Nokia N97 mini

In June, Nokia started shipping the N97, its flagship model which featured a touchscreen display and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. In September, the company announced the N97 mini, a similar handset with a smaller screen and less built-in memory. It may appear to be a scaled down variant, but there are things about the mini which we liked better than the original.

Design

At 113 x 52.5 x 14.2mm, the N97 mini is quite a compact smartphone considering it hides a QWERTY keyboard. It's smaller in all dimensions compared with the N97 and weighs 12g lighter. The reduction in size and weight didn't lead to a drop in quality though, and in fact, the mini felt more solidly built. This is, in part, thanks to the metal battery cover on the back, an improvement from the black plastic cover found on the N97.
Build quality aside, most of the design elements remain the same. The front sports a single physical Menu button under the screen, beside the touch-sensitive Call and End keys. The left side is where you find a micro-USB port and lock switch. A dedicated 3.5mm audio connector can be found on top together with the power button while on the left, there is a volume rocker and camera shutter.
The 3.2-inch screen on the front has a resolution of 640 x 360 pixels, standard fare for Nokia's touchscreen-enabled S60 devices. Put side-by-side with the N97's 3.5-inch panel, it is noticeably smaller. Nonetheless, aside from smaller text when reading Web pages and documents, the mini's screen worked just as well as the N97's, especially since there's no difference in the number of pixels. It was sufficiently bright for most situations and text and images were displayed clearly without issues.
In its opened position, the mini's screen sits at a gentler angle than the N97's. It isn't a huge difference, but the change is significant. We mentioned in our N97 review that the angle of the screen made it a tad hard to view when the device is held in the hands. This is no longer the case with the mini and we felt the slight reduction of the angle has improved its usability.

The N97 mini (above) loses the directional pad but comes with arrow keys. Its spacebar is closer to the center compared with the N97 (below).

Adjustments have also been made to the keyboard to accommodate its smaller chassis. Most prominently, the N97 mini does not have a directional pad on the left side, but instead comes with four arrow keys on the right. Unless you play games using the directional pad, this is not an issue. In fact, it made more space for the keyboard so even though the phone is shorter, the keys weren't made smaller. While the layout remains largely the same, the spacebar has been slightly lengthened and moved closer to the center. This is a marked improvement as it makes getting to it with the right thumb much easier. Keys are also not as flush, so you get better tactile feedback when moving your thumbs across the keyboard. Overall, the implementation of this QWERTY keypad is better than the original.

Features

The N97 mini is a high-end product in the company's portfolio, which means you get no less than an exhaustive suite of connectivity options. This includes HSDPA for high-speed data over the cellular network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and A-GPS for navigation.
On the software end of things, it uses the Symbian S60 5th edition operating system, a version specifically designed for touchscreen devices. This is very similar to the standard S60 user interface (UI) and at times, it feels like the touchscreen capabilities are simply foisted in, an afterthought of sorts. For example, in some menus, tapping on items merely highlights it and you have to tap again to select. That's the procedure in a non-touchscreen device as you move the cursor over the item and press select using a directional pad. But this is unnecessary with a touch-sensitive panel as you can see the items in one glance, and touching means you want to select it.
But it's not all negative as there are signs of improvement. Swipe scrolling used to be available only in certain applications such as the browser. But now, using your finger to push screens up and down without relying on the side scrollbar is consistently implemented throughout the interface.
Many of the features like the live widgets and Ovi Store remain the same, so read our N97 review for details.

The N97 mini has 8GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for expansion. This is quite a bit less than the 32GB available in the N97 but it's not a big deal if you insert a high-capacity microSD card.
On the back is where you will find the 5-megapixel camera with an LED for lighting up dark subjects. Unlike the N97, there's no cover to protect the lens. The upside to that is a reduction in size as the sliding mechanism does add to the thickness significantly. Picture quality is good, not too much different from the N97's.

Performance

Though marred slightly by the UI inconsistencies, the software performance of the N97 mini felt responsive. Aside from a few third-party apps that were more resource intensive, we didn't experience many slowdowns throughout our period of testing.
The 1,200mAh battery gave about two days of use on a single charge with live widgets turned off. If you leave push email and widget real-time updates on, expect to plug it in at the end of every day.

Conclusion

There are improvements in the software on the N97 mini, but those are applicable to the N97, too, through an update. So where it really stands out is in the form factor. When it comes to mobile devices, every gram and millimeter counts. So even though it isn't smaller and lighter by much, the N97 mini feels a lot more comfortable in the hands. This is most probably due to the use of materials and reduced width. We also liked the keyboard better, a major consideration for any smartphone with physical keypads.
Unfortunately, the same reservations we have about the N97 also apply to the N97 mini. Compared with Apple's iPhone OS and Google's Android, S60 5th edition just doesn't feel like a compelling proposition. This is not just with the touch interface, but also because of the dearth of affordable applications. For example, the best Twitter application for S60 is Gravity, which costs S$15 (US$10.80). While that's a fair price to pay for a good application, the fact that there are so many free versions for other platforms which are just as good makes it hard to swallow.
The N97 mini is available now in Asia at S$1,020 (US$734). That's quite pricey, so look out for deals from your operator before diving in.

Samsung Diva S7070 and Diva folder S5150 preview

Introduction and design:
„Houston, we´ve got a problem!”. That was more or less what we thought when we first got our hands on the two cell phones of the Diva 2010 collection, the Samsung Diva S7070 and Samsung Diva folder S5150. How come? Well, it´s incredibly hard for a man to pass judgment on a handset designed with women in mind and sadly, there are few ladies on our team. That´s why we decided to call in help and sought the assistance of girlfriends, wives and the chick on the front cover of the last FHM issue. Unfortunately, this didn’t help much really, because the question “which of these two cell phones you´d prefer” led to a draw, with exactly the same number of votes going to either handset. 

Samsung Diva folder S5150 - left next to Samsung Diva S7070 - right

The Samsung Diva S7070 is definitely the... simpler of the two. Just like any classic candybar device with touch-sensitive display, the 2.8-inch screen with QVGA resolution takes up the front side almost entirely. Fortunately, it utilizes capacitive technology and offers great sensitivity and comfort of use.

The Samsung Diva S7070 is definitely the simpler of the two

You can compare the Samsung Diva S7070 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
The manufacturer has lent color to the overall design by equipping the handset with oddly shaped buttons. The one in the form of a diamond does remind us of Bejewelled, the game... As a whole it does contribute to the unique feeling the outer appearance of the handset creates and proved to be a big hit with all ladies we polled on the subject – they unanimously agreed they loved it. The pearly white color solution is definitely appealing as well, plus the quilted pattern of the back panel makes the phone harder to accidentally slip out of your hand. The Samsung Diva S7070 sports microUSB charger port, but lacks 3.5mm jack.

