Preview: Torq P120
Intro:
Positives: The Torq P120 has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and runs the latest Windows Mobile 5 operating system. The quad-band smart phone also features a nice, bright display. Negatives: The Torq P120 suffers from a poor design and subpar call quality. This smart phone also doesn't include EDGE support. Facts: Though the Torq P120 has the makings of powerful smart phone for on-the-go professionals, it's held back by a poor design and subpar performance.
Torq P120
On paper, the Torq P120 has the makings of a powerful convergence device for mobile professionals. The Windows Mobile-based smart phone comes with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, ample memory, and a fairly compact form factor. Unfortunately, the P120 suffers the same fate as the E-Ten G500 in that it never reaches stardom due to mediocre performance and poor design elements. Plus, without the support of a U.S. carrier, you'll have to fork over a lot of cash ($620) for an unlocked version of the P120, and we just don't think it's worth it, especially when you can get better-performing and full-featured smart phones, such as the Cingular 8125 and the T-Mobile MDA, for less. Upon first glance, the Torq P120 looks to be a sturdy device, but a closer inspection of the handheld tells a different story. The P120 is fairly compact at 4.4 by 2.4 by 0.9 inches but on the heavier side, weighing in at 6 ounces. The extra heft makes it feel solid in the hands, but we noticed the plastic casing seemed a bit cheap, especially the battery cover on the back. Even worse, the navigation buttons are loose, and the five-way toggle doesn't work very well. For one, the entire keypad is tiny, so we had a lot of mishaps; plus, it was hard to press the center Select key. Fortunately, you can also use the responsive 2.8-inch touch screen to navigate the menus and apps. Text and images are easy to read, as the P120's screen shows off 65,536 colors at a 240x320-pixel resolution. Smile for the camera: The Torq P120's 1.3-megapixel camera comes with a flash and a self-portrait mirror. On the left side, there's a camera-activation key, a volume rocker, a voice-record button, a reset button, and a 2.5mm headset jack that's protected by a rubber cover. There's an SDIO/MMC expansion slot on top of the device, while the camera lens is located on the back, along with a small self-portrait mirror and a flash. One design quirk is that the stylus holder is located on the bottom of the handset; it's not a deal breaker, but since we're so accustomed to having it at the top, we kept reaching for it there just out of habit. On a brighter note, Torq packages the smart phone with a healthy supply of accessories, including a desktop cradle, an AC adapter, a wired headset, and a belt holster. Save the device's internal memory for important apps and use an SD card to carry around your favorite tunes and videos. Under the hood, the Torq P120 runs Microsoft's latest Windows Mobile 5 operating system, and it comes with 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM. Mobile professionals will be happy to see that the P120 has the full suite of Mobile Office apps, including Word, Excel, and the new PowerPoint presentation viewer, so you can work on the go. Outlook Mobile is onboard to handle your e-mail needs, and the P120 comes with the same M-Desk utility found on the E-Ten G500 that groups all of the device's apps by function: Phone, PDA, Fun, and System. It's a feature we came to love, thanks to its simple organization and sheer usefulness--no more digging through the Programs menu to find the app you need. The Torq P120 has some helpful phone features as well. First, it's a quad-band GSM phone, so you can use it overseas. Also, it's equipped with a voice-command feature that lets you operate your phone by spoken word. We appreciated the Frequent Dial feature that monitors your calling habits and, for easy access, automatically lists the numbers you punch in most often. Other phone delights include speed dial, photo caller ID, conference calling, text and multimedia messaging, and a speakerphone. Aside from cellular wireless, connectivity options include integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b) and Bluetooth 1.2. Unfortunately, there's no support for EDGE, so you won't get the benefit of faster download times. For some visual and audio entertainment, the Torq P120 comes with a 1.3-megapixel camera that has video-recording capabilities and a 4X zoom. It can take photos ranging in size, from 176x144 up to 1,290x960, and you have options for white balance, special effects, fun frames, and a self-timer. The P120 can record video with sound in three sizes (320x240, 176x144, and 128x96) and three quality settings (high, medium, and low). Windows Media Player 10 Mobile is at your disposal for more ear and eye candy. We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) Torq P120 in the San Francisco Bay Area using Cingular service, and call quality was a mixed bag. Although we could hear our callers loud and clear, they said we sounded garbled or there was too much of an echo to carry on a conversation. All in all, it was quite disappointing. The only upside: pairing the P120 with the Logitech Mobile Traveller Bluetooth headset was a breeze. As a PDA, the Torq P120's performance was a little poky. There was a noticeable lag when opening up different apps, but the battery life was on a par with that of other PDAs. In the tests, where we looped a video clip with the backlight set to high and all wireless radios turned off, the P120 lasted for five hours. The P120 is rated for up to four hours of talk time and 8.3 days of standby time.
