Nokia C2-01 Info and Video

Nokia's cheapest 3G phone to date, the Nokia C2-01 combines typically smart Nokia styling with a feature set that does seem to offer excellent value for money.

Priced to sell at just €70 before tax and carrier subsidy, the C2-01 easily breaks the magic €100 barrier for 3G phones. But at this sort of price, don't expect anything too fancy.. the specifications of the C2-01 are pretty modest compared to high end devices. It features a relatively small 2" 240 x 320 pixel display, a 3.2 megapixel camera, microSD expandable memory, Bluetooth, a media player and a 3.5mm audio socket.

The screen is a bit small for meaningful web surfing, but Nokia have added some social networking support in addition to the basic browser. Although this is only a Series 40 phone rather than a Symbian smartphone, there are a decent number of a applications available from the Ovi Store for this platform.

Nokia C2-01 Nokia's 3.2 megapixel cameras are usually good enough for most purposes, but video capture is pretty miserable at just 176 x 144 pixels and 15 frames per second. Video playback is much better though, but remember that the screen size is pretty limited.

The Nokia C2-01 supports tri-band 3G connectivity, but not 3.5G.. and there's certainly no WiFi or GPS. But you wouldn't expect those sort of things from an inexpensive little 3G device like this either. Inside is a 1020 mAh BL-5C battery that is quoting as giving up to 4.5 hours talktime on 3G and over 8 hours on GSM. Standby time is about 18 days, and the whole package weighs just 89 grams and measures 110 x 47 x 15mm.

So what is the catch? Well, the Nokia C2-01 is very much like 3G phones used to be 5 years ago, in fact it is very close in specification to the old Nokia 6233. They were really fairly limited in their usefulness and 3G took a long time to take off. So it's hard to see just who will be excited about reliving 2005 again with the new C2-01, except they will be doing for less than one quarter of the price that it would have been back then.

Nokia say that the C2-01 will be available in Black, White and Warm Silver (although the press photos seem to show it in pale gold) from Q1 2011 onwards.

Nokia C2-01 at a glance
Available:	Q2 2011
Network:	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 + UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100 or UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G)
Screen:	2.0" 240 x 320 pixels, 262k colours
Camera:	3.2 megapixels
Size:	Medium monoblock 110 x 47 x 15mm / 89 grams
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	MicroSD
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Yes
GPS:	No
OS:	Series 40
Battery life:	4.5 hours talk / 18 days standby (3G) 8.75 hours talk / 18 days standby (GSM)

Read more »

Samsung Nexus S by Google

One of the very last handset announcements of 2010, the Samsung Nexus S by Google is a high-end Android 2.3 smartphone that should be available by Christmas in the US and the UK.

The Nexus S is a joint effort between Samsung and Google, and it follows on from the original (and not hugely successful) Google Nexus One. The hardware on the Nexus S is very similar to the Samsung I9000 Galaxy S, so probably the biggest difference between the Galaxy and Nexus S is the software.

Android 2.3 (also known as "Gingerbread") features several improvements over previous versions, and perhaps the most important improvement is more aggressive power management by the operating system. Other improvements include faster graphics rendering, more sound features, a better camera interface, more codecs for video playback and a number of other improvements. And because this handset is developed in partnership with Google, then you can expect to see the latest software updates being available for the Nexus S before any phones.

The hardware specifications of the Nexus S are impressive. There's a large 4.0" 480 x 800 pixel AMOLED display, a 5 megapixel camera on the rear and a front-facing VGA resolution camera for video calling and application use, 16GB of internal Flash memory (but there is no memory slot), 3.5G support, WiFi (including 802.11n) and GPS plus a digital compass. Inside is a 1GHz Hummingbird CPU which should provide plenty of processing power.

Samsung Nexus S Some novel features on the Samsung Nexus S include a gyroscope sensor for gaming and built-in NFC support, but perhaps most noticeable will be the slightly curved display which is designed to make the handset easier to hold up to your face.

Video recording is 720 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second, not HD quality but good enough for YouTube, the stills camera has autofocus and an LED flash, although this isn't really a high-end camera phone. Multimedia playback on the Nexus S is much more impressive with the relatively large display and improved playback support, and Samsung's AMOLED displays are very well regarded when it comes to clarity.

Inside the Nexus S is a large 1500 mAh battery, and it's a fairly big device at 124 x 63 x 11mm and 129 grams, although that is mostly down to the large display. Talktime is quoted as being up to 6.7 hours on 3G with 18 days standby time.. but as Android users know, those applications can sometimes be very power hungry.

If you live in the UK or US, then the Samsung Nexus S will be available just in time for Christmas, on December 20th at £550 SIM-free from the Carphone Warehouse in the UK, and it will also be available from Best Buy stores in the US from December 16th (although the price is not known at the moment). Contract options are available, and other markets will follow early next year.

This phone will probably appeal to people who already have an Android handset and are looking to upgrade.. non-Android users might not understand the fuss about having the latest operating system, and there's no doubt that this is a somewhat expensive device. However, it is certainly an impressive piece of kit and it does look like Google might have their strategy right the second time around.

