Once you've tasted the freedom of surfing the Internet on your smartphones, it's hard to go back. Fortunately, a number of mobile phone providers offer great deals on smartphones with included data. We've assessed their ease of use, features and handset design.
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Samsung i780
Price: Depends on contract
An interesting alternative to the Blackberry Bold, Samsung’s i780 comes with Windows Mobile and is a touch lighter than both the Bold and the iPhone at 120g. All the major boxes are ticked here, including GPS, WiFi, and HSDPA. There’s only 128MB memory and a 2MP camera, but if it’s Windows Mobile you’re after then this is a good alternative to the Nokia E71 or Blackberry Bold. This is a 2100MHz HSDPA phone, which is important to keep in mind if Telstra compatibility is a priority. read full review
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Nokia E71
Price: Depends on contract
We’ve raved about this phone since it landed on our desk - this is perhaps the slimmest Qwerty keyboard with solid business email functionality on the market. Unlike the iPhone or Touch Pro there’s no touchscreen, but that’s the point - this phone’s specialty is texting and email. If you’re not after windows compatibility, then the Symbian S60 operating system is arguably easier to use than Windows Mobile, while Nokia’s impressive GPS add-ons, including turn-by-turn navigation (though this costs extra) and pre-loaded maps make this a traveller’s dream. A solid rival to the Blackberry. read full review
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iPhone 3G
Price: Depends on contract
Others are catching up, but the iPhone 3G is still the ultimate handset for music, photos and Web browsing. The large screen, slick interface and music and photo abilities are second to none, while Apple’s online App Store means access to an ever-growing list of game and add-ons. The 16GB of onboard storage means no need for extra add-on cards (like the Nokia N96), and GPS is also included (though no turn by turn navigation). There’s Microsoft Exchange email syncing, though we’d argue Nokia’s E71 is a better fit if you’re not interested in Web browsing. read full review |
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Palm Centro
Price: Depends on contract
There’s no WiFi, 3G or push email, but if you want a relatively compact keyboard-phone with mobile email then the Palm Centro is a relatively cheap option. This phone runs on Palm OS, and added bonus if you’re not a fan of the Windows Mobile operating system (which you’ll see on HTC phones like the Touch Pro). Combine the fact that this phone does not have the fastest HSDPA data speeds, and you can get it pre-paid from Telstra, it’s also less-likely to land you in strife with big data bills. read full review
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HTC Touch Pro
Price: Depends on contract
Like many of HTC’s creations, this phone has an impressive feature list. It’s a Windows Mobile device, but perhaps the biggest difference between this and the iPhone (or Nokia E71) is the inclusion of both a touchscreen AND a Qwerty keyboard. Fingers crossed this means the Touch Pro is easier to navigate than the Touch Diamond, which we found a bit awkward to use. An impressive phone for Web and heavy duty business tasks, though we’d prefer Nokia for GPS or photos, and the iPhone for music. read full review |
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Blackberry Bold
Price: Depends on contract
Still the gold standard in mobile email, Blackberry has been churning out the handsets this year, including the highly anticipated Bold. This is the phone that brought high-speed HSDPA to the Blackberry crowd, as well as a crystal clear 480x320 display that’s smaller than the iPhone, but one of the classiest displays for reading email and viewing photos or video. The camera is 3MP, and onboard storage is 1GB, so it’s not going to threaten the iPhone or N96 for photo and music ability, but the killer is Blackberry’s no-nonsense email service. Also keep an eye out for Blackberry’s touchscreen phone, the Storm. read full review |
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