Omio News Blog

BlackBerry Curve 9320 Announced: Free On T-Mobile From £15.50 Per Month

RIM have announced an upgrade to their popular and affordable Curve range of handsets.  The BlackBerry Curve 9320 will have all the core functionality of that users have come to expect, although offer no real surprises.

Being an entry level classic BlackBerry, the focus here leans towards function and affordability over spec-sheet.  We have the usual 2.4″ screen and QWERTY keypad. Push Email, Facebook and Twitter integration via apps is present and accounted for, whilst the BBM service for instant, always-on communication now has it’s own button for easy access.

Onboard is an MP3 player with FM radio for music on the move, plus a 3MP camera with LED Flash for capturing moments when something bigger is out of reach.

GPS maps, and internet access also round off the ‘smart’ functionality, whilst global 3G compatibility, 512mb onboard with 32GB microSD storage and a good sized 1450mAh battery will mean that the Curve 9320 will travel well abroad too.

The Curve 9320 will run the latest version of BlackBerry OS 7.1, although it is unlikely that this will be upgradeable to the upcoming BlackBerry 10, which seems to be more geared towards touch-screen handsets.

T-Mobile are the first to announce availability of the 9320, offering it free from £15.50 p/m on a 24month contract.

This will net you 100mins call time, unlimited texts (flexible booster) and 250MB of data.

Alternatively they are also offering the handset off-contract for £149.99, making it a cheap and chirpy communicator, or a functional second handset.

Keep an eye on Omio’s deals page for offers on the BlackBerry Curve 9320 from other networks as they emerge.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Launch: UK Release Date Set For May 30th

Samsung finally revealed the hotly anticipated Galaxy S3 yesterday evening, in a multi million pound launch event at London’s Earls Court Exhibition Centre.

The handset runs the latest version of Android 4.0.4 on its 1.4 GHz quad-core Exynos processor with 1GB of RAM. 

The screen is an impressive 4.8-inch 720p Super HD AMOLED screen, which, whilst big has a thin bezel around it, so is perfectly holdable.

Figures like that would usually have us reaching for the charger, but the new processor is said to be much more power efficient, and the battery is a whopping 2100mAh, which is roughly 30% more powerful than the rival quad-core HTC One X.

The rear camera is 8MP and super-fast, taking 3.3 still shots per second, and 1080p video. 

The front camera is a surprise at 1.9MP, which is larger than expected, but maybe necessary for facial tracking. The S3 will be able to tell if you are looking at it and stay on if you are reading something, rather than dim the screen on a timer as is the norm.

The Galaxy S3 was given a more rounded appearence than the S2, opting for natural curves and soft edges.

Samsung have said they were inspired by nature when desiging the handset, which explains why we were serenaded by whale noises and birdsong during the build up.  The handset was demoed in two colours, pebble blue and ceramic white, for business and pleasure respectively.

Samsung also described the phone as being ‘designed for humans’ focussing on the social sharing features of the handset.  ‘S Beam’ is a close proximity file sharing feature that uses NFC and wifi to send files between handsets.

Facial recognition software will also allow users to instantly share photo’s with people in their contact list immediately. 

‘S Voice’ brings an air of Siri to the precedings, allowing users to look insane whilst talking to no-one.

You may be able to wake the phone from sleep with a voice command, but we always found the wake button much quicker. Hopefully local search facilities will be enabled upon release, (something Apple have still failed to do here in Europe) and bring this functionality out of novelty status.

The S3 will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, with this expandable upto a further 64GB with the addition of a micro SDXC card.

Users will also be given 50GB of Dropbox cloud storage free for two years, which should see through a 24month contract.

The Galaxy S3 will be released as a 3G HDSPA+ version on May 29th in Europe, with a 4G LTE version following in countries lucky enough to have super-fast mobile broadband, in June of this year.

The Korean tech giants were keen to play down the numbers and the launch focussed on what the phone could do rather than boast about specifications or previous succeses. Of course, they could have boasted had they wished…

Figures released recently by London firm Strategy Analytics revealed that Samsung held 30% of the smartphone market, beating Apple’s 24%.

Samsung also accounted for 24.5% of the global mobile handset market, passing Nokia, who have been on a downward slide of late.

UK Retailers are currently rubbing their hands in anticipation of the May 29th launch, as the Galaxy S2 sold like hotcakes.

