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Author: The Editor

  • Telstra Tempo T815 Review
    Welcome to the 2014 Telstra Tempo (T815) mobile phone review. Released in October it is yet another inexpensive smartphone to tempt you to upgrade or downgrade as per your requirements. The Telstra Tempo is currently one of the cheapest Android based smartphones on sale as a pre-package - retailing between $79 and $49 outright. For this sort of money you can't buy any better (at the time of posting) - even a regular retro candy bar Nokia phone. There are of course certain characteristics when dealing with any cheap prepaid phone package and you need to be aware of the shortfalls. In terms of construction the Tempo is and all plastic model highlighted by the white color scheme on the back. The body of the phone feels light and study and the rear's plastic feels like the anti-slip finish used by Nokia. The touch screen didn't feel like glass but a plastic material but seems scratch resistant. The Tempo does not feel premium in any way but at least it doesn't feel like it will break too easily either. Overall for the price it's acceptable. In terms of hardware the Tempo does have decent specification for such a inexpensive model so don't expect too much and you'll be pleasantly surprised. The first spec short fall is the lack of 4G capabilities. The Tempo is only a 3G phone but it is compensated by having Wi-Fi. The screen has a resolution of 480 x 800 which is not too bad to look at. It has 1.5Gig space for the user but has a microSD slot for more memory.  It has the most basic 2MP camera which is hardly worth adding as the picture where blurry in more ways than one. There is a decent dual core CPU but no separate graphicswe could tell in the spec sheet, means only run of the mill games. Now we've had Telstra branded phones before and know that its cheap price also means not so premium internals including the battery failing early and the phone simply dying for no reason and well before its expected life span of a couple years. In terms of use we found that the Telstra Tempo's latest version of Android OS worked perfectly and smoothly. It seemed fast enough for most apps to run quickly and easily but the Tempo is clearly no powerhouse or competition when compared next to the mid range models.  We have noticed that Telstra have been supporting certain Android phones with software updates but for how long we don't know but presume until the model was no longer for sale. In terms of software the Telstra Tempo has minimal extra software just the usual Telstra branded widgets and app. The Telstra Tempo T815 is a very usable mobile phone with a bargain basement price tag on pre-paid. We dare say its the cheapest Android mobile phone that is with out any real problems to date. Sure it may only be 3G phone and that's already yesterday's tech but it is a very cheap. Once again its priced to sell and if your needs are simple and don't care about brands than this is worth a look due to price. However remember that with any smart phone you really need an additional data plan. Specifications
    • Telstra Tempo T815
    • Network Dual-band GSM 850/2100 Mhz Tri-band 3G 850/2100 Mhz 4G or LTE 1800 / 2600 Mhz
    • Design Touch screen
    • L125 x W64 x D9.8 mm
    • Weight 123 grams
    • Display/s 4 inch 480 x 800 pixel
    • Camera 2MP VGA video camers 15 FPS
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU 1.2 Ghz Dual core
    • Memory Up to 2.5 Gig for user Up to 32Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Android App store FM Radio Li-Po 1200 mAh battery Up to 200 hours Standby Up to 5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $49 - 79 AUD October 2014 (Pre-paid)

