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Sony Ericsson C510 Cyber-shot now in stock!


The C510 combines a candybar form factor with compact dimensions measuring in at just 12.5mm thick weighing just 92g. Don’t let the diminutive dimensions fool you though, the Sony Ericsson C510packs a punch.

As a member of the C-series, make no mistake, the C510 is first and foremost a camera phone. The C510 incorporates a 3.2 Megapixel camera capturing images at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. Images are enhanced further thanks to on board extras such as Autofocus which eradicates blurriness in your photos and a powerful LED flash which illuminates your subjects in low light conditions. The C510 also marks the first appearance of face and smile detection in a Sony Ericsson phone. Face detection will detect faces in a shot and ensure they are in focus, whilst smile shot will capture an image automatically when your subject smiles. The camera features are rounded off by Geo-tagging which uses a network connection to tag a photo to the location that it was taken so you can show your friends where you got that Kodak moment.

Away from the camera features, the C510 is a strong performer in connectivity department thanks to HSDPA mobile broadband with an excellent web browser with full support for YouTube, plus Bluetooth v2.0 for quick and easy file sharing and connecting to other Bluetooth devices. Multimedia is handled with ease thanks to a built in MP3 player and video player, supporting a wealth of file formats and with added extras such as the Walkman favourite TrackID which lets you identify a song simply by recording a short sound clip. An FM radio and expandable memory round off the multimedia features to make for a great all rounder.

What do you want to know about the new HTC Touch Diamond2?


Successor to the hugely popular Touch Diamond, the Diamond2 is the next big release from HTC and has built up a massive following thanks to an impressive feature set and looks to kill. So ahead of the Touch Diamond2’s launch in April, we thought we would put the question to you, our loyal readers, and ask what do you want to know about the newHTC Touch Diamond2? What feature has got you hooked and wanting to find out more? What aspect has got you scratching your head in amazement? And so on…

Simply fill out the comments section below outlining what you want to know and we’ll be sure to cover it in detail when we review the phone next week.

HTC Touch Diamond2 and Touch Pro2


HTC recently unveiled two new flagship devices, which I now have the privilege to tell you about, the HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2. Integrating innovative simplicity with unique style and an intuitive interface, the devices balance function, form and cutting-edge technology to personalise the communication and mobile Internet experience.

“The HTC Touch Pro2 and HTC Touch Diamond2 introduce amobile communication experience that simplifies how we communicate with people in our lives whether through voice, text or email,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “HTC is delivering the latest, cutting-edge sophistication in a broad portfolio of mobile phones that improve how people live, work and communicate.”

HTC’s Touch Diamond, and its QWERTY’d counterpart, the Touch Pro, have formally passed into their second generation, with bigger and more responsive touchscreens, higher (WVGA) resolution, better battery life, and deeper interface changes. These handsets have always represented something of a standard to which WinMo phones are measured, and the tastefully restyled new versions, boldly called the Diamond2 and Pro2, play on their predecessors’ strengths, whilst trying to cut out any of their weaknesses.

The HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 utilise HTC’s latest TouchFLO 3D interface. TouchFLO 3D has been more deeply integrated into a customised version of Windows Mobile6.1 to deliver more consistency throughout Windows Mobile applications and menus. Focused on making navigation easier and more intuitive, TouchFLO 3D brings important information to the top-level user interface, including quick access to people, messaging, email, photos, music and weather. As part of this improved Windows Mobile integration the touch focus areas have been enlarged to be more finger-touch friendly.

Touch Diamond 2

The Touch Diamond2 is crafted to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. It incorporates a larger 3.2 inch high resolution wide screen WVGA 480×800 display than the previous 2.8 inch 480×640 display of the original for a greater viewing area in a design just 13.7mm thick. The phone also includes a new touch sensitive zoom bar for even faster viewing of web pages, emails, text messages photos and documents plus a brand spanking new 5 megapixel auto focus camera.

