T-Mobile and Motorola announced the Motorola CLIQ, a social-networking oriented sliding full-QWERTY smartphone powered by the Android mobile operating system.
If anyone doubts that Google's Android has a future, then they haven't seen T-Mobile's Motorola Cliq MB200. With its easy-to-use design, spacious keyboard, and action-packed feature set, the Cliq combines an attractive, powerful device with the customization of the Android operating system. We won't say it's the "best Android phone yet"--that will be a hard call to make as more Android handsets go on sale--but it proves that Android handsets are evolving and getting better over time. Also, we're glad to see a manufacturer other than HTC embrace the Android operating system.
Moto added its own twist to the Android OS with the new MotoBlur user interface that syncs your social media, contacts, and e-mail. Though having all your information in one place is convenient, the overall effect can be overwhelming. Its performance also could be better and the Android OS saddles the phone with a few limitations. Yet, despite those drawbacks, the Cliq offers a nice contrast to Sprint's HTC Hero and it rates better than the T-Mobile MyTouch 3G and G1. It goes on sale at T-Mobile on November 2, 2009, for $199 with a service contract.
Design
The Cliq doesn't break new ground designwise; however, it broadens the hardware options available to Android users. It's the first device since the G1 to offer a full QWERTY keyboard and it beats its predecessor on that front by having a more comfortable key layout. The slider mechanism is also improved over the G1's swing-out arrangement. At 4.49 inches tall by 2.28 inches wide by 0.61 inches thick, the Cliq is big enough to have a solid feel while remaining portable. The construction and moving parts are sturdy and we like the textured battery cover. The Cliq is available in titanium and winter white, but the features are the same on both models.
Display and interface
Though it's just 3.1 inches wide--we prefer touch screens to be at least 3.25 inches wide--its high resolution (480x320 pixels) and rich color support (262,000 colors) make it easy on the eyes. The Cliq adds two additional home screen for a total of five, but it offers the same level of customization. You can add folders, shortcuts from the main menu, a widget displaying tips for using the phone, a weather app, and news feeds in several categories. The Google search bar is in its usual place on the home screen and there's a new shortcut to the music player. Meanwhile, the primary home screen is populated automatically with messages and "happenings" from MotoBlur. We'll drill down to the MotoBlur details in the Features section.
On the bottom of the display is the pull-tab for the main menu, which is unchanged from other Android 1.5 devices. Yet, the Cliq also offers some unique touches. You'll find a shortcut to your contacts list and a Talk control for accessing the dialer, your recent calls list, a frequent calls list, and a new speed dial option. Its dialer also uses square buttons instead of circles and it adds convenient shortcuts to the voice dialer and your contacts list. Once you're on a call, you can mute the sound, activate the speakerphone, and access the dialpad easier than on the MyTouch 3G. The improvements are small, but they make a big difference.
You can adjust the display brightness and backlighting time and the e-mail font size. The Cliq's security lock options are more plentiful than on previous Android phones. You can set the security lock time and choose whether to unlock the handset with a code or a pattern. It has a proximity sensor and, thanks to the accelerometer, the display orientation will change automatically when you open the slider and when you rotate the phone in your hands. The capacitive touch interface is responsive, whether you're selecting items or scrolling through long lists. Like on the MyTouch 3G, the display has Haptics feedback only for a "long press" (see the MyTouch 3G review for more information).
Controls and keyboard
Below the display are three physical controls: a home button, a back control, and a menu control. The menu control will activate the display when it's dimmed and open shortcuts for adding folders and widgets, changing the wallpaper, opening Google search and notifications, and accessing the Settings menu. The controls are flat, but you can find them by feel. For ending calls, there's an onscreen control rather than a physical button.
The Cliq's exterior features include a volume rocker, a handy ring silencer switch, and a Micro-USB port on the left spine. We're happy to report that the port is used only for the charger and a USB syncing cable. Like the HTC Hero, the Motorola Cliq has a standard 3.5-millimeter headset jack on its top end--nice. On its left spine are a camera shutter and a power control/handset locking key. The latter also brings up a menu for activating Wi-Fi, airplane mode, GPS, and Bluetooth. The Cliq's camera lens sits on its back and doesn't have a self-portrait mirror or a flash. Those are disappointing omissions on a 5-megapixel camera phone and we don't like that the microSD card slot is behind the battery cover.
As we mentioned, the Cliq has a great physical keyboard. In fact, it's one of the roomiest and most ergonomic we've seen. Its keys are raised so we could dial by feel and bang out long text messages quickly without making mistakes. What's more, the letters on the keys are relatively large and brightly backlit. It would be nice to have four rows of keys instead of three--as it is, numbers share space with the top row of letters--but that's a minor point. Fortunately, the top of row isn't squashed up next to the bottom of the slider.
Other controls include an Alt button for accessing punctuation (which also shares space with letters), a search button, a shortcut for an onscreen symbols keyboard, back and return keys, and a sizeable spacebar that's located in the center of the bottom row. You'll also find a handy toggle and central OK button for scrolling through menus. If you don't absolutely need physical keys, the Cliq offers a standard Android touch keyboard as well. Though, we admit, we're satisfied with an onscreen keyboard, the Cliq's stellar physical keyboard makes us yearn for its touch beneath our fingers.
