Mobiles News & Updates

Samsung Tocco Lite Review

2009-06-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

The best-selling phone in the first half of 2009 has probably been the LG Cookie. The secret to the Cookie's success is simple: it's a touchscreen phone with loads of gadgets for just £100. So now Samsung have released the Tocco Lite to go head to head against the Cookie for best budget touchscreen phone. Which phone will win in the Cookie vs Tocco Lite battle?
Well, the Tocco Lite is arriving on the scene 6 months later than the Cookie, so it should be 6 months ahead of the curve, and a clear winner. But in fact the specification is almost exactly identical to the Cookie, and the Tocco Lite is retailing at a slightly higher price, although this may fall in the weeks after launch. What then, is the point of the Tocco?
Physically, the two devices are exactly the same size, to within a millimetre! The screens are identical in type, size, colour definition and pixels. With a good size screen (3 inches) and high resolution, Samsung's TouchWiz user interface works well on the Tocco Lite. TouchWiz can now be regarded as a mature technology, and it seems to be pretty much universally popular. Mobile widgets let you customise your home screen and give easy access to apps such as the clock, weather forecast, etc. There are also widgets for popular web apps such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube. The built-in accelerometer sensor will automatically rotate the screen when you turn the phone on its side, so you can easily switch between portrait and landscape modes. The virtual QWERTY keyboard is easy to use, and we think that you'll have no problems using the touchscreen. The addition of "real" keys for call, send and select make it even easier to use than a full touchphone. The user interface also supports handwriting recognition and gesture lock.

source: mobile-phones-uk.org

2009-06-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Nokia N97 to hit 75 countries this very month.

In an attempt to stir things up around the Nokia N97, Nokia have just announced that the device will hit the global market this month in the staggering 75 countries simultaneously. Well, it was about time!
Not that we've had any concerns that Nokia would stick with the initially announced release date, but we guess getting the Nokia N97 finally on the shelves will be a time of joy for many Nokia fans

The Nokia N97 is hardly revolutionary anymore and we can't really see what's the point in all the fuss. We would have preferred Nokia to announce several more high-end devices instead of still sticking to their February agenda.

source: gsmarena.com

ViewSonic Announces Own 3G Smartphone

2009-05-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

Here’s the tech question of the day: When you have 20 years experience in the TV and computer monitor display field, what’s the next logical move for your company? According to ViewSonic it’s time to move on to cell phones. While we don’t really see that as a “natural extension” of ViewSonic’s product line, we are interested to see what will become of ViewSonic’s reckless entry into the smartphone arena after their announcement yesterday of their plans to develop a 3G phone.
Apparently someone at ViewSonic has got it in their heads that its product line would span from 3″-300″. We can live with that. And we can even live with ViewSonic’s reasoning behind the move. As smartphones blur the lines between computers and phones, it’s only logical that, after computers and TVs blurred the lines, that smartphones and TVs would blur the lines as well. It’s actually probably a smart move on the part of ViewSonic to bring their expertise in quality viewing experiences to the smartphone.
It’ll be interesting to see how long it takes ViewSonic to get their device done and out. We know from past experience that these companies just entering the smartphone market can have some difficulties getting the product out on market (*cough* Garmin *cough*). But we’ll be hopeful.

Source: blog.toptenreviews.com

Acer Smartphones Hit the Market

2009-05-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

Acer’s new smartphones are now available. The DX900 and the X960 are now available in Europe and Asia (no mention of the United States). Neither phone is going to win any beauty pageants any time soon, but the DX900 does come with dual SIMs.
This allows for triband HSDPA and quadband EDGE. Basically, the phone works everywhere. The DX900 operates on Windows Mobile 6.1 and features a 2.8 inch display, WiFi, 3 megapixel camera, and GPS to boot.
The X960 adds HSUPA (High Speed Uplink Packet Access) and can download at 7.2 Mbps. It also features a new 3D user interface and a slightly higher resolution 3.2 megapixel digital camera.

Source: blog.toptenreviews

Pics of Bigfoot

2009-05-18T06:44:00.000-07:00

Version 2 of Android G1:

We’ve been expecting the second version of the Android debut model, the T-Mobile G1, for some time now. And we think we’ve found it. But rather than just an update in the OS or a few modifications to the hardware it looks like the offspring of the G1 will look nothing like its predecessor.
We’re really disappointed and put off by the “Bigfoot” moniker, but if the specs are decent we can probably get beyond the nickname. Bigfoot has a slider QWERTY keyboard and essentially looks like a lower-class version of the I7500. It’s got a 3″ touchscreen on the front, a 3MP camera and will come standard with the next version of Android code-named “Donut”.
No idea on shipping dates or where they’ll start shipping, but we’re hoping it will be soon. There are also images floating around of the Samsung Spica, essentially the same phone, only sans the QWERTY slide-out.

Source: blog.toptenreviews.com

Nokia N86 – imaging

2009-05-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

The announcement of Nokia’s new imaging-savvy flagship, the N86, was quite a story. When I was about to leave Moscow for Barcelona I was most positive that it was bound to be unleashed in the coming days, however several hours before MWC 2009 opened its doors to all visitors they kept telling me that Nokia decided to hold it back, to keep the main focus on its other phones and OVI Store. And then things took an interesting turn – even though Nokia did their best to wipe out all press-releases, somehow they left behind a statement about the collaboration between Carl Zeiss and Nokia, that (sic!) had all the pictures and an explicit mention of the N86’s 8 MP camera. But that wasn’t all – all officials at Nokia’s booth got terrified every time someone said “N86” aloud, as they had no idea whether they were supposed to launch it or not. At the same time, most journalists saw the phone itself back in Singapore (even though they weren’t allowed to do that); so the most hilarious part of the situation was that everyone knew what was coming, but the vendor himself didn’t want to admit that the N86 was a few steps away in Barcelona. Luckily, they put an end to all speculations and rumors earlier today.

Source: mobile-review.com

Nokia 5630 XpressMusic

2009-05-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

Sales package:
Nokia 5630 XpressMusic smartphone
Nokia Battery (BL-4CT)
Nokia Stereo Headset (HS-45), and remote control (AD-54)
Nokia Connectivity Cable (CA-101D)
MicroSD 4 GB memory card (MU41)
Charger (AC-10)
Carrying pouch

Positioning:
This phone was originally designed as a successor to the Nokia 6120 Classic and after an avalanche delays its gist hasn’t changed much – it will retail at a similar price point and run on Freescale’s hardware platform. But to be frank I have never showed much interest in the 5630 XpressMusic and at some point it almost slipped through my fingers, as it got postponed in light of the 6120 Classic’s ample sales, and then was re-positioned for the music-savvy part of the audience, which, naturally, delayed it even further. And some time later, when it seemed nothing could hold it back anymore, Nokia ran into another difficulty: the sales of the 5310 XpressMusic just didn’t die down, it seemed it was getting even more popular, despite all odds. So during this forced dead time they opted to put more effort into the 5630’s extras and tiny details, in order to make it the most music-savvy offering in its segment.

