Archive for 2008

By July 16, 2008 Read More →

LG KF750 ‘Secret’ review

Introduction

The LG Secret (KF750) is the long awaited third offering from LG in their Black Label series. The secret with its carbon fibre back and tempered glass front teamed with a 5 megapixel camera, neon touch navigation and an accelerometer to boot it is no surprise it has been a huge success since the phone went on sale around the beginning of May, so can the Secret seriously compete with it’s competition?

secret_angled_left

The LG KF750 Secret

What’s in the box?

The box Contains:

  • The LG Secret device
  • Mains Charger
  • User Guide
  • Key Features Guide
  • Software Disc (Containing LG PC suit & DIVX Converter)
  • USB Data cable
  • Earpiece

LG Secret Specification:

  • 240 x 320 pixels, 2.4″ touch screen
  • 5 megapixel digital camera with flash
  • 102.8 x 50.8 x 11.8 mm
  • 116 grams Touch-sensitive navigation panel with haptics
  • GPRS, EDGE, UMTS & HSDPA
  • MPEG4/DivX(up to 640×480) player
  • Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
  • Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
  • microSD card slot (supports up to 4gb)
  • Built in email client and web browser
  • MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+ player FM radio with RDS

 

General

The phone is sleek and rather bare button-wise however, this seems to work with the overall look and styling of the phone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Front Consists of a four way neon navigation in the centre of which is the main action button, then you have the standard call buttons and a cancel button. The front also houses an inner camera lens for video calls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The phone just like the two black label series phones that came before it is a slider and when open you have the standard numeric keypad which consists of soft keys as appose to touch sensitive alternatives.

secret_main

LG Secret front

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Back you’ll find a 5 megapixel camera with flash as well as the carbon fibre battery cover that adds to the phones toughness and overall styling.

secret_back 

LG Secret back

The left side of the phone is home to a single proprietary input used for the headset, Charger and data cable.

secret_left

LG Secret left side

 

 

 

The right however has slightly more to offer in the way of buttons from left to right you have a camera capture button, button to open multi tasking menu and an interesting Touch media button which if pressed allows you to use a number of applications that utilise the touch media functionality allowing you to use your finger on the LCD to play games view photos and access music and files, however this is not a feature available for all functions on the phone by any means, the volume controls are also located on this side of the phone they are used to control ring volume aswell as speaker volume and also used with the media features such as the MP3 player.

secret_right

LG Secret right side

 

 

 

Highlights and Lowlights

+ Great Functionality

+ Slim Design

– Over sensitive neon touch

– Poor Battery Life

 

 

Review

The LG secret comes full of promise and it delivers in so many ways, the phone is a great addition to the series and if a phone could be sold on looks I am sure this one would be right up there. However looks are not everything especially in the world of mobile technology. The “innovative” neon touch navigation is a great addition to the phone however due to it’s over-sensitivity can often feel clumsy and temperamental, The phone offers all the feature we have come to expect from an LG black label series phone and adds to them. The 5 megapixel camera is a welcome introduction and teamed with the fun editing function is perfect for those feeling creative however adding flowers and hearts to your city snaps is not going to be to everyone’s taste.

The phone is well laid out and despite the unpredictability of the neon navigation is easy to use and is well equipped for the average persons needs. The usual LG layout is present and offers no surprises in this regard.

Sliding the screen up reveals an attractive looking numeric phone pad consisting of 12 large and well spaced keys. The keys themselves have a nice positive action to them without requiring too much pressure. The only complaint here is that they are rather flat which makes using them without looking a little more tricky. The key illuminate nicely at night though.

secret_keypad

LG Secret keypad

The touch media function is an interesting one it allows the user to access music view photos and play games using the LCD as a touch screen however it seems like it would have made more sense to utilise the touch screen capabilities for all of the phones applications rather than a select few, that said this is still a solid feature and works well.

As a media player the Secret does a sterling job. Very impressed with the sound quality of the few sample MP3 files and easily out-performs a number of dedicated MP3 players that we’ve reviewed in the past. The secret has a MicroSD card slot situated under the battery cover but this only supports up to 4GB memory cards and not the MicroSDHC variety. Still, 4GB is good for hundreds of tracks and when you run our of pre-recorded content you can switch over to the FM radio. You can also change memory cards without removing the battery which is handy.

