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Brown Samsung Tocco now available

2008-07-22T11:32:00.002+05:30

The newest member of the Samsung Tocco family has now launched sporting a stylish new rich Brown look. Though from the front the Brown Tocco appears almost identical to the original, round the back is where the action really is. Rather than lazily just colouring the back of the phone brown, Samsung have opted for a quality leather finish giving a real sense of style and texture to this top notch mobile phone and that’s not to say that the original Tocco wasn’t a handsome customer to begin with.

In terms of the feature list, no change to the Tocco from its first incarnation means we get an excellent 5.0 Megapixel camera with video, autofocus, face detection, flash and arguably the best camera interface of all the touchscreen mobile phones to date. 3G HSDPA mobile broadband connectivity means using the phones excellent web browser is lightning fast. Then onto the obvious stuff, we find Bluetooth v2.0, MP3/AAC/AAC+ player and a memory card slot supporting microSD cards up to 8Gb. (See our mobile phone definitions page if some of these terms seem to be in a foreign language to you!)

Samsung, clearly a firm believer in the saying variety is the spice of life, have been incredibly quick to pounce on consumers demand for assortment of options when choosing a mobile phone. Recent releases saw the Samsung Soul launching in Graphite and Silver, followed shortly by the new Pink Soul and soon to be joined in the range by the latest Midnight edition. Looking further back, the hugely popular U600 had a number of colour variations with some still coming (Black and Gold U600 anyone?).

No other colours have been confirmed for the Tocco (it has only been out for a month) but it would be foolish to bet against a Pink Tocco in the pipeline. What is clear is that Samsung, more than any other major manufacturer, have capitalised on the demand for diversity!

Source: http://blog.mobiles.co.uk/

Chinese company announces new mobile phone watches

2008-07-12T12:52:00.002+05:30

Beam me up Scotty! In an announcement expected to go hand in hand with hover cars and robot servants, Chinese electronics company C-Sky Industrial limited has announced that it will be producing a range of mobile phone wrist watches.

Though not a new idea (see the Samsung GPRS watch phone), these new models (from the pictures at least) stand out from previous failed attempts at converging a watch and a mobile phone due to the sleek design and excellent spec list. Apparently, if these products do ever see the light of day, we can expect Bluetooth, a 1.3 megapixel camera and mp3 playback.
As with many Chinese companies, innovation is the name of the game and what once would have seemed laughable, today seems entirely feasible.

Though many of you will be looking at the watch phone with a large degree of scepticism, what this undoubtedly does go to prove is how far mobile phone technology has come in the pursuit of integrating multiple devices.

Past products which spring to mind in this vein include the Sony Ericsson MBW-100 Bluetooth watch, an incredibly attractive watch which provided owners with excellent features such as caller id and text message alerts on the watch face itself as well as the ability to pair it with an accompanying Bluetooth headset and answer and end calls directly on the watch.

Bluetooth has always been an area of innovation with hundreds of unique applications, from the useful to the downright daft. Now an increase in the amount of fashion orientated products, including Bluetooth wristbands and even a Bluetooth headset styled as dog tags are becoming ever more popular.

Where past ventures have seen mobile phones partnered with fashion houses such as the giants of Prada and Armani, perhaps the manufacturers are now directing the fashion themselves with the products likening themselves more to jewellery. Should we expect a phone co-launched with a major watch brand?

Whether mobile phone earrings, necklaces or bracelets will materialize in the future remains to be seen, but the future design of mobile phones can be viewed with excitement (and a large pinch of salt!). While for the time being watch phones are still niche and viewed with a hint of negativity it is wise to remember how we all scoffed at camera phones!

So hang on to your jewellery and your fashion phones for the meantime, just don’t be surprised if your next handset ends up replacing that Rolex!

Source: http://blog.mobiles.co.uk/

LG KP100 / KP105

2008-07-08T17:44:00.000+05:30

Simple, cheap phones can often be pretty appealing, and the LG KP100 seems to fall into this category. The recommended SIM-free retail price is €59 (around £48) although we have seen it advertised for less than €30. Given the low cost, the KP100 appears to deliver on all the basics you would need from a mobile phone.

Some low-cost LG handsets in the past have been really ugly, but the KP100 manages a simple but stylish arrangement which does at least mean that you won't need to put a paper bag over the phone while you are using it.

LG seem a little confused over the KP100's battery life - we have seen figures ranging from 4.5 to 10.5 hours talktime and between 18 to 26 days standby time. The relatively large capacity 900 mAh battery should give the KP100 a decent amount of charge though, so we suspect that the talktime and standby time will be pretty good.

The screen is a pretty simple 1.5" 128 x 128 pixel CSTN panel in 65,000 colours, the LG KP100 has a vibrate function and appears to have a speakerphone. There is also some basic PIM functionality and a game, plus T9 predictive text and that really is about it. The LG LP100 is available in a white/red colour combination, and also in black in some markets and should be available very soon.

The LG KP105 handset (pictured left) is almost identical to the KP100 except that it comes with a FM radio. Adding an FM radio to a cheap phone is a good way of making the handset more fun while keeping the cost down. We have seen the KP105 priced at around €40 which makes it a little more expensive than the KP100.

The KP105 is aimed mostly at "emerging markets" and is already available from certain retailers. The simpler KP100 is due for a more general release throughout Europe and the rest of the world from July onwards.

Although these two phones may not be very exciting when it comes to technological wizardry, they are good value for money and pleasing to look at. For most people, these simple features are all they will ever need.

Source: http://www.mobilegazette.com

Samsung Armani : Be Different And Make An Impact

2008-07-02T16:56:00.001+05:30

Given the plethora of mobile phone handsets flooding today’s market, many a time people like me get confused about the purchase of a mobile phone. Some where I too got lost in the maze of the current crop of latest mobile phones. The simple task of selecting a mobile phone to me seemed a daunting preposition. It was then that my friend, George, recommended that I should go for the latest mobile phone, the Samsung Armani from the house of Samsung Electronics. George strongly endorsed its smart user-friendly features and world class performance. Impressed by George’s praising remarks about this “technological marvel” as he rightly put it, I bought myself a Samsung Armani handset.

I was then working as a sales man with a textile designing and manufacturing company. My job required me to travel extensively to distant and remote corners of the country. It was during those trips that I realised the true value of the features that come packaged with this mobile phone.To begin with, the Samsung Armani, as my friend aptly described- “a mobile phone with a difference”- is truly power -packed with a wide spectrum of amazing features. For instance, this GSM-enabled mobile phone offers its users an ultimate high experience of the digital world.The meticulous designing and sophisticated features are geared to deliver world-class performance. The phone’s compact designing with dimensions of 87.5 x 54.5 x 10.5 mm and a feather weight of 85 grams, makes it convenient for me to carry it on my business trips.

Its 2.6 inches TFT touchscreen display with 256K colours and a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels presents crystal clear and sharp images. The advanced connectivity features such as Class 10 GPRS and EDGE, WAP 2.0/xHTML,v2.0 Bluetooth with A2DP and v2.0 miniUSB helped me to communicate effectively with other entrepreneurs. Further, services like the SMS, MMS and Email helped me to “stay connected with family, friends and colleagues”. The phone’s built-in 3.15 mega pixel camera that offers an outstanding resolution of 2048×1536 pixels helped me to capture some amazing print and design patterns from the artisans. Its 60 MB embedded memory can be expanded by using a microSD (TransFlash) card also helped me store a number of textile images. Lastly, this phone’s long-lasting Li-Ion 880 mAh battery supports a Stand by time up to 220 hours helped me a great deal as it took many days to turned to the low battery status.I feel the proud owner of this mobile phone. Its incredible features have really helped me go a long way in life. Today, I have been promoted to the position of a Manager in the textile company. I believe I owe my success to the well timed suggestion of my Friend and last but not the least to Samsung Armani.

source:http://mobilestormer.wordpress.com

Nokia 7610 Supernova

2008-06-30T10:00:00.001+05:30

The flagship handset in Nokia's Supernova Range, the Nokia 7610 Supernova sports a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and dual LED flash, capable of capturing VGA resolution video clips at up to 15 frames per second. As well as having an FM radio and multimedia player, the 7610 comes with a 2.5mm AV connector and TV output capability, so it is quite a capable media phone.

Despite the strong multimedia capabilities, the 7610 Supernova is primarily a fashion phone. A combination of mirrored surfaces and interchangeable covers mean that you can keep the 7610 looking fresh, and you can also customise the handset's key illumination and wallpaper to match.

In the past, we've tended to see these features with 3G phones, but the Nokia 7610 is not a 3G device, although it does support EDGE data which is OK as long as your mobile network actually uses it.

The display is a 2" 240 x 320 pixel panel in 16 million colours, which is perhaps a little smaller than we would like to see. Talktime is pretty decent at up to 5.4 hours with a maximum of 12 days standby time. Overall, the 7610 Supernova measures 98 x 48 x 15mm and weighs 99 grams which is pretty typical for this type of device.8

It's not a cheap phone, costing €225 (around £180 / $360) before tax and subsidy. That puts it roughly in the same price range as the Nokia N81 and Nokia N77 which are both 3G devices but don't have the same quality of camera as the 7610.

The standard sales package includes a 512MB microSD card (2GB for the US version), an AC-3 charger, video out cable, two Xpress-on covers and a stereo wired headset. The 7610 Supernova should be available during Q3 2008.

One last thing - this isn't the first time that Nokia have used this model name, the original Nokia 7610 from 2004 is one of Nokia's more off-the-wall handset designs. In fact, despite our misgivings, there are plenty of original 7610s around so make sure that you are ordering the 7610 Supernova rather than a bargain-basement phone from four years ago.

Source: http://www.mobilegazette.com

Motorola ZINE ZN5 (MOTOZINE)

2008-06-26T10:43:00.002+05:30

The Motorola ZINE ZN5 (also called the MOTOZINE) is an advanced camera phone featuring some very clever Kodak technology, combining very clear high-resolution images with some intelligent integration with web applications.

The 5 megapixel camera has autofocus and a Xenon flash, plus low-light capabilities, panoramic stitching, multi-shot picture taking and a number of other proprietary Kodak imaging enhancements to ensure that the ZN5 delivers high quality results when it comes to stills photos. The results are impressive (as you can see from the Kodak gallery), and one clever thing is that the Motorola ZINE ZN5 can upload pictures directly to the Kodak gallery through the handset's data connection. The ZN5 also supports Bluetooth printing to compatible devices.

