The Nokia 6555 is somewhat long for a flip phone and it has a bit of heft at 3.42 ounces. Nonetheless, it is sturdy and lightweight and the length makes for surprisingly comfortable cradling when the phone is active.

One of the features that's noticeable before you even open the phone is the exemplary LCD. Measuring 1-1/4 inches diagonally, the screen is capable of supporting up to 262K colors and offers a performance that is in uncommon for external LCDs. It is particularly great for picture ID and it doubles as the viewfinder for the built-in 1.3-megapixel camera as well. Pictures can be taken at three different resolutions--unfortunately, none of these is particularly impressive, but for a camera phone, the photos are passable. Once taken, the snapshots can be adjusted with numerous editing features that can correct some of the flaws (there is a consistent problem with the camera's light readings).

Meanwhile, the camera also has handy features such as a self-timer and the ability to take multiple shots in succession, which is great for getting that perfect self-portrait. The phone's external LCD can also display an analog clock that looks particularly handsome with its black-and-white design. The video camera operates at a resolution of 176x144 at 15 frames per second, and performs slightly better. Clips that are meant for texting are limited to 20 seconds in length, but as long as you have available memory, videos saved onto the phone can be as long as you like.

Opening the phone delivers up the best feature of the 6555: its internal LCD. Capable of displaying 16 million colors, the screen is simply stunning. It is a shame that the camera isn't up to snuff, but the rich resolution and the 2-inch size of the screen makes for very pleasant web browsing. As for usability, the dial pad has slightly raised buttons, so you can operate it by feel, and if you're in low light conditions, the buttons are amply backlit. The toggle on the side of the phone gives one-touch access to often used functions, and the multi-directional toggle on the inside of the phone can be programmed for easier access to other features. You can also customize the size and color of the display fonts.

Because the Nokia 6555 supports a 3G network (UMTS), you get good performance from the streaming media services and can watch television shows and movies that are relatively hiccup-free. The 3G network is also great for downloading songs into the music player, which is fairly barebones. Unfortunately, there are not external controls for operating the music player. There is, however, a setting to turn off the phone so you can listen to music on flights. Due to the microSD slot, which can hold cards with a capacity up to 4GB, you can build up a fairly sizeable library of tunes. The device supports stereo Bluetooth, so you can listen to music over quality headphones instead of relying on a corded headset or the speakerphone.

One fairly unique feature of this phone, and one that has a sizeable following for its convenience, is the Push-To-Talk feature. As with iDen devices, the Nokia 6555 can double as a walkie talkie, allowing you to contact multiple people simultaneously at the press of a button.

As is usually the case with Nokia phones, call quality for the 6555 was excellent. Numerous connections were completely devoid of static or dropped packets, and reception was good even under poor conditions. The speakerphone performed reasonably well, but the sound output could have been richer. However, using the speakerphone is a pleasant experience because, unlike some flip phones that for some baffling reason place the speaker inside the phone, the 6555's speakerphone is on the exterior. You can rest it on a desktop and talk to callers with the phone closed. Talk time was less than exemplary, however, with the performance being at the lower-end of mobile phones, offering about three hours before recharging is required.

The look of the 6555 is a very functional one. Given the stylish offerings of late, its layout and design is not anything to text home about, with Nokia focusing more on functionality than prettiness. But its simplicity does have its charm and the LCDs are so striking that one is easily distracted by the shimmering lights and colors. And although this is a personal preference, the microphone is not all the way at the end of the phone (there is an extra half-inch or so where the antenna is housed), so when you speak to callers it doesn't seem as if you're talking past the device, into thin air.

Of the more ordinary features on the phone, the 6555 has a 1000-contact address book that holds five numbers, one e-mail address, street address, birthday, and other notes. Each entry can be paired with a picture, or you can also use the external LCD to identify callers with a video that you've taken yourself. If you're not interested in pulling your phone from your purse with every call, you can still use distinctive ringers to identify calls as well. Otherwise, the phone also has an alarm clock, currency converter, to-do list, vibrating ringer, voice memo recorder, stopwatch, and games (which ones will vary according to your carrier). The device is also available in multiple colors, including: black, red, brown, and silver. Overall, the Nokia 6555 is a phone with a stylish design and good performance.

Pros: Excellent external LCD, stellar internal screen, thin, comfortable ergonomics, great reception, music player
Cons: Poor battery life, unimpressive camera

Warranty
1 year