CELLPHONES;LAPTOPS;DESKTOPS

BlackBerry Storm 9500 review: Berry-go-round

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 08:09:00 +0000

It's not everyday that you see a BlackBerry review on our homepage but it's not like RIM routinely churn out devices like the Storm either. Messaging is still the legendary name but… well… touchscreen is the game. Keeping the business appeal of its siblings, the 9500 Storm sure stands out in the Berry crowd. But it also tries to set itself apart from the other touchscreens by promising a whole new touch experience.

BlackBerry Storm official photos

The Canadian manufacturer RIM is walking an unbeaten path by adding unique clickability to the fluid precision of the capacitive touchscreen technology. The award-winning SurePress screen may not be everyone's cup of coffee but we're not talking teacup either, just yet.

Key features:

3.25" 65K-color capacitive touchscreen of 360 x 480 pixel resolution
A new touchscreen experience thanks to SurePress screen
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 2100 MHz 3G with HSDPA support
3.15 MP autofocus camera, LED flash
BlackBerry OS 4.7
624 MHz CPU, 128 MB RAM
Built-in GPS and BlackBerry maps preloaded
1 GB internal storage
Hot-swappable microSD card slot, ships with an 8GB card
Landscape virtual QWERTY keyboard goes as close to hardware keys as we have seen
Great build quality
Solid looks
3.5mm standard audio jack
Bluetooth and USB v2.0
Really nice web browser
Document editor
Excellent audio quality

Main disadvantages:

No Wi-fi
Only BlackBerry email support out of the box
Interface not as quick as competitors
Chubbier than most touchscreen phones
Mediocre camera
No FM radio
No Flash support
Fingerprint-prone front panel

Now, this isn't one of those all-about-email BlackBerry reviews where the 9500 Storm gets only compared to its own kind, for the lack of meaningful competition. We are more than confident that the Storm does its BlackBerry thing just fine, so instead of focusing on it we'll try to give a different view of the device. Our objective is to see how it fares against all those other "regular" touchscreens that have the crowd's attention: Apples, Renoirs, Omnias, Diamonds and the likes.

BlackBerry Storm 9500 views

Well, our approach may seem like comparing apples to oranges but only at first sight. The first thing about the Storm 9500 is the attempt to reach beyond the core group of diehard BlackBerry users. We're talking stealing some market here, so if Blackberry are playing to win, they should well be ready to take some hard beating too. First-rate email is nice and all, but the Storm will only be as good as its user interface and multimedia. For the rest (which means WLAN too) there's Curve and Bold.

The BlackBerry Storm 9500 next to the Samsung i900 Omnia and Apple iPhone 3G

iPhone OS 3.0 is knocking on the door, launch set for 17 March

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:34:00 +0000

A word is out that Apple is now officially inviting representatives of the press to attend their next big announcement event on 17 March. The event will be dedicated to the upcoming iPhone OS 3.0. There's no word of an upcoming mobile phone, but our hopes are high as always.

Engadget.com report to have received an invitation by Apple for an upcoming event with its main theme set on iPhone OS 3.0.

Apple will display an "advance preview of what they're building", meaning that you probably won't see any working full-fledged iPhone OS 3.0 there (or iPhone 3 anyway). We really hope that at least some of the stuff on our wishlist will be answered - and maybe we will even be surprised by some new features.

Source

3 INQ1 is the best handset for 2009, GSMA awards announced

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 07:32:00 +0000

3 UK's INQ1 is top of the list of winners of the 14th Global Mobile Awards basking in their glory. Last night at the National Palace in Barcelona the vote of a wide panel of judges from within the world of mobile technology, decided the winners in 7 categories.

The one we're most interested in - the Best Mobile Handset or Device - produced a quite surprising winner. The Amoi-made INQ1 for 3 UK emerged triumphant over LG KS360 , T-Mobile G1 , BlackBerry Storm 9500 and Nokia E71. Winning stuff was social networking - the INQ1 is tightly integrated with Facebook and last.fm, and comes with support for popular messengers like Skype and Windows Live Messenger.

3's INQ1 official photos

T-Mobile and Nokia are the two runners-up so to say, splitting the Highly Commended award in this category. The G1 was praised by the judges and T-Mobile should share credit with HTC, who actually manufactured it. The Android Platform got its share of appreciation and, with several new handsets coming in 2009, the way ahead is wide open.

The other competitors

Nokia got a firm handshake too on behalf of their E71 - the business minded QWERTY all-in-one.

Nokia also snatched the Best Mobile Internet Service award with the Nokia Sports Tracker. The application uses GPS to keep track of your workouts - jogging, running or cycling. Putting due emphasis on networking again, that workout data can be shared on the relevant website including route, speed and even pictures taken along the way.

The Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough award went to the SurePress screen of the BlackBerry Storm. The SurePress screen actually 'clicks' like a hardware button allowing the user to both hover over an item and get physical feedback from virtual buttons, a feature that has been a major challenge for touchscreens.

There were many rumors of trouble for the Storm but if anything, this award is confirms that touchscreen is the way the future's shaping and tactile feedback will play an important role in user experience.

Next year's awards promise to be even more interesting with the Mobile Innovation Grand Prix. It will focus on smaller players with pioneering products and services seeking bigger market deployment

Nokia N97 will be unleashed on the 31 March in UK at 480 GBP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:49:00 +0000

An online retailer has started accepting pre-orders for the upcoming Nokia N97. There's a specific release date now and a price tag to match the N97 rich feature set. We bet all Nokia fans will rejoice to find out that their dream device will hit the stores in less than three months.

The QWERTY-and-touch-enabled Nokia N97 is supposed to hit the shelves at the last day of March.

The price tag of 480 GBP (540 euro or 720 US dollars) for the dream-come-true phone sounds quite nice and is actually a tad lower than the officially announced suggested price of 550 euro before taxes or subsidies. We've never seen a Nokia phone introductory price go lower than the initial expectations, so it's either the world financial meltdown talking here or the seller is just pulling our leg.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:28:00 +0000

Key features:

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support plus HSDPA 7.2Mbps
3-inch 65K-color WVGA touchscreen
Qualcomm MSM7200 528 Mhz CPU and 256 MB DDR SDRAM
3.15 MP auto focus camera with VGA video recording
Four-row full QWERTY slide-out keyboard
Wi-Fi and built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS
X-Panels interface
Optical trackpad
Exquisite and solid metallic body
Standard miniUSB port and Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
microSD memory expansion
FM radio with RDS
3.5mm standard audio jack
MS Office Mobile document editor
Opera 9.5 web browser
Excellent video playback performance
Superb audio quality

The Touch Pro had a nice two-month advantage since it hit the shelves back in August and this could be quite decisive for the sales. After all two months is quite a long time in the world of mobile phones, isn't it?

Let's not waste any more time now and get rolling with the actual review of Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1. Unboxing is this little jump ahead.

Main disadvantages:

Body is a bit on the bulky side
User interface is hardly thumb-optimized
Mediocre camera performance
No built-in accelerometer
Poor display sunlight legibility
Records low quality VGA@30fps video in 3GP format
No TV-out port
No full Flash support for the browser (hence no full-featured YouTube)

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:36:00 +0000

General Specification

Status: Coming soon. Exp. release 2008, Q3
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (4 votes cast)
Network: 2G Network: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Announced: 2008, April

Size

Dimension: 108 x 46 x 15 mm, 67 cc
Weight: 90 g

Display

Type: TFT, 16M colors
Size: 240 x 320 pixels, 2 inches
- 8-way Navi key
- Dedicated music and N-Gage gaming keys

Ringtones

Type: Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3, AAC, 3D, True tones
Customization: Download
Vibration: Yes

Memory

Phonebook: Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocal
Call records: Detailed, max 30 days
Card slot: microSD (TransFlash), up to 8 GB supported
- 140 MB of user memory
- Nokia 512 MB or 1 GB microSD card included

Specification

GPRS: Class 32
Edge: Class 32
3G: HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps
WLan: No
Bluetooth: Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
Infrared port: No

Mobile Features

Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, Push E-Mail, IM
Browser: WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
OS: Symbian OS, S60
Games: Yes + Downloadable
Colors: Blue, Red
Other Features
-3G Network: HSDPA 2100 / 900
- Nokia Say and Play (voice control to music player)
- SMS reader
- Macromedia Flash Lite 3.0
- Java MIDP 2.1
- Flickr
- Yahoo Go! & Yahoo Messenger
- 3.5 mm audio output jack
- Nokia Xpress Audio messaging
- FM stereo radio with RDS
- Visual radio
- MP3/MPEG4 player
- Voice memo
- Voice dial
- Built-in handsfree
- Calendar
- Active standby screen
- Up to 24 h music time
- Up to 4 h 30 min gaming time

Battery

Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 890 mAh (BL-5B)
Standby: Up to 250 h
Talk time: Up to 3 h 30 min

Introduction:

The XpressMusic line of Nokia has always been mainly targeting the people of young spirit. Besides the music, they usually have one more passion – games.