The biggest problem of all is that this is not a 3G phone, and is stuck with GPRS and EDGE data transfer while on a cellular network. That's just stupidly slow for a multimedia phone, although it does have WiFi. In a market segment where 3.5G is almost standard on new releases, the limited speed of the MOTOZINE ZN5 is likely to be a real turn-off. OK, so the ZN5 will initially be launched in China which doesn't have much in the way of UMTS coverage, but even so it is no excuse for a phone that will eventually be sold worldwide.

There are some nice features though - the MOTOZINE ZN5 has a similar ModeShift keypad to the ROKR E8, comes with a TV-out port, FM radio, stereo Bluetooth and has 350MB of internal memory and a microSD slot. The interface appears to be broadly similar to most new top-end Motorola phones, in other words it is much, much better than handsets of old. It's also a pretty good looking device, and the long battery life will be useful for many. But if you ignore the camera, the technical features of the Motorola ZN5 are hardly impressive.

What we appear to have then is an excellent digital camera welded to a mediocre mobile phone, a combination that we don't think serves anybody very well.

If you really care about photographs, then you can buy a Kodak C613 camera for just £60 / $120 / €70 which is much better than the ZN5 when it comes to being a camera. Although the ZN5's camera is very good, the overall ZN5 package seems to be quite poor.

We would dearly have liked to have told you that the Motorola ZINE ZN5 was the device that had once again made Motorola a class leader, but we can't. If Motorola could put this quality of camera in something like the MOTOMING platform and then breathe some of the magic they had when the original RAZR came out, then Motorola would have a winner, as it is.. we think that the Motorola ZN5 won't be the success that Motorola really need.

Motorola say that the MOTOZINE ZN5 will be available in China from July, with the rest of the world following before the end of the year.

source: http://www.mobilegazette.com

Samsung J700 - Seamless Connectivity With Magic Features

2008-06-23T09:17:00.002+05:30

The Samsung J700 is a marvelous mobile that meets most of the expectations of the people. The mobile can bring entertainment and can seamless connect with people all around the globe.The Samsung J700 looks elegant with its slide open design, an embedded keypad, a large screen and some control buttons. This mobile has dimensions 99.5 x 48 x 14.8 mm and weighs only 92 gms. The display screen is a marvelous means to watch pictures and videos at the highest resolution possible. The resolution of the screen is slated at 128 x 160 pixels. The handset comes with preloaded ringtones that are of polyphonic and MP3 in nature.

This Samsung Mobile Phone is fitted with 1.3 MP camera that can capture pictures at resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels. So, pictures and videos recorded with this camera are crystal clear. The images are sharp and they can be transferred to other devices making use of technologies such as Bluetooth. The user can also make use of cable cords to transfer files from the phone to other secondary devices such as computers and digital cameras. Thus the Samsung J700 can connect seamlessly to other devices and transfer files very easily.

The J700 also brings entertainment in various forms. This phone is fitted with a music player that can play on formats such as MP3, AAC, AAC+ and MIDI. The video player of the handset can play files on formats such as MPEG4 and 3GP. The user can also play games on this amazing gadget. High definition games can be played and user can download them easily from the internet.

On browsing the internet with the aid of its WAP browser, one can visit various entertainment sites. The users can download ringtones, games, music and videos from these sites. This gadget works on 2 G network and thus it is possible for people to access all facilities that 2 G network can offer. The memory of the mobile can be extended to 2 GB. This memory space can be utilised to store large files without facing any hassles. Samsung J700 can be used for a long time as the gadget’s battery provides standby time of 250 hr and talk-time of 3 hr.

source:http://mobilestormer.wordpress.com

The Samsung Omnia SGH i900,the Smartphone

2008-06-20T14:54:00.003+05:30

Don’t we just wish we can have everything? In this era of advanced technology, if the lamp genie would hear us uttering those words, he would most likely hand us nothing less than Samsung’s newly launched SGH i900.

Dubbed the Omnia which means “everything” in Latin and “wish” in Arabic, this new mobile phone embodies the fusion of formidable business functionality, cutting-edge design and exciting multimedia features. Powered by Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional, the SGH i900 simulates the look and feel of a personal computer with its preinstalled Microsoft Office applications and its navigational attributes that make use of a built-in optical mouse similar to those found in laptops. Downloading programs from the Internet is as straightforward as in a real PC, and once installed may be customized according to the user’s needs. The smartphone also features GPS that includes navigation and geo-tagging capabilities.

The Omnia SGH i900 takes its attractive traits from its sophisticated ultra-slim 12.5mm metallic chassis. This stylish casing houses a 5 megapixel CMOS camera that has auto-focus, auto-panorama and face and smile detection features. Its 3.2 inch high-resolution WQVGA LCD display conforms to a 16:9 screen format, which is ideal for video viewing. The touch-sensitive screen, patented as TouchWiz, features a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface, while its on-screen QWERTY keypad simplifies data and text entry. The handset comes in 8 GB and 16 GB versions, both expandable using MicroSD cards.

The Samsung Omnia i900 will be officially introduced at the CommunicAsia in Singapore on June 17, after which market availability immediately follows. The 16 GB version will have a price tag of S$1,098 while the 8 GB will have its price announced later

source: http://www.feelphones.com

Sony Ericsson C905

2008-06-18T16:10:00.001+05:30

The Sony Ericsson C905 is (as far as we know) the first 8.1 megapixel phone to hit Europe and the general world market, and it promises to bring a new round of the megapixel wars as other manufacturers try to catch up.

The camera is clearly the main selling point with the C905, but Sony Ericsson haven't skimped on other features. The C905 has GPS, WiFi, HSDPA high-speed data, stereo Bluetooth and an FM radio.

The display is a 2.4" 240 x 320 pixel panel, and tucked behind it is a slide-out numeric keypad. There's also a version of the Access Netfront web browser, push email support, instant messaging and of course a multimedia player.

Because it bears the Cyber-shot name, the Sony Ericsson C905 is obviously going to be very capable when it comes to digital imaging. Yes, the 8.1 megapixel sensor is the best in its class, but the C905 also has a bright Xenon flash, autofocus, face detection, red-eye reduction and an image stabilizer. The C905 also features Sony Ericsson multishot "BestPic" functionality and supports photo blogging.

The camera integrates with the inbuilt GPS to allow geotagging of photos. For video capture, the C905 again has an image stabilizer plus a video light, and an optional TV out cable (ITC-60) allows video clips to be played back on a standard television. There's no mention of the C905's video capture resolution and frame rate though. On top of that, there's a secondary video calling camera too. There's also a tripod kit (IPK-100) which is something we think may come in very useful.

The C905's GPS can be used with Google Maps or Wayfinder, but it's not clear what sort of satellite navigation options might be available as standard. As the C905 isn't a smartphone, then the GPS functionality might be a little limited.

Internal memory is 160MB, and the C905 comes with a 2GB Memory Stick Micro M2 card in the standard sales package. Talktime on 3G is up to 4 hours, with a maximum of 9 hours on GSM. Standby time is a maximum of 15 days, and the C905 also has a flight mode so that you can turn the cellular radio off completely.

Coming in at 136 grams, the Sony Ericsson C905 is hardly lightweight and is actually heavier than the Nokia N95 8GB and N96 despite having a much smaller screen. On the other hand, the C905 does have a pretty good battery life, so perhaps that accounts for some of the increase in mass.

Despite some quibbles, the C905 looks to be a very good camera phone. Sony Ericsson say that the C905 will be out sometime during the early fourth quarter of this year in Night Black, Ice Silver and Copper Gold colour schemes.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Nokia Batman 'The Dark Knight' Phone Prepped for Verizon

2008-06-14T09:13:00.001+05:30

Verizon Wireless today announced the Nokia 6205 (The Dark Knight Edition) will be available online June 15. Clad in a mysterious black color and embellished with a subtle "The Dark Knight" emblem, the Batman movie-themed clamshell comes pre-loaded with wallpapers, voice tones, animated screensavers inspired by the film, and a full movie trailer.

Touch-sensitive external music keys access tracks purchased from Verizon Wireless' VCAST Music service, while the 2.0-inch display supports up to 262K-colors. The Nokia 6205 (The Dark Knight Edition) also includes:

- 1.3-megapixel camera with flash and 4x digital zoom
- 58 MB internal memory; expandable up to an additional 4GB with an optional microSD memory card
- Support for text, picture and video messaging
- Get It Now-capable for downloading games, ringtones, wallpapers and other mobile content
- VZ Navigator-compatible for audible turn-by-turn directions and location information
- Mobile Web for access to the latest news, sports, weather and more
- Voice dialing and voice commands for touch-free phone operation
- Built-in speakerphone
- Bluetooth-enabled for wireless headset support

The Nokia 6205 (The Dark Knight Edition) features images from Gotham City. The Nokia 6205 (The Dark Knight Edition) will be available online for $69.99 after a $50 online instant rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

Palm Centro Comes to Verizon

2008-06-13T09:19:00.003+05:30

Verizon Wireless today announced that the Palm Centro smartphone will be available on June 13 for $99. Dressed in cobalt blue, the Centro offers a color touch-screen, full QWERTY keyboard and a lightweight design.
Running on Verizon's high-speed data network, the Centro can quickly send and receive email messages and attachments and browse the Web. Customers can use it as a modem for their laptops when they subscribe to BroadbandAccess Connect service plan.

The built-in Google Maps application provides directions, performs local searches and views moveable maps, satellite imagery and traffic updates. It can map a contact's address from the contact application simply by selecting the "maps" button.

The Centro can also access VersaMail 4.0 with built-in Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Microsoft Direct Push Technology delivers email and calendar updates from a home or office PC using Outlook directly to their handsets. Users can also use Wireless Sync to access email, contacts, calendar and tasks from a PC. Wireless Sync supports POP3 or IMAP email accounts, Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Notes and IBM Lotus Domino.

The Palm Centro will be available online and in stores for $99.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

source:http://www.mobiledia.com

LG Chocolate 3 Music Clamshell Hits Verizon Stores in July

2008-06-12T09:14:00.000+05:30

Trading in its slider form factor for a slim flip style, the Chocolate 3 is designed with a control wheel on the outside. It offers a built-in music player and FM transmitter to play music through a car stereo. Users can listen through dual speakers or Bluetooth stereo headphones.

An integrated 2.0-megapixel camera captures photos and video.

