Author: The Editor

Nokia 2700 Review
Welcome to the Nokia 2700 mobile phone review. Released in early 2009 the 2700 is placed at the higher end of Nokia's entry level range of mobile phones. In all honestly we think it is essentially a Nokia 6300 in a cheaper body plastic body. Sure it looks like the latest metal based 6700 but it's not. The styling clues however do make the 2700 look like a decent model though which should make it easy to sell if priced correctly. The 2700's all plastic construction the underlying operating software is the latest Series40 5th edition. As a result it run the various free animated screensavers and wallpapers that we develop. This model is quite a step up from the the base models like the Nokia 1661 etc... The only thing this phone does not have is 3G capability. However it can connect to the slower EDGE based network for some data capability. USB connectivity and capability to work with the Nokia Suite makes this a pretty decent phone. Apart from that its got everything you need in standard mobile phone in 2009. We can recommend this model if you want a cheaper and reasonably featured but GSM network only phone. It's price is highly competitive from about $99 as a pre-paid package. Expect the price to lower even further over next 12 months. Specifications
- Nokia 2700
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900
- Design Candy Bar
- L109.2 x W46 x D14 mm Weight 85 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 2MP with 4X digital zoom
- Video Camera 174 x 144 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 32MB available to user MicroSD up to 2Gig
- Ring tones Midi, MP3 and more
- Features Customisable Profiles and Themes Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery BL-5C 1020mAh Up to 12 days Standby, 6 hours Talk Time
- Package contents Nokia 2700 classic Nokia Battery (BL-5C) Nokia Compact Charger (AC-3) Nokia Headset (WH-102) Nokia 1 GB micoSD Card (MU-22)
- User Guide Compact/Travel charger
- Price history From $99 AUS 2009 (Pre-paid) From $129 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 14, 2010
Nokia 5030 Review
Welcome to the brief Nokia 5030 mobile phone review. Released in mid 2009 the Nokia 5030 is a niche market phone that should be very popular in certain parts of the world where listening to the radio is an important pass time. For almost mobile phones it is essential to connect the headphones to turn on the radio. The Nokia 5030 's radio can be turned on without the need to connect the headphones! The 5030's loud speaker is actually quite good and volume reasonable for a small radio. We assume that the area we write from has high quality radio strength so the reception was good too. The radio function is customized from other models in the same 'entry level range'. Apart from that it is a basic Nokia mobile phone. Construction quality is pretty good with a combination of quality plastics and translucent border and a metal? keypad. Pressing the keys where quite difficult but we expect to wear in after some use. The design is modern and personally quite attractive. Bearing in mind this is a 'base model' phone but you would think that it was something higher up the range - until you use it of course. The best features include a bright TFT screen, a flash light, decent construction materials and the FM radio that works without the headset plugged in. The speaking alarm clock is also a feature which high end models don't even have! So if you want a radio and a phone in one unit then the 5030 is a good start. As a phone it has all the basic mobile phone and radio functions you probably need. It may also be suitable for older folk who have the radio on BBC world news all day! Specifications
- Nokia 5030
- Network Quad GSM - Dependent on country
- Design Candy Bar
- L108 x W45 x D15 mm Weight 82 grams
- Display/s External TFT 128 x 160 Up to 65,000 colours
- Camera None
- Video Camera None
- Connectivity None
- CPU
- Memory 8MB available to user 250 SMS messages 500 phonebook contacts
- Ring tones Midi, MP3-Grade
- Features Flashlight One touch radio Quality loud speaker Internal radio antenna Calender with reminders Speaking alarm clock SMS JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery BL-5C 1020 mAh or BL5-CA 700 mAh Up to 525 hours Standby, 10 hours operating
- Package contents Nokia 5030 Nokia Battery BL-5C Nokia Compact Charger AC-3 Nokia Stereo Headset WH-101 User guide
- Price history From $89 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 13, 2010
Nokia 1661 Review
Welcome to the Nokia 1661 review. The 1661 (or 1662 as it is known in some countries) is another one of Nokia's cheapest mobile phones you can buy outright for not much money. At the time of this write up we saw them going for as low as $59 AUD. It was released in early 2009 as a 'Emerging market model'. This is basically a call and text phone with a fantastic battery life. The Nokia 1661 is a much better model than the Nokia 1209 previously reviewed as use for a first mobile phone. A little bit more expensive (not much more) but gives you more features and probably keep you happy longer than the cheaper model. Construction quality and materials are better than even lower models. All the functionality is presented in the very easy to use and traditional Nokia icon based menu system. The best features include a bright TFT screen, a flash light, decent construction materials and also a FM radio. The speaking alarm clock is also a feature which high end models don't even have! The calender with reminders is a bonus. The worst 'feature' is the fake USB port so there isn't any data connectivity but then no phones in this price range have true PC connectivity either. Just remember it is still a very basic phone. So if you need a first mobile phone for early teens or a spare one then the Nokia 1661 is probably a good choice. For the low outright price it is a pretty good deal. If you are getting the phone as a pre-paid package then expect an even lower price! Specifications
- Nokia 1661
- Network GSM only Dependent on country
- Design Candy Bar
- L108 x W45 x D13.75 mm Weight 82 grams
- Display/s External TFT 128 x 160
- Camera None
- Video Camera None
- Connectivity None
- CPU
