We haven't been absolutely swimming in phone launches as a result of Mobile World Congress, but there have been some really kickass handsets released. And some genuinely move the game forward, even if they don't actually change it or dethrone the iPhone from its lofty position at the top of the smartphone tree.
So here we present TechRadar's top 10 drool-worthy phone highlights from the Barcelona show – and we've gone for all-out features. Oh, and before you ask, the Palm Pre isn't here. As you'll probably know, it was launched at January's CES. It already looks like an early contender for handset of the year, but some of the others here might have something to say about that…
1. Best skinning of Windows Mobile - Toshiba TG01
Speaking of contenders for handset of the year, this one's da bomb. Forget Windows Mobile and the fact it doesn't look as cool as the iPhone or HTC Magic; the 9.9mm shell is not only boosted by Qualcomm's super-fast Snapdragon platform, but also contains the best shelling of Windows Mobile we've yet seen. And yeah, we knew about it last week, but so what? It's just too good to leave out.
2. Most impressive on size - i-mate Centurion
Business smartphone maker i-mate didn't surprise with its new 810-F, but it did show off a cool prototype dubbed the Centurion. It's a palm (as in the hand) sized smartphone. Now we're not completely sold on it, because typing on such a small bit of plastic is bound to suffer from being so diminutive, but it will run Windows Mobile 6.5 and it will be sub-£400. Nice. And out towards the middle of the year.
3. Most likely to challenge the iPhone - HTC Magic
Proving that it was right not to put all its eggs in one Windows Phone-stickered basket, the Vodafone-tethered Magic was the handset of this Mobile World Congress. Complete with the 2nd gen 'Cupcake' version of Android, the thin handset has a lot going for it. HTC has dumped the QWERTY keyboard for this model though. And we can't imagine T-Mobile is that happy about it - Vodafone has the exclusive rights to it.
4. Most bizarre launch - Nokia N86
The Finns might not have wanted to out the 8MP handset in Barcelona because of its relatively understated nature. Indeed, it appeared first on the wires courtesy of a bizarrely timed unveiling in Singapore. It's hardly the height of tech with no Xenon flash and with Sony Ericsson demoing its Idou, but it's still worth a punt and is certainly the kind of high-end phone you'll get free on a contract. No Xenon flash, though.
5. Best for the screen - Samsung Omnia HD
Love this – the AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED) display on the Samsing Omnia HD looks simply awesome (as does the OS, based on Symbian S60 5.0) and the cam'll also shoot 720p video, too. The 3.7-inch display adds to an impressive array of other stats including GPS/compass, 8 megapixel camera, 8GB and 16GB internal memory options and a 3D interface and HSDPA. Wowsers. A dongle (WMG100) spotted by some in Spain also seems to facilitate streaming media from the phone, too, though reputedly only at 480p.
6. Best megapixel count - Sony Ericsson Idou
Although it won't launch until later in the year, SE still talked up its new Idou – the world's first 12.1 megapixel camera phone and said there will be other models in the same range. The 16:9 3.5-inch touchscreen and interface also looks interesting, and the screen is bit of a departure in terms of size for Sony Ericsson. The phone is also expected to be powered by the new Symbian Foundation OS, so we'll reserve judgement until we've had a proper play. Really looking forward to it though...
7. Surprisingly good-looking business phone - Nokia E75
Aside from the N86 debacle, it's been a great show for Nokia on the software side, with Ovi finally starting to show proper signs of life, an agreement signed with Adobe for Flash support and a partnership announced to support Skype on future Nseries handsets. Following up the successful N71, the E75 also has the Eseries' business slant with a slide-out keyboard. It's lightweight at 140g and, as a mid-range handset, will give some serious power, even if the price will weigh in at over the £375 mark. It'll debut in March.
8. Oddest new user interface - LG Arena KM 900
The Korean giant isn't exactly a frontline name in the European phone industry, but it's launching its new range-topping Arena in Europe next month. With a 3-inch WVGA (800x400) touchscreen, the 8 megapixel handset comes with a rather odd 3D cube-based S-Class UI based on Symbian. LG says it's supposed to be more fun and engaging. We think it'll only confuse, but we're looking forward to having a play, anyway.
9. Second best HTC phone launched at Mobile World Congress - HTC Touch Diamond2
With the advent of the Magic, HTC's other Mobile World Congress work suddenly seemed as important as last year's diary. But the HTC Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2 updated two of the company's most well-known models – even if they won't have WinMo 6.5 until late this year. The Touch Diamond2 is the one that floats our boat the most, with a thinner design than the original, 5 megapixel camera and bigger 3.2-inch screen. There's also a gravity sensor and touch-to-zoom bar. HTC also says the speakerphone quality is much improved. Expect it mid-year.
10. Most interesting new concept - Modu
And finally, a concept that really sets the cat among the pigeons. The Modu phone is essentially a tiny mobile with 2GB of memory that can sit inside any skin, or jacket, that you like. That's right – the company is planning on selling a series of 'jackets' that you can change depending on what you're doing – or your mood. According to TechRadar's Gareth Beavis, who played with the phone in Barcelona, the theory behind it is flawless, and we'll have a hands-on for you very soon.
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