Archive for September, 2009
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
Most touch screen handsets they tend to suffer when it comes to battery life, but while the battery isn’t too bad in the N97, you may find that it’s not quite lasting as long as you’d like. To get around this there are a number of options available that will let you use your phone for longer.
The obvious solution is to get an extended battery for your phone & there are currently 2 to choose from.
Mugen Battery & Back Cover
This is the most powerful battery you can get for your Nokia N97. It’s a 3600 mAh battery – that’s nearly 2.5 times more power than the standard battery that came with your phone. All that extra power should mean that you’ll get about a week’s worth of use before you’ll need to recharge it. In order to fit the extra capacity into the battery, Mugen have had to increase the size of the battery, so using this will make your phone slightly bigger. It comes with both black and white replacement back covers which have a built in stylus. Overall the Mugen Battery & back cover will add an extra centimetre to the depth of your phone, and increase its weight by around 30g, a fair compromise considering how much extra power this will add to your phone. The Mugen Battery has been reviewed by our friends over at AllAboutSymbian.com.
- Mugen Extended Battery for the Nokia N97
Nokia N97 Extended Battery
If you want more power, but don’t want to increase the size or weight of your phone, then this is a good alternative to the Mugen. It’s a 1900 mAh Lithium Ion battery that will give you around 25% more power than the standard Nokia Battery. It’s exactly the same size as the standard one though, so you can use this with your existing back cover.
Nokia N97 Extended Battery
Nokia BP-4L N97 Battery
Sometimes the best way to avoid battery problems is to carry a spare battery around with you. The Nokia BP-4L is the same battery as the one that’s in your phone already and can be charged separately to your phone using a desktop battery charger.
Nokia N97 BP 4L Battery
The other option you have is to use a portable charger. These come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, but the most reliable and easiest to use with Nokia handsets is the DC-11 Extra Power Portable Charger.
Nokia DC-11 Extra Power
The DC-11 has a Micro USB and 2mm Nokia charger connections and can charge 2 phones at the same time. It’s the same sort of size as the N97, but can provide up to two full charges of your N97 Battery.
Nokia DC-11 Extra Power
There are a number of other things you can do to help improve your battery life too, take a look at my post on extending your battery life for a few ideas.
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Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
Last month, I reviewed the Jabra Halo – a set of stylish compact bluetooth headphones that are completely free of wires and have dual microphones to reduce background noise during calls. Not only is the Halo great for calls, it also supports streaming music in stereo, playback controls (A2DP & AVRCP) and volume control making it a great choice for music lovers too.
Win a Jabra Halo
This month we’re giving a Jabra Halo worth £69.95 away and all you need to do to be in with a chance of winning it is to write a review for any of the (6000+) products on our website before the 30th September 2009. The best reviewer will win a beautiful Jabra Halo Stereo Headset courtesy of Jabra and Mobile Fun.
To write a review, simply find a product on our site that you want to review and then click on the ‘Write A Review’ link just above the add to basket button. Remember to include your name & email address on the review so that we know who you are!
To write a review, click on the link above the add to basket button
It doesn’t matter whether you brought the product from us, just find your phone, Bluetooth headset, case or any other accessory and write a good in-depth review on it to be in with a chance to win. At the end of the month, we’ll be judging the reviews on how in-depth and helpful they are for other people browsing the Mobile Fun website.
Good luck!
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
The iPod touch is turning out to be a whole lot more than just an MP3 player. With so many people using it as a web browser, gaming device, video player and more it’s no wonder that Apple recently gave it a speed and memory increase.
As the iPod touch has so many uses, looking after it and keeping it protected is essential. There are a loads of cases available for it so I thought I’d put a quick guide together that shows off our most popular cases for the iPod touch.
InvisibleSHIELD for iPod touch
I’ve been a big fan of InvisibleShield for a while now and have had one fitted to my iPhone 3G since I got it on launch day last year. If you’ve never seen them before, they are a very thin, tough plastic coating that sticks to your phone. It covers both the front and back of your phone and is the best protection I’ve found if you don’t want the added bulk of a case. On the Zagg website, they attack the screen of a phone using a small drill/grinder – half of the screen was covered with an InvisibleShield the other half unprotected. Needless to say, the half that wasn’t covered was absolutely destroyed, the half that was covered was perfectly fine and not a hint of a scratch. InvisibleShields don’t use adhesive and can be removed easily if need, although you will need a little patience to fit it to your iPod touch. InvisibleShields won’t cushion your iPod if you drop it, but they do prevent scratches and fingerprints as well as add more grip to the otherwise slippery iPod touch.
