BlackBerry is a leading brand of mobile phones and assessment enjoyed by users around the world. There is no doubt, works in the world popular brands of gadgets, according to the needs and demands of users and the BlackBerry Bold 9000 is an addition to the list of your first choice phone. The smartphone sports a TFT display of 2.6 inches that displays images in high resolution. In addition, the device with a full keyboard QWERTY, plain text and numeric entry and add that, trackball navigation system that can help users appreciate the easy access to multimedia features available. The top of the device is very easy to carry the weight amounted to 133 grams and with dimensions 114 x 66 x 14 mm.

In addition, take all smartphone users who want to retain all the precious moments of life. It comes with a built-in 2 MP camera that can take good pictures and also well lit, even during the night, thanks to the flash LED. Not only that, the user can actually record video clips at any point of time, which will be supported in playing a video player, DivX, WMV, 3GP and XviD formats. Besides the BlackBerry Bold 9000 from music fans support their efficient and can vote for their favorite for the title, when, thanks to top-form music player that is MP3, WMA and AAC capability, + Audio as. Then, the headset seems appropriate for the players and games that may be of interest board.

With regard to liaise with the product and is a clear winner. Above all, full HTML browser is safe, easy and stress-free surfing on the internet all the time. Not only that, the installation of Wi-Fi shows very useful when there is an uninterrupted series surf the Internet, because the technology itself is the connection to the wireless LAN hot spot or nearby. In addition to this model, Bluetooth allows users to exchange data and files with other compatible devices. In addition, there may also transfer data via USB. For fast data transfer rate, supports EGDE and GPRS technologies. All users who wish to stay with family and friends, coupled with evidence that can SMS, MMS and e-mails to appreciate. The 1GB internal memory stores large amounts of data, while the slot for microSD memory card also helps to extend the storage capacity up to 8 GB. So easily, said a very useful BlackBerry Bold 9000 meets the requirements of users at a high level and reasonable price, increasing its value range.

Many believed that the flip-phone had their time, but the Nokia 2720 Fold is proof that this is not happening. With a long list of features and great design, this phone is to turn to fixed-flip. The headset is a smaller, 93 mm x 46 mm and 17 mm. As usual with this type of phone also comes with two screens. The two screens with this headset using a screen internally and externally and both are capable of displaying some information.

The external display is the lesser of the two may be a limited amount of information, which usually consists of time and information call and monochrome screen. The internal display is the main screen color display and a 1.8 inch TFT screen that provides a pixel size resolution 120 x 160 pixels and excellent color reproduction due to the fact that it can display 65,000 colors. The camera 1.3 megapixel camera snapshot function effectively broken 1280 x 1024 pixel. The images can be captured with this camera images at this resolution to be printed in granular nature. Capture video quality CIF and 15 frames per second, placing it is a useful alternative to still pictures.

The variety of connectivity options available for this handset includes GPRS, HSCSD, EDGE and blue tooth. With these connections the phone is able to perform many tasks and a link to a variety of devices while on the move. The event will be ensured by adding an MP3/MP4 player and stereo radio FM. This ensures that the owner is unable to variety of media files downloaded or viewed alternatively, broadcasts a wide range of radio stations.

The Nokia 2720 Fold is a phone that offers the performance and appearance. The effect is a simplified set of functionality and form. The inclusion of many features in a mobile phone that is affordable is a testament to the ability of Nokia, fill out the technology at an affordable price.

You may be interested, with M750 Huawei, ZTE C90. The Huawei M750 is a new full touch screen mobile phone that includes a camera 1,3 megapixel, Bluetooth and 1150 mAh available. Yet the FCC approved it and possibly debut at MetroPCS. The price is not listed, but when one considers that it has nothing new or remarkable in the list, will probably match the affordable side. Huawei m750

The ZTE C90 is now a slider and comes with a compact keyboard QWERTY. It also comes too, with a camera of 1,3 megapixel and is compatible with the support of Bluetooth A2DP, GPS and microSD card up to capacity of 2 GB . This might also be available to MetroPCS in the near future, and has also been approved by the FCC to operate the complex AWS, we see the beginnings of cricket as well, with Huawei m750.

Huawei m750, ZTE C90,These 2 can not be what it could be considered as head-turners, and the headliner in the industry, but if the guy does not like you even more hot ticket in town is the Huawei M750 or ZTE C90 is most likely cup your tea.
M750 Huawei and ZTE C90 is two new phones and will be very interesting to the United States has just begun, Huawei m750.

This - this is the point at which what Nokia in general (and OPK in particular) have been saying about Symbian OS taking over (from Series 40) in the mid-tier in the phone market comes home to roost. What we have here is a full-touchscreen S60 5th Edition smartphone with Wi-Fi coming in, unlocked, with no phone contract, for £130 including VAT in the UK - quite staggering. To put that into perspective, under the same terms the Nokia N900 is around £500, the N97 is £430, the HTC Touch Pro 2 is £470 and the (unlocked) Apple iPhone 3GS is... well, whatever you're prepared to pay, up to £700 in many cases. Compare those prices with £130 - you could buy three 5530s for less than a single N97, for example - and then bear the huge differential in mind when reading about some of the compromises and limitations below.

Hardware and styling

And so to the handset. The 5530 XpressMusic is the perfect size for a phone. Not a smartphone necessarily - you'd expect to add some bulk for extra screen real estate or qwerty keyboard - but the perfect size for a phone, something that anybody can incorporate into their lives without having to sacrifice pocket or purse space. And, perhaps, most importantly, something that feels great in the hand. The 5530 even feels quite solid, despite being 100% plastic (as you'd expect), with the only immediate build quality issue being that the device rattles - there's something inside the camera or main circuitry that's rattling and I've no idea what - which is worrying.

The styling is centred around a ring of chrome-effect plastic and a trendy semi-phosphorescent blue detail that sits just below the fake chrome. The touchscreen area on the 5530's front is actually around 3.5", as evidenced by the green/menu/red virtual keys and the XpressMusic hotspot, but the actual display is only 2.9" (diagonal), obviously something of a cost-cutting decision. The result is that S60 5th Edition's nHD resolution is somewhat crammed into a space almost identical to that of (for example) the QVGA resolution of the N95 8GB or N96. On the one hand, screen elements are a bit harder to tap on accurately and screen detail is a little harder to see, on the other hand the graphics and text look incredibly crisp and, to be honest, I had few complaints. Contrast outdoors is similar to that on the 5800 - no (relatively) expensive transflective layer here.

The SIM card slot and microSD card slot (4GB is supplied in the box) are covered by the same piece of hinged plastic down the left hand side of the 5530 - it's not an elegant solution but then, yet again, keeping the cost down was paramount here. There's a power button on the top, with a row of buttons down the right side: the usual volume up/down (and image zoom in/out where appropriate), keylock toggle (always great to see, I'm totally sold on this quick way of locking/unlocking) and the two-stage camera shutter button.

