The forgotten phone: Nokia 8210 from 1999

June 21, 2021 Luisa Rey

In this edition of ‘The forgotten phone’ we go back quite a few years. Nokia released the Nokia 8210, a lightweight phone in 1999. What is there to report about this device?

Nokia 8210

In our weekly column ‘The forgotten smartphone’ and ‘The forgotten phone’ we always discuss different telephones and smartphones. One time a gem, the other time a remarkable device, another device that has been completely tucked away in the memory, or has even disappeared there. In this edition of ‘The Forgotten Phone’ we look at the Nokia 8210; a forgotten phone which is already 22 years old and was released in 1999.

When the Nokia 8210 was released, the development of the mobile phone was still in its infancy. No high-end talk, no extensive options, just calling and texting. Still, the Nokia 8210 stood out because of a special feature. At the time, this device was the smallest and lightest telephone from the Finnish manufacturer. The weight of the device was 79 grams. The dimensions of the 8210 were 101.5 mm in length, 44.5 mm in width and 17.4 mm thick. Another key feature of the Nokia 8210 were the Xpress-On covers, as we also saw with the Nokia 3310. This made it possible to change the front of the phone as desired. Nokia itself released six colors; however, several other parties were already releasing different designs at the time.

The Nokia 8210 had a monochrome screen with a green glow. The keyboard was also backlit. As mentioned, there were few options. The phone book consisted of 250 contacts and your log had space for the last ten calls. When you got a call, you got to hear the monotone ringtones. There was also a 650 mAh battery, an agenda and actually it stopped there. You could also play Snake on the device.

The suggested retail price of the device has not been retrieved. I did come across an advertisement from 2001, in which the Nokia 8210 was still being promoted in combination with a 2-year Dutchtone subscription. “All in 180 with 180 minutes for only 45.00 guilders per month”.