Samsung I9000 Galaxy S Review

June 3rd, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones, Touchscreen

Amongst the newest offerings in the range of cheap mobile phones is the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S, a five megapixel camera mobile phone supporting 2G and 3G networks.

Physically, the phone doesn’t provide the best first impression – looking like the bog standard black slab phone we are seeing on a regular basis. But don’t let first impressions fool you; this phone has everything a smartphone should have, with a powerful 1 GHz processor to back it all up.

The mobile measures 122 by 64 by 10 mm and weighs 118 grams and sports a 4-inch AMOLED super-responsive capacitive touch screen display that supports 16 million colours and a 480 x 800 pixel resolution. The I9000 Galaxy S also features auto rotate and a proximity sensor for automatic turn-off capability.

The camera is 5 megapixels with auto focus and an LED flash. Features include smile detection and geo-tagging. Video recording at 720 pixels and 30 frames per second is also supported and a microSD card is included for memory expansion.

The operating system for the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S is Android 2 and the 1 GHz processor minimises lag.  The phone supports Gmail, Google Search, Google Maps, Google Talk, YouTube, etc. The phone pleasantly also includes a document viewer for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF files.

The media player supports several formats, including DivX, VC-1, MP3, and FLAC. Messaging options include push mail, IM, SMS, MMS, and email. The browser is HTML and the phone has A-GPS and Java support.

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Motorola Dext – will it live up to the hype?

May 31st, 2010 | Google Android, Mobile Phone Reviews, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, Touchscreen

The Motorola Dext is a mobile phone that runs on the Android operating system – currently the must have system.  Motorola has been criticised in the past for its clunky operating system but they’ve taken the opportunity to not just settle for someone else’s system, but to improve it in the process.

The phone’s key feature in addition to the Android OS is MotoBlur, Motorola’s interface.  It gathers together all your personal information from accounts such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter when you give it your passwords.  It then displays updates on screen automatically ensuring you immediately know the latest gossip. 

Android has as standard three home screens but MotoBlur adds another two, all good screens, although MotoBlur’s icons are better than Android’s.  MotoBlur also has the ability to track a lost Dext via GPS and the phone can be remotely wiped if required.

The backlight on the QWERTY keyboard is not good and although letters and numbers are clearly displayed, characters such as @ are tiny and difficult to read in poor light.

The camera does not come with a built in flash, and the battery life is short.  Smartphones tend not to have a good battery life but the Dext is shorter than most because it continually updates the social networking information.

The keyboard makes this a bigger phone, making it heavier at 163g, but it still fits nicely into your hand.

Other phones to look at are HTC Google Nexus One and the Sony Ericsson X10 Mini.

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Comparing mobile broadband deals

May 30th, 2010 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Technology

One of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to making a broadband comparison is whether or not a customer can get broadband access without having a physical landline present in their home. The simplest answer is yes, but there are factors that need to be taken into account in order to make a proper comparison between broadband providers. First and foremost is the simple fact that mobile broadband speeds can vary drastically depending on the coverage of the area you live in. Most areas are far below the advertised maximum speed – this is simple advertising at work. One of the best courses of action is to use a provider coverage checker to determine the actual coverage levels in your area prior to signing up with the company. But as far as options go, there are a number of packages available, depending on whether you want to pay as you go or have a fixed-rate plan.

For example, Orange Home Broadband offers a variety of packages with speeds ranging between two and eight MB connections. Usage is capped depending upon the monthly fee the customer feels comfortable paying. In addition, there is generally a lengthy contract to sign. Other companies, such as O2 Broadband, offer mobile broadband for free for the first few months. The cap on usage is generally limited by a certain amount of data, but monthly plans can also be purchased where you pay as you go for the time you use. This is useful for individuals who are constantly uploading and downloading data and cannot be restricted by a hard cap.

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Recycling a Phone With Envirophone

May 26th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Recycling

Recycling an unwanted mobile phone via Envirophone is very easy. The company works to cut down the number of old mobile phones that end up in landfill sites.

The first step is to locate the phone on the website and see how much it is worth. If your phone is damaged you can still sell it, but you will receive a reduced price for it. Simply fill in your details and you will receive a post-paid pack to send you phone in, so there is no postage charge.

Boxes, batteries and other mobile phone accessories can be returned along with the phone and this is actively encouraged, but sending these items with the phone will not increase the sale price.