LG have included a pretty decent set of headphones with the Secret. These are the proper in-ear sound isolating kind and are probably the best headphones I’ve ever seen (of heard) included with a mobile phone. And if the headphones don’t suit you for any reason then that’s ok too as you can plug in any of your own that have a standard 3.5mm jack plug thanks to the in-line mic and volume control that’s part of the standard package. Why don’t all phone manufacturers do that?!

secret_headset

LG Secret headphones

As mentioned earlier the phone houses an inward facing camera lens that is great for video calls. Another great feature of the Secret is the ability to use the multi tasking function that is accessed using the button on the right hand side of the phone, this allows for the minimising of files and applications while running several at once.

he web browser on the LG Secret is adequate and does a reasonable job of rendering standard web pages. You navigate the web pages using a virtual mouse pointer that jumps between links. However, just like the one on LG KF600, the mouse pointer moves rather illogically, which can become irritating on more complex pages.

As a final comment I feel I must say that for call quality and clarity the LG Secret is possibly one of the best phones that I have ever used. There’s plenty of volume through the earpiece and it seems to be large enough to produce a good range of sounds. Call quality from the other end is also good to LG must have included a decent MIC too!

 

secret_angled_right 

Conclusion

Over the Secret is a great addition to the black label series and is certainly a future proof phone with great styling and functionality. The phone would be perfect for the studious university goer as the touch tempered glass front and carbon fibre battery cover means the phone would survive even the toughest nights out, however with hefty price tag the Secret carries it is sure to add to their student debt. Visit https://www.edudebt.sg/ for debt consultant services. That said if you have the money to spare and are looking for a feature-rich, future-proof phone then you could do much worse than the LG Secret – it’s just a shame that I’ll have to give it back now!

Review by: Nick

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Posted in: Reviews
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

Designer phones were you are the designer

behind-the-scenes

Hiptop3.com have an interesting article regarding T-Mobile’s personalisation plans for the Gekko’s casing. It’s a nice idea with a lot of potential. It would be nice for other phones to appear with this form of customisation. The dozens of black N95’s I see daily for example.

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Posted in: Phones
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

SlideIT Windows Mobile Keyboard

image SlideIT is a speedy and intuitive way to write text on touch screen enabled devices. Instead of the current method of tapping each letter on the screen, the user points to the first letter of a word and slides the stylus to the subsequent letters. Video demo after the break, all looks a bit messy to us and 40$ to buy the full version although there is a trial.

Posted in: Phones
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

Windows Mobile EMEA Applications portal launched

image A Silverlight based Portal for Windows Mobile applications has just been launched.  The initial focus of this site is on business applications for Windows Mobile according to Jason Langridge. You can check out the site here but you will need to have Silverlight installed first.

Posted in: Phones
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

iPhone 3G back up battery

image For many people the battery life of the iPhone 3G is causing great concern when used with 3G, locate me services, wifi and bluetooth all switched on, sure we can manage the power manually by switching them off when we don’t need them but that can be a pain. I have just been given some information on a company working on a back up battery for the iPhone 3G that some might find interesting. It is touted for availability at the start of August and I am hoping to get one of these in for a detailed review. Full details after the break.

Posted in: Phones
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

MDA Compact IV now available from T-Mobile

Great news for T-Mobile customers as the T-Mobile version of the HTC Touch Diamond, the MDA Compact IV, is now available to buy on the T-Mobile website.

Furthermore you may even get the phone for free depending on your talk plan. We’re already hearing that customers are getting the device free on upgrades too!

You can enjoy the best of our mobile internet and entertainment services with our slim, stylish and exclusive T-Mobile MDA Compact IV. Surf the web at super-fast speeds with web’n’walk, find your way with the built in Sat Nav, listen to your favourite music on the MP3 player and snap away with the 3.1 megapixel camera. The smooth, crystal-clear touchscreen is the mobile phone equivalent of a large flatscreen TV – it’s superb for internet browsing, Mobile TV, watching videos and more.