Some information lacking from the launch event was any solid details on pricing. However, retailers will be keen to start pre-sales so expect full details soon.

We expect the handset to be offered on contract from the £35 per month mark, with the upfront cost varying depending on which model you plump for. Those who wish to buy the phone outright rather than tie into a lengthy contract should expect prices starting around £500.

We will of course be sure to bring you any deatils of availability and pricing as soon as we find out.  Sign up for alerts about the Samsung Galaxy S3 on our deals page, or keep tuned to Omio for more news.

Samsung Galaxy S3 on Vodafone – specs leak as network shouts first?

With the Samsung Galaxy S3 less than ten days away from an official ‘Mobile Unpacked 2012′ launch event on May 3rd, the Koreans are struggling to keep the proverbial cat in the bag after a flurry of tantalising leaks recently.

Vodafone have also anounced via website that they will be stocking the follow up to the Galaxy S2.

Samsung have been stoking the PR flames with a website and video at its site www.thenextgalaxy.com.

The teaser trailer for the May 3rd event is all orchestral swells and ‘nudge-nudge, wink-wink’ statements about fitting the ‘entire galaxy in your hand’.

The vid also takes a massive swipe at the competition, claiming that their new handset will ‘make you stand out from everybody else’ and showing a field of bleating sheep.

Vodafone are the first UK carrier to announce the upcoming availability of the ‘Next Galaxy handset’, which is quite clearly the S3 and are letting customers register interest, and sign up for updates on availability here.

Meanwhile the German Amazon site put a page up for the Galaxy S3 that, whilst having no images for the handset, does give a sim-free price of €599 alongside a few technical specifications.

The site, which has tellingly not been taken down, reveals a 4.7″ Super AMOLED screen, a 12MP camera and the Android’s latest ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ flavoured OS.

Previously last Friday, Vietnamese tech site and reputable leakers Tinhte posted a video showing off a phone that purported to be a leaked Galaxy S3. A scan of the system profile showed that it was running a quad-core 1.4Ghz processor.

The handset did appear to be contained in a fairly generic case, so could have either been disguised to keep the final looks under wraps, as is common practice, or an earlier prototype model, a possibility as it appears to only have an 8MP camera.

Whilst the video was soon removed at Samsung’s request, Engadget did manage to salvage a copy of the video before the takedown, which is viewable here.

The Samsung Galaxy S3 was notably absent from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year.

There were rumours of a production delay, but with increasing suggestions of an iPhone 5 being readied for July release, and the ongoing feud between the two companies, it could be that the two mobile heavyweights are gearing up for a serious head to head battle this summer.

The first match up saw Apple’s iPhone 4S beaten by the Galaxy S2, in the UK at least.

The follow up battle will be hotly anticipated and will no doubt rise to levels of hype that would make Don King blush.

Stay tuned for upcoming information on the Samsung Galaxy S3 via Omio deals page.

Sony XPERIA P Release Date and Price Revealed, Contract Deals Available Soon

The Sony XPERIA P will be released in the UK on May 7th 2012, initially sim-free via Clove for £330, and Expansys for £339.  Contract deals are available on Omio’s deals page now via buymobiles.net.  More deals will show up as the release date closes.

The Android handset is looking pretty shiny with a precision crafted aluminium unibody, and a 4” touchscreen that utilises Sony’s ultra-bright, ultra-crisp ‘Whitemagic’ technology.

Sony have also been pushing a novel yet practical use for the built in Near Field Communications, the same technology used in transport swipe ticketing, such as London’s Oyster cards.  Sony have developed Smart Tags, dongle like devices that you can hang in your car, home or office, that enable you to quickly change custom settings as you move from one area to another, which will no doubt kill those annoying scrambles to switch on bluetooth & GPS every time you get in the car.

The relatively slim 1GHz dual core processor won’t break any speed records, but may give some allowance for battery life.  The 8MP camera with Exmor R image processing should make all your snaps look gorgeous, and you’ve got a respectable 16GB of storage for pics video’s and music.

DLNA built-in will mean you can wirelessly beam video and images to compatible screens effortlessly. Full specs are available here. The handset will ship with the relatively antiquated ‘Gingerbread’ flavour Android 2.3, although Sony are promising a hop, skip and a jump of an upgrade to Android 4 ‘Ice Cream Sandwich’ in Q2 (so around the summer).

