Sony Ericsson G502 Review

The newest member of the Sony Ericsson G-lineup was only announced a few weeks ago with a stark commitment to deliver great internet experience. Compact and stylish, this bar has the looks and our preview has already lifted a corner of the curtain on performance. Join us as we start our answer-to-all-your-questions Sony Ericsson G502 review.
Key features

.2" 262K-color TFT LCD display of QVGA resolution
.GPRS, EDGE and 3G connectivity with HSDPA
.Great web browser
.Great battery life
.Compact size
.M2 memory card slot
.2 megapixel camera
.Media center
.Comfortable keypad
.FM radio with RDS
.Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP support
.USB connectivity

Main disadvantages

.Camera produces mediocre pictures
.Poor display legibility under direct sunlight
.No video-call camera
.No document reader
.D-pad might be uncomfortable at first

The market, at which Sony Ericsson G502 is aiming, is not really overcrowded. There are only a handful of budget handsets to feature HSDPA and at least decent browser capabilities. The strongest challenger is probably the Sony Ericsson K660 but it will probably be a bit more expensive due to the few extra features it offers. Whether the dedicated browser keys are worth the extra cash is debatable but, as these are internet-centered devices, they might just make a difference.
Motorola RAZR maxx V6 is also a reasonably priced HSDPA-enabled handset that comes with the Opera web browser. This might just be enough for some people to choose it over the G502. The form factor could also be decisive here as the maxx V6 is a flip.

The slider Samsung F330 may appeal to the music-lovers, as it features some dedicated music keys to compliment the HSDPA. Some people might prefer the sliding design to the Sony Ericsson G502 bar. We for one do happen to like the G502 browser and general interface more.

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Motorola MING A1800 with dual-SIM, dual-network

The Motorola MING A1800 is a highly intriguing device that recently leaked online. It can work with two SIM cards, but what's even better it can work with two networks standards as well - CDMA and quad-band GSM.
Boy Genius Report recently got a hold of the otherwise officially unannounced Motorola MING A1800, which comes as an update of the Linux-based MING lineup. Having in mind the CDMA functionality, it's almost sure that the handset will be targeted at the American market, still it would be perfectly usable n Europe too.
The Motorola MING A1800 also sports a 3 megapixel autofocus camera and Bluetooth. Unfortunately, no other specifications are available, but you can enjoy some of the BGR photos.

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_ming_a1800_is_dualsim_dualnetwork-news-467.php

AT & T To Bring Mobile TV In May

AT&T announced that the nation's largest wireless carrier will offer subscribers ten channels of live, mobile TV on at least two new phones starting in May.

AT&T Mobile TV uses Qualcomm's MediaFLO system, which we reviewed last year with two Verizon phones. The MediaFLO system allows for at least 14 channels. AT&T and Verizon will share eight: CBS, Comedy Central, ESPN , FOX, MTV, NBC, NBC News, and Nickelodeon. AT&T will get two exclusive channels of their own, which Verizon customers won't have access to.

Verizon, for its part, added two exclusive channels this week: ESPN Radio and a Latino-focused MTV spinoff, "MTV Tr3s".

MediaFLO channels aren't simulcasts of broadcast TV. Rather, they're rearrangements of the TV schedule to play popular programs several times a day. Late night talk shows pop up during morning commuting hours, for instance, and the NBC channel mixes in both NBC network programs and popular shows from NBC's Bravo cable channel.

Since AT&T uses the exact same mobile TV network as Verizon, we expect quality to be the same (excellent, just like 'regular' TV) and pricing plans to be the same (around $15/month.)

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Yahoo unveiled a new bookmarking tool for cell phones

The Internet company unveiled a new bookmarking tool for cell phones that lets people keep track of favorite Web content--news feeds, search results, Web sites--from one place on their handheld. The technology, called Yahoo OnePlace, will be available in the second quarter of 2008, according to Yahoo.

The tool builds on other new mobile applications from Yahoo. Those include OneConnect, a tool to update social-networking messaging on the phone (announced in February), and OneSearch, which aggregates news, weather, financial data, photos, and Web links based on search queries

Yahoo has heavy competition in mobile. Earlier Tuesday at Germany's annual CeBit conference, Google demonstrated Google Gears, an open-source browser extension for mobile phones that lets developers create Web applications that can run offline. For now, Google Gears supports Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile 5 and 6 phones, but not Apple's iPhone or other smart phones running Opera browsers.

