November 21st, 2009

Want to see the HTC HD2? Join me at the PSHUG meeting next Tuesday

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 2:37 pm

Categories: Android, BlackBerry, Google, HTC, Microsoft, Nokia, RIM, Samsung, T-Mobile, Windows Mobile

Tags: High Tech Computer Corp., Device, Cellular Phones, Benefits, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Human Resources, Matthew Miller

One of the benefits about writing about mobile phones is that I get the opportunity to play with a LOT of cool devices for a few weeks at a time. Years ago I was a regular attendee to the monthly Puget Sound Handheld User Group (PSHUG) meetings, but life as a coach and dad has consumed many of those Tuesday evenings. Thankfully, my schedule opened up this month so I will now be showing them off and giving people a chance to play with them next Tuesday, 24 November, from 7 to 9 pm on the Microsoft campus. I will have the following devices to show off:

• HTC HD2 WM 6.5 device
• Samsung Behold II Google Android device
• T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700
• HTC Hero GSM model
• Nokia N900
• Nokia N97 mini
• FC Sounders custom Zune Original Zune HD

I also learned that my friend from many years ago, Dale Coffing, will be there show off some things. The CEO of Pharos Science and Applications, James Oyang, will be showing some of the latest Pharos GPS gadgetry. It is going to be a great time with some awesome folks and the latest and greatest devices. Please respond on the Facebook event page so we can estimate how many will be there.

November 20th, 2009

Hands-on with the T-Mobile Samsung Behold II Google Android smartphone

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 2:48 am

Categories: Android, Google, Linux, Review, Samsung, T-Mobile

Tags: Google Android, Device, Smart Phone, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., T-Mobile, Samsung Behold II, Cube, Center Button, Lock Button, MicroUSB

I took a look at the Samsung Behold last year and as you may recall this is a high end feature phone with a high resolution camera. When I initially heard that T-Mobile was going to launch the Behold II in the Fall I didn’t think much about it since I just thought it was some kind of minor update to a good feature phone. I then read more about the device and learned it was actually going to be powered by the Google Android OS and my interest was instantly piqued. The Samsung Behold II launched a couple of days ago on T-Mobile USA and is T-Mobile’s fourth Google Android device, making them the US carrier with the most Android smartphones. Check out a few product photos in my image gallery and the video walk through the Behold II below.

	Image Gallery:Check out a few product photos of the Samsung Behold II on T-Mobile.

As I pulled the Samsung Behold II out of the box, I was immediately impressed by its solid feel in my hand. It is pretty thing and has no real curves on the top or bottom with just rounded corners. There are actually quite a few buttons on the front below the display, which is a bit unusual given the minimalist designs many companies seem to be using today. I was really blown away after turning on the device and seeing the OLED display shine with vivid colors. You can see Samsung added in some of their widgety design elements and personally I didn’t find them to add a ton of value to the Android platform and have just never been much of a fan of the TouchWiz interface while some people may absolutely love it.

Specifications of the Samsung Behold II (T939)

• Quad band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and dual band UMTS/HSPA (1700/2100 MHz)
• 256MB RAM/512MB ROM
• 3.2 inch AMOLED 320×480 pixels resolution display supporting 16 million colors and capacitive touch elements
• Standard 528 MHz processor
• Google Android 1.5 operating system
• 5 megapixel digital camera
• microSD expansion card slot with 2GB card included
• 3.5mm headset jack
• WiFi and Bluetooth radios
• Integrated GPS receiver
• 1500 mAh battery
• Dimensions: 4.57 x 2.20 x 0.48 inches and 4.23 ounces

The specs are typical for a Google Android device with the OLED display being the main unique feature. 528 MHz has proven to bog down a bit with Android, but so far it has done OK on the Behold II.

Box contents

The box is a typical square T-Mobile package with some thick manuals that weigh it down quite a bit. Inside the box you will find the Behold II, battery, charger, USB cable, wired stereo headset, 2GB microSD card, slip cover case, and manuals.

Hardware

It is tough to argue that the OLED display is not eye catching and pleasing in most situations. I rarely use my device in full sunlight so this is not a concern for me and being here in Washington I haven’t been able to test it out. Below the display on the front is an Read the rest of this entry »

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]

Go to the next page »

October 20th, 2009

Hands-on with the Sprint Samsung Intrepid Windows Phone

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:04 am

Categories: Microsoft, Review, Samsung, Sprint, Windows Mobile

Tags: SIM Card, Phone, Device, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sprint Communications, Windows Mobile 6.5, Samsung Intrepid, SIM Card Inclusion, Keyboards

A few new devices launched with the Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system roll out on October 6th. One QWERTY messaging-focused device that launched on Sprint is the Samsung Intrepid. The Intrepid is the successor to the Samsung Ace and is a touchscreen device in a forward facing QWERTY form factor, similar to a BlackBerry device. Most all of the specs of the Samsung Intrepid are quite good, but the low resolution 320×240 QVGA kills the whole experience for me since every device I now have has much higher resolution and I can never go back to something with this low of resolution. The Samsung Intrepid is priced on Sprint at $150 so it is quite reasonable for a fully functional Windows Phone. Check out my image gallery for a few photos of the device.

