There is something ever so slightly disturbing about the Samsung H1 and interestingly it has very little to do with the phone itself. The fault lies not with Samsung, but with Vodafone, who are selling the mobile as part of their brand new 360 range. And it is all to do with the promotion and packaging of this brand new smartphone.

Vodafone, like the BlackBerry brand, has become a little bit faceless and underappreciated in the public eye. Everyone knows Orange for their quirky and often hilarious cinema ads, whilst O2 have Sean Bean for voiceovers and T-Mobile have slick, sexy ads with some pretty decent special effects. Meanwhile Vodafone have in the past employed people like Judy Dench to voice their campaigns. Whilst Dame Judy is a national treasure, she is not the first person you think of when you imagine mobile phones and cutting edge tariffs. Like Judy Dench, Vodafone has become the ageing ruler of the mobile phone network providers; respected but ultimately a little bit past it.

In order to change all this, it has launched the Samsung H1 with a new ad campaign, which aims not only to revamp Vodafone’s image as a network for the young professionals who hang out in trendy bars, but also to attempt to explain the basics of the Vodafone 360 services in 30 seconds or less. It fails on the first count, but is moderately successful in getting across the second. The ad is pretty excruciating and unfunny and most people will have seen it and know precisely why this is. But it provides a fairly good metaphor for how the Samsung H1 could end up shooting itself in the foot. Like the unlucky bloke who fumbles his attempt to pull the gorgeous girl in the advert, Vodafone could be selling the Samsung H1 to the wrong people in the wrong way and for the wrong reasons. The Samsung H1 could have the chance to be a bit unconventional and exciting, but it will need support if it is going to be anything more than a poorly delivered chat-up line.

The Samsung H1 uses the LiMo operating system, which like Android and Maemo is based on Linux. This is always going to stand a platform in good stead, as it means there will be extensive support and room for plenty of tweaking. And Vodafone have certainly invested a lot of time and effort in getting the experience of the 360 services just right. The Samsung H1 has a flashy 3D interface, which as the ad shows is most obvious when you are using the contacts system. It is also adept at being used to group all of your contacts in appropriate places to make them easily accessible.

What Vodafone has slightly underplayed and what could be an important part of generating an interest in and community around the Samsung H1, is the fact that the H1 uses cloud computing for automatic backup and retrieval of personal data. The primary function of this will be to allow Samsung H1 owners to restore all of their contacts to a replacement handset if their original is lost or stolen and in the short term this is going to be useful for many people. But Vodafone will be looking to the long term and anticipating that as an 18 month or 24 month contract reaches its conclusion and upgrades are on the horizon, customers will be able to download their contact lists and personal data directly to their next Vodafone 360 handset. This of course is partially reliant on there being a set of compatible mobiles released when the next generation rolls around. And customers cannot be expected to return just because all of their contacts can be saved. Vodafone needs to build trust and dependence in the Samsung H1 that can be carried over, otherwise it might not make a big enough mark.

A word on the LiMo OS is sensible at this point. LiMo was created by members of the LiMo Foundation, with the aim being to make an open source mobile operating system which would be independent of specific hardware and available to any manufacturer and network that wants it. Well over 40 mobile phones now use the LiMo platform and the Samsung H1 is just one of them. If you check out the LiMo Foundation’s website you can find out extensive details about what their mission statement is and it should quickly become clear that the plug and play nature of the software is considered to be particularly important. Downloading and installing apps to a LiMo handset like the Samsung H1 should be central to the success of said handset. As such Vodafone will have to work hard to build a relationship with those who would generate content and apps for the LiMo platform. It is necessary to cultivate talent and capture it early, otherwise everyone will end up working on products for Android-based smartphones or the iPhone.

This article may sound like it is taking a fairly pessimistic view of the Samsung H1 and the kind of support that it might be getting from Vodafone, but in reality it is a plea based on the potential that the H1 has for greatness. Aside from its versatile software and powerful hardware, it actually represents much better value for money than many of its current rivals, but centrally provided software is not going to be good enough in the long term. So Vodafone, please market the H1 to the movers, shakers and modders as well as the masses.

