LG KP500 Cookie

It almost feels unfair of LG to give the KP500 a name that's so hard to say no to. The Cookie scent seems to have inspired a craving already and LG are hoping to have you coming back for more. A genuinely affordable touchscreen, a very decent specs sheet, and fun and friendly interface can turn out quite a treat if baked right. Our light and crunchy review is hot out of the oven, so let's crack the fortune cookie, shall we

The LG KP500 Cookie seems to have every reason to chill out and cash in on the kept promise of making touch-operated phones so sweetly inexpensive. Available for a mere 200 euro (contract-free) it might enjoy a decent run, pretty much owning the lower end of touchscreens at this point. So much so, that it's tempting to speculate whether the Cookie could've been the right kind of response to the first iPhone, with the proper timing of course. OK, this maybe taking it too far but don't go blaming us. It's the Cookie

Samsung M7600 Beat DJ

Samsung M7600 Beat DJ is one of those mobiles that stake everything on a unique and exclusive feature. Designed to stand out, the M7600 takes enhanced music playback capabilities to unprecedented heights. Allowing you to mix your own music right the way you like it, the Beat DJ opens up an empty market niche and makes the M7600 a standard-setter. The entertainment package is complete with the nice touch user interface and relevant design.

• General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/2100 MHz, GPRS/EDGE class 10, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
• Form factor: Touchscreen bar
• Dimensions: 112.0 x 51.0 x 13.9 mm
• Display: 2.8" OLED touchscreen, WQVGA resolution (400 x 240)
• Memory: 50MB integrated memory, hot-swappable microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• Music: Beat DJ music mixer application with filters, scratching, sampling and effects
• OS: Proprietary Samsung Touch UI, latest version of TouchWiz (1.5)
• Camera: 3 megapixel auto focus camera with PowerLED flash, and VGA video@20fps
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS
• Misc: Accelerometer for screen auto rotate, Proximity sensor for auto screen turn-off, FM radio with RDS, DivX/XviD video support
• Battery: 880 mAh battery

Samsung M7500 Emporio Armani

Samsung and Armani do it again and the GSMArena fashion column is back in business. It's a whole new dress code this time, as the Samsung M7500 Emporio Armani leaves the tux in the closet and goes clubbing. And if a name that opens doors is not enough, the Emporio Armani phone by Samsung claims to have an ear for music. We guess there's no doubt though, its No 1 job is to get you noticed. Aptly dubbed Night Effect, the M7500 Emporio Armani just loves it when it's dark. So, someone please hit the lights.

Each time a fashion brand enters the mobile phone market controversy is inevitable. The haute couture label certainly justifies the asking price but will the handset get away with gaps in the spec sheet

The Samsung M7500 Emporio Armani is a stylish handset with a distinct focus on music. The flashing light effects, the dedicated music keys plus the 3.5mm jack and the slightly redone music player application are a reason enough for music lovers to check it out before purchasing their next handset. The distinct music slant is also quite in line with the handset's obvious refusal to compete for a top slot in the fashion phone segment.

LG KF900 Prada

For the original LG Prada the best way to travel in style was to travel light. But this time around it's carrying a full QWERTY suitcase packed with goodies. Top of the line functionality and an updated interface sound just the right kind of luggage to us. But good enough won't do if it's not glam enough. The new LG KF900 Prada may seem like the missing link between the techie high end and exclusive fashionware. But will HSDPA, Wi-Fi, QWERTY and DivX ring the right bell with the target audience?

Last week we saw Samsung ride on the Emporio Armani youth appeal and now we're back by the catwalk with the more moderate, perhaps even conservative, but nonetheless attractive, new Prada phone by LG.

And we've got loads to cover. Are the changed form factor and the QWERTY keyboard likely to backfire, and will performance ever be make or break for the fashion savvy? Rarely has a designer package promised so much action, so let's roll.

