A few years back I watched a most touching ad for Nokia phones on Youtube. The ad that reminded me the joy of family during the Christmas season, and what it means when we visit family back home. As much as it was shot in a country far away from here, the universal underlying message is the same. That of love for family. You can catch the ad here.
What this reminded me is that the holidays are here. Well, at least almost here. A time for family, warmth, and expression of love to our loved ones through gifting. Nokia has always been clear about its mission to connect people, having used the tag line, and the iconic Nokia handshake for years. It is no surprise therefore that when many people think of gifting cell phones to their loved ones, Nokia is not a far-off choice. As a brand that has been with us since the days of the unforgettable Nokia 3310, gifting a Nokia phone is heartwarming since it is so familiar. There is also the assurance that you are giving a gift that is sturdy and long lasting, with a good battery, and with great security support from the manufacturer.
With the current wide range of feature phones and smart phones, picking a gift among Nokia phones is not a task at all. All Nokia phones come with quality assurance so I think the biggest consideration here will be budget. How much can you spare for a phone? Along with budget, it would be considerate to think of the person you are gifting in terms of phone use. Otherwise, you could end up giving a feature packed phone to someone who will only get confused by the features.
Feature phones
These go from as low as Ksh.1,500/- and would be perfect for someone who does not use their phone for much more than making and receiving calls. A great example is our parents and grandparents back home. Depending on how you know your folk, you could go into the higher priced ones still within the feature phones category.
A good example in this category would be the Nokia 106 – a tough polycarbonate build phone whose battery can last for weeks, and which gives over 15 hours talk time per charge. It also comes pre-loaded with games like Tetris and Nitro Racing. It will accommodate over 2000 phone contacts and 500 SMS at a time.
I think this is a really good phone for upcountry because of the battery, because electricity is not reliable in many areas.
Entry level smart phones
These are phone I would gift my younger relatives like little sisters and brothers, or nieces and nephews. Kids who are just out of high school and need a phone that is not too high end, but will meet their basic needs which include a bit of photography and social media.
Other than budget, consider that this lot want uniqueness and maybe a bit of colour in their lives and go for a phone that fits their personalities as you know them. My niece for instance, given a chance she would want a glittery sparkly phone :-D. But since those she can get in phone covers, I would go for a Fjord Blue Nokia 3.4 which goes for around Ksh.14,000/-. It comes with an 8MP selfie camera, a 4000mAh battery, and 64+4 memory among other features that would fit in a young person’s life.
Mid-Range phones
These are phones to be gifted to someone who knows their way around smartphones and would therefore be in a position to make use of its features. This might be a dad or mum for some, a brother or sister, or a lover. They are pricier and can do more, but are also more superior in terms of features.
A good example of this would be the Nokia 7 Plus which goes for around Ksh.25,000/-
I’m here thinking I would gift myself this one because it is so beautiful and highly functional, with features like Zeis Optics which is household name in the world of optics and imaging. Also, I used the phone for a few months. I go through a lot of phones in a month and some stick to my mind. The Nokia 7 Plus is one of them, with its beautiful copper trip that gives it such a premium look. Catch my thoughts on the phone here.
These are a few examples but there are many many more Nokia phones out there than I’ve mentioned. We still have a few weeks to the holidays so there is time to check around.
