And this, I think, is where you start to encounter problems. For the screen to be wider a complete redesign would be necessary rather than the gentle tweaks that Nokia have provided us with in the QD; if the screen's wider, how are the keys arranged? To say that they are pretty stylishly cramped now is fair enough, but any more space-economy and things would be getting ridiculous. Yes, it's a lot of fun, and the games do benefit massively from Bluetooth connectivity and shenanigans, but when push comes to shove, its major selling point is also its fatal flaw: it's not just a game deck, it's a phone. And to improve one, it seems that you would ultimately be compromising the other. It's not that the two properties are incompatible; indeed, far from it: I'm sure we all cheer for the innovations distracting the mobile gaming populous from the aggravatingly addictive world of Snake (intriguingly omitted from the QD), and it's brilliant to game'n'go with just one handset rather than two. And indeed, if anything will make the an even slightly tenable competitor for the more technologically advanced upcoming and systems, it will be this two-in-one advantage.

Although damaged by the poor of the original N-Gage, the line-up of titles for 2004/5 still has some good looking games, and although many of them look suspiciously like ports, those which utilize the QD's unique capabilities best sound very promising - such as game Pathway to Glory, with hot-seat multiplayer, Bluetooth and, of course, N-Gage Arena multiplayer options as well as a single player story mode. Most games available for the deck have Bluetooth and online capabilities, and this is another notch on the proverbial gaming bedpost for Nokia over the GBA.

So, is it worth buying? Well, yes and no. If you like gaming, and you need a phone, then this is definitely the handset for you: sexily compact, easy to use, and most importantly, great fun. Much more 'mobile' than its clichéd 'jack of all trades, master of none' older brother, the QD accomplishes usability and gaming prowess with more than a little panache. For the hardcore gamer, however, who has both a phone and a bag big enough to carry both his mobile and a handheld in, I'd suggest considering whether to hold out for one of the new next-gen handhelds. Indeed, how much you like it (and therefore ultimately its success) will probably come down to your perception of its place in the mobile gaming market. The QD puts its predecessor to shame, fulfilling the necessary criteria brilliantly, but for now, at least in my mind, its competitors remain the other mobile phone manufacturers, and not the gaming giants of and Nintendo. Whether consumers perceive Nokia as a serious 'gaming' company of this calibre, and come to see the N-Gage as a quality game deck irrespective of its capabilities as a phone, will be intrinsic to the QD's success. But if Nokia can pull enough good quality, original titles out of the gaming hat, I'm sure they'll have no trouble finding people to wear it. Ahem.

By Keri Webster