October 15th, 2009 | Camera Phones, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen
The LG Arena has taken the market by storm, with its stunning screen and a dazzling user-friendly interface. This is a compact touch-screen phone, with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution and it is undeniable that the high definition display is one of the main attractions of the phone.
The Arena is the first phone to be fitted with LG’s new S-Class touch-screen user interface. Its “cube” layout makes the screen more fun and interesting, as you can turn the screen around to see one of the four sides, contacts, shortcuts, widgets and a customisable home screen.
Its superb metal finish adds to the appeal, as do its quality and wide range of features. The LG KM900 Arena is an impressive multimedia device, featuring a 5-megapixel camera, with focus and LED flash, video-recording capacity and a music player, which supports all the popular audio formats, MP3, AAC and WMA. To top that, it uses Dolby Mobile for a surround sound effect.
The LG Arena is at its best when you need to make use of its impressive memory capacity of 8GB of flash memory. To provide additional storage, this phone can support a 40GB MicroSD memory card, a feature that will enable you to store all your tracks and play-lists.
There can be little doubt that with such a wide-ranging list of features packed into one compact touch-screen phone, the LG Arena is sure to be a hit in the mobile market.
October 12th, 2009 | Camera Phones, Mobile Phones, Samsung
This is a smartphone to tell your friends about. Available in 8-gigabyte or a 16-gigabyte version, either of which can support a further 16-gigabytes of memory, the Samsung i850 Innov 8 is a high-end phone you do not want to miss.
One of the main features of this little gem is an 8 MP camera with auto focus to ensure crisp and blur-free photos. A major advantage of such a feature is that you just point and shoot; it’s all so simple. There is a flash for those cloudy days and dark nights and a stabilising feature to neutralise small movements and make your photos ones that you can be proud of. More than that, it is easy to edit the finished pictures with software that is simple to understand and manipulate.
What you can do with the camera, can also be achieved with its video capabilities. It supports MP4, WMV, DivX, H264 and H264 and if you think you have what it takes to become a pro, you can edit the videos you have recorded and share them with your friends.
The Innov 8 can connect to the Internet using 3G HSDPA technology, which operates at broadband speeds. With its second camera, 3G video calling is possible and for other connectivity it has Wi-Fi, Class 10 EDGE, Bluetooth and USB.
The device is capable of multimedia messaging, text messaging, Instant Messaging and e-mail and runs on the popular Symbian Operating System, version 9.3, for a hassle-free experience. What’s more, the phone offers 8.5hours of talk time and 310hours of standby time.
Although the Samsung i8510 Innov 8 is a bit thick, at 17.2mm, it is packed with features that most of us could only dream of.
October 9th, 2009 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband, Wireless Devices
As you begin to compare different broadband deals, you will quickly find that you can obtain these services either as part of a larger package or as a stand-alone product. Known respectively as bundled and unbundled services, there are advantages to each approach. Here are some examples.
Bundling your broadband in a package with other communication services can sometimes allow you to take advantage of price discounts that are not offered with unbundled DSL or cable services. It is not unusual for broadband providers to offer lower pricing on all services when you put your home phone, mobile and broadband into a single package. Compare what you would pay for all three services individually with the total cost of the bundled package and if the savings are significant, this may be your best bet.
However, remember that this bundled rate invariably comes with restrictions. Usually, the provider is likely to require a longer contract period in order to apply the lower rates to each of the services in the bundle. If you are unsure about committing yourself making a long-term contract, your interests may best be served by going with individual services, rather than the bundle.
Stand-alone broadband service is a good solution if you prefer to not have all your communication services with one provider. In times past, this was sometimes a good idea, as provider networks would fail and affect all their product offerings, not just one or two. However, today, most networks are configured to safeguard against this sort of thing occurring. If your broadband is out of order, there is a good chance the cellular and home phone components of your bundled package will be unaffected.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to ask a prospective service provider what happens to the other services if any one of them is out of order for a short time. The response you receive will tell you whether that particular bundled services option meets your needs and if its provider is the one for you.
October 5th, 2009 | Camera Phones, Mobile Phones, Nokia
Nokia 6600 Slide
The stylish Nokia 6600 Slide is equipped with 3G, EDGE and Bluetooth®. It has USB-enabled connectivity and a pre-installed Internet browser, making it a good alternative to palmtops. The model works on GSM & WCDMA platforms, thus enabling global roaming. There is a 3.2-megapixel digital camera with 8x digital zoom, double LED flash and video recording capabilities.
