When it comes to low-priced snappers, only two brands stand out immensely: Nokia and Sony Ericsson. Sony Ericsson is the classier choice, given that Nokia is more known for budget mobile phones, period.
Anyway, Sony Ericsson seems to have mastered the art of installing quality CMOS sensors in low-budget phones. A case in point would of course be our feature mobile phone for today, the Sony Ericsson S312 Snapshot phone.
What’s hot with the SE Snapper
Dubbed the Snapper, the SE S312 shares the same camera quality as its older but more feature-packed cousins, the SE k700 and SE k750i. From the J-series of phones from SE, the Snapper appears to be the perfect amalgam of snazzy optics in a generally low budget phone. No WLAN capabilities but they do have USB installed, and that’s already a plus. You have good old USB 1.0 for file synchronizing with your PC.
Multimedia
Another good thing about the Sony Ericsson S312 Snapshot is that it combines bare-bones features to create a good combination of “can do” features. This is how it works: SE takes the most common file formats usable for low-end phones and lumps them together. See their sound format support: polyphonic ringing tones, MP3 and AAC ringing tones. You can also make use of a signature composer (note & instrument based) for your ringtones.
Call features
Of course, they’ve included a loudspeaker. Though some user reviews state that the Sony Ericsson S312 Snapshot’s loudspeaker is a bit rough in handling music, we’re guessing you just have to adjust the volume a bit.
The Sony Ericsson phonebook can also handle independent 1000 phonebook entries, with Photo Calling feature enabled as well. Call records can store up to 30 different numbers (dialled, missed & received).
Networking
The phone operates with Quadband GSM at frequencies 850/900/1800/1900 megahertz, with GPRS/EDGE access for the Web. Browsing is handled by WAP 2.0.
It’s not true that once you’ve seen a Samsung touchscreen phone, you’ve seen them all. It’s fortunate that Samsung is revamping the features of many of their phones whenever they would release something new. Unlike Nokia, who seems to have a penchant for releasing almost identical phones (moving around pieces of the puzzle, eh?).
Main features
The Samsung Preston S5600 uses a touch candy-bar form factor with no keys. Everything is dependent on the touchscreen, which measure 2.8 inches (QVGA). Nevertheless, Samsung has recently improved their TouchWiz user interface, making the menu systems as accessible as ever.
The “desktop” of the Samsung S5600 is very clean, with a row of main options on the bottom. All your important widgets from the calendar to the video player can be placed on the “desktop” as well. Customize your “desktop” and you have a very sleek business/recreational mobile phone, indeed.
On-board storage is only 80 megabytes, so make sure you buy a memory stick since the handset comes with a MicroSD slot. The S5600 can support up to 16 gigabytes memory, a tad lower than the Omnia HD, which can handle up to 32 gigabytes of added memory.
Rest assured that a close cousin, the S5230 has the same memory capacity. They didn’t install a Hot Swap™ capability, so you have to choose which memory you want to use.
Media handling
Samsung S5600 has a dedicated music player, though there hasn’t been much software improvement. It appears that Samsung is saving some R&D time by using a generic player for all their new units. As for the picture viewer, there are 2 ways to access your files. One is through the main picture browser (found on the “desktop”) and one through a swipe-friendly slideshow. Both are easily accessed from the signature “desktop” area from Samsung.
GPS!
Yes, the Samsung S5600 does have GPS capability. After a few presses, the phone begins to search for active GPS satellites. After which, you can just choose to download valid data and look over the information that you need. Neat!
You’d only need to look at the T-Mobile MDA Compact IV or the T-Mobile MDA Vario series to realize that T-Mobile’s MDA line packs in a lot of style. However, previously released models have proven that these Smartphones are not only all style, but also have a whole lot of functions.
T-Mobile seems to have brought the MDA line into a whole new level by designing a Smartphone that is not only a combination of form and function, but is also a multimedia machine as well. It’s time you meet the T-Mobile MDA Compact V.
Snappy Photographs
With a 3.2-Megapixel camera, the MDA Compact IV was already capable of producing decent photographs and videos. However, the Compact V has a much better camera that will shoot photos at an amazing 5 Megapixels. If it’s anything like the Compact IV then you should expect the maximum photo resolutions to be at least 2048 x 1536 pixels. Creating a photo journal of your most precious memories has been made possible by the Compact V’s powerful camera.
Mobile Internet Made Easy
One of the best features of the Compact V is that it is specially designed to have enhanced mobile internet capabilities. Surfing the internet using the latest version of the ever-popular Opera browser can be done in record speeds via the Smartphone’s 7.2 Mbps HSDPA capability. The Compact V also has a built-in multi-platform IM client that will allow users to chat using their Yahoo! Messenger, AOL, Windows Messenger, and Gmail accounts.
