Nokia 5310 XpressMusic

The following is my super quick review of Jennifer's Nokia 5310 XpressMusic feature phone, her main mobile for the past couple of weeks.

The Good
- Very thin (9.9mm) and light (71g).
- Sync'able address book, calendar, task list and memos with Outlook.
- Above average speakers.
- A light sensor automatically adjusts the screen's brightness.
- Dedicated TI AIC33 sound processor providing sound quality that is actually better than even some branded dedicated digital music player.
- Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP profile, ruh ruh Apple? Sony's BT10CX bluetooth stereo headphones works great with this.
- Comes with 2GB microSD card.
- microSD card slot is compatible with high capacity microSDHC - works with 8GB card, possibly 16GB, also hot-swappable.
- Stereo FM works well, but requires to be connected to Nokia's headphone adapter.
- Industrial standard 3.5mm headphone socket ensures compatibility with our Sennheiser phones - they even placed it on the top, which is ergonomically the ideal position!
- Support for USB mass storage (yay!).

The Average
- Industrial standard microUSB port is better than Pop-Port, but the prolific miniUSB is even better.
- Series 40 5th edition is speedy and user friendly, but I wish for a Series 60 version.
- Youth orientated design may not appeal to all.
- Battery life is average lasting 2-3 days per charge with light text, calls and music playback.

Verdict
- Utterly desirable and skinny mobile for people seeking a budget quality music phone. It isn't perfect, but at the price point the 5310 beats even more expensive phones in terms of audio fidelity and features. The 3.5mm port shows where Nokia's priority lies especially in an age where other manufacturers like Sony Ericsson are still keen to promote their proprietary ports.

Update: The 5310 XpressMusic has been selected as the first Nokia phone to qualify under their Come With Music program. I think it is an excellent choice considering how great the 5310 is as a music player.