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Samsung Galaxy Nexus

2012-02-17T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Galaxy Nexus packs an impressive spec sheet, but it is (yet again) the OS which is the device’s main highlight. After all, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is widely expected to put an end to the fragmentation, which currently plagues Google’s mobile platform.

Unlike its Nexus S predecessor, which was essentially a rebranded Samsung Galaxy S, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a completely different device from the current flagship of the company, the I9100 Galaxy S II. The latest Google phone sports a different GPU and chipset, which are, well, not as powerful as those found inside the Galaxy S II.

Here is a quick look at what the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has to offer, along with its main disadvantages.

Key features

Quad-band GSM; penta-band 3G support
HSDPA 21Mbps; HSUPA 5.76Mbps
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS with stock UI
4.65” Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with HD (720 x 1280 pixels) resolution; 16M colors; oleophobic surface
Slim profile at 8.9mm
Dual-core 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 CPU; PowerVR SGX540 GPU; TI OMAP 4460 chipset
16/32GB built-in storage; 1GB RAM
5 MP camera (2592x1936 pixels) with autofocus, LED flash; 1.3MP front-facing unit
1080p video recording @30fps; touch-to-zoom while recording
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
DLNA; Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth 3.0 with ADP
Charging MHL microUSB port with TV-out (1080p) support
GPS receiver with A-GPS support
NFC connectivity
Accelerometer, gyro and proximity sensors; compass; barometer
Back cover made of Hyper Skin material for increased grip
Excellent audio quality

Main disadvantages

Camera resolution is not on par with the rest of the high-end dual-core competition
Below average battery life
Lacks a dedicated camera key
No microSD card slot
No mass-storage mode (some files don't show up in MTP mode)
Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is yet to be fully compatible with all apps from the Android Market
No FM radio

Nokia Asha 300

2012-02-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Nokia Asha 300 may not exactly fit in with today’s standards of newsworthy. With smartphones flexing their muscles at venues like CES, sporting ever-expanding app markets, HD screens and multi-core processors, it’s hard to see how an entry-level offering could produce much of a splash.

If, however, price is a factor, or you simply want a phone that is…well, simple, then the Asha 300 could definitely make some waves in your pool. Part of a new line of phones by Nokia, which feature a revamped S40 interface and 1GHz processor, the Asha 300, and its QWERTY sibling, the Asha 303, aim to cement Nokia's place in a market they have traditionally dominated.

The Touch and Type S40 interface is at once the same yet different from the traditional non-smart UI from Nokia. Combined with an app store and a customizable homescreen, there are definitely elements borrowed from smartphones in an attempt by Nokia to extend the functionality while retaining the simplistic feel of the S40. The faster processor and 128MB of RAM are more than sufficient to run the S40 quickly and without hitches.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Quad-band 3G with 10Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA
Asha S40 Touch and Type platform
2.4" QVGA 256K-color resistive TFT touchscreen
1GHz processor
128MB RAM, 256MB ROM
5 megapixel fixed-focus camera
VGA video recording at 30fps
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Bluetooth v2.1 (with A2DP)
Standard microUSB port (charging enabled)
USB On-The-Go support
microSD card slot (32 GB supported)
3.5mm audio jack
Asha exclusive Angry Birds game

Main disadvantages

No Wi-Fi (as opposed to Asha 303)
No multitasking
Fixed-focus camera
No smart dialing
No video-call camera
Non-hot-swappable memory card

Nokia Asha 200

2012-02-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Nokia's Asha is back for another round of bargain basement action and we find ourselves wondering how much cheaper it can get. Most of the time it makes sense to be skeptical of the lowest bidder but we've found the Finns' budget lineup to be efficient and dependable.

So, cheap it is. And although there're lots of bad ways to be cheap, the Nokia Asha 200 seems to get it right. It's a QWERTY messenger with dual-SIM support. There isn't a whole lot more to it than that - but Nokia are getting ready to sell big. You don't offer eight - repeat, eight - paintjobs unless you anticipate huge demand.

The Nokia Asha 200 is two phones in one and we don't mean the dual SIM support only. The Asha 200 is literally made out of a couple of fairly recent Nokia handsets. And it's pretty obvious which two ended up in the blender. The Nokia X2-01 provided the S40 interface and QWERTY keyboard, while the dual SIM support and colorful bodywork is courtesy of the x1-01.

