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Author: Ed

  • Nokia 6720 Classic Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia 6720 review. The Nokia 6720 Classic version was released in late 2009 to cater for the customer who wanted more than just the basics in a phone but didn't want a business focused phone.  It was launched at a time when the iPhone and Apps wars was just beginning. We did not post this review earlier because there was nothing interesting about the 6720 until now - specifically its low plan price vs its features and its improved reliability. It is basically given away for free on any sort of plan however the legacy of the initial batch of faulty 6720's continue to haunt it. Regardless for a reasonable amount of money the 6720 has GPS built in and access to free maps (but no voice guidance) an OK camera and one of the best web browsers on a non-touch screen mobile phone. Construction wise the 6720 Classic is well built and looks good.  All the curves including the edge at the base does actually give it a sense of style.  However the all plastic and shiny at that doesn't make it a 'bespoke' style impression.  Nokia and the public don't seem to be willing to buy phone that are made of real metal - at least in this price range. The 6720 works very well as a regular mobile phone, it is responsive and lag free.  In the end though the phone doesn't have any features that stand out from the rest. We really need an amazingly designed phone to capture the attention of buyers these days (Eg. the old RAZR and 3210), especially since most are considering an iPhone of some sort. The Nokia 6720 is perfect for those who only want a basic 3G capable phone with some ability to add new software. The relatively large buttons on the surface of the phone will make it easy for those who if the fiddly buttons on other types of phones including touch screens happy. The slightly large screen will definitely make it easier to view what ever information on the screen. The menu system is standard Nokia so you will be able to use it without resorting the the manual. Overall we liked the 6720 and quite sure you will be happy with it too. It can do all the basics easily with all the functionality for most of your communication needs like email, SMS, Skye and so forth.. There are also plenty of apps from the OVI store or carrier network store you can download for free or cheaply to keep you happy until the next model arrives. The 6720 is unlikely to appear as pre-paid phone since it can't really complete with the better Nokia E71 at the moment. Specifications
    • Nokia 6720
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country)
    • Design Candybar
    • L110 x W45 x D14 mm Weight 110 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 5MP Auto focus LED Flash
    • Video Camera 320 x 240 pixel main video camera 8FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU xxxMhz
    • Memory Up to 45MB available to user MicroSD up to 16Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-6MT 3.7V 1050mAh Up to 21 days Standby Up to 8.5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $xxx AUD 2010 (Plan only)

  • Telstra Easy Call 2 T203 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2011 Telstra T203 Easy Call 2 mobile phone review. The new T203 is the update to the  older T202 released last year and is one of the most basic mobile phones you can buy.  The key selling point is still the easy of use with large buttons with and uncluttered and relatively large standard screen.  Sure the screen should be larger as the older guy next to us said - its still too small to read a full telephone number without glasses. The T203 Easy Call 2's construction and materials is quite good for a cheap mobile phone.  The black plastics and 2 tone scheme helps to make it less cringe worthy when using it in public.  The buttons a large and easy enough to press and although still toy like in feel is better than the last version.  The screen is quite large but that's because there are few status icons. However as we said before the large font helps readability but the screen is still relatively small. The screen its self is now a colour LCD albeit one which is very average in quality. In terms of functionality the T203 is a basic phone but it does meet the the needs of the target users, elderly folk and those who only want basic talk and text. The menu system works at a good speed without any lags too. Admittedly the T203 would also suit the younger crowd as something different or a phone that would cut down on phone bills since it can't access the internet. The Easy Touch 2 can only do voice and text messages. This is cool for the school aged kids who demand to be different and do not care about the latest fashionable phone. With the same features as the prior model the highlights are: a programmable one touch 'short cut' key, a torch and a FM radio that works without needing headphones plugged in, other separate switches for touch, radio and keypad lock. It can also access Telstra's Next G - 3G network which means you'll be able to get more coverage. Although the Easy Call 2 is simple enough to use there are a few stupid inclusions aimed at those who aren't up to speed with technology. I refer to the unreasonably priced Pocket news option. Pocket News is basically a Telstra method of charging high fees for a 'service' that does not work. It should not even be included as part of the phone's menu system. It is misleading - get rid of it before you have people complaining. The FM radio is also not intuitive to operate which makes it difficult to set up. The other major issue is the alarm function is located before the calender function - very annoying. Conclusion Once again we come to a similar conclusion to the Easy Call 2 review as it's predecessor.  The T203 Easy Call 2 does do all the basics a mobile phone should be able to do - as in talk and text. It is better than the prior model but it could be so much better in terms of having a more novel design and of course a larger screen. Specifications
