Next GadgeTrend

It's not everyday that you see a BlackBerry review on our homepage but it's not like RIM routinely churn out devices like the Storm either. Messaging is still the legendary name but… well… touchscreen is the game. Keeping the business appeal of its siblings, the 9500 Storm sure stands out in the Berry crowd. But it also tries to set itself apart from the other touchscreens by promising a whole new touch experience.

The Canadian manufacturer RIM is walking an unbeaten path by adding unique clickability to the fluid precision of the capacitive touchscreen technology. The award-winning SurePress screen may not be everyone's cup of coffee but we're not talking teacup either, just yet.
Key features:

* 3.25" 65K-color capacitive touchscreen of 360 x 480 pixel resolution
* A new touchscreen experience thanks to SurePress screen
* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 2100 MHz 3G with HSDPA support
* 3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
* BlackBerry OS 4.7
* Qualcomm MSM7600 528 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
* Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
* 1 GB internal storage
* Hot-swappable microSD card slot, ships with an 8GB card
* Landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard goes as close to hardware keys as we have seen
* Great build quality
* Solid looks
* 3.5mm standard audio jack
* Bluetooth and USB v2.0
* Really nice web browser
* Document editor
* Excellent audio quality

Main disadvantages:

* No Wi-fi
* No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
* Interface not as quick as competitors
* Chubbier than most touchscreen phones
* Mediocre camera
* No FM radio
* No Flash support
* Fingerprint-prone front panel
* No video-call camera

Now, this isn't one of those all-about-email BlackBerry reviews where the 9500 Storm gets only compared to its own kind, for the lack of meaningful competition. We are more than confident that the Storm does its BlackBerry thing just fine, so instead of focusing on it we'll try to give a different view of the device. Our objective is to see how it fares against all those other "regular" touchscreens that have the crowd's attention: Apples, Renoirs, Omnias, Diamonds and the likes.

Inspired by the Sony T-series point-and-shoot digcams with an elegant lens cover, the Sony Ericsson C903 is a compact and attractive cameraphone. The C903 is packed with features you'd expect of a high-end phone and it behaves like one as well. A GPS-enabled 5 MP slider with a nice large display, nifty feature-phone interface and friendly size is a welcome addition to the company portfolio. And yes, we think the Glamour Red version will be a favorite with the ladies.

The C903 official announcement served the humble purpose of warming the crowd up for the Sony Ericsson deployment at this year's MWC. Obviously no match for the Idou and Hikaru, the C903 simply completes the Cyber-shot lineup of the house featuring some welcome upgrades over the C902 like screen size and GPS. There's a distinctive design highlight too and the Sony T-series digicam back styling may as well be a strong selling point.

Key features:

* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and dual-band HSDPA/ tri-band HSDPA in US version
* 5 MP AF camera with dual LED flash, geo-tagging, face and smile detection, active lens cover
* Built-in GPS with A-GPS support, Wayfinder Navigator software, geotagging
* Dedicated camera mode switch and gallery keys
* Scratch resistant 2.4" 256K-color TFT display
* Backlit D-pad shortcuts in camera mode
* Accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate
* Bluetooth (with A2DP), USB v2.0
* FM radio with RDS and enhanced TrackID, YouTube client
* Threaded conversations in messaging
* Smart dialing

Main disadvantages:

* Video recording limited to QVGA resolution at 30fps
* M2 card slot under the battery cover
* Camera key has almost no feedback at full press
* The glossy surface is a fingerprint nightmare
* No cover for the USB port
* No office document viewer
* No video-call camera

Sony Ericsson C903 has its candybar counterpart in the face of the C901. Presented in a joint launch last month, the two handsets are trying to meet a diverse mix of cameraphone demand in the higher-midrange.

Form factor aside, the major differences boil down to GPS and the camera flash solution. We can't help but note that xenon could've been more at home in the T-series-inspired C903. But no sir, Sony Ericsson C903 is GPS-enabled instead while the more conservative C901 bar flaunts the better camera flash.

The lengthy spec sheet of the C903 only omits Wi-Fi support, while everything else is on board: GPS with Wayfinder 7 software, 5 megapixel AF camera with dedicated setup keys, a large 2.4" display and accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate.

We've already welcomed the W595 at the proto stage, but this time it's the real deal - we have a retail unit on our hands and we are ready to put it through its paces. The differences from the preceding model, the W580, stretch further than a design overhaul. A 2.2-inch QVGA display and the 3.2 megapixel camera will surely make it a tasty treat even without all the Walkman goodies on board. With its modern looks and intriguing specs list, it's about time we saw what the Sony Ericsson W595 brings to the Walkman party.

