Vodafone Sharp GX30

Vodafone has once again teamed up with Sharp and produced an updated version of the GX20. The jewel in the crown of the clam-shaped GX30 is a 1megapixel camera.

Compared to previous camera phones we've seen, the GX30's photo mode is hugely impressive. A range of features, including colour flashes, exposure levels and shutter speeds, produce some great photos.

But don't throw away your digital camera just yet. While the photos look great on the small 260k colour screen, the minute lens on the GX30 still can't produce pictures that you'd want print out and frame.

Apart from the camera, very little has changed from the GX20. You get familiar features such as polyphonic ringtones and mp3 playback (though not as a ringtone), as well as access to the Vodafone Live service. Its menus are clear and intuitive, if a little bland, and navigating the options is no problem.

The GX30 isn't without its faults, though. The calendar is ridiculously simple and won't even let you set reminder alarms while, despite its Bluetooth claim, the GX30 can't transfer data to your PC using this wireless standard - it's purely for headsets and car kits. The infra-red capability is similarly limited and you can't zap data to other infra-red phones. With the expansion slot, you can quickly download photos from an SD/MMC card to a PC using a card reader, but you can't access the card when the GX30 is hooked up to a PC via a USB data cable.

It's a real shame this phone is blighted by these annoyances as it could have been one of the best mobiles currently available. As it is, it's a great photo phone, but business users will no doubt find it a little limiting.

Contact: Vodafone 0800 10 11 12
www.vodafone.co.uk

Specifications:

• 858 x 1144 photos
• 8MB SD memory card
• 6MB internal memory
• 260k colour screen
• MP3 player
• Up to 400KB video
• Quad Band
• USB, infra-red, Bluetooth (headsets and car kits)
• 110g
• 49 x 95 x 26 (w x d x h mm)

Price details:
RRP: £100-£200 depending on contract.