The new model of the Finnish giant has as a purpose to satisfy exactly those needs. It employs a musical chip, which should provide a high quality sound and is equipped with a 3.5 mm jack for all types of headsets or speakers. On top of that, it runs on the Symbian OS with S60 interface (3rd Еdition, Feature Pack 2). This is the environment of the N-Gage platform, which is Nokia’s strongest hand regarding mobile games. Unfortunately, at the time this review was written the N-Gage site did not yet have support for 5320.

The package includes:

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic
Handsfree
Software CD
User’s manual
Quick Guide
Charger
1 GB microSD card* (it can be 512MB depending on the region)

Design:

The appearance corresponds to the audience it targets. It is not stylish, not elegant and even slightly thick. Comparing the 5320 to a fashion phone will be like comparing Avril Lavigne (the skater type) to Heidi Klum (top-model). That’s why it will suit the young audience just fine. It has aggressive design and it’s light, making it pocket friendly.

The 2” QVGA display supports 16 million colors, which provide a very well-saturated and pleasant image. When exposed on direct sunlight the picture fades and even though it’s not nice, you can work with the phone just fine.

Over the display is located the video calling camera and a single, hard to press button, which can be assigned to the function of your choice. The soft buttons, the SEND/END keys and the D-pad are jammed into a very small space and are a pain to use. The D-pad is the only one with a noticeable relief, and all the other buttons are small and therefore hard to press.

The numeric keypad is specifically outlined, to facilitate playing the games. It cannot be compared to the original buttons of the old N-Gage phones, but as a whole it offers comfortable use and distinct click when pressed.

Both sides have an interesting pattern, which doesn’t provide better grip. Here we have the music controls, the microSD slot, the volume rocker and the camera shortcut. Overall, they are not user-friendly, because they have a barely distinctive relief and a weak tactile feedback.

The bottom houses the microphone and connectors for the charger, the headphones (3.5 mm jack) and the data cable (microUSB). The opposite side houses the power button, which is rather hard to press.

As a whole, the design will fit the teen lifestyle, but the hard to use buttons could be quite annoying.


Left	Right

Bottom	Top

The New Nokia 5800 Xpress Music

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:58:00 +0000

Look out, iPhone, you may have a little competition going from Nokia. The Nokia 5800 is powered by a new operating system known as the S60 5th edition.

It has a 3.2 inch touchscreen that uses a stylus. It comes with Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS navigation, and is HSDPA compatible. As for memory, it has 8GB intneral, and a microSDHC memory card slot. The camera is a 3.2 megapixel number with an autofocus Carl Ziess lens and LED flash.

The Nokia 5800 with XpressMusic should be available in this quarter for a price of $392.

Nokia N97 versus iPhone 3G

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Nokia has finally delivered a smartphone handset which easily rivals the iPhone 3G. On paper, the specs are amazing. Let's take a closer look, with what we know so far, and see whether it's an iPhone killer or not. Should Apple be worried?

Look & Feel

The Nokia N97 measures 117.2 (L) x 55.3 (W) x 15.9mm (D) compared to the iPhone 3G's 115.5 (H) x 62.1 (W) x 12.3mm (D); the N97 weighs 150g compared to the iPhone 3G's 133g. All pretty similar.

The N97 obviously has the slide out QWERTY keyboard and features a tilting touchscreen, whereas the iPhone 3G is a single, static unit.

Screen

The iPhone 3G's 320 x 480 3:2 ratio screen is eclipsed by the Nokia N97's true widescreen (16:9) 640 x 360 pixels. Both measure 3.5 inches diagonally. Nokia definitely wins on this one, as not only will TV/DVD based widescreen movies fill the whole screen, but there's more resolution

Camera

Again, the N97 wins hands down on the camera front, offering five megapixels, Carl Zeiss Tessar optics, and a LED flash / video light. Yes, video. The N97 will shoot video at DVD quality (30fps). The iPhone 3G, by comparison, has no video functionality and a paltry 2MP camera with no flash or focus.

Multimedia

Both handsets are heavyweights when it comes to consuming multimedia content, with both phones loyal to their companies' services - the iPhone 3G obviously has access to a huge range of content via the iTunes Store, with all other content having to go via iTunes. The N97 has access to the Nokia Music Store.

Both can play a wide variety of audio formats, but the N97 manages WMA on top of MP3, AAC, eAAC and eAAC+.

Both play variations of the MPEG4 video format, but the N97 also supports Windows Media 9 and Flash Lite/Flash Video via the Internet browser.

Navigation

The iPhone 3G utilises A-GPS and Google Maps, plus any third-party applications which use geo-location data, while the Nokia N97 has A-GPS and an electronic compass and uses Nokia Maps.

Google Maps offers 3D views of selected cities, driving, limited public transport and walking directions.

Nokia Maps offers multimedia city guides and navigation services, voice-guided car navigation, pedestrian-optimised guidance.

The N97 wins on navigation functionality, as the Nokia Maps system does seem to offer a wider range of options, however individual usage will vary depending on location.

Communications

Both phones offer HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity. The N97 has the full Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP implementation whereas the iPhone 3G has only basic Bluetooth.

Web Browsing

Both handsets offer full access to Internet web sites, but the Nokia N97 offers support for Flash Lite 3.0 and Flash Video, so will be able to render pages more fully than the iPhone which doesn't. It's not immediately clear from the specs whether the N97 offers in-browser Java support, the iPhone 3G doesn't.

Operating System

The initial Nokia N97 specifications don't explicitly mention which operating system is being used, but I presume, as an NSeries phone, it's Symbian-based. The iPhone 3G uses OS X.

Storage

The iPhone 3G comes with either 8GB or 16GB of fixed storage with no external expansion. The Nokia N97 comes with a whopping 32GB of internal memory plus up to 16GB of microSD expansion. Very nice.

Applications

iPhone 3G users have access to the standard range of useful applications plus a host of free and pay-for applications in the iPhone App Store via iTunes.

Assuming no restrictions, users will be able to install Symbian-based applications onto the Nokia N97.

Pricing & Networks

Pricing and networks have not yet been announced for the Nokia N97, thought it's expected to have a pre-subsidy price of €599 (about £465).

Conclusion

Technically, the Nokia N97 beats the iPhone 3G in nearly every area - screen resolution, camera, web browser, video capability, storage - but of course it's an ewer handset.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Steve Jobs announcing a third generation iPhone at Macworld in January - before the N97 comes to market.

There's a lot of buzz surrounding the N97, and rightly so, but will its superior specs beat the "I want one" iPhone factor?

Time will tell. Do you want your phone to be Apple-flavoured or Nokia-flavoured? And what about the price - both are going to be fairly hefty and/or require a serious contract.

Nokia N97 launches latest challenge to iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:37:00 +0000

Nokia N97 launches latest challenge to iPhone

Touchscreen handset with Point and Find software is " world's most advanced mobile computer" accessing the entire internet, Nokia claims

Nokia N97

Nokia unveiled its latest challenge to the iPhone today, the N97, as the Finnish mobile giant vowed it would transform the internet.

The touchscreen smartphone, which has a 3.5 inch screen and both a touchscreen and a glide-out Qwerty keyboard, is the latest handset in Nokia's N series. It follows the blockbuster N95, the handset which has so far sold 15 million, and the N96, which was released earlier this year.

The N97 is the latest handset to join an increasingly crowded smartphone market that includes the G1, which runs Google's Android software, the BlackBerry Storm, which went on sale last month, and Sony Ericsson's X1.

Nokia claims the N97, which is due to be released by the middle of next year, is "the world's most advanced mobile computer" and will boast new services that will transform the way people connect to the internet.