Key features

Dual-SIM, dual-standby phone, hot swap
Dual-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
QWERTY keyboard
2.4" 256K-color QVGA TFT display
2MP camera
Series 40 UI
Stereo FM radio with RDS, recording
Bluetooth 2.1 (with EDR)
Standard microUSB port
Hot-swappable microSD card slot (32GB supported)
3.5mm audio jack
Good audio quality

Main disadvantages

No Wi-Fi
No 3G
Basic camera
No multitasking
No smart dial
No USB charging

HTC Vivid

2012-01-28T07:08:00.000-08:00

The HTC Vivid is a familiar sight. The smartphone is essentially put together from the parts’ bin of the HTC Sensation 4G and HTC EVO 3D, save for its 4.5“ screen and beefed up built-in memory - it packs a well familiar dual-core CPU, clocked at 1.2GHz and a Snapdragon S3 chipset.

We do suspect that HTC has intentionally omitted features such as an HD screen and a beefed up CPU in order to maintain the flagship status of the Beats Audio sporting, HTC Rezound for Verizon Wireless. Thankfully, the Vivid is priced accordingly as well.

Key features

Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
LTE network compatibility
4.5" capacitive LCD touchscreen with qHD resolution (540 x 960 pixels); Gorilla glass
Android OS v2.3.4 Gingerbread with HTC Sense 3.0
1.2 GHz dual Scorpion CPUs, Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 chipset
1GB RAM and 16 GB built-in storage; microSD slot up to 32GB
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; 1.3MP front-facing unit
1080p and 720p video recording
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
Accelerometer, proximity sensor and an auto-brightness sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack (SRS enhancement)
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0
MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter)
Smart dialing, voice dialing
DivX/XviD video support
HTCSense.com integration
HTC Portable Hotspot
Office document editor

Main Disadvantages

Screen performance is not on par with the best offerings
At 177 grams, the device is downright heavy
The glossy finish plastic is fingerprint and dust magnet; especially on the black version
No dedicated camera button

Nokia Lumia 710

2012-01-28T06:52:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Nokia Lumia 710 has a tall task at hand. The second brainchild of the Nokia- Microsoft partnership is the budget-friendly option in the lineup. It will try to entice first time smartphone buyers, while battling the Windows Phone establishment in the face of HTC and Samsung.

While the upscale Nokia Lumia 800 is clearly the object of more attention for its impressive build and superior features, the Lumia 710 is expected to sell in bigger numbers and perhaps bring higher profits. From a business perspective, the smartphone is even more important than its flagship sibling.

Just don't take the budget reference to Nokia Lumia 710 at face value. Because of Microsoft's strict hardware requirements for the Windows Phone platform, the smartphone has the same 1.4GHz Scorpion CPU and 512MB of RAM as the Lumia 800, therefore promising identically smooth handling. In order to maintain the budget status and keep the price down, Nokia Lumia 710 has less built-in memory, an LCD screen instead of AMOLED, and a 5MP camera. Its design is less ambitious than the flagship's, but the Lumia 710 is still solidly built, even if not as good looking.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Quad-band 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
3.7" 16M-color ClearBlack LCD capacitive touchscreen with WVGA resolution
Scratch resistant Gorilla glass display cover
5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash, 720p video recording
Windows Phone 7.5 OS (Mango)
1.4GHz Scorpion CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8255 chipset, 512MB of RAM
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
GPS receiver with A-GPS support and free lifetime voice-guided navigation
Digital compass
8GB on-board storage
Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack; FM Radio with RDS
microUSB port
Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and EDR
Deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface

Main disadvantages

LCD display's quality is questionable
No Flash or Silverlight support in browser
No USB mass storage (file management and sync pass only through Zune)
No video calls and no front-facing camera either
No memory card slot
microSIM card slot
No native DivX/XviD support, videos have to be Zune-transcoded
Disappointing audio quality
Unimpressive battery life

Nokia 700

2011-11-25T04:51:00.001-08:00

The Nokia 700 has a license to chill. Unburdened with high expectations, this phone is getting ready to surprise you. Not in it for the win, it has too much class to lose.

Scorching hot body and super crisp ClearBlack AMOLED screen, the Nokia 700 is stepping on its 1GHz processor to the delight of those who like their Symbian shaken (Belle) not stirred.

Small phone ready for big things. That's how we summed the Nokia 700 up in our preview. Time we guess for it to take its first big test.

While the typical thin smartphone keeps fit by spreading the innards out under a huge slab of a 4+ inch screen, the Nokia 700 is compact in every dimension. That includes weight too - the nice metal touches that give the 700 its solid hand feel haven't pushed the weight over 100g.