The XPERIA P sits in the mid-range of Sony’s NXT series of handsets, just below the more powerful Xperia S which is available now. The payoff with the XPERIA P is that you can get a great looking handset without breaking the bank!

You can bag yourself an off contract pre-order today, via Clove and Expansys. If you’re after an on-contract deal, keep an eye on the Omio deals page.

Samsung Announce Windows Phone 8 ‘Apollo’ Handset, Should Nokia Be Nervous?

Samsung have confirmed that a Windows Phone 8 ‘Apollo’ handset is in the pipeline and set for release later in the year.  The Korean manufacturers have previously dallied with Microsoft’s OS.  The Omnia W and Omnia 7 were previously made for Windows Phone 7.

Samsung have had a fruitful relationship with Google’s Android OS, that has brought us the current (still) UK number 1 handset: the Samsung Galaxy S2.  Samsung are clearly married to Google’s OS but they are clearly not afraid to taste a bit of Metro UI on the side.

Recent analysis has shown Samsung eating into Nokia’s sales, so Samsung’s and also HTC’s modest, yet continued support for Microsoft could make the beleaguered Finns uneasy.  Analyst Ian Fogg of IHS highlighted the precarious position that Nokia was in, as Samsung threatened its standing as the world’s number one phone manufacturer.  Nokia meanwhile, are still occupied by the release of the new Nokia Lumia 900 handset, so will probably hold back for a while before lifting the lid on future Windows Phone 8 models.

Nothing other than the mysterious Samsung handset’s existence has been confirmed, but with Windows Phone 8 development keeping Redmond’s UI workers busy until its release in the autumn, the rumor mill is pointing towards a possible launch release in October at the earliest.  We will post with any more details as and when they become available, but on our wishlist is definitely multi-core for premium app support, as well as a vastly improved resolution from the standard 800×480 available to Windows Phone 7.

Could it be that the sharks are circling for Nokia already?  Or will a multi-manufacturer melee spur on healthy competition in the market.  Either way, Microsoft will be happy for Samsung’s continued support of its OS, whose survival will be made or broken on the volume of users.

Nokia Lumia 900′s Bumpy Launch: Early Adopters Benefit, For A Change

Nokia’s big US launch of the Lumia 900, its $99 flagship smartphone, has been embarrassingly setback by a software glitch that has affected data transmission.  However in a remarkable move, Nokia have offered early adopters a $100 rebate off their next bill, effectively meaning that customers will be $1 better off for taking up the handset.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a week for Nokia.  First weekend sales in the US of the aggressively priced flagship Windows Phone handset were promising, topping the Amazon sales charts despite some mixed reviews.  Critics praised the familiar design, essentially an XL version of the Lumia 800, built around a large ClearBlack 4.3” AMOLED touchscreen, and the addition of 4G LTE data speeds.  The addition of a front facing for video calls and Skype was also welcomed, this being a notable omission from its predecessor.  However they did note a lack of multi-core processor, and relatively low screen resolution, in comparison with its major competitors.  Despite this, customers showed that their priorities lay with their wallets and snatched up the handset on-contract for a mere $99.

The celebrations were short lived however, as reports started to emerge of a significant bug in the handset causing loss of data connectivity. Nokia were swift to offer an explanation of the fault on their blog yesterday, offering either a downloadable software patch on the 16^th April or an immediate in-store exchange for an updated handset.  In a bold and clearly costly move, they have offered $100 credit to each person who buys the phone between its release and the 21^st April, effectively paying customers $1 to take up their phone on contract.  One dollar may barely get you a free lunch, or even a cheap app, but the principle stands.

It’s yet to be seen how this swift manoeuvre will sit with customers.  Will they smell desperation and run a mile, or will this give them an additional sales boost? As a third place runner behind Apple’s and Google’s Android, the key to long-term success for Nokia and Microsoft is to boost the Windows Phone ecosystem.  Any significant rise in user numbers will be supported by increased app purchase and in turn, further developer support.  Nokia’s decisive response is in stark contrast with the silence and denials from Apple over launch bugs on previous iPhone releases, so we wait to see whether Nokia have managed to pull a last-minute save with this move.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is available for pre-order now in the UK, and set for a 27^th April release date, by which time the UK handsets won’t be affected by the software glitch. The Lumia 900 is currently being offered from free on a two year contract via Phones 4u.

Check Omio’s deals page for a full list of tarriffs and offers.

