Nokia 6233
As if to solidify their mark in the mobile phone market, Nokia offers us another gem with the Nokia 6233. It's a candy bar type phone with all the right perks for the modern user, including 3G capabilities. A definite budget solution for those looking for 3G functionality but do not want to splurge too much cash on a smart phone.
Being labeled with the 6233 means it may be the worthy successor to the line of Nokia 62 series such as the 6230 and its follow up, the 6230i. Design wise though, the 6233 is more in line with the Nokia models 6020, 6030, 6070 and 6080. This also means that the 6233 is an improvement over those Nokia models we have come to love, and in many aspects it does outperform all those models with its features more or less skin to that of the Nokia 6280.
Nokia 6233 Camera and Display
Of course, what present day Nokia would be complete without a camera? Let's face it, it's certainly one of the features mobile phone buyers have come to look for - whether their budget be small or astronomical. The Nokia 6233 does not fail to deliver. The handset features a 2 mega pixel camera capable of shooting both still pictures with a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels, and recording video in VGA resolution. Furthermore, the 6233's camera can zoom in on your subject digitally for up to 8 x. The shutter is expectedly situated at the unit's right side, or if that proves uncomfortable, you may opt to use D-pad's center “OK†button as the shutter. This is very helpful as the phone's 
right side keys are hard to press. The shooting speed is quite fast nevertheless, with the whole process of taking a picture at maximum resolution from pressing the shutter key to saving the image on the memory clocking in at only 3-4 seconds, depending on the lighting environment.
Touching upon the subject of poor lighting, the camera of the 6233 does offer night mode. Images can be edited later on with the phone's photo editing tools offering several effects such as Grayscale, Negative and Sepia.
All those captured moments are displayed in QVGA resolution via its 30 mm x 40 mm TFT screen at 240 x 320 pixels boasting off 256K glorious colors. Navigating through those images and videos can be done using the ergonomically designed keypad and the D-pad navigation, which provides great precision.
The 6233 also has video capturing capabilities. And it does that at 640 x 480 VGA resolution. Expected of the unit's compact size though, the clips are recorded using the 3G format at just 15 frames per second. Of good use nevertheless is that the camera effects mentioned earlier can be applied to the video automatically or manually. But of great disappointment is the suspicious absence of a front panel camera. It is hard to comprehend how the researchers at Nokia pulled off designing a 3G capable phone without it.
Nokia 6233 Design and Accessories
As earlier stated, the Nokia 6233 borrows its look from the 6020 to 6080 line of Nokia models. This is a good thing since looking at the 6233, it definitely exudes both form and function. It looks elegant in its matt black and shiny metallic frame casing, making the 
colorful screen stand out even more. If the black façade is not your thing, the 6233 comes also in a silver version. With its dimension of 108 mm x 46 mm x 18 mm, it would fit perfectly into almost anyone's hand without demanding too much effort. At 110 grams, it does weigh a bit more than some similar phones, but the design and features more than makes up for the extra weight.
Another fast-becoming standard among mobile phones right now is the music playback capabilities. Of course Nokia hasn't left that one out with the 6233. The phone is able to play MP3 and AAC files, and it does so effortlessly, since the integrated player has a rather straightforward interface. Playback may be done using the earbuds included in the 6233 package, or through its stereo speakers that, although sounds small as expected, sound surprisingly free from cracks and clicks considering the speaker's tiny size. Transferring music from your PC to the 6233 is achieved using the Nokia Audio Manager through a USB cable.
Summary of Nokia 6233 Features
- Weight: 110 g
- Width: 46 mm
- Height: 108 mm
- Thickness: 81 cc
- Network: GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 (2G), UMTS 2100 (3G)
- Screen Resolution: TFT, 256K colors, 240 x 320 pixels, 30 x 40 mm
- Data: GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps, HSCD 43.2 kbps, EDGE Class 10, 236.8 kbps
- Connectivity: Bluetooth Yes, v2.0 with A2DP, Infrared, USB Pop-port
- Web Browser: WAP 2.0/xHTML
- Music: MP3/AAC/M4A stereo player, FM stereo radio
- Camera: 2 MP, 1600x1200 pixels, video(VGA)
- Messaging: SMS, MMS, EMail, Instant Messaging
- Expansion Slot: microSD (TransFlash), up to 2GB
- Tones: Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3, AAC, Vibration
- Software Features: Java MIDP 2.0, Calendar, Calculator
- Other Features: 3GPP/MPEG4 video player, Built-in handsfree, Games (Nokia World Cup, 3D Street Racer, 3D Snake)
- Battery: Standard battery, Li-Po 1100 mAh (BP-6M), 4 hours talk time, 340 hours stand-by time
PROS: User-friendly interface that provides ease of use to both the novice and advanced Nokia user. Elegant and solid design. Compact size considering its 3G capabilities. MP3 and AAC playback.
CONS: Web browsing can be frustrating sometimes due to pages not resizing properly. Average battery life. No front panel camera for video calls. Could benefit with longer battery life.
Overall: In conclusion, if 3G is your kind of thing but your budget is a little tight, then this phone is perfect for you. It has the features that most buyers look for and Nokia definitely delivers with regards to design and function.