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Category: Operating System

  • 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)

  • Telstra Easy Smart (T809) Review

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    Welcome to the 2014 Telstra Easy Smart T809 mobile phone review. Based on our own hands on test and specifications the 'Easy Smart' is essentially an entry level Android based smartphone. The entry level phone market is filled with lots of Android OS based phones to choose from so unless a particular model has something unique it is not going to sell in large numbers. That said the Telstra Easy Smart is selling for $99 as a prepaid package which is not very much money - but is it worth buying even at this low price? In terms of construction the Easy Smart is a well made phone that looks OK. The materials and design is much like those of Nokia but clearly not quite as well designed. The oddest thing about the phone is the inset screen - it seems like there is a huge gap between the glass of screen and the actual surface. This  was common to all the units we look at and is a design issue rather than quality control. Apart from that obvious it is what you'd expect in a cheap phone in 2014 but other brands do much better for around the same money. Overall its a very normal looking smart phone. In terms of hardware specifications the Easy Smart has all the usual features that are one or two generations behind the latest with only a quite low powered dual core CPU with a older graphics GPU and a low resolution screen but it looks actually looks OK. The screen resolution may be low but the graphics were still clear without any of the fuzziness or blockiness of phones a few years ago. The camera pictures looked Ok on the phone... The 3G only radio means that it is quite slow compared to those with 4G and faster CPUs of course the price means it's OK. Note that the Easy Smart still has a limited number of frequencies for GSM and 3G radio so it won't work in every country you may visit. In terms of operation the Easy Smart is quite good. Overall smooth enough with the occasional pause as the radio downloads new data. Since we have the latest Sony Z Ultra with a 2.2Ghz processor and 4G to directly compare - this feels a little sluggish. However for the price the Easy Smart is quite acceptable. However once again - it may be psychological but the screen design makes it 'feel' laggy? Try it out your self first before buying we guess... There are now more than enough Apps to try on the Google Play store to cover any functionality that you may require your phone to do.  The ability to display live widgets with genuinely useful updates without wasting time running Apps helps this any other Android OS phone prove more useful on a daily basis. The Telstra Easy Smart T809 takes over from the entry level Telstra and ZTE models prior and as always, is an improvement. There are only a handful of branded mobile phones in this price range and none with these specifications are that cheap - yet. It will do everything you want just not as well as the phones priced a little higher. The Easy Smart is selling at a pre-paid price of $99 dollars so it is an OK sort of deal for what it is. However we think you should spend a little a more for something better and for your own longer term happiness. Specifications
    • Telstra Easy Smart (T809)
    • Network Tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 Mhz Tri-band 3G 850/2100
    • Design Touch screen
    • L126 x W64 x D12.4 mm
    • Weight 137 grams
    • Display/s 4 inch 480 x 800
    • Camera 2MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 640x 480 pixels
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU 1.3 Ghz Dual core (Cortex A7) Separate Graphic CPU (Mali)
    • 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 Proximity Ambient Light Accelerometer Google Play store Virtually any App for Android OS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1500 mAh battery Up to 300 hours Standby Up to 4 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $99 AUD March 2014 (Pre-paid)

  • Telstra Easy Discovery 4 (T4) Review

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    Welcome to the Telstra Easy Discovery 4 mobile phone review otherwise known as the T4, our first review for 2014. The Easy Touch Discovery 4 was released around Christmas 2013 and is a replacement for the Discovery 3. Like it's predecessor the T4 is a clam shell or flip phone with all the features for text messaging and phone calls. The Discovery 4 is usually  available on a plan or we believe can be purchased out right for approx  $189. Purchasing the Discovery 4 outright of course is not recommended as there are plenty of much better smartphones that can be purchased in the price range! The construction quality of the Easy Discovery 4 is actually very good despite being an entry level mobile phone. The flip mechanism and plastic panels fit tightly and it can even be described as stylish in terms of overall look! That said we think its just due the silver flat color and surround that give it a modern look. The keypad feels very