November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Cell Phones

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:16 pm

Categories: AT&T, Holiday Gift Guide, LG, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Tags: Phone, Device, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Bluetooth, Cell Phone, Camera, Wireless, Samsung Memoir, QWERTY, Pantech Reveal

Even though 2009 was a difficult one for many in regards to finances, the mobile phone market continued to grow and manufacturers continued to roll out some excellent phones for the consumer. In this issue of the 2009 Holiday Gift Guide we will take a look at two selected mobile phones from each of the four major US wireless carriers. I know the lines between feature phones and smartphones are no longer clear cut, but we will have another Guide edition for smartphones that will include those devices running Windows Mobile, Google Android, RIM BlackBerry, Apple iPhone, Symbian, and Palm WebOS.

QWERTY keyboards are quite popular today due to the heavy text messaging practices that many people take part in while standard phone keypad models don’t seem to be as common. That said, there are also some very powerful and functional devices without keyboards that appeal to consumer for other strengths. The phones we will cover in this Guide range from $49.99 to $199.99 in price.

T-Mobile

Samsung Memoir

This first selection from T-Mobile brings a feature not seen in many phones and that is an 8 megapixel digital camera. I find the saying that the best camera to have is the one that is always with you and with the Samsung Memoir in hand you really don’t have to compromise when it comes to taking photos. The Memoir also has a Xenon flash so you can take decent photos in low and no light conditions too. In addition to the 8 megapixel camera you will find a large 2.64 x 1.61 inch 240×400 pixel resolution touch screen display with haptic feedback. Samsung throws on their cool TouchWIZ user interface and the decent NetFront web browser to round out the device.

You will find it supports T-Mobile’s 3G data network, has integrated Bluetooth, and integrated GPS receiver for navigation. The Samsung Memoir is quite a powerful mobile phone for those looking to take lots of photos on the go.

Price: $199.99 with 2-year contract and rebate/discount or $499.99 with no contract (T-Mobile’s new Even More Plus plan)

[Read my review and check out the ZDNet Reviews page]

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September 14th, 2009

LG announces upcoming GW620 Google Android smartphone

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:23 am

Categories: Android, Google, LG, Windows Mobile

Tags: Google Inc., Google Android, Smart Phone, LG Electronics Inc., Boy Genius Report, Mobile Operating Systems, Smart Phones, Handhelds, Cellular Phones, Wireless And Mobility

Last week we heard all about the upcoming Motorola CLIQ Android device coming to T-Mobile USA and this week kicks off with some more Android phone news. LG announced the upcoming LG-GW620 that will be available in the fourth quarter of this year in Europe. This is LG’s first Android smarphone and follows on the heels of their Windows Mobile announcement stating that at least 13 new smartphones will be released over the next 16 months running the Windows Mobile OS.

LG did not give out many details on their QWERTY slider form factor Android device, other than a 3 inch touchscreen and QWERTY keyboard. The Boy Genius Report speculates that other specifications include a 5 megapixel camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, and HSDPA (these three wireless technologies are really a given in today’s smartphones). There is no word on US availability of this device.

August 12th, 2009

Q2 worldwide smartphone sales show Apple increasing a whopping 10.5% over 2008

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:32 am

Categories: Apple, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Microsoft, Nokia, Palm, RIM, Samsung, Windows Mobile, iPhone

Tags: Apple iPhone, High Tech Computer Corp., Research In Motion Ltd., Smart Phone, Gartner Inc., Apple Inc., Sales Strategy, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Handhelds

Gartner’s worldwide smartphone sales numbers are in for the 2nd quarter of 2009 and it looks like Apple had the greatest increase with HTC and RIM also showing increases in marketshare compared to 2008. This makes sense as the iPhone 3GS hit the market, Android continues to roll out from HTC, and RIM continues to release updated BlackBerry models. The 10.5% increase in one year for Apple is pretty staggering, especially given current economic conditions and the fact that the iPhone is not an inexpensive device.

Nokia’s market share continued to go down slightly from 47.4% to 45%, but is still the clear leader with RIM in second way down at 18.7%. Approximately 500,000 Nokia N97 units have sold since the June launch, which is low considering the iPhone 3GS did more than that in a weekend.

Again, HTC may even be greater than shown on the chart because Gartner only counts HTC branded devices while LOTS of other (shown in the Other category) rebrand HTC products. The Others category did fall significantly though from 25.1% to 13.9%.

Palm has not yet made its way back onto the top 5 in the chart and the Pre must be rolled into the Others category. As stated in the article, “Palm currently ranks tenth in the smartphone market and Gartner remains concerned about its ability to gain traction outside the US market, where its brand is less strong.”

