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Category: Operating System

  • Nokia 710 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2012 Nokia 710 review. The 710 is one the latest Windows OS based phones to hit the market in 2012 aimed at the mid-range and inevitably lower end of the smart phone market. At the time of writing this post (2012) the Nokia 710 phone's specifications in general are excellent for the current outright price of around $350 outright. (We purchased one for $270 in May) The construction is typical Nokia which means it looks and feels good in the hand despite being made of plastic. The rubberized rear cover is a great and useful touch. The 710 is not the best looking phone but to be honest everyone has some sort of protective case that changes the look of the phone for the worse usually. It also included some of the most useful hardware features missing from the latest phones like a replaceable battery an FM radio and a standard mini-USB slot for charging. In terms of hardware the 710 has all the latest connectivity options and sensors. However due to price it is missing a high end screen and resolution but it is a relatively cheap phone it is hard complain - especially more so when you realise the phone has a high end 1.4Ghz CPU! It is a bargain in this respect. The only flaw with the phone  is that is is missing at least a micro-SD card for memory expansion we believe it is a Windows hardware flaw - which is completely unacceptable. The other trade off for the high powered CPU is that its battery does not last very long. In terms of software the latest version of Windows Mobile (Mango) adds a number of features missing from the original version and closely matches the iPhone OS.  However both are still behind Nokia or superseded Symbian OS and Android. Symbian may have been harder to use but everything is already there. We think Android has a slight lead in terms of functionality but for the majority of phone users these functions would not be of use. Other features include XBox LIVE and of course Microsoft Office which includes compatibility over a number of levels.The availability of off-line GPS maps in the Drive App is selling point. The latest version of Windows Mobile 7.5 is impressive and smooth but spartan to look at. It has the functions that the majority of phone users will want except the key customisation options (and selling point) like those on Android and other Nokia phones.  The music player though still needs some work. The Windows App  store does not have many apps that are the equivalent of those in the Apple store that are certainly useful enough. However the key thing missing is being able to save files on the phone and NOT sharing it with the rest of the world. That said the requirement to store all your details on the Hotmail account is disturbing but convenient. The Nokia 710 is a very good phone for the price and definitely on our best buys list. As one of the few Windows phones you can't go wrong giving it a go.  That said, once it falls below the out right price of $300 price barrier and hit the $250 outright price you are looking at a sell out. Specifications
    • Nokia 710
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Penta or Tri-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 HSDPA 7.2 Mbps data speed (download) HSUPA 5.7 Mbps (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L119 x W62.5 x D12.5 mm
    • Weight 125.5 grams
    • Display/s 3.7 inch External 480 x 800
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • 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
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features Micro-SIM MS-Word, Excel and Powerpoint A-GPS Compass Accelerometer Windows Mobile Store for Apps Proximity Ambient Light Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 13000mAh battery Up to 400 hours Standby Up to 7.4 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Approx $350 AUS 2012 (Outright)

  • Nokia Asha 302 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia Asha 302 review. The new 2012 Nokia Asha 302 is part of a series of value for money feature phones that Nokia started releasing to the world in November 2011. The selling point is the mini QWERTY keypad as there aren't many high end keyboard based mobile phones any more, apart from Blackberrys. Nokia has discontinued the E series Symbian OS phones so the S40 based phones are the only keypads you can buy new. So if you've always wanted a Nokia E-series get one now before they disappear forever. The Asha 302 is priced as around $129 as a pre-paid package but less than $200 outright. In terms of construction the 302 is very good. For a cheap phone there's real metal surround and back plate! You should not need to buy additional 'fancy phone cases' to protect it. The keypad feels OK but not as good as the E series. We don't understand why Nokia simply didn't re-use the old parts since they were some of the best out there. The screen looks Ok for the price and the only thing missing was GPS functionality. In terms of use the Asha 302 feels like a quality mobile phone. The speed and responsiveness is great, all the features are there for texting, email, and web browsing in a low priced package. With Wi-Fi capability and the updated  web browser it works better that other 'cheap' mobile phones in the same price category and similar to the one in Symbian Belle. The final feature is the amazing battery life of any phone based on Nokia S40 interface - which equates to about 1 month left in standby mode. So far all the Android based qwerty phones we've tried have only been impressive due to cheap prices. These cheap phones may use the latest OS but their speed makes them impractical to use. The Asha 302 proves that you don't need Android or Symbian to be a genuinely useful and modern phone that can do everything and most of all have amazing battery life. Overall we liked the Asha 302 and only missed GPS functionality or an additional 'wow' factor. Apart from that it has all the key components and capabilities of a very good regular mobile phone. It is one of the best available in the price category. Specifications
    • Nokia Asha 302
    • Network Dual or Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (dependent on country) Tri or Quad-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (dependent on country) HSDPA 14.4 Mbps HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
    • Design QWERTY
    • L116.5 x W55.7 x D13.9 mm Weight 99 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320 Resistive touch screen
    • Camera 3.2MP Full focus
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU 1Ghz
    • Memory Up to 100MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 Music and Media player FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BL-5J 3.7V 1320mAh Up to 34 days Standby Up to 9 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $129 AUD November 2011 (Pre-paid only)