good for traditional keypad and looks great. The case is larger than the older models but so to are the specifications for the internal hardware or circuitry. How the nice exterior will wear over time will be interesting to watch. It also looks better in real life than the pictures! The hardware inside the Telstra Easy Discovery 4 is essentially an upgrade to the T3. The T4 now features a new bigger and higher resolution screen and a noticeably larger external mono-LCD external screen. The 3MP seems to have improved image quality but that's not saying much. The Discovery 4 also has T-Mode or Tele Coil to prevent feedback on hearing aids. There is also the inclusion of GPS hardware that can provide GPS co-ordinates but no navigation software that we could find. The lack of 4G was also missed when using the basic browser. In terms of use the Discovery 4 is as basic as it gets although presented in a good looking higher definition TFT screen. All it's features are very easy to use, for txt, reading emails, MMS, and so forth. However with the small screen, it becomes tiresome to read but clearly that's not what this T4  is all about! The operating speed is good but the old school 3G data download speed is noticeably slow. To conclude the review of the Telstra Easy Discovery 4, we can say that Telstra has addressed almost all the issues we wrote about in the T3 review and can say that it would be a great but basic phone for non-tech older folk and those who want just a basic phone features. Believe it or not there are quite a few people out there on the street that still use these phones! It's also is a robbery deterrent since any would be thief simply wouldn't bother for obvious reasons. However there is still room for improvement! Include a 4G antenna for faster data speeds for download and upload, proper GPS navigation software and we believe the category killer, 4G wireless hotspot technology and you will have a truly desirable phone for the growing number of tablet users! In fact if this feature was included and it was actually advertised and explaining the hotspot feature would probably bring in a few more customers but until then the T4 does not have any unique selling points. So the Telstra Easy Discovery 4 is a decent entry level mobile phone but it's quite expensive. Specifications
    • Telstra Easy Discovery 4 (T4)
    • Network Dual-band 3G 850/2100 Mhz Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800 /1900 MHz
    • Design Flip L107 x W51.5 x D18.4 mm Weight 112.8 grams
    • Display/s Internal TFT 240 x 320 2.4 inch screen
    • Camera Dual cameras 3MP main camera 0.3MP video call camera LED flash!
    • Connectivity USB Bluetooth V2
    • Memory 120MB internal memory 32GB microSD
    • Ring tones MP3, MMF, MIDI, Vibration etc..
    • Features A-GPS FM Radio SMS, MMS, WAP, EMAIL MyWords predictive text JAVA MIDP 2.0 Speaker Phone/Hands free Hearing aid compatible Customizable backgrounds Picture Viewer Video calling Voice memos Calender and organizer 250 Hrs Standby, 180 Minutes Talk Time 900mAh Li-Po
    • Package contents XP/Vista Compatible PC suite Mac OSX Compatible software Personal hands free kit Travel charger USB cable User manual
    • Price history 2014 Approx $180 outright but usually Plan only.

  • Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Sony Xperia Z Ultra review. Although the Z Ultra has been reviewed a number of times else where we decided to add our own voice with this focused review. Furthermore we dumped the iPhone 5s and replaced it with the Xperia Z Ultra, yes we actually bought one. It was perfect for the portable tablet and phone we wanted. We BLOG too honestly to be given anything for any manufacturer to test so you can be assured that if a phone or gadget is good it really is! The Sony Xperia Z Ultra is currently priced at around $700 but can also be purchased on various plans as most other top end mobile phones. Since the Xperia Z Ultra is a very large phone so it can be quite awkward to hold and as a result we also added the new Sony SmartWatch 2 as an accessory. A review on the SmartWatch2 will follow this review - naturally. In terms of construction the Xperia Z Ultra is made of metal and glass. The fit is tight and sturdy meaning that its quite difficult to bend but not impossible as with any other phone. We have accidentally dropped the phone onto concrete from our pocket and there was no damage or scratches apart from a tiny scratch on the side,we'll be much more careful next time! As a result we can say that the screen can take some punishment. It meets IP55 and IP58 standards so it can be dropped in water or easily used when walking in the rain or desert without any damage. Just make sure the flaps for the power via mini-USB, microSD card and SIM tray are properly closed. We are also impressed with the glass as it seems to clean its self when put in our pocket! We are not joking. We do not have any sort of cover or screen protection on the phone. In terms of hardware the Sony Xperia Z Ultra packs what is currently the fastest quad core CPU but rated at 2.2 GHz and the latest graphics CPU Adreno 330 and 2 Gigs of RAM. Furthermore it CPU is rated higher than the original Z and more equal to the Z1. The Z Ultra also has the latest screen technology on the massive 6.4 inch 1080p screen which looks much more amazing compared to say the iPhone5. The end result is a smooth or slick navigation with fast app operation including the web browser.  