  • Samsung S5 Active review

    lgvssony
    Welcome to the 2014 Samsung Galaxy S5 Active quick review. Our recent trip to Japan saw us trying out the latest ruggedised phone from Samsung, begin the S5 Active. Now we did much thinking and realised that all the current crop of 'ruggedised' phones should really be how regular phones are designed. That is phones that can be used in doors and outdoors without worrying about a few drops of water or dust and indeed accidentally.  That said the S5 Active is not indestructible but made with real more hard wearing materials than the regular Galaxy S5 and easily better than the iPhone 6 that has the potential to die when you leave your air conditioned car or plane to a humid environment - for instance. In terms of construction the S5 Active looks and feels very good but we feel designed to be held by guy we think its just the colour scheme of the phone we tested which was the  military style camouflage scheme. In a regular grey it stands out as being more like a prop from a sci-fi movie. The S5 Active feels solid yet light enough considering the extra bumper protection system. We're not sure how much actual metal there is on the phone but to be honest it didn't matter. We have no complaints about anything and neither will you and we regard it as one of best made and impressive looking phones available in 2014. In terms of hardware features the S5 Active has everything you could possibly want in 2014. It has things like infra-red blaster perfect of universal remote control, heart rate monitor, replaceable battery and even a micro SD slot. It is superior than the previous Galaxy S4 Active which was short changed on specs compare to the regular S4 of the same time. When compared to the regular Galaxy S5 we think the Active is the better looking phone. Since both have the same top end features In terms of use the Galaxy S5 Active is very good. We didn't find the interface daunting apart from the various update and status notifications seemingly more numerous than other operating systems. In fact the settings screen was more accurately described than on the iPhone OS for instance but Windows Phone 8 OS settings is better than either. Samsung's Andriod OS appeals to those who want flexibility, customisation options and ability to do things that you can only dream of on an iPhone! However it has also become clear that if you want simplicity go for any Windows Phone 8.1 which easily beats the iPhone or Android. The Samsung Galaxy S5 Active is a very appealing smartphone in terms of looks and feel. It also has all the features of a top end smartphone that you can use without worrying too much about weather conditions and in this sense it is unique. All other phones have lower spec hardware and require additional, bulky and largely unattractive cases although admittedly providing very good protection to deal the day to day use. We definitely like the the S5 Active even more because it doesn't come with any PR that goes too far. Specifications
    • Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 All 3G frequencies All 4G frequencies
    • Design Touch screen
    • L145.3 x W73.4 x D8.9 mm
    • Weight 170 grams
    • Display 5.1 inch 1,280 x 1080 AMOLED
    • Camera 16MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing still/video call camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 1080p high definition 30FPS main video camera 2MP Video phone camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4
    • CPU Quad core 2.5 Ghz Separate Andreno 330 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 2Gig RAM Up to 16 Gig for user Up to 128Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, GLANOSS, Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope Proximity, Ambient Light, Barometer, Heart rate monitor Google Play store and Samsung Store Li-Po 2800 mAh battery Up to 20 Days standby Up to 24 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $800 AUD late 2014 (Outright)

  • Apple iPhone 6 – iPhone 6 Plus – Apple Watch review

    Welcome to the Apple iPhone 6, iPhone6 Plus and Apple Watch review. You've no doubt read all the various opinions aka reviews on the latest release from Apple and already from your own opinion on the latest model. In fact you may already own one but still interested to read why everyone loves your phone but mostly whether there are any new problems and why your views are not shared with so many others who chose other brands. We refer to brands because that appears to be the ultimate strategic direction for Apple. Namely a high profit luxury brand with supposedly gorgeous designs but little else - the iPhone 6 is not even close to the cheapest Vertu which uses real diamonds, rubies, platinum and other exotic materials. It's quite a smart move business wise but you can only fool consumers for so long! Unfortunately the iPhone 6 as a product does not even attempt that. So we take off the gloss and tell it as it is without the hype and shortsightedness of the paid media.

    iPhone 6 review:

    The mobile phone has evolved from literally a mobile phone to a smart phone to what is a small computer. As a software platform the iPhone is equal best (next to Android). It is like the old IBM and Apple of old where they make the hardware and OS but allow 3rd party developers to improve on the platform and make it more  desirable. Summarised, what makes the iPhone so desirable is branding the PR or advertising and of course the Apps, secondary to that is the actual hardware.

    The hardware behind the iPhone 6 is relatively high end but not the leading edge. Instead of spending time making the hardware more efficient Apple has chosen to take the short cut of putting in a larger battery to compensate. As a result so much of so called improvement just marketing spin. The design of the case is nothing special which is disappointing considering that the prior models where reasonably unique designs. The iPhone design peaked with the Steve Jobs directed iPhone 4s and it's been down hill from there.

