Touch screen has been introduced several years back but let’s face it, it’s Apple who actually made touch screens seem way cooler. After the iPhone’s success, every mobile manufacturer has been releasing a touch screen version of their mobile phones.
Nowadays, it seems that everything that comes with a screen necessarily has to be touch screen. Sony is now putting touch screen LCDs as a standard on their digital cameras, something which was only common in their camcorders. Even digital photo frames have a touch screen version. Varnam’s touch sensitive digital photo frame has been receiving some rave reviews lately. I must admit, though I really don’t find touch sensitive controls particularly useful (it annoys the heck out of me when touch sensitive controls aren’t really “sensitive”), they could add aesthetic value to almost any consumer electronics. I guess it gives them a more futuristic feel.
Even tables, thanks to Microsoft’s surface, will soon be touch enabled. So, will touch screens continue to be the prevalent technology used in most consumer electronics or will something better come along soon? Well, if they could come up with a phone that that can read your brain waves and execute its command through just the touch of a finger, well, I’m sold.
I know that I’ve sworn off touch screen phones because I’m saving myself for the Xperia X1, however, the lure of the Omnia is just too great for me to pass up.
What sold it to me: Comparison between touch screen phones
Samsung Omnia over Diamond
If someone was in the market for touchscreen windows mobile phones, it would probably be a toss up between the HTC Touch Diamond or the Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia, however, I was already turned off by the Touch Diamond’s prototype that I’ve seen plus I’m so over 2.8 inch screens. My HTC P3600i has a 2.8 inch screen so I was ready to move up. Also, the Samsung Omnia has a faster processor, 624MHz marvell PXA312, compared with the HTC Touch Diamond’s Qualcomm MSM7201A 528 Mhz processor. The Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia also has a bigger internal memory, choice of 8GB or 16GB, compared with only 4GB of the Diamond. The 5 megapixel camera is also a no brainer. Every reviews on the internet raves about how good the camera on the Samsung Omnia is so the fact that HTC’s camera is just plain crappy considered together with the fact that I’m in the market for camera phones, just tipped the scales in favor of the Omnia.
Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia over the iPhone 3G
I’ve always raved about the iPhone’s user interface in fact I’ve already made it the benchmark user interface in which all touchscreen phones must follow. I admit, I didn’t get the 2G iPhone because it doesn’t have 3G so when Apple announced that the iPhone 3G now has, well, 3G, plus GPS, I was tempted to get one but I’m a power user and a though I hate to admit it, stuck as a Windows Mobile fan. Though the lure of the 3G iPhone is also great, the fact that it also has a crappy 2 megapixel camera turned me off. Also, the fact that there are still few iPhone applications out there and the fact that iPhone doesn’t seem to be suited for multi-tasking made me think twice. For the Samsung Omnia, there are already loads of freeware for the Windows Mobile platform plus literally thousands of third party applications you can choose from. Of course, compatibility with Windows Mobile 6.1 may make some applications unusable.
Samsung Omnia over Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
The only hurdle in my way before I took out my credit card to buy the Samsung Omnia was the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1. I already know that this phone will be set for release in October and it’s only a few more weeks before the wait is over but then, I did a once over of the Xperia X1’s features. The Samsung SGH-i900 Omnia still has a faster processor over Xperia X1’s which sports the same processor as the HTC Touch Diamond. Though admittedly, the Xperia X1 has a higher RAM at 256MB compared with the Omnia’s 128MB, I doubt that it would make much difference since the Omnia’s faster processor balances the X1’s higher memory. The keyboard on the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is one thing that I was looking forward to but then I thought, there are a variety of Bluetooth keyboards for windows mobile devices which I could use if ever I need to do some heavy office work or blog typing. I think the what really nails it for me is the Samsung Omnia’s 5 megapixel camera. The Xperia X1 only has 3.2 megapixel and though it has autofocus, it lacks face detection, smile detection and auto stabilization.
Another Samsung Omnia sold
So after due consideration and some nights without sleep, I finally made up my mind and settled for the Omnia. Sure, another great new device might come along within a few months time but right now, I’m glad I’ve settled for the Omnia. A detailed review will follow.
Here's a useful site for all those new iPhone 3G owners who just got their iPhone last Aug. 22 (Apple's OTHER release date for the iPhone on several countries). The iPhone's screen is large and we all know that this is the best phone to have for watching videos and listening to music so you should take advantage of the iPhone's screen by putting up high quality colored wallpapers that can show off a lot of contrast and colors.
Premiumiphonewallpapers.com has a variety of high quality, free iPhone wallpapers you can choose from. I'm going to attach some of my favorites.
This environment wallpaper for the iPhone would look great because of the blue hues. Whilst my favorite, the windows wallpaper below is perfect for those Microsoft fanboys who were still swayed to get the iPhone.