Last month, Opera also switched out Yahoo and made Google the default search engine for its Opera Mobile and Opera Mini Web browsers designed for handheld devices.

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Sony Ericsson revealed T303

Sony Ericsson revealed T303, a new mid-end compact slider phone targeted to the mass market with its good looks and price. The Sony Ericsson T303 has been rumored throughout the past week and now it finally meets the bright light of day.


Sony Ericsson T303 has a nice appearance thanks to its metal housing and chrome finish, as well as a mirrored screen. The 65K TFT display itself is rather small with its 1.8" and 128 x 160 pixels resolution.




The phone is packed with decent set of features as FM Radio, TrackID, 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth. A serious downside however is that the T303 doesn't have a memory card slot, while its internal memory is only 8MB.

Sony Ericsson T303 measures 83 x 47 x 14.7 mm and weighs 93 grams and will be available in Shimmering Silver and Shadow Black colors.

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Apple shares rose more than 4% on optimism over iPhone demand

Shares of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) rose more than 4 percent on Thursday amid optimism on Wall Street that the maker of consumer favorites such as the iPod media player and iPhone can weather economic troubles.
The shares rose $5.46 to $128.42 in early trade on Nasdaq, a bright contrast to slumping broader markets weighed down by mounting U.S. recession fears.

The gains come one day after Apple affirmed its iPhone sales goal for this year and promised to give details of how outside programmers can create software for the device. The move is expected to spur demand for the Web-browsing and media-playing mobile phone.

Goldman Sachs analyst David Bailey, after a meeting with Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook on Wednesday, said he continues to believe that "Apple's industry-leading product cycles should help it overcome softer seasonality and sets the stock up for a strong second half."

Although the shares have risen over the past two trading sessions, they are still a long way from recouping a 30 percent decline over the past three months. Investors have soured somewhat on Apple amid concerns that a slowing economy could hit sales of its Mac computers, iPods and iPhones.

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Smuggled iphone return to china

The strange journey of Apple’s popular iPhone, to nearly every corner of the world, shows what happens when the world’s hottest consumer product defies a company’s attempt to slowly introduce it in new markets.

The iPhone has been swept up in a frenzy of global smuggling and word-of-mouth marketing that leads friends to ask friends, “While you’re in the U.S., would you mind picking up an iPhone for me?”

These unofficial distribution networks help explain a mystery that analysts who follow Apple have been pondering: why is there a large gap between the number of iPhones that Apple says it sold last year, about 3.7 million, and the 2.3 million that are actually registered on the networks of its wireless partners in the United States and Europe?

The answer now seems clear. For months, tourists, small entrepreneurs and smugglers of electronic goods have been buying iPhones in the United States and then shipping them overseas.


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Sony Ericsson W910 review

The thin and elegant slider does look the part, while HSDPA (3.6 Mbps) and Walkman 3.0 are the right features to expect in a high-end device. At first glance, the W910 brings a few brand new software and hardware solutions to the scene. Stay with us as we go beyond the disarming looks and try to determine whether Sony Ericsson W910 has what it takes to win the hearts of the customers.

Key features

. HSDPA (3.6 Mbps), EDGE, Bluetooth (with A2DP)
. SensMe™ and Shake control features
. Slim sliding construction
. Media Center, Walkman 3.0
. Dedicated Call and End keys
. Fast photo browser
. Ample 2.4" display
. Powerful loudspeaker
. FM radio with RDS
. 1GB or 2GB M2 card included, M2 USB card reader

Main disadvantages

. Comes at an overpriced price tag
. Wobbly slider
. 2 MP camera with neither autofocus, nor flash
. Only 40 MB internal memory
. Video recording in QVGA resolution at 15fps
. Irrelevant gaming/photo keys
. No skins for the Walkman player

Sony Ericsson W910 comes in a nice compact black-and-orange box with all the necessary gear to get you started - charger, USB data cable, stereo headset, 1GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) (in our case, you may get yours with 2GB card), plus the usual papers and installation CDs. A tiny piece of hardware will make your face broaden into a grin. For the first time, a compact Sony Ericsson USB 2.0 M2 card reader with a status LED and a strap is included in the retail box. We ran a quick test on it comparing performance to a regular card reader on USB 2.0. The standard reader transferred 113 tracks totaling 492 MB in 4:30 min, while the Sony Ericsson USB 2.0 M2 card reader executed the task in almost the same time - 4:20 min. So, you get the same transfer rate and the compact dimensions are an added gain.