The phone comes with 32 GB of memory - more than twice the capacity of the most powerful iPhone on the market - with the option to expand this to 48 GB with a 16 GB memory card. This means it can store thousands more songs, or hours more video, than its rivals (up to 37 hours of music and 4.5 hours of video playback to be precise).

In a gentle dig at Apple, Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's executive vice president of markets, who unveiled the phone, made the point that the N97 can access "the entire internet, not just piece of it" as, unlike the iPhone, it will be able to play the Flash videos used on many websites.

In another move that makes the N97 more like a mini-computer than a phone, the screen tilts to a 35 degree angle when the keyboard glides out, making it easier to see the screen while typing. It is a nice touch. I tried it out: your forefingers fit snuggly behind the screen making it more stable to hold and therefore easier to type. Unlike other slide-out Qwerty keyboards, as seen on handsets such as the G1 or the HTC Touch Pro, which feel quite clunky as they move into place, the N97 really does glide, or almost pivot, out. It is a very satisfying movement.

Like most of its rivals the N97 will run over HSDPA, the fastest type of mobile broadband, with speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, and, although this is a feature surprisingly absent in the Storm, the N97 is wifi enabled.

While the hardware is impressive, it is the software that Nokia executives are most excited about and which they say will let users personalise the internet.

The N97 will sport internet widgets that can be moved around with your finger to personalise your home screen and a Nokia Messaging button - a single application that will enable you to access any webmail, e-mail and Instant Messanger accounts you might have.

The N97 also introduces so-called "SoLo", or social location, making it easier to update social networks automatically with real-time information. The phone's integrated A-GPS sensors and an electronic compass means it knows exactly where it is, and, if your friends allow it to, will know where they are too, opening up new possibilities for gaming and applications.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 contains many features previously unseen in Sony Ericsson mobiles. Their earlier products in the smartphone segment have featured limited new ideas and have been tainted by the slow, somewhat illogical UIQ interface.

There's a good reason to mention the HTC Touch Pro, as both phones are more or less identical hardware-wise. The 'Sony Ericsson' Xperia X1 is being manufactured by HTC, though Sony Ericsson has gone to lengths to communicate that they have developed the phone without HTC:s input. Even so, it makes sense to compare the two, as both phones are based on Windows Mobile and also are in the same price range - at least on the Swedish market.

The best screen I've seen during the test is available for free download and is an adaptation of the SPB Mobile Shell; it simply shows everything the regular Windows interface does, but beefs up the size to facilitate use of your index finger instead of the stylus.

Screen:

With a 800×480 VGA screen, you can’t really go wrong right? Right. We’ve got to say off the top that this is the best-looking screen we’ve ever seen on a Windows Mobile device. It puts all the others to shame. It’s not just that the screen has an amazing resolution, it’s that the screen is vibrant and clear as day. If your vision isn’t top notch you might have to increase the font size in settings because it gets a little small with that super high-res. Sunlight couldn’t phase it either as we had no problem using it on the go outside.

Audio quality

We didn’t put the speakers through our normal tests just yet to be honest. We tried a couple MP3s and they sounded good, not great. The speaker volume in general could have been a little louder and the sound could have sounded a little fuller. Speakerphone was the same. We’ll report back with more detailed findings.

Notification lights

If you’ve seen the Sidekick LX, you’ll know what we’re talking about. There are 4 independant notification lights on the four corners of the X1. These are LED lights that change through various colors. Unlike the Sidekick, you have complete control over the notification settings. Only want people to think you’ve got a UFO in your pocket when you’re getting a text message? No problem. There’s a lot to choose from to suit your own needs. The lights offer a nice touch and weren’t too over-powering and bright which we were afraid of. The kids will love it.

Call quality

Calls came in and out with crystal clear quality. The ear speaker was plently loud and the party on the other end said we sounded like we were on a land line.

Data Connectivity

Name something you’d like to see in a mobile device… HSDPA? Wi-Fi? GPS? The X1 has all of it. T-Mobile USA lovers will also be overjoyed at the fact that an AWS 1700MHz version is coming. Our unit had the 850MHz/1900MHz US 3G bands so we were rockin’ over HSDPA just fine. In fact, web browsing was abnormally fast. We didn’t find much of a difference between browsing over Wi-Fi or HSDPA. That’s probably due to the bottleneck of the phone in general, but it was a pleasant surprise.

Build quality

Another winner for Sony Ericsson. While the device isn’t the lightest phone on the market, we think it’s build quality is almost second-to-none. Maybe even iPhone status. It’s just so sturdy and well put together. We have to give HTC some mad props on this one. Could you please try and incorporate some of this newfound metal addition into some of your devices HTC? Please. The sliding mechanism was fantastic even though the device isn’t a normal “flat” slider. Major points for build quality.

Usability factor

This could be subjective depending on your view of Windows Mobile, but we found the X1 to be on par or better than any Windows Mobile device we’ve used. Baring the keyboard issue, (see below) there wasn’t anything that hindered us from taking full advantage of the device. When closed, the device gives you access to all necessary shortcuts on the bottom front of the unit. Slide it open and you’ve got access to everything you could want. People have wrote us and asked about how it is to use the phone when the QWERTY keyboard doesn’t have directional keys, but they’ve overlooked something — the optical joystick. This works wonderfully well and doesn’t have a learning curve. It’s a natural extension of what we’ve been forced to use in the past. There was a “cursor” menu in settings but no cursor showed up on the screen. You also have full control over the sensitivity of the optical joystick. Making phone calls was comfortable and we didn’t have any issues with people hearing us or us hearing them.

Keyboard

The keyboard is a sensitive area for many people. Anyone who follows us know we take it very seriously — we put them all through the ringer! So, it pains us to report, that at least with our particular unit, the keyboard wasn’t great. It didn’t take time to get used to it, it just didnt perform like the way we had hoped. The reason is because the keys almost are completely flush with the case and don’t give good tactile feedback when pressed. Odly enough, the spacebar was actually ok. It faired the best out of all of them. We understand why there really is no travel in the keys — there is a huge sliding mechanism right over them — but we would have liked to see a little more feedback when typing. They have this triangular pattern on top which does make it easy to feel them, but you don’t get a good response when actually pressing them down. The backlight on the QWERTY ‘board successfully helped us find the keys when it was nightime, but that still didn’t help when typing. We said this before, but if we had to compare the keyboard to anything, it would be Sony’s UX-series computers. It’s the same exact thing.

Samsung Omnia SCH-i910

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:06:00 +0000

The Samsung Omnia is the latest in Samsung's TouchWIZ phones for the global market, and also the most advanced

“The Window-Mobile 6.1 Samsung Omnia SCH-i910 is the best Verizon phone we’ve seen for photos, video recording, and Web browsing.”

However, it looks like there are some cons:

“Frustrating touch screen and accelerometer. No standard headphone jack. Video playback can be jerky”

I witnessed some of those frustrations myself when I played with the Omnia at the PDC. The concept is cool and the display is awesome but the overall performance was sluggish. Not sure if I’m a fan of widgets either…

The Samsung Omnia is the latest in Samsung's TouchWIZ phones for the global market, and also the most advanced, as that TouchWIZ interface here runs atop Windows Mobile 6.1 instead of a standard carrier OS. This idea of creating an overlay to improve Windows Mobile is all the rage right now, but instead of making things easier, the Samsung Omnia is more confusing and difficult to use. There are a few things this phone does well, including DivX movie playback and Web browsing, courtesy of Opera. But for the most part, there are better all-touch smartphone options for Verizon Wireless. All in all, we think the concept of TouchWIZ on multimedia phones works better than using the widget-based UI to turn a Windows Mobile phone into a multimedia powerhouse. There's no doubt about its potential, but eventually the overall experience left us feeling seriously annoyed

"The i900 is packed full of top-end features and presented to the user in a very good package...its specification is superior.(to the iPhone) My money would certainly go onto the i900 rather than the 3G iPhone."

The Omnia is a Windows Mobile 6.1 phone, so at the basic level, you know what you're getting. The difference between it and basically every other WinMo 6.1 phone lies in the TouchWiz UIcing that's been slathered on top, and the hardware. If you're doing a double-take after peeking Sammy's Behold for T-Mobile, we wouldn't blame you—the Omnia is kinda like the smartphone version of the Behold, since it's got an almost identical industrial design, the same TouchWiz UI and a 5MP camera.