Nokia World 2011 – Nokia debuts new ‘Lumia’ series Windows Phones for November release

At the Nokia World 2011 conference yesterday, CEO Stephen Elop introduced the first fruits of their ‘strategic partnership’ with Microsoft.  The Nokia Lumia 800 and Nokia Lumia 710 are being heralded by the marketing blurb as the ‘first true Windows Phones’, (which presumably had executives at HTC and Samsung spraying their coffee over the boardroom table in shock). 

NOKIA LUMIA 800

First up is the Lumia 800, the flagship handset, and the one to drool over. Phonespotters and Nokia fanboys among you (yes, you over there in the corner) may find it somewhat familiar, as externally it looks pretty much identical to the Meego-running N9. It has the same highly engineered ‘unibody polycarbonate’ shell, looking similar to the last vertical iPod Nano, although with a 3.7” curved glass front and a fantastic ‘ClearBlack’ AMOLED screen running 800×480 pixels.

When it comes to the internal gubbins, the Lumia 800 is unlikely to win any games of Mobile Top Trumps. The processor is a qualcomm single core running at 1.4GHz, running 512MB of RAM, which won’t scare off drag-racers like Motorola Atrix or the Galaxy SII. This should be perfectly adequate for the resource-light Windows Phone 7.5 Mango operating system, (plus the iPhone 4S runs just fine on the same amount).  Storage is also somewhat disappointingly limited to 16GB, with no memory card slot, although users will be able to use 25GB of cloud storage with the Microsoft SkyDrive service. The Lumia 800 has removed the front facing camera of the N9 (not that anyone really uses them anyway) but it does pack a whopping 8MP camera at the back with Carl Zeiss optics and the (essential for shooting on nights out in Helsinki) good low light performance.

The handset will be released this November in the UK and Europe in three colours, black, cyan and magenta in the UK and Europe with a suggested price of around 420 Euro’s.

LUMIA 710

Playing the 800′s less attractive but no less powerful sibling, the ‘no nonsense’ (read affordable) Lumia 710 comes with the same 3.7” screen, 1.4GHz processor ad 512MB ram, and a smaller yet respectable 5MP camera with all the usual social network hook ups for image uploading. Users will however only have 8GB of unexpandable storage for music, video and images however, although Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage is here aswell.

Whilst it lacks the smooth unibody appearance of the 800, the Lumia 710 is available in both black and white flavours, with the distinctly Nokia interchangeable back covers making a return in black, white, cyan, fuchsia and yellow.  Hello Kitty ones are probably being moulded in China as we speak, coming to a market stall near you.

The Lumia 710 will still have access to all of the same services such as Nokia Drive navigation, Nokia Music, a Spotify-esque service and also run a fully functional Internet Explorer 9. This handset is aimed at the fun young and price conscious market, and will bring Windows Phone functionality to a lower price point of 270 Euro’s.

Both Microsoft and Nokia are pinning a lot of hopes on this  initial lineup. Whilst Nokia were arguably the original smartphone manufacturers with classic handsets like the Nokia Communicator and the N95, the App-led (pardon the pun) ecosystems of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Andoid Marketplace have since left Nokia shivering at the bus-stop. In the year that we’ve had it, Microsoft haven’t managed to make a mark with their Windows Phone OS, outside of critical commendations, and whilst a few handsets are available at present, none really have the ‘wow factor’ or mass market appeal of a ‘killer handset’.

With Lumia, Nokia and Microsoft are making a two pronged invasion of the marketplace. The Lumia 800 is clearly targeting  phone fashionista’s and getting people talking about Nokia’s design skills again. The Lumia 710, whilst not as flash, is aggressively priced to give a much needed boost in numbers to the Windows Phone platform, which will live or die on the number of users in the marketplace.

No doubt anyone that remember Nokia’s domination of the mobile market, back when Snake was the pinnacle of mobile gaming, will be hoping that the Lumia range will be the first step to restoring some of their former glory.

Check back here for more info as we receive it, and on Omio’s deals page for and the best contract deals for the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710.

Mobile Phone Review Round Up: Vodafone 555 Blue, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, HTC Evo 3D, BlackBerry Bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy Pro, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro

TechRadar

Vodafone 555 Blue review

Verdict

Perfect for those who want a nice-looking handset and minimal networking capabilities without any contract commitment – plus love to spend as much time as possible on Facebook. For those looking for a more media-based experience, however, you won’t find it with the Vodafone 555 Blue.

