Nokia E63

amazon Nokia E63 reviews

The Nokia E63, introduced in late 2008, was a notable addition to Nokia’s E-series lineup, designed to cater to business users and productivity-focused individuals. As a successor to the popular Nokia E71, the E63 aimed to offer similar functionality at a more accessible price point, combining a full QWERTY keyboard, a range of connectivity options, and the Symbian S60 operating system. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the Nokia E63, delving into its design, performance, software, and overall impact.

Design and Build

The Nokia E63 embraced a classic candy bar design with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, similar to its predecessor, the E71. However, the E63 was designed with a focus on affordability, and its design reflected a balance between functionality and cost-effectiveness.

Dimensions and Weight: The E63 measured 113 x 59 x 13.9 mm and weighed 126 grams. It was slightly larger and heavier than the E71, but it remained compact and comfortable to hold. The build quality was solid, with a sturdy plastic construction that felt durable and well-crafted. The device was available in several colors, including a sleek black, a vibrant red, and a subtle blue, allowing users to choose a color that matched their personal style.

Keyboard: One of the key features of the E63 was its full QWERTY keyboard, which provided a tactile typing experience. The keyboard was well-spaced, with individual keys that were slightly raised and well-defined. The layout was designed for quick and accurate typing, and the keys offered a satisfying feedback. The inclusion of dedicated keys for commonly used functions, such as email and messaging, further enhanced the usability of the keyboard.

Display: The front of the E63 featured a 2.36-inch QVGA display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. While the resolution was adequate for basic tasks and content viewing, it was somewhat dated by 2008 standards. The display provided decent clarity and brightness under normal lighting conditions, but it struggled in direct sunlight due to its limited brightness and lack of an ambient light sensor.

Camera and Other Features: The back of the E63 housed a 2-megapixel camera with a fixed focus and no flash. While the camera was basic compared to other devices of its time, it was sufficient for capturing casual photos and snapshots. The camera interface was straightforward, with basic settings for resolution and color effects. Additionally, the E63 featured a microSD card slot, allowing users to expand the storage up to 16 GB, which was useful for storing files, music, and applications.

Overall, the design of the Nokia E63 was practical and functional, particularly for users who appreciated the tactile feedback of a physical keyboard. While the design may have lacked the sleek aesthetics of some competing devices, its build quality and functionality were commendable.

Display

The Nokia E63’s 2.36-inch display was a key aspect of the device, offering a basic visual experience for its time. The screen had a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, which was sufficient for displaying text, images, and basic graphics. However, by 2008 standards, the resolution was starting to feel somewhat limited, especially as other devices began offering higher-resolution screens.

Color Reproduction and Brightness: The display’s color reproduction was decent, with colors appearing relatively vibrant and true to life under normal lighting conditions. However, the screen’s brightness was not particularly high, which made it challenging to view content in bright sunlight or under direct light sources. The lack of an ambient light sensor meant that users had to manually adjust the screen brightness based on their environment.

Touchscreen Capabilities: Unlike some of its contemporaries, the Nokia E63 did not feature a touchscreen, relying instead on physical navigation buttons and the QWERTY keyboard. While the absence of a touchscreen was in line with the device’s focus on productivity and business users, it also meant that the E63 lacked the modern touch interface that was becoming increasingly popular.

Screen Real Estate: The relatively small screen size of the E63 meant that it was not ideal for media consumption or gaming. While it was adequate for reading emails, browsing the web, and viewing photos, users accustomed to larger, higher-resolution displays may have found the E63’s screen somewhat limiting.

Overall, the display of the Nokia E63 was functional but not particularly advanced by the standards of its time. The screen was adequate for basic tasks but lacked the brightness and resolution of more modern displays.

Performance and Hardware

The Nokia E63 was powered by a 369 MHz ARM 11 processor, which was complemented by 128 MB of RAM. The hardware was adequate for handling the tasks and applications of its time, but it was not particularly powerful compared to some of its competitors.

Storage: The E63 came with 110 MB of internal memory, which could be expanded using a microSD card up to 16 GB. The inclusion of a microSD card slot was a valuable feature, allowing users to increase their storage capacity for files, music, and applications.

Camera Performance: The 2-megapixel camera on the E63 was capable of capturing photos at a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. While the camera was basic and lacked advanced features such as autofocus or a flash, it was sufficient for capturing casual photos and snapshots. The camera interface offered basic settings, including resolution and color effects, but it did not include more advanced options for image enhancement.

Multimedia Capabilities: The E63’s multimedia capabilities were supported by its music player and video playback features. The music player supported a range of audio formats, including MP3, AAC, and WMA, and offered basic features such as playlist creation and equalizer settings. The video player supported formats like MP4 and 3GP, allowing users to watch videos on the go. However, the relatively small screen size and lower resolution limited the overall viewing experience.

Battery Life: The Nokia E63 was equipped with a 1500 mAh battery, which provided reasonable battery life for its time. Nokia claimed up to 11 hours of talk time and up to 20 days of standby time. In real-world usage, the battery performance was generally reliable, with the device easily lasting a full day of moderate use, including calls, messaging, and occasional web browsing.