Pros: Good Opera Web browser with cool 'upshifted' navigation. Fine camera with auto focus and loads of pixels.

Cons: TouchWIZ experience disappoints when running atop Windows Mobile. Confusing redundancies in the interface.

Apple Iphone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:21:00 +0000

Features

Introducing iPhone 3G. With fast 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping, support for enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more features at your fingertips. And like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one � a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser. iPhone 3G.

Specification

Display

3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen Multi-Touch display
480-by-320-pixel resolution at 163 ppi
Support for display of multiple languages and characters simultaneously

Audio

Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
Audio formats supported: AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV
User-configurable maximum volume limit

Video

Video formats supported: H.264 video, up to 1.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Low-Complexity version of the H.264 Baseline Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; H.264 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.0 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats; MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats

Headphones

Stereo earphones with built-in microphone
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz
Impedance: 32 ohms

Camera and photos

2.0 megapixels Camera located on back of iPhone.
Photo geotagging
iPhone and third-party application integration

Sensors

Accelerometer
Proximity sensor
Ambient light sensor

Capacity

Cellular and wireless

UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR

GPS

Assisted GPS

Mac system requirements

Mac computer with USB 2.0 port
Mac OS X v10.4.10 or later
iTunes 7.7 or later

Windows system requirements

PC with USB 2.0 port
Windows Vista; or Windows XP Home or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later
iTunes 7.7 or later

Environmental requirements

Operating temperature: 32 to 95 F (0 to 35 C)
Nonoperating temperature: -4 to 113 F (-20 to 45 C)
Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet (3000 m)

Power and battery

Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery3
Charging via USB to computer system or power adapter

Talk time

Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 10 hours on 2G
Standby time: Up to 300 hours

Internet use

Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 6 hours on Wi-Fi7

Audio / Video Time

Video playback: Up to 7 hours8
Audio playback: Up to 24 hours9

Physical Description

Size and weight

Height: 4.5 inches (115.5 mm)
Width: 2.4 inches (62.1 mm)
Depth: 0.48 inch (12.3 mm)
Weight: 4.7 ounces (133 grams)

Specifications

Color Display	Yes
Resolution	480 x 320
Frequency Band	850/900/1800/1900
Internal Memory	8GB
Expandable Memory	No
Infrared	No
Bluetooth	Yes
GPRS	Yes
Camera Phone	Yes
Dual Camera	No
Camera Pixel	2.0
Video Recorder	Yes
MP3 Player	Yes
FM Radio	No
MMS	Yes
WLAN/ Wi-Fi	Yes
Web Browser	Yes
3G	Yes
USB	Yes
Handsfree Speaker	Yes
Talk Time	Up to 10 h
Standby Time	Up to 300 h
Dimension	115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 mm
Weight	133 g
EDGE	Yes
Touch Screen	Yes
Full Keyboard	No
Camera Flash	No
GPS	Yes

Motorola RAZR V3i Cellular Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Talking about innovative and creativity, Motorola is definitely not that good if compared to Samsung and LG. Nevertheless, Motorola knows how to make money for sure. With the sales of Motorola RAZR-series flip phones surpass 50 millions units, Motorola still want to push the sales to a higher mark by releasing different colors and versions of Motorola RAZR cellular phone. Although we have already reported about the leaked photos of the second-generation Motorola RAZR cellular phone - Motorola Canary or Motorola KRZR, Motorola still wants to extract every single possible penny from consumers with the first generation of Motorola RAZR cellular phone. How? After we have seen the limited gold edition of Motorola RAZR cellular phone, now Motorola is going to release the “Lime” edition of record-breaking Motorola RAZR flip phone in Korea. I definitely agrees that the lime color definitely creates a new fresh look of Motorola RAZR that I surprise me a lot, but talking about innovative and creativity, I absolutely think that Motorola should push her engineers and designers to work harder to compete with LG chocolates phones and Samsung cellular phones that we have reported in the past 2 weeks.

Motorola RAZR V3i Gold Edition Cellular Phone [More Pictures at : Motorola RAZR V3i Gold Cellular Phone]

Motorola RAZR V3i Lime Edition Cellular Phone

More Pictures at Next Pages

Sony Ericsson HBH-PV-715 / 720 / 740 Bluetooth headsets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:24:00 +0000

Sony Ericsson - the brains behind Bluetooth, however self-centered that may sound - is planning to announce three awesome-looking Bluetooth headsets on the 17th this month. These three all offer superior battery life and - in my opinion - look very slick.

They’ve all got some features in common. These are up to 800 hours of battery life in standby mode (that’s over a month of battery life!) or up to 11 hours of talk, auto-pairing, digital noise reduction (DSP), auto volume-leveling, removable ear-hooks, as well as Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rates (EDR) for a faster and more stable connection.

HBH-PV-715 seems to be the cheapest of the three, and is - once again, in my opinion - the better looking of the bunch as well. It’ll come in either the pictured white trimming or a black one.

HBH-PV-720 is the headset for the more sophisicated and fashionable of us. You can personalize its look with StyleUp covers, and it comes with a pouch and a silver necklace.

HBH-PV-740 is the professional headset for the business man or woman. It’s the only one of the headsets to feature a status display, and it’s the only one to come with a headset desk stand and USB charger. Apart from that, you also get the silver necklace with the HBH-PV-740.

No word on availablity or price on these ones, although the price will probably be in the range of £60 - £100

The second-gen iPhone: 3G, GPS, only slightly thicker

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:16:00 +0000

So we've got it on authority that the second-gen iPhone is already well into testing, and numerous units are floating around in super secret pockets. A trusted source got a chance to check one out, here's what we've heard.

The first thing people will notice: the 2nd gen iPhone will be about the same size and shape as the first gen.
It will, of course, have 3G. And proper GPS!
The most noticeable physical difference is back of the phone is no longer metal -- the whole thing is glossy black, from top to bottom. The volume buttons are now chrome.
Because it's got a little less metal to deal with, it doesn't have quite as many angular edges. The battery is (still) not removable.
The phone itself will be slightly thicker than the first gen device.
The headphone jack will no longer be recessed, and will finally be flush with the body.
The device itself uses roughly the same size and resolution screen as the first generation product.
No solid word on battery life or storage capacity.

It could ship (or be introduced) as early as July -- but it's worth noting that none of this is necessarily finalized, and any of it could change between now and its introduction. You really never know with Apple!

Apple announces cheaper 3G iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:12:00 +0000

Steve Jobs unveils the price and features of the 3G iPhone

Apple has unveiled a second generation of its iPhone, with support for faster 3G wireless networks.

The company is hoping to boost its share of the smartphone market, which is dominated by Nokia and Blackberry.

The new devices were launched by Apple boss Steve Jobs who said the phone would be "more affordable" for consumers, starting at $199 (£100).

The new iPhone also comes with GPS satellite navigation built in for location-based services.

The iPhone was first launched last year and was criticised for its support for slower 2G networks only.

Mr Jobs said the 3G iPhone was "three times faster" downloading content over a mobile network compared to the original device.

Analyst John Delaney, research director for consumer mobile at IDC, said the iPhone 3G was disappointing.

They are going for volume. But they have got a big mountain to climb outside of the US

Analyst John Delaney

"To me it's more about what they didn't say, than what they did. Everyone knew it would be 3G and have GPS."

Apple has a 20% share of the US smartphone market, but only 5% worldwide.

Rival manufacturers

Rival handset manufacturers have also been designing devices which assume the iPhone's mantle as the "most desirable phone on the market", including Nokia's N96 and the Blackberry Thunder.

Google's Android platform will also hit mobile phones later this year, adding yet more competition to the high-end consumer smartphone market.

The big talk in the corridors of the Moscone Centre was about the new lower cost of the device.

BBC Technology reporter Maggie Shiels

Hands on with iPhone 3G

Apple has sold more than six million iPhones since the device debuted in the US in June last year and the firm says it is on course to sell 10 million by the end of 2008.

Mr Jobs said the cost of the original iPhone was the "number one reason" that people had not bought one of the devices.

Mr Jobs said "The iPhone started at $599. It now sells at $399. We want to make it even more affordable."

The cheapest 8GB iPhone 3G will sell for $199, while a second model with 16GB of storage will sell for $299.

Mr Jobs pledged that the $199 price would be the same across many countries.

