The LG Tritan represents the company's latest attempt at a full-touchscreen handset with an integrated QWERTY keyboard.  It's not the most good-looking phone we've seen this side of QWERTY touchscreens, but it brings some capable talents to go with the unusual styling.

First off, I hate the way the phone looks with the QWERTY keys exposed.  It's... just...ugly.  With that out of the way, it's a fairly hefty phone, with a comfortable feel in the hand.  Display is a stunning 3-inch touchscreen, with a 400 x 240 resolution.  Colors are rich and details are sharp, with a responsive accelerometer and good performance under sunlight.

Home screen offers four customizable variations that you can easily switch in and out of, making access to the phone's various features very easy.  The UI implementation is good, although overall touch performance is only average, with a very involved learning curve.  Good thing it comes with physical QWERTY, which facilitates fast and comfortable typing.

As a phone, the Tritan offers above average voice calls, with ample volume and natural sound quality.  Speakerphone wasn't too bad either, although there is some expected harshness.  Battery performance is average, at just a little over three hours of talk time.

On the features end, you get the usual set of talents.  These include basic phone features, along with a few onboard apps, such as a document reader, a drawing tool and various games.  Messaging suite is pretty complete, with SMS, MMS, email (POP and IMAP) and IM support.

It rocks a GPS radio with onboard software (depends on where you get the phone) and a full HTML browser with Flash Lite support.  Browser performance is good (over wireless broadband), although it seemed to perform slower than those we've seen from other handsets. It also packs a good music player, with plenty of features to play with.  The onboard 3.0 megapixel camera offers a good number of editing options and takes above average quality for a phone.  It shoots 320 x 240 videos, too, but quality is barely usable.

Available for less than $80 with a contract (one year or two years, depending on the carrier), the LG Tritan offers a great multimedia handset for the price.  The easy-to-use UI is of particular note here, along with the good amount of features it comes with out of the box.

Acer has a tough sell on its hands with its Tempo line of touchscreen smartphones.  The Acer Tempo F900 continues the trend, offering a decent but unexceptional feature set, along with a more affordable price.

Just like other phones in the Tempo line, the F900 comes in at a bulky frame and runs Windows Mobile 6.1 with Acer Shell skin.  It's the biggest phone in the range, touting a large 3.8-inch display (800 x 480 pixels) that's bright, clear and eye-catching.  Looks aren't spectacular, especially next to the only other 3.8-inch WinMo phone in the market (the HTC Touch HD), feeling more slab-like.  Build appears to be sturdy.

As a phone, it facilitates average-sounding voice calls, but the speakerphone is a bit lacking.  It supports all standard connectivity options, including 7.2Mbps HSDPA, 2Mbps HSUPA, Wi-Fi b/g and stereo Bluetooth.   Messaging support is extensive, as Windows Mobile handsets go, but you're stuck with the same old kludgy UI.  It rocks a 1530mAh battery, which should be good for at least two days of typical use before recharging.

It uses the same processor as the dual-SIM DX900 (533MHz Samsung S3C), but appears to run even slower.  Overall, it's a frustrating phone to use because of the navigation lag.  I recommend ditching Acer Shell (which is especially slow) and either working with Windows UI natively or using a different skin.  The touch response is also not up to par with many modern handsets.

While the F900 suffers a lot of problems, the feature set is not one of them.  Like many of their other phones, Acer outfitted this as tightly as they can. It comes with the Opera browser built-in, with fast page loads and decent performance.  The accelerometer is a bit frustrating (it doesn't always re-orient the screen when you turn it), but I can live with it.

It also comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera (average photo quality), aGPS (with SiRF Star III pre-installed), a very good music player and numerous apps.  One omission they overlooked is adding a better media player here, as the phone offers one of the best mobile viewing experiences available with a screen that big.

Like their other smartphone efforts, the Acer Tempo F900 fails to impress.  Unfortunate but not surprising, since Acer doesn't really try that hard with this handset.  The days when you can slap a beefed-up hardware package and call it a top-of-the-line phone are just long gone.  Acer needs to find a way to get their head out of that thinking.

It's been a long time coming but Nokia's finally veered away (for one time, at least) from rocking Symbian OS on their phones.  The Nokia N900 just became official and it will be running with the new Maemo 5.

