10. cellphone reviews

(1096,Samsung MM-A920 (SPH-A920),Positives: The Samsung MM-A920 has a sleek, compact design; beautiful internal and external displays; a speakerphone; a 1.3-megapixel camera; Bluetooth; strong standby battery life; and a 32MB TransFlash card. It also has a music player for MP3 and AAC files, and it supports a high-speed 1xEV-DO network. Negatives: Unfortunately, Bluetooth file transfers on the Samsung MM-A920 are crippled; its bare-bones music player lacks an equalizer and doesnt support WMA files; and you cant pause videos or switch to full-screen mode. Facts: The attractive Samsung MM-A920 comes with a great selection of features, but we wish the offerings were more refined. , Compact, sleek, and crammed with multimedia features, Samsungs MM-A920 may prove irresistible for music and video fanatics alike. Armed with Bluetooth and a 1.3-megapixel camera, as well as access to Sprints high-speed 3G EV-DO network and the carriers new but pricey Music Store, this small wonder makes for a tantalizing addition to Sprints multimedia phone lineup. That said, we wish the phones video and music players were better performers, and we were annoyed by the partially crippled Bluetooth connection. At $350, the MM-A920 is squarely in the middle of Sprints multimedia-phone price range, although you can knock the price down to a reasonable $180 with a two-year contract. The Samsung MM-A920 isnt that flashy as far as multimedia phones go; in fact, its all-black shell looks decidedly nondescript, and its a far cry from Samsungs slim MM-A900. That said, the twin silver speakers that sit on either hinge of this flip phone will clue in onlookers to the MM-A920s music-mindedness, as might the player buttons that lie beneath the external screen. The handset itself is about the same size and weight as other flip-model 3G phones weve tested (measuring 3.6 by 1.9 by 1 inches and weighing in at 3.8 ounces), although the welcome lack of an antenna makes the MM-A920 more pocket friendly. The Samsung MM-A920 is compact and attractive.Flip open the Samsung MM-A920, and youll find the gorgeous 2-inch-diagonal TFT display, which boasts a razor-sharp 176x220-pixel resolution and 262,000 colors, ideal for gazing at your snapshots and watching videos; however, as usual, the screen is tough to see in direct sunlight. The internal display is nearly matched by the better-than-expected 1.25-inch-diagonal external screen, which comes with an impressive 128x96-pixel resolution and 65,000 colors--handy when the display doubles as the camera viewfinder when the phone is flipped closed (see Features). The camera lens and the flash sit on the top of the phone above the external display. We like the player buttons on the MM-A920s front flap.The Samsung MM-A920s backlit keypad was a pleasure to use; our fingertips had no trouble with the large, flat buttons, and we especially appreciated the dedicated Talk/End, Back, and speakerphone keys. The four-way toggle allows for customizable shortcuts; our phone had shortcuts to the media player, the Sprint Music Store, and the applications folder. Sitting on the left side of the phone is the volume rocker and the headset port, which is covered by a plastic flap, while a dedicated camera button lies on the right side, next to the TransFlash card slot. Finally, the music player buttons just below the external LCD lets you play, pause, browse, and shuffle your tunes. In addition to its arsenal of multimedia tools, the Samsung MM-A920 packs in plenty of staples, including a 500-entry phone book (note that each phone number and e-mail address counts as an entry); a calendar with week and month views; a speakerphone, which you can engage only once youre in a call; three-way calling; photo caller ID; a vibrate mode; 98-number speed dialing; voice memos; a calculator; wireless Web access; an alarm clock; and a Java-powered On Demand application with news, weather, movie, and TV info. You also get a 32MB TransFlash card (cards of up to 512MB in size are supported), as well as Bluetooth connectivity for wireless headsets and sharing the phones network connection with a PC; unfortunately, photo, video, and music transfers are crippled.The Samsung MM-A920 boasts some impressive multimedia options, including a music player that supports MP3 and AAC files (but not WMAs), as well as music purchased over the new Sprint Music Store. You can also transfer your own songs to the MM-A920 via the TransFlash card but not over the handsets Bluetooth connection. The music player itself is pretty bare bones; it displays album art for songs purchased from the music store, but the user interface is sparse, save for the standard title and artist info, along with a progress bar and time elapsed/total time. You can pause your tunes, skip to the next song, create playlists, and shuffle or repeat your music, but theres no equalizer, and you cant scan forward or backward within a song. That said, we like the player buttons on the front of the MM-A920--they let you control the player when the phone is closed.Next up is the Samsung MM-A920s so-so media player, which lets you tap into Sprints catalog of video content--mostly 2- to 3-minute for-pay video clips from CNN, Fox News, ESPN, the Cartoon Network, and others--via its Power Vision service. Once youve selected a video and waited the requisite 20 seconds or so for buffering to complete, the clip begins playing automatically; after that, you can only stop the clip and start over. That means you cant pause the video midstream or scan forward or back, which is a pain if youre interrupted in the middle of a clip. Theres also no full-screen mode for the videos, which leaves you with a smallish 1.5-inch-diagonal image; there is a full-screen mode for Verizons V Cast video player. However, we found that most videos streamed relatively smoothly, with little rebuffering or lip-sync problems. The MM-A920s camera lens comes with a flash.The Samsung MM-A920 comes with an impressive 1.3-megapixel camera, with up to 5X zoom and resolutions ranging from 1,280x960 to 320x240. In addition to the LED flash, you get a 5- to 10-second self-timer, a choice of color tones (including monochrome, green, sepia, and blue), brightness and white-balance settings, and six fun frames. While theres no rapid-fire mode for taking multiple pictures in quick succession, the phone does support PictBridge photo printing directly over a USB cable or via Bluetooth. The camera also comes bundled with a camcorder, which takes 30-second clips and includes a self-timer. The snapshots we took with the MM-A920 looked rich and colorful but a bit muddier than the pictures weve taken with other 1.3-megapixel camera phones. The videos we shot were blurry, jittery, and just barely watchable, but thats to be expected with a camera phone camcorder. The MM-A920 has average photo quality for a megapixel camera phone.Personalization options on the Samsung MM-A920 are good, with customizable wallpaper for both the internal and external LCDs, as well as ring tones and images for specific contacts. We also liked the Heads-up options on the main screen, which lets you view your calendar, upcoming events or tasks, unopened messages, and speed-dial presets. Unfortunately, there arent any ringer profiles for quickly setting your phone to Outdoor, Meeting, or Silent modes. We tested the Samsung MM-A920 (CDMA 800/1900, EV-DO) in New York City, and we had no trouble with our calls; our buddies sounded fine, and they reported that they heard us loud and clear. We also tried the phone in our gadget-heavy apartment--complete with a microwave oven, a 2.4GHz wireless phone, an 802.11g wireless network, and a 32-inch direct-view TV--and didnt encounter any undue interference.Our review model of the Samsung MM-A920 didnt come with a headset, so we were able to play music over the phones built-in stereo speakers only. Unsurprisingly, our tunes sounded small and tinny, with little in the way of bass response, but they were still decent enough, considering we were listening over cell phone speakers. Thanks to the phones speedy EV-DO connection, we had little trouble browsing the music store; the 30-second preview clips began playing almost instantly, and the songs we bought--for a steep $2.50 apiece--flowed on to the phone within a minute or so.We should also note that the Samsung MM-A920s colorful, animated menus performed admirably in our tests, rarely stuttering or stalling even as we zoomed from one screen to another--a welcome change from the elaborate but sluggish menus weve seen on other handsets.Samsung and Sprint promise up to 3.5 hours of talk time for the MM-A920. In our tests, we got 3.5 hours of talk time and a solid two weeks of standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the Samsung MM-A920 has a digital SAR rating of 0.6 watts per kilogram. ),
(1097,Nextel i930 by Motorola,Positives: The Nextel i930 by Motorola syncs seamlessly with Microsoft Outlook and supports iDEN and GSM networks for world roaming. The smart phone has excellent call quality, a speakerphone, and an SD expansion slot, plus it automatically obtains POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail accounts over the Internet. Negatives: The Nextel i930 by Motorola uses the older Windows Mobile 2003 OS rather than Windows Mobile 5, and it lacks Bluetooth. Its also big and heavy, and it has weak battery performance. Facts: The Nextel i930 by Motorola is a good choice for executives looking for a world phone that syncs seamlessly with Outlook--if you can live with the poor battery performance and the lack of Bluetooth. , World-traveling executives take note: The Nextel i930 by Motorola is the first Windows Mobile smart phone that supports Nextels iDEN network and dual-band GSM world roaming. Certainly, the melding of PDA functionality, world-phone capabilities, and Nextels Direct Connect walkie-talkie service is appealing, but alls not perfect with this handset. Aside from its heft, weak battery performance and the lack of Bluetooth connectivity will make some potential users think twice before shelling out $500 for the Nextel i930. That said, we know a lot of mobile professionals have been waiting for this multifunctional smart phone, so we suspect it will garner a lot of interest from the business world. Although cell phones are getting smaller and smaller, Nextel seems to be immune from this trend. At 3.5 by 1.9 by 1.2 inches and 5.9 ounces, the Nextel i930 by Motorola is a phone better suited to slipping into a belt holster instead of your jeans pocket. Plus, the external antenna adds more unwanted bulk. On the upside, with its heft and its solid construction, this phone should be able to withstand a lot of punishment. Aesthetically, the i930 sports Nextels typically rugged-industrial look. The black and silver casing is rather bland, but the external screen is fairly large. It displays 4,096 colors and shows the time, the date, network and battery strength, and caller ID (where available). Above the screen, youll find the i930s camera lens and flash. Theres no mirror for self-portraits, but you can use the external screen as a viewfinder. Supersize: The Motorola i930 is a heavyweight.Theres a large button on the side of the hinge that flips open the cover of the Nextel i930 by Motorola. This seems like an extravagance at first, but the cover itself is so thick and heavy that it makes this an almost necessary feature. When you open the cover, youre presented with a bright and vibrant 2.2-inch, 65,000-color display. You can choose from seven screen layouts, six color schemes, and several wallpaper options, and you can increase the display font size.The Nextel i930s dial pad is fairly roomy, and the keys are well separated for easy touch dialing. Thats important for those who use the i930 for composing e-mail messages, since this smart phone doesnt have a full QWERTY keyboard. We also like the wealth of controls above the dial pad. Surrounding a five-way navigation control are buttons for making and ending calls, two soft keys, a button for backing one step out of menu options, and a key that automatically takes you to the home screen.The familiar Windows Start icon resides on the lower-left corner of the Nextel i930s home screen. Along the top of the page, you get one-touch access to your most recently accessed tasks--Messaging, Internet Explorer, Camera, and so on. The rest of the page displays the date, the time, the number of your last call, voicemail and text-message alerts, and notifications for upcoming calendar appointments.The left spine of the Nextel i930 features rubberized controls for volume and access to Nextels Direct Connect walkie-talkie calls, as well as a headset jack. The right spine includes an SD expansion slot and an infrared port. On top of the phone, youll find the speakerphone button and a smart key, which enables you to access your Recent Calls list when the cover is closed; to dial a number with the flip closed, you can select a number and press the Speakerphone button. The speaker is on the back of the phone. Buckle up: You can use the included belt holster to carry around the large Nextel i930.In terms of accessories, the Nextel i930 comes packaged with all the basics, including a belt holster, a USB cable, a synchronization cradle, and a travel charger. Anyone looking for the latest and greatest Windows-based smart phone will be disappointed to learn that the Nextel i930 by Motorola uses Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition rather than the latest Windows Mobile 5 operating system. That means you cant take advantage of Microsofts Direct Push technology to access corporate Outlook data remotely. If you simply want a phone that syncs seamlessly with Outlook from your desktop, however, the i930 certainly fits the bill. ActiveSync quickly and successfully imported all of our Outlook contacts, calendar and task information, and stored e-mails from the in-box, though not from any in-box subfolders. The i930 is compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server. In addition to Outlook e-mail, you can obtain your POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail settings automatically over the Internet; the phone downloaded the settings for our Comcast e-mail account without a hitch. However, this feature doesnt work for Web mail accounts, such as Yahoo or Hotmail--in that case, youll have to access your account through the Pocket Internet Explorer Web browser as you would on a PC. We had no problems opening Word attachments with the installed Windows Mobile ClearVue Suite, which also lets you view Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, BMP, JPEG, and PNG files. Also, youre not limited to just e-mail for communication, as the device supports instant messaging (with MSN Messenger preloaded), as well as text and multimedia messaging. The Nextel i930s phone-book capacity is limited only by available memory; the handset comes with 64MB of flash memory. Of course, you get the advantage of having access to full Outlook contact information with the address book, including street addresses and notes. The Smartdial feature simplifies searching for contacts. Type 242 to spell Cha, for example, and all contacts with those three letters in their names will appear. One of the main draws of the Nextel i930 is its world phone capabilities. The handset comes with a SIM card, so you can make and receive calls in the United States and more than 100 countries using a single phone number. This also includes support for Nextels nationwide and international walkie-talkie services, which means you can instantly connect with users in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Peru. Other features include a speakerphone, a vibrate mode, a calculator, a task list, voice memos, and GPS capabilities for emergency calls. While all these capabilities are great for a mobile professional, we are absolutely baffled and disappointed by the lack of Bluetooth. In addition to 64MB of flash memory, the Nextel i930 features an SD expansion slot.As for other features, the Nextel i930 by Motorola comes with a VGA camera and a camcorder. The phones camera can take pictures in four qualities (Best, Basic, Normal, and Fine) and four sizes (640x480, 320x240, 260x120, 176x200, and 96x66). You can also adjust the contrast and the brightness settings, as well as choose from two shutter sounds; theres no silent option. Once youve taken a picture, you can rotate or flip the image, rename the file, view it as a slide show, or set it as wallpaper. You can also send it to colleagues, friends, and family via e-mail, text message, or via the infrared port. Picture quality is decent for a camera phone, with bright colors and decent contrast. The camcorder takes video with sound and offers many of the same options as the camera, along with three quality settings: High, Normal, and Good.Thanks to Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, you can enjoy multimedia treats on the Nextel i930 by Motorola. You can customize your phone with a variety of wallpaper, color schemes, and font sizes. The i930 comes with Solitaire and Jawbreaker, although you can always download more games. We tested the Nextel i930 by Motorola (GSM 900/1800/1900; iDEN 800 in the Chicago area), and call quality was generally excellent, with callers sounding loud and clear. For the most part, people said they couldnt tell we were using a cell phone. The speakerphone is among the best weve used, as callers noted how loud and clear we sounded.Unfortunately, performance took a turn for the worse when it came to battery life. We reached a little more than 90 minutes of continuous talk time from the lithium-ion battery, which fell far short of Nextels already unimpressive rating of 165 minutes. Its also worth noting that the handset heated up significantly after about 20 minutes of talk-time use. Likewise, the rated 95 hours of standby time was short enough, but we got only 38 hours. Also, the Nextel i930 took its time to power up, which is typical of Windows Mobile phones. ),
(1098,UTStarcom (Audiovox) CDM-180,Positives: The UTStarcom CDM-180 has a landscape internal display, as well as voice commands and dialing. Negatives: The UTStarcom CDM-180 is hampered by a small navigation array, a disappointing VGA camera, poor audio quality, and low battery life. Facts: A simple phone with a funny shape, the UTStarcom CDM-180 suffers from substandard features and poor performance. And sadly, it doesnt take full advantage of its quirky display. , If most burly cell phones can be represented by, say, Harrison Ford and sexy phones by Brad Pitt, then the UTStarcom (formerly known as Audiovox) CDM-180 for Verizon Wireless is Danny DeVito--or, if youre from an earlier generation, Stubby Kaye. Short and squat but not wholly unattractive, the CDM-180 gets its unusual shape from its equally unusual landscape display. Yet despite its distinctive design, the CDM-180 offers an average feature set and a mixed performance. Its also worth noting that the phone doesnt take full advantage of the wide body conceit. Still, it may satiate anyone with a taste for a simple yet odd-looking cell phone. At $119 with a one-year contract or $69.99 with a two-year contract, its also fairly priced. Strictly speaking, its not its width that makes the UTStarcom CDM-180 fascinating; its the lack of height. At 3.0 by 2.1 by 1 inches, the CDM-180 is just as wide as the Motorola Razr V3, but since its an inch shorter, it almost looks square when viewed straight on. Whats more, the short and squat form factor not only gives it a snug fit in small pockets but conversely can also be difficult to locate in a large purse or bag. The CDM-180 is a bit hefty at 3.7 ounces, and the external antenna measures a full inch high. Criticisms aside, the phone does have a solid feel, and despite its shape, it is relatively comfortable to hold while talking. Just remember that if youre a right-hander, your index finger will end up resting on top of the external color screen during calls. If youre a southpaw, however, the antenna stub makes an excellent index-finger balance point. The CDM-180 has a bizarre form factor.The UTStarcom CDM-180s black and silver color scheme is simple--neither attractive nor repellent. The postage stamp-size external display shows a bright 262,000 colors and displays all the usual information, such as the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). On the left spine is a volume rocker and a camera button, while the rear-facing VGA camera is mounted on the top of the phone near the hinge, just where your finger will go as you open the flip. Below the lens is the battery latch, but since its exposed on the right side, its far too easy to remove.The UTStarcom CDM-180s design is marred by some annoyances inside the flip. First off, youll notice the 1.8-inch-diagonal display has a landscape orientation--not something you see every day on a cell phone. With support for 262,000 colors, it does its job well, but we were divided over the usefulness of the landscape design. While its useful for typing long text messages, the only other applications that take advantage of the 1.6-inch landscape LCD are the camera photos and the games, which were designed specifically for it. Other images such as wallpaper, however, are simply stretched to fit, and Web pages have a white vertical strip to the right when no graphics fill. Any long menus also require more scrolling since not as many choices fit on a screen.You would think the UTStarcoms wider body would result in larger dial and navigation keys, but strangely, thats not the case. Dial-pad keys are widely spaced, which will help those with large fingers, but the navigation array is shockingly small, as are the dual Back and Speakerphone keys. On a different note, the Send-key backlight is closer to turquoise than traffic-light green, and the End-key backlight hues skew nearer to purple than red. The rest of the dial pad and the soft menu keys are poorly illuminated with a bright but splotchy cool-blue backlight that actually makes it harder to read the keys in the dark. If youre going to design a phone with aesthetics that are sure to attract attention, it ought to be packed with features that reflect the interest its looks will receive. Yet for the most part, the UTStarcom CDM-180 offers a run-of-the-mill feature set with just a couple of standouts. The 500-contact phone book has room in each entry for five phone numbers and two e-mail addresses. Contacts can also be paired with any of 20 polyphonic ring tones or a picture for photo caller ID. Other offerings include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, e-mail support, 1-minute voice memos, 99 speed-dial entries, a calendar with a scheduler, a notepad, an alarm, a world clock, a calculator, and a stopwatch. Aside from the basics, you get a speakerphone, as well as voice dialing and commands, which require training for complete hands-free dialing. The CDM-180 has a bright flash.One of the more disappointing features on the UTStarcom CDM-180 is the VGA camera, an endangered species in an increasingly megapixel-camera world. While the CDM-180 boasts one of the better flashes in the biz, all youre illuminating is a low-resolution VGA picture. Even in moderate light, youre better off without the flash, which tends to bleach the subject if too close but fails to adequately illuminate outside of about 4 feet away. You get a choice of three resolutions--640x480, 320x240, and 160x120--as well as a variety of photo-editing options. Photo quality was unimpressive, and most shots came out fuzzy. The CDM-180 has a low-quality VGA camera.The UTStarcom CDM-180 includes 15 types of wallpaper and a variety of other customizable display options, such as fonts and color themes, as well as 16-character personalization banners. If you want more options or ring tones, you can download them via the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Alternatively, the CDM-180 is able to play real music-format tones available via Verizons Get It Now download store, although at only 1X speed, browsing, previewing, and downloading can be time-consuming. War of the Worlds is the included game, although the tightly packed navigation array may make any gameplay awkward. We tested the triband (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 900) UTStarcom CDM-180 in New York City while wandering the streets, as well as traveling in both trains and cabs using Verizons network. Vocal quality was plenty loud but hollow and splotchy--there were more dropouts than were used to with Verizon. At the other end, coconversationalists compared it to sounding as if we were in a well, especially on calls to other cell phones, where we experienced a pronounced echo at both ends. Speakerphone volume was low, with expanded complaints of poor hollow sound and echo. Volume for both voice and ringers at the highest of five levels was loud and vibration alert plenty vibratory. Web-browser performance was better than average; it took the UTStarcom CDM-180 only 15 seconds to get to the Verizon Web home page and slightly less to load subsequent pages. Connection to Get It Now was faster--the store doesnt want you to wait in order to buy. Ring-tone download of \"American Woman\" took around 15 seconds and downloading Pac-Man only around 12 seconds, which was quite fast for a nonbroadband phone. The rated 2.7-hour talk time is surprisingly below average, as is the less-than-eight-day standby time. We got 4 hours, 6 minutes of talk time in our tests, and we met the promised standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the UTStarcom CDM-180 has a digital SAR rating of 1.15 watts per kilogram. ),
(1099,Motorola V360,Positives: The Motorola V360 has solid talk-time battery life and comes with Bluetooth, a music player, a speakerphone, a crystal-clear display, and an expandable memory slot. Negatives: The Motorola V360 has a poor external display, a dull design, and average picture quality. Also, theres no flash for the camera, and applications can load slowly. Facts: The Motorola V360 abandons the flashy for the functional. Although the design is a step backward from the last model in the product line, its outweighed by attractive features. , The Motorola V360 evokes little emotion. Of course, except for models such as the Razr V3, Motorola tends to be low on visual appeal and high on function. A less-patient person may disregard this phone because of its looks, but we stand by the old mantra of \"don't judge a book by its cover.\" T-Mobiles V360 is a solidly constructed, feature-rich handset that makes a quantum leap from the V330, the previous model in the product line. This lightweight handset is perfect for the consumer who is on the verge of discovering that cell phones are so much more than just a phone. We may be a bit nitpicky, but the design of the Motorola V360 falls short of the vision seen in Motorolas more fashionable cell phones, such as the Razr. The handset is a two-tone blue and silver with a matte finish. The front flip is mostly blue with a silver border around the LCD and a silver U-shaped design element on the outer edge. The U-shaped design continues inverted, in the interior of the phone, and even though we think we understand what Motorola was trying to accomplish, we just don't like it. Boring in blue: The Motorola V330 has a dull design.With nearly the same dimensions as the last-generation V330, the Motorola V360 measures 3.5 by 1.9 by 0.9 and weighs only 3.9 ounces, lighter than the V330s 4.2 ounces. We applaud Motorola for doing away with the external antenna, which helped the V360 fit nicely in our pocket. We also like how it felt in our hand when closed, but in the open position, it felt too flat against our ear. We applaud Motorola for increasing the size of the external display, but a grayscale screen is hardly an upgrade from the V330s two-tone blue. The backlight setting is not adjustable, and we werent able to display pictures or wallpaper. We do like the addition of the date, which is added to the time, as well as the battery-life and reception bars, but we still don't get photo caller ID.Motorola has added an expandable TransFlash memory-card slot at the top of the phone. Disappointingly, you have to take the battery cover off to access it, but we like having the extra memory. The side buttons on the Motorola V360 are the same as on the V330. Theres a volume rocker and a button for changing ringer options on the left spine. When open, the latter key also controls the digital audio player, though not with much success. The side button on the right controls the voice-activation menu, which was rather difficult to use successfully. The camera lens is on the upper-left corner of the front flap, and the speaker has moved to the bottom of the back of the handset. The V360 also has a mini-USB port and a headset jack.The Motorola V360s 176x220-pixel, 262,000-color internal TFT display measures 1.8 inches diagonally. Its vivid and clear, and its even better than the V330s already attractive 65,000-color screen. It is easy to view images in the light or dark, indoors or outdoors. You can adjust the brightness and the backlighting time, and neither the contrast nor the font size can be adjusted. Motorola has not changed the navigation buttons either. There are still dedicated buttons for the camera, as well as T-mobiles T-zones Internet service. Youll also find a five-way navigation toggle and two programmable soft keys. We love how easy it is to program the toggle as a shortcut, then use the phone while minimizing dedicated buttons to features we don't use. Kudos to Motorola for not being pressured into multiple permanent buttons that lead to purchased services. We are surprised by the changes in the keypad, which is now blue backlit instead of white. The change makes it harder to read in the dark, although the navigation keys show up much better. Compared with the V330, the keypad buttons are much flatter and don't have spaces in between keys. As a result, its harder to dial by feel. The 1,000-contact phone book on the Motorola V360 seems large, but the 5MB of integrated memory is shared with all applications and data on the handset. Each contact stores up to six separate phone numbers; a home address; an e-mail address; a picture ID, which is visible only on the internal display; and a ringer ID--you get a generous 50 polyphonic (24-chord) ring tones. Plus, you can set your own caller groups. The V360 features a vibrate mode, a voice recorder, a memo pad, a calculator, a date book, and an alarm clock with multiple settings. The phone also features full Bluetooth; PC syncing for contacts; text, enhanced, and multimedia messaging; AOL and Yahoo instant messaging; POP3, IMAP4, and SMTP e-mail; and a speakerphone. The V360 is equipped for push-to-talk networks and Motorolas Screen 3 technology, but T-Mobile supports neither feature. Also, be aware that the interface can be sluggish at times. The V360s camera lacks a flash.The VGA-resolution camera is a definite highlight of the Motorola V360, especially now that pictures can be uploaded directly to your computer. The camera includes three resolutions (640x480, 320x240, and 160x120), six lighting settings, a 4X zoom, and five shutter tones. After taking your shots, you can send them in a message, apply them as wallpaper or a screensaver, and move them to a PC via the TransFlash card. The phone will hold roughly 100 pictures, but once again, that uses shared memory and assumes no other data on the handset. We are disappointed that the V360 does not have a flash, as even the Night setting did not work as well as a flash would. You can also take videos with sound, at a resolution of 176x144, and for a maximum of 30 seconds. Since the V360 is a VGA camera, photo quality was nothing special, and videos were choppy and pixelated. The V360 has average image quality.Except for one title (Pinball), the Java (J2ME) gaming applications on the phone are mostly demos that require you to download and pay for full versions of the games. Were used to such miserly behavior from Sprint and Verizon but not T-Mobile, so it was a shock to see such a skimpy selection. We are impressed with the audio player application, which allowed us to easily create playlists, change the order of songs, and play songs at random or on repeat. We tested the triband (GSM 850/1800/1900; EDGE) Motorola V360 on the T-Mobile network in San Francisco. We encountered decent call quality with acceptable clarity and volume. We occasionally had trouble getting a signal but only when we were in older, concrete buildings. The phone did a good job in windy conditions, but callers could tell we were using a cell phone. We did have a substantial amount of interference with the car phone and the computer speakers.Regarding the Motorola V360s digital audio player, the sound quality would benefit from treble and bass settings, and the speakerphone distorts the songs, but overall, the player is a step in the right direction and a nice addition to the phone.The Motorola V360 has a rated talk time of 5 hours. In our tests, we got 4.75 hours on a single charge. Standby time was only 7 days, compared with the promised time of 10 days. According to FCC radiation tests, the Motorola V360 has a digital SAR rating of 1.51 watts per kilogram. ),
