I have decided to start this thread solely for the purpose of reviewing mobile phones and giving all you people a chance to evaluate your options before splashing out on a new mobile phone...
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I have decided to start this thread solely for the purpose of reviewing mobile phones and giving all you people a chance to evaluate your options before splashing out on a new mobile phone...
Sony-Ericsson P990i
http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/i...cssonp990i.gif
The Sony Ericsson P990 is the latest P-series Symbian smartphone from Sony Ericsson, following on from the successful P800, P900 and P910 models. Expected to start shipping in Q1 2006 to Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa as the P990i, and to mainland China as the P990c. There is no word of a North American variant.
http://www.mobiles.co.uk/images/sony-ericsson-p990i.jpg
Although superficially similar to the P900/P910, the P990 is a vastly more capable handset, with many major improvements. To start off with, this is a 3G UMTS device in addition to tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900) and GPRS. It also has 802.11b Wireless Ethernet (WiFi) support, making it one of only a few WiFi capable phones. The screen resolution is now 240x320 pixel touchscreen in 262,000 colours, and on the back on the Sony Ericsson P990 is a 2 megapixel digital camera. Internal memory is 80Mb, and this is expandable through Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo cards (64Mb is included, 2Gb maximum). As you'd expect, the SE P990 comes with Bluetooth, but there's also an FM radio as an added bonus.
One immediately noticeable change is the keyboard. On the P990, the small alphabetic keyboard is fixed to the phone and is revealed by flipping down the number pad. Immediately about the QWERTY keyboard is a 2.6" 240x320 pixel display. When the number pad is in use, it appears to cover around 80 pixels or so from the bottom of the display, which gives the P990 both "open" and "closed" display modes, as with the P900 and P910. Certain applications such as the web browser and camera functions can use the P990's screen in landscape (wide) view.
The software package on the Sony Ericsson P990 has improved too, with the Symbian v9.1 operating system plus the UIQ 3.0 user interface. On top of this, the SE P990 comes with the Opera 8 web browser, email client, plus a suite of PIM applications. The P990 can edit Microsoft Word and Excel documents, and additionally comes with a viewer for PowerPoint and PDF files.
The stereo capabilities on the P990 are not known - we assume that it has stereo MP3 playback, but the details are sketchy. Nor do we know if you can plug a standard stereo headset directly into the P990, or if the device supports stereo Bluetooth.
continue PART2
http://macncell.com/images/sep990/p9...variant/xsmall
Sony Ericsson say that the P990 can support all major push email protocols, including Blackberry. How much of that is "in the box" and how much is an additional cost software option is not known, but certainly the P990 looks like a very good high end device for corporate use. There is a VPN client included too, and of course the P990 synchronises with applications such as Microsoft Outlook. The ability to edit Word and Excel documents is a big plus for business users.
It's quite a large device, at 114x57x25mm and 155 grams, but that's about the same weight as the i-Mate JAM/HTC Magician though a little larger (although the P990 has a better overall specification than the JAM/Magician). 3G talktime is up to 3 hours, with 9 hours maximum talktime on GSM. Standby time is up to 12 days (3G) or 16 days (GSM).
As we said, there's no word of a North American variant of the P990 (which would probably be called the P990a if released), although the stated Q1 2006 launch date means that potential buyers shouldn't have too long to wait.
The Sony Ericsson P990 is a formidable device in terms of hardware and software specifications, and certainly an improvement over the P910. However, we feel that this is a handset that should have shipped in Q1 2005, not Q1 2006, and this long lead time has meant that HTC has carved out significant market share in this sector. On the plus side, there is no other Symbian smartphone that comes close to this, although we do prefer the wide screen of the Nokia 9300 and 9500 devices to the "tall" screen on the P990 and similar handsets. And although the Nokia 9300 and 9500 are capable devices, they're nowhere near the specification of the Sony Ericsson P990. Perhaps Nokia have something up their sleeves - a Nokia 9700 or 9800 maybe?
