Turned Table

It's been a while and the whole world was bombarded with gazillions of gadget news. I remember writing about Symbian and how much I love the OS. But the tides have turned! I am now an Android user and it is superb for someone who hasn't used other mobile OS! And why is that if someone would ask? My Nokia phone (It was a hardware issue) gave me so many reasons to dump their phone and move to the next best selling brand, Samsung (I'll get an HTC next time but Samsung is A-OK). About Symbian, I believed in them and I thought that the OS will mature and will be better than that of Apple or Android or Palm. But heck they had 3 years to innovate and Symbian^3 is all they can pull out of their sleeves! I know I haven't used the dang brand spanking new OS, but I saw their video and it sucks! It looks like the OS I used for eternity!

Maybe it's just the eye candy that I want.

Nokia 5530 Xpressmusic and Nokia E72 are now official

The new Nokia E72. A worthy E71 successor?

Nokia E72 Specification:

5 megapixel camera
HSUPA (up to 2Mbps) and faster HSDPA (Up to 10Mbps)
UMTS support
10 mm body
A new optical Navi key, which serves as an optical trackpad for going through menus and applications
An electronic compass that enhances the GPS navigation experience
3rd edition UI
A 2.4" QVGA landscape screen
MicroSD card slot
A-GPS
FM radio
Quad-band GSM (850/1900/2100 Mhz and 900/1900/2100 Mhz)
3.5mm standard audio jack
Bluetooh and USB

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The new Nokia 5530 Xpressmusic also wants to be touched.




Nokia 5530 XpressMusic Specification:

2.9" 16M color display with a resolution of 640 x 360 pixels

3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash

WLAN

Accelerometer sensor and proximity sensor

Stereo speakers and a 3.5mm standard audio jack

Comes with 4GB microSD card in the box

Unlike the other two touch-enabled Nokia phones there's no GPS and UMTS/HSDPA support - an obvious move to bring the price tag down.

Source: GSMArena

Zune HD Announced

A lot of my colleagues haven't heard of the Zune brand. Zune is Microsoft's answer to Apple's iPod. Zune, like the iPod, is a portable multimedia player which Microsoft does not release on this part of the world (only in US and Canada). I was lucky to get a Zune 8 first generation in Dubai and I use it more than my iPod 30GB.


The real point of this post is to show you guys the newest Zune which I bet won't show up in the Philippine market but is still worth a drool. The Zune HD! There it is above. So pretty! So iPodtouchee with the edge.

Zune HD specs:

HD Radio - the Zune will have an integrated HD Radio receiver.

HD Video Out - it will support 720p HD movies via the AV Dock (dock sold separately).

Touchscreen - the Zune HD has multi-touch navigation, a 3.3-inch screen and 16:9 OLED display (480×272 pixel resolution) screen.

Microsoft just launched the official Zune HD microsite.

Source: Yugatech

Leaked: Finally A New PSP! PSP Go!

Sony's new portable media player leaked (intentionally?) in the Internet before the rumored E3 announcement. A slider device which resembles Sony Mylo (Picture below). It's the new PSP Go!


According to a reliable source, PSP Go is 43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000, has 16GB internet memory and bluetooth. Now kids can really hang it on their neck with its size and weight unlike the PSP Slim which I always see dangling like a pendant on everyones neck!

Here are other info:

• 3.8-inch display (resolution is undisclosed)
  
• 43 percent lighter than the PSP-3000
• 16GB of Flash storage
• Bluetooth built-in; supports handset tethering and BT headsets
  
• No UMD drive
• Memory Stick Micro slot
• New Gran Turismo, Little Big Planet and new Metal Gear Solid (!) on the way
• Full PlayStation Network support (movie and TV rentals / purchases)
• Integration with PlayStation 3 (works the same as the PSP-3000 does)
• Sony views each of its products as "10-year lifecycle products," so the PSP "needs to live on."

Source: Engadget

Nokia 5130 XpressMusic

ADI Telecom.............. P 5,800.00
Compex .................... P 5,858.00
5th Ave ..................... P 5,900.00
Cellway .................... P 5,990.00
Quality Cellular ........ P 6,000.00

Check Nokia 5130 XpressMusic here:

Find stores here.


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Nokia E75

Quality Cellular ... P 23,000.00
memoxpress ....... P 26,990.00

Check Nokia E75 specs here.

Find stores here.


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Nokia 1203

Vantage... P 1,550.00
I-Pixel ..... P 1,560.00
DJGT........ P 1,800.00

Check Nokia 1203 specs here.

Find stores here.


