Minor tweaks of this sort applied in different combinations effectively result in an independent product family consisting of virtually the same handset incarnated in differently designed casings. No other cell phone manufacturer can afford going that far. The base Arte variant is a plain black handset that has been around for quite a while. A few months later they brought about Sapphire Arte, charging an extra sum for the novelty. The continuity between the two products extends to the point where you can’t say for sure if the two are different models at all. However certain people were and are willing to trade in their standard Arte for the updated one because of fashion reasons.

Sapphire Arte followed Arte in a few weeks, and both coexisted on the market until recently. The price was revised to a negligible extent since normally you wouldn't expect premium-class products marked down. Carbon Arte 8800 is arriving in October. It's not a replacement for an outdated model but rather a fully independent market entry unique in its own sense.

The new model is clad into carbon plating at the spots where the old Arte had East Indian leather. The latter didn’t just look gorgeous but also added to the ergonomics: the handset was a pleasure to get hold of and would never slip out of the hand. On the other hand, the light-colored skin grew darker and dirtier over time. In this sense, the 8800 Carbon Arte is preferable. The relief surface helps to conceal fingerprints and soiled spots.

Let’s list a few facts about the famed carbon substance. Originating in a development initiated because of purely practical needs, it used to be applied in various branches of industry, sporting virtually no popularity on the consumer market. Aircraft and vehicle production, space technologies and medicine employed carbon as a substitute for metal. Carbon or hydrocarbon is formed under pressure from carbon fiber and synthetic resin via polymerization. The material is durable and lightweight, making a fine replacement for heavy metal parts. Its high cost is the only downside. Due to its unusual and appealing appearance carbon is used in jewelry and production of valuable decoration elements. In Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte, the carbon fiber plating is covered with a coating of transparent lacquer providing protection from physical damage and soiling and also serving as a kind of shiny eye-candy.

Besides the carbon pieces, the new Arte sports a different casing color. It’s made of titan-colored stainless steel with a matter surface (which is a very practical thing). The plastic piece at the top (about the spot where the antenna is hidden) uses the same color and texture, and it’s incredibly hard to visually tell apart the plastic and metal parts. The use plastic was very obvious in the original Arte and Sapphire arte, but Carbon Arte produces the impression of a full metal jacketed piece, which probably carries the most of this handset’s emotional impact. The rest of the materials were left unchanged. The screen is protected with a sapphire glass. The handset weighs 150 g and makes a signature click on opening that you won't forget.

The bundling didn’t change for the 8800 Carbon Arte. On the list you will find a BH-803 Bluetooth headset, a leather case, a DT-19 desktop holder styled to fit the handset itself.

The functionality was left intact, save for a storage beefup to 4 Gb, every other aspect is fully identical to the original Arte. A full review of the latter is available here:

Review: Nokia 8800 Arte / Sapphire Arte

An extra theme was added, also designed by the famed Fritz Fitzke. The user themes were dubbed Living Wallpapers by the company; the desktop background does indeed change over time. Besides the exclusive themes, a variety of preinstalled videos are available as incoming call animations. The clips were designed by the German group called Kruder & Dorfmeister. The video ringtones all look and sound very appealing.

In our conclusion we would like to say that 8800 Carbon Arte is more than just a differently colored variation of the original model. Though the technical characteristics were unchanged (except the storage space) and the design left largely untouched, the model brings on a totally different aesthetical experience. The carbon pieces look a very natural and timely addition refreshing the aging design. It was also very smart of the designers to avoid the black and the glossy, giving preference to the noble looking, titan-colored metal (which also makes the plastic parts less noticeable). The handset looks costly and solid. The price of the 8800 Carbon Arte for October is going to keep at 1200 euros. The price will eventually decrease by about 15% but hardly more than that. Once again Nokia are pulling up the price bar for their premium solutions, but Carbon Arte is worth its price. It has way more prestige about it than the traditional black Arte could ever have had. The target audience of such products should be perfectly satisfied with that, the level of functionality doesn’t exhibit a noticeable influence on the customer choice here as long as it stays on a level with the original Arte handset. The 8800 stays unique in its own sense, and Nokia are doing their best to expand the life span of the brand concept.

Author: Anton Spiridonov, playdead1@gmail.com

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