Display:
The phone comes equipped with a 2.2 inch QVGA display (240x320 pixels, 31x42 mm), capable of up to 16 million colors (TFT); on the downside, though, the picture is on the dimmer side, which is our major gripe with the 5630 XpressMusic’s screen after its sun legibility. As for other bits and pieces, it can accommodate up to 8 text and 3 service lines, although in some modes you can cram as many as 14 lines of text into it, all written in easy-to-read fonts.

Source: mobile-review.com

T-Mobile G1 Gets Cupcake Update

2009-05-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

Hungry G1 users on T-Mobile can satiate their hunger with a cupcake, more precisely Cupcake 1.5. The update is now being sent out to G1's for users to update. Custom ROMs, however, may not get the notification that an update is available and will have to be removed. Amongst the new features in 1.5 is an official on-screen keyboard. The download is OTA and comes in at around 44 Mb; it's available to T-Mobile UK and U.S. customers. T-Mobile UK were kind enough to have released the news via their Twitter feed @Tmobile_UK.

Source: mobile-review.com

Nokia N73

2009-05-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Nokia N73 cellular phone contains a beautiful design shape, which is accessible in two stylish color schemes such as; frost white/metallic red and silver/deep plum and its measured size is 4.3 x 1.9 x 0.7 inches and 4/1 ounces weigh. Nokia n73 cell phone included camera lens cover on the back of the cell phone, which also included a bit of additional size, but nothing excessively oversize. In addition, the Nokia N73 has a solid makeup and easy to hold to the ear while calling on the phone.
The Nokia N73 cell phone has good-looking 2.4 inch diagonal QVGA display screen that supports 262,144 colors at 240x320 pixel resolution, and shows instance, signal strength, battery life and caller’s ID for incoming calls; as well as it presents text and imagery in brilliant colors. You can adjust the Nokia n73 themes and backlight time, but you are disabling to alter its font size. Underneath the display screen there is navigational keypad, works for directly access shortcuts, two soft keys and established Talk and End keys, furthermore ¼ inch of supplementary space between the display screen and navigational controls.
On the right surface of the cheap Nokia n73 there is enthusiastic camera key and review key to see the last stored video or image, as well as a zoom in/out rocker that also works as a volume’s rocker. On the underneath of the Nokia n73 cell phone micro SD card slot is located, which is helpful for saving your significance files. The Nokia N73 evaluation for camera position is that it is situated on the back of the cell phone and it activates when its cover goes down and screen mechanically sets out into landscape mode and works as a view finder. Unhappily there is no self-portrait mirror, but you have a better-quality second camera just on top of the display screen towards the higher right bend.

Source:topmobilesbank.com

First Live Shots of the Android Powered Samsung I7500

2009-05-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

Our chaps over on the Russian side of the site have managed to lay their lucky paws on a I7500 and have poste dup some rather nice images for you to enjoy. The images are a little smudgy, but you can get a good idea of the size of the handset from them. The handset itself appears similar to existing Samsung touchscreen handsets e.g. the Pixon so there hasn't been any radical departures in design it would seem.

Source: mobile-review.com

SkyHook CEO Lets Slip Xperia X2

2009-05-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

The founder and CEO of Skyhook, Ted Morgan, looks to have made a faux pas of sorts by mentioning something he probably shouldn't have. In an interview with Giga-om Mr Morgan was commenting upon the effect free services were having on his comapny and in doing so made mention of a Sony Ericsson Xperia 2 device. Mr Morgan also dropped into the conversation that it would be Windows Mobile based. The details are scant and there was no mention of an announcement date, but given the context one can expect it to be not all that distant.

Whilst it isn't surprising that there will be a forthcoming X2 device from Sony Ericsson the comments are still revealing in that they suggest the operating system to be used. If the comments prove correct it would appear that Sony Ericsson are entrenching themselves more firmly in the Windows Mobile camp.

Source: mobile-review.com

Nokia Cell Phones

2009-05-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

Nokia Corporation is currently the world-leading manufacturer of Nokia mobile phones and it manufactures the cell phone for each and every main market and procedure including CDMA, GSM, and WCDMA. Head offices of Nokia are in Finland, Espoo, an adjacent city of Helsinki, but it has R&D, manufacturing, and sales demonstration sites in numerous countries all over the world.

Nokia had been creating mobile radio communications technology while the 1960s and later began developing Nokia cell phones for the Nordic Mobile Telephones (NMT) network standard, who came out online in the 1980s. In 1982 Nokia got underway its first car phone, the Mobira Senator and in 1987 Nokia established the world’s first hand held NMT mobile phone, the Mobira Cityman. Nokia consist of four business divisions like; Nokia Enterprise Solutions, Nokia Cellular Phones, Nokia Networks and Nokia Multimedia, plus a variety of horizontal units like; Market and Customer Operations, and Technology Platforms.

Nokia Mobile Phones:

Nokia Mobile Phone board supplies people with cell phone voice and data products across a widespread series of mobile devices. The division strategy to mark primarily high-volume category sales of Nokia cell phones and devices, with regulars being the most important customer section. The Nokia cell phones devices are chiefly based on 3G/WCDMA, GSM/EDGE, and CDMA cellular technologies.

Nokia Multimedia:

The Multimedia board’s function is to suggest devices and applications that carry multimedia talents to their clients. These Nokia devices permit people to make access and munch through multimedia, as well as supply to their knowledge with others. The devices are incorporated through a wide variety of connectivity such as GSM, WLAN, 3G / WCDMA, and Bluetooth.
In all Nokia phones multimedia segment is well designed and on the other hand, all and every Nokia cell phone has good sound superiority for Nokia ring tones. Moreover Nokia also presents free Nokia software’s with Nokia accessories. There are two types of Nokia ring tones; first one monophonic and second one is polyphonic ring tone. All most all Nokia cell phones have free Nokia tones by default; in furthermore user can save more ring tones by data transfer cable or other connectivity options. Furthermore, Nokia also offers to enjoy full Nokia games in all Nokia cell phones as well as the Nokia themes class is much and more better as compare to others cellular devices themes.

Nokia Enterprise Solutions:

The Nokia Enterprise Solutions offers businesses, corporation and institution a widespread sort of goods and clarifications, like; mobile devices, enterprise-grade, underlying security infrastructure, software and services. Nokia also workings amongst a series of companies to provide network security, get mobilized corporate e-mail and widen communal telephone systems to use Nokia mobile phones.

Nokia Networks:

Nokia Networks board presents mobile network infrastructure, communications and networks service platform, as well as particular services for workers and service suppliers. Nokia Network’s focal point in, GSM, 3G / WCDMA and EDGE networks; interior networks with mounting IP and multi-access capabilities and services.

