Price and specifications of Nokia 5235 Comes With Music advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Introduction to Nokia 5235 Comes With Music

The Nokia 5235 Comes With Music was launched as an affordable touch-screen phone by Nokia, with a unique selling proposition centered around its "Comes With Music" service feature, which offered unlimited music downloads. This device was part of Nokia's strategy to cater to the growing demand for touch phones and music-centric devices. Below, we'll delve into the various aspects of the Nokia 5235, exploring its specifications, hardware, software, and overall performance.

Network and Connectivity

The Nokia 5235 was built with GSM / HSPA technology, supporting 2G bands (GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) and 3G bands (HSDPA 900 / 2100). Its network capabilities enabled relatively fast data speeds of up to HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps, making it suitable for early smartphone users who needed dependable connectivity for basic internet use, such as browsing and messaging.

Design and Build

The phone was announced in December 2009 and released in March 2010, reflecting the design trends of the time with a bar format. Its dimensions of 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm and weight of 115 grams made it a compact and lightweight option. The use of Mini-SIM, while outdated by today’s standards, was common at the time. It came in two color variants: Black and White, catering to consumers who preferred simple and classic color choices.

Display

The Nokia 5235 featured a 3.2-inch TFT resistive touchscreen with 16M colors, boasting a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels and a 16:9 ratio. While the screen-to-body ratio was approximately 49.2%, making the display not as dominant as modern-day smartphones, it was considered adequate for users during its release period. The resistive technology, though less responsive compared to capacitive screens, was part of many early touchscreen devices.

Platform and Processor

Operating on Symbian 9.4, Series 60 rel. 5, the Nokia 5235 ran on a 434 MHz ARM 11 processor. Symbian OS was a leading platform at the time, providing essential smartphone functionalities. However, its relatively low processor speed meant it was tailored more towards basic applications rather than high-performance tasks, which was typical for many devices in its category during that era.

Memory and Storage

With 70MB of internal storage and a dedicated microSDHC slot that supported expandable storage, the Nokia 5235 allowed users to store their preferred selections of music, photos, and applications. The external storage capability was a critical feature for music lovers who wanted to take full advantage of the "Comes With Music" offer without constantly managing storage limits.

Camera Features

The device offered a single 2MP main camera, capable of video recording at 480p@30fps. While the camera specifications were modest, they fulfilled basic photography needs. The absence of a front-facing camera highlighted the phone’s focus on music over multimedia content creation, aligning with its target market’s expectations at the time.

Audio and Sound Capabilities

One of the standout features of the Nokia 5235 was its audio capabilities. It came with a 3.5mm audio jack and a loudspeaker, ensuring versatility in listening to music either through headphones or directly from the device. The stereo FM radio with RDS further enriched the user's music experience, providing access to local stations and enjoying a variety of content beyond downloaded music.

Communications and Sensors

Although the phone lacked WLAN connectivity, it was equipped with Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, facilitating wireless audio streaming and file transfer. GPS and A-GPS support, coupled with Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch, provided basic navigation aid. The presence of sensors like the accelerometer and proximity sensor were standard for enhancing user interaction and device functionality.

Battery Life

Powered by a removable Li-Ion 1320 mAh battery (BL-5J), the Nokia 5235 offered several hours of use: up to 7 hours talk time on 2G, and up to 4 hours, 18 minutes on 3G. This was complemented by a remarkable music playback time of up to 33 hours, underlining its role as a music-focused phone. The standby times of up to 458 hours (2G) and 438 hours (3G) were quite efficient for the period.

Additional Features

The browser supported WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, and Adobe Flash Lite, which was adequate for standard web browsing at the time. Despite its limitations compared to more advanced browsers of the era, it provided satisfactory internet access for lightweight tasks.

Market Impact and Legacy

The Nokia 5235 Comes With Music was priced at approximately 120 EUR, positioning it as an affordable option for budget-conscious consumers desiring a touch-screen music phone. Though it couldn't compete with more advanced smartphones that came later in terms of features and performance, it represented a significant step for Nokia in integrating music services with mobile technology, setting a precedent for future devices that embedded multimedia services as a core offering.

Conclusion

In summary, the Nokia 5235 Comes With Music was a compelling device for its time, focusing on delivering an enriched music experience bundled with essential smartphone features. It successfully combined multimedia services with mobile device technology, appealing to a niche market that valued music accessibility. While it has since been surpassed by more advanced technology, its contribution to the evolution of music phones remains noteworthy.