Motorola Milestone 2 Review

September 28th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Mobile Phones, Motorola Mobile Phones, Touchscreen

The Motorola Milestone 2 is the latest in Motorola mobile phones and the direct follow up to last year’s phenomenally successful original Motorola Milestone.

Like the original, the Motorola Milestone 2 is relatively large in comparison to many other new mobile phones, with dimensions of 116.3 x 60.5 x 13.7 millimetres; it weighs about 169 grams which means, also like the original, it isn’t exactly a phone that you can forget you are carrying around with you in your pocket.  Fortunately, the reasons for the size are fairly obvious, given the massive (for a mobile phone, anyway) full slide out QWERTY keyboard and a 3.7 inch touch-screen.  Even better, while the original also came with a QWERTY keyboard, this one is slightly different, with keys that are both slightly larger and a touch more raised, which will certainly make it easier on the fingers.

Not yet on the market, the Motorola Milestone 2 is expected to be on the pricier side, so those looking for cheap mobile phones can look away right now.  Even with many mobile phone deals around, this is still going to be a distinctly pricier alternative. Fortunately, it is jam packed with features to keep tech lovers buzzing for hours, including its own flash player, an 8 GB microSD card, its own music player, 512 MB of RAM, a video camera capable of recording in high definition, and a screen pixel resolution of 854 x 480.

If you can afford it – when the price is finally announced – the Motorola Milestone 2 certainly has all the elements of a must buy.

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Broadband comparison websites

September 26th, 2010 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband

Once you have woken up to the numerous benefits of getting broadband installed in your home, it is time to choose a provider and a package.  To help with this, there are scores of broadband comparison websites on the internet that compare all the different deals and packages on offer on a daily basis.  These are drawn up neatly and enable you to compare what is on offer at any given time, in terms of cost, speed and freebies.

To obtain your business, the various providers usually have special introductory offers such as unlimited chat, a free router and a 30-day trial to make sure you are happy with the service.  Balance the freebies against the actual ongoing service to avoid longer-term disappointment.  Recommendations from friends are often the safest way to go.  When the service comes up for renewal, or when the tied-in initial honeymoon period has expired you can always use broadband comparison websites to shop around for better deals.

Do not necessarily go for the cheapest service you can find, because it might be insufficient for your needs.  On the other hand, if you are just going to access a few static sites and check emails, your needs will be very different from those of someone intent on playing 24-hour multiplayer online role-playing games.

When deciding on a package, broadband users are classified by internet use into occasional, average and heavy, so ask yourself where you stand.  Other services can be bundled into the basic package, such as mobile broadband and home phone, so you have to weigh all the pros and cons before deciding which option is best for you.

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Samsung Genio QWERTY Review

September 23rd, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung

Take a straw poll of recent mobile phone reviews, and you’ll discover that the verdict on the Samsung Genio QWERTY is a steady, if laid back, ‘thumbs up’. But if you place it in its true market context – it’s very definitely a budget, youth-orientated phone – it starts to glitter.

Even though the screen is relatively small at 2.2 inches, and not especially high resolution (220×176 pixels), everything on display still ends up looking vibrantly chunky. The name derives from the BlackBerry-like QWERTY keyboard, although this is possibly one of the least satisfactory features on the phone. Frankly, it’s as cramped as a matchbox full of bath sponges – there are no spaces between the tiny keys and if you’ve got fingers like jumbo sausages, you’re going to find texting a bit of a nightmare (or you’ll end up sending some intriguingly unintended messages).

There’s no Wi-Fi or 3G,  but on the plus side – aside from the fact that this is one of the cheaper of the cheap mobile phones on the market – you can easily sign in with social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and the FM radio and music player software aren’t bad (it’s no substitute for an MP3 player though). And despite the rather basic 2 megapixel camera, the video playback looks surprisingly smooth. You also don’t have to worry about those annoying bundled headphones – there’s a standard 3.5 mm socket at the top of the phone, so you can use your own.

A monthly contract goes for as little as £10 and a pay as you go deal for around £43. It may not suit the most pernickety techno-addicts amongst us, but as a youngster’s phone, it’s more than adequate.

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Blackberry Curve 8900 Overview

September 21st, 2010 | Blackberry, Mobile Phone Reviews

The Blackberry Curve has proved to be a popular addition to the range of Blackberry mobile phones.  Its dimensions are just 11cm by 6cm and it is just 1.35cm deep, so it fits nicely into a pocket or handbag and is reasonably light at 110g. 