Accessories
T-Mobile includes an AC adapter, a USB cable, 2GB microSD card, a stereo headset, and reference material with the Cliq. For more add-ons, check out our cell phone accessories, ring tones, and help page.
Contacts
The Cliq's contact list works a bit differently than previous Android phones did, but at the base level, it will be familiar for most people. It has a traditional phone book with room in each entry for eight phone numbers, four e-mail addresses, an IM handle, a birthday and anniversary, a postal address, a company or organization name, and notes. You can save callers to groups and assign a photo and one of 55 polyphonic ringtones. Space in the phone book is limited by the devices available memory, but the SIM card holds an additional 250 names. The Cliq also supports T-Mobile's MyFaves service that gives you unlimited calls to five contacts, regardless of carrier. Individual plans for MyFaves start at $29.99 a month.
Vibrant media or Motoblur
The device features high-speed 3G and WiFi data connectivity, a 5.0 megapixel camera with 24 frames per second video recording, and a customized user interface called MOTOBLUR. The device also features a 3.5mm audio port, but more details have not yet been announced. Like most Android devices on the market, the CLIQ features a HVGA (320 x 480 pixel) touchscreen display. In the case of the CLIQ, the display measures 3.1 inches across the diagonal.
MOTOBLUR gives prime real estate on the homescreen to a variety of social networking applications. The UI is able to sync emails, contacts, and photos from social networks, corporate email, and Gmail into a single, relevant homescreen portal.
Users can update their status message for a variety of social networking sites at the same time or choose which specific service to update. MOTOBLUR enables users to quickly view and respond to their friends' messages, as well. Caller ID is even integrated to allow users to see someone's status updates with their photo when they call. Motorola has even included a widget to allow users to view and respond to private messages in multiple social platforms, whether in Twitter, Facebook email, or elsewhere.
The Motorola CLIQ will be available in two colors, white and titanium, in time for the holidays, according to a manufacturer's estimate. No pricing information has been revealed at this time.
MotoBlur merges your phone contacts with your friends and colleagues from e-mail accounts (corporate, Gmail, and Yahoo) and supported social-media networks (Facebook, Picasa, MySpace, Twitter, Photobucket, and Last.fm). The result is a master list of contacts similar to the Palm Pre's Synergy feature. Like with Synergy, it's up to you whether you want your personal contacts mixed up in one list--some might like the convenience while others may not want their worlds colliding. Luckily, you can link and unlink contacts (for example, you may not want a business colleague's work e-mail and Facebook information showing up in one entry).
The MotoBlur set-up process is easy. When you start the phone the first time, it will prompt you to register your various e-mail account and social media profiles. As this process replaces the traditional Gmail sign-on required on other Android phones, you can use the Cliq without having a Gmail address; however, at least one other e-mail is required. We registered our Yahoo, CNET e-mail, and Facebook profile, though you can pick the services you'd like to use. After completing the set-up, the contacts merge was quick and efficient. To limit duplicates, be sure that your contact names are listed identically in your various lists. MotoBlur will also pull in profile pictures and use them for photo caller ID.
Your contacts list also will display your friends' status updates (from Facebook, Twitter, and so on) and a "history" view that shows the contacts you have exchanged recent e-mails or messages. Also, under each contact you can see a list of their history and their latest status updates. For even more customization, you can filter your contacts by its source. Just be aware that contacts not stored on the phone's internal memory will not be saved to T-Mobile Backup.
But MotoBlur doesn't stop there; it also adds a series of widgets to the home screen. The "Happenings" widget displays the latest status updates, photos, events and tweets from Facebook, Last.fm, and Twitter. You can add and view comments and write on a contact's Facebook wall. For any further Facebook action, however, you will need to download the Facebook app from the Android Market or access the mobile version of the Web site. The Social Status widget lets you update Facebook, MySpace and Twitter from the home screen, and the Messages widget display everything sent to you via text, e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace in a "universal in-box." It will display unread messages only; if you want to read the message again, you'll need to access each account through the main menu.
Though MotoBlur does a lot, we're still on the fence as to whether we like it. When all the widgets are active, the constant flow of information can be overwhelming and somewhat of a (forgive us) blur. Indeed, the small LED above the display was blinking constantly to show that we had a new message or happening. We admit that it is convenient to have everything all in one place, and we acknowledge that you can customize your information flow, but it's also a bit creepy to see our entire lives displayed on one little screen. We shudder to think what would happen if we lost our Cliq or if it was stolen. Though members of a younger generation might feel differently (Moto calls them "connected socializers"), we don't think we have time to see what every contact is doing right at a given moment.
Even with those reservations, we give Motorola props for creating a fresh and unique look in the Android universe. It's been a long time since the company has given us something new, though we wonder if MotoBlur is a sign that Moto is transitioning from focusing on hardware to software. MotoBlur will appear on other Motorola devices, but the interface will remain an integral part of the Cliq experience.
