Product: Sharp SX833 Price: Up to $4,480, exclusive to SmarTone-Vodafone Pros: Apart from the outstanding display, audio and user interface, it has the highest megapixel camera in a 3G phone Cons: Thick folding design, fragile pop-out sockets for peripherals and no external screen to monitor incoming calls
Product: Nokia 6680 Price: $4,388 Pros: Ease of use and nice design Cons: Slimmer and advanced 3G camera phone models now available from other brands
Candy bar or clamshell? That is the eternal question asked by mobile phone buyers around the world. The choice, ultimately a matter of taste, gains resonance when one considers the purchase of a third-generation (3G) cellular handset with all the bells and whistles the technology brings.
Usability, size and style make the difference in helping mobile phone users get comfortable with 3G and bring about a change in the way they live, work and communicate.
Nokia's 6680 imaging smartphone (left), since its worldwide release in the second quarter, has set a new standard in meeting the demands of 3G subscribers to use their broadband multimedia content.
Based on the Finnish firm's Series 60 platform, the 6680 offers a classic candy bar user interface that is logical and easy to use. Configuration of 'hot' buttons is a breeze, the same as switching between text options.
Camera activation remains simple, emulating the brand's second-generation (2G) camera phone models. Capturing images is made easier by the 6680's slide-and-shoot function, where the camera is activated by simply opening the slide.
