The good:
- Nice keyboard
- Clear display screen
- Decent battery life
The bad:
- Poor performance
The bottomline:
The Satellite A200 is a decent machine for basic productivity needs, but otherwise does little to mark it out from the budget laptop pack.
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The iphone has been a relative success in the UK, it is still classed as a niche piece of gadgetry, mainly because of its high unit price on top of the monthly payments on contract. We expect this to change in later years, as Apple branch out offering different units with varying storage capacities and features, just as they have done with the ipod. This will inevitably make it easier for people looking at mobile phone contracts to choose the iphone. However Nokia is fighting back with an altogether more advanced offering. OK they don’t have the touch screen that the iphone is famed for, but the Nokia N96 does have a built in digital TV tuner, that is quite a killer feature in our opinion. Of course we are going to have to wait for a few months yet, to get our hands on this phone and really put it though it’s paces, but another phone that is due to be released in the Nokia N78. There will be some more affordable Nokia N78 deals when this phone is released in a couple of months time. Will either of these handsets become iphone beaters? The jury is still out, but they will certainly raise the bar somewhat.
The good:
- Compatible with iTunes
- Little extras such as screen rotation and display colours
- Voice recorder
The bad:
- Limited file format support
- Odd autoscan behaviour
- Unintuitive menu; you’ll need to read the manual
The bottomline:
It’s not bad, but go for the Zen Stone Plus instead.
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Product summary The good: The second-generation Apple iPod Nano takes on a new scratch-resistant aluminum body, which is available in a variety of bright and shiny colors; it’s still superslender but more durable, thanks to a seamless construction. It supports photos (with thumbnail grid) and album art and has great sound quality.
The bad: The iPod Nano still doesn’t play video, not that you’d want to watch it on the small screen, and there’s no built-in FM tuner or recording capability; not all color options are available for all memory sizes.
The bottom line: The second-generation Apple iPod Nano is like the successful offspring of an iPod Mini and a first-generation iPod Nano. It’s small, stylish, user-friendly, and competitively priced–a great player all around and suitable for a variety of users.
The good:
- Extremely affordable
- Good keyboard
- Reasonable performance
The bad:
- Short on connectors and expansion options
- No clasp between lid and screen sections
- Oddly located touchpad
The bottomline:
The 6720s is a competent performer and it could fit the bill if you don’t need serious CPU or graphics power.
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Product summary The good: The competitively priced iPod Shuffle has a dead-simple user interface with satisfying tactile controls, and its integrated belt clip provides a handy way to keep track of the player. The Shuffle is available in five, metallic colors, and the package includes a cute little syncing cradle.
The bad: The iPod Shuffle has no screen, so there’s no way to navigate easily among artists, albums, or playlists. And it only offers so-so sound quality. The player might be too small for some users, and nonstandard USB syncing takes away from its plug-and-go appeal.
The bottom line: If you like your music playback simple and your device nearly invisible, the second-generation iPod Shuffle will suit you well. But absentminded users should steer clear of this easy-to-misplace player.
Specs: Device type: Digital player;
The good:
- Decent processing speed
- Great connectivity
- GPS and maps
- Above average camera for a PDA-phone
The bad:
- Large PDA-style design
- No keypad
- Battery heats up noticeably
- Internal speaker needs to be louder
The bottomline:
Good performance stands out for the P3600i, a PDA-style handset that’s too hefty to win any beauty pageants. Great connectivity and a decent camera make this a great option for the traveling business person who wants to travel light.
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Product summary The good: The Apple iPod Touch has a large, video-worthy screen, a cutting-edge interface, and Wi-Fi Internet, e-mail, and music download capabilities.
The bad: The iPod Touch may cost too much for you, depending on your needs. It has a small capacity for a portable video player.
The bottom line: The iPod Touch is a beautiful product, inside and out. Unfortunately, its lean capacity keeps it from reigning as king of the iPods.
Specs: Device type: Portable media center; Dimensions (WxDxH): 2.4 in x 0.3 in x 4.3 in; Display type: LCD 3.5 in
Description:
With its cute shape and mirror finish the T303 looks set to continue Sony Ericsson’s success with low-spec pre-paid phones.
After the success of last year’s S500i Sony Ericsson seem to be on a good run with low spec pre-paid phone models, and the T303 is set to extend this trend.
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The good:
- Image quality
- Sound quality
- Amazing video and audio codec support
- Support for DVD VOB files
- Direct video and audio hard disk recording and encoding
The bad:
- Mini joystick is unbearable
- HD video is nowhere near as nice to use as Cowon claims
- No kickstand
The bottomline:
The most capable handheld video player we’ve seen to date.
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