Other features
Basic features include text and multimedia messaging, a vibrate mode, a calculator, and an alarm clock. As we said in our MyTouch 3G review, a few more organization apps--such as a world clock, a notepad, a file manager, and a to-do list--would be nice. Beyond the basics, you'll have 802.11b Wi-Fi, USB mass storage, Google voice search, Google Talk, instant messaging, visual voice mail, stereo Bluetooth, PC syncing, and speaker-independent voice dialing. The Cliq also comes integrated with news and weather feeds, and apps from Shazam and Imeem Mobile.
E-mail and calendar
The Cliq's e-mail options are extensive. You can add POP3 services such as Yahoo, Hotmail, and Windows Live as well as sync with corporate accounts that use Outlook Web Access (OWA). After successfully adding our Yahoo and corporate accounts during the MotoBlur set-up process, our e-mail messages arrived without delay. The syncing of our CNET OWA account was mostly quick and seamless, and we much welcome the improvements over the MyTouch 3G. Not only are in-box folders arranged in alphabetical order (the MyTouch 3G listed folders randomly), but also folder synced automatically when we opened them. We also like that the integrated Quickoffice support for viewing and editing Microsoft Excel and Word documents.
Syncing with Yahoo was also improved. Unlike with the MyTouch 3G, e-mail disappeared from our PC in-box when we deleted it on the phone. Also, we didn't experience the syncing error that occasionally plagued the Cliq's predecessor. On the other hand, we didn't like that you had to delete e-mail addresses individually. The MyTouch 3G offers a more convenient bulk delete for corporate e-mail.
We're glad to see that the Cliq joins the HTC Hero in offering Outlook calendar syncing--that remains a serious omission on the MyTouch. MotoBlur will combine all Gmail and Outlook events into one master calendar, which eliminates the need to view them on separate pages. You can create new events for any calendar right on the phone.
GPS
For mapping and GPS, you get Google Maps and an integrated TeleNav service for real-time directions and a points-of-interest database. TeleNav is free for 14 days; however, after that you'll need a subscription. Google Maps offers directions (though not in real-time turn-by-turn directions), standard map view, satellite view, and street view as well as access to Google Latitude. The handset also has an integrated compass.
Android Market
As with other Android phones, the Android Market lets you download free and paid apps and games. The quantity and quality of apps continues to grow every day, so we'll spare you the usual "It's not like the iPhone" criticism. We're also glad to see that Google continues to enhance the Android Market interface as it updates the operating system. For more detail on the Android Market, check out our G1 review. For updates and reviews of available Android apps, visit our Android Atlas blog.
The Cliq also inherits one of Android's most peculiar limitations. You can store apps only on the handset's integrated memory, which is limited to 512MB ROM and 256MB RAM. The handset's memory card slot is only for saving for photos, music, and other attachment files (the slot is compatible with cards up to 32GB).
Music and video
The Cliq's music options are standard for Android phones. You'll find album art, playlists, shuffle, repeat, and an airplane mode for in-flight media use. The interface is simple, but easy to navigate and the player supports several file formats. You can view album art in a list format and you can instantly set any song as a ringtone directly from the music player by hitting the "Use as ringtone" button.
As expected, you can buy songs through the Amazon MP3 Store, which has DRM-free tracks. A single song costs about 89 cents, and an album can cost anywhere from $5 to $9. You also can transfer music to your Cliq using Bluetooth, the microSD card, or the included USB cable. We used the last method to successfully load a few tunes.
Video content is available through a YouTube app or clips that you load on the phone. It would be great if Google operated a movie purchase/rental options similar to iTunes, but perhaps that will come. Both the YouTube app and the video gallery feature are easy to use. Video quality over the former is average--as with the MyTouch 3G, the picture was rather blurry, but videos stored on the phone were fine.
Camera
The 5-megapixel camera takes pictures in three resolutions. Fortunately, its image editing options are more extensive than on the G1. You get seven color effects, an auto-focus, a digital zoom, five white balance settings, and three quality choices. A handy meter tells you many photos you can store and we like the one-touch access to the appealing slideshow and photo gallery features. The camcorder offers editing options similar to the still camera. Two quality choices are available: "low" for MMS messages and "high" for storing on the memory card.
The Cliq's photo quality was pretty good. Colors were natural and there was little image noise, but images had a very slight yellowish tinge. The shutter delay is still a bit long, though it's improved over the MyTouch 3G. We ended up with far fewer blurry shots than we did on the other handset. Videos captured with the Cliq were fine, but not anything exceptional. Movements in the video were blurry and there was an audible background hum. When finished editing your content, you can save them to the phone, forward them to friends, upload them to social media sites, or compose an audio postcard.
Browser
T-Mobile tweaked the HTML browser on the Cliq slightly. You're first greeted with T-Mobile Web2Go portal that offers instant access your T-Mobile account, Gmail, Facebook, downloads, weather reports, news headlines, sports scores, and a several other content options. Amusingly, the default search on Web2Go is Yahoo rather than Google.
The Cliq's Web browsing experience was intuitive and responsive. Scrolling around Web pages was fluid and we could easily select links. The accelerometer makes for seamless switching between portrait and landscape mode and we like of the onscreen icons that let you zoom without digging through too many menus. The Cliq supports copy and paste and tabs for your bookmarks, frequent sites, and history. You also can search on a page and open a new browser window.
