A while ago, LG Electronics has started to launch multimedia handsets especially designed for music lovers on the mobile phone market. The fact didn’t go unnoticed by more experienced mobile phones manufacturers (Nokia, Sony Ericsson), which are delivering the best music phones. Even if LG knows that the leader position on this market is almost impossible to attain, yet it has started to improve its handsets in terms of multimedia features, by providing them with more functions than before. The first device to mark an important leap forward for LG is the latest KM500 slider, which is among the first LG mobile phones to include a separate sound chip.

Announced in February 2008, the mid-end slider has been launched on the market in March 2008. As advertised, LG KM500 doesn’t have a scary price and can be acquired for around $250 USD, depending on the location.

Design

LG KM500 features the basic “slider” design and strongly resembles the Chocolate series. Average in size (101.5 x 48 x 15 mm), but strangely excessively heavy (155 grams, including battery), the slider doesn’t stand out from the crowd. Still, the materials used are by no means cheap, but neither too expensive, which is no wonder, as the phone is only middle class. I got a feeling that the South-Korean company could have done much better with the design, which is among the important traits for an LG device. Anyway, the phone has an average ergonomics, with a sliding mechanism that works with a little bit of difficulty. If it’s not too slim, at least it’s solid, compact and pretty sturdy. The front part of the phone, which can be slid up, is a little bit shorter in size than the back part, which gives the user a nice feeling when holding it. If it had featured a square-form factor, the slider could’ve been easily taken as a base of a pyramid. But, seeing it as it is, with its cold black color, you might be tempted to take a bite out of it and feel its dark chocolate taste.

Fortunately, the various buttons around the sides of the slider and the music controls under the screen will most certainly stop you from damaging your mobile phone, as well as your teeth. Thus, you’ll notice the dual volume key on the right side of the device and the dedicated camera button. The proprietary LG port used for headset, charge or cable synchronization, is on the upper part of the left side, while a (surprise) 3.5mm jack port can be found on the lower part. On top of the phone there’s a small button that lock/unlocks the music keys, and a small gap where you can insert your most trusted finger if you intend to pull out the back cover. Below the small display, there are two concentric embossed circles, which can give users the illusion of a much-desired wheel-pad. Unfortunately, this is just for show off, as the slider’s music controls are only activated when pushing the 4 specific parts of the circle, just like the usual D-pad. Basically, you have two sets of controls placed on the 2 concentric circles. The music controls are placed on the first (bigger) circle, and their functions can be easily recognized judging by the pictographs etched on it: Back, Forward, Play/Pause. The second (smaller) circle only features the usual left, right and up, down combos, which makes browsing through menus easier. There’s also a Select (Enter) button in the center of the circles. The latter are framed on both sides (left/right) by another 2 contextual softkeys. A little lower from the right softkey, there’s a small button with a musical note on it that opens the music player when it’s pressed.

The in-call speaker and the LG logo are above the display. When slid up, the phone reveals a spacious keypad, which has some resemblances with KF600’s chess pattern, but the color combo can be clearly seen when it is exposed to bright light. These keys are all the same color, but they’re large enough for any finger size. Nothing more to add about it except that, while ergonomics is good, responsiveness is a little bit rusty on the key. When turned on its back, one will notice a 2 Megapixel camera with flash, to the right, and again the LG logo, on the left. The back cover of the slider is metallic, which protects the phone from hard falls. Evidently, this is not enough as the phone has 10% chances to fall on the protected part (back cover) and about 90% to fall on any of the unprotected sides � Murphy says. All in all, without being astonishing or amazing, KM500’s design raises its rank to that of a major player in the league of music phones.

Display and Camera

What can be more disappointing than having a very good quality display, but that is too small to deliver an enthralling multimedia experience? Well, if you are an LG fan, you might have become used to the matter so far, but I consider it unbearable for today’s standards. Perhaps the small price didn’t include a larger screen, but this is still a downside. Furthermore, its usefulness outdoors is very limited, when it’s used in strong sunlight.

