News

Samsung SGH-i320 for under £100!

Here’s a post that definitely comes under the mega-bargain category.

I just received an email from eXpansys informing me of an amazing price drop on the Samsung SGH-i320. You may recall we reviewed the i320 about a year or so ago and for a while it was my device of choice. It’s a really neat design and a small, easily pocket-able form factor. Battery life is pretty decent and what’s more it weighs a mere 95grams which is unheard of for a Windows Mobile Smartphone.

Ok so the i320 isn’t cutting edge technology any more, it’s WM5 and there’s no 3G BUT for under £100 you probably cant go far wrong. On top of that, if you’ve bought anything from eXpansys in the past and have a £10 discount voucher you can use that on this purchase too!

Go and check it out for yourself on the eXpansys website and bag yourself a bargain!

Samsung SGH-i320 Specification

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone, Pocket PC, Tracy & Matt, Samsung SGH-i320, expansys, Samsung]

HTC Touch Diamond on Orange by end of June?

Just as a quick follow up to my pst a few weeks ago about the HTC Touch Diamond appearing in the June eddition of the Orange catalog in the ‘Coming Soon’ section (see below) I’ve just been told by one of the Orange business account managers that the Diamond will be released by Orange on Monday 30th June.

We believe that, as with other popular new handsets, Orange will only offer the Diamond to business customers initially. Although this is as yet unconfirmed it does sound about right as previous HTC handsets, the Orange M700 and HTC TyTN II were only offered to business customers for about the first month after launch.

I’m seeking confirmation at the moment and will share further news as I get it.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, orange, HTC, HTC Touch Diamond]

Tracy & Matt supporting The Annual Smartphone Show

I’m very pleased to announce that we are supporting the 10th annual Smartphone Show as an official partner.

The show isn’t until the 21st and 22nd of October 2008 and you can’t register to attend just yet but you can visit the website to register your interest and you’ll be notified once attendee registration is open.

4000 delegates, 120 exhibitors, 60 seminars, 10 keynotes – one show
FREE to attend

Symbian is pleased to announce that the 10th annual Smartphone Show will take place 21-22 October 2008.  This year the event is moving to the larger, central London location of Earls Court 2.  This free to attend event is a must for anyone involved in the handset industry.

Now in its tenth year, this year’s show promises to be the best ever with more opportunities to see innovative technology in action and meet the key personnel driving it.

Smartphone Show at a glance:

Visit www.smartphoneshow.com for more information and to register.

Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, HTC Touch Diamond, Tracy & Matt]

HTC Touch Diamond UK retail

Just like some of my other Windows Mobile community friends I am now the proud owner of a new UK spec. HTC Touch Diamond, complete with the latest ROM build.

I’ve only just started to use this full retail version and while it is essentially the saem device with the same hardware as the review unit we looked at last week, this version with it’s ater ROM build is far superior!

Many of the little niggles and bugbears with the software that I mentioned in the first parts of my HTC Touch Diamond review have been addressed. The Touch-Flo 3D interface is a whole lot smoother and much more respsonsive which makes using the Diamond a much more pleasurable experience.

Over the next few days, new baby permitting, I’ll be talking about the Diamond in a little more detail.

As always, please feel free to ask questions and I’ll do my best to answer.

Posted by: Matt

See Part 1 of the review.

See Part 2 of the review.

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, HTC Touch Diamond, Tracy & Matt]

Sony announce their new Full HD Handycam HDR-CX11E

Sony announce their new Full HD camcorder, the Handycam HDR-CX11E. Full details in the press release below. We hope to have a review unit soon!

Keep smiling: more happy faces with the Full HD Handycam HDR-CX11E

Smile everyone! Experience amazing Full HD video and detail-packed still images with the beautifully styled Handycam HDR CX11E.

The CX11E is the world’s first ever camcorder to feature Smile Shutter. This unique Sony technology automatically captures crisp 7.6 megapixel photos when someone smiles. There’s no need to press the shutter button or interrupt the action: it’s great for spontaneously capturing relaxed, happy moments while you’re recording.

In ‘Dual Capture’ mode (default), stills are captured whenever someone smiles during movie recording. Switching Smile Shutter to ‘Always On’ mode can even grab photos while you’re in record standby – whether you’re in movie or photo mode – so there’s no chance of missing that winning smile between takes.

‘Smile Sensitivity’ can be adjusted to recognise anything from a gentle smile to a beaming grin. Priority can also be set to recognise children or adult’s faces.

Smile Shutter is teamed with Face Detection that automatically fine-tunes focus, exposure and colour balance for great-looking videos and photos of friends and family.

