Phone Ways – Mobile phone reviews, news and all things phone related PhoneWays brings you the latest mobile phone news on the latest mobile handsets. Read reviews and comment on the latest mobile technology from around the world

27Aug/090

Get a designer phone with Samsung Omnia Pro B7610

samsung_omnia-pro-b7610_02As Omnia brings success after success to Samsung, the Omnia Pro B7610 is another phone which Samsung is keeping its fingers crossed on – it doesn’t seem like Samsung’s hopes and faith are going to be let down. The Omnia Pro B7610 has stunning and “one-of-a-kind” design – so much that it’s going to have eyes popping for quite a bit after it makes its way into the market. The phone sizes itself at 112.6x57.8x16.2mm and a weight of 159 grams.

The AMOLED touch screen of the Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 at 3.5 inches is sure to catchy any eye and is just above some extraordinarily placed control buttons. The screen resolution is pretty at 800x480pixels too. The screen is also equipped with Advanced R Touch ensuring that the screen is less damage prone. When the phone is slid sideways a funky full QWERTY board makes an appearance. The phone runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and you can always upgrade to WM 6.5 soon once it is released. Surely efficiency is better in the B7610, thanks to the 800 MHz processor.

An attractive and superb 5MP autofocus camera doesn’t let down the photographic soul as it provides a fantastic imaging experience; credit goes to the 2592x1944 pixels resolution as well. For people who love to video calls, there is a secondary camera too.

The Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 is expected to make an appearance as a mobile phone which is more onto the “high end.” If that piece of information brought your spirit down, not to worry for you can always look up some great online deals and contracts for the Samsung Omnia Pro B7610. With a contract or a deal you can easily enjoy this little beauty without having to empty out every penny in your pocket.

Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 Links:

27Aug/090

Nokia 3720 Classic- With rugged appeal!

nokia-3720-1The Nokia 3720 Classic is a new IP54 certified phone designed to be able to withstand shock and dust. Being water resistant, you can carry the phone around in wet conditions without any problem. The ruggedness of the phone is it’s most talked about feature. The durable materials used to seal the Nokia 3720 Classic are top class and will last for ages without any problem. The inner electronics of the Nokia 3720 Classic are well protected as they are sealed in and kept separated from the environment quite effectively. The cost of the phone will probably fall in the mid range of the price spectrum. The Nokia 3720 Classic is a robust device which will help you capture and share life’s physically rocky moments while still being able to survive it! The phone will be released in range of colors. Even the battery cover of the Nokia 3720 Classic is sealed in to prevent the battery of the phone from short circuiting the rest of it. This battery is locked in the phone using a tight screw which can be annoying in case you have to remove the battery cover for anything.

The memory of the Nokia 3720 Classic can be expanded up to 8 GB using the microSD memory card slot. You can also play a range of music formats such as MP3, AAC, and WMA using the media player on the phone. The XHTML browser allows you to access the internet whenever you want to. The Bluetooth 2.1 is pretty useful as you can transfer files to and from the Nokia 3720 Classic without having to use a cable. If you want a long lasting reliable phone without being too picky about the features, then the Nokia 3720 Classic is exactly what you are looking for.

Nokia 3720 Classic Links:

26Aug/090

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic – Touch Affordably

Nokia 5530 XpressMusicThe Nokia 5530 XpressMusic happens to be one of the newest offerings from Nokia with a touch screen. In fact the 5530 XpressMusic is not the first of its kind; its predecessor happens to be the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. However the great thing about the 5530 model is that it is set at a more affordable price range and of course is packed with tons of features and has a style which is sure to be a hit with youngsters. If you have been eyeing the iPhone, this might be a more affordable option for you.

The touch screen display, at 2.9 inches, of the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is something Nokia is boasting about. Further the company claims that the phone is surely one of the top class music players in the market. For music lovers, the high audio quality along with the 4GB memory card (included with the phone) are two major wishes come true!