The hugely praised TouchFlo 3D alternative interface now reaches a bit deeper into Windows Mobile 6.1, making a few more functions touch-friendly, but stopping short of a total overhaul. The most interesting new interface feature is the “Single Contact View”, which consolidates your complete history of communication (texts, calls, emails) for a given contact into a single screen. A SD card expansion slot replaces the old model’s fixed internal memory, which results in greater flexibility but regrettably shrinks the initial internal memory to a some what less impressive 512MB.

Leveraging HTC’s TouchFLO 3D experience combined with a people-centric communication approach and HTC’s new Push Internet technology (basically your favourite webpage’s pre-loaded for one touch access), the Touch Diamond2 offers an advanced touch experience that is optimised for one-handed use. With “fifty-percent better battery life”, gravity sensor and an ambient light sensor, the Touch Diamond2 brings the most sophisticated capabilities to a broad consumer audience looking for the professional benefits of a smartphone without sacrificing size, looks or functionality.

The Touch Pro 2

The Pro2 is treated to most of the same upgrades. Its features a high resolution 3.6 inch widescreen VGA display, which is just .2 inches smaller than the monstrous TouchHD. This allows for a greater viewing area which is obviously a main focus as this handset lives to email. It also gets a louder speakerphone system and less-pixely camera than the Diamond2, but retains the larger battery and slide-out QWERTY keyboard that originally distinguished its dad from the Diamond.

The new HTC Touch Pro2 also uses voice in a new way to create one of the most sophisticated communication experiences found on a mobile phone. HTC’s new Straight Talk technology delivers an integrated email, voice and speakerphone experience. Users can transition seamlessly from email to single or multi-party conference calls and turn any location into a conference room. Straight Talk also includes an innovative mechanical and acoustic design that features a sophisticated speakerphone experience similar to those found in corporate boardrooms.

There is no doubt that it is designed for business professionals, and is created with distinct style and strength while delivering maybe the most powerful productivity experience available on a mobile phone. As with the Diamond it boasts HTC’s TouchFLO 3D operating system with all the trimmings, people-centric communication and push internet technology etc, making the Pro2 some what of a masterpiece.

The release date of these amazing handsets are still yet to be confirmed however if you would like to be kept informed on any new information concerning your desired phone then simple follow one of the links below.

Nokia 6720 Classic unveiled


February has been the month of the classic as far as Nokia are concerned. Earlier in the month Nokia were proudly showing off a trio of new Classic (which basically refers to the candy bar form factor) mobile phones in the shape of the 2700, 6303 and 6700 Classic. Now, the trio has become a quartet with the announcement of the Nokia 6720 Classic. The successor to 6220 Classic, the 6720 has a spec list that would be more at home on an Nseries mobile phone.

The 6720 Classic features a 5.0 Megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, usually reserved for Nseries phones, with Autofocus, a powerful flash, digital zoom and video capture at 15 frames per second. Despite the impressive camera credentials the 6720 classic still sports pocket friendly dimensions measuring in at just 110 x 45mm, 14mm thick and just 110 g in weight. With theses miniature measurements, you’d be forgiven for thinking the 6720 Classic might be a slouch in other departments. Not a chance though, the 6720 Classic is much more than just a camera phone.HSDPA connectivity gives you high speed web browsing and downloads, the built in GPS receiver features support for Assisted GPS which uses a network connection to get a satellite lock even quicker, Nokia Maps 3.0 offers an excellent SatNav experience and all run incredibly smoothly on the Symbian operating system.

Don’t worry though, the 6720 isn’t all work and no play; an MP3 player with support for a wealth of video and audio formats, 3.5 mm audio output jack, FM radio, Bluetooth v2.0 and TV output are all included to help make the 6720 Classic a capable multimedia phone.

Nokia 6720 Classic unveiled


February has been the month of the classic as far as Nokia are concerned. Earlier in the month Nokia were proudly showing off a trio of new Classic (which basically refers to the candy bar form factor) mobile phones in the shape of the 2700, 6303 and 6700 Classic. Now, the trio has become a quartet with the announcement of the Nokia 6720 Classic. The successor to 6220 Classic, the 6720 has a spec list that would be more at home on an Nseries mobile phone.