Our recommendation: Buy
Provided by Myra Brewer - Urbana, Ohio
Keywords: cell phone numbers, call me on my mobile phone
Up next: RIM BlackBerry 7100g
Intro:
Positives: The slim and trim RIM BlackBerry 7100g features a bright display and a pseudo-QWERTY keypad in a slim and trim package. It also has Bluetooth, and it syncs with Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes, and BlackBerry servers. Negatives: The BlackBerry 7100g's modified keyboard takes some time to master, and the Bluetooth works only with wireless headsets. The 7100g also lacks a instant-messaging client, and Java apps are not downloadable. Facts: Cingular subscribers looking for on-the-go e-mail access in a slim, lightweight device will warm to the RIM BlackBerry 7100g--that is, if they're patient with the tricky keypad. Note: This product is part of the RIM BlackBerry 7100 series. .
RIM BlackBerry 7100g
Research in Motion's slim, lightweight 7100 series makes its way to Cingular Wireless with the arrival of the RIM BlackBerry 7100g. Nearly identical to T-Mobile's BlackBerry 7100t, this new addition to the 7100 family boasts the same quasi-QWERTY keypad, the ability to sync with corporate servers and POP/Web e-mail clients, and a refreshingly compact form factor. That said, the reasonably priced 7100g ($299; $199 with a two-year service plan) comes saddled with some of the same limitations: Bluetooth that's restricted to headsets only, no onboard chat client, and a keypad that can be tricky to master. However, those who want on-the-go access to their e-mail without being weighted down by a hefty device will likely warm to the RIM BlackBerry 7100g--as long as they're willing to deal with the keypad's learning curve. The slim and trim RIM BlackBerry 7100g looks almost identical to its BlackBerry 7100t sibling; both measure 4.6 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches and weigh about 4.2 ounces, small enough to fit snugly in a jeans pocket and easy to hold against your cheek during voice calls. Some of the cosmetics, though, are slightly different. For example, the 7100t's blue and silver look gives way to a silver and black color scheme. Also, the 7100t's blue soul patch beneath the keypad has been replaced by a simple Cingular logo, and the sharp V-shaped keypad arrangement on the 7100t gets a more subtle treatment on the 7100g. While we thought the handset's design looked pretty sharp, we noticed it was all too vulnerable to scrapes and scratches. Within a mere week or so of moderate use, both the plastic screen and silver lining just above it were scratched up and scuffed; we suggest you use the included protective case. The RIM BlackBerry 7100g's 2.1-inch, 65,000-color-plus screen is easy on the eyes with plenty of detail, thanks to its 240x260-pixel resolution. You can change the font size and style, as well as switch on antialiasing to smooth the rough edges of characters on the screen, but we disliked the fact that the 7100g's display goes completely dark when the backlighting turns off. In standby mode, the main screen shows signal strength, battery life, the time, the date, caller ID info, and a mail icon that notifies you of unread messages. Unlike the nice-looking, icon-driven menu of the 7100t, the 7100g's main menu appears only in list mode, which is unfortunate but not a deal breaker. The RIM BlackBerry 7100g features a modified QWERTY keyboard that takes some getting used to. Like the 7100t, the RIM BlackBerry 7100g manages to fit a QWERTY-style arrangement on a phone-size keypad by squeezing two letters on to each key, but it takes some getting used to, as with SureType's word-recognition technology. At first, our fingers had a hard time accepting the modified keypad as a true QWERTY keyboard, but with some time and patience, we eventually stopped hunting and pecking and began typing away normally. True to its word, SureType did an impressive job of guessing the words we were attempting to type; when it was confused, a contextual menu appeared, allowing us to pick a word. And while on the whole we were pleased with the results, the setup still got annoying when we wanted to type in a proper name or a number, as we had to stop and change