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Nokia 1661

I-Pixel... P 2,490.00

Check Nokia 1661 specs here.


Find stores here.

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Megapixel and Image Quality

One of my colleagues told me that he will buy a new digital camera. I asked him what camera he is getting. He said that anything will do as long as it is a 10 megapixel and above camera.

Imagine this: I have a 12 megapixel camera and all I do is post photos on my Facebook or Friendster, email photos, and print 3R or 6x4 photos. Do you think it is practical to get a 12 megapixel camera to do those things? While it is true that the more pixels you have, the larger your prints can be, it does not always mean that you get better image quality with more megapixels. Here's a list that correlates megapixels to print size:

• 2 megapixels = 1200 by 1600 pixels = 4 x 5 inches
• 3 megapixels = 1536 by 2048 pixels = 5 x 7 inches
• 6 megapixels = 2400 by 3000 pixels = 6.5 x 10 inches
• 10 megapixels = 2592 by 3872 pixels = 8.5 x 13 inches
• 12 megapixels = 4368 by 2912 pixels = 9.7 x 14.5 inches

Stop buying phones with 5, 6, 7, or 12 megapixel camera that almost always give crappy image quality and get yourself a decent dedicated digital camera. You may get yourself a 14-megapixel-China-branded camera that plays mp5 (whatever that is), but don't expect high quality images to come out of it. Better get a 6 megapixel camera with nice optics or always check review sites like Cnet.com, PCWorld.com, Cameras.co.uk for, yes, reviews.


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Lenovo IdeaPad Y330

Micro Valley Computer ... P 36,995.00

GigaHertz ....................... P 38,500.00
Silicon Valley ................. P 39,495.00
Octagon ......................... P 41,995.00
Asianic ........................... P 42,995.00


Lenovo IdeaPad Y330 specs:

Processor Dual-Core (T3200) processor
Motherboard chipset Intel G45 Centrino
RAM 1 GB
Hard drive 250 GB

Optical drive DVD writer
Ports 2 X USB2.0; FireWire; VGA out
Bluetooth

Ethernet 10/100/1000
Modem 56K data/fax
Built-in devices 1 x ExpressCard slot
Wireless LAN 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n
Webcam
Graphics hardware Intel GMA X4500
Amt of video RAM 256MB
Diagonal screen size 13.3 inch Transflective TFT (widescreen)

Audio Integrated audio; 2 x speakers

Operating system Windows Vista Home Premium
Weight w/battery 2.15 kg

Dimensions 325 x 237 x 37 mm
Battery type(s) included 6-cell Lithium Ion

Find stores here.


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My|phone TV21

Jhomairah Telecom ... P 8,000.00
ADI Telecom............... P 9,100.00
Compex ..................... P 9,300.00
Aero Fone .................. P 9,680.00
e Phone ..................... P 9,800.00

My|phone TV21 specs:

Type: Dual Sim Touch TV phone
Data Connection: GSM/GPRS
Display: 3.0" 400x240 pixels/ 260k TFT WQVGA
Connectivity: Bluetooth with A2DP/ USB
Card Slot: microSD (Transflash) up to 2GB
Weight: 81.2 g
Dimensions: 110x47x14.5 mm
Battery: Standard Battery, Li-Ion 850 mAh

Find stores here.


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Cheap Phone Calls

How to make a 30-minute phone call at any time of the day for only 10 pesos?

Through a Mobile VoIP!

What is Mobile VoIP you ask? It is a term used to describe the delivery of Voice over IP via a mobile handset. Mobile VoIP is delivered by a third party service provider over a WiFi or 3G network cellular network that a mobile device is connected to. Mobile VoIP service providers typically require a user to download software onto their mobile device in order to gain access to their service. [Mobile VoIP Review]


Here's what you need to do:

Download a 3rd party application like Fring, Talkonaut, Nimbuzz, Yeigo or Skype* and install it on your mobile phone (I use Fring). Like any VoIP client, register. Ask your friends to do the same. Then start calling and chatting with your friends! You may even call your relatives and friends abroad (Fring to Skype, Fring to MSN messenger, Fring to Gtalk or Fring to Fring) at no extra cost.

Smart and Sun Cellular charge 10 pesos for a 30 minute data usage while Globe charges 5 pesos for 15 minutes (you need to activate Globe's time data usage by sending TIME to 1111 or otherwise use the per kilobyte charging by default which is not a good idea when using Mobile VoIP).




*Note that the full version of almost all Mobile VoIP Applications that can make data phone calls can only be installed on smartphones that runs on Windows Mobile, Symbian S60, Android and OSX. There is also an available java application for regular phones but can only be used for chatting.