The Compact V also has the added feature of customizable widgets that can be easily added to the main screen’s “sushi bar” for quicker access. These widgets can serve as quick links to websites such as eBay or BBC, depending on the user’s preference. They can also be linked to your favourite social networking channels such as Twitter, MySpace and Facebook to ensure that you remain in the loop with all your friends’ activities.
Samsung recently unveiled four smartphones from their Omnia series, the Omnia 2 I8000, Omnia Lite B7300, Omnia Pro B7610 and the OmniaLITE. Amongst the four, the Samsung Omnia 2 I8000 is the most striking and from the features that we see, it looks as if the Korean mobile company has once again outdone itself.
All-in-One Phone
The Omnia 2 I8000 is being touted by Samsung as an all-in-one phone and it is indeed a feature-rich phone, not just in terms of productivity but also when it comes to multimedia.
3D Media Gate
The 3D Media Gate of the Omnia 2 provides you fast and easy access to five multimedia functions plus the main menu through a 3D cube. If you want to access the video player, music player, camera, photo album or the web browser, all you have to do is flip the cube around till you find what you’re looking for. When you launch the web browser, you will notice that all your favorite websites are displayed in a deck, allowing you to flip easily through your bookmarks – very convenient indeed.
Motion UI and Photo Views
The Omnia 2 makes it even easier for you to access multimedia features as it is incorporated with Motion UI, where access is provided by flipping, tilting or tapping on the mobile. The Omnia 2’s photo gallery is an excellent element of the device designed to provide a superb photo browsing experience. There are a number of views available: photo album, slideshow and 3D arc view. The 3D arc view is extremely functional, where your images are displayed in an arc and you can sweep your finger across the arc to access individual photographs.
Other terrific features include a 5MP camera which can also be utilised to record videos at 15fps and a built-in GPS preloaded with Google Maps. The Samsung Omnia 2 is set for release during the third quarter of the year and it will probably cost around €600.
The Samsung i7500, supported by an AMOLED display and HSUPA/HSDPA and GPRS and EDGE connectivity is due to be released in major European countries by the first half of 2009 (the announced month is June).
If you’re thinking what another Samsung AMOLED mobile phone can offer mainstream consumers, we’re happy to report that they’ve loaded this handset with the best features from all 3 major niches: multimedia entertainment, Internet surfing and personal, portable communications.
Enhanced Web-surfing experience
Since the Samsung i7500 has been pre-loaded with the Android operating system, you can expect the whole user interface and its basic applications to support access to the Internet. And yes, we were right. The Samsung i7500 features value-added features that focus on maximizing Google services such as You Tube, Google Talk and Google Maps.
The Samsung i7500 has an internal global positioning system receiver, which works well with various features of the larger system of GPS maps and locators known as Google Maps™. Not only would you be able to track where you are at the moment, but you would also enrich your vacation by accessing Wikitude™. Wikitude™ can be accessed because of the partnership between Google and Wikipedia.
Connection & connectivity features
Connecting to the Internet has been made easier with support for both GPRS/EDGE and HSUPA (5.76 mb/s). HSUPA and HSDPA connections operate in the following frequencies: 900, 1700 and 2100 megahertz. As for the EDGE/GPRS, the following frequencies can be accessed: 850/ 900/ 1800 and 1900.
Storage, power & display
The onboard storage capacity for the Samsung i7500 is 8 gigabytes, while you can expand the storage with a MicroSD card. The device can support up to 32 gigabytes of extra storage. If you run out of storage, simply buy a new MicroSD card and swap the old one with the fresh card.
This Samsung phone has a 1500 mAh battery, enough to support the bright and vivid 3.2 inch AMOLED display.
UAE telecommunications company Etisalat, based in Dubai, issued an over the air software update to its 150,000 BlackBerry users last week in an attempt to ‘improve performance’. Many of these customers installed the ‘patch’ but quickly complained that it had a negative effect on their devices, rendering them almost useless due to a significantly reduced battery life.
On investigation it was found that the ‘patch’ was a piece of spyware developed by American surveillance firm SS8 who develop ‘communication intercepts’ and ‘surveillance solutions’ for intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
This has caused a great deal of concern considering that telecommunications company Etisalat is owned by the UAE government and has highlighted the threat of mobile phones being used to implement a police state. The spyware installed on the BlackBerry devices was found to be sending personal information, including the contents of emails, to a central location presumably where they were being screened for ‘sensitive material’.
