Manage updates with the Download AppNokia 5230 Nuron (T-Mobile)
Manufacturer: Nokia Part number: nokia-5230-nuron
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Nokia 5230 Nuron for T-Mobile isn't the most advanced or fastest smartphone on the market, but budget-conscious customers will find an incredible deal here.
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Where to buy
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CNET editors' review
Nokia 5230 Nuron (T-Mobile) price range: $198.00
- Reviewed by: Bonnie Cha
- Reviewed on: 03/21/2010
- Released on: 03/24/2010
The good: The Nokia 5230 Nuron has free maps and voice-guide navigation via Ovi Maps, 3G, and excellent call quality, all at an affordable price. It's also the first Nokia smartphone with a U.S. carrier to offer access to the Ovi Store.
The bad: The Nuron lacks Wi-Fi and a document viewer. Its user interface is clunky and confusing, and we wish it had a capacitive touch screen. No flash for the camera.
The bottom line: The Nokia 5230 Nuron for T-Mobile isn't the most advanced or fastest smartphone on the market, but budget-conscious customers will find an incredible deal here.
User reviews
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affordable and dependable with smartphone features.
by theman9179 on March 29, 2010
Pros: Affordable phone with basic touchscreen function, free GPS for life, has most features of a smartphone, 3g capability at $10/month, dependable battery life and ability to download many application through OVI STORE.
Cons: Similar to everyone's comments, a lack of wifi and everything else is low grade due to it's pricing. In addition, a lack of USB charging capability which is a big negative for me.
Summary: I am currently holding a G1, which has some problems lately. It's battery has turn bad after a year and a half, can only talk for lest than an ...
Summary: I am currently holding a G1, which has some problems lately. It's battery has turn bad after a year and a half, can only talk for lest than an hour and it has pretty bad reception the whole time I'm using it; my concerns are those two. Other features I want are GPS, touchscreen capability, tethering, alarm clock, USB charge and a good note application.
As for the Nokia Nuron, actually for Nokia overall, I have never use this brand before because most of my charger are for USB. Therefore, all the phones have to have USB charging for convenience and cost reason.
Anyhow, I picked out this phone last week for my girlfriend; compare to the TMOBILE TAP, this one totally beat it with the free GPS for life. And now, myself looking for a new, more dependable phone that can take care of my problems. I have play with the Nuron and have researched about it. I can see Nokia's strategy to gain market with this phone. It is very simple with realistic use for ordinary people.
First, it is cheap, my girl got it for free with a 2 years contract without any other add-on (data plan). Tmobile site has it for $69.99 and unlock for $179.99 while Amazon Wireless and some other sites has it for free, new contract and upgrade. A price that cannot beat for a touch screen phone with most features. And last, even with data plan, it's only cost $10 to use with unlimited 3G service because it is not consider a smartphone.
Secondly, the GPS option; everyone needs this or at least wants one. It is voice guidance, 3D maps, and most important of all, FREE FOR LIFE. A basic Garmin will be $129 while this one included in the phone, for free, probably with free upgrade in OVI WEBSITE.
Third, I think it's more reliable than my G1. The battery lasts 7 hours talk time without 3G and 5 hours for 3G users. In addition, the signal is way better than my G1; in my house, G1 doesn't show 3G connection while the Nuron shows full bar, amazing. I have been complaining about this to tmobile, but there's nothing they can do.
And last, other features. For a regular phone, Nuron sures has a smartphone capabilities. Even though some of these might be important for some users and not for others; touchscreen seem good enough for me, regular camera with new features for me even though no flash which I'm used to, Ovi store for more applications, 3G network, texting works great in landscape mode (I'm so release to see this), bluetooth, social network build in, email sync, and so on. I am quite impress with the build in dictionary, which is something my girl needs for her language that can cost a few hundreds on a separate machine. Also, it come with a 3.5mm headphone jack which quite convenience for musics and radio feature. In addition, I did some research and some said that it does tethering as well, through OVI store's application. Be nice if someone can confirm this; it is a big plus.
Overall, hopefully this evaluation will help me and others to pick the right choice. If you want a real smartphone, then this is not it. I am tired of having expensive phones with poor battery uses and application that I never use. This is just a regular phone for regular people who wants extra features for no cost. The GPS sure saves lives. Even though the lack of wifi might cost people $10 to buy the data plan, but the phone itself and GPS do not need internet to operate; therefore, it depend if you really want to sync email, download application, and go online. However, the cost of $10 is not that much compare to other plans. I am still very hesitated since I have to replace all my USB charger. In addition, if someone can clarify about tethering, please let me know. I still think it's a great touchscreen phone and it is on the top of my list at this time. Hope that'll help some people.10 out of 13 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nokia Delivers a Very Decent Low-End Smartphone!
by bgates1983 on July 19, 2010
Pros: -Free GPS
-Touchscreen
-Fairly decent reception
-Great battery life (once charged properly, etc.)Cons: -Texting can be a bit awkward, especially for those of us with large digits
-The stylus attaches in a manner that is a bit funky and IMHO is a bit questionable.Summary: Let me start by saying that this phone had some big shoes to fill. My Nokia 5130 ate itself (read my review of it to learn more) and I was ...
