Updated 26 May, 2012, 4:18 pm IST

Wi-Fi Equipped Handsets Under Rs. 20,000

21 Oct, 2009, 8:58 am IST | by Shayne Rana

For those looking for a little more wire free connectivity here are a few Wi-Fi enabled handsets under Rs. 20,000.

Connectivity is all the rage with everyone wanting to Tweet about what they had for lunch and then how upset their stomach got or find out what’s the latest dope with pals on Facebook etc. etc. etc. Oh and of course there’s the occasional need to download emails and see what your boss is raving and ranting about now and the extra work he’s given you. The net is also extremely handy when someone throws a big word or strange term at you and you’re clueless about the meaning or connotation, enter Google or Wikipedia. So needless to say, to put it in a nutshell the internet has become a necessity these days and we can’t often use our laptops or even Netbooks sometimes considering the size so the mobile phone becomes the pivotal force driving our thirst for web access.

While EDGE and GPRS (Yes I know, I know 3G is still a while away for a majority of us) are still going to be the main sources for our mobile web access, Wi-Fi is also getting immensely popular all the time. So handsets with Wi-Fi access are in demand. But for those of you who don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on devices that used to be considered business oriented, here are a few choices that should fit a reasonable budget.

Omnia Pro B7320 – Rs. 14, 099 (MOP)
Samsung’s latest business handset that was launched just a little while ago is a smart looking Smartphone and comes loaded with goodies. The handset runs on a Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard edition OS which keeps things simple yet lively for those looking to connect to Social Networks or the net in general. The onboard 3 megapixel camera features Geotagging as well as face and smile detection which makes this a very worthwhile consideration especially considering the pricing.�

Other features include -
A 2.4-inch TFT LCD with a 320 x 240 pixel resolution
Full QWERTY keypad
3G with HSDPA support, EDGE/GPRS
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0
GPS with A-GPS support
Samsung’s DNSe for audio enhancement
3MP AF camera
FM radio with RDS
microSD card support for external memory

BlackBerry Curve 8520 – Rs. 14,990 (MOP)
This Curve model is what I like to call the ‘Affordable’ BlackBerry. Sure there are other models nearly as cheap but non compare with the 8520 in terms of features. From full multimedia support for videos and music and a camera with Image Stabilization on board as well as the full use of all of RIM’s BlackBerry services, it makes it a very well rounded business and fun handset. Since RIM has just launched the Open GSMN version for all carriers it’s just become even more appealing.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 also features -
A 2.4-inch TFT LCD with a 320 x 240 pixel resolution
a touch-sensitive optical track pad and Full QWERTY keypad, media keys (first BlackBerry Smartphone to have these keys), 3.5 mm stereo headset jack
GPRS/EDGE
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, USB 2.0
2 Megapixel camera
DivX, XviD video support

Tags: Touchscreen , E-Series , 5 megapixel , 2 Megapixel , 3 Megapixel