Top 5 HSDPA handhelds and smart phones

The feature to look out for in a handheld these days is HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access). This is an evolution of 3G, allowing broadband-like speeds through the cellular network so you can get fast downloads wherever there is network coverage.

The advantage is obvious--you won't need to hunt for a Wi-Fi hotspot to download that huge presentation or large PDF document when out of the office since the maximum theoretical speed of current devices is 3.6Mbps. Note that actual speeds hardly ever come close to even half that, and is greatly dependent on the quality of network coverage which in turn depends on where you happen to be. In any case, it's a far cry from the GPRS of the 2.5G days, which gives you dial-up speeds exorbitantly chargeable at kilobytes of data transferred.

The two elements one needs to enjoy HSDPA are network support and an HSDPA-enabled device. We can't tell you when your network providers will roll out the service (if they haven't already), but we certainly can tell you which handsets will take advantage of it.

Click here to see other HSDPA mobile phones.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

	1.	HTC TyTN II       CNET Asia rating: 7.9 out of 10 The good: A host of data connectivity options including HSDPA; GPS with bundled maps; good battery life; 3-megapixel autofocus camera. The bad: Heavy and bulky; still QVGA display; no camera light; no audio mini-jack. The bottom line: It may not be a quantum leap compared with the 838 Pro, but the TyTN II maintains what power users loved in the previous iteration--with a few extras. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Samsung SGH-i780   CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Attractive price; good QWERTY keyboard; convenient shortcuts; slim design; extra battery included. The bad: Square screen may not work well with third-party programs; optical joystick not as fast as regular directional pad; bundled GPS app not optimized. The bottom line: Though not perfect, the i780 is an excellent choice for those who want the most features in a sub-S$1,000 PDA-phone. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Nokia E90 Communicator       CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10 The good: Solid build quality; numeric keypad in addition to a QWERTY keyboard; Wi-Fi, HSDPA, GPS and Bluetooth stereo; large 800 x 352-pixel screen; supports various messaging clients including BlackBerry Connect; fast processor. The bad: Typing on the wide keyboard can be tiring after a long while; no fax capability; camera's shutter button doesn't perform up to par. The bottom line: Strong features and a relatively compact form factor make the E90 Communicator one of the best smart phones in the market today. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	LG KS20   CNET Asia rating: 7.7 out of 10 The good: Excellent battery life; attractive price; pretty design; FM radio; adapter for 3.5mm headphones. The bad: No GPS; proprietary connector; lackluster software bundle; no text input application for one-handed use. The bottom line: For a first attempt, LG has gotten it mostly right with this model, thanks to its good looks and extremely competitive price. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Moto Q 9h   CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: QWERTY keypad; HSDPA (3.5G) connectivity; dual processors. The bad: No Wi-Fi; screen could be slightly wider. The bottom line: The Q 9h has one of the best smart phone keypads we have used and the Windows Mobile 6 software moves along fairly speedily. It's definitely one of the better models out there at the moment. Review | See full specs | Rate this