You can personalize the Cliq with wallpaper and animations. More personalization options and additional ringtones are available from T-Mobile via the Web browser.
Performance
We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1,800/1,900) world phone in San Francisco. Its call quality was good, overall, though we encountered a few issues. Its audio volume was fine and there was little static or interference; however, callers voices had a slight metallic effect. It wasn't especially distracting, but was noticeable. The handset also gives off a bit of "GSM buzz" in the background, though we didn't encounter any static or interference from other electronic devices.
On the other end of the call, our friends told a similar story. They could hear us fine, but they also mentioned the metallic tone and a decent amount of wind noise. Most of our friends could tell were using a cell phone, but that's a typical experience. Automated calling systems and the voice dialing feature could understand us as long as we were in a quiet location.
Speakerphone calls on the Cliq were acceptable. Its volume could get quite loud and we didn't have to stand close to the phone. At the highest volume levels, there was a bit of distortion, but it wasn't distracting. In any case, we like the easy process to switch from standard to speakerphone calls.
T-Mobile's AWS 3G network gives the phone a fast data connection. Downloads were zippy and Web pages loaded quickly. The Web browser will default to mobile Web sites, but even when accessing full sites, we didn't have to wait too long for them to load. One particularly graphics-heavy site, Airlines.net, loaded in about 10 seconds. On the downside, T-Mobile's 3G network doesn't have quite the coverage of AT&T's network, but it does appear to be faster in our tests. The Cliq supports the 900MHz, 1,700MHz and 2,100MHz 3G bands.
The Cliq's music quality is admirable. Over the external speakers, our tunes didn't have a lot of warmth and the highest volume levels were bass-heavy, but it should be fine for short listening sessions. Of course, a headset will offer a better experience.
Unfortunately, the Google Maps location feature wasn't terribly accurate. It could take a few seconds to find our position, but even when it did, it could be off by a couple of blocks. It worked better than the MyTouch 3G, but not by much. We'll update this review after we've tested the TeleNav feature more.
The Cliq has a 528Mhz processor and is occasionally sluggish when opening applications and shifting between menus. This seems to be typical of Android phones, as we've noticed on a few other supported handsets. There also was a noticeable pause when the accelerometer was shifting the display orientation. The delays weren't annoying, though, and we didn't have any system crashes.
The Cliq has a rated battery life of six hours talk time and 13.5 days standby time. Both of those promises are for GSM use, so when using 3G, it will use more power. Our tests resulted in a talk time of 5 hours and 40 minutes. According to FCC radiation tests, the Motorola Cliq has a digital SAR of 0.69 watts per kilogram.
Source :
http://reviews.cnet.com/
The Behold II is the second Android-powered smartphone that Samsung has made available in the United States, and the first for T-Mobile USA. While the Samsung Moment for Sprint was a fairly vanilla implementation of Android, Samsung has put a lot of work into getting its TouchWiz 2.0 user interface onto Android for the Behold II. The question is, does TouchWiz add anything to Android? Read on to find out and to learn how the Behold II and its 5 megapixel camera perform.
The Behold II has solid, good-looking hardware. Like so many other phones nowadays, it's a slab with a big touch screen and a bunch of buttons at the bottom. There's a four-way cursor rocker instead of a trackball or optical mouse. The screen is a super-bright AMOLED panel with great color. On the plastic back, there's a stylized map of the world.
One of the physical buttons activates the Behold II's weirdest UI touch, the "cube." The cube is an entirely pointless 3D graphic that lets you go to YouTube, the Amazon MP3 store, the music player, the video player, the Web browser or the picture gallery. If you shake the phone, the cube spins until it picks a random selection. It looks like somebody's demo of their 3D graphics acceleration technology. It's entirely silly.
You can ignore the Cube, but you can't ignore all the other things Samsung has done to Android. Samsung dropped a bunch of buttons and menus on here to make the Behold II work and act like their other TouchWiz non-smartphones, devices like the Samsung Rogue and Highlight. That means a "quick list" button that pops up a very non-smartphone-looking menu grid. The standard Android apps drawer pops out of the side of the screen.
Here's what Samsung decided to add: A new, much better camera app. A new camcorder app. A new music player, with a CoverFlow-like thing going on. A new and pointlessly ugly SMS app. New Exchange e-mail, but everybody does that with Android 1.5. New and uglier on-screen keyboard. New memo pad app, photo gallery, dialer, call log, video player. I could go on.
I'm not saying the changes here are all bad, but there sure are a lot of them, and they're not as obviously positive as HTC's changes were. Some UI elements and images seem rougher and less-finished even than the stock Android seen on the Samsung Moment for Sprint. For instance, I can't figure out why they changed the dialer, and the stock Android dialer is nicer. The camera app, on the other hand, looks more like other Samsung cameraphones, and has lots of options.
Want to judge for yourself? Check out our slideshow which includes a UI comparison between the Behold II and Samsung Moment.
Physical Aspects
The Behold II has a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, and TouchWiz UI (now with 3D cube menu for quick access to multimedia).
Those multimedia features include music, photos, videos, the Web, YouTube, and Amazon MP3 for music downloads. The phone's other key specs include 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, microSD card expandable memory (up to 16GB), and support for Google services and Exchange ActiveSync.
