Tag: Omnia

By December 2, 2009 Read More →

Samsung B7330 Omnia PRO review

Yes, it’s another Omnia! First we had the Omnia, then the Omnia II, then the Omnia Lite, then the OmniaPRO B7320 and now the OmniaPRO 7330. Blimey, so many Omnias! Anyway, the B7330 takes on a different form factor to all the others. This one has a front facing QWERTY keyboard. Can it compare though with the likes of the HTC Snap and the numerous Blackberry’s?

 

Samsung B7330 Omnia PRO review

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO

What’s in the box:

  • Device
  • Battery
  • Charger
  • Headphones
  • USB Cable
  • User Manual
  • Software

Also have a look at Matt’s Samsung Omnia Pro unboxing video for more.

The ten second review:

  • Device: Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO
  • Price: TBC
  • Summary: A front facing QWERTY messaging device with some nice top end features.
  • Best of: QWERTY Keyboard. MyPhone, Orange Maps
  • Worst of:No 3.5mm headset jack, Navigation pad
  • Get it now from: Orange

Samsung Omnia Pro B7330 specification:

  • Operating System – Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard
  • Memory – 4GB + 2GB + Micro SD (up to 32GB)
  • Display – 2.62″ 65K 320 x 320 TFT LCD
  • Operating Frequency – GSM Quad band / HSDPA 7.2 Mbps, (850/900/1800/1900MHz)
  • WCDMA Dual band/ HSUPA 2.0 Mbps (900/2100MHz)
  • Bluetooth v2.1 + EDR
  • USB 2.0 HS
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
  • A-GPS
  • MicroSDHC (Up to 32GB)
  • FM Radio wih Auto Tuning
  • 3.2 MP AF + CIF (VT Camera)
  • Video Recording – 320 x 240 (QVGA)-12fps (MAX, QVGA), 12fps (MAX, QVGA) H.263+AMR NB, MPEG4+AMR NB, ASF, Real One, PVX, WMV
  • QWERTY Keyboard
  • Talk Time – Up to 4 Hours
  • Standby Time – Up to 400 Hours
  • Battery – Li-ion 1500mAh
  • Dimensions – 114.9 x 59 x 10.8 mm
  • Weight – 109g

General:

The left side of the device houses the up/down volume rocker as well as the microUSB socket.

Samsung B7330 Omnia PRO review-left

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO left side

On the right is the dedicated camera key and the microSD card slot.

Samsung B7330 Omnia PRO review-right

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO right side

Both the top and bottom of the OmniaPRO are flush with no ports or buttons.

Omnia-pro-bottom

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO bottom

On the rear of the handset the camera lens and speaker grill can be found. No flash though!

Omnia-Pro-back

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO from the rear

Highlights:

  • QWERTY Keyboard
  • GPS
  • Orange Maps

Lowlights:

  • No 3.5mm headset jack
  • No camera flash
  • Navigation Pad

Review:

The Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO is a decent looking handset. I have previously used both the Samsung i600 and i780 which are all part of the same front facing QWERTY keyboard family and the OmniaPRO is probably the best looking.

The device feels pretty well made, although very plastic like most recent Samsung releases. Although the Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO is a Windows phone it is non touch screen and so is running windows mobile 6.5 standard like on the HTC Snap. Windows mobile is not the most popular OS and the standard edition even less so. Saying that, it works well but is just not the most flashy OS.

The OmniaPRO comes with several option for a home screen. The best one in my opinion is the standard windows 6.5 screen. Like on the touch screen devices it consist of a list of features that you can move up and down to use. In addition each feature can then be toggled left or right to reveal more options. Not the best experience but its okay.

 

Screen01

Windows Standard

There are however many different options when it comes to home screens on the OmniaPRO. Check these out:

Screen02 Screen03

Screen04 Screen05

Screen06

Once again, which you use will come down to personal preference. Some of the screens are a bit dated but all function well.