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Just a friendly advice: Ladies, you better wear a pair of sunglasses if you plan to use the Samsung Diva folder S5150 on bright, sunny days or you will end up blinded for a time, because the surface is like mirror (that can´t be used as a mirror though). Hidden under the front side there is a LED display that shows a clock and information about incoming calls and missed events. All told, the phone does look quite appealing and its unique, quilted pattern and mirror-like finish are eye-riveting.

The Samsung Diva folder S5150 is quite an extravagant handset

When open, the Samsung Diva folder S5150 reveals a 2.2-inch screen with QVGA resolution and standard numeric keypad. We are slightly surprised at the presence of a camera shutter and the landscape orientation of the camera interface – something rather uncharacteristic of clamshell devices. Taking snapshots feels a bit odd really, but by no means unpleasant. Strange, but our prototype comes without a delete key.

You can compare the Samsung Diva folder S5150 with many other phones using our Size Visualization Tool.
As a whole, the Samsung Diva folder S5150 is quite an extravagant handset and will certainly attract the attention of everyone around you. The Samsung Diva S7070 comes with more balanced outer appearance, but still, it´s pretty obvious it´s been designed for people of the fairer sex. It remind us of the likeable Samsung Corby S3650, the difference being the latter is not aimed at ladies exclusively.

Nokia 6700 slide

Those looking for a stylish slideout mobile phone with a numeric keyboard usually can't go too far wrong with one of Nokia's handsets. One of the best features of the earlier 6500 slide and 6600i slide models was the metallic finish which gave them a premium feel. The recently announced 6700 slide appears to be of the same pedigree design-wise, but it comes with another trick--a full Symbian S60 smartphone OS.

Upside

The 6700 slide is equipped with the Symbian-based S60 3rd edition interface. The previous 6500 slide and 6600i slide handsets sat in the feature-phone category as they sported the more basic S40 interface. So with the 6700, you can expect the same kind of customizations usually found in phones from Nokia's Eseries and Nseries including access to the Ovi Store for downloading third-party S60 apps.
With a metallic finish and choice of six different colors, the 6700 slide is truly meant for those who value a phone's physical design. At 95.2 x 46.1 x 15.9mm and 110g with battery, it is also quite compact and light.

Connectivity-wise, this slider features 10.2Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA for fast transfers over the cellular network. Take note that those are maximum theoretical speeds so your experience may vary according to the operators' network speed and quality.
On the back of the phone is a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus. It is also equipped with a dual LED flash for lighting up dark subjects.

Downside

Interestingly, Nokia decided to leave out Wi-Fi connectivity on the 6700 slide, which means you won't be able to take advantage of wireless hotspots for Internet access.
Those who need GPS navigation will be disappointed to know that this handset does not have built-in satellite navigation hardware. You will still be able to view maps using Nokia Maps or Google Maps, but finding your exact location is a no-go.
Even though many of Nokia's phones use a standard 3.5mm audio port, the 6700 slide is not one of them. The microSD card slot may give you lots of room for memory expansion in case your phone is also your MP3 player, but you'll still have to plug an adapter into its 2.5mm connector to use standard headphones when listening to music.

Outlook

As mentioned earlier, the main draw of the 6700 slide will be its stylish design and choice of colors. It may be lacking a few features but we don't expect that to dampen interest too much if it has an attractive price. Expect to see this handset in stores in Q1 2010. Its price in Asia is still undisclosed for now but in Europe, it's expected to retail for 160 euros before taxes and subsidies.

Motorola Droid Gets Routed

Just like the iPhone was jailbroken to allow users to install unofficial applications, the Motorola Droid has now been routed by a well know Android modder called Cyanogen.

What this means for Motorola Droid owners is that can have administrative rights and the ability to control  everything on their Droid handset, much like a jailbroken iPhone, Droid users will be able to download widgets that would allow them to overclock the Droid’s processor and install themes.

You can also add multi touch features to the Droid, like the ones found on the Droid Eris, like pinch-to-zoom and other features.

You can find out full details on how to root your Motorola Droid over at the AllDroid forums, if you do decided to root your Droid, make sure you follow the instructions as you don’t want to end up bricking it.

Get Smart Phone Reviews and New Mobile Reviews Online

Many people like the smart phone, but how do you know if this is the right mobile phone for you? If you are like most people who are looking for a mobile phone, the number of available phones on the market has you befuddled. It can be a daunting task to find the right mobile phone, but reading new mobile reviews makes it easier. So if you are looking for smart phone reviews, you can go to a site that features the new mobile reviews to make your decision easier.
The smart phone is considered to be one of the most innovative mobile phones of today. It can be more complex and have more specifications than a common mobile phone. Many people who rush out to get one find that they do not know how to use them and do not take advantage of all of the benefits that this phone has. This is one reason that reading smart phone reviews can help you understand all about the phone. Smart phone reviews often tell you not only the positive and negative aspects about the phone, but all of the things that it does. Smart phone reviews are written by those who have researched the phone or have used it themselves. 
New mobile reviews can help making buying a mobile phone easier.  Instead of guessing about which phones are right for you, you can actually use new mobile reviews to narrow down your search. Go to a site that features hundreds of mobile phone reviews and read the reviews. If you are interested in some types of phones like smart phone or other types of phone, you can find them. Once you have read the new mobile reviews, you can make a better informed decision as to which type of mobile phone will work for you and fulfill your needs.
In addition to getting reviews of phones, a good site will also tell you the special deals that are going on for those who are interested in buying a phone. You can not only get the information on the mobile phones, but you can also get the information on the special prices or tariffs offered to customers. If you are looking for a mobile phone, not only do you want to make sure that the one that you choose is the right one for you, but you also want to get the best price on the phone as well. Look for a site that will not only feature new mobile reviews, but also give you an opportunity to take advantage of special deals on the mobile phone of your choice. 
There are many mobile phones from which to choose. If you are in the market for a mobile phone, it makes sense to take a look at the latest mobile phone reviews as well as look into the special deals that are being offered.  You can get this information by going to a site that features both smart phone reviews as well as other mobile phone reviews.

Nokia N900

The Nokia N900 is a 3G, Linux smartphone with XTerm built in. If the idea of hacking your phone down to the command line with the manufacturer's full approval sends you into paroxysms of joy, forget reading the rest of this review and just buy one now. This is the ultimate Linux geek phone. But for the rest of us, it's an uneven and unfinished experience.

