The year was 2003, and NEC had just released their newest feature phone, the e530. It may seem ancient now, but back then the e530 was a highly sought-after device. Let’s take a closer look at this iconic phone and its features.
The Design and Launch of the NEC e530
Announced in Q4 of 2003, the NEC e530 boasted a sleek and compact design with a thickness of only 24mm. At just 110g, it was also relatively lightweight for its time. The phone came in silver color, giving it a classic and elegant look.
Being a feature phone, the e530 did not have an extensive list of features, but it still managed to impress with its 65K TFT display. It also had a second LCD for wallpapers and animations, making it a cool phone to show off to friends.
The Network and Operating System of the e530
The NEC e530 was a GSM phone, operating on the 900 and 1800 bands. It also had GPRS connectivity, although there was no support for EDGE at the time. As for its operating system, the phone ran on a simple feature phone system, which was sufficient for basic tasks like messaging and calling.
Storage and Memory of the e530
With 2MB of internal storage and no card slot, the e530 may seem inadequate by today’s standards. However, back in 2003, this was considered decent for a feature phone. The phonebook could store 500 contacts, each with 8 fields and a photo call option. It also had basic memory features like 10 dialed, received, and missed call records, as well as a voice memo for up to 15 seconds.
The Camera and Sound of the e530
The e530 had a single CIF camera, which was quite standard for feature phones at that time. However, it did not have video recording capabilities or a selfie camera. As for sound, the phone did not have a loudspeaker, but it did have vibration and downloadable polyphonic ringtones.
Connectivity and Other Features of the e530
The e530 did not have advanced features like WLAN or Bluetooth. It also did not have positioning capabilities or a radio. However, it did have an infrared port and could support Java-based games and applications. The phone also had basic messaging options like SMS, EMS, and MMS, as well as a WAP 1.2.1 browser.
Other notable features of the e530 included predictive text input, an organizer, and voice memo. It also had profiles, making it easy to switch between silent, meeting, and outdoor modes.
Battery and Availability of the e530
The e530 came with a removable Li-Ion 800 mAh battery. This provided a stand-by time of up to 200 hours and talk time of 3 hours and 20 minutes. It was available in silver color and was eventually discontinued after its initial release.
In Conclusion
The NEC e530 may seem outdated now, but it was undoubtedly a popular and reliable phone in its time. It’s always interesting to look back and remember the phones that were once considered cutting-edge technology. And who knows, maybe one day the e530 will make a comeback as a retro or vintage device.
NEC e530 Full Specifications
Network
Technology
GSM
2G bands
GSM 900 / 1800
GPRS
Yes
EDGE
No
Launch
Announced
2003, Q4
Status
Discontinued
Body
Dimensions
101 x 48 x 24 mm, 90 cc (3.98 x 1.89 x 0.94 in)
Weight
110 g (3.88 oz)
SIM
Mini-SIM
Display
Type
TFT, 65K colors
Size
Resolution
162 x 216 pixels, 4:3 ratio
Other
Second LCD 4096 colors (80 x 108 pixels)
Download wallpapers, animations
Memory
Card slot
No
Phonebook
500 x 8 fields, Photo call
Call records
10 dialed, 10 received, 10 missed calls
Internal
2MB
Other
10 x 15 sec. voice memo
Main Camera
Single
CIF
Video
No
Selfie camera
Other
No
Sound
Loudspeaker
No
Alert types
Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic ringtones
3.5mm jack
No
Comms
WLAN
No
Bluetooth
No
Positioning
No
Infrared port
Yes
Radio
No
USB
Proprietary
Features
Sensors
Messaging
SMS, EMS, MMS
Browser
WAP 1.2.1
Games
Yes
Java
Yes
Other
Predictive text input
Organizer
Voice memo
Profiles