Mobile Phones

The FOMA F1100, developed with business users in mind, can access both FOMA and wireless LAN networks for IP telephony. DoCoMo envisions the F1100 doubling as a VoIP mobile phone using in-house WLANs equipped for DoCoMo's PASSAGE DUPLE service or the business mopera IP Centrex service, which enables outbound or internal communication via IP Centrex devices on DoCoMo networks (rather than via in-house PBX).

The FOMA HT1100, targeted at active business consumers who also want a handset for personal use, will feature HTC's stylish and versatile TouchFLO Touch Cube 3-dimentional interface that allows users to access and operate a variety of functions with the slide of a thumb. Audio visual files, such as YouTube Mobile content, can be enjoyed using Streaming Media software and HTC's Audio Manager music player. The handset supports DoCoMo's WORLD WING international roaming service.

The Neonode N2 arrives rather tentatively clutching at the coat-tails of the Apple iPhone, with touchscreen operation and a similar combination of features.

It's far smaller, though, weighing just 60g, and inevitably forgoes any kind of keypad with just a power and volume switch on the side.

You control operation by using a series of swiping motions at various positions on the screen to open menus, select files and manage incoming calls and text messages.

The onscreen keypad uses a subtle vibrate function to let you know you've pressed a key, but if you're expecting to be able to text or dial numbers as fast as you can with a traditional phone, you'll be let down.

Navigation using these swiping motions is quite effective. You'll find a range of features in keeping with most modern mobiles, including a 2-megapixel fixed-focus digital camera, media player and removable 1GB mini-SD card.

It should not be of much surprise that a messaging-centric device such as the Helio Ocean has a certain heft to it. Its 114mm x 56mm x 23mm (4.5" x 2.2" x .9") dimensions and 165g (5.8oz) weight make it slightly smaller and lighter than the T-Mobile Sidekick 3, which is what I would consider to be the Ocean's most direct competitor.

The Ocean appears to be quite solidly built. There are no rattles or squeaks, and both of the spring loaded sliding mechanisms appear to be fairly durable. The numeric keypad's keys are firm and offer good tactile feedback. The QWERTY keyboard is spacious and easy to use, though not quite up to par with the keyboard found on the Sidekick 3. Its backlight is implemented well, and the bright orange ALT key can be quickly spotted from across a crowded room. It looks cool. Because of the dual nature of the beast, the Ocean has 4 softkeys on its front - two above the display, and two below. Depending on the device orientation and the application, two or more of the softkeys are active at any given time. The d-pad, the red and green call keys, and the dedicated back/clear key are all quite large and work very well. There are a number of black buttons located on the sides of the Ocean. On the left/bottom side, depending on how you hold it, are the volume rocker switch and the dedicated music keys. Located directly opposite the music keys is the camera shutter button.

Sliders used to be synonymous with the Samsung family, but lately everyone has realized the importance of offering phones in forms other than the basic candy bars and clamshells. While older clamshells have been bulky (like the Nokia 7650) and failed to catch the buyer's fancy, the new crop of phones is slimmer, sexier and a whole lot more functional. The recently united BenQ-Siemens' CL71 is one such new entrant.

The phone is a tri-band GSM phone running on 900/1800/1900 MHz bands. It does GPRS and WAP, but no EDGE or 3G. The display is a large, 176x220 pixel, 262k color TFT, which looks pretty good in all lighting conditions. The phone is actually quite a decent fit in the hand and at 115gm not too heavy either. The phone can be easily slid up or down with just one hand.

The phone is not a Smartphone, although the general appearance may lead you to think so. It runs a proprietary UI that's extremely slow. You'll end up clicking more than once, just to see it all happen in rapid succession after the lag. Having said that, it's not difficult to understand or use. The confusion can come because of the design of the navigation pad: the left and right direction buttons are a part of the same piece, while the up and down buttons are separate. Having all buttons at the same level usually makes it more intuitive.

Other features of the phone are the usual 1.3 megapixel digital camera with video capture, MP3/AAC/WMA playback and ring tone support, an FM radio tuner, 24 MB internal memory and a microSD/TransFlash memory card expansion slot.

The battery life of this phone is quite short, running out after just around two days of a full charge, even when the phone was used moderately with very little use of the camera.