The Powerful LG Optimus 2x: A First of Its Kind

July 28th, 2011 | Google Android, LG, Mobile Phone Reviews

The first in a line of new mobile phones with dual-core processors, and another installment in the android versus iPhone battle for prominence; the LG Optimus 2x runs on a Tegra 2 chip which makes browsing, graphics and multitasking better and faster.  Users can move between apps, search menus, and make a selection from any screen easily and quickly.  The 4inch screen is also very responsive which further enhances game playing and internet browsing experiences.

The Good
The 8mp camera captures extremely high quality (1920*1088) photos, while the video recorder offers HD recording.  Then HDMI support allows user to watch their clips on a HDMI compatible HD TV with no hassle.  It supports MP3, MP4 and H.264 files, comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, WI-FI, USB video calling, 8GB internal memory and uses a microSD memory card.

The Bad
Much like the Optimus One, the LG Optimu2 2X has poor call quality for a high-end phone.  Freezing happens occasionally (mainly during gaming), the battery tends to heat up quickly and the battery life can be really short depending on use (although standby time is great).  It currently runs on Froyo 2.2 but users can upgrade to Gingerbread.  Gamers may be skeptical about playing more sophisticated games on the 2x since the phone can slow down after a while.

The Verdict
Despite its drawbacks, the 2x is good value for money.  Overall it offers enough of everything for most users, allowing upgrades that some may find necessary that make it a worthy phone for most.

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The history of Sony Ericsson Mobile Phones

July 26th, 2011 | Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson mobile phones are the result of a merger between Japanese electronics giants Sony and long established Scandinavian mobile phone manufacturer Ericsson. During the early 00′s, both companies found themselves in trouble, with Ericsson struggling to offer competitive mobile phones thanks to rivals being able to undercut them in price, and Sony finding themselves with less than a 1% stake in the global mobile phone market. In order to remedy their respective situations, the two companies joined to form Sony Ericsson, and since then the company have flourished and become one of the biggest mobile phone providers in the world.

The first in a long line of bestselling Sony Ericsson mobile phones was the P800, a model which spawned many upgraded versions and helped to grow the company’s market share significantly. After gaining a strong foothold in the industry with this handset, the company began to use significant innovation to grow. During the mid-00′s, the company began to release a series of both high end and budget phones that featured music playback and high quality digital cameras. The company have also released a series of phones under Sony’s BRAVIA brand which are able to receive television signals.

In recent years Sony Ericsson has been attempting to conquer the smart phone market with their leading XPERIA range of phones. These smart phones run off of Google’s market leading Android operating system and offer users a combination of sleek design, high quality screens and quick processing speed.

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Motorola Atrix Deals from T-Mobile and Orange

July 22nd, 2011 | Google Android, Mobile Phone Reviews, Motorola, Touchscreen

The Motorola Atrix is a powerful phone that provides a long list of features that suit most people.  This is just one of the Motorola mobile phones that boast a dual core processor, offering speed, great displays and a excellent all round performance.  Both T-Mobile and Orange are currently providing deals on the Atrix.
 
T-Mobile

Without a free gift: consumers can get 500 text messages, 500 MB and 600 minutes and 3 free months line rental for £25.53 each month.

With a free gift: for just £10.21 monthly the user gets 100 minutes, unlimited text messages and a free HD multimedia dock.  There is no internet bundle and the phone is priced at £400.

Orange

Without a free gift: the consumer will pay only half price for line rental for a total of eight months, get 300 minutes, 500 MB of data and unlimited text messages each for £25 on a monthly basis.  The phone comes free with the deal.

With a free gift: for the same £25 monthly users can opt instead to pay a onetime fee of £97.81 for the phone then get 300 minutes, unlimited text messages and a data bundle of 500MB.  The free gift is a Nintendo DS (Black console).

Each network is currently offering a wide array of deals, some of which are cheaper, however the overall package offered put these four on top.  The contract period is 24 months.  Deals can vary or change unexpected and the final monthly cost could change depending on extra chosen.

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Latest Samsung Omnia 7 Deals

July 20th, 2011 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Samsung Mobile Phones, Windows Mobile

So far deals on the Samsung Omnia 7 seem to be popular on the T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone and Three networks.  The absence of a free gift for those in the lower price range appears to be a general feature except for Orange.  Unlike the other three providers, Vodafone’s lowest deal has a price for the device itself. 

A Few Good Deals Being Offered

T-Mobile currently has a plan for £15.32 monthly which offers 300 minutes and 300 text messages.  There is no data plan but the phone is free.  For £15 each month, Orange customers can receive 600 minutes, unlimited text messages along with 6 months at half price as a free gift.  The phone is free and no data bundle is offered.

