While marketed as a senior-friendly phone, the Pantech Breeze II brings just enough mid-range features to make it an attractive option for those in search of a cheap but functional handset. Bearing a slim frame, easy-to-use design and an intuitive interface, it's easily one of the best entry-level handsets on the market.

Physically, it's a regular clamshell handset with a slim and trim profile. Subtle curves and a dimpled back make it feel good in the hand. It comes with two displays - a 1.38-inch outside and a 2.22-inch screen inside. Both offer sufficiently sharp and clear images. The keypad has good spacing, but are set a little too deep set into the phone, so older users might be prone to making mistakes while typing. Like the original Breeze, it has three quick call keys that you can use to speed dial emergency contacts.

As a phone, the Breeze II manages impressive call quality. Voices went through loud and clear on both ends, with nary a distortion. Speakerphone calls were similar, just adding a slight harshness to the voice. Battery life is rated at three hours of talk time, which should be good enough to last a day or two (possibly even more) of normal use.

Pantech's menu interface is very well-done and intuitive. I personally loved the Breeze mode, which presented menu items in a simple list with large fonts. Those who want the full range of customization settings, however, should opt for the grid-style Advanced mode.

It comes with all the basics, such as a 1,000-entry phone book, PIM tools and stereo Bluetooth. It offers a complete range of messaging capabilities, including SMS, MMS, IM (AIM, Yahoo, Windows Live Messenger) and mobile email (an extra $5 a month, though). There are advanced features here as well, with aGPS, 3G connectivity (good speeds with minimal buffering on video) and an Opera-based HTML browser.

Because of the 3G support, it gets access to a slew of AT&T services, including AT&T Online Locker, AT&T Mobile Video and AT&T Mobile Music. Music player is basic but usable. The 1.3 megapixel camera doesn't take very good photos, though.

Overall, there are plenty to like in the Pantech Breeze II, especially at the $19.99 price (with a two-year agreement from AT&T). It brings quite a solid set of features for an entry-level phone.

An entry-level clamshell phone, the Samsung SGH-T139 doesn't offer much to begin with.  Sporting an easy-to-use design, good call quality and functional feature set, however, it's also not bad - not bad at all.

Physically, it looks like a generic flip phone.  In many ways, it is.  The gray outside panel is about as industrial as you can get, punctuated by smooth lines and a compact shape.  Everything about it is as basic as you can get, both inside and out.  To its credit, the overall build, including the clamshell mechanism, feels sturdy.

It comes with two screens - a 1-inch external panel and a 1.75-inch internal display.  Do both of those sound particularly small?  Well, they are - even for a phone this size.   The external monochrome display only shows the most basic details, while the larger colored one is a little more decent.  As a saving grace, the keypad and controls are excellent, with spacious layouts and rubbery keys.

As a phone, the SGH-T139 manages above average call quality.  There's a hint of sharpness, but nothing to overly distract you, and plenty of volume.  Battery life is rated at four hours of talk time.  With this thing sipping too little power, expect at least two days or more of normal use.

Features, of course, are basic.  There's a 300-contact phone book, a slew of productivity tools and the usual messaging options (SMS, MMS and IM).  Samsung also threw in some of the most essential niceties, such as a VGA camera (with a decent amount of options), a WAP browser (strictly GPRS data, though) and  Bluetooth.

Overall, the Samsung SGH-T139 keeps things ridiculously simple and basic.  At the price ($59 without a contract), it's good enough, although I've seen cheaper.

LG announced another addition to their popular Cookie family of touchscreen handsets.  Billed as the LG Cookie Plus GS500, it's an entry-level feature phone that boasts slight improvements over the original KP500.

Looking to compete against the widely successful Samsung Corby, LG endowed the new device with a similar cartoon-like, widget-heavy UI.  In fact, the promo pictures show icons that look suspiciously familiar to anyone that has used Samsung's entry-level number.

