The top mobile phones of 2009

MANILA, Philippines - It’s the end of another year and just like last year, we’ve assembled a list of the most notable mobile phones of the year. They make the list because of their impressive performance, their sales success, or their superb design. Here they are in alphabetical order.

Apple iPhone 3G S

The iPhone 3G S is so named for the overall increase in processing speed, thanks to its new faster 600MHz ARM processor.

The extra horsepower is further boosted by improvements to the graphic architecture with a PowerVR SGX graphics chip that now enables 30 frames per second video recording at VGA mode. RAM has also been doubled from 128MB to 256MB as has the 3G data throughput of 7.2 Mbps where available.

The iPhone 3G S is easily twice as fast as the iPhone 3G, especially when rendering complex websites or when loading graphics intensive games. The big upgrade, however, is the new OS 3.1 that brings a new level of functionality to the iPhone.

Cut-copy-and-paste, Microsoft Exchange support, video-recording, and the built-in Nike+ and digital compass are just the icing on the cake.

BlackBerry Storm, Curve, Bold

QWERTY keypad-equipped BlackBerry phones are practically the default choice for those with heavy e-mail and messaging needs, especially in North America. Locally, more and more people are catching BlackBerry fever.

So when BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) announced that it was coming out with a touch-screen BlackBerry, it drew mixed reactions — either people were shocked by the removal of their beloved QWERTY keypad or they were celebrating the paradigm shift.

The BlackBerry Storm tried to steal the thunder from Apple and other key players in the touch-screen phone segment. It introduced RIM’s SurePress technology, which makes the entire 3.25-inch screen clickable. Unfortunately, the innovation wasn’t a big hit and the phone got not-so-stellar reviews.

So RIM took customers’ gripes into consideration and came up with the BlackBerry Storm 2. The result? A Storm with an improved SurePress touch screen, built-in Wi-Fi, and an overall improved interface.

And if this handset still doesn’t take the market by storm, then there are the hot-selling and more traditional Curve and Bold models in all their QWERTY keypad glory.

Cherry Mobile, MyPhone and Torque

Not all phones on this list have to be drool-worthy top-of-the-line handsets.

It’s no secret that a vast majority of mobile phone users use entry-level handsets, and not always from the established brands.

In these hard times, we must accept the fact that there are some sacrifices to make and luxuries to forego.

This is why the entrance of China-made brands such as MyPhone and the more recent Cherry Mobile and Torque is something budget-conscious consumers find most welcome.

With these brands’ product portfolios, you get to have what you need without burning a hole in your pocket.

Cherry Mobile, MyPhone and Torque phones have impressive feature sets (most are dual-SIM) — and some models even each have a handset with built-in free-to-air TV tuner — and can go as low as P3,000.

You keep up with technology and stay within your budget limit — what more can you ask for?

LG KS360, Cookie 3G, Crystal GD900, Renoir KC910, Chocolate BL40

Who says you have to five figures to get a phone with a slide-out full-QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen? The LG KS360 sets new records for affordability with its sub-P9,000 price. This phone also boasts an eBuddy feature that allows it a free mobile-based instant messenger application with support for MSN, Yahoo, and Facebook.

And with the KS360’s 2-MP camera, MicroSD card slot and easy-access MMS, users can arrange to meet up and share chat messages or photos with their friends. It’s also equipped with a Messenger-like SMS and a 2.4-inch 262k-color QVGA LCD screen, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and support for almost all audio and video files.

The first-gen LG Cookie was the lowest-priced touch-screen phone when it debuted. The new LG Cookie 3G lives up to its predecessor’s calling with a P13,000 price point and raises the bar with a 3.15-MP camera.

The Crystal GD900’s jewel-like transparent form factor makes this phone one of the best conversation pieces you can ever text with. It’s not all looks though, as the Crystal boasts no less than an 8-MP camera with Schneider-Kreuznach optics and a capacitive 16-million-color TFT touch screen. 

