Top 5 handhelds for April

Don't you just love "we told you so" moments? Last month, we mentioned that the Samsung SGH-i780 got a lot of attention from readers. And, as we suggested, this PDA-phone from the Korean chaebol joined the regular crop of HTC devices in our list of top handhelds in April. It found a spot right above the Touch and TyTN II--which brings us to another matter: What's the TyTN II doing in last place? Looks like this Top 5 is not as predictable as we thought it would be.


1. HTC Touch Cruise

CNET Indonesia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: Complete range of connectivity options; integrated GPS; good bundle including car kit and GPS map; attractive design; FM radio.
The bad: No dedicated audio connector; no keypad of any kind; no LED for low-light photography.
The bottom line: The combination of HTC's Touch interface and a slew of connectivity options makes the Cruise viable for those who balked at the shortcomings of the Touch and Touch Dual.

2. HTC Touch Dual

CNET Indonesia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: HSDPA connectivity; numeric keypad for one-hand texting, excellent tweaks to the UI through TouchFLO; slim and attractive design; intuitive modified Home screen; snappy performance.
The bad: No Wi-Fi; no GPS; keypad lacks an OK key; no dedicated audio connector.
The bottom line: If the lack of Wi-Fi is not a big issue for you, the Touch Dual, with its great design and improved UI, is an excellent choice for both newcomers and experienced Windows Mobile users.

3. Samsung SGH-i780

CNET Indonesia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: Attractive price; good QWERTY keyboard; convenient shortcuts; slim design; extra battery included.
The bad: Square screen may not work well with third-party programs; optical joystick not as fast as regular directional pad; bundled GPS app not optimized.
The bottom line: Though not perfect, the i780 is an excellent choice for those who want the most features in a sub-S$1,000 PDA-phone.

4. HTC Touch (2nd generation)

CNET Indonesia rating: 7 out of 10
The good: Very compact design; Windows Mobile 6 Professional; TouchFLO interface; attractive modified Home screen; 128MB RAM makes interface snappy.
The bad: Lacks 3G; poor SIM card and microSD slot design.
The bottom line: With more color choices and much better performance due to the increased RAM, the enhanced Touch is what the original should have been to begin with.

5. HTC TyTN II

CNET Indonesia rating: 7.9 out of 10
The good: A host of data connectivity options including HSDPA; GPS with bundled maps; good battery life; 3-megapixel autofocus camera.
The bad: Heavy and bulky; still QVGA display; no camera light; no audio mini-jack.
The bottom line: It may not be a quantum leap compared with the 838 Pro, but the TyTN II maintains what power users loved in the previous iteration--with a few extras.