Although the keyboard on the Samsung B7330 is nice it is not as nice to use as on the HTC Snap or some Blackberry’s. The keys are a good size and feel nice but using them just doesn’t feel as smooth as on the other handsets.

Omnia-pro-keyboard

Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO keyboard

The major let down I found with the hard wear on the B7330 was the navigation pad. Getting around the menus is okay although it does require a firm click. But where it doesn’t work well is the web browser. The Samsung B7730 OniaPRO comes pre loaded with internet explorer. Normally this browser performs ok but the issue I had with the navigation pad was that it only allows you to move up/down/left & right. Most other similar devices I have used allow for diagonal movement of the onscreen mouse arrow. Without this diagonal option its a real pain selecting an on screen option in the browser. So much so I hated using it. Everything I wanted to do took twice as long as on my HTC Snap and it was really frustrating. Why Samsung did not use the optical track pad like on the original Omnia and i780 baffles me but its too late now!

So what else is this OmniaPRO good for? Being a Windows Phone I love the calendar options and I find it great for organising meetings etc. With Microsoft’s MyPhone app built in to the device you can sync the phone and the calendar schedules appear on MyPhone on the PC. As I have mentioned in a few previous reviews MyPhone will also sync contacts, sms, pictures and videos. Its free and I love it!

Messaging on the OmniaPRO is simple pimple. You can set up one email account with Active Sync and this will push mail to you as its sent. In addition you can also set up multiple other email accounts but these will not be push email. You can set the phone to sync with the server every 5, 10, 15 minutes etc to retrieve mail.  Its dead easy to set up and performs beautifully.

The OmniaPRO has GPS built in and the good news is that this Orange version comes pre-loaded with Orange Maps. This is a free service and will download the maps as you need them. For a free turn by turn navigation service its great and if you are not in a position to purchase one of the more popular navigation tools such as CoPilot or TomTom then Orange maps is a god send. I have tested on several devices and I have not got lost once!

Of course a Windows phone would not be complete without Office Mobile. As always this includes Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. All of these accept PowerPoint can be created from scratch. If you could do with viewing docs while away from your office this is a great tool and one that I personally use daily. As the Samsung B7330 OmniaPRO can take a microSD card of up to 32GB you can get a hell of a lot of word and excel docs on the phone.

If you like to download apps then the OmniaPRO has Windows Marketplace built in. Its early days but there are some pretty good apps in there and the next year will be interesting.

Also included is Windows Live so you can instant message your best friends just like on your PC. This is a great form of communication and Matt and I use this constantly all day.

The camera on the B7330 was actually better than I thought it would be. Although there is no flash and its only 3.2mp in daylight it produced reasonable shots. The camera interface is easy to use and the auto focus works quickly. Not bad.

Photo-0003 Photo-0001

Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 Camera Samples

Watching video on the OmniaPRo is nice thanks to the nice big screen (well its quite big for a device with a QWERTY keyboard!). As with all Windows phones it comes with Windows Media Player. This will obviously not play all formats but you can download other players such as Coreplayer, which will play most. This way you can convert your DVDs to MP4 and watch them on the phone. Once again with support up to 32GB that means a lot of movies.

Before testing out the music player on the OmnaPRO I was expecting a good performance like on most of Samsungs phones and I am pleased to say they have done it again. The speaker is not great but once the headphones are connected the Foo Fighters sounded awesome! One major disappointment though was the supplied headphones. Not only is there no 3.5mm headset jack on the device, which means you must use the supplied headphones, but these supplied ones are different to the headphones supplied by Samsung over the last year or so. They are not as good! I love my Samsung headphones but these new ones are totally different. Not only is the in ear design different but they look and feel really, really, really cheap and I cant see them lasting too long to be honest. What were you thinking Samsung, you silly billies. I’m not impressed.

Other features on the device:

  • Radio
  • RSS Reader
  • Pod catcher
  • Audio Notes
  • Calculator
  • Unit Converter
  • StopWatch
  • Alarms
  • World Clock

Conclusion:

So is the Samsung B7330 OmniaPro as good as the HTC Snap or Blackberry 8520, 8900 & 9700?

