Sony Ericsson have revealed three new mobile phones today, the txt, Xperia active and Xperia ray. Both the ray and active are android powered handsets whilst the txt is running Sony Ericsson’s proprietary software. Each phone seems to have its own unique selling point in an attempt to target specific customers based though some specialised features.
Sony Ericsson txt
No surprises that this handset is going after the text messaging addicts out there. In fact Sony Ericsson are actually trying to port some of the more popular uses of it’s Xperia range onto it’s more basic products. The txt incorporates a “friends” application which enables users to pick up to 5 accounts from facebook or twitter and displays them on the handset. The phone isn’t able to directly interact with facebook or twitter without using the handsets mobile browser but it does allow you to keep up to date with what your friends are up to. The txt comes Equipped with a full QWERTY keyboard which will appeal to the heavy texters and wifi which will keep down and mobile data use due to the social media integration. A respectable 3.2 megapixel camera covers all of the basics for the Sony Ericsson txt and depending on the price could be a winner for Sony Ericsson. The phone measures 106 x 60 x 14.5mm, weight 95 grams, has an inbuilt FM Radio, YouTube integration, 2.6 inch display, 100 MB of internal memory with MicroSD memory card support up to 32GB. The txt is due Q3 so we’d expect an October launch.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Active
The Xperia Active is an Android based handset that can take a beating, the phone is both dust and water resistant, water resistant meaning it can be submerged for 30 minutes at a depth of one meter. Sony Ericsson have really added appeal to the handset by incorporating some sports apps that can keep a track of your workout and training routine and can even keep an eye on your heart rate with compatible ANT+ devices. With the emphasis on fitness the phone still provides for the masses as the compact design still incorporates a 5mp camera, 3″ touch screen 1 GHZ processor and runs android 2.3 gingerbread. Although the phone is aimed at the fitness market we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s robust features don’t draw in the tradesman looking for a handset that can survive on a building site. The vital statistics are as follows, size: 55 x 92x 16.5mm and 110.8 grams. 5MP camera with 8x digital zoom, autofocus and 720p Video recording. A 3″ Capacitive touch screen (That works with wet fingers, Reality Display with Mobiles BRAVIVA engine display 320 x 480 pixels. 320MB of internal memory and microSD support up to 32GB. This addition to Sony Ericsson’s portfolio will come as a welcomed surprise for many fitness enthusiasts and we can’t think of a phone that currently competes in this area. Expect the Active to be hitting stores Q3 this year.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray
The Xperia ray hardware wise is very similar to their current flagship handset the , both have the 1 GHZ processor, run gingerbread 2.3, 8MP cameras and use the Sony BRAVIA engine for the graphics. The ray is however considerably more compact, at only 111 x 53 x 9.4mm the newest powerhouse form Sony Ericsson is a good 20mm smaller overall and may appeal to a wider market. The size of the display is reduced as a result at 3.3″ but is still very competitive when pitched against other android handsets on the shelves. For those of you who are after a powerful mobile with a small form this could be the handset for you. The Xperia ray uses Facebook inside Xperia software to integrate your friends status updates and gives you a richer experience. The ray is bundled with an 8.1mp camera, 1GHz processor, 2.3 Gingerbread, Wisepilot navigation, capacitive touch screen, 300 MB of internal memory with a 4GB bundles microSD card and 720p HD video recording. This too is expected in Q3 but we’ll keep you informed as soon as we know more details about all three handsets releases.
All three should be available through mobiles.co.uk when they are released and you’ll be able to register for updates by the end of the week.
LG are happily adding world firsts onto their record right now. They recently launched the worlds first dual core processor phone which has already seen commercial success, hot on the 2x’s heels is LG’s next show stopper the ! 3D tech has really gone mainstream over the last few years and is about to hit the mobile phone market thanks to LG.
When we received a pre-release of the Optimus 3D we, as you would expect, jumped straight into the 3D part of the phone. On the right hand side a button labelled 3D launches you directly into the 3D content. You have a revolving carousel that shows you a menu of all the 3D features which are “Games and Apps“, “YouTube” “Gallery” and “Camera“. We launched the camera and were instantly able to take our own 3D images and videos thanks to the dual 5 mega pixel cameras. The 3D doesn’t require you to wear glasses but uses a completely different bit of trickery to create the 3D illusion. The screen actually has two invisible filters that pass over it; these filters are able to send different images to your right and left eyes, pretty clever stuff. The only problem with this approach is the user needs to hold the phone directly in front of them, this really isn’t a problem considering the Optimums 3D is a portable device. The 3D effects gives your images depth rather then have images leap out at you so you feel as though you can actually reach into the screen.
