Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S

Surely you have read all reviews about this phone (GsmArena, PhoneArena, etc).

I want to emphatize just a few aspects that could help you decide:

1I was looking for a state-of-the-art cell (touch), but size is very important to me: I don't like iPhone or Galaxy-S size. I need to put my cell in my pocket, and operate it with just one hand; that's the first reason to buy Nokia C6-01;

2Quality: there is no people that could give you an opinion against the very good quality of this phone;

3Symbian is TOTALLY customizable: I understand Android could give you a very "update able" impression, but Symbian is too.

4I am a middle-age professional (44). Big hands, lot of work, very internet-dependent (for work), and travelling a lot by airplane. I need a cell phone to get email mainly through wifi networks, but I really do not have too much social-related activity (Tweeter, Facebook, and so), so I doubted when reading a lot of reviews referring to this aspects. I can tell you that customization is total: you can decide to put every icon related to screens as you want. I've cleaned my screens and setup the icons I needed.

5Connectivity in this cell is absolutly easy and user-controlable.

6Installing Ovi Apps is an easy and error-free process. I've installed Opera Mobile (it works like a rock!), Skype, a better calculator, QR barcode reader, etc.

7I've setting up my Hotmail account and a Gmail-corporate account without any problem: they are living in my cell exactly in the way they should be: each inbox separated from the other, and syncronizing just when I want (over wify or data operator link).

8Camera is VERY good. Of course it is not a full Nikon with a telex, but the photos are great for such a device;

9-Windows application to manage the phone is great. It works like a charm, easy installation, and very high quality presentation. I can control every aspect of the cellphone (You can even type and read sms in real-time using this app, provided your C6-01 is connected through usb cable !), do backups of your data, contacts, messages, and so.

10It is beautiful and very stylish. I've bought the silver one (it's very metallic: not "plastic-metallic"). Screen is REAL black, and touch operation is perfect.

So, I'm very happy with this purchase.

I hope this help you.

In today's smartphone market, it is hard to find a phone that is actually a decent "phone" size. That is, one that does not feel like a brick when you hold it to your ear. When I saw the Nokia C6-01, I knew I found my next phone. The phone fits perfectly in my hand and is a pleasure to use as a phone. It is heavy for its size, but somehow, that just makes me feel more confident in its build. Since this replaced a Nokia E72, the screen size was not a problem for me. It is big enough for me to see everything I want, and I rarely even need to zoom when reading web pages. Lastly, the AMOLED is super bright, and easy to read in sunlight. It will not disappoint. Even the standby screen (that shows the time when the phone is not in use) is relatively bright. I especially like this feature which really adds to the sophisticated look of the phone.

Hardware: Everybody knows Nokia builds quality hardware, so I will not spend too much time on this. Call quality is good so far and the speakerphone is clear. The button placements are well thought out, especially the unlock slider. Slide to lock, slide to unlock. I use it a lot. And if you hold the slider for a few seconds, the camera flash LED turns on as a flashlight. Very useful. One complaint is there is a little slop in the slider. (Not what I expected from a Nokia phone.) The 8MP camera is good in bright environments, although for indoor shots, there is some noise. I am still not sure how I feel about fixed focus cameras, but I guess most of my shots are decent so far for a camera phone.

Software: Symbian ^3 is a huge improvement from S60 in terms of "prettying up" the UI. The usability itself is still close to the pre-touch era. (E.g. why can I not swipe between call logs for missed calls, received, and dialed? Instead I have to press the tiny tab buttons on the top of the screen...) I have to admit, the 3 home screens are useful, especially with widgets that automatically update weather, sports scores, tweets, RSS feeds, etc. One thing I like about Symbian it is very customizable and I have access to all the settings. It may take a few button presses to get there, but I am OK with that. Also, nothing can beat the free Ovi maps. It has turn-by-turn navigation and traffic updates. It is fast, accurate, and FREE. The search feature also works quite well, which saves time when you only need to type in the name of the place instead of the full address. Lastly, Nokia is coming out with awesome apps from their Beta Labs. I use Situations to put my phone in silent mode during work hours, and Normal mode when I am at home (using my GPS position). And I am trying out Nokia Drop to push files to my phone.