The biggest update for the Cookie Plus is 3G connectivity, paving the way for faster browser page loads, better performance from web-connecting apps and, hopefully, streaming media support.  Social networking is a primary focus, with both the SNS (which supports Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social sites) and the LiveSquare apps onboard.  Most of the hardware set should be along the same lines as the original Cookie.  Other details mentioned in the press release include a 3.2 megapixel camera and an FM tuner.

In a not-so-surprising move, LG also announced that the company will be releasing a slew of Cookie-branded handsets in 2010 (each one likely to bring only slightly different features from the rest).  Yep, a strategy that directly copies a page from what Samsung has began doing with the Corby (e.g. Corby, CorbyTXT).

The LG Cookie Plus GS500 will debut in 45 countries beginning with Italy and France this coming May.  No pricing details have been given.  They also mentioned a second Cookie handset in the press release, dubbed as the LG GS290.  No details yet, but they're priming it for the UK sometime in March.

[Press Release]

The Cricket MSGM8 (aka Message Mate) is a basic candybar messager with a good set of entry-level features.  As you may have guessed, it's as far as you can get from a high-end phone.  If you're looking for a decent entry-level handset, though, it may just fit the bill.

Physically, it's actually not that bad-looking.  It's designed as a straightforward QWERTY phone - straight lines, rounded corners and soft-touch plastic build.  There's not much to either rave about or hate - it's a comfortable device with a good feel in the hand.

Display is a bright 2.2-inch LCD, with excellent colors and sharp lines.  The two keys right below the display are a little skinny to be really useful, although the rest of the navigation array is good (if a little flat). Typing messages is obviously aided by the QWERTY keypad, although they could have definitely made the keys a little less narrow.  Regardless, we like the layout, especially the dedicated keys (messaging and calendar) included.

As a phone, the MSGM8 makes for very good calls, especially in areas where Cricket's coverage is strong.  Voices go through loud and clear, despite a bit of static that finds its way through at times.  The speakerphone adds a heavy echo, though.  Battery life is rated at five hours of talk time, which is about standard for an entry-level messaging handset.

The feature set reflects the largely basic configuration.  There's the usual fare - 1,000 entry phonebook, PIM tools  and a decent messaging suite (SMS, MMS, IM and email).  More advanced features include a 1.3 megapixel camera (disappointing quality), stereo Bluetooth and a wireless web browser, as well as a few apps and games.

Overall, the Cricket MSGM8 is just as you'd expect - an unabashedly basic messaging phone.  If that's all you need, however, it could prove a viable alternative, especially at the $119.99 price without a contract.

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Like Sanyo's previous cellphone releases, the Sanyo SCP-3810 comes with solid basic features and an easy-to-use design.  Beyond that though, there's little to look forward to.

Physically, the clamshell phone sports a stylish, albeit non-remarkable, aesthetic, marked by a boxy profile, lightweight frame and compact dimensions.  The external monochrome display, which is partially hidden when turned off, is a little too small to be of any real use.  Inside, the larger 2.4-inch display is a little more agreeable, delivering a 320x240 resolution and a very vibrant quality.  The navigation array, keypad and menu are all laid out in a sensible way, are comfortable to use and a breeze to manage.  Even elder technophobes can probably get into it.

As a phone, the SCP-3810 can manage very good calls (on Sprint's network), with plenty of volume, natural-sounding voices and zero interference.  On occasion, a slight metallic quality finds its way into the conversations, though it's rare.  The speakerphone, while loud, didn't perform as well, adding a very odd tone to the voices.  Battery is rated at close to 6 hours of talk time, which should make for several days of use, given that it doesn't come with plenty of draining extras.

Being an entry-level handset, it doesn't come with a lot of features.  All the basics are onboard, however, including a 300-contact address book, a decent messaging suite (MMS, threaded SMS, IM, web-based POP3 and IMAP emails), stereo Bluetooth, a simple music player and the rest of the usual capabilities.  There's also a 1.3 megapixel camera (no video), with a few editing options and generally acceptable shot quality.

Available free from Sprint with a contract, the Sanyo SCP-3810 is a decent choice if you've been angling for a budget handset that does the basics well.  You can also buy it for around $250 (more or less, depending on where you shop) unlocked, which doesn't sound half as good as getting it with an agreement (you can find better unlocked phones at that price).