After playing with the camera we then had a look at the 3D videos available on you tube, there were roughly 30 different videos to pick from when we trialled the Optimus 3D which were fairly impressive but really this feature will take off as more users upload their own content taken with the Optimus 3D. Next we looked at the games. This is where we appreciated the 3D the most, specifically on the Let’s Golf 2 game. The mechanics of the game are very similar to any other golf game you may have played, but the 3D really comes to life when you drive your ball 350 yards down the fairway. As the game tracks your ball hurtling towards the pin, the scenery whips past you and thanks to the 3D you really feel as though the ball has travelled and you with it.
Looking aside from the graphics the Optimus 3D is also a great example of a well designed Android phone. The hardware is cutting edge with a Dual Core 1GHZ processor, 4.3
inch screen, 512 MB of Ram, 8GB of internal storage and as we stated previously two 5MP cameras on the back for taking both 2D and 3D images. The phone measures in at 128.8 x 68 x 11.9mm and only weighs 168grams. Compared to the Optimus , which is essentially the same handset without the 3D, the Optimus 3D is only a few millimetres larger which isn’t noticeable in your hand or pocket.
Our overall opinion of the handset is great we really enjoyed the 3D and think it’s got real potential for the future. To be perfectly honest the 3D isn’t perfect yet but does add a new element of fun to the phone like no other Smartphone on the market. We’re really excited to see the content that you guys create with the handset and think game developers are going to really enjoy creating unique titles that make the most of the graphics. As we said earlier 3D is becoming common place so we expect to see a lot more 3D handsets soon, but remember LG did it first!
Weather you have one or not, you will most likely have seen a tablet pc by now. With the success of the iPad, galaxy tab and the blackberry playbook , it’s fair to say that tablet PC’s are a sucess and the current must have gadget.
Here at mobiles we like to keep our faithful fans and customers happy so we’ve decided to give away the newest tablet on our shelves the Asus Eee Transformer. The Asus Transformer is a tablet powered by Android 3.0 Honeycomb. Featuring a vivid 10.1 inch HD display, you can view HD content on the move on your Transformer or connect to a compatible HD TV using the built in HDMI port. The Transformer runs the latest version of the Google Android operating system, Honeycomb, which is optimised for tablet use taking advantage of the 10.1 inch display. Perfect for multimedia on the move, take your Transformer on-line using built in Wi-Fi connectivity or download and enjoy apps from the Android Market and run multiple applications thanks to the powerful NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-Core Processor. The Asus Transformer also has an ace up its sleeve in the form of a keyboard accessory (sold seperately) that clips on to the tablet and “transforms” the Asus into a viable alternative to a netbook or laptop.
If this sounds like your type of gadget then head over to our page to get involved!
This week we Launched a price matching policy on 4 high end Android Smartphones. As both part of a drive to provide Smartphones for everybody and as a commitment to our promise to offer the best value mobile phone deals online. We have created a new campaign that offers either the , , or at a guaranteed lowest price on the Orange network.
The “Orange price match promise” underlines a commitment and confidence that we are offering the best value in the market place. As a result the offer provides our customers with the newest and most advanced Smartphones at affordable prices.
Each handset offers a peace of mind purchase for our customers as knowing that you are getting the best possible value for the latest android Smartphones currently available. The price promise will be lasting for the entirety of May 2011 for 24 month contracts at any monthly price point. The selection of handsets and tariffs available should suit all needs and budgets. Customers will have a choice from over 38 tariffs across all four handsets which includes two of the most sophisticated handsets currently available the and.
Smartphone sales have already increased by 57.7 percent compared to 2010 with Android handsets driving the highest volume of newly connected Smartphones. By 2012 Android devices will account for 49% of the market clearly making it the most popular Smartphone operating system. Android is the mobile operating system devised and produced by Google. A close rival to Apples iOS the Android operating system is continually being improved by Google with systematic updates bringing new features and improvements to the user experience. The android marketplace (A hub for downloading apps) also claims this week to offer the most free apps on any mobiles operating system.
Our “Orange Price Promise” is a direct result of the demand from customers who are looking to adopt new technology and enjoy the richer experience these handsets offer. This is also reflected in the increase in web browsing on mobile devices with the amplified use of android devices increasing month on month since June 2010. The consumer is clearly enjoying a more connected lifestyle which is made available thanks to the latest generation of Smartphones.
Tell us what you think about this new offer in and keep checking with us for on promotions and offers!
Over the weekend a new addition to the family was announced. The BlackBerry 9900 is the latest incarnation of the Bold and has received some major updates.
The Bold has been returned to it’s original shape of the 9000 and looks significantly different to the 9780. The change in shape may be to give the handset a distinctive shape or it could be to allow for a slimmer model. The 9900 is 115 mm wide (6mm wider then the 9780) but only 10.5 mm thick. This is the thinnest BlackBerry ever and employs a capacitive touch screen as found in the Torch which is quite an achievement.
