November 21st, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Mobile Phones, Samsung
We have seen the rapid development of Samsung mobile phones in terms of internal functions as well as external or physical features and now, we have the newest model from the company that brought you the U-series phones, the U900 Soul.
Commonly referred to as the “Soul,” mobile phone reviews inform us that this is not your ordinary run of the mill phone. According to a review by mobile-phones-uk.org.uk, this is actually the first of the next generation of Samsung mobiles, at least in the slide phone class and despite the company categorising it under the U-series, it is simply called “Soul” by users, as if it had started a new line of Samsung products.
As previously mentioned, Samsung have designed the U900 Soul or ‘Soul’ to be the forerunner of a new family of slide phones. It seems that the Soul accumulated all the good stuff from its predecessors. It combines the touch-screen technology of the U600 and the ultra slim design of the D900. Though the Samsung U600 was thinner by two millimetres, at 10.9mm thick, the new Samsung Soul, 12.9 mm, promises users even more than the previous version could offer.
Since the Soul is a flagship phone, it is only to be expected that it will have edgy and top-end features. It is actually the first Samsung phone to have a 16million colour display, though its 5-megapixel camera now trails the best cameraphones produced by Nokia and Sony Ericsson. It has a metallic case, a very sleek and minimalist design and really flat surfaces, both LCD and the keypads. Apart from having a touch-screen display, it also has a “magical touch interface”, a touch-sensitive keypad, with icons that navigate its users to the various menus.
November 16th, 2009 | Apple iPhone, HTC, Mobile News, Motorola Mobile Phones, Nokia, Sony Ericsson
Latest mobile phone news includes the rumoured release of new handsets from Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola. Speculation suggests that there will be another handset added to the long list of Nokia phones. The company has not yet confirmed the name or the potential date of its release, but reports indicate that throughout its design period, the device was known as the Nokia 8800 Erdos.
Latest leaks suggest that Motorola is going to release two Android-based phones in the near future. It is believed that they will use the Google operating system.
Reports on Sony Ericsson’s new concept phone, the Kiki, which has been detailed and outlined before, indicate that it is going to be released as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Pureness.
In other news internet speculation suggests the release of new handsets from HTC, BlackBerry and Apple. Speculation that Dell is currently making a touch-screen phone that will use the Android operating system are increasing, while HTC is expected to add other touch-screen phones, which are currently codenamed HTC Mega and HTC Leo, to their list of smartphone devices.
Rumours and a few leaked photos indicate that Nokia is currently in the process of creating a new phone to follow up their 5800 Express Music. This new handset, called Nokia 5900, is expected to have a brand new type of memory card, known as SDXC, which boast a larger capacity than previous models.
It seems that a new handset, which is expected to be known as the BlackBerry Storm 2, will use the company’s version 5.0 operating system, is going to be the latest addition to the ever-growing collection of BlackBerry smartphones.
Reports from Apple suggest that the company may release an 8-gigabyte version of their latest 3G smartphone.
November 14th, 2009 | Camera Phones, LG, Touchscreen
LG have recently revealed another top notch mobile, the LG Secret. This phone is highly fashionable and people just cannot stop looking at the handset as it stands out from the sea of mobiles on the market.
With its elegant appeal, which exudes glamour and class, the silver and black finish complements the 2.4inch QVGA touch screen. This stunning screen is manufactured from tempered glass, making it almost completely scratch resistant. It has neon touch navigation and touch sensitive controls that add to the stylish appeal of the phone.
This 3G beauty is convenient to carry, with dimensions of only 11.8m deep by 50.8mm wide and 102.8mm tall. The device weighs 116grams and has a built-in memory of 100MB, which can easily be expanded, up to a maximum of 4gigabytes, by using a microSD memory card.
Its multimedia features include a 5-megapixel camera with flash, autofocus and face detection, along with a video recording feature, which can be saved in DivX or MPEG4 format. It also has a second camera for 3G video calls and features voice recording memo. You can also use the phone speakers and continue working while on a call.
LG Secret’s 3G HSDPA feature provides fast connectivity and Internet connection, the WAP browser provides quality XHTML and HTML Internet experience, while other connectivity includes Bluetooth and USB. Finally, the phone also features multimedia picture messaging and e-mail.
LG have definitely revealed another masterpiece with their LG Secret.
November 11th, 2009 | Camera Phones, Mobile Phone Reviews, Sony Ericsson
Among all the mobile phones currently available on the market, this could be the best there is, at least in the mid-range category. The Sony Ericsson C510 gives its users the ultimate flexibility, with its “standard” Sony Ericsson design and competitive features.