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http://www.mobile-phones-uk.org.uk/images/nokia6630.gif
The 6630 is Nokia's first 3G smartphone. It's Nokia's most powerful smartphone yet, built on the Series 60 Symbian operating system with a wealth of pre-installed and downloadable applications. The 6630 is Nokia's flagship phone and it takes smartphones to the next level. Physically it's reminiscent of the 3660, although its more compact and has a better keypad. In terms of functionality, it offers everything that the 7610 can do, with the addition of 3G, an improved camera, faster processor and more memory. For the power user it's a winner!
http://pics.rbc.ru/img/cnews/2004/12/14/6630-4.jpg
Business applications include full always-on email support, with support for Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and a built-in application for reading attachments such as Microsoft Word and Excel documents. With full broadband internet via 3G or EDGE, you can send and receive multimedia documents very quickly indeed.
http://clabedan.typepad.com/photos/u...kia_6630_1.jpg
Multimedia applications include a high-resolution digital camera (1.3 megapixels) with up to one hour of video capture. You can also download video or audio (MP3/AAC) for playback on the high quality 65k colour display and stereo headset. The 3G connection is fast enough to enjoy real time video streaming. The supplied software includes Nokia Video Editor and Movie Director so you can edit the videos that you record. The web browser provides advanced HTML support, including background images, frames and some JavaScript so browsing the web is a much richer experience than on most phones. The large screen is ideal for viewing all these applications. It's not the best screen in its class, but it's as as good as anything Nokia have previously produced and it's good enough. It's worth noting too that the headset provides for listening to MP3 in stereo, unlike some of the other Series 60 phones.
http://www.all4smartphone.com/screen...ia/6630/48.jpg
One feature that's notable by its absence is video calling. The 3G functions seem to be aimed primarily at providing fast communication, and the video calling function has been left out.
There's a full range of connectivity options, including wireless Bluetooth™ support, both for headsets / car kits and for all kinds of data transfer. You can synchronise your contacts remotely using Bluetooth or via a cable.
The internal memory of 10 Mbytes is not going to be enough for all of the functions available on this phone, but a 64 Mbyte memory card is supplied and this can be hot-swapped to store or transfer data. For users who download a lot of applications, the lack of internal memory may be a problem, but then again only the Sony Ericsson P910i offers significantly greater internal memory. We would expect this to be remedied in the next generation of 3G smartphones.
Battery life is excellent for a phone of this kind. Depending on usage, it should be possible to get a couple of days use from this phone between charges.
Verdict : An outstanding phone, but a word of caution: some users are reporting reliability problems with this phone and it would be well worth reading the user reviews below before purchasing.
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Dopod 818 is the name used by Dopod company for HTC Magician that is known also as MDA Compact, XDA II Mini, i-mate JAM, etc, etc... and E-TEN M500 is a challenger - a new mini-Pocket PC phone from E-TEN company, that is very experienced in making Pocket PC phones - they make them already for years.
http://cnetasia.com/i/r/2005/hh/39097160/sc002.jpg
Dopod International (S) Corp Pte Ltd continues to reinforce its leading position in the PDA phone and smart phone market by announcing its latest product model, the Dopod 818pro with 5 colours for lifestyle consumers choices. Available first in Singapore, the Dopod 818 Pro is the follow-on to the world's most successful PDA phone Dopod 818 and its alike (such as O2 mini in Asia) and being all ODMed by High Tech Computer (HTC), Dopod brings its latest product with unparalleled price performance and the only one in the world to come in 5 different colours � silver, matt black, lavender, pink and blue. It also comes with WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth A2DP, GPRS, Quad band GSM, EDGE and a 2-Megapixel camera with macro photo taking function. The industry prevalent MMC/SDIO slot, expanded memory size also brings extra cost benefits to consumers.
http://www.zone23.info/mobile/dopod/818/S2Pic5s.jpg
Pros
Both the Dopod 818 Pro and O2 Xda Atom may offer similar specs such as a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth and Windows Mobile 5.0, but they actually share more differences than similarities. In terms of dimensions, the 818 Pro is marginally thinner than the Atom but is 6mm longer length-wise. It should also be noted that the Dopod sports a matt surface finish which gives it a more solid feel and a lot less fingerprint smudges than the Atom.
