Archive for February, 2009:
Motorola i576 - black (Sprint)
It’s rare that you’d confuse a Nextel phone for another carrier’s handset. Indeed, Nextel models such as the Motorola i576 tend to have a functional, industrial design that’s built for usability and durability rather than sex appeal. Granted, there has been the occasional exception, but most of the time Nextel phones mean business, and business only. Similar to many of its predecessors, the Moto i576 offers a rugged design with rubber sidings, an extendable antenna, and a tiny external display. Features are basic–it doesn’t even have a camera–but the i576 is a reliable and easy-to-use phone with decent performance. The i576 is $279 if you pay full price but it is just $79 with service.
Design
Clad in basic black, the i576 doesn’t put on any airs. Make no mistake–this is a cell phone for making calls. At 4.3 inches tall by 1.8 inches wide by 1 inches thick and 4.2 ounces, it is a tad thick and bulky, but it remains portable and convenient. Rubber sidings on the front and back enhance the phone’s durability and give it a comfortable, solid feel. Motorola added a textured design on the front and back covers that resembles a metal floor. It’s purely for show, but it’s a nice touch. And of course, the i576 is certified to military specifications.
Kogan Agora, the next Google Android smartphone, to ship next month
Google’s open-source Android cell phone operating system has just one taker so far, the T-Mobile G1, but that’s about to change. Now there’s a new kid on the block, the Agora from Aussie cell phone maker Kogan.
Built like a cross between a Blackberry Bold, a Samsung Blackjack, and a Motorola Q, the smartphone will have a 2.5-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G, and that sweet Qwerty keyboard that we miss in other touchscreen phones. It’s set for a January 29, 2009 ship date and now available for pre-order. It’ll be available unlocked for around $300 including international shipping.
Tags: Agora, Android, BlackBerry, Google, GPS, kids, Motorola, Samsung, smartphones, T-Mobile, TouchScreen
Our Nokia 6650 review dazzles with chameleon LED effects, then gets down to business. Find out why AT&T’s newest compact smartphone
The Nokia 6650 is a rarity among U.S. phones, a carrier-supported phone running the Symbian S60 OS. You don’t have to know that Symbian is the world’s leading smartphone OS to benefit from all the potential locked away in this device, especially for business users who will find a range of e-mail and address book synchronization options with some simple digging. Unfortunately, most of the out-of-the-box apps are either dull, like the multimedia player, or buggy, like the GPS in AT&T Navigator, and the Symbian S60 interface design is convoluted and unfamiliar to American eyes. Still, great battery life and solid phone features make this a great choice for business users who want a capable, casual phone. Release: November 2008. Price: $70.
Nokia Announces Chunky, Full-Featured N97 ‘Cellphone’
Nokia, once King of the Mobiles, has been dragging its heels of late. It’s almost like the Finnish company was having a party and the iPhone turned up, ate all the cake and started playing hide and seek with the girls. Nokia threw its toys from the pram and refused to play until the iPhone went home.
One zillion iPhones later and Nokia has realized that nobody is listening to its cries anymore. Today we see the company’s new N97, a touchscreen and QWERTY equipped “multimedia computer” (remember, Nokia doesn’t make phones anymore) that is a clear answer to Apple’s precocious device. What’s inside?
Nokia Launches Its New N97 Smartphone
Nokia decided to be part of the touchscreen frenzy and came out earlier today with its new N97 smartphone that features a large screen with touch capacities and also a full Qwerty keyboard. The N series demanded a boost in order to get the public’s interest going again and this seemed the best way to do it.
“This is really the start of the new N-series … really kicking off the next wave,” Jonas Geust, vice president of Nokia’s Devices unit, stated for Reuters in a recent interview, adding that “What would there be these days without touch … Touch for this category of devices is going to be important. Qwerty is also going to be important.”
Review: Samsung Highnote (Sprint)
Candy bar phone with a face that slides up to reveal a numeric keypad and down to reveal integrated stereo speakers
Built-in clickwheel for easy navigation of menus and music
GPS, Bluetooth, and high-speed EVDO data connections
Two-megapixel camera
Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV compatible
Includes 1GB microSD card and 3.5mm headset w/ microphone
MSRP of $99 after two-year agreement and $50 mail-in rebate
What’s good?
This is a phone for music lovers, first and foremost. If you want a phone that’s good for texting, surfing the web, watching streaming video, taking photos, and/or making calls all day long, then this is not the phone for you. But if you want a well-priced, compact phone with a surprisingly great clickwheel, a full-size headphone jack, and a built-in speaker, then the Highnote is right up your alley.
Wise consumers will compare smart phones before they buy
Navigating all the “smart” phones out there and picking one for yourself can be tricky — but purchasing one for someone else can be daunting. But with plenty of feature-packed options available this holiday season, ranging from the consumer-friendly iPhone to the more business-oriented BlackBerry Bold, chances are you can find a phone that’s a better gift than a reindeer sweater.
HTC G1 (T-Mobile, $179 with two-year contract)
Application management to drive mobile phone innovation in 2009
The iPhone. Blackberry. T-Mobile G1.
Ready or not, the mobile device marketplace continues to evolve and 2009 promises to change the mobile application landscape in ways no one imagined just a year ago.
Integrated A-GPS SIM Card
It used to be that having a digital camera built into your mobile phone made you the envy of all your friends.
Living With a BlackBerry Bold
A few weeks ago, I traded in my old reliable BlackBerry for a new BlackBerry Bold, and my experiences to date have been mostly very positive. There’s a lot to like about the new device - and one particularly notable downside.
The Bold is one of a few relatively new phones I’ve been taking with me everywhere for the past few weeks - the others are the T-Mobile G1 Android phone and the popular iPhone 3G. The BlackBerry Bold really isn’t meant is BlackBerry’s answer to the iPhone; that would more be the Storm. (I just got one of those, so let me carry it for a bit, and I’ll let you know what I think).