BlackBerry manufacturers Research in Motion (RIM) have been quick to point out that the ‘patch’ was not an official BlackBerry update and they had nothing to do with its development or distribution saying there was no need for customers to install the software that was claimed by Etisalat to be required for compatibility with 3G networks. BlackBerry have already issued free software to completely remove the intrusive software from their devices. It seems that had the spyware not been so badly written and caused BlackBerry devices to become unusable the surveillance software might never have been uncovered, raising some serious concerns about privacy.
The Samsung Omnia Lite B7300 may be light on price but it is certainly heavy with features that make it an excellent all in one mobile. The Omnia Lite is expected to retail for around £260 and will be released sometime during the second half of the year, along with two other Samsung Omnia phones, the Omnia 2 I8000 and Omnia pro B7610.
Ease of Use
According to Samsung executives, the Omnia Lite is a mobile device designed to address users’ Internet, business and multimedia needs but with a decidedly more effortless navigation. The very user-friendly Omnia Lite owes its ease of use to the TouchWiz UI incorporated into the phone. Additionally, users can make use of online widgets that they can post on the device’s homescreen for easy access. The Omnia Lite also boasts of a pleasant 3D experience via a multimedia cube. The cube provides users convenient access to entertainment apps.
Entertainment, Internet and Push Technology
The multimedia feature set of this phone covers a 3MP camera with 2048×1536 resolution, a music and video player, VGA clip recording function, a built-in FM radio with RDS. A secondary camera is also available for video calling. It comes with Java MIDP 2.0 so apart from the preloaded games, you can download additional Java-based games as well.
Internet browsing should be a zippy affair what with 3G connectivity and WiFi as well. You can also access local connectivity via Bluetooth and a USB port. Business executives will find push e-mail functions adequate plus there are a number of organisational tools fitted into the Omnia Lite such as voice memo and a document viewer.
Hardware and Software
The internal memory of the Omnia Lite is 250MB but this can be expandable up to 32GB by way of the microSD card slot. It operates under the Windows Mobile 6.1 platform which users can upgrade to 6.5 once the latest version is released. It is an easily pocketable phone at 12.9 millimeters and 103 grams.
Last 2008 saw the rise of a multitude of Smartphones that not only brought a lot of style but also carried a whole lot of features. Models like the NokiaE71 or the Apple iPhone 3G were some of the more popular Smartphones of 2008 because of their ability to combine style and substance. However, there are still some circles that believe that mobile phone manufacturers are deceptively trying to dazzle us with a myriad of features that we don’t actually need. Some argue that these mobiles have lost their very essence in that they have forgotten why we need mobiles in the first place—to be able to stay in touch with others.
Well, this is certainly not the case for the new Nokia E52 (set for release in 3Q of 2009 for around £220). As much as it has all the functions and features that have made Smartphones as popular as they are today, this model still remains to be an excellent means of communication.
Voice
In terms of operating frequency the E52 is a quad-band GSM mobile that is capable of automatically switching between GSM bands. It will also work in the 3G network: 10.2 Mpbs on HSDPA and 2 Mbps on HSUPA.
Making and receiving calls on the Nokia E52 should not pose any problems as this Smartphone has all the features one would need to be able to effectively communicate with the world. Dialling for instance has never been this easy as the E52 allows speed dialling, enhanced voice dialling, automatic redial, and even fixed dialling number support. Conference calling is also a useful feature for those who need to conduct meetings over the telly.
Messaging
The E52 has a common inbox for both you SMS and MMS messages to help you stay organized. Images are automatically resized to be able to be sent as part of an MMS message. A useful mini-feature is a list of recently used numbers for sending text messages, which makes the process of texting two or three steps shorter. The E52 also has extensive email support for those who need to bring their offices with them wherever they go.
Nokia had been criticised by many in North America for focusing their sales primarily on Europe with the American market merely being an afterthought. To silence these critics Nokia had released one of their more recent devices, the Surge, initially in the US with plans for it to be released in Europe soon. The Surge has had some mixed reviews in the USA with some people loving its social networking features and others being critical of its unconventional look. The Surge features a side sliding mechanism which reveals a full QWERTY keyboard which is ideal for writing emails or messaging.
This is primarily what the Surge, or the 6760 Slide as it will be known in Europe, is about. The phone is geared heavily towards social networking and has out-of-the-box support for services such as Twitter and Facebook. There is also full support for Microsoft Messenger and Google Talk, as well as Microsoft Exchange. The 2.4” QVGA display is roomy enough for using a whole range of services and the display can be switched between landscape and portrait. While known as the Surge in the US the phone featured a 2 megapixel camera, but with its worldwide 6760 Slide release this will be upgraded to 3.2 megapixels although it does not come with a flash. The 6760 Slide operates on 3.5G network and has support for Bluetooth but no WiFi unfortunately. There is a microSD slot that can take a maximum 8GB. There are multimedia capabilities including an FM radio, although Nokia have taken the rather annoying route of using 2.5mm sockets rather than the more conventional 3.5mm.