The Chocolate 3 can download from over 3 million songs over VCAST Music using high-speed 3G connectivity. With 1GB of internal memory and the option of expandable memory with 8GB microSD cards, customers can pack thousands of songs.

VCAST Video streams entertainment clips, sports highlights, breaking news, weather and more. ESPN MVP gives access to in-depth mobile sports contentincluding live Gamecast, exclusive commentary, video alerts and ESPN radio clips.

The LG Chocolate 3 will be in Verizon Wireless stores and available online in July.

source:http://www.mobiledia.com

Doomed to fail: the LG KT610

2008-06-11T09:11:00.000+05:30

Sometimes you can tell when a manufacturer has no faith in their own product, and the LG KT610 is a prime example of that. Although it was announced in February of this year at Mobile World Congress, LG's efforts to promote the KT610 have been almost non-existent. A handful of half-hearted press releases, a lack of decent pictures and specifications and a refusal to answer press enquiries shows that perhaps LG expects the KT610 to sink without trace.

To be honest, we've seen some blooming awful phones from LG, but the LG KT610 isn't one of them. Best described as a cut-down version of the Nokia E90, the KT610 is a Symbian smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, 3.5G support and a 2.4" 400 x 240 pixel main display. Because it's an S60 smartphone, the KT610 will support all the usual S60 features and functions.

It doesn't have WiFi, and the KT610 lacks GPS, the superb 800 pixel wide display on the E90 and also comes with a very basic 2 megapixel camera. On the other hand, this 109 x 54 x 17mm device is less than half the weight of the brick-like E90 and is little bigger than a standard business phone.

The keyboard looks good, and the relatively wide screen will be handy for emails and much better than a standard display for web browsing.

So, the LG KT610 seems appealing, even if it's not as feature-packed as some handsets. The number of Symbian S60 devices with QWERTY keyboards is pitifully small, so it is clear that the KT610 is a useful option.

So why does it seem to be getting the cold shoulder from LG? After all, someone in LG went to all the trouble to design the thing, so surely LG should be promoting it? We suspect that the problem is this: fashion. LG have gone completely mad for touchscreen phones, and the kT610 is firmly in the non-touchscreen camp. It's not a very attractive device either, so it doesn't really fit in with the trendy image that LG is trying to promote.

The rumour is that the LG KT610 is just about to hit sales channels, but then it was meant to be out last month. We think that LG won't make any real effort to promote the KT610, at least based on their past track record.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Apple iPhone 3G

2008-06-10T09:23:00.001+05:30

The original Apple iPhone was a love it or hate it device - and incredibly slick and stylish handset, but one with a number of serious flaws. The replacement iPhone has been rumoured for months and finally we can see what Apple have kept very secret - the new Apple iPhone 3G. Billed as "Twice as fast. Half the price", the iPhone certainly addresses two of the key concerns of the original - that it was expensive and slow.

Obviously, the iPhone 3G supports 3G. But it's also an HSDPA phone, which makes it 3.5G. In addition, the iPhone 3G's tri-band UMTS support, plus quad-band GSM, GPRS and EDGE data means that the iPhone 3G should be able to give high-speed data access pretty much anywhere in the world.

Another new feature is GPS - the iPhone 3G uses Advanced GPS to get quicker "fix" times. We've seen this before on many other devices, notably the Nokia N95 8GB. There's a mapping application bundled with the device, although we suspect that full blown satellite navigation may cost more.

Apple claim to have fixed on other annoying feature on the original iPhone - battery life. The iPhone 3G has up to 10 hours talktime on GSM, with a maximum of 5 hours talktime on 3G. Web browsing time on 3G is slated at around 5 to 6 hours. Standby time is around 12 days.

Enough of the good stuff - there are some things that Apple haven't fixed. Firstly, the camera is still a 2 megapixel unit , as found in the old iPhone. We would have hoped for 5 megapixels or better. The battery is still not user-removable, so a new battery involves a trip to an Apple service centre. The iPhone 3G doesn't have video calling, which is pretty standard on most 3G phones. Finally, the screen is still a 320 x 480 pixel panel when we would have hoped for a VGA or higher resolution display (as in the HTC Touch Diamond).

Of course, the Apple iPhone 3G still supports WiFi, Bluetooth. As with the original iPhone, the iPhone 3G's memory is not expandable.. but the 8GB or 16GB included should be plenty.

The Apple iPhone 3G's launch date is 11th July, and Apple intend to eventually roll out the iPhone 3G in 70 countries. The 8GB model will cost $199, the 16GB model will be $299. Those prices only apply to the US and other countries will have different pricing structures.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Swarovski Dior Phone Comes with 3251 Carats

2008-06-09T09:25:00.000+05:30

Dubbed the "Lady Dior," the crocodile skin exterior is inlaid with 640 stones of 3251 carats of Swarovski crystals. The handset includes a 2.6-inch touch screen with QVGA resolution, 2.0-megapixel camera, ringtones. Users can pick up or make calls with a miniature phone the size of a USB key, and use the main phone for more complicated functions - ideal for women who don't want to rummage through their bags to find their phones.

"In the same way that we have developed our watch and jewelry lines, we want to increase sales with the phone," said Sidney Toledano, Christian Dior CEO. "What really convinced us was seeing the attention people in emerging markets pay to buying a phone, by selecting the color and design."

Luxury goods makers have started venturing into mobile devices. After Dolce & Gabbana sold $315 million worth of its Gold Motorola RAZR phones, Italian fashion house Prade soon followed suit, launching a phone with South Korea's LG Electronics.

But Dior's new phone is priced higher than rivals, closer to Nokia's premium line Vertu, which also starts in the $7,900 range. Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Giorgio Armani all have phones out that cost around $950.

Taking nearly three years to design, the handset is made by a small French manufacturer ModeLabs. My Dior starts at $5,500 or $7,900 and up while the Swarovski-studded version will be sold for $26,000.

My Dior will be marketed as early as June 2008 and begin selling shortly thereafter.

source:http://www.mobiledia.com

VLC media player goes iPhone, iPod Touch

2008-06-06T09:05:00.000+05:30

Zodttd is bringing its popular VLC media player to the iPhone and iPod Touch users. At the moment, VLC for iPhone/iPod Touch allows selected testers to playback MPEG/MPG, AVI and MP3 files, and the software author wowed to bring the support for FLAC and OGG formats "soon." In addition, he's researching how to include VCD, DivX, WMA and WMV formats in the mix. The end result could be the ultimate media player for iPhone/iPod Touch.

VLC for iPhone/iPod Touch is currently in private beta, but a public release is planned soon. Naturally, jailbroken iPhone will be required, but that, as we know, is not a problem.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

HTC Raphael officially announced as HTC Touch Pro

2008-06-05T09:10:00.003+05:30

Ladies and gentlemen, HTC Raphael has been officially announced. It's new name is HTC Touch Pro!

The Windows Mobile 6.1 super-phone will be getting its power from Qualcomm's MSM7201A 528 MHz CPU, and will also boast virtually every possible acronym you can imagine — including HSDPA, GPS, WiFi. Rest of the specs involve a 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, microSD memory expansion slot, 288 MB of RAM coupled with 512MB of ROM, 2.8-inch VGA screen, and, behold the full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Because of the last mentioned, the Touch Pro is much thicker than the Diamond but few extra millimeters are there for a reason. The 18.05mm thick device weighs 165 grams, and is set to hit Europe in "late summer", while North and Latin America will have to wait a little longer…

source:http://www.intomobile.com

2008-06-04T09:11:00.000+05:30

Take the HTC Touch Diamond (or T-Mobile MDA Compact IV) and add a QWERTY keyboard and a few other things, and you have the T-Mobile MDA Vario IV.

The Vario shares almost all the features of the Compact, including a large 2.8" 640 x 480 pixel display, a 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, HSDPA and WiFi. The immediately obvious difference is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard (the one pictured has a German QWERTZ variant). The operating system is Windows Mobile 6.1 with what seems to be a TouchFLO-derived interface on top, and all the usual goodies that you would expect to see in a Windows smartphone.

It is also substantially heavier than the Compact at around 158 grams. This increase in weight is mainly due to the slide-out keyboard and the larger capacity battery - the cell on the Vario IV is a 1340 mAh unit compared with the rather puny 900 mAh one in the Compact.

According to T-Mobile, the Vario IV also has more operating RAM (256 MB), and comes with microSD expandable memory. The processor is the same 528 MHz Qualcomm MSM module found in the Compact and Touch Diamond.

We think that the keyboard on the Vario IV will appeal to a lot of users, but the overall "flat slider" layout is perhaps not as ergonomic as the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 or the Nokia E90. The E90 and X1 phones have a higher resolution display too.

If you want a fully featured Windows mobile device then the MDA Vario IV is impressive, and at the moment it appears to be exclusive to T-Mobile. When it comes out later this year (T-Mobile say in the Summer/Autumn), then it will be competing directly against the X1 and "iPhone II". But even against the tough competition that it will face, it is likely that the Vario IV will remain a highly desirable mobile phone.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Motorola A1800

2008-06-03T09:09:00.001+05:30

We have good news and bad news.. the good news is that the Motorola A1800 is a touchscreen smartphone with built-in GPS, and it's a rare handset that supports GSM and CDMA. The bad news is that you are unlikely to ever see one if you live outside of China.

The latest in a series of "MOTOMING" handsets aimed at the Chinese market, the Motorola A1800 demonstrates just what Motorola can do when it's not making warmed-over RAZR phones.

Support for GSM and CDMA is exceptionally rare in a mobile phone, and in fact Motorola are the only mainstream manufacturer that we know of who make handsets like this. Before that A1800 was the Z6c, and before that the very rare A840. Both CDMA and GSM networks are common in China, which perhaps explains why it has been launched there first.. but many frequent flyers between the US and Europe could be interested in the A1800 too.

The Motorola A1800 has a 2.4" 240 x 320 pixel display, has expandable memory (up to 4GB), built-in GPS, handwriting recognition, a viewer for Office documents, email client and web browser. On the back is a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus. It isn't a 3G phone, and one serious omission is the lack of WiFi.

Despite the large 1000 mAh battery, the standby time on the A1800 is very short, at around 3.5 - 4.5 days. This is mostly down to the high power drain when running a CDMA and GSM radio at the same time. On either GSM or CDMA the talktime is a reasonable 3.5 to 5 hours.

Maps of mainland China are included, but nowhere else. Of course, it is theoretically possible to have other maps on the A1800 from different regions, but so far we have only seen this in China.

