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Category: Mobile Phone Reviews

Mobile Phones, Smart Phones, Cell Phones and anything like them review and comparisons.

  • Telstra/ZTE F852 Review
    Welcome to the Telstra/ZTE F852  mobile phone review.   This model is essentially a replacement for the F256 but in a higher quality clam shell and better screen. We only had this phone a a little while before choosing the other models because the OS is virtually the same as the F256 with graphical improvements.  We wanted something different. Speaking of which the main internal screen is much better due to the upgrade to 240 x 320 pixel or QVGA resolution although the external display remains the same. The main feature missing is a FM radio which is an important selling point these days since the iPod still doesn't have one. The main feature is that it has access to the NextG or 3G network and web based functionality that entails.  However you will need a decent web access plan to make use of it. Conclusion All up the Telstra/ZTE F852 is another typically good mobile phone. It's easy to use and looks reasonably good. Targeted in the mid range sales category it works really well just like it's predecessors if you can live without a FM radio. Specifications
    • Telstra/ZTE F852
    • Network Dual-band 3G HSDPA 3.6 / 850 / 2100 MHz Quad-band GSM 850 / 900/1800 /1900 MHz)
    • Design Clam Shell L98.5 x W50 x D19 mm Weight 110 grams
    • Display/s Intenal TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP auto-focus main camera
    • Connectivity USB Bluetooth V1.2 - Supports FTP / HFC / A2DP
    • CPU 225 or 146MHz Processor
    • Memory 64MB internal memory 45MB available to user Up to 2Gig MicroSD or Trans Flash cards
    • Ring tones MP3, MMF, MIDI, Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, WAP, EMAIL MyWords predictive text JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free Customizable backgrounds Picture Viewer Video calling Voice memos Calender and organizer 140Hrs Standby, 150 minutes Talk Time
    • Package contents XP/Vista Compatible PC suite Personal hands free kit Travel charger USB cable
    • Price history Between $499 AUS 2009

  • Samsung SGH-A411 SGH-A412 Review

    Welcome to the review of the Samsung A411 and A412 mobile phone. We’ve had other Samsung mobiles before but there was nothing really worth writing up. However since we now use one might as well do a quick review.

    The A411 and A412 are rare phones because they are designed for poorer markets and for the 850Mhz 3G networks. This frequency is still not very common 2008. Being 3G it also has HSDPA so capable of high download speeds. It is also a tri-band GSM phone so allows for virtually complete roaming capabilities.  However since it does not have the 3G at the 2100Mhz frequency global mobile internet is possible.

    The A412 is positioned as a basic 3G mobile so you don’t get many surprising features but still get a few goodies. One of which is Bluetooth connectivity.

    Samsung phones are very noisy! Yep Samsung mobiles differentiate themselves from the rest by being able to selectable key tones and bright graphics and keypad light control. They are useful and also amusing features. You may get tired of them…

    The phones works very well, it is speedy BUT due to the animated effects feels sluggish. The interface is very good, it would do better on a higher resolution screen though.

    The main functions of Contacts features basic features so no addresses but you can store emails addresses, Calendar functionality include anniversary and repeating events and a few others. There is even a notes application.

    Physically it has the usual soft touch-ish plasticky feel but not as bad as the ZTE, it’s logical competitors. The keypad and other keys actually look good but are cheap in feel but at least they are large and work well. Infinitely better than say the ZTE models.

    Call quality and network reception is very good they definitely haven’t added new towers in our area so it’s definitely one of the better cheap mobile phones.

    The internal screen is nice and large but low resolution and relative small 65,000 colour range. Mind you other mobiles in the price range have similar specs. The external screen is handy but because it goes complete black you can’t see what is being displayed unless the back light is on. The external screen is only black and white too. A bonus feature is an old style roman clock you can select as the display!

    Camera quality is very average so don’t bother getting it for the camera.

    Flaws include a C key which is directly under the down navigation button and too easy to press by accident  the lack of AM/FM radio and propriety connector for headphones and charging. With everyone moving to the standard micro USB and standard headphone socket this will need to be rectified.

    In the end it’s a good basic 3G capable phone in a clam shell design. It does voice calls and SMS well. Definitely a good start if you can’t afford any better.

    (When comparing it to the ZTE 256 vs ZTE 156 the Samsung wins because it has quite a few more features for the same price.)

    Specifications

    Manufacturer : Samsung
    Model : SGH A411 and 412
    OS: Samsung
    Network : Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz)
    3G WCDMA 850 HSDPA
    Design: Clam shell
    48.5mm W x 95mm L x 1.95mm D
    88 grams
    Siler/Black/Pink/Red
    Display/s : 16Million 24-bit colour TFT – 320 x 240 pixels
    Internal 65K colours 128×160 pixels 2 inches
    External Technology Black and White 96×96 pixels 1 inch
    Main Video/Still Camera : up to 640×480
    Video capable MP4, H.263
    Connectivity : Bluetooth, USB
    Memory : 54 MB internal memory
    Ring tones : AAC, AAC+, MP3, MP4, MIDI Tones (poly 64)
    JAVA MIDP 2.0
    Modem for PC
    Web browser
    Mono Speaker Phone/Hands free
    Speed : Vs Nokia 6230
    Navigation 8/10
    Battery Life : BP-5M 3.7V 900 mAh
    Claimed operating times:
    Standard Samsung battery
    Stand-by of 410 hours
    Talk time of 5.5 hours
    Sample camera :