Samsung Nexus S by Google at a glance
Available:	Q4 2010 (US & UK), Q1/Q2 (worldwide)
Network:	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 + UMTS 900 / 1700 / 2100
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSPA + WiFi
Screen:	4.0" 480 x 800 pixels
Camera:	5 megapixels
Size:	Medium-large tablet 124 x 63 x 11mm / 129 grams
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	No
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Yes
GPS:	Yes
OS:	Android 2.3
Battery life:	6 hours talk / 18 days standby (3G) 14 hours talk / 30 days standby (GSM)

Read more »

LG Optimus 7: DLNA in Action

One of the things that impressed us about LG's approach to Windows Phone 7 is the way they have approached DLNA sharing of multimedia files. and it's not surprising since LG have a lot of experience with home entertainment. LG have produced a fun video on this topic.

Read more »

LG Optimus 2X Info and Video

Billed as the world's first dual-core smartphone, the LG Optimus 2X raises the stakes for high-end Android devices and gives LG's profile a much needed boost in this market.

Sporting a large 4" 800 x 480 pixel display, an 8 megapixel primary camera plus a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera and all the usual goodies that you would expect from a top-of-the-line Android phone, the real interest lies under the hood with the 1GHz Tegra 2 processor.

"Dual core" is a buzzphrase that smartphone customers might not be familiar with, but most modern PCs use this technology to give a speed boost. It means that the processor is "split" to act as if there were actually two processors, both running at 1GHz and theoretically making the device up to twice as fast. All other Android devices are single core, and you can often tell when games and video feedback stutter as some other process kicks in.. dual core will go some way to preventing that.

Another of the Optimus 2X's strengths is the camera. The 8 megapixel stills camera is a step up from the typical 5 megapixels found in Android phones. However, the 1080p video capture is certainly very good and is possibly the best in class for this type of smartphone, and the Optimus 2X also integrates with DLNA and allows HDMI mirroring which allows the 2X to output on a suitable HD TV.

LG Optimus 2X We don't know exactly how big and heavy the 2X is, but the 4" display is certainly a little larger than most and it is probably similar in size to Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X10. Android can be a power hungry OS, and the large 1500 mAh battery should be enough to keep it going for a while. Internal Flash memory is 8GB with an additional microSD slot, which should be enough for plenty of applications and data.

Initially the LG Optimus 2X will ship with Android 2.2 with an upgrade to 2.3 to follow shortly afterwards. The first market to have the Optimus 2X will be Korea from January with other European and Asian markets to follow.

LG haven't been particularly big players in the smartphone market, with only modest success with devices launched in 2010. However, the extremely desirable Optimus 2X is a completely different ball game and is likely to put LG firmly on the map.

LG Optimus 2X at a glance
Available:	Q1 2011
Network:	GSM + UMTS
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSPA + WiFi
Screen:	4.0" 800 x 480 pixels
Camera:	8.0 megapixels (primary) 1.3 megapixels (sub)
Size:	Medium tablet Size / weight not specified
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	MicroSD (8GB internal)
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Optional
GPS:	Yes
OS:	Android 2.2 (Android 2.3 upgrade available)
Battery life:	Not Specified

Read more »

2010 in Review: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The Good..
Honourable mentions
It's been another pretty good year for new phones, but some of the standout devices that we have seen this year include the very different Samsung I9000 Galaxy S and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Android phones, and although it wasn't strictly a phone the Apple iPad certainly got people talking. The BlackBerry Torch 9800 finally offered what many BlackBerry fans have been waiting a long time for, and the Nokia C3 Touch and Type combined a small touchscreen with a very traditional monoblock handset layout.

Not all touchscreens are the same - Nokia N8

Probably the best Symbian device to date, although not without its faults.. especially when it comes to reliability on some batches. The Nokia N8 is a huge improvement over Nokia's previous efforts, it comes with a very high quality camera and it is one of the best looking touchscreen handsets on the market.

Nokia's re-commitment to Symbian has come out of necessity after the stalled development of the MeeGo operating system, and although it lacks the polish and usability of some rivals, the N8 is a big hit with Nokia fans.

Although it's not a replacement for last year's N900, the N8 shows that there is plenty of life left in this veteran operating system.
Apple iPhone 4 The one to beat: Apple iPhone 4

Another phone with faults, the Apple iPhone 4's ultra high resolution "retina" display and massively improved features all round make this one of 2010's stand out devices.

Taking a break from the design of previous models, the iPhone 4 is a flatter device with a distinctive external antenna that nobody else has thought to use.. but perhaps that is for a reason.

The iPhone 4 comes with a much improved operating system which finally allows multitasking, and also it comes with a proprietary Apple video calling system which has yet to take off.

Love them or hate them, the iPhone range is an impressive and highly polished offering that has had massive sales success, and is the model that all other manufacturers try to beat.
HTC Desire Best phone of 2010: HTC Desire

A huge sales success for HTC, the HTC Desire combined a fast processor, beautiful display and ever improving Android operating system in an understated design that looked just a little bit distinctive. Probably the most likely smartphone that you willl see other than the iPhone, the Desire has been a significant boost for both HTC and the entire Android platform.

It's hard to fault this particular device, and because we think that it has brought positive benefits to the market as a whole, then we are pleased to say that we think that the HTC Desire is the best phone of 2010.




