CeBIT 2006: Mobile Phones - Part Three

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Going down more of a concept route a la Samsung was LG. The manufacturer of just about everything showed off a number of flashy mobiles that were impressive in hand but scant on details or launch dates.

Such an example was the ‘DVB-H Phone’ a chunky handset with a clever swivel screen that reveals the keypad and has a high quality screen. A whole raft of almost identical clones were set up alongside it, but this had the most striking impact. Release information? Don’t make me laugh…

Raising a few audible giggles close by was the ‘Sobriety Testing Phone’ currently out in Korea but surely far more essential on the streets of Coventry and Liverpool. Navigate to the correct screen and blow into the side of the phone for three seconds and you’ll get a result. Sadly I was stone cold sober though a few of my luckier peers failed it with some aplomb.

Picking up the poisoned chalice of the Nokia N-Gage is the SV360. It has an integrated 3D accelerator capable of one mega-polygon graphics and, being leisure targeted, there is a 1.3MP camera and multimedia player too. A revised version of this could be on its way to the UK a LG spokesman told me.

Personally I believe the slider design is the best on the market at present. So as this phone demonstrated: why have just one slider when you can have two? The answer is: because it makes it rather fat, but I’m sure there is mileage in this approach (especially in regards to larger unfolding screens) as technology advances.

Finally going down a definite European route (and thus having more detail) is the KE600, a GPRS Tri-band and EDGE model with 2in QVGA 262K screen, 2MP digital camera with auto focus and microSD slot. There’s Bluetooth and USB connectivity and it also works as a mass storage device if necessary.

Mpeg4, MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA and AMR support is built in and with a neat slider design I have to say it certainly has some appeal. With a predicted Q2 release date this could prove a surprise hit.

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