  • Nokia E71 Review
    Welcome to our review of the Nokia E71. (First time we've managed to post a review relatively quickly.) The E71 is the replacement for the relatively popular E61i release about 12 months ago. It's the only Qwerty keyboard based mobile phone made by the company. Like it's predecessors the E71 is an amalgamation of all Nokia has learnt to date since the introduction of the original E61. First impressions are excellent. The E71 looks fantastic! Construction wise, it uses real metal but this time thinner than the past models to save weight. Smoked stainless steel and high quality plastics where necessary really add to the impression of expense and class. It's also very thin. It's seems more just 1 generation away from the slate like predecessors. We liken the new model as the RAZR of the QWERTY keyboard phones, except that the quality of the Nokia is noticeably superior. No creaky panels or detail that would fade. The keys have a nice quality feel when you press them. Pictures do not do this phone justice. Nokia has packed so much technology in such a small size in the E71. It features every single wireless and wired connection option you could want: Wi-Fi, Infrared, bluetooth, USB, GSM and 3G. Yes it has Infrared! So we can still exchange contacts with older phones or use it as a modem and even Sync with other computers without all that mucking around with bluetooth pairing and USB drivers. We can still run our handy universal TV/Video/Stereo remote controllers. Infrared rules. Other features (entertainment) include and crisp 320x240 pixel screen, dual cameras/video, autofocus, flash, barcode reader, 2.5mm headphone socket for the FM (RDS) radio and internet radio, VOIP, voice recorder, MP3 and MP4 player and the list goes on. Fantastic considering that this is not a dedicated multi-media phone! Since this is an E series phone there are a ton of work applications that are pre-loaded. Word, Excel, Powerpoint editors, dictionary, Notes, ZIP, PDF, wireless printer connectivity, clocks, calendar, unit convertors, VPN and of course Internet. The most amazing feature is the built in GPS. Nokia's Maps software has been updated to the point that I think it is better than Google Maps for your mobile. You can download the maps for free but it doesn't tell you the directions. You have to subscribe for voice and trip guidence - fair enough. Google maps requires constant 3G or wi-fi connection and you don't get locations like shops, hotel and so forth.  Nokia Maps has the lot like regular GPS systems! The A-GPS system used on the E71 is actually quite good.  It picks up the GPS satellites from turn on as quick as the TomTom One or quicker.  (Average of 10 secs)  Like the TomTom though if you have traveled a significant distance from the last time you used the GPS it takes a little more time to lock on.  That said you must make sure the A-GPS (uses the network towers but not data) is turned on otherwise it can take several miutes to get a proper fix on your location. The next amazing feature (for 2008) is the web browser. Nokia has updated it from the past versions and it worked on ALL websites we tried - to date. It even shows Flash content and Youtube on the same screen. The first mobile phone browser to do this! Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoomail and all news sites worked! The only problem we encountered where with WordPress BLOGS - the editing of text when scrolling is required is a hit and miss. This can be overcome by writing your entries in the notepad and cutting and pasting into the browser. Nokia's web browser is better than the one on the iPhone or iTouch -at least on this phone. The only short fall is that the E71's screen is smaller than previous models. (Update: After installing the latest phone software we discovered that the E71 can play FLV files from Youtube without additional software!  We knew the web browser could already do this but it brilliant that it can play them out of the browser as well.  Give it go - we really like this phone and you probably will too!) New and useful features worth a mention on the E71 include data encryption, Music store, Podcasting, Standard bar and QR code readers. Nokia's thrown in MS Messenger LIVE and Yahoo GO applications so you can IM all you want. The only thing missing from prior models is the emulated Blackberry compatibility. We where also surprised to find that Nokia has included a 2GIG memory card as part of the sales package! We also liked the remote auto lock feature so that if you lose your phone you can send it an SMS to lock it. You have to set this up and your passwords - so do it! You never know when you could lose your phone. As for operating speed, Nokia has clearly improved the S60 interface's speed, menu navigation is immediate, and running programs are noticeably faster than prior models. It only seems to pause when starting up JAVA based programs but this applies to all phones we've ever tried. Overall excellent. Conclusion: The E71 is a great phone! I dare say it's the best Nokia mobile phone out of the entire range - at least in July 2008. Fast, looks good with a ton of functionality. Sure menu navigation is old hat and getting crowded due to the huge amount of features but that applies to all E and N series Nokia's. If tossing up between the new N series phones have a long hard think because the E71 does 90% of what the N series in terms of entertainment but 110% of day to day functions. Nokia should be applauded as to how they managed to cram all the hardware and software into such a small mobile phone. If you want the most complete mobile phone to date in a elegant design then buy one no need for any decision making needed. If you've got a E61 or E61i it's a no brainer you will be impressed. Note: Nokia has included a few 'extras' in the packaging this time! We a custom hard/slip case, a 2.5mm headset with mic, micro USB connector and a wrist lanyard. The thing we most liked was the screen protector that didn't hide any of the screen's icons as per prior models. The case and screen protector are hard to purchase separately so don't lose them! Price history $595-650 AUS 2008 Manufacturer : Nokia Model : E71 OS: Nokia S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 CPU: ARM 11 369Mhz Network : Country dependent - Quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) 3G WCDMA 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz Design: Mini-keyboard 114 x 57 x 10 mm Weight: 127 grams White/Black Display/s : 16Million 24-bit colour TFT - 240 x 320 pixels Main Camera : 3.2MP Camera with auto focus, 8xzoom and dual flash Video Camera : up to 320×240 auto focus, 4xzoom, 15 FPS Video phone Camera: 128 x 96 pixels Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GPP, RealMedia, Flash, FLV Connectivity : Bluetooth, Infrared, USB, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g FM Radio - VOIP Memory : 110 MB internal memory MicroSD memory Hot Swap Up to 8 GB SD and SDHC Ring tones : AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, MP4, WMA, AMR-NB, Mobile XMF, SP-MIDI, MIDI Tones (poly 64), True tones Animated screensavers (powersaver) FlashLite2 and Flashlite3 capable A-GPS JAVA MIDP 2.0 Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 - xHTML) Mono Speaker Phone/Hands free Media player with 2.5mm RCA socket. Speed : Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 10/10 Battery Life : BP-4L 1500mAh Li Ion Claimed operating times: Standby 20 days - network dependent Voice 10.5 hours - network dependent Sample camera :

