Nokia 7270

If there was one trend we saw at this year's CTIA show, it was the advent of fashion-friendly mobiles. And while the Motorola Razr V3 may have taken center stage up until now, Nokia is not about to be left out. At the same time it presented a looker of its own, the 7280, the folks from Finland also rolled out the 7270. For the image conscious, you can dress up this flip phone--yes, a Nokia flip phone--with changeable textile wraps, and it certainly has a playful side with an integrated VGA camera with video recording and streaming media. Unfortunately, some of that fun is cut short by the mediocre call quality and the high price--in the neighborhood of $500 to $600--but that should drop if a carrier picks it up.

The good:

VGA camera with video recorder; FM tuner; streaming video; speakerphone; infrared port; world phone.

The bad:

Bulky and hefty; washed-out display; no Bluetooth; so-so audio quality.

What's it for:

Making calls; messaging; taking photos and short video clips; video streaming.

Who's it for:

Fashion-forward chatterers and those who want a multimedia-friendly mobile.

Business use:

Mobile professionals can keep in sync with the 7270 and Nokia's connector cable and PC Suite.

Essential extras:

Car charger; travel charger; wired headset; Nokia connectivity cable; Nokia PC Suite; music stand; image-viewer carrying case.

The bottom line:

The latest in Nokia's fashion phone line, the 7270 serves up a steely look and mediocre audio quality that leaves much to be desired.