Nokia 8800 Arte Complete Guide Specs Prices & Review

Nokia 8800 Arte Overview

The Nokia 8800 Arte, announced in November 2007 and released a month later, was among Nokia's premium line of feature phones targeting a market segment looking for luxury and sophistication. It marks a period in mobile telecommunication history where premium materials and design took precedence alongside basic functionality.

Design and Build

The first noticeable aspect of the Nokia 8800 Arte is its striking design. With dimensions of 109 x 45.6 x 14.6 mm and a weight of 150 g, the phone’s compact and solid form factor delivers a luxurious feel. The device is crafted from high-end materials including metal and glass, ensuring durability and a premium touch. Its sleek design is emphasized through scratch-resistant glass, which adds to the phone's resilience against everyday wear and tear.

Display Features

The Nokia 8800 Arte boasts a 2.0-inch OLED display capable of rendering up to 16 million colors, providing users with rich and vibrant visual content. The screen features a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, promising excellent clarity for its size. Despite the small screen-to-body ratio of ~24.9%, the display serves its purpose reasonably well, enhancing user experience with clear, bright, and colorful images.

Camera Capabilities

Equipped with a 3.15 MP autofocus camera, the Nokia 8800 Arte includes basic photography capabilities for capturing moments. Although not comparable to today's standards, at the time of its release, this camera offered a significant means to record memories. The camera also supports video recording at 480p@15fps, a respectable feature for a feature phone from that era.

Performance and Storage

Under the hood, the Nokia 8800 Arte functions with a focus on delivering essential mobile operations. While specifics about the processor and RAM might not match smartphones of today, the device seamlessly executes its purpose as a luxury phone – aimed more at offering call functionalities and basic services rather than high-tech operations. It comes with 1GB of internal storage, suitable for storing contacts, messages, and a limited number of media files. It should be noted that the device does not support expandable storage via card slots.

Network and Connectivity

This phone operates on GSM/UMTS technologies, supporting 2G bands (GSM 900/1800/1900) and 3G bands (UMTS 2100). Capable of speeds up to 384 kbps, it was adequate for the simple internet browsing tasks it was equipped to handle. In terms of connectivity, the device features Bluetooth 2.0 but has no WLAN or GPS capabilities. A microUSB port supports wired connectivity and facilitates data transfer.

Battery Life

The Nokia 8800 Arte is powered by a removable Li-Ion 1000 mAh battery (BL-4U), providing up to 300 hours of standby time and a talk time of up to 3 hours. While not vast in comparison to modern smartphones, it sufficed for the simpler functions typical of feature phones, ensuring that users could rely on it throughout a typical day of basic usage.

Sound and Multimedia

The phone’s audio output, characterized by a 66dB loudspeaker, is adequate for calls and supported media files. It lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, which was beginning to be phased out even on some feature phones at the time. For alerts, Nokia provided support for vibration, downloadable polyphonic, MP3, and video ringtones, enhancing its multimedia appeal.

Software Features

As a feature phone, the Nokia 8800 Arte operates on a proprietary OS with functionalities like SMS, MMS, and Email messaging. It incorporates an accelerometer, facilitating some rudimentary motion-sensing functions, and offers a WAP 2.0/xHTML browser for basic internet access. Java MIDP 2.1 support allows users to download and install basic applications and games.

Market Position and Conclusion

Marketed at about 610 EUR, the Nokia 8800 Arte catered to consumers willing to pay a premium for quality design and exclusivity. With its emphasis on luxury over technology, it typified the period where such devices were seen as status symbols. Though discontinued, the 8800 Arte remains a celebrated model in Nokia’s legacy for its innovative design and quality materials. It serves as a reminder of the era when phones were more than just gadgets; they were personal accessories and statements of style.