Also, as with all the other Chocolate series devices, protection of the display is more of a joke and, in no time, your screen will bear the scars of time – literally, especially if you keep it in the same pocket with your keys or change. Technically speaking, the TFT display supports 262k colors and the usual 240×320-pixel resolution. Nothing amazing here, but the quality of the images shown on the screen is quite good. Unfortunately, its small size (only 2 inches) takes away the fun. In terms of performance, the display doesn’t support any kind of 3D graphics or Hardware Accelerated Mobile 3D Graphics functions, so it cannot be tested. Jbenchmark 1.0 and 2.0 results can be seen below, but they aren’t that relevant. Still, the screen can be considered mid-ranged in terms of quality, scoring more on the quality of the image displayed and less on the performance aspect.

The 2 Megapixel camera features flash capabilities, but lacks the autofocus function. Still, I was surprised at the good quality of the pictures taken. Even if the camera pictures are above average, don’t expect miracles. The standard interface featuring the usual settings and functions is also present on the KM500 slider.

Thus, the maximum photo resolution is 1600 x 1200, there’s a 4 x digital zoom, a multi shot (up to 9 shots), a timer (up to 10 sec), 3 special effects, as well as white balance and sound/storage location adjustments. The interface is of standard landscape orientation, which makes it quite easy to handle.

The gallery is no piece-of-art, but users can benefit from the slide-show function. I noticed a slight lag when browsing the gallery, and I’m talking about the pictures in the phone’s memory. When displaying a picture on the screen, one can zoom in the picture, which is useful for such a small screen.

QVGA movies can also be shot with KM500’s camera, and they look quite good for an average camera. Overall, it makes for a good addition to the LG KM500, rather than a drawback.

Menu and Software

The old LG firmware was finally updated but, except for one or two things, everything else remains the same. KM500 slider offers little in terms of customization, so you are stuck with only 2 standard (unattractive) interface themes. Fortunately, wallpapers and screensavers support flash animations, which can make the device more attractive. There aren’t too many applications and productivity tools included in the phone, but we’re not really missing out on anything here, given that the slider’s target is youngsters who mostly use their phone as MP3 players.

There’s an Organiser containing 3 utilities: Calendar, Memo and To do. In terms of productivity tools, owners will find only the basic versions of the most used applications: Alarm clock, Calculator, Stopwatch, Unit converter, and World clock. For the goodhearted, there’s also a Tip calculator included, which can be used to calculate the amount of tips given. The file manager tagged as “My stuff” is one of the improvements offered by the firmware. It can now list the folders made by users on the phone’s memory, thus they will be able to copy their music in their own folder, other than the usual Sounds folder made by default. For those looking for some entertainment, the slider also embeds 2 Java compatible games: Chess and Pump It Up. Unfortunately, the phone lacks any document or .PDF reader for those in need, so you might wanna check some Java compatible third-party software.

The phonebook of the slider looks standard and holds 1,000 contacts. Users will be able to see contacts by Name only, Name & number or only those With picture. You cannot see only contacts included on the SIM nor only those from the phone’s memory. They are all mixed, so you won’t be able to identify those from the SIM as they are not marked with a specific sign like before (see LG KF600). The all time famous “clock delay” bug has also been corrected, which marks a second improvement of the updated firmware. Overall, user-interface is not far from what LG has already used us with – plus some welcome improvements that should add to its functionality.

Communications
LG KM500 supports GPRS and EDGE connectivity, both class 10. Data transfer speeds are below average, but it is clear that this handset has not been made for browsing, because of the small screen and lack of 3G connectivity.

In terms of messaging, the slider is compatible with a basic range of messages: SMS (100 max.), MMS, EMS, email and Bluetooth (2.0) messaging. Moreover, the slider supports Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP and EDR standards for wireless music listening and fast data transfer.

The embedded browser (WAP 2.0 OBIGO) comes with a Yahoo! bookmark and can display websites rich in graphics. Unfortunately, the small screen and the low connection speed (EDGE) limit the Web browsing experience.

The LG PC Suite that comes in the sales package enables users to synchronize their phone with the PC, but the file transfer rate is pretty slow.

The triband (GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900) network compatible slider has a good GSM signal reception. Sound is extremely loud and clear, so this is one of the best features scored by LG’s KM500.

Processor and Memory
LG KM500 features a fast ARM9 family processor, which runs at speeds of up to 290 Mhz. This could not have been better, especially since LG didn’t include a Flash UI, so the CPU handles radio and phone functions at its best. Except from the annoying lag that I found when browsing the pictures in the album, everything seems to be working great.

