Top 10 phones of September

The good:  Attractively designed with an understated style; bright 65K screen; 3D stereo sound; VGA camera with photo light; external storage; good battery life.

The bad:  Jerky video playback; no video recording; no FM radio.

The bottom line: The Motorola E398 with its host of features is well-suited for sophisticated mobile users while its smart outlook will appeal to executives.

The good:  Attractive design; bright, beautiful display; Bluetooth-enabled.

The bad:  Short battery life; low photo resolution; minor stability issues.

The bottom line: The Panasonic X70 is a gorgeous mobile marred by limited photo resolution, minor stability issues, and the lack of Java; it fails to live up to the hype of its formidable predecessor.

The good:  Unique swivel design; sharp TFT; top-grade finish; Bluetooth; MP3 ringtones; sound-activated rhythm lights; landscape imaging.

The bad:  Quirky message engine; no infrared; lacks video recording.

The bottom line: This headturning V80 from Motorola delivers the right blend of looks, style and technology.

The good:  Triband; compact design; speakerphone; inexpensive; good battery life.

The bad:  Lackluster display; rudimentary feature set.

The bottom line: For the frequent jetsetter who merely needs a basic phone to stay in touch, the triband Nokia 3120 should be suffice.

The good:  Fashionable design; excellent display and polyphony; good VGA camera with effective Night mode; huge 9MB memory.

The bad:  Lacks triband; quirky user interface; no programmable shortcut keys; lacks Bluetooth.

The bottom line: An exceptional blend of looks, features and performance, the Samsung SGH-E700 is a top bet for anyone after a compact and stylish camera-phone.