If the prospect of shelling out £269 on an iPhone doesn't appeal, the good news is that there are plenty of alternatives.
While the rest of the world has been drooling at the prospect of Apple's entry into the mobile market, handset manufacturers have been sharpening their own smartphones in preparation. The result? A glut of sophisticated multimedia devices more than capable of shaking a stick at the iPhone.
5. HTC Touch, £260 (SIM-free)
The Touch is a smartphone masquerading in a trendy iPhone-esque form factor. As such, it brings all the organisational and office capabilities of the Windows Mobile 6 OS with the addition of HTC's new TouchFLO touchscreen interface.
It's not as well integrated as the iPhone's touchscreen, and getting down to the nitty gritty of texting requires the stylus to be called into action. Like the iPhone, the Touch is bereft of 3G, but does include Wi-Fi for browsing. There's also a 2-megapixel camera, video recording and music player - although the lack of a 3.5mm jack means you're stuck with the bundled headphones. Available now. [Read the full HTC Touch review]
Key specs: 58x100x14mm, 112g, GSM 900/1800/1900, 2.8-inch 240x320 touchscreen display, music player, 2-megapixel camera, video recording, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, microSD expansion, Windows Mobile 6 OS
4. RIM Blackberry Pearl 8120, £tbc
The second generation Blackberry Pearl is the ideal handset for those looking to keep in touch on the move without compromising on style. Unlike previous Blackberrys, the 8120 comes with improved multimedia functions including an intuitive music player (plus 3.5mm headphone jack), 2-megapixel camera with 5x zoom and flash, and video recording.
Admittedly the smaller screen won't rival the iPhone, but you do get the 'Blackberry experience' with support for push email from up to 10 accounts, MMS and instant messaging (unlike the iPhone), and a host of organiser apps. The Qwerty-style SureType keypad remains, and the browser benefits from the inclusion of Wi-Fi - although still no 3G. Available November. [Read the full Blackberry Pearl 8100 review]
Key specs: 50x107x14mm, 91g, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, EDGE, 240x260 display, music player, 2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, microSD expansion, push email, SureType Qwerty-style keypad
3. Nokia N81, £390 (SIM-free)
Nokia's new Music Store is hoping to provide a serious threat to iTunes, and with its latest range of handsets it should be able to fend of the iPhone as well. The N81 slider is geared towards music and gaming (N-GAGE gaming is built in), and comes equipped with a huge 8GB internal memory.
Although Nokia hasn't jumped on the touchscreen bandwagon, the N81 has a decent-sized screen that can be flipped to watch video in landscape view. Unlike the iPhone, the N81 has both 3G and Wi-Fi for a less frustrating browsing experience. Imaging comes courtesy of the 2-megapixel camera. Available now. [Read the full Nokia N81 review]
Key specs: 102x50x17.9mm, 140g, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 240x320 display, music player, 2-megapixel camera, video recording, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
2. Samsung Ultra Smart F700, £tbc
The self-styled 'iPhone killer' is a dead ringer for Apple's offering thanks to its full-fascia 2.8-inch touchscreen display. Samsung's VibeTonz technology gives vibrating feedback with each selection using the touchscreen, but if you prefer the tactile appeal of buttons there's also a slide-out Qwerty keypad.
Multimedia ups the ante on Apple by incorporating a 3-megapixel camera and video recording, while connectivity is futureproofed by the inclusion of both 3G and HSDPA, sweeping the iPhone aside for speed. Samsung is no stranger to the MP3 market so, as expected, comes up with a user-friendly alternative to iTunes, and support for microSD cards up to 4GB offers room for a fair amount of tunage. Available soon. [Read Samsung F700 news]
Key specs: 104x50x16.4mm, 93g, GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, EDGE, HSDPA, 2.8-inch 440x240 touchscreen display, VibeTonz technology, music player, 3-megapixel auto focus camera, slide-out Qwerty keypad, Bluetooth, USB, microSD expansion
1. Sony Ericsson W960i, £tbc
Sony Ericsson could be counted on to produce something a bit special to counteract the Apple effect, with its all-conquering Walkman range. The new W960i heads the lineup, and has bucket-loads of music features including advanced playlist management and three-click downloads. Navigation comes via the 2.6-inch touchscreen, and you can even shake the handset to change track.
There's a massive 8GB of internal memory (up to 8,000 tracks), doing away with the need for expandable cards, and a Bluetooth stereo headset comes bundled. Business users can take advantage of the always-on internet access, with both 3G and Wi-Fi available, and there's also a range of email software and PIM features. Available December. [Read Sony Ericsson W960i news]
Key specs: 55x109x16mm, 119g, GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 240x320 touchscreen display, music player, 3.2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, 8GB internal memory
