Cell phones are hot! Just ask your teenager? The newest lineup of cell phone, PDA, and PC hybrids aren't your old travelling companion that's for sure. The latest revolution in on-the-go access to information and entertainment, these hybrids are turning heads with features like always-in-touch text messaging, built in direction finding GPS, e-mail, boredom breaking web browsing for music, video, interactive gaming, even your favourite television show can now be streamed to your phone. The future of information access via the world wide web is the growing access of mobile technology to resources on the web.

In fact, experts forecast exponential growth in mobile technology and subsequent domination in devices able to access the web, users accessing the Internet, and the future of all-the-time access to world wide information via the Internet. Owe, did I mention all these devices are a cell phone?

To effectively surf the web requires a cellular phone with a multitude of different skills considering the variety of information formats currently used to transmit the information on the Internet. A device has to be able to translate formats into a readable form, download and send material via its connection with the Internet and display the information in a visually effective form. Include the ability to reach out and talk to anybody, anytime and the planet just got a little smaller.

Not all cellular phones are equal when it comes to surfing the web. Screen size, user-friendliness, quality of viewing, and data transmitting speeds are all critical factors in making surfing the web from a cellular phone an enjoyable experience and all the phones reviewed have these qualities and other important abilities.

If your living in a major U.S. city most likely one of the big three high-speed data services provides a passable service that will allow you to get your Internet fix via your cellular phone. But if you live within sixty or so miles of a major metropolitan city you may want to go with Verizon, while if you live in a small area outside a major centre Sprint maybe a better choice. Cingular's new HSDPA (high-speed down-link packet access) service promises much once implementation makes it accessible to more users, but for now it still lags behind in overall nationwide coverage. Currently Cingular's HSDPA services only exist in six cities, but once they increase coverage and get roaming agreements in place they will be the network to beat. Customer reviews have reported better coverage on the Verizon EV-DO network and quicker loading times (latency) at least for the present. The increasing competition for the billions of potential customers should improve overall service in the future and drive prices down?

Locked cell phones work differently depending on the type of network. Ones using a CDMA network can only be accessed on the phone carrier's network, it won't work on another CDMA carriers network. While phones using a GSM network will work anywhere on any GSM phone carrier's networks, if properly accessed, making GSM phones true world cellular phones. One can still look for a Wi-Fi capable cellular phone, if you do there are a few other facts to consider, but we will discuss this in another Hub. Remember to do your homework before purchasing a cellular phone though, there are a lot of factors involved and one manufacturers adequate, may not be yours. Two things you can do to increase your cellular phones ability to surf effectively. One is to get an external antenna, if you don't already have one, the other is to purchase a signal amplifier ($400; Spotwave's Zen), this should increase connection speed by a few bars.

One last point before we get to the meat and potatoes you came to here for. It's becoming a Windows Mobile world in 2006 and 2007. The future picture looks like more of the same, at least for the foreseeable future, so if you prefer the older Palm OS your limited to a few models. Considering the list of familiar features included with the Windows Mobile 5.0 software, it's no wonder? Throw in 3G high-speed data services, Bluetooth capability and a host of useful abilities and you can say domination! If your looking for a phone that will allow you to surf the resources of the world side web, no matter where you are, then we've got what your looking for here. Surf's up!

The Best Web Browsing Phones in the World

Samsung M500 red - Sprint

The Samsung M500 is one of the best web browsing phones available on the market today. Comes with the latest mobile technology, allowing you to watch on-demand Television or Sprint TV, listen to music via Sprint's music store, or download songs on the go. With next generation EV-DO technology that provides blazing fast downloads speeds for fast, reliable, web surfing on-the-go.

A WAP 2.0 browser is built into the M500, along with Sprint PCS Power Vision, to provide near broadband speed for superior web browsing. Send or receive videomail or text messages quickly and efficiently over the phones Internet connection, download games or customized graphics, all at the push of a button or two. The bright main display is 176 X 220 pixels and has over 262,000 available colors for enjoyable browsing, while the external display( (96 X 96) pixels) is functional. The M500 can download material off the Internet at up to 700 kbps on EV-DO data services, has a 52 mb memory built in, can be used as a high speed modem for your laptop and allows you to link with your PC at home.