For some reason Samsung chose to keep relatively quiet about one of the most important features of the Tocco Ultra when they released it. The feature in question is the AMOLED screen, which is an incredibly impressive piece of technology and one which is not done justice by the pictures available online. As such a further examination of what the Samsung Tocco Ultra AMOLED screen can do and why it is a significant inclusion here, is deserved.

The first important advance offered by the Samsung Tocco Ultra AMOLED screen is the depth of colour that it can display. Older phones are only capable of showing around 250,000 different shades and hues, but with the AMOLED technology the Tocco Ultra has a pallet of 16 million at its disposal. If you have never experienced a phone with this kind of technology before, the improvement will really be quite striking. Washed out, bland and over-exposed video and image viewing will be a thing of the past with the Tocco Ultra as each pixel is bursting with every colour under the sun. Whether you are streaming a video from YouTube, viewing a picture you have taken with the 8 megapixel camera or watching a movie you have transferred to the phone yourself, everything will look stunning. Thanks to the Samsung Tocco Ultra AMOLED technology, it is able to outperform many full sized televisions in terms of image quality.

Although the screen of the Tocco Ultra is only 2.8 inches across the diagonal, it has a high resolution of 240×400. This is as impressive as phones sporting much larger screens and as a result the text and images which are displayed on the Tocco Ultra look pin sharp and highly defined. Of course when you hold the phone sideways and it switches to landscape view using the built in accelerometer, this creates a widescreen aspect ratio that is excellent for viewing video content and even better when browsing the internet. AMOLED technology is better than the TFT technology employed by other smartphones for other reasons too. It is naturally better for viewing in strong external light and Samsung have boosted its abilities in this area even further by coating the Tocco Ultra’s display in an anti-reflection layer. As such this phone will perform perfectly whether you are spending a day on the beach or holed up at home of an evening.

An additional benefit of the Samsung Tocco Ultra AMOLED display is the lower power consumption that is required by the screen and the resultant improvements to battery life that are possible. Rather than relying on traditional backlighting techniques, the Tocco Ultra’s display uses a technology by which each individual pixel is generating its own light. As such the need for a hot, inefficient backlight is removed and on top of this the contrast ratio is drastically beefed up. This also allows the Tocco Ultra to have an extremely thin design despite its advanced hardware. Most smartphones of this calibre require regular visits to a main charger in order to keep on operating at the top of their game, but the Tocco Ultra is able to stay away from the plug for longer, with over 3 days on standby and 3 hours of talk time possible from a single charge.

The slim design and energy saving credentials of the Samsung Tocco Ultra AMOLED display work together to create a smartphone that looks like nothing else on the market. Samsung has been able to integrate the slider design and a full physical numeric keypad into a phone that looks like it has been on a serious diet. Other manufacturers bulk out their phones by adding physical buttons and slider designs, but the AMOLED technology keeps the Tocco Ultra looking lithe and attractive.

There’s no doubt that the Google Nexus One is a decent alternative to the iPhone, but there are some issues with it, that are making European and UK operators in particular look at alternative products even before the full release in Britain.

In the US sales figures haven’t been as high as expected (only a reported 80000 sold in January) and the Google after sales care has been widely criticised, as they don’t have online retail customer service experience, yet are selling he handset online. This has led to consumers finding it difficult to get responses to queries with emails reportedly taking days to get any kind of response.

With Google insisting the Nexus can only be made available to sell online through their store, even Google’s UK network partners Vodafone appear to be looking for another alternative handset. Vodafone will be offering the Nexus One free with long term contracts-around the same price as their iPhone contracts- in the UK. But with sales of the Goggle handset extremely sluggish so far, a plan B phone might be in the offing.

The ready made alternative to the Google Nexus One would appear to be the HTC Bravo, which has a very similar spec to the Nexus One. Both phones run on the newest version of the Android O/S, both have 5megapixel cameras, 3.7 inch colour touchscreens and Snapdragon processors that are more powerful then the one in the iPhone.

