Nokia 700

My love affair with Blackberry, Blackberry messenger, being wired to the internet seamlessly and effortlessly and have all the creature comforts a top of the range executive phone could offer has finished exactly a year after it began. In that time I went through 3 different phones (Curve, Bold and Torch).

I guess my frustrations with Blackberry are over exposure in terms of communication and being contactable 24/7. Luckily for me the lack of robust and continuous phone signal where I live slowed down the amount of messages. In the past couple of months, there is almost no signal after 9pm until around 5am for some unknown reason. 

How long I remain with IM3 I don't know but as there is nothing better at the moment, I guess until I move away from Tanjung Duren.

So, my last Nokia was my best Nokia, a  touch screen music phone which I loved but went all fruity as it was the 'in thing' and went back to keypad and eventually with the torch back to touch screen. But it was a sliding phone and eventually to be honest I got bored of sliding it up and down to type etc. Knowing owning a Blackberry was coming to a close I started looking around for another phone. Samsung are great but not something I wanted really. The tab is OK for me but not a hand phone. I don't want an Apple. That really leaves Nokia, the old faithful but not really up to date but has more to offer than Blackberry in respects of free applications, quality cameras and simple operation. 

The Android market is good but limited as I am in Indonesia and Apple is too controlling. Nokia it is then.

After searching through the extensive list of phones I settled for a Nokia 700. Its a touch screen, simple to use and the most upto date phone Nokia has released. It was not expensive and does everything I need it to do. Also the camera is great and the phone is both responsive and quick. Sadly like everything connected to phones it is let down by the signal and the service offered by Indosat but I will cope.

It has 4 home screens all of which can be modified and changed to what you like. However it is very small and I am not and I have big hands and fingers but the keyboard is easier to use and more responsive than my torch. It is far simpler to type and correct which is useful.

The phone does not have specific software for Twitter or Facebook but here in Indonesia there is a free mobile service for Facebook and setting up mobile Twitter is a piece of cake. Email no issue and it is all push which makes its simple to use. 

So pretty much it is idea for me, despite its size and weight I am sure I will be happy with this for a while and I cant see me going back to Blackberry in a hurry (unless it is free, fully paid for and part of a job I required to do and as I cannot see that happening for a while, lets not worry about it).

Before I start ranting about Central Park, I should say, this phone feels fun unlike the Blackberry which is professional and serious. And Fun is more a challenge. Oh and it has Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja for free. :)

So in order to purchase the said phone required me to go to a store and buy it. As I was in Central Park Friday evening with Yovita hunting for a place to eat, we popped into the Nokia store and on seeing that the Nokia 700 was available decided to go and buy one after dinner. On return to the store after eating, they would not take a debit card as they has already reconciled the money (30 minutes before closing) and so I would have to come back on Saturday and to get price cheaper (they charge for cards anyway) I would need cash. Central Park Nokia store wanted 3,130,000 rupiah and also to come back at 3pm to see the same sales girl who was keeping a phone for me.

After finishing work on Saturday I went to Puri Mall and visited the Nokia store there. I had the cash with me and they had the phones for sale. The cost was 3,060,000 so 70,000 cheaper than Central Park and they had all colours whereas CP did not have black. So I bought the black one. Within 15 minutes I had the phone, tested the headphones, battery, set the phone up, got the receipts and was heading home. Easy.

Today after breakfast in CP I went to the phone accessory shops to find a holder for the phone. Much to my displeasure and relative surprise, it was a straight no 'we don't have' from 4 different shops. There was not even a hint of help. I guess because I am western and don't speak Indonesian but this is another example of sales prevention by stores towards people. Seems it happens a lot to me. Annoyed and angry I went to Carrefour. 

I made it round Carrefour with relative ease and despite dead fish in the live fish tank, people totally ignorant of other shoppers around them hitting you with trolleys, flies walking over the fruit, I got everything I needed, did not have to queue (gasp) and even my cherry tomatoes, which never have a barcode and therefore means someone has to get a price from somewhere, was dealt with quickly and promptly. 

And the best thing is The Walking Dead is on tonight, series 2. Should be great.