Phones

By December 3, 2009 Read More →

Dealers loosing out on Storm2

92210

Some might say a blessing in disguise, other’s will be in tears. However, Blackberry’s Storm 2 seems to be causing a bit of a … fracas over at Vodafone Mobile News reports. Dealers are going to be loosing out on a few bob for every Storm 2 sold so they are simply refusing to sell it. The original Storm was not without it’s complaints when it came to hardware and now the Storm 2 seems to be suffering from a new foe, Commission structure:

Vodafone dealers claim that poor channel offerings are forcing them to refuse sales of the BlackBerry Storm2

Vodafone dealers have been "forced" to turn down sales of the BlackBerry Storm 2, due to poor channel offerings. Dealers claimed they would lose money on the sale of a Storm 2 as the handset cost outweighs Vodafone’s commission package. The handset is exclusive to Vodafone and is the successor to the Storm.

Posted in: Phones
By December 3, 2009 Read More →

O2 announce O2 More

O2 have announced a new service called O2 More. O2 More is all about giving their customers discounts, special offers and freebies for things they like in exchange for your personal information. O2 Media’s Managing Director Shaun Gregory tells us all about it in the video below:-

 

Via O2

Posted in: Phones
By December 3, 2009 Read More →

Vodafone 360 review

The 360 H1 is Vodafone’s foray into the world of application-based mobiles, and the next in the long line of iPhone contenders. So with the iPhone coming to Vodafone very soon is the 360 worth the time and effort and what does it offer users in terms of connectivity and functionality.

Vodafone 360 review

The Vodafone 360 Samsung H1

 

What’s in the box?

  • The Vodafone 360 Samsung H1 handset
  • Battery
  • MicroUSB wall charger
  • Headphones and wired headset adapter
  • USB to MicroUSB sync cable
  • Manual and Warranty card

 

Vodafone 360 (Samsung H1) specification:

  • Display: AMOLED – 16M colors, 480 x 800 pixels – 3.5 inches
  • Operating System: LiMo OS
  • Processor: ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz, PowerVR SGX graphics
  • Memory: Internal: 16 GB / Card slot: microSD (TransFlash) up to 16GB
  • 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • 3G: HSDPA 2100
  • Camera: 5 MP, 2560 x 1920 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
  • Alert types: Vibration; Polyphonic(64) / MP3 ringtones
  • 3.5mm audio jack
  • Dimensions: 115.9 x 58 x 12.9 mm – 60 cc
  • Weight: 134 g
  • Battery: Standard battery – Li-Ion
  • Talk time: Up to 10 h (2G) / Up to 6 h 40 min (3G)
  • MP3 / video player
  • Organizer
  • Stereo FM radio with RDS
  • GPS with A-GPS support
  • 3G / HSDPA
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
  • Bluetooth: v2.0 with A2DP

 

General

The Vodafone 360 H1 looks every part the exciting new communication device offering some great innovative features sure to keep even the latest tech savvy social butterfly. Now I am fairly sure Vodafone would not appreciate the tag of iPhone clone however if manufacturers continue designing phones in a style, which was perfected by the iPhone, then unfortunately this tag remains. If this is a style perfected by Apple I suppose Vodafone have no need to change it and for the most part it works with the 360 however I am personally not a massive fan of the plastic back, it seems a little cheap.

The front of the H1 houses the large 3.1″ touch screen along with three navigational buttons. Call buttons along with a quick launch contact key and applications page shot cut.

360-front

The Vodafone 360 front view

 

The right of the device is home to the dedicated shutter key and also a rather helpful and colourful search quick launch key.

The Vodafone 360 right view

The Vodafone 360 right view

 

The left of the H1 features a two-way volume rocker and also the mini USB connector, which is cleverly hidden behind a sliding panel keeping it safe from dust etc. while improving the overall design of the phone.

The Vodafone 360 left view

The Vodafone 360 left view

 

The back of the 360 has the 5 megapixel camera along with that all, important flash. The back also features the obligatory Vodafone branding.

The Vodafone 360 back view

The Vodafone 360 back view

 

The top of the device has the dedicated standby button and a much welcome 3.5mm headphone socket.

