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Unlocked cell phones: Put more freedom in your handset

Kent German
Kent German, Senior Editor
Updated May 20, 2008
Though they were relatively unknown just a couple of years ago, unlocked phones are a hot item in the United States. Because an unlocked phone has no settings that tie it to a particular carrier, you can use it with more than one wireless operator. That can be great for people who switch carriers, or for frequent travelers who want to make calls overseas. Also, you can choose from a wider selection of models when buying an unlocked phone.

Just remember that while all phones can be unlocked, the best unlocked handsets use GSM technology (think T-Mobile and AT&T). Also, keep in mind that the phone should support the 850 and 1900 GSM bands if you want to use it in the United States. Here are the latest unlocked phones that we've reviewed. The Sony Ericsson K850i is a superior camera phone. We didn't love its controls, but it's a solid model in all respects. The Samsung Armani has a slim and sexy design, but its touch-screen interface was tricky to use and it didn't offer as many features as we hoped for. The Nokia N82 is a powerful and well-performing smartphone, even if it lacks support for U.S. networks. For music fans, the Samsung SGH-i450 is an ideal choice, and the rugged Sonim XP1 should appeal to anyone with an extreme lifestyle.


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Product name Sony Ericsson K850i - black (unlocked)
Sony Ericsson K850i - black (unlocked)  
Samsung Armani
Samsung Armani  
Nokia N82
Nokia N82  
Samsung SGH-i450 - silver/blue
Samsung SGH-i450 - silver/blue  
Sonim XP1 - yellow (unlocked)
Sonim XP1 - yellow (unlocked)  






Review date April 28, 2008   April 17, 2008   April 25, 2008   March 20, 2008   March 13, 2008  






CNET editors' rating 8.3 out of 10 8.3
Excellent
7.3 out of 10 7.3
Very good
7.3 out of 10 7.3
Very good
7.6 out of 10 7.6
Very good
7.3 out of 10 7.3
Very good






Users' rating 7.8 out of 10 7.8
Very good
5.0 out of 10 5.0
Average
7.8 out of 10 7.8
Very good
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Review summary Though its navigation controls and keypad aren't up to par, the Sony Ericsson K850i is one of the finest camera phones we've seen. The Samsung Armani is one supersexy phone but it falls short of perfection due to lackluster features and a tricky user interface. The Nokia N82 has some annoying design flaws and lacks 3G support, but our lasting impression of the N82 is of a powerful multimedia smartphone with an excellent imaging capabilities and solid performance. It can't pass muster as a camera phone, but as a quality music handset the Samsung SGH-i450 more than holds its own. It may not be pretty, but the Sonim XP1 is a rugged GSM cell phone that's built to last. It offers good call quality, too.






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My Products
Basic Specs
Service Provider Unlocked Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable Unlocked






Cellular technology WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM GSM WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM GSM






Band / mode WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 GSM 900/1800/1900 (Tri-Band) WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 900/1800/1900 GSM 900/1800/1900 (Tri-Band)






Talk time Up to 540 min Up to 390 min Up to 260 min Up to 282 min Up to 240 min






Wireless Interface Bluetooth (A2DP) Bluetooth (A2DP) IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , Bluetooth (A2DP) Bluetooth (A2DP) Info unavailable






Weight 4.2 oz 3 oz 4 oz 4 oz 4.5 oz






Height 4 in 3.4 in 4.4 in 3.9 in 4.4 in






Service & support details type Info unavailable 1 year limited warranty Info unavailable Info unavailable Info unavailable






Product name Sony Ericsson K850i - black (unlocked)   Samsung Armani   Nokia N82   Samsung SGH-i450 - silver/blue   Sonim XP1 - yellow (unlocked)  






Full specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications Full Specifications






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$410-500
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$400-600
from 5 stores
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