Cons/Quirks:

1. The proximity sensor does not work dependably when I hold the phone over my hair. That caused a lot of disconnections in the first few days. I was about the send it back when I realized that the problem is gone if I place the phone directly on my ear (that is underneath my hair). This is a strange problem that I do not see in other phones (tested on an iPhone 4). I will live with it for now though, since it is not much of a bother for me.

2. The phone can be a little sluggish at times. For example, when I turn the phone to type a message, it takes a few seconds for the screen to actually switch orientation. Or sometimes I have to turn the phone a couple times.

3. Battery life can last 1 day with mid-to-heavy usage. I would like that to last a little longer.

Closing thoughts:

I know this review sounds like there is a lot wrong with the phone, but I am actually really happy with it. This phone is fun to use and a lot of the features are well though out. It has everything that I require from a smartphone. And I cannot stress how important the size is to me. The Symbian OS may be coming to an end, but I am OK riding it out with the C6-01 and waiting for what Nokia comes out with next. Last thing: people with big hands might want to try the phone out before purchasing.

Buy Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Now

Well, after years looking for the real iPhone killer i think i found it!. This Nokia has EVERYTHING that an iPhone can offer you and a lot more!. I had all type of phones before, HTC's, Palm Treo's, Palm Pixi... and more. Let's start for the physical characteristics... is a heavy phone, a thing that i like, since the case is made of really nice Metal hard to scratch (not like other cheap plastic phones). Is smaller that the iPhone but the screen size is perfect. It comes with a GPS that works like a charm, even in other countries (like Colombia) without a data plan since you can download the OVI maps for free via Wi-Fi or on your PC and transfer them via USB or Bluetooth. The app store is GREAT a lot of useful free stuff, apps, games and videos. I got a mosquito repellent app, a 360 degrees panoramic photo app, Compass, Fingerprint security, a lot of Internet Radio stations just one click away from your home screen, Pop-mail and Facebook notification on your homescreen and the best protection against thieves!: An app that you can send a msg from another phone to your C6 and sends back another MSM with the exact location of the phone! and if somebody change your SIM card the phone is locked, your personal info is send via email and deleted, and besides that send you an MSM with the notification of the change and a photo taken with the front camera. The 8MP back camera is really good and the HD video @ 720dpi looks really smooth. The front camera is really useful for the Skype app or Video calls. The camera flash works also as a REALLY! bright flashlight... Comes with FM Radio but i never use it since you need the hands-free as the antenna, i usually use with the internet radio. Other apps that come with the phone are Quickoffice, Zip and Adobe PDF Reader. I'm more than happy with this cellphone and i highly recommend it even if you don't live in the US.

Read Best Reviews of Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Here

I have to add my two-cents worth to the other glowing reviews for this phone. I just received it yesterday and I am very happy with it. Very solid and expensive looking with a great (AMOLED I think) display. I am particularly impressed that the steel back cover is so rigid yet the phone isn't too heavy. Call quality is good and it was a cinch to import the contacts from my Nokia E71. The screen is (finally!) glass I had an N97-Mini for a couple of months and I did not care for the resistive-touch and plastic screen. To me, it is a little small for comfortable e-mail reading and I would say that it is too small for surfing the internet. I have to say, though, that it's Symbian OS is a little bit of a pain to navigate perfect example is checking remaining space on your micro-SD card who would think that you would find that under Applications / Office / File Manager? But I can live with Symbian's annoyances to in order to get a great little phone with a beautiful display for half the price of a plastic device from one of the other makers.

