Reviews of cell phones generally agree that the cell phone is now more than just a phone. It is morphing into a smart mobile center right in your pocket, complete with voice, video and data communications.
How does your cell phone stack up against others in reviews of cell phones? Well it depends on what day of the week it is - literally. The cell phones keep changing and getting better. But stay tuned. These reviews will keep you updated.
Just take a look at some of the latest cell phones reviewed by CNET and you will begin to see a multimedia convergence. But what is great today may not even make tomorrow's reviews.
Just as designers and manufacturers are frantically cranking out their next releases, industry analysts are staying busy with reviewing cell phones. CNET Wireless Phones Reviews provide one of the industry's most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
The most popular cell phones reflect a mix of types and brands.Based on cell phone sales, online retailer Wirefly's annual list of the Top 10 Cell Phones continues to show the Motorola RAZR ahead of the pack.
"Given the continuing popularity of that iconic, slim Motorola phone month after month, it should come as no surprise that the top selling cell phone in 2006 was once again the Motorola RAZR," said Wirefly’s President Brian Westrick.
CNET's reviews of cell phones on an ongoing basis produce a constantly changing list of popular phones.
Rated by CNET based on its reviews of cell phones as of October 2007:
LG CU500V The LG CU500V is one of the fastest phones we've ever tried, with swift downloads, impressive video-streaming speeds, and the ability to make video calls with AT&T's Video Share service. The feature set is impressive; the picture and audio quality are great; and the slim, attractive design is a bonus.
Sony Ericsson K790a The With an amazing selection of features and great performance, the Sony Ericsson K790a is the best camera phone we've seen to date.
Motorola RAZR2 V9M (Sprint) In a Razr-weary world, the Motorola Razr2 V9m surpassed our expectations by offering a fresh and dynamic new approach to the Razr line. Video performance was below par but the phone succeeded on other fronts.
Motorola RAZR Maxx Ve (Verizon) The Motorola Razr Maxx Ve includes a couple of improvements to the Razr line that make it the most satisfying CDMA Razr to date.
Nokia N95 With a 5-megapixel camera, advanced multimedia capabilities, and GPS, there's no doubt that the Nokia N95 is one of the most feature-packed smart phones to date, but poor battery life and sluggish performance makes it hard to justify the high price tag.
Camera phones are quite popular and there is an ample supply of models to select from. See Camera Phonesto get an idea of what's available.
Research firm IDC estimates a billion-dollar wireless gaming market for U.S telecom companies alone by 2006. Mobile gaming is currently not a likely first priority for most cell phone buyers - at least not yet.
But there's a good chance your current or next cell phone will have reasonably good gaming capabilities anyway. Reviews of cell phones by GameSpot Mobile produced this top ten list of the best cell phones for gaming:
LG VX6100 "...a great entry-level phone for Verizon customers to game on"
LG VX7000 (Camera Phone) "...on a par with Series 60 Nokia phones like the N-Gage QD"
LG VX8000 (Video Phone) "...the ideal choice for playing V CAST's larger, 3D mobile games"
Motorola V710 (Camera Phone) "...audiovisual capabilities make it a gamer's dream"
Sanyo 8200 (Sprint PCS) "...able to play tons of different types of games"
Sanyo MM-7400 "...one of the nicest screens...button chording and multiple soundtracks"
Sony Ericsson Z500a "...just the right size to facilitate gaming, even for smaller hands"
Sony Ericsson S710a "...more control options than the average handset"
Nokia N-Gage QD "...basically unrivaled for playing mobile games"
Nokia 6620 "...substantially faster than other Series 60"
Motorola ROKR E1 The Motorola ROKR E1 takes a step toward integrating a usable audio jukebox into a functional cell phone, but the 100-song limit and the slow processor performance will disappoint iPod users looking to carry a single do-it-all device. [See Motorola ROKR With iTunes.]
Motorola i275 Camera Phone The Motorola i275 is both the best value for the money and the best handset for families in Nextel's lineup.
Motorola i605 Phone The Nextel i605, the company's first traditional phone with Bluetooth (Nextel has a couple of Bluetooth-equipped BlackBerry devices as well), is a tough, massive slab of a phone, ready for rough-and-tumble work or adventure. [See Rugged Motorola i605 Handset.]
Motorola RAZR V3 The Motorola RAZR V3 Camera Phone has caught my attention.
Motorola E815 Verizon's new V Cast flip phone scores with a sharp 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, plenty of RAM, and an MP3 player.
LG LX550 (Fusic) The attractive, high-performing LG LX550 is a solid addition to Sprint's EV-DO lineup.
LG CU500 The LG CU500 is one of the fastest phones we've ever tried, with swift downloads and impressive video streaming speeds. The feature set is impressive; the picture and audio quality are great; and the slim, attractive design is a bonus.
LG VX8300 The LG V8300 is a well-designed and high-performing EV-DO phone for Verizon Wireless.
LG VX8100 A smaller, louder, brighter, and more stylish upgrade of LG's VX8000 adds Bluetooth, expandable memory, and a speedier implementation of EV-DO, but you lose some screen real estate and battery life. [See Latest LG Cell Phones.]
Samsung Jitterbug DialThe Jitterbug Dial is the perfect phone for the elderly or those with poor eyesight.
Samsung MM-A900 (SPH-a900) Though the Samsung MM-A900 is unlikely to win over the most hard-core Razr fans, it's still a compelling and promising alternative to the popular Motorola phone.
Samsung SGH-D807 The Samsung SGH-D807 is a slim slider that should appeal to fashionistas and gadget geeks alike. Its sleek design and ample features are hampered only by its slippery navigation keys.
Samsung SGH-p777 The Samsung P777 does a lot of things - most of them well.
Sony Ericsson W810i Sony Ericsson succeeds again with its third Walkman phone for the U.S. market, but the W810i brings only minor improvements over earlier models. [See Latest Music Phones.]
Sony Ericsson S710a Though the multimedia-friendly Sony Ericsson S710a has a solid feature set and an alternative design, it doesn't come together as well as it could.
Sony Ericsson K750i Sony Ericsson's stylish, compact K750i takes crystal-clear photos, packs plenty of multimedia options, and tops it all off with fully enabled Bluetooth.
Nokia N93 Though it won't replace your digital camcorder or camera, the powerful Nokia N93 does a respectable job of integrating quality multimedia capabilities into a cell phone. That said, it's a bulky handset and is best suited for convergence fanatics and gadget hounds.
Nokia N90 It's a startling combination of image capture, music playback, and communications capabilities in a clever but bulky Transformers-like package. However, at more than $900 for an unlocked model, the Nokia N90 is not for the faint of wallet.
Nokia 8800 The Nokia 8800's flawed design and short battery life mar an otherwise beautiful and feature-packed phone.
Jabra BT800With its cool BT800 model, Jabra takes Bluetooth headsets to a whole new level of functionality.
Siemens S66 The S66 packs a wealth of multimedia and communications features into a typically slick-looking Siemens package.
T-Mobile Sidekick II T-Mobile's Sidekick II adds a built-in camera to its stellar e-mail, surfing, and IM abilities, but some annoying flaws remain. [See Keyboard Cell Phones.]
to get an idea of what's available.
