Top 5 polyphonic phones

Just as PC-emitted beeps and clicks have given way to sound cards and digitized music in desktops, polyphony is the mobile phone's industry answer to more musical ringtones. With the ability to play different instruments simultaneously, polyphonic phones may eventually replace the shrill ringing sounds of most handsets today. When that happens, remember these five phones that started it all.

	1.	Samsung SGH-N620 We liked what we've heard from the Samsung SGH-N620. It's the only phone on the market capable of 16 simultaneous sounds, and the speaker delivers the music crisply. The games employ convincing sound effects, such as the explosion of alien ships when we shoot them down. Coupled with "force feedback", this makes for an engaging experience. The phone comes with a number of polyphonic ringtones to keep us interested for a while. But for further downloads, we'll have to wait and see what Samsung comes up with.   Review | See Comparison Chart | Rate This
	2.	Alcatel One Touch 511 The Alcatel OT511 was the first of the lot, at least in Singapore. Capable of eight simultaneous sounds including percussion, its ringtone playback certainly impressed us. However, the speaker does sound a tad muffled. To Alcatel's credit, so far the OT511 is the only handset to launch with polyphonic ringtone downloads from a mobile operator. The sound effects also add more atmosphere to the two games developed by Infogrames.   Review | See Comparison Chart | Rate This | Check Latest Price
	3.	Trium Eclipse With any luck, we'll get to see this excellent handset in the shops here. Although capable of only three simultaneous sounds, we think the quality of the speaker makes up for it. Loud and clear, it complements the Rayman games that come with the handset. If the Eclipse is anything to go by, the upcoming polyphonic Trium twins--the Mistral and the Odyssey--will be worth a listen.   Review | See Comparison Chart | Rate This
	4.	Panasonic GD75 While not a spectacular polyphonic performer, this attractive number may offer the first taste of mobile ringtone music for some. You just might be able to get it for less than S$150 at some shops. The GD75 is a sign that polyphony is not a luxury feature, and can thus be widely implemented. The phone speaker is average, while only three layers of polyphonic tones are available. Percussion effects such as drum beats are not supported.   Review | See Comparison Chart | Rate This | Check Latest Price
	5.	Panasonic GD95 The Panasonic GD95 is similar to the GD75, with the exception of a few features such as the big screen. As a polyphonic phone, though, we think it loses out to its brethren on the issue of price. From now until end January, Panasonic users can download up to three free ringtones from the Panasonic Web site. The site works well enough as a platform, but there are only nine tunes available, including some off-season Yuletide ditties.   Review | See Comparison Chart | Rate This | Check Latest Price