MicroSD memory expansion means that you'll never really run our of space! The specs are completely top end except for the camera which doesn't even have a flash which is disappointing. Overall very well made surprisingly light and thin phone! In terms of use it has all the FACs things for Android OS but adds few things like standard lock screen widgets and  drop down shortcuts which make day to day use much easier. There are so many more customisation options on Android that it can get daunting but that said the iPhone too has the same problem. Overall its very fast and rock stable! The other reason for choosing the X Ultra was that when we considered the Samsung Note 3 we found that the Note 3 included too much software that makes it seem less responsive than the Xperia Z Ultra. Both are fantastic phones though. The only issue we have with the Xperia Z Ultra is the quality of the camera pictures. It does not produce results good enough for printing on a a large scale but adequate for the social networks like Instagram and Facebook. The missing flash is also disappointing considering the price. We guess it so that people would buy the normal Xperia Z1 for the better camera. The screen brightness also needs to be brighter for use in direct sunlight. The Xperia Z Ultra battery life has extended after charging it a few times including draining the battery completely for calibration. The Xperia should last a day for frequent use or 2 days under normal its use with WiFi and Bluetooth turned on. Due to the large screen it does chew through quite a bit of battery life when in use but the quality is top end HD (it's not perfect though) only the Nokia 1020 screen is noticeably better a first glance. The Xperia Z Ultra is definitely on the limits of what can be called a mobile phone due to physical size. However despite its size it is amazingly light and solid to hold. Normal sized humans can use the phone quite easily and even one handed since you can customize the keypad to left or right small hand layout orientation! Yes - those who claim to have reviewed the phone clearly missed this feature or haven't really used one which is not a surprise! Overall the Z Ultra is very easy to use due to the large touch screen. The SWYPE keypad and superior spellchecker also help convince us that this phone was the right choice. Holding the Z Ultra  to your ear initially can be odd due to size but after getting used to the size it becomes second nature. Earphone sound quality is excellent likewise reception but loud speaker quality could be louder and better. Not too bad considering that the phone is essentially fully sealed unit due to being water resistant! Overall the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is an excellent phone with all the benefits and issues with Android based phones. However due to large size it is on the limit of what can be called a mobile phone! If you where a tall or larger guy or girl it would look much better than a dainty little phone. Of course you can go for the smaller 5 inch Xperia Z1 which has the better camera and easier to handle size. Else if you wanted a tablet and phone than the Z Ultra is a perfect compromise! Just don't buy it for the camera. We liked it enough due to its overall features and currently 100% satisfied it will be hard going back to a small screen phone. That said if we where to consider a replacement it would need to have a IR blaster, a better camera and flash, louder speaker and a few flashy lights wouldn't go astray either! Specifications
    • Sony Xperia Z Ultra
    • Network GSM All frequencies 3G All frequencies 4G/LTE All frequencies
    • Design Touch screen
    • L79.4 x W92.2.6 x D6.5 mm
    • Weight 210 grams
    • Display 6.4 inch 1080 x 1920 Trilluminos
    • Camera 8MP auto-focus 2nd forward facing video call camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 1080p high definition 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU Quad core 2.2 Ghz Krait 800 Graphics Andreno 330
    • Memory 2Gig RAM Approx 12Gig for user Up to 64Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS Gyroscope, Compass, Accelerometer, Proximity Ambient Light Dolby Digital Music and Media player Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others 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 3050 mAh battery Up to 800 hours Standby Up to 11 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $700UD late 2013 (Outright)

