Mobile Phone News

Samsung Galaxy Tab Revealed: 7-Inch Tablet Plays Flash Video, Makes Calls

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Korean phone maker Samsung has finally entered their hat into the iPad-shaped ring with the Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch tablet packing a host of browsing and multimedia features that mark a very strong debut entry into virgin territory.

The Galaxy Tab is brilliant as far as the tale of the tape goes, with a 7-inch 1024 x 768 resolution TFT display running Android 2.2 underneath a TouchWiz-tinged Samsung interface.  Hardware specs are rounded out with a 1GHz processor running proceedings and a dedicated graphics chip for apps and gaming.

A major boon over Apple’s tin tray is that the Galaxy Tab also acts as a massive mobile phone, complete with voice and video call functionality, as well as text and photo messaging support. The usual layout of various homescreens comes across as a Samsung Galaxy S display writ large, with much the same features, options and Swype for swift typing all built in.

Tapping in a telephone number on a device measuring 190.1 x 120.5 x 11.98mm makes the Dell Streak look positively minuscule as multi-purpose phones go, but 3G ad Wi-Fi b/g/n connectivity shows that this is much more than a gimmick for Samsung’s device.

Two more pluses arrive on the Galaxy Tab in the form of a 3-megapixel camera with LED flash on the rear, as well as a 1-megapixel effort on the front for some 3G video-calling face time antics.

Continuing to swerve left where the iPad veers right is in the format freedom when it comes to media playback. The Samsung Galaxy Tab happily plays all of the major movie flavours found on the web without a hitch including DivX and Xvid, as well as Apple’s favoured H.264 format.

With 7 hours of movie playback, the Tab is the perfect accompaniment for those long journeys, whilst support for millions of titles via the Readers Hub means that it is equally capable when it comes to browsing books, magazines and periodicals alike.

Equally important is web browsing, and thankfully the Galaxy Tab brings the true internet to your palm. Support for Adobe’s Flash 10.1 offers up a very familiar experience, with videos running within browser windows and animation-heavy sites looking much like their desktop counterparts.

Whilst a little less populated than Apple’s App Store, the Galaxy Tab has access to the thousands of games, and productivity software on the Android Market, and it won’t be long until developers update their applications to make full use of all that new-found display real estate.

The Galaxy Tab will be getting a European reception in September with 16 and 32GB sizes, and Vodafone is currently tipped to release it in various territories.

Lighter, smaller and more versatile than Apple’s iconic iPad, the Galaxy Tab actually does a better  job of convincing that a tablet device serves a genuine purpose in our lives, as well as serving as a compact multimedia powerhouse.

Android Market will hopefully grow organically to cater for this new swathe of Google-powered tablets, and a decent array of applications from budding devs will be as much of a selling point as the device itself.

The only issue still up in the air is the price. The need for a traditional SIM card to serve up 3G connectivity will make it a prime target for pay monthly offers on the networks, instantly making the Samsung Galaxy Tab a more appealing (and affordable) prospect when paying over 18 months than in one lump sum.

Whilst consumers are only too happy to lay down £429 for an iPad, the allure of snagging something better for £30 per month could see the Android-powered device sweep up this winter…

Samsung Wave 723: Bada Goes Budget For Second Wave

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

A low-key launch marks the reveal of the Samsung Wave 723, the second handset to run on the Korean manufacturer’s proprietary bada operating system.

With a touted September release date, the Wave 723 is a far more affordable effort than the original Samsung Wave S8500, packing a 3.2-inch WQVGA TFT touchscreen (as opposed to the Super-AMOLED goodness of the Wave), a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and runs on the latest iteration of the widget-based TouchWiz interface.

Samsungs Social Hub software ensures tweets and texts appear on the homescreen, whilst direct access to the Samsung Store means a wealth of applications, games and software.

With a multi-touch Dolfin web browser, Wi-Fi support and assisted GPS navigation, the Samsung Wave 723 certainly fulfills the criterion of being a well-specced smartphone that (hopefully) doesn’t break the bank.

HTC Peep Falls Silent As Twitter Switches To OAuth Security

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Those of you enjoying access to the Twitterverse via HTC’s handy Peep widget might have been a little disconnected today, as many woke this morning to find themselves locked out of the micro-blogging service due to a security update.

Twitter has long been promising a switch to the more secure OAuth method, moving away from the default login measures that many apps – HTC’s Peep included – took advantage of.

Now that update has finally happened, with both Android and Window Phone fans finding that the dedicated Twitter client supplied with many hugely popular handsets – including the HTC Desire and HTC HD2 – has been silenced. We’ve tried it here on our office Android device and found the same to be the case, with login efforts timing out or claiming an incorrect username.

Citing ‘forbidden access’ issues on Windows devices, HTC’s Peep app will now need to be updated urgently in order to restore service to thousands of phone owners now out of the Twitter loop for the foreseeable…or at least until they find an alternative app for their respective platforms.