So perhaps the Motorola A1800 would need some reworking before it was suitable for US or European markets, although presumably it does support English as well as Chinese. And although the A1800 is perhaps not an iPhone killer, it would be a welcome addition to Motorola's worldwide lineup. We will wait and see.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

HTC Diamonds are shipping!

2008-06-02T09:10:00.003+05:30

HTC Diamond fan boys, this is the news you've been waiting for. Not only have HTC Diamond shipments started (and some stores are already selling device), but the Taiwan-based smartphone maker has already shipped the first batch of over 10,000 units, according to market sources.

In Germany, HTC will co-operate with T-Mobile, where the two companies will market both the Diamond and the QWERTY-keyboard equipped Raphael, which the Deutsche Telekom owned mobile operator will start selling as MDA Compact IV and MDA Vario IV, respectively.

Unfortunately, we've no idea when will see the latest HTC devices hitting other European markets and the U.S. One could argue the handset maker may want to use T-Mobile to push its smartphones outside Germany, in other markets where the carrier operates. Which leads us to the U.S., where unfortunately, we're still waiting for T-Mobile's 3G network roll-out. I just hope they don't bring the "EDGE flavor of the Diamond" there — it's about time we see T-Mobile's 3G offering hitting the States.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Nokia 7310 known as "Supernova", available in China and Taiwan

2008-05-31T09:07:00.001+05:30

The mirror-finished Nokia 7310 will apparently be branded as the "Supernova." The high-end sounding branding might lead you to believe that the Nokia 7310 is packed with more features than it really is, but keep in mind that a this good-looking mid-ranger is still just a tri-band (900/1800/1900Mhz) GSM handset with EDGE serving up data at 2.5G speeds.

The Nokia 7310 Supernova sports a 2 megapixel camera, a mirrored display and keypad, FM radio, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card slot, and 20MB of internal storage - all powered by S40. So, if you're in China or Taiwan, you can get your hands on this 11.95mm thick monoblock (candybar) Nokia 7130 Supernova, in your choice of Pink or Blue, post haste. Price point should hit around $230.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Samsung U800 "Soul b" Preview (Soulb / SGH-U800)

2008-05-30T09:05:00.001+05:30

The Samsung U800 "Soul b", or as Samsung insist on spelling it, the Soulb is the third phone to bear the "Soul" brand after the original U900 and G400 clamshell. But unlike the previous "Soul" phones, the U800 Soul b is a much more conventional mainstream handset.

Two significant things missing in the Soul b are the 5 megapixel camera of the Soul U900 and G400, and the Soul U900's interesting touchpad. Unfortunately, they are two of the best features of the original Soul.. so what we are left with on the Soul b is a stylish brushed metal case and the Soul's attractive user interface.

On the back of the U800 Soul b is a 3 megapixel camera with a flash, but we don't know if it has autofocus. On the front is a fairly standard 2" 240 x 320 pixel display. Internal memory is an impressive 1GB, and this can be expanded using a microSD card. This is an HSDPA phone with maximum download speeds of up to 3.6 Mbps, and the U800 Soul also has a document viewer, an FM radio and of course a multimedia player and Bluetooth.

At just 89 grams in weight and only 9.9mm in thickness, you can forgive the Soul b for missing out some of the features of the other two Soul handsets. But we can't help but feel underwhelmed by the whole thing. Yes, it looks nice, yes the user interface is likely to be pretty good. But there isn't an awful lot to differentiate the Soul b from other offerings, notably the Nokia 6500 Classic.

It's not cheap either - the suggested retail price is €350 (around £280) SIM Free. Considering that you can get the 6500 for around €250 (£200) then we think that Samsung are asking too much for the SGH-U800. Most contract customers will get it for free though, so perhaps the pricing is not so important.

Samsung say that the U800 Soulb will be available from June 2008 onwards in Germany and certain other regions, possibly as a Vodafone exclusive. Black and silver variants have been announced, with the possibility of other colours at a later date.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Samsung L870 (SGH-L870)

2008-05-29T09:07:00.004+05:30

The Samsung L870 is a 3.5G device with a 3 megapixel camera and a 2.4" 240 x 320 pixel display. The SGH-L870 runs Symbian 9.3 with the S60 3.2 interface, similar to most contemporary S60 smartphones. In addition to the usual S60 multimedia features, the L870 comes with an FM radio. There's also a variety of push email support, an office document viewer, personal information management applications and we understand that the SGH-L870 comes with a mobile version of the Apple Safari web browser. Samsung say that the L870 offers "DVD quality" video capture, but does not go into technical details.

So.. it's a good looking HSDPA slider phone, but you might expect that the L870 was going to get some tough competition from Nokia. But, oddly enough, the only HSDPA slider phone from Nokia is the N95 and N95 8GB. The Samsung L870 pitches somewhere below the N95 on price, so surprisingly it seems to have found a market niche.

As we just mentioned, the L870 doesn't pitch against the N95. There's no GPS, no WiFi and the main camera resolution is less. But it does compare well against the Nokia E65 (which lacks HSDPA but has WiFi) and the upcoming Nokia E66 slider.

There are still some features that we don't know about - for example, we cannot say if the L870 has autofocus and a flash for the main camera. We don't know how much the L870 weighs, or what the battery life is. But what we can tell is that the L870 promises to be a pretty good S60 handset, and it is one of the few devices worth looking at if you want S60 on a platform other than a Nokia.

The Samsung L870 should be available in certain regions from August 2008 onwards.

source: http://www.mobilegazette.com

Palm Treo 850 specifications

2008-05-28T09:19:00.002+05:30

Fans of Palm's Treo lineup of smartphones are no doubt waiting on the edge of their seats for Palm to go live with the next-generation Treo lineup. And, from the looks of the leaked and in the wild pictures, we've seen of the fresh, new wares, it's not hard to see why. The slimmer, sleeker, and more consumer-friendly Treo 850 should help bring Palm out of the slump that not even the Palm Centro has been able to stave off. At just 113 x 60 x 14mm, the Palm Treo 850 is definitely a welcome departure from the bulky Treos of days past.

If these new Palm Treo 850 specs pan out, Palm could very well have a winner on its hands. We're hearing the new smartphone will launch with Windows Mobile 6.1 running the show. Add to that the rumors that the Palm Treo 850 will feature a 2 megapixel camera, 3G/HSDPA topping out at 3.6Mbps, WiFi, AGPS, Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP, 256MB ROM/ 64MB RAM, and a 320 x 320 display and the handset starts to sound like a serious contender in a crowded smartphone market.

Still, will the Palm Treo 850 be the boost that Palm needs to keep it from an unfortunate demise? We sure hope so…

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Sagem my721X "So Ice"

2008-05-27T09:16:00.003+05:30

Sagem have been making some pretty decent low cost handsets lately, and hope to move a little upmarket with the ultra-slim 3.2 megapixel Sagem my721X which will be sold in some markets as the "So Ice".

With the "So Ice", Sagem have attempted to create a fashion phone with a good quality camera, keeping the price under control. But a close examination of just what Sagem is offering indicates that the my721X may not be as attractive as it first seems.

Bear in mind that the my721X is currently available in France for around €200, which pitches it directly against a number of midrange phones. One of these competing handsets is the Sony Ericsson K770i, and it is clear that the Sagem loses out badly when it comes to technical capabilities compared to this key rival, but we'll look at this in more depth in a moment.

The Sagem my721X "So Ice" is an attractive handset weighing just 90 grams, it is only 9.8mm thick and yet it includes a multimedia player, FM radio, microSD expandable memory, Bluetooth, a 2" display and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

But compared with the similarly price K770i, the my721X looks a little modest. Most rival handsets to the Sagem have a 240 x 320 pixel display, much sharper than the my721's 176 x 220 pixel panel. The K770i's camera has autofocus and a flash, the my721X does not. The Sony Ericsson is a 3G phone, the Sagem is not. And although the Sony Ericsson is quite a bit thicker at 14.5mm, it weighs only a fraction more at 95 grams.

If you love the looks of the Sagem my721X, then you probably won't care too much about technical features, but our opinion is that the "So Ice" does not offer very good value for money when compared with some of the competition. If the price drops below the €150 level then we think that would be more appropriate for this type of device.

The my721X is available in France and certain other countries right now, and should be coming to the UK during the summer.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

HTC gets official with Windows Mobile Professional 6.1 update for HTC TyTn II (Kaiser)

2008-05-26T09:18:00.003+05:30

Not to be outdone by ROM leaks and unofficial copies of its Windows Mobile 6.1 update for HTC TyTn II handsets, HTC has gone official with their HTC TyTn II ROM-boosting update. HTC has delivered the ROM update to keep their flagship touchscreen handset at the top of its game, and at the same time appeased the masses complaining of crippled video performance.

Threaded SMS, "Getting Stated" wizard, improved video performance (finally), more efficient power draw (read: better battery life), and overall faster performance are all pieces of the Windows Mobile Professional 6.1 package. And, seeing as how the update is free, there's no reason why anyone shouldn't hop on board the WM6.1-train.

HTC has made their Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM for the HTC TyTn II (Kaiser) available through their e-Club webpage. Unfortunately for AT&T Tilt customers, they'll have to wait for Big Blue to get with the times and release an update for the AT&T-branded version of the HTC Kaiser.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Samsung F480 TouchWiz (SGH-F480)

2008-05-23T10:42:00.003+05:30

We first caught sight of the Samsung F480 back in February when it was announced at the GSMA event along with dozens of other handsets, and we have to confess that we had rather forgotten about it. It is timely then that Samsung have given us a prod to remind us of the F480 which should start to be available from June in certain markets.

Now branded with the somewhat strange but memorable "TouchWiz" name, Samsung have been given a glimpse of the F480's new interface, also dubbed "TouchWiz". There are no prizes for guessing that the TouchWiz interface is designed to compete head-on with the iPhone, but the overall specification is much closer to LG's Viewty than Apple's offering.

We've covered the F480's specifications before, but as a reminder: this is a 3.5G phone with a 2.8" 320 x 240 pixel touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera with autofocus and flash plus a secondary video calling camera. The F480 has microSD expandable memory (up to 8GB), an FM radio, a comprehensive multimedia player and USB 2.0 and Bluetooth 2.0. However, the downside is that the F480 doesn't have WiFi or GPS support. Despite the large screen and 3.5G capabilities, the TouchWiz is a surprisingly compact device at 98 x 55 x 11.5mm and 91 grams in weight.

