Review of the Nokia 7705 Twist cell phone for Verizon

When Verizon and Nokia unveiled the 7705 Twist feature phone, with its funky swivel design, we weren't quite sure what to think. Now that we've had a chance to spend some time with this QWERTY-equipped phone, though, we're quite impressed. Find out why in this review of the Nokia 7705 Twist for Verizon.

Physical Aspects

The Nokia 7705 Twist from Verizon is an oddball of a phone, featuring a nicely sized 2.4-inch display and a swivel-out QWERTY keyboard that's loaded with shortcuts. The phone itself is housed in a formal combination of piano black plastic and chrome plating, and folds nicely into a small package to easily fit into your pocket or purse.

While closed, the Nokia 7705 Twist from Verizon measures only 68.6mm x 68.6mm x 15mm (2.7in x 2.7in x .59in) and weighs 96.4g (3.4oz), which is quite nice. When unfolded, the phone's length extends out to 114.3mm (4.5in), which is definitely completely bearable. The plastic build materials are of high quality and the phone feels solid in the hand, with a phenomenally smooth swivel motion.

The front of the 7705 Twist is where you'll find the modest 2.4-inch QVGA (320x240 pixel) resolution display. This screen is incredibly bright and beautiful, almost leading you to believe it is OLED, when in fact it is only a normal LCD. Below the display is a pair of touch-sensitive softkeys, just above a standard 5-way d-pad with a raised outer ring and massive center button. The 'CLR'/back button is off to the far left of the d-pad, and is also touch sensitive. In the bottom right corner of the front of the Twist is a large, hollow, chrome ring which serves as the hinge for this swiveling phone. Inside this ring is a multicolored LED light that can be used for a number of notifications, which we'll cover later.

A small upwards push on the bottom left corner of the front of the phone starts the spring-assisted swivel, which reveals the full QWERTY keyboard. Along the top of the keyboard is a row of shortcuts, bordered on either side by the dedicated end/send keys. These shortcuts include quick access to messaging, music, internet, voice control, speakerphone, and the camera, and prove to be extremely convenient.

The QWERTY keyboard is a uniform grid of tall rectangles, each with a letter and symbol printed in white font against the matte black background, for high visibility. While the keyboard is somewhat cramped, the buttons are easy to press, well spaced, and offer great tactile feedback. The 7705 Twist is definitely one of my favorite QWERTY keyboards ever.

With the phone open, you'll find the microSD card slot on the right side, covered by an attached door to keep debris out. Just below this is the 2.5mm audio port (most normal headphones use a 3.5mm audio port), which is a shame to find on an otherwise nicely equipped phone. The microphone pinhole is the only thing on the bottom edge of the phone, and the volume rocker and microUSB charging/data port are both located along the left edge.

The 3 megapixel camera on the 7705 Twist is located on the rear of the lower half of the phone, in the top right corner as viewed from behind. The entire back cover snaps off to reveal the small 860mAh battery.