The 3G iPhone will be released on 11 July

The new iPhones will be launched on 11 July in 22 countries, including the UK.

In the UK, mobile network O2 said the iPhone would be available for free on some contracts, starting at £45 a month.

The carrier said the phone would also be available to pay as you go customers but it did not disclose pricing for calls and data.

Reaction to the new 3G iPhone from developers and media at the conference in San Francisco was broadly positive, said BBC technology reporter Maggie Shiels.

Henry Kannapek told BBC News that the $199 price tag would be hard to resist when the phone hit the shops.

"It's tremendous. It's an incredible price. It's the best mobile device I have ever seen. I've got some cheap cell phones and I want to buy one of these."

Developer Chris Cooksey of Wimba said Apple would score big with such a low price point.

"It's a great price. They have made huge improvements to the phone and the fact that you can do third party applications rules."

Mobile developer Robert F. Farnum, of Boingo.com, told BBC News he was all set to splash out on the new device for his family.

'Pretty excited'

"I've got six people in my family that need to get one so I just sent them all e-mails saying they have to buy it. The price just blew me away and the software is amazing. It is the best phone on the market."

Michael Arrington, of the influential blog TechCrunch, said: "I was pretty excited by what I saw but I was hoping for a thinner model and a front-facing camera. But I think with the 3G speed and the price point it looks like a winner."

Analyst John Delaney said: "The fact it's cheaper is interesting. But how is it going to be cheaper?

"If Apple is doing it by cutting the retail price, it will drastically hit their margins if they sell volume.

"If the lower price is through operator subsidy, they are becoming a bit more humble. But that's not clear at this stage.

"Either way, they are going for volume. But they have got a big mountain to climb outside of the US."

iPhone 3G

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:05:00 +0000

Phone, iPod, Internet, and more.

Introducing iPhone 3G. With fast 3G wireless technology, GPS mapping, support for enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store, iPhone 3G puts even more features at your fingertips. And like the original iPhone, it combines three products in one — a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser. iPhone 3G. It redefines what a mobile phone can do — again.

Phone

Make a call by tapping a name or send a text with the intelligent keyboard.

iPod

Enjoy music and video on a widescreen display and shop for music with a tap.

Internet

Browse the real web, get HTML email, and find yourself with GPS maps.

What’s new on iPhone 3G

3G Speed

Surf the web and download email over fast 3G cellular networks.

App Store

Get ready to browse and download innovative applications for iPhone.

Maps with GPS

Find your location, get directions, and track progress along your route.

iPhone in Enterprise

Get push email, calendar, and contacts with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

More Features

Take a look at additional iPhone features including:

More Languages

For its worldwide release, iPhone 3G adds more language support. View languages

Language Support

Language support for:

English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish

International keyboard support for:

English (U.S.), English (UK), French (France), French (Canada), German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal), Portuguese (Brazil), Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Russian, and Polish

High Technology

Some features and services are not available in all areas. See your carrier for details.

Nokia N78 multimedia mobile phone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 May 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Nokia N78 multimedia mobile phone : During the Mobile World Congress, held in Barcelona, Spain, many manufacturers have announced their 2008 mobile phone portfolio. Of course Nokia was one of them. One of the newly released mobile phones is the Nokia N78 multimedia computer. The Nokia N78 combines music, navigation and photography with the benefits of mobility. The Nokia N78 mobile phone is designed to take advantage of the new suite of Nokia services, including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, and Share on Ovi - a new online service that enables consumers to share their personal media. The Nokia N78 is expected to start shipping during the second quarter of 2008, with an estimated retail price of 350 euros, before taxes.

Nokia N78 multimedia phone - Integrated A-GPS
The Nokia N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD memory card, currently available at up to 8 GB, to store favourite music and media. The novelties of the N78 are geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.

Nokia N78 phone - Mobile multimedia experience
"The Nokia N78 truly lives up to the Nseries promise of delivering unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences with the very latest technologies and services," says Jonas Geust, who oversees Nokia's Nseries devices. "The Nokia N78 empowers people to explore their passions, enjoy their favourite music and share their experiences with others and is set to continue the range of well-balanced Nseries devices such as the successful Nokia N73."

N78 Nokia cell phone - Geotagging & Internet
Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and 3.2 megapixel camera, the Nokia N78 introduces the increasingly popular online practice of 'geotagging' to a Nokia device. The Nokia N78 automatically tags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the device itself, or online. With its high-speed internet connectivity, over WLAN or HSDPA, uploading photos and videos to online communities like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube is a single key stroke away.

Nokia N78 mobile phone - Price & Availability
Music remains a core feature of the Nokia N78 and Nokia's range of Nseries multimedia computers. In addition to the up to 8GB of memory, internal speakers and support for standard 3.5mm headphones, the Nokia N78 also comes with Nokia Internet Radio, giving instant access to thousands of radio stations around the world. The Nokia N78 is expected to start shipping during the second quarter of 2008, with an estimated retail price of approximately 350 euros, before taxes.

Nokia Booth at Mobile World Congress

source:letsgodigital.org

The New Nokia 6300 Black is now available

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 May 2008 05:14:00 +0000

Nokia 6300 now available in all black

Nokia 6300 is certainly one of the Finish giant's best selling device, so it doesn't surprises to see them releasing it in another color. The black is good, the black is safe and I know a few people who wouldn't buy the 6300 because it isn't black.

To those people - how about now? You didn't wanted the smartphone — despite me spending tons of time arguing for the "smart" way to go — do you want this? Yeah, you do want it. It's not expensive like those 8xxx Nokia models, yet it's quite cool.

Apple iPhone 8GB gets a price cut in UK

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:52:00 +0000

The highly controversial Apple iPhone is finally getting a more reasonable price of GBP 169 instead of the original GBP 269. O2 UK and Carphone Warehouse who exclusively sell the iPhone in UK will be also giving GBP 100 vouchers to customers who have bought the iPhone in the last 30 days.

The new price cut of GBP 100 (valid as of today) actually makes the European version of the iPhone less expensive than the US counterpart - the price tag pf GBP 169 translates into something roughly around $330, while the US 8GB version still costs $399 before taxes.

The price drop actually makes us wonder whether O2 UK is having problems with selling their legit iPhones. Nevertheless, it's not sure whether this step will tame the black market of unlocked iPhones imported from the USA. After all, to get an O2 iPhone you have to sign a long-term contract with O2.

While the iPhone 8GB gets its numbers slashed, the price of the 16GB iPhone version remains unchanged at GBP 329.

This move from O2 opens doors to even more rumors about the expected announcement of a 3G iPhone in June 2008. The new 3G iPhone is rumored to even boast a 32GB version. We are yet to see about that though.

source:gsmarena.com

VAIO® UX Micro PC - Premium Model

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:54:00 +0000

Specifications:
Intel Core™ 2 Solo processor U2200 (1.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Business

Series Features: Ultra-portable micro PC, 2 built-in cameras, wireless WAN, Bluetooth® technology
Upgrade Features: 48GB Solid State Drive for faster performance, large capacity battery and Bluetooth® GPS receiver

Free case included.

In stock. Estimated ship date: 03/13/2008.

Return to Previous View

VAIO® UX Micro PC - Premium Model

Intel Core™ 2 Solo processor U2200 (1.2GHz, 2MB L2 cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Business

Series Features: Ultra-portable micro PC, 2 built-in cameras, wireless WAN, Bluetooth® technology
Upgrade Features: 48GB Solid State Drive for faster performance, large capacity battery and Bluetooth® GPS receiver

Free case included.

A lightning-fast, full-functioning PC that fits in your pocket, this astoundingly compact device puts world-class computing in the palm of your hand. Featuring a cutting-edge, 48GB Solid State Drive and three to seven hours of battery life with a large capacity battery, the VAIO® UX Premium Micro PC is small enough to fit in your pocket and powerful enough to tackle the most complicated tasks. An Intel® Core™ 2 Solo ULV processor and a Windows Vista® Business operating system make the VAIO® UX a perfect fit in today's mobile computing landscape where power and portability are essential. And with advanced wireless technologies to keep you connected and a bundled Bluetooth® GPS receiver to keep you on course when traveling, you?ll be able go farther and do more than you could imagine.

