By The Technews Lab Rats
One of the ways to keep ourselves fit and healthy is to do early morning jogging around the subdivision or village where you live. Another is taking a quiet stroll around nature’s places like the reserved parks. And lastly, going to your favorite gym hangout and take time working out on the treadmill.
As the consumers become more and more active living a healthy lifestyle, it’s now going to the trend of being "sport-centric". That is why Sony Ericsson, a global provider of mobile multimedia devices, has introduced a newcomer in their successful Walkman phone line of products. This is the Sony Ericsson W710i mobile phone.
When it came over to the Technews Lab for review, we got the impression that the W710i is a sport-centric device that packs music capabilities and motion sensor in a clamshell shaped casing. Although it’s similar to the W300i, there are big differences between the two, in terms of functionality and features.
The W710i has a dimension of 88 x 48 x 24.5 millimeters and weighs about 101 grams. This quadband (GSM 850 / GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / GSM 1900) phone has a primary 262K TFT colored screen with a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels, and second external orange on black monochrome STN display with a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels.
The clamshell form factor of the W710i has a physical structure made up of thick layers of plastic with rubberized framings, a strengthened loop-antenna’s fastening, and a unique loudspeaker’s grill that prevents water from sipping inside. We had, in several occasions, slight hammerings or accidental falls, but the W710i withstood it quite well.
With well demarcated medium-sized numeric keypads, all buttons are lit in dim orange that are well visible even in a dark room. The Walkman button has its own fast access button on the keypad, while the metal-made four-way navigation button with "OK" key is on the top of the numeric keypads.
On the right side of the W710i, it has an Infrared port and a key lock switch, while the bottom part has a standard Fast Port connector, for charging and headset connection. At the front of the phone is the 2 MegaPixel CMOS camera, encircled with a metallic ring. The W710i’s camera doesn’t have auto-focus capability.
The camera shoots photos in three sizes (2MP, 1MP, and 640 x 480 VGA) and has a PhotoDJ application. Although the W710i doesn’t have an integrated flash, it has other options including a 5X zoom, two quality settings, white balance, brightness adjustments, color effects, night mode, 12 fun frames, and four shutter sounds (no silent mode). It also has a self-timer, a multi-shot mode, and panoramic shots option.
The W710i’s camcorder takes clips with sound and offers sets of editing options like the camera. Video clips lasts at more than a minute (for MMS) or depending on the available memory. Picture (JPEG format) and video (3GP format) quality were good, with acceptable colors and little blurriness. It has a VideoDJ that allows the user to merge together video clips to makes a smooth video sequence which can be enhanced with sound. And by the way, the W710i is also an MPEG4 player.
Being a sport-centric mobile phone, the W710i has an integrated fitness feature with pedometer and motion sensor. It allows the user to calculate number of steps, distance traveled, and calories burned. A user has to put first his/her basic personal data that includes age, sex, weight, and height which is essential to evaluate amount of calories spent.
When the W710i is in open mode, it doesn’t carry out any calculations. But as you fold it, th
e handset begins fulfilling its pedometer function. All your steps are constantly counted during a light day, while the screen displays corresponding numbers. At the struck of midnight, this data is automatically reset, so that counting starts over again.
Aside from the fitness feature, the W710i has a radio tuner wherein a user can tune into their preferred 20 radio stations with the use of the built in FM radio. It also comes with a MusicDJ feature which provides the user with all the instrumental sounds & rhythms for the user to create their own ringing tone. Moreso, you can select ringing tones in either polyphonic, MP3 or ACC format.
For data transfer capabilities, the W710i has GPRS Class 10, EDGE Class 10, Bluetooth 2.0, and USB 2.0. Browsing features for the W710i include WAP 2.0/HTML and RSS reader. The phone has two built-in Java games namely Alpha Wing2 (space arcade) and WTA Tour (tennis game).
Although the phone has only a 10MB internal memory, it has a bundled 512MB Memory Stick Micro (M2) when you buy the package. The W710i is powered by a Lithium Ion 900 mAh battery that has a charging time of less than 2 hours, standby time of 7 days, and talktime of 4 to 5 hours.
