iPhone 3GS – even faster than before!

August 11th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen, iPhone

Apple’s iPhone has always been considered to be the top model of all mobile phones existing in the marketplace. Its features and technology have gained the reputation of being the best, and so far its quality has been unmatched by other brands.

In sustaining the acclaimed high reputation of the iPhone, Apple has come up with a further improved generation of its product with the iPhone 3GS. The best phone has indeed been improved even more. It highlights improved features, such as OS X applications from the App Store, GPS navigation with a digital compass, Apple’s famous music-playing feature, super-fast web browsing, a built-in memory which can be expanded up to 32GB, and Wi-Fi capability.

The iPhone 3GS has 16GB of internal memory to begin with, but its memory storage can further be upsized to 32GB. New features were added, such as a video camera, voice control, and a digital compass. The camera has been upgraded to 3-megapixels with autofocus. The battery can last for longer periods of use, and the applications run faster. Also, copying and pasting portions of texts and also forwarding messages can now be done easily with the 3GS.

Another notable improvement with the 3GS is its camera. Although it is no match for other similarly priced smart-phone cameras, looking at the total package that it has to offer, the 3-megapixel camera is good enough to take snaps with. The video camera has a VGA resolution that records up to 30 frames per second.

The iPhone 3GS works well as a phone, brilliantly as a media player, a portable Internet device, and perhaps a portable mini-computer, and is a must-have.

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Who Provides Mobile Broadband in the UK?

August 7th, 2009 | Mobile Broadband, Mobile Network News, O2, Vodafone

As access to mobile broadband services continues to create great advantages for users worldwide by keeping them better informed, regularly updated and communicating efficiently, it is not surprising that many providers have expanded their scope of operation, and that new providers have started to emerge. In the United Kingdom, mobile phone networks have assumed the role of providing mobile broadband to customers. Companies like Virgin Media, a multimedia solutions provider, now have mobile broadband packages available.

Leading the list of telecom companies that provide mobile broadband access is 3 Mobile. 3 Mobile offers the widest range of broadband deals and gimmicks in the country. The company has the “Pay as You Go” offer for most of its services, and the “Free Laptop” offer for new subscribers.

Acting as a competitor to 3 Mobile is Orange UK. This company previously made its mark in the mobile phone industry before it took its giant leap towards providing mobile broadband. Orange UK is now targeting students as its next market share.

O2 has recently launched its range of deals, which it claims are perfect for any user. What further backs up its claim to good quality is the 30-Day Happiness Guarantee. For those who purchased their devices on or before 29 February 2009, the 50-Day Happiness Guarantee applies.

T-Mobile came out with its packages at the same time that 3 Mobile did. However, what was supposed to be the company’s major marketing strategy didn’t work. When T-Mobile launched their service, they labelled it “web ‘n walk”, which unfortunately dissociated the service from mobile broadband. They eventually adopted the common jargon, and have since enjoyed better sales.

Completing the list is Vodafone. Vodafone’s deals were initially geared towards the business market, but they later integrated deals for other markets in an aim to expand their overall market share.

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O2 Mobile Network – Latest News

August 6th, 2009 | Mobile Network News, O2

Mobile network operator O2 is offering ‘O2 Money’, the first cash-card service of its kind in the UK. The service is being offered in partnership with the National Westminster bank. Studies show that there is a lot of potential in the ‘mobile payments’ market, which could be worth $600 billion per year by the year 2013.

To take advantage of an emerging market for mobile-money, O2 has produced two kinds of Visa pre-paid cards. The ‘Cash Manager’ is for adults, while teenagers can use the ‘Load and Go.’ The O2 Money Cash Manager is aimed at customers who want to take control of their spending. Customers can transfer money onto the card, which can be used in shops and online. The ‘Load & Go’ is marketed towards teenagers; parents can also transfer money to the card. Teenagers will not be able to use the card for products and services reserved for adults.

Subscribers will be notified about the state of their accounts through text messages. In addition, the debit cards can be loaded online and used in shops accepting Visa. O2 will be providing free cards to subscribers.

O2 CEO Ronan Dunne commented that the company is planning to be a leader in the market. “There is tough competition in the telecom industry in the UK and Visa pre-paid cards are among the services that can give O2 an advantage.”

Regarding the product, NatWest’s marketing executive Helen Page commented on the importance of helping customers in handling their money and expenses. She also described how this aim can be achieved with O2 Money.

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Samsung Steel L810 – a great pre pay phone

August 4th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones

The Samsung Steel L810 is a Vodafone-exclusive premium handset with a steel body and a sleek look. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus. It also has a music player with a built-in FM radio. The Samsung Steel is the first Samsung phone which has a built-in DAB radio that allows tuning into high quality digital channels. The 30MB internal memory, which can store around half-a-dozen MP3 tracks, can be expanded with the addition of a memory card of up to 8GB in capacity.

