Smartest of the smart phones / Whether you use it as an organizer, an e-mail device, a cell phone or all of the above, getting a smart phone is a smart move.
RIM BlackBerry Curve
Carrier: AT&T
Cnet rating: 8.0 out of 10 (excellent)
The good: Sexy, slim design; improved full QWERTY keyboard; 2-megapixel camera; Bluetooth; media player; spell-checker; and technology that automatically adjusts call volume in noisy environments.
The bad: No integrated Wi-Fi or 3G support or video-recording capabilities; call quality a bit hollow.
The price: $200 with a two-year contract
The bottom line: Offers a best-of-breed design and well-rounded features to make it an attractive device for consumers and mobile professionals alike.
RIM BlackBerry 8830
Carrier: Verizon Wireless
Cnet rating: 7.7 out of 10 (very good)
The good: Dual-mode capability phone can be used globally; EV-DO capable; built-in music and video player; solid performance.
The bad: No support for Verizon’s V Cast services; handset on the larger side; no camera option; no support for stereo Bluetooth headsets.
The price: $300 with a two-year contract
The bottom line: A powerful voice and messaging tool that offers world roaming and solid performance. Other features include a speakerphone, voice-activated dialing, smart dialing and conference calling.
T-Mobile Dash
Carrier: T-Mobile
Cnet rating: 7.3 out of 10 (very good)
The good: Sleek design; vibrant color screen; integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi; push e-mail capabilities; multimedia functions; 1.3-megapixel camera; good call quality, extra long talk time battery life.
The bad: Volume touch strip not always responsive; confusing camera interface; subpar picture quality.
The price: $200 with a two-year contract; $250 with a one-year contract
The bottom line: An all-in-one hit. Snappy
response time, excellent call quality and long
battery life.
Palm Treo 755p
Carrier: Sprint
Cnet rating: 7.3 out of 10 (very good)
The good: Compact design; available in two attractive colors; integrated Bluetooth; 1.3-megapixel camera; EV-DO support; instant-messaging; Google Maps for Mobile; direct push technology.
The bad: A bit pricey; feels bulky and heavy compared to other full QWERTY devices; no integrated Wi-Fi; subpar picture quality.
The price: $280 with a two-year contract
The bottom line: New, fresh colors and slimmer design. Brings a collection of small but notable enhancements for an attractive upgrade And it finally offers an instant-messaging application that supports all the three major IM clients.
xref: The following Cnet staff contributed to this report: Senior associate editor Bonnie Cha, senior editor Kent German and features editor Tim Moynihan. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit «www.cnet.com».