  • Nokia 6500 Review

    Welcome to the Nokia 6500 (Slide) Review. Although we’ve been using this phone for a while other newer models have taken away out attention from writing up a decent review. It shouldn’t be that way since we often use it to test the various screen savers that we make on the phone before release!

    Anyway the 6500 is on of the newer phones in Nokia’s lineup being less than 12 months old (2008). It’s distinctly mid-range functionality and construction so we and you, shouldn’t expect every option but expect at least decent construction. It meets it’s target perfectly, the phone look s and feels great in the flesh and using it was like any other Nokia phones running the S40 5th Edition operating system.

    There are two versions, the 6500 Classic and the 6500 Slide. Both use the same OS and have the same features but differ in terms of physical construction. Ie. One is a slide and one is a standard candy bar.

    Construction of the phone uses real brushed stainless steel for most external surfaces including black coated ends. Only the keypad is plastic. We loved it. There are some nice details like the headpiece and flash coverings, etched and colored Nokia branding around the phone. It’s not a cheap phone and you should expect detail like this! The slide mechanism is very smooth and sounds and feels solid. After many slides over the last few months the slide still works perfectly. The downside of all this metal is that the phone feels solid and heavy. The ear piece occasionally catches your hair and the back cover occasionally moves out of alignment are notes we have to make. Overall we didn’t mid one bit because it does look good.

    The screen

    The 6500’s screen is again one of the best, nice and clear, sharp and the backlight bright. You should not have any complaints about the quality in this regard. The screens on other phones may appear better but that’s because they’re smaller in terms of physical size.

    Battery Life

    The battery life of this phone is good. With normal use and roaming on GSM networks you can get at least 5 days of standby time. On 3G networks its about 4 days. Left on purely on stand by your looking at 7 days. Since everyone’s definition of normal is different the we feel that the pure standby time is the best measurement.

    Speed

    The phone is fast but not the fastest we’ve used. It activates all functions except JAVA based programs with minimal delay of about 1/2 a second. Menu navigation and activating messaging function is as fast as any other reasonable phone.

    Functionality

    The 6500 does everything you could want on a regular phone. Since it is also 3G capable you shouldn’t be wanting for anything that you can’t download. There aren’t any work type programs like Word or Excel editing but then that’s not what this phone is about. Making and managing calls and text messages a bit of internet, music and of course pictures is what the phone is all about. No specialization, just good at everything.

    Connectivity

    The 6500 now uses a micro USB connector, Bluetooth, RGB output but unfortunately no infra-red or Wi-Fi.

    All those who derile infra-red are just following the leader or just plain stupid because infra-red is a very useful feature! We made a fantastic infra-red program that can control various TVs, DVD players, Stereo system and the computer of course. We may release it for free one day. ‘One remote controller to rule them all’!

    MP3 and video/sound

    The sound quality and volume coming from this phone is very good but no where near the 6233 bench mark. Though the head piece, it sounds acceptable for a non-dedicated music phone. Video playback works fine.

    Web Browser

    There are 2 browsers on the E61i one for WAP sites and one for normal internet pages. Both work well with CSS and BLOG sites. However like all mobile web browsers Flash based content or Youtube videos are not capable of being displayed with in the browser. If a website has streaming content the RealPlayer is activated to view the content.

    The camera/video/voice recorder

    The 6500 has a decent camera lens by Carl Ziess with auto focus and digital zoom but good pictures are more than just the lens. Overall the pictures at the maximum 3.2 megapixels is very good by mobile phone standards. Apart from lots of ‘noise’ that can be cleaned up by various photo editing software the pictures are acceptable. Close up pictures are almost macro like and surpisingly good for a mobile phone camera. Easily better than the soft an fuzzy K800i pictures. The flash is a standout being very bright so when taking picture you don’t need to stand too close to your subjects. The autofocus and zoom works well. Picture to picture time is about 5 seconds which is that same as most camera phones. Overall just make sure the pictures are in focus and you be happy enough.

    The video camera like the pictures is quite good for a mobile phone – same comments as above. You view either camera or video without cringing at them too much. That said it only helps if you knew how bad other camera/video phone images are. Note that the auto focus does take a few tries before it finally locks on to the subject you want.

    The Voice recorder works well since you don’t have to shout into the phone to make it record. Playback quality is also surprisingly good.

    Call quality and network reception

    Very good voice quality on both GSM and 3G networks. The quality of the loud speaker really helps. It can also do video calls but you have to turn the phone around which defeats the purpose of video calls. Mind you very few people make video calls so its not exactly something to complain about. However you must be is a high reception area for the best results.

    Network reception capabilities is poor by Nokia standards. The 6500 seems to have trouble with maintaining a strong signal. However this could be due to outdated phone operating software.

    Issues

    Not many real issues to complain about. If pushed to write something bad it would for Nokia to improve quality control on the rear battery door and memory card holder.