The touch-screen Renoir KC910, on the other hand, takes super-sharp 8-MP pictures that can be edited in-camera and are instantly ready for sharing online or printing. The phone’s list of features includes some that are usually only found on extremely high-end standalone cameras, such as Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics, a xenon flash, auto and manual focus, sensitivity up to ISO 1600 and geo-tagging.

Last but not least, the LG’s new Chocolate BL40 phone has a four-inch-wide HD LCD touch screen with 800 x 345-pixel resolution for a spectacular high-def viewing experience. The wide HD LCD “Real VGA” screen presents a vibrant range of natural colors, allowing photos to appear sharper, videos more true-to-life, games naturally vivid and documents more readable. It also boasts a dual-screen user interface and a 5-MP camera.

Nokia N86, N97, N97 Mini, E63, 5730, 5330 XpressMusic, 2330/2323/2700/2730

Nokia may have come late to the 8-MP party, but when it did, it did so in a big way. The N86 combines 28-mm, wide-angle Carl Zeiss lens, an 8-MP sensor, and a large F2.4 aperture for low-light shooting — the latter still relatively uncommon even for dedicated compact digicams.

The N97, on the other hand, takes mobile computing a notch higher with its large 3.5-inch tilting touch display, a full QWERTY keyboard, wireless connectivity, and enough processing power to meet the needs of Internet-savvy, always-connected consumers.

The N97 Mini offers most of its bigger brother’s features, but in a slightly lighter and more compact package.

The QWERTY keypad-equipped and Wi-Fi-enabled E63, on the other hand, brings the highly respected E73’s suite of productivity apps to a wider audience, thanks to its P13,000 price point. It has a “mode switch” that lets you flick from your corporate e-mail and work calendar to your personal inbox and diary with just a single key press.

The 5730 XpressMusic comes hot off the heels of the delightful 5800 touch-screen XpressMusic phone and combines music with quick messaging via a full QWERTY keyboard and an array of social, sharing, and on-the-go entertainment services.

Socially savvy features include Facebook, Ovi Contacts, Photos, Maps and messaging apps, as well as dedicated gaming keys for the best possible mobile thumb-mashing experience. The heart of this music device is the Homescreen for XpressMusic, providing access and dynamic information on music, people, games, e-mail and calendar. 

Meanwhile, the 5330 XpressMusic comes with an edgy top-sliced form factor and personalized lighting controls. Like in the 5730, social networking plays a key part in the 5330’s skills with easy access to Ovi, Facebook, and MySpace. Accessing music is a breeze with dedicated music keys and easy access to the Nokia Music store. Other features of this slider phone include a 2.4-inch screen, 3.2MP camera, and A-GPS.

Need mobile e-mail access but can’t afford those high-end smartphones? Fear not. Nokia has just the solution (and the handsets) for you. The solution is called Ovi Mail and the new handsets are the Nokia 2330 classic, 2323 classic, 2700 classic and 2730 classic.

The four new handsets, the most expensive of which do not exceed P6,000, come Internet-ready and work with Nokia’s Ovi Mail, giving first-time email users the opportunity to set up and start using an e-mail account (i.e. [email protected]) directly on their mobile phone.

Samsung Omnia series, Pixon, Jet, Star, Preston, Xplorer, Corby

Samsung continues to aggressively tout its line of advanced feature-rich handsets. This year, we saw some outstanding handsets from the world’s second largest mobile phone maker, starting with the super-smart Omnia line which includes the touch-screen Omnia II and Omnia HD and the QWERTY keypad-equipped Omnia PRO, the superfast S8000 Jet (with its 800MHz processor), the music-centric Beat DJ, the jaw-dropping 12-megapixel Pixon 12, and a slew of affordable touch-screen phones, which include the Star, Preston, and the colorful Corby.

Touted as a mobile handset that’s smarter than a smartphone, the Jet is powered by a super-fast high-performance 800MHz Application Processor that enables the seamless and simultaneous use of advanced multimedia and data communication applications and features.

