Holiday gift guide 2007

Mobile web browsing

If you happen to have an unlimited data plan from your wireless carrier you'll most probably want a device that you can use to browse web sites the way they were meant to be browsed.

While we are somewhat uncomfortable of abusing the Nokia brand throughout this article, we should point out that the best mobile web browsing experience is offered by… the latest Nokia Symbian smartphones.

HSDPA has become a buzz word this year and many mobile carriers throughout Europe already offer it to users with supported devices. Having HSDPA and a good mobile web browser puts the power of mobile internet in your hands.

We've picked the Nokia 6120 classic as our first offering in this category. Flaunting HSDPA besides UMTS and a really fast processor, the Nokia 6120 classic is a Symbian smartphone with classic looks.

A good alternative is the Nokia E51 which offers Wi-Fi support along the HSDPA for all those moments that you have access to a Wi-Fi hot spot.

Nokia 6120 classic (EUR 175) | review • Nokia E51 (EUR 256) | review

We already told you a little bit about Samsung i600 in our previous category. Being a Windows Mobile smartphone, it allows replacing the standard Internet Explorer Mobile with a more capable third-party browser thus turning the i600 into a really capable web browsing machine.

Samsung i600 (EUR 225) | review

You should also consider…

Other web browsing mobiles that are worth considering in this category are also the HTC TyTN II, the Samsung U700, and Samsung Z170. The HTC TyTN II offers tri-band UMTS and HSDPA, which allows using the device in all 3G networks around the globe.

The Samsung U700 is probably the thinnest 3G slider (you know Samsung and their obsession with thin handsets). It's equipped with the NetFront 3.4 web browser that is among the greatest browser for feature phones. Furthermore you can always install Opera Mini, which is an excellent web browsing alternative too.

And finally, if you are on a budget and really need a 3G mobile phone to use for video calling, we can recommend the Samsung Z170, which covers all the essentials.

TyTN II (EUR 535) | review • Samsung U700 (EUR 200) | review • Samsung Z170 (EUR 125)

Last year's tops were…

The Nokia N73 is last year's category winner and it is an excellent choice for your 3G web browsing on the go plus some really nice camera performance.

Nokia N73 (EUR 200) | review

Conclusion

So it's time for us to wrap it up and go look for some gifts for our loved ones too. This article was our attempt at saving you some time when looking for a holiday present for your friends or relatives, or even one for yourself. We won't make claims that its thorough and exhaustive or that it covers all the available options in the different categories. What we wanted to show you are the highlights of this year's achievements in the mobile industry. However, if you still don't find the right handset, please feel free to continue browsing our mobile phones database using the Phone Finder.

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All prices are strictly indicative. They are taken from various online resources and they do not include taxes or carrier subsidies. Your local street prices will probably differ.