Samsung indicate that the F480 TouchWiz should be available from June 2008 onwards at a price of around €500 (£400) before carrier subsidy. There are some unconfirmed reports that the F480 may have different branding in the UK.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Apple looking to launch 3G iPhone in Korea and Japan

2008-05-22T09:34:00.003+05:30

The latest iPhone rumors to hit the grapevine seems to indicate that Apple could finally break in to the attractive Korean and Japanese wireless markets. Previous reports indicated that Japan would not be getting the iPhone anytime soon, seeing as how the nation's 3G network did not mesh well with the current iPhone. But, Apple is reportedly looking to bring their next-generation iPhone to both Korea and Japan in a joint-launch on Korea Free Telecom (KTF) and NTT DoCoMo (or is it NTT docomo now?) The 3G iPhone would work just fine on the 3G networks in both countries, which makes a good case for the Apple handset to crack the Asian market.

Given the Asian countries' advanced 3G networks and more feature-rich handsets, it remains to be seen how well the iPhone will fare the Pacific Rim. Of course, the apple of Apple's eye is still China. With more wireless subscribers than there are people in the whole of the US, China's mobile market is a potentially lucrative market that can't be ignored.

We'll see if Korea and Japan welcome the iPhone with as much enthusiasm as the US did on its initial launch. Chances are, it won't.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

AT&T back-peddles on iPhone sales limit - allows three iPhones per person

2008-05-21T09:36:00.002+05:30

Just a day after AT&T instituted a one iPhone per person limit to presumably ration remaining iPhone stock, the top US wireless carrier back-peddled and is now allowing customers to buy up to three iPhones at a time.

"Our No. 1 concern is to make sure that every customer who wants an iPhone gets one," an AT&T spokesman said. "We thought yesterday that the fairest way to do that was to limit customers to one iPhone. Then we realized that we have sufficient inventory to go back to our original policy."

AT&T customers can now expect to buy up to three iPhones with a credit or debit card. Cash and checks are not accepted in order to enforce the iPhone sales-limit.

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Velocity 111

2008-05-20T09:58:00.003+05:30

Don't worry if you have never heard of Velocity Mobile, because this UK based company is very new and hasn't actually brought anything to market just yet. But hopefully over the next few months we should see the launch of the Velocity 103 and Velocity 111 smartphones.

The Velocity 111 is closely related to the 103 in terms of specification, but the QWERTY keyboard and smaller display pitches it directly against handsets such as the upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9000.

Featuring the same 3.5G and WiFi connectivity as the 103, the Velocity 111 matches the BlackBerry Bold quite closely. One significant difference is the screen - the BlackBerry has a higher resolution display than the Velocity 111, but then the 111 is a touchscreen panel where the BlackBerry is not.

Another important difference is the operating system, and for most people this will be the key decider. If you're looking for a high spec BlackBerryesque smartphone but you want to run Windows (in this case, Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional), then there aren't many handsets we can think of that look more promising than the Velocity 111.

The 2.46" 320 x 240 pixel display certainly isn't has impressive as the screen on the 103, but it will be good enough for most people and it is certainly competitive with everything else in this market segment.

As with the 103, the Velocity 111 supports 3.5G HSDPA downloads and HSUPA uploads, has quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS and WiFi. Advanced GPS (A-GPS) is built in, so you can add your favourite satellite navigation software. The 111 supports Bluetooth 2.1, USB 2.0 and it comes with a 2.5mm audio socket. There is also a 2 megapixel fixed focus camera plus a secondary video calling camera.

It's quite a large device at 116 x 62 x 15mm and 140 grams in weight. The large 1450 mAh battery can power the 111 for up to 4 hours of talktime and 8 days standby time, which is a little less than the BlackBerry 9000.

The Velocity 111 is slated for release sometime during Q3 2008, although no pricing information is available at present.

source:http://www.mobilegazette.com

Wall Street Journal confirms the all-touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder for Q3 2008

2008-05-19T09:31:00.005+05:30

We've already posted RIM is preparing to launch the all-touchscreen equipped Black Berry Thunder later in the year. However, we now have the wall street journal writing about it, giving more credibility to the story.
Yap folks, the device that should appeal to both business and individual users is in the making process.

Apparently — and as we reported earlier — Verizon will get the exclusive launch rights for the U.S., while the rest of the world will at least initially be able to grab the gorgeous device through one of many Vodafone's subsidiaries. Release date is set for Q3 2008, so we guess it will probably be somewhere around September. Roughly at that time, Sony Ericsson will release XPERIA, 3G iPhone may also be announced, and suddenly buying a mobile phone goes from complex to ultra-complex decision…

source:http://www.intomobile.com

Cheap Mobile Deals: Efficient and Pocket Friendly Deals

2008-05-17T09:13:00.003+05:30

The use of mobile phone has become a child’s play in modern times. Various cheap mobile deals have made this thing possible. People are getting the latest handsets with many cheap deals, which are offered by many online mobile shops, as well as network providers. The users can avail attractive and advanced mobile phones with many cheap contract plans. There are several online mobile phone shops, which offer high-end featured mobile phones with cheap mobile deals. You can get the handsets as well as, save a lot of money too with many free offers of them. Isn’t it an amazing idea?

The users can gain a lot of advantages with cheap mobile deals like 12 months free line rental, cash back offers, clearance phones, Bluetooth handsets, free Sony PS3, free ipods, 18 months free line rental and more. Furthermore, there are also other interesting cheap mobile deals along with cost effective tariff plans for users.

With these cheap mobile deals, the users in the UK can purchase the advanced handsets at affordable rates. The well known network providers like O2, Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile and more provide plethora of such deals to the users and they can pick any one plan in accordance to their needs and tastes. You can also find the handsets of the leading mobile manufactures, such as Nokia, samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and many more.

Cheap mobile phone deals are of different types like reduced line rentals, 12 months free line rentals, contract mobile phone deals, pay as you go deals and a lot of for the users. You need only to select the deal that suits your lifestyle and budget. You can also get cheap mobile phones by purchasing a mobile phone plan, which provides you free or low cost handsets. Hence, it can be said that cheap mobile deals are the best option if you want to enjoy all the features of a latest handset at an affordable rates. The mobile users can get mobile phone with many free offers like free accessories, free talk time, discounts and more.

source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Taiwanese want GPS as #1 feature in phones

2008-05-16T09:40:00.005+05:30

A survey by Canalsys has found very high awareness of satellite navigation ("Sat Nav") amongst consumers, with more than 80% being aware of what it does. 60% of those surveyed said they used the web to search for directions and then print them.

So when asked which services they were interested in having on a mobile device, maps and navigation, unsurprisingly perhaps, came out top. This was apparently much more popular than either TV or music on a mobile. Canalsys say this reflects a common trend in results from other countries where GPS/Sat Nav always scores highly.

As a utility service, I think GPS/Sat Nav is great - however, I believe, as do many others in the industy, that the real power of it is harnessed when it is twinned with other mobile-unique services to create service-mashups such as geotagging photos (and other media).

source: http://www.intomobile.com

Nokia 5220 music mobile announced

2008-05-15T13:44:00.003+05:30

Nokia have announced an upcoming handset release the Nokia 5220. This phone is one of the new breed of music mobile phones with its design focused squarely on mobile music playback.

Part of the Nokia Xpress range, the Nokia 5220 includes a number of music features such as dedicated music keys, a 3.5mm audio output jack, pulsing light effects that light up in rhythm with your tunes, plus a stereo FM radio, Bluetooth 2.0 for audio streaming and an excellent 24 hour mp3 playback time on one battery charge. The handset itself has an onboard memory capacity of 30MB but this can be increased with the addition of a micro SD memory card, currently available with a capacity of up to 8GB.

Away from music, the Nokia 5220 is a full featured S40 mobile phone. You will find included a 2.0 megapixel camera, with video record capability, whilst the screen is a QVGA screen measuring in at 2 inches, supporting up to 262,000 colours.

Included pre-installed on the phone is the best non smartphone web browser available, Opera Mini, with Yahoo Go and Yahoo Ready also built-in straight out of the box.

The 5220 is a small handset, measuring in at 108mm x 43.5mm x 10.5mm and weighing in at a very lightweight 78g.

The Nokia 5220 is expected to be released during Q3 2008. Keep an eye on the Mobiles Coming Soon page for further details on this exciting phone.

source: http://blog.mobiles.co.uk

Alcatel OT-S211 with FM Radio Announced

2008-05-03T12:50:00.004+05:30

Alcatel's new OT-S211 brings the noise with its built-in FM radio and handsfree speakerphone. The 1.5" color display on this entry-level candybar handset is small, but functional, and a rubber keypad helps you maintain your grip on your new portable radio phone.

The OT-S211 offers storage for up to 250 names and numbers in its built-in phone book, and supports T9 predictive text for easy messaging. In addition to calculator and alarm clock, which adds a bit of functionality to this simple handset, Alcatel has also included a game. Pricing and availability are not currently available.

Alcatel OT-S211 cheap phones

news source : http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=4551

Sony Ericsson Z555 Review

2008-05-01T15:15:00.003+05:30

The most successful entry-level phones tend to be the ones that don't look cheap. While the spec sheet may be basic, an entry-level handset that boasts slick looks or a well-crafted chassis will be forgiven for the basic 1.3-megapixel camera or lack of 3G. The Sony Ericsson Z555i is aimed at such a market, but will it prove to be an entry-level hit or a low-budget miss?

Sony Ericsson Z555 - Prism-style :

Clamshell handsets are tricky phones to master. By their very nature they are big - open it up and it doubles in length, and closing it will often double the thickness. Yet with this in mind, we were still a tad disappointed with the bulk of the Sony Ericsson Z555i.

Sony Ericsson Z555 - Making the most of space :

Open the clamshell up to reveal a large flat keypad that has been decorated with a golden trim. It works really well against the black keys that are big enough to allow easy digit navigation. While the size of the adjoining screen is 1.9-inches, some careful positioning by Sony Ericsson could surely have led to a slightly larger screen.
Sony Ericsson Z555 - Entry-level camera :

The camera is 1.3-megapixels, although shooting in the one-megapixel mode will prevent you from zooming in on a shot. Flip to VGA and you can zoom 2x and QVGA 4x, but the quality of the picture suffers each time you move down the displays.