Summary: Let me start by saying that this phone had some big shoes to fill. My Nokia 5130 ate itself (read my review of it to learn more) and I was sent a Samsung Smiley. It did not make me smile in the slightest. I complained and to make a long story short, I received a free Nokia a few days later.
Excited at the thrill of using the internet on my phone for the first time ever, I upgraded to the data plan as well.
It is with that in mind that I tell you that this phone blew my expectations out of the water. I was sad to see my beloved 5130 go, but the pain quickly subsided when this came home. For someone like myself who has never seen the use in a phone that can all but shower for you, I have frequented Nokia's low end models for quite some time and been quite satisfied.
Not only can this phone adequately replace the 5130's Radio and Music player functionality, but it's just as customizable, user-friendly (if you're familiar with Nokia products), and so on. Add to that the notion of free GPS without needing a data plan and you've already sparked my interest.
Some of the available apps are a bit juvenile at best, but some are downright handy! As I indicated in my list of cons (and by the lack of the elusive fifth star), there are some drawbacks to an otherwise brilliant phone. The first being that being so used to real buttons under my fingers, touchscreen is a bit of a leap. I've had the phone just over a week, so perhaps I will get around it in time. This is actually a concern I shared with the 5130, but I did in fact get over that very quickly.
The only other downside I have seen to this phone is that the styles attaches by being wrapped around a tiny post that lives underneath the cover of the phone. Attaching this through a case was interesting to say the least and required more dexterity than one might think. It's already come undone once but thankfully, did not result in the phone hitting the floor or anything.
That said, I believe I may have attached it improperly before and it has since saved the phone from 2 falls.
Another downside for those of you gadget geeks out there is that there is no WIFI capabilities but dag nab it, it's a phone! If I wanted a laptop, I'd buy one, but I don't expect to also be able to fit in my pocket and make calls.
Anyway...it's an overall great low-end smartphone that is more than capable of weighing in among its peers. Considering this replaced the phone that it did, it was a stellar upgrade. If I lost my Blackberry or Droid and got this as a replacement, I might not be so thrilled, but as I've pointed out, I am not after anything in that range.
If you're like me and enjoy the higher side of living on the low end of the economical food chain, then endulge in the elegance of the Nuron.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The phone was great until....
by TheCami on May 14, 2010
Pros: Nice sleek look, Loud speaker phone and call alerts, one of the best cameras for a phone, good apps, easy to use, long battery life.
Cons: Can get a little laggy, text alerts, landscape keyboard tweaks out at times, out of date cable for the computer.
Summary: I purchased the Nokia 5230 after testing this phone a couple times at the store. What caught my attention was that it was a Nokia and being a person who ...
Summary: I purchased the Nokia 5230 after testing this phone a couple times at the store. What caught my attention was that it was a Nokia and being a person who has used Nokias in the past I knew they can outlast most phones. This phone reminded me kind of a baby Iphone with its apps and app store. This phone comes with an interesting handwriting pad for texting and email, but I really never used it. What sweetened the deal was the cheap price of 179 dollars and the 10 dollars data plan, because I hated paying about 30 bucks for my old Sidekick and Blackberry plans. So I bought the phone pleased with myself for getting such a great phone with a great deal.
The phone was great up until a 4 days after I got it. The phone started to not alert me when I got a text message. So I thought maybe it's just acting up so I shut off the phone and turned it back on. The alerts started to work but a couple hours later it started to do it again. Then it finally stopped sending me alerts all around which means no alert tone, no incoming box that shows the texter, or the little envelope at the top right hand. I called in T-mobile in with my problem and they had me hard reset the phone. It started to work like the day I got it . But then a couple more days and it started the process of not alerting me all over. I took it in and got a new one thinking it was just that phone and it had a defect. But then my second one did the same thing. T-mobile then sent me another phone 2 weeks after I received my second phone. I just received my 3rd phone about 2 weeks ago and I just got off the phone with them sending me my 4th replacement phone for having the same exact issue.
If I wasn't such a heavy texter it wouldn't bother me so much but seeing has most people do communicate through texting it's needed to be alerted. It's a shame such a nice phone gets brought down but a defect in the system. Hopefully the upgraded version of this phone won't have this defect and that we can enjoy all the things the Nokia 5230 has to offer.6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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very good smart phone indeed
by ginovanelli on July 6, 2010
Pros: Free gps with spoken directions,including satellite,terrain,and 3d view which is awesome. 3 g.internet with opera 10 is awesome.Screen is absolutely stunning .Easy to carry around .I really like the dedicated standby button.Great video playback
Cons: Slippery outer shell that can get away from you if you dont have a good grip of it.Nokia should have a soft rubbery back imo.
