So thin, so chic, so Nokia

Think thin. Think music. Think Nokia 5310 XpressMusic cellphone. Thin, yes, truly thin. As in 9.9-mm thin, that is what makes this candy bar Nokia cellphone such a beauty.

Nokia recently released yet another cellphone that is sure to capture the hearts, eyes and hands of every certified cellphone lover in Metro Manila. It caught my attention at first sight and first hold — and I was hooked. This super-slim S40 candybar handset measures up at 9.9-mm thick and weighs a really light 70 grams.

Nokia claims that the 5310’s battery should provide up to 18 hours of music playback, which is a good thing since the phone supports microSD cards of up to 4GB in capacity (roughly 3,000 WMA songs). Like its cousin, the 5300 XpressMusic slider, the 5310 has dedicated music controls located along its left edge. In terms of playback, the 5310 XpressMusic is compatible with both stereo Bluetooth headphones as well as normal 3.5-mm jack equipped stereo headphones.

The music that the 5310 blares out is just great. I now keep the reliable MP4 player at home and take the Nokia 5310 along. Fit into my pocket it does, and play the music I love to hear, it blasts. Of course, texting and calling are so easy, as these are definitely two of the main things going for all Nokia cellphones.

Every Nokia user I know is a loyal Nokia user. The phone is a constant; it remains the same in spite of its outward and higher tech functions. No stress and great fun are two of the catch phrases that “Nokiaphiles” live by.

There are, of course, the other cool features of the 5310 like a two-inch, 16-million color QVGA (240x320 pixel) display, a built-in FM radio, and IMAP4/POP/SMTP e-mail support. The 5310 supports tri-band GSM/EDGE (900/1800/1900MHz).

But what makes the Nokia 5310 a true treasure of a cellphone is that it is extremely solid. Despite its thin design, the device feels durable and the color schemes, combined with excellent feeling aluminum sides, give the device a classy, yet understated look. The music control keys are also well embossed, making them simple to find when the device is in a pocket or purse, and the location of the 3.5-mm headphone jack on the top of the phone helps ensure cables do not get snagged. The screen is also beautifully bright and clear  — a trait this device shares with the other handsets launched at Go Play today.

Of course, as far as I am concerned, a cellphone is only worth its weight in the techie world if it can play those ringtones I so love. And yes, this beauty can play it all. We could say that the Nokia 5310 is definitely a cellphone that combines good looks with great function.

And best of all it’s slim and such a great conversation piece. One should never leave home without it. Let the music play on — stay slim.

Time for music on Nokia 5310

So, you are a certified music-lover and you love your cellphone, too. Read on then and get a step-by-step guide on how to transfer music to your Nokia 5310 — and use it, too.

Getting started

1. Install the PC Suite software using the inbox CD.

2. Once the software has been installed, connect your phone to your PC using the inbox USB cable.

3. When prompted about which mode you want, choose “PC Suite.”

4. The PC Suite window will appear on your PC. Click on the “Transfer Music” icon and the Nokia Music Manager will automatically start

Scanning your PC for existing music tracks

1. When you first use the Nokia Music Manager, you will be asked if you want to scan your PC for existing music tracks (you will be only prompted to do this once but you can do this again manually by choosing “File” and “Scan PC for music files.”)

2. Once tracks are found they will be shown in the Nokia Music Manager under the “All Music” section.

3. Either manually choose the songs you want by ticking the box to the left of the track or click on “Edit” and “Select all” if you want all of the songs.

4. Once you have selected the tracks you want to move, copy straight to your phone by clicking on “File” and “Copy to phone.”

Other modes of transfer

* Use the “Data transfer” mode when you want to drag and drop songs from the Nokia Music Manager to your phone.

* Use the “Media player” mode when using another PC media player (e.g. Windows Media Player of Winamp) and purchasing songs from a compatible Internet music store.

Transferring music from your own CD

1. Insert your CD into your PC.

2. The tracks will be listed in the Nokia Music Manager under the “D:Audio CD” section.

3. Either manually choose the songs you want by ticking the box to the left of the track or click on “Edit” and “Select all” if you want all of the songs from the CD.

4. Once you have selected the tracks you want to move, copy straight to phone by clicking on “File” and “Copy to phone.”

Creating a playlist

1. Start PC Suite.

2. Click on the “Transfer Music” icon in the Main Menu.

3. Select the songs you want to add to the playlist.

4. Click on the middle icon on the bottom left hand corner.

5. Name the playlist.

6. If you wish to change the order of the tracks in the playlist, right click and select  “Open,” then drag and drop the tracks in the order.