Why does the magazine review mobile phones?

We only review the phones that position themselves as portable entertainment devices as much as phones - they're an alternative to a dedicated MP3/MP4 player, which we've been reviewing for about 10 years!

Clare Newsome:

We only review the phones that position themselves as portable entertainment devices as much as phones - they're an alternative to a dedicated MP3/MP4 player, which we've been reviewing for about 10 years!

Shame Hoover doesn't play MP3!  I am looking to buy a new one, the upright type with 4 speeds

We thank you to What Hifi for the reviews on some handphone models. This information is more accurate and very useful to decide which handphone models satisfy the need of sound quality. Hopefully, reviews can be made for car audio too.

Thank you for the clarification, Claire.

Best regards.

I think the key difference is the criteria used to review mobile phones and even the standard portable players in WHF comparied to a publication such as stuff, i.e. more focus on sound quality.

I'm not one to want to see personal audio in a hi-fi magazine, but if somebody wants a semi serious personal 'hi-fi', then they should be buying ipods and MP3 players, not using their phone, which is for......well.....making phone calls.

This also takes away the reviewers time which could be better spent reviewing more real hi-fi or spending more time with important products, as some equipment needs reviewing over a period of time.

It really does amaze me, 4LKN4, that you bother to frequent our Forums at all, considering your decision to take a pop at everything we do.

Jumping on a month-old thread just to have a dig about sound-quality-based music-mobile reviews that are incredibly popular (in-mag and online) appears to be a case of you seeking out something to grumble about.

Yes, we know we're never going to make traditionalists happy by reviewing newer entertainment kit, but the world and technology move on, and we stay the bestselling title by moving with it. 

It really amazes me that WHF have started a forum, ask for opinions and things to discuss, then, along with some regulars, jump on whoever says anything remotely bordering on negative. Criticism is supposed to be taken on board as something to help improve things. All I said was that I'd prefer real hi-fi to be reviewed rather than mobiles - and you jump down my throat instantly. I was not having a dig, but you obviously read it that way.

Shall I just praise everything you do and put you all up on a pedestal? I can't see this forum growing if disagreements aren't allowed.

I bought a mobile phone recommended by WHF review to avoid mistakes. Thanks to WHF for widen the products review, for the use of "hifi people".

If there is any tyre recommended by "hifi people" for quitest vehicle sound on road, I will follow, as i believe that those opinion by "hifi people" is much more relevant than "car people"

4LKN4:

It really amazes me that WHF have started a forum, ask for opinions and things to discuss, then, along with some regulars, jump on whoever says anything remotely bordering on negative. Criticism is supposed to be taken on board as something to help improve things. All I said was that I'd prefer real hi-fi to be reviewed rather than mobiles - and you jump down my throat instantly. I was not having a dig, but you obviously read it that way.

Shall I just praise everything you do and put you all up on a pedestal? I can't see this forum growing if disagreements aren't allowed.

Now you're being facetious.

It's all about balance, isn't it. As you'll see from many, many threads on this Forum, we take feedback and comments on board, and act on it. We also are happy for people to disagree with our opinions - though will, of course, robustly defend ours.

However, relentless criticism from a single source is hardly constructive....

4LKN4: We review music mobiles because of demand.

They're quite popular, as you may have noticed. The Walkman brand especially...we give everybody a chance to get the best out of any audio product. The fact is, some people do spend time outside - it's quite a popular thing, you may have noticed - and they need a portable music device. We just let everyone know which is the best. As our issues get bigger and bigger, a few pages dedicated to music mobiles is useful to every reader - after all, everyone owns a mobile and might like to know if it's any good at playing music...