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

By CNETAsia staff
04/05/2005
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,39228670,00.htm

A sprit of change seems to be on the agenda in the latest top 10 list. New entrant Nokia 3230 takes the coveted top spot for April, while former leader Sony Ericsson K700i drops three notches to fourth position. The O2 Xphone II surges ahead to second rank, up from No. 3 in the previous month. Meanwhile, the Panasonic X800 makes its debut in third place, while the Nokia 7260 remains at the No. 5 spot. But the Motorola V3 is no longer in the top 5, slipping from its previous No.2 placing to No. 6. The Samsung D500 also falls behind by a disappointing three notches to take the final position in April's top 10 list. Please check below for more details.

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.  Nokia 3230
 
CNETAsia rating: 7.4 out of 10
The good:  Huge display screen; speedy user interface; powerful speakers.
The bad:  Laggy photo-capturing; uneven build; rigid menu softkeys.
The bottom line: The 3230 offers a reasonable choice for those looking for a decent smart phone, but its design blemishes its potential.

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2.  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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3.  Panasonic X800
 
CNETAsia rating: 7 out of 10
The good:  Triband; slim clamshell; hot-swappable miniSD slot; excellent connectivity options.
The bad:  Clumsy design; standard VGA camera; occasional menu slowdowns.
The bottom line: Although it’s tagged as a smart phone, it’s really just your normal phone with the addition of Quickoffice, coupled with unsavory controls that can be daunting to use.

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4.  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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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.  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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7.  Sony Ericsson K300i
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  
The bad:  
The bottom line: 

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8.  Motorola E398
 
CNETAsia rating: 7.7 out of 10
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.

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9.  Nokia 6170
 
CNETAsia rating: 7 out of 10
The good:  Stylish appearance; snappy user interface.
The bad:  Unsatisfactory build quality; disappointing dual displays; limited feature set; pricey.
The bottom line: A nice-looking clamshell from Nokia but with basic phone features and a premium price tag.

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10.  Samsung SGH-D500
 
CNETAsia rating: 8 out of 10
The good:  Desirable looks; excellent form factor; sharp display; speedy interface; expansive imaging features; Bluetooth works well; generous internal memory.
The bad:  Directional pad flawed; disappointing music functionality; no expansion options; poor battery life; pricey.
The bottom line: The phone has killer looks and some wonderful features including Bluetooth. Its high pricing may put people off, though.

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