Best sat nav Apps for Android

December 18th, 2011 | Google Android

A Smartphone is much more than just a phone nowadays. It is a media player, an internet tablet and more.  Satellite navigation is one of the many uses for smartphones, with Android being one of the most commonly used mobile platforms today.

Like most navigation apps, Wisepilot is internet-based.  Maps aren’t stored on the phone, but rendered in real-time 3D.  Postcode matching is supported; the servers are quick and reliable, while routes are always calculated very fast.  It may be more expensive than the competition, but is more than worth it.

Copilot Live 8 is another great navigation app for Android.  It’s much cheaper than Wisepilot and can download maps to a microSD card, which means it can function without an internet connection. Unfortunately, it is a little bit resource heavy for older phones like the HTC G1 and Magic, but it’s still a great choice if you have a more recent phone like the Nexus S or HTC Desire.

NDrive is an Android navigation app that doesn’t have a map as big as Copilot’s or nearly as many features, but it’s not nearly as resource heavy.  It still has all the features most users would need in a navigation app, so it is a great option to consider.

Google Maps Navigation is a great option for those who prefer a cost free solution. Google Maps Navigation is either pre-loaded on later Android phones or available from the Android Marketplace free of charge and features turn by turn navigation with voice commands and traffic information.

Android has one of the richest app stores on the market, so there is always a huge selection of apps for any particular task you can think of.  Navigation is certainly no exception, as there are many solutions available for Android users.

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HTC Radar 4G Review

December 16th, 2011 | HTC, Mobile Phone Reviews

The HTC Radar 4G is a reasonably priced mobile phone that is ideal for use as a second phone or for anyone on a budget. It is a sleek, yet functional unibody aluminium design that comes with the Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango OS onboard.   

The Radar is available in either white or a classy looking silver version.  The focus of the surface specifications is on the users ability to stay updated with family, friends and co-workers.  For example, People Hub groups favourite contacts together, so user can send posts, photos and tweet with ease. Live Tiles arranges the front screen, giving the user an instant update from their applications and message inboxes.

The HTC Radar dimensions are 120 x 61.5 x10.7mm, weighing a scant 137 grams. The phone is designed to fit well in the hand and has 512MB of ram of internal memory, a decent battery that can last a minimum of 24hrs with normal use and 4G LTE capability, which gives an added boost of speed when surfing the web or sending emails.

The screen is very responsive and has good clarity; it’s a 3.8 inch WVGA 800×480 Super LCD touchscreen with good colour saturation and contrast. Despite being a lower quality display, pictures and streaming video are crisp and show good definition.

There’s also a five-megapixel auto focus camera with an F2.2 lens and LED flash on the back of the phone and a three-megapixel VGA camera on the front, which also allows for HD video recording, 720p HD.

Find Out More

Overall, any HTC Radar review will report this as being a no nonsense mobile phone. Should you wish to find out more about it, access other mobile phone news or read the latest reviews on mobile phones and apps, check out mobile phone sites, such as Recombu.

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Samsung Galaxy SII Review

December 12th, 2011 | Google Android, Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones

There is certainly no shortage of great Android smartphones on the market. The competition to make the best device to run Google’s mobile operating system is very intense with so many companies participating. Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy SII, Samsung is the unofficial king of the Android smartphone market.

As far as hardware goes, the Samsung Galaxy SII is truly a beast of a phone. The dual core 1.2Ghz Cortex CPU and 1GB of RAM can handle all the latest games and multitasking with ease.  As if that wasn’t enough, the phone’s stock firmware is Android 2.3, which means you not only get access to hundreds of thousands of free and very favourably priced apps, but also the battery saving and performance enhancing features of the most efficient release of Android to date.

The phone’s camera and camcorder are simply exceptional. The 8.1 megapixel video camera captures images that are always superior. The video camera is capable of 1080p video recording and it really reflects on the video quality.  An HDMI port is also present to allow you to mirror anything you are doing on an HDTV, with all the obvious fun times that entails. Unfortunately, you may need an MHL adapter to use this function.

The battery life on the phone is very decent too. It’s more than able to make it through a day’s worth of moderate to heavy usage.  If you simply talk and text, the battery life will be that much longer.

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy SII is popular for good reason. There are a few competing models with similar specifications, but the Galaxy SII has the edge over these, albeit very slightly in some cases. If nothing but the best will do, definitely grab yourself a Samsung Galaxy SII.

