18
Aug
2009
Samsung S9110. Back to the future
We like a good bit of retro action here, and the Samsung S9110 is giving us retro tingles aplenty. For the simple reason that two of the best ever things we owned here as kids were:
1.The calculator watch. Admittedly, thinking back, this might not have been the best thing ever – “kneel before me friends, for I can now multiply large numbers on my wrist” – but at the time it did seem pretty amazing. A calculator! On a watch! On your arm! Amazing…
2.The TV remote watch. Now, hitting the market as it did while we were in high school, this thing was a stroke of genius. As long as you had your little book of codes relating to which channel you need to set the thing to in relation to the brand of TV (or VHS player) you wanted to control, you were set. That meant that whenever a teacher wanted to show you a video, you were then in complete control, tucked just peeking out of your sleeve as this thing was. Interesting sex bit on a biology video? REWIND! Boring bit of chatter from some historian. MUTE! Absolute genius… Nearly caused many a teacher to have a breakdown.
And now, we have the Samsung S9110, arriving in little more than a few weeks, and we are very excited indeed. Fair enough, it might actually be kind of awkward to plug headphones into the thing, or to use the speakerphone function. In fact, we think beyond gimmick value there might not be all that much going here… but come on! It’s a watchphone! A watch, on a phone! Woooooo…
Check out this Samsung S9110 review for some slightly less teenage-giddy opinions, or just have a look at these Samsung S9110 deals instead.
8
Jul
2009
Samsung Pixon 12. Big feet don’t impress all the ladies
Imagine the scene: Cristiano Ronaldo steps up to that makeshift podium in the middle of Real Madrid’s stadium the other day, takes the microphone, and starts to tell the world how he is the greatest football player ever, how he is going to win the Champions League single-handedly, how he is worth every one of the many, many pennies they’ve spent on them and, this would be the interesting bit: he said he owes all his footballing prowess to the fact that he has really big feet…
It would seem a little odd, wouldn’t it. Him claiming that just because he has bigger feet than anyone else, it means he’s better at football than us all. And, odd as it sounds, that’s just what’s happening here with the Pixon 12. Because although the Samsung Pixon 12 is going to be an industry first – the first phone ever to be released with a 12 megapixel camera onboard, that doesn’t actually mean the camera’s going to be any good. The only thing it guarantees, in fact, is that the file sizes will be monstrously big (up to 18MB in some cases). We could go into the science of this but you’d be asleep faster than a reporter having to listen to what Ronaldo did actually say the other day, but trust us: more megapixels most definitely do not = better pictures. That’s not to say a camera with 1MP could be as good as a camera with 12MP, of course, but the key is to find the balance, to use the right amount of megapixels for the job. And something nagging inside us is screaming that 12MP is a whole bag full of too much for the tiny lens/receptor that this thing is carrying. Oh, and with the stupendous 150MB of onboard memory with the Samsung Pixon 12, you might also need to be upgrading after, oh, your first 8 pictures or so.
Anyway, check out this full Samsung Pixon 12 review for more specs, less diatribe, and have a look at this little video below too.
3
Jul
2009
Samsung Jet S8000. So square it’s hip
If there’s anything re-runs of TV shows like Happy Days taught us, it’s that being square is not the way to be. That square, in fact, was the opposite of cool. Well, that was then, this is now, and with the Samsung Jet ’s new TouchWiz interface, being square (or being cubed, at least) is now very much cool. This is because the new UI – designed by Samsung specifically for touchscreen use – is based around a floating cube that can be accessed by pressing the great looking button at the bottom front of the handset. The UI really does feel completely designed around you. Whether you want to jump to the FM radio, the video player, the internet or whatever else, it’s all available within a click and then a couple of spins of the cube.