Coincidentally Taiwanese Manufacturer HTC who make the Bravo also make the Nexus One for Google, but their Bravo handset is expected to come in somewhere between £50 – £60 cheaper than the Google handset.

The HTC model also has the advantage of being sold in-store over the counter to customers, rather than only being available online like the Nexus. Vodafone are said to be extremely interested in the device along with O2, while T-Mobile have already been reported as going to stock the device and offer it free on a £20 per month contract over 2 years.

HTC are expected to unveil the Bravo at the Mobile World Congress starting 15 February in Barcelona. There is some speculation that the phone could reach the UK even before the Nexus One does, although it is more likely it will be launched a week or two later.

If you were thinking about investing in a Goggle Nexus One, it could be worthwhile waiting and checking out the full spec of the Bravo after it is unveiled next week as everything indicates it will be a serious rival to the Nexus One and better still… cheaper!

Everybody loves to get something for nothing and so we thought here at Dialtosave.co.uk we would scour the internet for you and see if we could come up with some mobile phone freebies.

There are lots of free applications around for all makes of phone so we are going to gloss over them and just give our favourite two for this month and they are Ovi Maps, which is now available for free for Nokia users. Ovi Maps offers navigation for both walking and driving and includes data by Lonely Planet and Facebook among others. You can download and use Ovi Maps if you have a Nokia N97Mini, E72, E55, E52, 5800 Nokia Xpress Music, the 6730 Classic and other Symbian handsets.

Once application w e love is Smart Cam, which is a free application that allows you to turn a mobile with Bluetooth and a camera into a webcam when attaching it to a PC. The software is compatible with all ten major manufacturers such as Motorola, Blackberry, LG, Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson as well as a few others. You can view a full list of compatible handsets at the website

Fring are a new startup business based in Israel and are pretty similar in concept to Skype but use mobile wireless rather than Internet. As well as offering free chat to other Fring users however, they are also offering free Video calls on mobiles. Users can also integrate friends lists from other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Figures released show the company are adding 500,000 new customers a month and growing in popularity quickly. To find out more or download why not visit the Fring website.

If you are a customer of Network operator 3 and have a Twittter account, then you will be glad to hear that throughout February and March Three are offering Twitter completely free through the Twitter mobile website or a Twitter pre loaded application available on some handsets from 3 including the INQ Chat 3G. Now you will be able to tell all your friends more really interesting things, like how you fed your goldfish before leaving for work…amazing!

The offer runs from 1st February through to 31 March.

New and existing Virgin Media customers will be able to make free landline calls to Virgin Mobile phones starting from 1st April 2010. This offer is ongoing for all Virgin Media customers. Free calls can only last up to 60 minutes (before charges start to apply), but can be continued beyond the hour mark by just hanging up and redialing.

The LG BL40 Chocolate is a smartphone that demands attention even before it is turned on, with its crazy ultra widescreen display and its stylish black on red finish. However, once you do fire up the BL40 you will notice that LG has spent quite a lot of time making sure that the software user interface is as powerful and versatile as its hardware.

The LG BL40 Chocolate interface is not an entirely new creation, as it has been seen on previous touch screen smartphones from LG including the Arena. It is called the S-Class interface and is a step up from the A-Class version that can be found on entry level LG touch screen mobiles like the GD510 Pop. If you were aware of the LG Arena when it was released, you may be slightly cautious about approaching the BL40 Chocolate, as the S-Class interface was criticised for its complexity and confusing operation when it was first released. You need not fear, however, as the LG BL40 Chocolate interface has been given considerable renovation work in order to make sure that the problems of the first release are just a distant memory.