It has a minimalist front panel with a large 2.2-inch screen and 262K-colour display. The Samsung Steel comes in silver and black casings that feature less steel than that of the Samsung Soul model.

In terms of web connectivity, this is a Tri-Band GSM handset with HSDPA for fast downloading and web surfing. Download speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps are achievable over the 3G network. A full web browser is built in, and email attachments can be opened with the document viewer. A front-facing camera enables two-way video calls.

Other applications include an alarm clock, calendar, memo tool, task manager, voice recorder, timer, stopwatch, calculator, and unit converter. The Samsung Steel may be middle-of-the-road as far as its features are concerned, but the good side is that it is a solidly built handset, the menus are well-thought through, and it is reasonably priced.

All in all, the Samsung Steel has the looks of a high-end phone with mid-range features and an entry-level price. With its simple features packed in a smart looking gadget, this handset is a good buy.

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Vodafone Stocks at Rest

July 31st, 2009 | Mobile Network News, Vodafone

Vodafone, the world’s biggest mobile network operator, saw their stock value face a slight descent after recent trading in London. Despite its worldwide expansion, severe economic pressures in Europe, such as the increase in termination rates in Germany and the unexpected weakness in the Spanish market, led to investor caution about the company’s shares. Vodafone’s market shares are said to have fallen up to a total of 24.2% over the last year.

It is estimated that the market value for Vodafone dropped 2.5%, or 2.90 pence, to 112.10 pence in Tuesday’s trading. The UBS analysts put their recommendation on the stock from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’ on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, the analysts from Morgan Stanley pegged their price target to 170 pence from 175 pence. Also, UBS is anticipating the company to report a 5.5% sequential drop in the June quarter sales, whilst Morgan Stanley presumes a 4.7% decrease.

The UBS analysts predict that Vodafone could set a ‘classic value trap’ against a sluggish sales market. They recommend buying shares from other mobile network operators, such as the Dutch rival KPN, the Telefonica Company from Spain, or Swisscom instead.

Meanwhile, the financial analysts from Morgan Stanley were more positive. They believe that cyclical factors could improve later this year and that there will be an inflection point soon. They also said that the market anticipated ‘the worst’ from the upcoming sales update, yet the June quarter could be the low point of the current decline and ‘less negative’ quarters are on the way.

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Sony Ericsson W595 – listen to your music wherever you go!

July 30th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson’s W595 is very similar to the W910i. However, it is definitely an improved version as the problems with the old phone have been dealt with in this unit. The slide phone has a good design and is of an acceptable size. It is not too thin and has a good feel to it. The phone’s music controls are featured prominently, and the keypad is very user-friendly, although its keys are a bit small. The keypad also has a useful navigational key. The W595 has a large screen with a high resolution. The display is very clear and its menu is very easy to navigate.

The “Shake Control” is one of the main features of the phone. By flicking the phone, the phone will move on to the next music track. The phone also shifts between landscape and portrait modes automatically as it has a motion sensor.

As expected, the Sony Ericsson W595 has great music features. The phone features the latest version of the Walkman player. It allows you to create playlists, use an equaliser, and shuffle songs. The player also displays album art. The phone comes with software that allows you to manage your music. The audio quality of the phone is also excellent; its MegaBass feature creates a better and fuller sound. The phone also has a radio built-in.

The W595 has 40MB of built-in memory; however, it comes with a 2GB memory card (and it supports a maximum memory of 8GB). The phone also has a 3.2-megapixel camera. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have flash and autofocus.

Sony Ericsson’s W595 is a top-quality phone. It is a great improvement over the problematic W910i.

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Nokia E71 – equipped for business life

July 28th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Nokia

One of the main features of Nokia’s new E71 is its QWERTY keypad; it has the numeric keys placed in the centre. The E71 also has a number of other buttons that add to its sophisticated techie feel and look. These controls are dedicated keys for email, contacts, calendar, and home. The E71 also has a Navi™Key that acts as a mouse pad. It allows for fast scrolling when navigating around the phone’s screen.

The E71 has been equipped with one of Nokia’s best screens. It measures 2.36 inches across and its resolution is 240 x 320 pixels. The screen’s space is great for viewing websites and for writing emails and other documents.

The main function of the E71 is of course messaging. The device supports email and text messaging very efficiently; it also supports attachments. PowerPoint, Word and Excel documents can be viewed and edited with the phone’s QuickOffice application.

Web browsing is another key feature of the phone. The unit’s built-in browser easily handles Javascript, Flash and XHTML. Most websites are displayed clearly. In a similar way to the iPhone, you can zoom in on and out of the webpage you are viewing by using the Navi™Key.

