Nokia 5500 Sport: I ran, I sang, I connected

So, you ask what do sport, music and cellphones have in common? The Nokia 5500 Sport, that’s what.

This 5500 looks rather like a plain jack or jane when you first see it. After all the phone comes in a matt silver and muted black. But that is where its plainness ends.

If you are a person who likes to have a phone that is well, a phone, this is the one for you. One that is built with a level of durability that it can handle knocks and dust, and is water-resistant. And, for extra durability, this phone features an ergonomic stainless steel casing, complemented by a splash and dust-resistant shell and rubber grips.

You’ve found your cell in the 5500 Sport. It’s small. But for this unit, small is it. It is a handful, that’s all. Just perfect for my hands. The rubber casing and sturdy build make it the perfect companion for a fitness buff who loves music or the music lover who does fitness.

I am not one to run with cellphone in hand. Why? Well, because working out is quiet time for me. I mean really, which phone can take the sweat and the bumps? I gave the 5500 a test run. I selected the sports function of the phone and logged on the necessary data it required of me. Let’s see, age, gender, weight, fitness level and the like. Just like what a first-time gym person would do. The phone has a built-in pedometer which allows it to record and give a reading of one’s endurance levels.

The Nokia 5500 Sport’s integrated pedometer feature serves to monitor distance walked or calories burnt during a busy day in the city or that cardio session at the gym. I tucked the phone to my waist with the carrying holder. I also used the tap mode of the phone. This function allowed me to tap the main keys of the phone and listen to my stats while I was running. With a tap I could switch from music to workout stats.

The 5500 Sport is engineered with materials used in the latest high-performance running shoes, which make it look good on and off the court. It is based on the Series 60 platform and Symbian OS, offering a broad set of features and messaging functionalities and enabling third-party application developers to create their own applications. Those applications can be downloaded and installed on this active product. What’s even better is that there is a diary where the phone can store your workout results for you and in a week you could actually know whether you are reaching your workout targets or not.

A Cooper test is also included for runners. This test can help one estimate their endurance level. I took the test. All I needed to do was warm-up for five minutes and then run or walk as fast as I could for a total of 12 minutes. The test suggests that it be done in a track or on a treadmill so that the distance covered will be accurately recorded. How much more fit can you get?

For bikers, there is a bike test. But this test might be better done on a stationary bike as you will need to know the load levels while biking.

And just to complete the sport feel of this phone it has a football theme. The perfect wallpaper for lovers of that sport. Cool.

"The Nokia 5500 Sport combines the passion and spirit of sports with the latest in mobile communications in a compact and highly durable product. It is an ideal companion for an active, urban lifestyle," says Parikshit Bhasin, country general manager of Nokia Philippines. "There is a very sizeable number of consumers who are interested in sport-inspired products, even if they are not professional athletes themselves. The Nokia 5500 Sport offers these consumers a mobile phone that is suited to their specific lifestyle needs – whether it be for a workout session at the gym, a day at the beach or even that dress-to-impress first date."

What I liked is that in a single button tap I could activate three dedicated "modes" – a phone mode to help you stay in touch, the music mode to enable you to unwind or power up, and the sports mode to facilitate your workout.

Another interesting feature is the text message reader. OK. So I could actually just get my text messages read to me while I was running. In the text message reading mode I was given options. You can actually choose your reader. But the unit I had only had one voice option, Ellen. Now, Ellen can read well but she has a peculiar accent and shortcut text messages were difficult for her to read. Perhaps Nokia could try adding a Filipino text message reader so that shortcuts could be included. But I have to hand it to the 5500 I liked that I could just listen to my text messages. This feature is a Nokia-first technology. Don’t take your eyes off the track or that magazine, just tap the Nokia 5500 Sport and the message is read out to you. In sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport reads the status of your workout, allowing you to stay focused on the task, or the exercise, at hand.

In music mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport supports a wide range of digital music formats, including WMA, Mp3, eAAC and e AAC+, making the download and transfer of music a breeze. The phone also supports microSD memory cards of up to 1GB with storage capacity of up to 750 songs, offering up to 10 hours of music play.

Equipped with a Nokia Sport Stereo headset in the sales package, it offers an enriched mobile music experience with its superior sound quality. Music enthusiasts can also enjoy visual radio and FM radio support on the phone.

Yup, the other standard features are here, too. There is a two-megapixel camera which takes fine photos. Great connectivity whether Bluetooth or infrared. Recorder function and flash player. You get the picture.

Fitness in a cellphone. Cellphone for fitness. Gotta run.