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HTC Touch Cruise review

HTC Touch Cruise is surely one of the most interesting Windows Mobile Pro devices to hit the shelves recently. It features the new version of HTC's TouchFLO interface and one of the heaviest feature sets in the PocketPC class. It is very close in terms of specifications to the omnipresent HTC TyTN II, except for the hardware QWERTY keyboard. However the Cruise is incomparably lighter and thinner and - as we see it - much better looking. Not that looks are the first thing about a PocketPC.

Key features

. Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
. 3G with HSDPA
. 400MHz Qualcomm processor
. 128MB of RAM
. 2.8" 65K color touchscreen TFT display with QVGA resolution
. Integrated Qualcomm GPS receiver
. TomTom satnav software pre-bundled, one free map included
. Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
. 3 megapixel camera with autofocus
. Sleek design
. Enhanced HTC TouchFLO interface
. Jog-wheel D-pad
. Great picture gallery
. Retail package is rich in content
. Good battery life


Main disadvantages

. No hardware keypad
. Inadequate video playback capabilities
. Paint starts to peel off very quickly
. Display image quality is a bit disappointing and is practically
. illegible under direct sunlight
. Photo processing issues

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iPhone and Android are Internet clients

The iPhone and the Google Android platform, which was finally shown-off (sort of) in Barcelona this week, aren’t mobile telephones.

They are Internet clients.

Internet clients use exponentially more data bandwidth than ordinary digital phones, which use thin streams of compressed data. Maybe several exponentials.

Operators are thinking of expanding their networks into homes and offices to handle the extra load.

The Android clients shown in Barcelona aren’t much. What they mainly prove is that the specification can be built and deployed quickly.

While the Apple iPhone roll-out has gone at a predictable pace, with one vendor delivering specified numbers to a handful of networks, the Android roll-out will be far more helter-skelter.

That’s because the Android is designed to work anywhere, first on any GSM network and then, with a little tinkering, anywhere else

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Sony Ericsson W910 took Best Handset award for 2007

The Sony Ericsson W910 Walkman phone is the best handset for 2007. The high-end music handset won a tight group of nominees in the Best Mobile Handset or Device category.

It was a tight game with 3 Skypephone, LG KU990 Viewty, Nokia 6500 classic and Samsung G600 putting pressure on the Walkman W910
The judges believed Sony Ericsson W910 deserved the Best Mobile Handset or Device title for being "… a superb all-rounder. A compelling, easy to use design that has captured the imagination of consumers around the world in 2007." For what we made of it back in the day, please feel free to revisit our extended Sony Ericsson W910 review.

The Best Mobile Handset or Device category was the only one with a consolation prize. Hutchison 3 and Skype were given a good pat on the shoulder as their 3 Skypephone got highly commended. The judges appreciated that "… in addition to the headline Skype service, the phone offers extremely good value for money with a wide range of features not previously seen at this price point."

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Android: Google released a new version of the software development kit

Google released on Wednesday a new version of the software development kit for its open mobile platform called Android.

The new SDK has a new user interface, a geocoder that lets developers search for businesses as well as translate an address into a coordinate and vice versa, support for new media codecs, and code that lets developers create layout animations.

One thing missing is change to the telephony package, laments one developer on the Android Developer discussion on Google Groups.

"This is very disappointing, especially because we were told in the Android coding day in Israel that the telephony package will be updated soon," the developer wrote. "We still cannot detect the ingoing/outgoing call number or send DTMF tones properly." Prototypes of Android phones were shown at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

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RIM:The secret of the BlackBerry's success is security and social networking is its future

Speaking during a session on mobile services at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Balsillie said having security validations worldwide, and features such as built-in firewalls and the ability to remotely lock and wipe devices, are key.

"If you don't address this, you don't get to be accepted by the organization," Balsillie warned.

Echoing Vodafone Group chief executive Arun Sarin's words from an earlier keynote, Balsillie said carriers have come to a fork in the road that will see them either become pipes or platforms. They must therefore provide a managed service to users, seamlessly integrating Web services and desktop applications onto handsets. "This is not a concept. This is a reality," he said.