modes midstroke. Those used to painstakingly tapping out words in a standard phone keypad might love the 7100g's modified keyboard, but speed typists addicted to their full BlackBerry QWERTY setups may regret making the switch. Wheelin' and dealin': Navigate the menus with the jog dial and the Escape button. The rest of the RIM BlackBerry 7100g's controls are pretty standard. On the right edge of the handset, you'll find the typical BlackBerry jog dial--just scroll up or down with your thumb to move the cursor and press to select a function. Just beneath the dial, there's also an Escape button that brings you back to the previous menu. A headphone jack and a USB port sit on the left side of the phone, while an inset power button is perched along the top. Turn the 7100g around, and you'll find the speakerphone grille just above the broad plastic battery door. The RIM BlackBerry 7100g comes with a well-balanced meal of phone basics. The phone book handles as many entries as will fit in its 32MB of onboard RAM (the SIM card can hold an additional 250 contacts), and there's room in each entry for eight numbers, home and work addresses, Web pages, and more. You also get a speakerphone, which you can engage only once you're on a call; a calendar; task and to-do lists; a memo pad; a WAP wireless Web browser; an alarm; and a calculator. Some unexpected extras include the ability to search the 7100g's messages, calendar, address book, memo pad, and tasks, either individually or all at once; there's also a detailed help section. Unfortunately, the Bluetooth-enabled phone only supports wireless headsets, so if you're looking for Bluetooth file transfers or syncing, you're out of luck. Loud and clear: The 7100g features a speakerphone, but you can turn it on only once you're on a call. Clearly, push e-mail is the big draw for the RIM BlackBerry 7100g, and the handset doesn't disappoint. The device syncs e-mail and calendars in real time with Microsoft Exchange, BlackBerry, and Lotus Notes servers, plus it grabs messages from up to 10 POP3/IMAP accounts or Web mail services such as MSN Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL. Configuring the device to work with our Gmail account was a breeze; we simply logged on to the BlackBerry Web site and entered our username and password, and we began receiving messages within about 20 minutes. The 7100g's e-mail client lets you view a variety of attachments, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF documents, but you can't edit them. Unfortunately, the device doesn't have an instant-messaging client that works straight out of the box. Extra applications on the RIM BlackBerry 7100g are on the weak side. As with the 7100t, the only title you get is the Breakout-style BrickBreaker, and you can't purchase other games or applications from Cingular's download service. On the personalization side, you can swap out the wallpaper with one of the six pictures available in the Pictures application (you can buy more wallpaper from Cingular), and you can choose from five ringer profiles, including Loud, Vibrate, Quiet, Phone Only, and a user-defined mode. However, you can't assign individual ring tones to specific contacts or groups. The 7100g is pretty light on multimedia features; there aren't any MP3 or media players here. We tested the quad-band RIM BlackBerry 7100g (GSM 850/900/1800/1900; GPRS) in New York City, and our calls sounded loud and clear, both in regular calling mode and with the speakerphone. We also tried the handset in our gadget-heavy living room--complete with a microwave oven, a 32-inch TV set, a wireless phone, and a Wi-Fi network--and didn't notice any interference. Pairing the RIM BlackBerry 7100g with a Bluetooth headset was a snap; once we turned on the Bluetooth radio, the phone found our Logitech Mobile Traveller Headset within a few seconds, and we were soon chatting away wirelessly. RIM promises 4 hours of talk time and eight days of standby time from the BlackBerry 7100g. In our tests, we beat the talk time by an extra half hour and got seven days of standby time. According to FCC radiation tests, the RIM BlackBerry 7100g has a digital SAR rating of 0.86 watts per kilogram.