In today’s smartphone-enlightened times, we’re expecting more even for the price. Unless your three favourite things are Facebook, phoning and texting, you’ll want more from your handset.

- Check out all Vodafone 555 Blue deals at OMIO today!

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini review

Verdict

We’re pleasantly surprised at how usable and responsive the Xperia Mini is. The 1GHz processor means web pages are drawn and scrolled pretty quickly, while gaming and app performance is also good.

The user interface customisations are really nice as well, with Sony Ericsson’s sweeping visual changes bringing the best out of Android – and adding in plenty of new usability and social options.

In terms of value for money, it’s a decent option. The 3" screen is a little limiting if you’re into mobile media and gaming, but the phone itself is a glitch-free, user-friendly little marvel you won’t end up hating.

There are more capable Android phones available for less money, but none that are as pocketable and enjoyable to use as the Xperia Mini.

- Check out all Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini deals at OMIO today!

HTC Evo 3D review

Verdict

It depends how you look at the HTC Evo 3G when deciding on a rating; in a vacuum it’s a tremendous phone with a cool extra 3D element. It’s pricey, sure, but it’s only the same price as the iPhone 4, and on some contracts, a bit cheaper than that.

But then you notice the HTC Sensation, which in every way is its superior (except for maybe battery life) – thinner, lighter, more stylish, brighter screen… the list goes on.

With that in mind, and HTC’s reticence to give us any indication of how to use the 3D for gaming or movies, plus the higher cost, we’ll have to say we’re hugely disappointed with the Evo 3D. If HTC decides to bless us with decent content via Watch or a download 3D games, we’ll bump it up a star or so – but if that never happens, this phone will fall quickly into the ‘cool, but not much point’ category.

If you’re desperate for a 3D phone, check out the LG Optimus 3D – and it’s been a long time since we’ve recommended an LG over an HTC phone.

- Check out all the HTC Evo 3D deals at OMIO today!

Cnet.co.uk

BlackBerry Bold 9900 review

Conclusion
The Bold 9900 is likely to have plenty of appeal among existing BlackBerry fans. It’s undoubtedly one of the best phones RIM has made, thanks to its robust design, speedy processor and fast OS. Essentially, it’s a quicker and more refined version of what has gone before and, for many BlackBerry fans, that will be enough.

But the 9900 just isn’t that exciting compared to similarly priced Android handsets or the iPhone 4. Its text-heavy menus are likely to be a turn-off for those not used to the BlackBerry OS, and its so-so camera and small screen mean it’s no multimedia star. The lack of compelling content in the app store is also a downer. Overall, you get the sense that RIM is preaching to the converted with the Bold 9900.

- Check out all the BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals at OMIO today!

Samsung Galaxy Pro review

Conclusion
While the Samsung Galaxy Pro’s keyboard is a joy to use, the rest of the phone feels like an exercise in compromise. The low-resolution screen makes small text almost unreadable, and the handset’s overall performance is anything but sprightly.

Arguably, the most successful Android Qwerty phone is the Facebook-focused HTC ChaCha. The ChaCha offers better software, looks and build quality than the Galaxy Pro. It’s also more expensive, but the additional cash is worth it if you’re absolutely hell-bent on having the BlackBerry feel with your Android phone.

If you’re shopping on a budget and still crave those lovely buttons, then the Galaxy Pro is one of your best options, but we’d recommend you seriously consider jumping fully into the realm of the touchscreen. Even physical buttons aren’t enough to justify the concessions you’re forced to make with a phone like the Galaxy Pro.

- Check out all Samsung Galaxy Pro deals at OMIO today!

Pocket-Lint

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro review

Verdict
Sony Ericsson has done a good job with the Mini Pro. The company has clearly gone and learnt some pretty serious lessons from mistakes made with prior hardware releases. Just about every single niggle and problem the old Xperia range had has now been cleared up and Sony Ericsson now finally has a few decent handsets to be proud of.

Those in the market for something affordable, fun and QWERTY-packing can’t go wrong with the Mini Pro, it performed admirably in day-to-day Android tasks. We can’t help but feel, however, that Sony Ericsson now has too many value-orientated handsets in its lineup. Short of wanting a physical keyboard, it is difficult to know why exactly you would choose the Xperia Mini Pro over any of the other similarly performing and priced Android offerings. The handset feels slightly like part of a larger, feature phone family rather than something unique. We think that if Sony Ericsson had really devoted lots of time to the Mini, it could have been a really brilliant and affordable piece of hardware.