I know that WiFi hotspots can be found almost anywhere in the UK, however, it’s also a fact that unauthorized use of WiFi hotspots has become a crime. You may actually be sitting in a coffee shop thinking you’re using the free WiFi they’re providing when you’re actually logged on to someone’s unprotected WiFi network. You could get a hefty fine of £1,000 for that offense. So, how do you protect yourself from inevitably using someone else’s WiFi network? Two words: mobile internet.
Mobile Phones. There are different ways of connecting to the mobile internet, simplest way is using your mobile phone as a modem. In order to make use of your mobile phone as a modem, you need to have the software that will allow you to use it as such. Usually for Nokia phones, you need the Nokia PC Suite, the Motorola Phone Tools for Motorola, ActiveSync for windows mobile devices, etc.
AirCards. I don’t know the other term for aircards but this is a device for laptops that allows you to connect to the mobile internet using a compatible simcard. Aircards can usually be connected using the PCMCIA card slot or the ExpressCard slot for newer laptop models.
Dongles. In recent months, dongles have become a popular way of connecting to the mobile internet. Dongles or USB Modems are usually the size of USB drives or flash drives and they allow you to connect to the internet using 3G signals. Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange, 3 Broadband and O2 are already providing separate dongles which you can rent monthly. Broadband Expert has a simple chart comparing the different dongle being offered by these wireless carriers. You can also check out their mobile internet comparison chart if you don’t have a monthly plan yet.
Whichever way you prefer to connect to the mobile internet, one thing’s for sure: Mobile Internet is the newest way to get connected ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.
Here's a cool or weird way (whichever way you look at it) of vandalizing your new iphone, how about placing stickers on it? If you're tired of looking at the sleek, black and shiny interface of your iPhone or iPod Touch, you might want to try placing stickers on it. Tatskinz.com's iPhone skins claims that it will protect your precious iPhone from scratches, plus their stickers are reusable and won't leave any smudges or sticky residue.
iPhone Skin aptly called "Color Blind" (Photo courtesy of Tatskinz.com)
As for the design, well, let's just say I've seen prettier designs on some gift wrappers. The good news is, you can actually submit your own design and you can get discounts if you do so.
I've come upon a site that claims to unlock iPhone 3G. Though the iPhone Dev Team, the team responsible for releasing the Pwnage Tool that can jailbreak your iPhone (this tool lets you use third party software not downloaded from the App Store), has not yet released their official software for unlocking the iPhone 3G though from the looks of it, it is possible, unlock-the-iphone.com already claims that they can unlock the iPhone 3G via software without using any simcard (which is currently the only known way of unlocking the iPhone).
They even have an unlock the 3G iPhone reviews page with a certain Darryl from California claiming that the software had indeed unlocked his iPhone 3G. This software also claims to unlock your old 2G iPhone with the latest 2.0.2 firmware version.
It's a pretty big claim but the company backs it with a 100% money back guarantee. You'll have to fork up $24.99 for the software but you can get lifetime updates. Since I have no way of testing this, if anyone of you is itching to get their iPhone 3G unlocked and won't mind parting with $24.99, feel free to leave a comment here if indeed the software does work. Again, as I always say when dealing with new sites: caveat emptor.
Here's a software that could be of potential use for paranoid lovers/spouses. Menage, a software that's already available for Windows Mobile phones, Blackberry, and Symbian devices, will soon be available for the iPhone.
Features on the Menage Mobile phone includes: Stealth Listening which lets you call the device with the Menage Software installed and listen discreetly to conversations, Live Call which lets you listen to a conversation whenever a specified number calls, you can also view call history, call details, and even get a notification when the Sim Card has been changed on the mobile phone.
Really, this is every spouse's dream software. The company says that the iPhone version will be available by the end of 2008. Unfortunately, it is only compatible with US carriers.
The Sony Ericsson mobile phones comes integrated with very good features incorporated in it. Being a great value phone this mobile phone is very easy and convenient to use. With a wide range of highly exclusive features, the Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone gives you the best possible entertainment options along with a range of rich performance phone features and more.
The merging of two names have given birth to a lot of modern mobile phones integrating a wide range of highly advance technology and also packing them together into the most contemporary and attractive designs possible. This tri-band phone operates with frequencies GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900.
Supported camera features
The Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone comes integrated with a digital VGA camera that has a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and also supports a 4x digital zoom. This also features an in built flash that allows you to take good images in any lighting conditions. The Sony Ericsson Z530i also supports a picture editor that allows you to edit the images you have taken with the camera. Other interesting features of this mobile camera is that is supports video recording and also video DJ- a video editing software.
Display features at the best
The Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone comes with two integrated display screens. The main internal screen is a TFT colour screen with support for 65 K colours and having a resolution of 128 x 160 pixels. The secondary external screen is a STN monochrome screen having a resolution of 101 x 80 pixels.
Special features
The Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone also comes with connectivity options such as wireless Bluetooth connectivity, infrared connectivity, USB port and Fast port connectivity option. You can also browse the Internet with this new phone with the support of the WAP browser along with the support of GPRS.
The Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone also comes with a media player that has support for MP3, AAC audio file formats as well as MPEG4 video files. The messaging features including SMS, MMS, EMS, Instant messaging and Email.
Other Features of the Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone includes voice features; call management features and much more. Some of the other significant features supported by this mobile phone are:
* On board memory of 28 MB * Speakerphone * 40 polyphonic ring tones * Picture phonebook * Vibration alert * Calendar * Organiser * Voice dialling * Voice recording
General aspects
The Sony Ericsson Z530i mobile phone weighs around 93 grams and has a height of 90 mm, a width of 47 mm and a depth of 24-mm. The battery that is used to power this new mobile phone is of type Li-polymer battery that offers talk time of up to 9 hours and also a standby time of almost 400 hours.
If the Sony Ericsson Z530i does not suit your style, try to visit this Mobile Handset reviews.
The Nokia N80 is a stylish Nokia 3G phone capable of rendering Business and multimedia. It has bright forms of connectivity and internet browsing. It has two cameras and is capable of video calling, video recording. Enough memory is available for mass storage.
Nokia has unleashed Nokia N80 mobile phone, one of the recent production in their N-series. It is a slide up phone that empowers both business and fun evoking features. It is available in silver and black colours. The phone works on Quad band networks that ropes up EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and WCDMA 1900 or 2100MHz. The Nokia N80 mobile phone occupies 97.4 cc by volume, and weighs 134 grams. The length, width and height are 95.4, 50 and 26 mm respectively. The phone has a TFT display encounters 262,144 colours, with a screen resolution of 352 x 416 pixels. The keypad is very persuasive and there is a 4-way scroll with centre selection. The number keys are available once you slide the phone. A capture key snaps your photos with ease.
The phone makes use of a 3 mega-pixel camera for snapping still pictures and video clips. The camera is encouraged by the LED flashlight with red-eye reduction feature. You can take videos in MP4 and 3GP formats closely up to 5x digital zoom. The three basic modes of capturing photos are Normal, self-timer and sequence modes. You can view your photos in Normal, Sepia, black and white, and in negative colour tones. You can perfectly capture a distant object at close shot with the 20x digital zoom provision. The white balance of the images can be adjusted in this phone. A VGA camera is fixed on the front side that enables 2x digital zoom.
It has Xpress solutions that include Xpress Print for ordering prints through your phone (online), Xpress Transfer for transferring photos and videos through the phone’s connectivity, Xpress Share and Xpress Music. The phone holds broad business functions like office document viewers that are helpful in viewing Microsoft Word, Power Point and Excel documents. Besides the phone has Advanced Symbian S60 PIM utilities that comprise the contacts, calendar, PIM printing and task list.
The Nokia phone has upright messaging abilities that include SMS, MMS and E-mail. The E-mail gets the support of the document viewers to inspect the attachments. The call features in this phone are adorable. This handset enables Push-to-Talk facility, video calling, auto redialling, call waiting and call transfer. Video calling is enhanced by the hands free speakerphone.
The Nokia N80 silver mobile phone bestows wide entertainment facility through the multimedia. An integrated digital music player plays MP3 songs that you have downloaded. The MP3 track plays MP3, AAC, M4A, eAAC+ and WMA files. Apart from music you can also get in touch with news around your locality and the day’s events from the Stereo FM Radio. This phone also has a visual radio and a multimedia player that plays real video and other video clips that are stored in 3GGP and MPEG4 AVC file formats. The sound system in the phone speaker is moderate and stereo sound effect is possible only in the headset. The games are enriched by Java Technology with Java MPDP2.0 and CLDC1.1 that provides extensive downloads.
The connectivity and the internet access are elegantly featured in this phone. They consist of Nokia PC suite connectivity with USB, EGPRS, Bluetooth, WLAN, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play), and the infra red. The phone has 40MB internal memory and memory expansion which is a microSD card slot that stores up to 128 MB. The Battery in this phone is a BL5B with a capacity of 860mAh. The phone comes with a Talk time up to 3hours and Standby time up to 8 days.
You can check out other mobile phone deals, if the Nokia N80 is not within your budget.
The Nokia 6111 slider mobile phone is a very compact mobile phone featuring a multitude of the most modern features integrated in it. This mobile from Nokia can be defined as the perfect blend of the most advanced technology and features along with the contemporary design. A good colour display screen, good connectivity options and impressive phone features are the other attraction of the Nokia 6111.
The one key feature that has made the Nokia 6111 mobile phone very impressive is its integrated digital camera. This is a 1-mega-pixel camera with a 6x digital zoom. You can take good quality images with this mobile phone camera in landscape mode that supports a 262 K colour support. The phone also comes integrated with a camera flash that allows you to take the best images what ever be the lighting conditions. Another very significant feature of this phone is that it supports video streaming and video recording for almost 1 hour.
