Mobile Phones

Cyclops, as the handset is to be known, features Virgin Mobile's TXT Tones and Virgin Audio Messaging, as well as other mid-range features and a sleek design.

In partnership with Warner Music Group, Virgin Mobile's TXT Tones service functions similar to other ringtone purchasing systems, though instead of buying longer segments of songs, only three to five second clips are available, and are designed to be used for message alert tones. Each TXT Tone costs US$1.50 to download.

Virgin Mobile Audio Messaging (VAM) is aimed at expanding existing messaging functionality by allowing the user to create a contact list to see who is available to be 'VAMed,' and subsequently record and send a voice message to the other party. If the other person is available, they can listen to the message and reply with their own, and if not the message will be stored and available to them when they are.

The Kyocera Cyclops also features a built in 1.3 megapixel camera, 65k color TFT LCD display, and 14MB of on board memory. Additionally, phone features like a speakerphone and voice-activated dialing are also included.

T-Mobile has had a great deal of success with its range of connected Windows Mobile Pocket PCs. This has been in part due to very user-friendly pricing on contract tariffs, and in part due to its partnership with ALK and specifically with that company's CoPilot navigation software. The partnership continues with the new MDA Compact III, available either with or without CoPilot.

The advantage of the MDA Compact III over earlier devices in the range, as far as navigation is concerned, is that it has a built-in GPS antenna. This means you do not need to charge or carry a separate antenna or indeed to go through the hassle of pairing an antenna over Bluetooth with the MDA Compact III. You simply choose to run the software when you need to.
Even without the CoPilot - or any other - navigation software, the MDA Compact III is an impressive piece of kit. It is small, thin and light (58mm x 108mm x 16mm and 160g) and styled in a compelling grey.

What immediately impresses in the first few minutes of use is the fact that this handheld dispenses with a navigation button and instead offers a combination of wheel and mini trackball. The mini trackball is an idea we've seen recently in the BlackBerry Pearl. You roll it under the thumb to move around within the screen, and press to make selections. It is illuminated by a gentle blue backlight when in use.

The Sony Ericsson T700 is a solid bar designed handset which has a classic looking design complete with high speed technologies. The T700 comes in a simple but extremely stylish casing which is available in three colour combinations including a shining silver coloured casing, black on silver colour combination & a black on red coloured casing. The T700 comes with neat square shaped navigation control & square shaped short cut keys & below these controls is a well spaced out keypad with individual rectangle keys which make numeric input easy for the user. Above the keypad & controls is a 2 Inch TFT LCD screen which can display up to 262k colour & has a screen resolution of 240 pixels by 320 pixels. The colour screen displays high colour wallpapers, screensavers, photos & colourful themed menus for the user to enjoy each day. The user can personalise their phone by changing the wallpaper, screensavers & themes to suit their individual taste. The Sony Ericsson T700 comes with a rechargeable battery which when fully charged can provide up to 370 hours of GSM standby battery time or up to 9.5 hours GSM talk time which allows the user to enjoy communicating with others without having to stop frequently to recharge their handset.

The Nokia 6120 Classic is a sophisticated 3G mobile phone which comes in a desirable & simple casing. The casing comes in a classic design & is available in either a black or silver coloured casing which comes with chrome highlights. The handset is slim & compact which makes the handset easy to hold & manage. The dimensions of the Nokia 6120 Classic are 105 x 46 x 15 mm which fits perfectly in the users hand. The 3G phone weighs 89 grams which provides the user with a lightweight handset which is easy to slip in the users pocket or bag. The 6120 Classic comes with a beautifully clear & large screen which displays up to sixteen million colours on a two Inch screen. The battery provides up to 3.1 hours of GSM talk time, 2.4 hours of WCDMA talk time & up to 216 hours GSM or WCDMA standby time.

The phone provides entertainment & multimedia features which are waiting to be enjoyed by the user. The built in features include a music player, megapixel camera & high quality video capabilities. The built in music player allows the user to enjoy music on the move in either MP3, M4A, eAAC+ or WMA music format. The user can download music & videos quickly over the phones high speed 3G or HSDPA.

The JX10 Cara is simply a re-release of the original unit, Jabra JX10.

"Cara" is a Spanish word meaning expensive, a term which can unfortunately be applied to both the feel of the JX10's design, and its exuberant price tag. If you've ever been worried about looking a little silly with a Bluetooth headset stuck onto your ear, the Cara is an ideal solution. It's as much a fashion statement as a Bluetooth headset, with sleek, contoured edges and a stainless steel finish oozing class. The Cara comes in two variations - stainless steel, and 24-carat gold - and was created by Danish designer Jacob Jenson. The 24-carat gold Cara retails at $429AUD.

The best feature of the JX10 Cara is its design; it's comfortable to wear for long periods, compact and lightweight. The stainless steel finish looks professional, and it definitely adds a touch of class. The whole unit weighs less than 14g, can be worn on either ear, and can be used with or without the included ear hook.

Pairing with a mobile phone is simple and effortless. Dubbed "one-touch pairing", synchronising the JX10 Cara to your phone is as easy as holding down the small pairing button. Although the pairing button is small, it's not one you'll use often, nor do you want to be pressing it inadvertently.