The phone comes with 50 MB of internal memory and one 1GB microSD card included in the sales package. Furthermore, it can be upgraded through the microSD slot card, and supports microSDHC cards of up to 32GB. Unfortunately, it’s not hot-swappable and you’ll need to remove the back cover and the battery to insert the card or to pull it out.

Multimedia

Even if it hasn’t been officially tagged as a “music-oriented” handset, LG KM500 meets all of today�s requirements to be classified as a music phone. Moreover, the slider is unique as it’s the only music phone that can be used by 4 people at the same time to listen to music. How is this possible? Pretty easily actually: because the device features the much desired 3.5mm jack port and the LG proprietary port, 2 people can use them to insert their own headphones, while other 2 individuals can share wirelessly via the Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support connectivity. Even if it’s a feature that will probably be used rarely, or not at all, it’s pretty cool for these days� music lovers. Another piece of technology that adds to the multimedia experience is the dedicated audio chipset, which seems to greatly improve volume and quality of sound.

Still, the lack of an Equalizer function greatly decreases its functionality in terms of music sound. The included headset is mediocre, tagged with “Made in China,” but it features a 3.5mm adapter, which can be used to attach better headphones to the LG proprietary port. The FM radio can only memorize 10 base stations and is only available when the headset is inserted into the LG proprietary and NOT into the 3.5mm jack port. Only the MP3 player can be used in the background, so don’t try this with the FM radio. If you’re using other headphones than the ones that are coming with the phone, the sound will be remarkably good. I can definitely say that it’s much better than with most Samsung music-oriented handsets, but it�s still far from the dedicated music phones made by Nokia or Sony Ericsson. The interface of the music player is pretty standard and recognizes almost any kind of multimedia file: MP3, WAV, VMA, MIDI, AAC, AAC+, Eaac+ and RA. There is also a video player that enables users to watch the clips they’re playing in landscape (full screen) mode.

Battery

LG KM500 features an 800 mAh Li-Ion battery, which depletes at an average level, depending on your needs. The official numbers stated by LG � 250 hours of standby mode and 3 hours of talking � are again attainable, which is an improvement compared with other LG’s handsets. Usually, I got about 2 days of use, with about 45 minutes of talking everyday. It might last longer, around 3-4 days, if you only use it for 1-2 short calls per day.

Impressions

On the outside, KM500 may look just like another LG slider, but on the inside it�s totally different. The updated firmware corrects some well-known bugs and confers greater functionality to the device. If you don’t mind the 155-gram weight and you’re looking for a cheap music phone, KM500 may be a good choice; at least for a while.

The Good

The first music-oriented handset launched by LG, even if it was never officially tagged as a “music phone,” is a huge step forward for the Korean company. Its reasonable price, dedicated sound chip, good battery autonomy and improved firmware, all make LG KM500 a good deal for people that are looking for a music phone.

The Bad

The only downsides I found could be corrected in future models, but they’re pretty annoying: no hot-swappable memory card, small size and inability to use the screen in strong light, FM radio can only be listened when LG headset is inserted.

Sales package
LG KM500 handset
Battery Li-Ion 800 mAh
Charger 230V/EU
Headset with remote control
1 GB microSD card
USB Cable
3.5mm adapter
CD ROM with LG PC Suite

Review Video:

Anyone think we’re nearly running out of choices for music-centric mobile phones? Me neither. But Alltel now offers yet another solution for your lack of a Walkman (or if you’re hip, iPod), in the form of the LG Rhythm.

The LG Rhythm is the U.S. variant of the LG KM710, and features a 2-inch screen, 3.5mm headphone jack and a bunch of music feature-activating shortcuts clustered upon its face. There’s even a huge music note drawn dead center below the screen, probably to denote something. That it’s targeting music-minded users, perhaps?

Sarcasm aside, the LG Rhythm for Alltel also works with Bluetooth headphones and has an FM transmitter, for those times when you want to cut loose from your wires but still want to enjoy good music. And when you run out of tunes, a handy FM radio is on-board, as is a 1.3 megapixel camera and microSD card slot.

But exactly how inexpensive will it be? Just $120, senior, after a $50 mail-in rebate under a standard 2-year contract.

