4
Jun
2010
Quick List of Upcoming Androids
Google’s Android operating system is currently the most talked about mobile platform. With the announcement of version 2.2 Froyo at the recent Google I/O conference, we got to see the amazing new features, speed improvements and even Flash compatibility on this open source OS.
The only thing now is actually buying an Android smart phone that tickles our fancy, and with the current choices available from HTC, Sony and more, there is certainly a lot to be happy about. But if none of these existing devices excite you, then you might want to read about upcoming Android smart phones and see if on suits your tastes.
The first big name on the list is the Dell Streak. It is already coming out at the end of the week so for any upcoming phone listings, this entry offers the least amount of waiting. Still, there is much more to the Streak than just an early release date, it runs on a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU, has a 5 mega pixel camera and a whopping 5 inch capacitive touch screen display.
But if going big is not your thing, then you might want to size down with Sony Ericsson’s X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro. Both of these smart phones come with a neat little 2.55 inch TFT touch screen display and a decent 600MHz CPU. The Pro comes with an extra treat: a slide out QWERTY keyboard perfect for those who love typing on their phones.
Speaking of Sony Ericsson, the Japanese Swedish joint venture has let it known that they have another Android smart phone coming soon and the next one will be using their impressive Walkman technology. We’re expecting a device that is about the size of the X10 Minis, but with a little more hardware power under the hood.
17
Sep
2009
Sony Ericsson Jalou. Sloth
Ah, when oh when will they ever (ever) [ever] learn. Phones and high fashion do not mix. As though previous failures – LG + Prada, Samsung + Armani, Motorola + Dolce & Gabbana’s hideous gold RAZR – haven’t been enough to convince them, Sony Ericsson are now blundering into this dangerous territory with the Sony Ericsson Jalou.
So, before telling you what we think of the Sony Ericsson Jalou, why is it that we can confidently state that high fashion and small mobile communication devices don’t mix? Well, easy.
1.High fashion is about producing very low numbers of products (normally just one) using the very highest quality materials… Mobile phones are made in their millions. Out of plastic
2.Fashion’s dresses are worn by the most beautiful people in the world… Most people who buy phones are called Sharon and live in Essex
3.People who design clothes for the best labels are paid millions because they are truly, exceptionally talented… People who design phones aren’t, because they’re noticeable
We could go on, but that’s a point proved, we reckon. It’s not that the Jalou is all that a bad phone when it comes down to it. It’s average in terms of what going on inside, and is nice and dinky (have a little look at this Sony Ericsson Jalou review for a full run down of what’s on offer). It’s just that it’s so… well… so darned ugly. Like really, actually, truly, utterly hideous. It’s like if someone, for a laugh, decided to let Sloth from the Goonies onto a catwalk dressed in a fancy outfit and shouted, “look, look everyone, he’s amazing, he’s so gorgeous.” And everyone would point and laugh. But no matter how much the pointer shouted, no one would ever believe that he was gorgeous.
So there we have it. The Sony Ericsson Jalou = Sloth from the Goonies, in a dress. You heard it here first.
18
Aug
2009
Grab an August bargain of a mobile phone contract
After all the bad news that we’ve been hearing recently regarding the economy, falling house prices, bad weather and the rest, we thought it was high time we cheered you folks up by hunting out some mobile phone bargains for you to take a look at. If you are thinking about taking out a new contract in the near future then why check out some of these bargains that we have found for you. We have chosen the best handsets that we could find and paired them with the best tariffs. So let us know what you think.
1) Nokia 5530 deals – This one comes top simply because you can get for a steal on an 18 month contract. £20.29 per month gets you 600 minutes and unlimited texts. If you compare that to number 2 on this list, you will see how much of a good deal this actually is.
2) Nokia N97 deals – The same tariff for the Nokia N97 will set you back £40.00 per month on Vodafone. However this is a serious bit of kit, packing in a QWERTY keyboard and a touch screen, as well as more memory than is in my brain. If you can afford, go for it.
3) Samsung Jet deals – The Samsung Jet is one of the most underrated phones in my opinion. It is built on the Android platform and although I was sceptical at first, I truly feel that this will be the OS of choice in 3 years time. It’s also fantastic value. For £21.20 per month you get 400 minutes and 3000 texts, which is enough for the average user. It has some really great features too.
4) HTC Hero deals – Yep I’m going for another Android phone, because I love them. This is better than the Jet, but a little more expensive. No QWERTY keyboard though (like the Jet). You can get this one for £25.28 per month on the same tariff as the Jet
5) Blackberry 8520 deals – A bright screen and nicer buttons mean that the 8520 makes it into our hall of fame. I also couldn’t help but notice the rather tasty £170 automatic cashback available on O2. Perhaps this one deserves notching up a place or two, what do you think?
6) Nokia N86 deals – The long awaited phone from Nokia builds on the gaming performance of the N85. My pick is the Vodafone 600 minutes unlimited texts at £35.00 per month. An overlooked handset in my opinion.
