Nokia E63 hands-on

While the N97 was free to fondle, the slightly less exciting E63 was decidedly bolted to a table, so we had to take what angles we could get. The phone is basically a cheap-o version of the E71: Nokia figured it had a good thing going on in that QWERTY candybar, and decided to spread the love at a lower price point, with a slightly thicker, plastic handset. The good news is that no matter what you do to cheapen the phone, the E63 comes from good stock, and is really a compelling form factor. The slight bump in thickness is negligible, and while the cheaper materials are easily distinguished from the luxury feel of the E71, the phone by no means feels cheap. Except for the keyboard. For some reason Nokia opted to remove the hardened, clickier E71 keys and replace them with a softer, rubberier keyboard with a considerable amount of distributed give to it -- that still leaves it as one of Nokia's best QWERTYs to date, but we greatly prefer the E71. The other compelling difference between the phone and its inspiration is the inclusion of a full 3.5mm headphone jack, instead of the mini jack found on the E71. Not bad at all, but we'd guess Nokia saved a lot more money in materials and manufacturing process than with the sorry removal of GPS and HSDPA.

Gallery: Nokia E63 hands-on

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[Mobius_1 @ Dec 4th 2008 5:08PM]

They'd let you do whatever with the N97 but they clamp down an E63?

As for the cheaper feel and all, I think it's alright, just makes it easier and cheaper to get and use new phones more often.

[iEye @ Dec 4th 2008 9:10PM]

It is a thing that rich people do...

They sometimes leave expensive objects in plain view around the house and put replaceable things in the safe, to give the thief satisfaction of cracking the safe and making off with the so called "valuable booty"

I believe that tidbit of info was on an episode of Columbo...

[SamB @ Dec 5th 2008 7:50AM]

OMG someone tell me please, in the 10th picture, the E71 can clearly be seen having the classic no back light standby clock even though for some reason the E71 here in the states does NOT have that by default. Is this due to the firmware upgrade or is there a way to unlock this???

I DO NOT WANT TO TO UPDATE MY FIRMWARE AS IT DISABLES THE HACK THAT ALLOWS ME TO REMAP BUTTONS AROUND (MAGICKEY) :(

[Fernando @ Dec 4th 2008 7:39PM]

Is that, a red E71? Mention it on your post damnit :P

[Ellis D. @ Dec 4th 2008 10:05PM]

The red E71 could be the Nokia E71, PRODUCT (RED) edition.

You just never know...it could just be some red keypad/frame Nokia got from eBay and just decided to showcase it since they thought it looked good...

[Fernando @ Dec 4th 2008 10:06PM]

That doesn't make sense Ellis D., sorry

[Peter @ Dec 4th 2008 8:48PM]

"Nokia E63 hands-on"
More like "Nokia E63 metal-clamp-on"

[grull27 @ Dec 4th 2008 8:54PM]

I don't get it, what's the difference between the E63 and the E71?

[austin @ Dec 4th 2008 9:02PM]

no GPS, no HSDPA, cheaper materials, thicker.
read the article.

[Pega @ Dec 4th 2008 8:55PM]

Not bad. not bad at all
But I like the way they got bored with E63 half way through and just started shootin new red E71

[Aaquib @ Dec 4th 2008 8:56PM]

LOL. UB3R PH41L!!!!!

It's the iPhone...Or no phone.

No Nokia is going to touch the browse on the iPhone, or the App Store. Why do they even try?

[OCEAN 'CLAK' 20th LOL @ Dec 4th 2008 9:16PM]

'i' agree

[iEye @ Dec 4th 2008 9:19PM]

and Eye Second!

[grull27 @ Dec 4th 2008 9:22PM]

The 3 biggest Apple fanboys on Engadget. I'm glad you guys have finally met. You should exchange phone numbers and addresses to have little Mac parties. *rolls eyes*

[Robot Overlord @ Dec 4th 2008 10:53PM]

you two, Ocean and iEye, fight to the death for the title of Supreme Fanboy

[Hung @ Dec 5th 2008 4:22AM]

God, I hope that fight turns out to be a tie.

[iEye @ Dec 4th 2008 9:04PM]

Newsflash Nokia, it is not an iPhone, no need to bolt it down...

Funny, it is bolted down now, but a month after it is released they will be trying to get rid of them for $0 1 year contracts...

This is "i" town now!

[who? @ Dec 4th 2008 9:10PM]

Must... not... reply! Oh, screw it: This is not an iPhone related product. Comparing this to the iPhone is, um... well, it's like comparing an iPod dock/alarm clock combo to Big Ben. Completely ridiculous. In fact, I think I'll do just that- ridicule you. Idiot.

[iEye @ Dec 4th 2008 9:13PM]

It can be compared because of the touch screen. If Steve Jobs wants the iPhone to have the same keyboard configuartion as this 'Nokia'. All he has to do is just send out another update and voila!

iPhone a la E63...

[OCEAN 'CLAK' 20th LOL @ Dec 4th 2008 9:19PM]

''i'' agree, nokia add too many buttons

[Newone @ Dec 4th 2008 11:35PM]

The expert of Nokia phones, iEye, has said there's a touchscreen on E63. Must be true then, even if the Nokia web pages say there isn't. Must be a missprint.

The stupidity of representatives of mankind never ceases to surprice me.

[zephxiii @ Dec 4th 2008 9:08PM]

Boo, so the E63 gets what i wished the E71 had:
1. More keys on the kb, and more available characters etc.
2. Quick flashlight access on the KB.
3. 3.5mm headphone jack.

[who? @ Dec 4th 2008 9:13PM]

Wouldn't it be nice if companies offered a 'build-it-yourself' option online, where you select features (each for a different price) and they make it for and it ship it to you? If only.

[Robot Overlord @ Dec 4th 2008 10:57PM]

witness the power of http://www.zzzphone.com/
/end sarcasm

[bdotwoods @ Dec 4th 2008 9:29PM]

yea that 2.5 is killin me on this e71. but outside of that.. i'm still happy, i'm used to the misplacement of keys lol.

[yopladas @ Dec 4th 2008 9:10PM]

Moto Q9c Much? looks like it to me.... lol

[Jack @ Dec 4th 2008 9:46PM]

So how much is this decidedly "lower" priced handset gonna be?

[asg84 @ Dec 5th 2008 12:27AM]

250 us dollars
very good to use as a secondary phone imo

[Jack @ Dec 6th 2008 12:15AM]

Buy that and put a GoPhone SIM in it or something.

[qwert @ Dec 5th 2008 5:37AM]

So do i see this right? It has a flashlight?
Best feature to have in a phone (apart from the ability to make phone calls)!

So E71: GPS and no flashlight, but more expensive
and this: Flashlight and no GPS, but cheaper

Damm. thats a draw. I want GPS and Flashlight.

qwert

[SamB @ Dec 5th 2008 7:47AM]

Huh? I have an E71-2 and it has a flash light as intense as a lighthouses'

[qwert @ Dec 5th 2008 9:42AM]

Ok. but how to activate it?
I do not see a dedicted button for it, as on my previous flashlight enabled nokias.
If its more than three keystrokes away, its not of much use.
Care to enlighten me?

[aaron @ Dec 5th 2008 12:39PM]

Looks like the E63 has a 2.0 MP camera versus the 3.2 MP on the E71...

[Mrmean @ Dec 6th 2008 6:13AM]

LMAO @ keyboards

[LS @ Dec 6th 2008 6:00PM]

E71 is now in Red and in fully black - check out the black in flickr -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sankarimuotoilija/3084550844/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sankarimuotoilija/3085065264/