As a mid-range phone (there’s no confirmed release date or pricing yet, but we have the feeling you could find yourself a real bargain for this thing once it’s released) the Samsung Jet S8000 is actually pretty well stocked. It might not have the sheer power and specs that the recently blogged about Omnia 2 has, but if you’re not someone who needs the absolute best and most powerful (and most expensive, of course) then this thing could be for you. Especially if you’re someone who likes the more fun / entertaining things a phone can do. The 5MP camera, for example has – deep breath – autofocus, dual LED Flash, Face Detection, Smile Shot, Panorama Shot, Blink Detection, Geo-tagging and a Photo Editor. Not bad, huh? Add to this some GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and everything else you’d expect these days, and the Samsung Jet starts to shape up as an impressive little performer.
And did we mention the fact that it’s also stunning? Well, it’s also stunning… this really is one of the sexiest phones we’ve seen in sometime. Something about the almost transparent glossiness and the feel of its curves makes us come over all shaky and in need of a cold shower. Hmmm… maybe we do spend too much time around phones. Who cares though, we’re proud to be square. Check out this Samsung Jet Review, or have a little look at this video for a sneek peek of what’s to come.
2
Jul
2009
Samsung Omnia 2 i8000. Bigger and better
Bigger is not always better. America has proved that with, well, with just about everything. Its people, its cars, its mortgages… But sometimes the mobile phone world can slip into the misguided belief that bigger is better, that all people want is function after gadget after gizmo after add-on after app. And sometimes they go to far. Long gone are the bricks of the earliest phones of course (don’t you just love when you see old films featuring them?) but some of today’s so-called smart phones are getting distinctly bricky again, despite what you thought we’d learnt.
The Samsung Omnia 2 is one of those phones. At nearly 12cm tall, this is no discreet pocket dweller. But, and it’s a big but, there’s a very good reason for this. It’s because the Samsung Omnia 2 I8000 has the biggest screen you’ve ever, ever, seen. Well, the biggest screen you’ve ever seen on a mobile phone. At 3.7” and 480 x 800 pixels it is an absolute monster of a screen. And where Samsung have come good is that they’ve not just made it big for the sake of bigness, they’ve made it of the highest quality to boot. Made using the AMOLED technology that they have now taken a pioneering lead in bringing to the mobile phone market, this super-high-end phone (with all the GPS, 3.5G, Wifi, 8.1MP camera and everything else you could hope for also included) is only 12mm. That’s 12mm… 1.2 cm… and it has a 3.7” screen! That’s like one of those size zero supermodels who get chased around by the paparazzi these days.
So, big isn’t always better, but something it can be mightily impressive. The Samsung Omnia 2 will be landing with a bang sometime in the next couple of months. In the meantime you can dribble over all the specs in this Samsung Omnia 2 review, or spend a little bit of time watching this video
30
Jun
2009
Samsung Omnia Lite B7300. Light, slight, bright
The Omnia range of phones from Samsung are all about everything. That is, about having the most, the best and then even more crammed into the handsets. The fastest internet connections, the largest memory, the longest talk time etc. Not surprising, really, given that ‘Omnia’ means everything. The Samsung Omnia Lite though is an attempt to take some of what’s best of the Omnia range, and deliver it in a more streamlined package. The cream from the top of the milk, if you like.
So while the Samsung Omnia Lite B7300 might not be delivering the very best of everything, it’s doing a very good job of delivering a lot for what should be – in smartphone terms at least – a reasonable rate. And thanks to the slimming down of some of the less vital features, the phone is also a hell of a lot less bulky than its older Omnia siblings. At only 13mm thick it will in fact be one of the slimmest smartphones on the market.
So what will you be getting for your money? Well, as you should expect, not the top end kind of specs you’d expect if you were paying top whack, but it’s also a not too shoddy line-up either:
- GPRS + EDGE + UMTS (3G) + HSDPA + WiFi data connectivity
- 3.0″ touchscreen with 240 x 400 pixels, 65k colours
- 3 megapixel camera
- TouchWiz 2.0
- 107 x 52 x 13mm
- 103 grams
- Bluetooth 2.0
- 250MB of internal memory, expandable with MicroSD to 32GB
- GPS
- FM radio
- OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
And that Windows Mobile 6.1 will be fully upgradeable to 6.5 if that hasn’t happened already by the time this thing ships. We think the Samsung Omnia Lite B7300 might make a lot of people very happy indeed, especially those who’ve been tempted by the Omnia range, but have shied away from paying the kinds of prices necessary for them. Read a full Samsung Omnia Lite review here for a load more specs and info.