It also looks like T-Mobile have opted for the curvier, flat-backed version of the Diamond similar to the P3100 model.

Posted by: Matt

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Posted in: News
By July 16, 2008 Read More →

Pwnage iPhone 3G jailbreak

image The iPhone Dev Team has just posted a video of what it claims is “the world’s first jailbroken iPhone 3G running our own software.” While true that there have already been jailbreaks for the iPhone 2.0 firmware, this latest “pwnage” represents a big step forward toward a complete solution for users wanting to use the latest iPhone without being required to join with a particular carrier, and run non-Apple-sanctioned applications on the device. Video after the break.

Posted in: Phones
By July 15, 2008 Read More →

Samsung F480 Tocco Review

image Tracy and Matt have just published a great review of the Samsung F480 Tocco. We have seen a lot of this Samsung phone recently on billboards and TV but it is nice to finally see a detailed review of the device. It runs on its own proprietary OS, no Windows Mobile or Symbian here and has a great touch screen interface and a 5 Mpx camera. Full specs after the break.

Posted in: Phones
By July 15, 2008 Read More →

Samsung Omnia launch in Italy

image According to GSM Arena the Samsung Omnia will be launched in Italy on the 22nd July and will be available in all major European countries and other GSM markets before the end of August. This looks like a great phone to us and we will be getting one in to review as soon as possible so watch this space. More details after the break.

Posted in: Phones
By July 15, 2008 Read More →

Samsung F480 Tocco Review

The F480 Tocco is another high-end touchscreen phone from Samsung following in the footsteps of the Armani and the F490 Nerva. It looks like every mobile phone manufacturer wants to have touchscreen devices in its arsenal and I wonder how much this has to do with the success of the iPhone and the HTC Touch.

Samsung F480 Tocco Review

Samsung F480

Samsung F480 (Tocco) Specification:

  • Size: 98.4 x 55 x 11.6 mm
  • Weight: 100 grams
  • Camera:  5 MP, 2592?1944 pixels, autofocus, video(QVGA), flash
  • Battery life: 250 hours standby & 3 hours talk time
  • Display size: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.8 inches touchscreen
  • OS: Custom flash UI on S60 OS
  • Bluetooth: 2.0 with A2DP
  • Memory: 240MB shared memory & MicroSDHC
  • Networks: GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps
  • FM radio with RDS
  • MP3/AAC/AAC+ player
  • AC Charger: Output 9VDC, 2.5A

 

What’s in the box?

  • The Samsung F480 handset
  • Battery
  • Mains Charger
  • Case
  • Handsfree wired headset
  • USB Data Cable
  • CD-ROM
  • User’s Guide

 

GENERAL

The Samsung F480 Tocco is a lightweight, slim and attractive looking device. On the front we have a 2.8″ TFT display which sits flush within a metal surround. There’s a front-facing VGA camera for video conferencing and a few basic controls under the screen.

Looking to the left hand side of the unit we can see an up-down rocker button for in-call volume control as well as scroll control when browsing web pages for example. Below that a hinged plastic cover hides the MicroSDHC memory card slot.

Samsung F480 left side

Samsung F480 left side

 

On the other side of the unit there’s a similar plastic cover sitting over the proprietary connector used for charging, connecting a set of headphones (supplied) and for connecting to a PC via USB. Also on the right is a camera button used to launch the camera app. and for actually taking a photo. Directly beneath that are a couple of holes used to attach phone charms or lanyards.

Samsung F480 right side

Samsung F480 right side

 

Flipping the F480 over reveals an attractive brushed metal back and the 5 mega pixel camera complete with flash. Looking at the back of the F480 you could easily be forgiven for thinking that it was digital camera rather than a mobile phone.

Samsung F480 back & camera

Samsung F480 back & camera

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • 5.0MP camera
  • FM Radio with RDS
  • Classy looks
  • Thin & light

LOWLIGHTS

  • Screen attracts dirt and fingerprints
  • No on-screen keyboard
  • No WiFi
  • Tri-band only

 

 

REVIEW

I first saw the Samsung F480 Tocco a few weeks ago when I called in at a local phone store. Initially I thought is must be a new Windows Mobile device that I hadn’t seen before (unlikely :P) as I thought it rather unusual for a ‘non-smartphone’ to be almost completely touchscreen. Returning back to the office I decided to drop Samsung a line to see if I could review one.