    • Telstra Easy Call 2 (T203)
    • Network Dual GSM 900/1800 MHz NextG 850Mhz
    • Design Candy bar 109mm x 50.8mm x 13.5mm Weight 86.1 grams
    • Display/s External 128 x 160 pixel color
    • Camera N/A
    • Connectivity USB
    • CPU
    • Memory 64MB internal memory 40MB available to user Up to 4Gig MicroSD or Trans Flash cards
    • Ring tones Standard
    • Features SMS MyWords predictive text Speaker Phone/Hands free Calender Contacts/Phone book 300Hrs Standby, 300Mins Talk Time 1000mAh Li-ion battery
    • Package contents XP/Vista Compatible PC suite Mac OSX Compatible software Personal hands free kit Travel charger USB cable
    • Price history Less than $100 AUS 2011 (Pre-paid pack)

  • Telstra Tough 2 T54 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2011 Telstra Tough 2 (T54) mobile phone review. The Telstra Tough 2 was released in May 2011 is a replacement for the T90 model. When we tested the Tough 2 we realized it was going to be a very short review because there is no clear difference in terms of overall software or design to prior version. Mind you we have never heard of the Tough 1 - more like the T90 we reviewed earlier... The Telstra Tough 2 is a ruggerised phone - which features Gorilla Glass that prevents the display from being scratched. Yes same as the top range Nokia N8 - but on a much smaller scale - the glass from our experience remains scratch less even after being put in a pockets with one errant coin or keys. It is a great feature that other manufacturers should really start using. The the Tough 2 compared to the recently reviewed Samsung B2710, the Tough2 does appear to lack simple quality bits which detracts from ownership. While solid the Tough2 looks and feels cheap especially the buttons. The Tough 2's network reception appeared good and has A-GPS. However the T54 Tough 2 does not have GPS dedicated software which means you can only use Google Maps hence need a data plan to go with the phone. Technically the Tough 2 has multiple 3G and GSM frequencies so it will work in most countries when traveling overseas. The Telstra Tough 2 can do all the basics you need voice, video calls, text, picture messaging and emails as per other models in the range. With the built in browser you can get mobile versions of Facebook, Myspace and so forth. However due to the small screen (although reasonable image quality) and lack of a proper qwerty keypad and even poorer browser you can't do very much. You can also purchase additional apps from the pricey Telstra online store. All up the Telstra/ZTE Tough 2 T54 is yet another typical phone for the brand. The selling point being its ruggerised or hard wearing case.  It does look OK from a distance but the starting using it and you will begin to doubt its rating because the buttons feels overly toy like and glued on bits appear on the odd occassion. Otherwise the Tough 2 is a very ordinary mobile phone that should be cheap to buy outright - if you could. Specifications
    • Telstra Tough 2 (T54)
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800 /1900 MHz Tri-band UMTS 850/1900/2100 MHz 3G HSDPA 3.6
    • Design Ruggerised candy bar IP54 118mm x 53.5mm x 16mm Weight 130 grams
    • Display/s 2.4inch 240 x 320 pixel TFT
    • Camera 3MP main camera 2nd video call camera
    • Connectivity USB Bluetooth V2
    • CPU
    • Memory 130MB available to user Up to 16Gig MicroSD or Trans Flash cards
    • Ring tones MP3, MMF, MIDI, Vibration
    • Features A-GPS External antenna plug SMS, MMS, WAP, EMAIL JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free Customizable backgrounds Picture Viewer Voice memos Calender and organizer 250Hrs Standby 150Mins Talk Time 1000mAh Li-ion battery
    • Package contents XP/Vista Compatible PC suite Mac OSX Compatible software Personal hands free kit Travel charger USB cable
    • Price history Available on a monthly plan only. Less than $299 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • Samsung B2710 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Samsung B2710 review. The B2710 is ruggerised mobile phone and is IP67 compliant which means it can handle physical drops, water and dust which means everything outdoors.  When initially released the B2710 has a number of features that where rare in these types of phones most specifically 3G capability and A-GPS.  There are a few people who want these types of phones but unfortunately not that many. The other feature is that the Samsung priced very well at around the $200 mark. We briefly tried out the B2710 and can report that it is actually quite a decent standard mobile phone.  The OS is standard Samsung which in turn is ancient but easy to use.  