    Network

    Most networks sell the phone so look for a network free version on a plan if you can.

    Summary

    It’s a good mobile phone period! It does everything – if your life involves phone calls and text messaging. If you plan on using 3G content it works as well as any other model. The browser is as good as on any other phone except on the S60 based Nokias or iPhone.

    It has a good camera and video recorder lovely screen and lots of various programs to try out. Bluetooth connectivity works with almost any enable computer

    Like all Nokia’s there are plenty of customisation options – some are hard to find – but read the manual and virtually the entire interface can be changed.

    It’s physically a good looking phone and feels expensive too which helps the ownership experience.

    Price history

    $450-549 AUS 2008

    Manufacturer : Nokia
    Model : 6500
    OS: Nokia S40 5th Edition Feature Pack 1
    Network : Tri-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
    3G WCDMA 850, 2100 MHz
    Design: Slider/Candy Bar phone
    96.5 x 46.5 x 16.4 mm
    109.8 x 45 x 9.5 mm
    Weight 125/94 grams
    Silver/Mocha/Black/Bronze
    Display/s : 16Million 24-bit colour TFT – 320 x 240 pixels
    W5.8cm x L4.8cm
    Main Camera : 3.2MP Camera with auto focus, 8xzoom and dual flash
    Main Video Camera : up to 640×320 auto focus, 4xzoom, 15 FPS
    Video phone Camera: 176 x 144pixels
    Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GPP, RealMedia, Flash
    Connectivity : Bluetooth, USB
    Memory : 20 MB internal memory
    MicroSD memory Hot Swap Up to 2 GB
    Ring tones : AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, MP4, WMA, AMR-NB, Mobile XMF, SP-MIDI, MIDI Tones (poly 64), True tones
    Animated wallpaper and screensavers Flash Lite 2 capable
    JAVA MIDP 2.0
    Modem for PC
    Web browser (WAP 2.0 – xHTML)
    Mono Speaker Phone/Hands free
    Media player with 2.5mm RCA socket.
    GPS connectivity via Bluetooth
    Speed : Vs Nokia 6230
    Navigation 9/10
    Battery Life : BP-5M 3.7V 900 mAh
    Claimed operating times:
    Standby 13.3 days
    Voice 6 hours
    Sample camera :

  • Telstra F256 Review
    Welcome to the Telstra/ZTE F256 mobile phone review. Once again Telstra has physically and rebranded a ZTE model. Rebranding in this fashion is quite farcical since when you go back to Telstra to get the phone fixed and told to go to ZTE. Telling it 'like it is' Telstra, if you want to rebrand phones with your logo then you have a responsibility to get it fixed. That goes to all manufacturers who do this sort of thing. The ZTE F256 was another initial release phone for the the Telstra NextG network. It's was one the the only flip phones that was available at the time of the network's launch back in 2006. Lately this model has dropped significantly in price and also become a pre-paid phone. You can get only on the pre-paid scheme but locked to the Telstra network for as low as $69. (Previously it was priced at $249) It now undercuts the F152 and F56 by half. But is it good value? Top save you reading the entire review if you get bored easily, the F256 is really just a flip phone version of the F152 and F156 but cheaper! Battery Life The battery life of the F256 is very good. On standby essentially 7 days. With normal usage 3-4 days. Since it operates on the NextG (850Mhz 3G) network its a bordering on excellent in most instances. Note that batteries are not compatible with the F156. Speed The phone operations are very fast. Menu navigation and running applications are flawless. Turns on and off quickly too! Since it's a 3G phone loading web pages and streaming videos work really well. It does have HSDPA so the quality of the streaming video quality and the sound is just as good as more expensive phones. However the volume of the loud speaker is on the soft side. Camera/Video Picture quality is OK for a mobile phone. Like older 3G phone it has only one camera that you rotate if you want a face shot or regular photos or video camera. Picture quality is the same as the other phones in the ZTE lineup. See the specifications for more details. It has the capability to record videos in MP4 format or 3GP format which is nice. Media Player The MP3 player included is basic missing multiple playlists, EQ, ID3 tag display, and easy navigation. At least it sounds reasonable through the head phones. The only problem is that is uses it's micro-USB connection as the headphone socket. So you can not charge the phone or do data transfers and listen to music through the headphones at the same time. This is not a media focused phone so we were not expecting a lot of functionality anyway. Screen The internal screen used on this phone reflects its pricing position. It's the industry standard circa 2006 176 x 220 pixels with 262K colours. Specifications indicate a sharp and clear screen but in reality it's nothing special. Its probably because of its slightly larger is size. The screen's back light is very good with adjustable levels. The external screen is small but appears sharp and clear indicating that it's a TFT - no specifications where included in the box so at a guess it's 80 x 40 pixels. Construction Like almost all Telstra/ZTE phones the major flaw is the construction materials. Don't believe the pictures it doesn't look as good in real life. Yes like the others it is sturdy but just looks and feels bargain basement. The flip mechanism works well and is sturdy. The buttons look like they are metal but we think they have just glossy surface so we think it'ss plastic. The deforming micro SD card cover is a shocker but at least it has one! Functionality It is a 3G phone so you'd expect a reasonable offering. Indeed it doesn't let you down. It has everything you'd expect in a mobile phone made in 2007. However it lacks a lot of customization features that would make ownership more enjoyable. Also lack of any additional content in terms of games of wallpaper images for wallpapers was also disappointing. All manufacturers include at least 1 or 2 additional images and games that have been optimized for the phone's screen these days. At least there are the numerous ring tones. For the customization features it does have it has pre-set phone groups and custom ring tones. It can run JAVA games and other applications but we haven't tried it yet. Call quality Overall very good. Callers and us where heard without any break up or static. We where impressed that the F256 has the ability to connect an external antenna - to boost the signal - this is a rare feature in 2008 and I hope they continue to include it. We certainly use it. Network It has almost all frequencies you need 3G HSDPA and UMTS in 850Mhz or 2100Mhz, GSM 900, 1800 and 1900. Not many phones have dual 3G frequencies which is thus a stand out. Network reception seems in our 'marginal' area is good but should be better. In fact the GSM signal was always better then the 3G signal for Telstra. Whether its the actual network coverage or phone receiver we aren't quite sure. Conclusion All up the Telstra/ZTE F256 is a good mobile phone. In fact the entire range or variants of the current ZTE line-up are reasonable phones. All use the same underlying phone OS hence all have the same functionality. Price differences are just that and dependent on demand and marketing of particular models. For the price catergory for 2008 they are in they are hard to beat. For example not many are Tri-band GSM and dual band 3G phone with bluetooth, memory card expansion a decent screen. The only thing missing are more customization options. Only being able to change wallpapers and ring tones is pretty lame in 2008. So a good, stable but cheap looking mobile phone. If your after 'personality' in a phone look else where. Specifications
    • Telstra/ZTE F256
    • Network 3G HSDPA / UMTS 850 / 2100 MHz Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz)
    • Design Flip or clam shell phone L99 x W49 x D19 mm Weight 125 grams
    • Display/s Intenal TFT 176 x 220, 262K colours External TFT
    • Camera 1.3 MP main camera
    • Connectivity USB
    • CPU 225MHz Processor
    • Memory 64MB internal memory 47-48MB available to user Up to 2Gig Trans Flash cards
    • Ring tones MP3, MMF, MIDI, Vibration
    • Features SMS, MMS, WAP, EMAIL MyWords predictive text JAVA MIDP 2.0 Bluetooth V1.2 - Supports FTP / HFC / A2DP Speaker Phone/Hands free Customizable backgrounds Picture Viewer Video calling Voice memos Calender and organizer 200 Hrs Standby, 180 Mins Talk Time
    • Package contents Vista Compatible PC suite Personal hands free kit Travel charger
    • Price history Between $69-249 AUS PRE-PAID 2008

