HTC Magic
The second device launched by the joint-venture HTC and Google – HTC Magic aka G2, suggests that the new Android-branded phones have great potential on the smartphone market. Updated to the latest firmware version, including Cupcake 1.5, HTC Magic is now shadowed by its new brother, HTC Hero, which features the new Sense GUI developed by the Taiwanese manufacturer. Still, Magic owners will be happy to find that HTC officially announced that they would be able to update their devices with the new Sense GUI, if their Magic smartphones were unlocked. Yes, those that got their devices from network carriers like T-Mobile or Vodafone will not be able to take advantage of the new GUI offered by HTC.
Announced in February 2009, HTC Magic hit the shelves three months later, in May 2009. The device is available in two classical colors: black and white. HTC Magic can be bought for around 450 USD, but that depends on location and plan. I suggest buying the unlocked version, so you can get the new graphical user interface that has been included with the Hero model. Read more
Nokia N97
The long waiting time is over and we can finally say something about the so much acclaimed N97 smartphone – the iPhone’s main rival suggested by Nokia. At first glance, besides the innovative design, the new top of the line touchscreen smartphone manufactured by the Finnish giant has been gifted with almost the same features as the older Nokia 5800 XpressMusic handset. That means it includes the same operating system, processor, HSDPA 3.6Mbps, Wi-Fi, built-in GPS receiver, and the list can go on. Still, the main things that differentiate the two handsets are the full QWERTY keyboard of N97 and the bigger touchscreen. If Nokia 5800 XpressMusic was released as the first Nokia smartphone to feature a touchscreen and an updated Symbian operating system that could go with it, the N97 should have been a piece of art from this point of view.
There were lots of bugs present in 5800’s platform and the OS seemed rather rudimentary, but Nokia managed to solve most of them by a wide sequence of firmware updates. Still, the graphical interface, as well as the basic control of the menus remained the same. This shouldn’t be that bad, but when you intend to compete with one of the most successful smartphones on the market, the iPhone, you must provide something that has at least equal value. Either Nokia managed to do that with the N97 or not, we will see in the following review, so read and judge for yourselves. Read more
Nokia N85 Review
One of the most acclaimed handset lineups, the Nseries from Nokia, got a new high-end device that strongly resembles the older Nokia N81. The fresh N85 kept the same slider form and keypad layout as its N81 predecessor, but this time, Nokia made an effort to get some stylish look into the handset. Also, the new Nseries device will be available on the market at a much lower price, even though it is stuffed with all the “goodies” of a usual high-end mobile phone. One of the best choices for those that are looking for a Nokia slider, the N85 is a much better pick than N81 as it lacks most of the latter’s negative points.
Announced in August 2008, Nokia N85 was made available on the market in October 2009. The slider can be bought for around USD 500, but you can get it for less in case you opt for a certain plan. There are two colors available for users to choose from: Copper and Black. Read more
Nokia E63 Review
The Eseries from Nokia continues to spawn new devices on the handset market, this time a cheaper version, but with enough up-to-date features to have some success. The Nokia E63 smartphone competes with its more rich-featured brother E71. If you’re looking for a business phone and do not have the amount to acquire the top of the line E71, then the new Nokia E63 can easily take its place. While there are some design and feature differences between the two, the latter is definitely excellent value for money.
Announced in November 2008, Nokia E63 was made available on the market just in time for Christmas, in December 2008. The price of the smartphone is pretty cheap compared to what it can do – 250USD. The phone was launched in three colors: Ultramarine Blue, Ruby Red and Black. Read more
Nokia E71 smartphone review
Nokia’s E-range is aimed firmly at corporate users, with the E71 offering a full QWERTY keypad to make emailing easier, and loads of features that help to make it a great out of office tool.
Build quality is among the best that we’ve seen to date on a smartphone, with aluminium used on the front and rear to create an incredibly stylish yet robust finish. The most surprising aspect of this handset is just how thin it is, however, making it appear a lot smaller than it actually is.
It’s also narrower than rivals such as RIM’s Blackberry Bold, leading to a keyboard that may be too cramped for some users. Raised centres to the keys make it easy to get up a good typing rhythm, however, striking a good compromise between portability and usability. Read more
Kitt Car for 30-Somethings…
Oh dear oh dear… Men, or should I say big kids of a certain age may remember the US TV series Knight Rider where David Hasselhoff drove around nabbing bad guys and generally saving the world in a computerised talking car called Kitt.
I bet you can see this one coming because GPS SatNav makers Mio have developed one that uses the voice the voice of a chap called William Daniels – the voice of the original Kitt to tell you where you are, and where you are going. If you think that you can live with a GPS with swishy red lights and which says ‘ hello Michael, where do you want to go today?’ or you really are called Michael then your prayers have just been answered.
Sharper Fuel Cells
Sharp, in collaboration with MIT have announced an improved fuel cell technology that’s claimed to have the highest power density to date. Fuel cells have been around for yonks and basically convert chemical energy into electrical energy. It’s a sort of reverse electrolysis process (where water can be turned into hydrogen and oxygen by passing a current through it), using exotic materials that act as catalysts. In this case methanol is the fuel source. It’s a lot safer, cheaper and easier to transport than Hydrogen, which has been a popular choice with fuel cell developers in the past.
Sharp’s Direct to Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) prototypes are small enough to be used inside most gadgets, from mobile phones and GPS receivers to personal stereos and cameras and they say they’ll last around as long as lithium ion rechargeable batteries (3 – 5 years). Read more
Watch Out Windows
Radio, phone, GPS, MP3 player, TV, camera… been there done that, but just when you thought there wasn’t anything else that could be shoehorned into a wristwatch, think again. A company called Epoq has managed to fit a copy of Windows Mobile onto one, which you drive using a 1.4-inch OLED touch screen, and just for good measure the EGP-98B has built in 1.3MP camera, wi-fi, Bluetooth and a 4-band GSM phone. Now, it might all be a wind-up (pun intended) because details and availability are all very sketchy, and good images are also hard to find. Read more
Eye Lights
Here’s something to make your eyes twinkle, or water…. Researchers at the University of Washington developed contact lenses with embedded light emitting diodes LEDs and driver circuits just a few nanometers thick. The idea is eventually it could be formed into a ‘heads up’ display for a computer or GPS, night vision system or even an aid for the visually impaired. At the moment the prototypes can do nothing very useful, just a few blobs of light that flash on and off. A means of getting power to the chips in the lens also needs to be figured out, the idea of a couple of wires going onto your eyeball doesn’t bear thinking about, but it should be do-able, using electromagnetic induction or solar power; we’ll just have to wait and see where this one is headed…
Nokia X02NK To Hit Japan
Looks like Japan isn’t only the Land of the Rising Sun, but it ought to be dubbed the Land of the Many Cell Phones as well. Nokia is tipped to release its dual-slider handset known as X02NK soon. Read more