And change is afoot elsewhere too, according to Balsillie, who said a business-to-business social-networking revolution is coming that will bring networking benefits to the enterprise and also help drive data usage. "Once social networking becomes a B2B phenomenon--not unlike IM and texting--I believe every single social-networking user will want a data plan," he told the GSMA audience.

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Nvidia unveiled a new applications processor industry`s first HD 720p vedio on mobile device

Cell phone makers aren't the only ones hoping to one-up the iPhone these days. Increasingly, it's the silicon wizards themselves that are scrambling to conjure up powerful (yet low-powered) processors and diminutive architectures that will serve as brains for this future generation of iPhone killers/imitators.

Following in the footsteps of Intel and others, graphics chip maker Nvidia unveiled a new applications processor at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona on Monday. According to the company, this new chip will let smartphone users shoot, watch and stream video in full 720p video, snap up to 12-megapixel pictures, and pave the way for a whole array of sophisticated 3-D mobile games thanks to a graphics core that delivers performance similar to Nvidia's own GeForce 6 desktop counterpart. Oh, and this chip's for Windows Mobile users only, in case you were wondering.

"If you give truth serum to the executive of any phone company -- and believe me, I've talked to them all -- they'll all tell you they want to make a better iPhone" says Michael Rayfield, the general manager of Nvidia's mobile business unit.

That's precisely what Nvidia is hoping its new APX 2500 processor will do for phones running Windows Mobile, which incidentally is already getting spanked by the iPhone in U.S. marketshare.

What the iPhone did for the mobile industry, Rayfield notes, was to "fundamentally changed what a phone architecture could be…it basically forced a PC architecture into a smartphone."

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LG showcased LG KF700 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

LG are hitting it hard in Barcelona with a dozen of handsets showcased. There are quite a few exciting features across the bunch, which is quite an all-round offering in terms of form factor, OS, user interface and functionality.

LG KF700

We start with the spanking novelty LG KF700 - a multimedia slider, which stands out with its multiple control-and-navigation methods. The handset puts together a 3" touchscreen display, slide-out standard keypad and the novel Shortcut Dial at the back. Managing a virtual on-screen dial, it allows quick access to user-defined features across applications and menu levels. The dial has the added functionality of scrolling web pages and messages, volume control and zooming.
LG KF700 sports a full featured Web browser integrating Google Search, Blogs, Gmail, Maps and Youtube. HSDPA enhances web browsing and makes video calls possible. Other goodies include an MP3 player, MPEG4 video player, 3 megapixel camera with autofocus and image stabilizer, Bluetooth and microSD memory expansion.

The tri-band slider offers a 3" 262K-color touchscreen display with a resolution of 240 x 480 pixels.

The phone will start selling in Europe towards the end of 1Q 2008, before it gets available in other markets.

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Samsung unveiled G810 3G enabled handset

The Samsung G810 cameraphone is obviously the successor of the groundbreaking Samsung G800, but this time the imaging prowess comes in Symbian flavor.
Samsung G810 is a quad-band, 3G enabled handset with HSDPA 3.6Mbps support. G810 is running on Symbian v9.2 S60 3rd edition OS and has an ample 2.6" TFT QVGA display.

The 5 MP autofocus camera goes with 3x optical zoom and xenon flash. Thanks to the built-in GPS receiver, geotagging is available.

Images can be viewed on a TV screen thanks to the integrated TV-out, while listening to music on standard headphones is possible thanks to the 3.5 mm AV jack. Naturally, an audio and video player are available with multiple file format support.

Connectivity is ensured by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0. Samsung G810 offers integration of Youtube, Google search, Map and Gmail.

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Xperia X1 a Windows Mobile smartphone by sonyericsson

Sony Ericsson this week introduced several phones, each targeting a different group of users: mobile professionals, music lovers, photo enthusiasts, and prosumers that want a mix of functionality, advanced features, and small form factor.

The phone maker unveiled the new phones at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona.

The first and most notable device in Sony Ericsson's lineup is the Xperia X1, a Windows Mobile smartphone with a touch screen overlay and a full QWERTY keyboard. The phone comes with 3G technology called HSDPA and Wi-Fi for a high-speed mobile experience. It also has built-in GPS for personal navigation.

"Xperia represents the first brand that is truly borne from within Sony Ericsson. It represents our vision for a premium, energized communication experience," said Dee Dutta, head of marketing at Sony Ericsson, in a statement.