	Image Gallery:A walk around the Samsung Intrepid Windows Phone.

Inside the fairly standard Sprint box you will find the Samsung Intrepid with stylus and battery, A/C phone charger, SIM card, 3.5mm headset jack, USB sync cable, and several helpful guides. The SIM card inclusion indicates the Samsung Intrepid is truly a world phone that supports US CDMA networks and worldwide GSM networks, which may be important for the business traveler.

As I pulled the Intrepid out of the box and held it, I found it to have an attractive design and solid feel in my hand. It is very similar to a BlackBerry with the front facing QWERTY and width the supports a full keyboard. There was nothing stunning that made the device stand out from the crowd, but that isn’t always needed for an enterprise user looking for a solid phone to get the job done.

Specifications

: The Samsung Intrepid (SPH-i350) has the following specifications:

• Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system
• Qualcomm MSM 7600 528MHz processor
• 512MB ROM/256MB RAM
• 2.5 inch 320×240 QVGA touchscreen display
• Quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and Dual-band CDMA (800/1900 MHz)
• Integrated GPS receiver
• Integrated Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support
• Integrated 802.11 b/g radio
• 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus
• 1480 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery
• microSD card slot with support for SDHC capacities
• Dimensions: 4.88 x 2.44 x 0.53 inches, 3.2 ounces

Walk around the hardware

The Samsung Intrepid is black and silver with a few brushed silver highlights on the front. The black plastic has a matte finish, but is not the soft touch material found on many other current generation smartphones. On the front of the device you will see the 2.5 inch QVGA display and honestly Read the rest of this entry »

October 16th, 2009

Is the Google Android platform the upcoming smartphone of choice?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:58 am

Categories: AT&T, Android, Google, HTC, Linux, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Tags: Google Inc., High Tech Computer Corp., Google Android, Device, Smart Phone, T-Mobile, Sprint Communications, myTouch 3G Fender Edition, myTouch 3G, Mobile Operating Systems

My T-Mobile SIM is setup for my T-Mobile G1 Google Android device that I have owned since day 1 (see my full review) and continue to enjoy with the updates and growing Android Market application selection. T-Mobile was the first US wireless carrier to support Android and then rolled out the T-Mobile myTouch 3G to add a second Android and become the carrier of choice for Android fans. T-Mobile will be launching a third Android device, the Motorola CLIQ, very soon, but they are no longer the exclusive Android carrier. Sprint has the awesome HTC Hero with the Samsung Moment coming soon and Verizon will have a couple of devices in 2010. AT&T has nothing announced yet, but there are rumors of a Dell handset. When you decide you want an iPhone, you only have one choice in carrier and form factor, but when you now consider an Android device you can stay with your carrier and/or have a choice in form factor. Let’s take a closer look at what Android devices are or will be coming to each carrier in the US, followed by my thoughts on what I have found to be the best so far.

T-Mobile

I’ll start with T-Mobile since they were the first to support the Google Android platform. You currently have two choices at T-Mobile with a fourth coming soon. Here are the known choices on T-Mobile:

• T-Mobile G1
• T-Mobile myTouch 3G
• Motorola CLIQ
• Samsung Behold II
• T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Edition

The T-Mobile G1 is the first Android device and can still be found at T-Mobile. It is a bit clunky, but it has a fantastic keyboard and is the primary Android device I still use today. The myTouch 3G drops the keyboard, gets a nice facelift, doubles the onboard memory, and gives you lots of customization options. I really liked the myTouch 3G and would buy one in a second if it had the HTC Sense UI (discussed below in the Hero portion) integration on board. The Motorola CLIQ (see Andrew’s thoughts) is coming soon and will be the second Android device on T-Mobile with a hardware QWERTY keyboard. This device is being marketed as a social networking powerhouse and is a good device to consider. I was caught a bit off guard with Read the rest of this entry »

October 7th, 2009

Sprint announces Samsung Moment Google Android device, which would you buy?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 2:51 pm

Categories: Android, Google, Samsung, Sprint

Tags: Google Inc., High Tech Computer Corp., Google Android, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sprint Communications, Camera, Keyboards, Mobile Operating Systems, Camera Phones, Smart Phones

After using the HTC Hero on Sprint now for over a week I have almost made the decision to add a Sprint account to my mobile arsenal, even though I don’t have the strongest reception in my area. Sprint just has too many extremely compelling devices for me to resist and I may just have to figure out a way to make it work. The latest announcement brings us the Samsung Moment launching on 1 November for $179.99. This is the second Google Android device and it has a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard. I need to get my hands on it and see how it compares to the outstanding HTC Sense UI experience on the Hero.