The only slightly controversial port decision is on the 5530's bottom edge, where you'll find both a 2mm charging port and a (covered) microUSB port. Given how new this phone is, I'd really expected to see microUSB charging. There's also a welcome 3.5mm audio jack and (again controversially) a stylus. Maybe this is relevant to the small size of the 5530's screen (and thus to the size of interface elements) or maybe this is just to help get the SIM card out - who knows?

The 5530's back has just the camera aperture, styled as if it had a kickstand - but you just know that it doesn't. There's a single (and weak) LED flash and a non-branded 3 megapixel camera, of which more later. The back cover itself is extremely flimsy but in keeping with the build quality throughout the device. The battery is the same as that in the E75, i.e. 1000mAh, which should be more than enough for a phone with this size of screen and target market (i.e. you're not going to be watching videos or browsing the web for hours).

Inside the 5530 XpressMusic

So several compromises for the sake of price so far - but there are just as many inside the phone as well. The biggest are lack of 3G - so data use is limited to GPRS and EDGE speeds, which will certainly limit Web use for many users - and lack of GPS. This latter is somewhat surprising given Nokia's Ovi Maps-centric business model these days - you'd have thought that enough people would sign up for navigation to offset the cost of putting in GPS chips in each phone. 

In fact, not only is there no GPS, there's also no copy of Nokia Maps, one of the first smartphones for ages to not feature this. Again, you'd have thought that it was easy enough to include Maps, even if only so that people could use cell tower location and see what was (roughly) around them? I wouldn't expect Maps to be featured prominently, but figured it should be on the 5530 somewhere.

However, it's not all bad news: there is Wi-Fi, rather welcome at this price point, and with the absence of 3G, it's just about the saviour of the device. There are also no significant memory constraints - after the usual startup customisations there's around 75MB free on disk C: and after booting there's 57MB of free RAM - which should be enough for anyone.

With the 'XpressMusic' part of the name, it's not surprising that the music side of things is well stocked. There are two loudish speakers, one at either end of the phone (with two narrow grilles each) - we're not talking Nokia 5800 volume or quality here, but it's good enough for most people. The supplied stereo headset is a one piece design with in-ear speakers - it's definitely a budget headset but again good enough considering the handset's price. There's Bluetooth A2DP compatibility too, of course.

No surprises on the music software front, though yet again Nokia Internet Radio is conspicuous by its absence (hey, it has only taken Nokia a year to port a simple 3rd Edition app to 5th Edition so far - there's no hurry....) Still, Podcasting and the Music store are both welcome and complete a competent music phone.

This being 2009, there's a token attempt at adding social networks to the phone. Hi5, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Amazon and Friendster icons are all prominent, but each only goes to the appropriate mobile web site - no widgets to be seen here, sadly (though the Facebook page at least offers one 'for the 5800 XpressMusic'(!)) If you want widgets you'll need to look in the Ovi Store - whose client isn't built-in - probably because it's being upgraded often. Instead Ovi Store is the de facto download when you tap on the provided 'Download!' icon.

Rating: 9 out of 10



Pros: The power just goes on and on and on and on.  I could not get it to die. Reasonable price and free shipping. Includes many adapters to power all your gadgets and there will be a Motorola Droid adapter soon.



Cons: It is not a case style battery so you have to kind of hold it while it is charging.  The glossy finish is a fingerprint magnet.



Overall: The Mobile Spark External backup battery is one of the longest lasting external battery that I have tested to date.  On one charge we power from totally dead mind you, 2 iPhones, 3 iPod Touches, 1 Nintendo DSi and then we played a dead DSi for about a half hour before this thing died.  A few things I would like to see be implemented is a carrying case and some sort of automatic shutoff if the unit is not being utilized for more than say 10 minutes

The Samsung Intrepid is one of the first Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphones. It has all of the typical features folks have come to expect, such as Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth wireless networking, plus a QWERTY keyboard and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

It is currently available from Sprint for $150 (after $200 rebate) with a new two-year service contract, or for $450 without a contract.

DESIGN & BUILD

The Samsung Intrepid doesn't have a lot going for it in the style department. It isn't ugly by any means, but it doesn't really stand out in any way from the sea of very similar-looking smartphones.

The device is almost exactly the same width and length of my iPod Touch, though much thicker. It's a little big to be comfortable in my small hands, but not bad. The corners are rounded so it isn't painful to hold. The Intrepid is nice and light and shouldn't weigh down your pockets too much. The materials are mainly black plastic with a more reflective surface on the front panel of the phone plus a couple of chrome buttons.

The front of this smartphone is dominated by the large Touchscreen display; underneath you'll find the navigation buttons and the keyboard. The navigation keys are very close to each other and fairly hard to use -- especially the up and down buttons on the five way navigator in the middle. They are very small compared to the large silver center button (which I mistook for some sort of scrolling button at first) and hard to hit.

The overly large Windows key and the OK button are flush mounted and not really distinguishable by feel alone. That's a shame, because you'll be using that Windows key a lot to launch your applications. The soft menu keys on the left and right side suffer the same problem as the navigator keys. In my opinion it would have been better to make the keys just slightly smaller and of varying heights so that you can more easily use the phone one-handed without having to look at your thumbs to make sure you're pressing the intended key. The device does have a touchscreen so it can be argued that the buttons are not as important here, but there are still times when it's faster to use the buttons instead of pulling out a stylus or using your fingertip.

The rest of the controls and ports are on the sides of the device. The left houses the volume up/down rocker and the USB charge/sync port; the top has a standard size headphone jack. The right side has the power/lock button, the camera button, and the stylus silo. The camera, along with a self-portrait mirror, are on the back of the phone.

I should also mention that the back of the Intrepid is not textured at all, so it's very slick. It slid right out of my hand more than once before I learned to keep a very tight grip on it. In particular the battery cover is difficult to remove because it's hard to get the right grip on the phone and slide it off. You probably won't be removing it too often, though the SIM card slot and the microSD slot are under that cover. While neither of those slots is actually under the battery, the battery must be removed in order to have enough clearance to slide in a card.

Display
The 2.5-inch screen is one of the more impressive features of the Samsung Intrepid. It runs at a 320 by 240 resolution but is very sharp and clear. It's a Touchscreen as well, and I found it to be quite responsive to my fingertips. That's a very good thing, because it took me quite a while to figure out how to get the stylus out of the phone. (You pull it out of the bottom of the device; it sits horizontally just below the keyboard with the tip on the right side.) Video from YouTube/Sprint TV is somewhat grainy, but it's obvious from testing other applications and games that the relatively poor video performance is more likely due to Sprint network issues in my area than to any failing of the screen itself.