The BlacBerry 9900 has a 2.8 inch screen which is the largest from their Candy handsets and might explain the increase in width. The Bold has also been equipped with a mighty 1.2GHZ processor which is a huge step forward for BlackBerry. (The 9780 only had a 624mhz processor) This might also reveal the expectations that BlackBerry have for their new OS. Along with the new Bold, BlackBerry also revealed their latest OS BlackBerry 7.
With a “Liquid Graphics” process, the 9900′s browser has been hugely improved. The rendering and scrolling of web pages is extremely fast adding much needed usability to the browser. The improvements are said to be 1.6x faster than the browser on a BlackBerry OS 6 device. The browser also supports HTML 5 which future proofs the smartphone for any developments within the world wide web. NFC, Docsto go and voice search are amongst other updates to the BlacBerry OS with the only othersignificant update being BlackBerry Balance. This allows the user to keep their personal and private e-mails/calendar completely separate from those of your company. If an employee leaves a company and takes their BlackBerry with them, the admin is able to wipe anything relating to the corporation remotley whilst leaving the personal details/data intact. This will come as a relief to those who have two BlackBerry’s (One for work and one for personal use).
This is clearly BlackBerry’s most advanced handset yet and shows us the type of improvements we can expect from other devices. The phone is expected some time in Q2 with the OS 7 promised as a summer launch.
The (formally known as HTC Pyramid) specs have now been formally announced and is being promoted as a “multimedia superphone in the palm of your hand”, launching exclusively by Vodafone in the middle of next month, with other networks to follow in June.
Peter Chou, CEO of HTC corporation has said “Smartphones have evolved into pocket-sized entertainment centres that enable people to take their favourite content with them wherever they go. The HTC Sensation takes this even further by combining the great new HTC watch entertainment experience with the latest HTC sense experience to deliver a powerful, evolved multimedia smartphone to our customers.”
The device is the first dual-core 1.2GHz handset for HTC so puts it way ahead of the current models out there. It has a 4.3-inch touch screen qHD display perfect for watching movies or looking at photos. The HTC Sense makes the phone easy to use and again excellent for entertainment. Surf the web with multi-window browsing with the latest flash support for smooth video playback another great feature the has to offer.
With the 8 megapixel instant capture camera, the moment you press the button is the moment the photo is captured – no more waiting around, with a front facing camera for video messaging too.
Register your interest to be kept up to date on all news about the the HTC Sensation release date.
I talked about this app in but the recent update was significant enough to write about it again. If you don’t remember, this app does what does. It uses the front facing camera and adds silly effects. The update now allows you to use the rear camera too. It also added 4 new effects including AsciiArt (drawing the image with just letters, numbers and other ASCII characters), ModernArt, 100Me and NightVision. Check out the screenshots below for examples. There are a lot more features that were added so here’s the complete list: … []
Last week Apple announced that the operating system from the iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad will be coming to the Mac in the Summer of 2011. There are some very interesting ways they are going to do this. They include an App Store, Launchpad, Folders, Full-screen apps, and Mission Control. I’ll explain each of these better below and I’ve also included the full video of the announcement which includes updates to the MacBook Air and iLife. … []
Verizon recently announced they will soon begin selling the iPad starting October 28th. First off, do not be confused, the model they will be selling will be wifi only and will come with their mobile hotspot they call MiFi. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a wireless, battery powered wifi router, about the size of a credit card, that gets it’s internet from the cell phone towers.
Verizon MiFi
So, to be clear, the iPads that Verizon will be selling will be wifi only and will not have the ability to receive data from Verizon on their own without using the MiFi device. The battery life of the MiFi is somewhere between 3 & 4 hours and the iPad is somewhere near 10 hours. … []
I talked about this app in but the recent update was significant enough to write about it again. If you don’t remember, this app does what does. It uses the front facing camera and adds silly effects. The update now allows you to use the rear camera too. It also added 4 new effects including AsciiArt (drawing the image with just letters, numbers and other ASCII characters), ModernArt, 100Me and NightVision. Check out the screenshots below for examples. There are a lot more features that were added so here’s the complete list: … []
Last week Apple announced that the operating system from the iPhone, iPod touch and the iPad will be coming to the Mac in the Summer of 2011. There are some very interesting ways they are going to do this. They include an App Store, Launchpad, Folders, Full-screen apps, and Mission Control. I’ll explain each of these better below and I’ve also included the full video of the announcement which includes updates to the MacBook Air and iLife. … []
Verizon recently announced they will soon begin selling the iPad starting October 28th. First off, do not be confused, the model they will be selling will be wifi only and will come with their mobile hotspot they call MiFi. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a wireless, battery powered wifi router, about the size of a credit card, that gets it’s internet from the cell phone towers.