There is no doubt about the fact that the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a one-of-a-kind entertainer. With the debutant Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205, the 5530 takes entertainment to a new level. Aside from this the 5530 XpressMusic is not only about videos and music but you can also get some great shots with the 3.2 megapixel camera. Aside from the LED flash, other interesting features include the proximity and accelerometer sensor. And one more thing, you can get onto Flickr, Ovi, Facebook or even to MySpace with a single click – how cool is that!

Sad to say, the phone is not a friend of GPS or HSDPA networks. On the other hand, internet connectivity is available in areas with EDGE and GSM networks.

If you are worried about colors, not to worry since the phone is going to be out in 5 superb colour schemes! This is something to be happy about considering that the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic came out in just three colors.

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic Links:

26Aug/090

Motorola ROKR ZN50- A music centric device

motorola-rokr-zn50-3The Motorola ROKR ZN50 is one of the new phones to be released by Motorola this year. This phone will feature in the mid to high end of the price spectrum. The music phone has enough features to satisfy even the pickiest music lover. This music slider is very similar to some of the music phones launched by Nokia, with the gray body and red and blue accents.

The 3.2 inch touch screen on the ROKR ZN50 is top class, as it boasts ease of use. The battery of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 is one of the best features, as it can last for up to 30 hours of music playback via a decent pair of headphones.

The Motorola ROKR ZN50 is the first Smartphone to be powered by the Android operating system. There are 3 panels that form the design of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 allowing up to 3 home screens to be used. You can flick from one screen to the other, making navigation through menus and submenus even more enjoyable. There are also a range of application shortcuts which come with the Android operating system.

The built in accelerometer allows you to shake the phone to switch between tracks. The Motorola ROKR ZN50 has a 3.5 mm headphone jack giving you the freedom to use your favorite pair of headphones. This comes with the SRS WOW HD audio making the speakers of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 play loud clear sound when you want it to. The built in T-DMB TV tuner allows you to tune into your favorite channels when you want to. All of these features solidify the phone’s reputation as a media device. The memory of the Motorola ROKR ZN50 can be expanded, though the built in 4GB should be enough for more people.

Motorola ROKR ZN50 Links:

25Aug/090

LG GW300- A messaging optimized mobile

lg-gw300Set to be launched later this year, the LG GW300 is bound to take over the market by storm! The keyboard is nice and large with well spaced circular keys. This will make it easy for you to type out messages and emails. The set of applications and widgets such as Facebook and Twitter which come preinstalled in the memory of the LG GW300 make it even easier for you to keep in touch with your friends and family. Updating your Face book status, or Twitter profile is simple thanks to the easy to use user interface that the phone is blessed with! On the downside, you do not have access to the full version of the Facebook website, and instead should just make do with the mobile version. All the latest networking software is installed in the phone’s memory which makes it easy for you to organize your SMS and emails.

The 2.4 inch TFT display allows up to 240 x 320 pixels to be displayed on it, making the display a fairly decent one to view web pages on. Unfortunately, images do not turn out to be so clear and appear to be quite dull and discolored. The phone is pretty pocket friendly, in part due to the fact that it has rounded edges, but also because it weighs in at only 95 g. Lack of 3G connectivity as well as Wi-Fi means that you can only access the internet using GPRS and EDGE connectivity. This can be quite irritating as you cannot download any large files directly to your phone. Absence of GPS means that the utility of the LG GW300 as a navigation tool is also compromised. Even the 2 MP camera is quite poor, as it does not capture any clear photos even in well lit surroundings.

LG GW300 Links:

24Aug/090

LG BL40 Chocolate- Pamper yourself!

lgchoccy003Out of all the phones to be launched by LG this year, the LG BL40 Chocolate stands out. The 4 inch display on the phone is top class as it allows you to view your favorite media with an 800 x 345 pixels resolution. The large screen is what makes the LG BL40 Chocolate one of the largest phones to be launched this year. Unfortunately, this means that you cannot carry the phone around in your pocket without feeling some sort of strain. Even if you manage to slip it in, the unsightly bulge will definitely prompt you to whip the phone out again as fast as you can!