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Mobile Phones Down the Years

December 3rd, 2011 | Mobile Technology

Mobile phones have, despite being regarded by some as a very recent phenomenon, actually been around for a number of decades.

The technology was firmly in place for their future development by the 1940s, and this basically consisted of the ‘mobile ring’ radio technology that was used by the police, ambulance and fire services for communicating with the base whilst on the move.

The First Generation mobile phones that were introduced by Motorola in 1983 and used analogue technology were, by the early 1990s, replaced by more advanced Second Generation phones that incorporated the latest digital technology for clearer and faster signals and enhanced capabilities.

Phones became much smaller as the batteries reduced in size and also increased in efficiency. The compact design meant they no longer had to be carried around in their own briefcases, but could instead slip conveniently into a hip pocket.

3G and 4G phones have recently flooded the market with their wealth of functions, and now there seems no limit to what you can use a smart phone for.

Check the Motorola Razr review for what’s hot right now.

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An App a Day

November 15th, 2011 | Applications, Mobile Technology

Apps are a great way to keep mobile phones updated without the need to upgrade.  Handsets such as the HTC Desire and Blackberry Curve enable the user to view and install apps of all kinds.  Blackberry apps can be found in App World and the HTC Desire can access the Android Market with many apps to choose from.  Below are some examples of apps that offer a fun and useful way to keep in touch or learn a new skill:

Gaming

A large collection of games are available to download, from popular classics such as Scrabble, Monopoly and Tetris, to small yet fun apps including brain teasers, arcade, action and sporting games.

Productivity

Many apps are available to enable faster and easier work flow, such as invoice managers, document editors, VAT calculators, organisers and time trackers, enabling users to work away from the office.

Entertainment

Mobile phones are becoming the perfect multi-media package with hundreds of apps available to stream music and video, tune up musical instruments, sing along to karaoke classics, and discover new music.

Social Media

Keeping in touch can be fun and exciting with social media apps, enabling the user to connect with friends simultaneously, all without a single phone call or text.  Services such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ allow the user to install apps to post status updates, chat in real time and upload photos from their handset. 

The Android market is available on a variety of handsets, including HTC, Motorola and Google handsets.  HTC Desire reviews are available online which offer information on all the features the handset offers.

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LG Optimus Black Review

November 9th, 2011 | LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

The LG Optimus Black is a sleek, attractive smartphone, similar in style and looks to the iPhone 4.  Highly rated in reviews, this handset compares favourably to previous LG smartphones and it stands out for such distinctive features as its vibrant bright screen, modern controls and extremely light weight.  Ideal for web browsing, there are some very attractive LG Optimus Black deals to be had which make it a worthwhile buy.

Running on Android 2.2, it offers many Android apps, as well as a highly effective FM radio and five-megapixel camera, but it is the innovative ‘gesture’ button at the side of the phone which really makes it different.  A high spec phone with a crystal clear NOVA display and exceptionally user-friendly interface, some of the features included in the LG Optimus Black are an auto rotating touch screen, Android sat nav apps, a digital compass, Google Maps, an on screen keypad and keyboard, and touch sensitive controls.

NOVA is designed for high visibility, even in bright sunlight, and offers good power saving and super natural colours, and it is here that the LG Optimus Black is above its competitors.  A music player comes as standard, along with MP3 ringtones, and the range of connectivity is excellent.  LG Optimus Black has 3G HSDPA, Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth, GORS and Micro USB, among others.  Battery life is adequate and there is the option to upgrade to up to 32 GB of memory with an optional memory support card.

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Motorola Atrix – a powerful smartphone

November 7th, 2011 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Motorola

Compact and powerful, the Motorola Atrix is the most advanced smartphone that Motorola has ever produced.  A dual core Android phone, there are some great Motorola Atrix deals to be had in the current market.  One of the defining features of this excellent phone is Webtop, designed to revolutionize browsing and co-coordinating documents and apps.  Boasting 16 GB of internal memory, the Motorola Atrix runs on Android 2.2 and offers a highly responsive four inch display screen with sharp resolution.

The integrated technology of this smartphone works exceptionally well, with a nice interface and social networks available on the home screen with the Moto Blur feature.  Solid and powerful, the Motorola Atrix also has an excellent camera with LED flash and HD 720p video recording capabilities.  Android sat nav apps such as Google Maps and Street View work extremely well on this user-friendly and efficient phone.