The Vodafone 360 top view

The Vodafone 360 top view

 

 

Review

So 360 is a new service being launched by Vodafone, which aims to bring the world together, well maybe not the world but your contacts at least. Basically it is their way of bringing all your contact together in one place whether this is through social networking sites or your mobile contacts. The idea and purpose of this is to encourage people to communicate in a new exciting way. But does it do this? Well the short answer is ‘yes’ but the slightly longer answer is ‘yes, but it is far from perfect’.

Now although this is not a review of the service, as the Samsung H1 is currently one of the few phones able to use the service it seemed wrong not to mention it. And also the phone has clearly been designed with 360 in mind and not the other way around. Looks wise as I mentioned earlier the H1 is not an unattractive device however I am personally not a massive fan of the silver plastic I feel for a device of this status it should try a little harder to warrant the price tag with its looks.

The H1’s emphasis on connecting people and contact is apparent right from the start after unlocking the phone using the completely original cough slide to unlock feature you will be greeted by a either a mass of coloured heads or if you have particularly photogenic friends a collage of your friends for you to scroll through in a 3D depth rich layout. Navigation on the H1 was something I found surprisingly easy. The introduction of this new style for Vodafone had me worried that it may come with a lengthy learning curve however after just a few clicks you will soon find yourself flicking through your features with great ease.

This ease of use is due largely to the navigational buttons at the bottom of the device a quick click of the contact button will allow you to switch between the colourful and creative collage of contact or a more conventional list view and the same applies for the apps button switching between either a gird or list view of all your favourite applications.

The H1 houses a hefty 5 megapixel with an LED flash, which is certainly a welcome addition. I was pleasantly surprised with the image quality of the H1 and would even go as far as to say it rivals some dedicated digital cameras of a similar resolution out there on the market today. The various different modes including panoramic and smile, and with video capabilities the H1 may well have your current digital camera shaking with fear as it positions itself as a rival to the modern camera striving to do it all.

The H1 also features an easy to use music player and what makes this player so much easier to enjoy is the 3.5mm headphone jack and my joy was even more profound after discovering it is located on the top of the device, which allows the H1 to sit comfortably in the pocket without a protruding cable.

Applications wise the H1 has a fair amount to offer including YouTube and Facebook apps and with many more available through the 360 store it seems like Vodafone are set to bring their own offering to the already fit to burst apps market. However it is difficult to judge at this point but things look promising. Connectivity wise the H1 is fairly standard stuff, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G etc. however the inclusion of WiFi is certainly a very welcome addition. The large touch screen makes using applications and things like web browsing enjoyable and easily navigated with little trouble.

So one thing that many have said about the iPhone and to be fair other devices focused more on apps than communication is that although they may be a great source of entertainment on the move when it comes to them operating like a phone they disappoint. The H1 however for me anyway really did seem to take a step closer to combining great feature rich applications while still maintaining its primary use as a mobile phone. The speakerphone is crystal clear and using the phone in the traditional way isn’t bad either with minimal muffling and clear sound throughout the call.

Performance with the H1 is something which for such a feature packed device surprised me there is little to no LAG when scrolling through contacts or applications and using the touch screen qwerty keyboard is a breeze so no complaints there. Battery life for the H1 is quoted at up to 10 hours 2G-talk time, which is not bad for a device with so much to offer, and I had little trouble with rapidly depleting battery in the time I spent with it. The phone is a fair size however not too clunky to slip in your pocket and the weight is a comparatively light 134 grams compared to other similar devices.

360-angled-right

 

Conclusion

The H1 or the Samsung Vodafone 360 H1 to give it its full title is a phone full of promise however at this time it is certainly more promise less fulfilment. The 360 platform is one which excites me and if carried out properly could be a real success for Vodafone however at this time it is a little like when you first got Facebook or MySpace its great and has so much to offer however it is a service which relies heavily on your friends and contact being a part of it as well, and given that the H1 is one of the few devices able to use the 360 platform until it is rolled out onto more common devices it will remain a phone of great potential and not a device that delivers the before mentioned potential. A great phone for those wanting to be the leader of the pack who is not concerned with having to wait a while for others to catch up.

