Apple's iPhone 3G and Nokia's N95 may be sweet handsets, but each costs nearly a thousand dollars.
There's no doubt that while sales for smartphones rise there will still be an enduring market of people looking for simple phones that do the basics well: making calls and sending messages. The fact that some of these phones look great is an added bonus.
Below is our favourite phones available outright for AU$300 or less. There have been some impressive phones in this price-range lately, especially the fashionable threesome from LG — each are low-budget clones of higher end LG handsets. Plus we've included a few modern classics; Nokia's 6300 has been around for over 12 months but still stands out as one of the best basic handsets.
Nokia 6300
The Nokia 6300 is a style-orientated phone that does what it says on the tin, as well as providing a very tactile experience.
LG Shine Slide (KE970)
LG has put the original Shine in the dryer by mistake, shrinking its size, specs and price tag to make an affordable version of the popular handset.
Sony Ericsson S500i 
What the S500i lacks in the high-end gadgetry of its competition, it makes up for it in style, ease-of-use and its budget price tag.
LG KF600
Are two screens better than one? The KF600's morphing touch-navigation pad is a cool concept and adds a little high-end class to an otherwise low-spec handset.
Palm Centro
Not the flashiest phone around, but its jaw-dropping price, ease of use and vast software ecosystem, make it a good choice for first time smartphone buyers and Palm OS aficionados alike.
Samsung E590
Samsung's teeny tiny E590 packs a whole lot of features into a fuss-free candy bar model.
LG KF510
The cheap and cheerful KF510 is a good-looking phone, but its interactive disco buttons don't make for a pleasant texting experience.
Motorola MOTO U9
Motorola's MOTO U9 would look the part sliding out of a tote bag in an inner city bar, but out of place on the boardroom table. The sleek, smooth finish houses a basic mobile with only a few common phone features.
Like this article? Click below to send it to your mobile for free!
Be the first to comment on this article!