Funky and Functional: The Nokia C6
When it comes to entry level and mid range mobiles, there is no doubt that Nokia is still one of, if not the top performer in terms of market share. They have held this title for years and their ability and consistency in launching mobiles that are able to satisfy the needs of their consumers have allowed them to take a firm grip on the market for the longest time.
However, they have been struggling a bit in the Smartphone business. They are being toppled by the BlackBerry’s and the iPhone’s out there. One device that should be able to bridge the growing gap is the Nokia C6.
Style
One thing going for the C6 is that it definitely falls into the category of eye candy mobile. The device really looks good and exudes a type of appeal only a Nokia can deliver. It comes in two different colours – black and white – which are both equally charming.
The Nokia C6 has an impressive 3.2” touch screen display which makes use of the TFT resistive technology. The device also sports a QWERTY keyboard which slides out from the left side of the device (or the bottom once you rotate the mobile).
This added feature makes the Nokia C6 a bit on the bulky side with dimensions of 113 x 53 x 16.8 mm. The mobile has a total weight of 150 grams.
Substance
This mid range device has everything you’d need from a Smartphone. It supports 3G HSDPA as well as Wi-Fi internet connectivity. The operating system installed on the C6 is the same old Symbian OS (version 9.4) which is backed up by a 434 MHz ARM processor.
The Nokia C6’s built-in snapper is pretty impressive at 5 Megapixels. It also comes with an LED flash and features geo-tagging as well.
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Loading ...Recycling Your Old Mobile Phone
According to research, it was shown that the average lifespan of a regular mobile phone for any user is about two years. While this value may eventually change as technology improves, it is still a good estimate on how many handsets an average person will go through in a lifetime. With that said, the average adult would have already used about four to five mobile handsets since the time that the technology has become common.
So what happens to these old handsets?
For some, about one or two of these devices would have been lost, stolen or simply in any similar situation where the device would be completely irretrievable, but this still leaves a few more phones that are sitting around. And chances are, these phones literally are sitting around the house.
While selling off or trading in mobile phones are pretty common practices, some people just find the whole process too troublesome to go through, and a phone to valuable to toss into the garbage bin (though some will). But one way or another, all of these old handsets will eventually be joining in with so many other discarded, unused mobile phones that will fill up giant landfills.
It is estimated that about 450 million Pounds worth of mobile handsets are currently unused in the UK alone.
The best thing to do with old mobile phones is to have them sent in for recycling. While this may seem like a waste of time, it is effort well spent. Not only will these devices be given a second use (either as a refurbished unit or as a source for raw materials), but many recycling centers also give out cash incentives to people who bring in their mobile phones.
On a side note, people bringing in their handsets should check the history of their mobile phone to ensure that the device does not have a questionable background. Recycling centers have now focused on searching for stolen devices as well.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Google’s Android Sells More Mobile Phones
The smart phone industry has never been focused on operating systems like the way it is now. Currently, the platform war is being fought by three major sides, Google’s Android, RIM’s BlackBerry OS and the Apple iOS. As the end of the year approaches, much is expected from the upcoming Windows Phone 7 OS. The Nokia and Intel made MeeGo OS is not being considered by most critics, but it may add itself to the list if it proves to be surprisingly good.
Anyway, despite the impending challenges ahead for the OS, the Android is a pretty successful mobile platform. This year, the number of handsets running the operating system has sold more than three times the volume that it did last year. And this is more than just a sudden growth in overall smart phone sales; buyers actively seek out specific Android devices, this means that the OS’ sales growth is caused by its actual performance.
Recently, the OS has been updated to version 2.2 Froyo which brings better performance, new features and support for Adobe’s Flash Player 10.1. The update has been released for the Google branded Nexus One and will be released for other mobile phones later on. Google has also announced that the Android 3.0 Gingerbread will also be released later this year.
The current lineup of Android phones provides buyers with quite the array of choices. Of course, Google’s self branded Nexus One deserves to be put in the top of the list. But the HTC Desire and the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 come in at a very close second. Samsung’s i9000 Galaxy S certainly looks promising with its super AMOLED touch screen technology. Aside from the XPERIA, SE also has the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro which provide Android fans with mid range choices as well.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Data Roaming Charges Skyrocket for iPhone Users
It seems that Apple has placed in some functions on the iPhone that are leaving users with unexpectedly large bills due to data roaming charges.