    The iPhone 6 does look like a Nokia 925 from a couple years ago. The way which the panels are put together are really good but not particularly premium more like just another well made phone. The white plastic edges are not attractive to look at likewise the camera lens juts out from the back and because its on an left edge means it never sits flat. Thankfully the majority of users will get an case for it to compensate of this design flaw. The other telling design problem that proves Apple has made the iPhone 6 down market is the missing metal surround on the headphone socket. Previously it has a nice and shiny metal border, it is missing clearly missing on the 6.  The real Steve Jobs would never approve of this essentially poor design.

    More telling was the the lack of an infrared and better sounding built in speaker system. The fast CPU doesn't really show its self but the screen image quality is among the best of the 2014 range topper smartphones.  The camera hardware is 'claimed' to be significantly improved but will let other dedicated sites determine whether true of just more advertising spin. Recent comparisons show that it doesn't quite match the ultimate photo phone the Nokia 1020 but clearly better than the last one. The pictures the iPhone 6 camera takes requires more software to clean up the image as opposed to being clean from the start. It also shows how some other websites who claimed that iPhone 5s camera was the best clearly shouldn't be believed anymore. As we've said previously iPhone camera wasn't even close to the much older Nokia N8.

    The operating system is the best part of the iPhone and while we didn't see any new functionality that was memorable or worth detailing, even the catchup features of various health monitors and much is hyped Apple Pay system which we think will just like another sub-par addition like Siri and Apple Maps etc... but at least matches what other brands have being doing over the last few years. Apple is once again copying existing ideas. Finally the 16Gig memory for the base model is simply a rip off and something everyone seems to forget.

    The conclusion of this review is that the iPhone 6 is more of the same just bigger and less attention to detail. It would seem perfectly justified not to do too much since they are still making huge profits. Other than the things we pointed out there is nothing wrong with the latest iPhone but there is nothing compelling about it either. Anyone saying anything different is small minded and not promoting tech progress. Regardless the iPhone 6 is the best iPhone to date but that's it. "Pity you can't use it one handed - LOL - sarcasm folks"

    iPhone 6 Plus:

    The largest version of the iPhone 6 follows in the foot steps of what every other brand realized 2 years ago, that people want larger screens. It is fortunate that Apple have released the larger iPhone 6 Plus model because it can now really stop the 'can't use it one handed' PR rubbish one liner which clearly everyone but the Apple faithful believe. As they say let it go...

    Nice large screen makes the 6 Plus the best model to get. Ignoring the failed software update the iPhone 6 Plus does feel less sturdy than the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, which is larger. It may indeed bend simply carrying it in your pocket but I think Apple QA would have tested it properly before release... Or perhaps you are not carrying it the right way...

    Apple Watch

    We didn't expect an Apple watch this year but the version they released was again disappointing. It does nothing that existing watches do accept to cost more. It doesn't actually look any better that current models either.  In fact the Moto 360 will be the benchmark watch to get when it goes on sale. The off repeated one-liner (if actually true?) from the chief designer about the Swiss watch industry will be replaced by the Apple watch is definitely premature and shows how arrogant the company is these days. After all wasn't it Apple with thousands of designers simply copied the design of the Swiss train watch face from in the first place?

    The Swiss watch brand and industry has survived the digital watch invasion, computers, mobile phone and smartphones it will survive the Apple watch. Swiss watches are made in very small numbers and use very intricate parts and materials and usually hand made and unique. They are often not particularly accurate at keeping time but don't need batteries either. Swiss watches are luxury items and truly collectable. 'Swiss made' watches are not made by the millions in China. Swiss watches are everything the Apple Watch is not - thankfully.