The CX11E delivers stunning high resolution, low noise HD pictures thanks to its ClearVid CMOS sensor with Exmor™ derived technology. Sparkling Full HD video and 5.1 surround sound is recorded on removable ‘Memory Stick’ PRO Duo media (up to 85 min with supplied 4GB ‘Memory Stick’, or 5 hrs 55 mins with 16GB optional ‘Memory Stick’, LP mode).

Advanced, easy-to-use features

The easy-to-use CX11E is packed with cutting-edge Sony imaging technologies for breathtaking picture quality. The high-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens features a powerful 12x optical zoom range, with Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation for crisper, clearer video and stills.

Powered by the high-speed BIONZ processor, D-range Optimiser technology automatically adjusts exposure and contrast to maximise shadows and highlight detail with tricky high-contrast scenes. Still images are captured in photo mode at an incredible resolution of 10.2 effective megapixels, rivalling today’s finest digital compact cameras.

Image quality like no other is matched by superb 5.1 channel surround sound, with a zoom microphone function to minimise distracting background noises when images are zoomed in.

Shots are viewed in exquisite detail on the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD Plus widescreen touch-panel that displays video and photos with superb contrast, even when you’re viewing outdoors in bright sunlight. Browsing your footage is easy with Film Roll Index and Face Index that simplifies finding the right scene.

When you’re back home, hook the CX11E up to your HD ready television for a superb HD viewing experience. x.v.Colour expands your colour palette for more vivid, lifelike reds, blues and greens when you’re watching on a compatible television. BRAVIA™ Sync allows easy control of camcorder functions with your TV remote. Cable-free playback is even simpler with your PLAYSTATION®3 – just transfer a ‘Memory Stick’ from the CX11E and enjoy the show. With a PC connected to the supplied Handycam® Station, footage can be burned at the touch of a button from ‘Memory Stick’ to DVD for safekeeping.

Supplied accessories include a 4GB ‘Memory Stick’ PRO Duo, USB and component A/V cables, Handycam® Station and remote controller. There’s also a full range of optional accessories including conversion lenses, batteries, chargers, microphones, tripods, HDMI cables and cases.

The Handycam® HDR-CX11E is available from August 2008. It is available to pre-order now at www.sonystyle-europe.com

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, Handycam HDR-CX11E, camcorder]

HTC Touch Diamond now Officially available in the UK

I know that I’ve spoken about the HTC Touch Diamond a lot recently but it’s a device that everyone seems to be talking about. The most common question we’ve been getting lately is ‘When will I be able to buy a UK spec. Device?’

Fear not, for now we have the difinitive answer. Our friends at Devicewire and Clove technology have just taken delivery of their first shipments of official UK specification HTC Touch Diamond devices. Both companies have started sending them out already so if you order today you should expect to have your new toy in your hands within about 2 days.

You can find out more by heading over to the HTC Touch Diamond page on the Devicewire website or the HTC Touch Diamond page on the Clove website.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Devicewire, HTC Touch Diamond, Tracy & Matt]

DivX Extends Video Support to AMD for Mobile Phone Processors

DivX, Inc. today announced a licensing agreement with Advanced Micro Devices, a driving force behind processing solutions for nearly 40 years. This agreement will bring DivX video technology to AMD Imageon application processors, extending existing licensing and certification relationships between the two companies.

AMD Imageon application processors are designed to power a range of handheld multimedia devices, including next-generation mobile phones and smartphones. AMD is a leading supplier of media processors to the handheld market with nearly 250 million AMD Imageon media processors shipped to date.

“Including the DivX codec in the AMD Imageon application processor brings additional value to our OEM customers, helping them to deliver a robust mobile media experience,” said Mark Bapst, CTO for AMD’s Handheld division. “DivX technology is an attractive ingredient that enhances our offering for handheld devices, providing excellent quality and a high degree of accessibility.”

“We’re pleased to work with AMD to enable consumers to enjoy their video content on any kind of device, in the living room or on the go,” said Patrice LaGrange, Vice President and Group Business Manager, Media Languages, DivX, Inc. “With our mobile certification program, we are extending the digital media experience to the mobile environment by bringing the high-quality digital video experience consumers have come to expect on their PC and in the living room to a variety of phones and handheld devices.”

The two companies will work together to achieve DivX Certification for the AMD Imageon A250 application processor. Products that bear the DivX Certified logo have undergone a rigorous testing program to ensure a high-quality DivX media experience, including reliable video playback, interoperability with other DivX Certified devices and the visual quality users expect from DivX.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): technology blog, video, Tracy & Matt, DivX]

HTC Touch Diamond appears on Vodafone

Vodafone seem to be the first UK network to announce the HTC Touch Diamond on their website. If you visit Vodafone UK you’ll find the Touch Diamond in their ‘Coming Soon’ Section.