Central to the S-Class interface is its three dimensional aesthetic style and cleverly animated menu transitions. On the Arena these were hampered by a slightly sluggish processor and insufficient system memory, but the BL40 Chocolate suffers none of these drawbacks. As such the menus which you can swipe between using your finger feel smooth, with no noticeable lag or stuttering as each new screen is loaded. LG has also created a clever technique for unlocking the phone which can be modified with specific gestures drawn using the finger to not only reactivate the touch screen but also bring up a required application in an instant. For example, if your phone is locked and you want to activate the messaging application, you can just draw the letter ‘M’ on the screen and the LG BL40 Chocolate will immediately open up the required app. If you draw a circle representing the world it will also bring up access to the World Wide Web using the browser software. These little intuitive touches make using the BL40 Chocolate a joy and will also cut down on the amount of time that you have to spend scrolling through menus to find the app that you want.

The main menu of the BL40 Chocolate is built around a spinning three dimensional cube and each individual item is attached to one of its sides. You can of course switch between your contacts and application widgets directly from your homescreen if you want to circumvent the menus, but the touch screen really benefits from being applied across the entirety of the phone in a visually stimulating manner. With the built-in accelerometer, the menu screen will automatically orient itself in the correct way depending on whether you hold the phone in a portrait or landscape position and the LG BL40 Chocolate interface deserves to be viewed in the widescreen aspect ratio, which can really be filled up with 32 different icons for different options.

The BL40 Chocolate does occasionally require a little time to load various apps, particularly data-intensive ones like the contacts list, which you can fill with pictures of your mates and colleagues as well as their personal info. However, even as this is occurring the high-tech touches of the interface are put into play. The menu screen is dragged away and becomes a spinning cube, apparently hanging in the middle distance whilst the menu items for the next screen are loaded. Though this feature is being used to partly cover up the sometimes irritating load times, it does blend in well with the overall look and feel of the LG BL40 Chocolate interface.

The Sony Ericsson Aino is a phone that centres on media playback and versatile entertainment options and in the current market it has to be placed somewhere near the top of the scale in terms of functionality. Whether you love to stream videos or download music tracks and listen to them when you are on the go, the Aino will provide you with the tools to get the job done quickly and in an attractive package.

The Sony Ericsson Aino comes with a desktop charging dock and this will probably become its most important accessory if you are regularly going to be swapping your files around and adding new media to the phone. The dock acts as a wireless transfer port that can connect to your PC or laptop using your Wi-Fi connection at home. The Aino can then be set to automatically scan your computer and add any new media files that it has not currently got stored.

In order to start wirelessly transferring files to your phone you will need to install the Media Go software on your computer. This is practical and easy to use, even if you consider yourself a bit of a technophobe, because a majority of the services it offers are automated or performed using basic commands. For example, if you want to transfer a particular file or folder onto your Aino from your computer, you just need to drag it from its location on the hard drive and drop it into the Media Go programme. The transfer will then begin and during the process the Media Go software will automatically convert the file to a format that is compatible with the Aino’s software. Since the Aino is competent across a range of formats, you may not encounter this occurring particularly frequently, but if you are trying to copy over obscure video files then it will prove very useful indeed.

The Sony Ericsson Aino media playback is not limited just to the songs or videos that you have stored on your computer. Thanks to the PlayNow service you can stream whole films directly to the phone, which you will really be glad of if you have a long journey to sit through. Sony Ericsson adds new movies each month and there are well over 60 to choose from right now. The current line up includes some classics, as well as some unknown b-movies which look like they will be good fun if a little low-budget.

The most unique Sony Ericsson Aino media function is its ability to play back music and video which you have stored on your PlayStation 3. This does of course require that you actually own a PS3, but since millions around the world fall into this category it is quite a sensible feature to include. Basically if you have your Aino hooked up to a Wireless network in your home, or indeed whilst you are out and about, you can turn on your PS3 remotely, access any media files that you may have stored on it, stream them to the Aino and then turn off the PS3 when you are finished. This means you could have hundreds of gigabytes of media at your fingertips and makes the Aino a very exciting prospect for PS3 owners.

The Sony Ericsson Aino media functions are mostly accessed using the touch sensitive screen. Interestingly when the phone is opened up to reveal its numeric keypad, it changes its tune completely and the focus becomes that of a more traditional mobile. This duality of usage allows an obvious distinction to be made between the media and phone modes and is a nice touch that most media phones do not have.