In my opinion – No! Its not a bad bit of kit but its not as user friendly as the others I have just mentioned. I just feel that whether you are buying sim free or upgrading your contract you will be wiser to choose another device. Sorry Samsung, better luck next time. And sort those earphones out, please!

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By November 30, 2009 Read More →

Samsung Omnia Lite review

We have seen an influx for devices since the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 and we also note that Samsung has been busy with their Omnia range. With the original Omnia being so popular are Samsung just jumping on the band wagon to promote all of their new toys or are they genuinely as good as the original?

The Samsung B7300 Omnia Lite

The Samsung B7300 Omnia Lite

 

What’s in the box?

  • Samsung Omnia Lite
  • Triangular standalone stylus with loop for phone attachment
  • Full User manual with over 150 pages
  • Getting started disc
  • Stereo headset with microUSB connector

Also have a look at Matt’s Samsung Omnia Lite unboxing video for more.

 

Samsung Omnia Lite specification:

  • Operating System – Windows Mobile 6.5
  • Processor – ARM 1176 667MHz processor
  • Memory – 250MB Internal
  • Display – TFT resistive touchscreen, 65K colours, 240 x 400 pixels, 3.0 inches
  • TouchWiz v2.0 UI
  • Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
  • Operating Frequency – GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900  3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
  • 3G HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps
  • WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA
  • Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
  • microUSB
  • GPS Integrated with A-GPS
  • microSD (TransFlash), up to 32GB
  • DviX/XviD/MPEG4/H.263/H.264/WMV9 player
  • MP3/AAC/WMA player
  • TV-out
  • Camera – 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus
  • Battery – Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh
  • Dimensions – 107 x 51.8 x 12.9 mm
  • Weight – 103 grams with battery

 

General

 

The top of the device you can find the microUSB sync/ charge and headset connector, no 3.5mm to be found on this device. There is also a very small and recessed loop for connecting the stylus or charms etc.

Samsung Omnia Lite-top

Samsung Omnia Lite top view

 

On the left of the Samsung is an up/down volume rocker and a customisable Menu which doubles as a voice recorder when long pressed. There is also a small reset hole.

Samsung Omnia Lite left side view

Samsung Omnia Lite left side view

 

On the busier right hand side there is a dedicated camera button, a covered microSD card slot and a screen lock key, which actually suspends the device rather than locking the screen.

Samsung Omnia Lite right side view

Samsung Omnia Lite right side view

 

Nothing can be found on the bottom apart from the mic.

Around the back of the Omnia lite there is a speaker grill underneath which is the 3.15 autofocus camera, no flash or mirror, however the back is shiny enough to see for portrait pictures.

Samsung Omnia Lite back view

Samsung Omnia Lite back view

 

On the front can be found a front facing camera lens, for video calling and an earpiece recess. Below this is the 3″ touchscreen, covered in the review.

Samsung Omnia Lite front view

Samsung Omnia Lite front view

 

Underneath the screen there is 3 buttons the talk/speakerphone button, next is what looks like an optical Dpad or joystick but turns out to be a nothing more than a back button and finally to the right of this is the end/power button.

 

Highlights

  • Neat, small form factor
  • High spec

 

Lowlights

 

  • Screen resolution
  • Screen responsiveness
  • Detached stylus

 

 

Review

 

On looking around for information the Lite is obviously priced for the mid range market, but without compromising on the spec. Out of the box it is small and neat, the chrome accents and strips mean the phone feels comfortable and solid to hold. In this world of massive devices this is totally the opposite, measuring in at 107 x 51.8 x 12.9 mm you have to say it is small, but on the plus side very pocketable. Matt went as far as describing the Omnia Lite as being ‘cute’ but I am not sure if that is a good thing or not.