Also, it is best that you use this feature over a 3G or 3.5G network.



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Symbian, I Like

I've been using Nokia since 1999 and when I had my first Symbian smartphone (a Nokia 7650) I instantly became a Symbian S60 fan. I like Symbian S60 because it has a no-nonsense functionality and very simple user interface. I even considered getting a Siemens SX1 in 2003 because it runs on Symbian S60 and because of its funky look, but I still sticked to Nokia because it is what everyone is using. Symbian was synonymous to Nokia until Samsung introduced Symbian S60 phones.

Samsung, like Nokia, has a gajillion types of mobile phones. What's great with Samsung though is that they implement all the open mobile operating sytems on their smartphones, while Nokia only has Symbian. Samsung has phones that runs on Windows Mobile, Symbian S60 and the soon to be released Samsung S8000 that may run on Android. Samsung has some really nice mobile phones and as a Nokia smartphone user, shifting to Samsung phone that runs on Symbian S60 OS is just like having my favorite ice cream on a cone instead of the usual cup. It adds into the flavor. I haven't tried this though (the phone, not the ice cream) and will soon find out.

I rejoiced when I heared that Sony Ericsson is back with Symbian but now uses S60 V.5 and not the, now obsolete, Symbian UIQ, which is great news! LG also has a new phone, the KT770 that, you guessed it right, runs on Symbian S60.

Now that Symbian can be found in almost all the leading mobile phone brands in the market, will its market share still slide down?


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Motorola Motozine ZN5

Quality Cellular ... P 16,350.00
CMK Cellphone ... P 16,500.00
Cellway .............. P 17,830.00
Fone Style .......... P 17,830.00

Check Motorola Motozine ZN5 specs here.

Find stores here.


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Shure SE210

Automatic Centre ........ P 7,990.00

Check Shure SE210 specs and review here.

Find stores here.


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Shure SE110

Automatic Centre ........ P 5,550.00

Check Shure SE110 specs and review here.

Find stores here.


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Philips SHE9700

Automatic Centre ........ P 1,655.00

Check Philips SHE9700 specs and review here.

Find stores here.


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Sony Ericsson W380i

Power Phone ... P 6,500.00
JSA Telecom ... P 7,000.00
5th Ave ............ P 7,400.00
e Phone ........... P 7,900.00
Aero Fone ........ P 8,580.00

Check Sony Ericsson W380i specs here.

Find stores here.


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Smartphone Applications

Do you install applications on your phone, update your firmware or you just leave it as it is?

While most of you know this already some of my friends still don't know the capabilities of their phones and just like to leave it the way it is. They are afraid that it might void their phones' warranty. But it won't.

Smartphones were designed to accommodate feature expansions just like your Mac or PC. You can install dictionaries, games, tools, ebooks, themes and more. This has been going on for ages (since my N7650 and others, Palm). Some even go to shops selling applications and pay 200 pesos for an application not knowing that it could be a freeware and only takes seconds to install. Apple has an apps store that offers hundreds or even thousands of free applications and applications that cost 1 dollar each.


Explore on the capabilities and possibilites of your phone. It didn't cost that much just to make call, send sms, take videos and pictures, and play mp3. It has a lot more to offer.

What applications do you have on your phone? Do you download cracked apps and/or apps with keygens?


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Globe's New Clothes

Globe has done a major website overhaul. The site shed it's old school Internet look and now has that flashy colorful young feel. Looks more like a cool gadget magazine in my opinion. The only thing is the fonts, icons and the inconsistencies of lines (much like that of my stores and prices comparison hehehe). Globe should implement the font they used with their logo on all the site's fonts similar to what Smart Buddy did. Globe's icons aren't standard in terms of resolution and design. They just all look different (refer to Manage Globe Services icons and Barkada News icon). Sorry for the small image but you may check Globe's website at www.globe.com.ph or just follow the link.

Smart's website on the other hand still has that "corporate feel" which does not appeal, at least, to me. I'm talking about Smart's ho-hum landing page at www.smart.com.ph. Smart has separate pages for Buddy & Gold's subscribers that is if you look at the right-hand side of the page and click on the teensy-weensy Buddy & Gold's icons will lead you to the page. I think that Smart's page lacks the flashiness of Globe's improved website but the former has icons uniform in size and color and very clean. Smart's website maybe boring but fonts & icons are all consistent and the clean look is easy on the eyes.

By the way, I'm not a website designer and I am a Smart user.

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