Featuring a range of other special features this Nokia 6111 mobile phone also supports a visual radio, video player, FM stereo radio, media player with stereo sound and also with support for MP3 and AAC ringing tones.
Good connectivity
Transferring files from another device to the most modern Nokia 6111 mobile phone is not really a tough job any longer. The phone is supported by Bluetooth technology that makes this work really easy. The other connectivity options supported by this phone are infrared connectivity, pop-port connectivity and also USB connectivity.
Display characteristics
The display screen of the Nokia 6111 mobile phone is also very impressive. The phone comes with a TFT colour display screen having a support for 265 K colours and also has a display resolution of 128 x 160 pixels.
Other significant features
You have to slide open the Nokia 6111 mobile phone to view its keypad that provides you with easy access to the menu, applications, browsing features and other phone functions. The phone supports good messaging features with SMS, MMS, and EMS messaging services. Another significant feature of the 6111 is the Nokia Xpress audio messaging feature that allows you to record your own voice message and send it any compatible device.
You can browse the Internet with the support WAP browsers over high speed EDGE that supports a speed up to 236.8 Kbps. The phone also features GPRS and HSCSD for efficient data transfer.
The other features of the phone include:
Speed dialling up to 9 names
Automatic redial
Automatic answer
Call waiting
Call hold
Call divert
Call timer
Caller identification with image
Conference call up to 5 participants
Vibrating alert
Voice dialling
Integrated hands free speaker
Voice recording up to 60 minutes
Internal memory of 23 MB
Phone book
Java applications
Powered by a standard Li-Ion battery that offers a standby time of 192 hours and a talk time of 3 hours the Nokia 6111 mobile phone weighs only 92 grams.
Again, the Nokia 6111 is an old model. If you're looking for a newer model with similar features, try visiting some mobile phone comparison site so you can widen your choices..
Since I'm running out of new mobile phones to review, I thought I might go back in time and review some of my old mobile phones. If you are on the search for a three in one device that includes all, a digital camera, mobile phone and a pocket PC, then the i-mate K-JAM should be your perfect choice. Though the K-Jam is an old model, this device has all that you are looking forward for with just one giving you the best of all including imaging, messaging, a mini office and more.
The i-mate K-JAM mobile phone gives you the experience of both a modern mobile phone as well as pocket PC. When both come together in one device, it gives you the best possible use.
Pocket PC features
The i-mate K-JAM pocket PC has a TI OMAP 850 processor integrated in it that supports a CPU speed of 200 MHz. The total memory size supported by the device is 192 MB, where the RAM is 128 MB and ROM is 64 MB. The special feature of this PDA is that it supports both horizontal and vertical display. The sliding QWERTY keyboard is the other speciality of the device.
Display features
The display screen of the device is worth a note. The i-mate K-JAM pocket PC features a large display screen that has a size of almost 2.8 inches that supports a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The display screen being an LCD screen supports 64K colours and also features a backlit display. Another main feature of this display screen is that it is a highly sensitive touch screen.
Audio features
This new i-mate K-JAM supports good audio features. The device features dual loud speakers. It supports voice recording, integrated speakers and supports integrated microphone as well. Another key feature of this mobile phone is that it comes integrated with an MP3 player or audio playback system that allows you to hear your favourite music and also supports MP3 files.
Connectivity
Connectivity is another feature that everyone looks forward for while buying a new mobile phone. Of course, the i-mate K-JAM mobile phone supports USB connectivity, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, Infrared connectivity and also WLAN.
Supplementary features
An added feature of this new mobile phone is that it also features a digital camera with 1.3 mega pixels. This camera has the ability of video capturing. Camera is useful for quick snapshots but rather crappy compared with Nokia's VGA camera phones. The i-mate K-JAM supports an integrated modem that allows you to surf the Internet and in fast data transfer. Among the other features that support the i-mate pocket PC the integrated radio, push email service, integrated video and music players. The phone supports all of the major phone features including efficient messaging options too.
General features
The i-mate K-JAM uses Windows Mobile 2005 operating system. This quad band device operates on GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900. The K-Jam has a weight of 150 grams including battery, and its dimensions are 108 mm x 58 mm x 23.7 mm. A removable Lithium polymer rechargeable battery with a capacity of 1200 mAh is used that supports a talk time of 4 hours and a stand by time of 200 hours.
Since the i-Mate K-Jam is an old model, you can probably find cheap phone deals for this mobile on the Internet.
Last amongst Motorola’s new ROKR phone line is the MotoROKR EM25. The Motorola ROKR EM25 is probably the cheapest amongst Motorola’s new phones though it’s not scrimping on features.
