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HTC 7 Mozart review
Out of all the Windows Phone 7 launch partners, HTC's obviously been the most hard-working kid in Mr. Ballmer's sculpture class. So here's the question: which of the five launch devices is the Taiwanese company's best work? Well, there's no such thing as a perfect phone, but we dare say the 7 Mozart's the most stylish out of the lot. Not convinced? Flip the phone around and you'll see its two main selling points: its aluminum unibody construction (as applied on the Nexus One and Legend), and its 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash (as opposed to 5 megapixels with LED flash on the other WP7 devices). Will these goodies suffice to win WP7 fanatics over? Join us after the break to find out. This review is primarily of the HTC 7 Mozart hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS. %Gallery-105337%
Richard Lai10.21.2010
Man traps himself in toilet trying to retrieve cellphone, has time to re-evaluate life priorities (video)
When we say this chap was trapped in the toilet, we don't mean he was stuck in the bathroom, he literally jammed his arm down the porcelain-encased pipe. The poor gentleman from Jiangsu Province in China was clearly in desperate need of his cellphone, as not even the typically repugnant idea of diving down for it was enough to prevent him from trying to chase the thing down. Good news is that emergency services rescued him with only minor cuts and bruises to his arm, though we suspect the injury to his ego will take a long, long time to heal. [Thanks, Adiwidya]
Vlad Savov10.20.2010
Puma Phone review
So it's true, we're living in an age where people would shamelessly line up for certain electronics and luxurious fashion items. Why? Just because they can, and for that reason, some swanky outlets -- namely Christian Dior, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, and Versace -- have attempted to exploit our gadget lust by offering self-branded phones at extortionate prices. In the eyes of every-day consumers, there's really not much appeal in these soulless devices except for the logo and some extra bling, but apparently these two factors alone are enough to make some aficionados drool a river. On the other hand, Puma -- a less luxurious but naturally more accessible fashion brand -- has decided to do more than just slapping an OS skin onto its aptly-named Puma Phone. Priced at a comparably affordable £300 ($469), this Sagem-made featurephone packs a few unusual features such as a solar panel, a sports tracker, and even a virtual cougar named Dylan. Read on to find out if we could sense the Puma spirit in this device.%Gallery-99609%
Richard Lai10.17.2010
Windows Phone 7 handsets: spec comparison
Having trouble keeping track of all the new Windows Phone 7 handsets today? We don't blame you -- even we had trouble remembering all the minor differences between the similarly specced devices. To end our frustration, we've compiled a big chart that lists out the carriers and specs for all 10 devices (with a couple extra MIA) to make our lives a tad easier -- head on pass the break if you need the peace of mind.
Richard Lai10.11.2010
Meizu M8 ceases production amid pressure from Apple and intellectual property office
Well, can't say we didn't see this coming; we're just surprised that it's taken this long for Meizu to take a hit over its notorious handset. In case you have no idea what we're talking about, earlier this month said Chinese company's been in heated talks with Apple due to the M8 smartphone bearing an "appearance roughly similar" to the iPhone. Seriously, that's the only reason Apple provided for the accusation, if CEO Jack Wong is to be trusted (and hey, he did kinda ask for it). Anyhow, the latest development is that Meizu's bowing to pressure from both the provincial intellectual property office and Cupertino, and announced that it's shutting down production lines for its flagship M8 this month. This is no doubt a big blow to the company, but it might get even nastier -- here's what Jack said in one of his many frustrated forum postings: Apple requested that we cease manufacturing the M8 this month, we agreed but then [Apple] came back and asked for a sales ban instead. I can cope with a production freeze, but not with having our shops closed and thus not being able to use up our inventory. If Apple and the provincial IPO take another insatiable step, I can only go head to head against them. So, it looks like the M8's all set for an early retirement, either way -- it doesn't look like Apple's going to let this one go easily, and Jack's also expressed concern over the fact that the IPO has the power to shut his factory down without going to court. That said, things are still looking positive for the elusive M9 -- from the sounds of it, Meizu's upcoming Android phone isn't affected by this takedown (yet); but the question is whether Jack and co. can keep the shops running until a December launch for their next flagship device. Oh well, hang in there, Meizu!