The phone has a very good battery life. However, its WLAN feature consumes power quickly. If you will be using this feature frequently, you should never be without a charger. The phone has 110 MB of internal memory. This can be expanded by using an 8 GB microSD card.

The E71 is a well-built phone that features an impressive camera. Its battery life, support for applications, and connectivity are commendable. The E71 is definitely a good choice if you are looking for a very mobile office.

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Mobile Broadband Technology and How It Works

July 24th, 2009 | Mobile Broadband, Mobile Technology

Mobile broadband technology consists of various types of wireless high-speed Internet access through a mobile telephone, a portable modem or other device. LTE UMTS/HSPA, GPRS, 3G, EV-DO, WiMAX, and several portable satellite-based systems are some of the network standards that are in use.

Devices that can provide mobile broadband access include: USB sticks, USB modems, phones with data modems, PC data cards, and portable devices with built-in support for mobile broadband (such as Mobile Internet Devices [MIDs], netbooks, and notebooks). Notebooks with built-in Mobile Broadband Modules (MBMs) are offered by leading laptop producers in Asia and Europe, including: HP, Acer, Dell, Lenovo and Fujitsu.

A group of mobile phone producers, telecommunication manufacturers, notebook manufacturers, and chipset manufacturers have joined forces to push built-in support for mobile broadband technology on notebook computers.

How mobile broadband works is really very simple. You plug the dongle (small piece of hardware) into the USB port, either in a PC or laptop, and you can be connected online in just a matter of minutes.

Whether you are at home or on the move, mobile broadband allows you to use your computer for all the things you normally go online for. You may shop, check your e-mails, watch the latest on YouTube, read the news, and do everything without having to pay for a fixed line.

Mobile broadband is the newest development in mobile Internet technology, and will greatly improve your broadband connection. It provides quick access to the Internet, running at broadband speeds wherever you are in the country, as long as the latest high-speed 3G networks cover the area. The larger mobile phone networks offer the best mobile broadband packages because they use the latest in mobile networking technology.

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Samsung Jet S8000

July 21st, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones, Touchscreen

Samsung has launched another handset in its touchscreen product line with the catchphrase, ‘Impatience is a virtue.’ The Samsung Jet S8000 features its 800 MHz processor, which is a first in the mobile phone market. It is obvious why it is called the Jet, it provides high-speed functionality in a slim, light and small package.

The Jet is only about 12 mm thick. It has a 3.1 inch screen that has a very high resolution of 800×480 pixels with 16 million colours. Its AMOLED display keeps the screen bright and clear even under a bright sun.

It has a 5-megapixel primary camera with autofocus, smile detection, and a dual LED flash, which can also capture videos. It also has a secondary VGA camera, which enables calls using 3G. Playing back videos in high resolution is possible with its recognition of DivX and Xvid formats, and its music player is capable of playing most music formats.

The built-in 2GB memory of the Jet is another strong advantage of this mobile device that can store up to 1,000 music tracks, and further adds to the performance of the much-highlighted speed of its processor. The memory can also be expanded up to 16GB with a microSD card.

It has useful pc-like features, such as its multi-tasking support, and the widgets feature, which can be customised in a way very similar to a desktop PC. It uses the touchWiz interface, which makes use of a cubic-style menu interaction.

The Jet is equipped with Wi-Fi, 3G, and HSDPA, and the web browser ‘Dolfin’. This browser can open up to five tabs simultaneously, which gains advantage with the 800 MHz processor.

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Sony Ericsson W660i Review

July 18th, 2009 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Sony Ericsson

The Sony Ericsson W660i is another popular addition to the Walkman series of mobile phones.  Instead of carrying about a mobile phone and a digital music player, you can combine the two with this handy and easy to use device.  The W660i is designed as a bar phone and is very lightweight.

The overall dimensions of the Sony Ericsson W660i are 102 mm long by 46 mm wide by 14.5 mm thick.  This mobile phone weighs a sleek 93 grams.  Battery life is pretty decent on the W660i as well.  Users can expect to get up to 6 hours of talk time or up to 360 hours on standby.

As this mobile phone is designed to function as a Walkman, there are a number of key features for users.  One of the most popular music applications on the W660i is called TrackID which can identify all of the songs which you can’t quite remember the name of.  If you fly a lot, there is a convenient flight mode which will allow you to continue to listen to your music while the mobile phone portion of the device is turned off.  It is also easier than ever to transfer music to the device with included software that features Disc2Phone compatibility.

There is an expansion slot that supports Memory Stick Micro cards which is useful for storing music and pictures on.  The Sony Ericsson W660i does have a nice 2 megapixel camera built into it along with a second camera which is used for video calling.

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