Design
The Motorola MotoROKR EM25 is another slider phone with a one-touch access to the MP3 player feature on the front. Since the Motorola Moto ROKR EM25 is mainly a music phone, naturally, it has to have a dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack. I’m glad Motorola decided to go with the 3.5mm headphone jack on their recent ROKR phones since proprietary headset is not the way to go when you’re marketing a music phone. Though on its face the Motorola EM35's design is uneventful, it's a different story when you look at its back view. You can see that there's a funky ROKR lettering plus some sort of graphic design. It's nice to know that Motorola is at least trying with their mobile phone designs.
Features
One thing I like about Motorola’s low-end phones is that Motorola doesn’t feel the need to scrimp on the features. The Motorola MotoROKR EM25 is no exception. For a music player, it has a FM radio with RDS, a microSD slot that can hold up to 2GB of media, and Bluetooth 2.0 technology with A2DP. The Motorola Moto ROKR EM25 also features album art which displays on the 1.8 inch screen while you’re playing music, plus it also has SongID and FMShare which lets you share your favorite radio station via text message though there is a disclaimer that FMShare is network dependent. Compatible music formats on the Motorola ROKR EM25 includes: AAC, AMR NB, MIDI, MP3, and WAV. Of course, Motorola’s CrystalTalk Technology is still a feature on the MotoROKR EM25. The Motorola MotoROKR EM25 is also equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel camera.
Outlook
Feature-wise, when it comes down to middle-range and low-range phones, in my personal view, Motorola makes the best of them as they don’t try to swindle you by taking out some of the regular features such as microSD slot and Bluetooth A2DP, however, design-wise, like I always say, Motorola needs to get their act together. The Motorola MotoROKR EM25 seems to be another music phone that would appeal to the mass market.
While iPhone 3G owners are waiting in bathed breath for techno savvy individuals to unlock the iPhone 3G, previous iPhone owners who have an unlock iPhone unit but upgraded to the version 2.0 firmware update may want to check out www.iphone-sim-unlock.com.
The site claims that they can unlock your iPhone even if it has the v.2.0 firmware update plus they can give you access to their software for all future firmware updates of the iPhone. Of course, the service isn't free, you have to cough up $29 to have access to their software but the upside is that you have access to their members area for life so that your iPhone will always be updated with the latest firmware version even if has been unlocked.
The site even backs up their claim with a complete money-back guarantee. Hey, any site that gives money back guarantee for their service means they probably can do what they claim to do. However, since I'm not an iPhone user, I really can't vouch for these guys so caveat emptor.
I’ve managed to coerce a friend of mine to let me have his HTC Touch Pro for a few days for me to review. For those who already bashed me on my HTC Touch Diamond Review, here’s your chance to bash me even more. Let me just make it clear that my time with this device is limited and whatever I like or don’t like about the HTC Touch Pro is MY opinion, if you don’t like it, please move on and don’t fill my mailbox with hate comments.
Design
On it’s face alone the HTC Touch Pro doesn’t differ much from the HTC Touch Diamond. Both still have the 2.8 inch LCD screen, the big scroll wheel, the call buttons, and the soft key on its front. You’ll notice the difference when you compare the HTC Touch Pro and the HTC Touch Diamond side by side. While the HTC Touch Diamond is thin, the HTC Touch Pro is thicker—much thicker. That’s because of the slide out keyboard. However, when you compare it with the HTC TyTN II, the Touch Diamond is only slightly thinner.
Features, likes and complaints
The HTC Touch Pro still sports the TouchFLO 3D interface. While admittedly, the interface is much faster and responsive than the prototype Touch Diamond I’ve seen plus the fact that the cool animated graphics and icons makes this device look so cool, the HTC Touch Pro still suffers the same lag especially when you have previously opened some applications. I have already made my conclusion that this may be a Windows Mobile bug. You see, on the iPhone, previous version and 3G, no matter how many applications I’ve opened, be it the Safari browser, YouTube player, etc, whenever I press the menu button, there’s no lag. It’s still the same smooth interface. It may be because Apple manages to close the applications you have previously opened whenever you press the menu button. On any windows mobile device, the applications are still running on the background and hence, the device suffers from unresponsiveness and lags if there are too much applications running. On one hand, applications running on the background can help you multi-task; you can copy text on the browser and paste it on mobile Word, etc, I guess that’s why no matter how much I like the iPhone’s interface, I’m still a Windows Mobile fan since I’m a multi-tasker.
HTC already put more than enough RAM on this device, 288MB at that so I like the fact that compared with my Samsung i780, I can have two to three applications running or three or five tabs opened on the Opera browser and everything is still smooth sailing…meaning, there’s little to no lag.