This particular blackberry is equipped with a 3.2 megapixel camera, which is an improvement on the 2 megapixel cameras that most other models have, and taking photos is much easier with the digital zoom and auto focus functions.  There is a video function on the camera and although the internal memory is fairly small at 256MB, this can be increased dramatically with the use of a micro SD memory card.  This is ideal for those who like to listen to music using their phones, as the Blackberry Curve 8900 also has a music player.

The Blackberry mobile phones were brought out mainly for business users, although many people also have them for personal use, and accessing email applications is a breeze with this handset.  The phone is equipped with a QWERTY keyboard which is ideal for texting and writing emails, and business users will find that they are able to access and make alterations to Microsoft Office files. 

The Blackberry range is available on many mobile phone deals.  A quick search of the internet will allow you to compare deals from the latest providers.  As contract mobile phones, the length of commitment will range from 12 months to 2 years and costs will vary.

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Nokia E5 Review

September 18th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Nokia

The Nokia E5 is one of the most recent in the rather extensive selection of Nokia smartphones, and functions as a quietly efficient unit despite its relative lack of bells and whistles.

The handset that comes with the Nokia E5 features its own little traditional QWERTY keyboard which is very easy to use and, together with the ease of email access (offering up to ten accounts), makes clear that this is one of the new mobile phones that is most definitely aimed directly at business oriented users.

Features include Wi-Fi, and the phone supports the HSDPA network.  It features a display of about 2.4 inches, but it is strong and clear with a high resolution of 320 x 240 pixels.

The phone comes complete with the usual memory card offering up to 2 GB of space, but also offers increased storage of up to 32 GB via the card slot and the microSDHC option.  Internal memory, however, is just 250 MB, which seems a little on the small side for a business phone such as this.  The phone also comes complete with its own Real multimedia player, FM radio (including internet radio) and a 5 megapixel camera with its own flash and other features such as autofocus, light sensitivity modes, 3x zoom, colour tones and manual exposure settings.

On the plus side is the fact that this is definitely on the “cheap mobile phones” side of things, and there are sure to be some good mobile phone deals available for this unremarkable yet sturdy piece of equipment.

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HTC Tattoo Review

September 17th, 2010 | Google Android, HTC, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

HTC is one of the leading brands that uses the Android operating system on their smartphones and the HTC Tattoo will continue this trend.  HTC mobile phones are becoming increasingly popular and the Tattoo adds the Sense interface that makes the Android system a little more user friendly.  The phone has a smart look that can be customised with interchangeable casings and fits nicely into a pocket or bag. 

The home screen gives the user easy access to all the applications and functions that can be found on the phone.  Social networking updates can be displayed automatically on your home screen and it can match photos from Facebook with the names in your contacts list. 

The compact size of the Tattoo means that it is smaller than other smartphones and it has an on screen keyboard which makes it easy to type emails and text messages, particularly with the auto correction function.  The internet can be accessed using Wi-Fi and GPS is built-in.   The phone also has a 3.2 megapixel camera which gives good picture quality. 

To find deals on the HTC Tattoo it is worth checking the mobile phone reviews on the internet and comparing a few different mobile service providers.  Contract mobile phones can be free if you agree to sign up for a minimum of 12 months, although some contracts run for up to 2 years.  Tariffs will also vary depending upon the length of contract and the type of phone that you select.

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LG GT500 Review

September 15th, 2010 | LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

While looking very similar to the T-Mobile Compact V in design, the GT500 by LG is a mobile handset running LG’s proprietary operating system.  The GT500 sports a sleek and stylish design, while maintaining the lightweight, small device size LG has come to be known for.  While the 3 inch screen may be a bit small, it still maintains a high level of clarity.

Most notably, the LG GT500 is known for supporting relatively high data rate transfers, as high as 3.6 Megabits per second.  Combined with its 3G capability, it’s a solid phone for web surfing and downloading mobile web content.  GPS and mobile TV capabilities are a welcome addition, however for some they may end up unused. In addition, as an LG product it is compatible with a wide range of efficient on screen widgets, than can be reorganized with a simple shake of the unit.  The GT500’s camera is of a rather high quality at five megapixels, with a bright flash that can take good pictures even in complete darkness.

Unfortunately, there’s little else positive to say about the GT500.  Its greatest weakness is that it fails to stand out in any major way not only in regard to its competition, but also in regard to other LG phones.  With no available keyboard, and no real standout features, the LG GT500 is simply an average phone. It fails to target any one niche, so any one smart phone user who requires specific features can easily find something more suited to their needs.

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Broadband Providers Explained

September 14th, 2010 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband, Wireless Devices

When shopping around for a broadband internet service, the question of which broadband provider to go with will arise?  There is a wealth of broadband providers, most of which position their company’s services in unique ways.  While attempting to differentiate themselves, they still end up marketing to the same group of consumers, the average UK citizen.  With more than 95% of homes in the UK now connected to some sort of broadband or mobile broadband, the overwhelming majority of users are now assaulted with advertisements and offers to purchase a new service, or switch from their existing service provider, often with little relevant important information provided among the fancy text and bright colours.  While most providers offer similar services, there are a few factors that are hard to replicate, and can make a company stand out among the competition.

When assessing broadband providers, one quality that should be considered is the total cost and benefit of switching.  While many people assume that the total cost of switching includes a cancellation fee as well as any set-up fees, it also includes any potential cancellation fee in the future.  While some providers choose to offer free set-up and installation, these providers sometimes make up for this through restrictive contracts and heavy cancellation fees. 

Another consideration when looking at broadband providers is the maximum download cap (or lack thereof).  For many users, this is vital, as a 5 Gigabyte download cap can quickly render the service worthless for a heavy downloader.  Plusnet and O2 Broadband are well known for offering unlimited download plans however some other companies now also offer this.

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Nokia 3600 Slide Overview

September 10th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Nokia

For individuals looking for utilitarian, basic, mid-range mobile phone deals, the Nokia 3600 Slide is an option worth considering, if you can get your hands on it.

Visually, the 3600 Slide is a pleasant phone to look at, coming in at 97.8 mm tall by 47.2 mm wide by 14.5 mm deep and weighing only 97.3 grams. It feels sturdy and the slide works well. Functionally, the phone is quite easy to use, with a well-laid out keyboard that makes text messaging easy. Basic navigation is also a breeze, featuring the familiar menu system found in most Nokia mobile phones.

For individuals looking for a good camera phone, this isn’t it. The 3.2 megapixel camera comes with autofocus and LED flash, but while okay for the occasional snap, picture quality for this phone isn’t good enough to replace your digital camera.

Other features found with the 3600 Slide include an FM radio, a media player compatible with most popular formats, and Bluetooth. However, there is no Wi-Fi or 3G, so web browsing is slow. Connectivity options for transferring data include USB and Bluetooth, using EDGE technology for up to three times the transfer speed of GPRS.

Battery time for the 3600 is reported to be up to five and a half hours talk time or 280 hours of standby.

The Nokia 3600 Slide comes in black and pink. At the writing of this article, it is available through Orange PAYG and Vodafone pay-as-you-go deals. It is also available SIM free via PrePayMania.

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Quirky Mobile Phones – The Motorola Flipout

September 8th, 2010 | Google Android, Mobile Phone Reviews, Motorola Mobile Phones, Touchscreen

The Motorola Flipout handset is a great, novel design and is part flip-phone and part slider.  It is square in shape with a five line QWERTY keypad.  This keypad means that the numbers are on a separate line, which is ideal.  The Flipout will be released with Android 2.1 and will be fully Flash enabled.  It has seven home screens that can be customised with favourite apps and live wallpapers, and as well as the QWERTY keypad it also has a multi touch screen.

The Motorola Flipout comes with Quad band coverage and gives you up to six hours talk time and up to 365 hours standby time.  There is a built in camera, video camera and video player, along with FM radio and audio player with that all-important 3.5 mm headphone jack.  The internal memory on this phone is 512MB and it comes with GPRS, GPS and 3G capability.  There is also an email facility on this phone along with the touch-screen and browser.  There are many more features to the Flipout, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

This mobile phone is great and with the square shape it makes it even handier to carry around.  The idea of having a touch-screen and the QWERTY keyboard is ideal for all users.  The browser and Wi-Fi function means that it is simple to use away from the home and office.  It also features the enhanced version of Motorola’s social networking programme Motoblur, so all the networks are in one place.  This is great for keeping in contact with all your networking buddies.

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