Set to become the company's new flagship device, the N900 boasts a 600MHz ARM Cortex-A8 CPU, 256MB of RAM and a PowerVR SGX with OpenGL ES 2.0 support, essentially giving it the same guts as the iPhone 3GS.  All that power is put to good use with the Linux-based operating system, which comes with Palm Pre-like multi-tasking capabilities and up to 768MB of virtual memory (bringing the effective RAM total to 1GB).

The phone comes with a side-sliding QWERTY keypad, 110.9 × 59.8 × 18mm dimensions and a weight of 181 grams. Connectivity set consists of quad-band GSM, tri-band WCDMA, Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth and USB.  Hardware details include a 3.5-inch touchscreen display (800 x 480 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera (with autofocus and Carl Zeiss lens), 32GB of onboard storage, 1320mAh battery and microSDHC card expansion (up to 16GB).   It naturally comes with a rich feature set, including a highly-capable media player (including XviD and DivX support, with unconverted video playback), aGPS, an FM tuner, a Mozilla-based full HTML browser with support for Flash 9.4 and TV-out.

On paper, the Nokia N900 appears poised to be one of the most solid smartphone efforts of the year.  Whether it ends up becoming formidable competition in the high-end smartphone market, however, will depend largely on how the Maemo actually performs, relative to the phone's hardware suite.  It's scheduled for release in October, at an estimated retail price of 500 Euros (around $720), before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia is continuing to expand on their touchscreen portfolio, filling it with entrants both on the high- and low-end of the price spectrum. The latest is an entry-level touchscreen device called the Nokia 5230.

The company seems intent on using the 5800 XpressMusic as the base design for their phones that don't slot in with the high-end N-series. For this particular release, the design borrows the exact same dimensions as the 5800 and sports a similar 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen with a 640 x 360 resolution.

Camera has been downgraded to 2.0 megapixels (but kept the VGA video at 30 fps) and Wi-Fi has been left out of the equation. The 5230 runs the latest Symbian S60 5th edition, packs a 1320 mAh battery (good for up to 33 hours of music playback) and comes with 3G connectivity. Other details include stereo Bluetooth, an FM tuner, a 3.5mm audio jack, onboard GPS (with the latest version of Ovi Maps) and microSDHC expansion.

Like many of Nokia's current releases, it will feature full social networking integration (Facebook, MySpace and YouTube), full Flash compatibility (most Flash content, at least, based on their previous phones) and a good choice of handset colors (black and white for the front panel; red, pink, yellow, blue, dark silver and silver for the rear). The Nokia 5230 is being pegged as the manufacturer's cheapest touchscreen phone to date and is expected to be priced at only €149 ($213). An alternate retail package is available that allows you to buy the phone for €259 ($370), which bundles unlimited music downloads from the Ovi Store.

Another budget touchscreen appears slated to add to Samsung's growing mid-range lineup.  Called the Samsung S3650 (codenamed Corby), the new handset sports an unusual form factor that uncharacteristically takes design cues from the Palm Pre.

That's right.  Just like Palm's not-quite-iPhone-killer, the S3650 looks like a bar of soap (even more so, actually, than the webOS-powered device).  Adding to the unconventional shape is a similarly unusual color scheme for the rear of the phone - a shiny, playful shade of yellow.

Slim at 13mm and weighing just 92 grams, the handset only offers basic GPRS and EDGE connectivity.  Details include a 2.8-inch 320 x 240 touchscreen panel, a 2.0 megapixel camera module, stereo Bluetooth, an integrated FM tuner and microSD card expansion.  It's running TouchWiz UI, with a few default widgets, quick links to social networking sites (YouTube, MySpace and Facebook), a capable messaging suite and an onboard music player.

Word is that the Samsung S3650 will be targeted to the same market as the ultra-successful Samsung Star.  With colors that bright, of course, you can bet it's geared towards the younger, not-so-professional crowd.

European rollout is pegged for September 10, with a US release expected shortly, as well (it already passed through the FCC).  Expect pricing to be around €200 ($286).

[via GSM Arena]

With numerous special editions (e.g. Star Trek, Navigation), it's fair to say that the Nokia 5800 is one of the Finnish manufacturer's most successful devices.  That's why the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, a cheaper, less-featured version of the touchscreen handset, makes so much sense, bringing the core of the pricier phone's talents at a more affordable price.

Being a music phone, audio quality and media experience are, naturally, the primary considerations for the 5530.   The music player is largely the same as that on other S60 3rd Edition phones, with a few cosmetic changes and touch optimization added to it.  It's good and functional, but lacks more eye candy, compared to music players currently available on other platforms.