As far as design, the Samsung Behold II is not unlike so many other Samsung full touch handsets that have come to the market in the past year or so, though this one offers a more solid feel and finish than Samsung's Android-powered Moment for Sprint does. The Behold II features a 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display that features 320 x 480 pixel (HVGA) resolution like so many other Android phones, but does it with gorgeous AMOLED technology instead of a normal TFT style display. This means the display is thinner and brighter while offering both deeper blacks and better saturated colors.
The controls that sit below the display consist of the normal Android home, menu, and back buttons in addition to call send and end keys. Notably missing is search key that most Android phones have, and in its place is a button dedicated to Samsung's 3D cube menu, which I will address later. The buttons all have a good feel and surround an equally sound 5-way d-pad controller. On the right edge of the phone sit the two-stage camera shutter button and the lock/unlock button, which activates and deactivates the phone with a single touch. A volume control sits on the left edge of the phone, and a covered micro-USB data/charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack are located on the top.
The back cover of the Behold II is something different and nice. The cover reminds me of the one found on the Samsung Jet, in that it is warm and smooth to the touch and has a depth to it that is appealing. The world map motif on the cover is attractive, if perhaps a bit over the top, and sets the phone apart from some of its competitors. If the rear cover is removed, the user will gain access to the battery, SIM card, and microSDHC memory card slot. The battery doesn't need to be removed for memory card access. The 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera and LED flash are also located on the back of the phone.
With the Behold II, Samsung struck a nice balance of style and design. The phone is certainly not as eye catching as some other smartphones on the market, but it is classy looking and feels nicely solid in the hand.
Verizon has officially announced the launch of the Samsung Omnia 2 SCH-i920, said to be an update of the Samsung Omnia II i8000.The phone will be available from December 2, 2009, at a price of $199.99 on 2-yr contract after a $100 mail-in rebate. Here are some of the main features of the Samsung Omnia 2 SCH-i920 or the Samsung Omnia 2 i8000.
Samsung Omnia II SCH-i900 will be presented in coming days. Samsung SCH-i900 Omnia II is an update of the Samsung i8000 Omnia II. It is designed for CDMA networks of Verizon Wireless US mobile operator. The first data on this phone was showing on the Internet in end of June.
Now, Samsung Omnia II (SCH-i920) has official photo. It turned out that SCH i920 Omnia II is seemingly Samsung i8000 Omnia II or Samsung SCH-B900 which it introduced yesterday in South Korea.
According to available data, its CDMA phone is expected to be the same as GSM/UMTS variant. Samsung Omnia II (SCH-i920) is equipped with a 3.7-inch AMOLED display with a resolution 480×800 points, 5MP camera, GPS receiver, Wi-Fi, FM tuner, and etc.
Samsung SCH-i900 Omnia II is running Windows Mobile 6.5 and it has brings TouchWIZ 2.0 user interface.
The Samsung Omnia 2 SCH-i920 has interesting multimedia features.
It comes with a 5-megapixel camera with accelerometer and allows users to shoot photos in panoramic, action, smile and mosiac modes. There is also autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, and video recording with specs of 720×480@30fps, and secondary VGA videocall camera.
There is a photo editor, video editor, Media Gate 3D, DivX / XviD / MP4/ H.263/ H.264/ WMV player, and MP3/ e-AAC+/ WMA / WMDRM / OMA DRM 2.1 player.
Other features include Opera 9.5 browser, jack, Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g), GPS, Bluetooth, FM radio with RDS, 3.5-mm jack, and microUSB v2.0.
The Samsung Omnia 2 SCH-i920 runs on the Samsung S3C6410 800MHz processor. It runs the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional OS, that is upgradeable to Windows Mobile 6.5.
The phone works on GPRS/HSCSD/EDGE and 3G networks.
The battery offers standby time up to 430 h (2G)/430 h (3G) and talk time of up to 10 h (2G)/10 h (3G).
Samsung has said that the Omnia 2 SCH-i920 is Samsung’s first device in the US to feature the Samsung Widget Store, that gives users customers access hundreds of free widgets that they can download to their handsets.
Nokia's X6 touchscreen
smartphone, the manufacturer's first with a capacitive touchscreen(INFO) display, will become available in the UK on Friday.
The Nokia X6, the latest music-oriented smartphone, flagship of the firm, is now available in selected markets. Nokia did not say what exactly its markets, but we know for example that customers in the United Kingdom should be able to buy the X6 from tomorrow.
The X6 smartphone is the first Nokia mobile phone to include Nokia Comes With Music – which means you’ll have unlimited access to millions of songs through the Nokia Music Store.
The features of Nokia X6 include a 3.2-inch touchscreen display, 360 x 640 pixels, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, full HTML browser, 5-megapixel autofocus camera and 32GB of internal memory.
The Nokia X6 will be available in Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. Price: it will cost €450 – more or less, depending on the country.
The S60 5th Edition smartphone features a customized UI with Nokia Contacts Bar, an easy way for users to get in touch with their favorite people. A 5.0 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics will let users share high-quality photos and video with friends online. Along with 32GB of storage, the X6 comes standard with Comes With Music, Nokia's subscription unlimited music service.