The N900 is the descendant of Nokia's impractical Internet Tablet line, a family of bulky devices that didn't connect to cellular networks. By turning a tablet into a phone and including Microsoft Exchange syncing, Nokia is seeking to make the N900 into a practical, do-everything handheld.

More

The phone is chunky, but still small enough to hold in your hand. Measuring 4.37 by 2.55 by 0.7 inches (HWD) and weighing 6.38 ounces, it's slightly larger than the HTC Touch Pro2 Windows Mobile phones. It has a 3.5-inch, 800-by-480 resistive touch screen and no hard buttons on the front—not even Home or Call buttons, which make the N900 a little perplexing to make calls on. On the top of the device, there are power, volume, and camera buttons, but still no Home or Call. On the back, a shutter cover protects the 5-megapixel camera, with its unusually bright, hideously bluish flash.

Slide up the screen to reveal a beautiful backlit keyboard of clicky keys. The layout is a little off—the space bar is too far to the right—but the keys feel great.

All About Maemo
The N900 runs Maemo 5, a Linux OS based on Debian with a GTK-based GUI. Some of it is open source and some of it isn't, but Nokia is more than comfortable with people hacking this device. In fact, the company runs a Web site encouraging people to do so.

The Maemo interface is strange. It has the usual system of icons and widgets, but without the usual menus or home button. Tapping various parts of the screen does inconsistent things: The upper-left corner can display the program menu or minimize a window; the upper-right corner might close a program or pull up a settings menu. When a program takes up only part of the screen, tapping outside the program's box dismisses it. The interface is beautiful and certainly learnable, but just a few steps past intuitive.

Maemo 5 works smoothly on the N900's chipset. The N900 uses a 600-MHz, Cortex-A8–based TI OMAP3 platform with a PowerVR SGX graphics chip, making it about as powerful as the iPhone 3GS. There's an amazing 32GB of onboard storage, plus a microSD card slot under the back cover.

Depending on how geeky you are, there are either 11 apps or thousands of apps available for the N900. Nokia's Ovi Store isn't yet available for the N900, so you download apps through the phone's App Manager. By default, the App Manager only shows 11 available apps, which include things like Tetris, Chess, and MahJong games; AP News, Twitter or weather widgets; or the DocumentsToGo Microsoft Office reader.

But wait. By expanding the phone's available "repositories" (which is not explained anywhere on the phone) you can find and download various other apps. More apps are kicking around the Internet as .deb packages. You can even install a full version of Debian on the tablet, although that takes triumphant hackery.

And there we have it again. If installing Debian is your idea of a fun Saturday night, this is the Best Phone Ever. If not, you get 11 apps.

Maemo's Discontents
The N900 is a quad-band EDGE, 900/1700/2100-MHz 3G phone with Wi-Fi, meaning it works on T-Mobile's 3G network but not AT&T's. That's OK—T-Mobile offers, in its Even More Plus plan, the best service plan in the nation for this phone. (For why, read my column "Your Free Phone Cost $240.")

Out of the box, my N900 came misconfigured for T-Mobile's network, and I had to hunt down and change the APN before I could get data service. If locating APN details is your idea of a fun Saturday night—you get the picture.

There are more missing links in Maemo's chain. Exchange syncing only works with Exchange 2007 servers, not Exchange 2003. In most apps, there's no portrait mode—you can only use the device when you hold it horizontally. Nokia's Web site recommends you install the PC Suite 7.1 software on Windows computers to sync with the N900, but then PC Suite complains it's not fully compatible. (Most notably, it won't reformat music and video for the N900.)

Nokia says most of these issues will be fixed in future updates, with the first update coming within the next few weeks. The N900 will get Ovi Store, proper Exchange syncing, and more. But the N900 is already on sale in this unfinished form

Smartphones for the budget-conscious

Say "smartphone" and most people will automatically think of handsets that come with the latest features and a corresponding shocking price tag. That isn't entirely true. Like regular mobile phones, there are different smartphone tiers. Like their high-end counterparts, budget smartphones let you install third-party apps, check your email, and browse the Internet. The lower price does come with some compromises like slower processors and screens, though sometimes, these also translate to lower power consumption and thus better battery performance. Here are five smartphones for the budget-conscious, which you can get for under S$200 (US$145) with a basic mobile phone contract that won't cost you an arm and leg each month.

1.
BlackBerry Curve 8520
rating: 7.3 out of 10

The good: Responsive optical trackpad and dedicated media controls; Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; 2-megapixel camera; good call quality.

The bad: Lacks 3G support and GPS; downloaded apps can be saved to the phone's main memory only.

The bottom line: The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 is a sleek entry-level smartphone that delivers some nice design enhancements and great performance.

2.
HTC Tattoo
rating: 7.3 out of 10

The good: Full Android feature set at low price; changeable covers; Sense UI scaled down well to screen size; 3.5mm audio jack; HSDPA connectivity; excellent battery life.

The bad: Small 2.8-inch QVGA display; narrow buttons for portrait-mode onscreen QWERTY keypad; many Android apps not suited for lower-resolution panel; poor speakerphone.

The bottom line: If you want an affordable Android smartphone, the Tattoo will fit the bill. Power users should look elsewhere.

3.
Nokia E63
rating: 7.9 out of 10

The good: QWERTY keypad; Wi-Fi.

The bad: Lack of HSDPA and GPS.

The bottom line: The Nokia E63 is a good phone that delivers a competent texting and email experience, but its E71 predecessor is better, offering more features and greater finesse. If you want a smartphone that stands out from the crowd, however, the colorful E63 is worth checking out.

4.
HTC Touch2
rating: 7 out of 10

The good: Compact and well-built; full set of connectivity options; Windows Mobile 6.5; 3.5mm audio port; FM tuner.

The bad: Low-resolution QVGA display; odd microSD slot cover position; fixed focus camera with no LED; no HSUPA; price could be more attractive.

The bottom line: HTC's first smartphone with WM6.5 ticks almost all the boxes for an entry-level smartphone, though it needs to be cheaper to differentiate itself from more highly-specced products.

5.
Samsung Omnia Pro B7320
rating: 6 out of 10

The good: Decent QWERTY keypad; 7.2Mbps HSDPA; Wi-Fi; compact form factor; low price.

The bad: Custom interface is merely skin deep; no dedicated audio port; inconveniently located microSDHC slot; camera has no autofocus feature.

The bottom line: This Omnia Pro is a basic WM6.1 smartphone with its affordable price tag as its most outstanding feature.

2009 Essential Gadgets - Year of the smartphone

 

What were the must-have gadgets of 2009? We thought we’d launch this personal tech section of the blog with our recommendations on the year’s best devices.