The specs do look impressive with the inclusion of the 667 MHz processor, HSDPA, 3G, GPS and Xtra (similar to QuickGPS) and a reasonable autofocus camera etc. There has been no skimping here.

One the thing that I find hard to understand is that I imagine this device being targeted at the first time user and younger people, yet it can appear ridiculously complicated, I am a long time windows mobile user and I love to have apps and gadgets included in my phones to keep me interested, but as Samsung have included Windows mobile and their own TouchWiz v2.0 UI forget trying to find anything in a hurry. As you can see below the customisable menus offer, for me, a little too much choice, not forgetting that this list grows the more programs you add, I just can’t help feeling there must be a better way to get organised. 5 pages of menus are a little long winded. Although a lot of these are customisable and could be made quite minimal.

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One disappointment picked up my Matt in his unboxing was the screen resolution, I can see what he means when he talked about the sharpness not quite being there, we have by now got used to the fantastic screen from other Samsung devices, and unfortunately this is not one of them. The 240 x 400 pixels resolution and the small screen size gives an appearance or a slight blurring, hopefully you can see what is meant in the screenshots, don’t get me wrong it in no way makes the device unusable or anything like it, it is just not as sharp as it could be. On top of that it is also not as responsive as it should be at times, I found myself stabbing at the screen more than twice to get certain apps to work or close, quite often while hitting the ‘x’ that the appointments app would open which proved very frustrating, maybe I need smaller fingers? Or a stylus….

It also takes some time to get used to the screen being as small as it is, texting is fine with the use of Samsungs own on screen keyboard, but there are times when a stylus definitely comes in handy, the only issue is that there isn’t one onboard you have to have attached it, and this for me is far from ideal.

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Other functions are really as you would expect call quality was fine and the speaker works exactly as you would hope.

As mentioned earlier that camera seems to be pretty decent, as we expect Samsungs are a tad better than most these days, in my opinion, although the omission of a flash and mirror is a shame. Only 3.15 megapixel’s too but not that bad, it certainly will not replace you dedicated camera.

The battery on the Omnia was also as expected, good to see that the higher capacity 1500 mAh has been included as standard, and lasted a good day plus, dependant, as always, on what is being used and when. Overall, acceptable.

The GPS with Xtra also worked well, I trialled N Drive as well as CoPilot and Google maps and all where responsive and accurate, the only issue is the screen size being small to pick up any great detail.

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Conclusion

 

My time with the Samsung has been a mixed bag, the features and spec makes it very useable and easy to get on with in the main. Coupled together the small screen and the unresponsiveness make for quite a few frustrations as well.

I am sure that the compact, high spec phone will appeal to a lot of people, for me it was not the first phone I picked up in the morning for a day’s work, very capable and with all the goodies that you would need but just a few too many niggles that make it outstanding.

I am not really sure that I want a phone that was ‘Cute’, I think I will give the LG GM750 a look now, damn it! Isn’t that the same phone?

 

Review by: Steve

Posted in: Phones, Reviews
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By September 9, 2008 Read More →

Samsung i900 Omnia review

Now it is time to review the iPhone look alike Samsung i900 (Omnia). This is yet another high end, flag ship of a phone. Can it stand up to the claim from Samsung that it is ‘A truly all-in-one phone’?

For various reasons I have not really been a fan for the later variations from Samsung, in the early days of splashing out cash for phones, my 1st choice was always for a Sammy. Lately I have been tempted away from them to seek the joys and delights of Windows Mobile, so, now Samsung are even entering that market, can I be tempted back?

Samsung i900 Omnia review

The Samsung i900 Omnia (click images to enlarge)

 

What’s in the Box?

  • i900 Omnia
  • Mains charger with propriety connector
  • USB to propriety connector PC data cable.
  • 2 part stereo headset allowing own set connection through an adaptor.
  • Spare earpiece plugs
  • Detached telescopic stylus – see review.
  • Getting started disc
  • Minimal quick start guide

As always, you can check out Matt’s Samsung i900 Omnia unboxing video for more information on what’s in the box as well as a quick demonstration of the interface.

