Author Archive: Matt

More than 20 years in the IT industry. Blogging with a passion and thirst for new technology since 2005.

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By January 17, 2010 Read More →

Windows Mobile 7 not backwards compatible?

James posted earlier about Windows Mobile 7 and over the past week speculation as to its launch date have been rife. Will it launch, will it be at MWC, will there be an interim version of Windows Mobile (WM6.6), there seem to be more questions than hard-answers at the moment for sure!

Another story that surfaced earlier today was the question mark over Windows Mobile 7’s compatibility with existing WinMo applications. This came about after Eldar Murtazin allegedly got his hands on an early version of Windows Mobile 7 running on a yet to be announced new device. Murtazin then proceeded to tweet “Hate Windows Mobile 7. No apps from previous version of WM working here. Not compatible at all. Couldnt do anything.” Now these tweets from Murtazin have since been deleted but call my a suspicious soul, but I’d be surprised if a version of WM7 has really got in to the wild without anyone really knowing about it, no screen shots and substantiated evidence?

And what of this unknown handset? Again, it’s not very often that we don’t have at least some idea about what’s coming. All seems a bit suss to me!

Now we’ve already been told that Windows Mobile 7 is an all-new OS written from the ground up in much the same way as Windows Vista was. It should not be considered an upgrade to 6.5 but an all new version of the OS. With that said, I suppose it would be easy to understand how it would be possible for Windows Mobile 7 not to be backwards compatible BUT for Microsoft not to build in backwards compatibility would, in my opinion, be a huge mistake. Consider all the existing WinMo software back catalogue, it’s not a small number of apps. and games!

I’d be very surprised if Windows Mobile 7 turned out not to be able to run existing software, maybe there would be issues with the odd title but not the whole lot!?

Thoughts everyone?

 

Posted by: Matt

[Post Tags: tracyandmatt.co.uk,Windows Mobile 7,MWC]

Posted in: Phones
By January 17, 2010 Read More →

BlackBerry 9520 Storm2 Demonstration Video

Last week we brought you the unboxing video of the BlackBerry 9520 Storm2. Now I have completed the review I thought I would give you a short video demonstration just before the review goes live.

Being a touch screen BlackBerry I thought it was important to give you a brief insight into its features on video and if you are interested in getting the Storm2 this may help make up your mind.

Storm2-angled-right

The Blackberry Storm2

 

If you have any questions regarding the BlackBerry Storm2 please head over to our forums and submit your questions there.

 

BlackBerry 9520 Storm2 Demonstration Video

 

Here is a quick reminder of the BlackBerry 9520 Storm2 Specification:

  • 2G Network : GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • 3G Network: HSDPA 2100
  • Dimensions: 112.5 x 62.2 x 14 mm
  • Weight: 160 g
  • Display: TFT capacitive touchscreen, 65K colors
  • Size: 360 x 480 pixels, 3.25 inches
  • Memory: Internal 2 GB
  • Card slot: microSD (TransFlash) up to 16GB
  • GPRS: Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 – 48 kbps
  • EDGE: Class 10, 236.8 kbps
  • 3G: HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA
  • WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
  • Bluetooth: v2.1 with A2DP
  • USB: microUSB v2.0
  • Camera : Primary 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, IM
  • GPS: with A-GPS support
  • Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
  • MP3/WMA/AAC+ player
  • MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV player
  • Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1400 mAh
  • Stand-by: Up to 305 h (2G) / Up to 280 h (3G)
  • Talk time: Up to 5 h (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)

 

Posted by: James

[ Post Tags: Blackberry, Storm2, RIM, Blackberry 9520, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By January 16, 2010 Read More →

Google Nexus One unboxing video

An exciting arrival here in the office yesterday, no not a new brother or sister for Chloe, but the Nexus One that I ordered from Google arrived already. I only ordered it on Monday and it arrived via DHL on Friday. Excellent service!

Nexus-angled-left

The Google Nexus One

 

Although the Nexus arrived here yesterday I didn’t unbox until this morning so I’ve only been using it for a few hours but so far I really do love it and it’s certainly the best Android device I’ve used to date. It’s responsive and has a great screen and in my opinion is really well made.

I’ll be doing a full review over the next week or so and will give the Nexus a thorough test. I’ll also try it with my T-Mobile SIM card!

So here is my unboxing video which is pretty long. I’ll take you on a tour of the handset and show you a few things in the OS. There may be another video showing some of the other features soon too!

 

Google Nexus One unboxing video

 

Let me know if you have any questions about the Nexus One and I’ll try to answer them over on the Nexus One forum thread!

