By Damian Koh
04/04/2008
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,62039778,00.htm

As you may have already noticed, we haven't been actively reporting about the new handsets that are showcased at the CTIA show in Las Vegas. There's a reason for that and it's not because we are skiving, but rather most of these models won't be making their way to Asia as they are either CDMA versions or tied to US operators. We've put together a list of some of the more interesting handsets you may never get to see in our region.

ClarityLife

What is it? A senior-friendly cell phone, period.
Key features: Targeted at senior citizens; 2.75-inch monochrome display; emergency buttons sounds an alarm then calls a list of five user-programmable contacts and sends a text message until the user reaches someone.
Why should you care? Because one day you will grow old, too, and your failing eyesight will thank you for the large display and font sizes on the ClarityLife phone.
Also check out these alternative models in Asia: Samsung SGH-B100; LG KU250; Nokia 2630

Kyocera Neo E1100

What is it? A CDMA clamshell with heaps of style.
Key features: 0.66-inch thick; 1.3-megapixel camera; micro-USB port; 2.5mm audio jack; voice recognition.
Why should you care? Only if you are into snazzy designs. Features are secondary in this case.
Also check out these alternative models in Asia: Sony Ericsson Z750i

LG Vu (AT&T)

What is it? One of the first two devices to support AT&T's new live TV service.
Key features: 3-inch touchscreen LCD with touch vibrating feedback; 2-megapixel camera; Bluetooth stereo A2DP.
Why should you care? Because it has such a cool name, you'll probably get more people asking how to pronounce Vu than fawning over its 3-inch wide display.
Also check out these alternative models in Asia: Samsung Ultra Messaging F700; LG Prada phone; LG KF700

Motorola Z9 (AT&T)

What is it? First Motorola handset to support AT&T's video share service and Navigator GPS service.
Key features: Quad-band GSM with dual-band HSDPA; Windows Media player 11 with support for AT&T Music, Bluetooth stereo A2DP; microSD expansion card slot; Opera 8 Web browser; 2-megapixel camera; side-mounted volume keys offer haptics tactile feedback.
Why should you care? You shouldn't. The Z9 doesn't break new grounds in terms of design. To put it more simply, it looks like a slider version of the candybar ROKR E8.
Also check out these alternative models in Asia: Motorola ROKR E8; Samsung Soul; Nokia N96

Samsung Instinct (Sprint)

What is it? A CDMA version of the Samsung SGH-F490 announced at the Mobile World Congress.
Key features: 2-megapixel camera; Bluetooth stereo A2DP; 3G; full HTML browser; integrated GPS with Sprint navigation; 3.1-inch touchscreen LCD; 3.5mm audio jack.
Why should you care? You shouldn't. The Instinct is essentially a CDMA version of the SGH-F490, and even though the latter won't be available in our region, you won't be missing out on much since there are other rather similar models to look out for in the market.
Also check out these alternative models in Asia: Samsung Ultra Messaging F700; LG Prada phone; LG KF700