The home screen of the LG BL40 Chocolate contains a number of icons that allows you to access a range of applications easily. This makes the phone more user friendly than you would expect. With a little bit of practice, you should be able to use the phone in one hand with no problem.

The LG Black Label series is one series launched to focus on style rather than functionality. The LG BL40 Chocolate stands out in the series as it succeeds in coupling an attractive appearance with good functionality. The body of the phone has a glossy black finish with added red highlights on the sides of the phone. The highlights, and the tempered glass covering the screen, make the phone look more expensive than it actually is. This curved glass is scratch resistant, allowing you to handle the phone a bit rough without having too much to show for it.

The user interface of the LG BL40 Chocolate allows 2 screens to be displayed at the same time which means that you can access 2 applications simultaneously. This double screen along with the 5MP camera makes the LG BL40 Chocolate one of the best all round phones available.

LG BL40 Chocolate Links:

21Aug/090

Top deals in August

nokia-n97-white-keyboard-163584August is usually a quiet time for mobile phone releases, as developers usually engage in a mad rush to bring out handsets around October or November. While there are some hotly anticipated phones set for release later this year information is pretty scant about release dates. But while there are some great phones set for upcoming release some of us do not have the patience to wait that long and so it is worthwhile looking for some great deals on the top phones already about. Here we have compiled a list of some of the phones we feel are the best that are already on sale and come with some great deals attached.

1)      Nokia N97 deals – Probably one of the most highly prized and feature rich smartphones on the market today, the N97 is at the top of the Nokia N-series food chain. We are quite happy then that Vodafone are offering it for just £40.00 with 600 minutes and unlimited texts.

2)      Nokia N86 deals – For photography fans this one is a real treat. With an 8 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens we would expect to be paying more than just £25.00 per month. That price also includes 400 minutes and 3000 texts, which is a bonus.

3)      Nokia 5530 deals – One of the latest phones to belong to Nokia’s XpressMusic range, the 5530 is a must for music fans. This is a great catch with 600 minutes and unlimited texts and all this at just £24.46 with £75 cashback.

4)      HTC Hero deals – HTC were quick to get into the Android market and being one of the only companies to have released an Android device so far they may be set to take a foothold. The HTC Hero will certainly set them ahead of the competition and it’s available for £28.53 with 400 minutes and 3000 texts.

5)      Samsung Jet deals – Featuring Samsung’s TouchWiz interface that introduced the novel idea of a cube-style menu system, the Jet features an extensive range of features and feels like it should cost more than £26.11 per month for 300 minutes and unlimited texts.

6)      Blackberry Curve 8520 deals – Building on the principles that make Blackberry a favourite among many, the Curve 8520 has all the BlackBerry features you have come to love and at an affordable price. We also quite like the idea of £170 automatic cashback from O2 too.

7)      Sony Ericsson W995 deals – Another phone for music lovers, the W995 is virtually crammed full of every music feature Sony Ericsson could think of. For just £21.00 per month this is a real bargain.samsung-jet-s8000

8)      LG Crystal deals – With transparent slider and glittery keypads this phone is a real looker. When phone companies focus on one area, like looks, they usually let down in others but the Crystal still boasts a range of features that would make it worthwhile even without its glamorous appearance. For £30.00 per month you can get this beauty with 400 minutes and 500 texts included.

Well, they are the best deals we think are knocking about at the moment and with no major phones up for immediate release they are certainly worth considering. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means but we feel these are real bargains for what’s on offer.