Richard Lai10.09.2010
Motorola Citrus budget candybar outed by Verizon, sports Android 2.1 and Blur
Boy, Motorola must've been real busy lately. Sharing the Verizon limelight with the Droid Pro today is this new entry-level Citrus candybar, which is actually the WX445 we saw exclusively back in July. Sadly, said handset will still be shipped with a slightly disappointing Android 2.1 OS and Blur skin, but hey, we did say it's entry level, right? The good folks over at xda-developers will probably Froyo-lize the phone in no time, anyway. Not much else is known right now, but bear with us while we look out for more deets. Update: Okay, the press release is out -- check it after the break. The Citrus is hitting this quarter for an unannounced price (a low one, we'd presume), and one of its claims to fame is the fact that it's fashioned of 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and is both PVC and BFR free. Better yet, the phone's also given the CarbonFree certification by Carbonfund.org for its carbon-neutral status. Good on ya, Motorola.
Richard Lai10.05.2010
Coolpad to debut N930 Android phone in China, lures your yuans with titanium and ceramic parts
You know, the Chinese gadget market isn't just about tacky shanzhai or KIRF products -- look closer and ye shall find the odd pearl on the seabed. For instance, this Coolpad N930 Android phone doesn't look too shabby with its tough titanium body, ceramic buttons, and a 3.5-inch 480 x 800 ASV LCD capacitive touchscreen, not to mention the 1GHz CPU under the hood as well. The hold-back? You might need to take a leap of faith for this young cellphone brand's first take on Google's green bot, and this is Android 2.1 we're talking about here, although a 2.2 update will be available later. This is all the info available for now -- the rest will be unveiled at the P&T / Expo Comm China in Beijing next month, if you absolutely must get hold of this handset. [Thanks, Michael YL]
Richard Lai09.28.2010
Michael Dell teases new 7-inch Android tablet, says Streak to land in Best Buy next month (update: pic)
Oh Michael, such a teaser you are. Word has it that the head honcho of Dell Inc. has just pulled out yet another Android tablet from his pocket, only this time it's a 7-inch whopper. Sadly, Mr. Dell left us high and dry with dates and specs (and the lack of photos from the event doesn't help, either), but we'll bet you that this is the long-rumored Looking Glass. On a more solid note, Dell also announced that the smaller Streak is heading to Best Buy next month. That's great, except some of us would rather see the tabletphone getting its share of Froyo sooner -- here's hoping that this bigger tablet won't disappoint us with an outdated OS. Update: As it just so happens, Reuters snapped a pic of Mr. Dell himself holding the tablet on stage, and sure enough, it resembles that leaked Looking Glass even from quite a distance away.
Richard Lai09.22.2010
Orange launches OLED-donning San Francisco, doesn't break the Android piggy bank
Oh snap! This is exactly what Nokia needs right now -- another cheap Android handset to gobble up its wallet-friendly stronghold. What we're looking at here is Orange's oddly named San Francisco, a £99 ($154) pay-as-you-go Eclair handset crafted by ZTE. Much like its humble sibling Racer, Orange's 4.6-ounce offering is loaded with a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset, 3.2 megapixel camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio, and MicroSD expansion. Yet for the same price, the San Francisco somehow comes with a larger 3.5-inch 480 x 800 OLED capacitive touchscreen. This sure sounds like a tempting deal, but don't whip out your credit card just yet -- we'll give you a yay or nay once we've seen how the phone fares in real life. For now, check out the official promo video after the break.
Richard Lai09.21.2010
Dell Streak's pre-rooted Android 2.1 update quietly suspended, revision coming in two or three weeks
Ruh roh. Looks like Dell's stepped onto its own toes real hard with the Streak's Android 2.1 update -- O2 just confirmed to us that due to some "feedback from users," it's decided to suspend said download while Dell gets cranking on a revised software release over the next two or three weeks. We weren't given the exact reasons behind this quiet withdrawal, but our friends over at MoDaCo might have had the answer for some time -- soon after the release, they discovered that the 2.1 firmware was in fact pre-rooted, thus leaving the Streak vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification (although handy for the seriously tech-minded). Yikes. On the bright side, such substantial time frame suggests that the upcoming fix should also address other bugs like incompatibility with the desktop suite, weird loading behavior in the browser, and missing WMV video playback functionality. And here comes the inevitable question: what about Froyo? Well, neither Dell nor O2 could provide a date for the Streak's scoop of frozen dessert, but we'll bet you a white iPhone 4 that it won't be out in October.
