Bird S1190 Unveiling Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Overview of Bird S1190

The Bird S1190 is a classic example of early mobile phone technology from the mid-2000s. Released in the first quarter of 2004, this feature phone offered basic functionalities typical of its time. Its release reflected the mobile industry's aim to provide accessible and straightforward communication devices before the advent of smartphones.

Network and Connectivity

The Bird S1190 operates on GSM technology, supporting GSM 900/1800 bands. However, it does not have advanced connectivity features; GPRS and EDGE services are unavailable, which means users could only rely on basic call and text functionalities. This limitation is indicative of the era when mobile internet was not yet widespread.

Design and Build

Physically, the Bird S1190 is compact and lightweight. Its dimensions are 84 x 43 x 20 mm, and it weighs only 85 grams, making it portable and easy to carry. The phone utilizes a Mini-SIM card, which was a standard SIM card size during the period. The design is simplistic yet functional, featuring a silver color finish that was popular among mobile phones of that time.

Display Features

The display of the Bird S1190 is a CSTN screen with the capability to show 4096 colors. Although small in size and lacking high resolution at 102 x 80 pixels, it served well for simple tasks such as reading messages or navigating menus. The vibrant colors provided by the CSTN technology offered a decent viewing experience for a feature phone of its era.

Memory and Storage

The internal storage capabilities of the Bird S1190 are limited; it lacks a card slot for memory expansion. The phonebook can store up to 200 entries, and call records can maintain logs for 20 dialed, received, and missed calls each. These storage capacities are modest by today's standards but were reasonably sufficient for users' needs at the time of its release.

Sound and Audio

The device includes a loudspeaker and supports various alert types, including vibration and polyphonic ringtones with up to 16 tones. It does not have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which means users needed to utilize the device's loudspeaker for audio purposes or rely on specific compatible headsets.

Communication and Other Features

Being a feature phone, the Bird S1190 is limited in communication technologies. It does not offer Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or USB connectivity, restricting its data transmission capabilities. The absence of a radio and modern positioning systems such as GPS further exemplifies its basic functionality.

Messaging on the device is limited to SMS, and it has two built-in games. Without Java support, the phone could not run additional applications, which might be seen as a downside but aligns with the typical usage for phones of that time.

Battery Life

The Bird S1190 is powered by a removable Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 670mAh. Given the phone's limited features and small display, this battery capacity was adequate to sustain prolonged periods of usage, which was a significant advantage when longer battery life was a crucial selling point for mobile phones.

Conclusion

As a discontinued product, the Bird S1190 stands as a testament to the evolution of mobile technology. Its simplicity in design, limited connectivity, and fundamental features reflect a time when mobile phones were primarily tools for voice communication. The Bird S1190 may not match up to today's smartphone capabilities, but it remains a nostalgic piece of technology for those who experienced the early 2000s mobile scene.