Mobile Phones

Sony Ericsson has released a second range of Bluetooth watches, but the major differences are in design, rather than function. The MBW-150 Classic Edition is one of the three models in the new range of watches that wirelessly synchronise with your mobile phone to alert you of incoming calls and messages.

The new range aims to suit all styles and tastes, and the Classic Edition features a large, round face with a black, genuine leather band. At first glance there is no indication that this is an electronic device, so it can be easily worn without being connected to your phone.

Towards the bottom of the face lies an OLED display. A soft blue backlight notifies you when your phone rings, as well as when you receive an SMS or MMS message. If the caller is stored in your phone book, the MBW-150 displays the name; if not, then just the number is displayed. When a new message is received, a small message icon appears on the display. Unfortunately, you can't actually read your message on the MBW-150 -- it certainly would have been extremely practical for the message to scroll across the display. Conveniently, the watch vibrates when notifications appear, although this function can be turned off if you wish.

Sony Ericsson has released a second range of Bluetooth watches, but the major differences are in design, rather than function. The MBW-150 Music Edition is part of one of three models in the new range of watches that wirelessly synchronise with your mobile phone to alert you of incoming calls and messages.

The new range aims to suit all styles and tastes, and the Music Edition features a large, round face with a black, rubber band. Aside from the bright orange music keys on the left side of the watch, there is no other indication that this is an electronic device, so it can be easily worn without being connected to your phone.

Towards the bottom of the face lies an OLED display. A bright orange backlight notifies you when your phone rings, as well as when you receive an SMS or MMS message. If the caller is stored in your phonebook, the MBW-150 displays the name; if not, then just the number is displayed. When a new message is received, a small message icon appears on the display. Unfortunately, you can't actually read your message on the MBW-150 -- it certainly would have been extremely practical for the message to scroll across the display. Conveniently, the watch vibrates when notifications appear, although this function can be turned off if you wish.

Sporting a glossy, mirror-like surface with a disappearing external display, the Sony Ericsson Z750i looks almost identical to the Z610i. This HSDPA-capable handset is exclusive to Telstra's Next G network and is one of a handful of Telstra handsets bearing the 'Blue Tick' for recommended coverage in rural areas of Australia.

The Z750i offers above average voice quality and decent volume levels. Of course, it offers full access to the BigPond content portal, including the Foxtel Mobile TV service and WhereIs Navigator. Speeds are reasonable for a HSDPA phone, though the display isn't really recommended for long viewing; it's a little small for watching video.

The outstanding aesthetic feature of the Z750i is the external OLED display. Virtually invisible when not in operation due to the reflective, mirror surface, the display only appears when you receive a new message, call or calendar notification. Although the surface is a fingerprint magnet, it's quite effective. The curved edging means the phone slides easily into a pocket, but the flip mechanism isn't spring operated and doesn't feel smooth. Inside, the keyboard and controls are excellent with the five-way navigational pad bearing the grunt of the work.

This phone is not expensive. The M315 looks like a far more expensive model--you can take it out with you and not be embarrassed in the company of more costly or feature-packed units.

The Ben(Q) boasts between 65 and 142 hours of standby time, and three to five hours of talk time which is a good result for this 85 gram compact communication tool.

Of course, nobody is perfect. The primary omission is in the iTap predictive text input. It's not that iTap doesn't work, quite the opposite--it operates with precision and even includes more obscure words like "linux", place names like "paris" and brands like "hilton". It's just that there is no mixed case option. In other words, you can use iTap to type "HILTON" or "hilton", but not "Hilton". While the available letter input mode can achieve the desired result, it's far more cumbersome.

The first HTC Touch device to come equipped with built-in GPS, the Touch Cruise features a similar feature set to the TyTN II, minus the slide out keyboard. The Cruise boasts HSDPA-connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 3-megapixel camera with autofocus and a 2.8in display.

Aesthetically, this is a smaller device than the TyTN II, but it's still quite large for a smartphone without a keyboard. The chrome surrounding the display and sides gives it a nice touch. Below the screen is a five-way navigational pad that doubles as a scroll wheel - it's quite convenient for scrolling through long lists. The most disappointing aspect of the Touch Cruise is its display. It's a standard VGA screen which doesn't do the TouchFLO interface justice.

The Cruise is quite easy to use. Though it's a standard Windows Mobile 6 device, HTC's TouchFLO interface means you won't have to use the stylus as often as usual. It allows quick access to functions like favourite contacts, weather, an application launcher and sound profiles. Unfortunately, the finger panning and scrolling feature, used to scroll through long lists and documents by sliding your finger up and down the screen, is a mixed bag and does take a while to grasp.