The Mini Pro comes so close to being one of the best affordable Android phones out there. It’s a shame then that it falls short in the materials and design department. Things are just the wrong side of plasticky and the handset itself needs to go on a bit of a diet in order to feel like it is truly mini.

Faults aside though, the keyboard is great and those in need of a device with a proper physical input could do a lot worse than the Xperia Mini Pro.

- Check out all Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro deals at OMIO today!

BlackBerry Bold 9900 review

Verdict
The best BlackBerry Bold ever? Perhaps it is. The core features of BlackBerry are still compelling, the keyboard will let you skip over keys rattling out messages, with a rock of the thumb here and a glancing prod there, in ways that only BlackBerry users understand.

The addition of a touchscreen does make a difference, but the overall experience isn’t a huge evolution from BB6. Whilst BB7 is familiar, there isn’t much here that really drives things forward into the competitive arena. The camera results are behind the rivals, the app offering still has holes in it and sometimes the touch response slopes off. It isn’t a multimedia timewaster in the way that the latest phone from Samsung or HTC is, it’s core offering is communication, in which it mostly excels, but it’s in the extras where it doesn’t make huge progress.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is a device that will appeal greatly to die hard BlackBerry fans, returning the Bold to a premium look and a size that makes a little more sense than the 9700 models. Business users will find themselves with a more interactive device and a better browsing experience, but outside of keyboard and email experience, consumers may find they get a lot more smartphone for their money elsewhere.

- Check out all the BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals at OMIO today!

Reghardware

RIM BlackBerry Bold 9900

Verdict
The Bold 9900 is a very fast, very capable BlackBerry, but it’s essentially still the same device that RIM has been selling for years, with a few improvements to keep it up to date. If you like BlackBerry handsets, you’ll love it, but it’s unlikely to win over many new fans.

- Check out all the BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals at OMIO today!

Stuff

BlackBerry Bold 9900 Review

Verdict

Powerful, slim and great to use, the Bold 9900 is outstanding, with touchscreen and QWERTY working together well

- Check out all the BlackBerry Bold 9900 deals at OMIO today!

Mobile Phone Review Round Up: Samsung Galaxy Pro, Nokia X7, Samsung Tocco Icon, Sony Ericsson XPERIA neo and HTC Salsa

TechRadar

Samsung Galaxy Pro review

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Pro is a slippery little fish. We want to praise it for its keyboard, but berate it for its screen. Samsung could have helped matters by offering a higher resolution on the screen.

If you want a handset of this design, take a look at the HTC ChaCha or Nokia E6. But don’t forget the Sony Ericsson Xperia 10 Mini Pro which, while it is a side-slider, is teeny – or, indeed, any of the larger side-sliders that offer a more desirable, larger screen.

- Check out all the Samsung Galaxy Pro deals at OMIO today!

Nokia X7 review

Verdict

There are nice things we can say about the Nokia X7. It has good hardware design, a basically pleasing screen and good battery life. And Symbian Anna is a step in the right direction.

But we just aren’t sure where Anna is headed in the long term, and that alone could make the Nokia X7 a blind alley. And it doesn’t do anything supremely well.

If you are a Nokia fan and want a top quality camera you should be looking at the Nokia N8.

If you want a superb physical keyboard, then the Nokia E7 is worth your attention.

Great social networking integration? Go Android instead, with something such as the HTC Sensation.

With those bases covered, it’s tricky to see precisely where the Nokia X7 fits in.

- Check out all the Nokia X7 deals at OMIO today!

Cnet.co.uk

LG Optimus Me P350 review

Conclusion
You might have expected LG to better the Optimus One with the LG Optimus Me. Sadly, the Me is inferior in all but a few areas. The screen is smaller, the processor isn’t any faster and the camera’s still mediocre. Check out the Samsung Galaxy Fit, HTC Wildfire S and Optimus One before laying down your moolah.

- Check out all the LG Optimus Me deals at OMIO today!

Orange Rio II review

Conclusion
The Orange Rio II improves over its predecessor with a neater design, 3G and an updated operating system. Issues such as poor battery life, no Wi-Fi, unresponsive touchscreen and a generally slow processor take the edge off its performance, but you have to remember it’s costing you well under £100.