Key Features:

* Quad-band GSM and 3G with HSDPA support
* 2.2" 256K-color TFT display of QVGA resolution
* 3 megapixel camera
* Bluetooth (with A2DP) and USB v2.0
* Accelerometer sensor for display auto-rotate
* 40MB of internal memory and M2 memory card slot (2GB card included)
* Walkman 3.0 music player with Shake control and SensMe
* FM radio with RDS
* Multi-tasking support
* Smart dialing
* Comfortable keypad, nice sliding mechanism
* Stereo speakers
* Dual 3.5mm Stereo Share jack on the headset cable

Main disadvantages:

* Relatively smallish screen
* The camera has no autofocus
* Poor video recording capabilities
* No lens protection or flash
* No office document viewer
* Cheapish battery cover
* No video-call camera

The Samsung S7350 Ultra s is a pretty obvious successor of the Samsung S7330. What sets the two apart is that the new slider has ditched the touchpad. Also, the S7350 Ultra s has a higher-resolution, bigger 2.6" WQVGA screen, a GPS receiver with Samsung Mobile Navigator (by Route66) and a more modern styling in tone with the latest Samsung lineup. There's also the 5 megapixel auto focus camera.
The Samsung S7350 Ultra s is easily another Soul offshoot, though the real successor of the U900 Soul is the already announced S8300 UltraTOUCH.

Samsung S7350 Ultra s at a glance:

* General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 10, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
* Form factor: Widescreen slider
* Dimensions: 109.0 x 50.5 x 12.6 mm
* Display: 2.6-inch TFT, WQVGA resolution (240 x 400 pixels)
* Memory: hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
* Camera: 5 megapixel auto focus camera with dual LED flash, and WVGA video@30fps
* Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS and navigation software by Route66
* Misc: FM radio with RDS, DivX/XviD video support
* Battery: 880 mAh battery

Being a quad-band phone with HSDPA support, the S7350 Ultra s has the usual Bluetooth and microUSB connectivity, lacking only Wi-Fi. Among the nice extras that more and more Samsung phones are featuring are turn-to-mute, music recognition and smart search.
Samsung S7350 Ultra s shares quite a number of design elements with the S8300 UltraTOUCH and S7220 Ultra b. One of the most obvious features is the finely brushed metallic frame around the display, which extends to cover the top part of the phone as well.

At a certain point everyone finds themselves in the situation where all they need is a no-nonsense phone that looks good and doesn't cost a fortune. The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic is exactly the kind - one of the sleekest, most affordable handsets by the Finnish manufacturer that has ever set foot in our door.

With a distinctly youthful charm, the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic certainly won't replace your laptop but will give you all a mobile phone should. Offering the bare minimum might not be what your average geek expects from a phone but it is exactly what the market wants. The fact that the Nokia 5310 sold more than 13 million units is clear enough evidence of this.

After all, not everyone can afford an N97 nor does everyone need it. What everyone does need however is good performance from their handset, even more so if reliability can be offered at a low price point. So we felt a thorough review of the Nokia 5130 XpressMusic was in order to check out this theory.

Key features:

* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
* 2" 262K color TFT display of QVGA resolution
* Sleek body design and nice hoice of materials
* Ambient light sensor
* Hot-swappable microSD card slot up to 16GB (1GB card included)

Music features:

* Top notch audio quality
* Dedicated music keys with backlighting
* Music light effects
* Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
* Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP)
* Stereo FM radio with RDS
* Up to 21 h of dedicated music playback

Main disadvantages:

* Mediocre camera with no flash or auto focus, sluggish
* QCIF video recording (only good for MMS)
* No 3G
* No stereo loudspeakers
* No smart dialing
* No Java multi-tasking
* No office document viewer
* No Flight mode and no Active stand-by

The Nokia 5130 XpressMusic might be a mass-market handset but it most certainly doesn't look run of the mill. On the contrary, it's one of those unassuming little gadgets that actually cash in big for the company. With such expectations on its shoulder, it is little wonder we are so curious to find out what this handset has to offer.

For today's show and tell, Samsung's first Android phone is serving Cupcake. The Samsung I7500 is the first Google-empowered device to come with a 5 megapixel camera and that's just the tip of much improved multimedia skill.

This is just a preview and it should serve to whet your appetite as the I7500 prepares to launch. As soon as we get our hands on a final version, we'll grab our tool bag and make an out-and-out review.

* General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSDPA 7.2Mbps, HSUPA 5.76Mbps
* OS and CPU: 528MHz CPU with 128MB RAM running latest Android OS v1.5
* Form factor: Touchscreen bar, no keypad
* Dimensions: 115.0 x 56.0 x 11.9 mm, 119 g.
* Display: 3.2" capacitive OLED touchscreen, HVGA resolution (320 x 480 pixels)
* Storage: 8GB, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
* Camera: 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging
* Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, microUSB v.2.0, 3.5mm audio jack
* Misc: Accelerometer sensor, FM radio with RDS, Gesture lock
* Battery: 1000 mAh battery

Version 1.5 of the Android OS brings some very welcome refinements. The on-screen keyboard is obviously one of them, now that Android powers a full touch handset with no keyboard at all. Video recording and playback have also been included - both strangely missing in version 1. Stereo Bluetooth is aboard as well.

