Third-generation handsets are notoriously chunky monkeys, and while Doors has reservations about the banana-republic calibre of the UK’s 3G networks, at least the Z500 looks like a standard handset. Its bloodline is the Samsung E700, though this is a more powerful beast. Twin OLED screens, a credible megapixel camera (unusually, without flash) and a memory-card slot boost its multimedia credentials, though the lack of external music buttons is a pain. Two extra controls above the D-pad help streamline access to fancy 3G applications such as video call or web browsing, and we found the battery lasted two days with moderate use. Despite unimpressive games, the Z500 involves fewer compromises for those aching to sample 3G.

HEAVYWEIGHT SNAPPER
Sharp 903v — from £140 with Vodafone contract at www.v-store.co.uk
Potent but seriously chunky 3G camera phone

Barely 18 months ago, a one-megapixel camphone was ground-shaking technology. So the 3.2MP Sharp 903v is creating genuine tremors. The 903v has a stylish clamshell design, with autofocus and a 2x optical zoom that could replace cheaper digicams. Pictures best the Sony Ericsson W800i and the surprisingly disappointing Nokia N90, with images stored (slowly) on a skimpy 64MB miniSD card. These are good enough to print at 6in x 4in, though the LED light is, frankly, no substitute for a flash. A clever swivel-and-lock action for the large, battery-sucking TFT screen compensates for the lack of an external display, and both keypad and call quality are solid. Clearly, 3G will help for e-mailing pictures, but the 903v is poorly balanced to hold and, at 140g, wrist-achingly fat.

MUSICAL FASHIONISTA
Motorola SLVR L7 — free with contract, or £200 at www.carphonewarehouse.com
Disappointing emphasis on styling over substance

The L7 tries to capitalise on the iconic cachet of Motorola’s fold-up RAZR V3, but a year on, this wafer-thin candy-bar design is not as sweet. The cheap LEDs, replacing the V3’s stunning keypad lighting, simply look wrong. It also has one of the worst cameras we have ever tested, and video capability fares little better — a serious gaffe. There is a decent (non-iTunes) music player installed, and the new microSD memory cards can house plenty of MP3 files. The substantial LCD display is fine, while large, easy-to-press buttons enable fluent gaming, too. The navigation keys and clunky software are so poor that the SLVR is more chopped liver than foie gras. This is no turkey, it merely does not live up to expectations.

SIMPLE SURPRISE
Nokia 6101 — free with contract, or £144 at www.ebuyer.com
Basic, yet effective and fun to use

Will wonders never cease? After years of producing stolid candy-bar handsets or models designed at clown school, Nokia has finally got around to building a standard clamshell model — and it’s actually rather good. The no-frills 6101, surprisingly, has a built-in e-mail client and two colour screens adorning its smart black-and-silver curves, with the inner, 128 x 160-pixel affair handily able to display a whole text message. True, the low-rent VGA camera and a meagre 4.4MB of memory (with no card slot) are disappointing, yet this is a fine-looking phone with friendly software, large, well-placed buttons and six days’ standby time. Factor in an affordable price tag, a low SAR (radio emissions) value of 0.82W/kg plus three bundled games, and it’s a result.

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