T-Mobile goes high-end with the Nokia 8801

Granted, the Nokia 8801 is nothing new, but its availability on a US national carrier is. The tri-band stainless steel 8801 sports both American GSM bands, EDGE data, an 800 x 600 camera, and 64MB of internal flash -- meager specs considering the asking price, but let's be honest, buying a phone at this price point has nothing to do with the spec sheet and everything to do with appearance. Well-heeled T-Mobile customers looking to take a chance with questionable scratch resistance can sign up now for a hair under $550.

[Thanks, supes]

[iDude135 @ Jun 12th 2006 8:10PM]

Ridiculous pricing for such a weak phone.

I'll stick to Samsung t509 thankyouverymuch.

[beachBUM10 @ Jun 12th 2006 8:19PM]

When is this going to be released on cingular????? Any ideas?

[CharlieX @ Jun 12th 2006 8:28PM]

An 8801... or a PS3.... or rent?

[3rdsun @ Jun 12th 2006 8:41PM]

Its been available here in the caribbean for some time now.Still a meager phone for a high price. Ill stick to my SE W600 thank you.

[Harry K @ Jun 12th 2006 8:50PM]

wasn't this phone on at&t ages ago I mean minuse the color screen and such....

[bliss @ Jun 12th 2006 9:51PM]

stainless steel? as if people are going to actually 1. expose their device destructive materials and 2. keep it long enough for the stainless steel feature to even be useful...

[mroach @ Jun 12th 2006 10:10PM]

They should offer the 8800 for people that want useful GSM bands...

[jabar @ Jun 12th 2006 10:27PM]

yeah....Nokia has tagged downtown Chicago with ads of the 8800 for t-mobile

[Elias G. @ Jun 12th 2006 10:31PM]

Beautiful phone, the specs are quite lacking, though.

[a @ Jun 12th 2006 10:48PM]

Happy w/ my w810i. Cheaper yet w/ more better features.

eisen

[Segura @ Jun 12th 2006 11:18PM]

This is $599 at CompUSA with no contract everyday. I would pay the extra $50 to not have a contract . . . but I think this price is still too high.

[ryanjon* @ Jun 13th 2006 1:04AM]

I HOPE this phone doesn't get released to Cingular cause they always get the newer phones. It's about time T-Mobile released a phone that can go against tough competition!

[Andy Wana @ Jun 13th 2006 1:20AM]

This phone may lack in features, but it'll buy you exclusivity, beautiful design, sound engineering and build quality that most manufacturers cannot match to date (exception being Nokia's own Vertu range)

This was not meant to be a feature-heavy phone, just enough to make calls and the occasional texts/sms/web. An impressive phone to me nonetheless, just not from the feature side of things

[Moody Kassem @ Jun 13th 2006 1:24AM]

Good looking phone, but price is ridiculous. Nokia needs to add more features in it like SE. I think ill stick with my SE K750i.

[neale @ Jun 13th 2006 1:47AM]

when it came out here in the uk it was like £500. go exchange that. ive seen it for £80 now on contract. yeahs its got nothing, but looks beautiful.

ive just realised all these years getting SE's packed full of features is actually pretty pointless, all i really use is the camera. i got myself a LG Chocolate. camera is pretty craptastic, but fuck is it not stunning. everyone loves the hidden 'ipod' buttons.

same with the razr, looks great, functions crap

[Andy Wana @ Jun 13th 2006 1:54AM]

Quoting Neale:

"ive just realised all these years getting SE's packed full of features is actually pretty pointless"

Can't agree with you more. I think those who are looking for James Bond gadgetry in this phone (or RAZR/Cholocate for that matter) completely misses the point.

[Richard @ Jun 13th 2006 3:38AM]

If you were after style, why not just go after something in the L'amour line of nokias - 7280, 7380, 7370? They look better (albeit girly), cost less without a contract, and will be more unique then the 8801 anyways.

[Alex N @ Jun 13th 2006 9:33AM]

The phone may be low on features, but it definitely has style and can grab attention. I was in New York in December in the Samsung Experience, surrounded by huge plasma screens and 8 mega-pixel camera phones, and the guy working there was definitely impressed when I showed it to him.

[Timothy @ Jun 13th 2006 10:30AM]

I was playing with one of these a couple months ago (I guess the guy bought one and threw in his SIM card, 'cause it was on Cingular's network) and it's a really nice feeling phone, I must admit.

[brian welch @ Jun 13th 2006 10:56AM]

Feature heavy? Nope. But it does contain all the essentials. I bought one when they were new a few months ago (didn't come out of my pocket, why not?) and have loved it since with a couple minor quibbles. (The battery life chews. But it does come with two
batteries.) The phone *still* grabs attention moreso than any of my buddies' phones. People love to borrow it to use because it just feels nice and is fun to use. *(:=

ymmv

[jumpymathguy @ Jun 13th 2006 12:21PM]

It would be a better idea to wait for the Sony Ericcson W900. Man, if you read the specs on that thing, it'll blow your mind. Its almost a legitimate convergence device... well, you won't need a digital camera and if you throw in a 1G Sony Memory stick, you wont need your flash player.
http://www.engadget.com/2005/10/17/sony-ericsson-announces-the-w900-umts-walkman-phone/

[Eugene @ Jun 13th 2006 2:15PM]

I wonder if anyone of the "critics" have seen the phone... It looks great, so great that people (with money) had been gladly buying it for almost 1000$ for a few months. This phone is actually Vertu for the "poor"! ;-)

[Kai Cherry @ Jun 14th 2006 2:00PM]

I have this phone...some things you might not know:

Nokia offers a world wide two year replacement warranty. You call them, you tell them your phone is broken, they send you another one...you send yours back. I don't think they are too worried about this tho...see next point.

The build quality on the thing is unlike any phone i've ever seen...very solid. Its like..a bludgeon, to be honest. Not sure what's *in* the thing, but the first time you hold it, you'll know what i'm saying.

The accessories are *quality* accessories, not "afterthoughts". It comes with two batteries as well....and they last.

The sound quality is fantastic.

If you want a Good Phone (you know, for talking to people) thats easy to keep looking damn-near new and won't shatter into 50 pieces if it hits the floor...and not a Bad PDA...its your phone :)

-K

[Brian Kitz @ Jun 24th 2006 2:12PM]

I bought this thru T-Mobile for $550. It's a stunning phone with one of the worst audio I've heard. I had to have callers repeat ever word they said. It broke my heart to return it. I LOVE THE DESIGN THAT MUCH.But I need the phone to actually be a phone. My cheap Samsung e105 sounded 1000x better...of course nothing compared in looks..I also previously owned a Razr which I thought had poor sound quality...the nokia beat the razr for the worst sound quality award (and at a hefty price;)