Top 10 phones for September

The good: Bundled with 512MB miniSD card; firmware upgraded since the 6280; support for A2DP stereo Bluetooth profile.

The bad: Slider mechanism a little loose; design is slick but lacks the funk factor.

The bottom line: The 6288 improves on the 6280, but while it performs well, it lacks a standout feature to pull in the punters.

The good: Stylish business-oriented phone; wealth of connectivity features including 3G and Wi-Fi.

The bad: Bundled mono headset; no front camera for video calls; barebones 2-megapixel camera with disappointing image quality; keys on top lid could be bigger; soft onboard speaker.

The bottom line: The E65's broad range of connectivity features would attract mobile users who want a little more from their phone sans the bulk.

The good: Slick and slim design; funky features including Walkman music player and pedometer; solid build.

The bad: Buttons can be difficult to press; not 3G; no camera flash.

The bottom line: Sony Ericsson's W580i is a sexy, thin slider that you'll want to carry in your pocket for its MP3 music player, radio or just to use the built-in pedometer.

The good: Compact design; unique themes with fancy lighting effects; hot-swappable Memory Stick Micro card slot.

The bad: Buttons are tiny; very basic feature set.

The bottom line: The Sony Ericsson S500i is a very basic slider phone and you'll be buying it almost mainly for its unique themes and fancy lighting at the sides.