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Nokia relaunches 3310: 'Snake' game and 6 other things about the iconic phone

Lydia Lam (The Straits Times/Asia News Network)
Tue, February 28, 2017

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Nokia relaunches 3310: 'Snake' game and 6 other things about the iconic phone Finnish brand Nokia unveiled a revamped version of its iconic 3310 model on Sunday (Feb 26). (Bloomberg/File)

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innish phone brand Nokia on Sunday (Feb 26) launched a revamped version of its iconic 3310 model, 12 years after it was discontinued.

The original was known for its sturdiness, gaining cult-like status on the Internet with memes about it being "virtually indestructible".

Here are seven things about the new and old Nokia 3310.

1. The new 3310 will have the 'Snake' game too

Back in the days before touchscreens and snazzy graphics, "Snake" was the best game any kid could get on a phone.

The premise of the game was simple - eat as many dots as you can without knocking into the snake's body, which grows with the number of dots eaten.

There were many versions of "Snake" - the one on the original 3310 was "Snake II".

The updated game comes in color, though, and appears to allow more directional movement.

Other games on the original include Pairs II, Space Impact and Bantumi, which are not known to be included in the new model.

2. Its battery life is billed as 'awesome'

The original was known for its extensive battery life, and the new version seeks to emulate that.

"The telephone will allow you to talk for 22 hours, 10 times more than the original," said Arto Nummela, the head of Finnish start-up HMD Global which will produce the phone.

According to Nokia's site, the phone comes with a removable 1200 mAh battery, offering up to 31 days of maximum standby time, up to 51 hours of maximum MP3 playback time and up to 39 hours of maximum FM radio playback time.

The original had a standby battery life of 55 to 260 hours.

3. The original phone was one of the best-selling phones ever

Launched in 2000, the original 3310 phone sold nearly 120 million units worldwide until it was phased out in 2005.

According to a press release by Nokia in 2005, if all the Nokia 3310/3330 phones sold were laid end-to-end, the line would stretch from Helsinki, Finland to Santiago, Chile - over 13,500km.

The new phone - which reportedly weighs less than 85g whereas the original was a hefty 133g - is expected to hit the market in the second quarter of 2017.

Read also: BlackBerry KEYone brings back lovable physical keyboard

4. The new version includes a camera and allows web browsing

The phone is significantly different from the old version - the 2000 version did not come with a camera.

The new model, priced at €49 (S$72) on the Nokia site, comes with a 2-megapixel camera with LED flash "for simple snaps".

Also available on the new model is web browsing - but with a 2.5G connectivity, do not expect it to be as upscale as modern smartphone users are accustomed to.

However, Nokia fans hoping to make calls on the 2.5G phone in Singapore are out of luck. StarHub told The Straits Times that "all 2G-only phones will not support calls, SMS and data services from April". This is because Singapore's 2G networks will be closed from then.

5. New version, new colors

It comes in four colors - two glossy hues of warm red and yellow, and two matte colors: dark blue and grey. The dark blue hue is the closest to the original color.

Storage has been bumped up to 16MB with a MicroSD card slot that can support up to 32GB.

This may seem mediocre or even lacking, but consider this: The original reportedly could store only eight dialled numbers, eight received numbers and eight missed calls in its call records.

6. The iconic ringtone is back

Also making a re-appearance is the iconic ringtone - although the details have not been fleshed out yet.

What we do know is that Nokia is out for nostalgia by adding the tinkling tone back into the new device - albeit with a slightly snazzier sound.

Have a listen here.

7. The phone has achieved cult status on the Internet

Whether or not the new Nokia 3310 helps to launch the brand back to the top of the phonemaking charts, the original device has already secured its place in online annals.

The Nokia 3310 has been immortalized online with a proliferation of memes lauding its "indestructible" nature.

The meme, which has its roots in webpages and forums such as Reddit, posits the phone as an incredibly powerful force.

Among the names it has been given are: "The Terminator of cellphones" and "the Witch King", the chief of the Nazgul creatures in The Lord Of The Rings.

There have also been numerous videos and experiments posted on video platforms like YouTube to prove the hardiness of Nokia 3310 phones, including dropping it from heights and attempting to destroy it with hammers and even industrial crushers.


This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
 

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