Sony Ericsson Z555 - Music capabilities :

There is only 12MB of shared memory, although the MemoryStick Micro slot (M2) found under the back cover will enhance your music collection. It's fair to say that the Z555i won't see you binning your iPods and MP3 players.

news source : http://www.mobilechoiceuk.com/Phone-review?product_id=353#full

LG KP215 Mobile Phone: A Very Light Handset

2008-04-30T12:19:00.003+05:30

LG unveils its extremely light mobile phone named LG KP215. The LG KP215 phone weighs as light as 78 grams and is packed with the best of the features in it.

The clamshell phone that supports GSM Dualband, GPRS and 2.0 WAP browser proudly displays its Dual LCD display screens. The LG KP215 clicks its pictures and videos through its 300K resolutions digital camera and plays off its FM radio and an efficient media player which plays formats as MP3, MPEG4, AAC, and AMR very well. With an internal storage of 4MB, the phone also accepts external memory via its MicroSD/TransFlash card expansion slot.

The phone does not show any advancement in its specifications but it does seem to be an above average phone that allows entertainment and internet combined together in synchrony and presents itself well in a compact and sleek form. There is no word on its release date or pricing as yet.

news source : http://www.mobiletor.com/2008/04/29/lg-kp215-mobile-phone-a-very-light-handset/

Asus P527 Cell Phone

2008-04-29T12:17:00.003+05:30

The Asus P527 Smart Phone is probably what you’d call perfect. When shopping for a new phone, you’d probably look at its technical specifications first and more often than not, base your decision on that piece of scouting job. Well, if you did that, it’s hard not to choose the Asus P527 phone. On paper, it has everything you’d ever dream of in a phone. But it’s not always the specs and features that matter. At least not with the P527. Later on in the article, you’ll know why.

It’s features include a big 2.7-inch LCD and spacious keypad that is both very usable and attractive. Beneath the elegance, you have Wi-Fi, GPS, an FM radio. Asus has even thrown in a even remote desktop-control feature. Great right? Well, unfortunately, what will detract users from getting this phone is its slow response time that I’m sure most users will loose patience of, and buggy applications.

A feature that would probably matter to some people is the P527’s GPS. The main application is Asus Go, which comes on its own 2GB microSD card and isn’t preinstalled on the device proper. The software is reasonably intuitive but is hardly as capable as a modern, stand-alone GPS device is. Other GPS applications included in the phone is the Travelog.

As a phone, the Asus P527 performs well enough. Its talk-time battery is very good and its built-in 2-megapixel camera takes good quality pictures. Better than most phones do in this class.

news source : http://www.camera-core.co.uk/28-04-2008-asus-p527-cell-phone.html

LG Secret KF750 Black Label Cell Phone

2008-04-26T14:57:00.004+05:30

LG has recently announced the launch of the LG Secret KF750 Third Black Label Series Handset. The latest mobile phone is based on the LG Chocolate and LG Shine models. It is the Third model in the Series.

"The huge success of the previous models of the Black Label Series validated our approach to provide the ultimate mobile experience for today's discerning consumers, who seek to embody personal style with their handsets," says Skott Ahn, President & CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company."

Well! One distinguishing feature of the LG Secret is that it will forever look new. This is because of the carbon fiber used in its outer body. Sleek handset comes with a tempered glass which adds brightness and tensile strength. The Neon Touch Navigation buttons offer a great tactile experience.

Boasting a trendy design this feature rich cell phone integrates a 5 MP Camera. LG Secret delivers 120 fps video and DivX® certified playback. The Bluetooth auto-sync automatically syncs with the PC. You can view images in any direction, thanks to the Auto Rotating Display. The Voice Clarity technology lets the users listen clear voice even in noisy surroundings.

news source : http://www.mobilewhack.com/lg-secret-kf750-black-label-cell-phone/

Motorola Q Global

2008-04-24T10:47:00.000+05:30

PDA’s are having a stronger foothold in the mobile market, now more than ever. Motorola, one of the leading manufacturers of PDA’s, rode on the success of its multimedia-friendly Q 9m. It now has a newer PDA, the Q smart phone that comes in with Windows Mobile 6 and perfect for business travelers. It has international roaming via a quad-band GSM radio.

The Q Globals design looks so much like that of a Blackberry. It weighs around 4.6 ounces and measures at 4.6 inches high, 2.6 inches wide, and just under half an inch thick, it sports a landscape-format 320-by-240-pixel screen.

Furthermore, the Q included a 2-megapixel camera with lots of settings and tweaks. This includes image resolution, brightness, white balance, flash, and up to 8X digital zoom.

As it is targeted to travelers and businessmen on the go, Q features multimedia playback which does sound and look very good.

Overall, the Motorola Q Global might appeal to travelers seeking a Windows Mobile smart phone with a good keyboard, 3G data, and solid multimedia support.

news source : http://www.camera-core.co.uk/23-04-2008-motorola-q-global.html

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic Voice-Controlled Phone Unveiled

2008-04-23T10:32:00.000+05:30

Nokia today introduced the 5320 XpressMusic, an affordable music device with voice-controlled features.

Featuring a dynamic design with 3G social entertainment capabilities, the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic delivers exceptional music and web 2.0 access. With the voice-controlled Say and Play feature, consumers only need to say the name of a favorite artist or song to automatically play it. Offering additional features, the 5320 XpressMusic includes dedicated music keys, a 3.5 mm audio jack, up to 24 hours of playback time, an audio chip for hi-fi sound quality, extendable memory up to 8 GB, HS-USB for fast music transfer and HSDPA for fast access to data.

The full-featured Internet browser, access to Ovi and Nokia Search 4.1 allow users to find and share media content and information. Dedicated N-Gage gaming keys and landscape view deliver a true gaming experience, while HSDPA provides fast access to N-Gage, which will be available for download.

The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 220 EUR ($350 USD) before taxes and subsidies.

news source : http://www.mobiledia.com/news/65929.html

MTV Mobile Phone slides to France

2008-04-21T12:45:00.000+05:30

The popular music channel which has rocked the world for decades, now has stepped into the gadget industry. MTV steps into a new arena by unveiling its fresh new red slider mobile phone in France.

The red 3G slider, from handset designer ModeLabs, possesses a 2.2-inch display a sharp 2MP camera and Bluetooth connectivity. Since it is a part of MTV, how can we forget the integrated MP3 player that plays excellent music on this phone! The Slider phone also features special MTV content topped with extras as games, wallpaper and ring tones.

It’s the branding of MTV that could help promote this handset. The phone looks good however it does not speak of any extraordinary technical features that will entice you to buy it. The Red MTV phone is available at a price of 49 EUR and also packs along matching accessories.

http://www.mobiletor.com/2008/04/18/mtv-mobile-phone-slides-to-france/

LG Flare LX175 Review

2008-04-19T11:21:00.000+05:30

Cellphones nowadays have more and more feature, more complex controls and more advanced technologies. Tech savvy users would love these phones, but for those who wants only the basic functions, this can be a burden. That is why, simple entry-level phones with the most basic features are still on the market.

The new LG Flare LX175 is a simple phone that basically gives you all that you need in a phone. It is easy to use, very basic, and gives you just enough functionality to make it useful.

Despite its fancy name, the Flare is anything but fancy. It does not have a colorful or eyecatching design that most phones today have. It has an all-black exterior and very bland indeed. What does attract people is its sleek and minimalist appearance. It’s slightly curved on the sides, which contributes to a nice feel in the hand. Measuring 3.54 inches by 1.85 inches by 0.78 inch and weighing 2.72 ounces, the Flare is fairly lightweight and fits easily in a pocket or purse.

news source : http://www.camera-core.co.uk/17-04-2008-lg-flare-lx175-review.html

Samsung F700 review

2008-04-15T10:37:00.000+05:30

currently mobile phones are used for a lot more than calling and sending text messages alone. Smartphones are gradually catching up with sales of mobile phones. The difference between a smartphone and a regular mobile phone is mainly found in the more extensive E-mail and Internet functionalities on the smartphone. The operation system of a smartphone is usually based on Microsoft Mobile, Symbian or PalmOS. However, Samsung have chosen equipping the F700 with their own operating system.

The main feature of the Samsung F700 is its full touchscreen. The monitor measures 3.2 inch and is capable of reproducing 260,000 colours. Touchscreens are beautiful and handy but one type of touchscreen or another can make a whole lot of difference.

The Samsung F700 has been equipped with two digital cameras. The front carries a small VGA camera, which mainly serves for video calls. The second camera, on the back, is more enhanced of course. The 3.0 Megapixel camera with auto focus as well as flash takes beautiful pictures. A minus is the shutter lag which makes the camera very slow. Sometimes I did not capture what I wanted to capture because I moved the phone before the picture was taken or because the object had gone from the composition before I was able to capture it.

news source : http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/3261/f700-samsung-review/

Sharp 880SH Review

2008-04-03T10:53:00.000+05:30

It has been a while since Japanese manufacturer Sharp produced a mobile phone, so when the Sharp 880SH arrived on our desk we were a little unsure what to expect. Despite being readily available on Vodafone in other European countries, Vodafone UK has so far refused to take the handset. Surveying the spec sheet it looks to be a well-rounded phone and will therefore surely only be a matter of time before the UK operator does snap it up.

A slider phone with a jet-black glossy body with metallic trimming, at first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you were looking at a handset from one of the more renowned manufacturers such as Nokia or Samsung.

The first test with all slider phones is to see how secure it feels. While the sliding mechanism on the 880SH provides a satisfying clunk as you pop it back and forth, we're sad to say that the top half of the handset feels a little flimsy. We bet it wouldn't take too much for the phone to break apart.

news source : http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/April2008/Sharp_880SH_review.htm

HP iPAQ 614c Business Navigator

2008-03-31T11:46:00.000+05:30

Prada phones, phones studded with diamonds and fashion phones are a regular sight in the moody, glass-fronted emporia of the average high street. Yet this kind of glamour rarely casts its golden glow on the world of smartphones.

The iPhone was a rare bright spark, and there has been the odd flicker of light from HTC, E-TEN, Samsung and Blackberry, but other than that, smartphones have largely conformed to the bland business template over the past year or two. HP's latest handset, alas, does nothing to change this.

The iPAQ 614c Business Navigator is a large and ugly phone that's all drab black and grey plastics with no brushed aluminium highlights or chrome trim to set it off. It's pretty chunky, too, with porky dimensions of 60 x 117 x 18mm. And it's hardly a design masterpiece in other respects - its integrated numeric keypad has a rather cheap-looking, shiny finish and is topped by a pair of 'soft', context-sensitive keys that look like a pair of malevolent eyes leering at you as you write a text or surf the web.

