Feature and Fashion Phones

Feature and Fashion Phones

Sony Ericsson W580i The new mid-level Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson is available from AT&T and unlocked from SonyStyle (we review both versions). This quad band GSM phone has EDGE for data and is small, really small. The slider design is sturdy and the curvy profile is attractive. It's available in white, black and gray and it has the usual full-featured Walkman phone music player, excellent audio quality, Music ID and an FM radio. The 2 megapixel camera takes quite good shots and there's a Memory Stick Micro slot to save photos and store music.	AT&T and unlocked	Oct. 2007
Sony Ericsson K850i The new flagship Cybershot phone from Sony Ericsson takes aim at the Nokia N95 with its 5 megapixel camera with autofocus lens and Xenon flash. This quad unlocked GSM import phone will work with any GSM carrier, and it has triband 3G UMTS and HSDPA that likewise will work anywhere in the world 3G is available (including the US on AT&T). The phone features touch controls, Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth, a Sony PSP-like media player, great music playback and a better than average feature phone browser thanks to Netfront on board. It also does email and push email with Exchange. Like the iPhone, it does that cool screen rotate when you turn the phone, but only in the Media app.	Unlocked GSM	Oct. 2007
LG Chocolate VX8550 The second generation of the popular LG Chocolate is slightly smaller, lighter and comes in three new colors: black, blue mint and black cherry. This slider phone sports a touch wheels that's much easier to use than the original Chocolate, and it's got LED lights for those who like a tasteful bit of bling with a finger-fling. The phone has a microSD slot and a generous heaping of internal memory for storing tunes and more. Bluetooth A2DP means you can listen to your tunes wirelessly over a stereo Bluetooth headset and the phone has EV-DO and supports Verizon's V Cast service. The 1.3 megapixel camera and bright QVGA remain unchanged from the first gen LG Chocolate.	Verizon	Sept. 2007
Sanyo Katana DLX The original Katana was popular and now we have two replacements, the Katana II and the Katana DLX. The DLX is the more upscale version with a 1.3 megapixel camera, EV-DO with support for Sprint's Power Vision services, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP stereo, a microSD expansion slot, music player and more. It's available in three colors, so don't worry guys-- you don't have to go with pink.	Sprint	Aug. 2007
LG MUZIQ Behind the trendy name, we find a very good music and multimedia-oriented feature phone for the price. The MUZIQ (pronounced "music") is all about listening to tunes, with a wide selection of supported audio formats. It's compatible with up to 4 gig microSD cards, so you can carry plenty of music with you. In addition it's got EVDO and Sprint TV for eye candy and visual entertainment and A2DP Bluetooth stereo support for high quality sound. The MUZIQ is offered by Sprint, and it goes on sale July 15th.	Sprint	July 2007
Samsung M510 This mid-priced feature phone from Sprint comes in pink for the bold, and black for the staid. It packs quite a few features into a small and comfy package, including Power Vision EVDO, Sprint TV, a 1.3MP camera, music player, expansion slot, Bluetooth with A2DP stereo, very good call quality and decent personal organizer applications.	Sprint	June 2007
Samsung u620 Of the two TV phones from Verizon, the Samsung is the smaller and more palm-friendly. Boasting similar specs to its competitor, the LG VX9400, the u620 has a digital TV tuner for broadcast TV over-the-air using Verizon's Mobile TV service, a 2" color display, Bluetooth 1.2 with A2DP stereo headset support, EVDO and a 1.3 megapixel camera. This slider phone feels great in the hand and will fit in most any pocket, though it's by no means terribly thin.	Verizon	May 2007
LG VX8700 The "Verizon Shine" is an extremely good looking fashion phone that's about more than looking pretty. This stainless steel clad thin flip phone has a lovely display, a music player, microSD card slot, a 2 megapixel camera that takes pleasing photos and video, and it has Bluetooth with a good compliment of profiles including A2DP for stereo headphones and DUN.	Verizon	April 2007
