Aaron Gray, CK Ng, Hemananthani & Patsy Thomas

A lot of mobile devices entered the market last year, saturating the local market with an abundance of choices for consumers.

There are so many different kinds of phones these days that it would be difficult – and not to mention, impractical – to lump them all into one group. So, we at MW have decided to make it easy for you and categorized them into eight distinct groups.

There will be three hot devices chosen by the MW team for each category, and we’ve got vendors to give us their views as well.

We love devices that play crystal-clear music with many features on them. MW team’s top choice goes to the Sony Ericsson W800i because it comes with its famed Walkman Media Player plus hi-res cameras and Bluetooth. Listen to your favourite music through the headset and you’ll be enthralled with its crystal clear sound.

Second place goes to the Samsung SGH-D600C while Philips 960 takes third place. Both have been selected for their 2-megapixel camera, music and video playback capabilities.
The SGH-D600C gets the upper hand over the 960 because of its TV out option. This allows you to connect the D600C to the TV to view all your MMSes and play your mobile games in style.

You should look no further than the Dopod 900, BenQ P50 and HP iPAQ hw6515 when it comes to the top three smartphones of 2005.

Our top choice is the Dopod 900, the first Windows Mobile phone to incorporate 3G connectivity. It also has multi-functional wireless capabilities for web surfing and data transmission. Additionally, the latest Windows Mobile 5.0 on the Dopod 900 provides the device with efficient memory management capabilities. Unlike previous Windows Mobile OS versions, your favourite pictures of Jessica Alba or Brad Pitt will not be wiped out even when the battery runs out of power. Did we mention that it’s got a VGA screen as well?

The second choice is the BenQ P50. It has an integrated QWERTY thumb-board if you need a reliable hardware to type out e-mails and text messages (other than the usual built-in software-generated keyboard). There’s also Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity, a 1.3-megapixel camera and smooth multimedia playback for the more popular audio and video formats (MP3, WMA and MWV).

The iPAQ hw6515 has infrared and Bluetooth connectivity. Its compatibility with the high-speed EDGE network makes the hw6515 a great device to surf the Net and download files at a fast pace. There’s also a built-in GPS receiver to pinpoint specific locations, which comes in handy to those who need directions to get to unfamiliar places.

We find the need for a PDA with a VGA display a must, especially when wanting to view larger areas in Office spreadsheets. The Dell Axim X50v was our third choice in the list for this reason. It has Wi-Fi too. Of course, having a big VGA screen is useful for browsing and gaming as well.

The Samsung SGH-E530C comes out tops for its ability to melt any girl’s heart with its adorable and colourful covers that ranges from cool blue to shocking pink. Its small and petite looks and smooth curves would also make the ladies pester their boyfriends to get them one of these devices. It has quite a number of functions too, including Bluetooth for hands-free and data transmission, and an MP3 player with good playback capabilities.

Second place goes to the LG P7200, a slim phone that reminds one of the Motorola RAZR V3 in terms of design and size. The P7200 is lightweight and comes in sleek black. It’s a fashion statement that most women will fall for.
Our third choice is the Sony Ericsson K750i. It has one of the sleeker designs available among the other mobile phones in the market. The K750i is also small and slim enough for anyone to pocket it comfortably. 

When it comes to uniqueness and innovation, the MW team chose the Philips Xenium series, the XCute DV2 and the Nokia N90.

The Philips Xenium stood out from the rest for having the longest standby time at 30 days, even when using the built-in features like hi-res megapixel camera and display.

Next on the list is the XCute DV2, the first phone in this part of the country to introduce a 6-megapixel camera. The shots are great and ideal for 4R prints. The DV2’s video capabilities are also excellent, providing stutter-free recording and playback.

tLastly, the N90. The 2-megapixel camera comes equipped with one of the best camera lens available. The Carl Zeiss optics used on this phone produced vivid images when compared with other 2-megapixel cameraphones.

I-Mobile 603, Nokia 6021 and the AK 680b – these are the feature-packed phones that give you value for your money.

With the I-Mobile 603, you have yourself a great bargain. When it comes to paying only RM999 for a phone that takes hi-res pictures, allows you to listen to crystal-clear music and watch video clips, this phone more than delivers. You also get an integrated stereo FM radio for your on-air music cravings of your favourite DJs/artists.

The Nokia 6021 is a value-for-money mobile phone we chose for second place. Other than the basic phone functions, it offers wireless Bluetooth connectivity as well as compatibility with the high-speed EDGE network - all these for the price of only RM799.

The AK 680b is an entry-level phone but it does have Bluetooth for connecting with Bluetooth headsets. A small-sized Bluetooth hand-free kit is included for free in the package. Real value for money at RM499.

The Nokia N70, Sony Ericsson Z800i and the Samsung SGH-Z500 are MW’s top three selections when it comes to 3G phones.

The N70 comes in first for its feature-packed functions. It has dual cameras, 2-megapixel and a 0.3-megapixel camera in the front for video calls. Both cameras allow smooth video recording. Being a smartphone helps too, allowing users to install third-party programs (i.e. music streaming apps and browsers) to enhance their 3G experience.

The SE Z800i takes second place for its music and video capabilities as well as a 1.3-megapixel camera that can be rotated for capturing images or for video call. Its built-in browser are optimised for surfing the Net, quick downloading of files and streaming videos.

And we have the Samsung SGH-Z500 as our third choice. Its dual cameras provide independent functions for either 3G video calls (VGA camera at the front) or snapshots and video recording with its 1 megapixel camera. Like the SE Z800i, the SGH-Z500 is optimised for seamless video streaming, allowing users to watch video on-demand or find out the latest traffic conditions through their 3G service. Its petite size would appeal to those not wanting a huge bulge in their pocket.

MW is looking forward to the upcoming Nokia NSeries and the Sony Ericsson P990i, but what we really can’t wait is to get our hands on mobile phones with HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access) which will further increase 3G speeds.

Bottom line
These are the phones of the past year which caught our attention. They stand out from the rest because of their feature-packed functions and unique features.
It seems that 2005 was the year of connectivity, multimedia and imaging. Who says phones are just for talking?

We at MW are certain that there will be even more interesting mobile devices in 2006 and we certainly look forward to featuring them for you, our precious readers!