There's also some UI polish and plenty of work done under the hood. Extensive bug fixes and improved performance should make the OS even more enjoyable.

Before we begin, it would be fair play to note that in this preview we're using quite an early version of the device and it's not all shipshape. The most noticeable absentees are the camera samples, but the obviously undercooked Camera app does the handset no justice. A good 5 megapixel snapper is a valuable feature and we have every reason to believe Samsung will get it right before launch.

There we go folks, it's a BlackBerry grand slam at the arena and we're set for another ride with RIM's finest. We guess this here Berry is neither Curve-hot nor Storm-inventive but it's Bold enough to say little and do much. Even without being the latest or greatest of RIM devices, the Bold 9000 is clearly the pinnacle of what BlackBerry stands for.

Moreover, the Bold 9000 is hardly a groundbreaking device outside the BlackBerry world but to Berry buffs it may be about as good as a mobile phone gets. Sporting flawless connectivity, a magnificent screen and one of the most comfortable QWERTY keyboards we have seen, the Bold 9000 is at the very least a great business gadget. Well then, it's business as usual on our end too so the BlackBerry Bold better get ready for one of our out-and-out reviews.
Key features:

* 2.6" 65K-color TFT landscape display with a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels
* Comfortable four-row full QWERTY keyboard
* Quad-band GSM support and tri-band 3G with HSDPA
* Wi-Fi and built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
* 2 megapixel camera, LED flash
* 624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
* BlackBerry OS v4.6
* Responsive trackball navigation
* Hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 8GB)
* Excellent build quality
* DivX and XviD video support
* Good web browser
* Office document editor
* 3.5 mm audio jack
* Nice audio quality
* Smart dialing

Main disadvantages:

* No email support without BlackBerry Internet Service account
* Mediocre camera
* No FM radio
* The web browser is unstable when browsing through Wi-Fi
* No video-call camera

As we mentioned, the BlackBerry Bold 9000 doesn't pack ridiculously high-end multimedia or other fancy gimmicks to make a big splash outside the BlackBerry realm. Yet it does combine all the features that the brand loyals were dreaming to see on a RIM handset for quite a while.

GPS and Wi-Fi rarely coexist on BlackBerry handsets but the Bold is not the first ever anyway. The screen is not the greatest feat in terms of resolution either but it sure is a sight to savor. That Berries have always been among the standard-setters in QWERTY keyboards goes without saying. So, is it all about having both 3G and WLAN on a single BlackBerry phone?

Could be, but there must be more to it. So, starting on the next page we'll unbox and spin the BlackBerry Bold 9000 for you. We'll press them buttons and flip that trackball and hope the handset lives up to its name.

The world's first 720p HD video recording on a mobile phone was top of our list of trend-setting features revealed at this year's MWC in Barcelona. But even if you take HD from the Samsung i8910 Omnia HD you will still have enough skill and guts to go around. It's Symbian-powered, it's touch-controlled, it's a monster of a cameraphone. For all we know, a device like that is always worth another look.

So, here's the deal. We're not just taking another look at the Samsung Omnia HD, we hope it's a closer, and more revealing look. A second preview is a rare honor but then, the Samsung Omnia HD is a rare piece of technology.

The Omnia HD is getting closer to release and the new unit we have is much different than the real early bird we checked out back in February. It's been a while, so here's what Samsung have been up to with the Omnia HD.

Samsung i8910 Omnia HD at a glance:

* General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/1900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 12, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
* Form factor: Touchscreen bar
* Dimensions and weight: 123 x 58 x 12.9 mm, 144 g
* Display: 3.7-inch 16M color capacitive AMOLED touchscreen, 640 x 360 pixels
* Memory: 8/16GB integrated memory, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
* CPU:ARM Cortex-A8 600 MHz processor; Graphics HW Accelerator
* OS: Symbian S60 5th edition
* Still camera: 8 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection, smile shot, image stabilizer, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), ISO 1600
* Video recording: HD 720p@24fps, 720x480@30fps, QVGA time-lapse and slow-mo video recording
* Connectivity: Wi-Fi with DLNA support, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, TV-out (SD content)
* Misc: Accelerometer for screen auto rotate and turn-to-mute, proximity sensor for auto screen turn-off, magnetometer for digital compass, handwriting recognition, FM radio with RDS, DivX/XviD video support, subtitles support, virtual 5.1 channel Dolby surround (on headphones), web browser with Flash video support, office document viewer, motion-based 3D games
* Battery: 1500 mAh battery