(1100,RIM BlackBerry 8700c,Positives: The RIM BlackBerry 8700c benefits from an Intel processor and EDGE support, as well as a bright display, a full QWERTY keyboard, and a slim design. Negatives: To our disappointment, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c uses a proprietary instant-messaging client, and Bluetooth is limited to use with headsets and car kits. Facts: Armed with an Intel processor and EDGE support, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c offers mobile professionals a winning package of performance, productivity, and design. , Despite Research in Motions legal woes, the company continues to produce some of todays most popular mobile e-mail devices. In fact, RIMs BlackBerry devices lead the pack of handheld shipments, while Palm, Dell, and HP fall behind; there are even reports of a phenomenon called BlackBerry thumbs. Well, CrackBerry addicts, get your thumbs ready for the companys latest device, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c. Its the first EDGE-enabled and Intel-powered BlackBerry, and it offers a winning combination of performance, design, and functionality. Of course, not all is perfect. Bluetooth and instant-messaging capabilities are limited, but the pros outweigh the cons, making the 8700c one of the best BlackBerrys weve seen to date. The BlackBerry 8700c is available through Cingular Wireless for $299.99. The RIM BlackBerry 8700c offers best-of-breed design, combining everything we love about the traditional BlackBerry form factor with the best aspects of the newer BlackBerry 7100 series. From the 7100 series, the 8700c takes a similar compact (4.3 by 2.7 by 0.7 inches; 4.7 ounces) and sleek look that wont weigh you down or cramp your style. The blue-gray and black coloring is attractive, and more important, the smart phone feels good in your hands--solid and easy to use one-handed. On the 7100 series, we werent fond of the modified keyboard, which is why were thrilled that RIM brought back the full QWERTY keyboard by making the 8700c slightly wider than both the BlackBerry 7100g and the BlackBerry 7100t. Although the 35 buttons are fairly well spaced, those with larger digits may have some problems, especially if theyre used to the roomier keyboards of past BlackBerrys. That said, the squarish and tactile keys are raised above the phones surface for easy typing and provide a satisfying click once pressed. BlackBerry thumbs, get ready: The RIM BlackBerry 8700c features a full QWERTY keyboard for fast and easy typing.Moving on to the screen, the news just keeps getting better. The RIM BlackBerry 8700c boasts a beautiful 2.5-inch-diagonal display that shows off 65,000 colors and a fine 320x240-pixel resolution. This in an improvement upon past BlackBerrys, and the change is noticeable. Viewing Web pages and images is more enjoyable, as text and images are clearer and more defined. Plus, you can change the font type and size under the Settings menu. The 8700c also features a new light-sensing technology that automatically adjusts the backlighting of the screen and keyboard according to your environment--a nice touch. The BlackBerry 8700c boasts a bright screen and new Talk and End keys.Also new are the dedicated Talk and End keys, as well as the customizable soft key, which are all found just below the display. Although these buttons made their first appearance on the BlackBerry 7100 series, the RIM BlackBerry 8700c marks the debut of this feature on more traditional-type BlackBerrys. Finishing out the face of the smart phone is a small LED in the upper-right corner that blinks different colors for network activity (green), message notification (red), low battery (yellow), and Bluetooth connectivity (blue). Other features on the 8700c include a headset jack, a USB port, and a customizable shortcut key on the left spine, while the right side holds the familiar jog dial and the Esc key for easy navigation of the menu. Theres a power button and a Mute key on top of the device. To turn on the speakerphone, which is located on the back of the 8700c, theres an activation key in the lower-right corner of the keyboard, but you can use it only once youre on a call.RIM packages the BlackBerry 8700c with a USB cable for charging and PC synchronization, an AC adapter, and a belt holster. More accessories are available for purchase, such as a car charger ($28.99) and various headsets, both wireless and wired. The RIM BlackBerry 8700c is distinct for a couple of reasons. Its the first BlackBerry powered by an Intel processor--a 312MHz PXA901 processor, to be exact--and its also the first EDGE-enabled BlackBerry. With this combination, you should enjoy faster Web browsing and download times, as well as quicker overall performance, which, on the whole, we found to be true (see Performance). Of course, BlackBerrys are known for their e-mail prowess, and the RIM BlackBerry 8700c doesnt disappoint. With the help of your IT department, the smart phone can sync with your companys BlackBerry, Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino, or Novell GroupWise server to deliver corporate e-mail in real time. The BlackBerry 8700c also supports up to 10 personal/business POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail accounts; we set up our device to receive messages from our POP3 account, and after about 20 minutes of tinkering, we started getting our e-mail, with the smart phone checking for new messages every 15 minutes. The 8700c also features enhancements to attachment viewing. You now can view Excel documents as spreadsheets rather than in plain text, and you have more image-editing options at your disposal. You can rotate, as well as zoom in and out, and once youve zoomed in, you can use the Enhance function to recalibrate the image to reduce pixelation. Throughout our test period, we received and opened various documents without any problems. The BlackBerry 8700c also supports text and multimedia messaging, as well as instant messaging. However, the latter is limited to a BlackBerry Messenger, so you can communicate only with those who use that proprietary client.RIM throws in other useful applications for the mobile professional. Theres a calendar, a task list, a memo pad, and a calculator. A couple of demo apps that we enjoyed and may be worth the download were Quotestream Wireless and AskMeNow. Quotestream allows you to receive wireless-streaming stock quotes right on your 8700c, while AskMeNow gives you quick access to weather, sports scores, flight information, and more. It also has an Ask Jeeves-type functionality called Ask Anything, where you can input a question, and youll receive the answer in your in-box. We asked a sports-related question, \"Where did Peyton Manning go to school?\" and lo and behold, within five minutes, we had our answer along with some other useful information--pretty neat! One final noteworthy addition is the ability to toggle between applications. By holding down Alt, then pressing the Esc key, you can quickly access your messages, your home screen, your phone, your messenger, your Web browser, or your WorkSpace CRM, rather than tediously backing out of several layers of apps. We definitely hear you now: The BlackBerry 8700cs speakerphone is plenty loud. Moving to the phone aspect of the BlackBerry 8700c, the mobiles address book is limited only by the available memory (an additional 250 names can be stored on the SIM card), and the device comes with 64MB of flash memory and 16MB of SDRAM, which is a nice bump up from the BlackBerry 7290. For each contact entry, you can store up to eight numbers, an e-mail and a Web address, home and work addresses, job titles, and notes. You get 35 polyphonic ring tones, and theres support for MP3 ring tones, as well as a vibrate mode, conference calling, call forwarding, speed dialing, and smart dialing. Finally, theres Bluetooth support for wireless headsets and car kits, but unfortunately, wireless data transfers and syncing are out of the question.As a businesscentric device, the BlackBerry 8700c doesnt give you too many entertainment or multimedia functions. The BlackBerry 8700c doesnt have an audio or video player, but it does come with three games: BrickBreaker, Texas Holdem King 2, and Bass Assassin. Customization is limited to a handful of themes, but more options--ring tones, wallpaper, games, and so on--are available through Cingular. Using Cingulars network, we tested the quad-band (GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) RIM BlackBerry 8700c in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and call quality was generally good. We had no problems hearing our callers, although they sounded slightly hollow at times, but it didnt prevent us from holding a conversation. On the flip side, callers said we sounded clear, but they could tell we were on a cell phone. Speakerphone quality was even better. Callers said they couldnt even tell we were on speakerphone, and volume was plenty loud. In fact, we were a little embarrassed when we activated the speakerphone in a public place because our callers voice boomed throughout the room. Wireless functions on the RIM BlackBerry 8700c were admirable. We had no problems pairing the device with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset, and we were talking, hands free, within minutes. Call quality did suffer slightly, however. Surfing the Web on the 8700c was relatively painless, and the EDGE support helped with faster upload times, but we did encounter some delays and formatting issues with graphics-intensive sites such as ebay.com.The RIM BlackBerry 8700c is rated for 4 hours of talk time and up to 16 days of standby time. In our tests, we managed to get 5 hours, 40 minutes of talk time, while the standby time fell short at 7 days. ),
(1101,Sony Ericsson Z520a,Positives: The Sony Ericsson Z520a benefits from an attractive design and solid performance. It also comes with Bluetooth, a speakerphone, world phone support, and an infrared port. Negatives: Unfortunately, the Sony Ericsson Z520a has cramped navigation controls, lacks a camera flash, and suffers from poor photo quality. Facts: Though the camera is unimpressive, the Sony Ericsson Z520a is a feature-rich and well-performing midrange cell phone. , Like its rival Nokia, Sony Ericsson established its reputation by designing sturdy and reliable candy bar-style cell phones. And like Nokia, Sony Ericssons past experiments in flip phones werent as successful. Though handsets such as the Sony Ericsson Z600a and Z500a were reliable performers, their designs missed the mark. But the company appears to have learned from some its past mistakes with the new Sony Ericsson Z520a for Cingular Wireless. Attractively designed and compact, the Z520a offers a solid set of features, including Bluetooth, a VGA camera, a media player, and a speakerphone. Its also very fairly priced at $129, or cheaper with service. With the Sony Ericsson Z520a, the company strikes new design territory. While many of the companys candy bar cell phones tend to resemble one another, you wouldnt confuse the Z520a with any of its flip-phone brethren. Unlike the Sony Ericsson Z600, the Z520a has a large external display thats front and center, and unlike the Sony Ericsson Z500a, the Z520a feels sturdy in our hands. Its compact size (3.2 by 1.8 by 0.9 inches) allows it to slip into almost any pocket, and its trim weight (3.3 ounces) means you wont get tired of holding it against your face during long conversations. The looped antenna--also present on the Sony Ericsson W600i--is a nice touch, and we like that the Z520a supports changeable faceplates. Ours came in a dark blue, but you can get faceplates in gray, white, and a variety of patterns for $29. Set in a mirrored frame, the postage stamp-size external display shows the date, time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). Though it supports a relatively low-res 4,096 colors, its still vibrant and bright. Below the screen is the camera lens. Theres no self-portrait mirror, but you can use the external display as a viewfinder with the flip closed. The only thing we really missed was a camera flash. A dedicated camera buttons sits on the left spine just above the volume rocker and the infrared port, while the speaker rests on the phones rear face. The compact Sony Ericsson Z520a has an appealing design.Inside the phone is the outstanding 65,536-color internal screen. Sony Ericsson excels at designing rich displays, and the Z520a is no exception. The screen measures just less than 2 inches diagonally, but given the phones small size, its ideal for browsing through the user-friendly menus, playing games, and viewing photos. You can alter the brightness but not the contrast or the font size. Below the display are the navigation controls, which consist of a five-way toggle, two soft keys, a dedicated Back button, and a dedicated Clear key. As is the case with all Sony Ericsson phones, there are no dedicated Talk and End buttons. Though they keys are large and tactile, the toggle and the OK button are rather small, so users with large digits should take note. Whats more, because the keys are flush with the surface of the phone, its easy to scroll in an unintended direction.Sony Ericsson usually stumbles when it comes to cell phone keypads, but the company finally struck the right chord with the Z520a. The beveled keys are well spaced and adequately sized, so its easy to dial by feel. Also, a bright blue backlight makes it easy to dial in darker environments. The plastic casing surrounding the keypad holds eight evenly spaced lights that flash during incoming calls. Its an unusual but cool feature, and the color matches the keypad backlight. You can choose from six patterns or turn it off completely. At the bottom of the phone are a power button and a dedicated control for activating the Web browser. The Sony Ericsson Z520a offers all the features youd expect from a midrange cell phone. The 500-contact phone book is small, but you can save an additional 250 names on the SIM card. Each entry holds five phone numbers, an e-mail address, a Web address, a street address, job title and company, birthday, and notes. You can organize contacts into caller groups, and for caller ID purposes, you can pair them with a picture that will show up on the external display. We were surprised at the number of included polyphonic (40-chord) ring tones and sounds: 46 in all. The Z520as MP3 support means you can download additional tunes from Cingular via the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Other features include a vibrate mode, an alarm clock, a world clock, a calculator, a stopwatch, a timer, a notepad, PC syncing for your contacts, a tasks list, a calendar, text and multimedia messaging, and a code memo for storing sensitive information such as your bank account PIN number. The speakerphone is always a welcome inclusion, but you can turn it on only after you make a call. More demanding users will appreciate the infrared port, a wireless business-card exchange, POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail support, and Bluetooth for calls and file transfers. We wish the Sony Ericsson Z520as camera had a flash.The VGA-resolution digital camera still comes with plenty of features. You can take pictures in 640x480, 320x240, and 160x120 resolutions, as well as Normal and Fine quality settings. Other image options include Normal, Panorama, Frames, and Burst shooting modes; Black And White and Sepia picture effects; a night mode; a self-timer; a 4X zoom; a brightness adjuster; and Night mode. The video recorder takes clips with sound, with clip length limited by available memory. Editing options are similar to those of the still camera, with two shooting modes, two effects, two resolutions (176x144 and 128x96), and Night mode. When finished with your shots or videos, you can send them in a multimedia message or save them to the phones 16MB of memory. To further channel your inner artist, you can activate the Z520as PhotoDJ (theres also a VideoDJ), where you can add one of six fun frames; rotate the shots orientation; and use various image effects such as brightness, contrast, tint control, and photo marking. Considering the Sony Ericsson Z520a has a low-resolution camera, photo and video quality are far from stellar. Photos in particular were washed out and grainy, and the lack of a flash didnt help. The Z520a had below-average image quality for a camera phone.The Sony Ericsson Z520a has a media player that supports MP3s and MIDI files. Its a fun addition but not very useful. Since theres no external memory card, youll have to download tunes from the Web browser or transfer them via Bluetooth or the infrared port. You can personalize the phone with a variety of wallpaper, color themes, screensavers, and sounds. If you want more options, you can download them from Cingular. Gamers can enjoy the two Java (J2ME) titles: Quadra Pop and the bizarre NY Nights. More titles are available for purchase. We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) Sony Ericsson Z520a world phone in San Francisco using Cingular Wireless service. Call quality generally was good with fine clarity and volume. The only drawbacks were that audio occasionally sounded hollow, and the phone tended to pick up wind noise. Still, callers said they could hear us loud and clear, even if they could tell we were using a cell phone. The rear-facing speakerphone was surprisingly loud; its best that you face the speaker up if resting the Z520a on a surface. Be advised, however, that the speakerphone hangs up if you close the phone. We successfully paired the Z520a with the Plantronics Explorer 320 Bluetooth headset, and call quality didnt suffer.The Sony Ericsson Z520a has a rated talk time of nine hours and a promised standby time of 16 days. In our tests, we got eight hours of talk time on a single charge. According to FCC radiation tests, the Sony Ericsson Z520a has a digital SAR rating of watts per kilogram. ),
(1102,Samsung SGH-D307,Positives: The Samsung SGH-D307 features a bright, large internal display; an innovative design with a QWERTY keyboard; Bluetooth; a speakerphone; and voice-recognition features. Negatives: Sadly, the Samsung SGH-D307 has a monochrome external screen and a confusing navigation layout, plus it lacks a camera. Facts: Rocking an innovative flip design and a mini keyboard, the Samsung SGH-D307 will please messaging fanatics once they master the unintuitive navigation controls. , As text messaging continues to gain popularity, cell phone manufacturers are starting to design phones with built-in keyboards to cater to the texting fanatics. First, there was the Motorola A630, and most recently, LG released its VX9800. Now, Samsung is getting into the game. The Samsung SGH-D307 for Cingular Wireless ($199.99 with the mail-in rebate) stands out from the pack with a slimmer form factor and an innovative flip design that opens up to reveal a mini QWERTY keyboard and a gorgeous 262,000-color internal display. It also boasts Bluetooth, EDGE support, and voice-recognition technology. Yet, all is not rosy with the SGH-D307. While we appreciate the phones trim profile, the navigation controls, which hamper usability, can be frustrating. That said, once you master the controls, you cant deny the ease of sending messages. Oh, and its not a bad phone either. From the outside, the Samsung SGH-D307 isnt much of a looker. Its blocklike design and standard silver dress wont impress anyone, and the flip phone is slightly bulky at 3.7 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches and 4.3 ounces. Compared with the LG VX9800, however, its downright small. The phone fits snugly in a jeans pocket, but the trade-off is that it feels solid in your hands and comfortable when held to the ear. Also, theres no stubby antenna to snag on clothing or pockets, which we appreciated. The SGH-D307 is big overall, yet it still has a skinny profile.Theres a postage stamp-size screen on the front cover of the Samsung SGH-D307 that shows the date, the time, signal and battery strength, and caller ID (where available), but we were disappointed by the fact that its monochrome. For a phone of this class, we would have expected at least a 4,096-color display. That said, the text--the date, the time, signal strength, battery life, and caller ID--is clear, and its always readable even if the phone isnt in use. There isnt too much else to the exterior of the phone: On the left spine, theres a headset jack, as well as a volume rocker, which you can use to manipulate the easy-to-use menu, while a lone voice-recorder/speakerphone launch button sits on the right. The SGH-D307s display flips up in two directions.So everything about the Samsung SGH-D307s design has been standard so far, right? Well, its time to move on to the twist. The mobile features an innovative dual-flip hinge so that you can open it like a traditional flip phone or to the side to view the display in landscape mode. And once you do open the phone, youre presented with more treats: a gorgeous 2-inch-diagonal, 262,000-color screen and a mini QWERTY keyboard. The display is bright and sharp, as well as great for playing games and viewing Web pages. Its too bad the SGH-D307 doesnt have a camera, since the display would be ideal for viewing photos. While we love the screen, we were less enthused with the navigation controls of the Samsung SGH-D307. To make way for the QWERTY keyboard, Samsung did away with the traditional soft keys and navigation toggle. Instead, the Up, Down, Left, and Right arrows are paired with the A, D, X, and W buttons, respectively; they also serve as shortcuts to Messaging, Address Book, My Media, and IM. In the center of it all is the S key, marked in orange, which acts the part of the Select key. The Talk and End/power keys (V and R) flank the Clear button (F), while the two soft keys are marked by three tiny dots above the Z and Q buttons. We certainly appreciate the keyboard and sleekness of the device compared with that of similar phones such as the LG VX9800 or the Motorola A6340, but this layout is confusing and takes some getting used to. Whats more, when in landscape mode, the setup is even more perplexing because its not clear which keys perform which functions indicated on the display. There are also no dedicated number keys when in landscape mode, and you can access only certain menu items and others not at all. We recommend that you sit down with the user guide to get acquainted before using the phone and firing off messages. With all that said, the Samsung SGH-D307s QWERTY keyboard is spacious, and the buttons are tactile. We had no problem typing messages with our thumbs; if anything, we wish the backlighting were just a bit brighter. Messaging is the Samsung SGH-D307s forte, but its not too shabby in the phone department either. To start off, the mobile features a healthy 1,000-name phone book, with room in each entry for three phone numbers and an e-mail address; the SIM card holds an additional 250 contacts. For caller-ID purposes, you can assign a contact to one of 11 polyphonic ring tones, a caller group, or a photo. Just remember that since the SGH-D307 doesnt have a camera, youll have to get images on to your phone another way. The mobile also supports custom ring tones, including MP3, AAC, and MIDI formats. Business users will appreciate the Bluetooth, EDGE support, the speakerphone, PC syncing, and 30-second voice memos. However, theres love for all with inclusion of a calendar, an alarm clock, a calculator, a to-do list, a currency converter, and a WAP 2.0 Web browser. Crazy keys: While we like the SGH-D307s keypad, the overlap of the navigation controls is confusing.The Samsung SGH-D307s innovative design and communication features give you something to write home about, and with its full QWERTY keyboard and multiple messaging options, you can do it right from your phone. The handset supports POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail accounts, instant messages (AOL, Yahoo, and ICQ), and text and multimedia messages. We were able to log on to our AOL and Yahoo IM clients with ease and chat away with our buddies. Strangely, you cant get to the Web in landscape mode, thus ruling out access to your e-mail accounts and the benefit of having a keyboard. Nevertheless, it was useful for firing off quick text messages and notes. And if you want to give your fingers a rest, the SGH-D307 also has VoiceMode so that you can speak, rather than type, your messages--a feature introduced in the Samsung SGH-P207. After a 3-minute exercise of reading select words into the phone, we started dictating messages using VoiceMode, and accuracy was around 75 percent. We had better luck with easy phrases such as \"Call me later,\" but with more complicated messages, the accuracy rate dropped dramatically.Theres not much else to the Samsung SGH-D307. Theres no camera or advanced multimedia features, and you can choose from a small selection of wallpaper, text colors, and menu styles to customize your handset; you can always download more options from Cingulars Web site. The SGH-D307 also includes four Java (J2ME) games--Bobby Carrot, Airship Racing, Arch Angel, and Freekick--but more titles are available for purchase. We tested the triband Samsung SGH-D307 (GSM850/1800/1900; EDGE) in the San Francisco area using Cingulars network. Call quality was a mixed bag. On our end, callers sounded clear, and volume was more than adequate, but our callers said there was a slight echo, and they could tell we were using a cell phone. Speakerphone quality was excellent. Although we had to turn up the volume a bit, conversations on both ends sounded clear. We also had no problems pairing the Logitech Mobile Traveller, but conversations became slightly muffled through the headset. The Samsung SGH-D307 is rated for 5 hours of talk time and eight days of standby time. In our real-world tests, we got 4.5 hours of talk time. According to FCC radiation tests, the SGH-D307 has a digital SAR rating of 1.01 watts per kilogram. ),
