3G iPhone week – the competitors

So, our 3G iPhone fest continues. Having taken a look at the biggest rumours and the most–hyped gadgets ever, now we’re turning our attention to the competitors. The phones the other major players are hoping will give Steve Jobs a hearty slap and woo us in the gadget stakes.

HTC Touch Diamond
iPhone beatablity rating – 7/10
Multitouch, HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps, 3.2MP camera and GPS? Sounds to us like the kind of specs Apple want on their next–gen blower. Except HTC has already stuck the lot on their Touch Diamond. It’s slim too and looks great, but is let down by pesky Windows Mobile, even if the OS has been modded to within an inch of its life.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1
iPhone beatablity rating – 7/10
With a touchscreen and an ‘arc slider’ QWERTY, the Xperia is the business choice if you want to avoid the iPhone at all costs. With a list of specs that match the Diamond, along with the same Windows OS, it looks set to be a winner when it’s finally released. Whenever that is.

Samsung F480 Tocco
iPhone beatablity rating – 6/10
Atrocious name aside, Samsung’s Tocco has certainly got the iPhone’s number with a set of killer features. Best of all is the widget–based home page, letting you drag in whatever mini apps take your fancy. The screen clocks in at 2.8in, so smaller than Apple’s. And then there’s the just–not–cool haptics and only 230MB of on board storage.

LG Secret
iPhone beatablity rating – 5/10
The only phone here with a proper keyboard, the LG Secret has got some mean iPhone–slapping capabilities. HSDPA and a 5MP camera to be precise. Other than that though, the touchscreen is a tad awkward and without full multitouch, this doesn’t quite cut the mustard when it comes to other truly multimedia all rounders.

Nokia Tube
iPhone beatablity rating – 5/10
Nokia’s S60 Touch–based offering isn’t due until the second half of the year. But the spec sheet’s been out for months. Pros – it’s HSDPA, has a 16:9 screen which will nail the iPhone, will be music focused and pack GPS. Cons – it’ll have haptic feedback, not multitouch. Weak Nokia, very weak. We await some hands–on time.

So, 3G iPhone lovers, take your pick. One of these bad boys, or Apple’s soon to be massive finest. While you wait for our liveblog straight from San Francisco, check out our 3G iPhone preview and keep it here for more 3G iPhone features.