Nokia's N-Gage gaming cell phone was the Gigli of the tech world when it first came out last year. Fortunately the N-Gage QD fixes many of the original's problems.
No more holding the phone on its side to take a call (see www.sidetalkin.com for a tribute). Inserting a game is simple. And now you can play games on an airplane by turning off the GSM cell phone function. The QD also has Bluetooth for networked gaming and syncing with a PC.
Nokia currently offers some good N-Gage games, but the catalog pales in comparison to that of Nintendo's Game Boy. And as a cell phone, it still seems oversize and gawky--kind of like my high school prom date.
Photograph: Marc Simon
Nokia N-Gage QD
DW Verdict: Decent gaming device but still awkward to use as a cell phone.
Price when reviewed: $179 (without activation)
Current price (if available)
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