- Memory N/A available to user 250 SMS messages 500 phonebook contacts
- Ring tones Midi, MP3-Grade
- Features Flashlight Calender with reminders Speaking alarm clock SMS JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery BL-4C 860Ah Up to 26 days Standby, 8 hours Talk Time
- Package contents Headset User Guide Compact/Travel charger
- Price history From $59 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 13, 2010
Sony Ericsson W995 Review
Welcome to the Sony Ericsson C995 mobile phone review. The C995 was released in early 2009 as the successor to the W705. It is every so slightly bigger than the W705, probably due to the inclusion of the integrated A-GPS hardware! It also features updated body and even higher grade of materials. We think this is probably the best traditional slider mobile phone currently available. Sure it not the best in every area but there are more positives than negatives. As a top range phone this has the lot! The W995 construction and materials is a standout amongst the competitors. It looks great and the attention to detail is something we haven't seen in a mobile phone for a while. The buttons and everything else on the case the screen look great! The closest comparison to another model would be the Nokia N86 and side by side the W995 easily wins in the looks department. The Nokia N86 or Nokia 5360 look toy like compared to the W995. The music capabilities and performance are excellent as you can guess for a music phone. Many better websites than this report that the W995 has superior quality to the iPod. It also has a few interesting music related apps like shake control and SenseMe. We didn't play with the camera so can't comment but you can expect reasonable pictures. If you familiar with a PS3 or PSP the Sony media bar is a easy to use. The W995 also includes Wi-Fi and A-GPS so using the internet or navigation is good let down by the limited web browser. The web browser is good for a small mobile phone but since it's has Wi-Fi you would expect better performance. Once again Opera comes ot the rescue. The only issue we have is the small keypad. Of note, the operating system menus work and look much better than those from from Nokia and Samsung. It also proves you don't need an Apple product to have a nice menu system. It also works much faster than the W705 too! Very smooth little phone. The only flaw is that it can not play all video formats without some sort of conversion. That said only Nokia S60 based phones have the necessary video playing capabilities that your after eg. N86, E71 etc... We can go on about the little details that Sony Ericsson have put into the phone like the folding rear stand or chain support, the updated and animated operating system, lovely other construction details the metallic case the screen and so forth but we won't because it speaks for its self. Almost a fashion phone. We like the W995 and recommend it if you want a very good traditional mobile phone and music player. Specifications
- Sony Ericsson W995
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 3G 850/900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 data speed (download) HSUPA 2.0 data speed (upload)
- Design Slider
- L95 x W49 x D15 mm Weight 98 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 8.1MP LED Flash Autofocus and Digital zoom
- Video Camera 480x 272 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 110MB available to user M2 card up to 8Gig
- Ring tones MIDI, MP3 and others
- Features A-GPS Accelerometer Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery 950 mAh (BST-38) Up to 350 hours Standby Up to 9 hours Talk Time
- Price history From $499 AUS 2010 (Outright)
January 12, 2010
Sony Ericsson W705 Review
Welcome to the Sony Ericsson W705 mobile phone review. The W705 was released in late 2008 as a high end music focused phone. It's a great looking and small phone that has all the functionality you could want when it was released. The package includes Walkman headphones which sound brilliant compared to what the other headsets manufacturers are offering as standard issue. The stand out is the construction material and quality. This is a quality mobile phone that has attention to detail, from the lovely screen to the buttons the W705 shows the other manufacturers how to make a understated and classy model - you'd be proud to show your friends. Sure the back side is not so flashy but it feels great thanks to the rubberised rear cover. Since this is a 'W' or Walkman phone the music and media player is excellent. Mind you it uses the now standard Sony menu system based on the PS3 and PSP which is simple enough to use and install all new Sony Ericsson mobile phones. This is a music focused phone and you can tell by all the music dedicated buttons around the case (You don't need me to tell you that). As for the camera it's results are reasonable for a music phone although we didn't take any sample pictures. Strangely the W705 is literally feature packed it even includes Wi-Fi and GPS navigation software but lacks a the hardware. The W705 is over a year old now and operating speed wise it does show else where is can still cut it with the the other newer mid-range models. We would choose this model over competing Nokia, Samsung etc.. mobiles released in 2008 based on looks and that is includes Wi-Fi and sounds great. Unfortunately the lack of a decent browser hampers its usefulness. Overall a great little phone recommended that you give it try! Specifications
- Sony Ericsson W705
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 3G 850/900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 3.6 data speed (download) HSUPA 2.0 data speed (upload)
- Design Slider
- L95 x W48 x D14.3 mm Weight 98 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 3.2MP LED Flash Autofocus and Digital zoom
- Video Camera 174 x 144 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 150MB available to user MicroSD up to 4Gig
- Ring tones MIDI, MP3
- Features Accelerometer Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery 950 mAh Up to 300 hours Standby Up to 8 hours Talk Time
- Price history From $399 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 12, 2010
Facebook Zoo World Strategy and Cheats Part 1