Over the next two weeks,  we’ll look at ten different categories, from eReaders to pico projectors, from the best audio experiences to cameras and camcorders.

Smartphones have made the biggest impact this year and, after the jump, are the thoughts of personal tech correspondent Paul Taylor on the best of them (Dollars and hearts represent value for money and desirability, out of five) . We’re also looking at the rise of Android and republishing our reviews of the latest smartphones - the Motorola Droid and Palm Pixi.

BlackBerry Bold 9700

It's been about a year since the original RIM BlackBerry Bold made its debut, and while it remains a very solid device, it's about time that a flashier, faster model took over the reigns. And that device would be the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700. Not only is it T-Mobile's first 3G BlackBerry, but its sleeker design and performance enhancements make it a valuable addition to the carrier's lineup. The Bold also offers UMA support for Wi-Fi calls, a faster processor, and an updated OS. The only major downside of the smartphone, and one that plagues all BlackBerry devices, unfortunately, is the Web browser. It simply doesn't stand up to the competition in terms of ease of use or functionality. That said, if you're after a powerful messaging smartphone, the RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 certainly has our vote of confidence. It offers more speed and features than T-Mobile's other BlackBerry offerings and gets the upper hand on the T-Mobile Dash 3G with its UMA support. As of press time, T-Mobile did not reveal a specific release date but said the Bold 9700 would be available in time for the holidays for US$199.99 with a two-year contract.

Editors' note:

This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some other products or telcos in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia.

Design

The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 looks nothing like its predecessor. Gone is the wide, masculine body and in its place is a more svelte, compact smartphone that should fulfill RIM's hope of attracting both men and women, and consumers and professionals. At 109 x 60 x 14.1mm and 122g, the Bold 9700 is certainly more pocketable and is even smaller and lighter than the BlackBerry Tour. It feels solid in the hand and features a similar leatherette backing as the original Bold to give it a classy touch. In addition, the chrome edges and lines between the keyboard rows add to the handset's appeal.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 has a leaner and less masculine look than its predecessor. Here it is pictured next to the BlackBerry Curve 8900.

Given the smaller size, you do lose a little bit in screen real estate. The Bold 9700 has a 2.44-inch display (compared with 2.75 inches) but its 480 x 360-pixel resolution at 245 pixels per inch certainly keeps things clear and sharp. It's the same as the Tour's and while we did miss having the larger screen when viewing Web pages and videos, overall we had no complaints. Text was easy to read and images looked crisp with vibrant colors.
The user interface is largely unchanged, though BlackBerry OS 5.0 brings some slight refinements. For example, the calendar has an easier to use system for creating new appointments with drop-down lists, and you can set your alarm clock using a spinning wheel. The home screen and main menu will be familiar to previous owners, though; you can customize the home screen with different themes and background images as well as six different shortcuts.
Below the display, you get the standard BlackBerry controls: Talk and End keys, a menu shortcut, and a back button. However, like the BlackBerry Curve 8520, the Bold 9700 replaces the traditional trackball navigator with an optical trackpad. The move from trackball to trackpad is surprisingly easy, and we were impressed by its responsiveness (you can also adjust its sensitivity to your liking through the Options menu). Scrolling through lists and navigating menus feels smoother using the trackpad and you can select an item simply by pressing down. RIM plans to use the trackpad in all its future devices, and that's fine by us. Like we mentioned earlier, the transition from one to the other felt easy and natural; plus, perhaps this will eliminate the issue that some users have had where the trackball stops working for whatever reason and needs to be replaced.

Like the Curve 8520, the Bold now features an optical trackpad instead of a trackball navigator.

Just below is the Bold 9700's 35-key full QWERTY keyboard. Though not as spacious as the original Bold's, the large and comfortable buttons are ideal for typing both short text messages and longer emails. The individual keys have raised ridges so they're easier to use compared to completely flat buttons, and they provide a nice springy feedback. If anything, they were just a touch stiff to press, but overall, we're very happy with the keyboard.
On the left spine, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microUSB port/power connector, and a customizable shortcut key. You get a second convenience key on the right side, which is designated to the camera by default, and a volume rocker. The top holds a mute and lock buttons, and the camera and flash are located on back.
Our review unit from RIM included an AC adapter, a USB cable, a 2GB microSD card, a wired stereo headset, and a belt holster in the box. However, T-Mobile's final sales package may vary. For more add-ons, please check our cell phone accessories, ringtones, and help page.

Features

The RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 marks the first 3G (UMTS/HSDPA 900/1700/2100) BlackBerry for T-Mobile. The carrier's been on a tear lately to launch its 3G network in new markets, which now reaches 170 million people in more than 235 cities nationwide. It still trails behind the other major service providers in terms of coverage, but it's certainly good to see T-Mobile ramping up its efforts and bringing more 3G handsets to the lineup, particularly full-featured ones like the Bold 9700.
Like the RIM BlackBerry Storm 2, the Bold 9700 is shipping with BlackBerry OS 5.0 (version 5.0.0.330 to be exact), which brings some enhancements to the messaging and calendar capabilities as well as to the BlackBerry browser.
Although BlackBerry 5.0 doesn't bring tabbed browsing or dramatic navigation improvements, it offers faster JavaScript (now enabled by default) and CSS processing for quicker page loading. In addition, the browser supports BlackBerry widgets and Google Gears as well as the real-time streaming protocol, so you can watch streaming videos from sites like mobile YouTube. While the BlackBerry browser has made small steps forward, it's still leaps behind the likes of the iPhone, Palm Pre, and Android devices. We understand that RIM has invested in improving its browser with its recent acquisition of Torch Mobile (developers of a WebKit-based browser) and by joining Adobe's Open Screen Project; we just hope it doesn't take too long to play catch up.
In addition to 3G, the Bold 9700 has Wi-Fi and UMA (unlicensed mobile access) support, which means you can make and receive unlimited calls over a wireless network without using calling plan minutes. Just be aware that in order to do this you will need to sign up for T-Mobile's Unlimited HotSpot Calling plan, which starts at US$10 per month

Acer Liquid

Acer has had several outings with Windows Mobile this year and they were at best average. The Liquid runs on Android 1.6, but does it change anything?

The Hardware

For the chassis, Acer went with glossy plastic and neutral colors of white, black (display and top/bottom edges) and gray (physical buttons on the sides). We like the look of the smartphone and, although we prefer a better quality finish, the Liquid still feels well-built and not like a toy.