Performance: The E63’s performance was generally smooth for everyday tasks, although it could occasionally experience lag when handling more demanding applications or multitasking. The limited RAM and processor power meant that the device was not particularly well-suited for resource-intensive tasks, but it performed adequately for most typical use cases.

Software and User Interface

The Nokia E63 ran on the Symbian S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1 operating system. Symbian was a popular operating system for smartphones during the late 2000s, known for its stability and extensive feature set. However, by the time the E63 was released, Symbian was starting to feel outdated compared to newer operating systems such as iOS and Android.

User Interface: The user interface on the E63 was functional but somewhat dated. The main menu was organized into a grid of icons, which could be customized to display frequently used applications and shortcuts. The interface allowed for some degree of personalization, such as changing themes and arranging icons, but it lacked the fluidity and responsiveness of more modern touch-based interfaces.

Email and Messaging: One of the key features of the E63 was its email and messaging capabilities. The device supported a range of email services, including Microsoft Exchange, POP3, and IMAP, making it a solid choice for business users who needed to stay connected to their email accounts. The email client was capable of handling multiple accounts and offered features such as email threading, search, and support for attachments.

The messaging interface on the E63 was also well-designed, with dedicated keys on the QWERTY keyboard for quick access to messaging functions. The device supported SMS, MMS, and instant messaging, and the keyboard made typing messages fast and accurate. The messaging application included features such as predictive text input and threaded conversations, which improved the overall messaging experience.

Productivity Applications: The E63 included a range of productivity applications, including a calendar, contacts manager, to-do list, voice recorder, and calculator. The calendar application supported multiple views, including daily, weekly, and monthly views, and allowed users to create and manage appointments, events, and tasks. The device’s productivity tools were useful for managing both personal and professional tasks and complemented the device’s business-oriented focus.

Web Browsing: The E63 included a built-in web browser, but it was not particularly advanced compared to newer browsers available on other platforms. The browsing experience was functional but could be slow and cumbersome, particularly when dealing with complex or media-rich websites. The lack of support for modern web standards and technologies meant that the E63’s browsing experience was somewhat limited.

App Store: The E63 featured Nokia’s Ovi Store, which was the company’s app store for downloading additional applications and games. While the Ovi Store offered a range of apps, it was not as comprehensive or user-friendly as the app stores available on iOS and Android. The selection of apps and games for the E63 was somewhat limited, and the app ecosystem was not as vibrant or dynamic as that of its competitors.

Connectivity

The Nokia E63 offered a range of connectivity options to keep users connected and productive. The device supported quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and tri-band UMTS (900/1900/2100 MHz), making it compatible with a wide range of cellular networks around the world. The support for 3G connectivity allowed for faster data transfer and improved browsing speeds compared to older 2G networks.

Wi-Fi: The Nokia E63 included Wi-Fi support, which was a significant advantage for users looking to save on data costs and enjoy faster internet speeds. The device supported 802.11b/g standards, allowing for wireless internet connectivity in areas with available Wi-Fi networks. Wi-Fi support made web browsing and data-intensive applications more efficient, providing a better user experience compared to relying solely on 3G connectivity.

Bluetooth: The E63 featured Bluetooth 2.0, which enabled wireless connections with various Bluetooth-enabled devices such as headsets, keyboards, and other peripherals. Bluetooth connectivity was reliable for transferring files, connecting to wireless accessories, and using hands-free devices. The inclusion of Bluetooth was a valuable feature, enhancing the device’s versatility and connectivity options.

USB Connectivity: The E63 was equipped with a micro-USB port for data transfer and charging. The micro-USB connection allowed users to sync data with a computer, transfer files, and charge the device with a standard USB cable. The inclusion of a micro-USB port was a standard feature for many smartphones of its time and provided a convenient and universal connection for users.

GPS: The Nokia E63 included GPS functionality, which was useful for navigation and location-based services. While the device did not feature advanced GPS capabilities such as A-GPS (Assisted GPS) or turn-by-turn navigation, it provided basic location services that were helpful for finding addresses and points of interest.

Memory Expansion: The E63 came with 110 MB of internal memory, which could be expanded using a microSD card. The device supported microSD cards up to 16 GB, allowing users to increase their storage capacity for files, music, and applications. The ability to expand memory was a valuable feature, providing flexibility for users who needed additional storage space.

Overall, the connectivity options on the Nokia E63 were comprehensive and well-suited for its time. The device supported a range of wireless and wired connections, allowing users to stay connected and transfer data with ease.

Camera Performance

The Nokia E63 featured a 2-megapixel camera located on the back of the device. While the camera was relatively basic compared to more advanced smartphones of the time, it offered sufficient functionality for capturing casual photos and snapshots.

Photo Quality: The 2-megapixel camera on the E63 was capable of capturing images at a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. While the camera lacked advanced features such as autofocus, a flash, or higher resolution, it produced acceptable photo quality for everyday use. Images captured with the E63’s camera were generally clear and detailed under good lighting conditions but could exhibit noise and reduced detail in low-light settings.