Here is the first strategy guide for Facebook’s Zoo World application.

1. Best way to start off is by adopting an unfortunate animal via a posting on your wall.

2. If you don’t have any friends who already play Zoo World than start off from nothing! It’s easy so don’t worry just click away. You usually start off with a total of 4 animals and about $10000 Zoo Dollars.

3. You mostly earn money in Zoo World by staying online for at least 5 minutes. 5 minutes also equal one Zoo World day. The currency is called Zoo dollars. Else you can will click on your own or your friends trees for extra cash (worth 15 – 35 Zoo dollars at the time of this write up) you have to buy trees first though or various other methods that occasionally pop up on the screen.

4. The early levels are very easy but this is the time you need to set your self up early. There are various ‘Achievements’ or ‘Levels’ you can get but don’t worry about them YET! You need to get organized first.

5. All the things you can buy for your zoo are limited but cheap at the start. Includes animals, Kiosk, Staff Support items.

6. You need visitors to the zoo to generate Zoo World dollars. There is a visitor count on the Zoo World tab. This number is not related to visits by your Facebook friends but by virtual Zoo World visitors based on the mostly the number and type of animals you have in your Zoo. There are other factors but they do not generate the numbers your are aiming for.

7. You will also need lots of Facebook friends that play Zoo World. Why? Every animal you have requires a zookeeper. Mind you if you don’t have lots of friends you can purchase virtual zookeepers but they get as expensive as the animals you will have to buy.

8. The automatic timer stops after 15 minutes! Leave it running and revisit every 15 minutes to refresh for an hour to get you started! Then start buying staff!

9. Since the price of staff increase exponentially buy lots of staff at cheap prices first before worrying about completing achievements. Eg. Zookeepers, Veterinarians, Kiosk Manager and Maintenance Manager. This should keep you going for a little while. The more you buy early on when their cheap the better in the long run. They start off at $160 then rise to over $100,000 each dependent on how many animals you have. I would get 50 of each while cheap before starting on other tasks. That should keep you going for quite awhile!

