New mobiles get a lot more social

THE latest crop of phones range from total solutions for online socialites to miniature marvels, writes Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson.

THOSE seemingly simple gadgets, mobile phones, have taken over our lives and will outnumber computers in less than three years, Google chief executive Eric Schmidt predicts.

Modern mobiles are feature-heavy, internet-savvy, app-packed and now responsible for almost half of the world's new internet connections.

But plans are afoot to make mobiles even more central in our lives, with exhibitors at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona showing ways phones will become a one-stop hub for social networking, even more portable, and filled with slicker, easier-to-use menus.

Be warned though, there are tough choices to make to invest in your next phone.