Phones

Nokia Lumia 710 Review

Nokia have been and quite possibly still are one of the most influential manufacturers of mobile phones to date, so when they announced that they were struggling this surprised me a lot, as they were at one time (before Apple’s dominance) the number 1 mobile phone company in the world! But then they announced that were partnering with Microsoft to make Windows Phone their ‘Flagship’ Operating system, I was quite worried for them at this point because of the Windows platform being so young at this point.

Then there was the huge announcement of 2 brand new Nokia Windows Phones! My worry started to fade as what I saw was the Lumia 800 which is their flagship device for the moment and the phone that I have here.the Lumia 710, this basically is just a slightly smaller, thicker, cheaper version of its sibling as it has the same processor and operating system but in cheaper packaging.

How did the little sibling perform during testing?

To find out you will have to read on, but only after you’ve made sure to watch the unboxing video of this lovely little phone.

Xperia Play loses the support

Bought the Xperia Play? It’s going to stay just as you have it. Unfortunately Sony have announced that achieving a consistent and stable experience with Android 4.0 on the Xperia Play wasn’t something that they could successfully make happen after all their in-house testing. Whilst most of the other phones launched around the same time frame will be receiving an update the Play is is being cast aside into a dark and murky corner beside many of the other devices Sony have discarded. Say ‘Hi’ to the Mylo from us!

"In regards to Xperia PLAY, after extensive in house testing with our developer teams and working with our partners, we have concluded that a consistent and stable experience, particularly with gaming, cannot be guaranteed for this smartphone on Ice Cream Sandwich – therefore, we will not make the Android 4.0 upgrade available for Xperia PLAY."

"This decision was also verified when we received similar feedback from the developer community; both experienced developers and advanced users, along with game content providers following our ICS beta ROM for unlocked Xperia PLAY smartphones."

"Our priority has and always will be, to provide the best possible user experience on Xperia smartphones. In this instance the ICS upgrade would have compromised stability, where we look to ensure a quality gaming experience with games optimized and developed for Xperia PLAY."

Source: Sony Blog

Posted by: Gareth

Samsung Galaxy SIII goes up for Pre-order

The newest super phone has appeared on Amazon.co.uk ready for your pre-order and will be winging it’s way at you around about May 30th. At a price of £499.95 this does appear to be a better price than many did speculate. This is for the 16gb version and it comes in those two colours most have been raving about. Here is what you get for your £499.95:

• With a 4.8 inch HD Super AMOLED display, the GALAXY S III offers a large and vivid viewing experience. Samsung Mobile’s heritage Super AMOLED display even enhances to HD and 16:9 wider viewing angles.
• With the innovative smart stay feature, Galaxy S III automatically recognises when you are looking at the phone, whether it is to read an e-book or browse the web. The front camera looks deep into your eyes and maintains a bright display for continued viewing pleasure
• The Galaxy S III’s minimal and organic design is reflected in its smooth and non-linear lines. Its comfortable grip, gentle curves and platinum organic form deliver a natural look and feel
• In addition to recognising your face and voice, the Galaxy S III understands your motions to offer maximised usability. If you are messaging someone but decide to call them instead, simply lift your phone to your ear and ‘Direct call’ will dial their number
• Doing things simultaneously on the Galaxy S III is easy and fun. With ‘Pop up Play’ and the powerful Quad-Core processor, you can watch an HD video in another window while sending an email or text simultaneously

Posted by: Gareth

The HTC One X & HTC One S now available for less – for a limited time only

Just a quick heads up for anyone considering the HTC One X and HTC One S; Vodafone have just dropped me a line and wanted me to let you know that for a limited period Vodafone are offering the amazing HTC One X and HTC One S for less.

Until 14^th May 2012 you can pick up the HTC One X for free on pay monthly plans from £36 per month, and the HTC One S free from £31 per month.

For further details please go to the Vodafone website:

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-phone/htc-one-x-white

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/shop/mobile-phone/htc-one-s

Posted by: Matt

Facewatch ID – Spotting Crimminals

A NEW app for mobile phones is available that asks the public to help in identifying thousands of images relating to low level crimes from across London in a bid to increase the number of wanted identifications made.

The Metropolitan Police Service has provided more than 2,000 images for use by the Facewatch app, which was launched on Tuesday 17 April and is available on BlackBerry, Android and Apple smartphones.

The app enables the user to enter their local postcode and then view a selection of unidentified images of potential suspects and witnesses that the police would like to talk to. If an image is known to the viewer they have the opportunity to enter a name and or address that is confidentially conveyed to the police.

The app has already been responsible for the identification of 29 people during its trial among police officers over the past two months.

Borough Comander Gary Buttercase said: “Officers leave no stone unturned when they are looking for a suspect. Any new tools developed through technological advancement that are made available to us in the fight against crime are a welcome addition. Apps such as this one have the potential to save a lot of Police time. I would urge everyone to view these images and name those pictured to help make our borough and our capital city even safer. Helping us to identify people could remove a criminal from your area.”

Sony rolling out ICS

Sony Mobile has shared their update schedule for Ice Cream Sandwich on their devices. Additionally, the Sony Tablet S is currently receiving the update OTA, starting even before the time of this article. Here’s a quote with some details:

Quote:

As for Sony’s 2011 Xperia phones, the update is “progressing as planned” and will be deployed as planned. Here’s a list of the handsets that will get ICS first:

• Xperia arc S,
• Xperia neo V
• Xperia ray