£25 per month can provide Vodafone subscribers with 500 text messages, 250 MB of data and 100 minutes.  The phone carries a cost of £105, there is no free gift.  Three is giving a 1 GB data bundle, 900 minutes and unlimited texting for £28.  There is no free gift but the phone comes free.

These deals all come with 24 month tariffs, what you pay depends on added features.  It is possible to find deals at a cheaper rate however they may not be worth it when you compare what is being offered.  Be sure to check if the phone is new or refurbished.  Minutes tend to be anytime/anywhere minutes but be sure to clarify.

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Mobile Phone News: The UK’s Favourite Mobiles

July 15th, 2011 | HTC, iPhone, Samsung Mobile Phones

Based on data from USwitch Mobile Tracker, the Apple iPhone remains one of the UK’s top rated mobile phones; coming in first in April 2011’s top 10 rankings, with four mobiles by HTC also making the list. In March, the ratings, showed iPhone coming in third, behind the HTC Desire and HTC Desire HD and in May, the iPhone came in second.

The way uSwitch Mobile Tracker works is by tracking live searches and sales and then ranking the phones based on the results. In 2011, while the number one ranked phone has changed from month to month, the Android OS has consistently dominated the top 10 list. Other popular mentions have been Samsung Galaxy S II, making top listing in May, several BlackBerry handsets, including the Curve 8520 and a selection of Nokia mobiles running Symbian OS.

When it comes to Windows Phone 7, an operating system still getting its feet wet in the UK, the top mobiles include the Samsung Omnia 7, HTC HD7 and HTC 7 Mozart.

While the battle for top ranking may or may not interest you as an individual consumer, it is important to note that for the consumer groups as a whole, the competitiveness between hardware manufacturers and operating systems is a good thing.

“The biggest winners though are consumers,” says Ernest Doku, a technology expert at uSwitch.com. “As the handsets do battle, prices of deals are being driven down. Even those who want smartphone functionality but are keen to keep an eye on the pennies will be happy.”

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Broadband Packages Compared

July 13th, 2011 | Broadband, Mobile Broadband

Costs

Broadband providers charge a monthly subscription and usually set an upper limit that the user is allowed to download each month, in line with the amount of the subscription.  Usually the higher the download limit is, the higher the subscription.  Therefore, the lower the monthly subscription is, the lower the amount you will be allowed to download each month.  In the days of dial-up, charging was made per minute of connection.

The other main variable that affects the cost of broadband is the download speed.  Speed is measured in megabits per second (Mb or Mbps), not to be confused with megabytes (MB) which is usually how files are measured.  There are eight bits in a byte, so for every eight megabits per second of download speed, you will be downloading one megabyte per second of the file you want.

Providers include other services in the packages offered:  telephone calls, digital TV and broadband.

Speed

Speeds that are currently offered range from 8Mb to 50Mb, but speeds are improving all the time.  Streamed content, such as video, can take longer to download and will probably stall as content loads into the cache (known as buffering) at slower speeds.  To watch television programmes on say, BBC iPlayer and clips from YouTube, it is worth paying for the fastest connection you can afford.

The speed at which broadband providers allow users to upload files is usually considerably slower than the download speeds offered, as ISPs give a higher priority to traffic heading toward the consumers. 

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The Palm Pre 2: a Sensible Solution for a Lover of Simple Phones

July 11th, 2011 | Mobile Phone Reviews, Palm, Touchscreen

Hp’s Palm Pre 2 doesn’t offer much more than the Pre Plus, but there are some improvements that make it worth noticing.  In terms of similarities they are almost the same weight, exact dimensions, same 3.1 inch screen (although the Pre 2 does have a sharper display).  It looks a little squarer but doesn’t look the way a Smartphone is expected to look.

Strengths
The incorporation of webOS 2.0 is a good upgrade.  Features like Stacks (which groups similar programs in cards), the Gesture Bar (which allows easy navigation through different features and options in the phone), as well as Just Type (that makes any kind of messaging fast) make the phone very userfriendly. 

Even the signal and battery icons lead to options when tapped. Ease of use is also aided by the addition of a slide keyboard despite the touchscreen.  The body is sturdy, the 1GHz processor combined with the 512MB DRAM also add to the phone’s performance.   Another plus is its 5mp camera (led flash), 16GB internal memory, USB, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, video and audio player that supports several file formats.

