bLuEDrIm LiFe Blog

1. I-mate Jaq

Editors' rating: 5.7

The good: The I-mate Jaq has a nice touch screen and runs Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Edition with the full Office Mobile suite. It also features a full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, and solid talk-time battery life.

The bad: The I-mate Jaq has a bulky design and no integrated Wi-Fi, and lacks a camera option. The smart phone also has poor call quality and is expensive.

The bottom line: Plagued by a bulky design and poor call quality, the I-mate Jaq can't stand up to the competition of other Windows Mobile smart phones.

Editors' rating: 6.3

The good: The Bang & Olufsen Serene is a beautiful and elegant phone with a truly unique design. It even has a built-in motor to assist you in opening and closing the phone.

The bad: The Bang & Olufsen Serene is not built for practicality. It requires a special screwdriver to access the battery and the SIM card, and its circular keypad takes some getting used to. The phone's camera lens is positioned on the side of the device, making it difficult to align snapshots via the viewfinder on the display. Also, the Serene is extremely cost-prohibitive.

The bottom line: The Bang & Olufsen Serene is a showpiece of a cell phone with a design unlike any other. Unfortunately, form does not meet function, and the Serene is more suited to be showcased in a museum rather than carried around in your pocket.

Editors' rating: 6.3

The good: The Motorola ic502 offers a rugged design, access to Nextel's Direct Connect network, and good call quality.

The bad: The Motorola ic502 has a limited feature set and a low-resolution display, and its menu interface is jarring for Nextel stalwarts.

The bottom line: Though the Motorola ic502 successfully combines the Sprint and Nextel networks, its limited feature set and design peculiarities make it a poor choice for Nextel loyalists.

Editors' rating: 6.3

The good: The simple Pantech C120 is easy to use and offers decent performance for its size. It also comes with a VGA camera.

The bad: The Pantech C120's volume could be louder, and the speakerphone quality was poor. The camera does not record video.

The bottom line: The Pantech C120 is a decent choice for anyone seeking an easy-to-use phone for making calls. Frequent users should look elsewhere, however.

Editors' rating: 6.3

The good: The Samsung IP-830w is a dual-mode CDMA/GSM phone for use domestically and overseas. The smart phone also features Windows Mobile 5, Bluetooth and EV-DO support.

The bad: The Samsung IP-830w is bulky and has a disappointingly short talk-time battery life. It also lacks Wi-Fi, and the QWERTY keyboard is a bit cramped.

The bottom line: Unless your business requires you to travel overseas frequently, there are a number of sleeker and better-performing Windows Mobile smart phones than the Samsung IP-830w.