Category : Mobile Phones
The xPeria X10i recently was provided a most welcome update to Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). Having run for almost a year previously on Android 1.6 this was almost unexpected in its swiftness of delivery.
As with any updates there is a worry about losing data. I backed up most apps which I like to SD card using Astro and did a few additional syncs with the various programs which whack data onto the cloud on my behalf. I was a bit unsure about the way in which contacts were prioritised with gmail but a quick check using the laptop confirmed that recent additions had made it onto Google’s cloud system so all appeared happy.
Bookmarks are not so important so I left that. I ran the update using Sony Ericsson PC Suite and all went superbly. The new software gave the phone a hugely improved user experience, all appeared to run more smoothly and the homescreen was much better. Mediascape had gone and timescape was quickly removed from the display.
It was nice to have pinch and zoom multitouch as I had read a year ago that the xperia hardware would not support multitouch so I had not really seen anyway in which they could add such a feature, still it works.
I was pleased to add my most used programs into folders on the homescreen, in fact I was so efficient that I did not really need more than 2 (of the five).
I have stopped searching for home screen mods now it looks so nice, I did find beautiful widget which gives an HTC Sense type digital clock along with weather on the homescreen, very nice. All in all it was a success. The final test was installing copilot ( my favourite Sat Nav for Android) – this worked a treat. It is interesting that the latest Android update included Facebook as standard though I had to actively search and install Google Plus.
OK, its old news but it made me laugh.
Nokia has seen its market share slip in recent years and clearly needed something new to allow it to rub shoulders with the mobile glitterati once again.
So what do they do?
Well they must have thought long and hard about the Symbian Foundation – and they decided to drop that. So what next.
Well, had I been at their internal meetings I would have pointed out that Nokia needed sexing up big time, it needed to do real battle with the ubiquitous iDevices and the newcomer Android. Nokia clearly needed a full makeover of its brand to appeal to the new generation of consumers who actively seek out not only the best but the coolest.
I find the decision to throw the towel in with Windows Mobile a very intriguing and strange way of achieving this – Microsoft’s public image is exactly the same as that of Nokia – it is perceived as safe and boring.
I may well be wrong as it is highly possible that there are many people out there who are actually happier with the safe and boring choice. But I will be watching carefully
OK, I now have 2 smartphones that I dont like. For one I have the iphone – this is a beautiful and well crafted piece of technology for sure – easy to use and well supported by the apps. I also own a Sony Ericssson xPeria x10 which has the following features :
- Awful Interface – no dual touch support, bad background, dire homescreen
- Terrible Battery Life – like less than 8 hours
- Horrendous Features – stupid Media and Timescape Apps
- Obsolete OS – it is still running Android 1.6
I bought this Android Powered device as I thought that it would be an improvement on the HTC Hero which I loved and lost, but I had no idea that it was HTC’s GUI which had elevated Android to such a level of beauty.
As for the iphone – you can’t drag and drop files onto it, you can’t really tweak it, bash it, root it, love it………and what is more, they really are simple devices – loved my those that swore they would never move away from Nokia by the large and those that believe that it instills some sort of chic ambience on to them – the iphone is the new burberry on the high street – it is the new chav badge and I hate myself for owning one – I am always trying to give it away. its saving grace is most likely that its touch typing guessworkl engine seems the best I have used so emails fly out….
Give me HTC and Android any day of the week
The original series of Blackberry phones were not exactly known to be affordable. This is where their Curve Series comes in. Initially introduced in 2007, the curve series has been aimed at the common folk, as a reasonably affordable smart phone. Hence you won’t find the high end Blackberry features, but if cost effectiveness is your demand, then the BlackBerry Curve 3G is the phone for you.
The Design is pretty much the same as the Blackberry Curve 8500. It looks and feels quite sturdy and durable. The Optical Track pad is a great new addition to the model. Even though the Curve 3G is currently running the Blackberry OS 5.0, it is built ready for the Blackberry OS 6.0.
When it comes to multimedia features, there’s nothing great here for the hard-core BlackBerry fanatic, since there’s only a 2 Mega Pixel Camera without flash and a weak video recorder. Along with 3G, there’s also support for Wi-Fi and inbuilt GPS, which is quite impressive considering the fact that this is only an entry level device. Support for applications is also great with the in built App World.
Most of the other cost effective 3G phones in the market right now are offering better multimedia features. The main reason the Curve 3G has a chance against these competitors, is because of its renowned brand name and OS Functionality.
As it is with most other Blackberry phones, battery life is quite impressive with a standby time of around 500 hours and talk-time of up to 4.5 hours on 2G and 5.5 hours on 3G. More or less, the features on this phone are indeed quite impressive for an entry level model. Hence the conclusive verdict would be, that despite the low end multimedia capabilities, the 3G is bound to attract people with average budgets, and so the Curve 3G will no doubt be a success in the market. You can find the best deals for the Curve 3G by making a comparison at www.best-mobile-contracts.co.uk.
Ooh, I got a new mobile phone, an Andoid one, not sure if I think that SonyEricsson’s take on the os is nearly as accomplished as that of HTC….