  • Nokia Lumia 925 Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Nokia Lumia 925 review. The Lumia 925 running Windows Phone 8 at the start of 2013 was the former top end of  Nokia's Windows phone line up designed to compete directly with Samsung S4 and the iPhone 5. Of course this is all history now since Microsoft bought the phone division off Nokia then Apple released the Less than impressive iPhone 5S and Nokia presumably released its last ever range topping smart phone the Lumia 1020 with the world's best camera on a phone. The 925 is now available on various plans and outright purchase for around $500. In terms of design the Lumia 925 is more conventional than other Nokia phone's. It's basically a alloy frame sandwiched between glass front and plastic rear. Unfortunately it is definitely not elegant or stylish compared to other Nokia's but it is very well made. In fact we prefer the plastic or polymer case on other Nokia's of late as it's feels different yet quality and hard wearing that you don't really need as case for protection. The glass touch panel is 'Gorilla' so scratched are hard to come by in normal usage. In terms of hardware, the Lumia 925 is high end and one of the best specs for a Windows Phone 8 that you can get at the moment. Mind you like the iPhone it doesn't need the latest quad core CPU to work smoothly. Unfortunately there are 2 keep features missing from a phone of this class, they are expandable memory and the ability to change batteries on the go. The 4.5 inch screen is a good size in late 2013 and the screen resolution and colors are  excellent. If you see the specifications below, the 925 will work with any network available so not point in being to geek like about it! The camera is also slightly better than any other smartphone to date except for the Lumia 1020 naturally... In terms of software the Lumia 925 has all the key benefits and shortfalls that any Windows Phone 8 based phone. However Nokia have added their own touches that addresses any issues for example, free music streaming, downloadable GPS map data, decent internet browser and so forth. More 3rd party Apps will come in time. We still don't like the requirement to have a a Outlook email address before the Calendar and other functions will work. Sure it is required for every Android and iPhone these days for very good reasons but we don't like it. If you don't mind using Windows Phone 8 you'll be very happy with the Lumia 925. It is a great smart phone all round and better than any other Windows phone at the time of this post anyway (November 2013) but can't help thinking it should be a little cheaper, only because it is an all rounder and no key selling point - which may by the ultimate purpose of the phone? Specifications
    • Nokia Lumia 925
    • Network Quad-band GSM (all of them) Penta-band 3G (all of them) Penta-band 4G LTE (all of them) HSDPA Very fast - dependent on phone company HSUPA Very fast - dependent on phone company
    • Design Touch screen
    • L129 x W70.6 x D8.5 mm
    • Weight 139 grams
    • Display/s 4.5 inch External 1280 x 768
    • Camera 8MP
    • Video Camera 1080p HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4
    • CPU 1.5 Ghz Dual-Core
    • Memory Up to 16 Gig on board No expandable memory
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features Micro-SIM MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint A-GPS Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light Windows Mobile Store for Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2000mAh battery Up to 450 hours Standby Up to 18 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $500 AUS November 2013 (Outright)

  • Telstra Dave 4G T83 Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Telstra DAVE (T83) mobile phone review. Released in October 2013 this model is the first ruggedized touch screen smart phone offered by Telstra. Prior rugged phones have been designed based on the push button and candy bar style. Admittedly this old fashioned design does work better for those using the phone outdoors since it's easier to use with dirty or wet hands than a touch screen. However the outdoor types these days want more features which the traditional candy bar format just can't offer hence the new touch screen! The Telstra DAVE is available on a plan and can be purchased outright for around $390(recommended retail). Note that the biggest problem with the Dave is that it has limited phone network and 3G/4G frequencies meaning that it is really on useful on the Telstra network in Australia and not if you want to use it overseas. Note the ZTE have a similar if not exactly the same model called the ZTE G601U.  Also before you buy make sure you check its competitors. The Telstra Dave is not an Easytouch 4G or Frontier in a different body, since the DAVE has different CPU and slots. However whether these are the only changes is debateable unless you break open the case and compare. Furthermore it is based on Andriod OS and there's not much to differentiate the Telstra Dave from any other Telstra branded ZTE based smart phone. The name 'DAVE' is an interesting choice being based on a guys name in many parts of the world. It would be pity if you know a 'Dave' that you don't particularly like... In terms of construction and hardware the Telstra Dave has a reasonably fast CPU and graphics with all the usual sensors. The screen resolution is average likewise the camera and other 'entertainment' hardware. The resolution is Ok despite being 480x800 so it wasn't