First impressions of the F480 is that it’s a classy looking phone. The front is clean and understated with just a few push button controls housed in a shiny case. Turning the phone over the metal casing is obvious which makes the phone both look and feel robust.

The supplied leather case should help to maintain its good looks. However, you’ll soon discover that the F480 is a total fingerprint magnet that will have you rubbing the screen on your shirt each time you finish a call having held the glossy screen to your ear! The other drawback of having such a shiny screen is the performance in bright lighting conditions, especially direct sunlight. It’s virtually impossible to use the F480 under these conditions and it has you looking for shade each time you attempt to make a call.

The touchscreen works very well and is quite sensitive to even a soft touch, not quite as good as the iPhone but certainly better than many other touchscreen devices that I’ve used in the past.

The user interface is also a pleasure to use and the main menu is set out as a series of 12 icons. Each of the sub-menus appear in list form and the last used item in each of the lists is highlighted as the default when you open up the menu. This sounds like a reasonable thing to do but actually becomes a bit of a pain, I’d like to be able to turn this feature off but sadly that doesn’t seem to be possible.

It’s been a long time since I used a phone with a numeric pad and as a consequence I find texting and emailing with a numeric pad a bit of a chore. The F480 doesn’t have an on-screen QWERTY keyboard which would be ideal for texting and emailing. I guess T9 is something that you will either love or hate but it would be nice to have the option of both included.

The Samsung F80 Tocco

The Samsung F480 Tocco

 

The 5 mega pixel camera on the F480 Tocco is quite pleasing. It includes autofocus, digital zoom, LED flash and also a funky new feature called “Smile Shot”. This is similar to the face and smile detection being incorporated in to many mainstream digital cameras and is supposed to be able to tell when your subject smiles and snap a photo at precisely the right moment! This isn’t something that I was able to get working quite right but I suspect that it may depend on the subject and the environment as to how effective this is. That said, the F480 is able to take fairly decent pictures but as I have stated before, camera phones are no substitute for proper purpose-built digital cameras and this one is no different. It is among the best I’ve seen though.

As a music player the F480 performs quite well. There isn’t a vast amount of free memory available on the device as standard, 240MB wont go very far but it will allow you to get a few MP3 files on to start you off. Fortunately you can add up to 8GB of additional storage memory thanks to the microSDHC compatible memory card support. When you do finally run out of music there’s always a built in FM radio, with RDS support, to give you something to listen to.

The media player application is decent and easy to get to grips with.

The application offering the greatest surprise is the built in web browser. To be honest I was expecting this to be basic at best but I have to say that it puts many other mobile web browsers, even the mainstream Pocket IE in smartphone, to shame. The best of the viewing modes for web pages is the smart-fit mode where pages are rendered neatly on the screen and can be read without having to scroll left and right.

There is another disappointment here though as it is NOT possible to rotate the screen and display webpages landscape on the device. Again I would have thought this logical and easy for Samsung to achieve but this feature is sadly missing.

The F480 is quite well connected and, where you have coverage, the HSDPA connection is extremely fast. Bit of a shame that the radio is only tri-band but this wouldn’t bother me too much. Music is transferred to the device via a USB cable connected to a PC. Transfer rates are high thanks to the USB 2.0 support.

The lack of WiFi is also a bit of a shame and something that I particularly missed especially coming from a Windows Mobile background where WiFi is normally standard. With the excellent web browser I think that the F480 would really benefit from WiFi support.

 

f480_angled_right

 

CONCLUSION

The Samsung F480 Tocco really surprised me. I thought that the beauty of the device would only be skin-deep but there are plenty of other bits on the inside to get the gadget freaks excited.

Cameraphone fans will love the 5 MP camera and those just wanting a cool looking phone that fit easily in their pocket will find this phone easily fits the bill and then offers so much more besides.

If only the F480 had Exchange email support then it’s be a phone that more business types could enjoy.

The F480 is a great all rounder offering Music, Video, Email, Web browser and Camera in one neat package.

 

Posted by: Matt

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