How do we describe “standard?” The Sony Ericsson C510 comes with its traditional candy bar-like structure, similar to other SE phones. Reviews always claim that the good thing about this standard SE phone body is its ergonomic design, which enables the user to have a very nice grip on the phone. This is definitely advantageous, especially for UK users who are becoming ever more addicted to texting.
Let’s forget about the mobile phone reviews for the moment and instead focus on the phone itself. The Sony Ericsson C510 is a cameraphone, since it falls under the C category. It is not like your Sony Ericsson C902 or C905, both of which have an almost professional picture-capturing capability that comes with a 5 or 8-megapixels camera. Instead, it has a 3.2-megapixel camera, complete with face detection, autofocus and SmileShutter™. The price matters, of course, so if you are thinking about how much it costs, don’t worry; it sells for half the price of either the C902 or C905.
Other features include LED flash, 3.2 digital zooming, video capture, 3G calling, high quality media player with TrackID, which identifies unknown music files, FM radio, Bluetooth®, 100MB of internal memory plus support for Memory Stick Micro™ of up to 4GB and web browsing capability.
November 8th, 2009 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband, Wireless Devices, mobile technology
From time to time, people will switch from one broadband provider to another. The move may be due to poor service, cost or possibly availability or lack of suitable features. While switching can seem like an overwhelming task, the truth is that you can move from one provider to another with relative ease. Here are some tips that will help.
Your first task is to look at the terms and conditions that apply to your current broadband plan, when is it due for renewal and are there any terms that would allow you to terminate it early due to a failure of service delivery? Knowing these important facts will make it easier for you to schedule your switch without causing undue problems with your current provider.
In situations where you believe your provider is not delivering the service according to the terms of contract, maintain a record of each time you encounter a difficulty, how long it lasts and what degree of problems you have in resolving the issue. If there are charges associated with contacting your provider’s customer support team, also keep a running tally of those expenses.
When talking with potential broadband providers, let them know about your commitments with your current provider. Some providers will work with you and your current provider to arrange for your new service to go live even as your old service is discontinued. The best-case scenario is that you will not experience any interruption in service at all. However, always make sure you know the specifics of the cut-off, so you are prepared to do whatever is required at your end to prepare for the switch.
Knowing the status of your current contract will make it easier to create a plan of action that allows your new service to seamlessly transfer from your previous broadband provider. Plan the change carefully and the entire process will come off without a hitch.
November 5th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Mobile Phones, Palm, Touchscreen
Palm Pre
The Palm Pre has a user-friendly layout and sleek design. It uses an operating system developed by the in-house staff at Palm, giving the phone an edge over its predecessors like the TX and Tungsten E2. The phone looks good, with its curvy edges and plastic casing. Volume buttons are located on the left spine, while the speaker is at the rear side. The dimensions are a little on the large size, measuring 100.5mm x 59.5mm x 16.9mm and it weighs 133grams, inclusive of the battery.
The 3.1inch screen has a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, while the 3.15-pixel, built-in camera, has enhanced fixed focus and 2048 x 1536 resolution. Connectivity features include Wi-Fi 802.11, EDGE, HSDPA, Infrared, MicroUSB and GPRS. Other features include an accelerometer, light sensor, proximity and A-GPS chip.
The web OS operating system, which is based on the Linux platform, gives the Palm Pre advanced functionality. Synergy software allows contact details to be easily listed and imported from various sources, such as Gmail, Outlook and Facebook. A drag and drop system prevents duplicate entries and allows contacts to be organised easily.
Palm Treo Pro
This model is targeted at the business user. The phone has a 5hour battery life and a standby time of 250hours, while its touch-screen is more sensitive than, for example, the Samsung i900 Omnia. The 2-megapixel camera has a 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution and the music player supports various formats. Connectivity features include EDGE, HSDPA, Class 10 GPRS, Wi-Fi, Infrared, USB and Bluetooth 2.0.
Some O2 packages offer free Palm Treo handsets, while Vodafone almost gives them away, for only £25, as part of its 24-month contract.
November 4th, 2009 | Blackberry, Mobile Phone Reviews, Mobile Phones
The BlackBerry Curve 8520 has a lower price tag than high-end Blackberry models, because it lacks several high-tech features. Its plastic casing and rubberised sidewalls are already suggestive of its bargain price.
The Curve 8520 is the first BlackBerry smartphone to have an optical trackpad button, a feature usually only found on high-end models. This optical feature gives the 8520 a slight technological edge over its predecessors, which used a trackball. Though the trackpad is not particularly sensitive, it is good enough for a smartphone. It works as well as a trackball, but there are problems when scrolling through lengthy documents or web pages.