Supporting the latest smartphone features including a user-friendly interface (TouchWiz 2.0), multi-task manager and Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, the Jet boasts world-firsts in both display technology and speed of performance.

Its 3.1-inch WVGA AMOLED display supports up to 16 million colors and offers the most vivid full-touch mobile experience available today. Other multimedia features include a five-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, DNSe & SRS Sound Effect technology for superior sound quality, and DivX and XviD video support for video downloading and viewing.

The Star comes a three-inch WQVGA full-touch screen and Samsung’s TouchWiz User Interface with Mobile Widgets. The phone boasts various multimedia features such as a 3.2-MP camera and video recording (QVGA@15fps). It supports multi-format and DNSe, music recognition using Shazam’s “Find Music” service, an external memory slot, and full Internet browsing.

The Preston, on the other hand, is equipped with a 2.8-inch QVGA touch-screen panel, HSDPA connectivity, and an expandable memory. Like the Star, the Preston adopts the TouchWiz User Interface with Mobile Widgets. It also comes with a 3.2MP camera, music recognition, and multi-codec support.

Built to survive harsh environments, the Samsung B2100 Xplorer is encased in anti-shock urethane material and can withstand bumps, bangs, scrapes, and scuffs. It’s adaptable to even the toughest environment, including rain, fog, and extremely hot and cold temperatures, and boasts the IP57 certification.

The Xplorer is equipped with outdoor-friendly features such as loud external speakers, noise cancellation, and a flash light. The quad-band handset sports a 1.8-inch TFT display, 1.3-megapixel camera, microSD card slot, Bluetooth, music playback, and FM radio.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2, Satio, Aino, and Yari

Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA model gets a sequel with the release of the Windows Mobile 6.5-powered X2 smartphone. The X2 also includes the unique SlideView feature, which provides quick access to frequently used phone activities.

It has 14 preloaded XPERIA panels with 16 more to download. From Skype, Mytopia, and Google, to games, CNN and Windows Live, the panels ensure users are up-to-date with what matters most to them.

With an improved touch interface and new 3D signature panel, users also benefit from flexible desktop panels that categorize business, fun, and communication features. Windows Mobile users can even show their presentations on the big screen with the TV out cable.

Multimedia smarts include a 3.2-inch high-resolution touch-screen, an 8.1-MP camera, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

For the ultimate multimedia experience, the Sony Ericsson Satio is packed with a whopping 12.1-MP camera (making it the world’s first 12-megapixel camera phone) and an enormous 3.5-inch screen in 16:9 widescreen format.

The 12.1-MP camera has a powerful xenon flash, smile and face detection, and intuitive touch focus system. It runs on Symbian S60 fifth edition. 

The Satio also features gesture control, all the usual media support, a slot for a microSD card, and Sony Ericsson’s PlayNow arena and TrackID. It has built-in Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, and EDGE to keep users connected on the go. A-GPS with Google Maps make the Satio a mobile multimedia experience that’ll take you places.

With its Media Go feature, the Aino lets you organize your music, photos, videos and podcasts to and from your PC via Wi-Fi. You can even access and control your PS3’s media content using the Remote Play with PlayStation feature.

It has a 3-inch screen, Wireless Stereo Headphone unit, and an 8.1-MP camera with face detection and image and video stabilizer. The Aino can access the Web via local carrier or Wi-Fi and has goodies like A-GPS, Google Maps, microSD card slot, video calling, video streaming, FM radio, and the NetFront Web browser.

Last but not least, the Sony Ericsson Yari’s “gesture gaming” feature uses motion sensors so you play built-in games like tennis or boxing without pushing buttons.

Supporting the Yari’s novel gaming system are a state-of-the-art music player, Mega Bass-equipped stereo speakers, and a 5-MP camera. It also has mobile Web features like Facebook, NetFront, and YouTube as well as A-GPS and Google Maps.