Reviews are mixed, hard to find in fact, this can be seen as good or bad, depending on your point of view. But certainly the Samsung M500 is one of the best web browsing cellular phones available on the market today.

Motorola KRZR K1m-Sprint

The Motorola KRZR K1m is the newest evolution in the fashionable Motorola Razr. With a blazing fast download speed of up to 700 kbps, courtesy of EV-DO technology that's compatible with CDMA 850, 1900 data networks, the KRZR is a web browsing pleasure.

The KRZR's attractive design combines two eye-catching color displays with a functional keypad. Allowing you to experience streaming Sprint TV or Sprint Music with a built in music player with external touch-sensitive controls. Send video or text messages to your contact in another city, download games to play, customized graphics to display, all from the comfort of where ever you might be, using the built in WAP 2.0 browser and add-on software.

LG CU500-Cingular

What a cellular phone! The LG CU500 can download data at near broadband speed via the new HSDPA (UMTS) network at up to 700 kbps or EDGE at up to 144 kbps making this cellular phone one of the best web browsing cell phones available today. With the CU500's ability to support streaming multimedia, text messaging or e-mail, and send instant messages with it's built in Instant Messenger the CU500 is an Internet surfing juggernaut that can skip across the Internet-surf quickly and enjoyably.

If your looking for a highly functional phone that can allow you to entertain yourself when your wasting time, then the LG CU500 is a cellular phone you will love. The HSDPA network is only functional in six cities at present, but if your in one of these cities the Internet experience is truly astounding, and your in for a treat.

Sanyo M1

The flags are flying high on Sanyo's M1, the flagship of Sanyo's fleet of state of the art cellular phones. The winds of change bring promise for Sanyo's M1, with all the bells and whistles you expect on a top of the line phone. The Sanyo M1 can slowly glide your surf board across the Internet-surf or carve along the backside of a huge Internet-breaker and emerge on the other side with a few less skin-cells, all at near broadband speed.

Whether your sending video to your friends at home of your awesome trip up the Amazon, just returning your bosses text message on your way home from the office, or making puppies as you aimlessly wander across the world wide web in search of stimulation, the Sanyo M1 is a web browsing wonder.

Two stunning color displays, each with over 262,000 colors, have been married to a workable keyboard that is easy to use and read. A Power Vision cell phone that lets you experience streaming Sprint TV and Spring Music store content while your on the go. The M1 can be used as a high speed modem for your laptop or quickly linked to your PC at home, all at the touch of a few buttons.

The M1 downloads content on EV-DO data services at up to 700 kbps on CDMA 800, 1900 networks for a enjoyable Internet surfing experience. If you are looking for a cellular phone to meet all your mobile needs and can help you effectively surf the web no matter what your doing, then the Sanyo M1 will not disappoint you.

Samsung M610-Sprint

The requirements for a great web browsing cellular phone change as new models with unique features and enhanced abilities become available in the market place. The Samsung M610 should be one of the worlds best Internet surfing cellular phones for awhile yet. Combining the ability to download content at up to 700 kbps, send or receive video or text messages at near broadband speed on CDMA networks, the M610 is a joy to web-surf with. You can even view Word, Excel, and Powerpoint attachments to your incoming e-mail, something not all these cellular phones can do.

Standard with a color main display, with a somewhat less robust external display, with over 262,000 available colors to display content and a highly functional keyboard the M610 will amaze your eyes with its screen clarity and easy data entry. People looking for a modern cellular phone with enhanced,web browsing ability and state of the art features would do well to check out the Samsung M610.

UT Starcom CDM 8945-Verizon

Not all web browsing cellular phones are equal. After checking out the new Verizon wireless CDM 8945, we feel sorry for the rest. Whether downloading content, watching streaming TV or listening to a Vcast music broadcast, the CDM 8945 can stream it all directly to you via your cellular phone at a speed comparable to broadband speeds.