LG VX9400 One of Verizon's first two TV phones, the LG has a roomy 2.2" color display with excellent color that's perfect for watching video and TV. For those of you new to mobile TV, this is Verizon's 8 channel broadcast digital TV service and it does not use EVDO but rather over-the-air broadcast with a digital TV tuner inside the phone. But the VX9400 isn't just a really tiny TV, it's a strong mobile phone with an interesting twist-display that transitions from portrait to landscape. It offers very good reception, pleasing call quality, an MP3 player, Bluetooth with A2DP and a decent 1.3 megapixel camera with flash.	Verizon	April 2007
Samsung UpStage We'll resist the Face Off jokes and instead praise Samsung and Sprint who've come up with an innovative new design while most feature phones on the US market seem destined for bit parts in the clone wars. The UpStage literally has two sides: one looks and works like a standard cell phone with number pad and the other looks something like an iPod nano, with a touch sensitive pad and 2.1" color display. This Sprint phone clearly wants to be your MP3 player and phone rolled into one. It's extremely thin and quite small, and comes with a slim wallet case that packs an extended battery. The UpStage has Bluetooth with A2DP stereo support, a 1.3MP camera, EVDO and costs only $149.	Sprint	April 2007
Samsung u740 This new Verizon flips in two directions:it opens like a normal clamshell phone and it can also flip to landscape mode, like a tiny laptop. Though the phone is incredibly slim, small and light, it has a sturdy 2-way hinge. Why landscape mode? The u740 has a small QWERTY keyboard that targets texters who don't want a bulkier phone like the LG enV. The Samsung has EVDO, Bluetooth, a 1.3MP camera with flash, microSD card slot and a music player. All in a package slightly smaller than a RAZR.	Verizon	March 2007
LG VX8600 Like the LG Chocolate but want a flip phone with more traditional controls? Check out the LG VX8600 which boasts many of the same features in super-slim, fashion-friendly package. The LG is offered by Verizon in the US, and it has a music player with stereo-out capabilities, EVDO, VZ Navigator capabilities, MicroSD slot, voice dialing, Bluetooth and a good 1.3MP camera.	Verizon	Feb. 2006
Samsung M610 Samsung is out-slimming Motorola when it comes to flip phones. The M610 on Sprint is one of their latest super-thin clamshell phones, and despite the small size it packs a strong set of features including EVDO (Power Vision), a good 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, QVGA display, voice dialing and a MicroSD card slot.	Sprint	Feb. 2006
LG VX900 - enV The follow up to the LG VX9800 improves on a good thing with a 2MP camera, even better QWERTY keyboard and a robust set of Bluetooth profiles. The enV is offered by Verizon Wireless in the US and it looks like a candy bar phone but opens up notebook style to reveal a sharp QVGA inner display, stereo speakers and thumb keyboard. If you're a heavy texter, this EVDO and V Cast enabled phone should be on your short list.	Verizon	Dec. 2006
Samsung t629 This attractive and well made slider phone packs a lot of features for a low price. It has a good 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, a music player, EDGE and MicroSD expansion slot. The quad band GSM t629 is offered by T-Mobile in the US.	T-Mobile	Dec. 2006
Samsung Trace t519 This is perpetually in, and the Samsung Trace is even slimmer than the Motorola SLVR L7 and the older Samsung t509s. Not just a pretty face, this quad band phone has EDGE, Bluetooth, a 1.3MP camera and a MicroSD memory expansion slot which comes in handy when using the phone's built-in music player.	T-Mobile	Nov. 2006
Samsung A900M Sprint's updated A900 features Bluetooth, an excellent QVGA display and Power Vision to feed that EVDO and streaming video addiction. The A900M competes with the Motorola RAZR which Sprint recently picked up, and it's thin, light and attractive dressed in black. It's got a music player, 1.3MP camera and lots of memory to store photos and music downloads. Well worth a peek if you like the RAZR look but want a phone that can do more.	Sprint	Oct. 2006
LG CU500 One of the phones in Cingular's slim 3G portfolio nonetheless has much to offer for a relatively low price tag. The CU500 supports UMTS and HSDPA on the US bands, works well with Cingular Video and it has Bluetooth, a 1.3MP camera, voice dialing, stereo speakers and an MP3 player. Well worth a look if you're looking for a phone that has fast data on GSM networks.	Cingular	Oct. 2006