(1103,Samsung SCH-A970,Positives: The Samsung SCH-A970 supports a 3G EV-DO network, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, a TransFlash slot, a speakerphone, and a 2-megapixel camera and camcorder with optical zoom. Negatives: The Samsung SCH-A970 is bulky. It also suffers from spotty EV-DO coverage and disappointing photo quality. Facts: The Samsung SCH-A970 is a good choice for a rich multimedia experience, though the promised features don't always live up to expectations. , Verizon Wirelesss latest 3G V Cast phone, the Samsung SCH-A970 is a compelling package of multimedia and communication tools. Along with support for Verizons high-speed 3G network, the handset offers a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, an MP3 player with external playback controls, Bluetooth support, and a TransFlash card slot for additional memory. The phone is bulky, however, and its fancy features sometimes fall short, with spotty EV-DO coverage and subpar photo quality. Still, the A970 will tempt those looking for a phone that supports Verizons high-speed data network. The Samsung SCH-A970 is available for a pricey $349. Call the Samsung SCH-A970 the anti-Motorola Razr V3. At 3.7 by 1 by 1.84 inches and 5.07 ounces, this handset is hefty. And while theres no protruding antenna, the A970 wont slip easily into your pocket. But thats also the case with Verizons other 3G phones such as the LG VX9800, so we didnt mind it too much. The all-silver case makes it appropriate for business settings, and the exterior display (see below) becomes a mirror when the backlighting is off. Big and bulky: The Samsung SCH-A970 is not a lightweight.At first glance, you might think the A970s external display takes up half of the front face, but its just an illusion. Set in mirrored frame, the postage stamp-size display is small for the mobiles dimensions, but it still packs in the date, time, battery life, signal strength and caller ID (where available). Be warned, though, that the resolution is dim, and its impossible to see in direct light or when the backlighting it off. And whats worse, you must open the phone to activate it again. The next elements youll notice on the front flap are the handy audio playback controls just below the display. Yes, the A970 works with MP3s, and you can activate the player to hear songs without opening the display. Verizons LG VX8100 has similar controls, but they were inoperable for the first few months after the phone was introduced. This time, you get full functionality out of the box. The final features on the front of the phone are the stereo speakers.The flip on the Samsung SCH-A970 is unusual. After it flips up to a right angle, the display also rotates 90 degrees in each direction. This design quirk is necessary because the camera lens and flash are placed unusually on the left end of the hinge, which accounts for some of the phones bulk. Twisting the lens instantly starts the camera, but the opposite is not true when you rotate the display back to its normal position. The upshot here is that its easy to take self-portraits or pictures of subjects at unexpected angles. It also looks as if youre using a mini digital camera instead of a cell phone. Take care, however, with the folding mechanism. The flip mechanism is quite loose, and the cover has a tendency to twist 90 degrees when attempting a one-handed open or close. Play it again: The SCH-A970 has convenient player controls.The 262,000-color internal display is gorgeous, with bright, vibrant hues. Its difficult to see in direct light, but it does the job for viewing photos and scrolling through the simple, yet dull menus (Verizon is standardizing its menu system for all its phones). You can change the backlighting but not the contrast or brightness. Below the display are the navigation keys, including a five-way button with shortcuts to the calendar, the V Cast menus, the Web browser, and the downloads menu; two soft keys; a Clear button; and the Talk and End keys. The dial pad is roomy, though the keys could be raised a bit for easier touch dialing. The right spine of the case includes the camera shutter, a volume rocker, a speakerphone button, and an Options key for accessing camera/video functions, though this key works only in camera/video mode with the cover flipped and folded. When the phone is in camera mode, the volume rocker also works as a zoom control. The left spine sports the headset jack and the TransFlash expansion slot. The A970 comes with a bulky desktop charger, and youll have to shell out extra dough for a more convenient travel charger. The Samsung SCH-A970 has plenty to offer aside from the 3G V Cast features. The 500-contact phone book includes entries for five phone numbers and two e-mail addresses. You can assign callers to groups and pair them with a picture (the photo shows up on the external display), as well as any of 10 polyphonic or 5 monophonic tones. Theres a vibrate mode; a calendar; text and multimedia messaging; voice dialing; a world clock; a notepad; AIM, MSN, and Yahoo instant messaging; a speakerphone; and a calculator. Also, VoiceMode speech-to-text technology enables you to dictate your text messages with moderate success. Bluetooth is included as well, but as with other Verizon handsets, it isnt fully capable. According to the carrier, it has profiles for wireless headsets, hands-free accessories, syncing with compatible PCs, and some file transfers, but it doesnt support all OBEX profiles. The MP3 player is a nice touch, and its easy to use, but it plays files from the TransFlash card only. The main attraction, of course, is Verizons EV-DO service and access to its V Cast multimedia content. When we were able to maintain relatively decent coverage (more on that in the Performance section), Web surfing was noticeably zippy in EV-DO mode. With speeds between 300Kbps and 500Kbps, youll definitely appreciate how quickly you can browse content from such sites as CNN and the Wall Street Journal. The V Cast content includes live and prerecorded material, such as NBC News updates, music videos, special offerings from E Entertainment and VH1, movie trailers, and video on demand. Say cheese: The SCH-A970 has a large camera lens.The SCH-A970s other highlight is the 2-megapixel camera and camcorder. When the flip is open in the normal position (as it would be to make calls), simply press the shutter button on the right end of the hinge to access the camera. Additionally, you can press and hold for the camcorder. You can take pictures in seven resolutions: 1,600x1,200, 1,280x960, 1,024x768, 800x600, 640x480, 320x240, and 128x160. Other options rival those on a stand-alone camera. The 2X optical zoom is a welcome camera phone advancement, and other camera features include a flash; a self-timer; two multishot modes (in a series or divided into frames); several color effects; five picture modes, including a macro setting; white-balance adjustments; three quality settings; and light-metering options. As we mentioned earlier, the side-mounted camera lens has its advantages, but it presents a learning curve as well. If you take a picture with the display in the standard flip position, it is difficult frame your shots due to the quirky orientation of the lens. To compensate, we suggest you always take pictures with the display flipped 90 degrees. After saving a shot, swiveling the cover to normal position automatically takes you the picture message menu--a nice touch. Video clips with sound are limited to the available memory (more than an hour at the longest), but they are of alarmingly poor quality. You can save your work to the phones 60MB of memory or to the 512MB TransFlash card (not included). Though the Samsung SCH-A970 has a 2-megapixel camera, we were disappointed by its photo quality.You can personalize the A970 with a variety of wallpaper, color themes, and sounds. If you want more options or ring tones, you can download them form Verizons Get It Now service via the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Sorry, gamers, the phone does not come with any titles; if you want them, youll have to buy them. We tested the dual-band (CDMA 900/1900; 1xEV-DO) Samsung SCH-A970 in the Chicago area. Call quality was excellent, with callers sounding loud and clear. Friends on the other end said we sounded just as clear. The speakerphone, however, isnt terribly loud and is subject to a bit of distortion. On the upside, it can be turned off before making a call.Chicago is one of Verizons EV-DO coverage areas, but reception wasnt consistent. While riding the El train in downtown Chicago, the phone often slipped in and out of EV-DO coverage and into the pokier 1xRTT network, slowing the time it took to send picture messages or inhibiting the ability to get V Cast content. When coverage was strong, however, performance was generally solid. Sending picture messages is noticeably quick--about 30 seconds to e-mail a 300K photo--and larger video and ring tone downloads took about two minutes. The audio quality of V Cast content isnt bad, but the speaker isnt loud enough for using outdoors. In those cases, its best to use a stereo headset. Video quality is decent, though not quite TV quality. We noticed some slight pixelation but nothing serious. Colors are vivid and true, video/audio sync largely intact, and videos rarely paused for rebuffering. If you press the top navigation key during video playback, you can view clips in wide-screen mode.If you had any thoughts about ditching your digital camera upon hearing the words 2 megapixels, think again. Although the larger print size will be a blessing to those who like to tinker with their photos, we found the picture quality to be disappointing, with washed-out colors and a lack of sharpness. And because of the long lag between the time you press the button to take a picture and the actual taking of the shot, you have to hold your hand perfectly still to avoid getting a blurred image. Because of this lag time, its best to activate the shutter sound effect. Otherwise, youll have no idea when or if youve taken a picture.As for battery life, we matched the promised talk time of 3.5 hours from the lithium-ion battery. Samsung rates the standby time at 14 days; we got a respectable 11.5 days in our tests. According to FCC radiation tests, the SCH-A970 has a digital SAR rating of 1.45 watts per kilogram. );
REPLACE INTO `cellphones` (`id`, `product`, `overview`, `review`) VALUES (1104,HP iPAQ hw6510 Mobile Messenger,Positives: The compact HP iPaq hw6515 features Bluetooth, EDGE, GPS radios, and solid battery life. The smart phone also has a QWERTY keyboard and various messaging options. Negatives: Unfortunately, the HP iPaq hw6515 doesnt have integrated Wi-Fi or Windows Mobile 5, and it suffers from sluggish performance occasionally. Facts: The HP iPaq hw6515 offers great tools for the mobile professional, but its poky performance keeps it from achieving smart-phone greatness. Note: This product is part of the HP iPaq hw6500 series. ., HPs latest Windows Mobile-based smart phone, the HP iPaq hw6515 ($449.99) for Cingular Wireless, boasts many advanced features that are sure to please the well-seasoned road warrior. The EDGE-capable world phone comes equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard, a plethora of messaging options, integrated Bluetooth, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. It also has something the competition doesnt: a built-in GPS receiver for making the smart phone a handheld GPS device. That said, the iPaq hw6515 lacks integrated Wi-Fi and suffers from poky performance when multiple applications are in use. It certainly wont topple the Palm Treo 650 as the smart-phone king, but the hw6515 does offer a nice alternative to mobile professionals who favor Windows Mobile. Also, if you don't want a camera or your workplace doesnt allow it, you can opt for the HP iPaq hw6510, which includes all the same great features of the hw6515, with the exception of the camera. Essentially, the HP iPaq hw6515 is a slimmed-down Pocket PC organizer, and thankfully, its a lot more compact than the companys first Pocket PC smart phone, the HP iPaq H6315. Measuring 4.7 by 2.8 by 0.7 inches and weighing 5.8 ounces, theres no arguing that the device is trim for a PDA. Yet, the hw6515 is wide, and it will appear bulky to those accustomed to the more pocketable Palm Treo devices. You may feel more comfortable clipping the hw6515 to your belt with the included case.The HP iPaq hw6515 rocks a bright 3-inch, 320x240-pixel screen that displays text and images in 64,000 colors. To protect the TFT QVGA screen from scratches, HP throws in a plastic flip cover thats easily attachable. Just below the screen are two shortcut keys to your Contacts and Inbox, Talk and End keys, and a five-way joystick. And like the Palm Treo and the Samsung SCH-i730, the iPaq hw6515 boasts its own full QWERTY keyboard. The rounded backlit keys are tiny but well spaced and responsive, if a bit slippery. Something to write home about: Use the hw6515s QWERTY keyboard to send e-mails and text messages with ease. On the right side of the smart phone, theres an SD expansion slot and a Mini SD card slot just below it. On the left spine, youll find an infrared port, a volume rocker, and an image-capture/voice-record button. The HP iPaq hw6515 features a 1.3-megapixel camera--the hw6510 doesnt come equipped with a camera--and you can find the lens on the back of the device, along with a flash and a self-portrait mirror. The only thing missing is a camera lens cover. Something to smile about: The HP iPaq hw6515 features a 1.3-megapixel camera, a flash, and a mirror for self-portraits.Aside from the aforementioned belt case and flip cover, HP packages the hw6500 series with a desktop-synchronization cradle, a pair of earbud-style headsets, and an AC adapter. A variety of optional accessories are also available, such as HPs Bluetooth stereo headphones for $100 and a digital FM transmitter for $60. Modestly equipped with a midrange 312MHz Intel PXA272 processor, the HP iPaq hw6515 has a total of 128MB of memory, but only 55MB of that is user-accessible. Fortunately, as mentioned earlier, the phone features both SD and Mini SD expansion slots for extra storage. As a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition device, the iPaq hw6515 gives you the typical pocket versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer. We would have, however, liked to see the phone running Microsofts latest Windows Mobile 5 operating system, which comes with an improved Mobile Office Suite, including PowerPoint Mobile. That said, you get a couple of extra utilities with the hw6515, such as iPaq Backup and Pocket Panel Lite for one-touch access to device status--battery memory, backlight settings, and so forth. Double trouble: The hw6515 comes equipped with SD and Mini SD expansion slots.When dialing into the phone features, the HP iPaq hw6515 is replete with communication options. First off, the gadget is a quad-band world phone that operates on GSM cellular networks around the globe. Designed to keep travelers in touch on the go, the hw6515 also supports text messaging and POP3-, IMAP4-, and SMTP-based e-mail. In addition, its compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server so that you can access corporate e-mail--that is, if your IT department allows it. The hw6515 is EDGE capable, so if you live in a coverage area, you can benefit from faster network speeds, topping out at about 130Kbps, to transmit and receive data. However, compared with the maximum 2Mbps throughput of EV-DO on CDMA networks, EDGE is downright slow. In addition to EDGE, youll find integrated Bluetooth wireless networking to connect to hands-free headsets, laptop computers, and other mobile devices. In an effort to keep a fairly compact form factor, HP opted to forgo integrated Wi-Fi, which is unfortunate. On a positive note, the HP iPaq hw6515 boasts a robust 1.3-megapixel digital camera for a phone. HP thoughtfully included its HP Image Zone photo-management software, which allows you to view slide shows of your photo library. We found the images we took to be sharp, but their color was slightly washed out. For other entertainment features, the hw6515 comes with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile for handling multimedia files, including MP3s, WMAs, and WMV video clips. Interestingly, the HP iPaq hw6515 is equipped with an internal GPS receiver, meaning you can quickly convert the smart phone into a navigation device just by installing your Pocket PC GPS software of choice. The hw6515 ships with Microsofts Pocket Streets, which doesnt provide real-time driving directions, but you can plan routes ahead of time. This application, however, can communicate with the iPaqs built-in GPS receiver and pinpoint your approximate street-level position. In the tests, the quad-band HP iPaq hw6515 (850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) performed reasonably well as a phone. We used it in New York on Cingulars network, and while callers sounded clear on our end, they knew we were chatting on a cell phone. Also, if we didnt place the earpiece exactly within the audio sweet spot, voices had a tendency to become muffled. As a PDA, the HP iPaq hw6515s application performance was smooth overall, though we did notice significant sluggishness when a multitude of programs were running simultaneously. This is most likely due to the phones modest CPU speed. Battery life was pretty good, however. The hw6515 managed to get 5.8 hours of power with the device playing a looped video clip and the screen set to half brightness. By comparison, the Palm Treo 650 lasted 4.25 hours. Since our battery-drain tests are designed to zap power as quickly as possible, youll probably get more mileage with real-world use. By the same token, battery life will be significantly affected if you have all three of the hw6515s wireless radios on at the same time. ),
(1105,HP iPaq hw6515 Mobile Messenger,Positives: The compact HP iPaq hw6515 features Bluetooth, EDGE, GPS radios, and solid battery life. The smart phone also has a QWERTY keyboard and various messaging options. Negatives: Unfortunately, the HP iPaq hw6515 doesnt have integrated Wi-Fi or Windows Mobile 5, and it suffers from sluggish performance occasionally. Facts: The HP iPaq hw6515 offers great tools for the mobile professional, but its poky performance keeps it from achieving smart-phone greatness. Note: This product is part of the HP iPaq hw6500 series. ., HPs latest Windows Mobile-based smart phone, the HP iPaq hw6515 ($449.99) for Cingular Wireless, boasts many advanced features that are sure to please the well-seasoned road warrior. The EDGE-capable world phone comes equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard, a plethora of messaging options, integrated Bluetooth, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. It also has something the competition doesnt: a built-in GPS receiver for making the smart phone a handheld GPS device. That said, the iPaq hw6515 lacks integrated Wi-Fi and suffers from poky performance when multiple applications are in use. It certainly wont topple the Palm Treo 650 as the smart-phone king, but the hw6515 does offer a nice alternative to mobile professionals who favor Windows Mobile. Also, if you don't want a camera or your workplace doesnt allow it, you can opt for the HP iPaq hw6510, which includes all the same great features of the hw6515, with the exception of the camera. Essentially, the HP iPaq hw6515 is a slimmed-down Pocket PC organizer, and thankfully, its a lot more compact than the companys first Pocket PC smart phone, the HP iPaq H6315. Measuring 4.7 by 2.8 by 0.7 inches and weighing 5.8 ounces, theres no arguing that the device is trim for a PDA. Yet, the hw6515 is wide, and it will appear bulky to those accustomed to the more pocketable Palm Treo devices. You may feel more comfortable clipping the hw6515 to your belt with the included case.The HP iPaq hw6515 rocks a bright 3-inch, 320x240-pixel screen that displays text and images in 64,000 colors. To protect the TFT QVGA screen from scratches, HP throws in a plastic flip cover thats easily attachable. Just below the screen are two shortcut keys to your Contacts and Inbox, Talk and End keys, and a five-way joystick. And like the Palm Treo and the Samsung SCH-i730, the iPaq hw6515 boasts its own full QWERTY keyboard. The rounded backlit keys are tiny but well spaced and responsive, if a bit slippery. Something to write home about: Use the hw6515s QWERTY keyboard to send e-mails and text messages with ease. On the right side of the smart phone, theres an SD expansion slot and a Mini SD card slot just below it. On the left spine, youll find an infrared port, a volume rocker, and an image-capture/voice-record button. The HP iPaq hw6515 features a 1.3-megapixel camera--the hw6510 doesnt come equipped with a camera--and you can find the lens on the back of the device, along with a flash and a self-portrait mirror. The only thing missing is a camera lens cover. Something to smile about: The HP iPaq hw6515 features a 1.3-megapixel camera, a flash, and a mirror for self-portraits.Aside from the aforementioned belt case and flip cover, HP packages the hw6500 series with a desktop-synchronization cradle, a pair of earbud-style headsets, and an AC adapter. A variety of optional accessories are also available, such as HPs Bluetooth stereo headphones for $100 and a digital FM transmitter for $60. Modestly equipped with a midrange 312MHz Intel PXA272 processor, the HP iPaq hw6515 has a total of 128MB of memory, but only 55MB of that is user-accessible. Fortunately, as mentioned earlier, the phone features both SD and Mini SD expansion slots for extra storage. As a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition device, the iPaq hw6515 gives you the typical pocket versions of Outlook, Word, Excel, and Internet Explorer. We would have, however, liked to see the phone running Microsofts latest Windows Mobile 5 operating system, which comes with an improved Mobile Office Suite, including PowerPoint Mobile. That said, you get a couple of extra utilities with the hw6515, such as iPaq Backup and Pocket Panel Lite for one-touch access to device status--battery memory, backlight settings, and so forth. Double trouble: The hw6515 comes equipped with SD and Mini SD expansion slots.When dialing into the phone features, the HP iPaq hw6515 is replete with communication options. First off, the gadget is a quad-band world phone that operates on GSM cellular networks around the globe. Designed to keep travelers in touch on the go, the hw6515 also supports text messaging and POP3-, IMAP4-, and SMTP-based e-mail. In addition, its compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server so that you can access corporate e-mail--that is, if your IT department allows it. The hw6515 is EDGE capable, so if you live in a coverage area, you can benefit from faster network speeds, topping out at about 130Kbps, to transmit and receive data. However, compared with the maximum 2Mbps throughput of EV-DO on CDMA networks, EDGE is downright slow. In addition to EDGE, youll find integrated Bluetooth wireless networking to connect to hands-free headsets, laptop computers, and other mobile devices. In an effort to keep a fairly compact form factor, HP opted to forgo integrated Wi-Fi, which is unfortunate. On a positive note, the HP iPaq hw6515 boasts a robust 1.3-megapixel digital camera for a phone. HP thoughtfully included its HP Image Zone photo-management software, which allows you to view slide shows of your photo library. We found the images we took to be sharp, but their color was slightly washed out. For other entertainment features, the hw6515 comes with Windows Media Player 10 Mobile for handling multimedia files, including MP3s, WMAs, and WMV video clips. Interestingly, the HP iPaq hw6515 is equipped with an internal GPS receiver, meaning you can quickly convert the smart phone into a navigation device just by installing your Pocket PC GPS software of choice. The hw6515 ships with Microsofts Pocket Streets, which doesnt provide real-time driving directions, but you can plan routes ahead of time. This application, however, can communicate with the iPaqs built-in GPS receiver and pinpoint your approximate street-level position. In the tests, the quad-band HP iPaq hw6515 (850/900/1800/1900; EDGE) performed reasonably well as a phone. We used it in New York on Cingulars network, and while callers sounded clear on our end, they knew we were chatting on a cell phone. Also, if we didnt place the earpiece exactly within the audio sweet spot, voices had a tendency to become muffled. As a PDA, the HP iPaq hw6515s application performance was smooth overall, though we did notice significant sluggishness when a multitude of programs were running simultaneously. This is most likely due to the phones modest CPU speed. Battery life was pretty good, however. The hw6515 managed to get 5.8 hours of power with the device playing a looped video clip and the screen set to half brightness. By comparison, the Palm Treo 650 lasted 4.25 hours. Since our battery-drain tests are designed to zap power as quickly as possible, youll probably get more mileage with real-world use. By the same token, battery life will be significantly affected if you have all three of the hw6515s wireless radios on at the same time. ),
(1106,LG VX5200,Positives: The LG VX5200 has a compelling voice-activation menu, an easy-to-use camera, a speakerphone, analog roaming, and solid performance with strong talk-time battery life. Negatives: The LG VX5200 suffers from poor display quality, an overly large antenna, and lack of video support on the camera. Also, caller-ID photos don't show up on the external display. Facts: The LG VX5200 is a great lightweight option for the consumer on the go and a strong follow-up to the LG VX6100. , The LG VX5200 for Verizon Wireless is the follow-up to last years VX6100. Although far from a full-featured smart phone, the VX5200 is a good choice if you spend a large chunk of time on the go with the need to communicate. And even if you want a few more options--after all, the modern-day phone isnt just for calling people anymore--LG has managed to successfully address the multimedia concerns of the midrange cell phone user, adding functionality and features not available on the VX6100. On the downside, however, the VX5200s design has yet to integrate superior quality displays. Overall, you get what you pay for, and the LG VX5200 is a bargain at $119 (or cheaper with service). The elliptical design of the LG VX5200 is sleek and attractive. We also like the two-tone midnight blue and silver front flap. The handset measures 3.5 by 1.98 by 0.9 inches and weighs a slightly hefty 4.16 ounces, but it fits nicely in the palm of your hand and is easy to fish out of a pocket or purse. Of course, the large protruding antenna is cause for concern if you are rough on your phone. Still, the construction of the VX5200 is solid, and we found the phone easy to open and shut. The LG VX5200 has a compact flip phone shape and size.The 65,000-color external display is a definite improvement upon the VX6100s grayscale screen, and despite the postage-stamp size, it manages to pack in a lot of information, including the signal strength, the time, battery life, and an entire bar of indicator icons. Yet, not all was good. Unfortunately, the VX5200 doesnt allow the user to adjust the backlighting time on the external display, nor does the external display show picture caller ID. The camera lens and the flash remain in a convenient place, sitting just above the display. The location made it easy to get our fingers out of the way when taking shots, and we easily took self-portraits using the display as a viewfinder. We are disappointed, though, that the VX5200 has no sliding lens cover, as does the VX6100.The button on the right side of the LG VX5200 activates the camera and clicks pictures without having to open the front flap. The left side of the handset has a volume rocker, which were happy to note remained disabled when the phone wasnt in use, preventing us from accidentally turning down the ringer volume on the phone if pressed against the side of our purse or pocket. A key just below the volume control opens the voice-command menu, while a headset jack--sans a rubber cover--sits just above the rocker. The single feature on the rear face of the VX5200 is the speakerphone.A design flaw on the interior of the LG VX5200 concerns the internal display. Yes, we were able to read the well-designed menus in bright and dark conditions, but the overall quality wasnt too sharp, which made playing games and viewing photos somewhat tedious. The 65,000-color screen, at 1.7 inches diagonally, also could have been larger, given the current height and width of the handset. You get a choice of two font sizes and four display themes, none of which are remarkable. You can change the contrast and the backlighting as well.The navigation controls at the top of the LG VX5200s keypad include a five-way toggle that gives shortcuts to the calendar, the Web browser, the picture menu, and Verizons Get It Now service. Alternatively, the calendar key is programmable to one of the following features: alarm clock, notepad, or EZ tip calculator. Just be warned that since the Web browser and Get It Now shortcuts cant be changed, accidentally hitting the wrong button may wind up costing you money. You also get two soft keys, a dedicated camera control, the Talk and End keys, and a Clear button that also activates the speakerphone--nice. The well-spaced keypad buttons are slightly raised above the surface of the phone, and the numbers and letters are large and brightly backlit. The LG VX5200 has a 500-contact address book. Each entry holds five phone numbers and two e-mail addresses. You can also categorize contacts into caller groups or pair them with a ring tone or picture for caller ID. But don't get too excited, as neither function is very well executed. The picture doesnt show up on the external display, and the measly five monophonic and five polyphonic ring tones available on the VX5200 were embarrassing in public places. That said, our friends and coworkers insisted that \"Jungle Boogie\" was not much of an improvement. Other features include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, 1-minute voice memos, support for instant messaging, a calendar, a world clock, an address book, a tip calculator, and a full-duplex speakerphone. We also downloaded software so that we could access our Hotmail account. Overall, the handsets 16MB of memory is impressive, holding up to 100 voice-recorded memos, 200 pictures, and 98 unique speed-dial settings.As mentioned earlier, the strongest feature of the LG VX5200 is the voice-recognition command menu, allowing users to access many of the handsets key features with just their voice. After training the speaker-independent voice-recognition software, we successfully used voice commands to make simple phone calls, access our voicemail, call up our contact book, and edit our contacts, as well as check for missed calls or received messages, the time and the date, and the status of our phone. Using the speakerphone for voice commands worked fairly well; it understood our voice commands about 75 percent of the time. We would have liked to use the voice-command menu to add appointments to the calendar, but this wasnt a supported feature. The LG VX5200s camera comes with a flash.The phone has a quality VGA camera that takes still pictures but no video. The VGA camera takes pictures in three resolution settings--640x480, 320x240, and 160x120--and we had the option of customizing the white balance, the brightness, the shutter sound, and the color effects. The camera also comes with a 2X zoom, an embedded flash, a multishot adjustment, and a self-timer with three settings. We used the pictures for wallpaper and sent them via a multimedia message and an e-mail. We noticed, however, that sending a multimedia message was more trouble than it was worth, as it involved many steps and took too long for our liking. On the whole, though, the camera features are well integrated with the handset, and due to its ease of use, we enjoyed using it. The LG VX5200 has average photo quality for a camera phone.You can personalize the handset with a variety of wallpaper and sounds. In typical Verizon fashion, no games are included, but we downloaded Tetris and Bejeweled. Due to the lack of clarity on the screen, however, we didnt enjoy extended gameplay. We tested the dual-band/trimode (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) LG VX5200 in the San Francisco area on Verizons network, and call quality was generally good. We had no trouble with the sound quality, and although callers said we sounded far away and tinny when compared to our normal cell phone, no one mistook the call being made from a landline. Also, we did get interference when we sat too close to our computer or car speakers. Criticisms aside, we were impressed with the clarity and sound of the VX5200s speakerphone, and while we didnt experience any dropped calls, we did get network busy signals on two separate occasions.Battery life was impressive. We beat the rated talk time of 3.3 hours, reaching a total time of 4.5 hours on a single charge. Our standby time was nearly 5 days, a bit less than the promised time of 6.8 days. The phone did not heat up after continued use of more than 20 minutes, and the sound quality didnt decline. According to FCC radiation tests, the LG VX5200 has a digital SAR rating the 1.23 watts per kilogram and an analog SAR rating of 1.26 watts per kilogram. ),
(1107,Motorola Razr V3 - blue (unlocked), Note: This product is part of the Motorola Razr series. ., Quick Take: Though its not offered by a U.S. carrier, the blue Motorola Razr V3 is available in an unlocked model. Read our review of the original Razr V3 for a full description of the phones design, features, and performance. ),
(1108,Motorola Razr V3 (Magenta), Note: This product is part of the Motorola Razr series. ., Quick Take: T-Mobiles Razr V3 in magenta is identical to T-Mobiles original Razr V3 in silver. Read our review of the first Razr for a full assessment. ),