The 6720 Classic features a 5.0 Megapixel camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, usually reserved for Nseries phones, with Autofocus, a powerful flash, digital zoom and video capture at 15 frames per second. Despite the impressive camera credentials the 6720 classic still sports pocket friendly dimensions measuring in at just 110 x 45mm, 14mm thick and just 110 g in weight. With theses miniature measurements, you’d be forgiven for thinking the 6720 Classic might be a slouch in other departments. Not a chance though, the 6720 Classic is much more than just a camera phone.HSDPA connectivity gives you high speed web browsing and downloads, the built in GPS receiver features support for Assisted GPS which uses a network connection to get a satellite lock even quicker, Nokia Maps 3.0 offers an excellent SatNav experience and all run incredibly smoothly on the Symbian operating system.

Don’t worry though, the 6720 isn’t all work and no play; an MP3 player with support for a wealth of video and audio formats, 3.5 mm audio output jack, FM radio, Bluetooth v2.0 and TV output are all included to help make the 6720 Classic a capable multimedia phone.

Nokia announce new Eseries: Nokia E55 and E75


Business men and women across the globe rejoice!Nokia have fleshed out their Eseries business range with the announcement of two new phones ate Mobile World Congress; the much talked about Nokia E75 and it’s smaller sibling the Nokia E55. A firm favourite with professionals and companies alike, the Eseries gained popularity thanks to excellent reliability, excellent build quality, high end features and classy design. And the two newest additions to the range don’t buck the trend.

The Nokia E55 sports a candybar form factor with a semi QWERTY keyboard; an extra row on the keypad means that each button has twoletters on it for, what Nokia claim, a faster to learn and quicker to use interface than a standard alpha numeric keypad. Messaging is at the forefront of the E55; Email is easy to read, manage and send directly from the phone without the need to connect to your home or office PC. The E55 also features extensive calendar and task management functionality meaning you can organise your personal and profesional life all in one pocketable device. Running Symbian series 60 means you can customise, install third party applications and make the E55 your own.

The E55 includes HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity giving you the fastest connection possible for web browsing and downloads with a fully functional web browser just a few clicks away. GPS with A-GPS support is also included. In terms of multimedia, the E55 has most bases covered with an MP3 player and video player plus expandable memory for extra storage, stereo Bluetooth to stream music to a compatible headset and a 3.2 Megapixel camera (which is nice as cameras aren’t always a given on Eseries mobile phones). One final feature that will really appeal to the business user is the battery life; Nokia reckon you’ll get up to 28 day standby time out of the E55 which sounds nothing short of incredible.

The Nokia E75 offers a slightly different proposition to the E55. From the front the E75 looks like a fairly standard candybar phone but nudge the slide mechanism and you’ll find a full QWERTY keyboard lurking within. As if the keyboard didn’t give it away, the E75 is all about messaging. The E75 offers an email experience like that found on a desktop PC or Laptop with the ability to sort emails by size, date and sender. On top of email, the E75 also offers improved calendar capability, as well as contacts and task management making it clear why this has been tipped as a successor to the E90. The E75 puts your office in your pocket so your never out of contact.

Like the E55, the E75 also benefits from HSDPA mobile broadband connectivity and Wi-Fi for when you’re in a hotspot area or accessing your wireless network at home or in the office. GPS and A-GPS is complimented by Nokia Maps and as the E75 also runs on the Symbian operating system, there are a wealth of location based applications ready to download and install. An MP3 player is joined by a 3.5mm audio jack meaning you can use your own headphones and expandable memory (up to 16GB) means you can store 1000’s of music tracks and hours of video. A 3.2 Megapixel camera with Autofocus rounds off an impressive spec list.

HTC debut second Android phone: HTC Magic!