The Samsung Omnia Pro has launched itself into a market that is not going to be easy to conquer. In this case the ‘Pro’ tag is being used to indicate that this is a business-centred mobile that will be competing directly with RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones and Nokia’s Eseries. These are two incumbent brands, with BlackBerry in particular associated with business use and big corporate clients more so than any other manufacturer to date. Looking at the Omnia Pro, it is clear that Samsung has sized up the competition and decided that in this case, attempting to reinvent the wheel would be a little pointless. The Omnia Pro takes on the same form factor as most of the popular BlackBerry models, with a large, square screen and a full physical QWERTY keypad below. However, Samsung has decided that rather than aping its rivals, it will attempt to better them in any way that it can and throw in a couple of jibes about the other brands whilst it is about it. Hopefully this will be enough to create a cult following and build the Omnia Pro into something that people will form a monogamous relationship with, rather than simply having a brief affair before returning to the familiar arms of RIM or Nokia.

If you are thinking about picking up a Samsung Omnia Pro, then it is worth visiting Samsung’s dedicated website for the Omnia Range. Obviously the site puts an incredibly positive spin on the Omnia Pro, but it is also, you may notice, something moderately interesting. Samsung adorns the main page for the Omnia Pro with mention of the phrase ‘Play in Reach’. This seems to be a little bit of an esoteric homage to the full title of RIM, which is Research in Motion. This is of course a fitting title for the manufacturer behind BlackBerry, with its diverting business-like language that evokes feelings without actually containing any meaning. This kind of mild but effective gibberish is playfully used by Samsung to promote its own line of business phones and it makes the Omnia Pro all the more endearing.

One area in which Samsung has the definite advantage over RIM is that they have no need to remind customers that the Omnia Pro is not just a capable business handset, but is just as useful for time spent out of work when you are looking for entertainment. Samsung’s portfolio of mobiles is wide enough to include phones of all types, so good multimedia support is to be expected of the Omnia Pro. Meanwhile RIM is currently in the process of trying to shake off the slightly stuffy image of the BlackBerry Range and open up its customer base to include youngsters who prefer gigging to playing the markets.

The Samsung Omnia Pro uses Windows Mobile 6.5 and whilst this is a slightly cumbersome operating system to get to grips with on certain touch screen mobiles, it is right at home when used in conjunction with the QWERTY keypad and navigation buttons found here. Windows Mobile is also extensively supported by third party developers and modding communities, so if you are not satisfied with the healthy array of applications that come preinstalled on the Samsung Omnia Pro, you can always head to the online resources provided to all users of Windows Mobile for some extras. You can either use your home PC to do this, or better yet use the built-in browser included with the phone. Whilst some phones use proprietary browsing software that is a little underpowered and cut down, the Omnia Pro has Internet Explorer available and viewing sites in full is a breeze, as is downloading content using the Wi-Fi or 3G connection. It is worth noting that some of the community sites are a little decrepit and underpopulated, whilst others are buzzing with news and opinions about all things related to Windows Mobile. It should be fairly obvious which ones are the best and Microsoft provides links from its websites to those with the more impressive reputations.

Samsung has proved that it is dedicated to supporting the Omnia Pro. There are now three handsets in total which share this name, though they differ in physical form and price. In this day and age seeing continued support from a manufacturer can ensure that a mobile phone remains useful throughout its lifespan and since both Samsung and Microsoft have had a hand in creating the Omnia Pro, there is considerable corporate clout behind it.

Ultimately, whether you end up picking a BlackBerry or a Samsung Omnia Pro will come down to personal taste. It is easy to stick with the same brand that you have been used to for many years and switching can prove to be difficult. It is well worth checking out the Omnia Pro in person. Everything about it makes it a worthy alternative to the current kings of the business phone market. It is also a smaller part of a wider community thanks to its operating system, whilst BlackBerry handsets are only supported by a single manufacturer with an in-house OS and a fairly rigid structure that curbs modification and moderates creativity. Samsung seems intent on continuing to create business phones and touch screens have yet to overthrow the reassuring physical QWERTY interface for those looking to make messaging a central part of their mobile use.