The 3.2" nHD screen is a perfect fit in this petite smartphone. The AMOLED unit uses Nokia's ClearBlack technology, which has repeatedly demonstrated its great image quality and near-perfect sunlight legibility.

The Nokia 700 has a lot going for it, but it’s not without downsides either. Here go our traditional lists:

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Penta-band 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
Slim 9.7mm body
3.2" 16M-color nHD ClearBlack AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (220 ppi); Gorilla glass
5 megapixel fixed-focus camera with LED flash; geo-tagging, face detection, smart zoom in video
720p video @ 30fps recording, stereo sound
Symbian Belle OS
1GHz CPU and 512 MB RAM
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
2GB of inbuilt storage, microSD expandable
Active noise cancellation via a dedicated mic
DivX, XviD, H.264 video support
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Stereo FM Radio with RDS
microUSB port with USB On-the-go support
Stereo Bluetooth 3.0
GPS receiver with A-GPS support and free lifetime voice-guided navigation; Digital compass
Flash Lite support in the web browser
Smart dialing and voice commands
NFC support
Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
TV-out functionality (SD)

Main disadvantages

Small screen, too narrow for comfortable typing
5MP fixed-focus isn't particularly impressive
No video-call camera
Browser lacks full Flash support
Relatively limited 3rd party software
No office document editing (unless you buy an upgrade)
Non-hot-swappable microSD card
No HD TV-Out

Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket

2011-11-18T08:45:00.001-08:00

We have the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket all set on the launch pad. Announced together with the HTC Vivid, the smartphone is among the first LTE enabled devices, compatible with AT&T’s all new LTE network. The smartphone is certainly a welcome addition to the U. S. Samsung Galaxy S II lineup, as LTE was the only connectivity flavor missing in the lineup so far.

If you find the device looks somewhat familiar, there is a good reason for it. The Skyrocket is almost 100% identical to the T-Mobile Galaxy S II, which we came to like quite a lot. The handset has the same size and uses the same hardware, save for two major differences. First, the Skyrocket does not have NFC connectivity out of the box, even though it is capable of it. The second is much easier to notice – it is the LTE radio on board.

While the Galaxy S II purists might scoff at the presence of the Qualcomm-made CPU on board (the Exynos is still the fastest dual-core silicon we have seen), we must point out that it is the reason why the smartphone is capable of working on 4G networks. As always, you will find the rest of the Skyrocket’s key features below.

Key Features

Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 HSUPA support
LTE network connectivity
4.52" 16M-color Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen of WVGA (480 x 800 pixel) resolution
Android OS v2.3.5 with TouchWiz 4 launcher
1.5 GHz Scorpion dual-core CPU, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 chipset, 1GB of RAM
8 MP wide-angle lens autofocus camera with LED flash, face, smile and blink detection
1080p HD video recording at 30fps
Hot swappable SIM and microSD cards
Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n support
GPS with A-GPS connectivity; Digital compass
16GB internal storage, microSD slot
Accelerometer, gyroscope and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Charging MHL microUSB port and TV-out (1080p) support
Stereo Bluetooth v3.0
Great audio quality
Slim waistline at only 9.5mm and low weight (130g)
2MP secondary video-call camera
Full Flash support and GPU-acceleration for the web browser permit 1080p flash video playback
Document editor
File manager comes preinstalled
The richest video format support we have seen

Main disadvantages

No dedicated camera key
No NFC support out of the box (a future update should address this issue)
WVGA screen resolution is not on par with the rest of the competition in this class

HTC Sensation XE

2011-11-18T08:28:00.001-08:00

The HTC Sensation XE is a shiny new release that lets you catch up on the latest from HTC Android lineup. A luxury edition for audiophiles with some extra kick squeezed out of the CPU. Old song to a new tune, if you will. But we wouldn’t frown at the sound of it. After all, it's the sound that counts.

Beats Audio is a big part of the deal in the new Sensation XE. HTC have teamed up with Beats by Dr. Dre to boost the phone's credentials to audio purists. There's special sound processing on the inside and a Monster iBeats headset in the box.

The other things they tinkered with are the processor and battery. The two cores are now ticking at 1.5 GHz and the battery's been beefed up to 1730 mAh. The rest is familiar but by no means boring. The HTC Sensation is a dual-core super droid with a massive 4.3 qHD touchscreen, 8MP stills and Full HD video.