The Nokia 6760 Slide has been quite successful in the US has the surge and may prove popular with people who use social networking sites a lot although some people may be put off by its unconventional design.
The Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 has profitability written all over it simply because it effectively merges engaging features with ingenious functionality. I dare say this newest device from Samsung affords users the ability to be more proficient in their professional lives while giving them a treat by enabling them to take on pleasurable pursuits.
Be More Efficient at Work
The Omnia Pro’s Work Mode is designed to enhance productivity on the go. You have 3G and WiFi support for speedy Internet browsing, there is push e-mail available on the phone and you can maintain a number of corporate email accounts if the situation should warrant it. Samsung also included the Microsoft Office Suite so that users may look at and implement changes on their documents. All these functions are of course, sustained quite effectively by a powerful processor (800 MhZ, to be exact), a solid operating system (WinMo 6.1) and a graphic interface that screams ease of use.
Be More Relaxed
Entertainment is not to be neglected. This is after all, a Samsung device. The Omnia Pro B7610 comes with a 5 megapixel camera and to ensure the phone yields excellent quality photos, the company outfitted the snapper with autofocus, smile shot, panoramic function and a dual LED flash. If you are into videos, the camera has video recording capabilities, as well. The media player is compatible with numerous multimedia formats and should provide an adequate viewing and listening experience.
Other Elements
Additional features include a GPS, business card scanner, TV-out, photo and video editor. The Omnia Pro has a 1GB internal memory which is expandable to 32GB.
Samsung announced the Omnia Pro along with two other Omnia series devices, the dazzling Omnia 2 I8000 and the mid-range Omnia Lite B7300. Samsung fans can expect these devices to be available sometime during the third to fourth quarter of the year. The company hasn’t released pricing details but the Omnia Pro may have a price tag of about €600 to €700.
When it comes to low-priced snappers, only two brands stand out immensely: Nokia and Sony Ericsson. Sony Ericsson is the classier choice, given that Nokia is more known for budget mobile phones, period. 
Another good thing about the Sony Ericsson S312 Snapshot is that it combines bare-bones features to create a good combination of “can do” features. This is how it works: SE takes the most common file formats usable for low-end phones and lumps them together. See their sound format support: polyphonic ringing tones, MP3 and AAC ringing tones. You can also make use of a signature composer (note & instrument based) for your ringtones. 
It’s not true that once you’ve seen a Samsung touchscreen phone, you’ve seen them all. It’s fortunate that Samsung is revamping the features of many of their phones whenever they would release something new. Unlike Nokia, who seems to have a penchant for releasing almost identical phones (moving around pieces of the puzzle, eh?).
With a 3.2-Megapixel camera, the MDA Compact IV was already capable of producing decent photographs and videos. However, the Compact V has a much better camera that will shoot photos at an amazing 5 Megapixels. If it’s anything like the Compact IV then you should expect the maximum photo resolutions to be at least 2048 x 1536 pixels. Creating a photo journal of your most precious memories has been made possible by the Compact V’s powerful camera.
Samsung recently unveiled four smartphones from their Omnia series, the Omnia 2 I8000, Omnia Lite B7300, 
The Samsung i7500, supported by an AMOLED display and HSUPA/HSDPA and GPRS and EDGE connectivity is due to be released in major European countries by the first half of 2009 (the announced month is June). 
UAE telecommunications company Etisalat, based in Dubai, issued an over the air software update to its 150,000 BlackBerry users last week in an attempt to ‘improve performance’. Many of these customers installed the ‘patch’ but quickly complained that it had a negative effect on their devices, rendering them almost useless due to a significantly reduced battery life.
The 
Last 2008 saw the rise of a multitude of Smartphones that not only brought a lot of style but also carried a whole lot of features. Models like the 
Nokia had been criticised by many in North America for focusing their sales primarily on Europe with the American market merely being an afterthought. To silence these critics Nokia had released one of their more recent devices, the Surge, initially in the US with plans for it to be released in Europe soon. The Surge has had some mixed reviews in the USA with some people loving its social networking features and others being critical of its unconventional look. The Surge features a side sliding mechanism which reveals a full QWERTY keyboard which is ideal for writing emails or messaging.
The 
Entertainment is not to be neglected. This is after all, a