Nokia 6210 Navigator review: On the road again

Gsmarena have posted their review of the Nokia 6210 Navigator. Here are the key features, main disadvantages and final conclusion.

Key features:
Built-in GPS with A-GPS, compass, 6-month navigation license and Nokia Maps 2.0
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
Dual-band HSDPA 3.6 Mbps, localized versions
2.4" 16M-color QVGA display (larger than the one of Nokia 6110 Navigator)
Symbian OS 9.3, Series 60 3rd UI with FP2
3 MP autofocus camera with flash, secondary videocall camera
Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP, USB v2.0
Accelerometer for screen auto rotation, call silencing and alarm snoozing
Stereo FM radio with RDS
microSD card slot, up to 8GB, hotswap (1GB card included)
120 MB user memory, 64 MB SDRAM, ARM 11 369 MHz processor
Fast and responsive user interface

Main disadvantages:
Display still not big enough for comfortable in-car navigation
Digital compass plays up and works only when not navigating
Top row of alphanumeric keys crammed under the slider
No Wi-Fi
Camera has no lens cover
Very awkward battery cover latch
No geo-tagging for camera images

Nokia 6210 Navigator was announced a year after its predecessor and brings a number of improvements in functionality. Nokia's Navigator line stays faithful to the slider form factor and design is a mixed bag of improvement (larger screen, notably thinner, matt rear surface) and decline (cheapo plastic, no lens protection, no stereo speakers).

In all fairness, Nokia 6210 Navigator is no more than slow and quiet evolution and that might not be just enough in a niche that seems to get crowded faster than ever. The compass, the accelerometer and the excellent 3 megapixel camera are questionably the right features to motivate an upgrade from the original Navigator. Wi-Fi would've definitely made a lot more difference.

The new Navigator still has its strong points (excellent pedestrian use) and it still is an impressive GPS-enabled package. One thing must be considered though. During the year that divides the two Navigators, a handful of competing GPS-enabled devices have made a strong claim that leadership in this segment will be much contested. We hate to say it, but the 6210 Navigator will have to find its way through a more hostile environment than its forerunner.