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11Aug/090

T-Mobile G1 Touch

tmobile_g1_touchThe T-Mobile G1 Touch might not have a very flash user interface, such as the one used on the iPhone. However, when looking at ease of navigating through the sheer number of features that are available on the G1, Google have done a great job in creating a UI which is extremely intuitive, powerful and fun as well.
In addition to this, the T-Mobile G1 Touch also benefits from the Google Android 1.5 ‘Cupcake’ update, which brings in some new features such as a higher level of parity with the iPhone and a couple of other neat stuff as well. The phone is extremely good when you consider convenience of use and doesn’t pile on the menu items unnecessarily. The apps present in the G1 as well as in the Google Market are quite good and, in particular cases, are quite unique. The Google Maps Street View has really done a great job in terms of creating a whole virtual world using the built – in compass and the accelerometer.
The T-Mobile G1 Touch has another great feature in the form of the Amazon MP3 store which gives you the chance of purchasing music from the store without the hassle that is DRM. There is an app known as Compare Everywhere which scans the barcodes and gives you details on some discount deals for certain products.
All this just means that there are a variety of applications compatible with the G1 which really takes mobile applications to a whole new level. The Cupcake update might not really result in an overflow of customers but the existing users will be happy with the presence of the onscreen keyboard, the nice UI utilities and the video recording facility. The G1 has already been released in May earlier this year and will be available on contracts

10Aug/090

Sony Ericsson Yari

sony-ericsson-yari-1The Sony Ericsson Yari is set to be one of the best gaming devices out there. Having been unveiled by Sony Ericsson, expect it to be released during the fourth quarter of the current year. The phone also incorporated 3.5G connectivity, meaning that the phone will also appeal to users who would like high speed internet to be a part of their phone in addition to the enhanced gaming options. The phone comes in a slider form factor.
The Sony Ericsson Yari makes use of a 5 megapixel camera to provide the user with some really high quality pictures. The presence of auto focus as well as flash means that you can almost be guaranteed that the pictures you take with the camera will be of the highest quality.
GPS functionality is also present on the Sony Ericsson Yari, meaning that you will be able to plan your journey in advance and also get directions to a particular place in case you get lost. Smooth GPS functionality is assisted by the presence of HSDPA and HSUPA, ensuring that any service which goes through the internet is extremely smooth.
The presence of an accelerometer is really great as, in addition to the fact that the orientation of the screen automatically changes according to the position of the phone, you will also be able to use the gesture control facility to enhance the overall gaming experience. Moreover, this phone also has an FM radio and a very good multimedia player to satisfy the music needs of the user.
There is USB connectivity to ensure that you will be able to transfer data between the phone and the computer. The Yari has a wide array of connectivity options in the form of GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA and HSDPA. The phone is set to be released in two different colour schemes – cranberry white and achromatic black.

9Aug/090

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2

sony-ericsson-xperia-x2-leakCommunicAsia, which was held about 2 months ago in Singapore, had a lot of smart phones to show off, but one of the most conspicuous absences was the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2, the second phone to be released by Sony Ericsson which makes use of the Windows Mobile platform and is said to be the successor to the hugely popular Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1
Despite the fact that there has been no official word regarding the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2, a large number of details have been leaked out to the open, including a couple of snaps of the phone. Most notable features of the X2 seems to be the bigger touchscreen which is set to come with this phone. The screen will be 3.5 inches as opposed to the 3 inch screen of the X1. The screen will also be an OLED screen rather than the usual LCD display.
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2’s pictures show that just like the X1, this phone is also set to have a keyboard underneath the screen which, when slided out sideways, will change the orientation of the screen to landscape mode. The X2 is set to be released with the WinMo 6.5 platform, therefore, a clear indicator that the phone won’t be released at least until the fall. Since Microsoft is still in the process of putting the finishing touches to the OS, the potential release date has been made more clear.

Details have still not been revealed as to what Qualcomm processor this phone will be using, but, if there’s one thing that is clear is that the processor is sure to be faster than the one in the X1. SE has also tuned up the software to ensure that maximum performance is possible. The phone is also set to have 512 MB RAM in addition to the memory card slot.

Sony Ericsson Yari Links:

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 Links:

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