  • Nokia E61i Review
    Welcome to the Nokia E61i mobile phone review. As the name suggests it is targeted at business and smartphone users. We actually got the phone 6 months ago and its become the main phone that one of us now use as a regular phone. We've just been a little slack in posting the official review. The main selling features of this phone is a lovely wide screen and mini qwerty keyboard. It runs the S60 operating system so you know what you're getting. That aside the hardware on the phone is state of the art - at least for 2007. That said, it is missing one key feature, namely a FM Radio so if you can live without one this review is worth a read! Battery Life The battery life of this phone is excellent. With normal use and roaming on GSM networks you can get at least 12 days of stand time. On 3G networks its about 7 days. Left on purely on stand by your looking at 2 weeks for GSM which we think is fabulous just like the old days. Naturally with ultra-heavy usage it will go for at least a day. With Bluetooth, Wi-FI turned on and calls etc. Try that with a TREO or Windows Mobile and you'll need a charger in about 4-5 hours. Speed The phone is reasonably fast. It activates all functions except JAVA based programs with minimal delay. That said, the screen re-draws occasionally lag but its no different to other smart phones. Overall it could be made faster. Construction. The E61i is partly made of real metal which is brilliant. It is also put together really well with no creaking or movable panels. It's like a block of hard wood. Of course it means a weight penalty but in comparison to other smartphones its design stands out like a super model at a Biggest loser audition. Being thin but wide allows you to put in almost all types of shirt pockets without a huge budge. The full keypad is very good, the buttons have a rudder like surface which makes usage less error prone than others. However the buttons are on the small side for those with larger fingers - but then what modern phone isn't. The buttons are also harder to press than normal phones which is not a criticism since it seems to work better for it. The design is quality and is the class leader compared to ALL other mobile phones in the category. After using the e61i we found using the other qwerty based phones feel cheap. Functionality Overall the E61i does everything you could want in a mobile. The navigation aspect and functional improvements can still be made as a few of the applications like Quickoffice editors could be easier to use. The Alarm clock is missing the daily and week day auto repeats - which is unfortunate. It comes with a stack of utilities and business type applications. Eg. Word/Excel/Powerpoint editors, PDF reader, Flash player, zip file creator, wireless printing, and projector software, full Wi-Fi control, different web browsers, Blackberry software, comprehensive contacts management and of course JAVA. It also comes with one game Golf Pro 2 which is a great looking 3D um... golf game. Gmail and Google Maps Java applications work perfectly. Hotmail and Yahoo webmail also work either full Internet or WAP versions. The phone easily syncs with MS Outlook once the Nokia PC Suite is installed. Connectivity The E61i has all the options available, USB, Bluetooth, infrared, Wi-Fi. We love it. This demonstrates why Nokia is the leading mobile phone manufacturer. Sony Ericsson doesn't have the Wi-Fi yet on even it's range topper. MP3 and video/sound The sound quality and volume coming from this phone is very good but no where near the 6233 bench mark. However video and MP3 play back is much better with not lags or skipping. Videos are recorded in MP4 which a great move. Web Browser There are 2 browsers on the E61i one for WAP sites and one for normal internet pages. Both work well with CSS and BLOG sites. However like all mobile web browsers Flash based content or Youtube videos are not capable of being displayed with in the browser. If a website has streaming content the RealPlayer is activated to view the content. The camera/video/voice recorder It takes OK pictures for a mobile phone and has all the usual features for a camera phone. Features like brightness, various scenes modes light daylight, indoor outdoors, night mode, a timer, various effects like sepia m multiple picture size and quality etc.. Overall picture quality is a bit better than most average for a mobile. It doesn't produce sharp pictures and the colours OK it still won't rival a normal digital camera. Video recorder is likewise very average. Voice recorder is a on the unresponsive side because we had to talk close tot he phone for decent play back volume. The screen The E61i's screen is one of the best, nice and clear, sharp and the backlight bright. It has a light sensor too which automatically adjusts the backlight according to the environment. You can turn it off if you don't like this feature. It's one of the biggest screens for this class of phone. Call quality and network reception Very good voice quality on both GSM and 3G networks. The quality of the loud speaker really helps. It can also do video calls but you have to turn the phone around which defeats the purpose of video calls. Mind you very few people make video calls so its not exactly something to complain about. The Wi-Fi feature of the phone works very, well quick to start up and even has scanning capability. Only Apple's iPod touch is faster. Network reception is excellent. It can pull in all bars in areas where other phones can only manage two. Issues Some of the buttons are just too small, especially the main menu and voice recognition button are not easy to press. Activation of the loud speaker for incoming calls is not a simple process, a problem with all S60 phones. It doesn't have a FM radio - which is odd for a Nokia. Network Not all networks sell the phone so look for a network free version if you can. Summary So far most reviews on the Net tends to compare it with it's predecessor the E61 and assume that existing owners would consider the upgrade and simply conclude by saying it not worth it. Thankfully we have come up with a proper recommendation. Yes it is worth the upgrade to the E61i . Why? It's looks great, much better looking and constructed than the original. You don't have to worry about taking it out in public or at meetings. Nokia should be encouraged to make their phones better looking and use METAL in their designs. If you haven't already got one but want a smart phone that doesn't look or weigh like a brick then this is the phone to get. The battery life is great and it's comes with a ton of software that makes your working or private life easier. Even better is that it is relatively rare! The E61i really shines if you have access to Wi-Fi network or 3G. If you're only on a GSM network then you're missing out on it's internet capability. New SMS or texters will love the keypad and game players will enjoy the extra space and screen. The look of your phone says as much about you as any other fashion accessory. So get one! Price history $600-750 AUS 2007 Manufacturer : Nokia Model : E61i Network : Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) 3G UTMS 2100 MHz Design : Widescreen smart phone L117 x W70 x D14 mm Weight 150 grams Silver/Mocha Display/s : 16Million 24-bit colour TFT - 320 x 240 pixels W5.8cm x L4.8cm Camera : Single 2MP Camera Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GGP, RealMedia, Flash Connectivity : Bluetooth, Infrared, USB, Wi-Fi Memory : 64 MB internal memory MicroSD memory Hot Swap Up to 2 GB Ring tones : Video, ACC, ACC+, eACC+, MP4, MP3, MIDI (64), WAV, XMF, Vibration, True Tones, AMR Features : SMS, MMS, IM, EMAIL, Blackberry Animated wllpaper and screensavers via theme JAVA MIDP 2.0 Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 - xHTML) Mono Speaker Phone/Hands free Media player Text to speech convertor Voice command Word/Excel/Powerpoint editing PDF, Realmedia formats, Flash 7 GPS connectivity via Bluetooth Speed : Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 8/10 Battery Life : BP-4L 1500mAh Li Ion Claimed operating times: Standby 400 hours Voice 9 hours Sample camera :