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/imag...d818Pro-02.jpg
n Dopod's favor are its upgraded connectivity components such as the Bluetooth v2.0 (compared with the v1.2 on the Atom), 802.11b/g wireless LAN (Atom has 802.11b) and quadband GSM support (versus Atom's triband). The 818 Pro also comes with a larger 2.8-inch LCD display, which is 0.1-inch more than the Atom.
The biggest advantage, however, is Dopod's employment of an SD/MMC card slot instead of a miniSD which O2 has on the Atom. This should not only go down well with those who already own SD cards, the fact that they are generally more affordable and available in higher capacities than miniSD will be the stronger pull factor for many buyers.
Cons
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http://msmobiles.com/users/1/archive...c-magician.jpg
ike the Dopod 838, the 818 Pro will run on the TI OMAP 850 (195MHz) chip which is likely to be a bottleneck for the handheld considering the various multimedia functions onboard. O2's faster Intel PXA272 Bulverde (416MHz) processor should have a slight advantage here. While the screen size of the Dopod is 0.1-inch larger than the Atom's, it displays only 64K colors, compared with the Atom's 262K colors. FM radio, a feature that's available on the Atom, is also not offered on the 818 Pro.
http://cnetasia.com/i/r/2005/hh/39097160/sc003.jpg
Verdict : Together with the improved connectivity options and SD/MMC card expansion, the Dopod holds some advantage over the Atom. However, the slower processor remains a possible Achilles' heel in Dopod's plan to steal O2's spotlight. The 818 Pro is expected to be launched in mid-December 2005 and will be available in five colors (silver, pink, lavender, black and blue).
Reply With Quote
Nokia 6820 Review!
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This GSM feature phone has all the bells and whistles that phone power users want, and then some! It's got an integrated camera, Bluetooth, color display, basic PIM functions, and runs on AT&T's EDGE (Enhanced Data rates or GSM Evolution) network. The 6820 isn't a Smartphone, but rather a Series 40 phone with Java. However, it may be the perfect companion to your PDA or notebook thanks to its integrated Bluetooth, IR and fast EDGE network performance. And of course, its most salient feature: the flip open to full QWERY keyboard design, is perfect for those who short message on the go, or need to send quick emails.
http://mobile.uberbin.net/archivos/nokia_6820.jpg
Those of you who are familiar with the 6800 will feel at home with the 6820. Both models look like a standard Nokia phone, but flip open to reveal a QWERTY keyboard. While the 6800 was by no means a large phone, Nokia managed to pack many more features into the 6820 while reducing its size noticeably. The 6820 is quite small and light, and sports an attractive silver, blue metallic and white finish. The screen orientation automatically changes to landscape when the phone is flipped open to reveal the keyboard. The four control buttons that flank each corner of the display automatically switch functions as well, so all controls and features are available in both modes.
The Nokia has a standard number pad, call send and end buttons, a power button on the upper right corner and three control buttons whose functions vary depending on the current context. In addition it has a mini 5-way joystick which you'll use to navigate on-screen menus, move the cursor in text messages and speed launch selected apps (left=SMS, right=calendar, up=camera, down=contacts. Right can be reassigned to launch the app of your choice). When in a call, moving the joystick left and right will raise and lower call volume.
The 6820 has a Pop-Port for use with Pop-Port headsets and car kits. It comes with an 850 mA removable battery, and ran for 3 days on a charge with moderate phone use and light Bluetooth use. Like most recent phones, the Nokia supports profiles and comes with six: General, Meeting, Silent, My style 1 and My style 2.