 

Google Nexus One Specification:

  • Height: 119mm
  • Width: 59.8mm
  • Depth: 11.5mm
  • Weight: 130 grams w/battery
  • 3.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen WVGA AMOLED touchscreen, 800 x 480 pixels
  • 5 megapixels camera
  • Autofocus from 6cm to infinity
  • 2X digital zoom
  • LED flash
  • User can include location of photos from phone’s AGPS receiver
  • Video captured at 720×480 pixels at 20 frames per second or higher, depending on lighting conditions
  • UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900)
  • HSDPA 7.2Mbps
  • HSUPA 2Mbps
  • GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
  • Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
  • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
  • A2DP stereo Bluetooth
  • Removable 1400 mAH battery
  • Talk time: Up to 10 hours on 2G / Up to 7 hours on 3G
  • Standby time: Up to 290 hours on 2G / Up to 250 hours on 3G
  • Internet use: Up to 5 hours on 3G / Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
  • Video playback: Up to 7 hours
  • Audio playback: Up to 20 hours
  • Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz
  • Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair)
  • 512MB Flash
  • 512MB RAM
  • 4GB Micro SD Card (Expandable to 32 GB)
  • Assisted global positioning system (AGPS) receiver
  • Cell tower and Wi-Fi positioning
  • Digital compass
  • Accelerometer

 

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: Google, Nexus One, Android, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By January 16, 2010 Read More →

Acer Liquid now in Black

We reviewed the Acer Liquid recently and it was a pretty popular device among the T&M team, I think it’s one that we all enjoyed playing with and one that I myself decided to buy, I couldn’t resist as the spec and price made awesome value for money!

One criticism that we’ve heard about the Liquid though was that many didn’t fancy it in white, some feeling that it was ‘a bit girly’ (their words, not mine!). I personally like the white but realise that it’s not for everyone.

image

However, worrying about having a white handset is no longer an issue as the folks over at Clove Technology have just started selling the Acer Liquid in black. It’s the same good quality, high spec. device but in, perhaps, a more appealing colour.

So if you fancy getting your hands on the black Acer Liquid you can head over to Clove and place your order. I still think that the Liquid is one of the best bargains out there at the moment and it’s a great entry to Android if you’ve never had one before!

 

Acer Liquid specification:

  • Operating System: Android 1.6 (Donut)
  • Processor: Qualcomm 8250 768 MHz
  • Memory: ROM: 512MB / RAM: 256MB
  • Display: 3.5-inch touch-sensitive screen with WVGA resolution
  • Network: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
  • Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
  • Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g
  • 3.5 mm audio jack
  • Internal GPS antenna
  • microSDHC (supports up to 32GB)
  • 5.0 megapixel colour camera with auto focus
  • Talk Time: Up to 300 minutes
  • Standby Time: Up to 400 hours
  • Battery: 1350mAh Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
  • Dimensions: 115 x 62.5 x 12.5 mm
  • Weight: 135 grams with battery

 

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: Acer Liquid, Acer A1, Android, Snapdragon, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: News
By January 15, 2010 Read More →

Google Nexus One price drop

Google’s new Nexus One phone only launched last week but already the price of the handset has dropped on T-Mobile. Anyone upgrading to the Nexus on T-Mo will now pay only $279 to upgrade, a reduction of $100 already! That’s about £61 to us. Furthermore, anyone in the US on T-Mobile that’s already bought their upgrade is being given the $100 refund.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the reported issues the Nexus One is having with T-Mobile’s 3G network or is that jut me being suspicious? 😛

The question now is how much the Nexus One is going to set us back in the UK when it becomes available on contract which we suspect with be within the next month or so.

 

Don’t forget to check out our Nexus One unboxing video too!

 

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: Google, Nexus One, Android, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Posted in: News
By January 15, 2010 Read More →

eXpansys Friday deals 15th January

nokia booklet
   

eXpansys Friday Deals: Selected deals between 11am and 5pm, 15th January 2010

   
HTC Advantage X7510
Info

HTC Advantage X7510
Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

Normally £749.99
Now £649.99
Save £100

Sony Ericsson MBW-200 Bluetooth Wrist Watch
Info

Sony Ericsson MBW-200 Bluetooth Wrist Watch – Evening Classic

Normally £129.99
Now £114.99
Save £15

LG GD900
Info

Sony Ericsson MBW-200 Bluetooth Wrist Watch – Contemporary Elegance

Normally £129.99
Now £114.99
Save £15

Samsung c6625
Info

Palm Treo 500 Windows Smartphone
Multi-Lingual

Normally £84.99
Now £74.99
Save £10

Samsung c6625
Info

Nokia 3110 Classic
Black

Normally £89.99
Now £69.99
Save £20

B-Stock Palm m500 PDA
Info

B-Stock Palm m500 PDA
Refurbished

Normally £19.99
Now £11.99
Save £8


These deals are available on Friday the 15th January 2010 between 11am and 5pm by following the links above only. Normal pricing will apply outside of these hours*.

*Voucher codes do not apply with these deals. Limited to 2 units per customer, available while stocks last.

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Deals & Offers
By January 15, 2010 Read More →

Blackberry Storm2 unboxing video

The original BlackBerry 9500 Storm was not the biggest seller for RIM and it got a fair bit of critism for its touch screen, so RIM have rectified the issues with the Storm and produced the Storm2.

The Blackberry 9520 Storm2

The Blackberry 9520 Storm2

 

The Storm2 looks more or less the same as the original version. Its weight and metal battery cover give it a sturdy and robust feel and its 3.2 inch screen appears to be impressive to the eye.

