Six of the best gadgets and gizmos on a theme. This week: six of the best red-hot handsets.
By Peter Jenkinson
The pace of change in technology seems to have quickened its step this past year, and nowhere has it been more noticeable than the mobile handset market.
Growing from a simple battle in the megapixel stakes, manufacturers are now waging war by shoehorning in the maximum social media applications to offer a multimedia device that'll be the only item you need to pocket before you leave the house.
A new operating platform by the name of Android has ushered in an array of iPhone botherers, too - it's all great news for consumers, although making your selection may well cause a slight headache.
Here's half a dozen that are hot on the shelves and unlikely to stay there long.
Social scene - Motorola DEXT - due in-store beginning of October, from free on contract at orange.co.uk, see motorola.com for more handset details.
After a while in the wilderness, the American mobile maker is back with its first Android platform phone - and it's able to stream all the social activity you can shake a stick at.
On the home screen are "always open" windows that access Myspace, Facebook and Twitter so you can keep updated and update others without the need for repeated logins. A full keyboard and five megapixel camera make it all so easy.
Camera replacement - Samsung Pixon 12 - from free on contract see www.phones4u.co.uk
This is as close as we've seen to a device that means you can leave your stand-alone snapper at home, packed with features to make image collection not only easy but of a high standard too - the first camera phone to come with 12 megapixels.
Inside the Pixon, there's a touch-screen auto-focus (wherever you touch becomes the focal point) which locks in to track moving subjects. It also saves images quickly, so you can take another in just two seconds.
Sleek speak - Nokia 6700 Classic - from free on contract at www.virginmobile.com
Anyone in the market for an understated handset need look no further than this uber-stylish Nokia number, a highly-polished mobile that's perfect for your suit's top pocket.
Far from being just a pretty face, the 6700 has a five-megapixel camera and, using Nokia maps, a decent GPS system too.
World's widest - LG Chocolate BL40 - from free on contract at www.carphonewarehouse.com
The huge four-inch display on this handset is ideal for viewing web pages, but it's the cinematic 21:9 setting which makes it unbeatable for watching films - the only issue being how to stop over-the-shoulder viewers crowding your space.
With touch-screen access to a plethora of other functions, it is far from a one-trick pony, and LG has refreshingly brought something truly original to the mobile market.
The Business - Blackberry 8520 - from free on contract at www.carphonewarehouse.com
Not just for the suited, these days Blackberry has evolved to become a real player in the wider consumer market, while still managing to retain its all-important pin-stripe brigade.
Also available in traditional black, this multimedia set is superb for watching films on the high-quality screen, has a great camera, and messaging is simple on the near unbeatable full QWERTY keyboard.
Musical maestro - Sony Ericsson Ed Hardy W595 from free on contract at www.carphonewarehouse.com
If you're looking for a handset that stands out from the crowd, this one with tattoo artist Ed Hardy's infamous motto emblazoned across the back is well worth considering.
It's a very clever musical mobile with a great trick up its sleeve: in order to skip shuffle and repeat tracks you give the handset a shake, so keep a tight grip while performing this action.
A dual-headphone jack lets you share music with friends without annoying others with your tastes.