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/imag...00_compare.jpg
6800 and 6820 comparison
The Nokia has a lighted number pad, and both the numbers and two vertical bars that run between the number keys illuminate white when you first wake up the phone from standby or press a key. The backlighting will turn off at the same time the screen backlight turns off to conserve power. The phone has keyguard, which you can activate by selecting Menu, then pressing the asterisk (*) key. You can turn off keyguard by selecting Unlock, then pressing the asterisk key, or simply by pressing the Talk button when a call comes in. Voice features include speed dialing, call waiting, caller ID, speakerphone, conference calling, SMS and MMS. The 6820 comes with 14 polyphonic (MIDI) ring tones (you can install more if you wish) and 8 color themes.
The phonebook can hold up to 500 entries, has speed dial, supports up to 10 voice dial numbers (you'll record your own voice tags), offers voice commands for up to 9 available menu items (5 active at the same time) and can record memos/conversations up to 90 seconds in duration. The unit has a call log that tracks missed calls, received calls and dialed calls. As you'd expect, you can dial using a call log entry, and reset the call log whenever you wish. The call log also tracks GPRS connection times and the amount of data transferred.
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what comes in the box
with a bright background
The Nokia uses PC Suite for Windows to sync data between phone and a computer. You can sync using Bluetooth, IR or via the optional cable. In addition, the phone supports syncing over the air to an online sync service. Yyou can also transfer data between the phone and a PDA using Bluetooth or IR— for example, you can send a contact to the phone from a Palm Tungsten T3 via Bluetooth. Using PC Suite, you can sync contacts, calendar items, to-do items and notes, as well as transfer photos and videos taken with the camera to your PC. You'll use PC Suite to install Java games (or you can download them over the air), and it includes modem drivers for the phone.
Nokia does an excellent job with Bluetooth, and I had no trouble pairing the phone to a Tungsten T3 (note the T3 has been hard to pair for some users), and to Pocket PCs such as the Dell Axim X5 and Toshiba e805 using Ambicom's Bluetooth CF card for Pocket PCs, as well as an HP iPAQ 5555 using built-in Bluetooth (note that there seems to be a problem with the iPAQ 19xx and 22xx Bluetooth firmware and these won't work correctly with the 6820). Once paired, I used the 6820 as a wireless modem for the PDAs on AT&T Wireless' EDGE network. I got speeds in the 40k range in Northern California. EDGE is an enhanced GPRS wireless data connection that should offer speeds close to 100k (rivaling Verizon and Sprint's 1xRTT service), but so far speeds have been closer to the top end of GPRS. Speeds will likely be a bit faster if you're using the phone as a modem for a notebook computer since those are able to sustain faster network connections compared to current PDAs. Hopefully as the network matures, speeds will increase. The phone will automatically connect to the EDGE network if available, so you don't have to do any configuration.
In addition, we tested the Nokia with a variety of Bluetooth Headsets including the Bluespoon Chameleon and the Logitech Mobile Headset and had no trouble pairing and using them with the phone.
camera quality
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What feature phone would be complete without a camera? The Nokia 6820 has a CIF camera capable of shooting still JPEG images at 352 x 288 pixels resolution and it can also shoot video with audio. Camera modes include Standard photo, Portrait photo, and Night mode. The camera has three quality settings, allows you to turn the shutter sound on and off, and manually specify image titles. Videos are saved in H.263 (SubQCIF) format and are limited in duration only by the amount of available internal memory. Audio quality is very good (excellent for subjects within 5 feet of the phone), while video and still image quality are average for a camera phone of this resolution. Images and videos are good enough to send to other multimedia phone users, and sending them via MMS is quite simple: just choose Send from Options when viewing the image/video.
http://prohardver.hu/html/telefon/nokia6820/nyitva2.jpg
http://www.geek.com/images/mini2/nok...6820closed.jpg
Verdict : A great phone packed with features! It's a very small and light mobile, yet thanks to the clever design it packs a full thumb keyboard. Excellent Bluetooth implementation, EDGE high speed data connection, and a camera in one small and reasonably priced package. It runs on AT&T Wireless' new 850 MHz band (as well as the standard US 1900 MHz band) for best coverage. Definitely a must have for those who message on the go, and competes nicely with the Sony Ericsson T610/T616.
