Best of all Worlds - Nokia E63

If you are a fan of the Nokia E71 but you want to get it on a budget, the Nokia E63 is looking right at you and saying, I'm yours.

The Nokia E63 is almost exactly the same dimensions as the Nokia E71 except its more like an E71 after a buffet dinner, with an extra thickness to it - probably to accommodate the 3.5mm headphone jack which now allows mp3 users to bring one set of earphones for their ipod and their E63.

Form factor One thing I liked about the E63 is the feel of it. The matted finish is much preferred over the stainless steel backing that comes on the E71 which collects fingerprints like an ex-FBI agent. One great annoyance of the E63 is that they've moved the power button from the top to live with the hang up button. Now, if you are like me, this may cause you to turn off your phone accidentally because one press of the hangup button brings up the menu to turn off the phone etc and the nokia thumb quite often then moves to the OPTIONS key which quickly

sends the phone into shut down mode. Dont worry if you don't get it now, you will when you play with this phone. The keypad has a rubbery feel but it is surprisingly easy to type messages and dial numbers using one hand, despite the closeness of each key to each other.

Surprises One thing MyE65 users love are keypad shortcuts. Like the E71 and E66, the E63 introduces the LONG PRESS selection which allows you to hold down a button and get to one thing, whereas a short press of the button takes you to another. Let's call them double function keys.

Also the phone has a breathing light which starts pulsing like crazy when you have a missed call or message. One thing it doesnt have is the ability to hold down the navi key and see an illuminated clock when you are groping in the dark. All these are discussed in the review on the E66 and the Nokia E71.

Another nice surprise which the E71 does not have is the torch which is activated by pressing and holding the spacebar on the bottom of the QWERTY keypad. It uses the LED for the flash on the camera as a torch and needless to say, photos taken turn out very well.

Another useful feature is being able to access the address book from the standby screen just by starting to type a contact's name on the keypad. That is more useful than you realise.

E63 with PC Suite - There are no incoming call notifications when connected with PC suite (unlike the E71) but the PC Suite can show the length of the call while you are on the phone.

Overall - The only main thing that is lacking in this phone is a GPS and like many people who are faced with this decision, I would say that this phone is worth getting and with its idiosyncracies, some people may find it a better choice than the E71 as an upgrade from their E65. For those looking for an easy to use phone that will last them two years, this is a good choice.

Update: Three now giving away the Nokia E63 on a $29 cap 12 month contract! It is now cheaper to buy the Nokia E63 from 3 than to buy it outright... plus you can get $64 cashback. After 12 months, even if you spent nothing on calls, you would have "bought" your E63 for only $284!!!

Get around $64 cashback for your purchase from THREE Australia by signing up to Moneybackco BEFORE you sign up to 3. See this post for more details. Get an extra $25 credit if a three customer like me refers you first (ie email mye65blog[at]gmail.com).

Nokia E63 blog has begun here.

Secret tips and hints for the Nokia E63. Users of E63 will love it :)