The Nokia X6 will be available exclusively from Phones4U on November 27 for free with a 35 GBP (US$58) per month plan or for free with a 25 GBP (US$41) plan if users trade in an Nseries handset. Users can also pre-order the device from Nokia today.
Size
* Form: Classic with finger-operated touch screen user interface
* Dimensions: 111.0 x 51.0 x 13.8 mm
* Weight: 122 g
Display and 3D
* Capacitive touch screen
* Size: 3.2"
* Resolution: 640 x 360 pixels (nHD)
* Up to 16.7 million colours
* Automatic orientation sensor (Accelerometer) for display rotation
* 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio
Keys and input method
* Finger-operated touch screen for text input and user interface control (alphanumeric keypad and QWERTY that are automatically changed with display rotation, full screen handwriting for Chinese language)
* Dedicated Media Bar touch key for access to music, gallery, share online, Video Centre and web browser
* Physical keys for application launch (menu key), send and end, power, camera, lock, volume up and down
* Dedicated personal Contacts Bar for direct access to contacts, feeds and status updates
* Voice commands
Colours and covers
* Available in-box colours:
- White/Blue
- Black/Red
Connectors
* Micro USB connector for USB 2.0 High Speed to PC
* 3.5 mm Nokia AV connector for audio and TV-out
* Small DC jack
Memory
* 32 GB internal memory
Power
* BL-5J 1320 mAh Li-Ion standard battery
* Talk time (maximum):
- GSM 8 h 30 min
- WCDMA 6 h
* Standby time (maximum):
- GSM 401 h
- WCDMA 420 h
* Video playback time (maximum): H51nHD 25 fps up to 3 h 36 min
* Video recording time (maximum): 3 h 30 min
* Video call time (maximum): 2 h 42 min
* Music playback time (maximum): 35 h
Operating frequency
* WCDMA 900/1900/2100, GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
* GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 (Latin America and Brazil variant only)
* WCDMA 900/1900/2100, GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900, 2G QB (China variant)
* Automatic switching between GSM bands
* Flight mode
Data network
* CSD
* HSCSD
* GPRS/EDGE class A, multislot class 11, with similtaneous voice and packet data mode support
* GPRS/EDGE class B, multislot class 32
* WCDMA 2100/1900 with similtaneous voice and packet data mode support
* HSDPA cat 6, maximum speed 3.6 Mbps (DL)
* WLAN IEEE 802.11 b/g
* TCP/IP support
Local connectivity and synchronisation
* Bluetooth version 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate
* MTP (Mobile Transfer Protocol) support
* TV out (PAL)
* Support for PC synchronisation with Nokia Ovi Suite
Call features
* Integrated hands-free speakerphone
* Number screening for messaging and calls
* Automatic answer with headset or car kit
* Any key answer
* Call waiting, call hold, call divert
* Call timer
* Logging of dialled, received and missed calls
* Automatic redial
* Speed dialling
* Speaker-independent name dialling (SIND)
* Fixed dialling number support
* Vibrating alert (internal)
* Side volume keys
* Mute/unmute
* Contacts Bar for 20 contacts with images and comminication history (SMS, calls, instant messaging, email, web feeds)
* Talking ring tones
* Conference calling with up to 6 participants
* Video calling: up to 176 x 144 pixels, low up to 5 fps, normal up to 10 fps, smooth up to 15 fps
Messaging
* SMS with support for concatenated SMS for long messages
* Multiple SMS deletion
* MMS version 13, message size up to 600 kb
* Automatic resizing of images for MMS
* Nokia Xpress audio messaging
* Common inbox for SMS and MMS messages
* Number screening for messaging
* Distribution lists for messaging
* Instant messaging client
* Cell broadcast
E-mail
* Supported protocols: IMAP, POP, SMTP
* Support for email attachments
* OMA email notification support
* Nokia Email
* Mail for Exchange*
* Some services may be available only by downloading or upgrading. Only devices that offer compatible multimedia message or e-mail features can receive and display multimedia messages. Content appearance may vary. Some images and ring tones can not be forwarded.