*********************** Added on June 21, 2011 **************************

I've had this phone for another week+ and I just want to reiterate what a great little device it is!! Battery life is great and it recharges quickly. I've carried it on many evening walks and it shows zero wear and tear thanks to it's metal construction and glass display. It's my primary phone for calls between Germany and the US and I've had zero dropped calls or other call-related problems. And, much to my surpise, once I downloaded the new Ovi Store I found there are quite a few good free games on Ovi Angry Birds Seasons, Rio, Monopoly, car racing, you name it I was really pleasantly surprised!! This continues to be a compact and very well-built smartphone I highly recommend it.

*********************** Added on November 6, 2011 ************************

The Nokia C6-01 continues to be a superb phone. Still runs like a top and looks like new despite another four+ months of carrying around and using. Another advantage I really like is it supports both AT&T and T-Mobile 3G bands in the States and works here in Germany with Telekom. Last but not least I like it so much that I've ordered a second one for my wife to use. Keep in mind though this phone isn't for you if you want a large screen to surf the internet or check FB. It's a great phone with super battery life and a very clear screen.

Want Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Discount?

Updated on 05/28/2013.

Still going strong, however the latest upgrade to Nokia Belle made it less responsive to touches and in general more buggy.

Latest navigation update added a pedestrian mode. navigation itself could be a bit quirky some suggestions are downright dangerous like

making turns where it is physically impossible. Also the new browser does not have an option to remove the status bar at the bottom that

eats into already small page space.

Recently was running car navigation and listening to the Internet radio streaming at the same time all on 340MB of RAM impressive!

Also I can view 720P movies shut on my GoPro camera via OTG cable with USB flash reader. Pretty cool!

Will take a look at Lumia 620 next. It also has worldwide navigation with free map upgrades.

End of Updated on 05/28/2013.

First, the negatives.

1) Reboots a lot. While searching for the GPS location, playing MP3s, running the custom application I wrote for the Symbian OS NOT ANYMORE see below

2) Limited applications availability. Only one music player that came with the phone, no player that plays by folder so the music has to be tagged/organized

3) Browser experience is sub-par

4) Cumbersome navigation. Read the manual!

4) Nokia OVI store on the phone stopped working after I swapped the supplied 4GB micro-SD card for a 16GB one NEWEST UPDATE FIXED THE ISSUE see below

5) Nokia app for the computer is not very intuitive

Now the positives that BY FAR outweigh the negatives, mostly what was not mentioned by the others

1) High quality body/screen

2) Excellent voice quality

3) Sensitive wi-fi radio

4) Works perfectly as a standalone GPS with the maps of the whole world available for download. Maps of Europe are superior to Google's. last year in Croatia Google was forcing me to take the ferry since supposedly it was no road available. Nokia maps got it right.

5) Availability of cheap GENUINE Nokia accessories on the famous auction site and various Chinese outfits on the WEB. You can get an outstanding car holder for peanuts as well as some basic covers and extra battery with charger that works with the supplied with the phone proprietary power cable.

6) With a dirt-cheap (see above) OTG cable you can connect a USB flash drive as an external memory to the phone and it will be treated like an internal memory or an inserted micro-SD card

7) Skype works perfectly over wi-fi and 3G

8) GSM coverage EVERYWHERE in the world

9) Good still/video camera

10) Small. No damage to vital organs when kept in the pocket.

Suggestion: make sure that USB cables you buy are for Nokia, generic ones might not work. OTG cable model number: CA-157, GPS holder: CR-114 or CR-115.

Also do not buy into Symbian 'obsolescence' myth. NOTHING in Android realm can touch this phone for the price. Android has more apps and seamless download but this phone will do everything you need in a small form factor. Highly recommended.

Update on 09/28/2011.

Go to and download Store QML client. It updates Ovi store functionality on your phone. Works perfectly!

Update on 10/29/2011.

Installed a new version of software (prompted by Nokia itself on the phone). Rebooting seems to be fixed, at least partially.

Update 0n 11/26/2011

New OS update solved the rebooting issue have not had it once! Also GPS fix now is very fast. Ovi store now works seamlessly-I download and install apps while riding on a train.

Recommended!