It works fast and not laggy at all. In the hand it feels pretty good to hold but it is bulkier than the usual candy bar. The best part of the B2710 is its construction. Unlike other manufacturers it feels like a more expensive model rather than a toy. The keys are a tad hard to press due to the extra rubber coating but get over that and it you'll be satisfied at the overall feel. The other most useful this is the over 2 weeks of battery life on stand by.  The voice and sound quality was also surprisingly good. Unfortunately there are a number of problems with phone. Firstly the GPS only works with Google Maps and requires a data connection.  There is no on board maps data. The second is the software package that combines the various social networks linked to Google which we found unstable to use. Unless Samsung offers software updates it simply won't keep up with the latest internet offerings. The final problem is the screen which is not bright enough to be clearly viewable outdoors - which is ironic.  Yes you can read the screen but it needs greater brightness and adjusting for a clearer viewing angle. The screen was also scratch resistant - how much we didn't want to find out. Overall the Samsung B2710 is the best ruggerised mobile phone we've had the pleasure to use to date (2011). It looks good, works well if you don't really need a proper web browser and only want the basics of text and talk. We like the ability to just throw it around with worrying about damaging it. Specifications
    • Samsubng B2710
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 900/2100 HSDPA ??? Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA ??? Mbps (upload)
    • Design Ruggerized Candy Bar
    • L120.8 x W52 x D17 mm
    • Weight 116.5 grams
    • Display/s 2 inch 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP LED Flash Forward facing camera for video calls.
    • Video Camera ???
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2 MicroUSB
    • CPU ??? Mhz
    • Memory Up to 30MB on board Up to 32GB microSD
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Compass Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1300mAh battery Up to 20 days Standby Up to 7 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $200 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • Nokia E7 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia E7 review. The E7 is one of Nokia's final Symbian OS based competitor to the all too common iPhone. The E7 is a fully functional business orientated smart phone that does it all without the need for downloading extra Apps. Sure you can download some new ones from their OVI store but being realistic about the whole App thing 99% of the apps are novelties just like those on any phone.  I guess we are suffering from App fatigue. Firstly the E7 is different from the closely related N8.The major difference is the bigger and better screen along with a fully qwerty keypad on the E7.  The N8 as a smaller case and screen but better camera.  We unanimously prefer the E7 over the N8 because we have more use for the keypad than camera.  The E7 has all the video capabilities of the N8 and thanks to the better screen and tilting function the E7 is also more practical. That said we love the quality of the N8 camera which takes better pictures than the low end digital cameras. In terms of operation the OS the E7 works very well and it is less confusing than Android OS phones. However the E7 is not as responsive. It's not laggy, it just does not have the screen transitions that other phones have to pass the time like the iPhone or high end Android and Windows Mobile phones do more quickly in some situations. Again a few years ago the inbuilt apps differentiated each model, these days thanks to Apps the design of the E7 and of course its hardware is the only factor that makes them different.  In this respect the E7 deserves to succeed. Apart from that, there is honestly nothing really bad about the E7. Even the much complained camera interface is completely unjustified. The camera works fast, likewise the flash. Just press the camera button to activate. Sure the images don't match the N8 but then very few mobile phone cameras do. The other selling points are that it looks and feels great, different from the various slabs of grey and black that we see everyday where every we go.  The tilting screen is a great way to keep up to date with your emails, Facebook and other information feeds at eye view when on your desk. Since they appear as small widgets you don't need to open or close Apps. The fully functional and worldwide capable GPS navigation system also makes this phone worth a close look. Finally the quad-band GSM and penta-band 3G means that you'll be able to use the phone anywhere in the world. Overall the think different mantra applies to Nokia these days. I guess the feel is definitely European in design rather than 'Apple'. We conclude that the Nokia E7 is a great phone for everyday use. A few software upgrades to fix the smoothness and it will be as good as the most popular models. We can't really add much more. Specifications
    • Nokia E7
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Penta-band 3G 850/900/1700/1900/2100 HSDPA 10.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen slider
    • L123.5 x W62.5 x D13.6 mm
    • Weight 135 grams
    • Display/s 3.5inch External AMOLED 360 x 640
    • Camera 8MP LED Flash Forward facing camera for video calls.