    The Apple Watch  has no functionally that does not already exist and after using the Sony Smartwatch2 for the last 6 months, honestly its a nice addition but ultimately the Apple watch will only give the Swatch brand a run for its money (at the most). The Apple Watch will not be ultimately useful or good looking enough to replace even a basic TAG HEUR let alone competing with a Omega or Rolex. It's a disappointment but telling about the fan based pre-release rumors of a benchmark watch design vs the actual release is a let down. People expected a classic design due to so much PR promoting that Apple has sooooo many designers in the company unfortunately the result is forgettable along with changeable wrist bands and a twirling menu dial! Pity the Apple watch will probably break should you be caught in the rain.

    Final thoughts:

    Our favorite stupid and repetitive comment on the iPhone's larger competitors in particular. 'You can't use it one handed' spare us! The truth is by watching the line up for the new iPhone shows that one actually uses their existing iPhone one handed. You see it's really easy to drop and damage the iPhone so no one does. Some Bloggers and Apple PR should get out more if this is the biggest compliant about a larger screen the person who write it needs to get out more. Funny that the same people don't mention anything about that with the now larger iPhone 6.

    The iPhone 6 is very expensive and definitely not value for money. Apart from battery life the 16G memory in the mass market iPhone is tiny in 2014 and usable space is under 12 Gig. How so many claimed pro bloggers and and claimed reputable sites miss this rip off is disappointing.

    Aluminum is not a 'premium' metal, you can buy it in rolls at any grocery store.

    Clearly visible plastic joint lines is not a luxury design choice it's the cheapest choice.

    No one mentions the lower grade materials especially the cheap plastic interior of the headphone socket.

    Apple is incapable of making the iPhone water resistant or vaguely weather proof.

    To prevent the iPhone from bending we will now be told 'we're doing it wrong' just like what happened with the antenna problem with the iPhone 4. Perhaps they shouldn't be kept in pockets after all?

    Only Apple could get away without false advertising of the 'Gold' iPhone is not really made of gold or gold in colour - let's face it it's beige coloured boring beige so get over it.

     

  • HTC Desire 300 review

    HTC300
    Welcome to the 2014 HTC Desire 300 review. The Desire 300 currently one of the cheapest HTC phones you can buy so we're interested in how it performs. As a Pre-paid package it retails at the starting price of around $178 which is on the high side. Note that both are very similar but the even cheaper Desire 310 only has a faster CPU to best the 300 but lacking else where in the spec sheet and it uses a different case design so don't get confused! In terms of construction the HTC Desire 300 is an all plastic model and clearly an entry level smartphone. It does emulate the top range HTC One design in looks but definitely not feel. The HTC is light in the hand but it is solid to hold but its definitely not premium! In terms of tech or internal hardware the HTC Desire 300 is quite basic with nothing that really stands out to us. It's specification may be high end back in 2008 but not in 2014 which is a reflection on how far  mobile phone technology has come since then. The screen resolution is OK despite not being pin sharp, likewise the colours. The phone is only 3G so don't expect fast data downloads. In terms of use the HTC Desire worked reasonably well given its specifications. However it is clearly slower than say the mid-range models. The updated OS means that there are no pauses or lags and uses Apple's trick of slower scrolling to hide the background updating. Apart from that all the usual popular apps will work without any problems.  Since it is Android OS based there's little else to complain about. The HTC Desire models used to be among the best in the entry level class but no more and the Desire 300 is not the best choice available. Compared to the latest 'unknown' brands like Huawei Y series and Windows based Lumia series, the Desire 300 just isn't as slick, look as good and now overpriced. Specifications
    • HTC Desire 300
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/2100 or 900/2100 (depend on country)
    • Design Rugged - Touch screen
    • L131.78 x W66.23 x D10.12 mm
    • Weight 120 grams
    • Display/s 4.3 inch 480 X 854 pixels
    • Camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 480p 30FPS main video camera VGA video phone
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4
    • CPU 1 Ghz Dual core Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory 523 MB RAM Up to 4Gig for user Up to 32Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features Ambient light, Proximity, Accelerometer
    • Li-Po 1650 mAh battery Up to 625 hours Standby Up to 11 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $179 AUD August 2014 (Pre-paid)

