Nokia C5: Symbian hits the bargain basement

Meet the Nokia C5, a candybar Symbian phone that will quickly stir fond memories of squatting huddled on the school bus, eschewing social interaction in favour of playing endless games of Snake.

Maybe it's the 80s-inspired name that's giving us the nostalgia shakes, but it's hard to deny Nokia is recalling its golden years with the new C5 -- there's no touchscreen, no hidden Qwerty keyboard, just good old candybar fun, but with the added bonus of apps.

The phone will be running S60 3rd edition, the venerable Symbian OS, which gives you access to loads of (admittedly fairly basic) apps. You'll get built-in Ovi Maps, Nokia's own navigation software, as well as an FM radio and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The C5 also boasts a 3.2-megapixel camera and some natty Facebook integration whereby your friends' statuses will appear in your phonebook.

It's also rather petite -- at just 12mm thick and 46mm wide, the C5 should fit neatly into even the tightest and trendiest of pockets, and will come in a choice of white and 'warm grey'.

Pushing 'smart phone' features so far down the mobile food chain is a welcome step from Nokia, going further than budget Android phones such as the touchscreen HTC Tattoo. We like the lack of a Qwerty keyboard, and we like that so far there's no massive interface-ruining gimmick on the horizon. With an expected price tag of around £90, the C5 could prove an affordable and loveable all-rounder.

The C5 will be available to buy within the next few months, so stay tuned for a hands-on.