Web browsing
* Supported mark-up languages: HTML, XHTML, WML
* Supported protocols: HTTP, WAP, JavaScript
* TCP/IP support
* OSS web browser
* Nokia Mobile Search
GPS and navigation
* Integrated A-GPS
* Ovi Maps 3.0
Photography
* 5.0 megapixel AF camera (2592 x 1944 pixels)
* Image formats: JPEG/EXIF
* Carl Zeiss optics
* 4x digital zoom
* Autofocus
* Dual LED flash
* Flash modes: On, off, automatic, red-eye reduction
* White balance modes: automatic, sunny, cloudy, incandescent, fluorescent
* Centre weighted auto exposure; exposure compensation: +2 ~ -2EV at 0.5 step
* Capture modes: still, sequence, self-timer, video
* Scene modes: automatic, manual, portrait, landscape, night, night portrait
* Colour tone modes: normal, sepia, black & white, vivid, negative
* Dedicated camera key
* Landscape (horizontal) orientation
* Image editor on device
* Direct printing to compatible picture printers
* TV out (PAL)
Video
* Main camera
- Video recording at up to 640 x 480 pixels and up to 30 fps (TV quality), up to 640 x 352 pixels and up to 30 fps (widescreen quality), up to 320 x 240 pixels and up to 30 fps/15 fps (email high/normal quality), up to 176 x 144 and up to 15 fps (sharing quality)
- Up to 4x digital video zoom
* Front camera
- Video recording at up to 176 x 144 pixels, low up to 5 fps, normal up to 10 fps, smooth up to 15 fps
* Video recording file formats: MP4, 3GP
* Audio recording formats: WAV (normal), AMR (MMS), AAC/MP4 (high quality)
* Video white balance modes: automatic, sunny, cloudy, incandescent, fluorescent
* Scene modes: automatic, night
* Colour tone modes: normal, sepia, black & white, vivid, negative
* Clip length (maximum): 1 h 30 min (high or normal quality). Depending on available memory
* RealPlayer
* Video playback file formats: MPEG4-SP playback 30 fps VGA, MPEG4-AVC playback 30 fps QVGA, WMV9 playback 30 fps QVGA, MPEG4-SP playback 30 fps nHD
* Video streaming: 3GPP, CIF
* Landscape mode video playback
* Video calling: up to 176 x 144 pixels, low up to 5 fps, normal up to 10 fps, smooth up to 15 fps
* TV out (PAL)
* Video editor on device
* Video Centre service supported: download and stream video content, WMV support, video feeds
Music and audio playback
* Nokia Nseries digital music player
- Playlists
- 8-band graphical equaliser
- Selection by artist, composers, album and genre
- Album graphics display
- Bass booster, stereo widening, loudness
* Music playback file formats: mp3, SPMidi, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA
* Dedicated volume keys and immediate access to the Music Player from the Media Bar
* Stereo FM radio
* 3.5 mm Nokia AV connector
* Nokia Music
* Nokia Music Store support
* Nokia Podcasting support
* Ring tones: 3D stereo ring tones, 64-tone polyphonic, mp3 & video ring tones (3 videos and 9 mp3 songs built-in)
* Integrated 3D sound effect stereo speakers (dedicated audio chip for crystal clear hi-fi sound quality)
Voice and audio recording
* Voice commands
* Speaker-independent name dialling (SIND)
* Voice recorder
* Audio recording formats: AMR, NB-AMR, FR, EFR
* Digital stereo microphone
Personalisation: profiles, themes, ring tones
* Customisable profiles
* Ring tones: 3D stereo ring tones, 64-tone polyphonic, mp3 & video ring tones
More Detail from Nokia Site
Verizon Wireless has officially announced the Motorola DROID, its anticipated and powerful Android-powered smartphone and the company's first handset to come from a partnership with Google. DROID features 3G and WiFi data connectivity, a massive 3.7-inch WVGA (480x854 pixels) capacitive touchscreen display, a 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera, and a ton of Google applications, both new and old.
The device is the first to launch with Google's updated Android 2.0 smartphone OS, which includes new functionality and an improved interface over the 1.6 version that launched in the beginning of October. With DROID's powerful processor, users can multitask easily and can switch between six applications at a time. Of course, users will have access to the Android Market for downloading third-party applications. DROID features voice-activated search for web queries, but users can still utilize the DROID's slide-out full-QWERTY keyboard with the universal search application to look up contacts, apps, and other information on the phone. With 3G and WiFi data connectivity, web pages viewed in the multi-window browser should load quickly, and zooming is never more than a double-tap away.
A 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash will let users take photos and shoot video to share with friends. Media taken with the phone's camera, along with a wide array of video and audio files, can be saved on the device's 16GB microSD card, which comes bundled with the phone. Listen to music or watch videos for extended periods of time with the DROID's 1400mAh battery, and utilize your Bluetooth headset and headphones with the device for wireless listening or jack in a traditional pair of 3.5mm headphones, as you choose.
As rumored earlier today, Google has indeed been working on a free turn-by-turn navigation service called Google Maps Navigation that is launching first with DROID. Users can tell the phone where they want to navigate to and follow voice-guided directions using Google Maps and the device's aGPS functionality. The DROID also has Gmail Sync and Exchange support out-of-box, and Google applications like Maps, Talk and Calendar are also available.
The MOTO DROID will be available November 6 at Verizon Wireless for $199.99 after a two-year customer agreement and mail-in rebate.
Nokia has announced the N97 mini, a compact touchscreen handset that is a smaller version of its flagship N97 smartphone. The manufacturer unveiled the S60 5th Edition-powered phone at Nokia World in Germany this morning. Despite its size, the small device still maximizes its display potential with a 3.2-inch, 640 x 360 pixel resolution resistive touchscreen display and manages to include a full-QWERTY sliding keyboard.
The N97 mini features quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) and support for UMTS in two different tri-band configurations(850/1900/2100MHz and 900/1900/2100MHz) with HSDPA for high-speed connectivity. WiFi
connectivity should also provide snappy access to the Internet when's there's no 3G to be found. With a full HTML web browser that includes Flash Lite for rich web media, users should have plenty of places to go on the net, too.
Users can listen to their own music collection or tune into radio stations since the device has FM RDS Radio support. A 5.0 megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss Optics and geotagging capability provided by an aGPS chipset
could be great for users looking to share photos with friends and family while out and about. Users can stash their music, photos, and video on 8GB of internal memory. Additionally, the device has support for microSD cards for storage expansion.