Vodafone HTC Touch Diamond

Feature rich Windows Mobile 6.1 device utilising HTC’s new Touchflow UI. This device is in a tablet form factor meaning it is touch screen only. The Diamond surpasses the iPhone in all aspects, the key differentiator is the inherent flexibility of the Diamond. It comes loaded with Vodafone Email Plus and the Vodafone Sat Nav program. Launch expected in July

As you can see from the clipping above, Vodafone are now expecting a July launch. I don’t suppose the oher 4 networks will be too far behind with a similar announcement, I’ve been keeping an eye on Orange for the past few weeks so I’ll let you know the minute I notice any changes!

Review by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, Vodafone, HTC, HTC Touch Diamond]

HTC Touch Diamond tweaks

I’ve had a lot of emails over the past few weeks from readers asking questions about the HTC Touch Diamond and how to improve the performance of the Touch-Flo 3D interface.

Initially I would say that the review device I had a few weeks ago was pre-release build and certainly didn’t have the final retail version of the ROM so those of you that saw some of my early videos and commented that the interface seems slow might want to wait and see what the retail version is like. I cant deny that my review device was rather unresponsive at times and it was hard to tell if this was down to the ROM or to a touch screen sensitivity issue but again, as some of you noticed from our videos, it took two or three attempts to get a response from the Diamond.

So my friend Piero, who managed to get his hands on a retail Diamond from Hong Kong, mentioned to me that he’d managed to tweak his device using a few registry edits and has ended up with a much more responsive UI.

Piero gave me the following information from XDA-Developers which should help improve things. At the moment I am Diamond-less but if you manage to perform these changes then please let me know how you get on!

1. Boost TFL3D Performance –> Using Advanced Config, change File system cache to 8mb and file system filter cache to 131072

2. Boost TFL3D Performance –> HKLM\System\Storagemanager\Fatfs and change key Cachesize from 16384 to 32768

3. Wake Up on New SMS –> HKLM\Drivers\BuiltIn\RIL : DisableSMSWakeUpEvent <-- set to "1" by default. Change value to "0"

4. Switch Mute Call on phone flipped face down: HKLM\Software\HTC\PHONE : FaceDownMuteRing: change value to “0”

5. Change CallWaiting Tone –> HKLM\Software\HTC\PHONE : by default set to \windows\waitingtone.wav by default. change to anything else

6. Boost TFL3D Scrolling Speed –> – HKLM\SYSTEM\GDI\GLYPHCACHE\limit = 16384 or 32768 (DWORD decimal)
– To change it back to the default: – HKLM\SYSTEM\GDI\GLYPHCACHE\limit = 8192 (DWORD decimal)

7. In case of emergency, to do a Hard Reset, with the phone ON, hold down the Volume Down and Enter (round navigation) keys and press soft reset while they are pressed

8. Prevent screen switching off during phone call –> HKEY_Local_Machine\Drivers\BuiltIn\RIL\EnableFastD ormantDisplayDuringCall to 0 (Note: does not work on all ROMs)

9. Downlod original CONTENT folder (Wallpaper, VIDEO, MUSIC) here http://rapidshare.com/files/12127104…orage.rar.html

10. Set HTC Album X button to close not minimize: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\HTCAlbum : ok_minimize change value to 0

11. Disable Enlarged Title bar (when you click on a notification) to the default WM behavior: HKLM->Software->HTC->EnlargeTitleBar – and change “Enable” from 1 to 0.

12. Turn off startup aninmation and sound: HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\HTC\HTCAnimation\ -> rename both “StartupGif” and “StartupWav” to other names

13. Enable GPS photo: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\Camera\P10 -> change the value “enabled” from 0 to 1

15. Another supposed TFL3D tweak for better performance: HKLM\Software\OEM\TFLOSettings:
SpeedHigh: default value (25) <-- Change to (5) / SpeedLow : default value (70) <-- Change to (14) save and soft reset

16. Adjust screen sensitivity: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\TouchPanel
Value = PressureThreshold
Change from the default dword:00000027 or 34 to dword:000000f0 or 240 in decimal
__________________

Credit for the tweaks goes to the guys over at XDA-Developers where you’ll find a much more detailed thread for the above.

Review by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone news, Pocket PC news, Tracy & Matt, orange, HTC, HTC Touch Diamond]

We have a daughter!

You may have noticed that there haven’t been any posts from me for a few days but the reason is that Tracy has just given birth to our gorgeous baby girl, Chloe.

They are both doing really well and came home yesterday. I’m enjoying looking after them both!

Chloe was born at 13:17 on Wednesday 11th June and weighed 7lb 3oz. I’d like to thank everyone in the Castleacre maternity ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn for looking after Tracy and Chloe.

Chloe was delivered by Caesarean Section which means that Tracy needs a bit of extra looking after so I may not be posting much for a little while.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Windows Mobile Blog]