You can get a free Nokia 6600 as part of a bundled package from Orange, on 18 and 24-month contracts.
Nokia N96
This sleek model comes with dual slides and handy keypad. The phone measures 103mm x 55mm x 18mm and has a sturdier feel than its predecessor. With 16-gigabyte built-in memory, 128-megabyte RAM, 256-megabyte system memory and MicroSD memory card slots, this model is good for storing large multimedia files. Its 2.8inch LCD colour screen can be adjusted to vertical or horizontal modes and displays 16 million colours, with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The phone is equipped with a 5-megapixel camera and Carl Zeiss Tessar optics. Connectivity features include DVB H TV, 3G, GPS and Wi-Fi technology.
Vodafone offers free Nokia N96 phones as part of its 24-month contract.
Nokia 8800
The Nokia 8800 comes with rugged slides, made of carbon fibre, glass and titanium. The lower casing covers the keypad, but even when the slides are closed, call keys and navigation keys remain accessible. The two-inch screen has a 320 x 240 pixel resolution with 16 million colours. By gently tapping the front of the smartphone the clock appears on the screen or ring volume can be changed to silent mode. Connectivity specification includes Bluetooth, Micro USB, GPRS, EDGE and 3G.
October 2nd, 2009 | Mobile Phones, Touchscreen, iPhone
The iPhone 3G was launched more than one year after Apple introduced its first iPhone model. The latest version is barely distinguishable from the first model in terms of physical design, but it does deliver more advanced features and new functions, including faster 3G network access, a wide range of third-party applications and Microsoft Exchange server e-mail. Though the iPhone 3G lacks some basic features, it is seen as a turning point in the history of the smartphone industry.
The iPhone 3G has addressed some of the glitches seen in the first Apple model. Volume is louder and background noise has been dramatically reduced, though music and video quality are barely changed.
The 3.5inch screen has a resolution of 480×320 pixels. It has the same dimensions as the first Apple model, but the iPhone 3G has slightly more dots per inch (163 vs. 160). Image quality is also improved, thanks to its sharper graphics and fluid movements.
The iPhone 3G comes with tons of web 2.0 applications and widgets, online financial tools, YouTube widgets, threaded texting and visual voice mail, among many others.
Another major improvement seen in the iPhone 3G is interoperability with Microsoft Exchange server. This model also works with multiple POP3 accounts and allows faster e-mail syncing. Apple’s Mobile Me service, which synchronises with Mac’s e-mail functionalities, is also supported by iPhone 3G.
The speed of data transmission also sets the iPhone 3G apart from its predecessor and 3G connectivity dramatically reduces download time. For instance, a web page that takes 2.75minutes to download using 2.5G EDGE, takes less than a minute to be accessed on 3G.
September 30th, 2009 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband
Whether you have a small business or run a large company, there is a good chance you rely heavily on the Internet for a number of functions. You therefore need to find as much information as possible on broadband providers offering services in your area. If you are wondering where to begin, here’s a tip that will help.
There are a number of websites dedicated to reviews of the latest business broadband contracts. Along with these reviews, you can often find a great deal of information about features and sometimes pricing. Very often, you can also learn about which areas of the country are covered by a particular broadband provider.
This does not mean you must scroll through a long report to find out if a particular provider is currently offering services in your area. Many review sites allow you to conduct a quick search, so all you need is your BT telephone number or the postcode for your location. In a matter of seconds, you can ascertain which providers are operating nearby and can then focus your broadband comparison efforts on them.
Keep in mind that most business broadband providers that operate in a given area will also be listed in the local telephone directory or run advertisements in the local newspaper. If you have limited access to the Internet, at present, these additional sources can help you speed your search. In either case, always research any potential providers with care, so you fully understand what they offer in the way of terms and conditions, the commitment you must make and what is required at your end for the broadband service to work efficiently.
September 29th, 2009 | LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen
LG’s Crystal gd900 is a good example of the company’s innovativeness in phone design, with its key feature being the first transparent keypad on the market. It combines a touch-screen interface and a surprising touch-sensitive slide-down numeric keypad. It also has a polished silver casing and exudes an elegant overall appeal. Without doubt, this is a phenomenon in mobile phone design.
Apart from its unique features, this phone also boasts a high-resolution screen, with 800 x 480 pixels and a profusion of colours for an improved viewing experience. You can rotate the screen, according to the orientation you prefer and the S class interface is included, which makes it an especially user-friendly device, due to its bright, colourful icons and easy access to other phones that also use the S class interface.
The LG Crystal has a handwriting recognition device and 3G technology and also features touch-screen controls to aid the process. Its memory can handle a basic 1.5GB, but can be easily expanded for additional storage by using a MicroSD card, which can store up to 32GB. Connectivity includes Bluetooth 2.1, USB, Wi-Fi and TV-Out.
There is no doubt that the LG Crystal gd900 is an extremely fashionable phone, which also scores highly in the novelty department. On the downside, however, some reviews have expressed a sense of disappointment, because of its remarkably high price and lack of GPS, a feature that is considered to be one of the essentials in today’s world of mobile phones.
September 27th, 2009 | Blackberry, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen
The BlackBerry Storm 9500 is designed to compete with Apple’s iPhone 3G and T-Mobile’s G1 smartphones. It runs on BlackBerry 4.7.0 OS (4.0.0.98), the company’s latest operating system. Launched in the latter part of 2008, the Storm 9500 is available in locked contracts, but there are also versions that allow users to choose their telecommunication provider.
This is the first BlackBerry smartphone to have a touch-screen rather than a physical keypad. SurePress technology turns the screen into a virtual keypad and the patented technology causes the screen to react in exactly the same way that keypads do. With this technology, there is no need for a stylus and users can easily navigate through the interface with fingertips, clicking icons as easily as with a mouse. SurePress also allows users to adjust the sensitivity of the screen and choose between single or double tapping as the default mode of clicking.
The screen display is 2mm shorter than the frame, leaving an empty space at top and bottom and there is a thin foil to prevent fingerprints from smearing the screen. The touch-screen measures 3.25inches, has a resolution of 360 x 480 pixels and a 65k colour range.
The BlackBerry Storm 9500 is heavy by smartphone standards, weighing 155grams, inclusive of battery, but not too heavy when compared with the iPhone and HTC Touch HD. The back cover is made of metallic material, which appears to add weight to the device.
September 25th, 2009 | Camera Phones, Mobile Phones, Sony Ericsson
Mobile phone reviews say that this new phone is better than its Sony Ericsson C902 predecessor in terms of functionality, but only a little less stylish.
We can safely say that the Sony Ericsson C905 is the epitome of the cameraphone series with Walkman capabilities, but first, let’s talk about its imaging functions.
The Ericsson C905 comes with an 8-megapixel camera that really captures the best images, compared to other mobile cameraphones. In addition, it has reintroduced Xenon flash technology, something that the C902 was missing and which is used in professional flash photography. It also features Smart Contrast™, which enables the user or “digital photographer”, to balance the light and colour of the shot, as if you are using a Photoshop application. It also features a BestPic™ function, which captures a succession of seven shots so that the user can choose the best one. Of course, don’t forget that all other SE cameraphone features, like autofocus, face detection, SmileShutter™ and image stabiliser are all included as standard.
Now, let’s deal with its other functions. The Sony Ericsson C905 is a 3G phone, which enables video calling. In addition, it has very savvy GPS tracking, which is ideal when driving. Google Maps is included and a trial version of the Wayfinder Navigator software is bundled with the phone. It also has the new Wi-Fi function, which makes it more exciting for mobile Internet surfers. Undoubtedly, the Sony Ericsson C905 is a comprehensive powerhouse of a mobile phone.
As far as media functions are concerned, the C905 has a media player that plays MP3s and identifies unknown tracks, thanks to TrackID™, an FM radio, Bluetooth®, USB connectivity and EDGE technology for faster downloads.
September 24th, 2009 | Broadband
Once you’ve decided to install a broadband service in your home, your next task is to choose the right provider for your needs. There are a number of reliable broadband providers to choose from, which can sometimes make the task bewildering. Here are the major items you should be thinking about.
First, consider your needs in terms of the capabilities of your computer. An older system may mean that you need to focus your attention on services that require less RAM or work well with an older operating system. Keeping these factors in mind will help you get the most from the service you finally choose.
Next, find out what you can about each of the broadband options you are considering. Is there an introductory price? If so, when does the full price go into effect? How long will the service contract be in effect? Your goal is to identify a deal with the terms and conditions that best meet your needs.
As part of your broadband comparison, read reviews of each service you are considering. You need to know what their current customers think in terms of service delivery, customer support and ease of set up. Online consumer reporting sites, along with discussion boards are excellent sources of this type of information.
Don’t hesitate to check out providers that you have never heard of before. Some of the up and coming broadband service providers compare favourably with well-known names. Base your selection on merit and affordability, rather than relying solely on a name; in the end, you might be glad you did.