Toshiba Portege G900 review

The added bonus of having Windows Mobile 6 Professional is that you can install third-party software, such as Skype, Google Maps and the Opera browser. You can also create, edit and view Microsoft Office documents.

To store all your documents and pictures, Toshiba has oddly gone with the miniSD card format instead of the more widely used microSD format. The G900 will support up to a 2GB card.

Performance
Sound quality wasn't great. Similar to the Toshiba Portege G500 it sounded a little muffled at times, lacking the clarity that you get from certain other devices. The loudspeaker also sounded muffled and tinny.

Battery life was acceptable when we didn't use 3G, HSDPA or Wi-Fi for prolonged periods, lasting for over two days. If, however, you're a heavy Web browser, be sure to recharge it every night.

Picture quality from the built-in 2-megapixel camera was lacklustre and while the pictures we took were okay for MMS messages and small prints, we don't think this will replace a good standalone camera.

Conclusion
On paper, the Toshiba G900 is slightly better that the very similar HTC TyTN -- it runs on Windows Mobile 6 instead of 5 and it has a fingerprint reader -- but it simply doesn't cut it in the style department.

Looks aside, the G900 is a worthy contender if you want a device that will keep you connected and let you tap out long emails on a full Qwerty keypad. We advise that you test the keypad out, though, as you might find it squashed at the top.

The full Qwerty keypad lacks space at the top making tapping the top keys quite awkward

If you don't mind sacrificing Windows Mobile 6 and the fingerprint reader, and you want something a little more attractive, we'd definitely recommend HTC's TyTN, which also comes with Wi-Fi and HSDPA. Alternatively, it's worth taking a look at the Nokia N95 -- it doesn't run on Windows Mobile but does come with all the same connectivity options and GPS to boot.

Edited by Jason Jenkins
Additional editing by Kate Macefield