 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bad..
Most phones this year have been really good, but we found the Samsung Galaxy Tab to be a huge disappointment in practice - in use it was just an oversized and overpriced Android phone that completely lacked the appeal of the iPad. The Sony Ericsson Vivaz and Vivaz Pro were deeply flawed attempts to produce a Symbian smartphone and effectively killed off Sony Ericsson's engagement with that platform. The entire Samsung Shark range looked like a relic from the past and failed to make any significant market impact.
Apple iPhone 4 Antennagate: Apple iPhone 4

It's not the first time that the iPhone has featured as both one of the best and worst handsets in our list.

In most respects the iPhone 4 is an excellent device.. but a significant and rather silly fault in the antenna design got completely out of hand earlier in the year, with Apple first denying that there was a problem, and then trying to divert attention by bad mouthing competitors.. before finally admitting that there WAS potentially an issue and taking steps to fix it.

Apple's truly awful management of the problem made the problem much worse, and it serves as an object lesson on how NOT to do it. Even die-hard Apple fans were shocked at Apple's attitude to the easily demonstrable problem, although by the end of the year the whole "antennagate" issue has more-or-less faded away.

 Needs more effort: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10

On paper the XPERIA X10 should have trounced the opposition and been one of the best handsets of 2010.. after all, the hardware specifications are even more impressive than the Desire. But the shipped operating system was out-of-date, and the X10 has lagged behind when it comes to upgrades. Sony Ericsson claim that the X10 doesn't support multitouch either, a major omission.. but hacked firmware for the X10 shows that it is indeed possible. With more effort, the XPERIA X10 would have been a winner, but in our view this phone completely fails to meet its potential.

Microsoft KIN Worst phone of 2010: Microsoft KIN

A pair of phones, the Microsoft KIN ONE and KIN TWO stand out as possibly the most disastrous handset releases ever. Despite a massive marketing campaign in the US, sales remained stubbornly close to zero. The units were over-priced, under powered and it was impossible to add applications to them.. even the least tech savvy consumers seemed to understand that rival handsets were a better deal.

After a few short weeks of disastrous sales, Microsoft pulled the product line, and killed off the entire division responsible for this disaster. what's worse is that the effort put into KIN also effectively killed off the T-Mobile SideKick at the same time. Added to that, the KIN disaster shook people's confidence in the new Windows Phone 7 operating system which was launched shortly afterwards.

The cost to Microsoft must have been enormous, and this will probably be remembered for many years to come as one of the biggest nightmare launches ever. If you live in the US, you can probably pick up a KIN as a curiosity from the bargain bins in your local phone store.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 The Ugly

Cheap and not particularly cheerful, the Vodafone 150 did have the advantage of being very cheap indeed. The Microsoft KIN ONE was not only a huge disaster, it wasn't exactly a looker either. The Nokia X3 Touch and Type is a good idea, but the keypad layout is just plain wrong. The Sony Ericsson Aspen is a peculiarly mis-shapen attempt at a messaging phone. The Motorola Flipout is a radical design for an Android phone.. but perhaps just a bit too radical.
Samsung Omnia 735 Ugly: Samsung Omnia 735

In what must have been a supreme lack of effort, Samsung pushed out this Windows Mobile 6.5 device long after other manufacturers had stopped bothering and were looking forwards to Windows Phone 7 instead.

The cosmetic design reflects this lack of anything interesting going on, making the Omnia 735 a pretty dull device to handle as well as use.

There is perhaps a redeeming feature with the Omnia 735 though. The new Windows 7 operating system is incompatible with previous offerings, so corporate customers who have built applications on older versions of Windows will need to follow a different upgrade path, and one that the Omnia 735 does offer.

Uglier: Dell Venue Pro

Ugly doesn't have to mean bad, the Dell Venue Pro is by all accounts a really excellent bit of kit. But for some reason, Dell put the slide out-keyboard on the short "bottom" edge making the already oversized device almost comic to look at.

Somehow Dell managed to take a truly massive handset and give it a tiny little keyboard that doesn't add much value. When opened, the Dell Venue Pro is probably the biggest mobile phone on the market.

If Dell had gone down a more traditional route and placed a big QWERTY keyboard along the long edge of the phone, as most rivals do, then this could have been a winner. As it is, the Dell Venue Pro smacks of design by committee, or one too many strong beers for lunch.


Black Slabby Phones Ugliest: Generic Black Slabby Touchscreen Phone

Not a single phone, but a whole class of almost identical black slabby touchscreen phones that manufacturers churn out in massive numbers. Our wallchart this year looks a little like a catalogue from a monumental masons.

Yes, there are limited thing you can do with what is basically a touch-sensitive screen, a few buttons and some metal and plastic housing, but the Nokia N8 and LG GT540 show that not all touchscreens have to look the same. It's a bit of a shame that the rather lovely white iPhone 4 never came to market this year, but perhaps Apple will take the lead in 2011 with whatever their next version of the iPhone will be.

So, for this reason the award for the ugliest phone of 2010 has to be shared between pretty much every manufacturer going.. so step forward Apple, HTC, Motorola, Samsung, LG, Nokia and many others.

Read more »

Nokia 7710 Info And Video

At first glance, the specifications of the Nokia 7710 look very contemporary. A Nokia smartphone with a large 3.5" 640 x 320 pixel touchscreen display, a completely new version of the Symbian operating system plus strong multimedia support, it doesn't sound a million miles away from the new Nokia N8. But this is November 2004, not November 2010.. and the Nokia 7710 is one of Nokia's most notable failures.

