We take a look at 12 of the latest and greatest mobiles, from high-tech 3G wonders to cheap and cheerful budget phones in our Australian review.There are segments in the the mobile market that address every single user, be they high-tech executives or chirpy teenagers; there's a model out there for you. We haven't quite got to the stage where there's a Nokia James or a Motorola Wendy, but it can't be far off. The various mobiles we've reviewed here cover uses from serious psuedo-PDA devices all the way to multimedia gaming phones that seem to view the whole calling thing as a mere sideline.
One thing that every phone shares in common, however, is a screen, and it's a factor that many users don't give enough consideration when purchasing a mobile phone. Here at ZDNet Australia we look at an awful lot of mobile phones, and in only a brief period of time our tolerance for what makes a good screen has changed exceptionally rapidly. For example, when the NEC e606 first launched, one of the things we raved about was the screen. Compared to some of the screen available now, the e606 barely rates as average.
So what do we want from a good mobile screen? Obviously a lot of that depends on your usage pattern, but there are some basic rules that apply to every colour mobile screen. For a start, it's got to be visible, and we're not just talking about when you've got your nose pressed right up to it. While you might not want fellow commuters reading what you're perusing, it's no good having a screen that you can't see in bright sunlight.
Then there's the colour question. While a basic screen should be acceptable if you only make calls and send the odd SMS, if you're a heavy MMS or 3G fanatic, it's no good having a screen that blurs or distorts at the first bit of motion. The same is true if you're into mobile gaming.
A mobile screen has to be reasonably robust. Nokia's woes in this area are rather well known, but they're hardly the only mobile provider to have had problems with specific models. Most mobiles, at some point in their life, will suffer some kind of drop damage, and while we don't fancy carrying around the mobile equivalent of a tank, it's annoying to suffer through a screen that stops working just because you dropped a feather on it.
Finally there's the power question. There are plenty of things that suck up battery power on a mobile, and screens can be a main culprit in working out why your brand new phone powerhouse only actually runs for three minutes before conking out. This is something that's in a particular flux at the moment, as while batteries and screen technologies have improved, the introuduction of 2.5/3G phone services has seen the power needs of mobile users accelerate rapidly.
Kyocera
3245
The Kyocera 3245 brings another option to the table for CDMA users.
Motorola
A920
The Motorola A920 is a chunky mobile phone with PDA capabilities.
Nokia
3100
It's sure to be a hit with teenagers, it glows-in-the-dark and its backlights flash in time with the ringtones.
Nokia
7250
The 7250 marries a solid feature set and excellent battery life.
Nokia
8910i
Nokia's tagline for the 8910i is that it's in a class of its own. That's pretty much true of the price tag, but little else.
Nokia
N-Gage
While the N-Gage boasts technology that puts other mobile gaming platforms
to shame, design miscues make it a less than stellar choice
for gamers or mobile phone users.
Samsung
SGH-C100
The SGH-C100 has an excellent screen and an acceptable feature set, but it could definitely use a meatier battery.
Samsung
SGH-V200
The Samsung SGH-V200 has the stylish appearance typical of Samsung mobiles, with a great screen that the handset maker intends to put in all its phones.
Sharp
GX20
The Sharp GX20 operates on the Vodafone Live service, and replaces the Sharp GX10. The clamshell mobile has the same sleek look as the GX10, and is essentially only slightly improved on it.
Siemens
MC60
This is Siemens first handset with an integrated camera and a colour screen.
It also sports a funky design and unique, circular keypad. Will it just be a
fad or have Siemens come up with a gem?
Sony
Ericsson T610
Sony Ericsson's designers have come up with a smooth and sophisticated mobile phone.
Sony
Ericsson Z600
Sony Ericsson's Z600 is a camera phone with a great design and Bluetooth for connectivity. It has all the functionality of the T610 plus it features a larger screen.
