If the 3310 is for the kids in the playground, the Nokia 6210 is for the people who actually pay the mortgage. Released in mid-2000 as the successor to the venerable 6110, this is the pinnacle of the “classic” Nokia design before things started getting weird with cameras and color screens. It is remarkably slim and elegant, weighing in at just 114g despite its larger, high-contrast monochrome display. The internal antenna gives it a sleek profile that slides into a suit pocket without a trace, and the dark grey finish exudes the kind of quiet authority that says “I have an expense account and I know how to use it”.
Technically, the 6210 is a monster of efficiency. It features a massive internal phonebook that can store 500 entries with multiple numbers per name, which is a godsend for anyone with more than three friends and a local chippy on speed dial. It’s also got a built-in WAP browser over a 14.4 kbps CSD connection, allowing you to check the headlines or the weather with only a moderate amount of frustration. For the truly tech-forward, there’s even an optional “connectivity battery” that adds Bluetooth support, though at this stage, finding anything to actually connect it to is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The battery life is where the 6210 truly embarrasses the competition. With the standard Li-Ion cell, you can go nearly ten days without seeing a charger, which is perfect for those long business trips where you forgot your lead anyway. It’s got all the usual Nokia refinements, from T9 predictive text to a selection of professional-sounding ringtones, and while it lacks the “fun” covers of the consumer models, it makes up for it with sheer reliability and call quality. It is the definitive business tool of the year, a phone that does everything you need with zero fuss and maximum class.