This was Nokia's first production touchscreen phone.. and basically the last touchscreen device they made for four years until the Nokia 5800 was released. The 7710 also came two years before the iPhone brought Apple's take on the same idea to market.. and ultimately it was the iPhone and not the 7710 that redefined the smartphone market.

When you look a bit more deeply at the 7710, the reasons for its lack of success are perhaps more obvious. This was a GSM-only device, supporting GPRS and EDGE data with no 3G or WiFi connectivity. Practically, it meant that most customers Nokia 7710 with mobile TV were limited to download speeds of just 48 Kbps, less than the speed of a dial-up modem. Nokia had introduced their first 3G handset (the Nokia 6600) the previous year, and the Nokia 9500 (also announced in 2004) featured WiFi support. So, it's not as if Nokia couldn't do 3G and WiFi.. they just didn't do it with the 7710, a move that effectively crippled it.

There were other problems as well. The 7710 was hampered by a slow 168MHz processor, fairly typical for the time but really quite underpowered for a big screen smartphone like this. The 7710 also had limited internal memory, but again the technological limitations of handsets from this era really made that inevitable, and Moore's Law usually helps to fix most performance problems. One of the big differences between the 7710 and the original iPhone is that the iPhone had access to much more modern componentry, especially a significantly faster processor.

The price tag of €500 before tax and subsidy also made this an expensive phone, combined with quite a few rough edges on the Series 90 operating system and a not terribly good display, the 7710 pretty much bombed in sales terms. A number of 7710s were retro-fitted with DVB-H receivers to pilot free-to-air mobile TV, but other than that the handset virtually vanished.

Nokia 7710 with stylus Given that there was obviously real consumer demand for a phone like this, at the time being met by the likes of the HTC Blue Angel and the Sony Ericsson P910i, then you would expect that Nokia would pick themselves up, dust themselves down.. and come up with something better. But in fact, Nokia cancelled the entire project and operating system and didn't return to the touchscreen market for another four years.

The repercussions of the 7710's cancellation are still being felt today. Although some of the work done on this phone was folded back into mainstream S60 devices and carried forward into Maemo (eventually leading to the N900), Nokia effectively wasted the chance to be the market leader in touchscreen smartphones.

These days the Nokia 7710 is quite collectable due to its rarity and unusual design for the period, typically selling for €200 or so in good condition.. although given its flawed design it is unlikely that anybody still uses one as their everyday phone!

Nokia 7710 at a glance
Available:	Q1 2005
Network:	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + HSCSD
Screen:	3.5" 640 x 320 pixels, 65k colours
Camera:	1 megapixel
Size:	PDA-style device 128 x 70 x 19mm / 189 grams
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	MMC
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Yes
GPS:	No
OS:	Symbian OS v7.0s / Series 90
Battery life:	12 hours talk / 9 days standby (max)

Read more »

2010 Wrap - Up. 2011 Predictions.

2010 was a year where black slabby smartphones again dominated the market, and smartphones will again dominate the market in 2011 becoming more powerful at the top end and basic models will continue to be increasingly affordable. Devices such as the Nokia N8 show that not all smartphones need to look the same, and we expect manufacturers to work harder on product differentiation this year.

The two platforms to watch in 2011 will be Android and whatever Apple does next with the iPhone.. just as was the case in 2010. No other platforms have really caught public attention in the same way, but other OSes will continue to battle it out for customers with interesting devices, especially in the midrange market.

Smartphones are bringing GPS to more users than ever before, and Google's continually improving Navigation offering is attracting more customers to this platform. Standalone GPS makers are fighting back though, and there still seems to be a significant market for dedicated personal navigation devices. What the long term future is for companies like TomTom and Garmin is unclear.

We said last year that cameras would start to emphasise video capture quality instead of stills megapixels, and it certainly seems to be the case that most high-end devices include some sort of HD video capture as standard. Video is going to be a strong driver, especially as many handsets make it much easier to upload videos to sharing services than a standalone camera does. Expect more of the same, with almost all high-end devices backing HD video capture in 2011.

The battle in 2010 was between different touchscreen technologies. Cheaper resistive displays are being replaced with higher performance capacitive panels. In 2010, handsets such as the Sony Ericsson Vivaz flopped partly because of their reliance on older resistive panels, and customers simply don't want them any more. Another battle between LCD and OLED displays will continue throughout 2011 with both technologies improving and no clear winners in sight.

Mobile bandwidth speeds were again a news item in 2010, with a handful of manufacturers and networks promoting what they call "4G" technologies. This will continue though 2011, but is likely to generate very little consumer demand. WiFi will continue to be more common, and we think that 802.11n should be available on almost all WiFi phones very soon.

Predictions for 2011 The massive growth of services such as Facebook are driving the inclusion of Social Networking Services (SNS) in many phones, to the extent that some "new" models launched in 2010 are simply old ones with new software. Manufacturers will continue to look at SNS support as being a way to give a boost to older (and cheaper) hardware during 2011.