Summary: Tremendous value here,and it does what it is supposed to very efficiently without getting overly complicated.
Summary: Tremendous value here,and it does what it is supposed to very efficiently without getting overly complicated.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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few mssing details in author's review
by hary536 on March 22, 2010
Pros: Bonnie Cha, the author missed few details.
1) A Document viewer is available for 5230. A viewer is available from QuickOffice. Can download from their website
or other online Nokia forums.
2) Camera settings can be tweaked to get better results.Cons: Lacks Wi-fi but can't complain since T-mobile is giving only $10 data plan with it unlike other phones
with higher data plans.Summary: I think AllAboutSymbian website has a very good series of videos about real-life experience using Nokia 5230 Nuron with the pros and cons nicely discussed. Must read that instead of ...
Summary: I think AllAboutSymbian website has a very good series of videos about real-life experience using Nokia 5230 Nuron with the pros and cons nicely discussed. Must read that instead of this theoretical review based on short usage, and not real-life long usage.
4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Smartphone, with some minor performance issues
by darkz2550 on June 7, 2010
Pros: Great design, Free ovi maps, Camera and video, touchscreen, Ovi store, Internet browsing, email and text messaging.
Cons: Some Applications stress the processor, NO WIFI:(, Clunky interface
Summary: The Nokia Nuron is a great smartphone for the masses that will deliver reliable performance for the average user. Internet and messaging are fantastic, and built in flash and a ...
Summary: The Nokia Nuron is a great smartphone for the masses that will deliver reliable performance for the average user. Internet and messaging are fantastic, and built in flash and a Youtube client are nice features,plus ovi map which is a free service is better than Google maps and is one of the highlights of this phone, and the camera and video quality look great on this screen since it sports a 640 by 340 resolution, which is only matched by a few phones, but for hardcore users this phone may not be able to handle complex applications which other phones could, plus the lack of wifi is problematic if you do not live in a 3g or edge area. Overall The Nokia Nuron is a great smartphone for the masses, and is sure to accomplish many tasks that users may want from the device.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not a half bad purchase, especially for the price.
by dmcnelly on March 24, 2010
Pros: GPS and Navigation are phenomenal
Touchscreen is highly responsive
3G is very speedy
Music sounds good, even through the phone speakerCons: Accelerometer can be a little slow to respond
Touchscreen feels slightly cramped
Camera is nothing to write home aboutSummary: The 5230 Nuron is quite a good little phone. Not as feature packed as other smartphone models, but in it's price range, it stands tall. The touchscreen is very ...
Summary: The 5230 Nuron is quite a good little phone. Not as feature packed as other smartphone models, but in it's price range, it stands tall. The touchscreen is very responsive, and the GPS can get a lock even inside a building. The 3G is also quite speedy. The Ovi store, while sometimes difficult to navigate, has many useful and fun apps. However, the accelerometer seems to lag on occasion, the camera doesn't compare to other Nokia models. There's also a little build quality issue with the plastic between the volume rocker and the hold switch; There's enough play to confuse it for a button press. Overall however, for the price, this is a wonderful little phone that makes a great entry level smartphone, and it's feature set, while not the most mindblowing, is still pretty packed.
3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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best phone i ever had does everything!!!
by makay11 on January 30, 2011
Pros: lots of applications. regular updates. Gps for free, super video and picture capture for 2mp. On air radio access, internet radio, movie view great travel companion. Unlimited web for 10 bucka a month. smooth and slick
Cons: does not have wifi. just a bit slow sometimes
Summary: the color choice and sound quality of media player. more internal memory
Summary: the color choice and sound quality of media player. more internal memory
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Too many problems !
by Gwhizz63 on August 31, 2010
Pros: Speaker is loud, camera and video great, options good.
Cons: Phone tends to freeze up randomly. Reception is sketchy, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Had problem with memory being full and unable to use vvery well. Sometimes calls and messages come in with no alerts or tomes.
Summary: Have switched it with new one but continue to have problems.
Summary: Have switched it with new one but continue to have problems.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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overcomplicated for it's power, lost simple functions
by tamarinera on June 29, 2010
Pros: Has internet capability while still being called a "phone-first" device. Also, has FM radio.
Cons: Slow processor.Delay switching screen orientation, oversensitive. Burns batteries(daily charge at least). Menu structure over-complex. Software crashed. Finding contacts awkward. Rings already loaded are cheesy.
Summary: Menu structure is too dense: hard to get to basic things like dimming screen or volume. There are sort of two main screens, and I'm constantly pushing the white ...