  • Nokia 6120 Review
    The Nokia 6120 was a phone which we weren't inspired to review because it's not exactly an attractive mobile phone to look at. Ours is locked to the Telstra NextG network we had the 850Mhz '3G' version. (The phone is a Quad band GSM too.) We class this phone as a business model based on it's looks and price. Nokia's usual ability customize almost all the user interface features is thankfully retained on network locked versions, so you can happily change soft key and theme branding easily. The 6120 we guess fills in the role of the 6233 but using the S60 OS and caters for the mid-range 3G market. If you are not interested 3G network capability then there are other GSM only models. The first thing we noticed was it's lack of weight. The next was the lovely screen which was similar if not the same as our benchmark 6233. Construction was solid and materials average. Slighter larger but thinner than most. What was underdone is the keypad. Don't expect it to feel upmarket and you'll be happy. Furthermore the arrangement of the primary navigation buttons was poorly thought out. The left or right soft keys was often pressed instead of the Menu or cancel buttons. Sound is a via a mono speaker that actually sounded OK and quite loud. What impressed us was the number of applications that where included with the phone. It runs Nokia's S60 operating system and comes with all the usual software. Quickoffice Word and Excel viewers, GPS, ZIP, voice readers etc... we expected less because it wasn't an E of N series phone so surprised. That said you'll need an external GPS unit for the software to work. The 6120 is feature packed and there's plenty to play with. With an external SDcard slot you'll be playing for quite awhile until you run out of space. Call and network reception is the normal Nokia - as in very good. Performance wise the 6120 was impressive. Fast and stable - so far. No issues to speak of at this point. We liked the 6120 in the end and so will you if you can live with it's looks. Manufacturer : Nokia Model : 6120 Network : Tri-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) HSDPA 3G 2100mhz OR 850Mhz (Aust only) Design : Standard Phone L105 x W46 x D15 mm Weight 90 grams Black/Silver Display/s : 24-bit colour TFT - 240 x 320 pixels Camera : Dual :Single 2MP Camera 320x240 forward facing Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GP Connectivity : Bluetooth, Infrared, USB Memory : 35 MB internal memory MicroSD memory Hot Swap Ring tones : Video, ACC, MP4, MP3, MIDI (64), WAV, Vibration, AMR Features : SMS, MMS, IM, EMAIL Animated themes only via Theme JAVA MIDP 2.0 Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 + xHTML) Speaker Phone/Hands free Media player FM Radio Speed : Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 10/10 Battery Life : 890mAh Li Ion BL-5B Claimed operating times: Standby 250 hours Voice 3 hours Price outright for 2008 A$499

