November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Smartphones

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:18 pm

Categories: AT&T, Android, Apple, BlackBerry, HTC, Holiday Gift Guide, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Windows Mobile, iPhone

Tags: Apple iPhone, High Tech Computer Corp., Phone, Device, Smart Phone, T-Mobile, Sprint Communications, Smartphone, CLIQ, iPhone 3GS

The lineup of cell phones has expanded a bit, but a significant number of what we see in that category are updates to existing models. The real innovation in the mobile phone world is in the area of smartphones where we see the Apple iPhone, Palm WebOS, Google Android, RIM BlackBerry, and Microsoft Windows Mobile devices taking us to places we have never been before. This holiday season there is a huge selection for you to choose from on every carrier and several exciting devices will be launching throughout November. There are so many to choose from that we can’t cover them all here so I will present you with one smartphone from each carrier and one SIM-unlocked one.

Even though I am only presenting one phone from each carrier, I highly encourage you to visit your local carrier’s retail store to check out all the offerings available since they are quite compelling. The great thing for buyers this holiday season is that such intense competition lends itself to good prices and changing carrier plans and services.

T-Mobile

Motorola CLIQ

T-Mobile is my personal wireless carrier and I was going to talk about my current favorite device, the T-Mobile Touch Pro2, but I think another new device is more exciting and interesting for the holidays. Motorola’s new CLIQ Google Android device with MOTOBLUR integration that tightly integrates social networking feeds and data in the device. The CLIQ has a beautiful capacitive touch screen, 5 megapixel camera, support for T-Mobile’s 3G data network, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and full QWERTY keyboard.

The device is highly optimized for social networking with Facebook, MySpace and Twitter apps built right into the Android OS. Android is an exciting new platform with thousands of applications and capability to meet all your needs.

Price: $199.99 with 2-year contract and rebate

[Check out the ZDNet Reviews page]

Check out my AT&T recommendation »

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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December 12th, 2008

Great tips for using your cellphone as a smartphone

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:15 am

Categories: AT&T, Feature phones, Google, Holiday Gift Guide, Mobile services, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Tags: Phone, Smart Phone, Cell Phone, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Telecom & Utilities, Handhelds, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Hardware

The lines of features, functionality, and price are blurring between cellphones and smartphones, but there are still many cellphones (check out my free phones and feature phones Holiday Guides) that are very good at serving as a phone that the majority of the people are looking for. Jeremy Toeman put together a good article that list how you can use even your current feature phone as a smartphone for many tasks that I think meet the mass market needs. I am reviewing the Motorola ZN5 and T-Mobile Behold and have to say there is some appeal to a standard cellphone.

However, I spend the majority of my phone time in the land of wireless data and I actually do need access to viewing Office and PDF attachments, communicating through my Exchange server, and many more functions currently available primarily through smartphones. The great thing about the mobile world is that there is a huge variety of choice so there is something that meets the needs of everyone and NOTHING is the “killer” device for everyone.

December 9th, 2008

Smartphone purchasing considerations to help you this holiday season

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:33 am

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

Tags: Smartphone, Smartphone Purchase, Smart Phones, Cellular Phones, Handhelds, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Hardware, Matthew Miller

We put together our Holiday Guide on Smartphones to help you see what some of the great devices are available this holiday season. Airwide posted a press release that presents some considerations you will want to consider as you try to figure out which smartphone is best for you. As I evaluate and post reviews on mobile phones here on the blog, I try to give you a complete understanding of the device and how it works for me. Smartphone purchases are personal and there will never be a single device that is the best for everyone.

In addition to the considerations that Chris detailed in his press release, make sure you know what the minimum monthly charges (voice and data) will be and whether or not the data has any consumption limits (measured data plans). Also, be aware that you generally have 14 to 30 days to try out a device with the option to return or exchange it if you buy one from a wireless carrier. This saved me as I tried the Bold, then moved onto the HTC Fuze with much better Exchange support.

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 23rd, 2008

Holiday Gift Guide 2008: The ultimate smartphones

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:05 am

Categories: AT&T, Android, Apple, BlackBerry, Google, HTC, Holiday Gift Guide, Microsoft, Nokia, RIM, S60, Samsung, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Windows Mobile, iPhone

Tags: Apple iPhone, High Tech Computer Corp., Device, Mobile, Smart Phone, RIM BlackBerry, QWERTY, Display, Nokia E71, Samsung Epix

I am a huge fan of smartphones that let me work and play on the go and this holiday season there are some very compelling choices available. I have personally tested most of the models I’ll be listing in this Guide and I am finding it tough to decide between which one is the best so I have a couple myself. Most of these smartphones will cost you a few bucks with a 2-year contract, but they are all extremely powerful and are much less than models I have purchased in the past. I recommend you try to get your hands on one of the devices in stores before making the purchase so you can see if the device will meet your needs and desires.

Keep in mind that the prices in the following Guide are either SIM-unlocked prices or carrier prices after rebates and contracts. You may also find many of these high end smartphones on sites like Amazon or Buy.com for free or at a much lower cost after new service activation and rebates so if you see one you like check those sites out too.

There are also several more fine smartphones that may meet your needs, like the Palm Centro, Samsung Blackjack II, RIM BlackBerry Curve, Nokia N96, Samsung OMNIA, Palm Treo Pro, and more.

HTC Fuze/SprintHTC Touch Pro

The HTC Touch Diamond showed us all what HTC could do with Windows Mobile to improve the user interface and functionality. They then took it to the next level with improvements in the hardware and software, as well as the addition of a QWERTY keyboard in the HTC Touch Pro/HTC Fuze. The HTC Touch Pro from Sprint is slightly different (mainly in the keyboard design) than the HTC Fuze from AT&T, but they are both variants of the HTC Touch Pro. These devices pack in 3G wireless radios, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and more in a compact solid form factor with a beautiful 640×480 VGA display.

Price: $299.99 after rebates and contracts

[Read the review (AT&T HTC Fuze)][Read the review (Sprint Touch Pro)][Check out my hands-on review of both devices]
[Check out our image gallery]

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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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