A recent report indicates that iPhone users are the most susceptible to having large bills after leaving the country due to data roaming charges on the handset. According to the consumers, they have used the phone setting that would disable the data roaming function. Despite this, the Apple smart phone apparently was still able to use the function. As to what data was exactly gathered by the handset was, it is still unknown.
Smart phones are able to access the web automatically if the user permits it. Settings easily toggle web access for users and mostly, this is used for live status updates for social networking tools, incoming emails and application updates and other functions. However, due to the naturally high cost of data roaming charges, it is often advised that users turn off these features until they get back to the UK.
However, as stated above, local iPhone users who have spent time outside the country and have disabled the network function are still being charged high costs on their mobile phone bills.
The good thing for most people is that networks seem to be already aware of the problem and are willing to assist their subscribers. While bills will not automatically be recalculated for everyone, those who do step forward to discuss the issue would be happy to know that there are very few complications with having the excess amounts dropped or even refunded if the amount has already been paid (or in some cases, instead of a refund, a rebate).
It is interesting that there is no mobile network operator that seems interested in coming forward to discuss the issue openly with iPhone owning subscribers.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Android Market is Fragmented, Needs Work
While it is quite true that the Google Android operating system is indeed the most widely used smart phone mobile platform in the world, it is also the most fragmented (not counting the Symbian operating system of course).
The reason for this is due to the fact that so many handsets of different configurations are using the Android OS. Phones that come with varying touch screen sizes, display resolutions, internal memory, RAM, processor speeds and various other hardware configurations run Google’s open source mobile OS. This makes it hard to come up with a new version of the Android that would run on all mobile phones.
Add in the fact that the firmware updates that Google releases are different from operator specific updates that are compatible with users who are under a contract or tariff, and you have a mobile platform that needs some serious reworking.
Looking at this, it shows a bit of a reason as to why the previous Russian rumors about the 3.0 Gingerbread requiring strict hardware standards have popped up: because Google actually needs it. While it would be too much of a requirement for all Android devices to have 4 inch touch screens and 1GHz CPUs (as stated by the rumor), Google does need to set a new bar.
The hard part here is actually declaring some Android devices as incompatible with further updates. Which means that there will be phones stuck with running the older versions of the OS; it’s a big price to pay if Google wants to standardize the platform and help the OS’ market grow.
As it is, users of Android smart phones are taking a big gamble with each app purchase as some apps simply do not work on specific phone models –not Android OS versions. The lack of uniformity in the user experience for Android owners will have to be fixed is Google’s platform is to fully succeed.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Post Antennagate: Apple’s Low Stocks are Good
Apple, and Steve Jobs, may have the meanest reputations in the mobile phone industry, but there is no doubt in the sheer marketability of Apple’s devices. Considering how much Apple’s sales are continuing to increase, some are speculating that even if the iPhone 5 was made out of cardboard, it would still hit over 2 million unit sales in a week.
Joking aside, the sales performance of Apple has recently been released and it shows that the company is practically selling most of the handsets that they are making. In fact, Apple stated that the low stocks that retailers are complaining about are a good thing: it means that the devices are being sold faster than expected.
At this point, it is hard to believe any statement that comes directly from Apple –after all, they have stated that the antenna issue is not unique to the iPhone 4 and that other handsets have it too, with a straight face.
Tim Cool, the current chief operating officer for Apple has stated that the Cupertino based company is easily selling devices as they are being made. The demand for the device is up and they are ‘seeing fewer returns than the iPhone 3Gs’. Steve Jobs gave a similar statement last Friday; it seems that Apple’s new motto is to remind people that less iPhone 4 owners are taking up the return policy. This however, does not reflect the number of actual owners who are unhappy with their handsets.
At the same time, Apple has also stated that the shortages are not being done in order to create a buzz. And in this case, we believe Apple. There is no point trying to cause further publicity for devices and gadgets that are literally flying off the shelves. In fact, considering how bad things got after the antennagate conference ended, Apple should be selling every phone they can before people start wizening up.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Microsoft: People Do Not Want Multitasking
It is interesting to have a quick insight into the opinions that developers may have sometimes. And this is not one of those times.