Indeed, the Sony Ericsson W710i is a stylish, sports-centric, and versatile clamshell mobile phone. It has an attractive, user-friendly design and good call quality, and a solid addition to Sony Ericsson’s Walkman phone series. And by the way, it comes in non-changeable cover colors, Performance Graphite and Hatha Violet, which shows that the Sony Ericsson W710i is recommended for fitness enthusiasts and music lovers.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Nokia N800 Internet Tablet review
It's a fun product, but can you justify it?
By David Haskin, Computerworld
List price:£309.95 inc VAT
Pros: Beautiful screen; well-designed input options; good media playback
Cons: No synching; limited VoIP
Buying advice: Although it's great to use, the Nokia N800 is difficult to cost-justify. There are too many things missing for it to replace existing devices, and its £300 price makes it a serious rather than frivolous purchase.
Nokia's N800 Internet Tablet is one of those devices that's fascinating and unique enough to make a mobile geek's heart go pitter-patter with excitement, but may not fit the needs of a lot of people.
More powerful and refined than its predecessor, Nokia's 770 Internet Tablet, the N800 is a reasonably small device that's finely tuned to give users access to the Web, POP3 and IMAP e-mail, RSS feeds and, to a limited extent, instant messaging and voice over IP. It also plays audio and video, and performs a handful of other tricks for tech-savvy mobile users.
However, while the N800 is a significant improvement over its predecessor and it performs many of its tasks quite well, it is as much defined by what it doesn't do as what it does. On the whole, most gadget lovers would do better with a more flexible, less expensive smart phone.
By David Haskin, Computerworld
List price:£309.95 inc VAT
Pros: Beautiful screen; well-designed input options; good media playback
Cons: No synching; limited VoIP
Buying advice: Although it's great to use, the Nokia N800 is difficult to cost-justify. There are too many things missing for it to replace existing devices, and its £300 price makes it a serious rather than frivolous purchase.
Nokia's N800 Internet Tablet is one of those devices that's fascinating and unique enough to make a mobile geek's heart go pitter-patter with excitement, but may not fit the needs of a lot of people.
More powerful and refined than its predecessor, Nokia's 770 Internet Tablet, the N800 is a reasonably small device that's finely tuned to give users access to the Web, POP3 and IMAP e-mail, RSS feeds and, to a limited extent, instant messaging and voice over IP. It also plays audio and video, and performs a handful of other tricks for tech-savvy mobile users.
However, while the N800 is a significant improvement over its predecessor and it performs many of its tasks quite well, it is as much defined by what it doesn't do as what it does. On the whole, most gadget lovers would do better with a more flexible, less expensive smart phone.
T-Mobile USA hits 25 million
T-Mobile USA has passed the 25 million subscriber milestone, adding 901,000 net new customers in the fourth quarter of last year, including 783,000 net new post-paid users. Contract customers account for almost 85% of all T-Mobile subscribers. Customer churn fell from 3% in the third quarter to 2.9% in the most recent period, while post-paid churn dropped from 2.3% to 2.1%. The firm is the fourth largest cellco in the US, behind AT&T/Cingular, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Nokia Intellisync Wireless E-mail for Sony Ericsson M600 and P990
Nokia has extended hands with Sony Ericsson, bringing Nokia Intellisync Wireless E-mail to two additional Sony Ericsson devices, the M600 and P990. Nokia Intellisync Wireless E-mail allows mobile professionals real-time e-mail, calendar and contacts experience on their mobile devices, Nokia said in a statement.
According to Nokia, Nokia Intellisync Wireless E-mail provides wireless communications capabilities for any device built on any platform. In addition, Nokia now enables operators and enterprises to deliver a wireless communications services including wireless e-mail, synchronisation for calendars, contacts, files, data and applications, and highly secure device management software for Sony Ericsson users.