  • Sony Ericsson K800i Review

    Sony Ericsson K800i

    The K800i has been around for a while so here’s what are the worst and best bits of this model.

    The K800i was Sony Ericsson’s halo model when it arrive in early 2006 about the same time as Nokia released the 6233. Although the price difference was some $300 these 2 models are clearly direct competitors. This phone was heavily promoted because it was the first with a fully featured 3.2MP camera and that it claimed top spec functionality.

    We believe that it was this handset that finally make people take notice of the brand when it was featured in the James Bond movie – Casino Royale. Before that Sony Ericsson was just another mobile phone maker. Certainly if you chart the released by SE prior to the k800i you’ll probably agree. Pity that SE didn’t take advantage of the momentum and they have fallen behind in technology stake compared to the market leader Nokia.

    Construction wise it’s made very well, panels aligning well. Unfortunately it has a joystick navigation instead of buttons which meant it didn’t well in heavy use and prone to damage. The camera cover on the back, although sturdy made it an awkward phone to hold. The keypad is on the small side due to the large frame around the screen. It is not helped by the need to press keys quite hard. The camera cover on the back is really high quality stuff but makes it hard to hold the phone.

    Other ergonomic issues include the number and location of button along the side and even top of the phone. If you don’t believe us try using it as an alarm clock. Which brings up another issue. It’s flight mode is crippling – you’d expect the alarm clock to work regardless of mode – it doesn’t!

    The phone’s operating system speed is excellent. Very fast to navigate to and activate its various functions. (Not taking the time it takes for the animated icons to complete their show into account – If we did it wouldn’t be as fast.) It’s key feature of the top spec digital camera was one of the best at the time, it does basically everything a normal but average digital camera can do. Pictures the camera produced were good but still not equivalent of a proper digital camera however excellent for a mobile phone. Speed of capture is also good when auto focus is turned off.

    Other surprises include the slowness of internet downloads. It took more time to load pages than all other 3G capable phones we tested. The fastest 3G phone are the LG models with or without HSDPA. We think its problem with the cache settings.

    As for network reception, the transceiver is on par with all other phones we’ve had to test except for the basic models naturally. In our fringe coverage area it pulls in a 3G signal most of the time. Call quality is very good too.

    In terms of customization Sony Ericsson still has to play catch up with Nokia. The majority want to customise all the buttons and their functions – the K800i simply doesn’t do it. For example SWF or flash wallpapers will not work on the phone. It only has one feature that we could call class leading, that being the ability to turn on or off Bluetooth via the selection of a profile.

    Sure you can find lots of themes for it over the Internet but it doesn’t solve the inability to change the button functionality. Speaking of which, like most Sony Ericsson modesl it comes with lots of software to play with including games and music ‘DJ’ software.

    Battery life on a 3G network is a little disappointing. With little use only 3 days, with heavy use, during game testing 2-3 hours. Mind you back at it’s release in 2006 it was quite acceptable.

    Conclusion

    Now that the K800i is the ‘standard’ phone for most operators it becomes a bench mark we use around here too! However it lacks customization features of other phones, it’s speaker is average and distorts at high volume. Ergonomics are questionable but speed is excellent. Also propriety connectors are old school.  Get over it SE and give us new micro USB standard. Otherwise it is a lovely phone.

    End Notes

    It’s hard not to compare the K800i with the Nokia 6233 because they are very similar in size and functionality. Although cheaper the 6233 has everything the K800i has, except for the forward facing camera and a 3.2 MP main camera. That said the K800i does look physically better than the 6233! The Sony Ericsson SMS system is actually better than the Nokia because of the on-screen notification system.

    If you can live without a mega pixel camera the Nokia 6233 betters the K800i by being the best sounding, stereo speaker mobile phone to date and virtually complete customization features. It also has less creaking panels.

    Manufacturer : Sony Ericsson
    Model : K800i
    Network : Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz)
    3G UTMS 2100 MHz (Aust only)
    384kbps download speed
    Design : Standard Phone
    L105 x W47 x D22 mm
    Weight 115 grams
    Black/Brown
    Display/s : 24-bit colour TFT – 240 x 320 pixels
    Camera : Single 3.2MP Camera auto-focus with Xenon Flash and 640×480 forward facing
    Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GP
    Connectivity : Bluetooth, Infrared, USB
    Memory : 6 MB internal memory
    MicroSD memory Hot Swap
    Ring tones : Video, ACC, MP4, MP3, MIDI (64), WAV, Vibration, AMR
    Features : SMS, MMS, IM, EMAIL
    JAVA MIDP 2.0
    Modem for PC
    Web browser (WAP 2.0 – xHTML)
    Speaker Phone/Hands free
    Media player
    FM Radio
    Speed : Vs Nokia 6230
    Navigation 10/10
    Battery Life : 900mAh Li Polymer
    Claimed operating times:
    Standby 350 hours
    Voice 7 hours
    Sample camera :

