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This story was printed from CNET Asia.
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Top 10 phones of January

By CNETAsia staff
31/01/2005
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,39215462,00.htm

Another month has flown by, yet the status quo at the summit of our charts remains unchanged with the top three all retaining their positions. We also see a few new entries this month, including the Nokia 7270 and Mitsubishi M900. For more details, check out the full list below.

Note: Results are based on readership and telephone polls conducted with various retailers in Singapore.

Five most popular | Next five | Last month's rankings

Click here for a feature comparison table.
1.  Sony Ericsson K700i    
 
CNETAsia rating: 8.3 out of 10
The good:  Classy executive design; top-notch finish; VGA camera with photo light; MP3 player; FM radio; speakerphone.
The bad:  No expansion slot; sporadic pauses.
The bottom line: More than just an incremental upgrade, the K700i addresses numerous imperfections in past models to deliver a winning blend of style, design and unparalleled multimedia.

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2.  Nokia 6260
 
CNETAsia rating: 6.8 out of 10
The good:  Speedy Series 60 interface; RS-MMC expansion slot; excellent connectivity options.
The bad:  Lacks external display; poorly positioned keys; mono MP3 playback; unsatisfactory workmanship.
The bottom line: This Nokia’s competitive features are overshadowed by hardware shortcomings.

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3.  Sony Ericsson S700i    
 
CNETAsia rating: 8.1 out of 10
The good:  High-resolution 262K-color TFT; well-implemented megapixel camera; MP3 player and radio; Bluetooth and infrared connectivity; expansion slot; outstanding battery life.
The bad:  Bulky; pricey.
The bottom line: For those looking for a feature-laden camera-phone that snaps quality pictures and entertains with music, there's no better choice than the S700i currently.

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4.  O2 Xphone II
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Triband; compact and sleek design; large 2.2-inch TFT; good connectivity; improved battery runtime and speed.
The bad:  Removable media not hot-swappable; lacks MP3 ringtone support.
The bottom line: This souped-up Xphone offers a plethora of features for both busy professionals and multimedia enthusiasts in a dense package.

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5.  Nokia 7260
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Triband; sophisticated design; onboard FM tuner; video-capable VGA camera; speakerphone function; supports EDGE.
The bad:  Lacks Bluetooth; primitive camera controls.
The bottom line: One of the more distinct and striking designs from Nokia in a long time, this phone not only functions well, it's sure to turn heads, too.

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Five most popular | Next five | Last month's rankings

Click here for a feature comparison table.
6.  Nokia 7270
 
CNETAsia rating: 7.3 out of 10
The good:  Jazzy design; responsive interface; triband; onboard FM tuner.
The bad:  Heavy; dated displays; lacks Bluetooth; pricey.
The bottom line: This solidly built clamshell functions well on the established Series 40 platform and looks the part of a cool fashion accessory.

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7.  Nokia 7610
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Unorthodox design; 1-megapixel camera; RS-MMC expansion slot.
The bad:  Mono audio output; occasional lag; pricey.
The bottom line: This handset impresses by fusing fashion with function, but oversights like the lack of stereo audio output disappoint.

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8.  Nokia 6230
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Classy executive design; video-capable VGA camera; MP3 playback; FM radio; Bluetooth and infrared; MMC expansion slot.
The bad:  Small display; buggy.
The bottom line: While we're astounded by this Nokia's multimedia abilities and connectivity options, the screen and dodgy software leave an unpleasant aftertaste.

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9.  Motorola V3
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Quadband; ultrathin clamshell; luxurious aluminum furnish; impressive 262K-color TFT; Bluetooth connectivity; VGA camera.
The bad:  Pricey; laggy messaging interface.
The bottom line: Motorola's V3 clamshell comes with a touch of class. Unfortunately, its extravagant price may put it out of reach for many.

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10.  Mitsubishi M900
 
CNETAsia rating: 7.7 out of 10
The good:  Excellent display; crisp MP3 playback; miniSD slot; strong camera function.
The bad:  Slow interface; poor music implementation; no Bluetooth.
The bottom line: This Japanese mobile manages to stand tall and proud among the big boys with its stellar offering of music and photo capabilities.

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