Keyboard
The lower half of the Intrepid is dominated by a physical QWERTY keyboard. It works well enough, but it won't be winning any awards in the near future -- the keys are very close together with no real definition, so you will likely have to look at your thumbs as you're entering text or you run the risk of sending the wrong message. The keys are so small, in fact, that even dialing the phone is somewhat difficult, and it's much easier to just scroll through your contacts if you don't have too many.

I appreciate the fact that the text on the keys is easy to read, thanks to the large, clear font chosen for the printing. And the punctuation marks, though a little more difficult to see since they're in red, are easy enough to pick out when necessary. But I would rather have had slightly smaller keys with a bit more definition between the rows and columns, because even after a week using the Intrepid I really haven't been able to build up any sort of speed while using the keyboard. That's fine for someone like me who is more likely to call than to text, but it could certainly be a deal breaker for folks who intend to use the keyboard a great deal.

Android is the hot phone platform, with market share growing at a rapid pace, and handsets with the OS being touted across the web. I have been impressed with how far Android has come in a relatively short time, and how well it has penetrated the market. Windows Mobile has seen recent updates, an all-too-infrequent occurrence, and is often getting bashed for being a dated smartphone platform. I have dished out my fair share of criticisms about Windows Mobile, largely due to being such a longtime enthusiast who has grown jaded.

I set my cynical attitude aside and compared WinMo with Android, and the fact of the matter is, WinMo is better than you might think. When you compare the two platforms in the major areas that matter the most, the results may surprise you.

When you talk about what makes a good smartphone, some key abilities are usually mentioned. The ability to run many apps at the same time, multi-tasking, is always at the forefront of such discussions. The number of apps available for a given platform is a hot topic. The user interface is also right up there in discussions about phone platforms. And you can’t overlook the ability of a platform to integrate with the user’s computer desktop, as comments across the web bear witness.

Let’s break down these major abilities and compare Android to Windows Mobile to see how each fares.

Multi-tasking

Android is often touted for its ability to run multiple apps at the same time. My experience with Android phones bears that out — it is a seamless experience running many tasks at the same time. The OS does a good job handling the resources each app needs as it is running, and it makes sure that any app running in the foreground gets the attention it deserves to provide a good user experience.

What is rarely mentioned in the press is that Windows Mobile is an excellent multi-tasking platform. It’s probably not mentioned because WinMo has always been good at multi-tasking. The OS has no problem with tasks running in the background — in fact, it is designed to handle them with aplomb. WinMo automatically changes memory allocation based on the needs of each app, and if the system memory starts to get stretched thin, the OS shuts down background tasks automatically. The user is rarely aware of these system adjustments that are happening all the time, and that’s the way it should be.

WinMo has long been criticized about multi-tasking due to the lack of an app close option. Apps do not shut down by default when exited; they still run in the background. Some users are not used to such behavior and find that to be an undesired feature. Sure, an app developer can include an exit option expressly, but many feel that should be the default action of the OS.

Guess what? Android operates exactly the same way. When the user leaves an app to start something else, the first app keeps running in the background. In a familiar way, an app developer must include an express option to shut down an app when exited. Anyone who has run an Android phone for more than a few minutes should fire up a task manager and have a look. You’ll likely see 20 or more tasks running in the background, not unlike WinMo.

WinMo actually has a big advantage over Android in one area of multi-tasking, and that is how the OS handles user installed applications. WinMo allows them to be installed to either system memory, which can be in the hundreds of megabytes, or on external memory cards such as SD, microSD or miniSD cards. This makes it possible to install an almost unlimited number of apps on a Windows phone.

Android has a huge limitation when it comes to user installed apps. They can only be installed to system memory, and even on the latest and greatest Android phone, the Droid, that is only 256MB. When the system memory gets full, no additional apps can be installed. That’s not even enough storage to install a good game. Android will remain seriously hamstrung until this insane app install limitation is addressed in future versions.

Big advantage:  Windows Mobile

Available apps

We are hearing a lot about the 10,000+ apps available in the Android Market, and it is an outstanding achievement that there are so many apps in such a short time. It is definitely an advantage that the Android platform has evolved so quickly. While Android has only a fraction of the apps that one can find for the iPhone, there are many good ones to meet users’ needs.

Microsoft was late getting to the app store game, with the Marketplace just recently opening its doors. Not a lot of apps are in there yet, which is not surprising given how new the store is to the market. What is rarely discussed are the tens of thousands of apps already widely available for the Windows Mobile platform.

The advantage of an app store is bringing apps into one central location, which makes it easier for customers to find them. Windows Mobile apps have always been sold through a variety of outlets, so customers have to do a little homework to find the app they need.

There almost certainly is already a WinMo app to meet virtually every need a user might have. Search around a little, and new WinMo owners will likely be amazed at the number of apps already available, and the quality of them. Most WinMo developers have been producing apps for a long time, and those applications have evolved over time as apps often do. That means that many apps for Windows phones have grown over time to be robust and complete.

Android’s web browser has been widely acclaimed for being much better than the latest version of Mobile Internet Explorer. That is an accurate claim, and many view this as a big advantage for the Android platform. There are already a number of good third-party browsers for Windows Mobile, and while it would behoove Microsoft to get the browser included in the OS to be more competitive, it really doesn’t matter for users.

Opera Mobile 10 is as good as any mobile browser out there on any platform, and it is free for Windows phone users. It is so exceptional that HTC has been using it as the default browser on its WM phones for years, and with good reason. It demonstrates the quality and quantity of apps available for the WinMo platform. While this is just the web browser application, the same can be said for many application categories. There is usually a good WinMo app to fill a user’s needs.

Advantage: Windows Mobile, with a salute to Android for a better central store

User interface

I have been as vocal as many in lamenting the old, tired interface on Windows Mobile phones. The lack of innovation in the interface design is really showing its age, and Android is currently better in that respect.

The primary difference between the interfaces of the two platforms is that Android is a new OS, and thus, has been written for finger manipulation. It is easier to interact with, and it looks more modern. This is why the Android interface is often thought to be the better of the two.

When you compare the two interfaces, you begin to realize that both of them are simple icon-based “launchers.” The icons for apps and tasks are organized in launcher screens for easy (and sometimes not so easy) access to fire things up. Android is cleaner and easier to interact with, so out of the box I must give it the nod.

You can’t compare interfaces without looking at third-party alternatives; it’s the only fair way to compare the two platforms. Android phones with the stock interface are pretty plain Jane, as is the WinMo interface. The magic happens on both platforms when you start adding third-party interface shells, such as HTC Sense, that transform Android into a very capable interface.

HTC has long produced its own interface for WinMo phones, too, and the latest Sense interface, such as found on the HD2, is amazing. It does for WinMo what it does for Android — adds a highly customizable face on the OS that makes it work the way the user prefers. HTC Sense works in a similar fashion on both platforms, although optimized to take advantage of each OS’ strengths. The end result is that a WinMo phone running Sense is as good as an Android phone running it.