7) Sony Ericsson W995 deals – great camera, even better music features, is there a better Sony Ericsson mobile phone out there at the moment? Both our heart and head is saying no, and for only a snip over £21.00 per month on T-Mobile, you have to consider this handset as a possibility.
LG Crystal deals – Ok it is a little bit more expensive than some of the other phones, with a few less features, but it does look seriously cool. You can expect to pay £30 per month for this one though and for that reason it comes in at number 8 on our hotlist of August contract phones
12
Aug
2009
Sony Ericsson Xperia X3. Googledocious
Googletastic, Googlicious, Googliful… All are words that pop into our head when we think about Android phones. All are words that Google themselves would absolutely hate to see used (seeing as how they even tried to ban journalists from using the term ‘Googling’ to describe the practise of using their search engine), but we just can’t help ourselves. Because Android rocks our world. It’s quite simply the best thing to happen to phones since, well, they became mobile.
If, like us, you use Google Mail, Google Search and Google Maps countless times a day, just imagine having a phone that’s set up to be fully integrated with them all. Even if you use just a couple or even just one of their products or services, having that available on your phone in a totally seamless way should make you as giddy with excitement as it does us. The only problem so far is that most Android phones to date have been… well… downright ugmos. Step forward the Sony Ericsson Xperia X3. Because if there’s one thing that Sony Ericsson do well, it’s make phones that are sexy. And the Sony Ericsson xperia X3, with it’s 4 inch touchscreen, 8MP camera and all that lovely shininess that SE do so well is no exception. What’s more, as the video below shows, they’ve also re-skinned the Android UI itself, making it less clunky, more funky. Check out these Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 deals for some early price pointers, and have a look at this Sony Ericsson Xperia X3 review for a fuller rundown of what you can expect of this thing once it hits the shelves.
21
Jul
2009
Sony Ericsson t715. Pants on fire
Each and every day we get lied to. From the moment you read the morning paper or switch on the news flagrant lies are being pushed into our brains from multiple sources. Celebrities are quoted as saying that they don’t deserve the horrendous treatment they’re receiving. Some MP or other says he really, really needed his moat cleaning. Then there’s all the adverts, of course. The lying equivalent of a blood-drawing slap to the face.
So sometimes, just sometimes, we get a little mad when people lie to us. When one lie too many slips across our bows, when in our daily grind one to many marketing chump attempts to force a tube down our throats into our stomach then squeezes this smelly paste labelled ‘B.S.’ into the tube, we get a little angry. Take this official press release for the Sony Ericsson T715, for example. We started to count the lies, then realised we were shouting at the screen and dribbling slightly, alarming those around us ever so slightly. We’re not saying the Sony Ericsson T715 is a bad phone, far from it. Well, not that far. It’s just a very basic, very understated phone that’s going to be peddled cheaply in countries like China and India. Nothing wrong with that. What we object to though, is being told this phone is “an ultra compact slider,” for example. It’s not. It’s 14mm thick. That’s thicker than almost all super-high-spec’ed smartphones hitting the shelves at the moment. We object to being told too that this thing “adds a touch of sophistication to your life.” It doesn’t. If you’re a bigoted gold-necklace wearing chav, and you buy this phone, you will still be a bigoted gold-necklace wearing chav.
If Sony Ericsson had spoken about the phone in a considered, modest way, like, say, Nokia do with the basic Nokia 2730, we would have been alright. Calm. Happy with life. As it is, we’re dribbling, shaking our monitor and screaming at the faceless entity that is the marketing team of Sony Ericsson. Join us! Shake your own screen!… or just read this Sony Ericsson T715 review. Or watch this stupidly useless video.
13
Jul
2009
Sony Ericsson Satio. Really?
Sometimes PR men and women make silly claims. Sometimes they make untrue claims. Sometimes they just plain lie. The idiots employed by Sony Ericsson have managed to tick all three of those boxes with the classically nonsensical marketing-speak line about the new Sony Ericsson Satio, claiming it as “visual communication like never before.” Really? Visual communication has never before existed in this way and with this phone you are changing things for ever. Really? People are going to spit out their tea, vomit in horror and call their relatives to tell them that the new Sony Ericsson Satio is like nothing they’ve ever seen before… REALLY?
Well, no, is the short answer to that. It’s not a bad phone, not by a long stretch. In fact, it’s pretty damn good. With a beast of a 12 megapixel camera, more media tools and players and downloaders than you can shake a USB stick at, this will make even the most video-hungry and music-consuming of you very satisfied indeed. And that’s all you should expect from a phone, right? Because after all, that’s all this is. It might be the best phone you’ve ever owned, fair enough. You might show it to your mates in the pub and even impress them by doing so (and the Sony Ericsson Satio is a real stunner, with it’s super bright nHD screen and some decently thin dimensions – check out this Sony Ericsson Satio review for the full run down). It’s just not “visual communication like never before.”