At this weeks Mobile World Congress event, held in Barcelona, HTCshowed commitment to the Android platform with the announcement of the HTC Magic. Currently the only mobile phonemanufacturer to launch an Android device with the T-Mobile G1, the Taiwanese company have doubled their Android range with the Magic. As to be expected, the Android is a touchscreen mobile phone, incorporating a 3.2 incher with familiar perks such as an Accelerometer for auto screen rotation and Handwriting recognition. To look at, the HTC Magic does look remarkably similar to the T-Mobile G1, so why all the excitement? What’s new?

Well firstly, the Magic sheds precious weight and size (13mm thick and 117 g compared to the G1’s 17mm 158 g) as it does away with a hardware QWERTY keyboard. Running the newest Android version means that the Magic can display an on screen QWERTY keypad for all your texting and emailing needs. This does make for a considerably more pocket friendly phone than it’s predecessor (the G1 was never exactly a handsome beast). The Magic, or G2 as it has also come to be known, runs the latest Android OS known as ‘cupcake’ (no, really). The benefits this will bring over its predecessor (apart from the afore mentioned on screen keyboard) include support for stereo bluetooth so you can listen to your music through a compatible wireless headset, video recording, music can now fade in or out around calls and lastly a general overhaul which should eradicate bugs and make the OS more stable and responsive.

Away from the OS, the Magic does look quite similar to the G1. The phone features HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity for high speed web browsing, a built in GPS receiver for SatNav services and location based applications, a Built in MP3 player and expandable memory for all your storage needs. A 3.2 Megapixel camera with Autofocus is included though unfortunately it lacks a flash of any kind so photos in low light are pretty much out of the question (unless you carry a torch round with you). And then apart from the usual suspects such as Bluetooth and the like, that’s pretty much your lot.


Samsung announce HD Omnia


Samsung certainly like firsts. After taking the title of first 8.0 Megapixel camera phone, the next landmark they have in their sights appears to be concerning video capture. But can they really have revolutionised mobile video recording simply by adding two letters to an existing phone? Well, when those letters happen to be H and D, you’d certainly be forgiven for thinking so. And so with the unveiling of the Samsung Omnia HD, Samsung are certainly a contender for best announcement at the Mobile World Congress (along with Sony Ericsson and the impressively spec’d Idou).

The Samsung Omnia HD earns its name thanks to the fact that it features HD video recording enabling you to capture precious moments in 720p HD quality at 24 frames per second and enjoy HD content on an HD TV via DLNA technology. This isn’t the only upgrade from the original Omnia, the Omnia HD is a complete re-imagining of the i900 Omnia. The new i8910 Omnia HD features an 8.0 Megapixel camera which incorporates premium digital camera ingredients such as Face and Smile detection, Wide Dynamic Range and Geo-tagging. Both camera and video recording are sure to look stunning on the incredible 3.7 inch OLED capacitive touchscreen capable of displaying up to 16m colours putting it as a strong rival to the current best in class, the HTC Touch HD (and the Omnia actually earns its HD title).

Ok so surely that’s the end of the new stuff, right? Wrong! The Omnia HD discards Windows Mobile(seen on the original) in favour of the new touch based Symbian series 60 user interface currently seen on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and the upcoming N97. Rather than being a carbon copy of the 5800 though, the Omnia HD does bring some Samsung flair to the party. TouchWiz makes an appearance on the homescreen giving you customisable widgets that you can move around and add to with new shortcuts. The camera interface is also given a Samsung overhaul for a far more user friendly experience than that found on the 5800.

To round up the rest of the features, the Omnia HD includes HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity for high speed web browsing and downloads, GPS SatNav with support for A-GPS, a proximitysensor for auto screen rotation, Bluetooth, an MP3 player, video player with support for DivX and XviD, a 3.5mm audio jack and an FM radio. The Omnia HD will launch with two different internal memory capacities; 8GB and 16GB. Don’t worry as which ever you choose, both can be expanded by a further 16GB thanks to a microSD memory card slot.

The Samsung Omnia HD was definitely one of the most exciting announcements at this years Mobile World Congress event and looks set to take the mobile phone world by storm when it launches later this year. Expected to arrive in June.

Nokia N97 Slated for May 2009 Launch!