Summary: Menu structure is too dense: hard to get to basic things like dimming screen or volume. There are sort of two main screens, and I'm constantly pushing the white button to get to some menu where I'm not at the time. Processor is slow, so I am always waiting for it to catch up. I'll keep processes going on in the background unbeknownst to me, burning through batteries in a matter of hours. To quit those apps requires going to each one individually and scrolling down to "Exit": a cumbersome process. The fact that Exit is always at the bottom of the Options requires constant scrolling and is annoying. The orientation switch from portrait to landscape is oversensitive: a small angle of the wrist to see through reflection and it'll think you've turned the device. Then the slow processor results in a stutter as it re-orients, so again, I am waiting frequently for this thing to get back to where I was before it misinterpreted my motion. I loaded it with various software in the first two weeks (Opera browser, Adobe Reader, Nimbuzz and Fring VOIP apps), and it then crashed. Unrecoverable, so a new one had to be sent to me. The MicroSD card was then corrupted, so I lost data as well. The contacts list has an alphabetical search access that eliminates letters as you get more selective. This means the letters are constantly relocating on the screen, so you must constantly look at the screen and re-assess letter location before finding the next letter. In other words, this is highly annoying and majorly impacts speed of dialing. Just to get the number pad up requires 2-3 taps. I think this device is trying to be more than it is capable of. I can manage my expectations for quality and amount of internet access or extra apps, but when I cannot even perform simple functions without waiting for the phone...well, it's missed it's primary function.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Nokia
- Part number: nokia-5230-nuron
- Description: The eye-catching Nokia 5230 brings together innovative design and cutting-edge technology with its vibrant colors, touch-based user interface, large widescreen display, and enhanced media player.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Product Type Smartphone
- Form Factor Touch
- Phone Design Candy Bar
- Integrated Components Digital camera,
Digital player,
FM radio,
Voice recorder - Antenna Internal
- Width 2.03 in
- Depth 0.57 in
- Height 4.37 in
- Weight 4 oz
- Body Color White
Cellular
- Technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM
- Band WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- Mobile Broadband Generation 3G
- Service Provider T-Mobile
- Operating System Symbian OS 9.4 / Series 60 v5.0
- Software Platforms Supported Java,
Java MIDP 2.0 - Input Device(s) Touch sensitive screen
Messaging & Internet
- Cellular Messaging Services MMS,
SMS - Supported Email Protocols SMTP,
POP3,
IMAP4 - Messaging & Data Features XHTML Browser
Communications
- Data Transmission GPRS,
EDGE,
HSDPA - High Speed Circuit Switched Data (HSCSD) Yes
- Wireless Interface Bluetooth 2.0
- Bluetooth Profiles Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP),
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) - Communication Features Internet browser,
Mobile Email client Phone Features
- Phone Functions Voice control,
Call timer,
Conference call,
Speakerphone,
Voice dialing,
Vibrating alert - Polyphonic Ringer Yes
- Polyphonic Ring Tone Voice Qty 64
- Sensors Accelerometer
- Additional Features Speakerphone,
Touch screen,
GPS,
microSD card slot,
USB,
EDGE,
Voice dialing,
Voice command Organizer
- Personal Information Management Synchronization with PC,
Calendar,
Calculator,
Reminder,
Alarm clock Media Player
- Supported Digital Audio Standards eAAC+,
MP3,
WMA,
AAC - Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-4,
WMV,
3GP
Memory
- User Memory 70 MB
- Supported Flash Memory Cards microSDHC - up to 16 GB
Digital Camera
- Sensor Resolution 2 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Type CMOS
- Digital Zoom 3
- Special Effects Normal,
Vivid,
Negative,
Black & White,
Sepia - Video Recorder Resolutions 176 x 144 (QCIF),
640 x 480 (VGA),
320 x 240 (QVGA) Navigation System
- GPS Navigation A-GPS receiver
Display
- Type LCD display - Color
- Technology TFT
- Diagonal Size 3.2 in
- Display Resolution 640 x 360 pixels
- Color Depth 24-bit (16.7 million colors)
Connections
- Connector Type Micro-USB
Battery
- Technology Lithium ion
- Capacity 1320 mAh
- Run Time Details Talk - up to 420 min,
Standby - up to 458 hour(s) Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Power adapter , Stereo headset,
Power adapter - Also Included microSD - 4 GB
Product series
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Manufacturer: Nokia
Specs: T-Mobile,
WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM,
Up to 420 min (GSM),
Up to 258 min (WCDMA),
With digital camera / digital player / FM radio,
4 oz,
2 megapixels,
3.2 in -
Manufacturer: Nokia
Specs: Unlocked,
WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM,
4.1 oz,
2 megapixels,
3.2 in
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Nokia products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Nokia
- Address:
102 Corporate Park Drive, White Plains, NY 10604 - Phone: 1-888-848-4792
- Fax: 972-894-5050
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