The Sony Ericsson P990 smartphone is a Wi-Fi enabled UMTS device that boasts a 2.0 megapixel camera with autofocus and a full QWERTY keyboard beneath the flip-down alpha-numeric keypad for fast text input. The M600 is also a 3G phone, based again on the Symbian operating system, and optimised for wireless e-mail with a dual function keyboard and large 2.6" colour touchscreen, the company said.
According to Nokia, Nokia Intellisync Wireless E-mail provides wireless communications capabilities for any device built on any platform. In addition, Nokia now enables operators and enterprises to deliver a wireless communications services including wireless e-mail, synchronisation for calendars, contacts, files, data and applications, and highly secure device management software for Sony Ericsson users.
The Sony Ericsson P990 smartphone is a Wi-Fi enabled UMTS device that boasts a 2.0 megapixel camera with autofocus and a full QWERTY keyboard beneath the flip-down alpha-numeric keypad for fast text input. The M600 is also a 3G phone, based again on the Symbian operating system, and optimised for wireless e-mail with a dual function keyboard and large 2.6" colour touchscreen, the company said.
Becoming an iPhone Believer
by Arik Hesseldahl
So what if iPhone isn't your idea of the perfect cell phone? Early iterations of the iPod weren't ideal music players either—and look what they've become
I used to be an iPhone skeptic. Then I cleaned out my bedroom closet. Let me explain. In the two hours or so I spent sorting the detritus of the last six years of my life, I came across my first iPod, the first-generation, Mac-only version that Apple (AAPL) unveiled in late 2001 to a world that initially didn't seem to understand the significance of what was coming. It was then that I was reminded of the introduction of a good but imperfect product that would be tinkered with and improved on by the Apple machine, all the while ushering in nothing less than a revolution in consumer electronics. History may soon repeat itself.
So what if iPhone isn't your idea of the perfect cell phone? Early iterations of the iPod weren't ideal music players either—and look what they've become
I used to be an iPhone skeptic. Then I cleaned out my bedroom closet. Let me explain. In the two hours or so I spent sorting the detritus of the last six years of my life, I came across my first iPod, the first-generation, Mac-only version that Apple (AAPL) unveiled in late 2001 to a world that initially didn't seem to understand the significance of what was coming. It was then that I was reminded of the introduction of a good but imperfect product that would be tinkered with and improved on by the Apple machine, all the while ushering in nothing less than a revolution in consumer electronics. History may soon repeat itself.
Mobile 64-bit chips arrive on AMD's embedded roadmap
AMD has added two mobile processors to its AMD64 Longevity Program for embedded products. The news means that AMD's dual-core Turion 64 X2 Model TL-52 and single-core Mobile AMD Sempron 3500+ will be available for at least five years, targeting thin client and single-board computers, among other embedded applications.
AMD says parts sold under its AMD64 Longevity Program are "identical in form, fit and function" to their counterparts for the mobile PC market.
However, the chips have lengthy design and qualification cycles, in addition to longer life spans in the marketplace, the company says.
AMD says parts sold under its AMD64 Longevity Program are "identical in form, fit and function" to their counterparts for the mobile PC market.
However, the chips have lengthy design and qualification cycles, in addition to longer life spans in the marketplace, the company says.
Apple Address Book gets Nokia support
Nova Media has released an update to its Address Book plug-ins software that enables Apple’s Address Book app to send SMS text messages and dial various Nokia phone models. Address Book plug-ins cost €6.50 (US$8.47).
The new version of Nova Media’s plug-ins support Nokia Series 40, 60 and 80 phone models.
The previous release focused on Sony Ericsson phones only.
The plug-ins also make it possible to display information about incoming calls on your monitor -- you can log the call, reply by SMS, send it to voice mail or answer.
System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later. :
The new version of Nova Media’s plug-ins support Nokia Series 40, 60 and 80 phone models.
The previous release focused on Sony Ericsson phones only.
The plug-ins also make it possible to display information about incoming calls on your monitor -- you can log the call, reply by SMS, send it to voice mail or answer.
System requirements call for Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later. :
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