Smartphones with 3.5mm audio jacks

The 3.5mm audio connector is ubiquitous on music players, simply because good headphones come with one of these jacks--just look at the ends of Sennheiser or Etymotics earphones meant for portable devices. Unfortunately, most mobile phones come with either the smaller 2.5mm audio connector or even proprietary ones. The good news is manufacturers have started to shift toward the standard audio port, with HTC recently even saying that most of its upcoming products will come with it. For now, take a look at our top 5 smartphones which let you plug in your favorite headphones directly.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

	1.	HTC Hero   CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Extremely customizable interface, thanks to HTC Sense; solid construction; good use of materials; 3.5mm audio connector; multitouch in browser; decent battery life. The bad: Certain HTC apps can be slow; slow shutter on camera; unable to accept video calls. The bottom line: A combination of good design and a fully customizable user interface make the Hero a great smartphone. A boon for the Android platform still in its infancy. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Samsung Omnia II (I8000)   CNET Asia rating: 7.7 out of 10 The good: 7.2Mbps HSDPA; large 3.7-inch AMOLED display; good 5-megapixel camera; 3.5mm audio port; useful Task Switcher for memory management; good battery life; inexpensive. The bad: Plastic surface is very prone to smudges; external stylus can be annoying; threaded SMS unavailable; certain parts of custom UI can be slow at times. The bottom line: Though some may shun Windows Mobile because of other newer operating systems out there, there's no denying that the Omnia II presents great value for money compared with most other touchscreen smartphones. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Nokia E63   CNET Asia rating: 7.9 out of 10 The good: QWERTY keypad; Wi-Fi. The bad: Lack of HSDPA and GPS. The bottom line: The Nokia E63 is a good phone that delivers a competent texting and email experience, but its E71 predecessor is better, offering more features and greater finesse. If you want a smartphone that stands out from the crowd, however, the colorful E63 is worth checking out. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Apple iPhone 3GS   CNET Asia rating: 8.3 out of 10 The good: Finally has common cell phone features like multimedia messaging, video recording, and voice dialing; runs faster; promised battery life is longer; multimedia quality continues to shine. The bad: Call quality shows no improvements; 3G signal reception remains uneven; still doesn't have Flash Lite, USB transfer and storage, or multitasking. The bottom line: The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G did with the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception need improvement. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	BlackBerry Bold       CNET Asia rating: 8.8 out of 10 The good: HSDPA; Wi-Fi; GPS; QWERTY keypad; bright screen. The bad: Camera could be better. The bottom line: Unlike Palm, RIM has built up an impressive product portfolio that is made even better by the addition of the Bold. Aside from offering a plethora of features, the Bold's screen is one of the best we've seen. Review | See full specs | Rate this