Key features

Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
4.3" 16M-color capacitive LCD touchscreen of qHD resolution (540 x 960 pixels); Gorilla glass
Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense 3.0
1.5 GHz dual Scorpion CPUs, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 chipset
768 MB RAM and 1 GB of app storage
Beats audio enhancement and premium Monster ibeats headset
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; face detection and geotagging
1080p and 720p video recording @ 30fps
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS
Stereo FM radio with RDS
microSD slot up to 32GB (16 GB card included)
Accelerometer, proximity and ambient light sensor
Front facing camera with video calls
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0
MHL TV-out (requires a MHL-to-HDMI adapter)
Smart dialing, voice dialing
DivX/XviD video support
HTC Locations app
HTCSense.com integration
HTC Portable Hotspot
Ultra-fast boot times (if you don’t remove battery)
Office document editor

Main disadvantages

Death grip issues for both GSM and Wi-Fi radios
Less than impressed with the screen's outdoor performance
Unimpressive camera results
No dedicated camera key
microSD is under the battery cover (you'll lose all wireless signal when open the cover)

Nokia N9

2011-11-14T08:53:00.001-08:00

When the first touch-only OS debuts on one of the hottest pieces of hardware this year, you can bet we want a piece of the action. Windows Phone is where Nokia want your attention, but it might turn out that MeeGo is the place you want to be.

Not shown much love by its own maker, the Nokia N9 is embraced by the consumers. You won’t see Stephen Elop getting all too fired up about MeeGo and spending hours explaining how it’s the best thing since Santa, sauna and the N95. But if you care to look, you'll notice thousands of people hitting our site each day to just check out the Nokia N9.

And when a smartphone’s popularity is off the charts without it being all over TV, it must really be something special.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Penta-band 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.7 Mbps HSUPA support
3.9" 16M-color AMOLED capacitive touchscreen of 480 x 854 pixel resolution
Scratch resistant Gorilla glass display with anti-glare polarizer
8 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash, 720p@27fps video recording and fast f/2.2 lens
Meego v1.2 Harmattan OS
1GHz Cortex A8 CPU, PowerVR SGX530 GPU, TI OMAP 3630 chipset, 1GB of RAM
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Non-painted color polycarbonate unibody, curved screen
GPS receiver with A-GPS support and free lifetime voice-guided navigation
Digital compass
16/64GB on-board storage
Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic
Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port
Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP and EDR
Nice audio reproduction quality
Impressively deep and coherent SNS integration throughout the interface
DivX and Xvid support

Main disadvantages

No Flash support in browser
Limited set of apps
No office document editing
Non-user-replaceable battery
No memory card slot
microSIM card slot
No FM radio

Sony Ericsson ST17i Xperia Active

2011-11-14T08:38:00.001-08:00

Flick it, kick it, throw it, wet it. Drag and drop it. And watch it come back for more. The Sony Ericsson Xperia active is a survivor. The rugged smartphone has a Bravia Reality display and exchangeable covers, 1GHz of oomph and HD video, and plenty of sporty apps. It's got you - tucked under an arm strap. It goes wherever you go.

Durable smartphones are becoming an Android-exclusive niche and Sony Ericsson want in. But the Xperia active believes that an IP67-certified phone doesn't have to be all muscle and no charm.

The Xperia active is a cute little phone - the action-scene body double of the Xperia mini. Go ahead, laugh it up, Sonim. This is a phone that doesn't take much pocket space, which is a big plus in our book. And no, they don’t have to be cargo pockets either.

The IP67-certified Xperia active is supposed to withstand water immersion in up to a meter for as long as half an hour. It's also dust-proof and shock-resistant. Before you ask, we're not going to test it to the very limit of endurance. Like we said, some real heavy duty rugged phones can sneer all they want. It's just that a compact sporty smartphone for both urban and wilderness hikes may as well have the last laugh.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
3.0" 16M-color LED-backlit LCD capacitive touchscreen of HVGA resolution (320 x 480 pixels) at around 192 ppi
Bravia Mobile engine
Dust and water resistant, wet-finger tracking
Dual back cover design for increased protection
Arm case and wrist strap in the bundle
Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread
1 GHz MSM8255 Snapdragon processor
512 MB RAM
5 MP autofocus camera, single LED flashlight, Geo-tagging, image stabilization, smile detection, touch focus
720p video @ 30fps
Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot functionality and DLNA
GPS with A-GPS, Wisepilot navigation
microSD slot (32GB supported, 2GB card included)
Accelerometer and proximity sensor, notification LED
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Stereo FM radio with RDS
TrackID music recognition
Relevant package of apps
MicroUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
Adobe Flash 10.3 support
1200mAh Li-ion battery

Main disadvantages

No secondary camera, no video calls
No smart dialing
Loudspeaker has below average performance
Typing is uncomfortable on the small screen
No DivX/XviD support

Nokia C2-03

2011-11-14T08:31:00.001-08:00

Touchscreen and a hardware numpad in a slider form factor, complete with dual-SIM support - the Nokia C2-03 will be stepping on many toes. It's a phone that knows its place though and has no problem living within its own means.

