JUNE 2008: BIZ LIFE, TECH TOYS
CALL ME
The cell phone, for better or worse, is entrenched in every
part of life. We use it in the office, in the car, at the
airport, on the beach and in places we can’t name.
We’re addicted. Here’s a look at some of the
coolest phones on the market, just in case you need a new
drug.
NINO MARCHETTI
Apple iPhone
People are still lining up to buy the market-changing
iPhone. The innovative device uses a touch-screen interface
set into its colorful 3.5-inch display screen to provide
you access to everything it has to offer. You can quickly
look up contacts, watch a movie, enjoy iPod-style music
playback or browse the web. ($399-$499; AT&T)
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Verizon Wireless XV6900
The iPhone is by no means the only sophisticated
touch-screen phone. The new XV6900 from Verizon takes the
Windows Mobile 6 route, delivering ease of access to
Microsoft Office functions via its mobile applications. Its
2.8-inch touch-screen display lets you do finger or stylus
inputting and there’s also a 2-megapixel digital
camera. This phone is also quite compact and stylish.
($399; Verizon)
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Motorola MOTO Z9
AT&T got the exclusive rights to debut
Motorola’s MOTO Z9 slider-style cell phone here in
the United States. It’s sleek and is the first phone
to include AT&T’s Navigator GPS-enabled service.
It also lets you browse the web, take photos with its
2-megapixel digital camera and access Bluetooth. The
advanced GPS functions are a killer. ($249; AT&T)
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LG Rumor
Sprint got LG to release for St. Patrick’s Day a
green version of its popular and fun Rumor slider-style
mobile. It features a full QWERTY keyboard for easy texting
and IM, and a built-in MP3 player with 4GB of storage via a
microSD card slot. ($49; Sprint)
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Samsung SCH-U550
Say you just want a simple flip phone you can throw into
your coat pocket as you head out for the night. The
SCH-U550 fits the bill with its stylish brown finish. This
isn’t a business phone, but a party player that
features a night mode for its built-in 1.3-megapixel
digital camera, along with the ability to support
Verizon’s high-speed data network for video and
music. ($69; Verizon)
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BlackBerry Curve 8330
The success of the BlackBerry, aka the CrackBerry, is no
big surprise. This business-friendly mobile continues to
hum with the new Curve 8330. This BlackBerry is one of the
smallest to date and features a full QWERTY keyboard for
typing text messages, a wireless Bluetooth for safe
hands-free calling while driving and built-in GPS for
guided navigation. ($179; Sprint)
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