When the padded envelope arrives, remove your SIM card, delete any personal information such as pictures, music and games, put the phone inside the envelope and attach the pre paid label. It might be a good idea to have a more expensive phone sent special delivery so that you are protected if it is lost or damaged.

Once Envirophone receive the phone it will be tested to make sure that it meets their requirements. If the phone is damaged the price offered will be reduced accordingly, but you will be notified of this first. Payments are made direct to a bank account.

Envirophone supports a system called CheckMEND, which is a database that can track stolen mobile phones. If such phones are received they are automatically destroyed unless their ownership can be proved.

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HTC Tattoo Overview

May 23rd, 2010 | Google Android, HTC, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

HTC has an outstanding history of delivering excellent android phones at high performance levels and with excellent displays.  The HTC Tattoo however, is a budget smart phone and is a cut down version of the HTC Desire. The phone may deliver the same sort of applications and design that comparable Android phones offer, and the exterior case can even be customised to fit whatever the user’s taste may be, but does the low price warrant the rather sluggish performance?

While the price point is excellent, and a stand out “feature” of the phone, there are still many grievances a modern mobile user may have with the Tattoo.  The device is small, managed to pack in GPS and Wi-Fi capability, yet it still lacks the raw performance to avoid stuttering and lagging during use of certain applications.  This can be frustrating while typing, even with HTC’s error correcting technology.

In addition to raw performance concerns, the Tattoo’s camera does not have a flash.  For some this is not a concern, however it’s simply a feature many have come to expect from any phone, especially a phone described as a “smart” phone.  In addition, the 2.8 inch display, while small and conducive to compact size, is simply not large enough to support proper multimedia viewing.

All in all, the HTC Tattoo is a cheap phone and little more.  It does what it’s supposed to, and for the most part works well.  There are simply better phones on the market that should be considered if your budget allows it.

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Sony Ericsson W595 Overview

May 19th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Sony Ericsson

The W595 is a very nice addition to the extensive line of Sony Ericsson mobile phones thanks to its 3.2 megapixel camera, 3G connectivity, stereo speakers, and a unique share jack that lets users plug in two sets of headphones at once.

Pros

The QVGA displace screen is a bit small, but colours are sharp and vibrant.  The user interface has simple menus and clear icons.  A dedicated Walkman button takes users straight to the media player that allows for easy browsing through music, games, and more.

Users can get even more from the W595’s multi-media features thanks to Sony Ericsson’s music software, great audio quality, video playback, and web browsing.  The HSDPA connection is extremely fast, making video viewing and uploading quick and convenient.

Cons

A common complaint with Sony Ericsson mobile phones is that most do not come with a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the W595 is no exception.  This is particularly troubling considering the W595 is marketed as a music phone.  Users are forced to rely on the low quality bundled headphones or invest in an inconvenient adapter.

The 2 GB memory card is sufficient, but for serious music lovers there’s nowhere near enough storage.  The 3.2 megapixel camera is rather bare bones, as well; there’s no flash or autofocus feature.

Conclusion

As new mobile phones go, the W595 is not as high-tech as some of its competitors.  For the price, however, it does all the basics as well as some of the latest mobile phones.

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BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 Review

May 17th, 2010 | Blackberry, Mobile Phone Reviews

RIM is known for producing BlackBerry mobile phones that follow a similar design theme, so it’s not often that a totally innovative BlackBerry device hits shelves.  Enter the Pearl Flip 8220, a clamshell handset with familiar BlackBerry capabilities.

Pros

The Pearl Flip 8220 has a solid body, a super bright screen, and a pleasant keypad.  There are also the added benefits of instant call answering and the security of having the keypad protected when the phone is closed.

The Flip uses an interface similar to that of the BlackBerry Bold and is fairly easy to use.  The phone supports a good number of apps for things like social networking and BlackBerry Maps. 

Internet connection is achieved through Wi-Fi, EDGE, or GPRS.  Users can browse full web pages with Opera Mini, and the Flip supports up to ten different email accounts from all the major webmail providers and most corporate servers.

Cons

There’s no 3G connection, which is a shame, and the lack of GPS seems a curious omission for a smartphone.

The music player is decent and features a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the player can only be controlled when the phone is open. 