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Nokia just announced five new mobile phones aimed at consumers in emerging markets.  Unveiled early in the day are the Nokia 1280, Nokia 1616, Nokia 1800, Nokia 2220 slide and Nokia 2690, five entry-level phones with the most basic of features.

The release of the handsets will coincide with the introduction of Nokia Life Tools, which offer livelihood and life-betterment services for people in rural areas, in Indonesia.  All five devices will support the service, which provides regular content on agricultural, educational and entertainment subjects.

On the low end of the releases are the Nokia 1280, Nokia 1616 and Nokia 1800.  All three phones will feature the usual messaging and voice capabilities, along with an FM radio, a flashlight and extra-long battery life.  According to the company, the latter is a requirement for use in rural areas where access to electricity may not be easily available.

Toting a bit more features are the Nokia 2220 Slide and the Nokia 2690, which add email support to the mix via Ovi Mail.  Other basic specs include a VGA camera, an FM radio, MMS, GPRS support and Bluetooth.

Nokia didn't detail which devices will be released first, but they'll start hitting stores worldwide towards the end of 2009, with the rest of the roster coming in 2010.  Prices are as follows: Nokia 1280 (€20), Nokia 1616 (€24), Nokia 1800 (€26), Nokia 2220 Slide (€45) and Nokia 2690 (€54).

[via Press Release]

I've always associated Sony Ericsson with their more expensive phones.  However, they do make decent entry-level handsets, too.  The Sony Ericsson S312 happens to be one of them.

Sporting a nice-looking candybar form factor, the S312 is slim, light and compact.  The largely plastic material matches its budget status, although it has a fairly good build.  Buttons and keys have a nice click to them, but you will likely have handled better controls.

As a phone, it manages average quality voice calls with decent speakerphone performance.  Interface is standard Sony Ericsson fare, with main menu icons and menu lists as you dig deeper.  Internal memory is minimal, so you'll need an M2 card if you want to carry any media.  Battery life is rated at 8 hours of talk time, making for plenty of use before requiring a recharge.

Feature set, as you may expect, isn't all that much.  It fits in a decent 2.0 megapixel camera with an underpowered LED lighting.  Like many SE camera modules, it comes with a good number of editing options, although capture quality is fairly average. It has a dedicated physical video button that immediately takes the handset into motion capture mode, shooting 320 x 240 pixels at 15fps.

It comes with the usual set of basic phone capabilities, including messaging (SMS, MMS, IM and email), Bluetooth and an onboard music player.  Music quality is good, but you're stuck with the bundled headphones, due to the lack of a 3.5mm audio slot.

Overall, the Sony Ericsson S312 is a decent phone with likeable looks, a decent camera and attractive price (between $120 to $180 unlocked, depending on where you buy).  The fact that you're stuck with a proprietary headphone jack and M2 expansion, though, makes it less-than-enticing to use for other functions, other than text and calls.

Samsung's Czech website has listed the details of the latest entry-level handset from the manufacturer.  Called the Samsung S3100, the new slider features an extra-long battery life, allowing for over eight hours of talk time and 20 days of standby.

First seen in photos last July, the phone uses an 800 mAh battery to facilitate the drawn-out time between charging.  It comes in two colors (black or pink) and features rather basic functionalities.

Details include 95 x 47 x 14.9 mm dimensions, a weight of 99.2 grams, a 2.1-inch TFT display (176 x 220 pixels, 262,000 colors), a 1.3 megapixel camera and microSD card expansion.  It supports quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), Bluetooth and USB connectivity.  Features include an onboard media player (video: MPEG4 and H.263; audio: MP3, AMR, I-melody, XMF, MIDI, SP MIDI, ACC and WMA) with DNSe, a Netfront web browser and email support (POP3, IMAP4), so it's not too shabby.