LG KS360

LG KS360 is a mid-ranger that will easily catch your eye with bold colors and quirky controls. LG have managed to create a handset that's cunningly full of character, though it's kinda hard to think of it in the hands of a grown-up. It does seem like a toy at first glance and those color combos are to die for if you are of certain age and attitude.

Yet quite unexpectedly, LG KS360 is quick to serve a bunch of nice features such as a large and vivid 2.4-inch display, full QWERTY keyboard, a 2 megapixel snapper and… believe it or not… a wee tot of touchscreen.

This midrange phone isn't exactly hard to keep your cool about and the flashy paintjobs don't help much either. But we were pleasantly surprised by the ergonomics and performance of the KS360. So while we gear up to put the LG KS360 through its paces, you better get yourself ready to be surprised too.

LG GM730

The LG GM730 is the other handset that LG are trying to get due attention on. The S class UI on top of the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS is one of its key features.

It's really nice of LG to have made the effort to mask as much of the Windows interface as possible. There are five homescreens, each responsible for controlling a different part of the UI - contacts, image gallery, etc. The native start menu is still present but LG promise to have that covered too before the release.

We just hope the UI speed will meanwhile be also fixed as the S class UI didn't perform nearly as fast as on the KM900 Arena. Having in mind however that the GM730 is said to have a dedicated graphics accelerator we don't see a reason why that shouln't change.

The LG GM730 looks pretty nice in reality and handles very well. The 3" touchscreen device fits pretty well in most hands and the nicely thumbable interface provide for pretty decent single-handed use.

LG GD900 Crystal

LG GD900 Crystal is definitely the most curious handset of the bunch, offering an unprecedented see-through keypad. The manufacturer is refusing to reveal most of its specs, which suggests it's still a very early prototype. The fact that it was only displayed behind glass at the LG booth also kinda confirms that. We were quite disappointed since we were eager as you are to check what a transparent phone feels like (or at least what it's like to have a look through one). Well, we guess we will have to wait a little longer for that. The phone should be released in May so it shouldn't be too much of a wait.

Toshiba TG01 - MWC 2009

It now comes the time to pay due respect to the smaller makers (in terms of market mostly) that did bring some interesting devices to the MWC 2009. They will get their due coverage of course and our appreciation for having the skill and the courage to stand up to the big guns.

It wasn't an easy choice of which brands to include and which to leave out of the article but we had to make it, so there we go. We've got something really exciting to get you started - the Toshiba TG01, one of the best-spec'd WinMo devices we have ever come across.

Toshiba TG01

The Toshiba TG01 is a monster of a phone and the giant 4.1" WVGA touchscreen leaves no doubt about that. But it not only looks it, a 1GHz CPU is its wicked beating heart and it's called the Snapdragon. We haven't yet seen a device, let alone one running Windows Mobile, go as high on specs, so hats off to Toshiba for pulling the TG01 out.

LG Arena in Titan Black color

As the actual market release of the LG Arena gets closer, it seems to be making the headlines all over. This time it's about an extra sexy color scheme that we would die to get our hands on - the Titan Black version of the LG KM900 Arena looks that much classier.

T-Mobile seem to be targeting the LG KM900 Arena to the music-savvy customers and they make a big point out of the Dolby for Mobile music enhancement, the 3.5mm audio jack and the FM transmitter.

Thus it's no surprise that their mobile music download service called Mobile Jukebox will be available straight on the Arena's 3-inch high-res display.

As far as we are concerned, the wow-factor of the LG Arena is mostly about its spanking new interface called the S-class. It offers fluid response, excellent visuals and it has the potential to be the next best thing in feature touch phones.

Of course, the LG Arena is also a great all-rounder, which doesn't make compromises in any aspect - connectivity, location services, multimedia entertainment and imaging are all duly covered in a package smaller than the iPhone 3G.

The LG KM900 Arena will hit T-Mobile UK stores before the end of March, which sounds as any moment now.