Full-sized PC performance

Intel® Core™ 2 Solo Processor¹⁴ U2200 Ultra Low Voltage (1.2GHz¹) Genuine Windows Vista® Business¹⁶ operating system The VAIO® UX Premium takes Micro PC modernization to a new level by utilizing a 48GB² Solid State Drive (SSD) in place of the typical spinning hard disk drive found in most PCs. AT&T national wireless EDGE network¹³ to extend your wireless coverage beyond LAN access networks and hotspots³

Ultra-portable Micro PC

Enjoy such features as the slide-up LCD with two cameras, the dedicated control buttons placed within easy reach along the vertical thumb rests and the cleverly designed full QWERTY keyboard embedded in the UX Premium’s curved hand-held form factor. The UX features an integrated biometrics fingerprint sensor, which is a convenient and secure way to protect your computer and the information on it with a simple swipe of your finger. To make sure you have the power you need to stay productive when traveling, as well as to keep you from losing your way, we’ve bundled the UX490N Micro PC with a large capacity battery and a Bluetooth® GPS receiver.

Warranty

Warranty (PDF, 16.7MB)

Product Specifications

Product Warranty

Click here to view Warranty Information

Computer Type

Micro PC

Type of Use

Ultra Portable

Action Buttons

Mouse Left, Mouse Right, Scroll, Magnify Screen (Zoom In/Out), Capture, Center Button, Wireless LAN On/Off, VAIO Touch Launcher

Pointing Device

Pointer

Security

Biometric Fingerprint Sensor

Keyboard

64 keys with 0.15mm stroke and 8.6mm pitch

Camera

2 Built-in Cameras (front: 0.3M pixels and back: 1.3M pixels) Built-in microphone

Type

Intel® Core™ 2 Solo Processor U2200 Ultra Low Voltage

Speed

1.2GHz¹

Front Side Bus Speed

533MHz

L2 Cache

Technology

Intel® Centrino® Mobile Technology

Type

DDR2

Installed

1GB (1GBx1) PC2-3200

Maximum

Speed

400MHz

Capacity

48GB²

Capacity

Ultra ATA Format: NAND

Screen or Display Technology

Wide SVGA LCD, Touch Screen

Screen Size

4.5”¹¹

Resolution

1024x600

Sound System

Windows® sound system compatible with Built-in monaural speakers

Processor

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950

Video RAM

251MB Total Available Graphics Memory¹⁵

Chipset

Mobile Intel® 945GMS Express Chipset

Headphone Jack

Memory Stick® Media Slot

1 - Supports Optional Memory Stick Duo™ media with MagicGate® functionality

Microphone Input

Port Replicator Connector(s)

1 (Bottom)

USB Port(s)

1 (2.0 compliant)

DC-In

Ethernet Protocol

Fast Ethernet (RJ-45) using Port Replicator or VGA/LAN Adapter

Ethernet Speed

10Base-T/100Base-TX

Wireless LAN

Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (802.11a/b/g)³

Wireless WAN

Integrated Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN)¹³ accessing AT&T national wireless EDGE network with SmartWi™ technology. (Wireless WAN and Wireless LAN radio do not transmit simultaneously)

Bluetooth® Technology

Integrated Bluetooth® Technology⁵

Battery Type

Standard Capacity Lithium-ion Battery (VGP-BPS6)

Estimated Battery Life

1.5-3.5 hours⁷ (Standard Battery) 3.0-7.0 hours⁷ (Large Capacity Battery)

Power Requirements

41W+10%

Operating System

Genuine Windows Vista® Business¹²

Security and Anti-Virus Software

Norton 360™ All-In-One Security 60-day Trial

Supplied Software

Microsoft® Works SE 9.0 w/ 60-Day, Trial Version of Microsoft® Office 2007¹⁰ Microsoft® Streets & Trips 2006 Essentials PenPlus™ for VAIO

Sony® Original Software

VAIO® Touch Launcher *Please access VAIO® Help and Support from your PC for a complete list of software applications and trials.

Limited Warranty

1 Year Limited Warranty⁸, See actual warranty for details.

Telephone Support

1 year (toll-free technical telephone assistance, available 24/7)⁹

Online and Email Support

Support available from http://www.esupport.sony.com/EN/VAIO

Weight (Approx.)

1.2 lbs with standard battery¹⁶

Dimensions (Approx.)

5.91”(W) x 3.74”(H) x 1.27-1.50”(D)¹⁶

Accessories Supplied

Standard Lithium-ion battery (VGP-BPS6)
Large Capacity Battery (VGP-BPL6)
Bluetooth® GPS Receiver (VGP-BGU1)
Cingular SIM Card
AC Adapter (VGP-AC16V7)
Port Replicator (VGP-PRUX1) - 1 4-pin i.LINK® interface⁶, 3 USB 2.0, Ethernet, VGA-Out, A/V-out and DC-in
Soft Carrying Case
Power Cord
Stylus
VGA/LAN Adapter - Ethernet, VGA-Out and A/V-Out
Strap
Detachable Stand
2 Additional Stick Pointer Caps

Computer Interface: The computer industry lacks standards, and therefore, there are a multitude of varying software packages and add-on hardware options. This personal computer is not manufactured to operate any specific software, and Sony does not and cannot make any warranty or representation with respect to the performance of this product with any particular software packages and/or non-Sony add-on hardware options except those mentioned in this document. Sony hereby disclaims any representations or warranty that this product is compatible with any combination of products you may choose to connect. While Sony representatives or Sony authorized dealers may be able to assist you and may make recommendations, they are NOT authorized to vary or waive this disclaimer. Purchasers must determine for themselves the suitability and compatibility of the hardware and software in each and every particular instance. Software titles pre-installed on the Sony Notebook Computer are subject to change without notice. Simulated graphic shown on display. Pre-installed software may not be identical to retail versions or have all documentation. This product meets the standards of the International Energy Star Program for energy efficiency. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Lamp in this product contains mercury. Disposal of these materials may be regulated due to environmental considerations. For disposal or recycling information, please contact your local authorities or the Electronic Industries Alliance (www.eiae.org).
©2007 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony, Sony logo, i.LINK, Memory Stick Duo, VAIO, VAIO logo, XBRITE, SmartWi, MagicGate and like.no.other are trademarks of Sony. Intel and Centrino are registered trademarks and Core is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft, Windows Vista, and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Cingular Wireless is a registered trademark of Cingular Wireless LLC 2005. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.
Printed in U.S.A. 09/07.

VAIO^® UX Micro PC

Portability

Ultra Portable Micro PC
The VAIO^® UX Micro PC puts the world in your pocket and at your fingertips. It's so small and lightweight you won't believe it's a full-functioning PC. This remarkably compact dynamo is designed for true PC performance on-the-go. A 4.5" widescreen display⁵ with XBRITE™ LCD technology delivers a clean, crisp viewing surface while an Intel^® Core™ Solo Ultra Low Voltage processor and Windows Vista ™ Business operating system provide the PC usage experience you're used to.

Easy to Use
Because the VAIO^® UX Micro PC is a full-functioning PC using Windows Vista™ Business, application user interfaces are familiar and easy to use - you get full access to all your electronic documents, including the Internet and e-mail with attachments⁶ Advanced wireless capabilities⁶, are built right in, and expansion is a breeze with the included port replicator.

Superior Widescreen Display
The VAIO^® UX Micro PC comes with a high-density 4.5" widescreen SVGA display⁵ with Sony's original XBRITE™ technology, providing brilliant colors, sharp contrast, and crisp images, as well as the durability required to support the unit's touch-panel functionality. And with the anti-reflective coating to minimize reflection, you're assured an exceptionally clear image from almost any viewing angle.

Portable Entertainment PC

Take your tunes to-go
In addition to being a portable PC, the VAIO^® UX Micro PC can also serve as your MP3 player, with the ability to download, hold and playback thousands of your favorite songs.

Two built-in cameras (yes, two)
Two built-in digital cameras are strategically implemented into the VAIO UX Micro PC, letting you capture, store, and share digital photos or even take part in live video chats⁶. And since the VAIO UX is capable of displaying in both landscape and portrait formats, you'll view and enjoy your media in the orientation of your choice.

VAIO UX Premium Micro PC
Premium models of the VAIO UX Micro PC feature a sleek black form factor and cutting-edge flash memory. Faster and more reliable, flash memory provides quicker access to applications and a rapid boot-up while improving battery life.

