Samsung P310

The size of a credit card, a luxurious look, plenty of functions and a leather case with a built-in battery are some of the characteristics of Samsung P310.




Key features

-stylish, non-conventional design
-very slim body - 9 mm
-leather case and a second battery enclosed in the phone’s retail package
-brilliant horizontal QVGA display
-80 MB internal memory extendable through microSD memory cards
-multi-item phonebook for 1000 names
-2-megapixel camera
-GPRS and EDGE Class 10
-browser for MS Office documents
-Bluetooth with stereo support
-TV connection




Main disadvantages

-inconvenient keypad with uncommon key distribution
-control key lacks a confirming center
-the phone is uncomfortable to use when placed in the case
-cannot ring and vibrate simultaneously
-no ringing profiles
-Java applications cannot be downloaded via Bluetooth
-memory card not hot-swappable




Stylish and fashionable phones created to represent their owners are nowadays occupying a significant share of the mobile market. At the same time each manufacturer is constantly trying to offer users something special and innovative. In November 2005 Samsung launched the P300 model, whose design was especially non-traditional: it resembled a calculator. Today we are presenting its successor Samsung P310 - another state-of-the-art phone, which you will hardly mistake with another model.

A black plate covered with chromium
In terms of design Samsung P310 follows the line of its forerunner, but its chromium-covered plates make it look far more luxurious. The size characteristics of the phone (86 x 54 x 9 mm) reveal an especially slim body reminding a credit card.

Both the non-traditional key distribution and the panoramic display of Samsung P310 result from its small height. Its front black plate is wrapped up in a silver frame from all three sides, but the top. The phone weighs 75 g.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic review

It's touchscreen o'clock for Nokia and the stage is set for the 5800 XpressMusic. Go ahead and touch it. We did and we've got a story to tell.

Now, it's technically not the first time Nokia get their hands dirty with touch screens, but it sure feels they really mean business this time. For Nokia 5800 is not the only story here. The smart platform with the most influential touch receives its first trial by touch. Being the first device running Series 60 5th alone is enough for the 5800 to be remembered by.

It's a first try and proceeding with caution is only fair. Nokia 5800 is unthreateningly and unobtrusively positioned in the mid-range and the XpressMusic branding helps share some of that first-S60-touchscreen weight. Still, it's way more than an affordable music-centered handset. The 5800 has a strong and unmistakable Nokia identity and delivers multimedia prowess. So, let's touch, shall we?



Key features:

-3.2" 16M-color TFT LCD 16:9 touchscreen display (360 x 640 pixels)
-Symbian S60 5th edition
-ARM 11 369 MHz CPU, 128 MB of SDRAM memory
-3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash
-VGA video recording at 30fps
-Dual-band 3G with HSDPA support
-Quad-band GSM support
-Wi-Fi
-Capable GPS receiver and Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch
-microSD card memory expansion, ships with an 8GB card
-TV out
-FM radio with RDS
-Bluetooth and USB v2.0
-3.5mm standard audio jack
-Excellent audio quality
-Landscape on-screen virtual QWERTY keyboard
-Proximity sensor for screen auto turn-off
-Accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation and motion-based gaming
-Rich retail package
-Affordable price
-Office document viewer
-OVI and MySpace integration (direct image and video uploads)




Main disadvantages:

-Limited 3rd party software availability
-UI is still immature with somewhat dodgy user experience
-Touchscreen sensitivity not the best in the class
-No smart dialing
-Poor image quality and no GPS geotagging
-Touch web browser not quite polished
-No voice-guided navigation license
-No office document editing out-of-the-box
-Doesn't charge off microUSB




Now, you're not the only one waiting for Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. A legion of touchscreen phones have been busy delivering more and better, and owning that market. They sure won't be giving Nokia and S60 5th the warmest of welcomes.

At this point, Nokia 5800 may as well be more of a trespasser than a worthy rival. We mean, stealing even the tiniest bit of market off such formidable competition should be a win to savor for every newcomer. And still, we shouldn't be looking at the actual handset alone. Maybe the 5800 isn't make or break for Nokia, but S60 5th should darn well be.

We're looking at the first S60 touchscreen. A lot less hoping for the best than preparing for the worst may sound like the right kind of attitude. Because a first try will be measured by just anything that lives and breathes, and has a touchscreen. So, let's see what Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is up against. Just mind you that it's more than just the names of a few handsets - it's generations of touchscreen development.

LG KS360 review

LG KS360 is a mid-ranger that will easily catch your eye with bold colors and quirky controls. LG have managed to create a handset that's cunningly full of character, though it's kinda hard to think of it in the hands of a grown-up. It does seem like a toy at first glance and those color combos are to die for if you are of certain age and attitude.

Yet quite unexpectedly, LG KS360 is quick to serve a bunch of nice features such as a large and vivid 2.4-inch display, full QWERTY keyboard, a 2 megapixel snapper and… believe it or not… a wee tot of touchscreen.

This midrange phone isn't exactly hard to keep your cool about and the flashy paintjobs don't help much either. But we were pleasantly surprised by the ergonomics and performance of the KS360. So while we gear up to put the LG KS360 through its paces, you better get yourself ready to be surprised too



The LG KS360 will be available in several color combinations, some of which will be exclusive to various carriers - the full list of color options includes Black and red, Black and silver, White and soft pink, and Titanium and bright blue.

Key features

-Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
-Large 2.4" TFT display of QVGA resolution
-Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard with screen rotation
-Touchscreen dialing
-2 megapixel camera
-Stereo Bluetooth
-FM radio
-microSD memory card slot (up to 4GB)
-Threaded SMS
-Attractive 3D image gallery
-Office document viewer



Main disadvantages

-No UMTS support
-No camera autofocus
-Poor video recording resolution (fit for MMS only)
-Awkward file manager - no user-created folders
-Uncomfortable phonebook (takes two clicks to get to the contacts list)
-No smart dialing
-The FM radio lacks RDS and cannot play in the background
-Poor web browser and basic music player



The young and texting-savvy are two obvious targets of the slide-out QWERTY KS360. And while 18+ is not very likely, bill payers are given some sort of say with pay-as-you-go. The manufacturer is teaming up with operators such as Orange to offer the devices with the added value of free messages and free access to social community websites such as MySpace, Bebo, and FaceBook on Pay-as-you-go basis.

Currently the handset can be found for around 80 GBP (140 US dollars or 99 euro) at Orange UK (the pink color version is one of their exclusive deals too). So if you are looking for a LG KS360, we guess your carrier's retail stores are the place to start.

What both devices have in common are lively colors, QWERTY keypad and the young targeting, but with a decisive difference. T-Mobile is offering the Sidekick only on a Pay-monthly basis, while the KS360 is available on Pay-as-you-go. Additionally, the Sidekick Slide is way larger and heavier than the LG KS360.