I found a new phone for my Mom. It’s the Nokia 7510, a basic flip phone with just enough features to be dangerous yet it’s basic enough for even my sainted mother to use to dial us on the daily.

The 7510 is a phone for the ladies, plain and simple. That’s not to disparage the ladies – it’s just that I haven’t seen a simple, stylish phone that’s not too expensive yet still packs lots of features into a slim package.

It’s clad in brushed steel and chrome and has removable front and back faceplates – it comes with brown, blue, and red in the box. I was particularly enamored of the front monochrome LCD that shows the current time along with pertinent notifications.

[PSGallery=xfm6tlhxk]

On T-Mobile the phone also has IM and email support using T-Mo’s own software deck. The keypad is large and shiny but you’re still going to be hunting and pecking if you really want to do some heavy duty emailing. The device is also UMA/HotSpot@Home and My Faves compatible.

Other than those basic features, you’re pretty much dealing with a standard flip phone with 2 megapixel camera, music player, and FM radio. You get up to three hours of talk time with 12 days of standby and it works internationally. The best thing? It costs $49 after rebate, which is just right for Mom.

There is some discussion out there on durabilty and the plastic faceplates might be a weak under an onslaught of use. However, if you’re keeping this in a pocket or bag and making a few phone calls – that means you, Mom – you really can’t go wrong. After all, my Mom still has her RAZR in pristine condition and it’s probably five years old now.

Bottom Line: A cheap, thin flip phone with enough features to warrant a second look.