Source: www.topmobilesbank.com

Touchscreen Phone

2009-05-01T10:34:00.001-07:00

The Orange Vegas, has just been launched in the UK on the Orange network. This has got to be one of the most affordable touchscreen phones on the market today at £48.50 (€54 or $71) on Pay As You Go.
It comes with one-touch UI that has been especially designed for Orange, a 2.4-inch QVGA display, Bluetooth, MP3 player, FM radio, 1.3MP camera and MicroSD card support.

At the moment the phone is only available on the Orange network in the UK. My guess is that going forward this will be launched in other markets on the Orange network. It kind of starting to get a little bit interesting that we are now starting to see touchscreen phones on pre-pay below the £50 mark

Source: http://www.mobileireland.net/

HTC Magic Now

2009-05-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

HTC Magic Now Available in Germany

The HTC Magic Smartphone is now available in Germany on the Vodafone network. The touch screen phone is available for €1 and €44.95 per month on contracts and alternately can be bought for €60 on a cheaper €25 monthly. It kind of makes it interesting to see what the price of the mobile phone will be when it hits the Irish market.

Quick Spec:

Operating System: Android

Processor: 528 MHz Qualcomm

Memory: 192 MB

Screen Resolution: 320 x 480 pixels

Screen Size: 3.2 inches

Keyboard Type: On-screen

Communications: Bluetooth, GPRS, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, UMTS

Meda Type: microSD

Camera Resolution: 3.2 megapixels

GPS: Yes

Source: http://www.mobileireland.net/

Samsung Will Have....

2009-05-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Samsung Will Have Navteq map dataIt looks like Samsung will be using Nokia’s Navteq maps on some of their up and coming handsets in the next year.

It looks like Samsung will be using Nokia’s Navteq maps on some of their up and coming handsets in the next year.

Navteq was acquired by Nokia in 2008 for $8.1 billion and is used by many big companies like Garmin, BMW and Yahoo.

We believe that the first phone that Samsung will be distributing with Nokia’s Navteq maps will be the Omnia HD i8910. The phone is based on the Symbian operating system and comes with Wi Fi, Bluetooth v2.0, DNSe 2.0 and 3.5 mm audio jack.

The phone also has an 8 megapixel camera with face, smile and blink detection. It comes with a accelerometer sensor which we know is great for playing games. But, will also be ideal for looking at maps to help guide you.

Source:http://www.mobileireland.net/

Motorola confirms...

2009-05-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

Motorola confirms it will be releasing Android phones

I think the dogs on the street know that Motorola have been working on an Android phone for a while now. And today in their quarterly earnings release the head of Moto Mobile devices, Sannjay Jha, confirmed that they will have several different models of android phone available in Q4 this year so just in time for Christmas trading period.

The picture we have here is apparently the devices that they will be releasing these were somehow leaked onto the Internet yesterday and with the announcement today actually confirms what Motorola are doing.

It will be interesting to see what types of specs are on these new phones obviously with the likes of the games market and application stores taken off there must be an opportunity here for Motorola to start selling their own applications online a.k.a. Apple, Nokia and many others that are following. Being able to download games, Ringtones, applications and all types of freeware from these stores must be a key driver for Motorola to try to follow what the other key players are already doing or are in the middle of launching.

I’m sure over the next few months we will be hearing more about these phones and hopefully some testing release dates and pricing.

Source: http://www.mobileireland.net/

Nokia 5800 in Brazil

2009-05-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

Nokia 5800 Launched in Brazil

The Nokia 5800 Comes With Music is being rolled out in many markets at the moment and has just started to ship in Brazil. The phone comes with a 3.2? widescreen touch screen, and we believe that it has already sold over 3 million units since its initial launch in November.

The dimensions of the phone are 4.37 x 2.04 x 0.61 in. The screen resolution of 640×360 pixels, which gives 16:9 aspect ratio this is great for watching widescreen movies and videos. If you like music and like listening to tunes to speakers on the 5800 have been reported by some users to be probably the best that they have heard on a phone.

Phone also comes with a 3 megapixel camera which unfortunately is not protected by a lens cover so may be prone to scratching but this has neither been confirmed or denied by anybody that I know that it has purchased one. It has a dual LED flash and also comes with some applications on the phone to help you improve your photographs and managed them.

Terms of other applications it comes with a standard Symbian apps like phonebook, calendar, mobile games, alarm clock and the usual stuff we come to expect on a Nokia mobile.
According to Nokia for customers in Brazil that choose this “Comes With Music” phone “By purchasing the device, customer is immediately entitled to enable the Comes With Music service and start exploring and downloading more than three million tracks of international and Brazilian artists, unlimitedly, for one year, thanks to agreements signed with the four of the world’s largest labels and hundreds of independent labels.”

Source: http://www.mobileireland.net/

The Sony Ericsson W518a

2009-05-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Sony Ericsson W518a

The Sony Ericsson W518a has now been approved by the FCC in the United States so will soon be heading for the AT&T network. This is an entry/mid level music phone that comes with a few nice features.
Quad band GSM and dual band HSDPA 850and1900
2.2-inch 240×320 pixel TFT internal display
1.1-inch 128×36 pixels external OLED display
Stereo Bluetooth
Walkman Player 3.0
SenseMe, TrackID, Shake control and Gesture control
3.2 megapixel camera
100MB internal memory
Memory Stick M2 support
Changeable covers
93.5 x 50 x 14 mm, 98 grams
As we can see from the pictures the clamshell phone comes in a gray/black casing and if the pricing on disk can remain low may be calm quite a good seller owns it hits the market. So far we have no pricing or whether it will be available on contract but I have a sneaking suspicion there will be an offer on pre-pay as I guess this will be aimed at the younger market.

LG KF900 Prada II (Unlocked)

2009-04-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

Description

Network:

3G EU Standard (2100/900), GSM Quad Band 850/900/1800/1900

Features: 5.0MP Camera
PRADA Phone by LG offers a collection of technical upgrades catering to todays highest mobile needs. In the outer peripherals, new handset preserves the same original minimalist exterior that has now become a key design inspiration of touch screen handsets worldwide. A defining modification for the new handset involves a set of aesthetics keys that slide out to form a more professional look that not only grazes an elevated level of sophistication, but is also a highly efficient communication tool that complements the latest PRADA Phone by LGs technology.