Like the 5800, it supports a wide range of file formats, ably handling any type of music file you can throw its way.  Audio quality isn't exactly the same as the 5800 - it's better in some areas and slightly less-able than others.  Overall, though, it's top-of-the-line and worthy of the XpressMusic branding.

Physically, the phone is a handsome-looking piece, with an elongated form factor that allows it to rock a display with a 16:9 aspect ratio.   The color accents on the side provide a nice, sporty touch.  Overall build is good, but the back panel feels a little wobbly.

The 2.9-inch screen, unfortunately, isn't all good.  While colors and images look nice, performance under sunlight leaves a lot to ask for.  Sensitivity is better than most resistive touch panels we've seen, so finger-tapping works nearly as well as using a stylus.   Nokia's touch UI is also maturing, making this an overall great phone to handle.

For calls, the 5530 XpressMusic facilitates great voice quality on both ends of the conversation.  Speakerphone performance is impressive and is along the same quality as the N97.  Messaging is exactly the same as the 5800, supporting all common message types.  Email, as you can expect from a Nokia phone, handles a large number of protocols and offers complete features.

To drive the price lower, Nokia did not outfit the phone with 3G connectivity or GPS.  It does come with Wi-Fi, though, along with the same full HTML browser found on the 5800.  If high data speeds on the road and a GPS module aren't major concerns, this actually sounds like a great phone to choose over other 3G touchscreens.  Do note that it appears to have a low amount of RAM, so using the browser while having a few other applications open could result in crashes.

The onboard 3 megapixel camera module is decent, but isn't nearly as good as some of Nokia's other efforts.  It offers a good range of settings, but quality is only borderline average.  Same goes with the VGA video from the camcorder function.  Other features include microSD card expansion, stereo Bluetooth, FM radio and some pre-installed apps.

At a $300 price tag unlocked, the Nokia 5530 is one of the best cell phone deals around, bar none.  It's a full-fledged touchscreen smartphone with great media support.  If you can live without 3G data speeds, it's definitely worth considering.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic will be the second touchscreen phone in the XpressMusic line, following on the heels of the highly-successful 5800.  While the music-centric device still hasn't hit store shelves, Nokia has been showing it off extensively during events and trade shows.

This mini-review puts the spotlight on the version of the phone shown off during Nokia's recent exhibitions. Technically, the handset is still a prototype, although Nokia has stated that it is, more or less, an accurate example of the final build.

Compared to the 5800, the 5530 XpressMusic sports a slightly smaller size, with a build that's considerably sturdier, thanks to the metallic bezel.  It's not a huge departure from the general handling of the 5800, although losing the plastic gives it a firmer, more attractive feel.  Screen is smaller than the 5800, measuring in at only 2.9 inches.  Despite the reduced size, it offers better display quality and fosters the same 640 x 320 resolution.

The phone's touchscreen UI received considerable updates for this iteration, showing better response and less lag during navigation.  Some tweaks have also been made to the general look, which addresses common complaints in both the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and the Nokia N97.

On the features end, the 5530 fits in all the enjoyable music talents we enjoyed from the 5800, retaining the excellent sound quality and smart media interface.  While the phone supports full HTML browsing, it doesn't come with 3G, which leaves you to have to settle for Wi-Fi to enjoy fast internet access.  Other features of the upcoming handset include a 3.2 megapixel camera (no Carl Zeiss lens for this one), stereo Bluetooth and microSDHC card expansion.

Overall, the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic feels like a better-built 5800, with whittled-down features and screen size.  We're expecting this to be priced cheaper (at least $100 according to Nokia) than its touchscreen predecessor and, as such, sounds like a great phone to consider.

Nokia

Remember the Nokia tablet that's long been on the rumor mill?  Turns out it's a smartphone after all,  with photos and details leaking out over the weekend.

Officially known as the Nokia Rover (though it has also been billed as the Nokia N900 and RX-51), the T-Mobile version of the new handset just recently passed the FCC.  While there's still no news of pricing and release, the phone's full specs are out and they look mighty souped-up.

The front panel comes with no physical controls at all, which made most people suspect it's not actually a phone.  Features include a 3.5-inch resistive touch panel with 800 x 480 resolution, 32GB of internal storage, a 5.0 megapixel camera module (with Carl Zeiss lens, dual LED flash, auto-focus and pop-up cover), a GPS radio, onboard FM tuner and microSD card expansion.