blurry or anything like the cheaper Android phones. Considering that the Dave is currently only available on a plan we expected and you should demand higher specifications. Regardless the body of  Telstar DAVE is the coolest part of the phone. Clearly it is made from toughened plastic with some metal screws on the back to highlight its toughness. We think the screws are only for show since the SIM card, power and expansion slots only have tabbed plastic covers. The Telstra Dave is easy enough to hold and feels solid with no creaks but the feel of the plastic is a little on the toy side of things especially with some sharper edges. It honestly looks like a phone with a rugged 3rd party case like the Otterbox... However overall not too bad but not as good as say the Casio G Z'one.  Check out the Nokia 625 for an example on how plastics should feel!. In terms of software the Telstra Dave is pretty good, being sold with the latest Android OS. The OS does not depart from standard Andriod OS very much with a few customised widgets and mostly smooth in operation. We didn't encounter and serious pauses. There's not much point going on about it since you can install the thousands of Apps for the Google Play store to fill in the missing functionality gaps. Overall the Telstra Dave 4G T83 is a decent mid range-ish smartphone wrapped up in a cool new case.  There are other 'rugged'  mobile phones with better specifications out there and the one that comes to mind is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active which is noticeably better than the Dave but quite expensive. Since both phones can be bought on mobile phone plans for the same amount of monthly payments the obvious choice is not the Telstra Dave but the Samsung... Update: Check out the very similar Aspera R5 if you are after this style of smartphone. Specifications
    • Telstra DAVE 4G T83 Review
    • Network Dual-band GSM 900/1800 Mhz Tri-band 3G 850/2100 Mhz 4G or LTE 1800 / 2600 Mhz
    • Design Touch screen
    • L128.4 x W66.1 x D12.1 mm
    • Weight 160 grams
    • Display/s 3.5 inch 480 x 800 pixel
    • Camera 5MP Video Camera 640x 720 pixels @ 30fps
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU 1.2 Ghz Dual core Snapdragon Separate Adreno 305 Graphic CPU
    • 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 AndroidApp store FM Radio Compass Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass and Ambient Light Music and Media player MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF, ZIP compatible Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2500 mAh battery Up to 375 hours Standby Up to 8 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $N/A AUD October 2013 (Plan Only) Approx $390 November 2013 (Outright)

  • Nokia Lumia 625 Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Nokia Lumia 625 review. The Lumia 625 released in mid 2013 is the latest Windows OS based phones designed to complete with the low end of the mobile phone market. It also happens to be one of the last from Nokia, now that Microsoft have bought the company. The Recommend retail price of the Lumia 625 is $365 but you can easily find it priced nearer $300 and as low as $199 as part of a pre-paid package. At this of price in 2013 there are very few phones that approach it in terms of functionality and value for money! In terms of construction the Lumia 625 has a soft tactile plastic changeable back and a gorilla glass screen. Thanks to the removable covers it means that you don't really need to purchase a phone case for it. It is durable and dropping the phone is unlikely to damage it. It is solid to hold and not overly big or small. It's actually quite classy compared to any Samsung model and easily more expensive looking and feeling the the iPhone 5c. In terms of hardware specifications the Lumia 625 has a lot of up to date features but at this price point misses out on the best components. The 4.7 inch screen is large and very clear despite only having 480 x 800 pixels is genuinely a good thing, it is not the fuzzy experience you get on Android based phones of similar pricing. Sure the screen resolution be be better especially when you compare it side by side against the 925 series but that's twice the price so for 2013 no complaints against the 625. Ignore the other reports that it is sub-par screen because clearly they haven't used one. The camera, A-GPS, microSD memory slot, FM radio, camera are perfectly acceptable at this price point in 2013. The bonus of extra fast 4G or LTE download speed capability is also an amazing inclusion - at this price. Nokia truly knows its hardware and pricing - pity about the it's previous corporate short sightedness. In terms of use the Windows 8 based Lumia 625 is very slick. The menu navigation is smooth, the apps run pretty quickly in fact there is nothing to really complain about at this price point. It is better than virtually any Android based smart phone around this price. Any complaints can be solely leveled at the various issues with Windows 8 rather than Nokia's implementation. Sure there needs to be more Apps but the competitors store didn't get built in a day either!  