  • Aspera R5 Review

    AsperaR5
    Welcome to the 2014 Aspera R5 review.  Aspera is currently an unknown brand in the sea of Android OS based mobile phones. It is a niche brandcatering for the rugged end of the mobile spectrum and probably will remain so until it generates more publicity. We didn't find out very much the company The retail pricing for the Aspera R5 is under $400 AUD which is good but could be better (bargain hard I suppose). There aren't many stores that stock them, so to help you out - we can say that Harvery Norman and Big W seem to have a few on the shelves. In terms of construction the Aspera R5 model looks and feels like one of the best rugged phone currently available. The R5 is built with heavy duty plastic and high-visibility yellow highlights - it looks the the part. We did not experience any issues with the way it was put together or any flaws around the environmental seals. The R5 didn't feel particularly heavy despite its specifications and the size was just about right for this type of phone. In terms of hardware the Aspera R5 is essentially a mid range phone but with a decent and better than expected quad-core CPU and dual SIM capability. The screen resolution is a bit under-par for a mid range and looks a little washed out thanks to the scratch resistant protective screen overlay. It is missing 4G capabilities so don't expect fast DSL like web browsing and you'll be happy. There are plenty of other 'mid-range' phones with the same hardware specs. In terms of use the Aspera R5 is pretty good. However the interface lacks the flashy transitions of the most current Android OS version any it is noticeable if you've come from a recent Samsung or Sony phone - as with us. There where no noticeable lags in the interface and apps ran relatively quickly. That said it still has all the pros and cons of Android. However thanks to the App store there are plenty of system enhancements to remedy that issue if you where after something a bit more flashy. The dual SIM functionality seemed pretty painless... Like most Android OS based phones in 2014 we can't say much more that hasn't already been said about how it works. We can only review the way its been built and any additional functionality. In this regard the Aspera R5 is one of the best rugged and cool looking smartphones you can currently buy since it features Dual SIM and that lovely tough exterior case. That said an 'Otter box' case on a compatible smartphone many be the better alternative if you can't bear to downgrade from a higher end phone! In terms of Aspera R5 competitors or alternatives only the Telstra DAVE comes close and at the same price. The DAVE differs from the R5 by having a 4G chip but lower tech CPU and only one SIM tray. The R5 is only 3G but has a better CPU, 2 SIMs and has better construction materials and looks - not by much though. Unless 4G is essential and you can't get the DAVE to work on your service providers network than the R5 is worth getting. Otherwise the DAVE is probably the better choice only because it has 4G capability. Specifications
    • Aspera R5
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/2100 (depend on country)
    • Design Rugged - Touch screen
    • L139.7 x W76 x D17.6 mm
    • Weight 240 grams
    • Display/s 4 inch 480 X 854 pixels
    • Camera 8MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 480p high definition 30FPS main video camera VGA video phone
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4
    • CPU 1.2 Ghz Quad core Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory 500MB RAM Up to 4Gig for user Up to 32Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features IP67 water and dust resistant Dual SIM A-GPS, Proximeter, Accelerometer
    • Li-Po 2800 mAh battery Up to 600 hours Standby Up to 9.5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $400 AUD August 2014 (Outright)