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3 HDMI MicroUSB
    • CPU 680 Mhz Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Free OVI navigation and world maps Compass Accelerometer Dolby Digital OVI Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po BL-4D 12000mAh battery Up to 17 days Standby Up to 12 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $800 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • Telstra Smart Touch T3020 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2011 Telstra T3020 review page otherwise known as the Telstra Smart Touch T3020. This model was released in late March 2011 and is the cheapest touch screen and Android 2.1 based mobile phone you could buy at the time. The main issue is that it only comes as part of a pre-paid package locked to the Telstra 3G mobile network - which is not a bad thing thanks to great coverage. The T3020 was priced at $99 at release for the package which is great. How great? - read on. The Smart Touch T3020 in the hand is like all Telstra/ZTE branded phones - a bit on the cheap side.  The phone has plastic front and back with a metal like frame but it was well made though. This is not a criticism because it is a cheap phone. The main thing that you are probably concerned about is the responsiveness of the screen since it is a resistive model. To answer that question we can honestly say that T3020 touch screen is pretty good. Our finger gestures and responsiveness where registered quick enough to be satisfied. However it is lacking that instant activation of the capacitive screen. However the Smart Touch is probably best in class with a $99 price tag. The screen quality is quite good although low resolution, as good as the more expensive $179 Galaxy 5 and the $299 HTC Wildfire. The 600Mhz CPU is fast enough but not noticeably faster than the other two. Again we have to stress that at the $99 price level there is not much competition and it works great on that basis. (Although the forth coming Wildfire S looks very promising.) The internet browser worked well likewise the apps that you could run was good too. The camera was OK for a cheap phone likewise video.  There is nothing exceptional good about the phone or bad that we could obviously pin point. However the most noticeable issue we found with the T3020 is the on-screen keypad.  It replicates a standard mobile phone which means 4 touches for the letter c for example. We couldn't find if there was a setting to change it either.  The other issue is that you require a Google ID in order to activate the most basic features like the calendar. Sure its also got Wi-Fi built in but the phone is about wireless mobility and when you don't have a computer. As a result if you want the whole phone to work as intended then you need an extra data plan.  Hence if you don't want a Google ID, Gmail address, etc... and the essential data pack or plan then this phone is not for you -stick to the regular mobile phone. Apart from these issues, there are less dramatic stuff common to the Android OS on low powered CPUs but they are annoying rather than deal breakers. Since it is inevitable that it will be on our best value page there are various short falls in the hardware side of things you should be aware of.  The main shortfall is that a GPS module isn't included - although we did not expect it to be included at this price, We were wrong about GPS! the T3020 does have A-GPS built in but without dedicated navigation software.  In regards to the screen - we tested various resistive screens like the one on the Nokia C3 and the other cheaper HTCs, Samsung Galaxy 5 and there was no difference in terms of responsiveness. The T3020 leaves a great first impression and if it doesn't 'slow' down like the Galaxy 5 we and hence you should be happy too. It is difficult to complain about the T3020 too much since it is very cheap and easily the best of the Telstra pre-paid range at the moment. If you are happy with getting the required data plan and yet another email address then the T3020 is for you. Forget any other pre-paid phones offered by Telstra at the present (Early 2011). However if you just want a mobile phone for talk and texting then try something else. Note that if you prefer any other mobile network eg. Optus, Vodaphone you should consider the Huawei X1. The X1 also priced at $99 as a pre-paid package is a better phone that the T3020. Specifications
    • Telstra Smart Touch - T3020
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/2100 HSDPA 7.2 Mbits data speed (download) Not mentioned data speed (upload)
    • Design Resistive Touch screen
    • L102.8 x W54.8 x D14.8 mm Weight 103 grams
    • Display/s External 2.8 Inch TFT 240 x 320 pixels
    • Camera 3.2MP
    • Video Camera Yes - no specifications
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2.1
    • CPU 600Mhz
    • Memory Up to 150MB available to user 2GB MicroSD card included MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, vibration and others
    • Features Haptic feedback Accelerometer FM Radio Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1100mAh battery Up to 200 hours Standby Up to 150 minutes Talk Time
