Nokia N97 and N97 mini - part 1

We've never reviewed the Nokia N97 fully here on AAS, mainly because we knew the v20 upgrade was on its way. And now that it's here, with the N97 distinctly nicer to use, along comes a sister device, the N97 mini that impresses by improving in almost every are, making the original N97 still hard to fully recommend. In a multi-part review series, I look at both N97 variants in detail. In part 1, I look at form factor, design, build quality and performance. Parts 2 and 3 will cover applications/usability and camera/multimedia.

"Also revealed is the microSD slot - with card swapping now infrequent on modern devices, hiding this potential dust trap away inside the back cover is fine by me. It could even be argued that the card itself is now not quite so vital, with most Symbian-powered phones now coming with substantial amounts of internal flash memory (of which more later). Also of note is that the N97 mini hides its antennae (GPS, 3G etc) underneath plastic, while the N97 leaves them exposed on the surface - yet more evidence that the N97 mini hardware is very much a second iteration on the basic design. (There will be more on GPS performance in a future review part.)"

Source: http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/

Verizon's LG Chocolate Touch is nice but nothing new

Perhaps the biggest letdown of the LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 from Verizon Wireless is that it's not the LG Chocolate BL40. After getting teased for months by the sexy shots of the LG BL40, we thought there might be a chance we would see it stateside. Alas, the LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 looks nothing like its European cousin. In fact, the touch screen interface reminds us a lot of previous LG touch screen handsets, like the LG enV Touch for example. The geometric shapes on the back of the phone and the blob-like buttons underneath the display are about the only things that are unique about the phone's design.

Still, that doesn't mean the Touch VX8575 is a terrible phone. Continuing the Chocolate tradition of strong music features, the Chocolate Touch VX8575 has a great music player with Dolby Music equalizer settings (both manual and preset modes), an FM radio, and an integrated song ID feature. There's also a really fun "Join the Band" feature that gives you either a virtual drum kit or a scrolling 88-key keyboard to play along with your tunes. The drum kit even has a cow bell, which we found amusing.

That, and it has a nice 3.2-megapixel camera, EV-DO Rev. 0, V Cast video access, stereo Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm headset jack. We weren't big fans of the full HTML browser -- you have to keep going back to a URL-entry page to enter URLs, for example -- but it's otherwise a decent touch screen music phone from Verizon Wireless. The LG Chocolate Touch VX8575 is $79.99 with a two-year service agreement with Verizon Wireless.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/

Nokia N900 gets Pay Monthly pricing

The N900 isn't far away now - it's due on 16 November. As a result, we're due some pricing information and, lo and behold, here it is courtesy of mobile comparison site Omio.

It's possible to get the handset on a 24-month contract for as little as £20 per month from Orange, though that'll only give you 200 minutes and you'll have to shell out £170 for the handset. A similar 24-month deal from O2 for £30 per month will net you 600 minutes, and the phone itself will only cost £10.

If you're determined to get the handset free, then a 24-month deal from Orange will set you back £35 per month with 900 minutes. The cheapest 18-month contact is £25 per month, again from Orange, with 600 minutes and £220 upfront phone cost.

Are you itching to get your hands on the N900? Tell us why, and which pricing option you reckon you'll go for, in the comments.

Source: http://www.pocket-lint.com/

Samsung Genio Now On Pre Paid

We are pleased to announce that the Samsung Genio Qwerty mobile phone has just been made available on pre paid, which is sure to please everyone who loves text messaging and social networking.

This new Samsung handset adds new life to the Genio line, with the Samsung Genio Qwerty boasting a great full QWERTY keyboard, much like those found on BlackBerry mobile phones; the keys are also lined up in the exact same way as on a computer keyboard, an area where many other handsets fall short.

Something else we love about the Samsung Genio Qwerty is that it allows you to change the covers; it isn’t a high end feature but it is great for those of you who wind up with scratched cases because you cant break the habit of keeping your keys and phone in the same pocket.

The mobile phone is known as the Corby TXT in other parts of the world and has an impressive range of features including several focussed on multimedia.

The Samsung Genio Qwerty sports a reasonable 2 mega pixel camera, quick keys for all the important functions such as your music player, and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack – and thanks to they great keyboard it is perfect for texting and tweeting fast.

The built in memory is one area where the handset falls short at only 37 MB, however it does support microSD cards up to 8 GB – which aren’t too costly, especially when the phone itself is so affordable; plus there are plenty of neat apps available right from your home screen to have a play with.The Samsung Genio Qwert is available on pre paid now from Orange for only £99.

Source: http://www.blog.moby1.co.uk/

T-Mobile Pulse review

With the Android smartphone platform gaining momentum as the number of handsets available expands, T-Mobile has introduced its own-brand low-cost touchscreen alternative – the T-Mobile Pulse.

The Pulse offers a pay-as-you-go route into the Google-powered smartphone world.Starting at £179.99 in pre-pay deals (and expected to be free with contracts), it's the most affordable Android-equipped smartphone so far.

While HTC has made the early running as the main Android handset producer, manufacturers like Samsung and Motorola have recently joined the game with their own debut Android touchscreen phones, and a bunch of others, including LG, Sony Ericsson and Acer, are committed to releases in the near future.