Of note and as always is the free Nokia Drive and Maps which allows you to download maps and data for any country and use it as a without using data and as a stand alone navigator for free is a excellent incentive. We liked the Lumia 625 and purchased one as a reference model. It's a great package for the average user who wants an easy to use large screen phone for calls, emails, texts, Skype and the odd game of solitaire. By our own experiences the strangely popular jewel matching games that the vast majority play on the train to work really well on the large screen. Surprisingly, thanks to the smaller viewing angle keeps what we're doing more private than any other mobile phone we've tried to date and yet offering very good image quality! The Lumia 625 is fast and has enough features for the majority of phone users and well worth a look if you want a new mobile phone purchased outright. It is also better than the smaller Lumia 520, one of favorite budget smart phones. In the end the only thing annoying about the phone  was the side located power switch and the separate camera button. Both buttons are convenient but you end up pressing them accidently all the time which is annoying. So if you can live with that you have a truly great value mobile phone the Nokia 625 is the model to get. Specifications
    • Nokia Lumia 625
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Dependent on network) Tri-band 3G 850/900/2100 (Dependent on network) Dual Band LTE 800/1800/2600 (Dependent on network)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L133.3 x W72.3 x D9.2 mm
    • Weight 159 grams
    • Display/s 4.7 inch External 480 x 800
    • Camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V4
    • CPU 1.2 Ghz
    • Memory Up to 8 Gig on board Up to 64GB MicroSD
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features Micro-SIM MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint A-GPS Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light Windows Mobile Store for Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 2000mAh battery Up to 550 hours Standby Up to 24 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx Less than $300 AUS November 2013 (Outright)

  • Huawei Ascend Mate Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Huawei Ascend Mate review. Released in early-2013 this is the highest spec mobile phone we've seen from the company. The Ascend comes with a quad core CPU along with a bright 6.1 inch screen and hence competes with the Galaxy Note II for your dollars.  However Hauwei Ascend Mate has a killer low price outright purchase price of less than $400 which makes it very tempting! In fact we declare the Ascend mate the best value outright mobile phone you can buy at time of this review! In terms of construction the Huawei Ascend is nothing special but it is well put together. It's straight edges and solid plastic means it looks business like rather than bargain basement or cheap. The rubberised back and assumed Gorilla glass screen lifts the look feel.  In terms of internal hardware the Ascend packs the industry standard sensors. The best part is the usefully large 6.1 screen only those who have really bad eyesight will need glass to read. In terms of use the Ascend Mate is smooth 99% of the time as per any Android based phone. We didn't spot any customised widgets but there did not appear to be any obvious additional modifications or apps to write about. Huawei claims to have implemented their only menu system which can be seen in the selection of icons and short cuts. The inclusion of a fully functioning Word, Excel and Powerpoint editor helps too! The nearest competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Note II which is a great phone and still out specs the Huawei but it's also over $100 more. We don't think the price difference is worth it since you would not notice any speed difference! If you where comparing it against the older Galaxy S3 this would probbaly be a closer match bar the much nigger screen. In the end after testing so many Andriod based phones there are very few models that inspire us to do a write up, so thankfully the low priced large screen Ascend Mate was a revelation. All that said Nokia is leading a resurgence in it Windows 8 phones which are just as good as any iPhone or Android it just doesn't have an App store to match and the Nokia still does not have a 6.1 inch screen. If you want the cheapest big screen mobile phone on the market in mid 2013 without sacrificing much then the Huawei Ascend Mate is the phone to get - easily. Side note: Andriod OS development is progressing along very nciely and approaching genuine desktop OS status even though it is for tablets and mobile phones - watch out Microsoft. Unfortunately the only issue for all Huawei phones is the lingering doubt as to weather it has hidden tech that the military in China can use for whatever purpose. Since the phone has a customised CPU one can wonder what else they have customised. (Nokia managed to hide an FM radio in their Windows phone afterall.) Since Hauwei has reportedly direct  links with China's top military hence