(1109,Samsung VI-A820 (SPH-A820),Positives: Light, compact design; Ready Link walkie-talkie enabled; voice dialing; excellent speakerphone sound quality. Negatives: No multimedia messaging; short talk-time battery life; low ringer and earpiece volume. Facts: An otherwise pedestrian flip phone, the Samsung VI-A820 for Sprint rises to another level with the addition of Sprints Ready Link walkie-talkie service and an excellent speakerphone. , Though you may think push-to-talk usage is solely the domain of delivery drivers and construction workers, Sprint has other ideas. With the Samsung VI-A820 (SPH-A820), Sprint brings its Ready Link push-to-talk service to the masses. Clad in a simple cell phone form factor and eschewing pricey extras, the VI-A820 is ideal for families seeking multifunction connectivity in a user-friendly design. You still get useful extras such as a speakerphone and voice dialing, but the Samsung VI-A820 maintains a fair price of $199 (or cheaper with service). Just be advised that its missing a camera--an omission that many users are likely to bemoan. The oval-shaped, silver-and-gray Samsung VI-A820 looks like your basic Sprint flip phone. Thats not a bad thing, though: the simple shape and the rounded edges are pleasing to the eye. Measuring 3.56 by 1.88 by 1.06 inches, weighing 3.13 ounces, and lacking an external antenna, its not exactly the Motorola Razr V3, but its still thin and compact enough to fit in a tight jean pocket. Tech geeks might be turned off by the passé postage stamp-size monochrome external screen, though the displayed time, date status, and caller-ID icons are far more readable, and therefore far more practical, than those on a color LCD in daylight. You can even invert the display (from black text to white text), and a flick of the volume toggle on the left spine turns on the backlighting for increased readability. The Samsung VI-A820 has a minimalist design.Above the screen is the grille for speakerphone and Ready Link calls. Of course that means sound flows in the wrong direction with the lid flipped up. But when using the speakerphone, you can close the lid in midconversation without disconnecting the call, which refocuses the sound toward your ears. The microphone is smartly located next to the power jack on the bottom rim rather than on the lower flap below the dial pad. As a result, closing the Samsung VI-A820 doesnt cover up the microphone.Inside, the 1.8-inch-diagonal, 65,000-color display is plenty bright, but its colors look bleached unless you turn up the contrast to the highest setting. You can change fonts, but theyre all large and highly readable, as are the function icons. The screen is great for scrolling through the simple but user-friendly menus. Navigation controls are nearly flush with the surface of the Samsung VI-A820 and a bit small, which may make menu manipulation awkward for those with larger thumbs. The five-way toggle can access shortcuts to four user-defined functions. The phone also has two soft keys, Talk and End buttons, and a Clear key. On the black dial pad, the center row of keys (2, 5, 8, and 0) are slightly recessed. While this design quirk aids a bit in dialing by feel, the lip on the 2 key actually makes the key harder to hit accurately with the tip of a thumb. The bright-white key backlighting vastly improves both indoor and in-the-dark dialing.Completing the outside of the phone are a small LED light (you can turn it off) and several controls. On the left spine is the aforementioned volume rocker and the Ready Link key. The right spine has a headset jack and a speakerphone/voice-commands button. When the flip is up, the button accesses the voice-commands menu; with the flip closed, the button makes the last number dialed appear on the external screen. Pressing it again dials the number and automatically activates the speakerphone. You must open the phone, however, to end the call. The phone has a default key guard to prevent accidentally dialing these numbers, but you can deactivate it by holding the speakerphone and Ready Link activation keys simultaneously. Fortunately for the forgetful, this instruction pops up on the external screen when you hit one of the external keys. Unfortunately, the ringer can be silenced only with the flip up. You can load up to 300 entries into the Samsung VI-A820s phone book. Each entry has room for multiple phone numbers, an e-mail address, a ring-tone caller ID, and, since this is a Ready Link phone, group identification. Theres also a space for an image, though theres really no way to get one onto the phone, since the VI-A820 doesnt have a camera or multimedia messaging. Also, the images don't show up on the external display--pretty useless indeed.Other features include a vibrate mode, voice dialing and commands, a calendar, a scheduler, a world clock, a to-do list, an alarm clock, a memo pad, a calculator, and a countdown timer. Along with text messaging, the VI-A820, like a growing number of Samsung models, includes text voice messaging, which lets you leave a voice message without actually ringing the other persons phone. Unfortunately, however, the phone doesnt support multimedia messaging.Similar to its better-endowed sibling, the Samsung PM-A840, the VI-A820 includes 10 music box-sounding ring tones, 10 polyphonic \"melodies,\" and 9 chirping monophonic tones. Using the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser, you can also download ring tones from the Sprint online store. The VI-A820 comes with nine display wallpaper designs, including a couple of simple videos. Demo versions of Tetris, Jamdat Bowling, and Ms. Pac-Man are included for game enthusiasts. Youll have to purchase the full versions of these games or any other titles for serious playing. We tested the triband (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) Samsung VI-A820 in New York City. Reception was lightly sprinkled with dropouts but not enough to be annoying. Even at the highest loudness level, voice volume was barely adequate for noisier environments; however, overall audio quality was natural and mostly clean, tending slightly toward the muddy. Callers also reported crisp, landlinelike reception with a surprising lack of ambient traffic noise marring the clarity.Surprisingly, speakerphone sound quality was actually crisper and louder than that of the earpiece, although we experienced some difficulties getting the speakerphone activated to begin with. Sadly, ringer volume was low--barely audible from a pants pocket and impossible to hear from a bag or a purse except in a tomb, a church, or an equally silent environment. Unless you can feel the vibration alert or keep the phone in a breast pocket, youll likely miss a lot of calls. Web access took only around 10 seconds, and downloads were equally fast. We downloaded World Poker Tour Texas Hold Em from the Sprint PCS Vision store; from purchase to actually playing the game, the process took only around 20 seconds. Given the Samsung VI-A820s lack of a color external display, the three-hour talk time we encountered in our tests is downright miserly--even more so when you consider the bloated four-hour charge time. No standby time was quoted, but we got a respectable ten days on a single charge. According to FCC tests, the Samsung VI-A820 has a digital SAR rating of 1.42 watts per kilogram and an analog SAR rating of 1.46 watts per kilogram. ),
(1110,Nokia 6102 (Cingular Wireless),Positives: Stylish design; solid battery life and call quality; speakerphone. Negatives: Slippery keys; dim LCD; limited camera options. Facts: The Nokia 6101 offers admirable performance in a new form factor despite a dim display and a slippery keypad. Note: This product is part of the Nokia 6101 series. ., Nokia doesnt focus on flip phones, so the previous flip models weve reviewed--the Nokia 6170 and the Nokia 7270--didnt impress us. Now with the Nokia 6101, however, Nokia has made a more successful attempt at the flip-phone form factor. Available in black with T-Mobile or in white as an unlocked version (Cingular offers the similar Nokia 6102), the 6101 offers a solid set of midrange features in an attractive, compact design. On the downside, the display has low resolution, and the navigation controls are poorly designed. But if youre looking for a dependable phone without a lot of pricey offerings, the Nokia 6101 is a good choice at $149. Because Nokia has long concentrated on candy bar designs, we were excited to see the Nokia 6101. Compared with the boxy Nokia 6170, the 6101 sports a more pleasant style, with smoother angles and a more standard flip-phone look. The black and silver color scheme looks attractive, and the compact and lightweight size--3.35 by 1.77 by 0.95 inches and 3.4 ounces--makes the 6101 easily portable. Overall, the phone is solidly constructed, with a stubby external antenna.Basic black: The Nokia 6101 has an attractive, aerodynamic design.Dominating the front face of the Nokia 6101 is a large, 1.2-inch-diagonal external display that shows the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and photo caller ID (where available). With support for 4,096 colors, the screen is sufficiently bright, and you can choose different wallpaper or screensavers. Although the display goes almost dark when the backlighting is off, you can change the backlighting time to your choosing. Above the display is a lens for the VGA camera. Theres no flash, but the external display acts as a convenient viewfinder for self-portraits. Completing the outside of the handset are volume rockers on the left spine and the right spine.The inside of the Nokia 6101 isnt quite as elegant. The 2-inch-diagonal internal display is large enough but has a decidedly low-res and washed-out appearance. Despite supporting 65,536 colors, the picture was neither sharp nor vivid in our tests. In fact, the screen made playing games and viewing photos somewhat tedious. Still, its fine for viewing the simple menus, which are available in two styles. You can change the backlighting time and the font color, but you cant alter the font size or adjust the brightness or contrast. We also arent fans of the navigation controls. The buttons are a good size, but theyre slick, causing us incorrect key presses on a couple of occasions. Youll find a five-way toggle that acts as a shortcut to four user-defined functions, two soft keys, and the Talk and End buttons. In a departure from most Nokia cell phones, where the power button is located on the phones exterior, the Nokia 6101s End button turns the phone on and off instead. Also, we were glad to see that the OK key opens the menu in standby mode as opposed to the Web browser, as is the case with many T-Mobile phones.We had better luck with the backlit keypad buttons. Although theyre quite slippery, theyre easy to use due to their large size. Theyre also raised just above the surface of the phone for dialing by feel. The Nokia 6101 has a respectable range of features that offer a broad range of functionality without getting too complicated. You get a 500-name phone book with room in each entry for five phone numbers, three addresses (e-mail, Web, and street), and miscellaneous notes; the SIM card holds an additional 250 names. The 6101 lets you organize contacts into groups and pair them with a photo for caller ID. The phone supports MP3 ring tones, but it comes with just eight polyphonic tones that can be matched only with caller groups and not individual callers. Other options include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, voice dialing, an alarm clock, notes, a calculator, a calendar, a to-do list, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, and PC syncing for your calendar and contacts. A great feature included is the ability to send voicemails in a multimedia message; you can simply record a message and zap it to a friend in a few seconds. Were also pleased to see a speakerphone and an infrared port, and although theres no Bluetooth, we wouldnt normally expect it on a midrange phone.The 6101s camera lens is well situated for taking photos.The Nokias 6101s VGA camera took subpar shots compared with other low-end camera phones. Colors looked washed out and fuzzy, and editing options are slim. You can take photos in only two resolutions (640x480 and 80x96) and from three quality settings, with additional features limited to a night mode and a self-timer; theres no zoom, flash, or color effects. The video recorder takes clips with sound at either 15 seconds in length or whatever will fit on the available 4.4MB of memory.The 6101 has average photo quality for a camera phone.An additional multimedia feature on the Nokia 6101 is its FM radio. You need a headset to act as an antenna, but the phone doesnt include one. You can personalize that handset with a variety of screensavers, wallpaper, color themes, alert sounds, and ringer profiles. If you want more options and ring tones, you can download them through the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser and T-Mobiles T-zones Internet service. The 6101 comes with a demo version of three games--Canal Control, Solitaire Deluxe, and Tetris--but you can always get more titles if you want them. In comparison, T-Mobile usually gives you at least one full game. We tested the triband (GSM 850/1800/1900) Nokia 6101 in San Francisco using T-Mobiles service. Call quality was up to usual Nokia standards with admirable clarity and volume, and we encountered little static from other electronic equipment. Callers could tell we were using a cell phone, but they didnt report any serious problems. Although speakerphone calls suffered from diminished quality, they still were loud enough to hear clearly. Be advised, however, that you can activate the speaker only after youve made a call.The Nokia 6101s batteries lasted a long time; we coaxed 7.5 hours of talk time on a single charge, almost double the rated time of 4 hours. Standby time was also excellent: We fell short of the promised 14 days but still got a respectable 8. According to FCC radiation tests, the Nokia 6101 has a digital SAR rating of 0.68 watts per kilogram. ),
(1111,Sony Ericsson W600i,Positives: Attractive swivel design; quality performance; MP3 player with FM radio; Bluetooth and infrared port; speakerphone; 1.3-megapixel camera; world phone; 3D gaming. Negatives: Poorly designed keypad; ill-placed headset jack; users cant listen to music through Bluetooth headphones; no memory card slot; music-transfer software somewhat glitchy. Facts: Although we bemoan the lack of an expandable memory slot, the Sony Ericsson W600i is a remarkable and user-friendly MP3 cell phone. , If 2004 was the year of megapixel camera phones, 2005 has been the year of cell phones with MP3 players. Although the overhyped Motorola Rokr E1 grabbed the biggest thunder, Sony Ericsson countered by quietly introducing the Sony Ericsson W800i and Sony Ericsson W600i Walkman phones. After a review of both mobiles, we found the W800i to be a superior alternative to the Motorola phone, and we now can say the same for the W600i. Sporting an eye-catching swivel design, which will soon be available to Cingular customers, the W600i offers a slightly different feature set than the W800i. The W600is camera has lower resolution and lacks an external memory card slot, but the phone offers changeable faceplates and advanced gaming options as consolation. The W600i will put a crimp in your wallet at $399, but Cingulars service rebates will lower it to a more reasonable $199. At first glance, the Sony Ericsson W600i vaguely resembles the Sony Ericsson S710a. Color scheme aside (orange vs. black), the W600i has the same rounded edges and similarly designed navigation controls of the S710a. Yet, a closer look will reveal some more distinct differences. The W600i comes with a looped antenna resembling that of the Sony Ericsson J300, and the phone is comfortably smaller than the S710a, at 3.6 by 1.8 by 0.9 inches and 4.3 ounces. And if you don't like orange, you can swap out the front and rear faceplates in favor of white or blue versions, which are sold separately.The Sony Ericsson W600i comes with an eye-catching design.As a swivel phone, the Sony Ericsson W600i rotates 180 degrees to expose the keypad. The swivel mechanism is solidly constructed, and though you can open the phone with one hand, using both hands is more comfortable. As with the Sony Ericsson S710a, you can open the phone to the right or the left, but you cant rotate it a full 360 degrees, so you must then close it in the direction you came from. You can make calls with the mobile open or closed, but be advised that when open, the W600i doesnt wrap around your face, as would a standard flip phone. The 1.8-inch-diagonal display is up to the usual Sony Ericsson standards. Supporting 262,000 colors, its bright and vibrant, as well as ideal for viewing pictures, games, or the user-friendly menus. Its harder to see in direct light, and it goes completely dark when the backlighting is off. Unfortunately, you cant change the backlighting time or the text size.Immediately below the display are the navigation controls. Theres a five-way toggle that doubles as a shortcut key to four user-defined functions. The toggle is a decent size, but we didnt like that the center OK button is somewhat recessed. As a result, scrolling through menus without a misdial took some practice. Flanking the toggle are two soft keys, a Back button, a Clear key, and dedicated buttons for the Web browser and the media player. Pressing the last button instantly brings up the last song played; if you press it again, you can minimize the player interface while the song continues to play. Although useful, the navigation buttons are too small, and as is the case with other Sony Ericsson phones, there are no dedicated Talk and End buttons; the soft keys serve this purpose instead. Sony Ericsson tends to produce less-than-stellar keypads, and the W600i is no exception. The keys are large enough, but they are set in three vertical rows that are flush with the surface of the phone, which made them less tactile, and we found that our fingers slipped to the wrong button by accident when dialing a few times. Theyre lit by a bright backlighting, but we wouldnt recommend dialing by feel.On the back of the phone are the camera lens, the flash, and a self-portrait mirror. As with the S710a, the Sony Ericsson W600is rear face resembles a real camera, but unfortunately, theres no lens cover this time. On the left spine is a handy phone-locking switch, as well as a play/pause key that automatically starts and stops the last-played song with the player interface minimized. The right spine holds a camera shutter, which automatically starts the camera, the infrared port, and the volume rocker/voice dial control. The volume becomes a zoom control when the camera is in use. Speaking of the volume rocker, its in a much better place than it is on the S710a. Since its located on the front half of the phone, its always on the right side, whether youre talking in the open or closed position. The power button is also better situated on the top of the phone, so you can turn the W600i on and off even when its closed. don't go looking for a memory card slot, though, because you wont find one--in all, a disappointing omission.The Sony Ericsson W600is included stereo earbuds use a proprietary connection to the phone, but they have a comfortable and secure fit. Alternatively, you can disconnect the earbuds from the lower cord to insert any headphones with a 3.5mm jack. The placement of the earbud port struck us as odd, however. Because its on the bottom of the W600i, it was more comfortable to put the phone upside down in our pocket or on our belt when in the closed position. We much prefer the Rokr E1s port, which is located on the top of the mobile. We were pleased, though, that unlike the Sony Ericsson W800i, the W600i comes with stereo speakers. Naturally, the Sony Ericsson W600i is all about its multimedia features, but well get to those in a moment. First off, you get an impressive 1,000-contact phone book, with room in each entry for five phone numbers, an e-mail address, a Web address, a street address, business title and company, birthday, and notes; the SIM card holds an additional 250 contacts. You can organize callers into groups and pair them with a picture for caller ID. Theres ring-tone caller ID as well, but you get a choice of only 8 polyphonic (40-chord) tones. Other features include a vibrate mode, voice dialing, an alarm clock, a calendar, a task list, a notepad, a timer, a voice recorder, a world clock, text and multimedia messaging, a stopwatch, a calculator, and a code memo for storing passwords and other secure information. Business users should be pleased with the generous selection of work-friendly features, including PC syncing with Outlook; a speakerphone, which is operable only after youve made a call; conference calling; an infrared port; POP3 and IMAP4 e-mail support; a wireless business-card exchange; and Bluetooth for calls and file transfers. The fully enabled Bluetooth is especially welcome; you can even use it to take control of a Bluetooth-enabled device. On the more offbeat side, you get an application for reading RSS news feeds, and you can use the camera flash as a flashlight or set it to blink off and on as a distress signal.The music player interface is plain, but its easy to use.The interface for the Sony Ericsson W600is MP3 and AAC music player is no different from the W800is. Thats to say its austere but nonetheless extremely user-friendly. Opening the player takes you directly to the main menu, where you can organize music by artist, track name, or playlist. To navigate through the player, you use the toggle while choosing between the left soft key and the side-mounted play/pause button to control songs. Settings include album/song shuffle and loop, Sonys Mega Bass, an equalizer, and stereo widening. Unlike the iTunes interface on the Motorola Rokr E1, the W600is doesnt display album art when a song is playing, but we didnt miss it. Switching between the cell phone and the music player is seamless, as music automatically stops when you receive a call. Hang up and press the dedicated music key, and your song picks up again from the same point you left off. Theres also an airplane mode that lets you listen to your tunes in flight with the cell phone turned off. Here again, though, you must download music from a PC with the included USB cable and Disc2Phone software, and you cant listen to music through Bluetooth headphones.The W600is camera is fully loaded, but you don't get a lens cover.The Sony Ericsson W600is music capacity is limited by the available memory, but the storage space is significantly less than its siblings. As we noted earlier, Sony Ericsson unwisely didnt include a Memory Stick slot in the W600i. Were still scratching our heads about that decision, since this limits you to the 256MB of shared internal memory. So depending on track size and the number of other files (pictures, video, and so forth) you have saved, that means you can store about 60 to 80 songs--even less than with the Rokr E1. Although that might be fine for some people, this is a Walkman phone after all, so we expect more. Unlike with the Rokr E1, however, you can use tracks as ring tones (tracks are conveniently listed in the ring-tones folder), and you can send tunes via e-mail, multimedia message, Bluetooth, or infrared port. You even get an FM radio that automatically scans and programs up to 20 presets and grabs Radio Data System info from stations that digitally broadcast their names and call letters.We like the W600is photo quality.The Sony Ericsson W600is camera comes with an admirable feature set, despite the fact that it offers a 1.3-megapixel resolution; the W800i has a 2-megapixel camera. Surprisingly, pictures come in only three sizes--1,280x1,024, 640x480, and 160x120--but other options are solid. You get a choice of Normal, Panoramic, Frames, and Burst shot modes; an autofocus setting; a macro setting for close-up shots; a night mode; a flash; a time and date stamp; a self-timer; Black and White, Negative, Sepia, and Solarize picture effects; white-balance settings; four shutter sounds but no silent option; and two picture-quality modes (Normal and Fine). Theres also a 4X zoom, but its not available at the highest resolution. The MPEG-4 video recorder takes clips with sound to any length that the available RAM will permit. You get a choice of two resolutions--176x144 and 128x96--and a selection of editing features similar to the still cameras. To further channel your inner artist, you can activate the W600is PhotoDJ (theres also a VideoDJ), where you can add one of six fun frames; rotate the shots orientation; and use various image effects such as brightness, contrast, tint control, and photo marking. And if that doesnt satisfy, there are more picture-, video-, and multimedia-editing options on the software CD. When finished with your shots, you can save them to the phone or send them to your friends. Photo quality was quite good for a camera phone, with sharp colors and little of the blurriness that we usually encounter. Videos, on the other hand, were choppy and pixelated.The Sony Ericsson W600i offers gaming options that far surpass those of the W800i. Not only is there support for 3G games, but the gaming ergonomics is among the best weve seen on a cell phone. All games are played on a landscape orientation, and the control layout is quite comfortable for extended use. Besides the phone-navigation controls, which are on the left when the phone is held horizontally, you use two small controls just above the display, which are now on the right side of the phone. The latter buttons have no other use than gaming, and they blend in so well with the design of the phone that we didnt notice them previously. Overall, these improvements worked together to make gaming much more fun and intuitive. Our test W600i shipped with three Java (J2ME) games: Extreme Air Snowboarding, Gauntlet, and Worms Forts 3. You can personalize the handset with a selection of wallpaper, themes, start-up screens, or screensavers. You can always download more personalization options and ring tones if you want them, or you can create your own ring tones with the MusicDJ application. We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) Sony Ericsson W600i Walkman world phone in San Francisco using Cingulars calling network. Call quality was excellent and somewhat better than the Sony Ericsson W800is. We enjoyed admirable clarity and volume, and many callers couldnt tell we were using a cell phone. Also, the signal remained relatively strong, and we had little interference from other electronic devices. Our only complaint was that voices occasionally sounded metallic--almost as if we were speaking to a robot. It was particularly noticeable when using the Jabra BT500 Bluetooth headset. Although we were able to pair the two devices quickly, call quality when using the headset diminished somewhat. On the other hand, calls using the speakerphone sounded relatively good.Using the included Disc2Phone software and USB cable, we tried loading 40.4MB of music on to the phone. As with the W800i, transfer time was relatively slow, at 3 minutes, 30 seconds for the entire selection. The software itself has a simple interface, and while its easy to use overall, it had a couple of bothersome quirks. For instance, when exiting out of the software after transferring some music, the Sony Ericsson W600i didnt recognize that the USB connection was no longer active. When we disconnected the USB cable, the phone turned off automatically. On the upside, however, the USB cable charges the phone when its plugged into your PC. Music quality was comparable to that of the W800i and the Motorola Rokr E1. Granted, it wont rival a top-end stand-alone MP3 players, but it was superior to that of most MP3 phones weve tested.The Sony Ericsson W600i has a rated talk time of 8.5 hours and a promised standby time of 15.6 days, both of which are slightly less than the W800is. In our tests, we got 10 hours of talk time on a single charge. Music-only time is rated at 30 hours, but we got an average of 21.6 hours in our tests. According to FCC radiation tests, the W800i has a digital SAR rating of 1.26 watts per kilogram. ),
(1112,Nokia N71, , Quick Take: For more information on the Nokia N71, please see our \"Nokia N-series line show\" feature. ),
(1113,Nokia N70, Note: This product is part of the Nokia N series. ., Quick Take: For more information on the Nokia N70, please see our \"Nokia N-series line show\" feature. ),