The 3.5mm audio jack sits on the top edge and beside it are three hidden LED indicators. These light up when you have a missed call, an unread text message or when the device is low on battery. There is a lone mini-USB port at the bottom which is protected by a rubber cover. The control panel comprises touch-sensitive keys which brings you to the home screen, search box, back and settings. At the back, there's a 5-megapixel camera and speaker grill, but no built-in flash which is a letdown.

User Interface

If you're looking for something similar to the Sense UI on HTC Android smartphones, then the Liquid ain't it. The only customizations on our prototype unit are on the home screens, a modified dialer and camera. The "inserts" fan out on the left and right home screens on the 3.5-inch WVGA display. There's one set for pictures, music and videos and another for Web bookmarks. Acer also has a Settings application that lets you toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, network, screen brightness and timeout options.

A few programs are preinstalled and these include RoadSync for synchronizing Outlook calendar, email and contacts via Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, Spinlets for streaming music and nemoPlayer for multimedia playback. Do note that these may not be available with the commercial unit as we are still looking at a non-final device. Aside from these, the software is simply a vanilla implementation of Android with the usual array of Google-related apps including Gmail, Marketplace, Google Talk and Maps.
Acer has said earlier it will integrate online services such as Facebook and Twitter to the default Android address book, but we haven't seen how this work on our prototype unit. According to the company, the 1GHz Snapdragon processor has been intentionally underclocked to 768MHz for a longer battery life. That said, we were still able to zip through menus and most programs during our hands-on. As to whether this will have a significant impact on the battery life, we'll have to find out in a full review.

Outlook

The Acer Liquid has the hardware going for it and, fortunately for the company, the design is a remarkable difference from the dull models it has released in the past. While we hope to see more custom UI on the Liquid, leaving the Android software as is also has its appeal for some people, too. Another big question is whether Acer will provide an update for the Liquid to Android 2.0. According to Acer, the Liquid (in white) will be available January in Singapore. The black and red versions will ship at a later date.

HTC HD2

The HTC Touch HD was quite an impressive device at its time because of its huge 3.8-inch screen and wealth of other smartphone features. Now, the company has raised the bar even higher with its sequel, the HD2. This Windows Mobile (WM) 6.5 smartphone comes with a 4.3-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen display and 1GHz Snapdragon processor. The HD2 is costly at S$1,188, but it's the best WM smartphone out there, bar none.

Design

With a 4.3-inch screen, you'd expect the HD2 to be pretty large. This is true as it is 120.5mm long and 67mm wide. Suffice to say, it won't fit comfortably in tight jeans pockets and ladies with tiny handbags may have to go shopping for a larger tote bag. But those who have used and are fine with the previous Touch HD will find the HD2 very similar in size as it's merely 5mm longer and wider. The thickness has even been reduced a little, down to 11mm from the HD's 12mm. That doesn't include the camera module though, which sticks out quite a bit from the back--more on that later.
The reason the HD2 is only a few mm larger than the Touch HD and yet comes with a significantly bigger display is because there is hardly any bezel. The sides of the panel extend almost to the edge of the device and the top and bottom edges are less than one thumb width away from their respective edges. If it wasn't for the HTC logo, we won't be surprised should someone mistake this device for a portable media player (PMP) or personal navigation device (PND). Even then, they wouldn't be too far off the mark as the screen is excellent for displaying images, videos, text and maps, making the HD2 a great substitute for dedicated PMPs and PNDs in the visual capability department.
We really like the use of materials--a soft touch finish for the sides and most of the back with a metal battery cover. Unlike other WM devices which use a resistive touchscreen that depresses slightly upon pressure (necessary to close a pinpoint connection between two LCD layers), the capacitive touchscreen on the HD2 is solid to the touch, much like what you'll find on the iPhone or most Android devices. We'll discuss in detail how this affects the use of WM in the Features section.

Here's how much larger a 4.3-inch screen is compared with the iPhone's 3.5-inch LCD.
(Click for larger image)

Buttons on the front of the HD2 include the standard Call and End keys on either sides. The three other buttons between them include Home, Start (for calling up the main menu) and Back keys. Aside from these, there's a volume rocker on the left edge. First implemented on the HTC Touch2, the HD2's End key also doubles as a power button. Long-time WM users used to having a dedicated power button may experience pressing the wrong button initially, but it's not a big deal and most should be able to adjust their habits after a day or two.
The standard 3.5mm audio port is starting to become a regular feature on HTC phones, and the HD2 is no exception. This is found on the base beside the micro-USB connector. Yes, you heard right, the HD2 has dropped the mini-USB found on almost all previous HTC devices for the smaller micro-USB standard. This is not surprising as there has been an industry-wide push for the latter. Furthermore, the inclusion of a dedicated 3.5mm connecter means the audio capabilities of the enhanced mini-USB port (dubbed HTC ExtUSB) that the company typically uses is not necessary anymore.

Features

Given how large it is, you expect the HD2 to do a lot--and you'll be right. This smartphone is packed to the gills when it comes to connectivity features including HSDPA support with theoretical limits of 7.2Mbps download and 2Mbps upload speeds. There's also the usual fare of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS for satellite navigation.
There's even a feature that links your cellular data and Wi-Fi connections called Wi-Fi Router. This hooks you up to your HSDPA network before sending out a Wi-Fi signal so other devices will identify the HD2 as a wireless hotspot. We tried this out and it worked seamlessly. It may not seem like a big deal because WM devices have always been capable of acting as modems using Bluetooth or USB tethering, but that works for only one computer. The Wi-Fi Router application lets you share your data plan with multiple devices simultaneously, with the host devices needing just the ability to connect to Wi-Fi networks--no complicated setups or compatibility issues. Just make sure you have a good data plan to avoid bill shock.
That said, let's not pretend this is a new idea, because it isn't. Third-party applications have allowed such behavior on various smartphone platforms, though credit should be given to HTC for making it a default feature that's easy to use.
TouchFlo has been a mainstay on HTC's WM devices. This custom interface has evolved since its introduction in the HTC Touch and has made its devices more user-friendly compared with the outdated default WM interface. With the HD2, the company changed the name of its software to HTC Sense, just like what it's called on its Android devices. Don't be fooled by the name though, as it still works more like TouchFlo than the widget-focused interface on the Android-based HTC handsets.
So, like previous iterations, you get a Home screen with a large digital clock and a row of tabs that give you convenient access to items such as contacts, emails and calendar. A Twitter tab has also been thrown into the mix, so you can read updates without having to launch a separate app. As with the last version of TouchFlo 3D, you get an integrated contacts list that shows all interaction with each person, including their Facebook and Twitter updates, aside from essential ones like text messages and emails.
As mentioned earlier, the touch-sensitive technology used in the HD2 is capacitive, which responds to fingertips rather than a pointed stylus. This has the advantage of being more sensitive and adds support for multitouch. As we've seen in previous HTC WM devices, sub-menus have been tweaked so they are larger and more fingertip-friendly, making it possible to tap on most items without worrying about pinpoint precision. While we enjoyed this more than the resistive variety, it's important to remember that WM was not designed for capacitive screens and some third-party applications will have icons positioned closely together, making it hard for fleshy fingertips to make the correct selections. Even in HTC's preinstalled Peep for Twitter updates, we found the program unable to distinguish when we wanted to select an embedded link and instead kept bringing up the context menu for replying to the tweet. Cases like these made us think the HD2 has hardware that's ahead of its time, given the limitations of the operating system.
Multitouch is enabled on the HD2, so you can pinch to zoom in certain applications. This is most useful in the Opera browser when viewing Web pages. Comparison to the iPhone is inevitable in this case as the Safari browser on Apple's device is arguably the best when it comes to rendering accuracy and speed in smartphones. We cleared the cache in the HD2 and an iPhone 3GS and loaded a series of Web pages using the same Wi-Fi connection. In all instances, Apple's Safari was either as fast or up to 5 secs faster in rendering Web pages fully. Loading asia.cnet.com, for example, took 11 secs on the iPhone and 14 sec on HD2's Opera browser. While it's not faster, the larger and higher-resolution screen made reading text easier on the eyes. Furthermore, when you zoom in on chunks of text, the browser on the HD2 automatically reformats the paragraphs so no side scrolling is necessary, making reading of articles more convenient on the HTC.