 

Samsung i900 Omnia review specification:

  • Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
  • 8GB Internal (ROM) 16GB model also available.
  • 128MB RAM.
  • 3.2” WQVGA Touchscreen (240 x 400 pixels)
  • Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900MHz, HSDPA (7.2 Mbits)
  • Bluetooth 2.0
  • WiFi 802.11g
  • 5 megapixel (auto-focus) camera, with face and smile recognition
  • LED Flash
  • GPS
  • microSDHC (up to 16GB)
  • TV Out
  • FM Radio with RDS
  • TouchWiz User Interface
  • 1440mAh battery
  • 112mm (L) x 56mm (W) x 12.5mm (H)

 

Around the device

 

General

The device is very well made, the chrome and black casing feels solid and doesn’t seem to attract the usual finger marks problems seen on most phones these days to the same extent. The back especially is difficult to mark. It is also not overly heavy at a stated 125g. It appears to follow along with a current trend to keep phone fascias uncluttered and minimal.

Samsung i900 Omnia front view

Samsung i900 Omnia front view

Top of the device there is the power switch and an LED status indicator. Also a very small reset hole.

Samsung i900 Omnia top view

Samsung i900 Omnia top view

 

On the left hand side of the phone, at the top end there is a lanyard connection or maybe the detached stylus connection, more later. Towards the bottom is the covered multifunction jack used for headset, PC connection and charging.

Samsung i900 Omnia left side

Samsung i900 Omnia left side

Top of the right hand side is a dedicated Main menu launch button; below this is the volume up/down rocker and finally the camera key.

Samsung i900 Omnia right side

Samsung i900 Omnia right side

The bottom of the unit holds nothing more than the mic.

Samsung i900 Omnia bottom view

Samsung i900 Omnia bottom view

On the back you can find the 5 megapixel autofocus camera and LED flash.

Samsung i900 Omnia back view

Samsung i900 Omnia back view

The screen on the i900 dominates the front as it is a 3.2” WQVGA Touchscreen, above you can see the small VGA camera, and below is the a Talk / Speakerphone button and an End / device lock key, these straddle the centred Trackpad.

Inside the back of the device is the side by side SIM card holder and the microSDHC card holder. The battery has to be removed prior to removing either card so no hot swapping here.

Samsung i900 Omnia back off view

Samsung i900 Omnia back off view

 

Highlights

  • Great camera
  • Easy to use
  • Great specification

Lowlights

  • Non standard Connectors as usual
  • Missing stylus compartment.

 

 

Review

At first I was determined that I did not like the i900 Omnia, it is too long and also resembles the iPhone so much, I was happy not to be a fan. The only reason for me that I took a second look was the specifications appeared impressive. Unfortunately, faults mentioned apart, this is a very nice device that I easily learned to live with and enjoyed a lot more about it than I thought I would have.

Samsung i900 Omnia vs Apple iPhone

Samsung i900 Omnia vs Apple iPhone

 

There are some points I do not like, for example, it is relatively expensive in its group; however there has to be reasons why it is sold out almost everywhere. So here are some of my thoughts, good and bad.

Firstly when switched on everything is different, the usual Windows screens etc. are nowhere to be found, it took me by surprise to start with, and I have to say I did not like it. I felt that the main menu screen appeared childish in form, the icons appearing in a cartoon style, and the Samsung widget sidebar seemed a waste of time. Now having spent some time with the unit, I have to admit that it probably one of the easiest phones I have used it quite a time, connecting with my car kit and network etc where an absolute doddle. The layout and functionality as a breeze and the icon simplicity made it easy for even those not familiar with Windows mobile to get on in a plain and uncomplicated manner.

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The unit certainly responds well and is quick in its opening of applications and the larger processor than standard is also noticeable.