Best thing I like about the HTC Touch Pro is its keyboard. Like I said, I’m already through with touch screen phones. One thing that the HTC Touch Pro has over the iPhone is that typing emails and SMS messages on this device is a breeze while typing on the iPhone is a REAL pain. One of the major reasons why I’m still not an iPhone convert. I like the fact that HTC managed to have separate keys for the numbers and some symbols. Of course, there’s still a learning curve when you first use the keypad but you can get used to it after a while. Do what I do and practice typing using, “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy sheep dog”
One of my other complaints about the HTC Touch Pro as well as the HTC Diamond is that: why can’t HTC just make a 3 or 3.5 inch screen? If they just took off the scroll button, call buttons and shortcut keys on the front, they could have made a larger screen. A 2.8 screen just doesn’t do it for me. Plus, I think it’s windows mobile that needs an overhaul. If you change to the underlying windows mobile interface, you’re still plagued with the scrolling issues since the scroll bar in a window is still small for those with large thumbs. You can only do the scrolling and flicking “thingy” when in TouchFLO 3D interface and not in Windows Mobile.
Audio quality on this device is passable though like I always say, I’m not really an audiophile though it’s good enough for me. As for the camera do I really need to review it? Every HTC users know that picture quality on HTC devices are crap and there’s really not much improvement on the HTC Touch Pro.
As for battery life, well, after using WiFi, Bluetooth for audio streaming, and playing G-Sensor extensively since it’s addicting, after around 8 hours of use, battery still has 50% charge time which is not bad at all. I wasn’t able to test the GPS function since there was no navigation software installed yet as well as the TV-out function because there was no cable provided.
Conclusion
Well, the HTC Touch Pro seems pretty impressive compared with the Touch Diamond. The 288MB RAM makes this device faster and more responsive than the Diamond and ANY previous HTC devices albeit, more expensive. If you’re a power user and you need to do emails and browse the web at the same time or browse multiple pages at the same time then switch to a word processing software, then the HTC Touch Pro is the best device to do that. Sure, the HTC Touch Pro still suffers from the same bugs as previous windows mobile device and the occasional lag, and yeah, the iPhone has a faster and responsive interface and still prettier to look at but when it comes down to which is really the better smart phone for power users? The HTC Touch Pro wins.
Because of the mobile phone era, mobile phone manufacturers are churning out new mobile phones almost every quarter. If you’re an upgrade freak like me, you probably change mobile phones every time a new one comes along. Now upgrading your mobile phone may seem harmless enough if you resell your old phone or pass it on to someone in your family, however, the problem begins when you throw away your mobile.
Cell phones and other consumer electronics, since they’re not biodegradable are harder to recycle. Electronics manufacturer like Sony are coming up with recycling programs and even other companies offer to recycle your mobile phones for you.
Other consumer electronics can be easily recycled. Some companies disassemble some of their electronic components and resold in bulk to companies such as usbid.com, a popular site for finding hard to find electronic parts. However, mobile phones can be harder to recycle since they can easily be obsolete in two to three years so there would be no use for their electronic parts. They can, however, be disposed of in a safe manner. Mobile phone batteries in particular can be harmful to the environment so recycling companies use some special method in disposing of these. Metal components in mobile phones are also recycled to make new metals.
Even though it’s nice to have new mobiles every quarter, we should also be aware of its environmental impact. Wherever your old mobile goes, just remember to dispose of them properly and make use of those recycling companies that offers mobile phone recycling.
In all countries where the iphone 3g is available, you must sign a contract if you want to own one. For example, with AT&T you have to make a first payment of 199$ and sign up to a contract of 2 years! Yes, that’s a lot, that’s why some guys developed a way to unlock the iphone 3g, so that they won't have to be tied down with any contract. At this moment, the guys from iphone-dev are developing how to unlock iphone 3g with software, without touching the hardware, but it’s not available yet.
The only thing that it’s available right now for the iphone 3g is jailbreaking, which allows you to get iphone downloads from the app store, and having cydia or installer to add more apps to your iPhone. RIght now, the only way to unlock your iPhone is with a sim-card. You cut a small piece of your current sim, and attach the unlock card of Brando called i-smartphone 2008, which claims to unlock almost all gsm devices and 3g cards. This unlock card is just 20.5$ USD, and it’s available online.
With your iphone unlocked you will be able to use any carrier that works with GSM, but remember that the 3g service isn’t available with all the carriers. There’s no point on Unlocking your iPhone if you live in the US, because T-Mobile 3g operates on the 1700 band, so the only way to use the iPhone's 3g service is with at&t.
The latest addition to Motorola’s ROKR music phone line is the Moto ROKR EM28.
Design
The Motorola MotoROKR EM28 sports the familiar RAZR clamshell design. However, unlike the previous RAZR2 models, the Motorola Moto ROKR EM28 is slightly bulkier and sports a trendy white and blue color. The keypad on the Motorola ROKR EM28 is also more raised which is an improvement considering that Motorola’s RAZR phones is a texter’s nightmare because of the keypad’s flat surface.
Features
Though the Motorola MotoROKR EM28 doesn’t have the EM30’s mode shift technology, it does have dedicated music keys on the front screen similar to the RAZR2 and the V6 Maxx. The music keys are touch sensitive and only lights up when you need the music player.
