USB Storage and Conclusions
USB Storage Facilities
Yes, you guessed it. The Nokia 5510 doubles as a 64Mb USB Hard Drive. Here’s what I wrote on the OCAU forums, answering the question “Also, if it wouldn't be too much trouble would someone try and connect the 5510 to a pc without Nokia manager software via the USB cable to see if you can access the drive without the drivers?”
OK, I plugged the 5510 into my bro's computer via the included USB Cable. Bro's box Does not have any 5510 drivers installed.
It detected that I had connected a 5510, and installed it as a USB Mass Storage Device. Installed it as a Disk Drive, and mapped it to Drive E.
Windows XP and Windows 2000 are just plug and go. Plug the Nokia 5510 in via the USB cable and Windows will automatically install the included drivers. Within a couple of minutes (max) you will have a 64Mb Removable Disk in “My Computer”. Windows 9x/ME/NT I am almost sure you will need to install drivers, which come in the form of NAM.
Transfer rates are slower than my liking. It took 4 seconds to transfer 500kB, which equates to a upload transfer speed of about 125kB/sec. This is about right for a USB Storage Device, however.
One question was asked “If you have a non-LSE file on the phone, and you start NAM or play audio, what happens to the non-LSE file?”. From what I have seen; nothing. The test file (a small gif) stayed there whether I played MP3s, radio, transferred other files using Windows Explorer or NAM.
Conclusions
*Looks at latest toy*
Hmmmmmm :)
My old 5110 was near dead. The screen had problems, the battery was dead. I was hoping it could hold out until next year when I start full time work, so I could get a new phone on a contract. Then I saw in the forums that Dick Smith had the Nokia 5510 for $198. WTF?! The 5510, the phone that I fell in love with as soon as it came out, was finally within my financial grasp? Yes!
Ignoring the price
From what I have used of the 5510, it is a solid phone with many features. It is comfortable to hold, both making a call (vertically) and using it to type messages or play games (horizontally). Sure, it isn’t as small as a 8xxx series phone, but some of us don’t like those tiny things. It isn’t by all means “huge”, a tiny bit bigger than the 5110, and noticeably bigger than the 3xxx series mobiles.
Texting on it is easy. It does not take long to get used to. I would have preferred Nokia to put the space bar on the right side of the screen, but because the speaker is there they couldn’t. The screen is easy to see, even in the dark. Although the keyboard backlighting is concentrated on the top of the layout, the bottom keys are fairly easy to see. MP3 playback is top notch, quality is very acceptable. Radio playback is decent, although reception could be improved; perhaps a good internal antenna?
Overall, the phone is a great unit. Not only is it a phone, but is also feature packed.
Not ignoring the price
Are you CRAZY!? $198 for a run-of-the-mill 3xxx series phone is a good price! All you get with that phone is, well, a phone. That’s it.
With the 5510, you get the phone, a full SMS keypad, 64mb of USB Storage that is plug and go with Win2K/WinXP, FM Radio, Vibration Call Alert, and plenty of ring tones (if that is your sort of thing). All for under $200.
Pros:- Feature Packed (MP3, Radio, USB Storage)
Li-Ion Battery - Loads of cables that you’ll eventually need
- 1 Year warranty, extendable to 3 Years for the low price of $29.95
- A phone that when you whip it out to show friends, receives the response “What the f*** is that!!” and “Oh my god that is horrid!” (It’s a conversation starter!)
- Plug and Go USB Storage for Windows 2000 and XP.
- $25 Pre Paid Starter Kit with Telstra Communic8 (From Dick Smith Electronics stores only)
Cons:- Inbuilt Piracy protection is a pain, especially when, without it, you wouldn’t need the Nokia Audio Manager, which in itself is a pain.
- Maybe a little bulky for some people
If you are looking for a mobile phone, you cant go past the 5510. For $198, you would be very very silly to look anywhere else. Even at normal retail price (Around $500) it is still a good value phone, considering the features it comes with. I give it two thumbs up, as I love little toys, especially good value ones that aren’t cheap/nasty, and that actually serve a useful purpose :)
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