With the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic serving as proof that Nokia are more than capable of producing a world class touchscreen phone, people are now looking towards the future and Nokia’s next take on the touchscreen market; the Nokia N97. With a spec list to die for, the Nokia N97 is hardly short of admirers. An all new touch based Symbian operating system, 32GB on board memory (plus expandable), 5.0 Megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS SatNav; if this list of features doesn’t impress, nothing will. The problem we have had with top of the range Nokia phones in the past is that Nokia whet our appetite with the next big thing and then take an age to actually launch it (see Nokia N96 for proof!).

So it’s with much excitement (and a hint of skepticism) that we greet the news that Nokia have penciled the N97 in for a May launch! Which, in case you hadn’t noticed, is only two and a bit months away! Whilst teasing us once again with the all singing all dancing touchscreen phone, this time at the Mobile World Congress event currently running in Barcelona, Nokia hinted at a late May launch. The N97 is dressed to impress with a 3.5 inch touchscreen display featuring all sorts of niceties such as an Accelerometer, Handwriting recognition and a proximity sensor. And for those not wanting to abandon buttons completely, slide the phone and you’ll find a full QWERTY keyboard and navigation keypad which slides out in a similar fashion to the Sony Ericsson Xperia.

Touchscreen and keyboard aside, the spec that’s got people scouring the net for a launch date is the 32GB internal memory. You read that right; 32GB. and if that’s not enough, stick a 16GB MicroSD card inside and you’ve got 48GB of storage in your phone. Well now you can stop reading blogs with a fine tooth comb as it seems that Nokia have earmarked May as judgment day for the N97. 

Nokia gets in the mood for love!


Nokia have shown a softer, gentler side compared to the macho Symbian front that usually represents the Finnish manufacturer. To coincide with Valentines day Nokiahave decided to play Cupid, launching a website that gives you the chance to send a text to the one you love completely free. Too shy to announce your undying love for that special someone? Fear not, the mobile phonetext service is completely anonymous so you can text your beloved without worry.

How does it work? Well, visitors to the site are presented with a selection of pre-set messages ranging from short and sweet sentiments to famous quotes and poetry. Simply select the message that’s right for the man or woman of your dreams, fill in a few details about yourself and the name and number of the one you admire and bingo. Job done. And don’t worry, Nokia won’t jump the gun and spill the beans before the big day; all messages created prior to the 14th will be saved and then sent out on Valentines day. Who knew Nokia was such a romantic? No i’m not crying, i’ve just got something in my eye. Now if you’ll excuse me, i’ve got some messages to send. Ahem

Apple iPhone 3G helps you learn to drive


If you’re looking for a fan of the Apple App store, look no further. For me, the App store offers the perfect blend of fun and functional applications designed to put a smile on your face and make day to day chores that little bit easier. So what’s next for the iPhone 3G? Having conquered public transport, what’s next for the App store? Simple, the iPhone 3G is going to teach you how to drive. The latest app, developed by ABEL Learning, claims to provide a “21st century solution to passing the theory part of the UK Driving Test”. The App promises to simplify the learning process of that troublesome theory test.

Using the actual DSA data bank means the application will feature all the questions that could possibly appear on the theory test. The questions appear in the same multiple choice format as they would in the actual test. This App looks to be a great tool for learner drivers and should help you to become competent in the Highway Code, something that a lot of Drivers could benefit from! Whether a future release will include the Hazard Perception Test is unconfirmed, though surely this would work perfectly with the touchscreen. What will be interesting to see is whether any other developers take inspiration from this new App. How about learning to speak another language using your iPhone? Or learning to cook? What about an iPhone DIY tutorial? That’s just the tip of the iceberg, the educational possibilities of the iPhone 3G are limitless, who knows what the future holds.

