Mobile Phone News Blog » release date q2 2010

Mobile Phones News :Samsung S5620 Monte Review

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:43:21 +0000

Sometimes when a new handset is released, it is instantly clear where it fits into that particular manufacturer’s line-up of existing handsets, but every once in a while a new product is announced that, whilst being a fine device in its own right, seems to be nothing more than

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Sometimes when a new handset is released, it is instantly clear where it fits into that particular manufacturer’s line-up of existing handsets, but every once in a while a new product is announced that, whilst being a fine device in its own right, seems to be nothing more than a filler handset, just another variation on an existing phone. The Samsung S5620 Monte is a device that fits into this category. I mean, it is indeed a fine handset, with an impressive array of features, but I do wonder just who it will appeal to, what is the market segment it is aimed at? Perhaps, though, the S5620 isn’t designed to attract a specific type of user, and will instead offer a broad appeal across the market. It will be interesting to see just where this phone sits when it is released.

As I said, the feature setup on the handset is very good, with a solid if not spectacular line-up. Very lightweight, at just 92g, the Samsung Monte measures in at a comfortable 109 x 54 x 12.5mm, very much among the norm for a mid range device. With a full touch enabled display, using capacitive technology, the Monte delivers a TFT screen measuring in at a good 3.0 inches, supporting up to 256,000 colours and with a pixel resolution of 240 x 400. The handset runs on the proprietary Samsung TouchWiz user interface, which is a simple, icon driven menu system that makes navigation simple for even the newest of mobile phone users. The device has a built in accelerometer for auto display rotation, and there is a turn to mute option included too, which handily allows you to mute incoming calls by simply flipping the phone over. Another nice inclusion is the Smart Unlock option, which allows you to unlock the phone and instantly launch a chosen application by simply ‘drawing’ a pre selected shape on your phone’s display. So for example, drawing an ‘M’ could launch the music player, or an ‘S’ could launch the SMS feature, and so on.

It’s good to see on a mid range device the inclusion of a GPS receiver, enabling the phone to work as a personal navigation device by using the ever popular Google Maps application, with the Samsung Monte shipping with Google Maps 3.0. The GPS receiver also works with the built in 3.2 Megapixel camera, allowing you to add location information to the digital data on captured images, which allows people to see the location images were captured if you enable this on photos you upload to the web. As well as offering Geotagging, the camera on the Monte supports fixed focus, and also smile detection. Video recording is enabled too, allowing video clips to be captured at an acceptable 15 fps, at QVGA resolution, which whilst a bit choppy and blocky would still view ok if uploaded to the web. Social networking integration on the Monte follows in the footsteps of many recent handsets from Samsung, offering live updates that can be set to be delivered direct to the main standby screen on the phone. This option can be activated from a variety of the most popular social networking sites.

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The S5620 Monte includes a full media player, with support for multiple music and video formats. Memory on the handset is a rather impressive 227MB internal, which can be expanded with the addition of a MicroSD memory card, with the Monte supporting cards up to 16GB in size. To enhance the music listening capabilities, the Monte includes a 3.5mm audio output jack, plus includes support for DNSe for an improved sound quality. There is a stereo FM radio with RDS included on the phone, and we also find Bluetooth 2.1, which allows for stereo audio streaming to a compatible wireless headset.

Messaging and web browsing are well catered for on the Monte, with support for Palringo instant messaging already installed on the device, plus the usual email facilities found on most Samsung devices, which includes support for push email and multiple account setup. There is a full web browser on the handset, which works well with most websites, and data connectivity is handled via 3G+ Mobile Broadband, backed up by GPRS, EDGE, and there is also WiFi 802.11b/g too.

Overall the Samsung S5620 Monte is a smart looking device, which will offer a broad appeal to a wide variety of users. Available in Q2 2010, the Monte will be available on both Prepay and contract, and given the expected selling press offers very good value indeed.

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Mobile Phone News :Sony Ericsson Aspen Review

admin — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:34:07 +0000

Following in the footsteps of the Xperia X1 and X2, Sony Ericsson have announced the forthcoming release of the Aspen, the third Windows Mobile powered device from the Swedish/Japanese manufacturer. The device is expected to release during Q2 2010, and in some markets will also be

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Following in the footsteps of the Xperia X1 and X2, Sony Ericsson have announced the forthcoming release of the Aspen, the third Windows Mobile powered device from the Swedish/Japanese manufacturer. The device is expected to release during Q2 2010, and in some markets will also be known as the Sony Ericsson Faith. Aimed at the business market, the Aspen packs in a whole host of top end features designed to keep you in touch on the go.

The Aspen comes under the now familiar Greenheart banner, a range of handsets from Sony Ericsson that deliver top end mobile technology utilising eco friendly materials. This means the majority of the device is constructed from recycled material, whilst the packaging itself is kept to an absolute minimum. Also, you will not find a manual in the box; this will be stored on the phone in .pdf format. A useful tip for this is when you get your phone, copy the .pdf file to your PC, because if you need to access the manual and your phone is not working, it can be a bit of a pain having to hunt for the manual online. Another element of the Greenheart ethos is using waterborne paint on the handset, which has better environmental credentials.