    • Price history Under $100 AUD 2011 (Pre-paid)

  • Nokia C3-01 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia C3-01 Touch and Type review. The Nokia C3 released in early 2011 is one of latest feature phones from the ever changing mobile phone company. The C3-01 is 3G capable phone and the more feature packed version of the related and cheaper C3-00 which is a GSM only version. The Nokia C3 is a a relatively cheap mobile phone in 2011 priced under $250 on release and can only get better. In terms of the use interface the C3-01 is the first touch screen and fitted with a standard keypad. However the most impressive part of the package is that the phone runs the old S40 OS and even more impressive is that Wi-Fi is included and best of all the C3 works amazingly well. The touch screen is responsive and the menu system works in a logical and speedy fashion. We have no complaints about the touch screen interface - in fact it was very intuitive. In terms of design, the C3-01 is better in the hand than the pictures.  The screen seems larger than it is but the keys also larger than you'd expect. The mostly metal case gives it a nice feel too - again no complaints. Although we couldn't install additional software it's standard games will still work using the numeric keypad. The only legitimate issue we have is the stand-by screen design. Clearly the screen is packed with icons and functionality but the need for bigger on screen buttons and that the resolution is relatively small making the graphics looks low end. It also doesn't have GPS but from experience it is not an essential feature just yet. If this phone was released a few years ago the C3 would probably be on best seller lists.  Hopefully Nokia has learnt from past mistakes and release state of the art phones at reasonable prices and time frames from no on. In terms of hardware the phone does have one or two new features but that said - it is only a GSM phone! Among the best features: it uses the latest Transmissive LCD display screen which basically means it can be read more easily outdoors and it has Wi-Fi. Although it is not a 3G capable phone it can still used GPRS for data. Basically all this means is that you can chat and IM and Facebook all your want but can't or shouldn't browse the web until you get access to a Wi-Fi access point because the GPRS/EDGE is really slow. Combined with a massive battery the C3 left on standby can last up to 33 days! All up the Nokia C3-01 is a extremely decent phone and based on the out right pricing of under $250 (Feb 2011)  it does almost anything you'd want in a traditional phone format.  Sure it's not business friendly like the older but comparable E51 but if your needs are text and talk with a bit of internet thrown in like the masses, than you can't really go wrong. Specifications
    • Nokia C3-02
    • Network Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
    • Design Candybar and touch screen
    • 111 x W48 x D11 mm Weight 100 grams
    • Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
    • CPU ???Mhz
    • Memory Up to 35MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • FeaturesFM Radio with RDS JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BL5-CT 3.7V 1050mAh Up to 18 days Standby Up to 6 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under$250 AUS 2010 (Outright)

  • Nokia N8 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia N8 review. The N8 is Nokia's first real competitor to the all too common iPhone.  The N8 release in late 2010 is everything the iPhone is not and that's why we love Nokia's. Out of the box the N8 has all the software you need to have a full functional mobile office and consequently all too smart phone. Built as a competitor for the all conquering iPhone the N8 surpasses it in most instances - except for one key issue. Since most people skip the middle middle bit we now have actually bought a N8 outright for ourselves and so far very happy. The Nokia N8 has the best camera on a mobile phone - no question. The picture quality is amazing for camera phone just as good if not better than most point and shoot digital camera and the screen colors are amazingly accurate to real life. The most impressive thing about the N8 camera is its ability to take impressive night time images. All you have to remember is to select night portrait scene and snap away - no need to hold the camera still forever to get a decent image. The N8 review is going to be difficult because it is a brilliant phone but with conditions attached.  In isolation the N8 has everything you need in a modern mobile phone in 2011. The redesigned operating system works fast and efficiently - so much so that it is the equal to other phones featuring faster CPUs. Android, Windows Mobile.  