Faster
The integration of flash memory reduces the time it takes for your PC to power up, access programs, and write data to the hard drive so you can operate multiple applications simultaneously and efficiently

Next-generation Solid State Drive technology for VAIO® notebooks
Take performance to a new level by utilizing a Solid State Drive (SSD) in place of the typical spinning hard disk drive found in most PCs. Faster and more durable, the SSD provides a rapid boot-up and can launch applications at approximately two to three times the speed of a hard disk drive. Learn more (doc 27KB)
Solid State Drive benefits (pdf 391KB)

More Reliable
Data is written to stationary flash memory instead of a volatile rotating hard disk so you have less risk of hardware problems when you're on the move.

More Efficient
Since flash memory doesn't need the energy to rotate a hard disk, it takes much less power to operate, thereby conserving battery life.

Communications

Communications on the go
The VAIO^® Professional UX Micro PC is communications-ready, with integrated camera and built-in microphone and speakers, so you’re equipped to communicate via VoIP⁶ virtually anywhere WLAN² or WWAN¹ service is available.

Wireless Beyond Hotspots
Forget searching the road for hotspots and internet hook-ups, because with the VAIO^® UX Micro PC you don't need a hotspot to stay connected. With integrated wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) technology¹ and a subscription to the Cingular Wireless national EDGE network, you can extend your wireless coverage well beyond the restrictions of LAN access² networks and hotspots.

Wireless LAN Technology²
The VAIO^® UX Micro PC features integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN² technology, enabling easy access to your existing home or office wireless network and local hotspots without the need for additional hardware or network cards.

Bluetooth^® Technology³
The VAIO^® Professional UX Micro PC features integrated Bluetooth^® technology³ for effortless communication with Bluetooth-enabled optional devices, such as PDAs, wireless headsets, and GPS receiver, without the need for additional hardware or software.

SmartWi™ technology
Sony's original SmartWi™ technology seamlessly manages wireless Wide Area Network (WAN)1, 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN², and Bluetooth^® technologies³. Now you can quickly and easily toggle among your wireless connectivity options - wireless LAN² for home, office, and hotspots; Bluetooth^® technology² for peripherals; and wireless WAN1 for access to the Cingular Wireless EDGE network, when you're traveling outside the reach of LAN² access networks and hotspots.

Easy to Use

Ingeniously compact design
The VAIO^® UX Micro PC is truly an achievement in design, incorporating years of Sony engineering expertise. Knowing the VAIO^® UX Micro PC needed to be remarkably compact but also effortless to use, Sony engineers created a host of ergonomic and functional features designed specifically to make using the UX Micro PC easy and fun.

Keyboard, stylus, and fingerprint sensor
An integrated keyboard and stylus allow you to choose the input method you prefer. VAIO^® Touch Launcher and Instant Command enable quick and easy program access, and the biometric fingerprint sensor stores your passwords so you can access applications and secure web sites without having to type them.

Zoom, scroll, point
The UX Micro PC really makes smart use of all its display space. With control buttons for zooming, scrolling, and a stick pointer, as well as the ability to view in either landscape or portrait orientations, you'll be able to view documents, applications, and media in the most appropriate way.

Security

Integrated Biometric Fingerprint Sensor
Security is a top priority with the VAIO^® UX Micro PC. All UX Micro PCs feature an integrated biometrics fingerprint sensor, ensuring personal security and the convenience of not having to remember your passwords.

G-Sensor™ HDD Shock Protection
Intelligent hard disk drive protection is yet another layer of engineering intelligence safeguarding your hard disk drive and the data on it against loss or damage. When the built-in 3D acceleration sensor detects a risky movement, the HDD-head will lock up to secure its position and protect the disc from scratching. An intelligent algorithm unique to VAIO^® PCs judges whether or not a movement is risky, activating disk drive protection only when your hardware is at risk.

Convenient Expansion

Lots of slots
In addition to the single USB 2.0 port, Memory Stick Duo™ slot, and headphone and microphone inputs on the main unit, the VAIO^® UX Micro PC comes with a VGA adapter and port replicator for convenient expansion. The port replicator includes three USB 2.0 ports, i. LINK^®⁴, VGA, AV-out, Ethernet, and DC-in, and the VGA adapter includes ports for VGA, Ethernet, and AV-out.

GPS Navigation
The VAIO^® UX Micro PC includes Microsoft^® Streets & Trips GPS application pre-installed. Using the optional Bluetooth^® GPS receiver and integrated wireless communications6, your UX Micro PC can perform as a portable navigation assistant.

¹ Subscription with Cingular Wireless required. See www.sony.com/cingular for complete offer details, price plans, service terms and conditions, and coverage map. Call 1-888-739-VAIO (8246) for service activation.

² Requires 802.11a or 802.11b or 802.11g compatible access point. Some functionality may require Internet services which may require a fee.

³ Interoperability among Bluetooth^® devices varies.

⁴ i.LINK is a trademark of Sony used only to designate that a product contains an IEEE 1394 connector. All products with an i.LINK connector may not communicate with each other.

⁵ Viewable area measured diagonally.

⁶ Broadband Internet service required along with third-party services which may require a subscription fee or other service fee.

© 2007 Sony Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Screen images simulated. Sony, VAIO, G-Sensor, XBRITE, SmartWi, Memory Stick Duo, i.LINK are trademarks of Sony. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Intel is a registered trademark and Core is a trademark of Intel. Also add Cingular trademark disclaimer here. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Wiki boss 'edited for donation'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:39:00 +0000

Jimmy Wales founded Wikipedia Photo: Gus Freedman

Wikipedia creator Jimmy Wales has been accused of agreeing to edit a page on the online encyclopaedia in exchange for a donation.

Former Novell chief scientist Jeffrey Merkey says he donated $5,000 to the Wikimedia Foundation in exchange for changes to his Wikipedia entry.

Mr Merkey says Mr Wales agreed to "use his influence" to remove libellous remarks in the entry.

In response, Mr Wales has called the allegations "nonsense".

The edit history of the page does show changes made by Jimmy Wales and that the page was "protected", so that no further edits can be made by the public.

Jay Walsh, a spokesman for Wikipedia, told the Daily Telegraph that the allegation was "absolutely false" .

"Jimmy never made this offer, and of course this is a practice the Wikipedia Foundation would never condone," he told the newspaper.

Writing on a Wikimedia mailing list Mr Merkey reprinted a statement he said he had released to the Association Press news agency.

It said: "Wales agreed that in exchange for a substantial donation and other financial support of the Wikimedia Foundation projects, Wales would use his influence to make Merkey's article adhere to Wikipedia's stated policies with regard to internet libel "as a courtesy" and place Merkey under his "special protection" as an editor."

Mr Wales responded on the mailing list: "Of course I would never offer, nor accept any offer, whereby a donation would buy someone special editorial treatment in the encyclopaedia."

He said he had routinely helped people whose Wikipedia entry contained false or damaging information, adding: "Donations have no bearing on that at all."

Mr Wales added: "I encourage anyone who is tempted to believe this story to consider the source."

The Wikimedia Foundation describes itself as a "non-profit charitable organization dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free, multilingual content."

The foundation operates Wikipedia, one of the most popular websites in the world.

source:bbc.co.uk

Worlds Most Expensive Cell Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:49:00 +0000

The most sure-fire way to get the attention of tech blogs everywhere is to declare your device "the most ____ ____ ever" or "the smallest _____ ever," even if the claim is questionable at best. But if you can get your claim verified by the 'Guinness Book of World Records,' you're likely to get a bit less cynicism about your product.

So a tip of the hat to GoldVish, a Swiss company that has designed the Guinness-certified most expensive cell phone in the world. The $1.2 million 'LeMillion' cell phone is cast in 18k white gold and encrusted with 120 carats of diamonds. Otherwise, the 'LeMillion' is a perfectly unexceptional feature phone. Bluetooth, 2-gigabytes of storage, MP3 playback, an FM radio, and, of course, a digital camera.

Check out the gallery for some more absurdly priced (and often gaudy) handsets.

Just like car, there are more and more luxury cellular phones in the market. The latest that we found is the cellular phone that looks very like LG chocolate phones, but isn’t manufactured by LG, in fact, this cellular phone is manufacturer by a Swedish company. Before that, we have reported about the ranking of world’s most expensive cellular phones, and this time, we definitely how to add this smartphone into the ranking as this cellular phone will be sold for 300 thousands US dollars!