  • Huawei Y530 Review

    BLANK
    Welcome to the 2014 Huawei Y530 review.  You may not (still) be familiar with this manufacturer but the company is well known amongst the industry but yet to make an impression in the consumer and government catalog due to corporate intrigue aka secret back doors and other security concerns etc. It's all fascinating stuff but we'll leave it to the 'experts' to sort out what it real and what isn't. All we care about is whether this is a good phone or not! The Huawei Y530 is one of the highest spec entry level Android smart phone you can buy for a bargain at $128 outright as we write this. In terms of construction the Huawei Y530 can described as very good for the price. The model we tested didn't look premium and doesn't have that the finishing touches say the LG L70 has. That said it feels OK in the hand and OK to look at. A decent case would do wonders. In terms of hardware the Y530 packs quite many more features than phones in this price range - including Telstra graded ZTE phones do have. For the price very good indeed. Of course in the past we've tested the cheaper entry phones and been only impressed with the price and nothing else... However for once we've found a phone that actually works much better than we anticipated intact on par with more expensive phones in the $200 - $300 price bracket. In terms of use the Y530 is actually very good - for the price. It works smoothly and runs Apps with minimal delay. Of course it is no where near the speed of a quad-core CPU equipped phone but for an entry level model we have no complaints. There aren't any real differences except for icons and various standard apps that we could see. Like most Android based phones in 2014 we can't really say much about the Y530 except that it is a great little smartphone. Android OS and hardware has come along way in a few years. Overall we liked the Y530 due to the price for feature list. Only branding and medium term reliability are issues against this model, for the moment. There are very few smartphones yet alone traditional mobile phones have this level of specification and capability for the price. Highly recommended model you should take a closer look if shopping in this price range. Specifications
    • Huawei Y530
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (depend on country)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L132.5 x W67 x D9.3 mm
    • Weight 145 grams
    • Display/s 4.5 inch 480 X 854 pixels
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 480p high definition 30FPS main video camera VGA video phone
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU 1.2 Ghz Dual core Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory 512MB RAM Up to 3Gig for user Up to 32Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Proximeter, Accelerometer FM Radio Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others Google Play store Dolby Digital Music and Media player MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calendar SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1750 mAh battery Up to 320 hours Standby Up to 10 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $128 AUD August 2014 (Outright)

  • LG L70 Review

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    Welcome to the 2014 LG L70 smartphone review. It's been a little while since we've reviewed an LG phone for various reasons. Two main ones was that LG phones where simply lagging behind in the tech, price, design etc. department and their management simply where not quick or smart enough to move with the times. Their rather silly explanations about why their phones were not selling was laughable and not worth repeating. So after being lost in the smartphone wilderness over the last few years, finally we see the LG L70 as a reasonably priced at RRP $190 outright and pre-paid at a little high $180 but will come down in the next few months. We are not going into too much detail since it is another Android OS based phone. To keep this first review concise: In terms of construction and hardware features the L70 is very good for a basic smartphone. It is all plastic and feels light but sturdy enough and looks pretty good for the price. Other competitors leave out features like a camera flash or smaller RAM, smaller screen and so forth, but the LG L70 seems to have it all but admittedly at a lower spec than say the mid-range smartphones. That said it the screen resolution looks more than acceptable. It features a multi focus camera is is rare in the class and should result in decent pictures which we found where OK to look at. In terms of use, out of the box the L70's interface is already quite slick, dependent on how fast your 3G connection speeds are. You should't have any problems running the latest decent games or software on it but a scent sized memory card is essential. Recommended size? 16GB should store all you favourite tunes, pictures until it's time to replace it! Apart from that the L70 has all the benefits and issues of the Android OS. To conclude the L70 model we test, examined the specifications and handling, we think the LG L70 is a model between entry level and midrange at the time of writing this review. It's a good choice as a pre-paid or outright package although anonymous in terms of it's good looks for the price. If your shopping for just a basic mobile phone I think the stretch to the LG L70 is worth considering. Specifications
    • LG L70
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/2100 (dependent on version) Dual SIM (dependent on version)
    • Design
    • Touch screen
    • L127.2 x W66.8 x D9.55 mm
    • Weight 124 grams
    • Display 4.5 inch 400 x 800 pixels
    • Camera 5 0r 8 MP auto- multi-focus LED Flash
    • Video Camera 720p high definition 30FPS main video camera
    • VGA Video phone camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 USB
    • CPU Dual core 1.2 Ghz Separate Andreno 302 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 1 Gig RAM Up to 1.5 Gig for user Up to 32Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Accelerometer, Proximity Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others FM Radio with RDS Google Play store Free Google Navigator (requires data plan) MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calendar SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2100 mAh battery Up to 420 hours Standby Up to 8 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $180 AUD July 2014 (Pre-paid) Approx $190 AUD July 2014 (Outright)