The market certainly is about to get a whole lot hotter. T-Mobile's own-brand Pulse is a handset sourced from Chinese mobile communications maker Huawei (best known in this country for supplying mobile internet dongles to the major networks). The Pulse is a T-Mobile optimised version of the HU8220, and is a slab design with a 3.5-inch touchscreen – the largest on an Android phone so far. The T-Mobile Pulse may be the most affordable Android handset to date, but that doesn't mean a lean set of features.

It has HSPA and Wi-Fi high-speed data connectivity, is equipped with A-GPS satellite location-finding technology and supports a rich spread of video, music and other media functions, including a 3.2-megapixel camera.

Running on the Android 1.5 Cupcake version of the smartphone OS, it comes loaded up with the usual healthy set of standard Android applications and has plenty of functionality out of the box, including all the Google regulars.

In addition, users can, of course, augment the onboard software with application downloads, using the embedded Android Market application to browse apps online.

Source: http://www.techradar.com/

Pay as you go deals: the best choice for travelers

For the people who have to travel as a part of their work and need to make frequent trips out of their native land, it may be a problem to stay connected. This problem will arise when the user is tied up in a commitment with the network provider and cannot switch to a local network of a foreign place to which he travels. This however is not enforced on the users if they go for pay as you go deals since they can easily switch to local networks.

When a user travels far and wide, it may not be possible for him to afford roaming charges for a long time. Therefore, the best way for him to be connected is to switch to a network which is local for that place. This would be against the network provider if the person is under a contract. It is rather better to go in for deals which are sim free and allow the users to switch to any other local network without any commitment or limitation. Pay as you go deal offers this freedom to the users with which they can easily switch networks according to needs.

Pay as you go deals are also beneficial in the case where a user is not getting adequate services and wishes to switch. Also, pay as you go deals are advantageous since they provide a control to the user of the expenditure that he makes on his phone. He can get his mobile account recharged according to his budget and then use it later on. Any latest handsets can be taken up for pay as you go deals.

Pay as you go deals make it really possible for the users to switch to better networks or save their money. No limitations can tie them down to one network.

Summary

Through pay as you go deals, the users can decide their expenditure on mobile expenses beforehand. Also, they can switch between networks easily at will when they are traveling anywhere outside of native land.

Best Mobile Phone Deals In The Uk – Timeless And Affordable Communication!

The mobile phone is one of the major inventions of modern times. We have learned to search for mobile phone that offer both the comfort of talking but also have additional features. The latest generations of mobile phones have integrated high-resolution cameras, GPS and they can also be used as media players. As advanced as they are, it’s only natural that they come with a high price. Fortunately, for dedicated shoppers, the Internet offers the best mobile phone deals in the UK.

Searching the web is probably the easiest ways of finding the cell you’re interested in. With just a few clicks on the mouse you can discover a website that compares prices, presents accessories and offers detailed information on the phone’s specifications. After selecting the brand you desire, prepare yourself to discover the best mobile phone deals in the UK. You will be informed about the phone’s in-built memory, key features and the number of mega-pixels on the camera. High-tech mobile phones come with advanced cameras, Carl Zeiss optics and have in-built GPS system.

The list of features presented for each mobile phone continues with design-related elements, media playing functions and available talk time. These characteristics are important for anyone looking for the best mobile phone deals in the UK online. Prospective shoppers are interested in finding a mobile phone that fits their personal preferences and tastes but also fit into the available budget.

The same websites allow them to find a good mobile phone, depending on the network, contract length and popularity. There are several networks available, all having various offers they hope to entice their customers with. Often times, the best mobile phone deals in the UK can be found when signing a contract with a network service operator. The contract period ranges from 12 to 18 months, with different terms and conditions. This is indeed a sure way to take care of your communication needs, while paying an affordable price. You can also sort the mobile phone offers according to their price. Then, you will have to compare prices and search for additional info.

Many of the shoppers who search for the best mobile phone deals in the UK are genuinely interested in reading details regarding the following: price, tariff (depending on the network provider), free minutes included, text messages and total cost. Prices can be easily compared, whether you want a mobile phone based on a contract or sim-free mobile phones. Online, you can also find attractive offers for pay-as-you-go mobile phones and useful accessories (handsfree kits or car chargers). Shopping for affordable phones can be a pleasant experience if you know where to search.

Such websites are also browsed by those who are trying to discover the best mobile broadband deals in the UK. Depending on the retailer, one can read about the price plan, download and upload speed. The information presented on mobile broadband deals includes the monthly cost, setup fee and contract length. These deals are intended to offer you constant and convenient access to the Internet. You can connect regardless of your location and enjoy affordable prices. Users are attracted by the best mobile broadband deals, especially as these offers are compatible with 3G technology and the download speed is more than impressive.

Several network providers present online some of the best mobile broadband deals in the UK through specialized websites. They all emphasize the importance of fast connection, independent of location and high-speed Internet access. Just like with mobile phones, prices can be easily compared and one can take advantage of the same resources in order to discover available plans. Forget all about dial-up Internet connection and slow-moving download speed. Browse through online existing offers and read specifications on each package. As there are plenty of attractive choices, it’s impossible not to benefit from the best mobile broadband deals in the UK.

source : http://www.pressemeldungen.at/