Like the competition, much of the student population also aspires towards owning an Apple iPhone, wanting the latest and greatest in emerging technology.

The problem has always been that this technology comes at a price. It's not unusual for networks to demand well over £35/month for a contract which would allow consumers to enjoy all that the iPhone has to offer and it is this fact that has created a huge stumbling block for students in that most, simply can't afford it.

Good Points

Now you might be wondering why we're reviewing the iPhone 3GS when the iPhone 4 is already available and the iPhone 5 is just around the corner, but there is good reason for this. It all comes down to cost.

In the past, we've chosen not to promote the iPhone 3GS to the student market because, as we have said, it was simply too expensive for most students. But now, with the introduction of its successors, the cost is being driven down as the dealerships look to offload their remaining stock of what is now considered 'old technology'. But don't get sucked into the hype - the iPhone 3GS remains a very capable device and there's not a huge amount it can't do, that the iPhone 4 can.

Yes, the iPhone 4 might be a little quicker, and yes it might have a few more Apps, a forward-facing camera and an updated OS, but when you consider that you can now get hold of a free iPhone 3GS handset when you take out a contract with O2 for a little over £20/month, it's a whole new ball-game - a ball-game that, dare I say, students can afford to play.

For around £20/month, not only are you given a free handset, but also free minutes, free texts and a data allowance which provides you with free access to the web. You'll also get a 3 MegaPixel in-built camera (with autofocus and tap to focus functionality), an iPod (with Apple earphones with remote and mic), a 3.5-inch widescreen, multi-touch display and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Bad Points

The negative points relating to this device are few and far between, with the main downfall being that were you to buy the iPhone 3GS now, you'll see the iPhone 5 and possibly the iPhone 6 (should they continue with their current rate of new releases) introduced before you come to the end of your contract. It will be dated technology by that point, but the fact remains that now, as a smart phone, the Apple iPhone 3GS can still compete with much of the market - and importantly, it's now affordable.

What do we think of it?

Every penny counts when you're a student and there's no doubt that the iPhone 3GS now represents great value for money. It's easy to use and multi-functional, and we think you'd be crazy not to consider this option if you're on the lookout for a new mobile phone.

Needless to say, the HTC Desire S is the natural successor to the popular HTC Desire and this piece of kit is certainly as impressive.

Good Points

Its good points are plentiful, starting with the 3.7 inch, 480x800 pixel screen, which incidentally, also featured on the original Desire. The renowned, slick user interface which HTC pride themselves on, makes for a smooth operation and this complements the Android operating system perfectly. The RAM has been increased (to 1GB of in-built memory) and with a larger battery, the device goes for longer between charges (reportedly up to 20% longer). Of course, a larger battery is essential now that improvements have been made to the video recording facility: the Desire S now captures 720p HD video and 5 MegaPixel stills, which nearly all new smart phones are expected to have these days.

It's interesting to see that HTC has decided to manufacture the Desire S from an aluminium unibody, which makes the device both light-weight and visually pleasing, whilst also having a solid and sturdy build-quality about it.

Bad Points

Having chosen to enter this device into the popular 'Desire' product range, HTC can't afford to risk selling a sub-standard handset and for this reason, there are very few negative points.

From a technical point of view, the 1GHz single-core processor is the only disappointment. Whilst many of its competitors have started to introduce dual-core processors into their top-end mobile phones, HTC has not yet made this migration - yet they may have avoided such a move with good reason: the Android operating system seems to work just as well with a single-core processor as a dual-core, potentially saving consumers a whole chunk of cash.

What do we think of it?

For the student market, the HTC Desire S is extremely well suited. It looks good, performs well and has huge money-saving potential with built-in MP3, video and web-browsing functionality. If you've not yet bought an MP3 player or digital camera to record your nights out and various escapades at college next term, don't bother! Avoid the expense, and instead consider the HTC Desire S for an all-in-one solution, at a fraction of the price!

The Samsung Galaxy S II is a beautifully crafted handset with a number of features which will ensure it receives as much attention amongst the student population as its predecessor.

Good Points

Samsung has really gone to town on this mobile phone, maxing-out the specs in every way conceivable. Of course in doing so, there are so many good points to discuss ranging from a super-huge 4.3-inch touchscreen, to an amazing camera.

The screen itself is a 480x800-pixel Super AMOLED touchscreen panel, which provides a sharp display of text and icons. The 1.2GHz dual-core processor powers the Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system comfortably, and never looks close to slowing, regardless of the number of applications you have running. It's incredibly light-weight (to the point where you'll probably not realise it's in your pocket), and Samsung has also trimmed a couple of millimetres off the depth of the handset too.

One of our few criticisms of the Galaxy S last time around was that whilst it had a respectable camera, it didn't have a flash, meaning students would probably have to find some extra cash from somewhere in order to buy a digital camera to record their fond memories of college/university. This time, Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S II with a whopping 8 MegaPixel camera with LED flash, as well as a front-facing 2 MegaPixel camera - meaning most students will probably make do without a separate camera. Bonus!

We've no doubt that the student market will also enjoy the Social Hub applications which allow you to seamlessly organise, synchronise and communicate through social channels from SMS and email, to Facebook and Twitter.

