The Apple iPhone 3G S is the third iPhone model to be released onto the market and it is basically just a further update of it’s predecessors in terms of both hardware and software. It is the same size and shape as the previous models but incorporates several new features. …

If you have stepped outside in the last few months you will know that the original iPhone and the iPhone 3G have been completely dominating the mobile phone market with handsets that it is easier to list the things you can’t do, then to trying to list what they can do. Apple have now released the 3rd handset in their iPhone family which again makes the list of what they can’t do even smaller still!

Just a quick recap of what the former handsets and the new iPhone 3G S already have to their name: A user-friendly media player (Audio and Video), Wi-Fi Connectivity, high speed mobile internet, a touch-screen with award-winning interface and over 50000 applications that help you to do everything from deciding which pizza to order to planing global conquests(or at least in fiction anyway).

So what has the 3G S been given to further the gap between the iPhone series and other mobile handsets? For starters the base operating system for the handset has been updated to allow ‘smoother’ running and better usability such as the ability to copy and paste text and images and ‘shake to undo’. Basic commands that were missing from the previous models. A longer lasting battery has been installed along with a 3 Megapixel camera capable of recording video at 30 FPS and MMS.

Another two areas where the handset has been noticeably improved are it’s ability to browse the internet and the watching and storing of media. For internet browsing Apple has given the handset youtube account support as well as automatic Wi-Fi Login and if you wanted to watch/listen to media stored on your device you’ll have to decide between the 16 GB(about 3500 songs) and 32 GB(about 7000 songs) versions. If your one of those wireless junkies you’ll also appreciate the ability to stream stereo audio wirelessly through Bluetooth!

For most all this will seem more then you need but, if your anything like us, it will all be what you really really want!

Looks wise, the model is a typical Sony Ericsson design with a style that doesn’t exactly push any boundaries. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as it is nice to see a phone with a simple clean and pleasant design that you could happily live with on a ‘day to day’ basis and still manages to draw attention to itself.

Having kept the exterior simple Sony have turned their attention to the functionality of the handset. The one thing that really sets this handset apart from the rest has to be it’s remote play feature, which allows you to control, interact with and stream any content you have stored on a PS3 console straight to your phone just like with a PSP! That means you can watch and listen to your music and videos that are stored on your PS3′s hard drive from the garden, upstairs or on the toilet(If that sort of thing appeals to you!). The only thing you can’t do is play your PS3 games on the handset, although the experience might not be the same on a 3 inch screen.

Talking about the screen, it is not only 3 inches in size(respectable for a mobile), it also allows for you to use the power of touch to control the multimedia menus and applications of the handset. Some of the menus can only be operated by the touchscreen and will not respond to any keys but, the handset is great for those who are less confident with touchscreen technology as you still use the slide out keypad to enter text.

It is also worth mentioning that Sony have given this handset the most advanced version of their ‘Walkman’ software which allows you to view and listen to the content that you might have stored on the handset(although limited to a mere 55MB) or optional MicroSD card(8GB Included). For these purposes they have also provided you with an impressive set of wireless headphones straight out of the box which will fit on the provided charger along side the handset. The charging pod also doubles up as a handy stand for watching films.

Not impressed yet? How does an 8.1 megapixel camera with geo-tagging and face detection sound? And just to seal the deal Sony have thrown in the capability to record video at 30fps! As well as all the above there is all the usual kinds of connectivity you would expect from a phone of it’s price range including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP and HSDPA(7.2 Mbps)!

By anyone’s standards the Aino has enough going for it to have a fighting chance against the already established multimedia handsets such as the LG Arena and Samsung Jet.

The N900 is what we have come to expect from Nokia the simple, non-obtrusive design houses a device which is a noticeable improvement on current offerings from Nokia, such as the N97. The main points of interest are the 3.5 Inch touch screen, which is more responsive then previous offerings from Nokia, and the incorporation of the new Maemo 5 operating system.

The Maemo 5 operating system has been designed by Nokia as an alternative to Android and Apple’s iPhone operating systems. Like it’s competitors the Maemo system is built for ease of use and to be expandable with additional applications. As it stands the Maemo platform, being the newest of the operating systems, has only a handful of apps compared to the others, but this is likely to change as the system reaches a larger market.

The handset comes with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard along with a touch screen version(if that takes your fancy) and the ability to input using your own handwriting straight onto the touch screen.

Of course you get all of the usual features of a smartphone such as high-speed mobile internet, BlueTooth and respectable 32 GB of on board memory (with the ability to expand with a further 16 GB Micro SD Card) as well as the ability to connect to the internet in almost any way imaginable (It even has Infrared which is, very erm….. Retro?).

The Nokia N900 is perfect for surfing the web and as more apps are created for the handset it is set to become a real competitor for the iPhone.

The BL40 is the the premium offering to the Black Label series, sporting a very nice 4.01 Inch touchscreen, which completely dominates the front of the handset. The gloss black finish to the device really makes it stand out and is a pleasure to gaze at.

This handset is meant to pave the way for the Black Label series of phones. A show of force by LG, as it steps it’s devices up a notch and doesn’t it deliver! Name a feature and this handset more then likely has it. From an FM Radio to over 1GB of internal storage to Wi-Fi internet access, there is not a lot more you could want(or even name) to put into this handset!

The handset gives you 7.2Mb/s 3G, a 5 megapixel camera and more messaging options then you can shake a stick at. You also get a great media player and motion based games!

Sometimes we are given a handset that is hard to write about because there is little to find fault with, the BL40 is one of these handsets!