The advantage that WinMo has over Android gets back to the third-party app scene. There are other shells already available that turn a WinMo phone into a user customizable dream interface. Spb Mobile Shell has been out for years, and the latest version is for WinMo what Sense is for Android. The difference is that Mobile Shell is user obtainable, where HTC Sense must be installed on a phone as purchased. That means that WinMo phone owners have the option to put a sophisticated interface on their phone, and customize it to fit the way they prefer to work.

Advantage: Windows Mobile

Computer desktop integration

Many consumers expect, no, need their phones to integrate with their desktop computers. They need a simple way to keep the phone’s contacts, calendars, tasks and email in sync with their desktop environment. For millions, this means syncing the phone with Outlook on the desktop.

Windows Mobile wins in this scenario, hands down. It is designed from the ground up to integrate with both Exchange Servers in the corporate world, and with Outlook environments on the desktop. All aspects of desktop Outlook commingle happily with Mobile Outlook on the Windows Mobile side of things.

On the other hand, consumers who have their desktop environment built around the Google cloud will no doubt find Android to be a better fit. The installed user base of Google services such as Gmail has grown steadily, and it’s big. Android is designed around integration with the Google cloud, so it is the obvious choice for those consumers.

Advantage: Tie — depends on which camp a given user falls in, Outlook or Google

The hot platform of the two is definitely Android, but Windows Mobile still has a lot to offer. While criticized for being an aging platform that has been around seemingly forever, the evolution of the WinMo ecosystem is, in fact, an advantage. If only Microsoft would make that clear.

LG GM750 Mobile Phone

The LG GM750 Mobile Phone is impressive from the very beginning. Available exclusively on Vodafone, this mobile phone has a wide array of interesting features in the offing. Everything about this handset, beginning with the camera is decent enough to not earn a single knock. The GM750 is a Windows Mobile 6.5 smartphone which features a 3″ http://www.mobilephonereviews.org/article/touchscreen-interface-in-mobile-phones/">touch screen display of a 240 x 400 pixel resolution. The camera housed is a very proficient 5 megapixel one with autofocus and LED flash.

This LG Windows Phone is easy to operate, the S-Class user interface does as much. The GM750 supports 3.5G, WiFi and GPS and also gives you access to “pocket” versions of MS Office applications including MS Exchange push email. The handset looks pretty decent, but it can’t be denied that it leans a bit towards the ‘boring’ side.  One can glide through social networking sites like Twitter, Picasa, Facebook and Flickr with the GM750 and also enjoy videos from YouTube.

Operating on a Qualcomm 528 MHz processor, the LG GM750 also sports a multimedia player and FM radio and a large 1500 mAh battery that promises decent amounts of talktime and standby time. There is no end to the number of applications you can play with using this gizmo, simply download all you want! According to LG, the GM750 measures about 109.8 x 53.5 x 12.9mm and has high-speed 3G, so web pages will load in no time! Internal Memory included is 200Mb which can be expanded to up to 32GB  using MicroSD cards. The GM750 is available in pay monthly plans from £25 on the Vodafone network.

Introduction

Like every maker out there, Samsung are keen to keep users coming back for more. But serving, inspiring and entertaining today's crowd is not enough it seems. So the next step is raising future Samsung users. The S3650 Corby is tech-savvy and fresh - just like its target audience. And this entry level touchscreen seems to quite nicely suit both the user's liking and bill-payer's budget.

The S3650 Corby is for youngsters that are keen on technology, for active social networkers, for those who like to personalize and customize. The budget price implies no fancy stuff but the wide range of features is absolutely relevant to the target audience.

Samsung S3650 Corby is a very fresh looking handset too - distinct shape and bold paintjobs. It won't really make much sense in adult hands but the Fashion Jackets - bright-colored interchangeable rear covers - are perhaps as strong a selling point as the capacitive touchscreen. There're two extra Jackets in the retail box to make the time spent with the S3650 Corby even more personal experience.

On the social side, the Samsung S3650 Corby offers Facebook, MySpace and Twitter integration, while photo and video sharing are taken care of with direct uploads to YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket. You can update your status on the various social networking sites and receive updates from your friends via a neat pop-up notification feature. All that is a tap away on the 2.8" capacitive touchscreen.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/EDGE
  
• 2.8" capacitive TFT touchscreen of QVGA resolution
  
• 90 MB onboard storage, microSD card slot (up to 8GB)
  
• 2 megapixel fixed-focus camera with smile detection, QVGA@15fps video recording
  
  
• FM radio with RDS
  
• Find Music recognition service
  
• TouchWiz and Cartoon UI
  
• Social networking integration with direct file uploads
  
• Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB v.2.0
  
• Office document viewer
  
• Smart unlock
  
• Interchangeable rear covers (Fashion Jackets), ships with two extra panels
  
• Relatively low price for a full touch phone (around 150 euro)
  

Main disadvantages

• No 3G
  
  
• The camera has no autofocus or flash
  
• No accelerometer for screen auto rotation
  
• No on-screen QWERTY keyboard
  
• Proprietary connectivity port
  
• No smart dialing
  
• microSD slot under the battery cover
  

Samsung S3650 live shots • S3650 Corby's fresh paintjobs

Budget and low end can be easily mixed up with the Corby. But along with the features mentioned above, the basic handset has a lot of the technology used in the more expensive Samsung Jet. The S3650 Corby supports the same finger zoom feature, it has smart unlock and runs the widget-based TouchWiz user interface - not to mention the nice Samsung's home-brew web browser.

Samsung S3650 Corby style photos

The S3650 Corby is by no means different than the latest crop of low and midrange Samsung touchscreens but its distinct styling and targeting sure make it worth a peek. Hit the jump for more cool photos and a 3D spin. We then proceed with handling and ergonomics.

Twelve months ago HTC shook up the Windows Mobile world with the launch of the Touch HD, a smartphone that offered a vast touchscreen, lashings of connectivity and the latest version of their UI tweaking, TouchFLO 3D, to produce what was hitherto thought impossible: an alluring Windows Phone. Now, the company have attempted just such a revolution with Windows Mobile 6.5 in the shape of the HTC HD2. They’ve upped their game with a speedy Snapdragon processor, even vaster display and a fresh UI that’s been educated by their recent work on Android. Can the HTC HD2 again do the unthinkable, and give us a reason to love Windows Mobile?