Review Video:

LG C3320 Overview: The LG C3320 is a 2005 model mobile phone which is compatible with European providers only. It operates on the frequencies of GSM 900, GSM 1800,

LG Company Overview: LG Group is a large South Korean chaebol (conglomerate), producing electronics (including domotics), mobile phones, and petrochemical products.

Audio Playback: The LG C3320 does not come with an MP3 player. This phone comes with built in polyphonic ringtones, which means you can download simple MIDI files from the Internet and upload them through your phone, or simply download them via GRPS (if GRPS is built in). We do not recommend purchasing polyphonic ringtones from pay-per-use services such as television commercials, because the C3320 is capable of receiving them as MIDI files which are common on the Internet.

Video and Picture Taking: The LG C3320 does have a camera.

Messaging and Internet: The LG C3320 is capable of surfing the Internet with the built in browser of the phone. With this phone, you may also send MMS, or Multimedia Message Service. The phone is also able to use EMS, or Enhanced Message Service. On top of sending messages, the LG C3320 is equipped with intelligent t9 typing, which allows you to easily type text messages without pressing each key upto 4 times for the correct letter.

The LG C3320 comes fully equipped with a WAP browser, and additionally an HTML browser for normal web page surfing.. including support for java.

Connectivity and Interactivity: With the C3320, you can’t really do much when connecting to other devices, since it’s USB capabilities are limited to nill.

The LG KG200 is a super stylish phone with 1.3 mega pixel camera and 65K Colour Screen. This bar phone is a unique blend of superior technology and sleek-stunning design. KG 200 is endowed with features like – 56 MB in-built memory, plug and play, external memory card slot, USB Charging, MP3 Player, FM Radio and recording, Video recording and playback, Video caller ID, Call recording, Speaker & Ring tones and In-flight mode.

The handset design itself is a basic “Candy-Bar” shape, in black with silver trim on the navigation bar. This is however a multi-media phone which is targeted at the more fashion conscious youth market. The phone itself is powered by a 820 mAh Li-Ion battery, offering some 300 hours standby time and 3.5 hours talk time. With dimension of 99 mm x 44 mm x 15 mm, and weighing just 85 grams, you can start to see the attraction to the youth market.

It offers a range of connectivity options taking in, GPRS, WAP (internet access), Bluetooth and PC Synchronisation via a USB connector. While there is no requirement for the range of connectivity offered in business orientated phones, this handset offers perhaps more than the youth market would demand. It also has multi media services including melody composer, FM radio, polyphonic ringtones and JAVA games, with the opportunity of downloading further music offerings via the internet browser.

Review Video:

The Alcatel C550a blends form and beauty to create an elegant mobile for today’s fashion minds, featuring a qualitative camera and a slim design for everyday use. More than just a phone, the C550a is a fashion statement.

Cellular

Technology: GSM

Band: GSM 850/1900 (Dual Band)

Phone Design: Candy bar

Antenna: Integrated

Vibrating Alert: Yes

Polyphonic Ringer: Yes

Automatic Redial: Yes

Call Divert: Yes

Call Barring: Yes

Call Hold: Yes

Call Timer: Yes

Call Waiting: Yes

Voice Mail Capability: Yes

Caller ID: Yes

Volume Control: Yes

Ringer Control: Yes

Speech Codec: EFR, FR, HR, AMR

Communicator features

User Memory: 4 MB

Messaging & data services

Short Messaging Service (SMS): Yes

Messaging Services: MMS

Internet Browser: Yes

GPRS (General Packet Radio Service): Yes – Class 10

WAP Protocol Supported: WAP 2.0

Platforms Supported: Java MIDP 2.0

JAVA applications: Yes

Ring tones

Polyphonic Ring Tone Voice Qty: 16

Multimedia features

Downloadable Content: Games, ring tones

Digital camera

Form Factor: Integrated

Organizer

Alarm Clock: Yes

Calendar: Yes

Reminder: Yes

Calculator: Basic

Power

Type: Power adapter

Battery

Battery: 1 x battery

Technology: Rechargeable – lithium ion

Capacity: 650 mAh

Talk Time: Up to 390 min

Standby Time: Up to 320 h

Audible Battery Alert: Yes

Smaller and faster — that’s usually been the motto of computer manufacturers. And none have adhered to this creed better than Fujitsu. Their last few ultraportable notebooks have been both excellently designed and powerfully economical. The Fujitsu LifeBook S6410 is the company’s latest, and is compliant with the latest Intel Centrino standard. It sports several competitive features including an LED backlit screen, 1GB of Turbo Memory, and a removable drive bay.

