A very basic phone, the 1200 is ideal if all you’ll need to do is make calls and send SMS messages. This lightweight handset has decent battery life, and a bright mono screen whose extra-strong backlight can double as a flashlight. The ease of use is excellent, and customisable quick navigation keys make reaching functions fast and simple. The 1200 is completely lacking in advanced features, however, and while inclusions like a stopwatch and calendar are nice, it suffers from missing basics like a voice recorder. The phone comes with preloaded polyphonic ringtones, but any more must be added over the air, since it can’t be connected to a PC or via WiFi. Talktime battery life is very good at seven hours. Essentially, this looks like a phone from about 10 years ago but design basics have held true into the present. At the right price such an old-school phone could still be attractive to some consumers, as given the lack of features - not even a colour screen - the 1200 really shouldn’t cost more than any phones from the competition. Watch out for the dual-band capability if you are planning to travel.