InvisibleSHIELD for iPod touch
Silicone Case for iPod touch
These are a great, cost effective way of protecting your iPod touch against minor knocks, bumps and fingerprints. They will cushion your iPod slightly if you drop it too. They leave the headphone socket and dock connector exposed and are moulded in a way that still allows you to access the home and volume buttons while the case is on. It won’t cover the screen though, so it’s probably worth investing in an iPod touch Screen Protector.
Silicone Case for iPod touch
Krusell Music
The Krusell Music case is a simple, stylish leather case for both the first and second generation iPod Touch. To use it you just slide your phone in and then choose to attach a belt clip or carry it around. The case is compatible with the full range of multidapt mounting accessories, so no matter how or where you want to mount your iPod touch, you should find a clip to suit. The case is made from high quality leather and has a soft suede finish lining that helps to keep your screen free of fingerprints and smudges. The headphone and dock connector are easily accessible, and the volume controls can be used by pressing the leather on the side of the case which may makes this case better suited to the first generation iPod touch, 2nd generation iPod touch owners may prefer the Krusell Orbit Flex.
Krusell Music Case for iPod touch
Krusell Orbit Flex for iPod touch
The Orbit Flex is a similar case to the Music case above, but with a few noticeable differences. The most obvious one being that the front flap is hinged at the bottom rather than the top and can be detached from the case if needed. It has a press stud fastening rather than magnetic and has cut outs for the volume controls too. Other than that, there isn’t much between them, they both have the clip on the back for the Multidapt clips and mounts and are both made from the same high grade leather.
Krusell Orbit Flex for iPod touch 2G
iPod touch Otterbox Defender
The Defender provides hardcore protection for your iPod touch and i’s actually 3 cases in one and provides the most amount of protection. The first layer is a clear membrane that covers your screen and protects it against scratches. The second layer is an energy absorbing polycarbonate shell that draws impact damage away from your phone. Lastly is a flexible silicone skin that absorbs minor bumps and adds a non slip finish to your iPod. It does add a little bulk to your iPod touch, but if you lead an active lifestyle and want to keep it safe during sporting activities or while you’re out and about walking, hiking etc, then this is the best case you can get. All buttons are accessible, as are the headphone and dock connectors – although there are silicon plugs included if you want to protect these too.
OtterBox Defender Series for iPod touch 2G
Piel Frama case for iPod touch 2G
Piel Frama Cases are executive leather cases that are hand made from carefully selected cuts of leather. This flip case for the iPod touch holds your iPod securely and also has storage space for bank or credit cards. It comes with a belt clip that is easily detatched when the belt clip is removed the back of the case is perfectly flat, making it perfect for those who prefer to carry their iPod touch around in their bag or pocket.
Piel Frama Leather Case for iPod touch 2G
Griffin Wave for iPod touch 2G
If you just want something simple that prevents you from scuffing the back cover and corners of your iPod touch, then the Griffin Wave is a great choice. It’s a duarable polycarbonate cover for your phone that slides on from the top and bottom, locking together to create the ‘wave effect’ on the back. It includes a screen protector and leaves all buttons, dock connector and headphone socket exposed.
Griffin Wave for iPod touch 2G
XtremeMac Sportswrap iPod touch 2G Armband
If you use your iPod touch while you’re down at the gym, out cycling or doing any other kind of physical activity, then you’ll know how frustrating it is having your iPod jumping around in your pocket. Cases with a belt clip aren’t great either as they slow you down, fall off and can be uncomfortable while you’re exercising. Fortunately there is a solution – armband cases. While it may seem a little unusual, it’s the perfect place for your iPod while you’re working out. They hold your phone securely, protect it from moisture and this one even has a cord wrap so that you won’t have the earphone cable getting tangled up with your arms as you’re running. It’s made from Lycra and Neoprene (the same stuff as wetsuits), can be adjusted to fit any arm and the clear cover doesn’t interfere with the touch screen of the iPod touch.
XtremeMac Sportwrap Armband
OtterBox Impact for iPod touch 2G
While it’s not quite as heavy duty as the OtterBox defender, the OtterBox Impact still provides high levels of protection when you drop your iPod touch. The Impact series case is a silicon skin that covers the back and corners of your phone, but leaves the volume controls, home button and headphone socket easily accessible. It has extra padding on the internal corners that will absorb impact energy and divert it away from your phone. Your screen isn’t covered though, so you’ll need to invest in an iPod touch Screen Protector.
OtterBox Impact Series for iPod touch 2G
Crystal Case for iPod touch 2G
Lastly then is the crystal case. Crystal Cases, as the name suggests are crystal clear clip on covers that are designed to protect the housing of your device from scratches and absorb impact damage when you drop it. Now, crystal cases aren’t the most robust case you can get, if anything they’re probably the weakest case available, but if you drop your iPod and the case breaks, then it’s done it’s job properly – after all, I’m sure that you wouldn’t want your iPod to break and your case be intact. They’re one of the most affordable cases available which makes them extremely popular.