(1114,LG VX9800,Positives: Full QWERTY keyboard; high-quality displays; EV-DO capable; MP3 player; Mini SD card slot; 1.3-megapixel camera; Bluetooth; loud stereo speakers/speakerphone; voice-recognition features. Negatives: Bulky; awkward camera ergonomics; small navigation controls; tiny screen type; tinny, metallic voice quality. Facts: A QWERTY keyboard makes messaging faster, easier, and more fun on the fully loaded LG VX9800, but the trade-off is a bulky, less-than-cool handset. , After a slow start, text messaging has caught on in a big way in the United States, and Americans now send more than 5 billion text messages every month. In response, carriers have begun to introduce handsets such as the LG VX9800 for Verizon Wireless. Although mainly the domain of smart phones and PDAs, full QWERTY keyboards are now appearing on basic cell phones, and the VX9800 marks the fourth such handset picked up by a U.S. carrier. Whether the convenience of the keyboard on this mini-laptop-like 3G (EV-DO) cell phone trumps the inconvenience of its bulkiness and ergonomic compromises is up to you. But theres no denying that the keyboard vastly improves messaging on every level. Just be prepared to open your wallet wide for the privilege: The LG VX9800 comes at a pricey $299.99, with an online discount and a two-year contract available from Verizon Wireless. The overall aesthetics of the LG VX9800 reflect its multiple functions. Its essentially the cell phone version of The Three Faces of Eve. From the front, its a standard candy bar mobile with an alphanumeric dial pad, a navigation array, and an external display. Turn it over, and it resembles a thin digital camera with a flash above the lens, a portrait/macro toggle below it, and the shutter-release key on the top-right side, where your right index finger thinks it will be. Finally, like the Motorola A630, the VX9800 opens lengthwise to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard and a separate internal display.Although this transformerlike form factor is eye-catching and user-friendly, as with all multifunction devices, compromises have been made on all three faces. At 4.57 by 1.97 by 1 inches and a hefty 5.19 ounces, the LG VX9800 is heavy and bulky. It fits only in bigger pockets, and it can be uncomfortable to hold against your face for long conversations. On the upside, its solidly built, and theres no external antenna to add to the bulk. The external display supports 65,000 colors, but its relatively small--especially considering the phones size--measuring 1.75 inches diagonally. It shows all the necessary information, including the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and photo caller ID (where available); conveniently, you can use it to scroll through some of the menus without having to open the phone. Additionally, you can change the backlighting and the font size. The LG VX9800 is among the biggest phones around.Below the display are the navigation controls, which consist of a five-way toggle, two soft keys, a Clear button, a voice-command key, and the Talk and End buttons. Overall, the navigation keys are too cramped for users with large fingers; theyre also too small and flush with the surface of the phone. The dial-pad buttons are equally small, and though theyre raised just above the phone, dialing by feel is difficult. On the plus side, all the keys have a cool, ice-blue backlighting. The headset jack is located along the right spine, which is a fitting location, since it faces you when you are watching video with the flap open. The Mini SD slot is conveniently located next to the headphone jack. While the volume toggle is on the left spine, where it ought to be, it ends up behind the screen when flipped up, which isnt convenient. Also on the left spine is the camera shutter.We had some design complaints with the LG VX9800s rear-facing camera. The lens is a bit too close to the right edge/top; your index finger will often wander accidentally across the lens. Also, since theres no lens cover, youll need to be extra careful. Instead of acting as a zoom/wide toggle, the spine volume toggle next to the shutter release shifts between landscape and portrait mode--but without shifting the view in the viewfinder accordingly; youll have to tilt the phone 90 degrees to get the true effect. You also can use the internal display as a much bigger viewfinder, and theres even a dual-display mode for using both screens--perfect for self-portraits. The interior of the LG VX9800 holds a wide screen, stereo speakers, and a full keyboard.Inside the LG VX9800, youll find its best features. We were drawn immediately to the huge, 2.25-inch-diagonal landscape internal display, which is flanked by a pair of large stereo speakers. Supporting 262,000 colors, the screen is bright and vivid; its perfect for using the standard Verizon menus, viewing pictures and V Cast videos, and playing games. Yet, the messaging text is so tiny that you almost have to squint--not a good sign. The QWERTY keypad features individual oval keys that are generously spaced to accommodate all but the extremely pudgy thumbed. In addition to a spacebar, LG smartly included dedicated Shift, symbol, and Enter keys, and theres a nifty button that opens a programmable shortcut menu. Overall, the keyboard is comfortable to type on for long periods of time, and we liked that the phone opens 180 degrees so that you can position the flip at an angle, as with a laptop, or completely flat. In addition to typing messages, you can use the keyboard to enter address book contacts. Thats a big improvement upon LGs previous keyboard phone, the LG F9100 for Cingular. We werent impressed with the LG VX9800s five-way navigational toggle to the right of the keyboard, as well as the two narrow soft keys underneath the screen. Its a bit disconcerting to have the toggle and its center menu/OK button nowhere near the screen, much less the command it activates. As with the toggle on the exterior, however, the interior array can be set as a shortcut to four user-defined functions. The rice-shaped soft keys are squeezed above the keyboard and beneath the screen top, making them difficult to thumb without hitting one of the adjacent number keys. Theres also a Clear button in the lower-right corner. You can make calls with the top up, but were not sure why youd want to. Short of a full PDA or BlackBerry, the LG VX9800 is as fully featured a phone as you can buy. You get a 500-contact phone book, with room in each entry for five phone numbers and two e-mail addresses. You can also match callers with a picture or any of the 10 polyphonic ring tones for caller ID; the phone supports tones up to 72 chords. Other basic features include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, a world clock, a tip calculator, instant messaging, a calendar with scheduler, an alarm clock, a calculator, voice commands and dialing, 1-minute voice memos, and a notepad. The phone also supports text-to-speech dictation. On the more practical side, theres a full-duplex speakerphone, as well as support for calendar syncing and POP3/IMAP4 e-mail. That said, if you go with Verizons Wireless Sync e-mail ($19.99 per month), you cant get attachments or establish a connection to a corporate server.We are curious, however, as to why LG opted for Bluetooth 1.1 support rather than Bluetooth 1.2, especially considering the VX9800s extensive stereo multimedia capabilities. You can use only the Bluetooth connection to connect to a headset or (thankfully) to a laptop for use as a modem. This being a Verizon phone, you cant use the Bluetooth to transfer files, nor can you connect to Bluetooth stereo headphones. Were used to the carriers phones coming with such restrictions, but were still not happy about it. PC connection via USB also is possible, but no cable is included. The LG VX9800s camera is fully loaded.The 1.3-megapixel camera on the LG VX9800 is rich with features, but it doesnt always perform well. You have to hold the phone absolutely still and gently tap the stiff shutter button, or else youll risk a blurred image. We had trouble getting a distinct image, but a few shots came out with distinct colors and shapes. You can take pictures in four resolutions--1,280x960, 640x480, 320x240, and 176x144--but for some reason, the phone defaults to 640x480. Other features include a flash; a 4X zoom; a self-timer; a choice of shutter sounds; and a host of image-editing options, including brightness, white balance, a macro switch, color effects, and photometry. The video recorder films 15-second clips with sound at two resolutions, 320x240 and 176x144. When finished with your shots, you can send them in a multimedia message or save them to the phones memory. The LG VX9800 comes with 128MB of internal storage, or you can get more space with the Mini SD card slot. You also can use the camera as a business card scanner. However, it works only marginally well and was not able to pick up all information on our test cards. The LG VX9800 has good photo quality.In addition to being a text-messaging powerhouse, the LG VX9800 is a solid multimedia phone. Beyond the aforementioned camera, you get an MP3 player, and the EV-DO support means you can sample Verizons V Cast offerings. You can tap into hundreds of streaming video clips, ranging from CNN news updates to episodes of made-for-mobile TV shows, such as 24: Conspiracy and Love and Hate; Verizon charges $15 a month for V Cast access. You can also download 3D games. Keep in mind, however, that only major urban areas get EV-DO coverage. The MP3 player was oddly stuck in the menu for Verizons Get It Now Web service, so it took us a few minutes to find it. But once we were up and running, the interface was easy to understand. It plays only MP3 clips (no AAC or WMA) saved to the Mini SD card, but you can save clips as ring tones. Access to the personalization settings, such as ring tones, wallpaper, and other features, is limited from the external display. You can customize each of the screens separately with a variety of wallpaper and screensavers. With the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser, you can download more options and more ring tones from Verizons Get It Now download store. There are no games included--not even demo samples. We tested the triband (CDMA 800/1900; EV-DO) LG VX9800 in New York City using the Verizon Wireless service. Overall, it did not perform well for voice calls, although it was still above average on Verizons Manhattan network. Conversations cut in and out a little more frequently than we were used to on Verizon or with other LG phones. This may be the price to pay for the aesthetic decision not to include a protruding external antenna. The LG VX9800s voice quality was hollow and metallic, not unlike that of a bullhorn but easily discernable with plenty of volume. Performance of the full-duplex speakerphone, activated by flipping the phone open, is enhanced by dual speakers to produce a cleaner conversation than with the earpiece. Conversationalists reported only the expected minor speakerphone echo at the other end. Stereo and multimedia audio from the speakers sounded a bit too separated and lacked sufficient volume for any environment other than a quiet rooms. Audio quality using the Jabra BT350 Bluetooth headset and the Jabra C220s wired stereo earphones, however, was above our expectations. With its large display, stereo speakers or optional stereo headset, and 3G capability, the LG VX9800 is a wonderful multimedia phone. Like most EV-DO phones, the VX9800 downloads most simple apps, V Cast TV clips, and all manner of messages expected at high EV-DO velocity (300Kbps to 500Kbps). However, fatter stereo and video files tended to clog the download pipe. Green Days 7-minute \"Wake Me Up When September Ends\" video ($3.99), for instance, took around 3 minutes to download. Videos looked sharp on the large internal screen and flowed naturally without the usual stutter found on slower networks. Images can be zoomed to full frame, resulting only in slight color and flesh-tone splotches, as well as barely discernable jerkiness.Considering the large internal screen and the stereo speakers, the rated battery life of a hair more than 4 hours of talk time and 8.3 days of standby time is exemplary. In our tests, we got a very respectable 5.5 hours of talk time and a solid 12 days of standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the LG VX9800 has a digital SAR rating of 1.1 watts per kilogram. ),
(1115,RIM BlackBerry 7100g,Positives: The slim and trim RIM BlackBerry 7100g features a bright display and a pseudo-QWERTY keypad in a slim and trim package. It also has Bluetooth, and it syncs with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, and BlackBerry servers. Negatives: The BlackBerry 7100gs modified keyboard takes some time to master, and the Bluetooth works only with wireless headsets. The 7100g also lacks a instant-messaging client, and Java apps are not downloadable. Facts: Cingular subscribers looking for on-the-go e-mail access in a slim, lightweight device will warm to the RIM BlackBerry 7100g--that is, if theyre patient with the tricky keypad. Note: This product is part of the RIM BlackBerry 7100 series. ., Research in Motions slim, lightweight 7100 series makes its way to Cingular Wireless with the arrival of the RIM BlackBerry 7100g. Nearly identical to T-Mobiles BlackBerry 7100t, this new addition to the 7100 family boasts the same quasi-QWERTY keypad, the ability to sync with corporate servers and POP/Web e-mail clients, and a refreshingly compact form factor. That said, the reasonably priced 7100g ($299; $199 with a two-year service plan) comes saddled with some of the same limitations: Bluetooth thats restricted to headsets only, no onboard chat client, and a keypad that can be tricky to master. However, those who want on-the-go access to their e-mail without being weighted down by a hefty device will likely warm to the RIM BlackBerry 7100g--as long as theyre willing to deal with the keypads learning curve. The slim and trim RIM BlackBerry 7100g looks almost identical to its BlackBerry 7100t sibling; both measure 4.6 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches and weigh about 4.2 ounces, small enough to fit snugly in a jeans pocket and easy to hold against your cheek during voice calls. Some of the cosmetics, though, are slightly different. For example, the 7100ts blue and silver look gives way to a silver and black color scheme. Also, the 7100ts blue soul patch beneath the keypad has been replaced by a simple Cingular logo, and the sharp V-shaped keypad arrangement on the 7100t gets a more subtle treatment on the 7100g. While we thought the handsets design looked pretty sharp, we noticed it was all too vulnerable to scrapes and scratches. Within a mere week or so of moderate use, both the plastic screen and silver lining just above it were scratched up and scuffed; we suggest you use the included protective case. The RIM BlackBerry 7100gs 2.1-inch, 65,000-color-plus screen is easy on the eyes with plenty of detail, thanks to its 240x260-pixel resolution. You can change the font size and style, as well as switch on antialiasing to smooth the rough edges of characters on the screen, but we disliked the fact that the 7100gs display goes completely dark when the backlighting turns off. In standby mode, the main screen shows signal strength, battery life, the time, the date, caller ID info, and a mail icon that notifies you of unread messages. Unlike the nice-looking, icon-driven menu of the 7100t, the 7100gs main menu appears only in list mode, which is unfortunate but not a deal breaker. The RIM BlackBerry 7100g features a modified QWERTY keyboard that takes some getting used to.Like the 7100t, the RIM BlackBerry 7100g manages to fit a QWERTY-style arrangement on a phone-size keypad by squeezing two letters on to each key, but it takes some getting used to, as with SureTypes word-recognition technology. At first, our fingers had a hard time accepting the modified keypad as a true QWERTY keyboard, but with some time and patience, we eventually stopped hunting and pecking and began typing away normally. True to its word, SureType did an impressive job of guessing the words we were attempting to type; when it was confused, a contextual menu appeared, allowing us to pick a word. And while on the whole we were pleased with the results, the setup still got annoying when we wanted to type in a proper name or a number, as we had to stop and change modes midstroke. Those used to painstakingly tapping out words in a standard phone keypad might love the 7100gs modified keyboard, but speed typists addicted to their full BlackBerry QWERTY setups may regret making the switch. Wheelin and dealin: Navigate the menus with the jog dial and the Escape button.The rest of the RIM BlackBerry 7100gs controls are pretty standard. On the right edge of the handset, youll find the typical BlackBerry jog dial--just scroll up or down with your thumb to move the cursor and press to select a function. Just beneath the dial, theres also an Escape button that brings you back to the previous menu. A headphone jack and a USB port sit on the left side of the phone, while an inset power button is perched along the top. Turn the 7100g around, and youll find the speakerphone grille just above the broad plastic battery door. The RIM BlackBerry 7100g comes with a well-balanced meal of phone basics. The phone book handles as many entries as will fit in its 32MB of onboard RAM (the SIM card can hold an additional 250 contacts), and theres room in each entry for eight numbers, home and work addresses, Web pages, and more. You also get a speakerphone, which you can engage only once youre on a call; a calendar; task and to-do lists; a memo pad; a WAP wireless Web browser; an alarm; and a calculator. Some unexpected extras include the ability to search the 7100gs messages, calendar, address book, memo pad, and tasks, either individually or all at once; theres also a detailed help section. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth-enabled phone only supports wireless headsets, so if youre looking for Bluetooth file transfers or syncing, youre out of luck. Loud and clear: The 7100g features a speakerphone, but you can turn it on only once youre on a call.Clearly, push e-mail is the big draw for the RIM BlackBerry 7100g, and the handset doesnt disappoint. The device syncs e-mail and calendars in real time with Microsoft Exchange, BlackBerry, and Lotus Notes servers, plus it grabs messages from up to 10 POP3/IMAP accounts or Web mail services such as MSN Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL. Configuring the device to work with our Gmail account was a breeze; we simply logged on to the BlackBerry Web site and entered our username and password, and we began receiving messages within about 20 minutes. The 7100gs e-mail client lets you view a variety of attachments, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF documents, but you cant edit them. Unfortunately, the device doesnt have an instant-messaging client that works straight out of the box. Extra applications on the RIM BlackBerry 7100g are on the weak side. As with the 7100t, the only title you get is the Breakout-style BrickBreaker, and you cant purchase other games or applications from Cingulars download service. On the personalization side, you can swap out the wallpaper with one of the six pictures available in the Pictures application (you can buy more wallpaper from Cingular), and you can choose from five ringer profiles, including Loud, Vibrate, Quiet, Phone Only, and a user-defined mode. However, you cant assign individual ring tones to specific contacts or groups. The 7100g is pretty light on multimedia features; there arent any MP3 or media players here. We tested the quad-band RIM BlackBerry 7100g (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS) in New York City, and our calls sounded loud and clear, both in regular calling mode and with the speakerphone. We also tried the handset in our gadget-heavy living room--complete with a microwave oven, a 32-inch TV set, a wireless phone, and a Wi-Fi network--and didnt notice any interference.Pairing the RIM BlackBerry 7100g with a Bluetooth headset was a snap; once we turned on the Bluetooth radio, the phone found our Logitech Mobile Traveller Headset within a few seconds, and we were soon chatting away wirelessly.RIM promises 4 hours of talk time and eight days of standby time from the BlackBerry 7100g. In our tests, we beat the talk time by an extra half hour and got seven days of standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the RIM BlackBerry 7100g has a digital SAR rating of 0.86 watts per kilogram. ),
(1116,Nextel Motorola i355,Positives: Rugged handset protects against drops and resists rain, dust, and heat; Direct Connect, Group Connect, and Direct Talk functionality; speakerphone. Negatives: Big, bulky, and heavy; keys are tough to press; low color-display resolution. Facts: The supertough Nextel Motorola i355 might be big and bulky, but it wont have any trouble surviving the elements. , Looking to crawl around a quarry, climb Mount Everest, or weave your way though the jungle? Heres a phone thats ready to tag along. The rugged, ready-for-anything Nextel Motorola i355 may be bulky and heavy, but it wont have any trouble surviving the elements. This GPS-enabled handset boasts Nextels Direct Connect and Group Connect functionality, a decent color screen, and a speakerphone, plus a rubberized plastic shell that resists rain, dust, and heat--and even survives drops onto a hard surface. At $240, or $90 with a two-year service agreement, the i355 falls into the lower end of Nextels price range. The Nextel Motorola i355 is big, black, and hefty. At 5.1 by 2.4 by 1.3 inches and tipping the scales at 6.8 ounces, this candy bar-style handset is no lightweight. Protected in Batman-style rubberized black plastic, the i355 would look right at home hooked on to the dark knights utility belt. Nextel claims that the i355 conforms to Military Standard 810 F for \"dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, low pressure, and solar radiation\"--just a little over the top, mind you, but plausible from what weve seen. While we didnt stick the i355 in the oven or toss it off a cliff, we did drop it multiple times onto a tile floor from a distance of about 3 feet (not even a scratch) and held it under our showerhead (no sparks, no shorted-out keys, no problem). No, you certainly cant fit the stocky i355 in a jeans pocket, but if youre working at a dusty construction site and you have a tool belt, this is the phone for you. Big and brawny: The i355 is the Hummer of cell phones.The Nextel Motorola i355s 2-inch-diagonal display gets the job done, but its nothing to write home about. With a decent resolution of 130x120 pixels and support for 65,000 colors, the screen is reasonably detailed and colorful, but it cant compare to the latest high-resolution camera screens that show many more colors. Then again, the i355 isnt a camera phone, so the displays so-so resolution doesnt strike us as a deal breaker. The phones workable but staid menu system will be familiar to Nextel users, complete with the annoying main-menu quirk that forces you to hit Next and Back to scroll through all the menu options. You can change the contrast and backlighting time and adjust the font size.Using the Nextel Motorola i355s keypad is no picnic; the rubberized keys are so tough that you must press down firmly for them to register. That said, theres little chance youll hit a key by accident, and if you spill your coffee on the phones keypad--a disaster that occurs with most other handsets--the i355 takes it in stride. The navigation-control layout is relatively decent and much less cluttered than those of other Nextel phones. A five-way toggle acts as a shortcut to four user-defined functions. You get a pair of soft keys and dedicated Call, End, power, and main menu buttons; in addition, theres a dedicated Direct Connect button below the main keypad. However, theres no dedicated speakerphone key for non-push-to-talk calls; the only time you can engage the speakerphone is while youre on a call. The keypad buttons are a decent size, but the yellow backlighting is rather dim. Along the left edge of the phone are the familiar push-to-talk and volume controls--again, nothing new for experienced Nextel users--while a headphone jack with a superthick, rubberized plastic flap sits on the right side. On the bottom of the headset is a tough plastic flap for the AC/data port, while the stubby yet sturdy retractable antenna is up top. Turn the Motorola i355 around, and youll find the cool, ridged battery cover with a silver-ringed speaker (squint, and it looks a bit like a superhero logo) just beneath--sweet. The Nextel Motorola i355s only real feature worth crowing about is its tough-as-nails design; otherwise, everything here is pretty standard. Besides Nextels Direct Connect and Group Connect services--as well as the local walkie-talkie Direct Talk and Direct Send, which lets you send contacts to other Direct Send-enabled phones--you get onboard GPS, a 600-entry address book with room in each entry for multiple numbers, an e-mail address, and a Web address. You also can assign contacts to a group or pair them with one of three polyphonic ring tones or 12 monophonic tones for caller ID. Other features include call timers, a calendar with week and month views, an airplane mode, a speakerphone, voice calling and memos, a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser, multimedia and text messaging, and a vibrate mode.The Java-enabled Nextel Motorola i355 comes with a series of demos, including Jamdat Bowling; 1KTV, which is a mobile TV app, but don't expect anything more than a slide show with audio; and the Big Brother-ish mComet, which tracks the movement of mobile workers via GPS. There are also download shortcuts to TeleNav, which is another GPS app, and Tetris Deluxe.Personalization options on the Nextel Motorola i355 are up to snuff, including a choice of wallpaper (including a couple of animated versions), menu and clock styles, ringer profiles, and color palates. You also have the option to set the disco lights to Flash when the phone rings. We tested the Nextel Motorola i355 (iDEN 800) in New York City; we had no trouble chatting with our contacts, who reported that they heard us loud and clear. We also tried the phone in our gadget-rich apartment--complete with a microwave oven, a 32-inch CRT, a Wi-Fi network, and a wireless phone--and didnt encounter any interference. The speakerphone was loud and clear, but its best that you place the phone facedown on a surface, since the speakerphone is on the rear face.Motorola promises 4.5 hours of talk time and 10 days of standby time from the i355. In our tests, we beat the rated talk time by an extra hour, for a total of 5.5 hours. Standby time was 5 days. According to FCC radiation tests, the Nextel Motorola i355 has a digital SAR rating of 1.45 watts per kilogram. ),
(1117,Nokia E60, Note: This product is part of the Nokia E series. ., Quick Take: For more on the Nokia N60, see our Nokia E-series line show. ),
(1118,Nextel Motorola i760, , Quick Take: The Nextel Motorola i760 is almost identical to the Nextel Motorola i850. The main differences between the two phones are that the i760 is blue and silver rather than black and gray, and it does not have a VGA camera. For a full report on the Nextel Motorola i850, please read our review. ),
(1119,Nextel Motorola i560 w/ Two-Way Radio (black), , Quick Take: The Nextel Motorola i560 is almost identical to the Nextel Motorola i850. The main differences between the two phones are that the i560 has a more rugged exterior with rubber edges but no VGA camera. For a full report on the Nextel Motorola i850, please read our review. ),
(1120,Samsung SCH-A850, , Quick Take: The Samsung SCH-A850 is an attractive black and silver flip phone for Verizon Wireless. It offers basic features, including a VGA camera, a speakerphone, text and multimedia applications, organizer applications, and a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. The dual-band SCH-A850 is $199 with a one-year contract. Check back soon for a full review. ),
(1121,Motorola V276, , Quick Take: The Motorola V276 for Verizon Wireless is a basic phone similar in style to the Motorola V265. Features for the triband (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) cell phone include a VGA camera, a speakerphone, text and multimedia messaging, and basic PIM functions. The Motorola V276 has a reasonable price tag of $119. Check back soon for a full review. ),
(1122,Nextel Motorola i850,Positives: Gorgeous internal display; improved design; speakerphone; VGA camera; Direct Connect walkie-talkie service. Negatives: Bulky and heavy; no flash for the camera; small external screen. Facts: Nextels chic, clamshell-style Motorola i850 feels as heavy as a brick but packs in all the goodies that the carriers subscribers have come to expect. , Marking only its second camera phone to date, Nextels stylish Motorola i850 flip phone feels as heavy as a brick but also packs in all the goodies that Nextel subscribers have come to expect, including Direct Connect walkie-talkie service, built-in GPS, and a speakerphone. In addition to all the Nextel regulars, the Motorola i850 ups the ante with a brilliant, razor-sharp internal display and improved navigation controls. The i850s low-wattage VGA camera might not compare to the latest powerhouse camera phones offered by other manufacturers, but business-minded push-to-talk users will appreciate the phones no-nonsense features and sturdy, reassuring bulk. That said, at $400 (or $200 with a two-year service plan), the i850 ranks as one of Nextels pricier phones. With no rubberized casing, the Motorola i850 is a bit of a departure from the usual Nextel handsets, but the phones bulk and weight wont come as much of a surprise. Measuring 3.5 by 2 by 1.1 inches and tipping the scales at 4.3 ounces, this black and gray mobile is plenty hefty. Additionally, considering its thickness and stubby, retractable antenna, the i850 makes for a tight fit in a jeans pocket. Small but heavy: The weighty Motorola i850 is more compact than most Nextel models.While the Motorola i850 isnt exactly featherweight, the phones sleek black and gray design has more style than most of the carriers models. The front of the clamshell headset sports a pair of smooth, beveled curves that flank the main, shiny black panel; the tiny camera lens and the self-portrait mirror; and the monochrome external display, which is small at just 96x32 pixels but packs in all the basic info, including the time, the date, signal strength, battery life, caller ID, and the ringer mode. Flip open the phone, however, and youll find the phones stunning 262,000-color, 176x220-pixel internal screen: a vibrant, razor-sharp display that stands in stark contrast with the so-so screens on most Nextel phones. The i850s animated menus are reasonably slick and easy to use, although we were annoyed with having to click More to see additional menu options rather than just scrolling down. Its nothing new for a Nextel phone, but its bothersome nonetheless.Below the display is the Motorola i850s backlit, silver keypad, which boasts big, flat, and easy-to-press buttons. We like the large, five-way navigational toggle, the dedicated Talk/End buttons, the menu key, and the separate camera button. Additionally, the toggle acts as a shortcut to four user-defined functions. The arrangement is a big improvement upon the cramped navigation controls on other Nextel handsets, with the power button now located below the keypad. Yet, we missed having a dedicated Clear key for correcting dialing and messaging mistakes; instead, you must use a soft key to delete errant characters. Whats worse, when youre in a secondary menu, pressing the same soft key exits you out of the menus completely rather than just going back to the main menu.On the left side of the Motorola i850, youll find the familiar rubberized button for Nextels signature push-to-talk service, with a pair of volume controls just above it and a rubber flap beneath that protects the 2.5mm headset port. Atop the phone and next to the extendable antenna is a modified speakerphone button; if you get a call while the headset is shut, you can press the button to answer the call using the speakerphone while keeping the phone closed; you hit the nearby End button to hang up or reject the call without answering. If the phone is open when a call comes in, you must press and hold the speakerphone button to answer the call in the corresponding mode. While we enjoyed answering calls with the flip closed, we wish the speakerphone could be on with the phone open before a call comes in. Besides being only the second camera phone in Nextels handset lineup, the Motorola i850 comes with a relatively sparse set of features, including a 600-contact phone book with room in each entry for an e-mail address, an IP address, and seven phone numbers, along with the Direct Connect number; a calendar with month and week views; the aforementioned speakerphone; a vibrate mode; nine-number speed dialing; a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser; a voice recorder; call timers; a memo pad; text and multimedia messaging; an airplane mode; three-way calling; voice calling and memos; and onboard GPS. You also get Nextels Direct Connect walkie-talkie service (including Group Connect, which lets you chat with up to 20 others via PTT at once) and Direct Talk, which gives you out-of-network walkie-talkie chat with another Direct Talk handset at a range of up to 6 miles. See me: The Motorola i850s camera lens has a self-portrait mirror but no flash.The Motorola i850s camera gets the job done, but its nothing to write home about. The VGA resolution simply cant compete with its increasingly prevalent 1.3- and 2-megapixel competitors, although the snapshots we took looked OK, considering the 640x480-pixel resolution. The camera also lacks an LED flash, a feature weve come to expect in a camera phone. At least you get 4X digital zoom; five resolution settings (640x480, 320x240, 176x220, 160x120, and 128x96); two lighting settings; a choice between Normal and Fine picture quality; and a self-timer with settings between 10 and 20 seconds. Once youre done taking pictures, you can send the images to your friends via e-mail or multimedia messaging, use them as wallpaper, and assign them to your contacts for photo caller ID. Unfortunately, if youre looking for image frames, editing, multishot, or autofocus, you wont find those features on this handset. The Motorola i850 has average photo quality for a camera phone.Personalization options on the Motorola i850 are quite good. In addition to turning your snapshots into the phones wallpaper or assigning them to individual contacts, you can assign five polyphonic ring tones (MP3 and MIDI) to contacts; change ringer profiles, such as Standard, Car, Meeting, Office, Outdoors, and Headset; choose from one of three color themes, including Geometric, Water Drop, and Glow; tweak the backlighting settings; and change the main menu from Icon to List View. When the phone rings, the keypad buttons flash in accompaniment.Apps on the Java (J2ME)-equipped phone include a trio of game demos (Zuma, Aces Holdem, and BlockBreaker); 1KTV, an on-demand pseudo-TV service; and TeleNav, a subscription-based navigation service that takes advantage of the i850s GPS support. We tested the Motorola i850 (iDEN 850) in New York City and had no trouble with call quality; our callers sounded loud and clear, and they couldnt tell we were on a cell phone. We also tried the phone in our electronics-stuffed living room--complete with a large-screen TV, a Wi-Fi router, and a nearby microwave oven--and didnt encounter any interference. Speakerphone quality was good, but be advised that the speaker is located on the rear of the phone.The Motorola i850s picture quality was good for a VGA camera phones, with solid color and decent detail, although images looked considerably softer compared with those of the latest 1.3- and 2-megapixel camera phones on the market.Battery life on the handset was painfully skimpy. Nextel promises a mere 2.75 hours of talk time, but we beat it by a half hour. For standby time, we got 3.5 days in a single charge, compared with the rated 3 days. According to FCC radiation tests, the Motorola i850 has a digital SAR rating of 1.05 watts per kilogram. ),