Motorola DEXT

Motorola hasn't had the easiest ride of late. While the classic design of the RAZR helped the company score some impressive sales a few years ago, successive handsets have failed to make the same impression and Motorola's market share has diminished considerably.
However, the manufacturer is now staging something of a fight back, throwing its weight behind Google's Android operating system. US mobile users have recently gained access to the Motorola Droid - the first phone to ship with Android 2.0 - while here in the UK the DEXT (known as the CLIQ in North America) is now available, sold exclusively via network operator Orange.
The DEXT represents Motorola's first attempt at creating an Android-based smartphone and comes pre-loaded with the company's unique MotoBlur interface.
This proprietary operating system sits atop Android's own code and allows users to integrate several different services under one account. All of the popular social networking bases are covered, including Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Other popular sites - such as image-hosting behemoth PhotoBucket - are also supported.

Once you've linked your accounts the magic really starts. The Home screen of your DEXT becomes a hive of activity: various widgets show events from your myriad social networking accounts (known as 'Happenings' in MotoBlur parlance) as well as your current status on Twitter and other sites.
Compared to the relatively static Home screen boasted by the iPhone it really does feel like a step forward: the information is automatically updated so you're presented with a constantly evolving snapshot of your online life.

Another advancement brought on by MotoBlur is five separate Home screen pages - an increase on the typical Android arrangement of three. The additional real estate is welcome, especially when you consider that at least of one of those screens is going to be packed with the aforementioned MotoBlur-exclusive widgets.
After all of these innovations, it's mildly disappointing that the DEXT is packing Android 1.5 and not a more recent iteration of Google's mobile OS. While it's still perfectly usable, it's nevertheless a far cry from the 2.0 version on the Droid and is a step down from 1.6 - which is what most other Android handsets are running right now.
Putting software concerns to one side for a moment, the design of the DEXT is something of a halfway house between the plain T-Mobile G1 and the gorgeous Droid.
Tipping the scales at 163 grams, the DEXT is a heavy phone and isn't particularly slender, either. Still, the rounded edges ensure that it sits comfortably in the palm and the slide-out QWERTY keyboard is both firm and pleasing to the eye - certainly more so than the awkward mechanism sported by the G1.
Nestled alongside the keyboard is a dedicated D-pad, which makes the DEXT an absolute boon for pocket gamers. We tested the excellent Mega Drive emulator Gensoid and controlling the action was a breeze.

The buttons on the keyboard are a little too close together for comfort - it's too easy to press two of them by mistake - but on the whole the physical keyboard is a resounding success, and if gamers had their say all phones would come with a similar D-pad as standard.
Elsewhere, Motorola has attempted to raise the bar a little: there's a 5 megapixel camera that produces fair-to-middling results but is definitely an improvement over the one found on the G1. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack - something that dedicated audiophiles will no doubt be pleased about.
Ultimately, the DEXT is a bold opening salvo in the Android war and as we already know has set the scene neatly for the launch of the arguably superior Droid. However, with that handset not likely to hit UK shelves until next year, the DEXT is unquestionably the best option for anyone wishing to dip a toe into Android waters this side of Christmas

SmartScreen iPhone App Now Available

Some of our readers will remember the SmartScreen iPhone App that we featured back in September, we just got an email from the developers, and the good news is that the app is now available from Cydia.

The SmartScreen iPhone App lets your program your own widgets and place them on the lock screen of your iPhone, it will only work on jailbroken iPhone, check out the video of it in action below.

SmartScreen is an application for the iPhone and iPod touch that will allow informational widgets to be placed and used on the lock screen. Widgets are similar to those offered by Apple’s “Dashboard” and they follow this familiar look and feel.

The SmartScreen iPhone App is now available in two versions from Cydia from http://apt.media-phone.ch/, SmartScreen Lite which is available as a free download, and a full version  which is available for $5.00.

In order to use the SmartScreen iPhone App you will need a Jailbroken iPhone running iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

Top IV Business-Oriented Mobile Phones for this Christmas

 

In between the hefty new launches happening in the market, with a huge lists of android phones and smartphones, the choice of a good business-oriented mobile phone is going to be really hard. If you are out to enhance your mobile phone to a better version this Christmas, especially to a business-oriented one, then keep reading. This is for you!

New Blackberry Bold 9700

With a 2.4” display of resolution of 480 X 360 pixels, QWERTY keyboard and trackpad navigation, new BlackBerry Bold 9700 provides you with an awesome messaging and e-mailing functionality that can definitely make your business much easier. Its reliability and responsiveness is remarkable, and this new launch could be a considerable choice.

Review

HTC Hero

This Android mobile phone comes with a 3.2 inch display, a quad band and a UMTS support. The Wi-Fi, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA, bluetooth and USB connectivity makes this mobile phone even more reliable, and fast for office use. No worry for entertainment freaks. HTC Hero scores well with a 5MP camera, a 3.5mm audio jack and a good memory.