Our recommendation: Do not buy
Written by Ethel Mccray - Bardwell, Kentucky
Keywords: cell phone england, alltel mobile phone service
Review: LG KG800 Chocolate (white)
Intro:
Positives: The LG KG800 Chocolate has decent call quality and offers Bluetooth, world phone support, and a gorgeous display. Negatives: The LG KG800 Chocolate has tricky controls, and it lacks a speakerphone, an external memory card slot, and voice dialing. Facts: The LG KG800 Chocolate is indeed pretty, but its feature set and performance don't back up its trendy design. Note: This product is part of the LG Chocolate series. .
LG KG800 Chocolate (white)
Even before its formal debut last July, the LG Chocolate had been one of the most discussed cell phones of the year. Though it offered nothing new in the way of features, its slim slider design captured two hot trends currently streaking through cell phone design houses. As of this writing, Verizon Wireless is the only carrier that offers the CDMA LG VX8500 Chocolate, but LG has also produced an unlocked GSM version of the handset that is available stateside. The LG KG800 Chocolate sports the same eye-catching design as the VX8500, save for a few adjustments to the still-tedious touch pad controls. The feature set is also similar, but the KG800 lacks an external memory slot and does not support 3G networks. The KG800 should cost about $300. Like the VX8500, the KG800 Chocolate has a rectangular shape that's vaguely reminiscent of a chocolate bar. The sleek form factor and straight lines are familiar as is the basic black color scheme (an all-white model is available as well). The KG800's dimensions (3.7x1.9x0.6 inches) are only slightly different from its cousin's, and it's a tad lighter but still has a comfortable and solid feel in the hand. Just keep in mind that as with other slider designs, the KG800 doesn't cradle your head when held against the ear. The slider mechanism slips up and down easily but firmly; we needed only one finger to make it work. Though the KG800's display has a slightly lower resolution than the VX8500's, it's still a treat to view. With support for 256,000 colors, the two-inch (176x220 pixels) display shows off everything beautifully, from photos to graphics to its simple, user-friendly menus. The screen is more difficult to see in direct light and disappears completely when the backlighting is off. You can change the backlighting time, the font color, and the brightness. The KG800's touch-sensitive controls are rather difficult to use. For menu navigation, the KG800 Chocolate uses the quirky touch-sensitive controls found on the VX8500. But instead of arranging the controls in a wheel, the KG800 puts them in a square. Though we like this version a tad better for aesthetic reasons, the new design doesn't improve usability. The controls still take a lot of acclimation--we didn't know quite where to put our finger at first--and are too sensitive even at the lowest setting. Overall, these flaws caused a lot of misdials. Also, the controls disappear completely when the backlighting is off. The other navigation controls are carried over from the Verizon Chocolate. There are two soft keys, a talk button, and a clear key. They're touch sensitive as well, so you don't get the tactile feel of pressing down on a button. We've griped about it before and we'll gripe about it again: we can't imagine what LG was thinking when it moved the Chocolate's end/power button to the left spine--we kept forgetting where the control was. A covered headset jack and a dedicated control for launching the camera and the MP3 player sit on the right spine, while a sole volume rocker is on the left spine. The camera lens, flash, and self-portrait mirror are on the rear face of the slider, so you must have it open to take pictures. While somewhat slippery, the keypad buttons are easy to use and have a slightly better design than on the VX8500. We liked the alternating black and gray color scheme that resulted in a checkered effect. Also it's great that the backlit keys are tactile and have a clear separation between them. The KG800 Chocolate's phone book holds 1,000 contacts with room in each entry for four numbers and an e-mail address (the SIM card holds an additional 250 names). You can save contacts to groups, pair them with a photo, or assign them one of 44 polyphonic ring tones. Other basics include a vibrate mode, a voice recorder, text and multimedia messaging, an alarm clock, a calculator, a unit converter, a