All the major messaging features of premium Blackberry phones are present in the Blackberry Curve 8520. E-mails are redirected to one inbox, while SMS, instant messaging texts and Facebook postings are neatly organised in one spot, eliminating the need to switch from one application to another. However, you can still access all these web 2.0 applications individually if you prefer.
The BlackBerry 8520 comes with a 2-megapixel camera, but image quality lags behind the standard for premium camera phones. You always have to use auto focus on the camera, in order to avoid it selecting the background rather than the than the subject. Colours range from poor to warm, with a reddish tone. Images are barely recognisable at full zoom and the camera has no flash or self-portrait mirror.
BlackBerry 8520’s are supplied free when you sign-up to 18-month contracts with Orange or O2 at £30 and £35 per month, respectively.
October 30th, 2009 | Broadband, Mobile Phones, Wireless Devices
While the Essentials package from TalkTalk Broadband is a great little offer, you may decide you want a little more. The good news is that you can add to that free wireless router, lightning fast speed and ample usage limit. Known as Boosters, these add-ons allow the TalkTalk option to compare favourably with all sorts of broadband providers.
For people who find they skate perilously close to the 40GB usage limit, you can easily increase it to 80GB. If you like to download movies and other large files, this Download Plus boost may be just what you need. While this enhancement adds a little to the low TalkTalk price, the service is still well below the competition.
You can also boost the free calls to landlines. Anytime Calls is an add-on that allows you to make calls to inclusive landlines any time you like. You never have to worry about the time of day; simply make your call and move on to the next item on your list.
If you have a new computer equipped with the latest in hard drives and other key resources, you may want to consider the Speed Boost add-on. This will allow you to obtain the optimum speed possible from your broadband connection. Depending on the quality of your line and the status of your equipment, you could enjoy speeds of up to 24Mbps.
There are also add-ons that can enhance your mobile phone experience, such as additional calling features and a discount when you make calls to various UK mobile phones. These options are available for a modest increase to the cost of the monthly service and can add a great deal to your overall TalkTalk experience.
Because TalkTalk offers a thirty-day money back guarantee, you can always give these enhancements a try. If things don’t work out, you simply cancel the service and your 18-month contract. However, there is a good chance you will find TalkTalk to be among the best broadband providers in the country, with what is easily one of the most economical price structures around.
October 28th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Mobile Phones, Nokia
Entry-level phones have never been this cute and functional. The Nokia 3600 slide is packed with features that are too good to be true and just think; it could be yours for a very affordable price. Once again, Nokia has proved its expertise in the fields of functionality and design.
The 3600 slide is a compact phone that provides easy texting, because of its perfectly sized keypad. Its screen also has a wide palette of display colours.
The phone’s main features include an efficient 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and double LED flash features. The quality of the photos is fair for a low-resolution camera, which also has video recording capacity, using VGA resolution. Another multimedia feature of the Nokia 3600 slide is its music player, which can play popular audio formats such as MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ and WMA. It also includes a built-in FM radio.
The internal memory of this phone is a reasonable 30MB, which is the usual figure for entry-level phones. However, it supports a microSD memory card, which can boost storage to a maximum of 4GB, so you’ll have plenty of room to store your music files.
This product has bonus applications such as Nokia Maps and Opera web browser, while its connectivity modes include Bluetooth and USB.
Most reviews highlight a degree of disappointment with the Nokia 3600 slide’s battery life. Nevertheless, with its affordability and action-packed features, buying this phone would be a sensible way to spend your money on a quality mobile.
October 27th, 2009 | Camera Phones, LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen
The LG Viewty Smart gc900 is an upgraded and much better version of the original Viewty. Its appearance exudes the modern, upbeat design that we have come to expect of higher spec mobiles.
One notable feature of this phone is that it uses the new S class interface and has a superb resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. This makes viewing easier and much more enjoyable.
The LG Viewty Smart gc900 boasts an 8-megapixel camera, which is on a par with many of the dedicated digital cameras currently on the market. It uses a high quality Schneider Kreuznach lens and features the superb, Intelligent Shot Mode, which automatically adjusts the background and lighting conditions of the photos, based on data from the pre-programmed shots. This camera also has a high video recording capacity, which can take up to 120fps and you have the option of adding special effects such as slow motion. It also supports video calling.
Another multimedia feature is the music player, which supports most popular formats and a video player that can play DivX/XviD. The LG Viewty Smart gc900 has a very generous memory of 1.5GB and for additional storage, it can support microSD memory cards up to 32GB, so you should have no problem storing your favourite files. GPS and connectivity with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB are all included.
The LG Viewty Smart gc900 is certainly a prize-find mobile in the sea of phones on the market.
