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My sixty three ten and I
By JBC on 29 September 2009
GLOBAL – I still had a couple in the drawer up until recently. Even though they’d long since been retired, I couldn’t really face parting with my either my 6310 or 6310i. And neither could a lot of people. Certainly everyone I’ve known who’s used one will testify its many endearing qualities, most common of which seemed to be its ability to last forever. Like the cockroach of phones, it didn’t seem to matter what you did to it, you couldn’t stop the thing from working.
Of course, being born eight years ago means the 6310 is of a different era and as such, it sadly lacked many (most, no? ed) features of today’s devices. No, not for it a fancy camera, or GPS, or decent sized screen (monochrome, 96px) and as for 3G and WiFi – well, who would need ‘em?
But, how many of today’s devices can go 18 days without a charge?
Writing in the Guardian, Jonathan Glancey said “I like the fact that it works anywhere in the world and yet, no one would give it a second glance.” He describes the 6310 as an “everyday design classic“, and understandably so.
It wasn’t just battery power that kept the 6310 from self imploding, it was its sheer strength. I’m notoriously hard on phones (I’m even known to take them into swimming pools on occasion) but no matter what I threw at the 6310, it kept coming back for more. In fact, no matter what I threw the 6310 AT, it would continue working. For me, it was therapeutic.
About a year after the original was introduced, the upgraded 6310i arrived. As an avid user, I jumped on the upgrade train and rode it all the way into my local phone store (buying phones online? This was 2002!). But in truth, it wasn’t the same.
Sure, it was still a good device, but it didn’t feel like progress. Of course, the screen was suddenly a little more colourful, and the battery a little slimmer, but the things I loved about it hadn’t changed, or if they had, it was for worse. Battery life was reduced, it didn’t feel quite so chunky (and thus, strong) in the hand and as for the blue screen? Some, might call it progress. For me it was soon time to move on.
Even so the 6310 is a phone worth celebrating. It is a legend in its very own lunchtime. So, why isn’t it in the Almanac, I hear you cry? Well, it is. That’s why I’ve written about it today. Go forth, and reminisce, then share your favourite memories of the Nokia 6310 below.
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Tags | nokia 6310
September 29th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I destroy a lots of toys when I was a child but now I’m 18 yrs old I can’t even make my phone to have a scratch or drop it in the floor. Nor rain drops can fell into it neither hold it when my hands is wet. That’s a lot of things for being a big boy now.
Back 8 years ago my mother bought me phone a Nokia 3210 and I was total star struck when I hold it for the first time. It’s a glamor to hold a mobile phone that time. The design of 3210 is more elegant than any other phone coz of its curvy pads, it is a friendly phone that I can easily learn how to use. But in an accident (phone accident =p) the phone was dropped in the toilet bowl and sadly its the end of his story becoz we can’t revive it that time.
With no choice my mother bought a new phone and thats the start of 6310 journey. I love it that time becoz lots of new buttons/keys and more sexier compare to 3210. I almost spend all my allowance just for buying logos and changeable phone casing for it. And have more time in my phone than in my dog. I even remember that I always destroy the keypads becoz of insane playing of snake and pairs.
But, as innovations was a in a big circle of our life I can’t remain on that 6310. Although my phones are different now and I have a smart phone now I just can’t get rid of the memories to have phone like that.
Hmmm. As time passes we forget things, but, with 6310 and 3210 I can’t even erase the Snake Game in my mind and my Nokia 6310 will forever part of my enthusiasm with mobile phone.
P.S.
My 6310 was multiplied in many part becoz my younger brother played with it and it is still in his toy box. Tougher than his any other toy. =P
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September 29th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I remember that its reception was like an E-series phone at that time. Its connectivity features were far ahead of its time.
But the most important thing I remember is the included games.
They were much better than the games included in its predecessors.
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September 29th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
It remains by best nokia buy till date. It just had everything for the era in which it was launched.
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September 30th, 2009 at 5:34 am
6310 is really a great phone. iam using it for last 5 years its absolutely amazing. But the problem is that its parts are no longer availible even at nokia care.
