The mobile phone culture is such at the moment that there are hundreds of handsets in circulation and new ones launched by every brand every year. 2006 saw new Nokia, Motorola, LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson phones launched, amongst others, and there are already lists on the Internet of the offerings for 2007. To date, there are at least 69 new models to be launched this year.
A growing number of consumers look forward to the launch of the newest model of their favourite brand and then rush out to get it, purely and simply to be able to say that they own the newest phone with the most cutting edge features. These features are developed every year to go one better than the phones already on the market and to attract new business. Nokia, Samsung and Motorola are no different and actually compete with each other, so I have selected their most anticipated phones of the year to see how they compare.
Nokia E61i
The Nokia E61i is set for release this spring and is impressive as far as image is concerned. It has a 2.8" display, with a 320x240 pixel resolution that exhibits images of an extraordinarily high quality. It also displays 16m colours, thus making it one of the best screens around. The keyboard underneath has full QWERTY capabilities to give the phone an extra dimension and make it look like a personal organiser as well as a phone.
The features on the phone are simply amazing. It is packed to the rafters with extras that you can access easily enough through the menus. Navigation of the phone is excellent, with everything well laid out on the menus. However, you may need to search for some features because they may not necessarily be where you expect them to be - but this just seems like an excellent excuse to play. The expected features are all present, with a 2MP camera and multimedia player built in.
Connectivity is excellent with Wi-Fi, 3G, infrared, bluetooth and USB, and there is more than enough memory to download and store music and images in the form of a microSD slot for memory card. All of this makes it suitable for consumers and business users alike.
Motorola RIZR Z8
The first thing that strikes you about the RIZR Z8 is that it is more than a slider because it curves inwards to mould to your head whilst calling. Tapping into the success of the earlier Motorola RZR phones, it has the same clean-cut lines and slim design, but somehow looks as though it belongs to a different genre of phones. It neither looks stylish nor attractive, unlike the Nokia offering, which immediately puts it at a disadvantage.
The feature list should look impressive, but cannot really keep up with the competition. It does have 3G capabilities and includes wireless bluetooth so you can listen to music on a bluetooth headset without tying up your handset and missing calls. There is a 2MP camera and multimedia player, but these features are now expected.
Memory and battery life are the redeeming features of the RIZR Z8. It has an impressive 5 hours talktime as far as battery is concerned, which may not sound much until you say that the average is 2.5-3 hours. The memory is even better, with 90MB internal memory, which can be expanded to 4GB if you were to use the microSD slot. It may not live up to other 2007 phones in general, but blows them out of the water when you look at this!
Samsung F510
Where the Nokia E61i has a vast array of features and can boast a versatility that most phones cannot, the Samsung F510 does not even compare. It has very few additional features and the connectivity is not great, although it does have bluetooth and a 2MP camera. This doesn't really matter though in light of what it can do!
It has one thing that very few other phones have, DVB-H capability. You can tap into TV on it! A healthy 2.4" screen boasting 240x360 pixels helps this and can be propped open on its hinges to provide a better viewing angle. The memory is also in line with this at 410MB internally and completely expandable by a microSD card. The other side of the phone is fairly generic with a small screen simply designed for calling. It looks like it is nothing special, but the battery allows it to be used for 24 hours on a call! The battery life supports the TV aspect effectively and you can reap the benefits whilst calling too!
The one negative aspect is that the phone is actually redundant if you don't live in a DVB-H area. If you don't, and most of the UK doesn't, then it is pointless buying the phone because the main feature cannot be used - naturally those in the know hope that this is going to change very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
Conclusion
Whilst the Nokia E61i seems to be the best phone as far as features are concerned, both other models have redeeming features. This especially applies to the kudos that the TV Samsung F510 can bring. All three will suit different individuals but a little research before you purchase one would be advisable.
Staff editor, Section, February 2007 |