 

Software

The Samsung widget is handy to use as it is acts as a shortcut to a lot of commonly used programs such as clock, photo album, games, music, radio, profile, notes etc. which can be dropped and dragged straight on to the main screen for launching.

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It also boasts Dix VOD straight out if the box once registered. There is also a themes editor allowing the user to change the standard background colour and text colours to one of the multitude of colours available.

The vibration touch screen option was fun at the beginning where a touch of the screen was registered by the phone omitting a gentle buzz, I found that overall this was a little erratic, sometimes it would not register but carry out the command anyway and vice versa, for me in the end it was better switched off. The same can be said for the Auto orientation motion sensor settings, I found that this was better for me set on low as, the simple act of putting the phone down would trigger the screen flipping into landscape, and then having to flip it back again, although it was a handy addition when you did want it to work.

It was also good to be able to rid yourself of the Samsung settings and revert straight back to the standard Windows menus etc. in a way like have 2 different devices really.

Included in the settings are add-on’s such as GPS extra, which I assume downloads satellite positions on a regular customisable interval. There is also a facility to switch the Trackpad between a 4 way navigator or finger mouse, neither of which I find useful, but I know a lot of people do. And as more common on Samsung devices there is also the TV out connection.

Programs are again pretty standard as the device goes, Google maps as you would expect works very well. There is a smart converter for quick conversion of weights, areas, volumes temperatures and lengths. A Touch Player, specifically designed to be able to play music, videos etc at the touch of the screen.

ShoZu enables sharing and watching music videos, shows and photos delivered to your phone automatically again subscription and registration are required.

Apart from the few points already mentioned above, the other good and bad points are as follows;

There is no stylus compartment anywhere on the phone, there is a telescopic stylus included in an attachable case, I find this completely unusable and would imagine one of the easiest ways to scratch the unit would be to attach the stylus and then stow it in your pockets. The advice from Samsung is not to use pens, pencils or any other implements to activate the screen; it fails to mention how to reset the device with your finger?!

The Camera is great, the options and use of the 5 megapixel autofocus was superb and probably the best I have used in a long time, also included was smile as well as face recognition, which seemed to work well enough. I liked playing with such options as the panoramic mode. The photos achieved overall means that you can do away with your extra point and shoot camera, when going out.

Samsung are still insisting that they use their own connectors which drives me crazy, why can’t they adopt the standard miniUSB connections used by so many other manufacturers?

Samsung i900 Omnia USB connector

Samsung i900 Omnia USB connector

The screen is not quite a bright and vibrant as certain new devices lately, although adequate and I definitely preferred the manual settings over the automatic mode, I also had a minor issue with the fact then when displaying a photo, occasionally the phone would fill in the side with a section of the photo repeated, to make up for the longer screen. Having said that, when searching through lists and websites the longer screen was a pleasant extra, as you can see more of the page that you are viewing. Opera worked very well in this form and there is also a built in page zoom when the side of the screen was touched.

The call quality and signal strength indicator appear more than adequate, the earpiece and speaker phones work very well. I also found that the battery life was reasonably good with light to moderate use a couple of days between charges, heavier use of Sat Nav etc. reduces this dramatically.

 

Conclusion

 

It is very nice to have Samsung on the Windows Mobile road and this phone was I mentioned above really did grow on me, which was not a real advantage. I am still torn between the Diamond and the Pro, this makes the choice even worse, and the Xperia is likely next week!

I think for me, the advantages of the HTC devices still holds its for me, the VGA screen and the stylus issues mean that i900 not my preferred device of choice. But I was pleasantly surprised on how good it really is. It will be well received by many and also well liked, get over the length of the machine and get involved with the preloaded applications and the ease of use and this will prove to be one of the best phones around. As I covered at the start of the review those in the know have already brought theirs, and that’s why they are sold out!

It has got to be one of the best times in the mobile world for choice of good devices at the moment and more due to follow, will there ever be the ultimate device, or will the makers keep bringing out more and more great devices to part us from our money?

 

 

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