Weaknesses
Beside its overall look, the camera quality is not as good as expected from 5mp, app lovers will be extremely restricted since many favourites cannot be used and there just aren’t enough changes to impress persons who love phones packed with features. 

Conclusion
The Palm Pre 2 is suitable for anyone who wants an intuitive Smartphone that is not too hard to use or chuck full of things they won’t need.  So for some, it’s a sensible solution.

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A Look at Some of the Best Deals on the LG Optimus One

July 7th, 2011 | Google Android, LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

There are a lot of deals available on the LG Optimus One P500.  In most cases buyers will find it extremely easy to find monthly packages that offer the phones for free once a contractual period is agreed to.  There are also Pay-As-You-Go and SIM Free deals for those who do not want to be tied to a contract.

Here are some of the best rates for all three options with cross comparisons for the top six mobile network providers where necessary.  The six compared are: T-Mobile, O2, Vodafone, Orange, Three and Virgin Mobiles.  SIM free deals are available through independent distributors like Expansys and Prepay Mania.

Monthly

On average plans can range 18 to 24 months and costs between £10 to £57 depending on the tariff, minutes, amount of text, and extras.  T-Mobile so far has deals in the £10 to £57 range, Three starts at £12, while the others seem to have deals concentrated in the £20 to £30 price bracket.  Some carry free gifts aside from the phone.

Pay as You Go

For £130 to £150 people can sign up for a ‘pay as you go’ package.  Features will vary and monthly add-on charges can apply.  Vodafone, T-Mobile and Three all offer ‘pay as you go’ options.  Three (which has “all you can eat data” offerings) starts at £129.99 while the other two are priced at £149.99

SIM Free

The best SIM free deals seem to range from £180 to £200 with Expansys starting at £179.99 and Prepay Mania at £194.03.

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The latest HTC Desire HD Deals

July 1st, 2011 | Google Android, HTC, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

The best way to enjoy any new phone is to get it for a cost than can be afforded; O2, T-Mobile, Three, Orange and Vodafone all have great deals on the HTC Desire HD. The lowest package for each is between £20 and £30.  Here’s a look at the lowest priced plans so far.

O2

A monthly package that includes 300 any network and anywhere minutes, unlimited text and 500MB of data for £25.  Free gifts include a choice of 11 months at ½ price or £30 auto cash back.

T-Mobile

The Monthly plan offers 900 anywhere and anytime minutes, 500 texts and unlimited web browsing charged at £30.64.  Free gifts include 5 months free or £10 auto cash back.

Three

This provider is offering 2000 anytime or anywhere minutes, 5000 text messages, unlimited on net minutes, 1GB Data access and free Wi-Fi access all for £35.  The phone does carry a cost of £39.99

Orange
This monthly pan is giving 300 minutes to call any network at any time, unlimited text messaging and 500 MB Data for a cost of £25.  Customers will receive 11 months at ½ price or £30 auto cash back as a gift.

Vodafone
Customers who choose this network will get 300 minutes for calls any network at any time, unlimited text messaging and 500 MB Data.  Person will pay £30 monthly as a fee. The free gift is 13 months at ½ the price.

Unless otherwise stated the phone comes free with the package.  Deals may vary and the chosen tariff and extras will influence the final cost paid.

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Deals on LG Optimus One Phones

June 28th, 2011 | Google Android, LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen

LG Optimus One deals are plentiful on the Internet and through other venues.  For a consumer, the key to finding a deal on this phone is to know what specific features are needed and what, if anything, can be forgone in order to save money on the purchase. 

For example, some people desire a new LG Optimus One model fresh from the manufacturer.  However, those who are willing to give up this aspect of their phone can find incredible deals.  A refurbished phone is one that is has been used before, and is therefore not brand new, but is still in excellent condition.  A slew of electronics, including an LG Optimus One smartphone, can be purchased refurbished rather than brand new, saving consumers money.  

There are other ways to get a deal on this great smart phone.  Sometimes, it is a matter of choosing the right tariff.  Vodafone offers free phones with certain plans.  This includes a 24- month plan with T-Mobile that features 300 talk minutes, 300 texts, and unlimited data for £12.76 per month.  T-Mobile also has a contract for 18 months that is £18.48 per month and includes 100 talk minutes, 100 texts, and Internet access.

Vodafone also offers its own plans, such as providing customers with the LG Optimus One for free upon entering an 18-month contract plan with 300 talk minutes and unlimited texts for £22.61 per month.  However, it is important to be careful with these plans, as data (which allows Internet access and many other features) may cost extra or be limited.

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