But the question is, is it any good as a BlackBerry. BlackBerry users are normally hard core messengers and it will be interesting to see if the new and improved version can give BlackBerry users what they need from a messaging device. James, who’s a recent Blackberry convert, is putting the Storm2 to good use and will have a full review of the device for us soon. For now we’ll leave you with a brief unboxing video on tour of the handset.

 

Blackberry Storm2 unboxing video

 

BlackBerry 9520 Storm2 Specification:

  • 2G Network : GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • 3G Network: HSDPA 2100
  • Dimensions: 112.5 x 62.2 x 14 mm
  • Weight: 160 g
  • Display: TFT capacitive touchscreen, 65K colors
  • Size: 360 x 480 pixels, 3.25 inches
  • Memory: Internal 2 GB
  • Card slot: microSD (TransFlash) up to 16GB
  • GPRS: Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 – 48 kbps
  • EDGE: Class 10, 236.8 kbps
  • 3G: HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps; HSUPA
  • WLAN: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
  • Bluetooth: v2.1 with A2DP
  • USB: microUSB v2.0
  • Camera : Primary 3.15 MP, 2048×1536 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Messaging: SMS, MMS, Email, IM
  • GPS: with A-GPS support
  • Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
  • MP3/WMA/AAC+ player
  • MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV player
  • Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 1400 mAh
  • Stand-by: Up to 305 h (2G) / Up to 280 h (3G)
  • Talk time: Up to 5 h (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By January 14, 2010 Read More →

HTC HD2 SMS update Again

Good news for those of you still experiencing SMS issues on your new(-ish) HTC HD2 handsets for today HTC have made another SMS update available.

The “Update for HTC HD2 – New SMS Function Update” can be downloaded from the HTC support site and promises to help rectify issues regarding SMS.

This update for HTC HD2 messaging lets you reach out to your friends and family with instant notifications. Keeping in touch has always been very important, and this update delivers just that: fast and reliable SMS messaging.

The update does appear to be some kind of hot-fix not requiring a hard reset of the device but as with any of these updates it’s probably a good idea to make sure that you do have a backup of any important data just in case!

If you are an HD2 owner and you’ve been having SMS issues we’d love to hear from you both before and after this update!

 

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: HTC HD2, Windows Mobile 6.5, tracyandmatt.co.uk, sms update ]

Posted in: Phones
By January 14, 2010 Read More →

LG BL20 unboxing video

Back at the beginning of December last year we reviewed the first of a new line of LG Chocolate phones, the LG BL40. It was a pretty unusual form-factor with a 4″ full 21:9 cinematic widescreen display and at just under 11mm thick it invited such comments as ‘It looks like a TV remote’!

LG have taken the same design ideas, such as the smooth glossy black screen and metallic red accents and have applied all of that to a slim slider-styly handset and have come up with the LG BL20 ‘New Chocolate’.

The LG BL20 New Chocolate

The LG BL20 New Chocolate

 

I think, overall, the LG BL20 and the BL40 before it, are attractive looking handsets, the red and black does work well and when the screen is off or in standby the front looks almost totally black. The BL20 isn’t touchscreen though but uses a touch sensitive area below the screen for the majority of system and menu navigation. For input there’s the sliding numeric keypad which is also a stylish red colour.

As always, I’ve taken the time to unbox and tour the handset before it gets the full review treatment. Have a look at the video below for a brief tour of the handset and the OS.

 

LG BL20 unboxing video

 

LG BL20 Specification:

  • GSM Tri-band, HSDPA Dual-band
  • Dimensions: 106.9 x 50.8 x 12.3 mm
  • Weight: 115 g
  • Display: 240 x 320 pixels, 2.4 inches, TFT, 262K colors
  • Touch-sensitive hidden navigation keys
  • 60MB internal memory
  • microSD card slot supports up to 16GB
  • Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP
  • USB v2.0
  • Camera: 5 MP, 2560 x 1920 pixels, Schneider-Kreuznach optics, autofocus, LED flash
  • SMS, EMS, MMS, EMail, Instant Messaging
  • WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML browser
  • FM radio
  • Java MIDP 2.0
  • MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA player
  • H.264/MP4/WMV player
  • Battery: Standard battery, Li-Ion 900 mAh
  • Stand-by: Up to 450 h
  • Talk time: Up to 300 min

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: Videos/Unboxings
By January 13, 2010 Read More →

T-Mobile USA Nexus One support tips

Yet more news relating to Google’s new Nexus One handset and yes it’s about the 3G issues!

It seems that T-Mobile USA are beginning to acknowledge that the Nexus One may have some issues when it comes to 3G coverage on their network.

Engadget have managed to get their hands on a screen shot from T-Mobile’s support procedure. One of the first things on the list is ensuring that the customer is not transferred to HTC support as they ‘will not be able to resolve this issue’ and goes on to suggest that the handset is rebooted.

nexus-one-tmob-shot

It’s reassuring to know that T-Mobile have at least started to acknowledge the problems customers are having so lets hope that they are soon able to come up with a more permanent solution, otherwise I think we’ll start to see a lot of Nexus one devices returned or else appearing on Ebay!

 

Don’t forget to check out our Nexus One unboxing video too!

 

Posted by: Matt

Posted in: News
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