Smartphones are also making people more interested in the hardware specifications of their devices, with processor speeds, RAM and internal flash storage becoming increasingly important. 2011 will see the launch of the first dual-core smartphones, with 1GHz CPUs becoming the standard for any decently specified smartphone during 2011, although just how fast clock speeds will be is questionable due to the power requirements of faster processors.

Mobile multimedia will continue to evolve with manufacturers such as LG heavily investing in DLNA support. Familiar services like YouTube and the BBC iPlayer will continue to push into the mobile sector, but there needs to be improve support for high-speed downloads globally either through cheaper data rates or more flexible WiFi hotspots. Don't expect to see anything great from free-to-air TV using DVB-H though as there seems to be little consumer interest.

The inclusion of NFC support in some Nokia and Samsung handsets will start to encourage the achingly slow development of these technologies, but we don't expect to see anything significant until 2012.

2010 was a year of retrenchment when it comes to new product releases. Manufacturers announced far fewer handsets in 2010 then 2009, and we expect that 2011 will have similar levels of activity due to a still depressed market.

Read more »

LG Optimus Black Preview Info and Video

At first glance, the LG Optimus Black looks almost exactly like dozens of other black slabby Android phones, and to a very large extent.. that it all it is. But LG have packed something a bit different into the Optimus Black, and it is something that might just give forthcoming LG smartphones the edge over the competition.

The main selling point with the Optimus Black is its screen. It uses LG's "NOVA" technology to give a clear, bright display.. and crucially it uses significantly less power in everyday use to rival OLED panels.

LG say that the NOVA display is designed to be the brightest and most readable panel on the market, with higher levels of brightness, high contrast and pure whites that can be used indoors or in direct sunlight. Critically, LG claim that the NOVA display reduces power LG Optimus Black consumption by 50% during indoor use, and uses much less energy than an AMOLED screen when displaying a full white background.. and this translates to longer battery life, which most Android users would agree can be a real issue.

The display is a 4" unit, and although LG haven't confirmed it we suspect that it is a standard 800 x 480 pixel resolution. Inside is a large 1500 mAh battery, and the LG Optimus Black is just 9.2mm thick and weighs only 109 grams, which is impressive for a device with such a large screen. One other novel feature is "WiFi direct", which allows WiFi enabled devices to communicate with each other directly, which will make things like file transfers and printing much easier to do.

We don't know what camera it has on the back, but the Optimus Black does come with a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video calls. Earlier Android phones lack video calling, but it still hasn't really taken off in a big way. Perhaps things will change in 2011, who knows?

The LG Optimus Black will ship with Android 2.2 ("Froyo") out of the box, with an early upgrade to Android 2.3 ("Gingerbread") promised. There's no word on pricing, but LG do say that the Optimus Black will be rolled out worldwide during the first half of 2011.

LG Optimus Black preview specifications
Available:	H1 2011
Network:	GSM + UMTS
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSPA + WiFi
Screen:	4" 480 x 800 pixels (estimate)
Camera:	Primary camera: unknown Secondary camera: 2 megapixels
Size:	Tablet style device 109 grams
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	Not specified
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Optional
GPS:	Yes
OS:	Android 2.2 (upgrade to Android 2.3)
Battery life:	Not specified

Read more »

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc Info and Video

The new flagship phone in the Sony Ericsson range, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc follows the recent trend of making Android devices progressively bigger, sporting a large 4.2" display in a handset design that manages to inject quite a lot of character and style into the mix.

The predecessor to the Xperia Arc, the XPERIA X10, was a bit of a disappointment in practice. The Arc looks much more promising on paper, and in theory it is exactly the sort of thing that many Android customers are looking for.

The main feature is the 4.2" display which has a 480 x 852 pixel resolution, and uses Sony's BRAVIA Engine to give what Sony Ericsson called a "Reality Display". Although really this is just another TFT LCD screen when it comes down to it, however the display on the old X10 was generally very good in use. The Xperia Arc supports multitouch too (unlike the X10), and the physical panel itself is designed to be both shatter proof and scratch resistant.

Apart from the display, the next most obvious feature is the shape. This is not your normal black slabby phone, the Xperia Arc has a noticeable curve (presumably this gives the Arc its name) and is just 8.7mm thick. Weighing just 117 grams, the Arc is about 15% lighter than the X10 although it does have a slightly bigger footprint. Available colours at launch should be "Misty Silver" and "Midnight Blue".

On the back is a 8.1 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, plus geo-tagging. Camera enhancements include smile detection, and an image stabiliser, touch focus and Sony's Exmor R technology to help with low-light shots. The Xperia Arc is capable of 720p HD video recording, which can be output on the phone's HDMI port. There is no front-facing camera, which seems like a bit of an omission.

It doesn't come with masses of built-in memory, but Sony Ericsson do include an 8GB microSD card in the standard sales package which can be upgraded to 32GB, which is plenty. The processor is a 1GHz Qualcomm CPU which is certainly Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc competitive with other high-end Android devices out there. As you would expect, the Xperia Arc is a 3.5G phone with WiFi support. The battery is a fairly standard 1500 mAh cell which is what most rival devices have.

Other features include GPS (some phones will be bundled with Sony Ericsson's Wisepilot turn-by-turn navigation), DLNA support, a 3.5mm audio socket, Bluetooth, and an FM radio.

The Xperia Arc will run Android 2.3 out of the box, a significant improvement over the out-of-date operating system that the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc X10 shipped with. Of course, you get all the usual Android software with it plus Sony Ericsson's own enhancements.

