Tech Shout!

Are you looking to trade your old mobile phone for one which is feature-rich and at the same time does not burn a hole in your pockets? Now, that the festive season is approaching, the ubiquitous mobile phone most certainly makes for a potential gift for friends and family. Take your pick from our top 10 list of phones that fall in the price range of Rs.6000 to Rs.10,000 from leading brands such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson, LG, Samsung and Motorola.

Yes, it does sound surprising that you don’t actually have to shell out a huge amount for phones that are packed with frequently used features such as a camera with a decent zoom, MP3 playback, Bluetooth, GPRS and more. Our Top 10 List includes phones for professionals, media enthusiasts, as well as for those who just want a stylish accessory!

Sagem Bleu my700X (Rs.9999)
This is hi-tech music phone whose price has dropped tremendously from Rs.17,000 to Rs.9,999. Packed with features including an MP3 music player with an integrated graphic equalizer, 3D surround sound and FM radio, this phone is perfect for music lovers. The Sagem Bleu my700x has a 2 mega pixel camera with high-fidelity colors and great photo resolution on its 1.8-inch color screen. Stereo A2DP Bluetooth, EDGE capability, video playback and a user-friendly interface complete the features of this phone. The Bleu my700x mobile phone comes with 32MB memory and a miniSD extension of up to 2GB. Users can also play fun 3D games and browse emails on this extremely slim and stylish phone.

Nokia N72 (Rs.9,600)

Finally, here’s a phone from Nokia’s renowned Nseries of media-intense handsets that falls below the price range of Rs.10,000. The N72 handset packs in a 2 mega pixel camera with up to 20x digital zoom, several camera features that avid photographers would appreciate and a video/audio recorder. You can also edit photos and videos on the device itself. This EGSM 900/1800/1900 phone allows users to connect to the Internet quickly. The N72 features a large bright 2.1-inch color display and up to 20MB internal memory plus expandable memory options. A digital music/video player, stereo FM and a good number of office-related software complete the grand features of this phone. And, with in-box goodies such as a color-coded Nokia Stereo Headset and a wrist strap, the good-looking N72 is a perfect choice for those who are price-conscious and who also want nothing short of the best.

Nokia E62 Rs.9,700

This sleek smartphone is meant for professionals who require instant one-touch access to their email, excellent voice quality, conference calling for up to six callers and the all-important never-ending battery life. The E62 features a 2.8-inch QVGA display making it easy to view mails and other documents. In addition, this smartphone offers quad-band support for GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 and a host of enhanced security features that are vital when conducting businesses. The QWERTY keyboard makes it even easier to type out emails. This phone also offers a number of connectivity options such as Bluetooth, Infrared and USB cable. An integrated music player, 80MB built-in memory and expandable options up to 2GB with microSD cards, round up the features of this sophisticated smart device.

LG Shine (Bar Style) Rs.8999

Here is one phone that is bound to dazzle all with its super-slim sophisticated metal body. It sports a 1.7-inch high-resolution mirror effect display screen and a metal effect keypad that looks as though it has been etched into the handset. The built-in 2 mega pixel camera comes complete with still and video capabilities, an LED flash, digital zoom, self-timer and night-mode features. This style-focused camera phone also offers polyphonic and MP3 ring tones, Bluetooth, a music player, integrated speakers and a WAP 2.0 browser. Moreover, connectivity features of this Tri Band GSM phone include GPRS, EDGE and miniUSB. Built-in memory is 70MB, but microSD cards will offer more storage space.

MOTOKRZR K1 Rs.8,700

This stunning phone is not only a good looker but also offers great functionality and everything that one would need (and more) to remain connected as well as entertained. It is equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel camera, an integrated music player and a brilliant 1.9-inch color screen. Other features include Bluetooth support, video playback and EDGE technology for high-speed Web browsing. This phone features an internal memory of 20MB and an upgraded battery life. Although the phone does not feature an FM radio, its makes up for this lost feature with a microSD/TransFlash memory card slot.

Sony Ericsson K550i Rs.8700

Sony Ericsson’s K550i Cyber-shot camera phone is a rare gem that can be found at such a great price. The phone features a 2 mega pixel auto focus camera with a 2.25x digital zoom. Just like other Sony Ericsson phones, you can expect this one to be along the same sophisticated lines with features such as a media player, polyphonic ring tones and a good sounding speaker phone. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, infrared, modem and USB mass storage. EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks provide a fast Internet connection for Web browsing, sending emails, MMS and RSS Feeds. Plus, it is available in three classy colors of Jet Black, Plum Ruby and Pearl White. Phone memory is just 64MB, but it also supports Memory Stick Micro cards of up to 2GB.

Nokia 7610 Rs.7300

This stylish phone boasts some decent features including a 1MP camera with a 4x digital zoom. The Nokia 7610 comes at such a great price which could be due to the camera’s low mega pixel offering, but this is balanced out with a host of great camera-related features such as standard/night modes with self-timer and video recording. Other features of the Nokia 7610 include Bluetooth, Tri-band GSM coverage and RealOne Player for real time streaming of music. The phone comes with 8GB internal memory and a bundled 64MB Reduced Size MultiMedia Card. Voice dialing, voice commands, voice recorder and integrated hands free speaker complete the features of this phone. Girls, this phone could soon become your essential fashion accessory as it comes in a pretty ‘flamingo pink’ color.

MOTO RAZR V3i Rs.7199

This is another good-looker which comes for an equally good price. The ultra-slim MOTO RAZR V3i Black offers a 1.2 mega pixel camera with 8x digital zoom. The phone comes preloaded with an integrated iTunes Music player that enables users to upload music directly from PC-to-phone. Other fun features include video capture/playback, polyphonic and MP3 ring tones. It also offers Bluetooth and an integrated speaker phone. Internal memory offered is 12MB. A good number of accessories are available for the MOTORAZR V3i including a Bluetooth Car Kit, headsets, speakers and cases.

Sony Ericsson W200i Rs.6,200

This phone is a great buy if you’re looking for a blend of sophistication, functionality and good looks. Available with a 0.3 mega pixel camera and a Digital Zoom of 4x, this phone from Sony Ericsson’s Walkman series is clearly the right choice for music enthusiasts as it offers a good number of music-related features one of which is a media player. Connectivity options include an infrared port, modem or USB, while the Internet features include a Web browser and option to send/receive RSS feeds. Internal phone memory is just 27MB, but Memory Stick Micro cards of up to 2GB will provide you that extra space you need to store your favorite tunes.

Samsung SGH-E250 Rs.6100

This slider handset sports a larger-than-life 5cm LCD screen. Plus, the VGA camera with a 4x digital zoom allows for flexible framing options, while the CMOS sensor provides high quality imaging and improved resolution. Video recording is also possible on this phone, and the built-in MP3 player plays back music in virtually any format as well as FM radio. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and USB 1.1. A great feature of the SGH—E250, which most other phones in the same price range fail to offer, is the mobile tracker feature.

Please note that the above article is based on intense research conducted by TechShout.com and of course, our biased views too! Also, there may be a chance of a slight price discrepancy of approximately Rs.500 in the Indian market.