Cell Phones / Expert Reviews

The Restore is a sideways slider and is somewhat bulky. The hardware is mostly good. The full QWERTY keyboard, for example, works really well, but the trackpad is a little overly sensitive.

One Click is a decent feature phone operating system, though we'd like to see it evolve a bit. It has seen... More

Overall, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini will appeal to some, but we don't think it will be the typical Android user. As you can get this phone for free on low cost contracts, it is likely to appeal to younger users and we feel that Android makes it much more versatile than other low cost feature phones.... More

However, we were surprised to see how much depth the phone has when it comes to features and performance. But at the same time with its option for the “Breeze Mode,” it takes the pain out of getting too bogged down for those who aren't necessarily up to speed with the modern conveniences... More

We can't help but like the Samsung Genio Qwerty, despite the fact that its keyboard is rather small and uncomfortable. It might not prove too much of an impediment if you're patient or have slender fingers, but, otherwise, check out the Orange Rio, which offers a better keyboard, or the Genio Touch... More

The HTC Aria is AT&T's second Android phone, joining the Motorola BACKFLIP, and it's also the best Android powered smartphone you'll find on AT&T today. The Aria runs Android 2.1 and has HTC's Sense user interface on it, which provides Android with a high level of customization and cleans... More

In many ways, the Liquid E design fits Acer's PC philosophy to a tee. It's all about providing the most possible performance on the inside relative to a low price. As always, there are certain tradeoffs to be made for this to happen. Here, you get a quick, modern Android phone that excels at voice... More

The Samsung Seek is a fine device for what it is.  It has some drawbacks such as a subpar music player and no navigation, but this phone is aimed at a market that likely isn’t driving yet and already owns an iPod.  It is a much better phone than the similarly-equipped LG Remarq even with... More

It suffers from call quality issues, which is the major drawback of the device, but at least its eco-friendliness makes up for it.  If you’re looking to upgrade from a similar device, the Restore doesn’t offer anything new, but if you’re looking for something more than just... More

It would be fun to see a small phone like this with some truly high-end features. After all, can’t power users appreciate a device that’s hardly noticeable in a pocket? A camera upgrade, or a faster processor for Flash and Live Wallpaper support, would be nice improvements, but as it ... More

The HTC Wildfire doesn't skimp on smart-phone features, offering some of the best social-network integration that money can buy. There's really nothing about this handset that screams 'cheap phone' except the low-res screen.
If you can't abide the screen, the Samsung Monte may be worth a look.... More

Like it or not, the Aria is a hard sell on AT&T. Sure, it's the first Android phone that's even halfway respectable on the network, but the harsh reality is that the best Android phones reside on other networks. If you're out of your current contract, and you're jonesing to get a Google-fied... More

The Nokia 2730 Classic is cheap and its 3G connectivity is very welcome, but its poor build quality lets the whole package down. At this price, you can't expect perfection, but other mobiles offer similar functionality and decent build quality. Check out the Orange Rio and the LG Cookie Fresh... More

With its Loft S2300, Kyocera once again offers Virgin Mobile customers a messaging-centric phone with a full keyboard. Sporting a simple, BlackBerry-like design, the Loft is a departure from the earlier Kyocera X-tc and Wild Card, but it manages to pack a decent number of messaging features in the... More

For the price, the LG Cookie Fresh GS290 is a decent device, even if it won't be bothering most smart phones any time soon. In particular, the fantastically bright and clear screen is one of the best we've seen on a phone of this price. We have our gripes about parts... More

So the iPhone 4 improves on the 3GS in every way, and blows away the Android competition in everything except sheer geekery.

Unlike T-Mobile's other recent Symbian offering -- the forgettable Nuron -- we're inclined to think that the E73 has earned its keep, and there are people out there for whom this phone legitimately makes sense. Don't get us wrong, anyone coming from a G1, myTouch 3G, iPhone, Pre, or the like is going... More

The Nokia E73 Mode is Nokia's latest smartphone for the U.S. market. Aimed at business users, it's essentially the E72 rebranded for T-Mobile USA with a few hardware tweaks on the front of the phone. The E72 Mode offers an attractive and thin industrial design that will blend in just fine in the... More

Who would I recommend this phone to? A very small set of people. Since it is one of the few S60 phones available from a U.S. carrier, I'd say Nokia and T-Mobile fans have a near home-run with this device. On the other hand, social networking and browser junkies will be disappointed by the limitations... More

Today’s young mobile phone users center their needs on messaging and social networking, and an inexpensive QWERTY phone with an easy to use interface and full messaging and social networking is a good place to start. If you don’t need a smartphone or multimedia services tied to 3G, the Samsung... More

To be fair, this is a very cool phone, but not a perfect one. I would bet that this will soon reveal itself to be a transitional phone with something cooler coming out in a while. A couple other quickie dislikes would include a very thin, but apparently well-secured back (I expect we will see replacements... More