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The Sony Ericsson Aspen is a candybar style device, looking similar in design to a traditional BlackBerry, or Nokia E71. There is a full, four row, QWERTY keyboard on the handset, above which sit the menu Navi Key, soft option keys and call send/end keys. The display on the device is a resistive touchscreen, TFT, measuring 2.4 inches across and supporting up to 16 million colours. The fact that the QVGA display is touchscreen is a real bonus, allowing you to interact with the device either via the keypad or directly through the screen, and as the screen is a resistive display, it will work with a stylus and there is support for handwriting recognition included. As with most modern phones, the display has an auto rotate feature, which comes into its own when using the device for web browsing, and the user interface includes support for the Sony Ericsson panels, found previously on the X1 and X2.

The Aspen is a well connected phone, with quad band GSM support for solid worldwide coverage. Data transfer on the phone is handled via HSPA, for mobile broadband speed downloads and uploads on the phone, plus there is also support for WiFi 802.11b/g. This is all backed up with Class 10 EDGE and GPRS, and the device also supports Bluetooth 2.1, with A2DP. For connecting to a PC, the handset uses a Micro USB connector, and onboard storage sits at 100MB. This can be expanded via MicroSD memory cards, with the Aspen able to handle up to 16GB. The basic retail package ships with a 4GB memory card.

All the major messaging suites are supported on the Aspen, to further enhance the business credentials of this device. As well as email and push email, there is support for instant messaging, as well as onboard applications for Skype, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. The Aspen also includes Pocket Office, allowing you to view a variety of office documents on the phone, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and .pdf files. But the Aspen isn’t all work, and as we’d hope for on a high spec handset, there is a full media player included, with support for WMA, MP3 and AAC audio files, plus WMV, MP4, H.264 and H.263 video files, and Sony Ericsson have also included a stereo FM radio with RDS support.

Imaging on the handset is capably managed by a point ‘n’ shoot 3.2 Megapixel camera, which has support for smart contrast, and is also enabled for video recording. A GPS receiver is built into the phone, with support for aGPS included, and the device will ship with Google Maps pre-installed.

All round the Sony Ericsson Aspen is a solid device, and has a lot to offer the business user on the move. But more than that, the device would be equally comfortable for someone who likes to keep in touch via social networking and email, all services well supported on the device. Whether the Aspen has enough to hold some of the limelight for itself against some of the handset we expect to be announced this month, though, remains to be seen.

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Mobile Phones News :Sony Ericsson Hazel Review

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:03:27 +0000

The Sony Ericsson Hazel is the second of the recently announced new Greenheart devices, and is scheduled to be the second released, as the Hazel is not due to be released until Q2 2010. The green eco credentials of the Hazel are in line with other previously released Greenheart devices; this includes a low powered charger, minimum packaging and the user manual for the phone is stored on the device as a .pdf file. The handset itself is produced largely from recycled material, plus the phone is free from hazardous chemicals, and uses waterborne paint, which has less volatile organic compound than is found in traditional solvent based paints.

The design of the Hazel is smooth with a curved effect, which gives the result of the phone curving round from earpiece to microphone to fit the contours of your face when the phone is opened. Measuring in at 102 x 49 x 16mm, the Hazel weighs 120g, which is the upper range of an acceptable weight for a modern mobile device. The device has a moderately sized screen, measuring 2.6 inches across, with a resolution of 240 x 320. The TFT Touchscreen display supports up to 16 million colours, and the screen is covered by a scratch resistant surface, which helps avoid minor scratches.

As with the Sony Ericsson Elm, the Hazel does much to dispel the thought that an eco friendly handset needs to be light on features. The Hazel includes a high quality 5.0 Megapixel camera, which supports autofocus, smile and face detection, and includes an LED flash. The device has a built in GPS receiver, with aGPS support, which allows captured images on the camera to be geotagged with location information in the exif data, This can be displayed through online services, and easily allows people to see the location where images were captured. The Hazel can also utilise the GPS setup to operate as a SatNav device, and for this purpose the phone comes preloaded with WisePilot navigation software.

The Hazel is a powerful media product, offering native support for a wide range of social media services. There are built in applications for the usual suspects of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube, plus a blogging tool that allows you to keep an online journal of your daily life recorded straight from the phone to the web. Certain services can also be activated and accessed directly from the standby screen, which are controlled by the built in Widget manager. The music player on the phone allows you to easily access your tunes on the move, and arrange them in to various playlists. With built in support for SensMe, you can also allow the phone to automatically create a playlist for you based on your mood. Disappointingly the Hazel does not have a 3.5mm audio jack, so you are constrained by the proprietary Sony Ericsson FastPort connector. This disappointment is tempered by the inclusion of Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP support, so you can choose to listen to music wirelessly with a stereo Bluetooth headset, if you wish.

In fact, other than Bluetooth, the Hazel offers a whole host of top end connection options. WiFi 802.11 b/g with DLNA support is included, plus there is HSPA support for high speed downloads and uploads on the phone. This is all backed up with Class 10 GPRS and EDGE for areas where 3G is not available. Internal memory on the phone is set at 319MB, whilst the memory can be expanded with memory cards up to 16GB in size. It is good to see Sony Ericsson slowly moving their devices over to the more popular MicroSD cards, too. MicroSD cards tend to be cheaper than the M2 cards they used in the past, and should mean it is easier to transfer content from one device to another.

In total, the Sony Ericsson Hazel is a top class, high feature product, that shows once and for all that eco friendly can also be hi-tec. 2009 has been a rough year for Sony Ericsson, and they will need a strong performance in the next 12 – 18 months. With the Hazel leading the charge, they may just be able to turn their fortunes around.

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