It does at least try to balance out its design shortcomings with a few clever tricks. The first of these is its touch ring (don't laugh) control. Embossed in glossy relief on top of the numeric pad keys, it enables you to sweep a thumb or finger in a clockwise or anti-clockwise motion to control the navigation through lists and the like. An innovative addition, to be sure.

The phone has support for the latest super fast HSDPA mobile data networks at up to 7.2Mbps. It also has a GPS receiver built in... but this is no ordinary satellite receiver. It uses the new Assisted GPS (A-GPS) technology, which is designed to combine location information gleaned from the phone's cell location with the data from the satellites themselves to speed up initial satellite lock. The phone is, alas, only supplied with Google Maps - no sat-nav software to speak of - but it did do a decent job of locking onto satellites in central London taking a reasonably quick one minute to lock on to five satellites and provide a position.

news source : http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-devices/review/2008/03/31/HP-iPAQ-614c-Business-Navigator/p1

Vertu mobile phones taking luxury to a whole new level

2008-03-27T14:44:00.000+05:30

Vertu is essentially a UK-based luxury brand whose sole product is the cell phone. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia. But, these are not your run-of-the-mill phones that are widely available in the market today.

Vertu manufactures premium high-end mobile phones which offer a perfect blend of design and technology. And, in India they are available at a few high-end stores one of which is Popley & Sons Jewelers in Bandra West, Mumbai. Incidentally, Popley Jewelers also houses other high-end brands like Tag Huer and Omega watches.

Vertu has introduced four families of Vertu phones in the country - the Ascent, Constellation, the Signature and the Ascent Ti. The starting prices of these phones is Rs.2,20,000 and mind you, this is the price of the Ascent which is more of an “entry-level” phone according to the folks over at Vertu. Prices soar even higher than one can imagine! Apparently, the Vertu Ascent series of phones are the most popular in India. We got a chance to see the Limited Edition Vertu Ferrari version of the Ascent Ti as well as a Yellow Ascent phone with the Monaco race track on its steel back.

But, there is a reason for the exorbitant price tag that Vertu phones carry. The Vertu Signature phone for instance has its glass screen made of Sapphire crystal, making it scratch resistant. After all, it is a similar kind of glass used in a Rolex watch! Some Vertu phones have Ruby ball bearings under their buttons while the LiquidMetal and Titanium combination makes these phones very durable.

Vertu phones also have a ceramic cushion for the ear and even offer a Concierge service available at the touch of a button when traveling.

That’s not to say that the Vertu phones with their rich design fall short of anything on the interior. In fact, the power conductivity used in this phone is made from pure gold components which help the battery utility to be optimized.

Nokia solely provides user-friendly OS for Vertu handset, but they are not the manufacturers.

news source :
http://www.techshout.com/features/2008/22/vertu-mobile-phones-taking-luxury-to-a-whole-new-level/

Glu Mobile Updates Guidance to Include Recent Acquisition of Superscape; Provides Further Update of Tender Offer

2008-03-25T10:49:00.000+05:30

Greg Ballard, president and chief executive officer, Glu, commented, "We're excited to be joining forces with Superscape, a pioneer in the mobile games industry. Superscape's strong heritage in 3D technology, high-quality original titles and innovative white label programs complement our existing world-class operations. This acquisition is an important achievement in becoming the leading mobile games publisher in the world."

Rocky Pimentel, chief financial officer, Glu, added, "We expect Superscape will have a positive impact on our financial results. While the integration of Superscape will continue through most of this year, we currently anticipate that the acquisition will be neutral to non-GAAP earnings until the fourth quarter, at which time it will become accretive. Accordingly, we are raising our full year guidance."

The Company is providing guidance today to reflect Superscape's expected contribution to Glu for the first quarter and the full year 2008. Because Glu declared the tender offer unconditional in all respects on March 7, 2008, Superscape's results will be consolidated into Glu's financial results as of that date. Furthermore, although Glu expects to ultimately acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Superscape, the Company will record a minority interest to reflect the portion of shares that it does not own until it has acquired 100% of the outstanding shares.

news source : http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/482714.html

Nokia Unveils the 8800 Sapphire Arte

2008-03-24T14:09:00.000+05:30

Expanding its range of premium handsets, Nokia today announced the Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte, which makes a unique statement with its single Sapphire as center-key.

Marrying elegance and high-functionality, the Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte has a high-end steel and glass composition. The sense of exclusivity is heightened by a genuine Sapphire gem stone at the center and an accent of soft brown napa leather. The phone's smooth slide mechanism comprises state-of-the-art ball bearings and a unique spring mechanism to make it a pleasure to touch and behold.
The elegantly designed handset features 3G capabilities along with a 3.2 mega pixels auto-focus camera and a stunning OLED display. It has unique tap-for-time and turn-to-mute features while living wallpapers move organically through the day to give unique on-screen decoration.

Double-tapping the steel surface below the display makes an analogue clock appear -- indicating time in its most classic form. Incoming calls can be silenced on the phone inconspicuously -- by simply turning over the phone, screen-side down. The Sapphire Arte comes with Nokia's new anti-fingerprint coating, which reduces smudges on metal and glass. Besides, unsightly outer seams are hidden with an all-in-one microUSB connector.

Nokia has created an exclusive soundtrack for the phone composed by internationally-acclaimed master producers Kruder and Dorfmeister with visuals by Fritz Fitzke.

The Nokia 880 Sapphire Arte sports a price tag of Rs 62,829.

news source : http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Nokia_Unveils_the_8800_Sapphire_Arte/551-87837-615.html

Fly Mobile’s SX 200 comes to Woolworths

2008-03-24T12:10:00.000+05:30

This is Fly’s fifth offering in the UK market and it is expected to be as popular as previous models that have provided a high level of feature in a mobile phone at outstanding value for money.

Simon Gregory, Vice President of Fly Mobile said: “Why should mobile phones with music players, video recording and stereo Bluetooth be expensive on pay as you go? At Fly we like to think differently and offer these features in well designed, good looking devices at fantastic value for money.”

“The SX 200 is launched as we celebrate one year of bringing value to the UK mobile market and it will compliment our range of reliable, highly featured and good looking mobile phones, all offered at outstanding value. We are delighted to once again be partnering with Woolworths to bring this product to the British public.”

The SX 200 is available from Woolworths on the Virgin Mobile network.

Fly Mobile will ship more than 3 million phones into high growth markets around the world this year , and is now delivering a range of prepay handsets to the UK mobile market – the first of which were the SL 500i, SL 600, SLT 100 and SL 399e.

http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=37704&hilite=

Fly Mobile intros the MC100, doesn't mind how many laws you break

2008-03-20T15:13:00.000+05:30

We've seen a lot of phones float our way over the years, and some of them have had emulation capability, but it's rare when you see a mobile phone-maker actually advocating that you pirate ROMs for their device. Of course, that's exactly what Fly Mobile is doing when it comes to its MC100 handset. The phone has all kinds of regular features we're sure you'd be interested in, like a 240 x 320 display, AAC, MP3 and MPEG4 playback, a microSD slot, and that handsome, "noble" dark brown finish. It all sounds good, but we know there's only one set of qualities you'll be laying down cash for: the phone's ability to play SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and NES ROMs. Just remember, your favorites "can be freele [sic] downloaded frim [sic] Internet." $270 and it's yours.

news source :
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/27/fly-mobile-intros-the-mc100-doesnt-mind-how-many-laws-you-brea/

HP iPAQ 514 voice messenger review

2008-03-20T11:32:00.000+05:30

H P has been around in the smartphone world for a few years now. Some years ago Compaq was taken over by HP. Since then the name iPAQ is being used for mobile phones of Hewlett Packard. Mid 2007 HP put the iPAQ 514 voice messenger on the market. The HP iPAQ 514 is a straight to the point business device. The consumer looking for a cell phone with a high resolution camera and enhanced multimedia player should forget about the HP 514. The HP iPAQ 514 has been equipped with Windows Mobile 6 and offers many functions that will appeal to the business user. Thanks to its price of around € 200 we can easily call it the cheapest business handset at the moment.

HP iPAQ Voice Messenger

Hewlett Packard had to make concessions to be able to offer this price. One of these concessions is the monitor; the HP iPAQ 514 has been equipped with a 2-inch monitor with a resolution of 176x220 pixels and 64,000 colours. If you are not used to a high resolution monitor this small sized one will not bother you. But if you are a frequent visitor of internet pages you'll soon find out that you have to scroll not only vertically but also horizontally through the web pages.

HP iPAQ 514 Test

Although HP had to compromise with equipping the HP iPAQ 514; we can say that it is a business mobile phone with enhanced functions. The price of the device is just as attractive as its functionalities. Despite its many functions and the attractive price tag, we think some points need improvement. HP would do a great job as to equip the device with 3G for the business man who is always on the road. HP compromised in installing Wi-Fi but since you cannot always use a Wi-Fi connection; 3G would be the solution.

news source :http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/3145/hp-ipaq-review/

VK Mobile VK2000

2008-03-19T14:33:00.000+05:30

The Korean manufacturer VK Mobile have had some recent success in Europe through a distribution agreement with Vodafone, which brought the cute VK570 and VK530 handsets to the UK market.

Their latest GSM phone for European release is the remarkable VK2000 - remarkable because it's the smallest mobile handset that we've ever seen. VK Mobile report that the VK2000 weighs just 48 grams, and measures a tiny 90x50x8.8mm - that's even thinner than the Motorola SLVR.

That's tiny - roughly the same footprint as a business card, and it weighs less than 6 Euro or 5 British pound coins, or a little more than a bag of Doritos. Or less than half the weight of a Nokia 6230.

As you might expect, the VK2000 doesn't pack in much in the way of features, but it does come with a 128x143 pixel TFT display, GPRS and a WAP 2.0 browser. The keypad is a metal one that appears to be similar to that on the Motorola RAZR. Available in two dual band configurations of 900/1800 MHz and 850/1900 MHz depending on market. There's no Bluetooth or MP3 player, and certainly no camera, but that's easily forgivable.

Previous VK mobiles launched in Europe have been a bit "girlie". The compact size of the VK2000 *will* appeal to girls, but the overall design is quite masculine - in other words, VK appears to have carefully designed the look of the VK2000 to appeal to both sexes.

Pitched as a low end phone, we suspect that the VK2000 will make a great second mobile for those people who don't want to take a bulkier phone with them for a night out.