The LG KP500 Cookie is a well liked budget touch screen mobile that has sold in its millions, although if you think that this is just because it is cheap, you would be wrong. The Cookie offers some excellent functionality that does not require a whole heap of expensive hardware to achieve and the software applications are versatile and strong enough to ensure its popularity in their own right. For example, you may well realise that this phone offers an array of widgets and a completely customisable homescreen, but the LG KP500 Cookie media playback capabilities are equally impressive and often underplayed.

The LG KP500 Cookie media software supports a variety of popular audio and video formats. For video playback you can watch MPEG4 and 3GPS files at a constant rate of 24 frames a second and if you hold the Cookie in a landscape position the video will fill the screen if it is in a widescreen aspect ratio. It is also compatible with MP3, WMA and AAC audio files and since a majority of downloaded music and ripped CDs can be stored in these formats you will probably be able to transfer much of your collection over to the Cookie without having to convert it or encode it to make it compatible.

The multimedia entertainment does not just need to rely on files that you have downloaded and transferred yourself; you can turn the Cookie into a portable radio thanks to the built-in FM tuner. It will automatically scan the airwaves for stations that are available in your area and when you plug in the included headphones these will act as an antennae to provide you with the best reception.

All of LG KP500 Cookie media files that you store on the phone are automatically organised by type, as well as being broken down into different categories to allow you to find a tune by a specific artist with ease. You can modify all of the organisation if anything ends up in the wrong place, but the included software does a pretty good job of keeping things in check without much user intervention.

We have looked at the software which makes the LG KP500 Cookie media playback look and sound so good, so now let us consider the kind of accessory that you might require to make the most of it whilst you are out and about. The Cookie has a fairly minimal allotment of 48MB of internal storage space which you can fill as you feel, but the best way to get media onto the phone is to purchase a microSD memory card. The Cookie is compatible with memory cards of up to 8GB in capacity, which can be used to instantly turn the Cookie into a well equipped portable media player. You can fit thousands of songs and hundreds of videos onto an 8GB microSD memory card and many laptops and desktop PCs will have built-in card readers which means you will not even need to go fishing for your USB cable if you want to add new files.

The KP500 Cookie also has Bluetooth wireless connectivity and whilst this might be mostly used for hands free calling, it is also suitable for wireless entertainment using a set of compatible Bluetooth headphones. The Cookie uses the latest version of Bluetooth, which allows for stereo playback without the need for a wired headset and since the Cookie lacks a universal 3.5mm headphone jack, real enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the best sound quality using the wireless option. You can then remove the need for messy wires when you are out and about, or even place the Cookie somewhere in your room and enjoy the music from a few feet away.

A vast proportion of the population is now paying a lot more attention to how much energy it uses and how its carbon emissions are having an impact on the world around us and climate change. Whatever your thoughts about global warming, it makes sense to invest in technology that will not be overly wasteful or carelessly harmful to our planet and in response to the growing demand for greener products several mobile manufactures are producing their own eco-friendly handsets. Sony Ericsson has created a series of mobiles that fall under its GreenHeart brand and all of them intend to provide a greener option for concerned consumers who need to use a mobile phone but want the impact of this use to be lessened.

One of the most interesting phones in the GreenHeart Range is the Naite and the Sony Ericsson Naite eco-friendly features and functions are included without requiring a compromise in performance or price. Before we look at the ways in which the Naite’s carbon footprint has been reduced, let us examine the performance benefits afforded by greener operation. The battery life of the Naite is really rather incredible. In a world where smartphones can do well if they provide 4 or 5 hours of talk time, the Naite’s ability to let you chat for up to 14 hours in a row without running out of battery is frankly astonishing. Sony Ericsson also says that the Naite will last a total of 10 days without needing a recharge. Now statistics and theoretical maximums are all very well but it is real world performance that counts. Luckily many people have got their hands on the Naite and in independent tests it has managed to consume just half of its battery in 4 days of average use. It is not unreasonable for a smartphone owner to expect to be recharging their mobile every night, but with the Naite you could go on using it all week without ever needing to recharge.

