviously listened to the complaint of smartphone users in relation to battery technology and usage times when deciding to reintroduce the iconic 3310.

I'd of been very interested if Android appeared on the Nokia E71

What HMD have not embraced is that the way we now communicate since 2000 when the 3310 first appeared. A device that just makes calls and SMS messages using a 2G connection is just not going to cut it. The lack of syncing of calendar and contacts to cloud-based services like Google and Microsoft opens up the potential of lost details and frustration of a lack of cross-platform support for user data.

So with no Wi-Fi, data syncing, or modern messaging apps, what HMD is offering is a telephone, and call me stupid – but how many times a day do you call someone?

What would have made me excited is if HMD had launched a device like the Nokia E71. Load this device with Android, a physical keyboard, ability to share the data connection and the messaging apps used on a daily basis (Skype, Whats App, Facebook Messanger etc) and they really would have been onto a winner. If battery life was so important, I’d have accepted the mono screen.

If this device would have been launched, what HMD would have been offering is a Smartphone device for people who want to stay in touch without worrying about battery life who have no interest in using a mobile device for games, photography or video watching - I’d of brought one!