Review: Nokia C3-01 Touch & Type
Nokia knows how to design hardware. The C3-01 Touch and Type (C3) is a thin phone that offers fine materials and top-notch build quality. It's dense and weighty, giving it a needed air of authority. It feels fantastic in the hand, though the metallic surfaces tend to be a bit slippery. This phone will easily travel anywhere, and fit into the tightest pocket.
The touch display takes up about 60% of the C3's front face. Below the display, the C3 has a solid bar running from one side to the other. The send button is on one end, and the end/power button is on the other. This button is a bit too thin for my tastes, but it has good travel and feedback. Below that is a typical Nokia 12-key dialpad. The buttons are large, easy to find (thanks to some frets that run between the rows of keys), and have great travel and feedback.
Most of the remaining controls are positioned on the right side of the C3. Close to the top, Nokia has placed a too-small volume toggle. It has little nubs for determining the up and down directions, but its small size means you might accidentally press either. Below that is the screen/keypad lock button. This button is way too small. It's flush with the surface and has minimal travel and feedback. For such an important button, Nokia should have given it a bit more presence. The camera button, too, is small, but at least it sticks out noticeably from the side of the C3. It's a one-stage button, no autofocus, but the action is well defined.
All the ports are on the top of the phone. The C3 has Nokia's mini-pin charging port and ships with a mini-pin charger. However, the C3 can also be charged via the microUSB port when plugged into a computer or used with the appropriate charger. In between these two ports, you'll find the 3.5mm headset jack for media playback.
The microSD card slot is located under the metal battery cover. Thankfully, it can be swapped without removing the battery.
Aside from a couple of buttons that are a wee bit too tiny, the C3 is a solid piece of hardware.
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Nokia C3-01 Touch and Type