Weight:

104 gTalk

Time: 7 hours 30 minStand by Time: 400 hours

Product Includes:LG KF900 Prada UnlockedData CDUSB CableEar MicrophoneManualExclusive Leather CaseLCD CleanerTV Out Cable1GB microSD card

General :

Network
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; HSDPA 900/2100
Announced
2008, October
Size
Dimensions
104.5 x 54 x 16.8 mm
Display
Type
TFT touchscreen, 256K colors
Size
240 x 400 pixels, 3.0 inches
Full QWERTY keyboard

Ringtones

Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3
Customization Download

Vibration Yes

Memory
Phonebook
1000 entries, Photocall

Call records
30 dialed, 30 received, 30 missed calls

Card slot
microSD (TransFlash), up to 8GB
Features
GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 48 kbps
Messaging SMS, MMS, Email, IM
Clock Yes

Alarm Yes

Infrared port Yes

Games Yes

Camera
5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, autofocus, flash, video (VGA), secondary videocall camera

Browser
WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Java MIDP 2.0
MP3/WAV/AAC/AAC+/WMA/RA/AMR player
DivX/MPEG-4 video player

FM radio
Photo/video editor
Builtin handsfree
Voice memo
T9

Battery
Standard battery, LiIon

SOURCE: www.roaryt.com

Nokia N93

2009-04-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

The Nokia n93 cell phone keeps very attractive designs shape with measured size 4.6 x 2.1 x 1.1 inches and 6.3 ounces weight, which is enormous for a cell phone, especially when you open the flip of N93 cellular phone to make or accept a call. The middle section of the Nokia N93 mobile phone contains camera lens and N93’s rotate designs allows you to use the inner screen as a viewfinder for its camcorder / camera duties.

You can operate the LCD to work as your viewfinder, just open the face flap halfway and turn the screen 90 degrees counterclockwise then it will automatically make active the camera, and you will be capable to see the view of your photo or video clip across the interior screen/viewfinder. The Nokia N3 cell phone camera lens and flash are positioned on the left side and its lens band is enclosed in the box. Additionally an additional secondary VGA camera is located more than the internal screen, which you can use for photo as well as for video. On the right face of the economical Nokia n93 is as zoom in/out slider wheel, while a four-way navigation fastening, a camera/video button and a flash key are also located on the right back.
The Nokia n93 analysis for internal screen is that it consist of 2.4 inches and supports 262,144 colors with 320x240 pixel resolutions, so not only images give the impression of being is great, while text and web pages also look very good. You can also adjust the Nokia n93 wallpaper, themes, and backlight time, but you cannot alter the font size. Underneath the most important display screen there is a cute set of buttons, including two soft keys; like talk and end button, a four-way navigation control section, text editor, a row of shortcut keys to the main menu, multimedia menu and a clear button. The numerical keypad beneath these controls is huge and raised above the cell phone's plane, making it comfy to dial by feel.

Nokia n93 mobile phone also has an external 1.1 inch LCD screen, which supports 65,536 colors at 128 x 36 pixels resolution and presents the time, signal power, battery power and caller’s ID. The USB data cable slot, mini SD card port, headset as well as charger port are situated on the left spine and the power on/off buttons are situated on the top of the economical Nokia n93 cell phone.

Features Of Nokia N93

The Nokia N93 cell phone has impressive 3.2-mega-pixel camera with a Carl Tessar lens Zesis Vario- and 3x zoom functionality. You are facilitated with four image qualities such as; large, medium, small, and multimedia message, and six image shooting modes automatic, user, landscape, close-up, night, and night portrait. Furthermore Nokia N93 mobile phone also provides exposure values, white sense of balance options, and color tones so that you can capture the best photograph possible.

The Nokia N93 evaluate for the video camera is that it can capture one hour video clip with audio at 30 encloses per seconds and you can also use five different video quality modes like; TV high, handset normal, TV normal, handset high, and sharing; and two shooting modes night and automatic. You can also store your images and photographs in its internal 50 MB memory and for supplementary storage space you can use expandable mini SD memory card. Cheap Nokia N93 provides superior image and video quality results.

Nokia n93 cell phone also has a built in music player that plays AAC+, AAC, MP3, WMA, and eAAC+ formats. On the other hand Nokia n93 also has an address book which store contacts with additional information like; birthday, email address, work and home address, and other information. You can also assign a exclusive Nokia n93 ring tones to separate caller’s ID from its original 41 Nokia 93 ring tones. The several other functions are

Performance of Nokia N93

The Nokia N93 cell phone has superior call quality and you can simply hear and make a call, furthermore the video quality is also better and clear with sound. Net surfing is also good and speedy by cheap Nokia N93 cell phone. It supports 5.1 hours for talk time and 10 days for standby. Features Of Nokia N93The Nokia N93 cell phone has impressive 3.2-mega-pixel camera with a Carl Tessar lens Zesis Vario- and 3x zoom functionality. You are facilitated with four image qualities such as; large, medium, small, and multimedia message, and six image shooting modes automatic, user, landscape, close-up, night, and night portrait. Furthermore Nokia N93 mobile phone also provides exposure values, white sense of balance options, and color tones so that you can capture the best photograph possible.

source:http://www.topmobilesbank.com

LG Xenon

2009-04-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like choice. Just ask AT&T who released two very similar side-sliding QWERTY touch screen phones in the same week: the LG Xenon and the Samsung Impression. Much like the dynamic duo of touch screen slab phones, the LG Vu and Samsung Eternity on AT&T, LG takes the lower road while Samsung the higher road in terms of price, features and casing. The Xenon, released in April 2009 for $99 with contract after rebates, is half the price of the Samsung Impression, and it has a smaller and less fancy display as well as a lower resolution camera. At 4.1 x 2.1 x 0.6 inches and 3.8 ounces, the LG is one of the more pocketable side-sliding QWERTY phones and it's much smaller than the Impression. And better yet, it's not just a warmed over LG Vu: the touch UI has evolved in good ways and there are several new features like widgets that we've seen on LG's more recent touch screen phones for Verizon.

Design and Keyboard

The Xenon has a 4 row hardware QWERTY keyboard that's just right in terms of size: neither too cramped nor so large that it's a stretch to reach the keys. The Impression strikes us as a bit too large, but if you're a really large-handed fella, you might prefer the Impression's keyboard. Since there's no 5th row for numbers, they're embedded in the keyboard area and require an Fn key press when typing emails, URLs and messages but not when dialing from the home screen. Shortcut keys for email, SMS, IM and contacts line the left edge of the keyboard and the layout is normal (no oddly located letters or punctuation).

AT&T currently offers the Xenon in blue-- a bright, zingy electric blue. The phone is solid and nice looking, though it doesn't look chic or expensive. The keyboard slider is solid and the phone doesn't creak or flex. The keys are backlit white and are easy to see in the dark. You can set the display and keyboard backlit timing separately, and control the display brightness. The 2.8", 65,000 color touch screen is pleasant but doesn't wow us like the Impression's AMOLED display. It has haptic (vibration feedback) and you can set the intensity and select from 3 different vibrate patterns.
The front face has call send and end buttons and a task switcher button (yes, the phone does multi-task). The screen lock/unlock button is on the right side and you have to press it twice to unlock the phone (the first press wakes it up and the second unlocks it). The camera button and SDHC microSD card slot are also on the right. The volume controls are on the left and the micro USB charge/headset jack is up top.

Phone and reception

The Xenon is a quad band world 850/900/1800/1900MHz phone that will work anywhere in the world GSM service is available. As with all US carrier phones, it's locked to the carrier who offers it, in this case AT&T. This means you must use an AT&T SIM card with the phone, or get it unlocked (AT&T will unlock your phone if you've been with them several months and your account is in good standing). The phone has 3G HSDPA 3.6Mbps on AT&T's 850/1900MHz bands (not compatible with T-Mobile's 3G bands or overseas bands, where you'll just get EDGE). Reception isn't the strongest, as with the Vu the Xenon gets fewer bars than several other AT&T phones and unlocked Nokia GSM phones. The Eternity isn't an RF demon, but it manages 2/3 of a full 3G signal in our office while the Xenon got 1/4 bars. When held in the hand (likely partially covering the internal antenna), it dropped to EDGE, which rarely happens in our office. Despite the relatively weaker reception, the Xenon has excellent call quality that's clear and very loud-- good enough to hold a conversation easily in a noisy big box store.

Speakerphone volume is good with breakup at the highest setting (not unusual for a phone to distort at high settings) and the ringer volume is a little on the quiet side. Select or add loud ringers if you carry your phone in noisy places. There's no built-in voice dialing and the address book holds 500 records, a little low for a mid-tier phone. While that might not be enough for Ashton Kutcher, it should be sufficient for us mere mortals.

Battery

The Xenon has a 950 mAh Lithium Ion battery that's user replaceable. For a 3G handset, the Xenon has good battery life and lasted us 2 days on a charge with light to moderate use. Using the GPS for trip navigation and streaming CV hit the battery the hardest, while music playback uses very little power when the screen is off. Claimed talk time is 4 hours and that was on target in our tests.

Conclusion

The LG Xenon manages to fit a touch screen and large, side-sliding QWERTY keyboard into a small and fairly slim package. It's budget-priced yet well made and rich with features like HSDPA, stereo Bluetooth, GPS, music and video playback. However, the touch screen response and inconsistent user interface knock this phone down a few notches: the screen requires very hard taps compared to other resistive touch screen phones, there's no on-screen QWERTY keyboard, the accelerometer works only in some applications and list scrolling isn't easy. We've seen better from LG in the Dare and Versa. Granted these are higher tier phones on Verizon, but we'd like to see more polished software from LG's touch screen phones on AT&T.
Once you get used to the Xenon's quirks, it does have some compelling features like a fast and accurate GPS, decent camera by 2MP standards and great call quality. Reception on 3G HSDPA could be better-- if you're in a strong 3G coverage area or an area with no 3G whatsoever, that won't be a problem. But if you're in a middling coverage area, the Xenon might not be ideal.
Pro: Very compact for a touch screen phone with a full QWERTY keyboard. Good keyboard. Reasonably priced for the features it offers.
Con: Reception not very strong, user interface inconsistencies make the phone less fun and pleasing (accelerometer works in just a few apps, some apps rotate while others don't, lack of an on-screen QWERTY, scrolling through lists isn't easy).

Price: $99 with a 2 year contact after rebates, $299 without contract extension

SOURCE : www.mobiletechreview.com

Sony Ericsson launches new mobiles

2009-04-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson launches new mobiles

Sony Ericsson has launched four new mobile phone models in the US, including two in its Walkman-branded line.
The W850 is Sony Ericsson's first phone in the "slider" category and features a 2 megapixel camera as well as an upgraded version of the Walkman music player for tunes downloaded over third-generation mobile phone networks.
The company, a joint venture of Sweden's Telefon AB LM Ericsson and Japan's Sony, said the phone lets users download music from the internet and accepts several formats, including MP3, AAC and m4a.
The W850 also introduces a new service that allows users to record a few seconds of a song, either via the microphone or the built-in FM radio, and then with one click, send that clip to a database that will identify the track and relay information about the song back to the phone.
The W710, another Walkman-branded phone, adds functions designed to appeal to fitness-oriented customers. A jogging application measures speed and distance covered. There also is a daily step counter that resets automatically at midnight.
The Z550 and the Z710 are both clamshell phones that Sony Ericsson say fit customers who use their phone both at work and for leisure. The Z710 has a 2 megapixel camera while the Z550 has a 1.3 megapixel camera.
The company also presented the M608c, a touch-screen handset that recognizes Chinese characters. A new version of Sony Ericsson's M600 e-mail phone, the M608c was designed especially for China - Sony Ericsson's largest single market.
All five phones are expected to hit stores in the third quarter of 2006. The company did not release any prices, but a spokesman said the Z550 was expected to sell for about $US270, the Z710 and W710 for about $US480, and the W850 for about $US680 in the Nordic region.
No pricing was available for the M608c.

Source : http://images.google.com.pk

LG GD900 Crystal

2009-04-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

LG exceed expectations for Q1, seemingly unaware of recession

LG brought home their Q1 report card today and it's all A's. They've managed a good 2.8 billion USD out of handset sales, which exceeded even their own expectations, and are doing 22.6% better than last year.
As far as units shipped LG indeed had a lower score of 22.6 million phones, which is a 7% decline as compared to the previous quarter.
The strongest sellers were midrange phones like the LG Cookie and LG KS360. The KS360 is a surprise - apparently teen's buying power shouldn't be underestimated even in harsh economic times.
Having a firm footing in the midrange, LG plans to push into the high-end segment and achieve a 10% growth during the next quarter. Leading the push will be the likes of the S-Class UI touting Arena, the updated Viewty - the Viewty Smart, as well as the stylish GD900 Crystal.
LG is also trying to widen its market share in North America with the Xenon and Neon, which are available for AT&T (the Neon is available for Rogers as well). Both are messaging oriented and while the Neon is the KS360's twin brother, the Xenon has grown-up looks.
These plans seem optimistic as LG predict the market will shrink 10% this year, coinciding with Sony Ericsson's prediction. On the plus side, LG employees can breathe a sigh of relieve - there's no talk of cutting jobs here.

Source : www.gsmarena.com

Samsung Eternity

2009-04-19T03:12:00.000-07:00

AT&T and LG released the Vu, a touch screen, slate design phone with broadcast TV just this Spring. The Vu was an attractive, light phone that offered multimedia services the iPhone didn't: TV, CV streaming media and the ability to send and receive MMS. Life was good, as LG says. But just six months later, it's even better thanks to the perhaps grandiosely named Samsung Eternity SGH-a867. The Eternity offers all of the Vu's features and adds Samsung's lovely TouchWiz UI with widgets, a GPS, a better touch screen interface, expanded music format compatibility and a higher resolution camera. Not bad for $149 with a 2 year contract after rebates.

The Vu and Eternity look similar, as do the Eternity and the Samsung Behold on T-Mobile. That's right, this time there's cross-carrier competition from the US' other major GSM provider, T-Mobile. The Behold lacks broadcast TV (T-Mobile doesn't offer that service yet) and carrier-based streaming media (T-Mobile doesn't have a service like CV because their 3G service is just starting up), but as a consolation it has a higher resolution camera with an autofocus lens and flash. Both are distant cousins to the Samsung Tocco F480 and F490 released in Europe.

Source : http://www.mobiletechreview.com

Philips Xenium 9@9g

2009-04-11T00:24:00.002-07:00

Handset
950 mAh Li-Ion battery
USB data cable
Stereo-headset
Charger
User guide
CD with software

Having presented the unique model Xenium 9@9++ that was able to stay on for more than a month in standby, Philips grew fond of long-lasting handsets and started developing its Xenium range. In January, 2007 they added two candy-bars to the line-up – the basic 9@9gf and the more advanced 9@9g, which is our guest today.

The model is offered only in black and like other Xenium-branded handsets is primarily targeted at enterprise users who value battery life more very much. Philips 9@9g’s casing is made of glossy black plastic with matte dark-grey inserts. Dimensions are quite standard: 105.5х46х15.2 mm at 86 g.

Slightly streamlined casing of the 9@9g is made of black plastic and edged with dark gray lengthwise. Such casing looks attractive and pretty imposing, but like all handsets with glossy finish easily picks up fingerprints. So if you want the handset to look neat all the time, you should get some kind of soft fabric in advance to wipe it clean regularly. Build quality is very solid - all parts are well-attuned to each other, with no gaps and creaks. Though, this noiseless shell is also due to the quality dense plastic used.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Pantech PG-8000

2009-04-11T00:24:00.001-07:00

Handset;
Battery;
RS-MMC 64mb memory card;
Wired headset;
Charger.

The model PG-8000 was presented by Pantech during “SvyazExpoComm 2005”, in August there was official announcement, the model was scheduled to hit the shelves in September. As time went on, PG-8000 was nowhere to be seen, and a lot of people started forgetting what this model was all about, phone’s specifications were no longer astonishing, as they were before. Finally, in 2006 Pantech announced that the model will be released in February or March. What was the cause of delay? Everything is pretty simple. The phone has QVGA display, meanwhile the platform comes from previous PG series handsets (PG3500, PG3600, PG6100). The processor is not dealing well enough with information processing. The first samples had very slow menu, it was almost impossible to use the phone at all. The company decided that installing new processor for this model is not such a good idea, so they decided to optimize the software part of the phone before releasing it. This was the actual reason for these delays.

The model is presented in candybar form-factor, with one notice: it is used in horizontal mode, instead of the oh-so-used-to vertical. While you are speaking, it gets more common since the position still remains vertical, speaker and microphone are located in common positions. But when you are going to enter the menu, you will have to put the phone into horizontal position.

The phone’s dimensions are rather small (99.8x51.8x16.1 mm), the weight is slightly heavier than 100 grams (106.5 grams). The phone fits nicely into one’s hand, it is convenient to work with, partly due to slightly bigger portion of weight located on the phone’s lower side (in case it’s used in vertical position). It will fit pockets of your jeans nicely. The design is pleasant, those who had seen the phone live liked the outlooks. The phone’s edges are slightly rounded. The model will be sold in two color solutions: black with silver and completely silver. The first edition looks more interesting than the second one, upper panel is made of black varnished plastic, and the lower part is silver. Despite the fact that the upper panel is varnished and easily soiled, the fingerprints are not that obvious. The case is made of qualitative plastic, all details are nicely matched to each other, there’s no backlash at all.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Nokia 5130 XpressMusic

2009-04-11T00:23:00.001-07:00

Handset
1020 mAh Li-Ion battery (BL-5C)
Charger (AC-3)
1 Gb microSD memory card
USB data cable
Wired stereo-headset (WH-102)
User Guide

Positioning

What do you need to do to make your competition's life tougher than ever? Not much, really – launch an adequately priced phone that will push the bottom line of its price-bracket down, so that everyone will have to readjust and play your game. Over at Nokia they have definitely done the homework and learned a couple of invaluable lessons from the past – with the financial crisis raging across the street and most manufacturers changing their primary focus to profit margins (except for Samsung), Nokia is about to trip them up. When Sony Ericsson and Motorola publicly announce their new market strategies, they should always be ready to deal with the consequences, which come along in the form of Nokia’s decently spec’d solutions with very affordable price tags scheduled for Q4 of 2008 and early 2009.

The Nokia 5130 gives a start to their new music-minded range and at the same time poses a serious challenge to all other phone makers aiming at this segment. The 5130’s main strength is its 90 Euro price tag coupled with a pretty big memory card found in the box. Offerings like this used to retail for 150 Euro and more; however, Nokia chimes in with a new set of rules that everyone else will have to play by, or leave. And there is no third option. Furthermore, the launch of the Nokia 5130 has already disturbed the plans of many marketing departments and broken many short-sighted forecasts, simply because the vast majority of its potential rivals slotted for early 2009 were positioned at 120-130 Euro price point. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what’s going to follow. Also, there is no use to deny that the cheapest XpressMusic handset to date is the second nail in Walkman’s coffin – as you probably remember, the Nokia 5800 was the first one. While offering superior music quality and comparable functionality, Nokia-branded solutions cost much less, which results in a huge competitive advantage.

The Nokia 5130 is positioned as a phone for those who are in the market for a decent music playing solution with an affordable price tag. All in all, it’s the cheapest solution of its kind to date with no alternatives whatsoever.

Design, Size, Controls

The Nokia 5130 comes in a choice of two colors, much like most other XpressMusic-branded phones – red and blue; although in either case the front fascia is decked out in black glossy plastic. The navigation button, along with the strip running along the sides, is color-keyed to the casing’s trim. The battery cover is another place where these two color schemes differ – it’s either dark blue or carmine respectively. To be frank, we were surprised by how well the 5130 XpressMusic was built – the back cover didn’t feel loose at all, and the casing didn’t squeak in the hand.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Nokia 3600 Slide

2009-04-11T00:21:00.000-07:00

Handset
Wired stereo-headset (HS-47)
Li-Ion battery (BL-4S)
Charger (AC-4)
USB data cable (CA-101)
512 Mb microSD memory card
User Guide

Positioning

The 3600 is the entry-level end of the “Beautiful To Use” series whose only purpose is to be an “ordinary” slider with run-of-the-mill spec sheet, which may well take it to the top of sales charts with time. As opposed to Samsung, Nokia has never had a particularly strong slider line-up, in fact, just like other makers, the Finnish manufacturer entered this segment somewhat reluctantly. But things are about to change in a big way in 2008 – the turn-around is signified by the launch of the 75-Euro Nokia 2680 Slide, which is Nokia’s cheapest slider-type offering among their latest and greatest models. In its turn, the Nokia 3600 Slide targets a different segment, while being in keeping with other Nokia-branded sliders looks-wise. This handset has been brought about for those who are after primarily the phone aspect of their device (S40 platform) and wouldn’t mind an okay camera along with adequate functionality. Putting it differently, the 3600 Slide is for those who despise smartphones for some personal reasons or don’t want to pay a premium for features he will never have a chance to put to good use.

As far as Nokia’s market segmentation goes, the 3600 Slide falls under the “Connect’ category, in other words it’s a device positioned towards the youth (18-26 year olds) who are keen on going out. For the most part this aims at women, which is due to Samsung’s sliders being popular with this demographic.

Design, size, controls

The 3600 Slide’s rounded shapes and soft lines can well provoke some memories of the Siemens SL55; however it’s more of a random impression that we had – Nokia’s design hasn’t been taken over from anywhere, and it takes no design cues from the SL55, make no mistake about that.

The handset comes in two flavors – Charcoal and Wine. In either case the front fascia, which is monotone, defines the color scheme employed by the phone. The 3600 Slide’s surface is glossy and very easy to soil, although these smudges aren’t very discernible even in bright light. On the back, however, the 3600 is clad in light-colored rough plastic that feels exactly the same as that used in the Nokia 6220 Classic’s battery cover. Over at Nokia they call this material “ceramic”, and indeed it feels like it. But it’s important to realize that it’s just another way to coat plastic, similar to “soft touch”, which this new type looks to replace. The hues of the battery cover vary depending on the phone’s trim, but in both cases they are pretty bright and don’t pick up fingerprints at all.

The handset measures up at 97.8x47.2x14.5 mm and weighs in at 98 grams –it’s pretty portable and readily slips into just about any pocket. All in all, it’d better to characterize it as a typical no-frills slider without any crucial glitches in ergonomics.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Neonode N1m

2009-04-10T23:30:00.001-07:00

Handset
1 GB SD card SanDisk
Stereo headset
Charger
USB cable
Short manual

Probably, there is no more famous long lasting device in the World than the Neonode N1. Announced more than three years ago, it was much discussed, delighted, was forgotten for some time, remembered again and discussed once more.

After the announcement the device didn't appear on the specified date, the interest to it gradually decreased and the device became a phantom not fated to reach the shop counters in the customer's eyes. The Swedish company roused the interest by recurring press-releases. Thus, in 2003 the company issued a special press-release telling it wouldn't announce a new launch date and the device would get into sale as far as possible.

In the end of 2004 when the phone finally got to sale there were little people who believed the product was real and it would reach the counters. Though, a "counter" is rather relative - the device is free to order only via the Internet and only in Europe, the full list of the countries is available on the company's site. The Commonwealth of Independent States form exception, the phone will be sold not via the Internet but in retail there since the summer.

Neonode announced the Neonode N1m in the first quarter of 2005 - the smartphone differs from the previous one in triple GSM band instead of the double, the presence of a vibracall, a megapixel camera, a new Windows CE 5.0 core. This very version got into our hands for tests, so, sharing the impressions.

At the time the Neonode N1 was only planned on the very early stage (2001 - 2002, most likely) the technologies and operating systems present for that moment prevented from creating a miniature device with a touchscreen. The MS Smartphone 2002 perspectives were rather hazy and also the support of a touchscreen was absent. The Series 60 platform also didn't support it. And touchscreen devices were too large, had some technical restrictions and were oriented on working with a stylus for that time. Something different both in technical and software meaning was necessary for a miniature device with a touchscreen that one would work with a finger. And mainly because of this the developing process got so long.

The Windows Compact Edition (Win CE) operating system is a cut version of a desktop OS (basing on an old Windows NT with a seriously remade code) and also called built-in. As one could have already guessed, it is intended for integrating into various devices - fridges, cars, ATMs, various terminal devices. As we all see, there are no strict demands from the final device, which may be a coffee-machine connected to the Internet. Windows Mobile (earlier - MS Pocket PC and MS Smartphone) operating system bases on the Win CE core (the way the Nokia Series 60 is based on the OS Symbian core) but only having another user interface (Shell) and a different system library. Some extra information may be found on a Microsoft site.

The Windows CE core, over which a personally developed by Neno interface was built, was chosen for Neonode. Thanks to that a question of the touchscreen functioning at a close distance and one hand control was solved. On the other hand - the software is not compatible with Pocket PC and too little to go with Windows CE (some programs still run). That would be more logical to call the Neonode N1m a phone and the company positions it this way. But the third party software present, open and available software for program developing coming with a limited list of preinstalled applications doesn't allow calling it a phone. It is like balancing between a phone and a smartphone. We'll return to the software question in a corresponding part.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Motorola SLVR L7e

2009-04-10T23:29:00.000-07:00

Handset
Charger
microSD 64 Mb memory card, adapter (capacity may vary by region)
User Guide
CD with software (optionally, varies by region)
miniUSB data cable(varies by region)

Motorola has been so darn consistent in cloning its very own solutions, like Motorola RAZR V3, which got a successor in the form of an “i”-labeled model and a couple of other look-alikes, that it is now evident – having found a “gold vein” once, the company does whatever it takes to squeeze the utmost maximum out of it, which is the right way of thinking for such iconic products as the RAZR. At the same time, “slim” bar-shaped SLVR has fitted right in as well, having quite good sales, yet not as good as the RAZR’s of course. However within Motorola’s range this solution occupies a valuable spot, for the company traditionally ignores candy-bar-style phones and avoids the mid price-bracket. There the company relies on the line-up’s flagship that is to maintain the sales and rival numerous competing products. And it’s not a big deal to guess that the SLVR is the one fitting this role. First announced back in February, 2005, this handset had been replicated a few time even before it was released, the most famous of the “clones” is BenQ Siemens S68. By the time the SLVR made it to the retail stores, comparable solution had been offered not only by BenQ Mobile, but Fly, VK and other players as well. The finishing blow was delivered by Samsung with its Samsung X820, boasting the world’s slimmest casing. Driven in a corner, Motorola started doing what it was good at – dropping prices for its solution. Indeed, in the sense of price, design and quality of materials used, this price-bracket hasn’t seen a proposal stronger that the SLVR.

However at the end of 2006, a VGA camera onboard is completely out of place – consumers are demanding better quality. That’s why the company came up with an idea to prolong the model’s lifecycle by revamping its software, adding support for long-anticipated EDGE, update the camera module to 1.3 Mpix and enhance the set of pre-installed apps. The updated handset got he “L7e” index and will be followed by the L7x, sporting a new camera module, specifically the one embedded in the KRZR. Quite smart approach allowing the maker to alter everything but design – no one has ever used something like that, though, the fact is, Motorola is forced to carry out this strategy.

The new SLVR L7e measures the same tiny 113.5х49х11.5 mm as its predecessors. With no extras onboard it weights 96 grams, while with a SIM card this value increases up to 100 grams (compared to 86 grams of the original SLVR). Nevertheless this difference won’t be unbearable for your hands – in fact, you will feel nothing special, the handset still gives you a tactile feeling of a solid and by no means weightless phone. But again, it’s mostly a pleasant heaviness, and on top of that the cold metal makes all the difference – the casing does feel like made of metal, no tricks here.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

LG KG800 Chocolate

2009-04-10T23:28:00.000-07:00

Handset;
Charger;
User’s guide;
CD with software for phonebook synchronization, connectivity applications and various content;
USB-wire;
Travel charger;
Carrying bag;
Earphones;
A remote control with 3.5 mm jack for operating the media player and the microphone;
Two protective films for the front panel;
Bluetooth-headset (optionally);
A trinket with foam-rubber for cleaning the phone, on the other side.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

M600 (Black Pearl)

2009-04-10T23:27:00.000-07:00

Handset
Battery
Charger
Wired headset
Data cable
User Guide

The Chinese company going by the name of Haier didn’t get off to a flying start on the Russian market outright, as the company seemingly planned on entering the local market with cheap poorly packed solutions. What the company was really missing? A deep insight into the reality of the market, implying that conquering a particular region with such low-end proposals, whose design could barely make a bid for sympathy, is incredibly hard, especially for a newcomer. The first Haier-branded handsets were mediocre, to say the least, whereas their retail price wasn’t much lower than that of more fetching solutions by other makers. Another defeat came along with the company’s very own Haier N60, this time on the smartphones market – first up, this smart handset was running on Linux OS, which made many consider other options on their shortlists. Second, on the release we got a solution that could hardly match its own prototype spec-wise, as over the lengthy development time the fairly admirable specifications that had been claimed on the N60’s announcement had been altered numerous times, so eventually it turned to be not as good as everyone expected it to be. On top of that the price was way too high – 460 USD for a unit, while the functionality left much to be desired. Frankly speaking, the manufacturer did his best at presenting the solution as a feature-packed handset rather than a smartphone, but it didn’t bring along any benefits. Although, the truth is, the N60 had been popular for some time with Linux-fans, but all that hype eventually run low due to the manufacturer concealing the source codes, which left no chances for the enthusiasts to boost the N60 with self-made applications in view of missing extra software written by the maker or third-party companies.

So, what should the company be thankful to for surviving on the Russian market? The answer is as simple as it could only be – the pen-like model P7 alone has saved the day for Haier. Overall, only owing to this solution sporting the very unique looks the company has managed to draw a pinch of attention. It’s remarkable that at Svyazexpocomm 2006 Haier exhibited an updated version of the P7 coming in a slightly modified casing and with more features onboard, which went by the name of P8. However for reasons yet unknown, it hasn’t arrived in the market, and in return a music phone known as the M600 or the Black Pearl stepped into the market, being remarkable for its original design, just like the P7 back then.

The Haier M600’s design is a result of an alliance between the American and Chinese divisions of the company – and to their credit, the M600 does have something to show off in terms of its looks, being somewhere in the middle of the line that has Handsets and MP3-players on its ends respectively. But not only does it retain familiar curves and shapes of both extremes, it carries some distinctive features of both gadget types onboard as well. The phone utilizes candy-bar form-factor with the bottom and top ends rounded off. The keypad is made in a way to grab one’s eyes instantly and tell you that after all it’s nothing more but a handset, while the dedicated music keys, highlighting the M600’s prowess in the music department, double as standard numeric buttons (2, 5, 8). As for extra details found on the M600’s casing, they do their best at keeping “low profile”. The entire casing is made of glass-like glossy plastic, which surely gets soiled in no time. But having such appealing finishing applied, the M600 looks much better – and pardon me – many consumers, like magpies, go for the “shiny-and-sparkling thingies”. And who really benefit from that are the phone makers – why would they need to exhaust their staff for getting their next offering look and feel marvelous? Just finish it in glass-like plastic and place prominent framings – that is about it, you have got a consumer in your pocket, as he or she won’t pass by such phone and forget about it in a second or two, on the contrary it will grab his/her attention and keep popping up in mind even if the handset itself doesn’t fit them. Undoubtedly, the market has seen numerous exceptions to this trend, when the glass-finished surface allowed a top-notch design to show off its curves and edges in a convenient fashion. Frankly, this holds true for the M600 as well, as such coating makes it look so much more luxurious. Even after a short period of usage, when it has already had plenty and the once shiny surface is soiled, the M600 still manages to seem eye-candy. As the handset’s name implies (Black Pearl) the only trim available throughout the phone’s lifespan will be black. We have no gripes with the M600’s build quality or the plastic used – everything lives up to our expectations. But the truth is, the glossy coating is a magnet to scratches, however they won’t pose a real threat to the handset’s smooth looks, as one can see them only at certain angles.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Hyundai H-MP728

2009-04-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

Handset
Battery
Wire headset with an answer button
Hand strap
Neck strap
Manual

Today the market is not rich in phones designed specially for women, since it's rather hard to guess how popular the device will be. It seems the company of Hyundai is not afraid of troubles, that's why they created Hyundai H-MP728, which is a clamshell with two colour displays.

The phone size is really small forming 69,8 x 41,8 x 23,6 mm, while the weight is 66 g. The handset lies well in a woman's hand but really gets sunk in a man's one. Also, women will find it easier opening the handset, since here nails are necessary to use side hollows which are too small. The device is shipped in a red lacquered body, which is easily marked, though not very noticeable. The plastic happened to be very reliable, and in the whole, the phone is well assembled.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com

Alcatel OT E-805

2009-04-10T23:24:00.000-07:00

Handset
Battery
Charger
Wired headset (with FM-radio and 3.5 mm jack for the Russian market)
MicroSD memory card (ships with 256, 512, 1024 Mb cards or without)
User guide
miniUSB data cable

Alcatel’s approach to new products creation has altered recently, as relatively expensive materials are used in budget handsets changing their quality for the better. Setting out to survive on the market with such an enormous competition Alcatel is bold enough to create super-low-end modules for the niches that are all the rage these days, for example the E-801 has become the most affordable music phone on the market to date. Of course, we could harp on the phone’s being only a partly music-heavy offering, and its sound quality yielding to that of other models, but one thing is for sure – up until now it has got no rivals in 120-130 USD price-bracket. As its update, the company offers the E-805 packing a handful of interesting features.

There is nothing unusual about the handset’s design; it is standard candy-bar, whose lower-than-average price can be easily identified by the missing navigation pad. At the same time, the materials used are highly competitive with those of top-echelon offerings. Made of soft touch plastic the phone does not slip in your hands and feels good when held. The phone measures up at 96.5x54x17.5 mm, while weighs 75 grams. The built quality is brilliant, no gaps, spongy feel or other problems that can spoil your quality time with handset.

The casing is colored in black but the glossy rim around the screen may vary. It comes in three trims – brick-red, iron and emerald (which we managed to get our hands on).

The display cannot boast any newsworthy highlights. Utilizing cSTN-matrix, it shows 65 K colors at 128x128 pixels resolution, which allows up to 6 text lines and 2 service lines. The picture is not sharp enough and looks dirty to some extent. Taking into account that the device comes from the low-end segment, it is something we have come to expect from the display, however it is evidently inferior to the many other screens of similarly positioned, yet released earlier, offerings.

Source : http://www.mobile-review.com