Sony Ericsson say that the Xperia Arc will ship this quarter, but there is no guidance on price. The similarly specified HTC Desire HD retails for about €550 SIM-free, so we would expect the Xperia Arc to be a similar price.

This is a critical device for Sony Ericsson who had a pretty poor 2010. In order to make the Xperia Arc a success, Sony Ericsson will need to deliver it on time and with the minimum of bugs.. something that they've struggled with in the past. We also expect to see several other Android devices coming out soon from Sony Ericsson who seem to be following the Motorola strategy of concentrating on high-end smartphones to turn their fortunes around.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc at a glance
Available:	Q1 2011
Network:	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 + UMTS 900 / 2100 or 800 / 850 1900 / 2100
Data:	GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSPA + WiFi
Screen:	4.2" 480 x 852 pixels
Camera:	8.1 megapixels
Size:	Tablet device 125 x 63 x 8.7 / 117 grams
Bluetooth:	Yes
Memory card:	MicroSD
Infra-red:	No
Polyphonic:	Yes
Java:	Optional
GPS:	Yes
OS:	Android 2.3
Battery life:	7 hours talk / 16 days standby (3G)

Read more »

Motorola ATRIX Info and Video

One of several new Motorola handsets featuring dual-core processors, the ATRIX and its siblings will compete directly against the forthcoming LG Optimus 2X, the first dual-core smartphone to be announced. As with LG's offering, the ATRIX comes with a 4" screen but Motorola have included what they call a "qHD" display with 960 x 540 pixel resolution, very close to the pixel count of the iPhone 4. The display is covered with Gorilla Glass to make it scratch and damage resistant too.

Inside is a substantial 1GB of RAM to run applications in, plus 16GB of on-board flash memory and a microSD slot that can bring the total amount of storage up to 48GB, which should be enough for most users.

There are two main versions of the ATRIX - a "4G" version for AT&T in the US running HSPA+, and a "3.5G" version for Bell in Canada and Orange in the UK. As far as we can tell, the differences between the handsets other than the 4G/3.5G support are not that great. Availability in other markets is not known.

Motorola ATRIX On the back is a fairly standard 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, and the ATRIX also has a front-facing VGA resolution camera for video calling. The camera is capable of capturing 720p HD video at 30 frames per second.

One novel feature is a built-in fingerprint reader for additional security, something that could well be extremely useful on a high-value device such as this.

As with the Milestone/DROID line, you possibly need to get a dock to get the best out of the phone - there are two main docks for sale, one with three USB ports and an HDMI port, plus an interesting looking "laptop dock" that turns the ATRIX into an Android-based laptop with an 11.6" display and full keyboard. This second dock is by far the most interesting, although we suspect that it will be very expensive.

Surprisingly, the ATRIX will only ship with Android 2.2 and not Android 2.3.. we don't know when an upgrade to 2.3 will be available, but hopefully Motorola won't wait too long with this particular device. There are all the usual Android goodies plus Motorola's MOTOBLUR service, and of course there are thousands of applications to download from the Android Market.

Motorola ATRIX The battery in the UK at least version is a very large 1930 mAh cell, which has much more capacity than most rivals. Motorola says that the talktime on 3G is 9 hours with up to 10 days standby time, although Android devices are notoriously power hungry.

The Motorola ATRIX also has a 3.5mm audio socket, support for 802.11b, g and n WiFi, comes with a comprehensive multimedia player capable of video playback resolutions up to 1080p including DivX and XviD support, and the whole package weighs 135 grams and measures 118 x 64 x 11mm.

Slated to be available on AT&T during Q1, Orange UK during Q2 and Bell "in the coming months", the ATRIX will probably be available as a SIM-free device if your local carrier doesn't have it. No guidance was given on pricing, our best bet is that this will retail at €650 or so SIM-free.

Motorola certainly seem to have something here that sets them aside from the competition, especially when you consider the dual-core processor, hi resolution display and docking options. But perhaps the weakest component of the ATRIX is the unexciting looks.. will consumers go for this high-end but ultimately slightly dull looking device?

Read more »

Motorola XOOM Introducing and Video

Motorola's first Android based tablet, the Motorola XOOM will initially be exclusively available on the Verizon network in the US only.. but we very much hope that there will be a European version of this tablet coming soon.

One criticism of early Android tablets is that they are basically just scaled-up Android smartphones. The Samsung Galaxy Tab, for example, is a fine piece of hardware.. but the user experience doesn't seem to be as polished as it is with the iPad.

The Motorola XOOM addresses some of these issues by shipping with Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" - an operating system that has been designed to support tablets from the ground up. This means that the XOOM should be easier to use and will allow tablet-aware programs to do much more with the device.. while retaining compatibility with a vast array of existing Android applications.

Motorola XOOM Clearly the most obvious feature is the large 10.1" 1280 x 800 pixel display, but inside is a dual-core 1GHz processor which should provide plenty of processing power for the most demanding applications. On the back is a 5 megapixel camera (although it's a rather large device for snapshots), and on the front is a 2 megapixel camera for video calling. You can mount the XOOM on a stand which will make video calling much easier.