There is nothing interesting about Microsoft’s senior product manager telling the world that multitasking is not what the end users want. While it is true that running multiple programs would slow down any mobile phone and plenty of importance is placed on the overall performance of the handset –that is a decision for a user to make.
But for the option to be taken away, Microsoft is obviously asking for trouble.
Apple has already been through a couple of years’ worth of fans and users demanding that multitasking be added to the iPhone OS. It may have taken them until just recently to relent, but in the end, they did. And this is because people want multitasking. Besides, no credible tech critic would put down a phone for slowing down when it is running several apps at once.
Microsoft’s fears about the performance have no basis, people running multiple apps know what they are doing. Of course, it would be nice if MS’ app handling allows users to easily shut down or simply place an app in the background instead.
Multitasking is not the only feature missing from Windows Phone 7. Cut and paste is also not present –making things a whole lot worse. Not only are these two features important, but it feels like Microsoft is planning to follow every single mistake that Apple made with the iPhone –instead of allowing recent tech history to give them a lesson.
For some strange reason, Microsoft’s tech teams have decided that they need to go through the issues firsthand before learning anything at all. Anyway, the new Windows Phone 7 OS is expected to be launched this coming September, a full month ahead of the originally announced October launch.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...RIM Takes Offense at Apple’s Presentation
We all know that Apple has been grasping at straws for quite some time. After all, they have been knee deep in problems for the past 22 days looking for a solution to the Apple iPhone 4 antenna issues.
Well, that is what Apple wants the world to believe anyway, but it is really difficult to accept that after more than three weeks worth of careful analysis and study, the most they can say is that they will be giving away free cases for Apple iPhone 4 users. That is not good, in fact, that is just downright silly –it should not take more than a couple of days for a company of that size and scale to state that they will be giving out bumpers for free.
In any case, it seems that the public is not the only ones with a beef with Apple, mobile phone manufacturer RIM is also quite unhappy with what happened last Friday night regarding the iPhone 4’s antenna issues.
Apparently, the demonstration showed off other mobile phones that “seemed” to have antenna problems. Actually, it is a well established fact that if held in unique ways, some mobile phones will lose signal. But the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is not going to drop a call just because it was held wrong –a user would need to intentionally position their hands around the antenna to block the call.
RIM’s co-CEOs are not too happy about the whole thing either. They stated that the demonstration is an insult to the long legacy that the BlackBerry brand has established and that they have been “designing industry-leading wireless data products” and have been “avoiding designs” similar to the iPhone 4’s antenna.
Of course, the big clincher in RIM’s reply would be this, “One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity”.
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Apple Calls for Conference After Stock Values Drop
According to a recent new article, Apple’s stock value has taken a dive after a magazine article wrote a scathing review about how Apple failed to fix the antenna issue that plagues the iPhone 4 and how they simply chose to ignore the hardware problem and simply release a small graphical update to the signal strength meter in order to distract the public from the real issue.
However, the antenna problem is all too real and far too prevalent to ignore. While it was easy to just shrug off the big yellow blobs that were on the new iPhone handsets (caused by the screen adhesive not drying properly) since the problem would actually fix itself after several days of using the handset, the antenna’s bad design still remains.
It is a commonly accepted fact that if a mobile phone is held in a certain way, it can be made to lose a couple or so bars of signal. This could mean having to hold the entire back of a device, holding it upside down, cupping the top and bottom with both palms and many other bizarre ways of holding a mobile phone. This however, is the very first instance that a handset would lose signal simply because the user is using the left hand –according to reports, holding up the device with the left hand to take a call is likely to place a finger on that part of the antenna that is exposed.
It was not surprising to know that Apple’s stock shares dropped after all of these were brought to public light. What was even worse was the fact that Apple refused to admit: that the only real solution to the problem is to initiate a recall of all handsets. Apple may have been proud of their extremely high sales, but a recall works against that: with over 1.7 million units out there, Apple will need to shell out almost a billion pounds to properly recall all the devices.
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