If you’re considering a BlackBerry 8520, but begrudge spending over £100 for a phone that lacks 3G, we’d recommend you seriously consider the Rio II. It’s cheaper and in many ways provides a superior experience.

- Check out all the Orange RIO II deals at OMIO today!

Pocket Lint

Samsung Tocco Icon review

Verdict
Overall, the Samsung Tocco Icon isn’t a massive step up from the Tocco Lite, but the inclusion of a capacitive touchscreen is certainly a compelling reason to buy if you liked the original phone. The compact chassis, slick design and ease of use also add to the package, while the features such as the straightforward audio player and the sneaky fake call function may appeal to some.

While the screen is large, the resolution isn’t great and that combined with the fact that there’s no 3G connectivity means that web browsing isn’t brilliant, although it is just about usable. Likewise, the social networking offering is very basic. What you really miss out on, however, is all the fun that you’d get opting for an entry-level Android phone with much more potential.

If your budget is tight, then the Samsung Tocco Icon offers you a reasonable touchscreen experience for your cash.

- Check out all the Samsung Tocco Icon deals at OMIO today!

Trusted Reviews

LG Optimus 3D review

Verdict

There’s plenty to like about the Optimus 3D, including its fun 3D features, fast processor and beautifully bright and vivid screen. However, problems with displaying 3D images on the screen and the phone’s short battery life mean that it’s not the must-buy handset that many were expecting.

- Check out all the LG Optimus 3D deals at OMIO today!

Reghardware

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Android smartphone review

Verdict
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo has much of the cool technology sported by Sony Ericsson’s top-notch Xperia Arc but at a fraction of the price. It’s not as slim, but if you can put up with the bulk, it’s really a bit of a bargain.

- Check out all the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo deals at OMIO today!

Vodafone Smart Android smartphone review

Verdict
Though it runs Froyo and has a capacitive screen, the Vodafone Smart has been ruthlessly built down to a price. Despite that, for talking, e-mailing, texting, navigating and social networking it’s up to the job. Yes it falls down when faced with more demanding tasks, but a £75 mobile will never be the gaming or multi-media platform that a £400 1GHz Snapdragon handset is. The Orange SF is a better phone but then it’s twice the price and still doesn’t support Adobe’s Flash player

- Check out all the Vodafone Smart deals at OMIO today!

HTC Salsa Android smartphone review

Verdict
The HTC Salsa is a solidly built smartphone with a good screen, reasonable camera, fine UI and an emphasis on social networking, thanks largely to its clever Facebook button. This latter will endear it to ’bookers, but otherwise it doesn’t stand out strongly from HTC’s ever-expanding range of handsets.

- Check out all the HTC Salsa deals at OMIO today!

Mobile Phone Review Round Up: LG Optimus 3D, Nokia E6, LG Optimus Chat, Motorola ATRIX, Nokia X7

TechRadar

LG Optimus 3D review

Verdict

If you’re happy to take a punt on glasses-free 3D being here to stay, the 3D features of the LG Optimus 3D are certainly enough to warrant its high price. The 3D video’s great, with a genuine sense of depth coming across in the footage.

The worry is, if you take a load of 3D photos and videos now, are they going to be viewable five or 10 years down the line? Or will you be left with a big, undocumented gap in your life, where all your photos and videos were taken in a format that no new devices support?

Also, for those looking for a high-quality smartphone as well as a 3D conversation piece, there are many better, faster, longer-lasting options out there – for less money.

The success of the LG Optimus 3D boils down to how willing people are to pay a premium for its nice 3D features – and whether they are happy to sacrifice style and battery life in return.

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Nokia E6 review

Verdict

The Nokia E6 is a well-built, very capable business phone with plenty of apps and features to suit business users. It’s built for text heavy users, with a powerful camera for good light photography.

However, while Symbian Anna is a step forward, it still feels like it’s hamstrung by previous iterations with a slightly clunky feel and long time to open some applications still present.

With MeeGo, Nokia has proven it can make a more modern smartphone interface, and while the thumb-friendly touchscreen is an ace move, we still can’t recommend the Nokia E6 if you’re looking for a next-gen smartphone rather than just an above-average communication device with decent camera

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Cnet.co.uk

Samsung Tocco Icon review

Conclusion
The distinction between smart phones and feature phones is usually quite clear, but the Samsung Tocco Icon certainly blurs the line somewhat. Samsung has been able to factor in a considerable number of smart phone hallmarks into this cheap device, including a slick and customisable UI, powerful email options and live widgets.

