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Packing light when a long weekend beckons isn't always easy, but in all of our lists of 'must-have' none of us would leave out the mobile phone.
When planning a trip not too long ago, three contenders turned up for a travel-friendly road test.
The Motorola is known for being a slim and light device that packs form and function. The MOTORIZR Z3 was certainly a friendly travel-mate, taking crisp pictures and video clips that will not leave you with regrets that the family camera lies locked up in the hotel safe or even at home.
The phone rode easily in my pocket, not just on jaunts from shopping mall to art gallery, but even to the park for a bicycle ride without any added bulk or weight that would have made such an expedition that much less fun.
Being easy to use as well, the Motorola can be a trusty travelling companion.
What did prove a let-down for going on the road was the Treo 680 by Palm.
Treo fans who turned up their noses on the 750 for being Windows-based have been holding out for this improved version of the Palm smartphone.
Unfortunately the smaller and lighter Treo never got past the front door for the road test as the battery could barely last a day.
A check later with Palm confirmed an inherent glitch which has been blamed on the camera.
Palm Support explained "the camera may continue to draw power from the battery when the device is in standby mode" and has released a Treo 680 Camera Update for download at the Palm support page.
While at the support page, you can also download the Direct Push Technology software which updates the active synch capability of the Treo 680.
It was pity the Treo 680 didn't get much of a work-out since it was much more attractive than its predecessor with a streamlined design and a more dynamic interface. The new Treo also offers GSM/GPRS/EDGE which makes it a handy travelling companion.
The final travel-tested device was the Nokia N80 (Internet edition).
Though much thicker than the Treo (26mm vs 20.3mm) it is still lighter (by 23 grams) and is a strong contender as a must-have when travelling.
What proved handy was the Currency Converter found tucked away in the Office folder. Too bad it was found after the trip and before the credit card bills came in!
Also in the Office folder is a dictionary to translate between English and Mandarin, a PDF reader and Quick Office with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel viewers.
Taking pictures and MP4 video clips were a joy especially with a pair of lenses, one of which being a whopping 3megapixel with macro and flash with red-eye reduction. Even with close up shots, the flash did not leave pictures with tell-tale glares.
Having decided to risk leaving the notebook at home, the N80(Internet edition) was a good choice to take along since it packs Wireless LAN and is the only device with dedicated Internet folder/functionality access via the new S60 web browser, mini-map functionality and to top it off, VoIP-enabled as well.
You can have quick access to favourite websites and podcasts, while those who blog will appreciate the Lifeblog option which organizes digital media between phone and PC for easy viewing, editing and sharing.
When you're stuck for entertainment, you'll be glad for the N80 as well with its RealPlayer media player that offers Video Streaming, music playback in various formats from MP3 to WMA, FM Radio and a host of games, including the hot brain teaser Sudoku.
All the options on the N80(Internet edition) are easily accessed by the compact but easy-to-use central navigation button and soft keys. So if you want to get away but still not get away from it all, the N80 is a handy travelling companion.
Once back on home ground, the N80(Internet edition) with its UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) allows you to jump on the home network or office VPN, and chances are you'll still tote the Nokia around with its Wireless@SG tie-up for free, easy surfing across Singapore.
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