 

Review by: Nick

Post Tags: [Vodafone 360, Samsung H1, LinMo, tracyandmatt.co.uk]

Posted in: Phones, Reviews
Tags: ,
By December 3, 2009 Read More →

Architecture guide for iPhone released

architecture-guide-iphone

We are talking here about real architecture and not about “software architecture” and “software architects”! This real architecture is a combination of art and engineering and sometimes it is difficult to say which construction is a masterpiece and which is just a boring, garish, building. This app can help!

Posted in: Phones
By December 2, 2009 Read More →

3 suspends mobile broadband sales in poorly connected areas

 3-broadband-dongle-laptop

On our last podcast, my old co-host Chris Oldroyd joined us. Due to the severe weather England was suffering Chris was reduced to using his 3 mifi service. When I say reduced, the service was quite impressive however the notable decline in quality was evident. 3 had served Chris well. However, no soon have we good feeling for 3 that they take it away as with the following article from Mobile Today.

All channels to advise customers against buying MBB in areas with poor connectivity

3 has suspended mobile broadband sales in certain geographical areas until connectivity improves.

The move is part of a broader strategy by the operator to better manage the  explosive growth of its mobile broadband (MBB) offering which has seen 3 increase its market share of MBB to 40%.

3 met with its direct, indirect and retail channels this week to explain how the suspension will work. Under the new procedure sales staff will begin any sales pitch for MBB by checking connectivity levels first. If customers are found to be in areas with poor connectivity, sales channels must advise customers against buying mobile broadband until connectivity is improved.

Posted in: Phones
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!

Posted in: Phones, Reviews
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By December 1, 2009 Read More →

UK only: new NHS iPhone app released to help British drunkards

Drinking “culture” in UK is such that on Friday and Saturday evenings you can see drunken young girls lying on streets in unconscious state. In other words: Brits are one of the heaviest alcoholics in EU. Fortunately British national health organization has released its own (official!) app for that:

nhs

Posted in: Phones
By November 30, 2009 Read More →

Motorola Milestone unboxing

 Motorola-MILESTONE-Droid-Germany-1

Speaking for the Motorola Milestone, JKKmobile has an unboxing for you. I find jkk to be one of the best unboxings, frank, honest and thorough. Very much worth watching. Check it out after the break:

Posted in: Phones
By November 30, 2009 Read More →

Droid Nears Its Million-Device Target

Motorola-Milestone-Droid

An article caught my eye on Gigaom today and it pleased me. It seems the Motorola Droid is selling well, it’s a bit of a hit. Soon to bed hitting pockets here as the Milestone the new Android device runs the much touted 2.0 version of Android. A big step up, a good looking device and great potential. Read on for the whole article,

Motorola and Verizon’s $100 million marketing push seems to be paying off: The much-ballyhooed Droid smartphone made by Motorola and powered by Google’s Android 2.0 OS is inching toward its goal of a million devices sold during the fourth quarter of 2009. The two companies have thus far sold between 700,000 and 800,000 Droids, according to data collected by RBC Capital Markets analyst Mark Sue.

Posted in: Phones
By November 30, 2009 Read More →

Nokia refutes reports it may sell its handset business

Nokia-logo-hands

Nokia insists its handset division is a core part of its business

Reports that Nokia may sell its handset business as part of a drive to develop its internet service offerings were denied by Nokia today.

The reports came on the back of an interview with Nokia marketing head Anssi Vanjoki. Internet sites reported that, in an excerpt from the interview with German magazine Wirtschaftswoche, Vanjoki said a sale of Nokia’s handset business cannot be ruled out as part of Nokia’s move to transform itself into an internet services provider.

He added Nokia should, ‘never say never’ to the possibility. However in a statement today Nokia said: ‘There has been news quoting Anssi Vanjoki that Nokia is considering to outsource its mobile phone production. This statement does not at all correspond with what Mr. Vanjokisaid nor what has been published in the original interview. Our logistics and manufacturing are an important competitive advantage, and a core part of Nokia’s business .’

In the same interview Vanjoki said Nokia needed to speed up Nokia’s transformation into an internet services provider in the face of competition.

[Source Mobile Today]

Posted in: Phones
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