How long will we go on calling them 'mobile phones'?  You can still use them to call your friends, of course, but some of today's products are digital chameleons, taking the place of your camera, MP3 player, satnav system or video player.  Modern mobiles continue to add new features that are clearly aimed at leisure users.  Although most analysts think that sales of 'traditional' phones will drop off this year, it's full steam ahead for smartphones.  Why?  One reason for this increased success is the recent focus on the 'user experience', making it simpler and more intuitive.  Phones are getting more and more complicated, with more and more technology, but users are demanding a simpler life.  The result is software that's more stylish and fun.

Personal vs Professional

At the moment, two very different worlds are coming together: personal and professional.  Manufacturers are trying to make phones aimed at business users more attractive by adding things like cameras, but it's often the more consumer-orientated phones borrowing things like push e-mail or contact synchronisation from their more upmarket cousins that do better.

It seems that just about everybody wants to bring a consumer smartphone to the market.  From mobile heavyweights like Nikon and Sony-Ericsson to consumer electronics giants like LG and Samusng, as well IT companies like Toshiba and Apple, the race is on to built the perfect smartphone.

All of them want to get as close as possible to the winning formula: an attractive phone--touchscreen if possible--with a fluid interface, good battery life and a complete feature set that can only be topped by dedicated hardware, like a real camera or GPS.  All of the manufacturers have gone down the same route, but they've ended up in very different places.  Even two phones with identical tech specs on paper can perform very differently in practice.

There's no such thing as the perfect phone

To chose the phone that's right for you, it's best to start with a list of what you're looking for.  What's most important to you?  There are dozens of things to choose from: ease of use, a good camera, a powerful MP3 player, advanced contact management, web browsing that's as good as on a computer, battery life ...

You want it all?  Well, tough: you'll have to make some compromises, as the perfect just doesn't exist.  This is much to the relief of the manufacturers, who would soon find themselves stuck for things to add to their next generation of phones if it really were possible to cram everything in one handset.

'Smart' phones really are more and more impressive and often prove a pleasure to use.  But for those of you who still want a phone just to make calls, there is still something for you--but how long will it last?

What to look for:

• Outside of the handset: materials, finish, shortcut keys
• Navigation: is it fluid?  are there any delays?  Is the touchscreen interface responsive?
• Interface: is it easy to learn?  Logical?  Fun?
• Communication: is using the phone for SMS, MMS, e-mails and calls easy?  Is the sound quality good during a voice call.
• Battery Life: increasingly complicated phones require more power, so can you get through the day without recharging?
• Internet: there's a big difference between a phone that can connect to the Internet and one that makes surfing a pleasurable activity
• Screen: brightness, viewing angles, how does it react in bright sunlight?
• Finally, all of the extra features: video quality, photo quality, speakers, headphones, GPS ...