As you’ll have seen from our unboxing and initial hands-on, the HD2 isn’t exactly a retiring, discrete device. Measuring in at 120.5 x 67 x 11 mm (4.74 x 2.64 x 0.42 inches) it’s long and broad but surprisingly thin; in comparison, the Touch HD is 115 x 62.8 x 12 mm and the iPhone 3GS is 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm, meaning they’re both a little shorter and narrower but actually minutely thicker than the HD2. In the hand it feels even thinner, thanks to the tapering curve of the backplate and the subtly bevelled edges, though it’s a reasonably hefty device at 157g (5.54 oz) compared to the Touch HD’s 147g (5.185oz) and the 3GS’ 135g (4.8oz). As for materials, HTC have used soft-touch plastic for the top and bottom rear panels, broken up by the metal battery cover; it feels an expensive, quality design, and there’s no creaking or flexing. It’s also surprisingly pocketable: we’ve been carrying it in our front jeans pocket with no issues, though it also slips neatly into a jacket pocket, predominantly because of the thinness.

HTC HD2 unboxing:

The expanse of fascia is put to good use with a huge touchscreen, the glass front of which explains some of the HD2’s weight. Considering there’s relatively little difference between the HD2 and the Touch HD face-on, the fact that HTC have squeezed in a 4.3-inch LCD versus the older phone’s 3.7-inches is amazing. As before, it runs at 800 x 480 WVGA, but this time around HTC have used a capacitive panel rather than a resistive one. That means there’s no stylus for pecking at the screen or using handwriting recognition, but HTC have more than made up for the latter’s omission with the addition of multitouch woven through Windows Mobile 6.5. Hardware controls are squeezed down to a single row running along the bottom of the display – talk/send, home, start, back and end/power – with a volume rocker on the left-hand side; unlike other HTC handsets there’s no lock/unlock button on the top edge, with the power key doubling up for that purpose.

It’s hard not to be blown away by the quality of the HD2’s LCD. Colors are incredibly vibrant, edges crisp and pictures incredibly contrast-rich. While we’ll come to HTC Sense’s UI enhancements later, the default weather display – which has migrated from being locked in its tab and now sends clouds, thunder, lightning and rain roaming across the full home pane – is mesmerizing, and the menus have a welcome splash of color compared to TouchFLO 3D’s more monochrome scheme. As for the touch responsiveness, we found the HD2 requires a little more pressure than the iPhone 3GS, but it’s a very minor difference and casual sweeping gestures feel natural and intuitive. Going back to a resistive touchscreen after the HD2, even the decent one on the Touch HD, is a recipe for disappointment.

While the excellent capacitive panel is half of the story, the HD2 owes the rest of its hardware magic to its chipset. Unlike the somewhat tired 528MHz Qualcomm processors we’ve seen in recent HTC models (both in its Windows Mobile and Android ranges) the HD2 gets a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor paired with 512MB of ROM and 448MB of RAM. This isn’t, of course, the first time we’ve seen Snapdragon on a Windows Mobile device – the Toshiba TG01 was first to market with it, though it proved less of a draw than we expected – but it’s the first time we’ve really seen the chipset shine. There’s practically no lag in moving between applications, pages and menus render instantly, and even with a dozen applications running in the background – WinMo6.5 seems as reluctant to automatically close them as its predecessors were – there’s no slow-down.

Connectivity comes as no disappointment either. The HD2 supports quadband GSM (850/950/1800/1900) and dualband HSPA/WCDMA 900/2100 in its Europe/Asia-Pacific form, though HTC promise the latter will be tweaked for US bands when it arrives in North America early in 2010. There’s also WiFi b/g, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (with pretty much all the profiles you might want, including A2DP stereo audio) and – for the first time on an HTC Windows Phone – a microUSB port rather than the company’s own, proprietary ExtUSB connector. On the base, next to the USB port, is a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

There are also plenty of other sensors stuffed inside, with GPS, a digital compass and an accelerometer. Meanwhile an ambient light sensor and proximity sensor both cluster up by the earpiece, used to automatically adjust the screen backlight and turn the panel on or off when you’re holding it to your face during a conversation. Finally, on the back there’s a 5-megapixel autofocus camera and a dual-LED flashlight, though you don’t get a dedicated camera shortcut key.

Even with all that connectivity, even with the excellent touchscreen and decent build-quality, with Windows Mobile 6.5 alone the HD2 wouldn’t succeed. What makes the key difference is HTC’s work on augmenting, tweaking and – in various places – completely replacing Microsoft’s native UI with their own. On the HD2 it’s called HTC Sense, and it borrows much of the UI work that the company did to such good effect on the HTC Hero Android smartphone. Sense, HTC have previously explained to us, is the culmination of three or more years’ work fettling mobile interfaces, and it’s what differentiates the company as probably the key Windows Mobile licensee right now.

The Hero’s menu structure hasn’t been wholly dragged over to the HD2. Instead, much of what’s familiar from various iterations of TouchFLO 3D is still in place, only brought neatly up to date. The homescreen still consists of various tabs, navigated either by dragging the control bar along the bottom of the screen or, more simply, swiping with a finger or thumb to the left or the right. This latest version has Home, People, Messages, Mail, Internet, Calendar, Stocks, Photos & Videos, Music, Weather, Footprints, Twitter and Settings panes, most of which have been modified in some way from their previous formats. With the exception of Home you can rearrange or hide any tab.

With all the extra screen real-estate to play with, we’re glad to see HTC have reworked the panes to offer more information. The home tab gets the usual large clock with a small weather preview integrated, with a small calendar preview box for imminent events and the next scheduled alarm directly underneath. Finally, there’s a row of three user-assignable shortcut buttons, and you can drag the screen up to reveal several more. These can be linked to apps, webpages or individuals for instant speed-dial. Tapping on the main clock takes you to the world clock, while tapping the calendar or alarm boxes takes you through to either the calendar tab or the alarm control respectively.

The People, Messages, Mail, Calendar, Stocks and Internet tabs have all gained more shortcuts or bigger previews, to suit the larger display, as has the Photos & Videos tab. The Weather tab shows a full five-day forecast – today’s weather up-top, the next four days in a row underneath – and offers the same shortcut access to a weather site as previously. The Music pane is little changed but the controls are larger and more finger-friendly.

Footprints is HTC’s geotagging app, and as we’ve seen on other devices it’s a reasonably useful tool if you like to maintain a record of where you’ve been. It allows you to snap a photo – embedded with your GPS position – and then add voice notes, text and a star rating to remind you about that location at a later date. We still wish HTC would add some sort of comprehensive sharing feature, which would allow you to swap points-of-interest with other Footprints users, or even have them flagged up whenever the phone spots you’re near a Footprint memory that someone else has “left behind”.