10. Not all the animals and Kiosks will be available at the start but don’t worry about that just yet! Set your self up first!

That’s all for now, hoped that helps stay tuned to Part 2 shortly!

January 12, 2010
Sony Ericsson C902 Review
Welcome to the Sony Ericsson C902 mobile phone review. The Sony Ericsson C902 when released in early 2008 was marketed as a top-range mobile phone and the successor to the K850i. As a result it has most of the features you could want on a mobile phone in 2008. It's not an exceptional model like the k800i. Since this review is being completed in 2009 the C902 is now quite a good deal since it is probably no longer manufactured. When released it wasn't cheap and hence not popular overall. The standout feature is a decent 5MP camera but it's LED based flash of course and that is does look good although a little conservative. It's also quite thin and feels like a quality mobile phone. By 2008 standards this is a pretty decent phone with all the features you could want. However since this was compared with the other newer Sony Ericsson's which we posted the quick reviews on it doesn't stand out in any way. In fact by 2009 standards it's very mid-range or less. Buy the C902 in 2010 based on price alone look out for those priced under $200AUD at a number of online stores. Overall yet another good and decent mobile phone. It doesn't feel or look like a cheap phone and has all you need for calls, email, texting and music. Being 3G capable it does work well on mini-mobile sites and email. However there are many competitors in this category so do check them especially Nokia. Very low key lower end mid-range phone that does most things. Specifications
- Sony Ericsson C902
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 3G 2100
- Design Candy Bar
- L108 x W49 x D10.5 mm Weight 107 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 5MP Autofocus and Digital zoom
- Video Camera 174 x 144 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 100MB available to user MicroSD up to 8Gig
- Ring tones MIDI, MP3
- Features Accelerometer Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery 930 mAh (BST-38) Up to 400 hours Standby Up to 9 hours Talk Time
- Price history From $199 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 8, 2010
Sony Ericsson C903 Review
Welcome to the Sony Ericsson C903 mobile phone review. The SE C903 when released in early 2009 was marketed as yet another mid-range mobile phone. As a result it has most of the features you could want on a mobile phone in 2009. We can't say too much about it because our eyes glossed over after the procession of the 3 prior Sony Ericsson mid-range phones! (It has only become interesting because of the pre-paid price tag of $159 in May 2010) Nonetheless if you want a slider phone then the C903 is another good choice. It has all the functionality you need in a phone and as a bonus it looks like Sony's Cybershot camera on the back side. The C903 comes in a variety of appealing colours link red, pink, silver and white with contrasting keypad colour so that helps. It's also quite small in size and has a nice screen! Again, sure its got 3G but its data capabilities are hampered by the very basic web browser. I guess the selling point is the relatively high quality construction or materials and that it carries the C prefix. All Sony Ericsson phones that carry the C are 'Cybershot' phones, meaning that they have decent still and video capabilities. A standout is that the C903 has built in A-GPS receiver. As a result you should 't get lost. The built in Tracker program is great for walkers, runners or cyclists to track their performance. Not many other mid-range phones from the other manufacturers have in-built GPS in this category so it's a bonus. GPS map data in either from Google Maps or by a program called Wayfinder. The program where quite sluggish for some reason. Another standout is the music player software. Of all the mobile phone manufacturers Sony Ericsson as usual includes a decent music player with EQ and album art. Since this is not a dedicated music phone as the 'W' series or Walkman phones but it's not bad certainly better than comparable Nokia or Smasung phones for example. There is lots of standard memory of at least 100MBs dependent on configuration and can be expanded by the usual M2 memory stick. As for pricing the C903 RRP is truly high-end because for the same price or less you can get a Nokia E71 with Wi-Fi with it's easily superior construction and functions for less. Sure the E71 doesn't have the same level of camera or music quality but it is pretty close - everywhere else the E71 eats the C903 completely. So buy only if it's cheap eg. under $300AUD. Overall a good and decent mobile phone. It doesn't feel or look too cheap in isolation and has all you need for calls, email, texting and music. Being 3G capable it does work well on mini-mobile sites and email. However there are many competitors in this category so do check them especially Nokia. Another low key but decent mid-range phone that does most things. Specifications