(1123,T-Mobile RIM BlackBerry 7290,Positives: The RIM BlackBerry 7290 for T-Mobile boasts a color display, Bluetooth, an easy-to-use interface, and extensive e-mail support. The world phone is also compact. Negatives: We didnt like the dim screen or the lack of a speakerphone and expandable memory on the BlackBerry 7290. Facts: Sleek and simple, the RIM BlackBerry 7290 for T-Mobile is a great option for on-the-go types. , The real beauty of Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry devices is their simplicity, and in that regard, the 7290 for T-Mobile hits the nail on the head. Nowhere as flashy as many of the Windows Mobile devices weve reviewed--or the Palm Treo 650, for that matter--the RIM BlackBerry 7290 is a simple and sleek interpretation of what the BlackBerry is all about. At $349.99, the BlackBerry 7290 is fairly priced for a smart phone. That said, users looking for a more affordable T-Mobile option may want to check out the RIM BlackBerry 7100t. Additionally, Cingular offers the 7290 at a lower price than the T-Mobile version: $299.99, or $249.99 with the $50 mail-in rebate. The RIM BlackBerry 7290 looks like a more traditional PDA-style BlackBerry device than its slimmer cousin, the RIM BlackBerry 7100t. That said, the 7290 is on the smaller side (4.5 by 2.9 by 0.9 inches; 4.9 ounces) and styled in an attractive metallic blue; we had no problem fitting the 7290 in either a shirt or pants pocket. The sharp, 240x160-pixel display supports more than 65,000 colors, with clear icons and text, but the backlit display has a strange muted appearance. Fortunately, this doesnt negatively affect your ability to read the face. Additionally, the screen on the 7290 is smaller than that of other BlackBerry devices. Youll notice that it shows only three rows of icons while many other BlackBerry devices show four. This isnt necessarily a problem, as it contributes to the devices overall diminutiveness. Like more traditional PDA-style BlackBerry devices, the 7290 has a full QWERTY keyboard that, like the display itself, is backlit. Depending on your power-consumption needs, you can change the backlighting to anywhere from 10 seconds to 2 minutes. The keyboard on the 7290 is easy to use. The keys are spaced apart enough that even the most ham-handed user shouldnt have a problem with typos and misdials. Also, when youre at the home screen, entering any of the number key automatically takes you to the phone dialer. In addition to the QWERTY keyboard, on the right spine of the device is a scrollwheel as well as a Back button that takes out of the menu system one step at a time. On the left spine is the minijack for the included wired headset and the USB port for charging the device and syncing it with your PC. On the top of the device, youll find the IR port and a dedicated button to retrieve your Latest Calls list. The RIM BlackBerry 7290s address book is limited by the available memory, and the device comes with 32MB of flash memory plus 4MB of SRAM. Each contact holds up to eight phone numbers, an e-mail address, and two postal addresses; additional names can be stored on the SIM card. Furthermore, you can enter Web pages, personal information, and notes under each name. A full-fledged PDA, the 7290 also includes a calendar, a memo pad, a task list, an alarm clock, 32 polyphonic ring tones, and a vibrate mode. Similar to other BlackBerry devices, the 7290 lacks an expansion slot. Though bummed that the 7290 lacked a speakerphone, we were pleased that it sports integrated Bluetooth, which can be used only to connect with a headset and not to sync with other devices. As with all other BlackBerry devices, the 7290 is a business product; subsequently, its easy to connect it to Microsoft Exchange and BlackBerry servers as well as Lotus Notes servers using the desktop redirector software. Unlike many Windows Mobile 2003 SE devices, the BlackBerry 7290 delivers e-mail in real time, and both messages and the calendar can be synced to the device. If you don't work for a company that has the BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can opt for BlackBerry Web client, which is included in the T-Mobile package service plan. That said, with the Web client, we were able to have e-mail messages wirelessly forwarded to our 7290 from up to 10 POP3 or IMAP4 accounts every 15 minutes.Primarily a business device, the RIM BlackBerry 7290 lacks multimedia options. Theres a picture viewer and nothing else. The 7290 doesnt play MP3s, and like the 7100t, it ships with one Java (J2ME) game, BrickBreaker. As a T-Mobile device, the BlackBerry 7290 lets you download third-party applications or access T-zones for ring tones and games, as well as to browse through news, weather, and sports scores. The 7290 ships with a limited selection of wallpaper, but you can get more from T-Mobile or import your own photos. We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS) RIM BlackBerry 7290 world phone in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City using T-Mobiles network. We had no problem finding a good signal in either location. As with other BlackBerry devices, sound quality varied when holding the handheld to our ear. Its often difficult to find the sweet spot for both the earpiece and microphone. But since the 7290 has Bluetooth support, we found ourselves using a wireless headset more often than not, and we got the impression that the device was designed with this in mind. We tested the phone with Logitechs Mobile Freedom Bluetooth headset. Connecting the headset to the device was simple, and we never lost our connection. Battery life was satisfactory. RIM promises four hours of talk time and up to nine days of standby time. ),
(1124,Nokia 8800,Positives: Sexy, eye-catching form factor; Bluetooth; sharp 262,000-color screen; world phone; speakerphone; integrated camera plus video recorder; streams music via Bluetooth; solid call quality; FM tuner. Negatives: Cramped keypad; inconsistent battery life; case and screen show smudges easily; battery case hard to remove; expensive; heavy. Facts: The Nokia 8800s flawed design and short battery life mar an otherwise beautiful and feature-packed phone. , Perhaps more than any other cell phone manufacturer, Nokia has been pushing the envelope in form factor with innovative designs, such as those of the Nokia N90 and the Nokia 7280. However, image and fashion don't count for much when they negatively impact the function of the phone, which is the case with the companys latest model, the Nokia 8800. Although this slider phone is sleek and sexy on the outside, it suffers from a cramped keypad thats difficult to navigate even for the smallest hands. In addition, a disappointingly uneven battery life had us frequently running for the nearest outlet after any lengthy conversation. However, the Nokia 8800 does have its high points: a sharp 262,000-color screen; Bluetooth; a speakerphone; and an SVGA camera. But at around $900 for an unlocked version, youll pay a premium for these features; we suspect the price will come down once a carrier picks up the phone. For our money, wed rather go with the Motorola Razr V3 and have a phone that not only looks good but also works well. Theres no doubt the Nokia 8800 makes a striking first impression, with its eye-catching silver chassis and complementary black and carbon gray accents. Its also thin and compact at 4.2 by 1.7 by 0.6 inches, which is enough to slip into a pocket, but its stainless-steel body puts it on the heavier side at 4.8 ounces. With its sleek look, we wouldnt be surprised to find the 8800 making cameos in TVs Alias or a James Bond movie (it actually appears in Michael Bays The Island); in fact, if it werent for the Nokia branding above the screen, one couldnt be sure it was a phone at all, since there isnt a visible keypad or typical phone features. The 1.7-inch-diagonal display is bright and gorgeous, displaying 262,000 vibrant colors and a 208x208-pixel resolution. We had an easier time reading the 8800s display in sunlight compared with other phones weve tested, but it tends to hold a lot of smudges and fingerprints, as does the phone as a whole. Sleek and silver: The Nokia 8800 has a distinctive style.Unfortunately, this stealth slider phone loses a lot of its allure and appeal once you open the phone. To reveal the keypad, you use the middle notch to push the screen upward; the sliding mechanism is smooth and snaps into place with a satisfying click. The keypad keeps the same attractive black and silver color scheme, but its much too cramped and cryptic. Theres a four-way navigation toggle with a center OK button below the screen, but the whole layout is so squished that we had to play close attention and meticulously press each directional key. Still, more often than not, wed end up hitting the wrong button. For example, we frequently hit the 2 button when we were actually just trying to scroll down the menu. Flanking the control pad are the Talk and End buttons, but its not marked as such, and the two soft keys are actually two slivers located on the outer case. We were able to figure out the latter through just playing with the phone and referencing the user guide, but our first inclination was to hit the Talk and End buttons to access those functions; we often hit the End button and exited the menu completely when we meant to hit the right soft key just to back out of one submenu. The layout of the numerical buttons is marginally better, but the bottom row of keys is problematic, since they so closely border the outer case. Users with larger digits should definitely take the 8800 for a test-drive before purchasing it.As far as the Nokia 8800s other controls and design features, there arent too many to note. The camera lens is located at the top rear and is visible and active only when the phone is open. Theres no flash or mirror for self-portraits, and a dedicated camera key is sorely missing. We had to dig through several menu layers (Menu, Media, and Camera) just to activate the camera. You can, however, customize the right soft key to be a shortcut to the camera or one of 26 other functions. Theres a lone power button on the top of the handset, as well as two release buttons on the right and left spines to access the battery and SIM card slot, but good luck prying the cover off. The buttons are incredibly difficult to press, especially while trying to wrangle off the slippery cover. We also would have liked to see dedicated volume buttons.On the upside, the Nokia 8800 comes packaged with a healthy set of accessories, including a wired headset, a desk stand/charger, a suede carry pouch, and a travel charger. Other enhancements are available for purchase, such as Bluetooth car kits for hands-free cell phone use. Although we arent thrilled with its design, the Nokia 8800 offers a good helping of features. The phone-book size is limited by the available memory (the SIM card holds an additional 250 contacts), with room in each entry for five numbers; e-mail, Web, and postal addresses; and notes. For caller-ID purposes, you can pair a contact with an image, a group ID, or one of 64 polyphonic ring tones; the phone also supports AAC and MP3 ring tones. For messaging fanatics, you can send text and multimedia messages, as well as instant messages and e-mail (SMTP, POP3, and IMAP4). The 8800 has the usual PIM functions, such as a calendar, a to-do list, a calculator, a countdown timer, and a stopwatch. The company also throws in a couple of extras: a translator, as well as the Mobile Wallet 2.0 application, which lets you store personal information--such as credit card numbers, receipts, and more--and can be password protected. Business users will be pleased to see the inclusion of integrated Bluetooth, a speakerphone, voice-memo support, and PC syncing with the Nokia PC Suite. There is also a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser with support for EDGE speeds. Hideaway: The 8800s camera lens is located behind the sliding face.The Nokia 8800s SVGA (0.5 megapixel) camera is disappointing for such a high-end phone, but it takes pictures in two image sizes (800x600 and 120x144) and three quality settings (High, Normal, and Basic). There is a 10-second self-timer, zoom, and a night mode available, but as far as customization options, the only choice you get is turning the camera sound on or off--no fun frames, color tones, and so forth. Once you snap your photos, you can save them to the phones 64MB of internal memory, send them to others via multimedia message or Bluetooth, set an image as wallpaper or a screensaver, or upload them to your computer. Photo quality was decent, but nighttime shots were subpar even with the night mode on. The 8800 has average photo quality.You can also use the Nokia 8800s camera to shoot 30-second video clips with sound or up to 74 minutes if you set the video-clip length to maximum. Theres a convenient countdown timer at the top of the screen, and you also get the same options for image size and quality settings as you do in still camera mode, as well as a mute option. While the quality of photos was passable, videos were blurry and pixelated.The Nokia 8800 features a sophisticated media player that can play AAC and MP3 file formats, as well as streaming video, but perhaps most impressive is the fact that its one of the first mobiles to support the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile Bluetooth specification, so you can stream music to a Bluetooth headset or a Bluetooth headphone. To top it all off, the 8800 also features an FM tuner, which does require you to use the included wired headset, since it acts as an antenna and allows you to store up to 20 station presets. We plugged it in and tuned in to our favorite radio station but didnt quite get the full effect with only one earbud.You can customize your phone with a variety of wallpaper, screensavers, and themes, and more options are available for download from the Web. The Nokia 8800 also comes with ring tones by Sony Classical artist Ryuichi Sakamoto that sound rather eerie, in our opinion. For more entertainment, you get three games--Chess, Street Race, and Golf Tour--which are enhanced by the phones advanced 3D graphics and excellent screen, but some of that fun is taken away by, again, the cramped controls. We tested the triband (GSM 800/1800/1900; GPRS/EDGE) Nokia 8800 world phone in the San Francisco area, and call quality was excellent. On our end, conversations sounded loud and clear, and our callers said the same on their end. Using the speakerphone diminished the sound quality only slightly.With the Nokia 8800s good call quality, its too bad the battery life was so uneven. After any phone conversation of some substance, the battery life dropped by a couple of bars, forcing us to run to the nearest outlet. Under formal testing, however, the phone fared reasonably better. We managed 4 hours, surpassing the rated talk time of 3 hours. In standby testing, the phone lasted seven days compared with the promised time of eight days. According to FCC radiation tests, the 8800 has a digital SAR rating of 0.46 watts per kilogram. ),
(1125,Nokia 6682,Positives: Stylish; large, vivid display; EDGE support; 1.3-megapixel camera; fully enabled Bluetooth; excellent photo- and video-editing tools; music player supports MP3 and AAC files; sends photos directly to USB-enabled printers. Negatives: Bulky and heavy; small numeric keys; no dedicated controls for the camera or speakerphone; so-so camera features. Facts: With its 1.3-megapixel camera, full Bluetooth capabilities, and a sweet music player, the Nokia 6682 will have phone fanatics and on-the-go shutterbugs green-eyed with envy. , With the EDGE-enabled Nokia 6682, the folks in Finland have unleashed one of their most stylish and powerful smart phones to date. Armed with a 1.3-megapixel camera, full Bluetooth capabilities, and a sweet music player, the Nokia 6682 will have phone fanatics and on-the-go shutterbugs green-eyed with envy. That said, this tempting handset suffers from Nokias characteristically bulky design, a tough-on-the-fingers keypad, and a camera thats a tad shy of state of the art. This Cingular phone comes with a steep $550 price tag, but it should be cheaper with service. The Nokia 6682 is typically big and bulky for a Nokia candy-bar-style phone. Measuring 4.2 by 2.2 by 0.9 inches and weighing 4.6 ounces, the hefty handset is slightly smaller than its jumbo-size predecessor, the Nokia 6600, although it still makes for a tight fit in a jeans pocket. That said, the silver and ice-white design is sleek; if there were an Apple iTunes phone in our future, it should look something like this. Candy bar: The Nokia 6682 has a rectangular shape.The Nokia 6682s 2-inch, 176x208-pixel display looks great. Images and snapshots boast rich color and plenty of detail on the phones 262,000-color LCD, compared with those on the 6600s meager 65,000-color screen, although we had a hard time reading the display in direct sunlight. The 6682s colorful menus are easy to navigate. That said, the phone sports Symbian Series 60 OS, and its beginning to show its age.The phones backlit, silver and gray keypad looks great, and we especially like the easy-to-use five-way mouse, the jumbo-size soft keys, and the dedicated text-entry key that lets you toggle between predictive text, symbol, and alpha modes. Still, we have a bone to pick with the numeric keys, which are way too small for our fingers and have a shimlike design that makes for tough tapping. Its too bad Nokia didnt shrink the large soft keys to make more room for the digits. Sideways: The Nokia 6682s memory card slot is conveniently located.The Nokia 6682 also suffers from a dearth of dedicated controls: Theres no volume rocker on the edge of the phone, which is a major inconvenience if you need to tweak the volume during a call. Plus, theres no speakerphone button and not even a dedicated shutter release for the camera, which is a standard feature for camera phones. All you get is a voice-command button on the left edge of the phone, as well as a power control on the right. On a positive note, Nokia has added an easy-access slot for the 6682s Reduced Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC)--far better than its earlier practice of hiding the card behind the phones battery.The back of the phone is practically featureless, save for a small Nokia logo and a discrete sliding cover. Open the cover, and youll find the 4.5mm camera lens and an LED flash; the phone automatically switches to camera mode when you open the lens cover. Its a sleek setup, but theres no mirror for self-portraits, and those who like camera phones that actually look like a camera from behind will be disappointed.Also in the box, youll find a nicely designed, earbud-style headset that hangs from your neck like a lanyard; we especially like the thick, tangle-resistant cord, although the headset uses a proprietary connector rather than a standard 2.5mm headset plug. You also get a data cable and syncing software for your PC. The Nokia 6682 packs in an impressive set of features, starting with such basics as a calendar and an address book, which share 10MB of RAM; a speakerphone, which you can activate only once youve placed a call; voice dialing and memos; photo caller ID; a vibrate mode; wireless Web (WAP 2.0) and e-mail (POP and IMAP access); text and multimedia messaging; an alarm clock; a to-do list; a calculator; and instant messaging. You also get a side-loading 64MB RS-MMC card, and the phone supports 2.5G-speed EDGE networks. We were unable to test the 6682s EDGE support at the time of this writing.The handsets Bluetooth capabilities were fully (and refreshingly) enabled, which meant we could transmit images and files to and from the device, sync contacts and events, and connect wireless Bluetooth headsets easily. The phone even allows you to connect to a Bluetooth-enabled keyboard, perfect for typing long messages without making your fingertips bleed. We like the business-minded extras, including Info Print, which prints your messages, contacts, events, and notes; a PDF reader; and Quickoffice, which opens and edits Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Another great addition is the offline mode, which allows you to use the nonphone functions without a SIM card. Cover up: The Nokia 6682s camera lens has a sliding cover.The Nokia 6682s 1.3-megapixel camera comes with solid, if not top-notch features, including burst and night modes; a self-timer, which has 10-, 20-, and 30-second settings; plenty of brightness; contrast and white-balance settings; four color modes (Normal, Sepia, Black and White, and Negative); and a 6X digital zoom. Unfortunately, you can snap pictures at only two resolution settings--1,280x960 or 640x480--which doesnt leave you with a lot of options if, say, youre looking to take small, low-quality thumbnail pictures for your contact book. We also wish there were an autofocus feature, a tool that were seeing on more and more camera phones. On the bright side, however, is the 6682s stellar photo-editing app, which lets you crop, rotate, and enhance images; add a graphic frame, of which nine rather avant-garde choices are available; insert text; and even turn a photo into a greeting card. Done snapping pictures? You can send them to friends via e-mail, MMS, or Bluetooth, or you can print them out directly to a USB-enabled photo printer using Nokias XpressPrint feature. We like the Nokia 6682s photo quality.The camera doubles as a video recorder, which captures movies up to an hour long at resolutions ranging from 128x96 to 176x144. The recorder has most of the same settings as the still camera, including a night mode. Even better, though, is the phones video editor, which lets you cut your clips, edit one clip into another, add a sound bite or slow-motion effect to your movie, or turn your color clip into black and white. Theres also a Movie Director tool that takes your clips, then turns them into cool, MMS-ready videos, complete with funky music, fast edits, graphic frames, and titles--very nice.The Nokia 6682s snazzy music player supports both MP3 and unlocked AAC files. Once you transfer your tunes via the USB cable or Bluetooth, the player sorts your music according to album and artist, making for easy browsing. The slick player interface displays artists and track info, along with a progress bar and a time elapsed/total time, and you can create multiple playlists or shuffle/repeat your tunes to your hearts content. You can play music in the background while you use the phones other functions, but theres no main-menu shortcut or dedicated keys to pause your tunes in a pinch. We also wish there were an equalizer to tweak the sound quality.Personalization options on the Nokia 6682 are good, with customizable ringer profiles--such as Normal, Silent, Meeting, Outdoor, Pager, and Offline--as well as polyphonic ring tones and three themes but no screensavers. You can also set your photos as wallpaper and assign individual ring tones and photos to your contacts. The handset doesnt come with much in the way of games--all you get are demos for Lemonade Tycoon (yawn), Hard Rock Casino, and the aggravating, low-res Snake EX, which is pretty weak, considering the 3D games were starting to see on the latest smart phones. We tested the Nokia 6682 (GSM 850/1800/1900; GPRS; class 10 EDGE) in New York City, and we had no trouble with our calls; our fellow chatters reported that we sounded loud and clear. We also tested the phone in our living room with a TV, a wireless network, and a microwave oven whirring away, and we noticed no extra interference or signal loss. Calls made over the speakerphone were somewhat diminished in quality, but thats to be expected.The Nokia 6682s photos look quite vivid and detailed for snapshots taken with a camera phone, although they cant match the picture quality of the latest 2-megapixel handsets. While we experienced little in the way of lens distortion on the edges of our pictures, we did notice some video noise creeping into our images, even in bright, day-lit shots. The movies we shot with the 6682s video recorder looked predictably murky. Our MP3s sounded pretty good with the Nokia 6682s earbud-style headset, although we wish we had been able to crank the volume a little louder. Plus, some bass- and treble-boosting EQ controls wouldnt hurt.During battery tests, we beat the rated talk time of 4 hours by an extra hour. The promised standby time is 11 days; we got 9 days on a single charge in our tests. According to FCC radiation tests, the Nokia 6682 has a digital SAR rating of 0.82 watts per kilogram. ),
(1126,Sony Ericsson K750i,Positives: Gorgeous display; compact design; 2-megapixel camera; fully enabled Bluetooth with PC remote control; infrared port; 64MB Memory Stick Duo card; MP3 player and FM radio; speakerphone; world phone. Negatives: Cramped, hard-to-press keys; feels a bit heavy for its size. Facts: Sony Ericssons stylish, compact K750i takes crystal-clear photos, packs plenty of multimedia options, and tops it all off with fully enabled Bluetooth. , Sony Ericssons new K750i is a triple threat: its a multimedia powerhouse, it takes amazing pictures, and it boasts top-notch wireless connectivity. The compact candy bar-style cell phone not only has an impressive MP3 and video player as well as an FM radio, it also packs in a 2-megapixel camera (only the second weve seen in the United States), fully enabled Bluetooth, an infrared port, a 64MB Memory Stick Duo card, slick animated menus, and excellent personalization options. Were it not for the Sony Ericssons hard-to-use keypad, we wouldnt hesitate to give the K750i our Editors Choice award. This unlocked GSM cell phone comes with a steep $630 price tag, but the cost is bound to fall once a U.S. carrier puts the K750i in its lineup. The silver-and-black, candy bar-style Sony Ericsson K750i bears a strong resemblance to its predecessor, the K700i, although its edges are a little boxier, and its slightly thinner and lighter (3.9 by 1.8 by 0.8 inches and 3.5 ounces). While the cell phone still feels a tad heavy for its size, the K750i fits easily in a purse or jeans pocket. Despite the small keys we liked the Sony Ericsson K750is design.The Sony Ericsson K750is gorgeous display measures nearly 2 inches diagonally, packing in 176x220 pixels and a whopping 262,000 colors, easily beating the K700is 65,000-color screen. Images looked sharp and drenched with color, boasting plenty of detail. The lively animated menus will seem familiar to owners of the K700i, although were happy to report that the various menu screens are much less sluggish this time around. We had only a few complaints: its tough to read the TFT screen in direct sunlight (nothing unusual there), and the sleek display is easy to smudge.And now for our biggest gripe about the Sony Ericsson K750i: the keypad. While the blue-backlit keys look cool, their small size and angled design (the top of each key juts out ever so slightly, like a shim) played havoc with our fingers, making it hard to find--or even press--the right key. We also had a tough time with the stubby, wiggly navigation joystick, and we missed dedicated Talk/End keys; you have to use the soft keys instead. Considering the phones overall quality, this fingertip-defying keypad comes as a rude, unwelcome surprise. On the other hand, there are dedicated Clear and Back keys. The rest of the K750is controls are satisfactory, including a volume rocker on the upper-right edge of the phone, a power button up top, and a play/pause button on the left edge for one-click access to your music (see Features). Theres also a dedicated backlit shutter release for the camera just below the volume rocker, as well as a hard-to-open rubber flap covering the Memory Stick slot on the opposite edge. Missing from the mix, however, is a dedicated speakerphone control.Flip the phone over and youll find the camera lens cover and the jumbo flash, along with some embossed emblems and beveled features that make the phone look like an Instamatic from the back. Behind the sliding lens cover is the 4.8mm lens and a small convex mirror for self-portraits; sliding the cover open switches the phone to camera mode--a nice touch. Talk about everything but the kitchen sink--Sony Ericsson loads the K750i with just about every feature under the sun; indeed, were hard-pressed to think of any significant omissions. Lets start with the basics, such as a 510-entry phone book with room for multiple entries; a calendar with month and week views; photo caller ID; a vibrate mode; voice memos and commands; 30-odd polyphonic ring tones, including a handful of MP3 tones; wireless Web and e-mail, complete with POP and IMAP access; a speakerphone that you can activate only once youre on a call; 34MB of shared RAM; and a Memory Stick Duo slot (a 64MB Memory Stick is included). Theres even a light control that turns on the LED flash for a minute or indefinitely--perfect for finding your keys in the dark.The Sony Ericsson K750is wireless connectivity options are top notch, including an infrared port and fully enabled Bluetooth. After dealing with phones and carriers that disable all but the most basic Bluetooth functions, its a pleasure to see a handset that lets you send and transfer photos, videos, and MP3s, as well as lets you sync contacts and calendar events; the phone was also browsable from our Windows PC and our Mac. Even better, the cell phone comes with a trio of remote-control apps that let you take control of a Bluetooth-enabled system; using the keypad and the joystick, we were able to move our PowerBooks cursor, make left and right clicks, enter carriage returns and tabs, and even click the Escape key and some function buttons. Its a cool feature, one thats guaranteed to raise the hackles of paranoid IT technicians. The Sony Ericsson K750is camera comes with just about everything.The Sony Ericcson K750is 2-megapixel camera is hands-down the best weve seen in a phone, surpassing the 2-megapixel version in Samsungs new MM-A800. With resolutions ranging from the thumbnail-size 160x120 to a whopping 1,632x1,224 pixels, the K750is camera boasts autofocus and macro focus for close-ups; a night mode; an 8-second self-timer; color effects such as black and white, negative, and sepia; white-balance settings; a 4X digital zoom; a time and date stamp; picture frames (24 total, all of which look pretty goofy and cartoonish); a rapid-fire burst mode; and a panorama mode that lets you line up a succession of shots for extrawide vistas. Taken together, this impressive slate of features comes as close to that of a standalone camera as weve seen in a phone, as does the cameras eye-popping picture quality (see Performance). Ready to shoot some video? The video recorder includes almost all the same features as the camera, and you can shoot videos of any length, RAM permitting, although the low-quality 3GP file format makes for jittery, blocky movie clips.You can groove to MP3s and watch videos with the K750is versatile media player, which lets you create playlists and even has an equalizer, complete with presets for bass, MegaBass, voice and treble boost, and a user-defined mode. The players interface provides scrolling song info and a progress bar showing time elapsed. You can shuffle and repeat your music or minimize the player to listen to tunes while using the handsets other features. If youre in an FM mood, the Sony Ericcsons FM tuner automatically scans and programs up to 20 presets; it even grabs Radio Data System info from stations that digitally broadcast their names and call letters.Our test cell phone shipped with three games: Aero Mission 3D, a fun first-person shooter in the Top Gun tradition; PuzzleSlider, which creates puzzles from snapshots in the phones memory; and Super Real Tennis, an impressive first-person tennis game. Theres also MusicDJ, which lets you create your own ring tones; VideoDJ, for creating MMS-type messages from your video clips; and PhotoDJ, a rudimentary photo editor for your snapshots.Customization options on the Sony Ericcson K750i are excellent. In addition to the ability to pick your own menu themes, screensavers, start-up screen, and wallpaper, you can also assign specific ring tones and images to your contacts, as well as choose and edit ringer profiles such as meeting, in-car, outdoors, hands-free, home, and office--or you can create your own. We tested the triband (GSM 900/1800/1900; GPRS) Sony Ericsson K750i world phone in New York City and had no trouble with our calls; we heard our pals fine, and they said we sounded loud and clear. We also tried the cell phone in our interference-heavy living room with wireless phones, a microwave, a big CRT TV, and a wireless network clogging the airwaves and didnt detect any loss in call quality.The snapshots we took with the Sony Ericsson K750i looked stunning for a camera phone. In fact, theyre the first photos weve taken with a handset that actually measure up to those taken with a standalone digital camera, albeit a cheap one. Much of the softness we normally associate with camera phone photos was gone, and we saw only minimal lens distortion around the edges of our images. Compared to the impressive photos we snapped with the 2-megapixel Samsung MM-A800, the Sony Ericssons looked even sharper, richer, and more detailed. In low-light conditions, however, the digital noise we normally see in camera phone pictures crept back into our photos.Sony Ericsson promises 9 hours of talk time and more than 16 days of standby time from the K750i. That seemed a little too optimistic to us, and sure enough, we measured 5.5 hours of talk time in our tests. However, we got a solid 10 days of standby time. ),
