Roam where you want to: Smartphones for globe-trotters
Bonnie Cha
Senior editor December 13, 2010 (updated on: October 7, 2011)
If you frequently travel overseas for business or pleasure, a smartphone with world-roaming capabilities is a good thing to have in your travel kit. The smartphone part of the device gives you access to all the productivity tools you need to get work done on the road, and the world roaming lets you touch base with your colleagues, friends, and family back in the States. Though we're limited to only six picks in this story format, there are plenty more smartphones out there. Just be sure to look for quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) support in GSM phones and dual-mode functionality in CDMA models for true world roaming.
| Product name | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 to $409.00 | Check Prices | $0.00 to $119.99 | $19.99 to $409.99 | $0.00 to $49.99 | $615.00 |
| CNET editors' rating | ||||||
| Average user rating | ||||||
| Release date | July 27, 2011 | October 02, 2011 | ||||
| The Bottom Line | The BlackBerry Bold 9930 is the best QWERTY BlackBerry to date, but should be priced lower. | The Motorola Electrify is a great Android device for U.S. Cellular customers seeking power and the latest and greatest in smartphone technology. | The T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide is a well-designed, feature-packed dual-core handset that can stand alongside today's premium smartphones. | With its dual-core processor, vibrant display, and great performance, the sleek and powerful Samsung Galaxy S II rises as AT&T's top Android smartphone. | Despite a few shortcomings, the Motorola XPRT is a great alternative to the BlackBerry because of its enterprise-level features and globe-trotting capabilities. | With the iPhone 4, Apple again shows that it is a powerful player in the smartphone wars. It won't be for everyone, the call quality and reception vary if you don't use a case, and AT&T's network remains a sticking point, but the handset's striking design, loaded feature set, and generally agreeable performance make it the best iPhone yet. |
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| Features | ||||||
| Cellular technology | GSM / CDMA / UMTS | CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS) | GSM / UMTS | GSM / 3G | CDMA2000 1X / GSM / WCDMA (UMTS) | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM |
| Weight | 4.59 oz | 5.57 oz | 6.5 oz | 4.13 oz | 5.1 oz | 4.8 oz |
| Talk time | Up to 396 min | Up to 600 min | Info unavailable | Up to 180 min | Up to 540 min | Up to 840 min (2G) Up to 420 min (3G) |
| Wireless Interface | Bluetooth 2.1 IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth 3.0 | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR IEEE 802.11b/g/n | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR IEEE 802.11b/g/n |
| Service Provider | Verizon Wireless | U.S. Cellular | T-Mobile | AT&T | Sprint Nextel | AT&T |
| Band / mode | Info unavailable | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 / CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) / UMTS | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) / 3G 850/1900/2100 (Tri-band) | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 / CDMA2000 1X 1900/800 | WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
| Buying choices | | Please visit U.S. Cellular for additional models. | | | | |
But of coruse it's Cnet and they have to include an apple product.