- Sony Ericsson C5903
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 900/2100
- Design Slider
- L97 x W49 x D16 mm Weight 95 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 5MP Autofocus and Digital zoom
- Video Camera 174 x 144 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 100MB available to user MicroSD up to 8Gig
- Ring tones MIDI, MP3
- Features A-GPS Accelerometer Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery 1000 mAh Up to 400 hours Standby Up to 10 hours Talk Time
- Price history From $499 AUS 2009 (Outright) From $159 AUS 2010 (Pre-paid)
January 8, 2010
Sony Ericsson C702 Review
Welcome to the Sony Ericsson C702 mobile phone review. The SE C702 when released in mid 2008 and was marketed as a mid-range ruggerised mobile phone. It is squarely a mid-range phone with a claimed increase in protection from the outdoor elements than the other models in the SE mobile phone line up. So you can comfortably use it on the beach of in the snow without fear of contaminating the electronics. You can even accidentally drop the phone in a fish tank and retrieve it quickly without damaging the phone. However it won't cope with swimming - not recommended but you get the drift. It has all the functions you could want for texting and calls. As a bonus it is also a 3G phone as you get emails and internet. Personally it could be any number of Sony Ericsson models hidden under the new case eg. an updated K800i. But that doesn't matter because it is a good mobile phone. It even comes in a range of colours. The C702 also features A-GPS with basic software dependent on country for navigation. It is not close to Nokia Maps in terms of options since it uses Google for map data hence requires a 3G data to make the most of the GPS. It previously used Wayfinder maps but since being bought out by Vodaphone maps data is only available if you are signed up with them. It's quite a fast phone coverall if you discount the animated menus. Being a 'C' class Sony Ericsson the phone packs in a decent camera for still images and video. Arguably the quality is as many other reviews say a 'mixed' result. We didn't download any samples. Note the camera's 'flash' can be used as flashlight! Likewise the internet capabilities of the C702. The browser works great for the networks carrier's websites but otherwise it doesn't work properly on all but the basic HTML pages. Sure you can install Opera browser but you shouldn't have to. The web browser doesn't have to be super fantastic but a little more functionality would be appreciated since it is now 2009. Another standout is the music player software. Of all the mobile phone manufacturers Sony Ericsson as usual includes a decent music player with EQ and album art. Since this is not a dedicated music phone as the 'W' series or Walkman phones but it's not bad certainly better than comparable Nokia or Smasung phones for example. There is lots of standard memory up to 160MBs dependent on configuration and can be expanded by the usual M2 memory stick. We also thought the FM radio with RDS was actually quite good - as usual. For better sound quality you must try the Walkman headphones not the cheaper ones included with the standard packaging. Overall a very good and decent mobile phone with construction details that Sony Ericsson was once renown for. It's one of our favorites out of the 2009 range. The C702 is nice to hold and the quality details on the case like the securing screw and the buttons are great touches. Unlike many of this competitors this phone doesn't look like a tough phone - except in black. It is very stealth like! Another low key mid range phone in price but more functionality than others. It is also one of the few ruggerised 3G capable mobile phones and unlike most actually looks good. Specifications
- Sony Ericsson C702
- Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 3G 2100
- Design Candy Bar
- L106 x W48 x D15 mm Weight 105 grams
- Display/s External TFT 240 x 320
- Camera 3MP Autofocus and 3x Digital zoom
- Video Camera 174 x 144 pixel video camera
- Connectivity Bluetooth V2 Micro-USB
- CPU
- Memory 150MB available to user MicroSD up to 4Gig
- Ring tones MIDI, MP3
- Features A-GPS Accelerometer Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Battery 950 mAh Up to 300 hours Standby Up to 8 hours Talk Time
- Price history From $399 AUS 2009 (Outright)
January 7, 2010