Sony Ericsson W595

We've already welcomed the W595 at the proto stage, but this time it's the real deal - we have a retail unit on our hands and we are ready to put it through its paces. The differences from the preceding model, the W580, stretch further than a design overhaul. A 2.2-inch QVGA display and the 3.2 megapixel camera will surely make it a tasty treat even without all the Walkman goodies on board. With its modern looks and intriguing specs list, it's about time we saw what the Sony Ericsson W595 brings to the Walkman party.

The Sony Ericsson W595 is currently retailing for about 200 euro - which seems like a reasonable price - but a true evaluation demands a little digging and some comparisons.

Strangely enough, the Sony Ericsson W760 is really close sibling of W595. It currently sells for a bit less than the W595, but outperforms it with tri-band HSDPA support and of course, the built-in GPS receiver. The way the prices currently are, the W595 doesn't seem to stand a chance to the W760.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

It's touchscreen o'clock for Nokia and the stage is set for the 5800 XpressMusic. Go ahead and touch it. We did and we've got a story to tell.

Now, it's technically not the first time Nokia get their hands dirty with touch screens, but it sure feels they really mean business this time. For Nokia 5800 is not the only story here. The smart platform with the most influential touch receives its first trial by touch. Being the first device running Series 60 5th alone is enough for the 5800 to be remembered by.

• 3.2" 16M-color TFT LCD 16:9 touchscreen display (360 x 640 pixels)
• Symbian S60 5th edition
• ARM 11 369 MHz CPU, 128 MB of SDRAM memory
• 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash
• VGA video recording at 30fps
• Dual-band 3G with HSDPA support
• Quad-band GSM support
• Wi-Fi
• Capable GPS receiver and Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch
• microSD card memory expansion, ships with an 8GB card
• TV out
• FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth and USB v2.0
• 3.5mm standard audio jack
• Excellent audio quality
• Landscape on-screen virtual QWERTY keyboard
• Proximity sensor for screen auto turn-off
• Accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation and motion-based gaming
• Rich retail package
• Affordable price
• Office document viewer
• OVI and MySpace integration (direct image and video uploads)

Samsung S8300 UltraTOUCH

Known as Samsung S8300 UltraTOUCH or simply Tocco Ultra depending on the market, the latest touch phone by Samsung comes in the slider form factor. Beside the killer looks and slim profile of only 12.7mm, the specs sheet of the Samsung S8300 continues with a 2.8" capacitive OLED touchscreen, 8 megapixel camera and a GPS-receiver with Route 66 navigation.

It's been exactly one year since the first time one of the big-five phone manufacturers announced a fully touch-operated slider. The Samsung S8300 takes over from where the LG KF700 left off and attempts a huge leap forward.

While the LG KF700 wasn't that popular, the Samsung S8300 seems ready to go that extra length. It is the key product for Samsung for the first half of this year and we are almost as curious as you are to see if it appeals to the phone-buying public.

Samsung i8910 Omnia HD

Now that's a big one - the handset with one of the longest spec sheets we've ever seen has just dropped on us like a bomb. The Omnia HD is Samsung's go at touch-taming the Symbian S60 and is introducing truly revolutionary stuff.

A 3.7" OLED capacitive touchscreen, an 8 megapixel camera that should be able to humble even some digicams and of course the HD video recording - does it really get any sweeter? Geeks have been warned - continue reading this preview at your own risk. We are not to be held responsible for sleep disorders or compulsive spending.

Sony Ericsson W995

Convergence is the buzzword and the Cyber-shot Walkman affair-turned-marriage is busy producing offspring. And hey, the young Sony Ericsson W995 sure makes the first-born W902 look like a helpless orphan.

Easily the best equipped feature phone of the house, Sony Ericsson W995, still more popular as Hikaru, packs in all there is to find at the top of the company portfolio. The full set of connectivity options, the biggest screen on a Sony Ericsson feature phone to date, GPS, Wi-Fi and the great user interface make a sweet enough package on their own.

