Best iPhone alternatives

Best iPhone alternatives

 Have you resisted the lure of Apple's iPhone 3G thus far? Perhaps the massive Apple marketing machine has had no effect on you whatsoever, but this doesn't mean you don't want an awesome mobile phone, right?

 

Apple's iPhone 3G was released in Australia earlier this year to fanfare unheard of for a mobile phone. When the device hit stores in July it seemed like the iPhone was the only handset people spoke about. There are, of course, alternatives.

Identifying iPhone alternatives is more than just listing other  touchscreen smartphones. There are three main ways in which the iPhone excels. Firstly it's as a media player — the iPhone 3G with its 3.5-inch display and excellent iPod component is a media monster, though if you're in the market for a phone that plays video files and music and sports huge internal storage then Samsung's Omnia or Nokia's N96 are also worth checking out.

Secondly, the iPhone performs well as a business device. Apple went to great pains before the release of the iPhone 3G to include important business software, like VPN support and Microsoft Exchange compatibility. It's still our opinion, though, that if you're in the market for a business handset you need a full QWERTY keyboard. Two of this year's best keyboards were found on Nokia's E71 and the BlackBerry Bold.

Lastly, perhaps the iPhone's most compelling appeal is as a techno fashion accessory. It's pointless denying the sheer sex appeal of Apple's sleek smartphone and, depending on personal taste, the iPhone is still ahead of the field for having that intangible X-Factor. LG's Viewty and Renoir, and Motorola's ROKR E8 are all gorgeous phones, but maybe not enough to lure the fashionistas away from Apple's gem.

 

Samsung Omnia

In terms of features the Omnia stands out as one of the best smartphones to date. It's a shame this doesn't translate into a phone we'd enjoy using from day to day.

 

Nokia N96

It's a little slimmer and it has loads of storage, but Nokia's latest flagship model has little to justify its top-shelf price tag.

 

Nokia E71 

With its combination of excellent features and performance, matched with sleek design and its affordable price tag, Nokia's E71 manages to outshine recently released smartphones as our business phone of choice.

 

BlackBerry Bold 9000

The Bold is what BlackBerry fans have been waiting for. It's feature-rich and sharply designed, let down in small measure by some cumbersome software.

 

LG Viewty (KU990)

The touchscreen interface and sexier design will be enough to make knees tremble, however, the Viewty's 5-megapixel camera falls short of our expectations.

 

LG Renoir KC910

With an excellent 8-megapixel camera and a finger-friendly touchscreen, the Renoir is exactly what it sets out to be: one of the best camera phones of the year.