o2 XDA Exec Reviewed!!
http://img.gsmarena.com/i/pics/o2/o2-xda-exec_00.jpg
General Overview
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/14/xda_exec.jpg
Oh I love this particular piece of work, reviewing my own phone. Yes fellas, I currently own a XDA exec and I simply love it to bits.The XDA Exec is the latest in a long line of XDAs from O2, and it is real state of the art stuff. It isn't small and it isn't all that pretty, but if you are looking for a PDA that does just about everything a PDA can at the moment, and you don't mind paying a hefty price for the privilege, it is worth a look.
http://www.ibear.cn/wireless/wp-content/mdasmall.jpg
The immediately striking thing about the XDA Exec is its size: it is larger than usual because it incorporates a (relatively) big keyboard inside a clamshell design. Just like a Tablet PC you can swivel the screen and lay it flat, facing outermost, if you don't want to use the keyboard.
When you rotate the 640 x 480 pixel, 3.6 diagonal inch screen it automatically reorients from landscape format to portrait, though you can easily change the orientation manually using an icon on the Today screen.
This is a very flexible design, but it does make for quite a lot of bulk to carry around in your pocket; overall the XDA Exec weighs 285g. And it is worth noting that the keyboard, while considerably larger than any other PDA keyboard we've seen in recent years, is not large enough for touch-typing.
This is the first PDA from O2 to support 3G communications, and a camera next to the screen lets you make video calls, while a second camera on the back will shoot stills at up to 1,280 x 960 pixels and capture video
Both Bluetooth and 802.11b are included, so you can hop onto wireless networks when in range and use a Bluetooth headset for voice calls. A wireless headset is probably the best option for voice communications, in fact, the others being the supplied wired headset and holding the hardware to your ear - a job for which it is rather too bulky.
The XDA Exec runs Windows Mobile 5, an updated version of Microsoft's handheld operating system. Many of the changes from the previous version are under the hood, with the general look and feel remaining familiar. Notable changes include some enhancements to the built-in software Word Mobile and Excel Mobile (renamed from Pocket Word and Pocket Excel), the introduction of a PowerPoint viewer and two new soft-menu buttons on the touch-sensitive screen whose roles change depending on what application you are using at the time.
The XDA Exec will be up there with the most memory-rich PDAs available as the final specification is for 128MB of flash memory and 64MB of RAM, with an SD card slot so you can expand on what's available if necessary and I got O2 to gimme a 512 MB memory card as a deal.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/images/wizzard.JPG
Verdict : With its built-in contacts and diary software, supplied PC synchronisation software, and built-in Pocket Internet Explorer, the XDA Exec should provide a large portion of what many mobile professionals need. Bringing 3G into the mix will suit those who need to make fast downloads and video calls. For those who don't want or need the keyboard, though, the XDA Exec might seem a bit too bulky.
Nokia N71
Right let me continue where I left, with a review for Nokia N71. I dont know if the phone has been launched in India, but the the R&D department had a model, and I've toying around with this baby for the past 3 days.
Meanwhile, if you wanna read reviews from mobile review.com or wherever you're welcome to do so, mr.pimp I work as an engineer for a living and I have my deadlines and ebullient pressures from life, please be a little patient. Sorry for keeping you waiting guys... Lets kick off.
Nokia N71
The Nokia N71 is a compact, high-performance multimedia device offering a range of features and services, taking advantage of the latest 3G technology. The N71 delivers a rich browsing experience viewable on the high-definition 2.4 inch QVGA (320X240 pixel), 262,144 color screen. It supports the Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map that features a semi-transparent zoomed-out overall view of the Web page, users can quickly orient themselves and intuitively navigate to all corners of the site as well as see the Web page as it was originally designed. It also allows users to enable RSS feeds allowing them to subscribe to their favorite Web sites and receive regular updates. Also features 2 MP camera that enable images taken to be shared via email, MMS, or bluetooth using XpressShare solution. Ultimately one of the best smartphone available.