The C2-03 is a device that's simple to use, easy to afford and comfortable to carry around. You have two active phone lines in the same device so you can leave your other phone at home. Touchscreen and dual SIM support is a rare combination, but Nokia must think it's time they added more depth to their entry-level lineup.

Key features

Dual-SIM, dual-standby phone
Dual-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
2.6" 256K-color resistive TFT QVGA touchscreen
S40 6th edition
2 megapixel fixed-focus camera
QCIF video recording at 15fps
Stereo FM radio with RDS, Visual radio
Bluetooth v2.1 (with A2DP)
Standard microUSB port
microSD card slot (32 GB supported, 2GB included)
3.5mm audio jack
Extra smooth and precise haptic feedback
Attractive price

Main disadvantages

No Wi-Fi
Camera is poor
QCIF video recording would be better off missing
Doesn’t charge off USB
No screen brightness control
No document viewer
No smart dialing
No accelerometer sensor
No multitasking

Nokia 500

2011-11-14T08:18:00.001-08:00

The new generation of 1GHz Symbian- powered phones can get far. They need a place to start though and the Nokia 500 is happy to help. The common belief seems to be that there are more exciting things than Symbian on a budget. OK, well, the Nokia 500 is supposed to make you reconsider.

Never mind the sound of a 1GHz processor, this phone doesn’t mind starting small. The Nokia 500 is hitting the shelves with Anna inside and the upcoming Belle gives it extra value. By the way, the Nokia 500 seems to make enough sense even without the most recent software. The Finns have more than a handful of basic smartphones whose owners will be delighted at the news of a next smartphone for the masses.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
Penta-band 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA support
3.2" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 360 pixel resolution
5 megapixel fixed-focus camera and VGA video recording @ 15fps; geotagging
Symbian Anna OS
1 GHz ARM 11 CPU and 256 MB RAM
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
GPS receiver with A-GPS support and free lifetime voice-guided navigation
Digital compass
microSD card slot
DivX and XviD video support
Built-in accelerometer and proximity sensor
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Stereo FM Radio with RDS
microUSB port
Flash and Java support for the web browser
Stereo Bluetooth 2.1
Smart dialing and voice commands
Social networking integration
Exchangeable rear covers

Main disadvantages

Symbian Anna is still catching up with Android and iOS
Fixed focus flashless camera, poor image quality
Poor video recording quality
Relatively limited 3rd party software availability
Non-hot-swappable microSD card slot
No office document viewer
Video player not up to scratch
Significant lags in the browser

Nokia E72

2010-01-23T23:57:00.000-08:00

Nokia E72 is one of those handsets everybody is talking about long before their release. There may be nothing much to talk about - after all everyone knows what to expect of the Eseries and they have never let us down. But still, savoring the next batch of Eseries steel is always a pleasure. There's no need to tell you the Nokia E72 walks and talks business. The big one though has greater responsibility to carry. We guess the E72 will not fear being judged against the best messengers in its class. But it will certainly look back to a haunting shadow within its own family.

Key features:

Quad-band GSM support
3G with HSDPA 10.2Mbps and HSUPA 2Mbps
Landscape 2.36" 16M-color display of QVGA resolution
Comfortable full QWERTY keypad
Optical trackpad on the D-pad
Symbian 9.3 OS, S60 UI with FP2
600 MHz ARM 11 CPU and 128 MB of SDRAM
5 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology, DLNA support
Built-in GPS receiver, A-GPS support, digital compass
Accelerometer for turn-to-mute
250 MB of internal memory, microSD expansion, ships with a 4GB card
Standard 3.5mm audio jack
Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP support and microUSB v2.0
FM radio with RDS
Remote Wipe
Great battery life
Office document editor (including MS Office 2007)
User-friendly Mode Switch for swapping two homescreen setups
Smart dialing
Full Flash support
Great audio output quality
Lifetime Nokia Messaging subscription