Bad Points

You've probably worked out by now that there is actually very little wrong with this incredible mobile phone. If we had to pick fault with it, we'd probably be forced to criticise its similarity to the Apple iPhone 4. Samsung seems reluctant to explore and invest in its own design process, and instead seems to imitate the popular Apple devices at every opportunity. The original Galaxy S resembled the iPhone 3GS, and now the Galaxy S II is strikingly similar to the iPhone 4.

What do we think of it?

Well, we certainly enjoyed reviewing the Samsung Galaxy S II with its plethora of impressive features. If ever there was ever a hand-held device that has everything, this is it. For students looking for an all-in-one solution which would eliminate the need to buy a digital camera and MP3 player, the Galaxy S II seems to be the ideal product.

We were also pleasantly surprised to find a number of great deals on the Samsung Galaxy S II. Being a top-of-the-range smart phone, you'd probably expect to pay in the region of £30+/month, but we've been able to find some great offers which mean you can get your hands on the phone for around £25/month! Check out our website for more deals on the Galaxy S II!

The HTC Incredible S combines a sleek design with a number of appealing features including a huge 4-inch capacitive LCD touchscreen display and an 8-megapixel camera with LED flash, which also offers 720p HD video recording capabilities. The phone was built to fill the void between the HTC Desire and the Desire HD, meaning the device is neither revolutionary nor groundbreaking, but it does have a number of good points which means that HTC will appeal to an even greater audience.

Good Points

The Incredible S is an elegant device with a great deal to offer and it has even gained celebrity backing from Girls Aloud singer, Sarah Harding (although I’m sure she’s getting paid a whole heap of cash for her troubles!).

The phone is equipped with 1.1GB of internal memory (which can be extended to 32GB through a microSD card), as well as a 1Ghz processor, which is a great foundation for the Android 2.2 Froyo to run on (although we expect the Incredible S to receive an upgrade to the 2.3 Gingerbread OS shortly).

One of the great aspects to the Incredible S is the battery life. HTC has built in a high-powered 1450mAh cell, which keeps the phone active with almost 10 hours (talktime) and 370 hours on standby. As the mobile market becomes flooded with smartphones capable of doing all sorts of wonderful things, it’s refreshing to come across a device, which can support those applications with a reasonable battery life.

Bad Points

Whilst the HTC Incredible S is a remarkable phone (as the entire HTC range is), it does have one rather big flaw. Having only recently been launched, retailers are pricing the device in the £35+ per month bracket, and are often looking to tie customers into lengthy 24-month contracts. Whilst cashback and redemption deals are on offer (the best of which can be found on our website), the amounts are too small to make much difference to the overall cost.

What do we make of it?

Whilst the Incredible S is an impressive phone, we think that HTC has priced it out of the student market. In many cases it costs more than the daddy of all phones, the Desire HD, so we’d question when anyone should ever buy this device. If you’ve got the money, we’d suggest looking at the Desire HD, else, if you’re looking for a fantastic phone on a budget, consider the HTC Wildfire or Desire.

This month, we’re excited to announce that we may just have found the perfect student mobile phone. Let us introduce you to the Samsung Galaxy Europa.

The Samsung Galaxy Europa is a budget Android smartphone which offers students the chance to make use of an extremely capable and functional device for next to nothing. We’re seeing more and more smartphones break into the market, and as they become more popular and move into being the standard phone-type, you young people become less likely to want to be seen sporting a mobile phone capable of doing little more than texting and taking calls! ‘That’s like soooo not cool!’

Good Points

With the Samsung Galaxy Europa, students have access to a range of Android features including web access (through 3G and Wi-Fi), social media applications, a music player, an FM radio and GPS with Google Maps.

The Social Hub, which groups contacts, calendars, email and social networking together, is a rather useful facility. It also boasts access to thousands of apps through the Android app store, including the ‘Angry Birds’ game, which is particularly popular amongst students.

Another great benefit to the Galaxy Europa is the huge battery life. All too often we see smartphones suffer from inadequate power supply, meaning users need to recharge the device every day. The Samsung Galaxy Europa however, has a talk-time of 6 – 10 hours and a standby time of 370 – 520 hours, so it will comfortably last substantially longer than a day with ‘normal’ usage.

Bad Points

As for the negatives, well, they can be summed up in just a few words. Samsung have cut costs by equipping the Galaxy Europa with a 2 MegaPixel camera, which is not particularly good considering some of the top end smartphones can take photos at 12 MegaPixels. But this really is just being picky, and for the price of this mobile phone, you can’t really complain!

What do we make of it?

You see, perhaps the best thing about the Samsung Galaxy Europa is the cost. It is widely available from the UK’s top suppliers from as little as £5 per month, on a basic contract. There are many cashback and redemption deals available, and there’s little chance that you could get your hands on an equally impressive device for anywhere near that price.

Our advice is to look beyond the slightly inadequate camera and the less-than-impressive appearance of the phone, and think about how much you could save over the course of 12 – 18 months!

Much to our surprise, the Nokia C7 is a remarkable mobile phone. We spotted some major flaws in the C6 (including a disappointing battery life, an aging operating system and a below average touch-screen), but we’re rather glad Nokia has spent time making sure the same mistakes aren’t made twice.

Good Points

You see, the Nokia C7 is rather an attractive device. It features an AMOLED touch-screen interface meaning the display is crystal clear and filled with rich colours. It runs the latest Symbian^3 operating system, meaning the screen is put to good use with swipe actions and pinch-to-zoom capability. There are two cameras – a forward-facing camera for video calling, and a second, which is capable of taking 8 MegaPixel photos as well as video recording in HD. This camera is able to focus, digitally zoom and has a dual LED flash which is rather bright to say the least. The C7 is also packed full with features. We’ve come to expect all smartphones to have a music player, an FM radio and a web browser, and the C7 certainly does not disappoint. But, it also has the Ovi Mapping system, which Nokia is rightly very proud of. This facility provides users with free access to the latest maps.

But Nokia isn’t resting on its laurels. The connectivity options associated with the C7 are impressive too. Bluetooth 3.0 has been built into the device, as has an FM transmitter. The inbuilt memory has been boosted to 8GB, but there is also added support for microSD cards (upto 32GB), which will surely be rather handy once you start recording nights out and drunken escapades in HD! Oh the fun you’ll have!

Bad Points

Perhaps the only real negative is the stability of the software and operating system. Nokia users will appreciate that the company has had an issue with software crashing in the past, and the C7 still hasn’t quite resolved this issue – which means Nokia’s brand of smartphone is not yet ready to truly compete with the big boys such as Apple and the various Android devices.

What do we make of it?

Having said that, it’s important not to take anything away from Nokia. The C7 is an impressive mobile phone and provides students looking for an alternative to the Nokia N8 with a different option.

When it comes to price, the C7 is priced very competitively and is available via a number of cashback and redemption deals which can be found on our site. Expect to shell out in the region of £20 per month for an average sort of contract with this device, yet once the cashback has been redeemed, expect the effective monthly cost to be substantially lower than this – as you’ll be saving a whole heap of cash!

On first impressions, the Nokia C6 does not look too unlike the XpressMusic 5800, which we reviewed for The National Student a few months ago. Both devices have a chunky look to them, a touch screen interface and three buttons, positioned towards the base of the front face of the phones. Clearly Nokia likes this simplistic design, but what separates these two handsets?

Despite the similarities, it won’t take you too long to uncover one major difference. Nokia has introduced a physical QWERTY keypad on to the C6, which can be activated by sliding the bottom panel from beneath the 3.2-inch screen. This is a nice feature, which gives users an easy means of writing texts and emails.

Good Points

The QWERTY keyboard is an important aspect of the Nokia C6, but it’s far from the only good point. The handset has a clear, bright and impressive display and also allows for speedy Internet access through 3G HSDPA and Wi-Fi. The phone comes equipped with access to the Ovi Store, and various other features including the rather useful Ovi Maps.

What’s more, the C6 has two cameras. The forward facing camera is perfect for video calls and the 5-MegaPixel camera found on the back of the phone is not only equipped with an LED flash, but can also record videos – perfect for catching those amusing moments which are almost guaranteed to happen when you’re out on the town with your mates.

Bad Points

Unfortunately for the Nokia C6, there are a few negative points also. First of all, the phone has a poor battery life despite Nokia claiming it has 11 hours of talk time and 400 hours of standby time. Having said that, with an average use, most smart phones, need charging every day or so – so this should be expected.

Secondly, the aging Symbian S60 Operating System is occasionally slow and certainly won’t be used on too many more handsets, and Nokia certainly hasn’t helped the situation by fitting a below average touch screen to the device, making the phone even slower and more difficult to use.

What do we make of it?

Despite the aging OS and battery life, the Nokia C6 will undoubtedly appeal to a number of students looking for a basic, touch screen mobile phone which won’t cost a great deal to run. In general, the Nokia C6 handset is available for free on various contracts costing as little as £20/month. Of course, there are cheaper options (such as the deals highlighted on the Nokia C3), but many of those deals involve redemption and cashback payments, which may not suit everybody.

The cameras (both the 5-MegaPixel camera and the forward-facing, video calling camera), the QWERTY keypad and the affordability of this device mean that the Nokia C6 earns a middle of the road 3-star rating.

The Nokia C3 however, is not a top-of-the-range mobile phone, but it does have a few smashing features which make it ideal for students on a budget.

Good Points

We really like the Nokia C3. It offers a cheap alternative to the likes of a Blackberry, and certainly looks the part with it's QWERTY keyboard and no-nonsense design. The phone is equipped with an MP3 player and FM radio (as we've come to expect from most handsets these days), as well as a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The Wi-Fi is an excellent addition to the device. Whilst some would expect to see 3G or GPS functionality on most handsets these days, the Nokia C3 has none of this - but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Firstly, it separates the C3 from the rest of the more expensive device on the market, and will certainly save you a fair bit of money as you won't be tempted to browse the Internet (via 3G) when you're out and about. If you need to browse the web, you should try to find yourself a Wi-Fi enabled area. Lets face it, more and more places are offering free Wi-Fi these days, including shopping centres, coffee shops and airports. It's likely you'll never be too far from free Wi-Fi.

When you do find yourself browsing the web, the Nokia C3 offers social media applications right from your home-screen, so you can update your Facebook status and send a few tweets relatively easily. Another great point to make about the C3 is that it has a remarkable battery life - so you'll be able to browse the web, chat to your mates and text until the cows come home.

But, by far and away the most impressive aspect to the Nokia C3 is that it is the perfect device for both pay monthly and pay as you go deals. Some of the big mobile providers offer the C3 with huge amounts of cashback, meaning you can pick up the phone on an 18 month contract for as little as £6.67/month, with inclusive minutes and thousands of texts. Deals are also available through a number of network providers, so whether you favour O2, Orange or T-Mobile, you're sure to find something that suits.

As for the pay as you go deals, well, with no 3G connectivity and if you limit yourself to browsing the web via free Wi-Fi, you won't be charged for web usage so it really is down to you how much you spend on calls and texts. You can get yourself the handset for somewhere in the region of £60. Bonus!

Bad Points

You really have to be picky to find fault in the Nokia C3. It might not have the best camera in the world, nor the largest display, but the lack of both of these features means that it becomes an affordable mobile phone for almost all students.

What do we make of it?

The Nokia C3 is almost built for the student market. It's not a bad looking device, has some great features (such as the QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, an FM radio and MP3 player) and can certainly save you a fair chunk of money. With this phone, you can rule out the need for a new iPod, but you may need to look into buying yourself a digital camera if you're likely going to need to take some high-quality photos as part of your university/college course for example.

Regardless of this, we can't help but award the Nokia C3 with the prestigious 5-star rating, because of it's low cost and general good performance. This is the perfect phone for students on a budget.

You see, the Xperia X10 range already includes a standard-sized device, a Mini version as well as the Mini Pro model, each of which appeals to a different audience. So, whatever you're after, whether it be a small phone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, or a regular-sized all-singing-all-dancing smartphone, one of the devices within the X10 range is sure to appeal.

Despite this broad appeal, Sony obviously felt it necessary to release the X8, to provide it's customer base with yet another option. So, has this decision paid off?

Good Points

Well, the size of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 means that it slots in nicely between the X10 and the X10 Mini, so if you're really picky about how big a mobile phone should be, you've got even more choice now. The added screen space (when compared to the X10 Mini) means that the phone becomes a little more usable, and the extra area is particularly helpful when it comes to using social media apps and using the virtual QWERTY keyboard.

As with the X10 Mini, there are various connectivity options with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB and a 3.5mm audio jack al featuring on the device. The media player is rather good and an FM radio is a nice feature.

An improvement which has been made on the X10 is that of the battery life, which is good to see.

Bad Points

Unfortunately, the Xperia X8 has a number of negatives which, in all honesty, outweigh the positives. Firstly, whilst the X10 has a 5 MegaPixel camera, the X8 is equipped with only a 3.2 MegaPixel camera. A few years back, this would have been considered a positive, but in this day-and age, the public are expecting mobile phones capable of taking photos of similar quality to their digital camera.

The device also runs on the Android 1.6 operating system, which is pretty dated to say the least.

The X8 is also a little bit disappointing when it comes to student deals. At the time of writing, the Xperia X8 is only available exclusively through O2, meaning our top providers of discounted mobiles (e2Save, Phones4U etc) don't even 'get a look in' - so don't expect to get any redemption offers or cashback on this mobile…O2 rarely provide it. In fact, you'll be looking at spending at least £30/month in order to bag yourself some free minutes, unlimited texts and an inclusive data allowance, and that's pretty expensive when you look at what else you could spend your money on.

What do we make of it?

It's a real shame that Sony decided to launch the Xperia X8, after the success of the X10. It almost seems as though the X10 should be the next generation model, but in fact, it was released first! You have to question how much influence O2 had in terms of getting this phone made - after all, they are the sole retailer.

Unfortunately, we don't see this phone taking the student market by storm as it is expensive, out-dated and generally, a bit of a disappointment. If you were thinking about buying this phone, do yourself a favour and choose the X10 instead.

Well, generally speaking, the Nokia N8 has a great deal going for it on the face of things. It is the new flagship device for the company, which has been built on the newly developed Symbian^3 operating system and on top of the unbelievable camera, they've equipped the device with a huge AMOLED display (similar to the screen on the iPhone 4). Nokia has also allowed for HD video recording and included a forward facing camera for video calling – which we thought was a nice touch, and we’re sure that this service will become more and more popular, amongst other phones, as technology evolves.

Good Points

As well as the outstanding camera, the N8 also has a newly designed web browser, which incorporates 'pinch to zoom' technology, whilst also integrating social media services and access to the Ovi Store. Whilst the Ovi Store will never reach the popularity of Apple’s App Store, it does offer a pretty good service nevertheless.

The battery life is rather good too, and the phone out-performs many of the other competing smart phones in it's class. Nokia must have worked wonders when it came to managing power consumption.

Bad Points

Whilst the AMOLED display provides a large interface for the user, and certainly helps reduce power consumption (and prolong battery life), the resolution leaves room for improvement, particularly when compared to the likes of the HTC Desire. Perhaps the next generation N8 will look to show some progression in this area.

What do we think of it?

Overall, the Nokia N8 is a pretty impressive device and is so much more than just a phone – it has so much money-saving potential. You won’t need a separate MP3 player, nor will you need to get yourself a camera for uni/college – this has it all. And as it’s available through a number of cashback offers, it won’t set you back as much as you think!

We think Nokia has done extremely well with this product, and as the new flagship device, it is certainly a good representation of what Nokia - the largest mobile company in the world - is all about.

Well, in all honesty, much of what was seen on the HD2 can be seen on the HD7, and it seems that the only major improvements come in the way of an upgrade to HD video recording and obviously, the new operating system. Whilst the 4.3 inch, 480x800 pixel screen is the same size and resolution as it's predecessor, there's little space for improvement here, as this screen has also been used on the fantastic HTC Desire HD, and is as big as it gets in the world of mobile phones. Any bigger, and you'll be excused for thinking you're carrying a brick around in your pocket!

Good Points

There are many positive points to take from the HTC HD7, and any of them could be used to justify buying into this phone's offering. For starters, the phone is only 11.2mm thick, which is extremely thin for a mobile device. What's more, the large display certainly showcases the new operating system, which is further helped by the lightning speed of the 1GHz processor. The user interface has been simplified and is an absolute delight to use.

Another thing we're seeing more and more of within the smart-phone market, is the integration of social media into the device - as standard. The HTC HD7 is a great example of how this is possible, with Windows Live, Google and Facebook featuring heavily within the device. It's possible to import contact details from your networks, and you can also navigate through your Facebook postings and photos rather easily, as you'd expect from a phone with such a big screen.

Other applications do feature, including Microsoft Office, which is particularly useful to students-on-the-move. Now you'll be able to work on that never-ending dissertation whilst your on the train back home paying your mum and dad a visit!

In terms of media, the HTC HD7 is pretty good. Watching videos and browsing photos couldn't be easier, and with support for SRS Surround Sound and Dolby Mobile, listening to music is also a joy. The camera, with it's 5 MegaPixels and dual LED flash, means that photos are taken to a high quality, and well-lit, HD (up to 720p) resolution video recording is also possible.

One feature we particularly like on the HD7 is the integration of XBox Live, meaning you can play games with your gaming community right from your mobile handset.

Bad Points

Unfortunately, as we mentioned earlier, the HTC HD7 still carries a few disappointments, which were highlighted on the HD2. Whilst it's a slim device, it is heavy and a fair few people will opt for a lighter device than this.

Perhaps the most negative of points is that of the phone's battery life. With such a large display, and so much media (video recording, photos, social media, games, music), you'd expect HTC to have looked into equipping the phone with a more suitable battery. Perhaps they did during development, but just couldn't afford to add any more weight to the phone.

What do we think of it?

The HTC HD7 has a number of strong features, such as GPS and Bing Maps, 16GB internal storage, Wi-Fi capabilities, and a fairly decent web browser - as well as all the things discussed above. The camera is a more than adequate replacement for a digital camera, with it's 5 MegaPixel output and impressive flash. HD video recording is an added bonus, and would certainly make videos of those drunken nights out all the more entertaining!

However, battery life is an important factor when considering a mobile phone, so if your likely to be playing games, using Facebook and snapping HD video every second of the day, you're going to spend a fair bit of time plugged into the mains.

A redeeming factor of this phone is that a number of suppliers do have offers which give you money back when you sign up to a contract with them. E2Save, part of The Carphone Warehouse, is currently offering 7 months of a 24 month contract at £0.99 per month, which is certainly worth a look at!

It's likely that it'll be some time before the price of the Desire HD falls, but we know that some students just have to have the latest bit of kit, and those that manage to get their hands on this beauty, are sure to be the envy of all their mates!

With the success HTC has had throughout 2010 with it's 'Desire' device, it comes as no surprise that they have looked to build their brand around this line of product, and the Desire HD is sure to serve them well for some time to come.

Good Points

When compared to the previous model, the Desire HD is slightly larger in size, which means a larger screen also features on the device. The added screen space and the 14.4 Mbps download speed makes mobile web-browsing an absolute delight, and it can be thoroughly enjoyed thanks to the inclusion of the Adobe Flash Player - a feature which is missing on the iPhone. Whilst iPhone users are restricted to browsing websites which do not include Flash video, Desire HD users are able to view what they want, when they want.

Of course, the 8 MegaPixel camera (which has a dual LED Flash) is also a key feature for the phone, improving on the 'not-too-shabby' 5 MegaPixel camera which was found on the previous model. Whilst the camera has all the same features as last time (i.e., face detection capability, geotagging), the new model also incorporates 720p HD video recording and advanced photo effects (depth of field, vignette), pushing mobile capabilities that little bit further.

Aside from the awesome display and lightning-fast Internet, HTC are really promoting the sound system they've built into the Desire HD too. No-longer will you need to listen to 'squeaky sounds' when playing music back and watching video - they've now included the Dolby Mobile and SRS virtual surround sound system which we're sure will just blow you away.

Bad Points

We couldn't resist reviewing this phone and letting you know what we think, but, as you'd expect, the phone does come at a price, which is perhaps the biggest negative of all. Most deals offer the HTC Desire HD for free, providing you sign up to a 24 month contract, paying around £30/month - which is a little pricey, but no more so than a lot of the iPhone deals. So, if you can afford it, you might want to give these deals the once over.

The other bad point is the size and weight of the phone. The increase in size did mean that a bigger screen could feature on the device, and whilst this is a good thing, the phone does take up a lot of valuable 'pocket-space', so is probably not ideal for those looking for a neat little phone which isn't too cumbersome. As for the weight, well, the new Desire HD has put on around 30 grams after it's face-lift, making it a rather heavy device.

What do we think of it?

All-in-all, the HTC Desire HD represents an exciting development in terms of mobile technology and it will certainly appeal to those who need to have the 'latest and greatest' handsets. For those that are looking at buying an iPhone or an equivalent, the Desire HD certainly represents an interesting option. You certainly won't need to buy a separate digital camera, nor will you need to invest in an MP3 payer/radio and the HTC Desire HD even offers Internet tethering through USB and WiFi - so you can get online whilst you're out and about!

Social media applications such as Facebook and Twitter are integrated into the device, suiting the typical student down to the ground.

We're constantly looking out for money-saving offers on the HTC Desire HD, so why not sign-up to our monthly newsletter to receive updates as-and-when we find new deals on this fabulous phone?

Many consider it be the next generation Samsung Tocco Lite – a mobile we reviewed some time ago, and thought was a great phone in itself. So, how does the Samsung Monte match up to its predecessor? Is the Monte substantially better than the Tocco Lite, or is it a bit of a disappointment?

Well, the Samsung S5620 Monte has a touch-screen comparable with most other phones of its class. It uses the TouchWiz user interface which also featured on the Tocco Lite, and whilst it’s not as fast as the Samsung Jet for example, it remains a responsive device regardless.

The phone is easy to use, and the list of default applications which make up the home screens provide one-touch access to popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. It also has a rather good music player, but, if you end up using this device as an MP3 player alternative (which would save you a bit of money), you’d probably need to invest in a microSD card to increase storage as the inbuilt 200MB memory would only hold around 50 tracks.

Good Points

There are a couple of really strong points to this phone, and the battery life is certainly one of them. Samsung quotes a pretty incredible standby time of around 30 days and whilst you shouldn’t expect the phone to last this long, it should be able to go for a fair few days before it needs a recharge.

The second point to mention is the phone’s connectivity. First and foremost, it’s a 3G device, which comes with a built-in GPS receiver; meaning Google Maps becomes a little more useful. You can geo-tag photos and use Google Latitude to find out where you are if you wake up in the middle of nowhere, after a heavy night of drinking!

The phone also boasts Wi-Fi connectivity, giving you the opportunity to access the free wireless networks around campus and in your favourite coffee shops without paying a penny.

Bad Points

Unfortunately, Samsung seems to have compromised on the camera which is included on the Monte. It does take shots at 3.2 megapixels with face detection and a 4x digital zoom, but it lacks a flash and autofocus – something it also forgot to include on it’s rather impressive Galaxy S also. Perhaps a theme is starting to appear around Samsung mobile devices.

The only other negative is that Samsung hasn’t created a virtual QWERTY keyboard for the Monte, meaning you’re stuck with a touch-screen alphanumeric keypad, which isn’t the be-all-and-end-all.

What do we think of it?

Overall, the Samsung S5620 Monte is a pretty impressive phone. It has a number of great features which generally outweigh its flaws. It’s got a massive battery life, it has inbuilt social media applications (all accessible via the home-screen), it has a responsive touch-screen interface and it’s connectivity is a real bonus – particularly as it has WiFi.

Whilst it doesn’t have the best camera (you’re probably going to have to invest in one of those), it does have money-saving potential. By choosing this phone, you don’t need an iPod or separate MP3, and you don’t need a radio – you just need to buy yourself a bigger microSD card to boost the memory.

What’s more, the Samsung Monte is available through a number of great deals including contracts entitling you to a free laptop, as well as contracts starting from as little as £2.99 per month after redemption – so it’s a money-saver in itself! Yes the camera is a bit of a disappointment, but this phone is a real winner with us!

The Android operating system, developed by Google, has been successfully implemented into a number of mobile devices including the HTC Desire and now, the Samsung Galaxy S. It’s fast, easy to use and looks set to be the mobile platform of 2010 and whilst the HTC Desire continues to attract a lot of attention, the Galaxy S may be the device which Apple should be most concerned about.

Good Points

The fact is, the Samsung Galaxy S has the lot: the latest version of the Android operating system, a lightning processor (1GHz), surround sound, a 4” Super AMOLED screen as well as offering HD video recording and playback. It’s lightweight, slim, has a 5 Megapixel camera (with autofocus), a whopping 8/16GB Memory and a huge battery-life, which makes this phone, rather special indeed.

As with any smart-phone, the Galaxy S offers Internet access and it does this through a particularly good web browser – and is even more impressive thanks to the huge touch-sensitive, super AMOLED display, which is substantially larger than the screen on the Apple iPhone.

Social media services such as Twitter and Facebook have been integrated into the Social Hub application, meaning you can be in constant contact with your mates and there are plenty more apps available via the Android app store – many of which are free.

Bad Points

There are two primary bad points to the Samsung Galaxy S however, - one of which is particularly disappointing. Despite offering a 5-megapixel camera with touch-focus and HD video recording, Samsung has failed to provide a flash, meaning it would be rather difficult to take snaps whilst on a night-out. It seems a rather silly error on Samsung’s part and may mean that you might need to buy that digital camera after-all.

The only other bad point has more to do with the lack of design creativity. Apple is very good at design and has come up with a particularly attractive, ground-breaking product in the iPhone – but that shouldn’t mean that everyone else should try to replicate it’s design.

The Samsung Galaxy S does have a number of striking similarities in terms of its appearance, both on and off-screen, which is frustrating but by no means a reason to choose another phone.

What do we think of it?

There’s no doubt that the Samsung Galaxy S is a super phone, but we’re unsure whether it’s right for the student market at this stage. Whilst there are a number of deals available, most are unlikely to shave enough money off to make the deal affordable.

When it comes to expensive phones, we look at other ways to save money, i.e., whether you still need to buy a digital camera or an MP3 player. Whilst the music player on the Samsung Galaxy S is particularly good (so you could get away with using the phone as an MP3 player replacement), the distinct lack of a flash means that you’ll probably need to buy a camera anyway – else you’ll be relying on your mates to post photos of your crazy nights out!

The phone also has a number of exciting features, including a customisable screen display, shortcuts, Nokia Xpress Audio messaging, Ovil Mail, MP3 ringtones and Nokia Life Tools, making it a quality, affordable mobile phone, ideal for students.

Good Points

The Nokia 2220 Slide is ideal for University students due to it’s Personal Information Management (PIM) system which offers helpful applications such as Calendar, Notes, Recorder, Calculator, Clock & Converter, allowing you to organise all aspects of your life, from making appointments to keeping track of finances. The phone also has easy to use Email and an Internet browsing facility, giving you the opportunity to connect to your favourite social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace whilst you’re out and about!

The Nokia 2220 Slide also boasts a VGA camera (640 x 480 pixels), which allows you to share photographs with friends via MMS or via the web pretty easily. It’s clearly not the best of cameras, but on a budget, it does the job.

This device has a number of great entertainment features. For example, there are several games, an FM radio (87.5-108 MHz/76-90 MHz) with an added feature of radio recording (not available in some areas), which allows you to playback live radio broadcasts and share with others. This feature makes up a little for the absence of an MP3 player which are becoming more and more popular on pricier mobile phones.

This handset is reliable, affordable and good looking with simple but essential features and is ideal for students operating on a budget.

Bad Points

The Nokia 2220 Slide has a couple of bad points. Firstly, the device does not offer Bluetooth connectivity meaning it is difficult to send music and other files to additional devices. The phone also has no PC connection port and does not have an additional memory card slot meaning storage may become a problem.

What do we think of it?

The Nokia 2200 Slide mobile phone is a stylish handset, but at the same time, is built around what we now consider to be pretty basic technology. It is a reliable phone, and if that’s all you’re looking for, it’s a great buy. You can text, you can call, and for the price the phone is available at, it might come as a bit of a surprise that you can email, browse the web and listen to the radio too!

Ok so the camera isn’t the best, but when you can get this phone, with unlimited minutes and 300 texts for just 99p a month (at the time of writing), you can’t expect to get everything…but even so, it delivers so much more than it should!

So why not save a load of money by choosing the Nokia 2200 Slide, so you can go out and enjoy your time as a student?

Good Points

If nothing else, the Samsung Wave will look to pile the pressure on Apple to reduce it's prices for the highly desirable iPhone. Samsung have crammed lots of ground-breaking technology into this phone, and made it available at a price substantially lower than the like of the iPhone.

Firstly, the Wave has the world's first AMOLED display - something which all future Samsung mobile phones will benefit from. This screen offers a crisp, bright interface, and combined with the 1GHz processor, the display not only looks good, but it's exceptionally fast too.

In terms of it's body, the Samsung Wave is ultra-thin (at just 11mm), and benefits from a metallic finish which is only really appreciated when you get your hands on one, but to give you an idea, watch the clip we've included above.

We'll spare you the ins-and-outs of the new operating system, but you might like to know that it runs social networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace seamlessly, and it also gives users the option to customise home screens, create shortcuts and essentially form an interface that's tailored to your needs - all of which we feel is particularly useful for you students.

As an added bonus, you'll be able to save the money you were going to spend on a digital camera and MP3 player as the Samsung Wave not only has an inbuilt 5 MegaPixel camera (with autofocus and flash), but also, an excellent music player with 5.1 surround sound and an FM radio too!

Bad Points

Whilst the Samsung Wave is rather impressive in certain lights and does offer somewhat more than the Apple iPhone on occasion, it does lack a few vital features.

Firstly, whilst you're able to watch YouTube videos on the phone, it does not support Flash - something we feel represents a missed opportunity for Samsung. If they want this phone to really put the pressure on the iPhone, it needs to do much more and give people a reason to make the transition. With an inbuilt Flash player, any Apple user disappointed by the lack of Flash support on their device, might consider making the switch to a Samsung device - but this is now unlikely.

The second negative point is perhaps a little more relevant to the student market. Whilst Apple has a vast library of applications available to download, Samsung only has a small collection which is unlikely to ever become as extensive as Apple's. Those students looking to buy the Samsung Wave should be aware of this prior to purchase.

What do we make of it?

The Samsung Wave is an impressive mobile phone which makes use of a number of new technologies. It puts pressure on other devices in terms of it's ability and cost, and would be a useful phone for students as it has an inbuilt camera, a music player and various social network applications.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Wave will not appeal to a number of students because it's still pretty expensive. Yes, we've been praising it for being more affordable than the likes of the Apple iPhone, but when it comes to student deals, we think it's only likely to draw attention from those who have the budget.

At the time of writing, the Samsung Wave is available for £25 per month, on a 24 month contract - with 6 months' free line rental. Even with that discount (or a free games console in some cases), you'll still end up shelling out over £400 over the course of the contract. If you've not yet bought yourself a camera or an iPod, this might not be a bad investment, but if you've already treated yourself to those things, you might want to look elsewhere.

It's popularity and excellent functionality has lead Sony Ericsson into creating a mini version of the phone, catering for those people looking for a small, light-weight 'super smartphone'.

Good Points

As a student, you'll want a phone that you can show off to your mates, but won't cost you the earth. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini certainly fulfills this criteria, particularly as there are a number of cashback deals available to those taking out pay monthly contracts.

Of course, the price isn't everything and the X10 Mini has a whole lot more to offer. A 5 MegaPixel camera with autofocus and a flash is just one feature which is rather useful. Just imagine, if you're off to university in September and you've got this little phone, there's no need for you to invest in a separate camera…you can catch all of your crazy nights out with this - and the quality is so good, you'll be able to remember every last detail…even if you'd rather forget what you got upto!

If you end up having too much fun on a night out, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini can be of further assistance. It has built in aGPS with Google Maps, meaning you can find your way back to your student halls in one piece the following morning, when you're not feeling so delicate and you've shaken your hangover!

As for performance, well, the X10 Mini has a processor which is pretty quick, it has support for an expandable memory (upto 16GB) and the WiFi and HSPA connectivity is excellent. It also has an awesome media player and a built-in radio, and so, with just a set of headphones, you won't be needing to buy that iPod you've been saving up for either. Talk about a money-saving result!

Bad Points

As for the bad points, well, there aren't many. Many reviews highlight the screen size as a negative but when you're in the market for a small smartphone, you've got to expect the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini to deliver. If the screen is too small for you, and you can't cope with the endless scrolling when surfing the net, maybe you should be looking to buy the X10 Mini's big brother.

What do we make of it?

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini is awesome. It's small, light-weight, has a slick design and amazing functionality. With social media applications, you can instantly access Facebook and Twitter, and with the 5 MegaPixel camera, you'll be saving yourself loads of money in the long run, as well as getting cashback when you buy certain deals (obviously, the cashback only applies if you choose those deals!). Whether you decide to go for this little gem or the bigger Xperia X10, you're in for a right treat and we thoroughly recommend this device as an ideal student mobile phone (and camera…and MP3 player…).

The Tocco Lite has a number of aliases, from the 'Samsung S5230', to the 'Samsung Player One' and the 'Samsung Star' - clearly the chaps at Samsung had nothing better to do with themselves leading up to the launch! As it happens, their time might have been better spent working on the actual design of the phone, giving it a bit of a USP and differentiating it from the competition.

The LG Cookie and the Samsung Tocco Lite are not only the same size, but they have the same screens (size, resolution, colour definition and number of pixels) the same camera (3.2 megapixel with a zoom) and they match up pretty evenly across various other specs too.

The Good Points

It has a nice bright, responsive screen, a QWERTY keypad (making texting easy), expandable memory (via a microSD card) and a good battery life too. A major bonus is that the phone has built in links to social-networking sites, which gives you students an excuse to spend even more time on Facebook! Get in!

Perhaps the most important points to mention are the price and availability, both of which are great. Most of the major suppliers (including the Carphone Warehouse & E2Save) have the Tocco Lite in stock, and most of them offer some excellent deals, starting from around £10/month. Alternatively, you can pay a little more per month and bag yourself a free 120GB Sony Playstation 3 Slim and £100 cashback! That'll set you up for some awesome nights at uni - whether you stay in or go out on the lash!

The Bad Points

The Tocco Lite has a couple of bad points. Firstly, it has no 3G connectivity meaning the web isn't the fastest, and this can lead to poor video quality when it comes to accessing YouTube content. The phone has also been known to have a troublesome USB connection.

What do we make of it?

The Samsung Tocco Lite is an excellent phone when all things are considered. Whilst the user interface was a little confusing to start with, you soon get used to it. The major drawback is the lack of 3G connectivity, but the negatives are far outweighed by the positives. An excellent camera, social media links, a responsive touch-screen and a great battery life make this phone perfect for students. The price and various deals aren't bad either!