But don’t let that put you off. Have a little look at the video below if you need some more reassuring minutes:
9
Jul
2009
Sony Ericsson Aino. PS3 o’clock
The recently announced Aino has managed to bombard our poor little heads with so many gadgets, gizmos and other flashy little things that the only way we’ve been able to make sense of it all is to put it in list form. Hopefully this helps you as much as it did us
Remote Play – Designed initially for the PSP, this is Remote Play’s first appearance on a phone. It basically allows you to control your Playstation3 and access its media content on your Aino. You can do this from home, obviously enough, but more intriguing is the promise that you can also do it via the the internet from pretty much anywhere.
Media Go – Helps you transfer and play all your various media files (music, photos, videos) on your home computer using the Sony Ericsson Aino itself. Again done via Wi-Fi. Neat.
PlayTVservice – Got a Playstation3? Use the TV service? Now you can use your Aino to do the same. Watch and record live TV (from the available free channels) wherever you find yourself.
Media Home – Synchronises media content between your PC and phone automatically. Simple, as long as you keep track of what’s where when you connect the things up.
So that’s the bulk of what Sony Ericsson are shouting about here. But you could also add to this list a nice touchscreen, a great 8MP camera, impressive battery time and all the other smartphone shenanigans around these days. It’s not the smallest thing out there, but if you’re a media-playing buff you’re probably down with a bit of a brick in your pocket anyway. Have a look at the full range of specs and features in this Sony Ericsson Aino review, or take a look at the video below for a peek of what’s to come:
3
Jun
2009
Sony Ericsson Aino, Satio and W995 all winners in the looks department
As summer approaches us and we enjoy the fantastic weather, Sony Ericsson has been working hard to bring us some truly stunning handsets for our phone loving pleasure. I have to confess to being a Sony Ericsson fan, a view not shared by many other people if their latest revenue figures are anything to go by.
First up there is the Sony Ericsson Aino, a sleek beautiful looking phone that offers connectivity to your PS3. I am still trying to understand what that actually means, as far as I can see you can turn it on and off which I guess is good for the environment. I’m sure it does more than this and when I know more I will post it here.
Then there is the Sony Ericsson W995, another stylish phone that builds on the walkman’s series strengths, as well as incorporating an 8.1 megapixel camera. If I were to get a phone today then this would be my mobile phone of choice.
Then we have the Sony Ericsson Satio, previously named the Idou, which boasts a 12 megapixel camera (see my previous post about megapixel wars.) It does look gorgeous and personally I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. I may just wait out my current contract to get my little mitts on it. But I am sure that by then there will be something even hotter in the pipeline.
So there you have 3 very sexy handsets, all with different capabilities, so the only question left to ask, is which one do you go for?
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?
20
Mar
2009
Sony Ericsson W395
Sony Ericsson has yet again proven its long time commitment towards merging communication with entertainment. Targeting the young crowds globally another new member to the Walkman range, the W395 Walkman, is expected to come into the markets in the 1st quarter of 2009. Complete with an amazing sound system the W395 is bound to take you by awe when you listen to your favorite music in it! Apart from the quality inbuilt speakers, you also get a HPM-64 stereo headset which will personalize your music experience.
It’s quite delicately made, as the measures are 96x47x14.9mm of size and weighs only 96g. Different from many other phones of the Walkman series, it’s of slider form and comes in Dusky Gray and Blush Titanium colored housings. The photographs that are taken from the 2megapixel camera can be viewed on the scratch resistant 2.0” TFT 256k color screen and then be shared with your friends using the blog facility or by using the 2.0 Bluetooth.
W395 comes with 10MB inbuilt memory, 1GB memory card, FM radio and is easy to use with the dedicated music control keys. You can now find out information about the songs which you didn’t know the name of using TrackID. Get easy access to PlayNow service and download entertainment content. You can get connected to GPRS, EDGE & HSCSD. With the standard Li-Ion battery you can keep the phone on standby mode for 480hrs, talk time of 8hrs and experience continuous music playback for 12hrs. You can get more information from the The official press release.
If you’re finding it difficult to pay for the mobile phone at once, now with Sony Ericsson W395 Walkman you only have to pay in installments. Not only the value of the phone but these Sony Ericsson W395 Walkman deals dominate the cheapest tariffs as well. It varies depending on the amount of call time and number of texts. If you choose from W395 Walkman deals, you also stand a chance to win extra gifts such as mobile phone accessories as well. It is because of these reasons that mobile phone contracts are extremely popular among the mobile phone community.
For network specific deals, follow the links below:
Sony Ericsson W395 on Orange
Sony Ericsson W395 on O2
Sony Ericsson W395 on T-Mobile
Sony Ericsson W395 on Vodafone
Sony Ericsson W395 on 3 Mobile
Sony Ericsson W395 on Virgin
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