This list is for those looking for handsets that aren’t necessarily as feature rich as others but manage to adequately cover all the basics and then some. But let’s just leave that aside and focus on their... what I like to call – Funk Factor. This list of phones are what I like to consider funky, not only because they happen to look that way but also because some of them come equipped with features that appeal to that particular crazy fashion sense the ‘Today’s’ youth demand.
LG KS360 – Rs 9,999
I’m currently reviewing the KS360, so stay tuned for the review that should be up tomorrow. From my testing so far I’m a fan of the design with the slide out QWERTY form factor, although it does have a few quirks here and there. Even with the keypad, the handset still manages to retain a certain slim look. The navigation system is really simple with individual direction keys and a touchscreen system specifically for dialing and looking up contacts. It may look simple enough to be just another handset but not with these input options. I’ve also seen some of the colors that the phone is available in viz. - Black and Red, Black and Silver, White and soft Pink, Titanium and bright Blue, and all may not look too great but most manage to give off that funky vibe. The handset also has a 2 megapixel camera.
Motorola A810 – Rs 8,000
The zany TV ad may have had something to do with the handset’s appeal, but it does seem like a pretty neat looking handset otherwise. The A810 looks like a miniaturized version of the ROKR E6, only instead of a circular navigation pad it’s equipped with a joystick. So far it’s the cheapest or most affordable touchscreen handset on the market. The 2.2-inch TFT Touchscreen combined with the UI support handwriting recognition for quick input in certain conditions. The A810 also comes with a 3.5mm earphone socket and a 2 megapixel camera. I’m particularly fond of the Black/Gray versions but the White does have its appeal. I would have gone with the EM30 as I’m sure a lot of you readers would mention, however the Red and Black combination just didn’t thrill me.
Samsung Beat F270 – Rs 8,700
The Beat looks like a neat and fashionable slim slider. I particularly like the dial shaped nav-pad that has dedicated music keys. Even though it’s just 16.9mm thick it still has room for a set of speakers that pops up from the top. Yup, it’s dual slider. Part of Samsung’s Beat series of music-centric mobiles, the F270 comes with a microSD card loaded with Karaoke music files to sing along with. Not that I’m a particular fan of the pastime, but I do happen to have a family that is and a whole lotta friends who go ape-sh*t over the same. Samsung’s DNSe music engine is also part of the handset’s make up to help boost audio quality and the F270 also has a 2 megapixel camera.
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Sony Ericsson W380 – Rs 7,990
First on my list is the SE Walkman W380 handset. The main reason I’ve included this handset in my list is because of the handset’s rather unique form factor. The ‘edgy’ look Sony Ericsson has gone with; along with the colors the handset is available in viz. Electric Purple, Magnetic Grey, Black Champagne, Black Orange give the W380 a really smart yet stylish look. One of the features that also impressed me was the external, embedded monochrome display with the Haptic keys of the music player. Even better is the presence of a sensor in the front for gesture control that allows you to silence the handset simply by letting you wave your hand over the phone when face up. Other than these, it employs all other standard features any SE users would find useful including a Walkman series music player and 1.3 megapixel camera.
Nokia 5220 XpressMusic – Rs 7,700
I have to admit that my initial impression of the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic was – something’s just not right with this oblong design. But it did grow on me particularly because of how slim and light weight it actually is. You can use the provided strap to clasp it to your wrist or get a longer one to wear it around your neck. Considering it weighs 78g, it’s not going to be a burden. The keypad is well spaced and the 5220 also comes with a standard 3.5mm earphone socket so you’re free to use any earphone set of your choice without having to be a slave to the bundled edition. Other features include a 2 megapixel camera and a Series 40 media player for music. While it just may have a few glitches with some of the features, I like the phone just for the looks.
There are plenty more where these came from and still more on the way as you may have seen from our coverage of WMC 09. While this is just my list of personal favorites, if you mobile maniacs out there do happen to have other suggestions, please, leave your comments and suggestions below. It’s going to be a great year for mobiles with more than enough variety to satisfy and confuse the mobile user community.
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