politicians in a 'opaque' way does not help its corporate image. Lack of corporate transparency in 2013 does not help the brand image no matter how good the tech is!  regardless this doesn't really bother us since all governments spy on us anyway as proven by Wikileaks and other individuals. We lost privacy once the Internet became commercialised! So don't let that stop you from buying one. What really annoys all of us is stupidity of the patent wars in particular Apple's patent on bouncing screens and shock - curved rectangles. The fact that you can actually patent them is also pathetically sad and shows the complete lack of common sense in the legal system and points to greedy lawyers and excessive corporate greed especially by Apple - more than anything else. By all means protect your overall designs but customers are not stupid and want choice and fair prices. (We love Apple products by the way - just don't like how they've become evil Corporates.) Specifications
    • Hauwei Ascend Mate
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100
    • Design Touch screen
    • L163.5 x W85.7 x D9.9 mm
    • Weight 198 grams
    • Display/s 6.1 inch 1,280 x 720 AMOLED
    • Camera 8MP auto-focus LED Flash 2nd forward facing video call camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 1080p high definition 30FPS main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V3
    • CPU 1.5 Ghz Quad core Separate Graphic CPU
    • Memory 1Gig RAM Up to 8Gig for user Up to 64Gig micro-SD expansion
    • Features A-GPS, Compass, Proximeter,Gyroscope, Accelerometer FM Radio with RDS Ring tones: MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others AndroidApp store Samsung App store Free Google Navigator (requires data plan) 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 4050 mAh battery Up to N/A hours Standby Up to N/A hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $400 AUD August 2013 (Outright)

  • Nokia Lumia 520 Review

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    Welcome to the 2013 Nokia Lumia 520 review. The 520 is the latest Windows OS based phones designed to complete with the low end of the mobile phone market. The Recommend retail price of the Lumia 520 is $229 but you can easily find it priced under $200 and as low as $169 as part of a pre-paid package. At this of price in 2013 there are no other phones that approach it in terms of functionality and options - read on for the reasons why! In terms of construction the 520 is very well made despite being made of plastic. I think its the matt and soft touch surface that lifts the quality feel of the phone. You can also change the color of the entire rear panel! The 520 feel better in the hand than any other phone in this price range - easily. In terms of hardware specifications the main thing missing from the Lumia 520 is a camera flash but it does come with a specific camera button on the side. The screen size and quality is excellent for a phone in this price range. The CPU is a dual core 1 Ghz but since Windows doesn't use much power AKA like the iPhone it is more than adequate. All the usual senors are present along with a slot for microSD card and standard battery life. In terms of use the Windows interface can be described as boring but it is very smooth, responsive and does everything you could reasonably want. It is certainly as good as Android phones and more responsive than even the iphone. All the functions are easy to find and quick to access including one of the best GPS navigation software on any platform, Xbox, Music  subscription services and MS Office - Word, Excel and Powerpoint editing capability. The Web browser is also one of the quickest on a phone. However as with all Windows phones at the moment there are a relatively small number of  3rd party Apps to choose from. If you don't mind using Windows 8 for mobile phones you'll be very happy with the Lumia 520. There's nothing else like with the same functionality for the under $200 price, which can only drop. Only the characteristics of Windows 8 for phones will annoy but we're sure Microsoft will fix them over time. In the end we highly recommend the Lumia 520 it is a very good phone on a budget. Specifications
    • Nokia Lumina 520
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Dependent on network) Penta or Tri-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on network) HSDPA 7.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 5.7 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L119.9 x W64 x D9.9 mm
    • Weight 124 grams
    • Display/s 4 inch External 480 x 800
    • Camera 5MP
    • Video Camera 720 HD pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2.1
    • CPU 1.4 Ghz
    • Memory Up to 8 Gig on board Up to 32GB MicroSD
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features Micro-SIM MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint A-GPS Accelerometer, Proximity, Ambient Light Windows Mobile Store for Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 13000mAh battery Up to 360 hours Standby Up to 14.8 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $200 AUS 2013 (Outright)