Using Verizon wireless Mobile Web 2.0 the CDM downloads pages off the web at up to 700 kbps using reliable EV-DO data services. Supports multimedia messaging and text messaging, can be used as a high speed modem for your laptop and synchronized with your home PC.

You can download games or customized graphics and load it onto the CDM's ((176X220)pixel) color main screen, with over 262,000 colors for beautiful viewing. The Starcom is an efficient web browsing flip phone, that deserves to be included on the list of the world's best web browsing cell phones.

Cingular SYNC a707-Cingular

Always on the go, but need to keep in touch with the office, your at-home boss, or maybe fill in a few minutes of downtime while your moving about the globe. The Samsung A707 is one of a handful of new breed Cingular cellular phones to do all this and surf the Internet at near broadband speed.

The Cingular SYNC comes with a WAP 2.0 browser built in for high quality surfing. Send or receive pictures, text messages and e-mail, or use the built in Instant Messenger with AOL, Yahoo!, and MSN. Download games, customized graphics or themes, at up to 700 kbps on the new HSDPA data services or 144 kbps on EDGE data services.

The SYNC is a world class cellular phone with the ability to surf the Internet better then most available on the market today. And certainly should be included on the list of the worlds best web browsing cellular phones.

Cingular BlackJack

Called the 'Blackjack' the Samsung i607 is a web browsing monster. With Windows Mobile 5.0 software, the BlackJack was designed to work on Cingular's 3G high speed data service. Created for the on-the-move lifestyle, the BlackJack seamlessly integrates data transmission and world wide phone coverage into one extremely functional unit. The BlackJack uses HSPDA (up to 700 kbps) data services and EDGE (up to 144 kbps) data services to deliver content at near broadband speed and you can even download data while your talking on the cellular phone. The BlackJack can be used as a high speed modem for your laptop or synchronized with your home PC like many of the cell phones reviewed so far.

The i607 can view streaming video or music via the Cingular Music and Cingular Video services. BlackJack's 3G service averaged download speeds of 778 kbps with peaks as large as 1032 kbps in tests.

Like many of the newer cellular phones the BlackJack comes with a landscape ((320 X 240)pixel) color screen and a small QWERTY keyboard for one handed ease. One interesting feature is the numeric keys are creatively spaced on rows between the columns making number crunching easier.

The BlackJack is a Windows Mobile device that utilizes keyboard shortcuts to quickly launch features. One handed operation is facilitated by the BlackJack's design, hold down a key to activate the keys secondary character without the need of the second function button, a helpful feature that makes overall operation of the BlackJack easy as pie.

If the BlackJack was meant to compete with the BlackBerry, then this is a good first effort from Cingular. For the BlackJack is an Internet surfing guru that will bring you whatever content you want off the Internet almost as fast as some PC's.

Motorola Q-Sprint

A feature rich cell phone that is the thinnest, lightest, cell phone ever produced the Motorola Q is also a web browsing addiction. A Windows Mobile 5.0 device with an amazing 'Today' screen that gives you immediate access to Q functions, streaming multimedia support, and Internet-surfing at near broadband speed.

The Motorola Q has a backlit QWERTY keyboard with an integrated thumb-wheel for scrolling leisurely across the readable landscape color screen. The keyboard is easy to use and read, the unit is light and easy to hold, and viewing the best multimedia on the Internet is fun and enjoyable.

If your looking for a cellular phone that is one of the best cell phones available for quietly surfing across the world wide web, then the Motorola Q is a cell phone that won't disappoint.

The BlackBerry Pearl-RIM

Move over big boys! There's a slimmer, lighter, faster web browsing cell phone available from the people who brought you the original mobile e-mail solution for professionals on-the-move, the original BlackBerry.