Motorola KRZR K1m If you've got Rolex and Jaguar tastes but a high end Toyota budget the MOTOKRZR calls to you. This undeniably good looking phone is small, sexy and looks tres high class. Not only that, it actually has great voice quality and is very easy to use. The KRZR has a 1.3MP camera, Micro SD card slot, music player and EVDO for high speed data and V Cast entertainment on Verizon's nework. If you're looking for a head turner and don't want every feature under the sun, check out the KRZR.	Verizon	Sept. 2006
Sony Ericsson W810i The latest Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson not only holds more songs than an iTunes phone but it's got a great 2 megapixel camera as well. Looking more stately than the day-glow orange swiveling W600i, this phone is small, great looking and easy to use. It's a quad band GSM world phone with EDGE that's currently sold unlocked but will likely be picked up by Cingular in the US. It also has Bluetooth, an FM radio and Memory Stick Duo slot with 512 meg card in the box. Quite a lot in a small package!	Cingular & Unlocked GSM versions available	July & Sept. 2006
Sony Ericsson W300i This is one of Sony Ericsson's most affordable Walkman phone models, and it sports a good set of features including a great music player, Memory Stick Micro slot, VGA camera and Bluetooth. It's a quad band GSM flip phone that's available direct from Sony Ericsson unlocked or from Cingular in the US.	Cingular	Sept. 2006
LG Chocolate VX8500 The latest fashion statement that does more than look pretty. This zero calorie indulgence won't break the bank either, when purchased from Verizon. It's got a unique (among cell phones) iPod-like track wheel and touch-sensitive surface, a large and lovely display, music player, Bluetooth and EVDO for fast data connections.	Verizon	Sept. 2006
Sony Ericsson K800i This import Cyber-shot camera phone earns its name with an excellent 3.2MP camera that features autofocus and a Xenon flash. The K800i has more than a camera, offering an MP3 player, Memory Stick Micro slot, FM radio, RSS reader and Bluetooth 2.0. It's a triband phone that's best for T-Mobile users in the US and it has GPRS for data.	Unlocked GSM	Sept. 2006
Sanyo Katana Sprint's latest answer to the RAZR craze is slim, light and good looking. Though made of plastic rather than metal, the Katana is a nice looking phone that's available in four colors, three from Sprint and a fourth color exclusive to Radio Shack. It has a QVGA 240 x 320 pixel display, Bluetooth and a VGA camera. It's one of the few recent CDMA phones that supports analog for roaming the back roads where digital service is sparse.	Sprint	Aug. 2006
Samsung a990 The first 3.2 megapixel camera phone with autofocus lens offered by a US carrier, the a990 takes excellent photos. It's offered by Verizon and it has EVDO, Bluetooth, a music player and a QVGA display. The phone is small and quite attractive without being flashy.	Verizon	Aug. 2006
Motorola RAZR V3 One of the most popular mobile phones ever sold, the RAZR banks that its thin-is-in looks, stunning metal keypad and popularity will convince you to slip one into your pocket. This flip phone has a quad band GSM radio that will work anywhere in the world GSM service is available, GPRS for data, Bluetooth and a VGA camera. It's offered by Cingular and T-Mobile in the US, and we take a look at the Cingular version.	Cingular and T-Mobile (Verizon too!)	Aug. 2006
LG VX8300 The successor to the popular LG VX8100 has gone to a spa: it's thinner, lighter and looks slick. But it's got every feature you could ask for in a high end flip phone: EVDO, MP3 player, a very good 1.3MP camera, Bluetooth and a MicroSD expansion slot. A very nice multimedia phone at a reasonable price on Verizon Wireless in the US.	Verizon	July 2006
Motorola PEBL One of the trio of super-fashionable vowel-less mobile phones from Motorola, the PEBL adds a tactile element to the design with its feels great in the hand design and non-slip texture. It's a quad band GSM phone with Bluetooth, a VGA camera and a very nice inner display. The PEBL is offered by T-Mobile in the US and it's available in black, blue, orange and green.	T-Mobile	June 2006
Samsung t509 This SLVR wannabe has great looks, fast performance and a VGA camera at a very reasonable price. The t509 is available on T-Mobile's network in the US and it's a triband GSM phone with EDGE, Bluetooth and a sharp color display.	T-Mobile	June 2006
Motorola SLVR L6 The L7's little brother is a very fashionable and functional phone for less than $50 in the US. It's a Cingular phone but Radio Shack currently has the bragging rights to selling the phone. The L6 is a super-slim candy bar GSM quad band phone with Bluetooth, strong reception and a VGA display. Unlike the L7, it does not have iTunes.	Cingular	May 2006
