Mobile Phones

Rumours had it that the new Mio H610 was going to come with a large false-nail friendly screen and mirror, but when I got it out of the box it became obvious the rumours were fictitious. The most feminine thing about the Mio H610 is the teeny design. Measuring just 22 x 60 x 87 mm and weighing 166g, it’s smaller than, but weighs slightly more than an average mobile phone. The touch screen dominates the entire device, with just a tiny LED power light at the top left corner. The device comes with three removable and very girly frames to accessorise it to go with your outfit. One is white with a silver floral design, one is a lilac with darker lilac and blue flowers and one is plain white. All frames have the Mio Digi-Walker logo at the top, and clip on easily without having to apply too much pressure. A button at the top releases the frame, but once you’ve pressed the release button you’ll need a fingernail to slide in the back to pop the frame off. Between the front and back of the device is a silver coloured metal frame which houses the SD/MMC card slot, reset button, lock/unlock slide key, mini USB connection, wrist strap hole, headphone jack, user defined key, and a power button. The entire back part is white with a car antenna connector and speaker. The Mio H610 comes with a cradle and windscreen connector for in-car installations. We really liked the white leather pouch included with the H610, but being white we imagined it wouldn’t stay clean for long, so we gave it a black mark test which it handled well, wiping clean with a wet cloth. From the opinion of a woman who loves to accessorize, the Mio H610 is a truly gorgeous addition any handbag.

Source and more info: unbeatable

Currently holding the title of skinniest-mobile-in-the-world, the Samsung X820 attempts to squeeze all the essential functions you’d expect from a mobile handset, and then some, into a chassis that is only 6.9mm thick. Features include a 176 x 220 pixel display, digital music player (MP3, AAC and WMA compatible), web browser, document/spreadsheet viewer and even a 2.0 megapixel camera (!).

The handset, although a touch taller and wider than some at 113 x 50mm, is still nothing short of minute. But there surely must have been some compromises made to squeeze it all in there.

Source and more info: techdigest

The Nokia 5500 has been designed to last. The handset itself is entirely made of metal, while the sides are made from rubber, making this smart phone one of the most hardwearing phones on the market. The phone comes in 2 colours, silver with yellow framings and black with white ones.
Who said that smart phones have to be bulky and very heavy? Nokia has managed to pack all the features of a smart phone into a very small casing (107×45x18 mm) that weighs only 103 grams, making the Nokia 5500 the smallest smart phone out there. The keypad is made of rubber and it feels very solid and responsive. On the right side of the phone we can find the infrared port and a function key to switch between modes (music player, sport and phone), while on the left side it holds the volume key and a Push To Talk dedicated button. The power button is located on the top rim of the phone and can be used to switch between different profiles. Next to the power button, Nokia has installed a very handy flashlight that can be activated by pressing the * key.
The back of the Nokia 5500 holds a 2 Mega Pixel camera and the battery cover, made of thick plastic, that screws into the main body of the phone.

Source and more info: unbeatable

The Palm Treo 680 is the slimmer, more colorful little brother to the Treo 650 and 700p. That’s the tag line, anyway, so we were surprised when we got one in hand to find that it’s not actually that much smaller.
Sure, the 680 is an improvement, if only for the extra memory, but we’re not as thrilled with it as we expected to be, thanks to it’s odd restrictions, poor camera, lack of Wi-Fi, and the fact that it’s almost the same size as previous Treos.

Palm knows not to tamper with success, which is usually a good thing, since the Treo is an excellent smartphone and upgraded models never ruin what worked in the original. But it also means Palm isn’t the most innovative company: once it has a design that works, it sticks with it even while other companies steal the spotlight.

Source and more info: pdastreet

Two tech heavyweights are in talks to make the web on mobile phones - branded Google phones - as pervasive as it is on the desktop.

According to the UK’s Observer, Google is in talks with Orange, the mobile phone operator owned by France Telecom, about a multibillion-dollar partnership to create a “Google phone” that comes with built-in Google software, perhaps sporting a screen the size of an iPod Video. The two companies are betting the phone will make surfing the web from a mobile handset much easier for Europeans, writes MarketingVox.

The convergence of Google’s software expertise and the experience of mobile giant Orange - a seasoned player in the mobile industry with years more experience than any of the U.S.-based telecoms - is the basis of the move.

Source and more info: mediabuyerplanner

While handheld computers are getting smaller, they’re also becoming more versatile. Long gone are the days of impressing friends with an electronic contacts book and mini Excel documents, today’s pocket rockets have evolved.

The MDA Compact III is a prime example. Not only will it make calls, play multimedia files and organise your life, it’s also adept at getting you from a to b, courtesy of its Copilot Live 6 sat-nav software.

Similar to the MDA Compact II, the Compact III is chunky but surprisingly light (160g). Despite its bulk, it’s a nice size to work with and fits comfortably into a palm and pocket.

The screen is clear and big too – taking at least two thirds of the phone. It can also switch between landscape and portrait views, depending on the program being used.

To get around the menu system and programs, the MDA Compact III employs a mini trackball surrounded by a silver scroll dial, which is similar to use as Apple’s iPod wheel.

Source and more info: computeractive