Top of many shopping lists this Christmas is likely to be a smartphone - a mobile device that makes voice calls yet secretly aspires to personal digital assistant (PDA) status by offering e-mail, web browsing, personal information systems and music/video playback.
Deciding which one to buy is as much about choosing the operating system you feel most comfortable with as it is with the form factor of the handset itself.
Windows PC owners will find the interfaces and applications of the Microsoft phones reassuringly familiar. However some critics are adamant the rival Symbian 7 system is the easiest to use and most suited to the smartphone form factor. There is also one phone, the Handspring Treo 600, that uses the Palm operating system.
Here's our verdict on the six highest profile handsets. All prices are as part of a pay monthly contract package.
Motorola MPx200
Billing - The first tiny clamshell smartphone Operating system - Windows Mobile 2003 Availability - Exclusively from Orange (www.orange.co.uk). Expected price is around £200.
What's good - Incredible number of features in a tiny clamshell phone. Uses a Windows-based operating system to deliver POP3 e-mail, web access (pages are just about readable on the small screen) MP3/Windows Media music/video playback and truncated versions of Microsoft Outlook/Word etc. It sports a stylish design and its integrated antenna makes for an even more compact size.
What's bad - No Bluetooth for connecting to headsets or PDAs. Motorola hasn't included a camera, though this is likely to be featured on future versions. Due to its size it is slightly tricky to input data.
A miracle of miniaturisation, this makes rivals handsets from Nokia and Orange look positively bulky. Can't compete with the usability of the larger PDA style handsets though.
Handspring Treo 600
Billing - All the benefits of Palm's operating system in a pocketable mobile. Operating system - Palm 5.2.1 Availability - Exclusively from Orange (www.orange.co.uk). Retails for £120.
What's good - Palm operating system is simple to use and there are thousands of cool applications that can be added to the handset. Features a proper keyboard that is faster for inputting data than rival systems. POP3 e-mail system is ultra simple to use, while its web browser is one of the best available.
What's bad - Screen isn't as high resolution as its rivals. Not the best camera ever fitted to a smartphone. Protruding aerial spoils the look a little, though it does ensure voice calls are excellent quality.
It works well, is a decent size and should be a no brainer for anyone who has loves the Palm operating system as they can transfer information and applications from their old device on to the new one. Budget price makes it even more attractive.
Sony Ericsson P900
Billing - An eagerly awaited revamp of one of the original smartphones - the Sony Ericsson P800. Operating system - Symbian 7 Availability - Orange (£300), Vodafone (not yet available). (www.orange.co.uk / www.vodafone.co.uk)
What's good - Hugely specified with excellent web browsing and e-mail, an integrated still and video camera, MP3 music player, personal information manager system, triple band facilities and Bluetooth. Its 65k colour screen is rivalled only by the XDA II in terms of size and resolution. Comes with excellent software package including secure access to corporate networks.
What's bad - Not the coolest looking handset around - the P800 was more stylish. The pull-open flap is highly annoying. Poor quality music player. Also pricier than most of its rivals.
Sony Ericsson hasn't quite cracked the phone/PDA hybrid, but it is getting close. The next version expected in summer 2004 and possibly including Wi-Fi could be the one to wait for.
O2 XDA II
Billing - The revamp of 02's Microsoft powered XDA, now with added camera and Bluetooth. Operating system - Windows Mobile 2003 Availability - Exclusive to O2 (www.O2.co.uk). Retails for around £350.
What's good - It feels more like a PDA and has more power and speed (400 MHz Intel PXA 263 processor) than rival smartphones. Screen is outstanding, better than its rivals. Comprehensive selection of facilities including; audio and video playback (MP3/Windows Media), integrated still and video camera, Microsoft applications like Word and Excel as well as POP3 e-mail and web browsing.
What's bad - Web browser isn't as good as some of its rivals. Ironically, voice calls are lower quality too. No stereo earphone output for music listening. Fairly pricey.
For PDA style features on a phone the XDA leads the pack. If you like the Windows Mobile operating system and can accommodate its size it is well worth owning.
Nokia 6600
Billing - Nokia's small, but feature-packed smartphone. Operating system - Symbian 7 Availability - Orange (www.orange.co.uk), Vodafone (www.vodafone.co.uk). Expected to retail for between £150-200
What's good - Huge selection of features in a very small and thin, though slightly wide handset. Excellent connectivity including Bluetooth and infrared and compatibility with virtual private networks. Good quality camera.
What's bad - Rather dull corporate design. Fiddly controls.
A good all-rounder that is easy to use, has many excellent features and is competitively priced. The clamshell Motorola MPx 200 is arguably a much sexier phone though.
Orange SPV E200
Billing - The third incarnation of the Microsoft Windows powered SPV smartphone. Now with built-in camera and Bluetooth Operating system - Windows Mobile 2003 Availability - Exclusive to Orange (www.orange.co.uk). No price yet.
What's good - Like previous SPVs the E200 is fairly stylish in a corporate kind of way. The addition of a camera and Bluetooth puts it at the same level features-wise as the Sony Ericsson P900 and Nokia 6600. E-mail is simple to set up and use while the web browser just about squeezes pages onto the small screen. The video camera is excellent and unlike most other phones you can record mini movies of several minutes long using the camcorder
What's bad - Some of the functions are a little too slow to operate. Candy bar type design not to everyone's taste.
No longer outclassed by its Symbian rivals (Sony Ericsson P900 and Nokia 6600), the SPV has come of age.
Due soon:
Siemens SX1 - Another feature packed smartphone in a small candy bar style form factor. Due very soon.
Sendo X - British smartphone running the Symbian 7 OS. Boasts several innovative features. Again due very shortly.