Samsung S8300 gets official: Say hello to the Tocco Ultra Edition


Following the leaked images a few weeks back, the phone formerly known as the S8300 has now been officially announced as theSamsung Tocco Ultra Edition. While admittedly quite a mouthful of a name, the Tocco Ultra earns its moniker as a marriage of two of Samsung’s most popular phones to date; the Samsung Tocco and theSamsung Soul. The Tocco Ultra features a 2.8 inch full touchscreen display which promises to deliver an unparalleled visual experience thanks to AMOLED technology. The touchscreen is further complimented by haptic feedback which confirms your actions with a light vibration, Accelerometer for auto screen rotation and a proximity sensor which puts the screen on standby when you’re on a call. The Tocco Ultra Edition takes its styling from the Soul; at just 12.8mm thick, this incredibly slim phone still manages to pack in an alpha-numeric keypad in a slide phone form factor. The worlds first full touchscreen phone with a slide out 3×4 keypad.

So a slide phone with a traditional keypad and a proper fulltouchscreen, but what about features? Well, this is where the Tocco Ultra truly comes into its own. The Tocco Ultra includes an impressive 8.0 Megapixel camera with Autofocus, face and smile detection, Flash and support for Geo-Tagging thanks to an on boardGPS receiver. And if moving pictures are your thing, video capture at 30 frames per second is complimented nicely by a wealth of video editing options such as audio dubbing and the ability to trim videos. Perfect for budding Spielbergs. In terms of video playback, the Tocco Ultra supports DivX and XviD as well as MPEG4 meaning the Tocco Ultra is a powerful Multimedia phone.

Elsewhere, we find HSDPA connectivity offering up to 7.2 Mbps for lightening quick browsing and downloads, the aforementioned GPS SatNav receiver plus A-GPS support for an even quicker satellite lock, Bluetooth v2.1 for faster file transfers and streaming music to a compatible headset and of course an MP3 player supporting a wealth of file formats.

So let’s recap; Good looks? Check. Touchscreen interface? Check. Traditional keypad? Check. Cracking camera? Check. Wealth of multimedia and connectivity features? Check Mate. The Samsung Tocco Ultra Edition, known as the UltraTOUCH elsewhere in European markets, is set for launch in mid to late March (so next month!). If those stunning good looks haven’t won you over, the formidable features surely will.

Samsung planning their own App store


In the run up to the Mobile World Congress event (which starts in just over a week), the rumour mill seems to be working overtime linking mobile phone manufacturers to all sorts of weird and wonderful stories. The latest is thatSamsung will be launching an application store, similar to that of the Apple App store and Google’s Android Market, where customers can get their fix of all sorts of downloadable goodies. Not one to normally be taken in with these internet rumours, this one certainly seems feasible with the runaway success of Apples App store showing other manufactures that such a thing can work. Plus the image to the left sort of helps to make things look more official!

Going under the name Samsung Mobile Applications (catchy isn’t it), the initial focus will apparently be on the UK market (great news for us) with over 1000 apps reported to be available from the off, both paid and free. Things are sounding good but before we get too excited, let’s take a look at the cons. Firstly, Samsung don’t have one operating system. The i8510 runs on Symbian Series 60, while the Omnia is aWindows Mobile phone, the Pixon uses a generic Samsung UI and there is also rumoured to be an Android phone in the pipeline. So how can Samsung possibly hope to cater for all these different operating systems? Will we see four versions of the same app? Or will there be selected applications that are only available on a certain platform? This is certainly a stumbling block, one which both Apple and Google haven’t come across as both stick to one operating system.

Whether this rumour turns out to be true should become clear over the next couple of weeks and, if it does, it remains to be seen how Samsung will make it work with their tendency to keep alot of finger in alot of pies, from an operating system point of view. On the other hand, a bit of healthy competition for Apple and Android can only be a good thing.

LG Arena Leaked: LG prepping MWC announcement?


When it comes to Touchscreen phones, LG are definitely at the forefront of the technology. With hugely successful phones such as the LG Viewty, the 8.0 Megapixel LG Renoir and the current top seller the LG Cookie, it’s safe to say that LG know a thing or to about touchscreen technology. And it would seem that they’re at it again with the LG Arena, with one leaked image already available and showing off what looks to be an incredible classy and stylish mobile phone.