Camera Interface: The camera interface on the E63 was straightforward and easy to use. Users could adjust basic settings such as resolution and color effects, but the camera lacked more advanced options for image enhancement. The absence of a flash meant that low-light photography was limited, and users needed to rely on external light sources for better results.

Video Recording: The E63’s camera also supported video recording, with a maximum resolution of QCIF (176 x 144 pixels) at 15 frames per second. The video recording feature was basic and did not offer high-definition quality. While the video quality was acceptable for its time, it lacked the clarity and smoothness found in higher-resolution video recordings.

Overall, the camera performance on the Nokia E63 was functional but limited. The device’s camera was adequate for capturing basic photos and videos, but it did not stand out in terms of image quality or advanced features.

Software and User Experience

The Nokia E63 ran on the Symbian S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 1 operating system. Symbian was a popular operating system for smartphones during the late 2000s, known for its stability and feature set. However, by the time the E63 was released, Symbian was starting to feel outdated compared to newer operating systems such as iOS and Android.

User Interface: The Symbian S60 interface on the E63 was functional but somewhat dated. The main menu was organized into a grid of icons, which could be customized to display frequently used applications and shortcuts. While the interface allowed for some degree of personalization, such as changing themes and arranging icons, it lacked the fluidity and responsiveness of more modern touch-based interfaces.

Email and Messaging: The E63 was equipped with robust email and messaging capabilities, making it a suitable choice for business users. The device supported multiple email accounts and offered features such as email threading, search, and support for attachments. The messaging interface, enhanced by the physical QWERTY keyboard, allowed for quick and accurate typing of SMS, MMS, and instant messages. The inclusion of predictive text input and threaded conversations further improved the messaging experience.

Productivity Applications: The E63 included a suite of productivity applications that catered to business users. The calendar application supported multiple views, including daily, weekly, and monthly views, and allowed users to create and manage appointments, events, and tasks. The contacts manager provided features for organizing and managing contact information, while the to-do list, voice recorder, and calculator applications were useful for managing personal and professional tasks.

Web Browsing: The E63 featured a built-in web browser, but it was not particularly advanced compared to modern browsers. The browsing experience was functional for basic tasks, but it could be slow and cumbersome when dealing with complex or media-rich websites. The lack of support for modern web standards and technologies meant that the browsing experience was somewhat limited compared to newer devices.

App Store: The E63 featured Nokia’s Ovi Store, which allowed users to download additional applications and games. While the Ovi Store offered a range of apps, it was not as comprehensive or user-friendly as the app stores available on iOS and Android. The selection of apps and games for the E63 was somewhat limited, and the app ecosystem was not as vibrant or dynamic as that of its competitors.

Overall, the software experience on the Nokia E63 was functional but showed its age compared to more modern operating systems. While the device offered a range of productivity features and solid email and messaging capabilities, it lacked the advanced user interface and app ecosystem found on newer platforms.

Impact and Legacy

The Nokia E63 was a noteworthy addition to Nokia’s E-series lineup, catering to business users with its physical keyboard, productivity features, and connectivity options. While the device was well-regarded for its build quality and functionality, it also faced challenges in keeping up with the rapidly evolving smartphone market.

Released in late 2008, the E63 was positioned as an affordable alternative to the Nokia E71, offering similar features at a lower price point. The device’s full QWERTY keyboard, robust email and messaging capabilities, and range of connectivity options made it a solid choice for users who valued productivity and communication.

However, the E63 also faced limitations compared to its competitors. The Symbian S60 operating system, while stable, was starting to feel outdated compared to newer platforms such as iOS and Android. The device’s small screen, basic camera, and lack of a touchscreen were also limitations in an increasingly competitive market.

In retrospect, the Nokia E63 can be seen as a device that represented both the strengths and challenges of its era. It was a well-built and functional smartphone with a focus on productivity, but it struggled to compete with the growing popularity of touch-based interfaces and app ecosystems.

The E63 remains a notable part of Nokia’s legacy, particularly for users who appreciated its physical keyboard and business-oriented features. While it may not have been a game-changer in the smartphone market, it served its purpose effectively for many users. As a piece of smartphone history, the Nokia E63 represents a transitional period in the evolution of mobile technology, bridging the gap between the older and newer eras of smartphones.

Conclusion

The Nokia E63 was a solid and functional device that offered a blend of productivity features and connectivity options. Its full QWERTY keyboard, robust email and messaging capabilities, and range of connectivity options made it a valuable tool for business users and productivity-focused individuals.

While the device had its limitations, including an outdated operating system, a basic camera, and a relatively small screen, it provided a reliable and practical solution for its target audience. The E63’s design, build quality, and feature set made it a noteworthy entry in Nokia’s E-series lineup, and it remains a significant part of the company’s smartphone legacy.

As technology has advanced, the Nokia E63’s place in smartphone history serves as a reminder of the evolution of mobile devices and the shifting priorities of users. The E63’s focus on productivity and communication laid the groundwork for future devices, and its impact on the smartphone market remains an important part of its legacy.

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