Twitter, meanwhile, is the same HTC Peep client from Android, and it works fairly well. As well as showing your Twitter stream in the homescreen pane, you can also tap into the app and then swipe across to see @ replies, direct messages and any starred tweets that you’ve marked as a favorite. It’s possible to respond directly from Peep, as well as send direct messages or tweet your location, though you can only have one account logged in at any one time. You can also see other users’ profiles, browse their recent messages and follow/unfollow them from the Peep UI. Updates can be set to manual or at regular intervals, though the most frequent is every five minutes, and you can choose between several settings for the number of tweets to download. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Peep is trying to navigate a long list of messages; the kinetic scrolling is relatively slow, and while other apps – such as SMS or email lists – have a handy little drag-tab that you can “pull out” from the right-hand side of the screen with a quick thumb-swipe, then speedily drag up or down, there’s no such thing in Peep. If there’s a way to double-tap to speed to the top of the list, we haven’t found the right place to tap.

HTC have been steadily adding more options to the Settings tab, and on the HD2 it’s now the central place to modify most of the phone’s core functionality rather than merely a shortcut to Windows Mobile’s own menu. The settings button in the regular WinMo Start honeycomb links to this tab too, and you can then go in and play with the wireless settings, change wallpapers and how the screen behaves, and make other tweaks. Like just about all the pop-up and contextual menus we could find, HTC have reskinned the settings pages with large, finger-friendly buttons and kinetic scrolling lists, and there are plenty of easily-controlled toggle switches rather than old-fashioned check-boxes.

There are a few unusual decisions – or, dare we say, remnants of Microsoft’s handiwork – left over, however. For instance, while the Data section of settings allows you to choose how often ActiveSync updates during peak and off-peak times (from instantly, through to every four hours or manually), to actually change what are considered peak/off-peak times you have to go into ActiveSync itself, through the Start menu. Other times it’s unclear where exactly a setting is lurking; the event – new SMS, email, etc – alert dialog has toggle switches for the various sounds, but unless you tap the text itself you might never find that this particular sub-menu leads to a sub-sub-menu where you can change the sound itself.

There’s also none of the widgets we so enjoyed in HTC Sense on the Hero, since the homescreen concept is different between Android and Windows Mobile. While you can have numerous shortcuts to applications – such as the preloaded Facebook app – you can’t add a new pane to the roster and see, say, friends’ status updates direction from the homescreen.

That’s a shame, because Facebook is the other social networking service with which HTC have done the most work to integrate. Like on the Hero, if you choose to log in to Facebook the HD2 will pull in contacts from there and intermingle them with your regular address book. Duplicates are merged (and you can manually connect any the system omits, usually only the case if people have used different names) and from each contact entry you can see their profile pictures and their recent status updates. One missing feature is Flickr integration: the Hero allows you to link a Flickr account with each contact entry, and see those galleries too, but that’s not present on the HD2.

HTC HD2 first-boot:

It’s slick, but even reskinned it’s hard to escape the fact that Windows Mobile lags behind webOS and Android for natively integrating various social networks into the core system. Still, it’s a very usable setup, and coupled with some of the contact linking systems HTC have already used on devices like the Touch Pro2 and Diamond2, which show you recent SMS, email and calls with each contact in different tabs, plus the ability to trigger new conversations by tapping on the contact’s name wherever you see it, and it makes the HD2 far easier to navigate. There’s none of that app-hopping feeling you used to get with Windows Phones.

While there’s no hardware QWERTY keyboard on the HD2, the smartphone’s vast touchscreen means that’s all but negligible. HTC’s reworked on-screen keyboard systems have been carried over from their recent Android devices, and the combination of (individually switchable) auto-correction and word prediction are fantastic. In portrait orientation the keys are ideally sized to hold the HD2 with one hand and peck with one or two fingers on the other; flip into landscape orientation – which is an almost instantaneous rotate – and it’s the perfect layout for two-handed use. Gripping the HD2 with your fingers and reaching over with both thumbs, we’ve found typing on the HTC is quicker than using many hardware keyboards.

Unfortunately, the few issues we’ve had with software on the HD2 have also related to the keyboard. On a couple of occasions we’ve seen strange lag in keys recognising they’ve been pressed: either the tap is missed altogether, or there’s a pause before the HD2 vibrates and the letter appears on-screen. Despite our testing, it’s proved difficult to find replicable situations when this happens, but it mars an otherwise incredible text-entry system. There’s also a bizarre omission of landscape keyboard support in HTC Peep, which undermines a little the HD2’s Twitter-heavyweight status.

If Footprints is to remind you where you’ve been, then Google Maps is to tell you where to go. We wish HTC had access to Google’s latest Maps Navigation beta, as debuted on the Android 2.0 Motorola DROID, but we doubt we’ll see that app – which delivers turn-by-turn directions, voice-prompts, text-to-speech and other niceties – on Windows Mobile any time soon. Instead you’re looking at the same Google Maps install that’s familiar from previous Windows Phones, though don’t underestimate how much easier it is to navigate when you’re working with a 4.3-inch display. Given that some standalone PNDs have smaller panels, that’s quite an advantage. We found the GPS itself to be reasonably accurate, while panning through the maps was only limited by the speed of our connection – the HD2 kept up with all the scrolling, pinch-zooming and screen-rotating we tried, with no delay at all.

Those gestures – and that decent lick of speed – is shared by the browser, aided by the fact that HTC have continued to shun Microsoft’s own Internet Explorer Mobile (which we found struggled to render pages correctly) and instead make Opera Mobile the default. It’s a capable browser on even compact smartphones, so give Opera 4.3-inches to play with and the HD2 web experience really shines. Zooming is impressive whether you double-tap to bring up a block of text or an image – the screen reflowing accordingly – or whether you pinch with multitouch, and pages are quick to load. We ran some comparison tests against the Nokia N900, another device with an excellent browser, and were blown away by the HD2’s rendering speed. As you can see from the table below, with two exceptions the HD2 consistently outperformed the N900 on the same WiFi connection accessing a range of common sites.  It’s worth noting that our timings ran from the moment we hit ‘Go’ to the moment the phone browser stopped loading; you could actually be reading through each page sooner than the total time taken (adverts, in particular, loaded slower than core site content).

Media playback on Windows Phones still lacks the finesse that the iPhone offers, and while HTC Sense does improve the GUI of the HD2’s PMP functionality, it’s still not as intuitive as Apple’s devices. Similarly, loading content either onto the HD2’s internal storage or, more likely, a microSD card isn’t as straightforward as iTunes makes it. This isn’t unique to the HD2 – or even to Windows Mobile – but it’s a frustration all the same. Thankfully once you’ve got your content on the handset, audio and video performance are both excellent. The HD2 manages to squeeze in a reasonable speaker, and the standard 3.5mm headphone jack outputs excellent, hiss-free audio. Video playback is as judder-free and crisp as you’d expect from the Snapdragon processor and 4.3-inch display, respectively.

