Nokia C5-03

The Nokia C5-03 may come as a slight disappointment to those hoping that it would slot nicely into the range of ‘budget’ smartphones that are currently becoming so popular amongst the market in the United Kingdom; it is light, but weightier than a great many of its competitors; it boasts a touchscreen and minimal buttons, but it can appear somewhat clunky and awkward and its overall appearance may not be to the tastes of everybody. It also has some very stiff competition in the form of the HTC Wildfire and Blackberry Curve 3G, each of which has some slightly improved features that could mean that this offering from Nokia might struggle to gain a successful foothold within its chosen market.

Despite its plastic construction, the overriding feel of the phone is well constructed and it measures just under 14mm thick. There are some impressive hardware features such as the quality five megapixel camera - although this is positioned on the back of the handset, making video calling a non-starter.

Nokia C5-03 (click on image to buy)

There has been some criticism of the Symbian OS, which many have described as slow and clunky (random crashing has also been reported on many of the tested handsets). It does come complete with a large array of what appear to be social networking apps; however on closer inspection these are merely links to the social networking websites that they are named after.

Fans of Nokia will find redeeming features in the C5-03 in the form of its ease of use, familiar layout, fantastic screen size/resolution and its large battery life (which makes it a touch more reliable for prolonged usage than many of its competitors). However, its less than responsive touchscreen and lack of apps/customisation available from the Ovi store may serve to put potential users off buying this good all-rounder.

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gps mobile phone Nokia C5-03

Samsung Galaxy Ace

Many have called the Samsung Galaxy Ace ‘the little brother’ to the superb Samsung Galaxy S. It more than manages to hold its own when compared with the competition it shares within its price range (which is mainly the HTC Wildfire).

On paper it easily manage to surpass the specifications of its rivals and at around £25 a month on contract, it is a very attractive-looking option.

Some people have criticised Samsung for following the lure of the iPhone 4 design; most people would be very hard pushed to tell the difference between these two phones were their logos to be covered up. However, it is worth noting that the Samsung haven’t simply copied the design, but also managed to improve it somewhat — the Galaxy Ace generally feels smaller, lighter and more pleasing when held in the hand than the iPhone. The phone comes with a decent sized 3.5-inch screen and is notably poorer in quality than the Galaxy S. Despite this, it is still of a good quality and must be kept in context of its fair pricing. There is a five megapixel camera on offer, which comes with a variety of different shot and scene modes — this should keep the amateur photographer within everybody busy for at least a little while.

Samsung Galaxy Ace (click on image to buy)

The phone runs Google’s Android OS (2.2 Froyo), with its own Samsung overlay (TouchWiz 3.0). The apps are laid out in a logical manner, and users will have no real problems in finding their way through the system of menus.

There are a few criticisms to be had of this otherwise decent performer; such as an occasionally slow internet browser, a lack of social media options and a variety of preloaded apps that cannot be uninstalled by a user. Aside from these minor gripes, the Samsung Galaxy Ace serves its purpose as a not-so-souped-up version of the Samsung Galaxy S.

To find out more information about this phone visit Dial A Phone.

3g mobile phones Samsung Galaxy Ace