At the moment, all we have to go on is this solitary image. Clearly a touchscreen phone, the LG Arena (also going under the title LG KM900) resembles a mixture of the LG Renoir and the Samsung Tocco. The Arena has a smooth brushed metal finish and large display with, what appear to be, touch sensitive controls at the bottom for answering and ending calls and entering the main menu. At the top of the LG Arena we can clearly see a front facing camera which would suggest the phone features 3G or 3.5G HSDPA connectivity. The side also has a raised lip which would suggest expandable memory, likely to be via MicroSD, LG’s memory of choice.

In terms of other features, following is all speculation but if you believe the rumours currently doing the rounds online, the LG Arena will feature a 5.0 Megapixel camera(Schneider Kreuznach Lens?) and a new “3D interface”. Now 5.0 Megapixel touchscreen phones aren’t exactly rare but they’ve definitely got me interested with that 3D interface tag. What could it mean, an all new UI? Supplied with 3D glasses? Ok, perhaps not the last bit but it definitely sounds intriguing.

With the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event just over a week away, an announcement from LG unveiling this striking new touchscreen phone seems more than likely. Keep your eyes on the Blog for more information as we get it!

What does the future hold for mobile phones?


Without a doubt the most popular style ofphone at the moment is the touchscreen mobile phone, coming in all different colours, sizes and with features to suit everyones need. And though a thousand and one different people will tell you that they weren’t the first to do it, the current popularity can certainly be attributed in some part to Apple and their much lovediPhone. Go back a few years and a touchscreen mobile phone would have been nothing more than a pipe dream, now touchscreen phones account for around 20% of all mobile phones on the market. So what futuristic feature could we look at now that could become the norm in the near future? What will be the touchscreen technology of 2010?

Motion Sensitive phones

There are already a wealth of mobile phones that use an accelerometer which will rotate the screen to suit how the phone is being held; hold the phone its side and the screen will switch to landscape with varying levels of speed depending on the phone (theNokia 5800 and Apple iPhone are the current best in class - screen rotation is almost instant). Recent launches have also seen phones with limited motion sensitivity used in games (Sony Ericsson F305,LG KC780) and to control certain applications (Shake control on theSony Ericsson W910). But what about a fully motion sensitive phone? A phone that does away with buttons and any interaction with the screen, is this possible and could it work well enough to replace current input and navigation methods? We have seen how the Nintendo Wii has revolutionised Console gaming with motion snsitive controls, could we see the same in the mobile world?

Nokia Morph concept

Find your current phone too rigid and uncompromising? Wish your phone was more flexible…literally? Well say hello to the NokiaMorph concept phone. Launched alongside The Museum of Modern Art “Design and The Elastic Mind” exhibition, the Morph concept promises to deliver flexible materials with levels of transparency. So basically a see through bendy phone. Though maybe this is being a bit dismissive, the idea of being able to “morph”, change shape and adapt to the task at hand sounds quite promising. You have the morph on your wrist as a watch. The phone rings. You take it off, straighten it out and answer the call. Tell me that isn’t cool! Meanwhile, the transparency promises to deliver an all new aesthetic. And the best bit? The Morph concept phone uses nano technology to create self cleaning surfaces. Put simply - the phone cleans itself. The days of fingerprint-riddled screens could soon be coming to an end.

Samsung Projector Phone

Ever had a picture or video on your phone that you wished you could share with a wider audience? Well you’re not alone, it seems someone at Samsung had the very same wish that now looks set to become a reality. The projector phone is fairly self explanatory, On the top of the phone we find a projector which projects whatever is on the mobile screen on to a nearby surface. Perfect if you want to show off a video or picture but don’t want to have to squint at a (relatively) small mobile screen. Best of all, the phone that this concept was running on at the recent CES show was little bigger than an iPhone and featured an equally impressive touchscreen interface. The bad news? The Samsung projector phone is only set to be available in Korea. But before you throw a tantrum, it’s worth bearing in mind alot of technologies that debut in the asian mobile markets do eventually find their way over to Europe. So Projector phones are definitely one to look out for in the future!