It's fully expected to be priced affordably (best guess is between $150 to $180) and will likely be used as a direct competitor to Philips' Xenium phones, as both models put battery life front and center in their list of capabilities (the Xenium X630 gets an insane 12 hours of talk time and 50 days of standby, though, so no contest).  Eight hours of talk time should translate to several days between charges, especially since the rest of the handset doesn't really use up all that much power.

The Samsung S3100 was originally slated for a European debut by the end of the summer, so it should be out any day now.

[via Unwired View]

Even with souped-up feature phones and smartphones dominating the market, basic handsets like the Samsung Smooth continue to have their place among consumers.  In fact, the Smooth isn't as devoid of niceties as it might appear at first glance, offering a few decent features to go with its inexpensive price.

Physically, the Smooth offers a very unexciting design, pretty much taking on the most generic idea for a clamshell form factor that you can imagine.  It's small, compact and actually feels good on the hand.  While the very small 1.9-inch LCD doesn't offer much in terms of screen real estate, it does get the job done.  Overall navigation and control is very good, with soft buttons and a speedy interface.

On the features end, the Samsung Smooth comes with a few extras that make it a bit more attractive than your typical entry-level rig.  It comes with Bluetooth, voice dialing, speakerphone and a VGA camera (comes with a night mode and a self-timer).  A full-featured onboard GPS is also included, although it requires additional data charges to make use of Verizon's Navigator service.  Messaging options include SMS, MMS, email and "chat".  That last one, by the way, just takes you to a web browser after selecting from a number of available social networking apps, instead of an actual IM interface.

Calls are good, although occasional garbled transmissions on both ends of the conversation seem to occur sporadically.  The speakerphone was also surprisingly capable, despite some noticeable echo.

Overall, the Samsung Smooth is a good entry-level handset if you're fine with the lack of premium features on a phone.  It's probably even better as a backup phone, due to its considerably small frame and largely reliable operating capabilities.

The Blackberry Curve 8520 (also known as the Blackberry Gemini) is RIM's version of an entry-level device. While it doesn't pack the same high-end sensibilities of the company's more advanced phones, it does make room for a very attractive design, a good set of features and that famous Blackberry keypad.

Being an entry-level device, you can think of the 8520 as a whittled-down version of other Curve handsets. Despite the stature, it brings the same level of messaging talents Blackberry phones have been widely known for. Users get standards, such as SMS and MMS, along with support for multiple email accounts, Blackberry PIN messaging and a number of preloaded IM clients (AIM, GTalk, ICQ, Windows Live and Yahoo Messenger). Email is as easy to set up as it is on other Blackberry handsets, requiring no more than an email and a password to get started.

The obvious trade-off is 3G, with data access only available over EDGE and Wi-Fi. Still, data speed is not bad on 2G, especially considering that you'll be using it mostly for messaging, instead of heavy HTML pages. For browsing, it uses an older Blackberry web browser but features some updates that should lead to a better experience. Rendering is, as expected, a bit sluggish even over Wi-Fi.

Physically, the phone sports a very attractive design that's right in line with typical Blackberry aesthetics. It comes with a surprisingly large 3.4-inch LCD, although it features a rather limited 320 x 240 resolution. Size is smaller than the Curve, which makes it a very handy phone to carry.

Keyboard, of course, is very easy to use, although the choice of a new optical trackpad in place of a trackball is a bit puzzling. It works much like the trackball and, once you get familiar with it, should be as easy to use, though. The phone uses the same Blackberry OS 4.6 (not 5.0, as earlier rumored) as with a few newer handsets, so UI should not be a problem.

Calls are pretty decent, although there is some noticeable background static. Not sure if it is a problem with the phone or the reception, though it's likely the former. Other features on the 8520 include a 2.0 megapixel camera (no flash and average photos), a pretty good media player with a wide range of supported formats (video playback, by the way, is gorgeous on the 3.4-inch screen) and a number of productivity apps in tow.

Overall, the Blackberry Curve 8520 is a wonderful effort for an entry-level phone. Of course, it's likely not going to be as cheap as an entry-level device from other manufacturers. If you want all of a Blackberry's messaging conveniences but could do without the 3G and GPS, this just might be the perfect choice.