30
Jun
2009
Samsung Omnia Pro B7610. Sneeze and you’ll miss it.
With a 5 megapixel camera, GPS, Bluetooth, wireless, slide-out QWERTY keyboard and not much else to write home about, you’d think the forthcoming Samsung Omnia Pro might get slightly lost in the market even if it was released now, let alone if it actually makes its supposed launch of October. (read a full Samsung Omnia Pro review here for more specs). However, one thing might just save it, and that’s it’s screen. So what’s so good about the touchscreen on this thing? Well, not only is it big, at 3.5”, but it’s also an AMOLED.
That’s right, AMOLED. No, we didn’t just sneeze as we were typing, AMOLED is a new type of screen that’s starting to be fitted to portable devices such as the Samsung Omnia Pro B7610. An acronym for active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (no, again, we didn’t just have a sneezing fit), all you need to worry about is that this will be one of the crispest, brightest displays you’ve ever seen. What about battery life? we hear you hollering. Well, the best thing about these types of screen is that they’re also low on power consumption, meaning you can use the full force of the screen to watch videos, surf the internet and so on without worrying about carrying your charger around with you. In’t technology brilliant?!
Whether this will all still be quite as impressive come the Samsung Omnia Pro B7610’s October launch we’re not quite sure, because brilliant as it is, technology also moves at a fair old pace and we fear that AMOLED might become yesterday’s news even before you’ve managed to remember what it stands for to impressive your mates. One more time: active-matrix organic light-emitting diode…
Check out this not-so-hot video that manages to not quite prove how good the screen is.
2
Jun
2009
Samsung Pixon 12 coming to a network near you
Samsung has announced that they will be releasing an upgraded version of their original Samsung Pixon and they have come up with the original name of the Samsung Pixon 12. So what is different between the original Pixon and the newer Pixon 12? Well, the number of megapixels that you get for your money is an obvious one. It seems that Samsung are going head to head with Sony Ericsson’s newly named Sony Ericsson Satio, originally named the Sony Ericsson Idou, in an attempt to keep pace with market demand. On a personal note I think I preferred the name Idou, but that is another post in itself. If we are to go on looks, for me the Satio wins hands down for me, it is an altogether slicker looking handset, assuming that the pictures we have seen are what the handset will actually look like when it is released later this year. If I am honest I would have thought that Samsung would have upgraded the looks of the Samsung Pixon 12 somewhat, as for me it does look a little outdated, but for those who are going on performance alone, I’m sure it will not disappoint. You can also be pretty sure that the Pixon 12 will be released before the Satio to ensure that all those people desperate for higher pixel levels opt for Samsung over Sony Ericsson. You can also be sure that the other manufacturers will be quick to follow suit with handsets with equal or greater numbers of megapixels for you to choose from. Personally I feel we have reached the peak in the megapixel debate. Other aspects are now far more important for me. I now want WiFi, HSDPA and even streaming TV. The introduction of the iplayer on certain handsets is a great feature to have on your phone in my opinion. So let’s see something more than just megapixels on our handsets…please?
23
Mar
2009
Samsung Omnia HD i8910
Among 4 mobile phone models which Samsung introduced at the Mobile World Conference 2009, is yet another successful model is the Omnia HD i8910. All the four models introduced by Samsung go high-end and therefore you can expect the best.
This eye-candy sports a 3.7inch massive display that catches everybody’s attention at once. The shiny black look and the unique design at the front that gives maximum space for the screen, sets it apart from any other mobile phone in the market. You are guaranteed with the best multimedia facilities. It supports media formats such as H.263, H.264, DivX and MPEG4 apart from the other common audio formats. There is also a TV out so you can call this the ultimate portable media player!
