Dopod D810
$1,298 (without contract)
Get it from authorised dealers

If you have been eyeing the Dopod D810, here's another good reason to plonk some major moolah on one - the latest version of this stylish-looking PDA phone now comes with GPS.

The global positioning system means you won't ever lose your way again. And good news for those of you who already own the earlier version of the D810: you can simply download a free GPS ROM code from www.dopodasia.com to use the GPS feature in your device.

But before you hit the road with it, make sure you buy compatible navigational software like Mapking to start using GPS. You may wish to consider getting a gadget to hold the phone in your car, too, as the D810 package doesn't include one.

The D810 also features BlackBerry Connect service in addition to its Microsoft Direct Push e-mail solution, so Blackberry addicts will be totally at home using it. Again, existing customers can download this feature from Dopod's website.

Aside from these two new updates, the Windows Mobile 5.0-based D810 is already packed to the brim with features like Wi-Fi, HSDPA (high-speed downlink packet access), a 2-megapixel digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player, mini-SD card slot, RSS News Reader and more. The standard suite of mobile applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint Mobile, Outlook Mobile and Pocket MSN are included.

In design, the phone is simple and uncluttered, with the front of it dominated only by a 2.8-inch QVGA screen. It is the right size, too, for a PDA phone, at 108mm by 58.2mm by 18.4mm.

The camera is good enough for casual photography, and I don't have any complaints about the MP3 playback sound quality. But I must add that the controls for the MP3 player are fairly basic, with standard playback controls and shuffle and repeat options.

As for GPS, the embedded GPS chip could get a satellite fix within two minutes - that is about average for such devices. And while in the city area, the phone picked up the free Wireless@SG signal immediately.

I liked the 360-degree scroll wheel, especially as it makes it so easy to operate the phone with just one hand, but the lack of dedicated buttons for volume control makes it inconvenient to adjust volume levels.

The shiny plastic finish on this phone shows your oily paw marks easily, but it seems like this material is a popular choice among other PDA phone manufacturers, too. Why doesn't someone offer a matt finish that would look just as stylish and less grubby, too?

Final Say

With the newly-added GPS, the D810 now has everything a road warrior needs in a PDA phone.