Design
This notebook features the use of magnesium alloy and carbon fibre for a combination of strength and light weighted-ness. It’s not as thin as some ultraportables we’ve seen, but despite its relative chubbiness it still only weighs 1.66 kg.

The LCD is a 13.3-inch model and the LED backlighting makes this one of the brightest we’ve seen. In fact, as far as clarity and viewing angles are concerned it even outstrips Fujitsu’s own Q2010, which is almost AU$1,500 more. The only problem with LED backlighting is that you lose a lot of contrast — black comes out grey — and it’s not the best choice for multimedia applications.

Build quality was pretty solid — the first model we saw was pre-production and a little flimsy around the screen, but the production model seems to have remedied this.

The one misgiving we had about the Fujitsu is in the design of the battery chamber. Rather than simply push in like most batteries do, the Fujitsu’s battery sort of locks in place via a complex twist from the front to back — you can’t slide it in. The battery contacts on the pre-production model had been shredded by the time we received it, and despite assurances from Fujitsu, the battery design remains the same on the final model. But put the battery in correctly and there shouldn’t be an issue.

Features
Centrino Duo notebooks have been filtering into the market since mid-June, but the S6410 is still one of the first laptops we have seen to include Santa Rosa features. Ticking off the list you get: an Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 processor at 2.2GHz; a relatively skimpy 1GB of RAM (this is Vista after all — we would have liked 2GB); a roomy 120GB of hard drive space; Turbo Memory; and a draft-N wireless adaptor.

Being a Santa Rosa, it also features an Intel X3100 graphics adaptor, and it really takes the load off the other components while running Vista Business in Aero mode. Despite only having 1GB of RAM, there were no slowdowns or “chugging” while using the PC with all the eye-candy enabled. You wouldn’t want to use this PC for games though.

For ports, you get a front-mounted mic and headphone jack, a 1394 mini-jack, an S-Video out (via a dongle) and a wireless on/off switch. On the left-hand side you get a LAN port, VGA, PCMCIA (Fujitsu doesn’t believe there’s enough saturation for ExpressCard accessories to warrant its inclusion yet), and a card reader. On the right side you get three USB 2.0 ports, a modem and the removable drive bay. You can choose to install a weight saver or another hard drive in there if you wish — there is also a second six-cell battery available for this slot at an extra AU$299.

Performance
The Fujitsu is factory fitted with a six-cell battery, and it performed adequately in our battery test. Using the BatteryEater Pro 2.70 benchmark, we were able to clock the S6410 at a speed of 2 hours and 40 minutes. A little short when compared with a competitor such as the Acer TravelMate 6292 which was able to last an extra 40 minutes — and this is without Turbo Memory. The inclusion of Turbo Memory should help the Fujitsu here, because this is really a test of how long the laptop can last with the monitor on at full brightness. It’s not demanding on the CPU or memory, and should be caching from the Turbo Memory module. In this instance, it doesn’t appear to have made as much difference as Intel has suggested. The Acer is without the Turbo Memory upgrade.

On the performance side, it’s on a par with the Acer at 4156 marks in the PCMark 05 benchmark. This demonstrates that the two notebooks are very evenly matched, with the Acer achieving 4192 marks. PC Mark, while a synthetic test, is a good measure of how the laptop performs across disciplines such as start-up time, graphics performance, and CPU calculations.

In the end, the Fujitsu is a good laptop, with a brilliant screen, some useful battery-saving features and a decent appearance. Only its unusual battery chamber design holds us back from whole-heartedly recommending it.

Review Video:

Today the wraps come off Centrino Duo and Centrino Pro, formally codenamed Santa Rosa. This is Intel’s third major revamp of the Centrino brand and comes hot on the heals of Merom’s launch last year. This update is a little more than a socket change, and also represents the amalgamation of two of Intel’s key platforms, vPro for business and the new Centrino Duo branding for consumer notebooks.

Upside
The Fujitsu LifeBook E8410 is a part of the Centrino Pro family, and is aimed squarely at business users looking to get work done and stay on the move. Generally speaking business notebooks aren’t the most powerful machines, simply because they don’t need to be. CAD, engineering, HD video editing and multimedia content creation are all typically performed on expensive desk-bound workstations. Road warriors doing sales, execs jet-setting around the globe and people attending office meetings really just want something with enough grunt and battery life to get the job done.