  • Nokia C2-03 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the Nokia C2-03 review. The Nokia C2-03 released in late 2011 is one of the new generation of dual SIM mobile phones from the company and targeted at developing countries that have a multitude of networks but mostly GSM networks that offer different plans and have borders with multiple countries with equally numerous networks. In these counties the C2-03 in one of the leading models however over here is definitely very cheap. The C2-03 besides being a dual-SIM phone it is also a touch screen in a slider phone design. It comes in a variety of colours and strangely the combination does work for people that are still texting and talking. The dual SIM setup also allows for live swapping of SIM cards without turn off.  Unfortunately features that are missing include the lack of 3G or Wi-Fi but it does include the latest Nokia Browser and Apps for the usual social networks. In terms of construction the  C2-03 is very made.  Sure it's plastic and looks designed in the early 2000 it still feels good with a reasonable heft and quality parts. The keypad is typical Nokia and the touch screen despite old tech looks good and scratch resistant.  Overall it should last for a few years. In terms of operation the C2 uses the latest version of the S40 operating system customised for touch screen and physical keypad. They work well together with minimal lag and little to complain about especially at this price point. The only issue is the limited frequency choices that the phone access to.  The user interface is old school Nokia and easy to find every function. The is yet another perfect phone for those only into talk and text there is nothing significant to complain about. Overall its another very good phone for the price and better made than the lessor known brands available.  There is nothing exceptional of the phone apart from the ability to use 2 SIM cards at the one time and the low price. However the main thing differing this model to the others is design and style which very few in the price category can match - at this point in time anyway. Specifications
    • Nokia C2-03
    • Network Quad-band GSM 900/1900 Dual SIM
    • Design Slider
    • L103 x W51.4 x D17 mm Weight 118 grams
    • Display/s 2.4 inch TFT 240 x 320
    • Camera 2MP
    • Video Camera 320 x 240 pixel main video camera 8FPS
    • Connectivity Bluetooth V2.1 Micro-USB
    • CPU xxxMhz
    • Memory Up to 10MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free 3.5mm AV/headset BP-5C 3.7V 1020mAh Up to 16 days Standby Up to 5 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $120 AUS mid-2010 (Pre-paid)