May 27th, 2009

Skyfire 1.0 rolls out for WM and Symbian, rocks on the E71x

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:22 am

Categories: AT&T, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Mobile services, Mobile software, Nokia, Palm, RIM, S60, T-Mobile, Windows Mobile

Tags: Mobile, Symbian Inc., Web Browser, Skyfire, Web Browsers, Advertising & Promotion, Internet, Marketing, Matthew Miller

Skyfire is a proxy-based web browser that runs on millions of mobile phones around the world. The browser has been in beta for some time and I have tested it out on Windows Mobile and S60 devices in the past. I was pleased to see them announce version 1.0 (PDF press release) today for immediate availability and download. Skyfire supports Flash 10, Silverlight 2, Ajax, Javascript, and more. The browser has integrated Facebook and Twitter feeds on the Start Page too and lets you share and publish any web page to Facebook and Twitter with a single click.

Simply visit get.skyfire.com or m.skyfire.com from your mobile browser to get the latest version. If you have an AT&T E71x that was previously having issues you will be happy to know that 1.0 runs just fine on the device. I had to first remove the 0.85 version that was mostly working (the soft key buttons were off) rather than update to get things working, but now I have Hulu working on my sleek Nokia E71x.

Skyfire runs on Windows Mobile and Symbian devices from HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Palm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, and T-Mobile. They also announced that Skyfire is coming to the BlackBerry platform soon (there is a private alpha test going on now) with a rollout of a public beta being announced and tested just like Skyfire 1.0 was for WM and Symbian before.

January 21st, 2009

Global Mobile Awards 2009 nominees announced for MWC 09

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:51 am

Categories: Android, BlackBerry, Google, HTC, LG, Mobile services, Mobile software, Nokia, RIM, S60

Tags: T-Mobile G1, Nominee, Mobile, MWC, Advertising & Promotion, Marketing, Matthew Miller

In just over three weeks Mobile World Congress 2009 kicks off in Spain and the press releases are already starting to appear as companies get ready for big announcements and product showcases. One of the first releases concerns the nominees for the Global Mobile Awards. MWC is a mobile show focused on world markets so you will see many services that are provided outside the US in the list of nominees. I was pleased to see two of my personal favorite devices, the Nokia E71 and T-Mobile G1 appear in the Best Mobile Handset or Device category along with the INQ1, LG KS360, and BlackBerry Storm 9500.

I have to admit I am unfamiliar with a majority of the services nominated for these awards since I am heavily US focused in my coverage and experience. Some familiar faces in the crowd are Shazam for the iPhone (love it on my G1 too), Palringo IM client, and the BB Storm SurePress display.

December 16th, 2008

Consumer Reports picks the Samsung Blackjack II as the top smartphone

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 4:30 am

Categories: AT&T, Android, Apple, HTC, LG, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Windows Mobile, iPhone

Tags: Consumer Reports, Smart Phone, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., T-Mobile, Samsung Blackjack, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Handhelds, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

I enjoy checking out Consumer Reports ratings on products and in their January 2009 issue that was recently posted online they rank smartphones, cellphones, and US wireless carriers. I have to say I was quite surprised by their highest rank choice, not because it isn’t a fantastic device, but because I didn’t think anyone else besides my friends and a few others though the same thing. The highest ranked smartphone by Consumer Reports is currently the Samsung Blackjack II. While at the Mobius event last week, the BJ II was one of the most popular devices being used by attendees and after using it for several weeks myself I have to say it really is a solid choice.

The T-Mobile Wing (now this one really was a surprise to me because of the lame processor), Motorola Q9C, T-Mobile Shadow (one of my personal favorites), and BlackBerry Pearl Flip round out the top 5. The iPhone 3G and T-Mobile G1 had the same ranking (61) as several other devices, rated below the BB Pearl Flip 63 value. It does not look like the BlackBerry Bold or Storm, Samsung OMNIA, or all of the HTC Touch Pro variants were included in this round of evaluation.

My top 5 current smartphones would be the following:

1. Nokia E71
2. HTC Touch Pro (AT&T Fuze for me)
3. iPhone 3G
4. Samsung Blackjack II
5. T-Mobile G1

What would you choose as your top 5?

In regards to the cellphone rankings, the Motorola ROKR E8 took the top spot with a rating of 66. The LG Dare, Pantech Breeze, SE TM506, and SE K850i rounded out the top 5. As far as carriers go, Verizon was almost always the top ranked in each metropolitan area, with T-Mobile in second in most all areas. Sprint was last in every area, except San Francisco with AT&T in 3rd or tied with T-Mobile in second in other areas.