  • HTC One M8 review

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    Welcome to the 2014 HTC One M8 otherwise known as version two! The HTC One for 2014 has had another quality bump and this phone looks even more fantastic. The One is one of the best looking and made phones currently available. The HTC One M8 recommended retail is about $850 which makes it very competitive considering it specification but to other top end phones. The only thing that preventing it from heading to the top is mainly marketing and of course the price. Let's face it all the top end smart phones are expensive and this the HTC is no different. In terms of construction the all metal HTC One on first touch is clearly a top of the range model and surpasses the iPhone 5S and even equals our current top rating looker the Lumia Icon/930. The One is lovely to look at and to hold and if we had to fault the construction it would be directed at the brushed 'stainless steel' finish as opposed to a solid color. That said there are other colors to choose from. In terms of hardware the HTC One packs all you'd expect in a top range all metal phone and including a micro-SD card slot! The only thing we could complain about was the screen quality was not as 'wow me' as the Nokia Icon or the Samsung Galaxy S5 which is tested at the same time and easily puts all others including the iPhone 5s screen quality to what we always described as average. The One's speakers are also loud and clear as always and easily louder than any other phone out there. The novel dual camera lens is an interesting solution needs more work. That said the pictures did look OK but clearly to as good as Samsung S5 or iPhone even the old iPhone 4s. It is missing the hardware on the of the Samsung S5 eg. barometer and finger print scanner but naturally these are still nice to have rather than essential or game changing. In terms of use the HTC One works really well. The Zoe home screen is a good solution to being able to see all your social network updates on one screen. We didn't note anything that was particularly special apart from that. It is Android OS based so all the latest Apps can be found in the store.  Finally the speed and smoothness was as good as any other top end smart phone we've tested to date. To conclude our short review, since Android OS based phones are pretty similar these days: we haven't really looked at the HTC phones for a little while since they had problems that really needed to be addressed before they could be taken seriously. It's only the camera quality that is the remaining issue we have with the HTC One which does not appear to be up to the standard of it's competitors. So its definitely a great phone to consider when you're due to renew your contract, after all its a little expensive to buy outright. Specifications
    • HTC One (M8)
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Quad-band 3G 850/900/2100 Penta-band 4G 800/900/1800/2600
    • Design Touch screen
    • L146.4 x W70.6 x D9.4 mm
    • Weight 160 grams
    • Display 5 inch 1,280 x 1080
    • Camera Dual 4MP auto-focus Dual LED Flash 5MP 2nd forward facing camera
    • Video Camera 1080p high definition 60FPS main video camera 2MP Video phone camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 NFC USB
    • CPU Quad core 2.3 Ghz Separate Andreno 330 Graphics CPU
    • Memory 2Gig RAM Up to 32 Gig for user Up to 128Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, GLONASS, Compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope Proximity, Ambient Light, Humidity, Temperature Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others FM Radio with RDS Google Play store Free Google Navigator (requires data plan) MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calendar SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2600 mAh battery Up to 496 hours Standby Up to 20 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $850 AUD late 2014 (Outright)

