10 Must-Have Smartphones from LG, Nokia, Samsung, HTC

by Nathan Eddy

Sporting two cameras, a long-lasting lithium-ion battery, Wi-Fi connectivity and an internal GPS antenna, this sleek, stylish smartphone was the one to beat. Too bad it won’t be available in the United States.

The GSmart S1200 is powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 under a new Gigabyte-developed user interface called Smart Zone. It packs a 528MHz Qualcomm 7200A processor inside a handset 0.43 inches thick.

This GPS smartphone has a 3.5-inch flush touch-screen WVGA display, Pharos’ proprietary Smart Navigator software, and server-based travel information and navigation service. The device is preloaded with Microsoft Live Search, providing free information about traffic and gas prices.

LG’s MWC entry is powered with Windows Mobile and the companys 3-D S-Class user interface, which allows users to create four customizable home screens on a cube icon that users can rotate with the flick of a finger.

Samsung joined the touch-screen frenzy as well, debuting a handset with a numeric slider keypad, an 8-megapixel camera and a slim-line design. Don’t forget the GPS with navigation and DivX video playback, either.

Aimed at business users, the Pro2 offers an updated, wider touch-screen, Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system and a new version of HTC’s TouchFLO 3-D technology. The phone also doubles as a speakerphone for conference calls.

The E55 comes equipped with the company’s new e-mail user interface as well as Nokia Messaging, which, when added to a company’s corporate e-mail clients, allows users to access consumer and corporate e-mail on the go.

Similar to the E55, this model is a “sideways slider” with a full QWERTY keyboard and “Ovi Files,” which lets users manage computer files remotely even if the machine is switched off.

With the Omnia HD, users can surf the Web using either Wi-Fi or HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access), snap photos with an 8-megapixel camera, or record video in HD resolution and play it on an HD-ready TV.

This updated version of the GPS-enabled Navigator has been synced up with Ovi, Nokia’s mobile application store, and offers features such as terrain maps, weather service, premium travel and events content, and traffic and safety warnings.