All Smartphones

The Bottom Line: The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Up to 600 min, With digital camera / digital player, 4.8 oz

The Bottom Line: The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Up to 600 min, With digital camera / digital player, 4.8 oz

The Bottom Line: The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900 brings a number of improvements and additions to make it a nice upgrade to the Curve 8300 series. That said, AT&T offers other QWERTY smartphones that include 3G support and for less.

Specs: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband), 330 min, 3.9 oz

The Bottom Line: The Nokia E75 is a nice alternative to the current crop of slate QWERTY messaging smartphones, offering a compact design without sacrificing the keyboard or e-mail capabilities. However, without carrier backing, the unlocked phone is a bit expensive.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 320 min, 4.9 oz

The Bottom Line: Despite some missing features and performance issues that make it less than ideal for on-the-go professionals, the Palm Pre offers gadget lovers and consumers well-integrated features and unparalleled multitasking capabilities. The hardware could be better, but more importantly, Palm has developed a solid OS that not only rivals the competition but also sets a new standard in the way smartphones handle tasks and manage information.

Specs: CDMA 800/1900, With digital camera / digital player, 4.8 oz

The Bottom Line: The Google Ion is the Android device for which we've been waiting. A few complaints remain, but its eye-catching design and interface, improved features, and satisfying performance make us excited about Android's full potential.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Up to 450 min, 4.1 oz

The Bottom Line: The Google Ion is the Android device for which we've been waiting. A few complaints remain, but its eye-catching design and interface, improved features, and satisfying performance make us excited about Android's full potential.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Up to 450 min, With digital camera / digital player, 4.09 oz

The Bottom Line: As the successor to the BlackJack series, the Samsung Jack brings a fresh look and some nice feature upgrades to make it one of AT&T's more solid and affordable messaging smartphones. However, we tend to favor the Nokia E71x's design.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, 420 min, 4 oz

The Bottom Line: The HTC Touch Diamond2 brings some notable improvements over its predecessor and promises to be a powerful touch-screen smartphone when it finally arrives in the U.S.

Specs: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900, Up to 340 min, 4.2 oz

The Bottom Line: With the design improvements and addition of features such as 3G and GPS, the T-Mobile Sidekick LX 2009 graduates from a simple messaging handheld to a real connected, all-in-one communication device for the younger crowd.

Specs: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) / UMTS 85/1700/2100 (Triband), With digital camera / digital player, 0.4 lbs