The built-in FM radio with RDS technology is one of the features on the Motorola Moto ROKR EM28 which makes this a solid music phone. Other new features include SONGID, though it is only available with AT&T and LATAM. The Motorola ROKR EM28 also has the ability to record FM radio songs in mono so you can use it as a ring tone. Of course, nowadays, it’s not really a music phone unless it has Bluetooth wireless A2DP profile and thankfully, the Motorola MotoROKR EM28 also has that feature as well.
Limitations of the Motorola Moto ROKR EM28 includes: no 3G, no built-in internal memory though it has a microSD slot but you can only use up to 2GB removable storage. External camera is also only at 1.3 megapixel but with video recording capability.
Outlook
I’ve always liked Motorola’s music phones specially the ROKR line since music played through the speaker phone is always clear. If the Motorola Moto ROKR EM28 lives up to its expectations, then this would be a solid, middle-range, music phone for you. The Motorola ROKR EM28 is expected to be available in late September, worldwide.
International roaming has been one of the value added services provided by wireless carriers. With International roaming services, you can use your existing sim card to send and receive text messages as well as receive and make calls to other numbers even if you’re in another country.
Not everybody can get the benefits of having International roaming services, first, your mobile phone needs to be supported in other countries, or more specifically, you need to have a Quad Band or Triband phone in order to make sure that your existing mobile phone will work with other networks. Second, your service provider or wireless carrier needs to offer International roaming service. The wireless carriers usually partner with other international Telcos so that you can use their existing network. Since you will be using the network of International Telcos, your local service provider would need to charge you extra since they’re paying for the rent for using the other Telco’s network. This is the reason why SMS charges and call charges are doubled when you opt to have International roaming service.
While roaming services can be convenient for your loved ones, since they don’t have to pay extra for texting or calling you while you’re abroad, it can be burdensome on your part since you’re the one shouldering all the charges. If you and your family will be traveling abroad, I suggest that you don’t opt for roaming services. Instead, when you reach your country of destination, try to buy prepaid phone cards and use the sim card on your mobile phone. This is highly recommended if you’re visiting Asia where most mobile services are cheap and calling card features include free text messages.
So I guess ultimately, it would depend on your country of destination if it would be cheaper for you to use roaming services or just buy a prepaid sim card.
Right now, I think there are three ways of watching TV on your mobile phone. The first way is through mobile streaming. Vodafone has mobile streaming TV in partnership with Sky. The Live Channel is streamed through your mobile phone using 3G signals. The disadvantages of 3G TV streaming is that watching TV tends to be choppy and your viewing will be interrupted once someone phones you.
The second way is through DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting). BT used to offer through their BT Movio but I think the company has discontinued it. You need a mobile phone capable of receiving DAB signal. The advantage of this is that you can watch TV even in areas without a mobile phone signal, disadvantage is that it too can be a bit choppy.
The third and probably most expensive way is using Slingbox. With Slingbox, you need to buy their slingbox player plus the software needed on your mobile phone. Also, you need to have an unlimited data plan since you’re going to be watching the content on the internet or it would be better if you can always find a WiFi hotspot. The advantage of using Slingbox is that you’re not limited to the channels that your mobile phone provider gives you. You can watch whatever you have on your home TV right on your mobile phone so if you’re subscribed to BT Vision, you can watch Setanta Sports ANYTIME, ANYWHERE! Talk about a Football fan’s dream. You never have to miss a game ever, since you can watch the game on the train, bus, or even surreptitiously in your office desk.
The third way of watching TV on your mobile phone is for me, the coolest way to go. If you already have your Slingbox, you can watch this CNET tutorial on how to go about it.
Looks like Motorola is still in the mobile phone game despite having problems with its mobile phone division. Recently, the company has released three new phones in the market and one of them is the Motorola MotoROKR EM30.
Design
The MotoROKR EM30 is a candy bar phone that makes use of Motorola’s mode shift technology. If you’re familiar with the ROKR E8, then the Motorola EM30’s interface would be nothing new to you. However, unlike the ROKR E8 which has 3 mode shift: phone, camera, and music player, the Moto ROKR EM30 only has two mode shift which are: phone and music player. Red keys will be illuminated when you’re in the music mode while a blue keypad will appear if you’re in the phone mode.
Features
The Motorola EM30 is mainly a music phone so expect a lot of music functionality. Aside from the dedicated music player, the MotoROKR EM30 also has a built-in FM tuner with RDS technology so consumers can view the artist and song which is playing on the radio. The Moto ROKR EM30 also has a dedicated 3.5mm stereo headset jack so you can use your existing headsets and you won’t have to worry about being tied to using the proprietary headset that can only be used on that specific phone model. The Motorola MotoROKR EM30 is also compatible with windows media player 11 so you can download from the enormous collection of music stores worldwide.