Review

Nokia E75

Stylish Nokia E75 boasts of a 2.4” display, 3.2 MP camera, 3.5G HSDPA, bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Integrated AGPS function is another asset with this handset. Dual keypad and QWERTY keyboard with large buttons contributes to a dedicated e-mail and message functionality.

Review

Samsung Galaxy i7500 Android Phone

Samsung’s first android mobile phone that runs on android 1.5, comes with innumerable beneficial features that could make your professional life much easier. Thanks to its synchronization feature of contacts with Google account. Support for modern messaging services, internet browser, Wi-Fi and bluetooth enhances its performance even better. Hats-off to its multimedia functionality too. Overall, it is a good craftsmanship.

Review

Before concluding, we must tell you that these mobile phones not only stands superior in their features, but also in their price tags.

Nokia E72

The Nokia E71 was one of our favorite business smartphones thanks to its attractive design and full range of useful features. More than a year on, is its successor, the E72, just as compelling a smartphone? Let's look at the differences between the two to find out.

Design

Given how well-received the form factor of the E71 was, there wasn't a need to change things much in its successor. The E72 has a similar solid metallic feel and is almost the same size and weight at 114 x 59.5 x 10.1mm and 128g. On the front, you get the same landscape-oriented QVGA display, below which lie shortcut buttons and a QWERTY keypad. The shortcut keys surrounding the directional pad are laid out differently, but the ability to access your calendar, contacts and mail in one button press remains intact.

The physical design of the E72 (left) is similar to the original E71's (right).

What must be most significantly different is the directional pad itself. While it shares the same square design with a large selector in the middle, this center button now doubles as an optical navigational pad. So, aside from pressing one of the four direction buttons, it is possible to move cursors by stroking your finger over the selector. This can be annoying as we found ourselves moving the cursor accidentally at times. The application in which it is useful is the browser as it gives better mouse cursor control--clicking on small links can sometimes be a very precise affair. Those who don't like the optical pad can turn it off completely, rendering the directional pad identical to the E71's.
The E72's QWERTY keypad layout doesn't differ much from the E71's. It has a shorter spacebar, making way for two extra keys on the bottom row--a shortcut to select symbols and a dedicated exclamation mark key. As indicated by a diagram on the spacebar, it now doubles as a shortcut to turn the camera light on for use as a flashlight. Pressing and holding the key will activate that useful feature. Though the shape of the keys remains the same, we found the tactile feedback different. Less force is required to depress a button, and consequently, the "springiness" of the keys is reduced. This takes some getting used to if you are switching from an E71 and we can't conclude if it's better or worse--just different.
One of the best changes is the inclusion of a 3.5mm audio port on the top of the device. The E71 had a 2.5mm version which required an adapter if you were using your own pair of headphones. Other connectors remain the same with a dedicated connector for charging and a micro-USB port on the left. One thing it lacks which is present on the E71 is infrared, not too big a loss to most users we reckon.

Features

When it comes to connectivity features, the E72 doesn't differ much from the original. You get the full works including HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and A-GPS for navigation. There are some slight improvements such as a faster 10.2Mbps HSDPA maximum speed and HSUPA for high-speed uploads. Do note that these are highly dependent on the operators' 3.5G network quality, so users may not really feel the impact.
Since the launch of the E71, Nokia has been making improvements in the Symbian S60 3rd edition software. The E72 has convenient features such as transition animations, Ovi Store for downloading third-party applications and built-in support for Microsoft Exchange synchronization. It's important to point out that these features can be activated on the E71, too, by downloading the appropriate updates from Nokia. What makes the experience different is that the E72 is much more responsive thanks to a faster processor. More on that in the Performance section later.

The test shot from the E72 shows decent image quality. (Click for original)

Another improved feature is the inclusion of a 5-megapixel camera, up from the 3.2 megapixels in the E71. In our tests, we found the photo quality much improved with excellent macro shots as one of its highlights, perfect for archiving namecards. Also, you don't have to press the "2" key to activate autofocus, a cumbersome and unintuitive implementation on the E71. Now, simply touching the optical pad will let you focus on your subject, while depressing it will snap the shot.

Performance

The performance of the E72 is where it really shines compared with the E71. Now, the E71 is no slouch and, in fact, was one of the most responsive S60 devices when it was launched. But this Nokia comes with a 600MHz processor that blows the E71 out of the water when it comes to speed. There was no lag felt throughout the menu system and even long contacts and message lists loaded very quickly. This was felt most in the Web browser as you can now scroll around full Web pages before they are fully loaded. There may be software improvements in play here, but we're pretty sure the faster chip has a part in that, too.
The improved speed didn't affect the battery life much. With the same 1,500mAh battery, we got about 2.5 days of use on a single charge. This included phone calls, messaging and occasional use of HSDPA for emails and Twitter updates. We reckon most users will be able to get by on more than a day without recharging.
We had no issues with reception and call quality, and the speakerphone was sufficiently loud for use in quiet situations.
One thing we've brought up time and again over the past year is how the S60 platform feels dated compared with the competition such as the iPhone OS and Google Android. This reduces the value proposition of the E72 slightly, especially when you consider the availability and quality of third-party apps.

Conclusion

As you would have probably gathered by now, the E72 is a very competent business smartphone. Nokia stuck with what worked in the E71 and made a few improvements in the process.
The big question is whether current E71 users should upgrade to the E72. There's no quick answer to that, but if the camera quality and responsiveness of your current smartphone irk you, the E72 would be a good replacement. Otherwise, stick with your E71 because the major features such as a good keypad, push email and decent battery life remain the same.
The E72 is available from operators and stores in Asia at S$750 (US$540). As usual, check with your provider for subsidized prices as these will be significantly lower than retail.

Nokia E72 Goes On Sale In The UK

The much anticipated Nokia E72 has gone on sale in the UK today, and it is the sucessor to the popular Nokia E71.

The Nokia E72 features a 2.36 inch WVGA display with a resolution of 320 x 240, it comes with a full QWERTY keyboard, and it measures 114mm by 58.3mm by 10.2mm and weighs in at 128g.

On top of that, the Nokia E72 features a 5 megapixel camera, an optical navigation key, Ovi Maps with A-GPS, a Compass, IM, and Nokia’s push email service, Google Talk.

It comes with a 4GB microSD card and can take up to a 16GB of storage, it is available now in the UK for £359 from Nokia.