Nokia X3

2010-01-23T23:42:00.000-08:00

The Nokia X3 is our first glimpse into the new Xseries and we’re excited to see how things have changed since XpressMusic ran the show. And they have changed, the new angular look is a testament to that. The S40 on the inside has changed as well, throwing Ovi Store and basic multi-tasking into the mix, the X3 is an affordable Series 40 slider. It packs stereo speakers, excellent audio quality and a built-in FM radio antenna for a complete sonic experience. All right, we said affordable, so don’t go looking for top-notch gear beside the obvious full music package.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
2.2" 262K color QVGA display
3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera
S40 user interface, 6th edition; rudimentary multitasking
Stereo FM radio with RDS; Built-in antena (so it plays on the loudspeakers even if you don’t plug the headset)
Stereo speakers
Standard 3.5mm audio jack
Up to 26 hours of music playback
Bluetooth (with A2DP) and microUSB port
microSD card slot (16 GB supported, 2GB included)
Rich preinstalled application package
Ovi Store, Ovi Maps and Ovi Share

Samsung M5650 (Corby)

2010-01-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

The number of Corby sequels is beyond belief: the QWERTY packing CorbyPRO and CorbyTXT were followed by the Wi-Fi enabled, but still rumored S3650W and - finally - out came the M5650 Lindy. Not to mention the several handsets that don't exactly follow the same design outline but have the same naming in certain regions - Samsung B3313 Corby Mate, Samsung CorbyPlus B3410 and Samsung C3510 Corby Pop.

Key features

Quad-band GSM/EDGE, UMTS 900/2100, HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
2.8" capacitive TFT touchscreen of QVGA resolution, 256K colors
50 MB onboard storage, microSD card slot (up to 8GB)
3 megapixel auto-focus camera with smile detection, QVGA video @ 15fps
Secondary video-call camera
Dedicated music controls on the front panel
Wi-Fi connectivity
Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, USB v.2.0
microUSB slot
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
DNSe and SRS sound effect
Excellent audio reproduction
FM radio with RDS
Find Music recognition service
TouchWiz and Cartoon UI
Office document viewer
Smart unlock
Social networking integration with direct file uploads
Quite reasonably priced for a full touch Wi-Fi enabled phone

Nokia 5730 XpressMusic: Full musical keyboard

2009-09-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

The Nokia 5730 XpressMusic is quite keen to go about humming that tune like it didn’t care. Recruiting Symbian for an entertainment job is nothing new really and no, we’re not surprised that yet another handset wants to be the N97 of its neighborhood. The Nokia 5730 XpressMusic doesn’t really shine but it’s fit enough to handle quite a workload. Whether you need a smartphone for the knack or for the fun of it, this all-in-one messenger promises a bit of everything: music, web, gaming and connectivity.

XpressMusic has long crossed the smartphone line but only just starting to take multitasking so seriously. WLAN, GPS and a full QWERTY keyboard go side by side with enhanced music and N-Gage to make the Nokia 5730 so universally appealing. We guess we’ve had enough proof that Symbian can handle it all, so let’s see how the 5730 XpressMusic lives up to its claims. It’s pretty obvious there will be quite some Nokia 5630 XpressMusic here.

Key features:
- 2.4" 16M-color TFT display of QVGA resolution
- Four-row side-slide QWERTY keyboard
- Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G (with HSDPA) support
- Symbian OS with S60 3.2 UI
- 369 MHz ARM11 CPU
- 3.5mm standard audio jack
- microSD card slot, 8GB microSD card prebundled
- 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera with a dedicated shutter key, geotagging and VGA video at 30fps
- Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g with UPnP technology
- Built-in GPS receiver and preinstalled Nokia Maps
- USB and stereo Bluetooth (A2DP) connectivity
- FM radio with RDS plus Internet radio
- Dedicated music keys
- N-Gage support
- Dedicated gaming keys
- Ovi Contacts integration
- Office document viewer
- Smart dialing
- Contacts bar on the homescreen
- N-Series-like gallery
- Nokia Say and Play (voice control to music player)