Although not many people note this in reviews but you can customize everything important on the phone which makes it desirable amongst the anti-establishment these days. Subjectively it is as easy to use as any Android based phone. Sure there are niggles and annoyances but every phone and OS has them. The loud speaker is very loud but hampered by the speaker opening on the bottom of the camera if placed on a flat surface. The sound from the loud speaker is not hi-fi being just loud. Thankfully the in-call sound quality on both ends is excellent very clear. It is easily better than the iPhone models or any other mobile we've tested to date. The N8 screen is also something to boast. The N8's screen reproduces color that almost true to life.  Compare the actual scene with the same picture and it is a very close match. Sure there is some color saturation but its nowhere near as bad a normal digital camera. Most people are fooled by over saturated images with warmth due to saturated greens, red and blue. (eg greener gas or blue sky etc..) The N8 does not its closer to true life than anything bar a DSLR camera. We kid you not. One of the key decisions when buying the N8 is that it is one of the few mobile phones with penta-band 3G - which means it will work on any 3G frequency in the world include Telstra  NextG and the usual quad-band GSM - so will work on any network world wide. The ability of the N8 to hold a signal is also very good. We have no problems in marginal areas like we did on other phones - including the old E71. The Nokia N8 also has in-built fully functional Global Mapping GPS navigation system with free world wide map updates and widgetised home screens. Of course there is also the physical design which is a refreshing change from the other high end slabs on the market. The N8 is most aluminum except for the two ends. The Gorilla glass also means that you really don't need an extra screen protector. We didn't and there are no scratches on the screen despite a couple accidental drops. The other less publicized feature is the fact the N8 can play all the common video files including FLASH and AVI, FLV formats outside the web browser.  The more telling point is that the N8 does not need a 1GHz CPU to play them in complete smoothness! The clearly more efficient OS also means that the standby times and talk times exceed the iPhone and Windows Mobile based phones! The OLED screen looks great too in day light or at night. The OVI Maps navigation starts up quicker than another other GPS software on the market. The A-GPS works almost immediately likewise all the various features of the software. Just as good as other stand alone systems although missing some functionality when not actually navigating. In regards to the N8 camera, all we can say is amazing for 2010 mobile phone.  The N8 image quality is just as good as a point and shoot camera in day light and excellent (ie even better) at night.  Time between images and flash recharge times are quick too with no noticeable delay. There are no complaints about the camera interface either.  Just press the camera button on the side to activate and snap away. Additional settings are a screen icon away and simple to activate. We think every other website who claims it is a problem completely out of touch. Since buying the N8 one of us no longer carries a regular camera when going out that's how good it is. However the N8 is not perfect. The OS still has some rough edges so it is not as smooth as other models.  The battery life is not impressive.  In real life it will only last one day under heavy use. Even on standby 3 or days. However the most annoying thing - although has nothing to do with the N8 its self is the disappointing Ovi Suite. Ovi Suite simply does not work well.  It fails to sync with Outlook 99% of the time.  The prior Nokia Suite worked - so why did they replace it? Furthermore the Ovi Store App on the phone it self does not work most of the time. The Web browser while advanced does need an interface overhaul. That said if you have an Apple Mac the N8 will sync with it without any problems. To conclude the Nokia N8 may represent the last? of the Symbian based high end phones due to their new partnership with Microsoft. Sure there are a few things that make the phone harder to use than others but it feels great to have something that isn't an iPhone. The OS can only get better. Personally I think there is too much focus on the OS and shop app stores (which we love browsing BTW).  So if you can live without too many Apps, want the best mobile phone camera to date then the N8 is the best smart phone you can buy. The N8 is a keeper. It's a pity no one else can recognize that. Note that we are waiting for the Symbian Anna update which promises to fix the smoothness issues with the interface. We'll update the review then. If you want a camera phone equal to any point and shoot camera (eg. Canon ixus series) give the N8 a go its even more convenient that a separate pocket camera and pictures probably a little better too! Specifications
    • Nokia N8
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Penta-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 5.7 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L113.5 x W59 x D12.9 mm
    • Weight 135 grams
    • Display/s 3.5inch External AMOLED 360 x 640
    • Camera 12MP XENON Flash Forward facing camera for video calls.