Photos from the 5-megapixel camera unfortunately look better on the HD2’s display than they do when you get them off-device. We’ve criticised recent handsets from the company for failing to live up to their megapixel count, and sadly the HD2 seems to be continuing the family tradition. Daylight shots show unusual coloring, while night shots suffer by virtue of the LED flash having a relatively narrow breadth of effectiveness. On the other hand, close-up pictures are surprisingly crisp and clear, and those hoping to use the HD2 to send text off to transcription apps such as Evernote and OneNote will be impressed with the results. Touch focus works well, and the camera is quicker to lock focus than any HTC we’ve used in recent memory. There are some sample shots – full-sized and unedited – in the gallery. As for video recording, maximum resolution is 640x 480 and the results are fair, if a little short on crisp focus. We’d still recommend a Flip camcorder or similar over the HD2, but for spontaneous uploads to YouTube the video function should suffice. On that note, such uploads are made very straightforward thanks to HTC Sense’s YouTube integration.

Recent HTC phones have been strong performers when it comes to basic phone tasks, and the HD2 is no different. While it lacks the excellent speakerphone system of the Pro2 – likely because they couldn’t fit in the required microphone array and larger-than-average speaker – it’s nonetheless loud and clear. The proximity sensor, which controls the display while you’re on a call, is quick to act and very useful, and helps avoid those accidental-hang-ups when you inadvertently cut off a call while trying to flick the screen back on. HTC have also added in a few neat uses of the other sensors they have to play with; you can have the HD2 automatically increase ring volume if it thinks it’s in a pocket or bag, and you can also set it to quieten the ring if you pick up the phone, for example while checking caller ID. If you then decide not to answer, flipping the HD2 screen-down onto the desk will silence it. None of it is rocket science, of course, but it adds up to a more intuitive way of interacting with the phone.

Another example of that is the HTC WiFi connection sharing app, which turns the HD2 into a sort of MiFi. While there have been other apps on Windows Mobile and other smartphones which do the same thing – allow you to tether a WiFi client to them, and share the handset’s 3G connection – this new app is particularly more straightforward, automatically securing the connection and prompting you with a passcode. Our only reservation about it is its limit to one WiFi client connected at any time, unlike the Novatel MiFi which supports up to five simultaneously. Still, if you’re short of a WiFi hotspot and have an unlimited data plan, it’s a great way to get online in a pinch.

When we met with HTC at the HD2’s launch, one of our key concerns was the handset’s battery life. CEO Peter Chou assured us that they’d been working to ensure at least a full-day of use from a single charge, but with a relatively compact 1,230mAh battery we had our doubts. In practice, though, the HD2 has proved surprisingly capable, getting us through a day with Exchange push email turned on, frequent web browsing, some media playback, messaging and the occasional call. Nightly charges are par for the course in smartphones right now, and while we’d like a nightstand-friendly docking cradle like some rival handsets are offering, we can’t fault the HD2 for its runtimes.

Speaking of cradles, HTC may not offer a desktop dock but they are planning an in-car holder. That will grip to the dashboard or windshield and, using a replacement battery cover with a special port, hold the HD2 in portrait or landscape orientation. It’ll also trigger a special navigation-themed menu, which has proved otherwise inaccessible despite our exploration of the smartphone. The car cradle for the HD2 won’t be available until December, we’ve heard.

Similarly unclear is the availability of the HD2 itself. HTC announced earlier this week that it was already shipping in Europe, would arrive in Asia come November, and on a “major carrier” in the US in early 2010. Nonetheless, it’s still proving difficult to find, as is a price. Preorder prices in the UK are hovering around the £439 point ($730) SIM-free and unlocked, though obviously contract prices will be lower. In the US, we’d expect this to be at the top end for smartphones, which could be anything from $200 to $400 depending on carrier and wireless plan. HTC are promising more details closer to US launch.

There’s certainly a lot for the HTC HD2 to live up to. Not only does it have the legacy of the game-changing Touch HD hanging over it, it arguably represents the best chance of ongoing success for the Windows Mobile platform, at least among mainstream consumers. The good news is that it’s a tremendously capable device, though the irony is that HTC have had to throw our or rework much of what Microsoft have done in order to get the HD2 to that stage. Windows Mobile 6.5 still lurks underneath, but HTC Sense all but smothers it in a UI that’s intuitive and flexible.

It’s not a perfect smartphone – the camera, for instance falls short of what we’d expect from a flagship handset – but its strengths certainly outweigh its failings. We’d have difficulty overstating how well internet access is handled, and the HD2 could legitimately be called a MID-smartphone crossover; the combination of speed and screen size comfortably place it ahead of phone rivals. Underscoring all that is decent phone performance and the sort of build quality you’d expect for what will be a premium price. Microsoft can breathe a huge sigh of relief, because HTC have just given them the handset that bridges the gap between now and Windows Mobile 7.

Design

The Cliq doesn't break new ground designwise; however, it broadens the hardware options available to Android users. It's the first device since the G1 to offer a full QWERTY keyboard and it beats its predecessor on that front by having a more comfortable key layout. The slider mechanism is also improved over the G1's swing-out arrangement. At 4.49 inches tall by 2.28 inches wide by 0.61 inches thick, the Cliq is big enough to have a solid feel while remaining portable. The construction and moving parts are sturdy and we like the textured battery cover. The Cliq is available in titanium and winter white, but the features are the same on both models.

Display and interface

Though it's just 3.1 inches wide--we prefer touch screens to be at least 3.25 inches wide--its high resolution (480x320 pixels) and rich color support (262,000 colors) make it easy on the eyes. The Cliq adds two additional home screen for a total of five, but it offers the same level of customization. You can add folders, shortcuts from the main menu, a widget displaying tips for using the phone, a weather app, and news feeds in several categories. The Google search bar is in its usual place on the home screen and there's a new shortcut to the music player. Meanwhile, the primary home screen is populated automatically with messages and "happenings" from MotoBlur. We'll drill down to the MotoBlur details in the Features section.

On the bottom of the display is the pull-tab for the main menu, which is unchanged from other Android 1.5 devices. Yet, the Cliq also offers some unique touches. You'll find a shortcut to your contacts list and a Talk control for accessing the dialer, your recent calls list, a frequent calls list, and a new speed dial option. Its dialer also uses square buttons instead of circles and it adds convenient shortcuts to the voice dialer and your contacts list. Once you're on a call, you can mute the sound, activate the speakerphone, and access the dialpad easier than on the MyTouch 3G. The improvements are small, but they make a big difference.

You can adjust the display brightness and backlighting time and the e-mail font size. The Cliq's security lock options are more plentiful than on previous Android phones. You can set the security lock time and choose whether to unlock the handset with a code or a pattern. It has a proximity sensor and, thanks to the accelerometer, the display orientation will change automatically when you open the slider and when you rotate the phone in your hands. The capacitive touch interface is responsive, whether you're selecting items or scrolling through long lists. Like on the MyTouch 3G, the display has Haptics feedback only for a "long press" (see the MyTouch 3G review for more information).

