In the mobile phone world, Nokia appears to believe strongly in the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage – at least when it comes to design.

The Nokia mobile phone design has changed on minimal increments only over the past decade – well, at least up until now, if the upcoming Nokia X5 is any indication.

The X5 shuns the traditional Nokia rectangular design, instead boasting an unusual square form-factor. This design has allowed Nokia to equip the phone with a decent QWERTY keyboard – one that even people with larger fingers should find comfortable to use. Unfortunately, the QVGA screen isn’t so generously proportioned – measuring in at just 2.3 inches, which is not ideal for viewing video.

That may not matter for some users though, given that like all its X-Series brethren, the Nokia X5 is a music phone. As well as a decent music player, it also comes with a 2GB memory card for storing media. A 5-megapixel camera also adds to its multimedia appeal.

Connectivity is also well addressed, thanks to HSDPA 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Nokia X5 will release in some markets around the world in the second-half of 2010. An exact Australian release date and price will be confirmed closer to this time.

Buy a cheap Nokia phone on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes