Siemens has bolstered its mobile phone offering with two new handsets; the video-taking, slider-style SL65 and the flashing clamshell CFX65.
Imaging is the new "in thing" for phones of late, and Siemens is taking no prisoners with its new flagship mobile phones. Both the SL65 and CFX65 offer impressive imaging features, not to mention a flashlight.
 | The SL65 sports a video camera
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The Siemens SL65 uses the less-common slider design to reduce the overall size, but expands to include an impressive feature set. Besides all of the usual phone functionality, the SL65 includes a built-in video camera capable of 5x digital zoom and 8 frames per second video at 640 x 480 VGA resolution. The video capture function is H.263 compatible, and photophiles will be interested in the Flash IFL-600 attachment, which includes automatic exposure control.
Naturally with such image-taking abilities, the phone sports a 16-bit color display, as well as support for 3D games. Those games, of course, run via the included Java support. The radio is tri-band GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 MHz, and naturally supports MMS and e-mail for sending photos and video. The entire package weighs in at a svelt 99 grams and 90.2 x 47.6 x 20.9 mm.
 | ... while the CFX65 includes an LED flash
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The Siemens CFX65 uses a more traditional clamshell design, but an anything but traditional camera. Its VGA camera, standard sized for camera phones today, is backed up by an LED flash. Flashes of any sort are extremely rare on anything but dedicated digital cameras, and the lack of them is usually the number one drawback to camera phones. The LED also functions as a flashlight for use in emergencies. The camera itself offers 4x digital zoom.
Images can be displayed on either the internal 16-bit CSTN color display or the external black and white display. The phone offers all the connectivity options one would expect, including MMS, EMS, SMS, and e-mail support via GSM/GPRS, although it is only dual-band GSM running 900/1800 MHz. It also uses a novel rounded antenna that appears as part of the phone's artistic design. Additional software is available via the included Java support. The CFX65 measures 97 X 48 X 23 mm and weighs in even lighter than its sibling at 88 grams.
Both phones, of course, include standard high-end features such as polyphonic ring tones, customizable wallpapers, and so forth. They also include a PIM suite, and the SL65 includes synchronization for business users.
The CFX65 is slated to be available in August, while the SL65 will be available in September. Both phones will be launched in Europe and Asia only. American availability is unknown, as is the expected price.
Additional high-resolution images of the SL65 and CFX65 are available on the following pages.
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