Like Apple's iPhone, the X1 has a large home screen with a variety of panels that can be selected with the tap of a finger to access the Web, multimedia, and applications. The panels can be configured, depending on a user's preference, which is an option that Apple also recently started offering on the iPhone. The panels, however, are larger than icons and look like snapshots of actual applications, which makes the home screen appear quite busy.

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Nokia N96 specifications

General 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 2100
Announced 2008, February
Status Coming soon. Exp. release 2008, Q3
Size Dimensions 103 x 55 x 18 mm, 92 cc
Weight 125 g
Display Type TFT, 16M colors
Size 240 x 320 pixels, 2.8 inches
Ringtones Type Polyphonic (64 channels), Monophonic, True Tones, MP3
Customization Download
Vibration Yes
Memory Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call records Detailed, max 30 days
Card slot microSD (TransFlash)
- 16 GB internal memory
- 128MB RAM, 256MB system memory
Data GPRS Class 32, 107 / 64.2 kbps
HSCSD Yes
EDGE Class 32, 296 kbps; DTM Class 11, 177 kbps
3G HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology
Bluetooth Yes, v2.0 with A2DP
Infrared port Yes
USB Yes, v2.0 microUSB
Features OS Symbian OS, S60 rel. 3.2
Messaging SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS reader
Games Downloadable
Colors Black
Camera 5 MP, 2592x1944 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, video(VGA 30fps), flash; secondary VGA videocall camera
- Built-in GPS receiver
- A-GPS function
- DVB-H TV broadcast receiver
- Dual slide design
- Java MIDP 2.0
- MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/WMA player
- 3.5 mm audio output jack
- TV out
- Stereo FM Radio with RDS
- Organizer
- Office document viewer
- T9
- Push to talk
- Voice dial/memo
- Built-in handsfree
Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion 950 mAh (BL-5F)
Stand-by Up to 220 h
Talk time Up to 3 h 40 min


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Samsung officially confirmed Samsung Soul

Samsung officially confirmed the style-driven Soul, a high-end handset to crown the Samsung Ultra lineup. The Soul (standing for Spirit Of Ultra) will debut at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Samsung Soul is a feature loaded full metal slider. The front is dominated by the 2.2-inches 16M QVGA display along with the magical touch navigation pad. The navigation indicators on it change icons and functions across applications. A similar navigation decision is implemented in the recently announced LG KF510.
Among the other innovations is the new customizable graphic user interface. Users are allowed to create their own skins with the on-handset User Created Skin setup. Additionally, display skins are customizable with fonts, colors and background images.

Samsung Soul is recognizable for its 5-megapixel autofocus camera with powerful LED flash, equipped with the latest camera tech goodies like face detection, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range. On top of that, the camera is capable of video recording in QVGA resolution at 30fps.

The multimedia set includes FM radio with RDS, MP3/WAV/WMA player with Music library navigation. Sound quality with no distortion even at the highest volume is entrusted to the Bang & Olufsen-patented ICEpower technology.

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Nokia 8800 Arte review

Stainless steel and OLED screen: there's no way a handset with that kind of features will ever blend in with the crowd of handsets. Add the hefty price tag and you got the high-end biting the dust too, just like that. But then, there's always someone like us to ruin the pleasure. Poking and prying, finding out if it's worth your dime. Wait a minute, did we say dime?! Sorry, we got carried away. Can't help it with the Nokia 8800 Arte.

Key features

* Looks
* Body made of the highest-quality materials
* 2" 16M color OLED display with QVGA resolution
* 3G
* 3 megapixel camera with autofocus
* Full-house retail package
* Decent battery life
* Fingerprint resistant surface on the back
* Turn-to-mute
* Magic clock
* Large internal memory
* Series 40 5th edition user interface

Main disadvantages

* Poor legibility under direct sunlight
* Tri-band only
* No memory expansion
* Smallish display
* Expensive, believe it or not


Nokia has long stuck a pole into the ground of premium lifestyle. Ever since the original Nokia 8800 saw the light of day, the Finnish-based company has been the first choice for phones made of exclusive, highest quality materials. Exquisite and beautifully crafted, the 88xx series handsets will get away with anything, be it their underperformance or exorbitant price.

Nokia 8800 Arte will face the greatest amount of competition inside its own pack, with every other 88xx-series handset a potential rival. Looks will be the weapons of choice, although the Arte duo has an ace up their sleeve in terms of functionality too.


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