The N97 mini includes several new software improvements like home screen widgets and it is the first device to include Lifecasting with Ovi, a social networking tool that is integrated with Facebook, thanks to a partnership that the companies announced today.
The Nokia N97 mini will be available in October for EUR 450 (US$639) before taxes and subsidies.
Today HP announced that its new HP iPAQ Glisten smartphone will soon be available from AT&T. The iPAQ Glisten is the first smartphone on AT&T to make use of AMOLED technology, which is used in this Windows Mobile 6.5 device's touchscreen display.
AMOLED : stands for Active Matrix OLED, is a hybrid display technology that pairs the active matrix backplane from a traditional TFT display with an OLED display. As a result of their active matrix natures, AMOLED displays have faster pixel switching response times than do traditional OLED displays, which are prone to ghosting when displaying fast moving animations.
The Glisten is equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard
and the improved Internet Explorer 6, which features Adobe Flash support built-in. It is also compatible with Microsoft's Windows Marketplace application store. The iPAQ Glisten connects to the world through AT&T's 3G network, and it sports a dedicated button for turning on and off the its Wi-Fi wireless data system.
Users will be able to stay in touch with the office thanks to features like Microsoft Office Mobile document readers, a PDF viewer, and even an integrated inbox that combines email, text messages, and call history into a single, easy to read screen. The speakerphone equipped iPAQ Glisten also features Voice Commander, an app that handles not only voice dialing and command, but can also read email and text messages to the user, as well as announce calendar appointments. A Facebook app is pre-installed on the phone, and HP even includes its own HP Photosmart photo editing software to back up the Glisten's 3.1 megapixel camera.
The HP iPAQ Glisten is set to become available in the coming weeks through AT&T business channels, HP corporate sales, and select third party retailers. It will be available for $179.99 with a 2 year agreement, after a $50 rebate in the form of a debit card. The AT&T version of the iPAQ Glisten is equipped with dual-band GSM/EDGE and dual-band UMTS support for AT&T's network, but other versions that are compatible with networks used outside of the U.S. will also be available from HP.
You probably hear the term "smartphone" tossed around a lot. But if you've ever wondered exactly what a smartphone is, well, you're not alone. How is a smartphone different than a cell phone, and what makes it so smart?
In a nutshell, a smartphone is a device that lets you make telephone calls, but also adds in features that you might find on a personal digital assistant or a computer--such as the ability to send and receive e-mail and edit Office documents, for example.
But, to really understand what a smartphone is (and is not), we should start with a history lesson. In the beginning, there were cell phones and personal digital assistants (or PDAs). Cell phones were used for making calls--and not much else--while PDAs, like the Palm Pilot, were used as personal, portable organizers. A PDA could store your contact info and a to-do list, and could sync with your computer.
Eventually, PDAs gained wireless connectivity and were able to send and receive e-mail. Cell phones, meanwhile, gained messaging capabilities, too. PDAs then added cellular phone features, while cell phones added more PDA-like (and even computer-like) features. The result was the smartphone.
Key Smartphone Features
While there is no standard definition of the term "smartphone" across the industry, we thought it would be helpful to point out what we here at About.com define as a smartphone, and what we consider a cell phone. Here are the features we look at:
Operating System: In general, a smartphone will be based on an operating system that allows it to run productivity applications. BlackBerry smartphones run the BlackBerry OS, while other devices run the Palm OS or Windows Mobile. There are smartphone OSes that are pared-down versions of desktop Linux, too.
Software: While almost all cell phones include some sort of software (even the most basic models these days include an address book or some sort of contact manager, for example), a smartphone will have the ability to do more. It may allow you to create and edit Microsoft Office documents--or at least view the files. It may allow you to download applications, such as personal and business finance managers. Or it may allow you to edit photos, get ]driving directions via GPS, and create a playlist of digital tunes.
Web Access: More smartphones can access the Web at higher speeds, thanks to the growth of 3G data networks and the addition of Wi-Fi support to many handsets. Still, while not all smartphones offer high-speed Web access, they all offer some sort of access. You can use your smartphone to browse your favorite sites.
QWERTY Keyboard: By our definition, a smartphone includes a QWERTY keyboard. This means that the keys are laid out in the same manner they would be on your computer keyboard--not in alphabetical order on top of a numeric keypad, where you have to tap the number 1 to enter an A, B, or C. The keyboard can be hardware (physical keys that you type on) or software (on a touch screen, like you'll find on the iPhone).
Messaging: All cell phones can send and receive text messages, but what sets a smartphone apart is its handling of e-mail. A smartphone can sync with your personal--and, sometimes, your professional--e-mail account. Some smartphones can support multiple e-mail accounts. Others include access to the popular instant messaging services, like AOL's AIM and Yahoo! Messenger.
These are just some of the features that make a smartphone smart. But right now, they're the features we use when deciding whether a phone is a smartphone or a cell phone. The technology surrounding smartphones and cell phones is constantly changing, though. What constitutes a smartphone today may change by next week, next month, or next year. Stay tuned!
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