This is a CDMA/EVDO device with WiFi support, so it won't run on European cellular networks. The XOOM will be upgradeable to LTE (Verizon's version of 4G) in Q2 2011. Motorola often make both CDMA/EVDO and GSM/UMTS versions of the same smartphones, so we're fairly hopeful that this might be sold worldwide.

There's no word on pricing, but Motorola says that the XOOM will be available on Verizon from Q1 2011.

Read more »

Motorola CLIQ 2 Info and Video

The original Motorola CLIQ was Motorola's first Android device. Launched at the end of 2009, the CLIQ was the first of very many Android devices from Motorola, and along with the original DROID, it is one of the handsets that helped set Motorola off in its new direction.

The old CLIQ wasn't a particularly high-end device, but the Motorola CLIQ 2 significantly raises the stakes and is very close in specification terms to the new Milestone 2. The primary differences between the Milestone 2 and CLIQ 2 are cosmetic.. the Milestone is a typical black slabby device with a very conventional keyboard, the CLIQ 2 is more rounded with an unusual "honeycomb" design when it comes to the keypad.

The CLIQ 2 has a 3.7" 854 x 480 pixel display, a 5 megapixel camera with LED and flash, 3.5G support, WiFi (including 802.11n support) GPS, and Bluetooth. Video capture resolution is not mentioned, but the Milestone 2 does manage HD and we would be surprised if the CLIQ 2 doesn't. There's an FM radio (something the Milestone 2 lacks) and a 3.5mm audio socket as well.

It's quite a heavy device at 175 grams, but then it does come with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard which adds to the weight. Talktime from the 1420 mAh battery is quoted as being up to 7.9 hours and 13 days standby time, but Android users probably know that in real life use the battery tends to drain more quickly.

Motorola CLIQ 2 Other features include support for DLNA and remote wipe (in case it gets stolen), Motorola also say that you can use the CLIQ 2 as a WiFi hotspot for up to four laptops.

Launching with Android 2.2 "Froyo", the CLIQ 2 isn't quite up-to-date when it comes to the version of the operating system. There's no word of an upgrade path to Android 2.3, though we assume there must be one. In addition to the usual Android features, Motorola have included their MOTOBLUR social networking and data synchronisation service.

The Motorola CLIQ 2 should be available from T-Mobile USA from January 19th 2011 onwards. There's no word on a "DEXT 2" version of this phone, but we feel that Motorola might not bother given the closeness in specification to the existing Milestone 2.

Read more »

Motorola DROID BIONIC Info and Video

Motorola have kicked off 2011 with several dual-core devices, and the Motorola DROID BIONIC is another one of these, aimed at the US Verizon Wireless network.

Sporting a bigger screen but less memory that the Motorola ATRIX on AT&T, the DROID BIONIC is a high-end device which will probably find itself competing head-on with whatever next-generation iPhone Apple have up their sleeves.

Like the ATRIX, the DROID BIONIC has a quarter HD "qHD" 960 x 540 pixel display, but in this case it is a large 4.3" panel, which is 50% larger than the iPhone 4. Although the very high resolution "retina" display on the iPhone 4 does have a 15% higher pixel count than the Motorola, the DROID BIONIC is easily better than most of the rest of the competition.

Motorola DROID BIONIC back Dual core technology is something that Apple cannot match at the moment, although there will almost definitely be an upgrade to the iPhone 4 this year which may incorporate it. Internal memory is a generous 512MB of RAM, although at the moment we do not know how much flash memory the DROID BIONIC comes with.

On the back is an 8 megapixel primary camera with a secondary front-facing camera for video calling. The DROID BIONIC is capable of HD video capture and playback, and it also comes with a built-in HDMI port.

Motorola haven't said which version of Android the DROID BIONIC will ship with, but the Adobe Flash capabilities mean that it must be at least Android 2.2.

This is a LTE-enabled "4G" device, giving access to Verizon's newly launched high-speed network. There aren't many 4G handsets around at present, and LTE support certainly gives the DROID BIONIC another advantage over its Apple rival.

Verizon is a key market for Motorola in the US. Currently there is no version of the iPhone for this network, so a large proportion of smartphones sold on Verizon are Motorola DROID series devices. In many respects the DROID BIONIC leapfrogs Apple's popular handset, but we expect to see an announcement from Apple about future iPhone developments in the

Read more »

Apple iPhone 4 CDMA Info and Video

Apple iPhone 4 CDMA

The hugely successful Apple iPhone 4 is available on lots of carriers around the world, but one major market has remained untouched by Apple.. and that one is in its own backyard. So far, the US Verizon Wireless network - the largest carrier in the US - has not had a version of the iPhone to run on its CDMA network.. but that is about to change.

Using the same "retina" display, 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording and powerful A4 processor, this version of the iPhone looks almost identical to the GSM/UMTS version used worldwide.

Available for preorder from February 3rd and then released generally on February 10th, the 16GB iPhone 4 will cost $199.99 with a 2 year contract, and the 32GB version will be $299.99.

Unlike a lot of recent Verizon releases, the iPhone 4 is not a 4G "LTE" device, instead using Verizon's existing 3G EVDO network. This should certainly be good enough for most people, and Verizon has a reputation for having the best coverage in the United States which is definitely a competitive advantage.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Verizon version of the iPhone 4 is the impact on the market it will have. AT&T have been snapping at Verizon's heels for the number one spot in the US, and the availability of the iPhone will take away some of AT&T's edge. Verizon already have a high-end smartphone range, the "DROID" series of phones which are mostly supplied by Motorola. It's quite possible that Motorola will see a sales dip as one of their arch-rivals moves onto the Verizon network.