Well, I have contacted HTC on numerous occasions of late offering to swap my iphone for an Android phone and finally they have replied….
If they do, I will change my name to Android most likely and even wear their TShirts.
Nokia is the world`s largest mobile phone manufacturer, consistently out-selling its rivals over the course of many years. It has not earned this title lightly, as it has managed to cater to every niche in the market and even invent a few of its own. As such its mobiles appeal to the gadget fiend and the mainstream user alike. The N Series phones are at the top end of Nokia`s line up and over the years they have built up a large following, with new handsets arriving regularly to refresh the range. Here is a quick overview of the N Series Nokia phones that are on the market today.
Nokia N900
The Nokia N900 arrived at the end of 2009 and it was the first N Series handset to sport the Maemo operating system rather than the Symbian platform of which Nokia has been a patron in the past. The N900 represents a significant shift in the N Series in more ways than one, as its tablet style design marks it out as a serious mobile internet machine rather than a commonplace smartphone. The 3.5 inch touchscreen display is supplemented with a full QWERTY keypad hidden underneath and it has all of the hardware features that mark it out as a powerhouse. The main problem with the N900 is that its software and hardware is unlikely to appeal to the same audience that might go for something like the iPhone. It is a little too tech-heavy, but in the right hands it can be the perfect tool for mobile browsing.
Nokia N97 and N97 Mini
The Nokia N97 joined the N Series last year and it stuck to the Symbian platform of its predecessors, although it underwent some significant work in order to make the touchscreen interface operate accurately. This overhaul involved adding live widgets to the homescreen, which can be updated with information from social networking sites and messaging services without you having to open individual applications. This was quickly copied by many rivals and made the N97 something of a trend-setter. Few rivals chose to copy its angled, slide-out QWERTY keypad, although this was a boon for fans of messaging as it means you would be able to type fast without relying on the virtual keypad onscreen. The N97 was resized and released as the Mini later, with the smaller screen and less onboard storage representing the only major changes. It still possesses the five megapixel camera and wealth of software used by its big brother, making it a more pocketable alternative.
Nokia N8
When the Nokia N8 arrives it will represent yet another shift in the N Series line up, because it is set to make use of the brand new Symbian 3 operating system. Gone are the slide-out keypads of its predecessors, replaced with a touchscreen interface and a powerful new array of hardware. Its most interesting feature is the 12 megapixel camera mounted on the rear, which can take stills and record video in high definition. Critics are concerned that the N8`s software will not go far enough to make it competitive against the likes of Android and the iOS, but hopefully it will be cheaper than rivals, benefiting from mobile phones deals and an attractive price point.
In May 2007 I got a new mobile phone which had a 5 megapixel camera, video calling, video editing, Bluetooth&tm;, flash player, customisable folders…. everything one could wish for.
It was a Nokia N95.
It still works.
It still is better than the iphone 4.
Ok, I gave in and went for an Iphone, just wanted, I think to see what all the fuss was about.
The phone is nice, easy to use but I am increasingly annoyed at the proprietary way in which Apple has closed down access to the phone.
My last few phones ( Android, Symbian and Windows Mobile 6.1 ) have allowed me to drag music onto the hard drive, beam files via bluetooth and install apps/ games from many sources ( all without any issues). The iPhone’s locking in to iTunes gets on my nerves, but still it is very easy to use.
The camera is a but pony but I will just have to make do with it. The email program synched up nicely to my Google Apps account via Exchange ( iPhone > Microsoft > Google ???) and some of the apps ( like Magic Seaweed Surf reports ) are just dandy.
All in all the phone is not up to the quality of the HTC Hero Android phone and not as robust and usable as the Nokia N95 but it is kind of cute and relatively easy to use.
The unlimited data which comes with the Orange contract helps in a big way to enjoy a mobile life as well.
The icing on the cake was the purchase ( as I want to keep this phone a grade as I suspect I will try to swap it for an Android phone one day) of a beautiful iphone case from Maikai. It did, however take me several days to remove the thick plastic from the thin screen protector but that was ‘my bad’.
Om my god I thought to myself as I drove along. Funnily I am back to using a N95 again, after a couple of years with Windows Touchscreen devices and more recently the wondrous HTC Hero.
Well the voice comes on the radio and announces free voice navigation from now on with my Nokia N95.
I have to tell you that the N95 still stands out as a superb piece of kit. Even having used ‘more advanced’ gadgets since first falling in love with the N95.
So I am happy about that, my return to Symbian and the easy way in which the phone works, its easy operability and ruggedness – so a free upgrade to the Sat Nav was a great concept.
I visit therefore Nokia Maps Updater online and look forward to updating my phone with a certain pride that it is still the ‘dogs’.
Then Nokia hits me with its bombshell – please select model – it is apparently only available on selected models.
I try in vain, downloading the app anyway and installing when it warns that it is not compatible with my phone… and indeed it is not.
Oh, the disappointment, I was so buoyed by Nokia’s forward thinking ( loyalty can be purchased by such moves ) that I spent a while uninstalling the Ovi Maps and transferring all my Nokia data to a new PC I have… Only to find this.
I guess I will have to source some other Sat Nav for the Nokia.
Most saddened by whole affair.