The marvelous 8megapixel camera is superb and records videos at a speed of 24fps and Omnia also provides some miscellaneous features such as subtitles, audio dubbing and video trimming. With the built in GPS receiver you can geo-tag photos, there’s also fast internet access with HSDPA and internal memory of 8GB/16GB extendable to 32GB with memory card. Samsung changed the operating system in the new Omnia to S60 5.0 as opposed to the Windows Mobile which was used in the original Omnia. check out this video
When Samsung Omnia i8910 is released in the 2nd quarter of 2009 there’s going to be a big demand for it. So if you want to be prepared, check out the Samsung Omnia HD i8910 contracts and deals where you can obtain special discounts and cheap charges. Samsung Omnia HD i8910 deals are used by a lot of users for they don’t need to worry about being financially burdened to buy one of the latest mobile phones. Samsung Omnia HD i8910 contracts are updated all the time so you’re guaranteed to get the latest offers. This is why Samsung mobile phone deals are very popular with the users.
For network specific deals, follow the links below:
Samsung Omnia HD on Orange
Samsung Omnia HD on O2
Samsung Omnia HD on T-Mobile
Samsung Omnia HD on Vodafone
Samsung Omnia HD on 3 Mobile
Samsung Omnia HD on Virgin
15
Dec
2008
A Closer Look at the Samsung U810 Renown
The brand new U810 Renown from Samsung is a very basic phone which is said to be too basic even for personal users. The phone is equipped with a 2 mega pixel camera and a media player. It is still unclear as to whether the UK version of the phone will be equipped with a GPS system like the US version. I’m afraid that if it isn’t it’ll be a very poorly equipped phone indeed. I’ve read a recent Samsung U810 Renown review and it seems as though I’m not the only one who feels this way. A lot of people have said that this phone is almost too basic for basic mobile phone users and the fact it is only available in brown is a bit odd to say the least.
I’ve also seen that the Samsung U810 Renown Vodafone phone is the best value for money at the moment. However, if you’re looking for Samsung U810 Renown contracts then I’d suggest you shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal. I’ve seen a lot of mobile deals available at the moment and I think a lot of people will be happy with their purchases over Christmas. It appears as though as Christmas approaches, deals on mobile phones are getting better.
Overall, the Samsung U810 is a nice phone and is designed well but in my opinion is just too basic. Also, the fact it is only available in one colour, and not a very nice colour, it’ll be interesting to see how it does in sales. I’ve seen a lot of Samsung U810 Renown videos and I think if you’re interested in this phone then you should definitely have a look at the features in the videos because they’ll give you a clearer idea of what this phone has to offer – and believe me, it’s not much.
14
Dec
2008
The Beautiful & High Spec Samsung Pixon M8800
The brand new Pixon M8800 is a great new phone which was released recently. The phone has a huge set of features which are very high quality and the handset itself is very stylish. The phone is equipped with an 8 mega pixel camera, a media player and high speed internet as well as GPS, Bluetooth, USB connections and of course a completely touch screen user interface. I’ve seen a recent Samsung Pixon review which seemed to suggest that this phone has everything you could ever need and I have to agree. There is simply nothing missing from this phone at all and I think it all works very well together.
I’ve also seen a lot of Samsung Pixon deals available and I think as we approach Christmas we’ll see a lot of mobile deals available at great prices and I think that people will definitely be able to get their hands on the mobile phone they want this year. I’ve also seen a lot of Samsung Pixon contracts available and I think a lot of people will be choosing that as an option for purchasing this phone. I’ve got to say, the Samsung Pixon appears to be one of the best phones ever and is certainly Samsung’s best ever phone.
Overall, the Samsung Pixon is an amazing phone with such a huge selection of features as well as a high quality and stylish design on the exterior. I’ve also seen a lot of Samsung Pixon M8800 videos and I think they’re all worth watching if you’re interested in this phone because they’ll give you a clearer idea of what the phone has to offer and it’ll give you a chance to see the phone in action before you buy it. All in all, the Samsung Pixon is an amazing phone and I’d highly recommend it to all personal mobile phone users.
