What are the smartphones to watch out for?

Smartphones are the cream of the crop in the mobile phone world, and they're big business, but this year, they're bigger than ever, and a handful of new phones in the upcoming months will increase their profile: the Nokia N97, the Toshiba TG01, and the astonishing Palm Pre.

Nokia N97 - the Symbian contender

Symbian's always been one of the most popular smartphone OS-es in the mobile world, and the newest, touchscreen incarnation stays true to the upstanding tradition, in the shape of the Nokia N97. However, it's not just about touchscreens, since the Nokia N97 also comes with a full QWERTY keyboard, which makes messaging, live chat and emails a breeze. As for other features, the Nokia N97 also impresses thanks to its 5 MP cam, superb media playback (including video playback that just has to be experienced to be believed), a huge 32Gb of memory, and super-fast web access. Basically, the Nokia N97 is amongst the coolest (and yet also the hottest) phones in existence.

Toshiba TG01 - giving Windows the power it needs

While Symbian has gone down the touch-based route, rivals Windows Mobile haven't been sat doing nothing, and the new fruit of their labours is the super-powerful Toshiba TG01. Not only does it have the biggest screen ever seen on a mobile phone, measuring in at 4.1 inches, but the Toshiba TG01 has also got the fastest processor ever built into a mobile phone. Dubbed Snapdragon, the 1GHz, dual-core chipset provides the Toshiba TG01 with sheer grunt, and as that's what Windows Mobile needs to run at its optimum level, the Toshiba TG01 is quite possibly the best WinMo phone to be unleashed on the world.

Palm Pre - the new hotness

However, there's a new kind on the block, which wants to take the smartphone crown all for itself. The Nokia N97 and the Toshiba TG01 both go for sheer power, but what the new Palm Pre goes for is sheer elegance. With the all-new, never-before-seen 'WebOS' powering it, the Palm Pre brings touchscreen interactions and innovative design to a whole different level. For example, consider the new Fandango app which should be available as soon as the Palm Pre is launched. It's a web-based cinema booking service, that lets you buy tickets and watch movie trailers on your phone. But even the Nokia N97 will most likely be able to do that. The Palm Pre, however, will also put an automatic reminder in your calendar, and get in touch people who'll be going with you, to organise getting there. It's that kind of integration, and interplay between software that makes the Palm Pre the most likely candidate for 'best phone ever'.