world clock, a calendar, and a memo pad. As for high-end features, there's Bluetooth, e-mail, and USB data storage and transfer capability, and you can use the phone as a modem. Unfortunately, there's no speakerphone or voice dialing. The omission of the former is especially puzzling on such a trendy phone. Verizon released a firmware upgrade to add a speakerphone into its Chocolate; we only hope the same will happen with the KG800. The KG800's music player is serviceable but nothing fancy. You can play music in MP3 and AAC formats. Features aren't plentiful--you can't make playlists--but it does offer rudimentary equalizer controls and basic visualizations for when your music is playing. The included stereo headset is top quality, but be warned: it uses a proprietary plug. We loaded music on the phone with the included USB cable without any problems. The KG800's camera lens is hidden on the back of the slider. The 1.3-megapixel camera takes pictures in five resolutions (1,280x960, 640x480, 320x240, 220x176, and 72x72) and three quality settings (normal, fine, and superfine). Additional camera options include a self-timer, brightness and white balance controls, a multishot mode and three color effects. In an improvement over the VX8500 Chocolate, there's also a flash, a self-portrait mirror, and a 4X zoom for use at the lower resolutions. The camcorder takes clips with sound in two resolutions (176x144 and 128x96); editing options are similar to the still camera. You can limit clips to a minute or record for as long as the phone's memory permits. With 128MB onboard, the GSM Chocolate does have more integrated memory than the VX8500, but there's no external memory card slot. Photo quality was quite good in our tests, with sharp colors and distinct object outlines. In bright conditions, the lighting was a bit washed out. Videos were decent but nothing special as they tended to be grainy and pixelated. We like the KG800's image quality. You can personalize the KG800 Chocolate with a variety of wallpapers, alert sounds, and menu colors. If you want more options or more ring tones, polyphonic or MP3, you can download them via the WAP 2.0 wireless browser. The phone includes one game (ZooZooClub) but the integrated Java (J2ME) support ensures you can get more. Be advised that gameplay through the touch pad is a bit difficult. We tested the triband (GSM 900/1800/1900) KG800 Chocolate world phone with Cingular Wireless service in San Francisco. Call quality was decent but not quite as sharp as on Verizon's Chocolate. Voice quality had a slight echo effect, and volume was a tad low, so at times it sounded as if callers were talking through a screen. On the other hand, reception was great, and we encountered no interference from other devices. Music quality was fine but a bit tinny, so it's nothing we'd want to listen to for long. On the data end, the KG800 maxes out at GPRS speeds and does not support 3G networks. The LG KG800 Chocolate has a rated talk-time battery life of 6 hours and a standby time of 8.3 days. Our tests resulted in a talk time of 5 hours and 45 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the KG800 has a digital SAR rating of 0.14 watt per kilogram.
Our recommendation: Buy
Written by Karl Gross - Bayfield, Wisconsin
Keywords: t mobile cell phone service, free flash mobile phone templates
In the lab: Samsung SGH-D900 (Black carbon)
Intro:
Positives: The Samsung SGH-D900 is a slim, lightweight phone that feels great in the hand. It has a gorgeous display, and features a 3.0-megapixel camera, a music player, a MicroSD card slot, a speakerphone, and quad-band EDGE support. Negatives: The Samsung SGH-D900 has a flat keypad that makes menu navigation and dialing tricky. Facts: If you can afford it, the Samsung SGH-D900 is a sleekly designed slider phone with a stellar feature set, including a great camera.
Samsung SGH-D900 (Black carbon)
Photo gallery:Samsung SGH-D900 (Black carbon)
Our recommendation: Do not buy
Reviewed by Thomas Macias - Riverton, Iowa
Keywords: three band cell phone, free centro mobile phone radio
In the lab: Nokia N93i
Intro:
Product Short Spec: Band / mode: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 900/1800/1900 Talk time: Up to 234 min Dimensions (W x D x H): 2.3 in x 1 in x 4.3 in Weight: 5.7 oz Note: This product is part of the Nokia N series. .
Nokia N93i
Our recommendation: Buy
Reviewed by Paul Waddle - Corinth, Texas
Keywords: cell phone directory, poor mobile phone signal