The CPUs found in the new Santa Rosa products will boast a huge 4MB L2 cache, as well as a faster 800MHz Frontside Bus (FSB) to allow for faster information exchange with the system memory. This translates into better real-world performance, particularly when multitasking.

Keen to see how much extra grunt we could expect, we ran the LifeBook E8410 through our usual rigorous set of tests and were pleasantly surprised with the numbers it spat out. Please note our machine was a pre-production engineering sample, and as a result performance may vary slightly on retail units.

Our machine came packing a Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, clocking in at 2.0GHz, Intel’s new PRO/Wireless 4965AGN wireless module, their first to support the 802.11 draft N standard and offering throughputs of up to 300mbps (though actual performance is closer to 100mbps). Inside we also find the new Intel 82566MM Gigabit adaptor, including Active Management Technology (AMT) which hooks into the system to allow better remote management and patching of equipment by the IT department. Our sample included 1GB of DDR2 667MHz memory, although the final spec of the retail unit may include 2GB. Windows Vista Business was pre-installed and ran quite well on 1GB of memory, and while the experience and system responsiveness will only be further improved with more memory, there may be a battery performance hit involved in powering another DIMM.

The LifeBook managed a solid 4565 PCMark score, not the highest we’ve ever seen, but certainly above average for a business notebook. As a point of reference, Dell’s XPS M1710 gaming machine scored 5118 PCMarks. Although Santa Rosa has support for Intel’s new DirectX 10 compatible X3100 graphics part, Fujitsu has opted for NVIDIA’s 8400M G chipset. It’s not a stellar performer, but a four digit 3D score from a business notebook is encouraging — topping out at 1266 marks. Hardcore gamers certainly won’t be clambering all over each other to get at this, but it’s enough for a reasonable performance in current games during those boring interdepartmental meetings, but is best matched to running Vista’s Aero interface features.

The 15.4-inch display is bright and sharp, while the wide-screen aspect ratio makes it ideal for presentations and side-by-side spreadsheets.

Downside
Unfortunately this unit doesn’t have one of the features we’re most looking forward to trying out on Santa Rosa — the inclusion of Turbo Memory. This is a mini PCI connected piece of NAND flash memory (usually 512MB or 1GB) designed to reduce boot times, improve performance in commonly used apps and allows for a deeper hibernation when the machine is not in use.

Since battery life is one of the biggest factors for a business user looking to purchase a laptop, we had high hopes for the E8410. Intel claims this generation of Centrino will improve battery run time by around an hour. Our unit only managed to keep up the pace for two and a quarter hours on battery miser settings and doing an easy reader workload. Hopefully the final product will improve this, as currently it’s out performed by many consumer notebooks, even some with an entertainment focus.

It’s not our biggest criticism, but given its size we would have preferred a slightly larger keyboard since you’ll be using it all day long. The speakers (which on our model were mostly distortion and static) took up a considerable chunk of the surface of the notebook, forcing the keyboard to be scaled slightly. It’s reasonably comfortable to use, but seemed to be a little flimsy, and didn’t look like it would survive long under pressure from a keyboard masher typist.

Overall
While we’ll hold off on passing judgement on this model until we can have a play with a final production unit, we do have some concerns about its build quality and battery life. Square these away, list a price and this could be a compelling business notebook. The lack of Turbo Memory is a disappointment; especially in the business space where you may be powering down and resuming often — helping squeeze just a little more out of your work day between trips to the wall outlet.

Putting these issues aside, the new Centrino looks like much more than a point release, bringing the latest wireless speeds (even if they’re not ratified yet), more performance across the board and more flexible operation for mobile users.

Review Video:

With a complete top-to-bottom revamp of Dell’s entire laptop line in mid-2007, why the need for a new mainstream model so soon? While the current 14-inch Inspiron 1420 hits the size/features/performance sweet spot, and the high-end XPS M1330 and the XPS M1530 are slick, thin 13- and 15-inch models, respectively, the middle-of-the-road Inspiron 1520 was always a little too big and clunky for its own good. When compared with the 14-inch version, Dell’s basic 15-inch Inspiron–long the bread and butter of the company’s consumer laptop line–got lost in the shuffle, offering a small increase in screen size but at the expense of a larger, more unwieldy chassis.