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3 HDMI MicroUSB
    • CPU 680 Mhz Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board Up to 32GB microSD
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible A-GPS Compass Accelerometer Dolby Digital OVI Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po BL-4D 12000mAh battery Up to 17 days Standby Up to 12 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $850 AUS 2011 (Outright)

  • LG Optimus 7 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2011 LG Optimus 7 review. The Optimus 7 or LG E900 was released late 2010 as a part of Microsoft's Windows Mobile 7 initial partners launch. The version of the Optimus 7 we tested was locked to the Optus network vs the Telstra's HTC 7 Mozart and we came up with an interesting result.  The Optimus 7 is priced around $850 at release. As usual the first release WM7 on any phone is going to be easy to use but lacking the simple things we have become used to.  Sure the majority of would be owners simply want a platform to run Apps on but without the basics of a smart phone like cut and paste, file managers, microSD card expansion  and GPS without the need for a data plan and so forth all count against it. However it is all flashy to use and we like it.  Nonetheless it has to be said that the iPhone did so well because it was an Apple and a much better brand to start with. LG simply isn't in the same league. Build quality of the Optimus 7 is no different to other high end phones so it is put together nicely and made of plastic and metal. However the overall design is truly boring and not iPhone like. It will always be compared to the iPhone since that what this model is all about. The HTC Mozart is better though thanks to a nicer case design and the Samsung Omina 7 although equally unadventurous in design due to the profile and  patchy rear design. Like the rest of the WM7 based phones Optimus 7 has all that you need in one device for email, calls, SMS, IM, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, a decent web browser and more. The only thing missing is the ability run FLASH in the browser which means no youtube videos or ability to run any FLASH based Facebook games. As we write this we read that LG was disappointed with it sales of Mobile 7 based phones and the rest of the mainstream media have implied that is was because it is so easy to use that it is 'boring'. As usual unlike the other sites we disagree. Have they used the iPhone lately?  It is even more boring than than WM 7. Aside from that and simply put LG does not make the actual hardware interesting enough.  LG are you listening - design a phone case that is actually desirable to own is the first thing we'd be doing before complaining.  Stop listening to overpaid and out of touch consultants.  Stop blaming the OS. Simply stop making cheap ugly and boring looking slabs. Anyway to conclude this review, we also like the Optimus 7 and it is a pretty good phone although lacking the functionality that any smart phone should have out of the box. This issue is caused by the use of Windows Mobil e7  - admittedly should be fixed within 12 months. The Optimus 7 is worth considering but MS needs to get its App store and LG needs to work on case design to make it truly  competitive. Choose it only if you can get a decent phone plan with it because the other initial WM7 phones are just as good and differ only in inconsequential details. Specifications
    • LG Optimus 7 (E900)
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Tri-band 3G 900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 5.7 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L125 x W60.2 x D11.5 mm Weight 157 grams
    • Display/s 3.8 inch External TFT 480 x 800
    • Camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2.1
    • CPU 1Ghz
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint A-GPS Compass Accelerometer MS Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1500mAh battery Up to 400 hours Standby Up to 6 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $850 AUS 2010 (Outright)