Motorola i870 Nextel's first high end feature phone puts the perk back in work. Less bulky than most Nextel phones, the i870 features a 1.3 megapixel camera, TransFlash memory expansion slot and an MP3 player with front controls. If you're a Nextel user who yearns for a feature phone, this is it.	Nextel	April 2006
Motorola SLVR L7 The candy bar sibling to the sexy RAZR is super-slim at 11.5mm, and has the RAZR's signature polished metal keypad. The phone is all about looks and it's gorgeous to be sure and very light. The SLVR is Moto's second iTunes phone and it can hold up to 100 songs. It's got a VGA camera, Bluetooth and a TransFlash slot for expansion. The SLVR is a quad band GSM phone that's sold in the US by Cingular.	Cingular	Feb. 2006
Sony Ericsson W600i This is Sony Ericsson's first US Walkman phone with an integrated high quality MP3 player and FM radio. The phone has 256 megs of memory to hold tunes, and comes in a striking orange color with a swivel design. It's a GSM quad band world phone with EDGE for data, Bluetooth and a 1.3MP camera. It's offered by Cingular in the US. c	Cingular	Jan. 2006
Motorola E815 Released late Summer 2005, this is Motorola's flagship feature phone on the Verizon Wireless network. The phone has a 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, MP3 player, EVDO for high speed data and VCast and a TransFlash memory expansion slot. While it's not tiny and sexy, it's well built and offers a great feature set for the money.	Verizon	Dec. 2005
LG VX9800 (The V) Verizon's new hybrid feature phone sits somewhere between PDA and phone in terms of features and pricing. It looks like a candy bar phone but it opens to reveal an excellent full QWERTY keyboard. The LG is a cutting edge device with an eye-popping QVGA landscape inner display, stereo speakers, 1.3 MP camera, Mini SD expansion slot, MP3 player, Bluetooth, text to speech, voice recognition, EVDO and VCast. Editor's Choice 2005	Verizon	Nov. 2005
LG VX8100 Verizon's top of the line flip phone released in the summer of 2005 has a lot to offer: compact and attractive design, Bluetooth, EVDO for data with V Cast, a 1.3 MP camera, stereo speakers, vibrant display and a Mini SD expansion slot. This is a CDMA phone for use on Verizon's network in the US.	Verizon	Aug. 2005
Nokia 7270 The flip phone among Nokia's Fashion Collection offerings, the 7270 has a definite deco look crossed with contemporary touches. This GSM triband phone is currently sold unlocked and runs on the 900/1800/1900 MHz bands. It has an FM radio, VGA camera and comes with textile covers in both red and black.	Unlocked GSM	Aug. 2005
Sony Ericsson S710a This GSM phone's claims to fame are its amazing 1.3MP CCD digital camera and swiveling design. Closed it looks like a regular candy bar phone, swing it open to reveal the roomy number pad. Add in Bluetooth and a large, vivid display and you've got the S710a. It's a GSM phone with EDGE that supports the 850/1800/1900 MHz bands and is available from Cingular in the US.	Cingular	July 2005
Nokia 6820 This GSM phone was released in late Feb. 2004 in the US. It's a compact model that looks like a traditional Nokia phone but opens up to reveal a QWERTY thumb keyboard. It's a Symbian Series 40 device with a 128 x 128 color display, Bluetooth, camera and it supports the new high speed EDGE data network and runs on the 850/1800/1900 MHz bands. It's available from AT&T Wireless. A great companion to a PDA or notebook!	AT&T	March 2005
Nokia 7280 A simply glamorous and petit phone that's a member of Nokia's Fashion Collection of art deco inspired phones. The phone has a gloss black finish with white and red accents, and weighs only 3 ounces. Not just about good looks, the 7280 has a VGA camera, Bluetooth and voice dialing which you'll need since the phone lacks a number pad. Instead you'll use voice dialing or the jog dial to enter numbers. This is a GSM phone that supports the 900/1800/1900MHz bands and it has GPRS and EDGE for data.	Unlocked GSM	March 2005
Sony Ericsson K700i This phone follows in the fine tradition of the T610/T616 and the T630. Like those very popular phones, it's very small and light, features a built-in VGA camera that takes 640 x 480 pictures, Bluetooth, and an MP3 player. It's a triband GSM world phone that supports GPRS for data, web and email. It's available around the world, and from importers in the US.	Unlocked GSM	Aug. 2004