We’ve currently contacted HTC for comment on the situation, and will let you know as soon as we hear anything. In the meantime, let us know if you’re having similar issues with your HTC handsets!

Source: PocketNow

Sony Ericsson To Shack Up With Sony On Future Phones, Android Is ‘Core Platform’

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Sony Ericsson is to work more closely with their Japanese parent, and will still be making handsets powered by Symbian despite a focus on Android, Microsoft’s Windows and their proprietary OS, according to UK MD Nathan Vautier in an interview with Mobile.

Refusing to be drawn on the existence of the oft-rumoured ‘Playstation Phone,’ Vautier (pictured left) reinforced the renewed synergy between of Sony Ericsson with the technology giant, with a view to sharing content, branding and even connectivity in future:

“I can say that our relationship with Sony will continue to get closer and stronger. There is a huge amount of excitement at the possibilities. It is about how we can use each other in the right way.”

Still with a strong direction towards developing multitasking smartphones, Vautier aims to leverage Sony’s position as a distributor of music, movies and media, integrating functionality into future devices:

“[We want to make our phones] the most entertaining. To do that we need to use content in the right way, and one thing we have within our family is the wealth of content that Sony has.”

Sony’s eStore – supporting their eReader with thousands of the latest books in digital format as well as over 1 million public domain titles – is another resource that Sony Ericsson aims to tap into on future handsets.

Regarding the current winter line-up, the XPERIA X8 is still on the way for a Q4 release, as is the Sony Ericsson Yendo – a touch driven Walkman device.

Both of these handsets underline the Sony Ericsson MD’s insistence that Android is the manufacturer’s primary focus moving forward, developing both flagship and mid-range devices powered by Google’s mobile operating system.

“Android is where we feel we can drive and bring a lot of exciting products to market, so it is the core platform for us.”

An interesting perspective, as Android has successfully taken the XPERIA brand from high-end ‘designer’ label to Sony Ericsson’s driving device range across a number of price points, and a continued investment on the platform may mean all that time and energy developing the extensive TimeScape and Mediascape customisation may really pay off in future devices…

Motorola Defy Unveiled, Rugged Smartphone Takes On The Elements

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

The Motorola Defy was a pleasant surprise in addition to today’s reveal of the MILESTONE 2, a hardy Android handset that promises to be as fun and functional as it is resilient.

In addition to ticking the smartphone boxes of boasting a large 3.7-inch touchscreen and a swanky operating system in Android 2.1, the Defy boasts a super-tough Gorilla Glass display and a ruggedised frame that holds its own against water, dust and scrapes alike…so well in fact that it meets IP67 standards.

Call quality in the wilderness has been improved (that is, if you have a signal…) with Motorola’s CrystalTalk PLUS DSP technology able to cut out the ambient din with a nice line in noise reduction.

It’s not quite the powerhouse that the MILESTONE 2 is with the Defy lowered to a more reasonable 2GB of internal memory and an 800MHz processor, but it still rocks a smart 5-megapixel camera with LED flash and digital zoom, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi support and aGPS support, making the device far from dumb as a rock.

MotoBLUR is up to bat once again as far as the Defy’s interface is concerned, with custom widgets for news, RSS feeds and contact updates alike appearing on the home screen.

Also touted for a Q4 European release date, word on network availability on the Motorola Defy remains elusive. Still, good to know that there’s a phone on the way that can stand up to the slings and arrows of urban living, but still can handle an app or two!

Source: Motorola

Motorola MILESTONE 2: MotoBLUR With a Bang

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Motorola have just announced the latest addition to their Android-powered handset line-up, the MILESTONE 2.

This handset expands on the success of the original MILESTONE and high-def credentials of the MILESTONE XT720, with the MILESTONE 2 offering the latest in Google’s mobile OS with Android 2.2 and a super-fast 1GHz processor, as well as bringing back a roomy four-row QWERTY keyboard.

A 5-megapixel camera with LED flash as well as 720p video recording sew up the photo-taking specs, whilst the presence of Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1 takes web browsing on the 3.7-inch 480 x 854 multi-touch display to the next level.

With 8GB of internal memory and an 8GB card supplied (expandable to 32GB), the Motorola MILESTONE 2 is equipped with plenty of memory to support movies, music and apps out of the gate.

Despite word that MotoBLUR (as a brand name, at least) was on the way out, the MILESTONE 2 boasts the latest iteration, with a focus to bringing all your texts, tweets and e-mails to your home screen in a clean and tidy manner. Enhancements to the skin include resizable widgets and corporate security for added customisation.

With a Q4 launch in Europe and an as yet unannounced price tag, the Motorola MILESTONE 2 looks set to keep up with the competition by offering Froyo, a nice line in smartphone features and an already popular form factor.

Check it out in a slick video reveal below.

BlackBerry Pearl 3G In The Pink On Vodafone, Free From £25

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

We love us a good new handset colourway on Omio, and the BlackBerry Pearl 3G appearing in a lovely pink hue is no exception.