But in the case of W995 they're just the perfect background for the unprecedented blend of music and imaging. The Cyber-shot line is graciously lending its 8 megapixel triumph, while the music dowry includes the latest Walkman 4.0 player, with all the bare Walkman necessities such as Shake control and SensMe. And there's more to make it even sweeter. We called it a marriage and Sony Ericsson have taken due care of the wedding presents. We don't know what else to call the kickstand and the on-board 3.5 mm audio jack.

So Sony Ericsson W995 has it all, doesn't it? Now let's see if it gives it all.

Nokia 5220 XpressMusic Mobile Phone

Nokia 5220 is candy bar style phone. It includes 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom. Some of its other features are Opera Mini Browser, Yahoo! Go & Yahoo! Ready, link to YouTube, Macromedia Adobe Flash etc. Music player, FM-radio and pre-installed link to the Nokia Music Store is integrated in it

Hot Features:
* SMS, MMS, Email, IM, Push EMail
* Built-in hands free
* Organizer
* T9 text feature
* Music Keys
* Rhythmic LEDs
* 3.5 mm audio output jack
* More...

LG Xenon

LG Xenon is a slider handset with full QWERTY keyboard. It supports to 2G and 3G networks. It’s other features are 2 megapixel camera, touch sensitive display screen, Bluetooth, microSD, AT & T mobile music, At & T services, GPS, Music player and many more. It’s expected price is $99.99
Main features
GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900
HSDPA 850, 1900, 2100
500 entries: with multiple contact storage entries
GPRS Class 10
EDGE Class 10
HSCSD
HSDPA 3.6 Mbps
Bluetooth v2.0
microUSB v2.0
More..

Samsung Impression

Today is the start of CTIA Wireless 2009, and Samsung are going to the event on a high with the launch of two great handsets. We know that the Propel Pro will be there, but Samsung have also brought along the Impression SGH-A877 and Magnet SGH-A257, both have full keyboards, making it easier to text and send emails.

The Samsung Impression has a candy-bar design and comes with a nice sized 3.2-inch touch-screen display. CNET say that this is the first phone in the US to come with an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED), that means that the screen is now much brighter than usual.

The Samsung Magnet is also a candy-bar cell phone and is bright orange in color. This handset forms part of Sammy’s low-end messaging range of phones, but still looks great. It is now known how much the Magnet will be, but the Impression will cost $200 and is available from April 7.

Music-centered Samsung M2710 and M2310

Photos of two yet unannounced Samsung phones leaked online today. Looking like trimmed-down versions of the M7610 Beat DISC, Samsung M2710 and Samsung M2310 are obviously all about music.
Even though the two newbies don't have the feature pack of their bigger brother they still managed to catch our eye with their sleek design.
Samsung M2710 is a slider, sporting a standard 3.5 mm audio output jack, Bluetooth and a 2-megapixel snapper. A must for every music phone, there will also be a memory card slot aboard.

Samsung M2710 will also feature FM radio and accelerometer sensor. Most probably the latter will be used for some kind of shake control, like the Samsung M3200 Beat s.

Sony Ericsson C903 Slider-shot

Inspired by the Sony T-series point-and-shoot digcams with an elegant lens cover, the Sony Ericsson C903 is a compact and attractive cameraphone. The C903 is packed with features you'd expect of a high-end phone and it behaves like one as well. A GPS-enabled 5 MP slider with a nice large display, nifty feature-phone interface and friendly size is a welcome addition to the company portfolio. And yes, we think the Glamour Red version will be a favorite with the ladies.

The C903 official announcement served the humble purpose of warming the crowd up for the Sony Ericsson deployment at this year's MWC. Obviously no match for the Idou and Hikaru, the C903 simply completes the Cyber-shot lineup of the house featuring some welcome upgrades over the C902 like screen size and GPS. There's a distinctive design highlight too and the Sony T-series digicam back styling may as well be a strong selling point.