Nokia N900

The Nokia Internet Tablet series which debuted in 2005 has always been sidelined as a companion and an accessory for accessing the Internet on a large touchscreen handheld. It had a niche target audience and the devices never really hit big time. Things have evolved dramatically in the recent year with smartphones rapidly outfitted with large touch-sensitive displays, putting them in a head-on collision with the Tablets. The upcoming N900 addresses that issue with built-in cellular capabilities as well as pure processing power and a desktop-like experience in a pocket-friendly size, putting it back into the running.
Unlike the earlier Internet Tablets, the N900 packs 3G and HSPA (10Mbps downlink, 2Mbps uplink) wireless radios, so obviously you can make and receive cellular calls with it. Under the hood is an ARM Cortex-A8 600MHz processor, up to 1GB of application memory and an OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics accelerator. The combined benefit delivers an ideal multitasking environment where several applications can run in the background at the same time without slowing down the device's performance. You can see that in a quick demo of the N900 below.

But what's really different this time is the updated Linux-based Maemo 5 software that is supposed to bring a PC-like experience on a mobile device. You can access multiple "desktops" panels by swiping your finger across the 3.5-inch 800 x 480-pixel screen, while the accompanying dashboard lets you switch effortlessly between tasks and applications in the background. The Maemo browser, built with Mozilla technology, has full Adobe Flash 9.4 support and you can use the onscreen mouse pointer to copy-and-paste text, or apply a swirling motion gesture to zoom in and out of a Web page. The latter doesn't seem to work as well compared with double tapping to achieve the same effect, as it seems to "jiggle" the page rather than to accurately zoom in.

Messaging on the N900 is also a deeply integrated function. SMSes are displayed in a threaded format so you can always follow up on past messages. The Messaging window also lets you view your IM chat history and check whether your contacts are available for chats. You can also view their status via the phonebook, and from there select a preferred mode such as Gtalk or Skype to contact someone. The buttons on the slide-out QWERTY appear fairly raised, so hopefully this will provide a good tactile experience even though the layout seems rather crammed.
The N900 captures WVGA 16:9 videos and 5-megapixel images and you can tag (using the new tag cloud) and share content with your friends via Ovi Share, Facebook, Flickr, etc. According to the specifications, the Maemo 5 software currently doesn't support MMS or the underlying WAP technology. For business users, Microsoft Exchange is also supported, so this means you get push-email and synchronization capabilities with Outlook calendars and contacts from the server to the N900. Maemo software as well as application updates can be done over-the-air, so you will not need to be connected to the PC to get software upgrades.
At a glance, it's clear the Maemo user interface is radically different from S60 which we have all become familiar with over the past few years. So how does the enhanced system fit into Nokia's portfolio of devices? We suspect S60 will continue to form the backbone of the mobile operating system for Nokia smartphones for at least the next year. But moving forward, Maemo, which provides the flexibility of an open system, will gradually be pushed into the limelight. That's not to say that S60 will wither away as it will still continue to be developed by members of the Symbian Foundation. What we may see is S60 being used in midrange handsets, with Maemo used to power higher-end devices.
As to how the N900 and the recently launched Booklet 3G Netbook fit into Nokia's portfolio of devices, a Nokia spokesperson said that the latter is an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective into the PC world. More on this topic here.
The N900 is available for preorder in Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK. According to Nokia, the device will hit the markets from October at 500 euros before tax and subsidies

LG Watch Phone (GD910)

Excuse me, my watch is ringing. As far as phones go, the watch form factor has to be one of the weirdest that we've come across. Highly featured by comics and TV cartoon series such as Dick Tracy and Power Rangers, these shows made the concept of wearing a communication device cool. Still, that hasn't stopped LG and Samsung from trading blows with the GD910 and S9110 watch phones, respectively. So, will this quirky form factor take off, or will it be consigned to the darkest depths of phone history?

Design

Forget everything you expect from the GD910 at first sight. The LG watch phone will pass off as a watch at first glance. But a peek at the right side of the watch gives its identity away: Here reside the Send, End and Back buttons.

The front of the watch is covered with glass and a stainless steel border. The rear is fully decked out in "solid stainless steel", according to LG. This is also where you find the round SIM cover, which will require the included special tool to remove. The charging pins as well as the mic are located on the back as well, though we find that to be the oddest side of the phone for a mic to reside on.

The leather strap is slightly stiff but easy enough to adjust to fit our wrist, although it took some trial and error with the clasp mechanism to get the fit right. The build quality overall is very solid.
The rest of the phone's body is decked out in matte-black plastic which, as we found out, was good for shrugging off the daily scruffs and bumps without scratching. The amount of stainless steel present weighs down the LG to 92g, which is a tad heavy for a watch but still lighter than most smartphones in the market today. With the main body of the watch measuring 49 x 39 x 13.8mm, it is not exactly svelte, but nor is it too big.

Features

The biggest feature of the G910 would be its 1.43-inch capacitive touchscreen. From the main screen itself, you can switch between eight clock displays by flicking your finger up or down. Flicking left or right will call up four different screens-- the status display, main menu, calendar and quick dial.

These are the three main screens on the GD910.

If you're used to smartphones with built-in internet browsers and more-than-1-megapixel cameras, don't hold your breath. The GD910 doesn't have any of those features. Still, it packs a built-in 80MB memory, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 playback, voice commands and a VGA camera.
Scrolling on the menus is fluid, although we noticed occasional jerkiness. Don't expect multitouch capabilities or an onscreen keyboard. That said the watch phone relies heavily on the T9 predictive text input on the onscreen keypad (we have a video of it here). Punching the correct buttons on the panel would be a challenge for those with large digits, and typing out a SMS can prove to be quite frustrating. Smart dialing is available, too, so you can get to your most-dialed contacts quickly to make a call. There's also a history log which shows the calls you've received or sent.

The MP3 player is very basic and the camera is just limited to VGA resolutions and can take only stills. The phonebook is equally barren, offering simple contact grouping over the standard set of features. The organizer, although a good feature to have on a phone, is quite a hassle to update given the tiny size of the device and onscreen keyboard. A nice accessory included to take advantage of the Bluetooth capabilities of this watch phone is the LG HBM-900 headset. The Bluetooth headset comes with two ear loops and four differently-sized eargels. However, this phone is compatible only with the HSP profile and not A2DP stereo.

The phone's 105mAh battery is built-in, and to charge it, you will have to clamp the phone in the included cradle which then plugs into the included AC charger. The user has the option of using the included dual charging cable which will charge the phone and the headset simultaneously. You can also hook the phone up with the included USB cable to enable PC connectivity, where the LG PC Suite software will enable syncing of contacts, calendar entries, to-do lists and memo data. With the USB cable, however, dual charging the phone and headset is not possible. Charging time was kept to under 2 hours on average, with the USB method taking 15-20 minutes more than on AC power.