  • Nokia 6233 Review
    Welcome to the Nokia 6233 mobile phone review. This is classed as a business phone and labelled as the successor to the 6230i. We agree with this description as it has everything that a business person would want to use in 2006. However like its predecessors the amount of functionality available on the phone makes it desirable to more than just this group of people. This is another benchmark phone in our opinion but of course still not perfect. Overall a great phone does almost everything including 3G capabilities so what's good and wrong with it? Battery Life The battery life of this phone is very good but it comes with some conditions. Because it is a 3G phone if you are in a marginal area like we are, it spends a lot of time searching for the best signal, it clearly prefers 3G than GSM. Yes you can make it use only GSM or 3G if you want. One normal settings it will go for 4 days stand by in marginal areas. On GSM with a few SMS only it will go at least 7 days. Speed The phone is very fast. It activates all functions except JAVA based programs with minimal delay. The V3xx is ever so slightly faster. Works great for SMS. Construction. Nokia has put some effort in making this mobile look reasonably good. The plastics are better quality than its predecessors and phones lower in the model range. It has a metal surround which is a stand out compared to other brands. However it is a large and heavy phone in comparison to others. Tightly put together not creaking parts! That said one slight issue with the SIM card bracket - sturdy but with sharp edges. The keypad is sized for normal sized hands although the buttons are one the same shape or size. It has nice blue back lighting too! Button presses have a upmarket feel to them. Functionality The 6233 seemingly has everything you could ask for in a mobile phone. The most outstanding feature is the number of customisation options. Literally everything can be changed on the phone itself or with the assistance of freely available Nokia software. You name it you can change it menu icons, font colors, backgrounds, screen saver, tones, group profiles etc... Most of all we loved the timed profiles. This means you can have the phone mute itself over night and come back alive in the morning. Apart from customisition features it has everything you need, file manager, PTT, MMS SMS, IM, a variety of Nokia apps like world clock, presenter and and so forth. Games included Rally, Soduku and Snakes. The only thing missing which was a bit of a pain - you can't adjust the time-out of the backlighting. It only turns on for 10 secs - so you have to press a key to turn it back on. Since our version was a relatively early one we expect that this has been fixed in current version? Connectivity The 6233 has all the options available, USB, Bluetooth, infrared. MP3 and video/sound The sound quality coming from this phone is impressive for a mobile phone. Probably the best sound quality in any mobile. In fact it is now the benchmark that all phones here at hyp4mhz will be judged. Thanks to the beautiful screen videos look good and play without any jerkiness unless you're playing a jerky video of course. Web Browser The included browser is the generic Nokia version so it has all the usual features you could possibly want. Works well too on WAP or standard internet web pages. The camera/video/voice recorder It takes OK pictures for a mobile phone and has all the usual features for a camera phone. Features like brightness, various scenes modes light daylight, indoor outdoors, night mode, a timer, various effects like sepia m multiple picture size and quality etc.. Overall picture quality is a bit better than most average for a mobile. It doesn't produce sharp pictures and the colours bearly OK I still won't rival a normal digital camera. Voice recorder is a on the unresponsive side because we had to talk close tot he phone for decent play back volume. The screen The 6233 screen is clearly high quality. Nice sharp images, vibrant colors, bright back lighting but turns off way too fast. It can run flash screen savers too! Call quality and network reception Very good voice quality on both GSM and 3G networks. The quality of the loud speaker really helps. It can also do video calls but you have to turn the phone around which defeats the purpose of video calls. Mind you very few people make video calls so its not exactly something to complain about. Issues The most annoying thing about the phone is the backlighting timeout. It turns off really quickly and there is no way to adjust it. The 2nd issue is the small amount of internal memory only 6Mb available. It comes with 64Meg micro-SD card and supports up to 2Gig. Network All networks sell the phone in various colors. Summary The 6233 is the preferred phone around here for various reasons as detailed above. We like all the various functions. It has a ton of functionality, fast stable, reasonably good looking and so forth. It has something for everyone basically. The loudest and best sounding stereo mobile phone to date. We understand that Nokia has discontinued the 6233 in mid-2007 and we can understand why - its really good value and better than more expensive models in the Nokia range. Manufacturer : Nokia Model : 6233 (Series 40 3rd Ed FP 1) Network : Tri-band GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz) 3G UTMS 2100 MHz (Aust only) 384kbps download speed Design : Standard Phone L108 x W46.5 x D18 mm Weight 110 grams Black/Silver/White/Pink Display/s : 24-bit colour TFT - 240 x 320 pixels Camera : Single 2MP Camera Video capable MP4, WMV, 3GP Connectivity : Bluetooth, Infrared, USB Memory : 6 MB internal memory MicroSD memory Hot Swap Ring tones : Video, ACC, ACC+, eACC+, MP4, MP3, MIDI (64), WAV, XMF, Vibration, True Tones, AMR Features : SMS, MMS, IM, EMAIL Animated themes SWF or GIF standalone of theme JAVA MIDP 2.0 Push-To-Talk Modem for PC Web browser (WAP 2.0 - xHTML) Speaker Phone/Hands free Stereo speakers Media player FM Radio *See below for more details. Speed : Vs Nokia 6230 Navigation 9/10 Battery Life : 1400mAh Li Ion Claimed operating times: Standby 340 hours Voice 4 hours Sample camera : Price history $499 AUS 2006 $399 AUS 2007 $250-350 AUS 2008