(1127,Motorola V188 - cellular phone - GSM,Positives: Speakerphone, instant messaging; world phone support. Negatives: Small internal display; cramped controls; cheap construction. Facts: As entry-level phones go, the Motorola V188 serves it purpose well. , The Motorola V188 raises the bar for what you should expect from a \"free\" phone. Although it has a list price of $119, the V188 is an entry-level phone that is often free if you sign a T-Mobile service contract. Its plastic construction and dim screen are nothing to shout about, but its external display, built-in IM support, and integrated speakerphone make up for these shortcomings. In some ways, Motorola designed the V188 to look just a bit better than your generic clamshell phone. The silver and shiny black color scheme is a pleasant change from the standard silver, and its a step above its predecessor, the V180. The phone itself measures a compact 3.4 by 1.8 by 0.9 inches and weighs a slim 3.3 ounces. As a result, however, it doesnt feel as sturdy and durable as premium models when you hold it. In fact, the phone seems almost too light. Also, as with the V180, the overall construction isnt very solid. The plastic casing creaks a bit when you give it a squeeze, and its long-term durability shows some cause for concern. Small fry: The V188 is compact and portable.The external monochrome display shows the time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). Although its rectangular shape makes it a bit small, its still relatively easy to see in low light. Unfortunately, the internal display isnt much better. It supports 65,000 colors, but the 1.5-inch-diagonal screen is neither bright nor vivid; plus, it is tiny, so don't expect to enjoy too much multimedia with it. It is, nonetheless, sufficient for navigating the phones user-friendly menu systems, but it should be noted that you cant change the font size.The navigation controls are well organized, with a circular five-way navigation key at the center. The menu key is immediately above it, with two soft keys alongside. The keys themselves could be larger, but they have little recessed portions that make them easy to locate with your fingertips. The numerical keypad is similarly cramped, though the buttons are raised above the surface of the phone. The volume controls are on the side of the phone, and a short stub antenna extends from the top. There is a standard headset jack and a USB-capable data port, which is a nice bonus for a bargain-priced device. The Motorola V188 packs an awful lot of features into this entry-level phone. The phone book stores up to 500 entries, including phone numbers, as well as e-mail and AOL Instant Messenger addresses. The phone also comes with a speakerphone, call waiting, conference calling, a calculator, a currency converter, an alarm clock, a voice recorder, automatic redial, and a vibrating alert. The handset has more than 40 polyphonic ring tones, and it supports MP3 ring tones. By using the included MotoMixer application, you can even mix your own ring tones from portions of songs and other audio clips.We were pleased with the breadth of the multimedia offerings. The mobile comes with a built-in AOL Instant Messenger client, which is fast becoming the standard item on wireless phones. The small screen makes text messaging a little tiresome, but its nice to have nonetheless. You also get text and multimedia messaging, as well as enhanced messaging.The Motorola V188 is Java (JM2E) compliant for compatible games and applications. It ships with a pool game called Billiards, as well as demo versions of Bejeweled and Blackjack; additional games, ring tones, and applications can be purchased from T-Mobile online. Just keep in mind that the phone has a meager 1.5MB of memory, so you will run out of space for games quickly. We tested the Motorola V188 in New York City. Reception, as you would expect in New York, was constant and reliable, and the audio quality was pretty good. Voices sounded a little flat, but we were able to understand callers easily when outside. When we made calls indoors, we noticed more dropouts than with other phones we have tested. The speakerphone was also handy, although it would be more useful in an enclosed space such as a car than on the street, where there is a lot of background noise. It was great to see that the phone works on all four major GSM frequencies (850, 900, 1800, and 1900), so it is compatible with GSM systems all over the world. The handset is rated for 3.75 hours of talk time and 14.5 days of standby. In the tests, the phone delivered nearly 4 hours of talk time on a single charge. While that is more than sufficient, its well below the impressive 9 hours of talk time we got on the Motorola V180. For standby time, we came away with 10 days. According to the FCC radiation tests, the Motorola V188 has a digital SAR rating of 1.39 watts per kilogram. ),
(1128,Sanyo MM-8300 (Silver),Positives: Streaming audio and video; speakerphone; good call quality; Ready Link calls; sleek and compact; analog roaming; bright, colorful screen. Negatives: No Bluetooth or infrared port; streaming video is blurry; short battery life. Facts: The Sanyo MM-8300 is an impressive phone that boasts solid call quality and entertaining multimedia features; we just wish it had Bluetooth and a better battery. Note: This product is part of the Sanyo MM-8300 series. ., Sprint PCS just loves to entertain the masses with its multimedia phones, and its latest offering, the Sanyo MM-8300, goes a long way toward achieving that goal. The sleek and sexy flip phone features an integrated VGA camera that also records video and supports streaming audio and video--and, on top of all this, its a solid mobile with excellent call quality and Sprints Ready Link service. Yet, all is not perfect. It was disappointing to see that the high-end handset lacks Bluetooth and an infrared port, as well as video streaming over the slower 2.5G network. Also, at $299.99, the Sanyo MM-8300 is on the pricier side. That said, you should be able to find it cheaper with service. Sprints Sanyo MM-8300s understated style is what makes it so sexy. The sleek flip phone sports a silver chassis that gives it an elegant and classic look, although you can spice it up with changeable accent covers; silver and midnight blue covers are included, and 12 more colors are available through Sprint. Alternatively, while we tested the silver version, there are red and blue models available as well. The MM-8300 is slimmer and more compact (3.35 by 1.85 by 1.0 inches; 3.6 ounces) than its Sprint multimedia cousins, the Sanyo MM-5600 and Sanyo MM-7400, making it a nice travel companion. In addition, it has a solid construction, opening and shutting firmly. Silver sister: The MM-8300 looks much like the Sanyo PM-8200.The 1-inch-diagonal external screen on the front cover shows 65,000 colors and displays the time, battery life, signal strength, voicemail/message status, and caller ID (where available). You can also customize it with different background colors and screensavers. Just below the screen, youll find the camera lens and a flash to its right. You can use the external display as a viewfinder for self-portraits but only when the phone is closed. The speakerphone grille is above the screen, along with a tiny LED that shows your mobiles connection status. Overall, the mobiles exterior closely resembles the Sanyo PM-8200s.Flip open the Sanyo MM-8300, and youre greeted by a colorful 1.7-inch-diagonal screen. Although it displays 65,000 colors just as well, the hues seem more vibrant, and the images and text appear sharper with its 176x220-pixel resolution, which make viewing Web pages on this handset a real treat. The numerical keypad and navigation controls are adequately sized and well spaced. To navigate through the easy-to-use menus, there is a five-way toggle with a center menu/OK key. The toggle--which acts as a shortcut to the address book, downloads, messaging, and one user-defined feature--is flanked by two soft keys, a Back button, and a dedicated camera key. Below them are the Talk and End keys, as well as a speakerphone activation button--always a nice touch. Kudos aside, dialing by feel was a bit difficult, since the number keys are set flush with the phones surface.Other controls on the Sanyo MM-8300 include a headset jack; a volume rocker; a voice recorder button that also accesses Sprints Ready Link service on the left spine; a camera activation key; and a side call button that lets you make calls without opening the phone on the right side. The MM in the Sanyo MM-8300 stands for multimedia, and the phone doesnt disappoint in this area. You get a 300-contact phone book with room in each entry for six numbers, as well as an e-mail and a Web address. For caller ID purposes, you can pair a contact with a photo or one of 11 polyphonic (72-chord) ring tones. Youre not limited by voice calls, as you can keep in touch with family and friends via text and multimedia messaging, instant messaging, e-mail, and Sprints Ready Link two-way radio service. Other features include voice memos; voice dialing for up to 30 names; a speakerphone; a vibrate mode; a WAP 2.0 Web browser; and a host of PIM goodies, such as a calendar, an alarm clock, a calculator, a stop watch, and a world clock. For business users, the Sanyo MM-8300 offers PC syncing, although youll have to purchase a USB cable to do so. We were disappointed by the lack of integrated Bluetooth--or at the very least, an infrared port--in such a high-end phone. Flashy: The MM-8300s camera lens includes a flash.Although we would have liked to see the Sanyo MM-8300 come equipped with a megapixel camera, its VGA-quality camera was admirable and packed with features and options. You can take pictures in three resolutions (640x480, 320x240, and 160x120) and three quality settings (Fine, Normal, and Economy). In addition, you can choose from five modes--Normal, Night/Dark, Beach/Snow, Scenery, and Soft Focus--and three shutter sounds, including a silent option and one that says \"Cheez.\" It also has a 20X zoom, a 5- and 10-second self-timer, and a multishot function, and you can customize photos with color tones and one of four fun frames. The MM-8300 took decent pictures, and the flash helped especially for dark or nighttime shots. Once you have your images, you can save them to the phones 2MB of internal memory, assign them to caller ID, use them as wallpaper, send them to contacts via multimedia message or e-mail, or transfer them to your PC via a USB cable. In addition, you can upload them to Sprints Picture Mail Web site to share with family and friends; you can even order prints. We like the MM-8300s photo quality.The Sanyo MM-8300s camera also doubles as a video recorder. The length of the video clips depends on which quality mode you choose: Rich (15 seconds), Normal (20 seconds), and Economy (30 seconds). You can also record with or without sound and in two resolutions, 176x144 and 128x96. The flash is available to brighten scenes, but be aware that it does a decent job only if you are within short range of your subject. Other camcorder features include an audible cue before shooting, a self-timer, and zoom. As with pictures, you can save video recordings to the phones shared memory, then send them via multimedia message or to Sprints Picture Mail service. If youd rather be entertained instead of doing the entertaining, you can use the MM-8300s media player to download and play videos and music from Sprint. You can preview channels from Sprint TV, including NBC Mobile, Fox Sports, and the Weather Channel, before purchasing them at a $9.99 monthly rate. We checked out some samples and found the idea of watching TV on your phone fun and entertaining, but the videos were a little too blurry for our tastes. In addition to video, you can stream music; keep in mind, though, that Sprints videos run on a 2.5G 1xRTT network. Data speeds are between 50Kbps to 70Kbps, compared with 300Kbps to 500Kbps on Verizons 3G V Cast service. Also, video clips play at 15fps as opposed to 30fps on a normal TV set, so don't expect too much from the experience.You can personalize your handset with a variety of wallpaper, screensavers, and sounds, and of course, you can always download more options and ring tones. There is also a My Buddy setting that displays an animated character--a kangaroo, in our case--hopping across your internal and external displays; you have the option to turn this off if you find it too annoying or cutesy. As far as games, the Sanyo MM-8300 supports Java (J2ME) games and includes three demos (Jamdat Solitaire, Ms. Pac-Man, and Tetris Deluxe), but again, you can download more titles. We tested the dual-band/trimode (CDMA 800/1900; AMPS 800) Sanyo MM-8300 in San Francisco and experienced good call quality overall. On our end, sound quality was clear, although there were a couple of instances in which the party on the other line sounded somewhat garbled; our callers said they had no problem hearing us. Volume was plenty loud, even in noisy environments. In fact, we found it to be almost too loud even as we turned the volume to its lowest setting. The speakerphone also performed admirably.The Sanyo MM-8300 is rated for 3.5 hours of talk time. However, in our real-world tests, we got significantly less. On a single charge, we coaxed just 2.25 hours of talk time and a solid 7.5 days of standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the MM-8300 has a digital SAR rating of 0.89 watts per kilogram and an analog SAR rating of 0.86 watts per kilogram. ),
(1129,Motorola E815,Positives: The Motorola E815 has a great internal display, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a speakerphone, a TransFlash card slot, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, 3G EV-DO support. Negatives: The Motorola E815 suffers from a slippery keypad, touch-and-go EV-DO reception, and no analog roaming. Also, Bluetooth file transfers have been disabled. Facts: Verizons new V Cast flip phone, the Motorola E815 scores with a sharp 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, plenty of RAM, and an MP3 player. , Verizon has pulled out all the stops with its latest V Cast handset. The handsome, clamshell-style Motorola E815 not only supports Verizons high-speed EV-DO network but also packs in a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth connectivity, a TransFlash card for extra memory, an MP3 player, and even a speakerphone. Like other Verizon 3G phones weve tested, the E815 is a bit on the bulky side, and were peeved that Verizon continues to disable Bluetooth file transfers. That said, this probably is Verizons best V Cast phone yet. If you want to jump on the 3G bandwagon and you live in Verizons EV-DO coverage area, the E815 is a tempting choice. At $200 (or $99 with a two-year contract and an online discount), the E815 is more affordable than most multimedia handsets. With its smooth lines and tapered curves, the clamshell-style, silver and gray Motorola E815 looks small and slender compared with the other 3G phones weve seen. But looks can be deceiving: When we broke out our tape measure, we discovered that the phone is just as big at 3.7 by 1.9 by 1 inches and slightly heavier at 4.6 ounces. The handsets overall size and stubby, retractable antenna make for a tight fit in a jeans pocket, but it has a solid feel overall. Hefty handset: The E815 is large for a cell phone.The front of the handset boasts a 1.5-inch-diagonal, 4,000-color external display, which gives you the time, the date, signal strength, network connectivity, battery life, and photo caller ID info for incoming calls. The phones camera lens sits just above the screen, with the LED flash below and to the left, between the Verizon and Motorola logos. Overall, it closely resembles the Motorola V710 both inside and out. Flip open the phone, and youll find the vivid, razor-sharp 2-inch-plus-diagonal internal display, which supports 262,000 colors and is definitely easy on the eyes. Images are saturated in rich colors with plenty of details, although we were disappointed by the E815s staid menu, a relative letdown compared with the snappy animated menus on Verizons other V Cast phones. We also had a hard time seeing the display in direct sunlight. You can control the contrast, brightness, and backlight time on the screen, but you cant change the font size.The Motorola E815s silver, beveled keypad looks great and comes with a five-way navigational control, a menu button, a Clear key, a separate camera button, and the Talk and End keys. Additionally, the toggle acts as a shortcut to four user-defined features. The keys were a little slippery for our thumbs, and we had some trouble with the 0 key, which doesnt give you a satisfying click when pressed. On the other hand, we love the dedicated speakerphone button, which you can activate before a call, located on the left edge of the handset just below the volume rocker. You also get dedicated camera and voice command buttons, which sit on the right edge of the phone. The headset and TransFlash ports, which are both protected by rubber flaps, lie on the top edge next to the antenna. The Motorola E815 arrives on the scene with a truckload of features. Besides its 3G V Cast capabilities, the handset has a vibrate mode, a speakerphone, and a 1,000-entry contact book, although in default mode, your contacts various phone numbers and e-mail addresses appear as separate entries. This is an annoying quirk, but it can be altered. There is also text and multimedia messaging; a calculator; an alarm clock; a WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser; voice memos and commands; a calendar with month and week views; and a slot for a TransFlash card up to 256MB. The E815 also comes with Bluetooth, but Verizon has once again decided to block any and all Bluetooth file transfers, allowing you to use only a Bluetooth headset and sync your PCs contacts and events. Naturally, the first thing we did with the Motorola E815 is pounce on its V Cast player, which lets you tap into hundreds of streaming video clips, ranging from CNN news updates to episodes of made-for-mobile TV shows, such as 24: Conspiracy and Love & Hate (Verizon charges $15 a month for V Cast access). You can also download 3D games--including the impressive Need for Speed Underground 3D, Evel Knievel 3, and 3D Swerve Basketball--and indulge in some fast Web browsing, thanks to the broadband rates delivered by Verizons high-velocity network. Keep in mind, however, that only about 40 cities get EV-DO coverage and that the phones reception is a little touch-and-go in marginal EV-DO coverage areas (see Performance). Say cheese: The E815s camera lens sits just above the external display.We were also impressed by the Motorola E815s 1.3-megapixel camera, which boasts a 4X zoom, a flash, a 5- to 10-second self-timer, three color modes (Black and White, Antique, and Negative), and the ability to tweak the brightness modes. You can choose from resolutions ranging from 1,280x1,024 pixels down to 160x120, and you can assign your images to a specific contact or use them as your wallpaper or screensaver. You can also share your snapshots through e-mail or a multimedia message, or you can even transfer them to your PC via the TransFlash card, which is a feature Verizon disabled on an earlier V Cast phone, called the Audiovox CDM-8940. We also wish there were a rapid-fire mode, which would have been a handy feature, given the memory thats available. Meanwhile, the E815s video camera takes typically rough-and-ready, barely watchable clips of up to 15 seconds in length with sound. The E815 has good photo quality.The Motorola E815s media player does a decent, if not exceptional job of cranking out your tunes. Once youve transferred some MP3s to the phones TransFlash card, you can set up playlists and listen through the phones stereo headset. Repeat and shuffle modes are available, and you can scan forward or reverse within a song, although you cant hear the music while youre scanning. You can keep listening to your music after youve flipped the phone shut, but there isnt a play/pause button on the front cover, as on the CDM-8940. As expected, customization options on the Motorola E815 are good. You can change the wallpaper and screensaver using either a preexisting image or one of your snapshots; switch the menus color schemes to Scarlet, Techno, or Moto; and choose from the 10 polyphonic ring tones and two MP3 tones that you can assign to your contacts. Our phone had \"Eye of the Tiger\" and \"Get it Poppin\"; you can download more from Verizons Get It Now service. The handset also comes with a pair of games--S.W.A.T. and Swerve Basketball--although gaming junkies will probably want to try one of the 3D V Cast games (the first-person Need for Speed Underground 3D was our favorite). We tested the dual-band (CDMA 900/1900; 1xEV-DO) Motorola E815 in New York City, and our voice calls sounded crystal clear. Our data connectivity was another matter, however. In the signal-rich environment of Manhattan, we got a steady EV-DO connection, but in nearby Brooklyn--a borough in which we had steady service with Verizons other V Cast phones--our test phone kept flipping between EV-DO and the slower 1xRTT. If you live on the outskirts of an EV-DO-served city and youre considering the E815, consider a test-drive before snapping it up.The Motorola E815s photos looked excellent for a camera phones; images were reasonably sharp and detailed with rich colors. Those looking for images worthy of a standalone camera are bound for disappointment, but barring Sprints new 2-megapixel camera phone, the Samsung MM-A800, these are some of the best handset snapshots weve seen.Motorola promises more than 4.5 hours of talk time and 11 days of standby time from the E815. In the tests, we got 4 hours of talk time and just a litte more than a week of standby time. According to the FCC, the E815 has a digital SAR rating of 1.24 watts per kilogram. ),
(1130,LG VX8100,Positives: The LG VX8100 is EV-DO and V Cast capable, and it comes with a Mini SD card slot, a megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth, loud stereo speakers, and an MP3 player. Negatives: The LG VX8100 is heavier and has less battery life than its predecessor, and its saddled with a protruding antenna and no e-mail support, as well as limited Bluetooth use and no analog roaming. Facts: The LG VX8100 is a smaller, louder, brighter, and more stylish upgrade of LGs VX8000. It adds Bluetooth, expandable memory, and a speedier implementation of EV-DO, but you lose some screen real estate and battery life. , Its often said that life is all about compromise, and to that end, cell phones are no exception. Take, for example, the LG VX8000. While its multimedia capabilities make it one of the most well-endowed mobiles on the market, its missing one major component: Bluetooth. Fortunately, LG has corrected this omission in its VX8100, much more than just a simple upgrade of its predecessor. While both are flip handsets that offer EV-DO connectivity and a 1.3-megapixel digital camera, the VX8100s smaller, contoured body and dark-turquoise color are a big improvement upon the boxy and bulky silver makeup of the VX8000. Also, we are pleased to see the addition of an expandable memory slot. However, not all about the VX8100 is better. Although faster for downloading, especially for V Cast video clips, the VX8100 has less battery life, and the display size is a bit smaller. Even more important, we are extremely disappointed to see that some promised features have been disabled. The handset is priced at $249.99 with a one-year contract or $149.99 with a two-year contract. Where aesthetics and ergonomics are concerned, LG has decided to eschew the flashy for the functional. Except for its unusual, dark-turquoise clamshell cap and its multimedia control array beneath the external display, the LG VX8100 is similar to dozens of other handsets from a variety of cell phone manufacturers. But given recent industrial-design excesses executed purely for the sake of product differentiation by handset makers, this likeness isnt necessarily a bad thing, nor is it a critique. As we said before, the VX8100s curved lines are an improvement upon the boxy form of the LG VX8000. n True blue: We like the VX8100s design.There are several minor but significant ergonomic differences between the VX8100 and the VX8000. As noted, at 3.58 by 1.92 by 1.03 inches--compared with its predecessors 3.76 by 1.97 by 0.93 inches--the VX8100 is shorter, which makes it a bit more comfortable in jeans or khaki pockets. Yet at 4.16 ounces, the VX8100 is mysteriously 0.28 ounce heavier. On the outside, the speakers on the VX8100 have moved from the top of the clamshell to the caps on either side of the clamshell hinge. As a result, sound direction and volume don't change when the phone is open. On the left spine are a volume rocker and a voice-command control that also conveniently turns on the flash when youre in camera mode. Meanwhile, a dedicated camera key and a Mini SD slot are on the right spine. The VX8100s stumpy antenna doesnt telescope like the VX8000s, but the camera lens and flash are on the same place: at the top of the phones hinge.The postage stamp-size external screen supports a bright 65,000 colors and shows the date, the time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). As with the VX8000, you can use the external screen as a camera viewfinder, but this time, you can do so with or without the clamshell up--a nice touch. You can change the wallpaper and the backlighting on the external display, but the maximum is just 30 seconds. On the upside, pressing any of the external controls on the handset turns on the screen, so you don't have to open the flip to check the time. Unlike its predecessor, however, the LG VX8100 doesnt have the ability to act as a mini menu for the camera features. The aforementioned multimedia controls let you use the MP3 player with the phone closed, and they also act as a Back key when in camera mode. Use the eye-catching multimedia buttons to control the player.Inside the mobile, the most visible difference is the quarter inch youll lose in screen size: 2.25 inches diagonally on the VX8000 vs. 2 inches on the VX8100. But the VX8100s 262,144-color LCD displays more color saturation and deeper blacks; the red menu frame is actually red, not a deep orange, as on the VX8000. You can change the font size, the clock style, and the backlight time, but you cant alter the brightness setting. Overall, its ideal for viewing photos and video clips and for navigating through the user-friendly menus, which are in the same style as the VX8000s.Keypad buttons, backlit blue and flush, are somewhat crowded with small fonts, but the Clear and camera-activation keys on the VX8100 are both more conveniently and centrally located on the VX8100s superior navigation array. The five-way toggle resembles something youd find on a Samsung phone, and you can set the down direction to act as a shortcut to user-defined functions. In a wise move, LG designed the Clear control to also turn on the speakerphone before you make a call. As one of Verizons EV-DO phones, the LG VX8100 is loaded with lightning-fast, wireless Web surfing, but theres much more under the hood. You get a 500-contact phone book with room in each entry for five phone numbers, two e-mail addresses, picture caller ID, and personalized call and message ring tones. You also can organize contacts into caller groups. Other goodies include a vibrate mode, multimedia and text messaging, a duplex speakerphone, MSN and Yahoo instant messaging, storage for up to 200 1-minute voice-memo recordings, voice commands and dialing, a USB port, a calendar with a scheduler, a notepad, an alarm clock, a tip calculator, and a world clock. An optional data-connectivity kit lets you use the phone as a laptop or PDA modem. With the additions of Bluetooth 1.1, stereo output, and a Mini SD card, the only advanced feature that the VX8100 is missing is e-mail. We are puzzled, however, as to why LG didnt opt for Bluetooth 1.2, considering the VX8100s multimedia capabilities. Also, be warned that as with the Motorola V710, you can use the Bluetooth only to connect to a headset and not to wirelessly transfer files. This is cheap move, but its typically Verizon. Smile: The VX8100 has a conveniently located camera lens.LG has improved the 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera functionality in the VX8100. You get a variety of editing functions, including an 8X zoom; five resolutions (1,280x960, 800x600, 640x480, 320x240, and 160x120); a self-timer; a night mode; two shutter sounds, plus a silent option; and adjustments for brightness, white balance, and color effects. Theres also a light, but when youre taking pictures with the flap open, you cant use the aforementioned key on the left spine to activate it. Instead, you must drill down into the menus to turn it on and off. Rather than automatically saving each shot, the VX8100 lets you either erase or save your snap, which is convenient because, like with many camera phones, you have to hold the VX8100 stock-still after you click Capture until the image appears on the screen--or else you risk a blurry mess. Images are acceptable, although theyre obviously no substitute for those of a real digital camera when capturing important moments. We like the VX8100s photo quality.Despite the initial promises when the VX8100 was first shipped, it didnt come with an MP3 player. Of course, we were sufficiently miffed at the time, but that changed with the launch of Verizons V Cast Music store. Now, the VX8100 is one of the Verizon handsets that supports the service, and an upgrade is available through the carrier. With access to Verizons V Cast service, you can download and play a variety of streaming video and audio, but keep in mind that you will have to pay for it. Inside the VX8100, there is 4MB of built-in memory, enough to store up to 100 (15-second) 176x144-pixel video clips shot in the 3g2 format, viewable using QuickTime, or up to 100 still photos. We would have liked to see more integrated memory, and although the Mini SD card definitely helps, we are disappointed that the phone didnt ship with a memory card. Happily, you can transfer most kinds of files between the card and the phone, including pictures and video clips. Ring tones are an exception, since only the tones you buy from Verizon can be saved to the phone.The LG VX8100 includes a variety of wallpaper, themes, and alert sounds, and you can use 16-character personalization banners. The VX8100 ships with a measly five monophonic and six 72-chord polyphonic ring tones. You can download and play polyphonic and MP3 ring tones available from Verizons Get It Now download store, along with the usual assortment of screensavers, wallpaper, games, and so forth. There are no games included, not even demo versions of titles that are available through Get It Now. LG not only added a number of feature and function improvements to the VX8100, but the dual-band (CDMA 800/1900) phone performed noticeably faster on Verizons broadband EV-DO network than the VX8000 did in the tests in Manhattan. Pictures transmitted much more quickly, and best of all, lag time on loading and buffering V Cast video was faster. We had watched 30 seconds of a CNN news report on the VX8100 by the time the same clip on the LG VX8000 loaded and started to play. And thanks to LGs browser switch--to Verizons Mobile Web 2.0 from OpenWave--Web pages loaded significantly faster as well. ESPNs MLB home page filled a full 20 seconds faster on the VX8100, for instance. V Cast still isnt nationwide, so make sure you get it in your area before you buy the phone.We discerned little difference in earpiece quality between the two phones; most delivered loud and crisp conversations. The VX8100s side-mounted stereo speakers, however, were far louder than the speakers on the VX8000. On the other hand, the widely separate, side-firing VX8100 speakers produced a bit of an echo that was exacerbated when we cupped the handset in our palm or down on a desktop in an attempt at redirecting the sound. We tried pairing the phone to the Logitech Mobile Bluetooth headset and had no problems doing so. Ringer volume also was much louder on the VX8100, thanks to the side-mounted speakers.LG dropped the ball a bit on battery life, however, stepping down to a 1,000mAh lithium from the 1,100mAh on the VX8000. As a result, the LG VX8100s talk time is rated at a still-robust 3.75 hours, but thats 40 minutes less than on the VX8000. Standby time is similarly shrunken by almost a day, 6.8 days instead of 7.6 days. In actual usage, we eked out 3.5 hours of talk time and 5.75 days of standby time. According to the FCC, the VX8100 has a digital SAR rating of 1.16 watts per kilogram. ),
