Until recently, the availability of a full keyboard on a cellphone was something normally only for business phones, but manufacturers started to realize that their customers also like using SMS, e-mail and chat as well as QWERTY keyboards, which have made their way into many levels of consumer devices.

Thanks to this, manufacturers have come up with models like the Nokia E63. Based on the popular business smart phone E71, a full keyboard handset is now available to everyone.

There is no HSDPA (3G), no GPS and no infrared. If the lack of those features doesn't bother you too much, then the rest of the Nokia E63 delivers an almost identical experience to the E71.

As with typical high-end Nokia phones, the Nokia E63’s display won’t let you down. The display looks good indoors, as well as when exposed to direct sunlight, however, when outdoors, the colours do become a bit dull. Still, the image is clear enough and allows you to use the device with ease.
Even though this is the first E-series model that isn’t business-oriented, the Nokia E63 is definitely not by any means, a simple handset. The Nokia E63 runs on Symbian 9.2 with Feature Pack 1. The option of switching between normal and business modes is also available, reminding us of the fact that the E63 can easily turn into a business assistant.

The Nokia E63 offers the user perfect organizer functions such as phonebook, e-mail client and an Internet browser. The browser allows you to check your favourite web page, and for a fast connection you can use either the 3G or Wi-Fi network.

The Nokia E63 supports a Facebook “application”, however this application needs to be downloaded additionally and does not come preloaded on the handset. This application will however only be a shortcut that opens the mobile version of the site in the browser.

The Media Player on the Nokia E63 is the same as the standard Symbian player on the E71. It is a very good player and comes with a 3.5mm jack for headphones. The video playback quality is very good and supports MP4/H.264 clips with QVGA resolution. The display is a little small however, at 2.4inches.

When it comes to the E63's photography capabilities, a 2-megapixel camera delivers okay pictures for small prints and MMS messages, but don't expect photos to look sharp when you view them on a large screen. In low light, the LED photo light doesn't illuminate objects very well, and only works properly at close range.

Other noteworthy features include the ability to download podcasts, watch YouTube videos, and listen to FM radio and Internet radio stations. A microSD slot lets you add more memory for storing songs and pictures. Although there's no GPS, the E63 comes with Nokia Maps and you can hook it up to a Bluetooth GPS receiver if you want.