The Nokia 8810 is a slider style mobile phone handset manufactured by Nokia, announced on March 18, 1998. It is most notable as being among the first phones to have an internal antenna. It was designed to be the flagship and the most luxurious of all Nokia phones at the time, and also one of the first phones with chrome plating.
Core features
Memory
The phonebook can store up to 250 names and numbers. Ten text messages can be stored on the internal memory. Contacts can also be stored on the SIM card, which allows the user to keep a backup should they accidentally delete their contacts from the internal phone memory. The phone does not have, however, any external memory options such support for a microSD card or Sony memory card.
Calls
The call history of the 8810 stores 30 previous calls: 10 dialed, 10 received and 10 missed. There are 35 preloaded monophonic ringtones on the phone and additional ringtones are available for download at a cost. The phone features the ability to make conference calls, hold calls and send DTMF tones. However, the phone does not feature a built in loudspeaker, which was unusual considering many lower quality phones which did not fall into the same price bracket as the Nokia 8810 were built with loudspeakers.
Display and input
The Nokia 8810 has a five line monochrome graphic display. Features include dynamic font size and soft key.
Connectivity
Besides the standard 2G network, the 8810 also features an infrared port, which was later adopted into other Nokia high-end phones.
Messaging
The phone uses SMS with T9 predictive text input, with support for major European languages. Messages can be up to 160 characters long. Compatible phones can send and receive picture messaging in Nokia standard Smart Messaging, not in later EMS. The phone can receive network operator logos and ringtones. Due to the lack of multimedia support for the phone, the Multimedia Messaging Service is not available on this phone. Similarly, email is also not supported.
Battery
The 8810 has two options for the battery: 600 mAhNi-Mh or 400 mAh Lithium. The Ni-Mh is considered the standard battery and the lithium is the extended battery. The standard battery provides from 30 minutes to 1 hour talk time and 15–60 hours stand-by time, whereas the extended battery provides 1 hour 40 minutes – 2 hours 50 minutes talk time and 36–133 hours stand-by time.
Applications
The Nokia 8810 has a calculator which was an advanced feature in 1998, but a simple and basic feature by today's standards. It also has a currency converter which enables the user to convert one currency to another. This is also very basic, however, as the user is required to enter the exchange rate and can only enter one currency at a time, something which is very basic in comparison to today's mobile devices. Finally, the Nokia 8810 has a calendar which allows the user to store notes as well as make appointments for meetings and birthdays. The user can also use the infrared technology within the phone to send and exchange information between a computer or even another Nokia device.
Other features
The Nokia 8810 weighs 118 g with the standard battery and 98 g with the lithium battery. Its dimensions are 107×46×18 mm. The phone contains a few extra features: a clock, an alarm, and the popular game Snake. The phone is able to display any of 32 different languages. Vibration is an option for alerting the user to an event, for example receiving a text or reaching the time of an alarm. The 8810 is able to be used with Carbon Copy 5.0, which is a remote access program used for controlling a computer via a dial-up modem connection. Like all Nokia phone models, the 8810 has the option to change the 'profile'. This means that the user can select the volume and melody for tones such as the message tone, the ringing tone and the keypad tone, to name a few. There are also security features available on the Nokia 8810, such as a PIN code request and a call barring service.
Design and reception
In 1998, the Nokia 8810 was considered a luxury phone. This was due to the sleek new design the 8810 presented. It had no external whip or stub antenna, which was unusual for the time. Instead, it featured an internal antenna, which allowed the phone to be stored in a pocket upside down. Nokia invested hundreds of man hours into research on how people hold their phones for calls; this allowed them to place the antenna accordingly. The 8810 is tapered and weighted to encourage users to hold it below the antenna, minimizing interference. However, this also led to a poorer signal reception compared to an external antenna, which meant battery life was reduced. It was encased entirely in plastic parts; this case would slide down to reveal the keypad. This new appearance, in particular the lack of an external antenna, meant the 8810 had a desirable advantage over its competitors and enjoyed moderate success. The choice to make the antenna internal had a negative effect on battery life, but Nokia felt this was an acceptable tradeoff for getting rid of the external antenna. The design of the phone also made it particularly popular following its release. Unlike most other phones in the market at the time, the Nokia 8810 featured a chrome metal finish as well as a pull down metal slide which covered the keypad and kept it clean. Nokia claimed to prioritize antenna performance over physical design if they were ever in conflict.