Samsung I8000 Omnia

2009-09-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

Samsung's top tier of Omnia devices is populated by some seriously heavy-hitters - first the 720p video recording Omnia HD and now the Omnia II - with its best-in-the-business display, WM 6.5, zippy processor and preloaded software galore, it will certainly win the hearts and minds of Windows Mobile fans.
It's no secret that the Samsung Omnia II has the HTC Touch Diamond2 in its sights. The Omnia II has several advantages, not the least of which is the amazing 3.7" AMOLED WVGA display. For the acronym-allergic - WVGA means 480 x 800 pixels resolution, which several years ago might have been considered acceptable for a computer monitor. That resolution is not so uncommon today, the exciting part here is "AMOLED" - active matrix organic LED. Or in plain English - brilliant picture quality.
It doesn't end there - the 800MHz CPU is one of the speediest around and the available capacities of up to 16GB built-in memory and up to 32GB external storage via microSD card offer more than enough memory expansion. There's Wi-Fi and GPS, the autofocus camera shoots 5MP stills and D1 video at 30fps and has dual-LED flash, there's DivX playback out of the box and HSDPA and HSUPA push the phone to great wireless speeds.We can spend a lot of time talking about the features of the Omnia II but here they are in a bullet list, which should be easier to read.

Key features:

- 3.7-inch 65K-color resistive AMOLED touchscreen, 480 x 800 pixels
- Windows Mobile 6.5 with TouchWiz UI 2.0 and Media Gate 3D
-Samsung S3C6410 800MHz processor; HW Graphic Accelerator
-256MB RAM
-5 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash, geotagging, face detection, smile shot, image stabilizer, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR)
- Records video in D1@30fps, QVGA slow-mo video recording
- Tri-band 3G with HSDPA (7.2Mbps) and HSUPA (5.76 Mbps) support
- Quad-band GSM support
- Smart dialing
- Wi-Fi with DLNA technology
- Built-in GPS with A-GPS functionality
- 2/8/16GB internal memory
- microSD card slot (up to 32GB)
- FM radio with RDS
- Bluetooth and USB v2.0
- 3.5mm standard audio jack
- TV-out functionality
- DNSe audio technology and SRS sound effect
- DivX/XviD video playback
-Proximity sensor for screen auto turn-off and ambient light sensor
- Accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation, turn-to-mute and motion-based gaming
- Office document editor
- Full Flash support in the web browser

Nokia 5630 XpressMusic

2009-08-11T02:31:00.000-07:00

The XpressMusic family has walked a long way – and shed a great deal of weight – since the 5700. The music-centric Finns have always felt at home on Symbian ground though, and the Nokia 5630 is the next step for them and they’re getting smarter and faster. A sharp mind in a fit body, the latest XpressMusic smartphone packs the quickest processor Nokia have offered to date.

XpressMusic is not the Nokia 5630’s only virtue. The subdued exterior reveals little of the talent that lays beneath. Along with the music perks go Wi-Fi, a 3-megapixel snapper, N-Gage support, and S60 FP2 to open the door to a whole world of extra apps.
Of course, it’s not without its flaws but think again before casting the first stone. The 5630 XpressMusic is slim enough – both in girth and price – to dodge its critics.

Key features:
-ARM 11 600 MHz processor
-Quad-band GSM support
-3G with HSDPA
-12 mm slim
-2.2" 16M-color QVGA display of excellent sunlight legibility
-3 megapixel camera, enhanced fixed focus and dual LED flash
-VGA video-call camera
-Symbian OS with S60 3.2 UI
-Stereo FM radio with RDS
-Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g with UPnP technology
-Bluetooth (with A2DP) and microUSB port
-microSD card slot (16 GB supported, 4GB included)
-Standard 3.5mm audio jack
-Dedicated music keys
-N-Gage support
-Ovi Contacts integration
-Contacts bar on the homescreen
-N-Series-like gallery
-Carrying pouch supplied
-Text-to-speech Message reader system application

ROKR ZN50

2009-07-12T03:22:00.000-07:00

Motorola officially announced ROKR ZN50 touchscreen slider:

While everyone is still waiting for Motorola to announce their first Android-powered smartphone, another highly intriguing model was unveiled. The full-touch Motorola ROKR ZN50 has nothing to do with Android but is still interesting enough to make it in the news.
Motorola ROKR ZN50 is the first full touchscreen music slider by the American company. Its design, slightly reminds us of the Nokia XpressMusic lineup with its blue and red accents, only that it is much hotter looking.
Motorola ROKR ZN50 is also the first Moto to have the new Motorola panorama interface which is featuring 3 homescreens, that you can freely fill up with the load of widgets available.