The New Nokia N96 Symbian Slider SmartPhone Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:28:00 +0000

Nokia N96 Review

Nokia N96 is the latest Nseries devices released by Nokia. It can be considered as a successor of the Nokia N95 as it shares many features with the Nokia N95. The nokia N96 however focusses more on TV and Video capabilities.

Rafe of AllAboutSymbian has recently posted an detailed review of the Nokia N96. Here are a few important points:

General Design and Hardware

The N96’s overall design and styling is very similar to that of the N81, but there are elements of the N95, N82 and N81 in the design too. The overall impression is that of polished, flat surfaces with silver highlights. The N96, at least subjectively, looks and feels like a high end device and this should improve the device’s appeal among style conscious users. At 103 x 55 x 18 mm, the N96 is relatively large, but much of that is necessary to accommodate the large 2.8inch screen. It is marginally longer and wider than the N95, but very slightly thinner. The back of the device, which is dominated by the five megapixel camera, uses a similar material to that of the N82 which is less prone to finger prints and has an attractive ridged pattern embedded within it.

Connectivity

Connectivity is comprehensive, with quad band GSM, dual band WCDMA (900/2100) and WiFi, together with Bluetooth and the aforementioned USB for local connectivity. USB performance has been greatly improved on the N96; the current prototype is five times faster than previous Nseries models and Nokia hope to improve this further in the production model. UPnP functionality, used for connecting media device over a home network, has been updated in the N96. The Home network application now offers bi-directional sync with a designated UPnP Media server.

DVB-H - Mobile TV

The lead feature for N96 is the inclusion of DVB-H for receiving mobile TV. DVB-H is a superset of DVB-T technology but is designed for use in mobile and handheld devices. DVB-H is a broadcast (multicast) technology and is able to provide higher quality pictures.

GPS and Nokia Maps 2.0

The N96 will ship with Nokia Maps 2.0, currently in beta, on board. Maps 2.0 brings a number of new features, such as a dedicated pedestrian mode, improved mapping, satellite imagery and revamped city guides.

Multimedia

The N96 has a 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and Carl Zeiss optics; it should produce similar results to other 5 megapixel Nseries devices. Accompanying the camera is a dual LED flash. A Xenon flash, which is the main alternative, might give superior still images in low light conditions, but is unable to provide continuous illumination during video capture.

The N96 has excellent video playback attributes. It supports an array of formats, including H.264 at VGA (640×480) resolutions at 30 frames per second. A notable addition is support for Windows Media Video (version 9) at CIF (352×288). Flash video is also supported, thanks to the inclusion of Flash Lite 3 – its main use will be in the web browser on sites like YouTube.

The standard Nseries Music player and Podcasting applications are present, as is the Nokia Music store.
The usual FM radio is also present, but new is its support for RDS (Radio Data System), which is typically used to display the radio station’s name and the current song or programme name. Nokia’s recently announced Internet radio application, for listening to radio streams via the Internet, is present and is integrated into the multimedia menu. It adds yet another audio/music feature to the N96’s multimedia department and, bitrate permitting, can out perform the FM radio (and doesn’t need an aerial). The usual Nseries audio output options are all present with a choice of 3.5mm audio jack (headphones or TV-out), stereo audio Bluetooth (A2DP/AVRCP) or the integrated stereo speakers.

Software

The N96 runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. The usual suspects, such as Calendar, Messaging and Contacts, are present with some small updates here thanks to Feature Pack 2. Contacts now integrates SIM contacts into the main contacts store, Messaging has a unified editor for SMS and MMS (the phone decides what type to use based on the content of the message). With 128MB of RAM on board, the N96 should have no problems with multi-tasking. In use, the speed of operation was comparable with other recent Nseries devices

Technical

Battery

The N96 has a BL-5F 950 mAh battery – the same as the N95, but a step down from the 1200 mAh battery of the N95 8GB. Nokia said that considerable effort has gone into improving power management and the technical changes mentioned below would support this.

Video and audio performance

The N96’s hardware video acceleration supports H.264 video (previous Nseries used software decoding for this). This results in improved video performance (higher bitrates can now be played back smoothly) and reduces power requirements during playback. This means that the N96 has a longer video playback time than earlier Nseries models. H.264 has other benefits too - it is more efficient than earlier standards (able to achieve good quality video at lower bit rates).

The N96 also has a dedicated DSP (digital signal processing) chip, which gives improved audio performance and uses less power (N96: 12 hours playback; N95: 10 hours). The DSP chip converts audio signals from digital to analog and vice versa.

One area where the lack of 3D graphics acceleration might be relevant is gaming. However, even this is debateable

In considering the chipset and technology in the N96, remember that it is first and foremost a video and mobile TV focussed phone. Thus, Nokia have chosen to use the solution that fits best for the market positioning of this device. While some power users may get agitated over the chipset used in a given device, the reality is that it is the experience for the consumer that really matters, not the technical implementation.

Conclusion

As one of Nokia’s flagship devices, the N96 will deservedly receive a lot of attention from the media and consumers. It is inevitable, thanks to its looks and its model number, that the N96 gets compared to the N95 or is referred to as its successor. However, this is a mistaken attitude – the N96 should, at best, be seen as the video and TV focussed version of the N95. The N96 is to the N95 as the N77 was to the N73 –a sister device.

Check out the complete review here

Nokia has recently announced the successor of Nokia N95, the Nokia N96.

Specifications:

Support for digital television (DVB-H ).
16GB of internal memory + support for Micro SD cards
Support for WMV videos and DivX video
5 MP camera
N-Gage gaming Platform
16GB Internal Memory
Expected Price: 800$
Expected Availablity: 2nd Quarter 2008

Memory trick breaks PC encryption

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 04:59:00 +0000

Because of their portability, laptops are particularly vulnerable

Encrypted information held on a laptop is more vulnerable than previously thought, US research has shown.

Scientists have shown that it is possible to recover the key that unscrambles data from a PC's memory.

It was previously thought that data held in so-called "volatile memory" was only retained for a few seconds after the machine was switched off.

But the team found that data including encryption keys could be held and retrieved for up to several minutes.

"It was widely believed that when you cut the power to the computer that the information in the volatile memory would disappear, and what we found was that was not the case," Professor Edward Felten of the University of Princeton told BBC World Service's Digital Planet programme.

Volatile memory is typically used in random access memory (RAM), which is used as temporary storage for programs and data when the computer is switched on.

Deep sleep

Disc encryption is the main method by which companies and governments protect sensitive information.

"The key to making it work is to keep the encryption key secret," explained Professor Felten.

Encryption has recently become a hot topic after a number of laptops containing personal records were lost or stolen.

Simply locking your screen or switching to 'suspend' or 'hibernate' mode will not provide adequate protection

Edward Felten

"What we have found was that the encryption keys needed to access these encrypted files were available in the memory of laptops," he said.

"The information was available for seconds or minutes."

In theory, this is enough time for a hacker or attacker to retrieve the key from the memory chips.

"The real worry is that someone will get hold of your laptop either while it is turned on or while it is in sleeping or hibernation mode," said Professor Felten.

In these modes the laptop is not running, but information is still stored in RAM to allow it to "wake up" quickly.

"The person will get the laptop, cut the power and then re-attach the power, and by doing that will get access to the contents of memory - including the critical encryption keys."

Cool running

Switching the machine off and on and is critical to any attack.

"When it comes out of sleep mode the operating system is there and it is trying to protect this data," explained Professor Felten.

But a full power-down followed by a swift re-start removes this protection.

"By cutting the power and then bringing it back, the adversary can get rid of the operating system and get access directly to the memory."

Professor Felten and his team found that cooling the laptop enhanced the retention of data in memory chips.

"The information stays in the memory for much longer - 10 minutes or more," he said.

For example, where information stays in a computer for around 15 seconds under normal conditions, a laptop cooled to about -50C will keep information in its memory for 10 minutes or more.

Professor Felten said that the best way to protect a computer was to shut it down fully several minutes before going into any situation in which the machine's physical security could be compromised.

"Simply locking your screen or switching to 'suspend' or 'hibernate' mode will not provide adequate protection," he added.

"It does cast some doubt on the value of encryption. I think that over time the encryption products will adapt to this and they will find new ways of protecting information."

source:bbc.co.uk

CELLPHONES;LAPTOPS;DESKTOPS

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