Controls and keyboard

Below the display are three physical controls: a home button, a back control, and a menu control. The menu control will activate the display when it's dimmed and open shortcuts for adding folders and widgets, changing the wallpaper, opening Google search and notifications, and accessing the Settings menu. The controls are flat, but you can find them by feel. For ending calls, there's an onscreen control rather than a physical button.

The Cliq's exterior features include a volume rocker, a handy ring silencer switch, and a Micro-USB port on the left spine. We're happy to report that the port is used only for the charger and a USB syncing cable. Like the HTC Hero, the Motorola Cliq has a standard 3.5-millimeter headset jack on its top end--nice. On its left spine are a camera shutter and a power control/handset locking key. The latter also brings up a menu for activating Wi-Fi, airplane mode, GPS, and Bluetooth. The Cliq's camera lens sits on its back and doesn't have a self-portrait mirror or a flash. Those are disappointing omissions on a 5-megapixel camera phone and we don't like that the microSD card slot is behind the battery cover.

As we mentioned, the Cliq has a great physical keyboard. In fact, it's one of the roomiest and most ergonomic we've seen. Its keys are raised so we could dial by feel and bang out long text messages quickly without making mistakes. What's more, the letters on the keys are relatively large and brightly backlit. It would be nice to have four rows of keys instead of three--as it is, numbers share space with the top row of letters--but that's a minor point. Fortunately, the top of row isn't squashed up next to the bottom of the slider.

Other controls include an Alt button for accessing punctuation (which also shares space with letters), a search button, a shortcut for an onscreen symbols keyboard, back and return keys, and a sizeable spacebar that's located in the center of the bottom row. You'll also find a handy toggle and central OK button for scrolling through menus. If you don't absolutely need physical keys, the Cliq offers a standard Android touch keyboard as well. Though, we admit, we're satisfied with an onscreen keyboard, the Cliq's stellar physical keyboard makes us yearn for its touch beneath our fingers.

Accessories

T-Mobile includes an AC adapter, a USB cable, 2GB microSD card, a stereo headset, and reference material with the Cliq. For more add-ons, check out our cell phone accessories, ring tones, and help page.

Contacts

The Cliq's contact list works a bit differently than previous Android phones did, but at the base level, it will be familiar for most people. It has a traditional phone book with room in each entry for eight phone numbers, four e-mail addresses, an IM handle, a birthday and anniversary, a postal address, a company or organization name, and notes. You can save callers to groups and assign a photo and one of 55 polyphonic ringtones. Space in the phone book is limited by the devices available memory, but the SIM card holds an additional 250 names. The Cliq also supports T-Mobile's MyFaves service that gives you unlimited calls to five contacts, regardless of carrier. Individual plans for MyFaves start at $29.99 a month.

MotoBlur

MotoBlur merges your phone contacts with your friends and colleagues from e-mail accounts (corporate, Gmail, and Yahoo) and supported social-media networks (Facebook, Picasa, MySpace, Twitter, Photobucket, and Last.fm). The result is a master list of contacts similar to the Palm Pre's Synergy feature. Like with Synergy, it's up to you whether you want your personal contacts mixed up in one list--some might like the convenience while others may not want their worlds colliding. Luckily, you can link and unlink contacts (for example, you may not want a business colleague's work e-mail and Facebook information showing up in one entry).

The MotoBlur set-up process is easy. When you start the phone the first time, it will prompt you to register your various e-mail account and social media profiles. As this process replaces the traditional Gmail sign-on required on other Android phones, you can use the Cliq without having a Gmail address; however, at least one other e-mail is required. We registered our Yahoo, CNET e-mail, and Facebook profile, though you can pick the services you'd like to use. After completing the set-up, the contacts merge was quick and efficient. To limit duplicates, be sure that your contact names are listed identically in your various lists. MotoBlur will also pull in profile pictures and use them for photo caller ID.

Your contacts list also will display your friends' status updates (from Facebook, Twitter, and so on) and a "history" view that shows the contacts you have exchanged recent e-mails or messages. Also, under each contact you can see a list of their history and their latest status updates. For even more customization, you can filter your contacts by its source. Just be aware that contacts not stored on the phone's internal memory will not be saved to T-Mobile Backup.

But MotoBlur doesn't stop there; it also adds a series of widgets to the home screen. The "Happenings" widget displays the latest status updates, photos, events and tweets from Facebook, Last.fm, and Twitter. You can add and view comments and write on a contact's Facebook wall. For any further Facebook action, however, you will need to download the Facebook app from the Android Market or access the mobile version of the Web site. The Social Status widget lets you update Facebook, MySpace and Twitter from the home screen, and the Messages widget display everything sent to you via text, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace in a "universal in-box." It will display unread messages only; if you want to read the message again, you'll need to access each account through the main menu.

Though MotoBlur does a lot, we're still on the fence as to whether we like it. When all the widgets are active, the constant flow of information can be overwhelming and somewhat of a (forgive us) blur. Indeed, the small LED above the display was blinking constantly to show that we had a new message or happening. We admit that it is convenient to have everything all in one place, and we acknowledge that you can customize your information flow, but it's also a bit creepy to see our entire lives displayed on one little screen. We shudder to think what would happen if we lost our Cliq or if it was stolen. Though members of a younger generation might feel differently (Moto calls them "connected socializers"), we don't think we have time to see what every contact is doing right at a given moment.

Even with those reservations, we give Motorola props for creating a fresh and unique look in the Android universe. It's been a long time since the company has given us something new, though we wonder if MotoBlur is a sign that Moto is transitioning from focusing on hardware to software. MotoBlur will appear on other Motorola devices, but the interface will remain an integral part of the Cliq experience.

Other features

Basic features include text and multimedia messaging, a vibrate mode, a calculator, and an alarm clock. As we said in our MyTouch 3G review, a few more organization apps--such as a world clock, a notepad, a file manager, and a to-do list--would be nice. Beyond the basics, you'll have 802.11b Wi-Fi, USB mass storage, Google voice search, Google Talk, instant messaging, visual voice mail, stereo Bluetooth, PC syncing, and speaker-independent voice dialing. The Cliq also comes integrated with news and weather feeds, and apps from Shazam and Imeem Mobile.

E-mail and calendar


The Cliq's e-mail options are extensive. You can add POP3 services such as Yahoo, Hotmail, and Windows Live as well as sync with corporate accounts that use Outlook Web Access (OWA). After successfully adding our Yahoo and corporate accounts during the MotoBlur set-up process, our e-mail messages arrived without delay. The syncing of our CNET OWA account was mostly quick and seamless, and we much welcome the improvements over the MyTouch 3G. Not only are in-box folders arranged in alphabetical order (the MyTouch 3G listed folders randomly), but also folder synced automatically when we opened them. We also like that the integrated Quickoffice support for viewing and editing Microsoft Excel and Word documents.