Specifications:-
Manufacturer Nokia
Availability Available Now
Form Factor Clamshell
Network GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900
Dimensions 98mm x 51mm x 23mm
Weight 139g
Display
Type TFT
Size 320px X 240px
Colors 262144
Storage
Internal 10 MB
Expansion miniSD card slot (hotswap 128MB card included)
Side Keys
Platform Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition
Battery
Type Standard Battery BL-5C
Talk Time 3 hours
Standby Time 216 hours
The first thing you'll notice is that the phone is quite small. Being a clamshell, it is obviously still quite thick but its width and height are considerably smaller than e.g. Nokia N90's and it's slightly thinner, too. The dimensions are 98.6 x 51.2 x 23.0 mm and the phone weighs 139 grams, which is 35 grams less than the N90. N71 uses the BL5-C Lithium Ion battery and with moderate use it should give about 2-3 days of standby time, but people browsing the Web and using organiser functions and 3rd party software may find it necessary to top up the accu daily.
http://www.gadgets-weblog.com/50226711/nokia-n71.jpg
External side of the cover contains the outside display (96x68 pixels, 65,536 colors STN) surrounded by an aluminium-like frame. For my taste, the display is a little bit too grainy (large pixels) and faded but it's still useful and readable. Below the screen you can find the main 2 Megapixel camera (4.8 mm, f/3.2, fixed focus, 1600x1200 pixels, 20x digital zoom) with LED flash. Between the camera and the display there is a small button which can be used to show big clock and date and also to access several system functions like e.g. viewing the call log. There is no dedicated camera shutter button and you have to open the cover and operate it from the menu inside. On the left side of the phone there is a dedicated Push-to-Talk button and on the bottom of the cover you can find the usual Power on/off button which can be also used to switch profiles.
The N71 is a dual mode GSM/UMTS phone. Data transmission speeds reach 384 kbps in WCDMA networks and up to 236 kbps in EDGE networks. Connectivity options include Bluetooth 1.2 (with Basic Printing Profile and Human Interface Device Profile providing support for accessories, including BT keyboards) and USB 2.0 via Pop-Port connector, which is located on top of the phone, under the hinge. N71 supports hot-swappable miniSD cards up to 2 GB (128 MB card is bundled with the phone) and comes with 10 MB of internal storage memory, which is twice less than in N90 and three times less than in N70. The miniSD slot is located right under the Pop-port and is hidden behind a black plastic door.
Verdict
Nokia N71 is a small and nice looking clamshell. Equipped with the latest Symbian OS 9.1 and S60 3rd Edition, the phone provides much increased security and more power. High quality 240x320 pixels screen and 2 Megapixel camera capable of recording video with VHS quality @ 15 frames per second make it a good choice for multimedia enthusiasts. The only concern is that the phone is not compatible with existing 3rd software for older Series 60 smartphones and it may take some time until developers prepare and release Symbian OS 9.1 compatible versions of their applications.
The Nokia N92 is the first integrated DVB-H mobile device in the Nokia Nseries range for watching broadcast TV programs. The Nokia N92 offers easy access to TV programs without having to sit in front of a television set. Users can set reminders to watch their favorite TV programs, create personal channel lists and subscribe to TV channel packages. The outstanding new form factor offers a highly ergonomic user-experience. The usability is further enhanced by the large 2.8" anti-glare QVGA screen with 16 million colors and the dedicated media keys that deliver a rich viewing experience
The N92 isn’t actually out until next year and neither will proper DVB-H signals begin broadcasting until then. However what we’ve seen is incredibly impressive, if you really want to indulge in mobile TV (and note that Vodafone recently struck a deal with Sky…) it is well worth waiting it out for the N92. This handset looks set to change how we think about mobile phones.