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October 1st, 2009 at 5:59 pm
If you look at http://www.geocities.com/bnjsnafu/Lists/nokia_history.htm where I have chronicled my history of cell phones I have ever owned in my life (currently not up to date to include my N97), you’ll see that I once owned the 6340i. It’s an American variant of the 63XX device, and with the i suffix, it didn’t have the blue screen or reduced battery life like the 6310i.
Like you, of all my old phones besides the N91 or N95-3, the 6340i is the only one that I cannot part with. After unlocking it from the jaws of AT&T, I still keep and use it as my back up phone. The 1000 mAh battery kept it going on and on like the Energizer battery. I’m not sure about the 6310, but the 6340i sports all 3 technologies: AMPS, TDMA and GSM (although GSM is technically a variant of TDMA).
I have abused it, I have overused it, and I have dropped it so many times, but it just won’t quit! The fact that it has GSM and a SIM slot makes me feel like this is a dependable backup phone. It’s not fancy, but it works! Unfortunately, it only supports GSM 850 and 1900, which is predominantly used in the USA.
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October 2nd, 2009 at 2:49 am
I still have my 6310i. I have so many memories of places I visited with my 6310i by my side.
Some days ago my wife needed a replacement phone (she had to pass her phone to a daughter), and the one I had at hand was my old-faithful 6310i. It still works beautifully. Oh what a phone!!.
Thanks Nokia for such a good product.
Best Regards
JLP
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October 6th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Oh this is one of the most unforgettable phones ever created by nokia. I couldn’t have one myself but i remember my friend having one. I was probably using 5210 at that time but every time i got my hands on 6310 it was just a fulfilling experience. Later i bought 6310i, which was quite a good phone also but not so… didn’t feel firm in my hands…
Now i’ve been using E90 for over 2 years and i still can’t find a replacement for it. This is kind of the new 6310, a way ahead of it’s time, strong, fills all your connectivity needs and basically can handle everything i throw at it. Just like the good old 6310… maybe, but just maybe it’s a bit fat though
but that’s a price i’m willing to pay.
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October 29th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
I miss my 6310i. The battery life was outstanding, and the call quality was excellent. If only AT&T had a better GSM presence in the U.S., I have little doubt that I would still have that phone. I decided to sell it because they were very slowly building up their atrocious GSM network, and I simply couldn’t wait so I sold my 6310i and got a TDMA capable phone.
In my experience, the 6340 was a good phone because of it’s different signal types capabilities, but still not as good as the 6310i.
The question that I have – a question which many of us 6310i fans share is – why can’t Nokia produce phones like the 6310i anymore? As I watch Nokia losing market share by the day, I can’t help but think that they had the answer to fighting this trend all along. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS)! Make a phone that sticks to its guns – great battery life, great mouth and earpiece quality, functional applications only (calendar, alarm), and forget all the silly/unnecessary extras (camera, flash, compass, GPS, music players, etc). I’d gladly shell out top dollar for a phone that was awesome at being a phone. It’s too hard for me to believe that there isn’t a big enough market of people like me who want a phone that is good at doing its principal function – making calls.
For now, my Nokia E71 will suffice, but Nokia is hemorraging its customer base by the day, and they are about to lose a long-time Nokia phone fan here in the U.S. which is much more rare in a country dominated by iPhones, Blackberries, and LGs. If Nokia ever gets back to their basics, I would consider investing in them, but right now, their stock is almost worthless.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I am an ardent fan of 6310i.
Infact i would plead any one in this world who has this phone ,to kindly call me or mail me ,if one would like to gift it to me.lolzzzz,or sell it.Or give it as a momento.
I am really wanting it.
[CONTACT DETAILS REMOVED]
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November 9th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
i have a very smooth,reliable,and long lasting 6310i at the palm of my hands right now. this is one of the greatest phone ever produce. i sold my n95 and only uses my iphone 3g as a back up phone.it will stay with me forever.
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