The Flip’s 2 megapixel camera is something of a disappointment, as well.  It takes good pictures for MMS messages and small formats, but its limited options and the absence of a flash make taking high quality shots nearly impossible.

Conclusion

The Flip is light on some of the more advanced features found on the latest mobile phones, but it is largely forgiven thanks to its email capabilities and easy to use keypad.

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Top Mobile Phone Recycling Sites

May 14th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Recycling

Mobile phone recycling means selling your old mobile phone unit to a mobile phone recycling company or having its parts recycled for free. In the UK, where there are an estimated 14 million mobile phone users, mobile phone recycling is a very good option when dealing with old units. Various phone recycling companies are based in the United Kingdom and these companies vary in their features, modes of payment and most of all, price offers.

Mopay.co.uk is one of the leading phone recycling sites. Mopay has won awards for excellent service through the years. The company pays up to £400 for a mobile phone unit and offers various payment methods such as cheque, bank transfers, Paypal or gift vouchers for M&S and Argos.

Fonebank.com is another company that pays only by cheque. Fonebank pays up to £220 for every old unit. One good thing about Fonebank is that it accepts both working and non-working mobiles. It also sends free padded envelopes and the site provides a free data deletion tool to erase large files.

Mazumamobile.com is another giant in the mobile phone recycling business. Mazuma pays up to £250 per old unit and has a fast payment time of only 48 hours.

Envirofone.com is another one of the biggest UK based mobile phone recycling sites. Envirofone pays a maximum of £180 per mobile and also accepts both working and broken units. Free padded envelopes are also provided to customers and payment is by cheque, Paypal or BACS after two to five days.

Other phone recycling sites are MobilePhoneXchange.co.uk, Earthmobile.co.uk, and SellOldMobile.co.uk.

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Cheap Mobile Phones – Samsung J700

May 12th, 2010 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones

The Samsung J700 is one of the simple, cheap mobile phones that some people find attractive for use as a second phone, when taking their more-expensive phone just isn’t viable. It also appeals to those who prefer basic over “does everything”.

This isn’t a flash phone – although it does come in pink as well as black. Slender for a slide-up phone, the dimensions for the J700 are 99.5 mm tall by 48 mm wide and 14.8 mm deep. It weighs 92 grams. The two inch TFT display is fine, and a keypad becomes accessible when the phone is in its slide-up position.

The built-in 1.3 megapixel digital camera features easy access camera keys and facilitates stills and video footage. Other features include an FM radio, music player, and Java game support.

The integrated messaging functions support SMS text, EMS (enhanced messaging) and MMS for messaging through video, pictures, and sound. There is also a built-in WAP browser accessible via the main window.

Connectivity includes Bluetooth, EDGE, USB, and GPRS. Networking is tri-band. Battery life the J700 isn’t much; two and a half hours of talk time or 250 hours of standby.

As I mentioned in the beginning, the Samsung J700 is a cheap mobile phone, that appeals to those who are looking for a good mobile phone deal on a second or “worry-free if I lose it or break it” mobile. It may not have much in the way of features, but it is reliable and it gets the job done.

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The HTC HD mini – compact and powerful smartphone

May 10th, 2010 | HTC, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

With the recent release of many new smart-phones within the last few years, it’s easy to overlook some of HTC’s offerings in the mobile device market.  With hundreds of mobile phone deals available from over a dozen providers, marketing efforts become vital to the success of a new mobile phone, often overshadowing the raw performance factors that should be vital.

While every new mobile tries to have its niche, the HTC HD mini exceeds expectations in both size and display quality.  Of the many new phones available, HTC HD mini combines the size and portability with an ultra sharp, 3.2 inch high definition display.  The display performs excellently, and is quite responsive and easy to use with one just one hand.  With Wi-Fi and GPS capability built in, this is quite the handy device.

Unfortunately, with the improved size of the unit, a decrease in performance is noted compared to HTC’s other offerings in the mobile marketplace.  Windows 6.5 Mobile does not run nearly as well, as we’ve come to expect from more powerful units.  With so few Windows mobile apps on the market, and the upcoming release of Windows 7 mobile, it’s hard to say that everyone will be satisfied with this device, despite its stand out features. The HTC HD Mini has its niche, and it performs well within it, however many will find that a larger mobile is just as portable as the slimmer sleeker HD Mini.

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