You can playback a variety of music formats with the Moto ROKR EM30, formats such as MIDI, MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+, WAV, Enhanced AAC+, AMR-NB, and Real Audio v10 are compatible. Though it doesn’t have a lot of internal storage, the Motorola EM30 comes with an optional 8GB microSD storage card so you can store all of your favorite music files. The MotoROKR EM30 also has a built-in 2 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom so in case you get tired of listening to your music, you can be a budding photographer. Though don’t expect much with the camera since the Moto ROKR EM30 is mainly a music phone, expect the camera to be just mediocre.
Outlook
The Motorola EM30 is a great addition to Motorola’s existing line of music phones. Though there’s really nothing new with the design, you can probably get a kick out of the mode shift technology.
Other Choices:
From Samsung: Samsung Soul: has MP3 player powered by Band and Olufsen also try Samsung i450 From Nokia: Nokia 5310 Xpress Music, Nokia’s tried and tested music phone has been out in the market for some time now though it is only capable of AAC, MP3, and WMA playback From Sony Ericsson: Any Sony Ericsson Walkman phone is a good music player though there are some that are slow and suffers from lags. The Sony Ericsson W760i is a good choice though it is expensive.
One among the latest model of phone available in the UK market is the new Sony Ericsson K310i mobile phone. This phone is very simple and at the same time elegant in its looks, but the features it contains are the highly advanced ones that offer really rich performance for the device. The features supported by the phone do not confine to just mobile phone features, but it also includes an integrated digital camera, various connectivity options, various messaging features, entertainment options, media player and much more that contribute to the success of this compact device.
It has become a trend nowadays, even among kids to have a mobile phone of their own and get new models of mobile phones from various companies in to the market. If you are unambiguous of which model phone to purchase, you can browse through the Sony Ericsson reviews sites, compare features and specifications to make the right choice.
Profile of the integrated features of the phone
You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take really good images. This is possible with the new Sony Ericsson K310i mobile phone as it comes integrated with a 0.3-mega pixel digital camera and 4x digital zoom. With this integrated VGA camera you can also take video clips and it also supports video recording. The picture editor software of the device allows you to edit the images you take with this camera phone. In addition to these this mobile phone camera also features a range of modern digital camera features that allows you to take images with great clarity and perfection.
Other general aspects of the phone
The new Sony Ericsson K310i mobile phone delivers good display on its wide screen. The display screen resolution supported by the phone is 128 x 160 pixels and it also has support for 65K UBC, that is Ultra Bright Colour. It is this display screen that acts as a viewfinder for the integrated camera.
With the wide range of efficient messaging features you can keep in touch with all your friends and relatives very easily. The phone supports E-mail, instant messaging, multimedia messaging, Predictive text input and also the normal text messaging.
With the new Sony Ericsson K310i mobile phone in hand you will never forget the birthdays and anniversaries of your near and dear ones. The calendar feature helps you to store these details and the reminders will definitely remind you all these along with the most important work that is you have to do.
Entertainment is one fact that each and every one of us loves despite of the age factor. This new Sony Ericsson K310i mobile phone supports entertainment features for all. The main one is the integrated media player it supports. Listen to your favourite music all your way. This media player supports MP3 and also AAC file formats. Bring out the real talent in you with this phone’s MusicDJ feature that allows you to compose your own music and set them as ring tones. The 3D games are another feature that comes as a point of attraction. The mobile phone supports embedded games as well as downloadable games.
This tri-band phone that works with networks GSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 1900 offers the best network coverage. Among the connectivity options supported by the phone the infrared connectivity option, USB support, fast port, GPRS and S Synchronization PC are worth mentioning. The Internet options of the phone include a modem, Access NetFront Web Browser and RSS feeds.
Among the other significant features the following are also worth mentioning.
Talk time of 7 hours
Stand by time of 360 hours
15 MB internal memory
Speakerphone
Phone book
Alarm clock
Stopwatch
Conference calls
Business card exchange
File manager
Voice mail
Vibrating alert
Java applications
Polyphonic ring tones
Another attraction of the phone is that it is available in two different and elegant shades, shadow blue and misty silver.
You can visit mobile phone directory with exclusive Sony Ericsson mobile phones Page to get information on new phones and accessories.
Looks like we won't have to wait until the actual movie to know what James Bond will be using as his mobile phone in the upcoming James Bond film: Quantum of Solace. In Sony Ericsson's press release, the company boasted that James Bond will be using its latest phone, the Sony Ericsson C902 throughout the movie.
That's why Sony Ericsson is launching a limited edition Titanium Silver Cyber-shot C902 mobile phone. As usual, as with other limited edition mobile phones, the Sony Ericsson Titanium Silver C902 won't have any different features from the regular C902. What's different is that this limited edition Sony Ericsson C902 will come with an exclusive spy game, full trailer, interviews with the stars, exclusive wallpapers and screen savers all preloaded unto its memory card/phone memory.
Hmm, wonder why Sony didn't just promote their upcoming Cyber-shot C905 model which has an 8 megapixel camera?
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