December 1st, 2008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008: Feature phones

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 11:54 am

Categories: AT&T, Feature phones, Holiday Gift Guide, LG, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Tags: Touch Screen, Samsung Instinct, Phone, Device, Page, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Radio, MicroSD, AT&T Corp.

I’ve now given you a Holiday Guide for smartphones and free cellphones so this Guide presents the best of the devices that are commonly called feature phones. With the power of today’s feature phones, the line between a feature phone and smartphone is getting blurred so most people won’t see much of a difference between the two categories of devices and I imagine there will soon be no distinction at all.

The feature phone market is probably the most popular in the US due to the price, ease of use, major marketing campaigns, and performance of most of these devices as a phone first. I actually plan to try to review more of these types of devices here on my Smartphones and Cell Phones blog so please do let me know which ones you want to hear more about.

The marketing campaigns for devices like the Samsung Instinct and LG Voyager were pretty amazing and smartphone manufacturers could take a lesson or two to help them get the word out in the future. Like I did with the free cell phone Guide, I’ll break down this Guide into the four major US wireless carriers since many of the feature phones are provided on a single carrier. As you can see in the Guide I included three of the best feature phones from each carrier for you to consider.

T-Mobile
T-Mobile is the smallest of the four major U.S. carriers in terms of subscribers, but they also have the best rates for the included number of minutes and offer some unique services other carriers do not support (T-Mobile HotSpot @Home UMA service). They also seem to take the prize for best customer service and as a subscriber myself for over 6 years I can attest to their excellent service.

Motorola ZN5 ZINE

The Motorola ZN5 ZINE is the latest feature phone to hits the streets for T-Mobile and its main claim to fame is the 5 megapixel camera with Kodak Imaging Technology and Xenon flash. The ZINE also includes a Bluetooth radio with A2DP stereo support and WiFi. Photos taken with the ZINE can be easily uploaded to your Kodak Gallery via the WiFi radio and then shared with family and friends.

A microSD memory card slot is present and you can load it with music files to listen to on your phone. The ZINE also includes a FM radio for listening to your favorite stations on the go.

Price: $99.99 after rebates and contract
[Read the review]

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November 19th, 2008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008: Free cell phones

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 2:14 pm

Categories: AT&T, Feature phones, Holiday Gift Guide, LG, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Tags: Phone, Holiday, Cell Phone, Cellular Phones, Wi-Fi, Wireless, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.

The holiday shopping season is upon us and with people’s concerns about the economy spending will most likely be down and buyers will be looking for deals for gifts. In this first holiday shopping guide, I’ll give you a look at the best free cellphones on the market from each of the four major US wireless carriers. In the future, I hope to add more of my own reviews of these types of feature phones here on the Smartphones and Cellphones blog since I know many people aren’t always looking for the high end smartphones that I enjoy using.

Keep in mind if you are a new subscriber some of the best deals on new free phones can be found on Amazon.com where even high end phones can be found for free after rebates and service activation.

T-Mobile

Samsung t339
This feature phone includes WiFi and support for T-Mobile’s HotSpot @Home UMA service so you can make calls via your home router or WiFi HotSpot without using your included plan minutes. This flip phone also has a 1.3 megapixel camera and a Bluetooth radio with stereo A2DP support. It also supports the MyFaves service on T-Mobile.
[Read the review]

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October 2nd, 2008

LG Renoir has an 8 megapixel camera and high end features

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:50 am

Categories: Feature phones, LG

Tags: Touch Screen, LG Electronics Inc., Camera, LG Renoir, Keyboards, Smart Phones, Monitors & Displays, Hardware, Peripherals, Consumer Electronics

LG makes some very nice high end mobile phones and is pushing the limits with their new full touchscreen 8 megapixel LG-KC910 (aka Renoir) device that goes on sale in early October in Europe. This is the successor to the LG Viewty and at first glance appears to be quite a device. As we have been talking about lately on Mobile Tech Roundup the lines are now pretty much gone between feature phones and smartphones and devices like this just confirm that.

The LG Renoir has some very impressive specifications that include integrated HSDPA 3G and WiFi radios, integrated GPS receiver, full touchscreen UI, Dolby Mobile for Music support, and the 8 megapixel camera. The camera has Schneider-Kreuznach certified optics, a Xenon flash (these make a world of difference in low light conditions), and geo tagging support. With the touch screen you simply touch on the object you want to focus on in the camera’s view and touching the display takes the shot.

The Dolby Mobile for Music feature provides the device with audio processing technologies to give you a better listening experience. However, without a standard 3.5mm headset jack, this experience seems a bit lackluster to me. As I read in the CNET review the device actually doesn’t seem to perform as well as it should with the given specifications and I think I’ll stick to my higher end smartphones for now.