The Rover supports quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and WCDMA 900/1700/2100 connectivity.  It also comes with Wi-Fi and stereo Bluetooth.  The side-sliding handset will come with a full QWERTY keyboard, which sports an oddly-configured three rows only, causing a smaller-than-average spacebar.

Nokia is ditching Symbian OS for the device, fitting it with the upcoming Maemo 5, instead.    The OS will be running on a 600 Mhz ARM Cortex A8 processor, the same CPU hardware powering both the iPhone 3GS and the Palm Pre.

[via BGR]

Just released by AT&T, the Samsung Solstice is not the most feature-rich phone around and actually shares a lot in common with the recently-released Samsung Highlight.   With a very good touch interface and a decent set of multimedia features, it's a pretty attractive phone, as long as you don't demand extremely high levels of performance.

Like a lot of Samsung's plethora of recent phones, there isn't much that separates the Solstice from many touchscreen handsets in the market.  While intended more to bring touchscreen phones to less-demanding customers, it does fit in a good range of capabilities as well.

Physically, it's a lot like the Highlight, without the crazy colors.  It's neither here nor there in terms of attractiveness, but it looks decent enough, nonetheless.  The 3-inch display fosters 262,000 colors and 400 x 240 pixels, managing a very pleasant image quality.  Navigation and overall use benefits greatly from Samsung's excellent TouchWiz UI, which includes the integration of the accelerometer across many of the phone's various apps.

Features are decent, though, largely implemented without much fanfare.   As a phone, voice calls are less than what I'd hoped, with an audible static during conversations.  It supports SMS, MMS and emails, but lacks instant messaging, which is sort of a downside.

The 2-megapixel camera onboard offers a good selection of features, with three shooting modes, 20 different frames and a smile detector.  Photo quality is excellent - perhaps, the best 2.0 megapixel module we've ever seen on a handset.  Camcorder is usable, but it's hardly as good.

Media playback quality is extremely basic, although it does offer compatibility for a wide variety of formats.  The phone comes with a full HTML browser (it defaults to the WAP version of the site, though, whenever available) and 3G connectivity, allowing it to support AT&T's wide range of broadband services.  Performance seems slower than other 3G-connected phones.

Overall, the Samsung Solstice is a largely generic phone in the manufacturer's range, throwing in all the expected features, with nothing to really set it apart.  It comes at a decent price, though - $100 with a two-year tie-up.

Like many of the company's higher-end releases, LG's GM730 is a very stylish device.  Running Windows Mobile with the 3D S-Class UI on top, it offers predictable smartphone capabilities.  Does it offer anything more than the typical WinMo handset, though?

LG always makes physically attractive phones and the GM730 is no different.  At 109.8 x 56.5 x 11.9mm dimensions and 107g of weight, it's exceptionally compact - perfect, if you want a touchscreen device that doesn't try to rip your pocket.

The trade-off of that size, of course, is the considerably smaller screen, which measures 3-inches and sports a 400 x 240 resolution.  Most folks spoiled by the now-standard 800 x 480 displays will, undoubtedly, find it just a little lacking.

Touchscreen performance is just about average for a resistive unit.  As good-looking as LG's S-Class 3D UI is, it pales in comparison to similar Windows Mobile skins from HTC and Samsung.  Only the surface interfaces have been retooled completely, leading to an inconsistent experience throughout the phone.  If you're used to the Windows Mobile feel, however, this may actually prove easier for you than learning an entirely new UI.

As a phone, the LG GM730 offers good quality voice calls, from both the earpiece and the speakerphone.  It supports a wide range of messaging options, namely SMS, MMS, email and IM.  Like other WinMo devices, it comes with plenty of default capabilities, such as Outlook syncing, data tethering and Office document integration.

Both HSDPA and Wi-Fi are available on the GM730, making it a very good phone for connecting to the web.  Again, if you're used to larger display panels, you'll probably find the screen size a little lacking for browsing.  Otherwise, it works well enough, especially when paired with a stylus for controls.

Other features include stereo Bluetooth, a GPS radio and a 5-megapixel camera.  The camera module, surprisingly, comes with no LED panel, making it largely unusable in dimly-lit situations.  Outdoors, however, it manages above average stills, with great colors and sharp lines. Camera UI was also pretty snappy.

Overall, the LG GM730 doesn't really bring anything to the table that other Windows Mobile handsets skip on.  While it might prove a good choice if size is an issue, HTC and Samsung phones along the same price range might actually be better purchases.

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