One outstanding feature is the Biometric Fingerprint Reader, a security measure that scans your fingertips to unlock the phone, a unique selling point not yet found in any other mobile phone model.  Furthermore, the Motorola Atrix also comes with fantastic connectivity and a large amount of integrated memory, with the capacity to upgrade to more.  A magnifying glass tool is another welcome feature, useful for correcting typos. Overall this phone offers sharp detailing and fast browsing ability.  Handy optional extras include the Lapdock and HD Multimedia docks which can be purchased separately.

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A Guide to HTC Sense

November 4th, 2011 | Google Android, HTC, Mobile Technology

For many mobile phone handsets, the GUI (Graphical User Interface) is of extreme importance, and makes or breaks the deal for users.  Whilst the interface can be fun and exciting, it should be easy to use with the ability to customise the design by changing the colour theme and background, and shortcuts should be removed or added to the home screen with ease.  HTC sense is a perfect example of a stylish yet simple interface.

What is HTC Sense?

HTC Sense is the GUI for mobile phone handsets such as HTC Desire and HTC Incredible.  The interface displays a fun yet elegant design, with shortcuts to calendar, email, web browser and SMS messages. 

Below are some tips and tricks to make the HTC Sense experience even better:

Silence is Golden

If you receive a call at an inconvenient time, turn the handset upside down to activate silent mode.  Turning the volume down one step can also do this.  Restore the ringer by turning the volume up one step.

End a Sentence

Save time whilst composing a text message or email, simply by double tapping the space bar to insert a full stop.  This will insert a space after the period and capitalise the next letter.

Picture This

Tap the picture within a contact entry to bring up a menu to communicate with your contact in a variety of ways.  Options include composing a text message or email and dialling their telephone number.

HTC Incredible S deals are available which use HTC Sense.  HTC Incredible S reviews can be found online where details about the many interface features and handset features are available.

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Motorola Atrix Smartphone Review

October 29th, 2011 | Google Android, Mobile Phone Reviews, Motorola

The Motorola Atrix smartphone is now as powerful as a computer so if you are looking for an Android smartphone that could dispense with your laptop then this is the one.  Since the development of smartphones computer parity has always been their aim, and the Atrix got there first.  In short, the Motorola Atrix is the smartest of smartphones that can, when plugged into a range of docks, morph into a net book, sat nav and media centre. 

Another advantage of the Atrix is the innovative fingerprint reader.  Situated on the top of the device, the fingerprint reader doubles up as the power button (you’re gonna have to touch it!)  Although it is not necessary to use this option, it does allow unlocking of the phone via a finger swipe. 

The Atrix has a 540×960 pixel 4” high-resolution touchscreen which Motorola calls ‘qHD’.  The user interface on the Atrix is clear and sharp especially in the web browser.

Motorola Atrix runs Android 2.2 Froyo for which a Gingerbread update is imminent.  In the meantime, the user can enjoy merging address book to Google account and there are other intelligent and smart options.

The appearance of the Atrix is businesslike, elegant and professional.  The design is slim with rounded corners and four touch controls horizontally along the bottom.  The device itself feel substantial and yet small enough for compact storage and easy mobility.

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Shop Online with Your Handset

October 16th, 2011 | Mobile Technology, Wireless Technology

The great thing about new and improved handsets is the ability to browse the internet with faster downloads and a larger display screen. With a large number of retailers adapting their website for mobile viewing, shoppers can browse items without having to compromise their shopping experience.  In addition, there are a large variety of shopping apps available with Google Nexus and Motorola Atrix deals. You can find out more information with Palm Pre 2 reviews and many other handset reviews and deals.

Previously, mobile shopping was compromised by simplifying the interface with text only content, whereas in recent years the shopping experience has produced rich content, enabling the user to view photos and videos in order to make an informed decision in choosing a product.  From fashion outlets to supermarkets, online shopping has become truly mobile with the aid of mobile enhanced websites and shopping apps.

Fans of online shopping will love not only shopping direct with retailers, but also online stores such as eBay and Amazon which are community based, providing sellers with a retail platform.  If you are searching for that special item and not sure where to look, search engines such as Google and Bing can be a great place to start.  Simply type in the name of the product you have in mind and the search engine will display a number of websites with the item in stock, together with the ability to sort results by price range.

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