The charger itself is more energy-efficient, adding to the Sony Ericsson Naite eco-friendly credentials. If you use a standard phone charger, you will notice that over the course of the charge it will get quite hot. This is indicative of energy being wasted. The Naite’s charger has got a special design that makes sure a majority of the electricity which is used during charging actually ends up in the battery rather than dissipated around your bedroom.

Sony Ericsson has also cut down on the packaging which accompanies the Naite. The box containing the phone has been created to be as slim as possible, which means it weighs less, takes up less space during delivery and cuts down on the carbon footprint from the factory to your door. Sony Ericsson believes that as a result of the awesome battery life, cut-down packaging and efficient charger, the Naite will be around 15% less harmful to the environment than any of its contemporaries.

The best part about the Sony Ericsson Naite eco-friendly credentials is that Sony Ericsson has refused to let a social conscience impact the functionality. You still get 3G network connectivity with HSDPA download speeds, a decent camera, a 2.2 inch screen with bright backlighting and a classic design that will be familiar to mobile phone fans around the world. Sony Ericsson has taken care to assure that all of the individual components used in the production of the Naite are as harmless as possible and of course the best way to dispose of the Naite once you have got all the use you can out of it is to recycle the handset.

The Nokia 3710 Fold is a stylish, fashionable little flip phone that manages to market itself at the budget end of the market whilst packing in some fairly advanced features that might even allow you to stick the ’smart’ label onto it. Every detail of its design has been given serious attention and though slider and touch sensitive handsets are a little more en vogue at the moment, the classic top hinged form factor mixed with a striking aesthetic make the 3710 Fold very desirable indeed.

The Nokia 3710 Fold is available in three different colours, with black for the boys and pink or plum for the girls. Depending on which one you choose you will also get slightly different detailing on the inside and outer casing. Pink has a teardrop –shaped patter, plum sports concentric circles that ripple across the front and black has straight horizontal lines that make it look a little bit more serious. The tapered body of the 3710 Fold allows it to slip into a bag or pocket without any snags and if you open it up you will be impressed by the large, well-spaced numeric keypad and straightforward navigation interface with standard call buttons and context-sensitive softkeys.

We have established that the 3710 Fold looks good and the next item on the list must surely be the networking capabilities. Despite its low price point and youthful design, this is a 3G mobile phone. That means call quality is excellent and download speeds when browsing the internet, receiving emails or transferring files are much higher than most similarly-priced mobiles. On top of 3G the 3710 Fold also has assisted GPS. This turns an unassuming handset into a portable navigation device, which negates the need for lugging a dedicated sat nav unit around with you all day, replacing it with this sleek but powerful mobile. Nokia Maps is preinstalled and it will help you find your way around unknown areas with ease. Whilst it is difficult to envisage the 3710 Fold attached to the windscreen of a car, the navigation will be more useful to pedestrians who need to get somewhere new without losing their way.

The Nokia 3710 Fold is not, despite its advanced functions, a true smartphone. This is because it uses Symbian S40 rather than S60, which slightly limits its versatility. However, the S40 operating system is very intuitive and simple to pick up for new users. It should also feel familiar to anyone who has bought a recent Nokia handset as all of the icons and menu options have been carried over and tweaked slightly to make this phone feel special.

On the rear of the 3710 Fold is a 3.2 megapixel camera which is improved greatly by the inclusion of an LED flash. Picture quality is more than acceptable and you have to consider the low price point of this phone when thinking about the quality that it offers. Because of the 3G connectivity, Nokia has placed another camera for video calling on the inside of the flip design. Photos and videos you snap and record can be stored on a microSD memory card and connecting peripherals such as hands free headsets is possible thanks to the Bluetooth wireless connection. On top of all this the 3710 has a good media player app and loading music tracks onto the memory card will allow you to make the most of the portable music functionality.

The Nokia 3710 Fold will be available as a SIM free mobile, which means you can choose your own network and indeed shop around to find the right colour for you.