Test Drive a Cell Phone — on the Web

No, you can't actually make calls, and only a handful of models are available, but TryPhone.com will let you zip around the menus of various cell phones, all from the comfort of your web browser.

The free, still-in-beta service went live earlier this week, and it's a clever idea: just click on a phone, and an interactive image of the handset appears in your browser. You can then click the phone's buttons with your mouse to check out the various menus, launch the mobile web browser, fire up the camera, or start dialing a number. I also like the demos, which step you through such basic tasks as how to set a ringtone, change wallpaper, or access voicemail. Don't expect to actually surf the mobile web or add contacts, however—the service is intended just to give you a feeling for a phone's interface.

Unfortunately, TryPhone comes up short regarding selection; for now, the only phones you can test are the iPhone, the LG Muziq, the Samsung Juke, and the BlackBerry Pearl. That said, the site is still in beta, so hopefully we'll see a slew of new devices in short order.