According to VK, the VK2000 is already shipping to China and will be followed by Europe, Asia Pacific and then the Americas later.

news source : http://www.mobilegazette.com/vk-vk2000-051018.htm

Pantech G300

2008-03-19T11:54:00.000+05:30

There's a mobile phone out there to suit everyone's needs. There's a basic phone for ultra-budget users, phones with music players for people who travel frequently, smart phones for the tycoons who need a lot more than just a communication tool. With the G300, Pantech has introduced a phone that should appeal to the fairer sex.

Now reviewing a phone like this for a guy can be pretty tricky, and I'm quite certain every word I say will be scrutinized. So to make sure my opinions are not too "testosterone driven" and that I don't do injustice to this model just because it's not meant to appeal to me, I took opinions of some of my women coworkers. With that out of the way, let's see what's inside the package.

Package and Looks
On opening the box you will find the main mobile unit, two 680mAh Li-Ion batteries, a mobile charger, data cable, mono headset for hands-free calls, a mini software CD, and a thick manual.

Aimed at the female market, the G300 sports a glossy metal-finished wine-red color with silver edges, giving it an overall classy look. It's quite small in size at 76 x 40 x 23.5 mm (weighing 90 g), and would easily fit even in small hands. The top of the clamshell sports a diamond that lights up in seven different colors and a monochrome LCD display with white backlight.

The LCD on the inside, however, looks crisp within its 260,000-color TFT display. The 128 x 128 pixel resolution ensures that even in its small size, visibility will never be a problem. The brightness level of the screen is also just right with perfect visibility even with bright overhead sunlight.

The keypad is as usual present on the lower inner part of the phone. The keys are soft and extremely easy to use. The numeric keys are perfectly sized and spaced for convenience during single handed as well as double handed operation.

news source : http://www.techtree.com/India/Reviews/Pantech_G300/551-51852-614-1.html

Bird D636 - user opinions and reviews

2008-03-18T16:06:00.000+05:30

This is a very nice phone, it is light and easy to use. The graphics are more sleek and modern than previous Bird phones, it has a Lenovo or LG look about it, greys and blues, which complement the blue glow from the keypad. However, the alert boxes are unmatched graphically.

It is worth noting that my phone does not have French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Hindi. It is a mainland China model, so perhaps an export model is slightly different. This phone supports the display of traditional chinese characters, which is a refreshing change for most mainland phones. However, the interface is limited to English and Simplified Chinese, you also cannot input in Traditional (HK, Macau etc) characters (Bird is attempting to break into the HK market). Previous models of Bird phones only supported mainland characters. Similar Bird generation phones with similar software may be able to imput in Traditional Characters (I don't remember the model numbers I tested though, they all had the new grey look)

The dictionary function is still present in this phone, though along with the other current generation bird phones, it has a much worse interface than before. You are required to break out of the screen to a dedicated imput screen, then back into the dictionary. On the plus side, there are more language tools, and they seem to be upgradable by changing some files on the phone (though I have not explored this).

The input for text is changed, pressing 1 used to scroll through the puncuation marks, but now it brings up a break out screen of all the puncation to move through, slightly annoying to get used to. The Chinese input is also different, instead of pressing left and right to change words and down to change characters you need to press star to change words and left and right to change characters.

Some settings, display settings and menu settings (matrix or list) have gone, but you can now use any ring tone for your sms and alarm. Another small annoyance is that the large "OK" button doesn't go to the menu, instead it loads up the internet, and you can't change this, or any of the d pad's short cuts.

The screen is very clear and bright. The camera is typically slow at large res, but it does a decent job. It has the usual photo editing tools for bird phones, add text, change colours, icons etc (though it is somewhat lacking on the non touch screen models). It also has a few other apps such as paint (really limited - not a selling point, I think they are just experimenting), MFlash player (comes loaded with a couple of animations, no KTV though it seems to be able to play them but not a dedicated app this time), health, currency converter, stop watch. The firm ware has a version number so I assume you can update it, but Bird has no downloads on their website.

Mitsubishi tapping out of the phone market? UPDATE: Yeah

2008-03-18T13:44:00.000+05:30

A lot of readers might be surprised to learn that Mitsubishi even makes cellphones, but yeah, it sure does. Its domestic Japanese market has typically been the recipient of its impressive wares, selling models on NTT DoCoMo using the "D" model name prefix -- but maybe not for much longer. Nikkei is throwing out some rumors today that Mitsu will be exiting the dog-eat-dog cellphone manufacturing biz and possibly doing so very swiftly, even withdrawing models due to hit DoCoMo in the next few weeks. Despite raking in over 100 billion yen (about $958M) annually from its mobile division alone, the company has apparently been unable to make it profitable and recently downgraded its handset sales forecast for the current fiscal year. Frankly, we wish Mitsu had sold enough handsets abroad for us to be really upset about this. Nikkei says an official announcement could come as soon as today, so we'll update you when we know more.

news source :
http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/02/mitsubishi-tapping-out-of-the-phone-market/

HTC Shift X9500

2008-03-17T15:44:00.000+05:30

Verdict: HTC's long awaited Shift is finally here but, despite valiant efforts, it fails to revitalise the UMPC format.

HTC might be best known for its range of Windows Mobile-powered smartphones and PDAs, but its latest offering, the Shift, hopes to inject some new life into the flagging UMPC market.

Even if the considerable price tag doesn't give enough of a clue as to the Shift's luxurious aspirations, the HTC's packaging will. The Shift comes in a huge black box, sheathed in a cardboard slip with a natty aluminium-effect finish.

The attention to such minor aesthetic details is a reassuring touch, especially when you've spent ï900 of your hard-earned cash, but delve inside the box and the good impressions continue - at least in some regards.

HTC provides an assortment of extras: an attractive brown leather pouch for protecting the unit itself and a drawstring felt bag for the mains adapter and accessories. There's also a wired hands-free kit and a mini docking station which provides three USB ports and ethernet networking.

But, after patiently waiting the months it's taken for the HTC Shift to finally arrive, the first glimpse of the hardware is somewhat less than revelatory. The 7in wide screen display takes up most of the front of the device, save for a handful of buttons and controls; a mini-trackpad and a fingerprint reader are spread around the display's aluminium bezel.

The rest of the unit is finished in a glossy gunmetal grey, which looks smart enough, but set against the likes of OQO's gorgeous Model e2, it looks decidedly plain, and more than a little bit on the chunky side.

Considering how much smaller it is than a traditional laptop, it's really not that light either. Without the power supply, the HTC still weighs in at a not-inconsiderable 790g, and its dimensions preclude it from being carried in all but the most gargantuan of pockets.

Still, build quality is beyond reproach, and apart from the odd creak when we really grappled with it, the Shift feels well up to being carted around on a daily basis, even if you do need to carry a bag with you to do so.

news source : http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/177297/umpc-htc-shift-x9500.html#

Sagem my511X Roland Garros

2008-03-17T15:17:00.000+05:30

F or the Mobile World Congress (formerly 3GSM) in Barcelona, Sagem Mobiles (Safran Group), official partner of the French Open for the third year running, unveils Roland Garros by Sagem, an all new model but every bit as elegant and dedicated to tennis. Elegantly-styled with the trademark Roland-Garros signature and sleek white and grey finishing, the Roland Garros my511X mobile phone by Sagem was designed not just for sports fans but also people equally passionate about styling. The elegant and sophisticated lines highlight an understated yet fashion-conscious design.

Sagem my511X Roland Garros - Customization

Ultra-compact, slim line (106.9x46.3x10.9) and featherweight (81 g), the Sagem my511X Rolland Garros will fit anywhere. What really makes it a collector's item is the level of customization on offer: courtside ball sound effect ringtones, Java tennis game, themed wallpapers, and that original tennis ball tin-style packaging. Technology-wise, it has the complete game: a 1.3-megapixel camera plus video with 4x digital zoom, music player (mp3 and AAC), SMS and MMS functions, Bluetooth, and a 13 MB memory made expandable via a microSD card.

Sagem Roland Garros mobile phone - Battery life

The ultra-smooth white fascia boasts a subtle mirror effect that really sets off the champagne-colored keys, 65K-color 128x160-pixel high-resolution TFT display, and curvaceous keypad. The my511X Roland Garros by Sagem also has stamina, with a battery life covering 220 hours on standby and 3 hours of talk-time. Roland Garros by Sagem will be released in April 2008.

news source : http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/3038/sagem-my511x-roland-garros/

Siemens C65 Review

2008-03-15T16:18:00.000+05:30

The Siemens C65 is an entry-level camera phone that retails for under £100. The phone is compact, lightweight and very nicely styled. For the money you seem to get quite a lot of features - camera, 65k colour display, voice recorder, handsfree speaker, etc. However, look closer and you find that the phone is not as good as it seems. Starting with the display, on closer inspection we find that it's not a TFT screen, which means that it's hard to read outdoors. The digital camera is just CIF resolution - that's 0.1 megapixels, whereas most entry-level camera phones have VGA resolution nowadays (0.3 megapixels). The connectivity is infra-red only, with no cable option for transferring photos to a computer.

Having said all that, the good points might just outweigh the bad points, except that the reliability of the C65 is poor. Read the user reviews below for stories of how the C65 may freeze or switch itself off at random. It is possible that the latest firmware upgrades will fix these problems, but in an entry-level phone such problems should simply not be present, and it is not acceptable for Siemens to release a phone knowing that its software is buggy. The Siemens CX65 is a much better phone all round and not much more expensive.

news spource : http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/siemens-c65.htm

Sharp GX30i Review

2008-03-15T16:09:00.000+05:30

The Sharp GX30i is an enhanced version of the GX30. Enhancements are improved Blutooth™ wireless support and MP3 player. The enhanced support for Bluetooth™ is a very welcome addition. The GX30 suffered from only being able to connect wirelessly to a Bluetooth headset or car-kit. The GX30i now has full Bluetooth support for transferring data to a computer or another phone.

The basic specification is unchanged and includes an integrated digital camera with a 1 Mega-pixel CCD with 7 stage digital zoom and 5 picture sizes ranging from 858 x 1144 to 120 x 160 pixels.

To complement the high-resolution camera, the GX30i features an ultra-high resolution QVGA 240x320 pixel 262,000-colour LCD display measuring 2.2 inches. It also has a 65K colour external LCD. In terms of imaging and display technology, the Sharp GX30i is still one of the best mobiles around!

news source: http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/sharp-gx30i.htm