For the price, the Tocco Icon stands head and shoulders over fellow feature phones, but when placed alongside the new breed of sub-£100 Android handsets — such as the Samsung Galaxy Fit and Mini — it makes less sense.

You may wonder why you should settle for a smart phone impostor when you can have the real thing, but it would be unfair to totally dismiss this likeable handset. Like the Tocco Lite before it, the Icon could well provide younger mobile users with the experience they need before they graduate to a fully-fledged smartphone.

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LG Optimus Chat review

Conclusion

The LG Optimus Chat stands out from other budget Android phones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Fit and Vodafone Smart, thanks to its QWERTY keyboard. If you’ve struggled with touchscreen typing in the past and hanker for the feel of proper, physical buttons, then it’s well worth a look. Just don’t expect cutting-edge hardware and software.

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Samsung Galaxy Fit review

Conclusion
The Samsung Galaxy Fit manages to outclass the Galaxy Mini with a larger screen, better camera and more attractive appearance. In terms of raw power, though, the two phones are practically identical.

The market in cheap Android phones is becoming increasingly crowded, but the Fit’s solid design and excellent camera make it a viable choice if you’re shopping on a shoestring.

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Nokia E6 review

Conclusion
The Nokia E6 is most definitely an improvement over the E5, offering a touch-screen interface, improved Symbian^3 ‘Anna’ OS and a more robust and aesthetically-pleasing design. It’s just a shame that Nokia didn’t see fit to bolster the anaemic processor and add in an auto-focus camera.

The E6′s natural rivals are the ageing (yet still popular) BlackBerry 8520 and the BlackBerry 8900, but the presence of a QWERTY keyboard puts it in direct competition with similar phones, such as the Android-powered Acer beTouch E210.

Compared to all of those devices, the E6 fares extremely well, and if you can put up with its faults you’ll come away reasonably contented with your purchase.

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LG Optimus 3D review

Conclusion
The LG Optimus 3D can stand tall as the first phone in Britain to deliver glasses-free 3D. If you’re planning to invest in a 3D camcorder anyway, or you’re a 3D addict with a telly to match, the Optimus 3D does a solid job creating and displaying 3D on the move. But if you’re not that bothered about 3D — or the paltry content that’s currently available — the Optimus 3D isn’t much to get excited about. It’s a powerful, zippy Android smart phone, but it’s on the chunky side and it lacks stylishness inside and out.

We’ll have to wait until the autumn before the Optimus 3D’s main competitor, the HTC Evo 3D, shows up on shelves. In the meantime, we prefer the slicker, lighter, 2D-only Samsung Galaxy SII or HTC Sensation to the Optimus 3D.

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Trusted Reviews

Motorola Atrix review

Verdict

As a standalone phone, the Motorola Atrix competes well against the dual-core Android competition due to its high res screen, unique fingerprint scanner, great battery life and comfortable form factor, though is let down by a mediocre camera, some unnecessary interface tweaks and limited video support. As such, it rather depends which you prioritise. Add in its dock accessories, though, and it shines out brightly. There is something undeniably cool about having one device perform so many of your daily functions. Unfortunately these docks don’t come for free and the lapdock in particular simply can’t compete for functionality with a laptop, netbook or even tablet. If and when Android updates come that more comprehensively support it then it could be amazing but as it stands, it’s a nice to have, not a must have

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Reghardware

HTC ChaCha review

Verdict
The HTC ChaCha is a sturdy little smartphone with a fine QWERTY keyboard and a good-looking, if rather squished screen. The Facebook facility is well integrated and though it doesn’t offer anything really different, it does make posting simpler and quicker. The small display means it’s a bit of a jump from a standard smartphone, but BlackBerry users will certainly want to take a look

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Nokia X7 Symbian Anna smartphone

Verdict
There’s no denying it, Nokia is a class act, capable of delivering some of the best-looking handsets around. This metal-cased phone is well-designed and has great build quality. There are lots of features, all handled well and Nokia’s ability to make a smartphone run for a decent length of time should not be underestimated. In many ways, the Nokia X7 is a simply terrific phone, if a bit on the large side.

But it’s powered by Symbian and although this is the best version of the operating system yet, and the version which should have been on the N8, it feels creaky. In the autumn, when Nokia releases its first Windows Phone handset, expect the world to change.

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