T-Mobile MDA Compact III review

Now you can annoy other passengers with the precise location of the train you're on with built-in GPS.

If you're lost in the middle of nowhere, the fact that your mobile phone has a built-in camera and MP3 player probably isn't going to help you. But what if it had a built-in GPS receiver? Phones that can act as satellite navigation systems with a separate Bluetooth GPS receivers are nothing new, but the MDA Compact III has GPS built in.

As you might have guessed, the handset is an update to the MDA Compact II and has much the same slimline, compact design. There have been a few changes though, most notably the addition of a small scroll wheel at the bottom of the screen with an even smaller trackball inside it. The wheel is handy for scrolling through long documents and web pages, but its loose, notchy action feels a little cheap. The tiny trackball is more successfully implemented and can be used either as a four-way control button stand-in or a slightly awkward to use mouse, complete with on-screen pointer. One more welcome addition is the shortcut button for quick access to contacts, which means you can make a call without having to use the touch-sensitive screen. Since there's no keyboard, you will need to use the stylus - a lengthy, metal model that's comfortable to use.

We won't dwell upon the Compact III's Windows Mobile features - the usual set are all present and correct. The 2-megapixel camera is a handy extra though, not least because it takes excellent photos. There's also a built-in FM radio and the phone comes with a stereo headset too. The GPS receiver should work with any sat nav software, but T-Mobile bundles a copy of CoPilot Live with selected tariffs. This is a competent sat nav program, although it took longer than we'd like to get a satellite lock at start-up.

If you're looking for a compact smartphone that's big on features, then the MDA Compact III should certainly be on your shortlist. Built-in GPS is handy to have, but there are two caveats. The lack of both 3G and Wi-Fi means that you'll have a pedestrian internet experience, though you can add T-Mobile's Web 'n' Walk to your tariff and get unlimited internet access for an extra £7.50 a month.