Nokia has just produced its first dual SIM handsets in Kenya, the C1-00 and C2-00 models.C1-00 is pictured below and comes with an impressive battery, able to work in standby mode for up to 6 weeks in a row. Nokia C1-00 also incorporates a flashlight, FM radio, a 3.5mm audio jack, GSM 900/1800 MHz connectivity, the Series 30 interface and 128 x 160 pixel TFT display. The phone also integrates a handsfree speaker and supports MP3 ringtones.
One of a trio of low-end “C1″ cell phones from Nokia, the Nokia C1-00 is distinctly different from the other two in that this is a double-SIM handset aimed primarily at emerging markets. By “double SIM” we mean that the C1-00 has two internal SIM slots, but only one is active at any one time and the user can swap between them by using a menu. This is different from “dual SIM” where there are two active SIM cards at any one time, such as the arrangement found in the Nokia C2. Apart from the SIM arrangement, the C1-00 is basically identical to the Nokia 1616 announced last year, with a 1.8″ 128 x 160 pixel display, built-in flashlight, FM radio and a modernised Series 30 interface. It’s worth noting that there is no data connectivity on the C1-00, so this is a device very much designed for making phone calls and sending SMS messages only. The standby time on the C1-00 is 48 days, which is almost 7 weeks. Talktime is a very good 13 hours, and the whole thing weighs just 73 grams and measures 107 x 45 x 15 mm. The C1-00 can be used with Nokia’s optional bicycle charger too, so there might be no need to ever plug it in. The C1-00 is a nice looking phone. It should be available during Q3 2010 in red, grey, blue and green colour schemes, although availability will probably be restricted to “emerging markets” only with the alternative C1-01 and C1-02 phones available elsewhere.
As far as Nokia C2-00 is concerned, this is a more expensive cell phone, because it’s got better specs.
This unit will debut in Q4 2010 and it’ll come packing GSM 900/1800 MHz connectivity, GPRS class 12, the Series 40 interface, a 128 x 160 pixel TFT display, an MP3 player and a microSD card slot (32GB support). A VGA camera, FM radio, Bluetooth and a 3.5mm audio jack complete the features list of Nokia C2-00.
Nokia’s first full dual-SIM phone, the Nokia C2 is a basic entry-level device aimed primarily at emerging markets, but with a feature set that should give it a pretty broad appeal worldwide. The Nokia C2 comes with Bluetooth, a microSD slot, a multimedia player, FM radio, VGA resolution camera, a 3.5mm audio connector, and in addition the standard sales package includes a Nokia WH-102 stereo wired headset. The display is a basic 1.8″ 128 x 160 pixel panel, and network support is limited to dual-band GSM with GPRS data only, and the operating system is Series 40 rather than anything fancy. But then the Nokia C2 does offer pretty remarkable value for money, and you can’t have everything, certainly not for €45 anyway. The clever part with the C2 is the dual-SIM capability. Both SIMs are active at the same time, so it really is like having two phones at once as either SIM can receive calls and the user can decide which SIM to use when dialling out. Perhaps the cleverest thing with the dual-SIM arrangement is that the second SIM is hot-swappable through a slot in the C2, so it can be inserted when the phone is on. We don’t know of any other phone that can do this, and if you are regularly swapping SIMs then it’s clearly an advantage. The C2 also comes with the usual Series 40 applications for personal information management, plus an email client and web browser. The multimedia player can cope with MP3, WMA and AAC formats, which when combined with the memory slot and 3.5mm audio socket will make it a useful music player. Nokia estimates that the C2 has up to 4 hours talktime and 16.5 days standby time, whether this is in dual-SIM or single-SIM configuration is not very clear. The handset weighs just 74 grams and measures 108 x 45 x 15mm. It is also a nice looking phone, available in gray, black, magenta, blue and white colour schemes. It certainly looks more expensive than it is. Nokia say that the C2 should be available during Q4 2010, and we assume that the C2 will be aimed at south Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe with specialist importers carrying it elsewhere.
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