Pantech Sky Wind

Bored of Buttons? Tired of touchscreens? Can’t even muster the energy for motion sensitivity? Perhaps Korean manufacturer Pantech have the answer. The Pantech Sky Wind phone responds to air blown at the microphone. Using what Pantech refer to as a “Blow Engine”, simply blow in to the mic and the phone will react accordingly. Change wallpaper with a puff of air, activate the camera with your breath and even blow out an on screen candle to adjust the screen brightness. Quite how the “Blow Engine” can interpret different actions for different tasks remains a mystery. Once again though, we can look to Nintendo who have succesfully incorporated blowing into the DS Lite as a feature for various games. Proof that it can be done.

So there you have it, just a glimpse of what might be round the corner for mobile phones. Who knows, your phone next year might be a motion sensitive, bendy-projector phone with a built in Blow engine! Until then, we’ll just have to make do with 8.0 Megapixel, GPS andHSDPA mobile broadband phones.

Massive memory: The must have feature of 2009?


Gone are the days when 6MB of on board memory and a 32MB memory card would suffice (reminiscing about my trusty oldNokia 6230). Now it seems that for any phone to be taken seriously it needs to pack a punch in the memory department, be it on board or expandable. Samsung tend to lead the pack with the i8510 and Omnia both packing 8GB internal memory and the option to expand it further. But the Koreans don’t have it all their own way; Nokia have the N96 with 16GB plus expansion, theApple iPhone 3G comes in 8GB and 16GB flavours and the HTC Touch HD, not to be outdone, comes bundled with an 8GB memory card. And this looks set to become the norm for future releases; the phone that everyone has their eyes on, the Nokia N97, is set to up the ante even further with 32GB of internal memory and a MicroSD memory card slot.

It seems that memory is the new feature that manufacturers want to flaunt in the face of their competitors. But what has brought on the demand for all this storage capacity? Do we really need it? Well firstly, phones have changed quite a lot since the days of old when the 6230 was king. Increasing the Megapixel count incamera phones increases the file size of captured images and they need to be saved somewhere. Giving a phone lightening quick HSDPA mobile Broadband is pointless if you don’t have the space for all those high speed downloads. And a phone with an MP3 player is never going to trouble a stand alone music player unless it’s packing Gigs of memory. When phones are announced with ridiculously high amounts of internal memory it is easy to dismiss it as the manufacturers engaging in a bit of oneupmanship. But when you consider what mobile phones are capable of, you’ll see why. Personally i run a Nokia N82 (bundled with a 2GB card) and have a separate MP3 player for music on the go. Come my next upgrade though, the MP3 player may find itself banished to a dusty shelf in favour of one of the new mass memory mobile phones that are on the horizon!

iPhone App provides relief for Rubik’s Cube Addicts


The Apple iPhone 3G is not short of admirers and you don’t have to look far to find someone proclaiming the iPhone’s superiority over its rivals. It’s easy to see why, with a seemingly never ending list of features with something to appeal to everyone. From the fantastic multi touchtouchscreen, the massive memory and iTunes support to the brilliant web browsing capabilities. But of all the innovations, i don’t think anyone expected the App store to take off as it has. With over 15,000 apps available and more always in development it seems the possibilities are endless. And what has Apple got in store for us now? Well they’ve only gone and solved the Rubik’s Cube!

Yes that 80’s nostalgic melon scratcher of a puzzle game that no doubt sits unsolved on shelves across the world can finallybe put to rest thanks to the new iPhone app CubeCheater. CubeCheater will solve any Rubik’s Cube (except for those that have been smashed to pieces in frustration) in one of two ways; either match up the colours on the screen to that of your cube or use the iPhones camera to take pictures of a few of the sides of your Rubik’s Cube. Once CubeCheater has all the information it needs, it will work out the answer and then show you a detailed diagram of the moves needed to solve the puzzle. And better still, the author of the App claims it should take less than 19 moves to solve any cube. So there you have it, surely the best App to appear on the App Store so far.