  • Telstra Tough 2 T54 Review

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

  • Garmin-ASUS Nuvifone A50 Review

    hyp4mhz
    Welcome to the 2010 Garmin Nuvifone A50 review. The Nuvifone A50 is our first ever Garmin mobile phone writeup so we had a significant play with the phone. Officially it is branded a Garmin-ASUS which makes it like Sony Ericsson which does sound more impressive. It is priced under $600 as an outright purchase which is a little expensive BUT you do get a proper GPS navigator! First impressions of the phone are good. Decent build quality, including the bright and simple to use menu system.  The Nuvifone A50 functionality is biased towards navigation more than mobile phone so the main menu has nice big icons for navigation and basic phone functions.  You also get the usual web browser, email, and a multitude of Apps that comes with the Android OS. The platform it runs on is customized version of Android 1.6 operating system, so you have access to additional Apps if you wanted to install them and combined with free map updates stored in the phone for the life of the phone which makes the whole package quite desirable. The menu system works really well and just as slick as other Android phones or the iPhone.  However most of the cool stuff that is standard on other Android's are hidden away but at least accessible. The Garmin navigation software on the Nuvifone has be updated to take advantage of mobile phone functionality so it looks like the traditional Garmin menu.  All the usual navigation features are there and it does works better than most App based navigation software you have to buy for other mobile phones. We think its probably the best navigation system you can get. Sure it has some quirks but there's plenty of substance. The phone system of the A50 works as well as any other phone. However in the end many won't get one because while it looks good it doesn't look that good and the mobile phone networks aren't making an effort to publicize its existence.  Maybe a price drop will help? We liked the Nuvifone A50 and so will you if you want one of the best GPS navigator/mobile phone experience available in 2010. Since the map data is on the phone you don't need a huge data plan either which makes the A50 as appealing as the Nokia E series or GPS biased phones. Specifications
    • Garmin-ASUS Nuvifone A50
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbits data speed (download)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L116 x W62.5 x D11.9 mm Weight 140 grams
    • Display/s 3.5 inch External TFT 320 x 480
    • Camera 3MP
    • Video Camera 640 x 480 pixel main video camera
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2
    • CPU 600Mhz
    • Memory 4 Gig on board Up to 256MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Compass Accelerometer JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1150mAh battery Up to 18 days Standby Up to 9 hours Talk Time
    • Price history Under $599 AUS 2010 (Outright)

  • HTC Desire Review
    Welcome to the 2010 HTC Desire review page. The Desire is the first Android 2.1 based mobile phone to be released and is the one of the most fully featured.  This is a top end phone which has functionality and usability that surpasses it primary competition notably the iPhone 4 but not the Samsung Galaxy S. First the good bits.  The user interface is fast and stable, it is pretty to look at and customizable.  The touch screen and apps work flawlessly and lag free.  The screen is a bright AMOLED and the colors are vibrant.  The Contacts and Organiser are fully featured and includes Word, Excel, Powerpoint and PDF readers/editors.  You may have to purchase them if you want to edit documents - depends who your network provider is. The Web Browser is likewise really good for a mobile phone and Flash capable. Construction wise the phone is well built and looks good.  In the hand the matte finish makes the phone look understated and easier to handle than other phones that use shiny plastic.  It is also surprisingly small.  Overall it does look and feel worth the money which is also surprisingly well priced.  We like the extra buttons on the Desire since the single button on the iPhone can break and once that goes it become useless - literally.  The optical track pad and touch screen work well together or separately. The bad bits where hard to find. If anything we can point out the average quality camera and video recorder. It is difficult to write about the HTC Desire because like the iPhone it can do everything you could want in a mobile phone in 2010.  We guess that it is the Apps that will make or break the Desire and any other Android based mobile phone.  Just remember to get a decent data plan with the phone. Overall the HTC Desire is a very good phone for those wanting all the communication options.  It does voice, text, Skye, email, IM, Facebook, Twitter everything with ease.  Perfect for those who want to stay in touch and can afford it (during the initial release phase).  It works fast and easy enough to use and most of all the interface is customizable. Specifications
    • HTC Desire
    • Network Quad-band GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Dual-band 3G 850/900/1900/2100 (Dependent on country) HSDPA 7.2 Mbits data speed (download) HSUPA 2 Mbits data speed (upload)
    • Design Touch screen
    • L119 x W60 x D11.9 mm Weight 135 grams
    • Display/s External 3.7 Inch TFT 480 x 800
    • Camera 5MP LED Flash
    • Video Camera 800 x 480 video camera 15FPS
    • Connectivity Wi-Fi Bluetooth V2.1
    • CPU 1000Mhz Snapdragon
    • Memory Up to 576MB available to user MicroSD up to 32Gig
    • Ring tones MIDI, MP3, Video, vibration and others
    • Features A-GPS Proximity Compass Accelerometer FM Radio JAVA Apps Music and Media player Organiser/Calender SMS, MMS, IM, Email JAVA MIDP 2.0 FM radio with RDS Speaker Phone/Hands free Li-Po 1400mAh battery Up to 360 hours Standby Up to 400 minutes Talk Time
    • Price history Under $759 AUS 2010 (Outright)