With the introduction of its striking 8290 digital phone, Nokia sets a new
standard for eye-catching style and extreme portability.

We were impressed with the 8290's robust construction and overall navigation.
The phone, which is for GSM networks (like VoiceStream Wireless), also boasts
a newly designed internal antenna, excellent talk and standby times, and a host
of sophisticated functions including voice-activated dialing and SMS capabilities.
The only real missing feature is Web-browsing support.

Where did this tiny phone come from? Essentially, Nokia updated the
electronics and boosted the antenna power of its high-end classic, the 8860; put
the new design in a sleek, tiny package; and significantly lowered the price. The
8290 also borrows the navigation that is a hallmark of its popular 5100-series
phones.

Although many of the 8290's features are available in other premium phone
models, its design is like nothing you've ever held. Weighing a mere 3.2 ounces
and measuring 3.9 by 1.7 by 0.7 inches, the 8290 literally fits in the palm of
your hand. It's also slightly smaller than its sister phone, the popular 8260.

The side-mounted volume-control keys were easy to operate while on a call, and
we hooked up a hands-free kit to the headphone jack so we could stow the
phone in our pocket while having conversations. One caveat: the tiny power
button, located on top of the phone, is almost flush with the casing and hard to
find. You won't be likely to turn the phone on inadvertently, but at times it was a
challenge to turn the phone on at all. Other than this quibble, the 8290 is a joy to
use. Plus, the 8290 is shipped with a Jabra EarSet for hands-free use.

Three buttons handle most of the menu navigation: a roller-bar navigation key
lets you scroll through menu options, and two additional buttons let you select
menu options as they appear. The right prompt button also provides one-touch
access to your phone book. The top-level menu choices are: Messages (SMS
and voice-mail alerts), Call Log, Profiles (so you can choose how your phone
behaves in different environments), Settings (for calls, phone, and security),
System (so you can select a service provider or opt for automatic selection),
Games (Rotation, Memory, Snake, and Logic), Calculator, Calendar, and
Keyguard Lock. The backlit, three-line display works well with the control keys,
and we found it easy to locate menus and make selections. Despite the phone's
small size, the keypad is well spaced, and we had no problems dialing with one
hand.

The Nokia 8290 has a full roster of call and messaging features. If offered by
your service plan, it supports caller ID, call waiting, SMS, voice mail, numeric
paging, multiparty calling, and e-mail. Three different call logs maintain the last
10 dialed numbers, 10 most recently received calls, and 10 missed calls. PIM
functions include a clock, currency converter, calculator, calendar with room for
50 appointments and reminders, and a 250-entry phone book. There is no
standard method of connecting the 8290 to a PC or other device.

A few more cool things worth noting: the 8290 supports swappable faceplates
and it has three-NAM capability, so you can route three different numbers to the
phone. Its built-in vibrating alert guarantees you will get your calls without
annoying the people sitting next to you.

The 8290 offers four basic security features: An initial security code, keypad
lock, call restriction modes, and a lock code that can activate or deactivate
memory and menu options. One nice thing about the lock-code feature is you
can store numbers in a secret unlocked location, which will allow you to make
calls even when the phone is locked.

The 8290's lithium-ion battery is rated to last for a maximum of 210 minutes of
digital talk time and 192 hours of digital standby time. In our battery testing it
came impressively close. We held an open call for just over three hours, and the
phone lasted for nearly eight days in standby mode.

The 8290 is one of the lightest, smallest, most stylish phones around, and it
backs up its cool appearance with solid construction and functions. In fact, it
one-ups its counterpart, the 8260, with its more compact design and
voice-activated dialing feature. Unless you need a phone with a minibrowser,
this unit is an excellent match for almost any personal or professional
communications need.