Specifications of the Samsung Moment include:

• 3.2 inch AMOLED 320×480 pixels capacitive display
• 4 row QWERTY keyboard
• 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and camcorder with auto-focus
• 802.11 b/g WiFi
• Integrated GPS receiver
• Stereo Bluetooth® 2.0 wireless technology
• microSD card slot
• Media player with 3.5-millimeter headphone jack
• Visual voice mail for quick and easy access to specific voice mail messages
• Proximity sensor
• Accelerometer

Samsung generally has some good camera phones so I hope to see some quality images from the digital camera. I also need to find out more about the Exchange ActiveSync support and see if it includes Calendar and Contacts like the HTC Hero.

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October 5th, 2009

T-Mobile Samsung Behold II will be powered by Google Android

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 3:30 am

Categories: Android, Google, Samsung, T-Mobile

Tags: Google Inc., Google Android, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., T-Mobile, Behold II, Mobile Operating Systems, Smart Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

You may have seen my review of the Samsung Behold feature phone last December. I received an email from my T-Mobile contact today announcing the Samsung Behold II (SGH-t939) and I almost discarded it as just another update to a good feature phone. However, as I read down further in the press release I quickly noticed that this isn’t just a feature phone update, but a whole new device powered by the Google Android operating system. Yes, the Samsung Behold II is a Google Android device and this will be the fourth Android device available from T-Mobile with the T-Mobile G1, myTouch 3G, and Motorola CLIQ rounding out the lineup.

The Behold II is scheduled to come out before the holidays, but no firm price or date was given in the press release. Maybe Samsung wanted to get the news out so people would think twice before buying a myTouch 3G or Motorola CLIQ on T-Mobile. The Behold II will have a 3.2 inch AMOLED display with Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface placed on top of Android. It will include support for Exchange ActiveSync (similar to the HTC Hero), have a 5 megapixel camera (Samsung cameras are generally quite good), and the standard WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS we have come to expect in our smartphones.

September 24th, 2009

Sprint announces the Samsung Instinct HD

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:00 am

Categories: Feature phones, Samsung, Sprint

Tags: Samsung Instinct, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sprint Communications, GPS, Corporate Communications, Wireless LANs, Advertising & Promotion, Marketing Research, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology

I remember last year before the Samsung Instinct was released we saw a pretty amazing marketing effort to get the word out about the device and I have seen a ton of people using the Instinct as their mobile phone. Sprint and Samsung today announced the Samsung Instinct HD that builds upon the success of the Instinct with the latest in multimedia experiences. The 5.0 megapixel camera captures video and then lets you play back the video on an external monitor/TV in HD with the TV-out HD connection. This functionality is much like the Zune HD where playback on the device is not in HD, but the output to a HD TV is in high definition.

Specifications of the new Instinct HD include:

• Integrated GPS receiver with Sprint Navigation support
• Integrated 802.11 b/g WiFi
• Integrated Bluetooth radio with stereo support
• Opera Mobile 9.7 web browser
• Visual Voicemail
• Text messaging with threaded SMS support
• Calendar sync support through Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes
• Corporate email support through syncing with Outlook
• Proximity sensor and haptic feedback

The Samsung Instinct HD will be available at Best Buy Mobile starting 27 September for $249.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and 2-year contract. today, 25 September, for $199.99 with 2-year activation and instant (no mail-in) rebates. Best Buy Mobile also offers free Walk Out Working (Best Buy Mobile employees set the new phone up, activate e-mail, etc.) and free Upgrade Check (Best Buy Mobile employees can check to see when customers are eligible for an upgrade on most carriers).

September 17th, 2009

Hands on with the T-Mobile Samsung Gravity 2

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:11 am

Categories: Feature phones, Samsung, T-Mobile

Tags: Phone, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Battery, T-Mobile, Camera, Gravity 2, TeleNav GPS Navigator Software, Keyboards, GPS, Telecom & Utilities

One of the QWERTY phones I included in my Back to School article was the Samsung Gravity 2 and I have had a couple of weeks to play with the Metallic Orange one. When it first launched it was priced at $29.99, but I now see on the T-Mobile site that it is up to $69.99 after instant discount and mail-in rebate. The Gravity 2 is a nice upgrade to the original Gravity with an updated camera (2 megapixel vs 1.3 megapixel), 3G wireless radio, integrated GPS receiver, and updated keyboard layout (4 row vs 3 row). Take a look at my image gallery for some product photos and comparison shots, as well as my thoughts on the device below.

	Image Gallery:Check out some product photos of the Samsung Gravity 2 along with a comparison with the original Gravity.

Available options, box contents, and first impressions

You can find the Samsung Gravity 2 in both Metallic Orange and Berry Mauve color schemes. The Metallic Orange one is mostly a dark silver color with orange highlights around the device. The Berry Mauve one is mostly a dark purple color with pink highlights around the device and on the keyboard.

The fairly standard T-Mobile retail packaging includes the device, battery and charger, hands-free wired headset, Start Guide, User Guide, and Terms and Conditions pamphlet.

When I first took the Gravity 2 out of the box I was Read the rest of this entry »

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.”