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Top 5 cell phones without cameras

By Damian Koh

As trendy as camera phones may be, not everyone wants one. Some users may not be willing to pay the extra dollars for the feature, while others want a simple phone for making calls only. Camera phones also can be a liability for some consumers, as many businesses in the defense, security, or technology industries have come to restrict them in their offices. Fortunately for those users, cameraless mobiles have not gone the way of the dodo. Here are the top five handset models without cameras.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

1.  Nokia E61    
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10
The good: Slim form factor; large 2.8-inch 24-bit display; expandable memory; onboard 3G and Wi-Fi; office applications; remote security features; push email capabilities; long battery life; loud built-in speaker.
The bad: Keys are a tad too close for comfort typing; moderately stiff joystick; camera version not available; no FM tuner.
The bottom line: The Nokia E61 has pretty much everything a mobile professional will need in a smart phone and its sub-S$750 pricing makes it all the more attractive to mainstream users, particular those who want a phone without camera.

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2.  Nokia E51 (without camera)    
 
CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10
The good: Slim, solid design; stainless steel construction; multiple dedicated buttons and shortcut keys; excellent tactility; HSDPA, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth stereo A2DP; generous 130MB of onboard memory; snappy performance.
The bad: Back cover attracts fingerprints easily; preinstalled Quickoffice is read-only version.
The bottom line: Simple is good, and that's what the E51 is. It may not have a fancy design, but the E51 excels in nearly all other aspects with a truckload of connectivity features, good performance and attractive price point for an enterprise phone.

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3.  Nokia E60
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.5 out of 10
The good: Integrates with many existing enterprise environments; VoIP enabled; plentiful connectivity options; excellent Web browser.
The bad: Small joystick; brickish; not weekend-friendly.
The bottom line: It's strictly business with Nokia's E60, which has been designed to fit swiftly and easily into your corporate life.

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4.  Sony Ericsson M600i
 
CNET Asia rating: 7.7 out of 10
The good: Beautiful smart phone, with a slim silhouette, a large and bright QVGA touch screen; great design features such as a jog dial and a dual-function thumb keyboard; pleased with the multimedia functionality, integrated Bluetooth, speakerphone, sound quality, and the performance of the browser and RSS reader.
The bad: Lacks Wi-Fi, a camera, and quad-band support; phone crashed once in a while; no quick way to shut down applications.
The bottom line: The Sony Ericsson M600i is a great little smart phone that's big on style and features. Even though we wish it had a few extra functions and better performance, we still think this is an excellent smart phone for those who want a stylish smart phone in a small package.

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5.  Motorola W220
 
CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10
The good: Inexpensive; stylish-looking phone; long battery life.
The bad: Basic feature set; no camera.
The bottom line: The Motorola W220 is an inexpensive yet good-looking phone targeted at those who just want a basic handset with a long battery life.

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Note: Selected models were reviewed between 2006 and 2008.


 

 
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