Richard Lai09.20.2010
LG Optimus One and Optimus Chic specs confirmed, joining the Froyo party in November
If you're not much of a Nokia connoisseur, then how about something a little different to boost your appetite? Today, LG has finally let loose the juicy details about its Optimus One (pictured left) and Optimus Chic Android 2.2 handsets, which were actually unveiled a little over two months ago. The spec sheets -- embedded after the break -- confirm that both low-end Froyo phones carry a 600MHz chip, 3.2-inch 320 x 480 LCD capacitive touchscreen, and the usual wireless package (802.11b/g WiFi, A-GPS, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and FM radio). The difference? Apart from the appearance and button configurations, the One's 1500mAh battery beats the Chic's by 250mAh, but loses out in the megapixel race with only 3 to the Chic's 5MP imager. No prices announced just yet, but we'll keep our eyes peeled open when they arrive at European stores in November.
Richard Lai09.14.2010
Spot the difference: HTC Desire's SLCD versus AMOLED
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg If you'll recall, a little while back HTC waved its white flag amid AMOLED shortages and made the jump to the readily-available SLCD for its Desire and Nexus One handsets. As a quick recap, here's what CEO Peter Chou said about the swap: "The SLCD displays provide consumers with a comparable visual experience to HTC's current 3.7 inch displays with some additional benefits including battery performance." So, just how "comparable" is the SLCD? To find out, we picked up both flavors of the Desire to perform some comparison tests. Let's start off with the picture quality: what caught our attention straight away was how much sharper SLCD is, but alas, AMOLED is still in the lead for vibrancy and brightness. We dug a little deeper and learned that this has to do with the different pixel arrangements on the two types of panels -- unlike traditional TFT LCD panels, AMOLED's PenTile RGBG (red, green, blue, green, etc.) filter matrix utilizes just two subpixels per pixel instead of three in the same amount of space, thus allowing greater transmittance due to the larger red and blue subpixels. But obviously, the downside is that the pictures aren't as sharp as the denser-packed SLCD. Read on for more! %Gallery-101997%
Richard Lai09.13.2010
White HTC Desire and silver Wildfire make a special appearance in London
Man, just look at these puppies -- a silver Wildfire nestling against a snow-white Desire. If this cute image is making you smile, you can thank our friends over at Android Community for stumbling upon these special edition HTC phones, which are headed to The Carphone Warehouse's exclusive club in good old Blighty (sorry, US readers). There's no date confirmed just yet, but given that these Android phones will be slapped with the regular price tags, you'd best be ready to dash to your nearest store before it's too late. Head over to the source link for more eye candy while you camp out.
Richard Lai09.08.2010
Apple Peel 520 coming to US shores shortly for an undisclosed amount
Build it, and they will come. We suspect the same is true with shipping papers. Go Solar USA most certainly hopes so, as it has just inked a deal with Chinese developer Yosion to bring the much-hyped Apple Peel 520 to the US of A. For those unaware, this slip-on case effectively turns your iPod touch into an iPhone, as it equips your PMP with a SIM card slot and the software needed to make / receive calls and texts. Granted, it's not without its flaws, but for "around $60," it's not a half-bad alternative to handing over your cellular soul to AT&T. Both companies have reportedly agreed to work together to distribute it in the United States, but it's unclear when those shipments will start and how much it'll retail for once it arrives. Oh, and don't hold your breath for compatibility with the latest and greatest touch -- just sayin'.
Darren Murph09.08.2010
Meizu CEO Jack Wong: Oh hey, the new iPod touch 'looks a bit like the M9II'
Should there be an international award for Cheekiest Man of the Year, it'd have to go to Meizu's shameless Jack Wong. Shortly after Apple's keynote last week, the CEO of KIRFdom seized the opportunity to cry foul on the new iPod touch, claiming it "looks a bit like" his forthcoming M9II Android phone, as pictured above. Wait, M9II? Turns out even though the M9 has yet to materialize in early October, Mr. Wong already has an enhanced model to be brought forth by his faithful unicorns. Assuming both M9 series devices will carry the same Meizu-fied Android 2.2 software, the only known differences on the M9II include a larger 4-inch display (as opposed to 3.5 inches at 960 x 640), the additional front-facing camera plus flash for the rear camera, and a Cortex-A9 CPU. To play devil's advocate, we'd actually suggest Wong skip the M9 for this lovely dream phone, but we're probably too late -- check out his snazzy prototype M9 after the break.