Dell’s taken these points to heart, and the company has reworked the 1520 in the form of the Inspiron 1525. It’s a smaller, lighter version of the previous 15-inch Inspiron 1520. However, after getting used to the brushed metal of the XPS M1530 (which itself starts at only $999), the new Inspiron 1525 has a somewhat cheap plastic feel, and we’re not sure how much abuse it would stand up to on the road. But for a laptop that starts at only $499, it offers a lot of bang for your buck, including an HDMI output and touch-sensitive media controls, which are solid extras for a budget laptop. Our review unit bumps the spec up and includes a T7000-series Intel Core 2 Duo CPU and 2GB of RAM, for about a still reasonable $1,024–but within Dell’s crowded laptop lineup, you may still prefer the smaller 14-inch 1420 model, or the slightly more expensive (but much nicer-looking) XPS M1530.

With the upgraded Inspiron 1525 (hey, nobody ever accused these guys of being too creative in the naming department), Dell has managed to shave a little bulk off of the system–it’s about 30 percent thinner and a half-pound lighter than the 1520 model it replaces–and the smaller chassis leaves less dead space on the keyboard tray.

The keyboard is the same full-size model found on Dell’s other Inspiron and XPS laptops. While the keyboard is not our favorite, because of its tapered keys that may not offer enough surface area for chubby fingers, its feels solid and responsive. Above the keyboard sits a row of media control buttons. These are of the touch-sensitive variety we’re partial to, and the Inspiron 1525 is the cheapest laptop we’ve seen those on yet. An additional quick-launch button is also above the keyboard for starting Dell’s proprietary multimedia management software, but chances are you’ll stick with more established programs such as Windows Media Center or iTunes. Our review unit also had a 2-megapixel Webcam built into the display, which is a $25 add-on.

The 15.4-inch wide-screen LCD display offers a 1280×800 native resolution, which is standard for a screen this size. Our screen was glossy, as is common on consumer laptops (they make for a better video-viewing experience), but an antiglare option is available at no extra charge. We typically see matte screens on business systems, and generally prefer them rather than trying to fight the glare from our desk lamp or sunlit window.

The Inspiron 1525 offers all of the ports and connections you’ll probably need, but in typical Dell fashion, almost everything is an extra-cost add-on. Bluetooth is $20, 802.11n Wi-Fi is $50, and a DVD burner is $30 (as opposed to a plain CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive). In a move that our friends at Apple should take note of, mobile broadband antennas from both Sprint and Verizon are offered. Each antenna costs $150, but signing up for service will get you a $100 rebate from either carrier.

While our $1,000-plus review unit was a perfectly capable dual-core system, what exactly do you get for the $499 base price? We would steer far clear of the lowest-end components, which include a 1.8GHz Intel Celeron 540 CPU, Vista Basic, an 80GB hard drive (same size as the MacBook Air), and only 512MB of RAM. Upgrading to 1GB of RAM is only $50, and adding an Intel Core 2 Duo T5450 is $100–we would call that the bare minimum for a usable laptop.

With 2GB of RAM and a 2.0GHz T7250 CPU, the Dell Inspiron 1525 offered no surprises on the performance front. Dell’s upscale XPS version–the XPS M1530–was faster, sporting a better processor and video card (the 1525 is stuck with basic Intel integrated graphics), but similarly configured versions of both systems would offer nearly identical performance, with the XPS premium going for better design and construction.

The Inspiron 1525 ran for 2 hours and 41 minutes on our DVD battery drain test, using the included six-cell battery, a decent score for budget 15-inch laptop. A nine-cell battery is also available, but it’s large enough to stick out conspicuously from the back of the system. Our DVD battery drain test is especially grueling, so you can expect longer life from casual Web surfing and office use.

Dell includes an industry-standard one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system. Upgrading to a three-year plan will cost an extra $260, which includes on-site service. Support is accessible through a 24-7 toll-free phone line, and Dell’s robust online knowledge base and driver downloads, although XPS customers get access to a different, better-quality, tech support line. Dell will also send you a free recycling kit for your old laptop on request (basically a prepaid postage label to ship old products back to a recycling facility).

Review Video: