Samsung Wave Review

on 9:17 AM




The Samsung Wave, which is the first outing for Samsung’s very own Bada OS, features some impressive specs – a super AMOLED screen, 1GHz processor and a slim design – but is it actually any good and, more importantly, does it have what it substance to take on the likes of mid-range Android, RIM and Symbian devices?
On first inspection, the Samsung Wave is clearly of the highest quality. It’s slim, light in the hand and has a beautiful super AMOLED screen, which even looks impressive when the device is switched off. In addition to this, the Samsung Wave feels sturdy in the hand and really looks the part with its polished metallic body – basically, the Samsung Wave is quite a looker.
And once you power it up, that Super AMOLED screen jumps to life – and, believe us, it is quite a sight to behold. The Wave’s 3.3-inch 480 x 800 pixel touchscreen is both crisp and vibrant displaying colours and details in the highest quality. So much so, in fact, that the Wave could easily give some high-end devices – such as the Nexus One – a serious run for their money.
As we all know, a lot of mid-range touchscreen devices lack the tactility of their higher-end counterparts – and, as a rule, Samsung is usually no exception to this law.
Fortunately, with the Wave, it really is a different story.
Samsung has really out done itself with regards to the touchscreen interface on the Wave – it’s responsive, tactile and seemingly flawless. For instance, if you compared it to the touchscreen fluidity of a device like the HTC Hero, there really is no comparison – and the Hero, in many respects, is generally considered a better device.
However, the Samsung Wave is not perfect. For starters, it is very difficult to get your head around how it actually works at first and, while the UI might be reasonably tight, there’s no video introduction like the one you get on HTC devices and you’re pretty much left to figure it out for yourself.
There are some very cool aspects to the Wave though. For example, there are two home screen modes: The first, features five home screens where live widgets, such as the FT and The Register can be stored. The second is similar to a generic menu, but just laid out over an additional three home screens and features things like Twitter, Facebook, Address Book, Email and Settings etc.Switching between the two “screen modes” is very simple, you simply press the Wave’s main button, which is located in between the Call and End-Call button.
We did like this feature of the Wave, but, again, it did take us quite some time to figure it out, which was quite annoying – so, if you’re thinking of getting this device, it might be worth checking out our user guides for the Samsung Wave first, which will be on the site prior to the device's launch.

Motorola Droid X (Verizon Wireless):

on 8:17 AM


Motorola and Verizon  aren't afraid to go after the competition, whether it be blatantly calling out a certain phone in TV ads or introducing a pretty killer device right before the launch of another. However, when you're introducing devices like the Motorola Droid X, we can see why they would be so bold.

The Droid X is the latest member to join Verizon's army, and just like the original Droid before it, it's a beast, but in a good way. The smartphone rocks a brilliant 4.3-inch touch screen and offers some great multimedia features, including an 8-megapixel camera with HD video capture, HDMI output, and DLNA support. However, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that it does lack some features that the similar-looking HTC Evo 4G has, such as a front-facing camera and, of course, 4G support.

Design:
Motorola and Verizon definitely like to go big with their Android devices, first with the Motorola Droid and now with the Droid X. Measuring 5 inches tall by 2.6 inches wide by 0.4 inch thick and 5.47 ounces, it's a hair taller than the HTC Evo 4G, but also slightly thinner and lighter. We were actually surprised at how light the phone felt in the hand, but at that size, one-handed operation is a bit tough if you have smaller hands. It also makes for a tight squeeze in a pants pocket, but without a slide-out keyboard like the Droid's, it's doesn't feel quite as bulky. There is a slight bump on back where the camera and flash are housed, though we didn't find it to be too much of a nuisance. The backside also has a nice soft-touch finish, and the Droid X feels like a solid handset overall.

User interface:
The Motorola Droid X will ship running Android 2.1 with a revised version of Motoblur software. The latter looks nothing like what we've seen on the Motorola Cliq and Backflip. You still get widgets for your social networking updates, weather, photo gallery, and favorite contacts, but they no longer take up huge chunks of space on your home screen, and you can even resize the widgets. It makes for a much cleaner experience, and you don't feel overwhelmed by all the information.

HTC Aria

on 8:27 AM



HTC Hero and the US version of the Legend, the HTC Aria ($130 with a two-year contract from AT&T; price as of 6/14/10) is the second Android phone to land on AT&T. While it doesn't have the beefy specs of the HTC Droid Incredible (on Verizon) or the HTC EVO 4G (on Sprint), the Aria should satisfy AT&T customers holding out for a full-featured Android device.

Solid, Yet Elegant Design

From the moment you first pick it up, you can tell that the Aria is a solidly designed phone. While the phone looks more or less like your typical HTC-designed phone, there are a few subtle, unique design elements. There are four holes in each corner of the soft rubberdized back, exposing the alloy-finished fasteners that hold the Aria together. Like the Droid Incredible's fire engine red innards, both the Aria's battery and plastic internal structure are brightly unicolored--this time in mustard yellow. Hardware-wise, it is practically identical to the Legend with the same display, battery, processor and camera. The only difference is the lack of a camera flash.

Like RIM, with its most recent BlackBerry models, HTC made the switch to an optical trackpad rather than a physical trackball. This is a welcome update as trackballs tend to get dirty or fall out. I found the trackpad nicely responsive as I quickly scrolled through the Aria's menus. I don't usually rely on trackpads/trackballs for navigation, but it is a useful alternative.

HTC Pure and HTC Tilt 2:

on 1:31 AM


AT&T has announced two Windows Mobile 6.5 phones with WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) displays, enhanced TouchFlo 3D software, and touch-sensitive "zoom bars." The HTC Pure and HTC Tilt 2 include 528MHz processors, dual cameras, GPS, WiFi, FM receivers, and ambient light sensors, according to the carrier.
While they're among the first Windows Mobile 6.5 phones to hit the market, the HTC Pure and HTC Tilt 2 appear to be revamped versions of devices first released by HTC internationally back in February. Though it has a new plastic casing, the Pure (below left) equates to the earlier Touch Diamond2, while the Tilt 2 (below right) equates to the Touch Pro2 -- already released by T-Mobile USA, Sprint, and Verizon. 
The HTC Pure includes a 3.2-inch screen with 800 x 480 resolution, a touch-sensitive "zoom bar," and a five-megapixel camera with autofocus (the secondary videoconferencing camera found on the international Touch Diamond2 is AWOL, however). Also cited by AT&T are the phone's "expandable memory," ambient light sensor, and gravity sensor.

Though detailed specifications were not released by AT&T, the HTC Pure likely retains the Diamond2's quad-band GSM capabilities, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The phone also includes the latest version of HTC's homegrown software stack, TouchFLO 3D, and a customized version of the Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser.

Features and specifications listed by AT&T for the Pure (or HTC for the Touch Diamond2) include:

Processor -- Qualcomm MDM7200A clocked at 528MHz
Memory -- 288MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage
Display -- 3.2-inch screen with WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels)
Cameras -- 5 megapixel main camera
Wireless:
WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 850/900/2100MHz HSDPA
LAN -- 802.11b/g wireless
PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
GPS
FM radio (on Touch Diamond2, but may not be present on Pure)
Other I/O:
HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB connector, also providing headphone output)
Expansion -- microSD slot
Battery -- 1150mAh lithium-ion battery
Dimensions -- n/s by AT&T, but Touch Diamond2 measures 4.25 x 2.09 x 0.54 inches (108 x 53.1 x 13.7mm)
Weight -- n/s by AT&T, but Touch Diamond2 weighs 4.15 ounces (111.5g)
HTC Tilt 2

AT&T's HTC Tilt 2 includes most of the same hardware and software as the HTC Pure, but its WVGA screen is 3.6 inches, while its main camera offers 3.2 megapixel resolution. The device sports a QWERTY keyboard that slides out at an angle, making the phone resemble a miniature laptop computer, plus a speakerphone employing dual microphones and HTC's "Straight Talk" technology. Also included is a battery that offers an uprated, 1500mAh capacity.
Features and specifications listed by AT&T for the Tilt 2, or by HTC for the Touch Pro2, include:

Processor -- Qualcomm MDM7200A clocked at 528MHz
Memory -- 288MB of RAM and 512MB of flash storage
Display -- 3.6-inch screen with WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels)
Cameras -- 3.2 megapixel main camera (VGA-resolution secondary camera does not appear to be on the Tilt 2)
Wireless:
WAN -- Quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 850/900/2100MHz HSDPA
LAN -- 802.11b/g wireless
PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
GPS
FM radio (on Touch Pro2, but not confirmed for Tilt 2)
Other I/O:
HTC ExtUSB (mini-USB connector, also providing headphone output)
Expansion -- microSD slot
Battery type -- 1500mAh
Dimensions -- 4.57 x 2.33 x 0.68 inches (116 x 59.2 x 17.25mm)
Weight -- 6.17 ounces (175.5g)
Further information
According to AT&T, the Pure is available now for approximately $150, following a two-year service agreement and $50 mail-in rebate. The Tilt 2 will be available "in the following weeks" for approximately $300 following rebate and service agreement, the company adds.

Nexus One Review

on 8:48 AM



Google seems to have outdone themselves once again, this time though, with a cell phone. The Nexus One is the first phone using Android 2.1 and has given Google quite a name in the cell phone industry. This smartphone complements the Android family very nicely and you could even go as far as saying its intensity amplifies the family, and makes it a strong competitor against the Apple iPhone and the Droid Incredible.
Design: 
This phone is beautiful. Actually, this phone is more than that; it’s a wonder and is stunning. The screen is an outpour of 16.7 million colors and the 800 x 400-pixel display makes it a sensation. The Nexus is the same size as the HTC Hero and HTC Droid Eris, but unlike the Droid, the Nexus has a trackball. This is a great navigation tool for the phone but also can be used for its color-based notifications that lets you know if you received a new email, text message or phone call without turning on the screen. Similar to the iPhone, the Nexus One lacks a physical keyboard and all typing is solely done using an on-screen keyboard. But the on-screen keys aren’t anything to complain about, as they respond well to the user. Google knew what they were doing with the Nexus’s design and left you with four buttons, laid out exactly as the Droid, which makes navigation throughout the phone easier. These include the back, home, menu and search keys.
Multimedia: 
A huge addition to the Nexus One is the camera which is leaps and bounds ahead of most android phone cameras. The 5MP (Mega-pixel) camera includes 2x digital zoom, LED flash and the option to tag the location of the photos from the phone’s AGPS receiver. Other features include white balance and color effect controls, autofocus, infinity focus and three quality settings so those quick candid moments become crisp and clear photos. And still shots aren’t the only thing this Google smartphone excels at. Up to thirty minutes of video can be shot in a 720 x 480-pixel resolution and a gallery application allows photos to be arranged and displayed in a grid format for easy viewing.
The media player in the Nexus One isn’t great, but it certainly isn’t terrible. It is a basic player with the basic features: playlist options, shuffle modes, repeat and the option to add music from the Amazon MP3 Store. However the phone does offer up to 20 hours of audio playback. That will keep you pre-occupied for quite some time.
Call Features/Quality: 
Aside from all the neat stuff the phone offers, this is a phone, and the call quality of this cellular device should be mentioned. The phone has a strong enough battery that allows for up to seven hours of continuous talk time in a 3G network and ten hours in 2G. But one of the neatest features dealing with call quality on the Google Nexus One is its noise cancelling technology. Two microphones are placed on the phone, one to capture your voice and the other to capture the background noise. This reduction of the background noise makes your phone call clear and makes the main function of the phone, using it to talk to others, that much better.
Memory/Storage: 
Storage is not a problem with this phone. With a 4GB Micro SD Card in the phone, there is still room to expand to 32GB, which is the same amount of memory found in the Apple iPhone. No contacts, pictures or music will need to ever be deleted with that much room found on the cellular device. The Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHZ processor is also a blessing, as it speeds things right along and saves you time finishing your long to-do list.

Palm Pre Review:

on 7:45 AM






The name Palm was virtually synonymous with PDAs not too many years ago. But when PDAs gave way to the more versatile smartphones, Palm was left behind by the likes of BlackBerry and the Apple iPhone. While they continued to make some pretty good devices, the legacy Palm OS didn’t get much attention so their entry level Centro phones quickly became outdated. Palm chose to use Windows Mobile as the operating system for their higher end, business oriented Treo smartphones but that eliminated the uniqueness that they had enjoyed by making both the software as well as the hardware and the Treo became just another WinMo phone.

Design: 
The Palm Pre is an attractive package that is dominated by its 3.1-inch, diagonal measure, touch screen. Yes, that’s a bit smaller than that of the trend setting Apple iPhone 3GS but its 320x480 HVGA resolution provides a superior image. The screen features multitouch technology so you can pinch and pull images to zoom in or out. Applications, in the form of cards, can be easily scrolled or flicked out of the way to close them and email can be deleted simply by swiping it from left to right.
Unlike many touch screens, a virtual keyboard isn’t an option so the phone slides open giving access to a physical keyboard. In general we’re in favor of such keyboards for typing but this one is something of a disappointment, particularly because it’s too cramped.
Multimedia: 
Our favorite aspect of the Palm Pre is the webOS and the way it allows for integrating applications with the web and in particular, a system called Synergy. This Palm exclusive allows for the sharing of information between such applications as MS Outlook, Facebook, Google and Google Talk, AIM, Yahoo! Mail and LinkedIn. Contact information in one application is shared so that all your data can be available in one consolidated place – though there is an option to keep it separate if you prefer. This makes searching for information quick and thorough independent of the application in which it may be stored. It also allows for switching a conversation from application to another seamlessly. For example, a conversation can be started using AIM and then changed to text messaging in a single, continuous display.
The other top feature is the Pre’s ability to multitask. Open applications display as a Deck of Cards that you can scroll through to interact with the one you want and simply tap it. There’s no need to close one application to use another one as is required with the iPhone and many others. When you are ready to close an application, just flick the card and it’s gone. It’s not the only multitasking smartphone – BlackBerries do it nicely – but the user interface is makes it particularly practical.

HTC Droid Incredible

on 7:25 AM

                                                  
Overall Rating

We live in a world where time does not slow down. As a busy person you need something to help you keep pace with your fast-paced life, and the HTC Droid Incredible does just that. With a simple design, amazing screen and a good camera, the Droid Incredible is giving other Smartphones, such as the Nexus One and the Apple iPhone, a run for their money. It places near the top when considering a new smartphone. For a side-by-side comparison and objective reviews.



Design: 
The Droid Incredible really is, as the name says, incredible. HTC has been producing very solid phones for a few years now. With a design similar to other smartphones, this HTC device is an attractive phone. With a 480 x 800-pixel display, the colors will pop and bring a whole new world to the palm of your hand. Designed with a 3.7 inch screen, the Incredible has a much larger display than the Apple iPhone and is the same size as Google’s Nexus One. However, when comparing the Incredible to the Google smartphone, the Droid is chunkier and more difficult to hold in one’s hand. They are similar with very little difference, but the Nexus One contains a more sleek and fluid design.
This HTC phone has an optical joystick which is used to navigate on the phone instead of a trackball. Four small buttons, home, menu, back and search, are found on the front of the phone but these are so small that the touch screen is used for almost everything.

Multimedia: 
Outdoing most other smartphones, the Droid Incredible features an 8MP camera and dual LED flash. For a phone camera, that's impressive. And this camera doesn’t stop there. The camera features built-in editing so you can edit your photos directly on your phone. The photo gallery is new and unique on the Incredible and can be opened in either a timeline or a grid. Even video can be captured at 640 x 480 pixels, which means it will look sharp and you will be proud to call the video footage your own.

HTC HD2 Mini:

on 11:39 AM




It looks like an HTC HD2 that’s been shrunk in the wash, but does the HTC HD Mini come up smelling of roses?

The HTC HD2 is one of the most impressive Windows Mobile phones to enter the market in recent times. The screen is huge and fantastically high resolution, casing is sleek and Windows Phone 6.5 works perfectly with the HTC Sense UI.
Now its younger brother has hit the scene and the HTC HD Mini isn’t quite as impressive.
Firstly, the HD2’s best feature – its screen – has been miniaturised to 3.2-inches (compared to the HD2’s massive 4.3-inches), and taken down a notch in the resolution department to 320x480 pixels.
This is mostly down to the HD Mini’s decreased size. It’s also a lot lighter than the HD2, weighing in at 110g.
This does mean it slides into a pocket, unlike the HD2, but the screen size does cause real issues when typing and makes you crave a stylus when using the QWERTY keyboard. It’s too small for any fingers, let alone fully-grown adult digits.
The processor has been downsized too. Gone is the 1GHz Snapdragon number and in comes a Qualcomm 7227 600 MHz processor. It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference when running one or two applications, but when zipping through the application panels we did notice a slight lag.

Samsung Genio Review:

on 7:36 AM

Samsung is appealing to the trendy youth market with this well-priced and colourful touchscreen.

It can be rather difficult for a handset maker to produce something that appeals to young people. Do it wrong, as most companies do, and it all looks incredibly patronising and uncool.
Samsung, fortunately, seems to be pretty good at appealing to everyone. The Genio is a colourful number, with changeable rear covers and a selection supplied in the box. From the off, it’s already got the looks - but what about when you switch it on?
The 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen shows off Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface and does so with a QVGA-resolution.
Compared to its higher-end models, this does cut the quality of icons and images - but not the overall layout. You still have the easily accessible on-screen shortcuts to the dialer, phonebook and messaging application, plus access to a range of widgets that sit on any one of three standby screens.
As is customary these days, the Genio Touch has access to Facebook, Twitter, Bebo, Google and YouTube. It’s obviously important to point out that with all of these online services, you’ll need to be on a suitable tariff that isn’t going to land you with a bill for hundreds, or thousands, of pounds.
There’s no Wi-Fi or 3G either, but support for EDGE should keep things chugging along nicely, network permitting.


HTC Smart Review

on 2:28 AM

There has been a lot of buzz around HTC phones lately, because of the launch of many new and innovative smartphones.The HTC Smart is a compact phone that helps you to make smarter and more fun.The HTC Smart is ready for you, for your productive side or your private life. The HTC Smart has Themes – various phone profiles you mood and status of your everyday life shows. There is a theme for busy week days, your home screen filled with icons such as email, calendar and internet, to get you through the busy days around to help. There is a scene to relax in the weekend, with icons as music, camera and photos on the ground. There is even a scene that you can decorate to your own tastes and needs. 
The screen size is relatively small compared to the advanced next-generation terminals: a LCF 2.8 inch TFT with a resolution of QVGA, still large enough to use with your fingers without too much problems. It is GSM compatible with GPRS, EDGE, UMTS and HSDPA. The Smart is equipped with Bluetooth and USB connectivity, an integrated camera complete with autofocus, digital zoom, flash and video capabilities 3-megapixel, 3.5 mm input jack for standard headphones, memory RAM 256 and ROM memory too ‘ it by 256.
The more you use the HTC Smart, you’ll find more details. For example, with a tap on the screen, tilt your internet browser to landscape, so you can see perfectly websites. There is also a smart zoom available, which you only 2 taps on the screen can zoom in on text, without you having to scroll.

Apple iPad Review

on 9:12 AM

The Apple iPad. The name is a killing word -- more than a product -- it's a statement, an idea, and potentially a prime mover in the world of consumer electronics. Before iPad it was called the Apple Tablet, the Slate, Canvas, and a handful of other guesses -- but what was little more than rumor and speculation for nearly ten years is now very much a reality. Announced on January 27th to a middling response, Apple has been readying itself for what could be the most significant product launch in its history; the making (or breaking) of an entirely new class of computer for the company. The iPad is something in between its monumental iPhone and wildly successful MacBook line -- a usurper to the netbook throne, and possibly a sign of things to come for the entire personal computer market... if Apple delivers on its promises. And those are some big promises; the company has been tossing around words like "magical" and "revolutionary" to describe what many have dismissed as nothing more than a larger version of its iPod touch. But is that all there is to this device? Is the hope that Apple promises for this new computing experience nothing more than marketing fluff and strategic hyperbole? Or is this a different beast altogether -- a true sign that change has come to the world of the PC? We have the definitive answers to those questions (and many more) right here, so read on for our full review of the Apple iPad!

Samsung i9000 Galaxy S: the Best Smartphone of the Future

on 7:28 AM

The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S looks great. The size of the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S makes up 122.4 x 64.2 x 9.9 mm. Its weight is 118 grams. It is a slim and compact device.
The i9000 Galaxy features an AMOLED capacitive touch screen, the size of which is 4.0 inches. The screen display supports 16 million hues and has the resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. There is an accelerometer sensor that rotates the screen modes automatically. The color schemes of the i9000 Galaxy provide phones in black and grey colors.
The Internet and connectivity features of the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S are the following: CLASS 12 GPRS, CLASS 12 EDGE, WI-FI, 7,2 Mbps HSDPA, micro USB, Bluetooth, 2G and 3G network support. With 2G network, it works with quad band GSM network 850/ 900/ 1800/ 1900 while with 3G, it supports tri-band HSDPA 900/ 1900/ 2100.
The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S has a 5-megapixel camera with the following features: smile detection, face detection, and geo tagging. The photo quality is good enough.  The camera has a video recorder that takes video clips at 720p@30fps. The secondary VGA camera is also available.
The audio player supports MP3, AC3, WAV, FLAC, and eAAC+ formats, while the video player plays DivX, MP4, WMV, H.263 and H.264 formats.
As the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S is one of the largest smartphones. Taking the features and functions into consideration, its memory should also be large. The inner memory of the Samsung i9000 Galaxy S compiles 8 Gbytes which is quite satisfying, but, of course, is not enough. That is why the i9000 Galaxy S gives an opportunity to use a microSD card slot and to increase the phone’s memory up to 32 GBytes.
The Samsung i9000 Galaxy S is going to be launched in the second quarter of 2010.

BlackBerry Pearl 3G

on 12:15 PM


WES 2010 is off to an exciting start following the announcement of the BlackBerry® Pearl™ 3G smartphone and the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 smartphone. Read on for my interview with BlackBerry Pearl 3G Product Manager Joseph Gordon, and stay tuned for my interview with BlackBerry Bold 9650 Product Manager Troy Young later this week.


Features and Specifications of Blackberry Pearl 3G :
• 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with flash, video recording and geotagging
• BlackBerry Media Sync to easy sync photos as well as iTunes and Windows Media Player music with the handset
• Access to a numbers of applications from BlackBerry App World
• Available in 5 variants of color – Piano Black, Opal Pink, Royal Purple, Flash White and Red Gradient
• 624 Mhz processor complemented with 256 MB SDRAM
• Optical trackpad for quick, smooth navigation experience
• Built-in GPS for location-based applications like BlackBerry Maps
• Bluetooth v2.1 and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connectivity
• SureType technology can understand and complete words as what you’re typing, aiming for efficient and familiar typing experience
• BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) lets users chat with their closest friends anywhere, anytime
• High-resolution 2.26-inch 360 x 400 pixels color display

The BlackBerry Pearl 3G smartphone had two of the best possible inspirations:  the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 smartphone and the BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone.  We wanted a handset that was true to the form of the original BlackBerry Pearl 8100 smartphone, but brought in some of the high-end styling of the BlackBerry Bold smartphone line.  Also key was how it felt in the hand: we wanted something that was comfortable and easy to use, particularly in one-handed situations, which is very popular with the younger demographic. Like both products, it combines power and elegance to deliver not only an attractive smartphone but one that can handle whatever applications the customer needs.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz Mobile Phone

on 11:53 AM


If you are looking for a mobile phone that’s trendy, slim and light to carry, you may just want to go for something like the Sony Ericsson Vivaz mobile phone. Vivaz is only 98g, but if you think that it’s going to slip from your hands easily because of its size, think again. Vivaz is creatively designed in a way that the edges are curved. This is to specifically keep the phone from falling off your palms. Available in dark blue, sophisticated black, berry red, and metallic silver, the phone is a sure head-turner. In addition, text and images appear vibrant and realistic on the 3.2 inch 16 million colour TFT HD touchscreen.

Owning a mobile phone, however, should not be all about outward appearances. It’s rather unfortunate, but the Vivaz design, is not without flaws. In fact, the built-in camera is kind of displaced. You’d have to be very careful when holding your phone otherwise you can unintentionally take pictures of your fingers. The cover for the battery does not secure the battery well, so there’s a good chance of it slipping off. Moreover, Vivaz still runs on Symbian S60, an operating system that is not known to be user-friendly at all, besides being slow.

Never mind the fact that Vivaz’s built-in camera is not appropriately placed, you would be pleased to know that it comes with an 8.1 megapixel rating, as well as many other great features, including flash and autofocus features, up to 4x digital zoom, and an image stabilizer. Equipped with video lights, the camera offers you the option to take videos and stream them.

A lot of people are very particular of the sound quality of the phone, and fortunately, it something that Vivaz can boast of. You wouldn’t mind listening to music on the phone’s media player, FM radio, Bluetooth stereo A2DP or MP3 at all. What’s more, the headphone jack it comes with is 3.5 mm, meaning it can be used with any kind of headphone.

As to connectivity options, Vivaz offers Bluetooth and wi-fi, as we all 3G HSDPA, HSUPA, A2DP, and EDGE. Its GPS navigation features can very well guide you on your road trips. Readily access Google maps and Google search, and even Facebook and YouTube with your hi-tech Vivaz.

Being a touchscreen phone does have some disadvantages. In the case of Vivaz, touchscreen technology does not enable one to send text messages or instant messages with ease.

You would probably not mind that Vivaz only has 75 megabytes of memory and another 16 GB on a microSD memory card if you are just going to use the phone for communication purposes. However, with just 13 hours of talk time and 430 hours standby time, you would surely be needing your charger often so it would be wise to keep it by your side at all times. 

Nokia X3 Review

on 7:52 AM


With the announcement of the first models of the new “X” Series, the Nokia X3 and Nokia X6, the manufacturer has turned over a new leaf in the development of their music line-up that was, until recently, called XpressMusic. Today, we are introducing the Nokia X3 that is less spectacular than the X6, but will certainly appeal to people on the lookout for a compact and affordable music-oriented handset. The X3 is a slider phone utilizing Series 40 interface and equipped with 2.2-inch display, 3.2-megapixel camera and the mandatory, for today´s all-about-music devices, 3.5mm jack and stereo loudspeakers. One of the more interesting extra features of the handset is the presence of a built-in FM Radio aerial – something that is quite rare these days.  

Design:

Just take a quick look at the Nokia X3 and you will immediately notice it´s successor to the handsets of the XpressMusic line-up. The proof, the motley design elements on the front side, is right in front of your eyes. The one on the left hand side is actually the volume rocker and its buttons are almost flush with the surface, but still, you won´t have any troubles pressing them. The X3 unit we´ve got is in black and red, but the handset is available in grey and blue color solution as well.
he Nokia X3 is quite compact really. It´s predominantly made from plastic and feels relatively fragile and, unfortunately, cheap in your hands.

The X3 comes with 2.2-inch display with native resolution of 240x320 pixels that is, frankly, nothing to write home about as per today´s standards. Despite its 262k color support, the images it delivers appear worn out and thin in the dark, just like what cheap, entry-level handsets offer. Fortunately, the device is totally usable in direct sunlight – everything on the screen gets kind of monochromic, but remains easily readable. 

The slider feels tight while being opened, although we can´t say it´s among the best we´ve seen. Still, its quality is passable for a phone in this class. The keypad is enjoyable to use, because it sports large buttons that are clearly felt when pressed. You might think it´s made of metal when you see it first, but you will find out it´s actually plastic the minute you touch it. One of the stereo loudspeakers is right below, with the second located on the top side, next to the 3.5mm jack, microUSB port and the one for Nokia´s previous generation of chargers. The right and left hand sides of the device feature uncluttered design and what you´ve got is handy camera shutter, volume rocker and microSD expansion card slot. 

The New Hotness: HTC EVO 4G

on 9:28 AM





WIMAX! 10mbp/s downstream! 4.3 inch AMOLED screen! HD Video Recording! 1GB ROM! Snapdragon processor! Kick-stand?
All these things were unveiled, and more, yesterday, at Sprint’s CTIA press conference. The Android world especially went wild at this news, as the phone unveiled is, by degrees, the best and most robust Android phone released to date. It’s got 2.1 running Sense, with all those incredible hardware specs. Doesn’t get much better than that!
Sure, you’ve heard everything about it so far, so this news is probably not very new, per se, but I am almost thinking of moving to the States just to get my hands on this beauty.
Check out the complete specs:
  • First Android phone with Sprint 4G WiMax / 3G EV-DO Rev. A
  • 4.3-inch WVGA diaplsy 800×554
  • 1GHz processor Snapdragon QSD8650
  • 1 GB flash ROM, 512 MB RAM
  • 8 megapixel camera with 720p video capture
  • 1.3 megapixel front facing camera
  • Output pictures, slides and videos in HD quality (720p) via HDMI cable (sold separately)
  • 802.11b/g WiFi
  • 1500 mAh battery
  • 8 GB microSD included
  • Android 2.1 with Sense UI
  • Mobile hotspot connectivity, supports up to 8 devices
  • Built-in kickstand for hands-free viewing
  • Media player with 3.5mm stereo headset jack
  • FM radio and Amazon MP3 store
  • Dimensions: 4.8″ x 2.6″ x .5″, Weight: 6 ounces

Acer Liquid A1 Review

on 8:21 AM

Nowadays, mobile phone has been one of the basic elements that symbolized an individual’s living standard. As far as communication has to offer, it is an icon for integrated web based interaction and multimedia entertainment. Mobile phone manufacturers have never slow down but instead moving aggressively and persistently, developing advanced technologies and sophisticated operation systems that suit their products well enough to impress vast group of consumer targets. While mobile phone users’ are still fascinated with Windows MobileTM, Google with breathtaking gives a second shoot by launching Android, a complete yet open mobile softwares that can be incorporated into all newly emerged technologies. Reviewing the trend of this rapid mobile phone evolution, clearly mobile phone industry is no longer conquered by manufacturers but instead abided by networkers and IT companies to offer upgraded operation system with higher social communication power and integrated content access.

Design

Ranged as one of the world’s top 3 companies for total PC shipments, Acer has commenced its very first invasion into the smartphone territory by launching Acer Liquid A1, Acer’s first Android-based smartphone. Before turning on the handset, the reflection of the 3.5 inch screen creates black pond illusion and this might explain why the handset is so-called Acer Liquid. Given with such mysterious and cool appearance, the chassis with dimension of 115 x 62.5 x 12.5 mm is also another credit. Both sides of the handset (left and right) are in straight-cut design, creating an elongation effect. The top and bottom are slightly curvy. Assembled in one, the overall design is very much impressive and less “rectangular” that i-phone (if comparison is meant to be made).  Apart from all the creative design, there is one major imperfection on its coating. The handset is constructed entirely of plastic. Although it comes with a range of colors, white (Dream white), red (Danger red) and black (Velvet black), the plastic surface (particularly on the back) are less glamorous and shiny than other handsets with metal coating, cruel enough to say it looks rather cheap.
Beyond critics on its appearance, the Acer Liquid still impresses us with its huge, 3.5 inch WVGA capacitive touch screen display, supporting up to 256,000 color and 800 x 480 pixel resolution. Once the screen is turned on, the display is pretty much impressive as it looks bright and sharp. Below the screen, there are four typical Android controls, i.e. home, search, back and menu. All the controls are touch-sensitive and will only be visible when the backlit is on. In order to use the controls, we have to press the power button first to activate them, considerably a redundant and clumsy operation. In terms of hardware buttons, the designers are creative enough to position them neatly along sides of the handset. On the bottom of the handset, there is a micro-USB slot for charging and syncing purposes. The top is where the 3.5mm headphone jack is positioned along with a line of LED light indicators for missed call, unread message and battery status. The left-hand side is where the power button is located while the right-hand side features the camera button and volume button.

Connectivities, Memory and CPU

Reviewing its internet connectivity, Acer Liquid offers quad band GSM and 3G with HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA up to 2.0 Mbps for speedy internet surfing. Apart from GRPS and EDGE, this handset also comes with WiFi 802.11 b/g and Bluetooth that allows users to synchronize their handset with other compatible mobile devices or laptops. In addition, the Acer Liquid also features 256 MB ROM and 512 MB. MicroSD provided is expandable up to 32GB. Apart from ordinary features that a smart phone has to offer, Acer Liquid has boasted its capability with a built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. Even though the QSD 8250 supports 768 Mhz processor rather than the originally reported 1 GHz, surprisingly it does not affect the overall performance of Acer Liquid in handling multitasking situations and loading applications.

Android OS and UI

Operated by AndroidTM version 1.6 interfaces, the Acer Liquid presents a 3-pages platform that allow users to swipe left and right from the centre responsively. The handset also display widgets in such a way that allow users to scroll down and gain access immediately to media files or internet browsing tools. Provided with one-button toggle to Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi, Acer Liquid has once again proved its feasibility in the overall operation.

HP iPAQ Glisten Review

on 1:43 PM

It has been a while since HP involvement in the smartphone business. Not to deny of the company’s advanced sense on the market trend, HP has once make a great marketing deal with the Microsoft’s Windows Mobile platform, not only to penetrate the mass smartphone market but instead aims to pioneer among other existing competitors. Unfortunately with such prevailing connection with Microsoft, HP still encounters failure when launching iPAQ 910 in 2008. In year 2009, the HP did not give up but comes back with the iPAQ Glisten. Regardless of the improvement from the last device, the HP emphasized more on the marketing line of the Glisten. Launched as a strictly custom made business-type smart phone, the HP is making itself very clear of the targeted consumers.

Operation System

Being one of a few candy phone supported by Windows, the iPAQ Glisten runs with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional Operation System along with standard Office package. Of course, as the world is in the Android trend, there is not much to discuss about its OS. However, the Office Mobile Suit is definitely a necessity for a business smart phone like the Glisten. Assembling Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint presentation, the Glisten allows you to get your works done even when you are travelling.

Internet Connectivity

Reviewing its internet connectivity, the Glisten offers 7.2 Mbps 3G connectivity for speedy internet surfing. Apart from that, it also supports WiFi connection and Bluetooth synchronization. It is also supported by a Qualcomm MSM 7200A 528 MHz processor however, multitasking still rather slow if compared to other devices available in the market.

Camera

Strictly a business-type smart phone, there is not much expectation on its camera function but we are still surprise to have the Glisten comes with a 3.1 megapixel resolution and a very nice looking camera interface. Featured with autofocus function yet no flash light, the image is expected to be less clear and reduced quality.

AMOLED touch screen display

The AMOLED display is another highlight of the iPAQ Glisten. Claimed to have sharper, brighter display and less power consumption, the Glisten hasn’t really make full use of this excellent feature. The QVGA resolution of 320 x 240 pixels is way too low to boast up the AMOLED display, resulting in a defect on the display not being as smooth and sharp as AMOLED display on the Samsung Omnia II. Reviewing of the touch screen display, cruel enough to say it is just a redundant feature in the Glisten. Honestly, a 2.5 inches display doesn’t really need a touch screen. Input with the new touch-friendly menus of Windows Mobile 6.5, predictable there will be plenty of scrolling activities when handling the Glisten as there is no adequate onscreen space for full display. Most of the time, you may have to break down the stylus to make selection on the submenu. Clearly, the touch-friendly feature isn’t really user-friendly.

Google Nexus One Review

on 12:30 PM

The fifth day in January 2010 is a total historical day in the history of mobile industry. It is the day where Google – the world most powerful search engine network company, stepping beyond boundary into the mobile business by officially launching its genuine masterpiece, the Google Nexus One. Though this act of boundary crossing is pretty much premeditated since Google first developed the Android system and implanted the concept of phone googling among mobile users, the Nexus One still creating hurricane phenomenon within the public and most importantly countless mobile manufacturer companies. IT media workers even named the day as G-day while “worshipping” the advent of Nexus One, most would say Google is self-advertising but it is in fact a reflection of public anxiety and great anticipation towards a mobile product that really listen to its consumers. It is pretty much worrying to see mounting compliments prior a true on-hand review, which might end up with disappointment and underwhelming. Anyway, let’s have a look if the Google Nexus One does deserve enormous respect before we become the next worshipper of Nexus.

Design:

Knowing where it origins from, Google understands how far it excels and that exclude designing Nexus One. Thus, a partnership was established with the HTC to create a handset with physical attraction or literally handsome-looking. First glance on the Nexus One, the smartphone dressed up in two-toned grey color –the housing is in dark grey and there is a light grey metallic edging around the 3.7 inches AMOLED touch screen. However, a little bit more contrast in term of the color scheme will be better to further enhance its elegancy and delightfulness. The smartphone is merely the same size of iPhone with a dimension of 4.56 x 2.36 x 0.47 inches. Holding it on hand, surprisingly it is much lighter as expected. The curvy edges and softy surface are added for palm-friendly features. As predicted, the 3.7 inches AMOLED screen display is the major attraction that makes this handset worthy. 16.7 million colors and a resolution of 800 x 480 pixel, users will sure be stunned with the close-to-real image portraying technology. Beneath the touch screen we find four touch controls – back, menu, home and search, a typical Android way of interface navigation. Right below the touch controls, there is a trackball in the center that can be used as an alternative navigation tool. On the top, there are power button and a 3.5mm volume head jack (that fits to ordinary headphone) sitting at each end. Volume rocker was nicely placed on the left and bottom we found micro USB port and a mic hole. We also found that the 5.0 mega pixel camera lens with its flash light were poorly situated at the rear side of the phone, looking rather awful and impropriate.

The LG KM570 Cookie Gig steps right

on 8:06 AM


Cookies just won’t stay put – they need more space to do their thing. The LG KM570 Cookie Gig steps right into LG Arena territory. With looks and camera to match and a Cookie-grade price tag, this phone is on track to go platinum. The Dolby mobile logo at the back hints at a knack for multimedia and the 4GB of built-in memory means there’ll be plenty of room for your music.

Key features:

* 3" 256K-color resistive TFT touchscreen of WQVGA resolution (240 x 400 pixels)
* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
* 3G with HSDPA (7.2 Mbps)
* Widget-enhanced interface and Livesquare homescreen
* 5 megapixel autofocus camera with face detection
* D1 video recording @ 30fps, QVGA time-lapse and QVGA slo-mo video
* 4GB of built-in storage
* microSD card slot, up to 16GB
* Standard 3.5mm audio jack
* Standard microUSB port (charging)
* Dolby for Mobile audio enhancement
* Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
* Accelerometer for screen auto rotate; turn to mute
* Landscape on-screen QWERTY keyboard
* FM radio with RDS and FM transmitter
* Office document viewer
* Social networking integration
* Smart dialing