Richard Lai09.06.2010
Orange HD Voice service and handsets go live in the UK, we go ears-on (video)
(function() { var s = document.createElement('SCRIPT'), s1 = document.getElementsByTagName('SCRIPT')[0]; s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.async = true; s.src = 'http://widgets.digg.com/buttons.js'; s1.parentNode.insertBefore(s, s1); })(); Digg Good news for UK mobile addicts: Orange's long-anticipated HD Voice service has officially made it to the Land of Hope and Glory. Starting today, British customers can pick up a HD Voice-enabled handset -- including the Nokia 5230, X6, E5 and Samsung Omnia Pro at launch -- from Orange, and start buttering their ears with "crystal clear" phone calls while within the carrier's 3G coverage. Prior to the launch, we were fortunate enough to try out the new service on a couple of Nokia E5 prototypes in Piccadilly Circus, and boy, that was some pretty impressive stuff there -- the wider speech bandwidth really added a lot of clarity to the caller's voice, and additionally, the noisy traffic from the caller's end was well suppressed at where it'd otherwise crackle over a normal call. Perhaps the easiest way to put it is that this is much like jumping from a bad FM radio broadcast to some sweet CD audio, thus making conversations a lot easier to interpret, even if the recipient is in a noisy environment or has hearing problem (as proven by Orange's public trial). As always, hearing is believing, so do check out our sample audio clips after the break. While Orange remains a dominant driving force behind this mobile revolution, the carrier assured us that it expects other companies to pick up this open standard. That said, it's rather disappointing that current owners of the aforementioned handsets won't be getting a software patch for the HD upgrade (we were told that no extra hardware is involved), but we can understand -- the manufacturers do need to sell new phones to stay alive in this rapidly changing market. Anyhow, here's hoping that the forthcoming flagship Android and Windows Phone 7 devices will also get a taste of this crystal clear call quality.
Richard Lai09.01.2010
Sony Ericsson announces China-bound A8i Ophone: its first-ever TD-SCDMA smartphone
We're actually surprised it's taken that long for Sony Ericsson to join China Mobile's TD-SCDMA bandwagon (potentially 554 million accounts!), but as the old Chinese proverb goes: "it's never too late to fix the fence, even if you've already lost a few sheep." The new Ophone 2.0 handset in question is the A8i, which bears much resemblance to the oh-so-popular Xperia X10 (also available in China) except for the smaller 3.5-inch touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera, CMMB mobile TV feature, and the seemingly missing Timescape plus Mediascape apps. No prices announced just yet, but we're told that both the "Titanium Black" and "Shiny White" editions will be heavily subsidized when they come out in October.
Richard Lai08.31.2010
Vodafone teases with exclusive green Nokia N8, still mum on prices and availability
With September just a few days away, things are really about to get real for Nokia's flagship N8, especially in Europe. For instance, Vodafone's UK arm has just updated the "Coming Soon" page for this Symbian^3 device. What's new? Just the fact that the carrier will be offering the phone in two colors: black and green, with the latter ironically exclusive to red Vodafone. Yep, that's pretty much it -- no prices or dates mentioned just yet, but we'll be keeping an eye out for you N8 believers.
Richard Lai08.28.2010
HTC Spark, Bee and Lexikon specs outed: one WP7 and two Froyo devices coming soon
Another day, another HTC leak. This time we're seeing some juicy specs for three upcoming devices, courtesy of notorious ROM leakster 911sniper (who appears to be buddies with Conflipper). First up is the cutely-named Bee that sounds pretty much identical to the entry-level Wildfire in Europe, except for the pre-loaded Android Froyo (as opposed to Eclair) and the Verizon-bound Qualcomm MSM7625 chipset. Next we have another Froyo handset dubbed the Lexikon, which comes with a more impressive package: 800MHz MSM7630 world-phone chipset, 512MB of RAM, and a QWERTY keyboard presumably under the 3.8-inch 480 x 800 screen. Apart from the much lower clock speed here, this could very well be the Android slider we saw earlier this month. Finally, we round off with the WP7-donning Spark that we've probably spotted before -- here we have the good ol' 1GHz Snapdragon silicon (but not the CDMA2000 flavor as we speculated), 512MB of ROM and RAM each, 3.7-inch 480 x 800 display, and a 5 megapixel camera. Phew! After all this, we best be off to bed -- do wake us up when there's a release date.
Richard Lai08.17.2010
Shocker: Touchscreen smudge may give away your Android password pattern
Fast food connoisseurs should pay special attention here -- according to a recent paper by the University of Pennsylvania, Android users are inadvertently leaving their nine-dot lock patterns in the open, courtesy of their fingers' oily smear on the screen. Specifically, the study on potential "smudge attacks" found that partial or complete patterns could be easily retrieved -- even with added noise on the display or after incidental clothing contact -- by using various lighting and camera orientation settings for the smear analysis. Should we be surprised? No. But should our phones be getting Froyo sooner for the extra PIN and QWERTY password options? Hell yeah.
Richard Lai08.16.2010