The BlackBerry Pearl is in a class above your bosses old BlackBerry, that's for sure! The Pearl is one of the best mobile cell phones for web browsing in the world. You can watch videos and listen to music downloaded off the web, view Word, Excel and Powerpoint attachments in your incoming e-mail. Combine this with multimedia messaging, text messaging (including groups), "Push" real-time e-mailing, the ability to access your Yahoo! or MSN Messenger account from wherever you might be and you have a web browsing cell phone for the ages, the BlackBerry Pearl.

The Pearl comes standard with the BlackBerry OS with an Intel X Scale processor that makes the Pearl peppy for web browsing or whatever feature you might be using. Working on EDGE data service, the Pearl downloads speed tops off at 144 kbps, not the fastest but effective for surfing the web. The Pearl is a web browsing predator that can access the web seamlessly and bring you a hours of web browsing fun.

You can enjoy full html pages on your cell phone, comfortably and reliably, while on your way to work, sitting in your favourite coffee shop or while window shopping. The Pearl's color screen is clean and clear, comes with over 262,000 colors for amazing color no matter what your looking at, and provides clear viewing in all light conditions.

Add a SureType QWERTY keyboard with easily deciphered keys that provides quick, accurate, data entry and you have the BlackBerry Pearl. A modern cell phone certainly in the top ranks of the world's best web browsing cell phones and an easy pick for this list.

JAQ- i-Mate

The mobile communication market is hot! Just ask i-Mate, Samsung, RIM, or HP? The growing cellular phone market is set to dominate several segments of the mobile information market. Not wanting to be left behind i-Mate's new JAQ is designed to compete in this growing marketplace against the flood of models from a host of producers.

Compete they will! A sparkling clear 2.8 inch diagonal ((320 X 240) pixel) color touch-screen that is one of the sharpest on the market. Tied to a spacious keyboard with more space between the keys for big-thumbed people. The JAQ is one of the new breed of Windows Mobile 5.0 cellular phones from veteran producer i-Mate, and it can browse the web at a speed as high as 400 kbps using EDGE data services.

Running a 200 MHz processor with 64 MB of RAM, the JAQ is targeting people who want to carry a single device instead of a PDA and cellular phone and is one of the best web browsing cell phones available on the market.

The JAQ runs a large library of third party applications and games designed for the Pocket PC for hours of downtime fun on your cell phone. In addition the JAQ comes with a full compliment of Pocket PC applications designed to make the JAQ a highly versatile cell phone.

Not the best web browsing cellular phone available on the market today, but certainly one of the best and it's ability to surf the Internet will bring you closer to the rest of the world while your on the move.

BlackBerry 8800-Cingular

God's cell phone! The father of all future cellular phones? Well if God uses a cellular phone, it must a BlackBerry 8800. Still the best e-mail solution for globe hopping cellular users, now BlackBerry has a cell phone that we think is the best web surfing cellular phone available today.

This BlackBerry includes a full QWERTY keyboard, streaming multimedia support for downloading music or video content, the ability to view Word, Excel, and Powerpoint attachments to incoming e-mail and send instant messages with a built in BlackBerry Messenger.

The ((240 X 260) pixel) color main display has over 262,000 colors and adjusts to ambient light conditions. You can download games and customized graphics and they look spectacular on this baby.

The 8800 downloads full html pages at a speed of 144 kbps, not the fastest by any means, but the complete package is definitely the best web browsing cellular phone combination available on the planet presently. Things are changing faster and faster in this growing industry as participants maneuver for more market share of the mobile information age. Expect even greater cellular phones with more ability to entertain, inform, and keep us in touch with things outside our little personal sphere in the near future.

The future is changing and more cellular phones are coming on the market everyday, so keep coming back for updates on the best web browsing cell phones available in the marketplace today, as more come out I will be posting additional members to this list of web browsing allstars. Owe, below you will find a small list of other cell phones that I feel should be included on this list of the world's best web browsing cell phones, only they are a little down the list.

Cingular 8525

Sprint/Samsung IP-830w

Sprint/Palm Treo 700wx

Cingular/HP iPAQ hw6900 Mobile Messenger