The P7389 measures 5.1 by 1.85 by 0.9 inches and has a stubby 1-inch antenna. It is small enough that you can operate it with one hand, using your fingers to cradle it as you press keys and buttons with your thumb. A swivel-style belt clip is included with the phone, but you can comfortably carry it in a pocket, and it's sturdy enough to withstand rigorous treatment.

The bright, backlit display has four lines of variable-size text (15 characters maximum per line) and a line of status icons along the top. Prompts for menu or navigation options appear in small letters along the bottom of the display. Prompts are displayed directly above the Clear (marked "C") and OK keys. Other buttons include a vertical roller-bar key to navigate menus and text, a message button marked with an envelope icon, and a go-back/quick-access menu key labeled with an up arrow. Volume control buttons and a smart button (it launches the phone book) dot the left-hand side, and the voice recorder's start button is located at the base of the antenna along the right side of the phone. There are 11 ringer tones plus a vibrate mode.

The phone book can hold 100 numbers, and the SIM card (if supported by the carrier) holds an additional 155 contacts. Up to 25 phone book entries can be assigned Voice Tags for voice dialing, a feature we found to be quick and easy to use.

The P7389's voice recorder is an incredible convenience, although its three-minute capacity restricts it to short notes. A simple press of the Record button starts and stops the recording, while the remaining available time counts down on the display. It should be noted that the P7389 doesn't have an external speaker, so you have to hold the phone to your ear to listen to Voicenote messages.

The P7389's call-management and security-features list reads like a phone fantasy wish list. Basically, if your GSM carrier has a service, this phone supports it. From conference calling to caller ID and call forwarding to voice mail alerts, the P7389 does it all.

When you press the quick-access key, nine common operations are displayed with an array of icons for such operations as wireless Internet access, creating/editing SMS messages, muting the phone, toggling the vibration mode, and adding numbers to your SIM card.

In addition to phone and keypad locking, the Timeport P7389's security features let you control menu and phone book access and selectively restrict outgoing and incoming calls.

The P7389 has an infrared port for synchronizing phone book data with a PC, and the port on the bottom of the phone can be used with a data cable to tether your phone to a PC or other device. TrueSync PIM software makes it easy to manage your phone book with a desktop or notebook PC to transfer phone book entries to the phone. And, unlike its predecessor (the Timeport L7089), there is an incoming fax mode for data calls.

In addition to the TrueSync software, the Timeport P7389 is bundled with a headset, a travel charger with a European/UK adapter, and a belt clip.

Its lithium-ion battery is rated for a maximum 210 minutes of digital talk time and 150 hours of digital standby time. In testing, our sample phone held a call for nearly 210 minutes, and it lasted just over 150 hours in standby mode.

Even if you travel only within one country, this phone's well-executed design and rich set of calling features are appealing.

--Brown Consulting Associates

Pros:

• Triband capacity for worldwide use
• Voice-activated features
• Compact and lightweight with a nicely balanced case
• Infrared connectivity
• Good talk-time battery performance

• Only single band in North America
• Three-minute capacity for voice recorder

How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time

When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phone battery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables, including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency (including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, and battery charging methods and history, will affect performance. When handset manufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings, they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer to the times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery life ranges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience at least the minimum rated range. Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital and analog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, as analog mode consumes much more power than digital mode.

Our Tests: We tested digital-mode talk and standby times with each phone. Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to the manufacturer's directions. To test digital-phone talk time, we turned the phone on, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and, when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook. When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when the phone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped the calls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately and continued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged the battery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier-signal strength, this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting that several phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers' ratings.