  • Nokia Lumia Icon 930 Review

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    Welcome to the 2014 Nokia Lumia Icon otherwise known as the Lumia 930 review. The Lumia 930/Icon runs Windows Phone 8.1 the most current version of the OS and can be regarded as one of the top range phones from Nokia. We believe it replaces the Lumia 925. This Lumia Icon/930 is currently available in the US market as we post this review, since we where fortunate enough to be in the country at the time. We estimate The release price of around $700 $620 outright in Australia since its was retailing for USD $599 unlocked. Since we've covered Windows 8 phones before and regard them as one of the best platforms around we won't cover the operating system in detail. Yes, it theLumia 930 will come with 8.1 as standard that most will not even know the difference since they wouldn't have tried one before. Instead we'll focus on what are the highlights of the latest Lumia 930 series. Needless to say that all messaging bases are covered, SMS, Email, Skype, Twitter, Facebook and work genuinely as well as an others. The omission of desktop Outlook Sync is also disappointing for those who don't want to use the cloud just yet and of course the lack of Apps, however that is slowly changing. In terms of construction and design the Lumia Icon/930 is literally the best one mobile phone currently available. Hence it is the best looking Windows 8 phone currently available. Yes it beats the HTC One and even the iPhone 5 in particular making that phone look dated and clumsy being made of too many pieces (Steve Jobs would be most disappointed by the latest iPhone). We where immediately attracted to the Lumia when we first saw and tested it, the looks, feel, weight and even size all was just about right. The 930 may be thicker than the others but it's tank like feel makes it better than the too light Galaxy S5 and brittle iphone 5s. The matt finish plastic back, metal frame and slightly curved front panel screams minimalism with elegance which the Apple phones lost years ago. The internal hardware features a fast quad core CPU, wireless charging, the latest Gorilla glass hardened touch screen and all the known mobile frequencies.  It also features a decent camera and video recording capability. The picture quality is not as good as the Lumia 1020 but then again no camera phone comes close to the 1020. Over the Lumia Icon/930 picture quality are as good if not better than a your typical point and shoot camera like the Canon IXUS which means fantastic results. The Lumia's OLED touch screen's colors and brightness rate a huge mention since it is literally gorgeous to look at. It's black is really the blackest we've seen and the color reproduction is even better than any of Sony's Xperia series. Since you can also adjust the color reproduction it is a secret not many high end phones seem to have! The 5 inch screen is just about the right size in 2014. In terms of Apps and operation Windows phones are easy to use and have all the functionality for everyday use as per Android or iPhone 5. The Lumia Icon/930 is no different and is easily recommended for any type of phone user. Of note is Nokia's Drive and Here Apps, which allow you to download GPS and road maps instead of using your data allocation to download them every time. We found it very useful when driving in the rental car in the US on the Lumia 625 downloaded before departure since international data roaming pack we had was tiny. Unfortunately the Icon/930 is not perfect and omits one key feature. There is no memory expansion slot. But the stand outs in the class outweigh this shortfall, for examples the loud speaker it actually the best amongst it's competitors. The 930 can also pull in phone signals better than any other phone in the same class. The 930's call quality is also and literally the best on the class, easily better then the iPhone6 or Galaxy S5. The end result is that the Lumia Icon/930 is a great looking phone and backed up with all the features you'd expect. It is one of the best mobile phones available currently and one you need to seriously consider. The only thing holding it back is the marketing department of Microsoft and Nokia which just don't seem to get it. It's a great phone that will appeal to anyone straight away. Specifications
    • Nokia Lumia 930 Icon
    • Network Quad-band GSM (all of them) Penta-band 3G (all of them) Penta-band 4G LTE (all of them)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L137 x W71 x D9.8 mm
    • Weight 167 grams
    • Display/s 5 inch HD 1920 x 1080
    • Camera 20MP
    • Video Camera 1080p HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4 NFC
    • CPU 2.2 Ghz Dual-Core
    • Memory Up to 32 Gig on board No expandable memory
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint A-GPS, Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light, Gyroscope, Magnemometer Windows Mobile Store for Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email, Skye FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2420mAh battery Up to 18 days Standby Up to 15.5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $620 AUS 2014 (Outright)