Read more »

Nexus S - Can you catch the Gingerbread man? Info and Video

If you are currently looking to sell your mobile phone and invest in a new model, the release of the Nexus S is looming ever closer, and with its impressive array of features it is currently the talk of the mobile world.  It is the first phone to run “Gingerbread”, the latest version of Google’s Android operating system. It boasts NFC wireless technology is yet to launch in the UK and US, although it is already widely used in Japan. It is fast, is aesthetically pleasing and practical with its curved screen and, being a child of Google, is likely to be the first Smartphone to receive those all-important Android updates.

This all sounds great...but is it?

One of the main features of the Nexus is its Android technology, though is this really that different to the existing Samsung Galaxy S with its Android 2.2 “Froyo” platform?  The truth is, not massively. The Nexus S is subtly changed for the better in some ways, rather than being technologically groundbreaking. Android 2.3 Gingerbread is extremely fast, and the user interface is speedy and smooth, with apps opening quickly. As said, there isn’t a huge difference over 2.2, but it is certainly more advanced than older versions. As far as touch screen phones go, the Nexus S is fast.. however it still seems to not quite match the iPhone 4. Why? Because the touch response is just not as smooth. For example, on the Nexus S you zoom into webpages using multi touch features, which is a little bit more juddery and awkward than with Apple’s offering.The web browser, however, is much quicker than other smartphones, and with the addition of Flash player support, you can view pages exactly as they were designed to look and importantly, this feature does not slow the Nexus S down. Most web sites load and render without any problems at all.

This is not the only improvement that comes with the Nexus S. The cosmetic appearance of Android has been overhauled to be much sleeker and darker, which does look great, but this is not the real reason why this change of appearance is so beneficial. According to Google, Gingerbread consumes less power with this type of colour scheme, although the real benefits will only be apparent to devices with OLED displays such as the Nexus S. Smartphones do tend to be real power guzzlers, and every it of energy saving helps.

The Nexus S is jam-packed with features and exhaustive menus and options. The problem is that it can be just that. Exhaustive. Compared to some other smartphones, the Nexus S is seems to be a hub of menus and options that can make it a little less than simple to use. Of course, this means that it is very versatile with lots of choices so if you are willing to invest some time in personalizing your phone to exactly how you want it, then this can be incredibly pleasing.  However, it does take some effort to optimize the Nexus S for your own tastes and to make sure that you don’t miss out on some of the less obvious features.

NFC is one of the Nexus S key features. Some people are saying that ultimately it will not be that useful here in the UK as it’s currently caught on only in Japan (like most cool techie advances!) and it will mainly be used to read information from posters and to be taken to a related website. Some are saying that this is going to be used as a clever marketing tool, but I’m not so sure. It may take some time, but eventually NFC technology will let you use your phone for things like making small payments or on the Tube. I don’t know about you, but I am incredibly excited for this to properly take off over here and provided the Nexus S goes down better than the original Nexus One, I can’t imagine it will take much time.

What does seem like a problem for the Nexus is that it has no room for a memory card slot. Yes, it has a very generous 16GB of memory, but when you make perhaps the best smartphone for gaming with its brilliant 1GHz Hummingbird processor and gyroscope specifically for gaming, why limit the memory available? The 16GB will be enough for most people, and it’s incredibly easy to upload images and videos onto your computer but it just seems like a shame for this to be limited.

Overall, the Nexus S has some incredibly clever and advanced features and with the curved screen is meant to be one of the most comfortable smart phones to use. It does come at a hefty price, retailing at around £550. If you are an everyday mobile user, I am not sure whether the Nexus S would be worth the investment, but if apps, gadgets and gizmos are your thing, then the Nexus  S definitely has a lot to offer. If nothing else, it is certainly an advancement on the earlier Nexus One, so if you currently have that, sell your old mobile phone and invest in the newer model that has a lot more interesting features.

Read more »

Samsung Star II S5260 Info and Video

Almost two years on from the original Star, Samsung have announced its successor - the Samsung Star II. Both phones are pretty similar on paper, but Samsung have made some useful improvements to keep the Star II fresh.

The display is a 3" 240 x 400 pixel unit, the old resistive panel on the Star was the same size, but this is reportedly a capacitive panel which is much nicer to use. On the back is a basic 3.2 megapixel camera and the Samsung Star II has WiFi but no 3G support.

Underneath Samsung have made some other changes by adding Social Networking Support (SNS) and there's an updated version of TouchWiz (version 3.0) running on the Star II as well. Perhaps surprisingly, Samsung haven't chosen to make the Star II run their Bada OS, instead keeping it in the "feature phone" category.

We don't know what price the Star II will be, but its predecessor retails for less than €100 at the moment, so we expect the Star II to be a little more. For this sort of price we can forgive the lack of 3G, as we would sooner have WiFi for a device like this anyway.

Samsung says that the Star II should be available in Germany from February, followed by other countries in Europe, the CIS, Middle East, South America and India.

Read more »