Unveiling the Philips 290 Specs Prices & Performance Insights

Overview of Philips 290

The Philips 290 was announced in April 2007 as a feature phone that unfortunately never made it to market as it was eventually cancelled. Despite its short-lived existence in the company's lineup, it's worth exploring what the device had to offer in terms of design, features, and functionality. Built primarily for fundamental communication rather than advanced mobile computing, it reflected the trends and technological limitations of the time. With basic specs tailored toward customers who needed essential phone functionalities, it portrays an interesting piece of mobile history.

Design and Build

The Philips 290 sported a compact and minimalist design with dimensions measuring 101 x 44.5 x 12.2 mm and weighing just 82 grams. This lightweight design made it incredibly portable and easy to carry. It featured a traditional candy-bar form factor that was typical of phones in this era. With a mini-SIM slot and a durable exterior available in black, the phone had a straightforward and utilitarian appeal, catering especially to those who favored practicality over fashion.

Display

The phone boasted a 1.8-inch TFT display, showcasing 256K colors which were quite standard at the time of its announcement. The resolution stood at 128 x 160 pixels with a density of approximately 114 ppi. While these specifications might seem rudimentary by today's standards, they were sufficient for displaying text messages, basic web content, and phonebook entries clearly. The screen-to-body ratio of around 22.7% indicated a prominent bezel, characteristic of mobile devices from that period.

Camera

In terms of imaging, the Philips 290 featured a single VGA rear camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels. This camera enabled users to capture basic quality photos and 120p video. It did not feature a front-facing camera, which aligns with its intended utility as a communication device rather than a multimedia powerhouse. The simple camera setup was aligned with the essential nature of the device, catering to users who needed a phone for calls and SMS rather than photography.

Battery

The device was powered by a removable Li-Ion 620 mAh battery. Despite its small capacity, the energy efficiency of the phone's hardware allowed it to offer up to 200 hours of standby time and up to 3 hours of talk time. This longevity was considerable for users prioritizing a device with extended battery life over one with a multitude of features.

Storage and Memory

Internally, the Philips 290 had 6MB of storage. It supported a microSD card slot, providing the option to expand the device’s storage capabilities. However, it is essential to note that the RAM specification isn't clarified, but given the technological era and nature of the phone, it likely included a minimal amount of volatile memory sufficient to run a feature-based operating system smoothly.

Network and Connectivity

The phone was equipped with GSM technology, supporting 2G bands of GSM 900 and 1800 frequencies. It lacked support for GPRS and EDGE, emphasizing its status as a basic phone devoid of internet connectivity features beyond the WAP 2.0/xHTML browser for rudimentary web access. In terms of communication options, the Philips 290 did not support WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, or radio functionalities, which underscore its focus on voice and text communication.

Software and Features

Running on a basic feature phone operating system, the Philips 290 provided fundamental telecommunications features. SMS, EMS, and MMS messaging features covered basic and multimedia messaging needs. It also included three embedded games to provide light entertainment. The device, however, lacked Java support, limiting its ability to run third-party applications beyond the pre-installed software suite.

Audio

For audio, the Philips 290 used downloadable polyphonic and MP3 ringtones to alert the user of incoming calls and messages. It did not include a loudspeaker or a 3.5mm headphone jack, which were becoming more common during that time, further reflecting its lean features set focused on fundamental communication necessities.

Conclusion

In sum, the Philips 290 serves as an interesting case study in the evolution of mobile phones. Its design and specifications were tailored to meet the essential communicative needs of users at the time. With its lightweight build, basic camera capabilities, rudimentary display, and limited storage, it was designed with practicality in mind. Aimed at users who didn't require the functionalities of a more advanced mobile device, the Philips 290 nonetheless exemplified the enduring demand for simplicity and reliability in mobile technology.