Motorola ROKR also fares pretty decently in terms of features. It sports a 3.2-inch 256K TFT touchscreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 240 x 427 pixels. It also comes complete with a 3 megapixel autofocus shooter, built-in GPS receiver and support for stereo Bluetooth and HSDPA. As far as the music capabilities of the ZN50 are concerned, we have to mention the SRS WOW HD technology as well as the 3.5mm audio jack and the dedicated music player controls. The handset which measures 108.9 x 54 x 14.34 mm and weighs the hefty 143 g. Its relatively small 950 mAh battery allows up to 30 h non-stop music playback. The built-in microSD card slot with support for up to 16GB memory cards makes sure that you will have enough room for all your favorite tracks.

The new full touchscreen music slider also pack a T-DMB2 TV tuner which, allows you to use the device as a pocket TV set.
What we cannot quite understand about the ROKR ZN50 is why the hell it'll only be available in Korea. After all, one of the hottest Motos we've seen lately certainly deserves worldwide availability.

2009-07-12T02:19:00.001-07:00

Nokia Launch its very first 8 mega pixel (N86) Cellphone:

You may've thought Nokia lost their touch, you may be out of love with the Nseries but the Nseries are always keeping an eye on you. Their wide-angle, variable aperture eye. On you. Whether the Nokia Nseries are making up the ground lost in the megapixel race or claiming back what they believe is rightfully theirs, they seem to have the right leadership to put them back on the megapixel map.

Armed with one of the most advanced cameras in terms of hardware and features you don't just find on every other handset out there, the N86 8MP is keen to take cue from the N85 and shake the Nseries out of their slumber. Now, in case you forgot, it's still the market leader we're talking about here, and that should probably tell why everybody is so worked up.
So, the question as always is whether strong performance will deliver on that awesome promise. And you've got us to help you make a more informed decision about buying Nokia N86 8MP. Given all the comments above, the N86 8MP is more the kind to encourage impulsive spending but you'll choose wisely not to miss our write-up.

Key features

- 2.6" 16M-color OLED display of QVGA resolution (scratch-resistant surface)
- 8 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and AF assist light
- 28mm wide camera lens, variable aperture, mechanical shutter, geotagging, time-lapse, camera lens cover, VGA video recording at 30fps
- Symbian OS 9.3 with S60 3.2 UI
- ARM 11 434 MHz CPU, 128MB RAM
- Quad-band GSM support and 3G with HSDPA 3.6Mbps support
- Wi-Fi with UPnP technology
- Built-in GPS with A-GPS functionality and 3 months of free voice-guided navigation
- Dual slide design with dedicated gaming/audio/gallery keys
- microSD card slot with microSDHC support
- Beefy 8GB internal storage
- Built-in accelerometer for UI auto-rotation
- 3.5mm audio jack doubling as TV out port
- Stereo FM Radio with RDS, FM transmitter
- Standard microUSB port and stereo Bluetooth v2.0
- N-gage support plus you get an N-gage game for free
- Digital compass
- Web browser has full Flash and Java support
- Active kickstand
- Nice audio reproduction quality

2009-07-11T03:57:00.000-07:00

Nokia N97 review:
A launch of this caliber can aptly be called inauguration day. The release of Nokia N97 is the Nseries counter-move that geeks have been waiting for since November. Easily one of the most complete smartphones ever created, the N97 has been haunting Symbian buffs' dreams for quite a while. Nokia N97We're about to see if this feature-loaded son of a gun is the stuff dreams are made of and if it has the gut to stand up to the best on the market. The 5800 XpressMusic was cheap enough to easily be forgiven a couple of shortcomings but the N97 is not the begging type. Nokia-faithfuls are used to only getting the best treatment, so they won't settle for less with the Nseries skipper.

Key features

-Slide-n-tilt 3.5" 16M-color resistive touchscreen of 640 x 360 pixel resolution
-5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash and lens cover (VGA@30fps video recording)
-Symbian OS 9.4 with S60 5th edition UI
-Slide-out three-row full QWERTY keyboard
-ARM 11 434MHz CPU and 128 MB of RAM
-Quad-band GSM support and 3G with HSDPA support
-Wi-Fi and GPS with A-GPS (plus 3 months of free voice-guided navigation via Ovi Maps)
-Digital compass
-Class-leading 32GB onboard storage
-microSD card slot with microSDHC support
-Built-in accelerometer
-3.5 mm audio jack
-TV out
-Stereo FM Radio with RDS, FM transmitter
-microUSB port and stereo Bluetooth v2.0
-Web browser has full Flash and Java support
-Nice audio reproduction quality