(1131,Motorola i836,Positives: Compact, rugged design; push-to-talk functionality; uncluttered navigation keys. Negatives: Lousy battery life; washed-out color screen. Facts: don't expect to see a supermodel flashing an i836, but if youre a business user who wants a better-looking Nextel phone and can afford an extra battery, you should check it out. , For years, Nextels cell phones have been praised for their rugged, functional designs and scorned for their clunky size. With the Nextel i836, however, the company has found a way to make a sturdy work phone that can be beautiful and tough. Dubbed \"an instant classic\" by Nextel itself, the i836 offers essentially the same feature set as Nextels i730 but in a smaller, sleeker form factor. Unfortunately, the less-than-stellar battery life keeps the i836 from achieving true greatness. The resolution on the internal and external displays is disappointing, and at $299, the price tag is a bit over the top. Nextel has released so many big, bulky phones that its almost become a company trademark. However, the Nextel i836 may change that. First of all, the handset doesnt come in any ordinary paper box. Instead, Nextel packages it in a dark wooden box with felt lining. Open the hinged lid, and youre greeted by not only the i836 but also a Nextel pocket watch and a leather case for the mobile. While this presentation is eye-catching, its a bit much for a cell phone, even if its supposed to be \"an instant classic.\" The handset is small, weighing just 3.6 ounces and measuring only 3.4 by 1.9 by 0.8 inches. It isnt the smallest phone weve tested, but its the smallest Nextel phone weve seen. Even the compact Nextel i830 is larger. The i836 isnt your average Nextel phone.Nextel also took some chances with the i836s overall style. In place of sharp angles, the flip phone has curves that feel good in the hand. The hardened shell comes in bronze or silver and resists scratches well. In fact, the handset feels very rugged and meets Military 810F specifications for weather resistance. To show off its guts, the inside of the front flap of the mobile is translucent, offering users a peek at the transistors underneath.On the downside, the external and internal screens are less than impressive. The simple monochrome external display shows the time, the signal strength, the battery life, and caller ID (where available), but its tiny rectangular size may be hard for some users to see. Inside, the small 1.75-inch diagonal display shows 26,000 colors, but its a far step down from the brilliant screen on the Nextel i605. With its overall washed-out effect, it isnt meant for serious Web surfing or multimedia apps. On the side of the phone, you will find the volume rockers, a headset jack, and of course, the push-to-talk button. On the top of the mobile is a button for activating PTT calls and a key that opens the list of recent numbers. If you have trouble getting a clear signal, be aware that what looks like a stubby antenna actually extends. Just take care when doing so, since its fragile. As with most Nextels, the speaker is on the rear of the phone.The navigation controls consist of a five-way toggle, two soft keys, dedicated power and menu buttons, and the traditional Talk and End keys. We were glad to see that these controls, despite their abundance, have a spacious, uncluttered design. The keypad itself features small, recessed keys that are a little hard to push, but they do emit a satisfying click when doing so. The Nextel i836 comes with the same robust feature set as the Nextel i730, just in a more compact package. The built-in phone book stores up to 600 contacts, with as many as seven numbers per contact plus an e-mail address. (Separate numbers are required for regular and PTT calls.) You also get three polyphonic and 12 monophonic ring tones, which you can assign to specific contacts, and theres a vibrate alert. For hands-free use, the i836 supports voice-activated dialing for both words and numbers.Productivity features include a date book, text and multimedia messaging, an alarm clock, a GPS locator, and a voice recorder that will record phone conversations. For frequent flyers, the airplane mode turns off the transmitter while still supporting programs, the voice recorder, and the date book.Of course, the phone supports Nextels signature Direct Connect PTT technology and Group Connect, which lets you conference-call with multiple callers at the same time. You can use the integrated speakerphone or hit the Private Speaker button to use the earpiece for personal conversations or to avoid annoying the person sitting next to you on the bus. The Nextel i836 also seems a bit more fun and customizable than other models. Changing your screensaver and downloading images from Nextel online with the integrated Web browser is simple; plus, the phone comes loaded with JME2 Java applications, including demo versions of Jamdat Bowling and Tetris. You can sign up for subscriptions to TeleNav 2.3 or 1KTV, and you can download your own applications and store them on the phones 2MB of memory. We tested the Nextel i836 (iDEN 800) in the New York City area on Nextels network, and the phone had excellent signal strength and good call quality with clear conversations. We also liked the fact that the signal penetrated buildings, better than conventional cellular signals. As expected, the speakerphone was a bit more muffled, so take care when resting the phone on a surface with the speaker facing down.As for battery life, while the i836 tested within the promised ranges, it probably wont be sufficient for the truly mobile. We beat the rated talk time of 2.75 hours by an extra 15 minutes and surpassed the promised standby time of a bit more than four days by almost two days. Each test was done after a single charge using the standard battery. While both times were average, they will disappoint the heavy business users who are Nextels core audience. We suggest you factor the price of a backup battery into the total cost of the phone. According to the FCC, the Nextel i836 has a digital SAR rating of 1.41 watts per kilogram. ),
(1132,Samsung SCH-i730,Positives: Five-way wireless support (IrDA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, CDMA 1xRTT, and EV-DO); speakerphone; comfortable slide-out QWERTY thumb keyboard; two batteries included; excellent third-party software support. Negatives: No support for modem use with a laptop; Wi-Fi and phone cant work simultaneously; Wi-Fi is a battery hog; no camera in initial Verizon release. Facts: Small, light, and powerful, the Samsung SCH-i730s high-speed data support and built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi make it an excellent choice for those who have to stay connected at all times, though the crippled Bluetooth support may spoil the party for laptop road warriors. , The Samsung SCH-i730 for Verizon Wireless manages a pretty impressive feat: It shrinks a Windows Mobile-based smart phone into a form factor that actually fits comfortably in your pants pocket and includes broadband wireless, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a built-in keyboard, and a speedy processor. Despite some irritating quirks in its wireless support, the Samsung i730 stays in the running for the \"Treo killer\" title. The Samsung SCH-i730 is much smaller than typical Windows Mobile-based handhelds; only the diminutive I-mate Jam is smaller, but the Jam lacks the i730s keyboard and Wi-Fi support. In fact, other than being slightly thicker, the i730 is virtually identical in size to Palms popular Treo 650. At 2.28 by 0.97 by 4.49 inches and 6.4 ounces, the i730 is close in size to other Windows Mobile-based smart phones, but it has the touch screen and the full Windows Mobile application compatibility that many smart phones lack.The well-designed i730 is destined to give the Treo 650 a run for its money.With the slider closed, the i730 is relatively small.The i730s screen resolution is lower than the Treo 650s (240x320 pixels vs. 320x320 for the Treo), but its 2.8-inch rectangular screen is better for Web browsing and video playback than the Treos square display, particularly when using the Windows Mobile 2003 SE screen-rotation feature, which lets you easily switch the screen between Landscape and Portrait modes. Though the screen is on the smallish side, its extremely bright and sharp. With a cool black and silver design, the i730 sports a large display. Its hard to avoid Treo comparisons when discussing the i730. Though it hides its full QWERTY keyboard behind the screen using an innovative slider design, this thumb keyboard is the first weve used that matches the Treos comfort level and potential typing speed. The backlit keys are raised bubbles, rather than the small, flat keys used by the Siemens SX66, which has a similar slider design. The keyboard is very comfortable, but because of its sliding design, the Samsung i730 hasnt been as well optimized for one-handed use as the Treo. Also, gamers take note: The i730 can recognize only one button press at a time, so you wont be able to move and fire simultaneously in games such as Galaga. The sliding form factor hides a nifty full QWERTY keyboard. Thanks to the combination of its operating system and specs, the Samsung SCH-i730 is a processing powerhouse. It sports a 520MHz Intel PXA272 processor, 64MB of internal RAM, 128MB of flash memory (more than 80MB of which is available for program storage), and an SDIO/MMC expansion slot. It runs Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition, which offers a full set of PIM functions as well as Pocket versions of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Music and movie fans will appreciate the inclusion of Windows Media Player 10.0, which supports PlaysForSure WMA files from online music stores such as Napster and Musicmatch and easy syncing of television programs recorded by Windows Media Center PCs. The Samsung i730 also includes a few bonus applications, including Sprite Backup, an excellent program launcher, and Verizons Wireless Sync push e-mail client. While Microsofts Windows Mobile push functionality wont be built into devices until we see units featuring Windows Mobile 5.0, Verizons push e-mail client does the trick. Though some preproduction i730s were shown with a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera, this feature is missing from the initial i730 released by Verizon. Its possible that the camera could appear in a second model or in a version from another carrier, but no camera version has been announced. Nevertheless, we had hoped that a high-end smart phone such as the Samsung i730 would have at least a VGA-quality camera. With a 1GB SD card, the i730 stores enough digital music to hold you over during those commutes.The i730 has the full laundry list of wireless features: It includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and both 1xRTT and EV-DO cellular data. The Bluetooth support worked perfectly with the hardware we tested, including the Think Outside Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard, the Stowaway Travel Mouse, the Logitech Mobile Freedom Bluetooth headset, and the Pharos Bluetooth GPS. However, Verizon has chosen not to include Bluetooth dial-up networking support, so you cant use the i730 as a wireless modem in conjunction with your laptop. Given the blistering speeds we saw in our EV-DO testing--download speeds ranging from 520Kbps to 640Kbps, compared with 60Kbps to 110Kbps for 1xRTT--we can see why Verizon would be concerned that laptop users might use this feature more than the company would like. This omission means youll have to do your work directly on the i730 if you cant find an access point for your laptop.Another quirk: The phone feature shuts down when youre using the i730s Wi-Fi radio, so incoming calls will go directly to voicemail. (And you have to manually turn the phone radio back on after shutting down Wi-Fi.) This is less of an issue in areas where EV-DO support is available, since our speed tests showed EV-DO data speeds were comparable to that of a Wi-Fi connection or a DSL modem. EV-DO support is still rolling out in major cities; in the Seattle area, we found some suburbs have EV-DO coverage, while in others, the phone fell back to 1xRTT support. The dual-band (CDMA 800/1900) Samsung SCH-i730s phone features worked smoothly in our tests on Verizons network. Voices sounded clear on both ends of the call when speaking directly into the phone, but conversations were a bit quiet when using the Logitech Mobile Freedom Bluetooth headset. Speakerphone quality, though, is excellent. A nice bonus is the inclusion of VoiceSignal software, which lets you dial by pressing the button on your Bluetooth headset and saying \"Call name.\" Voice and data coverage were excellent, though the lack of analog support means you may have trouble finding a signal in some rural areas. (That said, digital CDMA coverage is more widespread in the United States than GSM.)The i730 includes a pair of batteries: a 1,100mAh standard battery and a thicker 1,700mAh extended battery. Battery life will vary dramatically depending on how you use the phone. Wi-Fi is a real power hog, and the extended battery will come in handy if you plan to use this feature much. The standard battery is rated at 2.5 hours of talk time, which we surpassed by an extra half hour in our tests. For standby time, it promises 5.4 days; this seems accurate from our testing. The package also includes a stereo headset, a belt holster, and an extremely portable folding USB sync cradle. ),
(1133,LG VX4650 (Verizon Wireless), Note: This product is part of the LG VX4700 series. ., Quick Take: The LG VX4650 for Verizon is similar to the LG VX4700 for Verizon. The VX4650, however, does not support Verizons push-to-talk service. For an in-depth analysis, please see our review of the LG VX4700. ),
(1134,Motorola i265,Positives: Solid call quality; sturdy design; speakerphone; GPS enabled; Direct Connect service; impressive battery life. Negatives: Relatively big and bulky; text-only Web browsing; small keys; LCD is tough to read in direct sunlight. Facts: Nextels new budget--and bulky--handset may not be a feature powerhouse, but it boasts all the basics and throws in PTT and GPS service for good measure. Note: This product is part of the Nextel i265 series. ., You wouldnt mistake the Nextel i265 for another carriers phone. With a hefty form factor, it is prototypically Nextel--it may not be flashy and glamorous, but its tough. Its the same with the feature set, where all the necessary Nextel basics such as Direct Connect are present, but there arent a lot of frills to complicate things. And since thats all that many people need, the i265 should not disappoint them. If you want on-the-go photos, graphic Web browsing, or a potpourri of ring tones, however, consider upgrading to the Nextel i275 or the i860 camera phones. At $140, or $65 with a two-year contract, the i265 is a bit pricey for what you get. Nextels phones are known for being big and clunky--or sturdy and solid, depending on your point of view--and the i265 is no different. Measuring 4.8 by 2.0 by 1.0 inches and tipping the scales at 4.6 ounces, the candy bar-style Nextel i265 is no lightweight, especially considering its lack of a camera and other advanced features. That said, the handset fits snugly in a jeans pocket, and Nextel aficionados will appreciate the phones comforting heft and curved, palm-friendly design. The extendable antenna is sturdier than most weve seen.Yes, its a Nextel: the i265 is a signature mobile for the carrier.The i265s 65,000-color, 1.5-inch-diagonal display looks reasonably bright indoors, but colors are a bit washed out, and details arent as sharp as wed like. We also found the screen difficult to read in direct sunlight. Just below the display is the five-way navigational control with user-defined shortcuts; its surrounded by a pair of soft keys, the Send and End buttons, and dedicated menu and power buttons, with the keypad and a small, dedicated speakerphone button (very nice) just below. The whole arrangement is crowded, but its nothing we havent seen before from Nextel.The keypad was a bit small for our fingers, but at least the raised rubberized buttons kept our fingertips from slipping. On the left edge of the handset are a big, rubber Direct Connect button and volume up/down controls, while a 2.5mm headset port sits on the right side, protected by a rubber flap. Finally, the speaker is on the rear face. The Nextel i265 comes with a solid, if unremarkable set of features, including Direct Connect push-to-talk; a speakerphone that you can turn on before placing a call; 3MB of shared memory; GPS support, although service is spotty to nonexistent indoors; text and multimedia messaging; wireless Web browsing using, unfortunately, a text-only WAP 1.1 browser; voice and text memos; voice calling; a calendar; caller ID (where available); and three-way calling. The 600-contact phone book holds up to seven numbers for each contact; as with all Nextel mobiles, separate numbers are required for regular and PTT calls. You also can store an e-mail address, and contacts can be paired with any of 3 polyphonic or 12 monophonic ring tones.The handset includes a fair number of personalization options: changeable wallpaper, three of which come with the phone, with more that you can download from Nextel; customizable shortcuts on the phones main screen; Blue Lagoon, Sandstone, Strawberry, Sunset, Sweet Lilac, and Earthtone color schemes; adjustable font sizes; and eight call profiles, such as Car, Meeting, Office, and Outdoors. Not bad, although we wish a screensaver was included.Subscription services are available to TeleNav 3.0 for audible driving directions and 1KTV for news, sports, and entertainment content. Other applications are available for purchase through Nextel. Our review model of the Java-enabled i265 didnt come with any games or applications, although we found shortcuts to about a half-dozen demos. We tested the Nextel i265 (iDEN 800) in New York City, and we had no trouble chatting with our callers, who reported hearing us loud and clear. We also tried the phone in an interference-heavy living room, complete with a large television, a couple of laptops, and a local Wi-Fi network, and didnt encounter any trouble. Speakerphone calls also were clear, but because the speaker is on the back, its best to turn the phone upside down if its resting on a surface.We got more than 3.5 hours of talk time from the i265, easily beating Motorolas estimate of 2.75 hours. On standby time, we measured 4 days on a single charge compared with the promised time of 4.2 days. According to the FCC, the i265 has a digital SAR rating of 1.16 watts per kilogram. ),
(1135,Firefly,Positives: Compact; easy to use; personalization options; parents will appreciate the phones lack of support for text messaging. Negatives: So-so performance; bare-bones menu structure; exposed emergency button; kids will bemoan the phones lack of support for text messaging. Facts: With parental controls, ease of use, no text messaging, and a prepaid calling plan, the Firefly phone is an ideal mobile for tweens. , Picture it: Your middle-school-age kids are clamoring for a cell phone, but you think theyre much too young. On the plus side, cell phones can be a great way to keep in contact with your offspring and to keep track of where they are. Also, they can be invaluable in case of an emergency. On the downside, though, a mobile carries a lot of responsibility. Not only do kids have to keep track of the phone itself, they have to be mindful of their allotted minutes while staying away from expensive extras such as text messaging and swapping pictures. And in all honesty, in a world where preteens have MP3 players, PlayStations, and laptops, do they really need a mobile too? Fortunately, the Firefly offers a solution for parents who want the convenience of a cell phone but with a lot of control over how its used. And at $100 from Fireflys Web site, its also fairly priced.The Firefly phone is about uncomplicated as a mobile can get. Theres no keypad or camera, and a simple candy bar-style shape leaves out any moving parts. Its pleasantly compact at 3.25 by 1.75 by 0.5 inches and extremely lightweight at 2.1 ounces, making it perfect for a kid-size pocket. Alternatively, a lanyard and a backpack clip are included. Just 0.8 inch diagonally, the monochrome display is tiny, so users with poor eyesight may want to give it a test run first. On the upside, the screen shows the date, time, battery life, signal strength, and caller ID (where available). As the Firefly is a tween phone, we were glad to see that it offers a choice of styles. While it comes with a cool see-through case, four additional color \"skins\" are available for purchase through Firefly.Half pint: the Firefly is compact and portable.Since the Firefly has no keypad, you control the mobile through just five buttons. Below the display are the Talk and End keys. Besides doubling as soft keys when accessing the menus, the End button is the power control, and Talk opens the menus. Between and slightly below them is a large button that opens the contact list and serves as the OK key. The last two keys are dedicated controls for calling Mom and Dad. They are marked with the same gender-specific symbols youd find on a restroom door, so their designations cant be changed (sorry, same-sex parents).Overall, the controls are large and amply spaced. That said, learning to use the phone took some time, but we got the hang of it eventually. As expected, the menus are a bit primitive, to say the least, but they can be set to English or Spanish. Entering phone numbers takes a fair amount of tapping to select the correct number/letter on the screen, but fortunately, you wont need to open that function too often. And in all fairness, the Firefly was designed with bare-bones simplicity in mind. Other controls consist of two volume buttons on the left spine, along with a key to activate Firefly Fireworks. Nothing more than a fun extra, the Fireworks feature makes the keys and screen flash in varying colors with a bit of animation on the display. On the right spine is a button that automatically calls an emergency number. We think thats a great feature, but its much too exposed for our tastes. Misdials to 911 wouldnt be the best thing.The phone book holds up to 20 contacts in addition to the designated numbers for Mom and Dad. To prevent your kids from going on a calling spree, the phone books menu and a call-screening function can be protected with a PIN. When call screening is on, the phone can receive calls from only numbers in the phone book; in fact, it wont ring for all other numbers. When the feature is off, all calls will come through. Protecting the phone book also means that only stored numbers can be called from the handset. You cant add new numbers to the phone book without the PIN, and while there are call timers and a Missed Calls list, you don't get a voicemailbox.Other features are nonexistent. There are no messaging or organizer applications, but the Firefly offers some pizzazz on top of its functionality. You get a choice of colors for display backlighting and screen animations, and you can activate a light when the phone is charging. There are also 12 monophonic ring tones that can be assigned individually to Mom and Dad or to contacts as a whole. Also, when the phone rings, it lights up in varying hues.Service is available through a variety of sources. Besides going through Firefly, you can buy the phone from Cingular for $49 with a two-year contract. Target also offers the phone with a Cingular SIM, or you can purchase it from regional carriers Cincinnati Bell and SunComm with service on their respective networks. Working on a prepay plan, theres no contract or expensive charges for going over your minutes. Each handset comes with 30 minutes, but you can buy more when youre done. An additional 40 minutes is $10, 100 minutes is $25, and 200 minutes cost $50.We tested the Firefly phone in San Francisco using Cingular Wireless service. Call quality was decent but not perfect. Audio quality sounded a bit hollow, and we encountered some static. Also, our friends on the other end of the line could tell we were using a cell phone. For battery life, Firefly promises 6 hours of talk time and 8.5 days of standby time. We managed only 3.5 days of standby time on a single charge. ),
(1136,LG F9100 (Cingular Wireless),Positives: Cool slider design; QWERTY keyboard; multiple messaging options; decent battery life. Negatives: A bit bulky; no speakerphone; cramped navigation controls and keypad. Facts: Though it lacks style and high-end extras, the LG F9100 makes up for it with a host of powerful messaging features. , Dubbed the instant messaging phone, the LG F9100 for Cingular Wireless doesnt pretend to be anything more than what it actually is. But thats a good thing, for were left with a handy communication device that hides a QWERTY keyboard in a unique slider design. Theres no camera to confuse things, and higher-end features are decidedly absent. Yet if youre looking for a handset that excels at making calls and sending messages--remember, it is a cell phone--this is the mobile for you. On the downside, the overall styling could use some work, but this is definitely a case where function tops form. The F9100 is fairly priced at $199, but you should be able to find it for less with service. In general, the LG F9100 resembles the Motorola A630. On the design side, both handsets have a slightly bulky, rectangular shape that isnt stylish or streamlined. Measuring 4.1 by 1.8 by 0.9 inches and weighing a full 4.4 ounces, the F9100, as with the A630, fits snugly in most pockets, but it is solidly built and comfortable to hold while talking.Big and boxy: The F9100 is on the hefty side.Yet the most prominent similarity between the two mobiles is that both hide full QWERTY keyboards, making them cool messaging machines. While the A630 opens like a book to reveal its keyboard, the F9100 instead hides its version behind the front face, which slides open lengthwise. We approve of this arrangement completely (see below). Also, it should be noted that upon sliding the phone open, the 1.75-inch-diagonal, 65,000-color screen switches to a landscape orientation and automatically brings up the IM menu.Tap dance: The F9100 has a full keyboard.The display itself is vivid, bright, and ideal for browsing through the simple but useful menus as well as for typing messages. Just be aware that its hard to see in direct light. You can change the backlighting, but we are dismayed that you cant change the font size, something we consider necessary for this type of phone. Below the display are the navigation controls, which consist of a five-way joystick, two soft keys, the traditional Talk and End buttons, and a Clear key. Though they are easy to understand, we arent in love with their design. The joystick and the Clear button are much too small, and the other controls are set flush with the surface of the phone. It does, however, have shortcuts to the media folder, the address book, text messaging, and instant messaging. The latter two are a bit of a curiosity. While you can type messages in the traditional manner by using the keypad with the phone closed, why would you want to?The backlit keypad buttons are also a disappointment. Painfully small, they are set flush with the surface of the phone. Dialing by feel is difficult, and we misdialed more than once. Fortunately, the design of the keyboard is awesome. Since it spans the full length of the phone, the keys are well spaced and large enough for big digits. The buttons are slightly raised, which makes the interface user-friendly. Two soft keys on the right side of the screen also spring into action when using the keyboard. They let you select items and back out of submenus but are inactive when the slider is closed. Rounding out the controls is a single volume rocker on the mobiles left spine. The LG F9100 has a 255-name phone book that stores three numbers for each entry along with an e-mail address and notes (you can store an additional 250 contacts on the SIM card). Callers can be organized into caller groups, but only the groups can be paired with an icon and one of the 8 polyphonic or 12 monophonic ring tones. As a messaging phone, the F9100 comes with text and multimedia messaging and four versions of instant messaging: AOL, ICQ, Yahoo, and Cingular. In terms of the messaging features, the phone lets you hold as many as 35 conversations at once and engage in group chat. Other goodies include an