Nokia has pulled a classic “S” move here, taking the 3310—the phone that effectively conquered the planet—and giving it a modest internal facelift. Released in early 2001, the 3330 is identical to the 3310 on the outside, save for the “Pebble” grey cover it usually ships with, but the real changes are under the plastic. The headline addition is WAP 1.1. Yes, you can now use your 3310-shaped tank to slowly dial into a text-only version of the news or download a new animated screensaver, provided you have the patience of a Zen master. It’s also got an internal phonebook that can store 100 names, which is a massive upgrade over the 3310’s total reliance on the SIM card.
Software-wise, Nokia has added a fifth game, Bumper, which is a surprisingly playable pinball clone that joins the existing holy trinity of Snake II, Space Impact, and Pairs II. The 3330 also introduces “Animated Screen Savers,” which are essentially just tiny pixelated GIFs that eat your battery life for breakfast but look undeniably cool. Speaking of batteries, it still uses the same 900 mAh NiMH block, so you’re still getting that legendary week-long durability. It’s a bit of a “stop-gap” phone, clearly designed to keep the momentum going while Nokia prepares for the colour revolution, but for the millions of people who already love the 3310’s indestructible nature, the 3330 is simply a better version of perfection.