This slender refurb to the Pearl range might rock an 12-button alphanumeric keyboard rather than the familiar QWERTY effort that BlackBerry has become synonymous with, but this hasn’t hindered the handset in the slightest.

Still equipped with RIM’s fantastic line in messaging and connectivity, the Pearl 3G has a 3.2-megapixel camera and dedicated media keys to ensure that the handset is equally comfortable at work and play.

Available on Vodafone deals from £25 per month offering 500 minutes and unlimited texts as well as 500MB of internet data, the pink BlackBerry Pearl 3G will be gracing VIP tables and designer purses from today.

The Pearl 3G is currently only on Vodafone in pink, but Blackberry are currently not making any promises that this is exclusive to the network…so you might want to hold out if you simply must have your phone match your outfit.

SE UK Confirms XPERIA Range To Get Eclair Upgrade By End Of September

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

As phones are getting slated left and right for not stepping up their Android game quickly enough (if at all), Sony Ericsson have been reassuring XPERIA owners that the 2.1 update will be arriving to handsets by the end of September.

Taking to Twitter and fielding what must now be the most frequent question levelled at manufacturers, Sony Ericsson UK have managed to firm up that vague ‘Q4′ confirmation by mentioning that X10 handsets will be getting Eclair-ed up by the end of next month.

It’ll be interesting to see how the ambitious TimeScape and Mediascape interfaces will be tweaked to accommodate this firmware tune-up, arguably the most impressive aspect of Sony Ericsson’s new Android offerings could do with a bit of a speed boost…

Nokia C7: Symbian^3 Sequel Given Early Review

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Whilst we eagerly anticipate the debut of Symbian^3 in the flagship form of the Nokia N8, ever eager reviewer Eldar Murtazin has managed to get his hands on another handset powered by the new interface – this time it’s the Nokia C7.

Swapping out some of the N8′s more flighty specs for mid-range alternatives – the C7′s camera takes a dip to a still impressive 8-megapixels with LED flash (as opposed to the 12MP, Xenon packing N8), whilst gets 8GB of memory whilst the N8 rocks 16GB on board as standard.

That being said, the C7 can boast a similar 3.5-inch capacitive AMOLED display complete with pinch-to-zoom support – a relative rarity on Nokia touch phones – as well as an abundance of connectivity with Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth 3.0 support.

Despite the review of a prototype unit being largely positive as he calls the C7 Nokia’s most balanced flagship Symbian^3 phone and also the best value for money (around €360 – 390), Eldar still deems the handset as ‘hardly a market leader’. A little harsh for an unfinished device…

The double-edged sword that is Nokia’s incumbent Symbian interface is that it has bred a cosy familiarity with existing users willing to trade up, but at the same time does little to court new consumers swayed by current smartphone competition.

With the iPhone attracting the fashion conscious flock and the latest Android devices managing to be appealing and affordable in equal measure, the jury is out on whether Nokia’s transition from S60 to Symbian^3 is too late – or drastically different enough – to turn heads away from strong opposition.

The Nokia C7 still has not been officially announced as yet, but is rumoured to be slated for a Winter release. What do you think, enough to keep the Symbian home fires burning?

Source: Unwired View

Dodonpachi Resurrection: Bullet Hell Shooter Rains Down On App Store

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://www.omio.com
About: See Authors Posts (1586)

Cave Software, fresh from the success of bringing anime-drenched shooter Espgaluda II on the iPhone have decided to convert another crazily-named game from their stable to Apple’s device, Dodonpachi Resurrection.

Available from today at an introductory price of £2.99 (it’ll jump up to £5.49 from the 29th…), Dodonpachi Resurrection is close to an arcade perfect port of another revered entry in the ‘bullet hell’ shoot ‘em up genre, complete with screen-filling bosses, waves of merciless enemies and all new iPhone exclusive play modes and a remixed soundtrack.

The action is so intense in Dodonpachi Resurrection that it can only be handled by latter day iDevices, with the iPhone 3G and original iPod Touches having to sit this bullet storm out. Thankfully there is also a ‘Lite’ version to see if your handset is up to the task before you buy.

Even on the office iPhone 4 the game is a massive memory hog, with frantic missile-dodging gameplay taking a frame rate hit during some particularly large explosions, but it manages to feel part of the fabric of the twitchy gameplay, giving you an extra moment to relish the destruction before it ramps up all over again.

The all-important high-score table is present and correct with OpenFeint powering global rankings for international bragging rights and a set of challenging achievements to unlock.

The touch controls are a little fiddly, as is always the case with games needing swift reflexes on the iPhone, but the steep learning curve is levelled somewhat with a Practice Mode, making learning the risk and reward strategy of attack a lot more accessible than the convoluted modes in Espgaluda II.

It’s not as cheap as a lot of the other shooters on the App Store, but one play of the Lite version will show that Dodonpachi is a cut above in terms of retina-searing graphics, relentless level design and a double shot of sheer arcadey fun.

Besides, how can you not like a game that has you wielding a Supreme Weapon of Annihilation?