Crystal Case for iPod touch 2G
So that’s my top ten for the iPod touch 2G – It’s not all of the cases available, just our most popular ones. If you haven’t seen a case here that does what you want, then take a look at our full range of iPod touch 2G cases. If you’ve seen a case that you think should be in our Top 10, let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
BlackBerry handsets are great for emailing and messaging, but as with anything electrical, they can sometimes go wrong. One of the more common error messages that seems to come up is “App Error 200″. It still puzzles me why the manufacturers can’t make these error messages a little bit more helpful and actually explain what’s gone wrong – at least then it would be a bit easier to work out how to fix it. Fortunately though, “App Error 200″ is usually fixed with a straight forward firmware update/reinstall.
Problems with your BlackBerry?
The error is caused by an installed application failing and damaging the BlackBerry Operating system in the process. The fix is to simply erase and reinstall the operating system to your phone. This sounds difficult but isn’t too hard in practice. It’s something you can do yourself on your home PC using BlackBerry Desktop Manager. If you don’t feel confident in doing this yourself then you can take it to a BlackBerry repair centre and they’ll carry the repair out for you, but you might have to wait a couple of weeks for them to do it and if you’re out of warranty you’ll probably have to pay for it.
In most cases, the 12 steps listed below should get your handset working again & the process is exactly the same if you want to upgrade your firmware to a newer version.
Before you start though I’d recommend that you check the following:
- The battery in your BlackBerry handset is fully charged.
- You have downloaded and installed the latest version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager – Download now from the BlackBerry Website.
- You have downloaded the latest version of the BlackBerry firmware – Download now from the BlackBerry Website*.
- If you’re working off a laptop, make sure your laptop is connected to a power supply.
- You have the correct data cable for your phone.
*Internet Explorer is needed to download latest version of BlackBerry Firmware. BlackBerry Desktop Manager isn’t an essential part of the process, but it will make managing your device a lot easier.
Once you’ve downloaded and installed the latest versions, it’s time to start updating your phone. You’ll need to be patient though, as this isn’t the fastest process in the world and it will take some time to erase everything and then reinstall the software. When I ran through it for this post it took around 45 minutes on a BlackBerry Curve 8310 upgrading to 4.5.0.163 on a PC running Windows XP SP3.
To be on the safe side, I’d close any other applications on your computer and go make yourself a coffee while you wait for the update to finish.
It’s extremely important that once you start this process you don’t disconnect your BlackBerry from your computer or switch your computer off until the update has completed and you’re told it is safe to do so by the update application.
- Connect your BlackBerry handset to your computer.
- Launch BlackBerry Desktop Manager.
- Double-click Application Loader. The Application Loader Wizard appears. You might need to unplug and re-attach the USB cable to your BlackBerry in order for it to be recognised.
- Click Next.
- Choose the software that you want to install and click Next.
Update BlackBerry Firmware - Select Software Version to Install
- If you’re asked for a password, type in your BlackBerry password and click Next.
- The Device Application Selection screen appears. Select the applications to be loaded onto your BlackBerry smartphone.
Update BlackBerry Firmware - Select Applications to Install
- If the Device Backup screen appears, choose whether or not to automatically back up the BlackBerry smartphone. Click Next.
- Click Next. The ‘Completing the Application Wizard’ screen will appear and display all the software that will be loaded to your BlackBerry smartphone.
- Click the Advanced button and make sure that Erase all application data and Erase all currently installed applications are both selected. Note: If the Application Loader is not able to access all of the BlackBerry smartphone data, then both Erase all application data and Erase all currently installed applications will be grayed out.
Update BlackBerry Firmware - Check 'Erase all' boxes
- Click Next, You’ll be asked if you want to be notified of future updates, enter your email address and then click Next again.
- Click Finish. The BlackBerry firmware will now be updated on your BlackBerry. You’ll need to be patient though as this will take around 45 minutes to complete – maybe longer.
Update BlackBerry Firmware - Software will take around 45 minutes to udpate
- That’s it – All done. Once you see the update successful screen it is safe to disconnect your phone from your computer.
Update BlackBerry Firmware - Update Complete
If you get any error messages at any point, you may need to start the process again. If you try 3 times and it still won’t work, you’ll need to take your handset to your nearest repair centre or contact BlackBerry for help.
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Thursday, September 17th, 2009
Earlier this month, the Nokia N97 Mini was announced and as the name suggests its a smaller version of the Nokia N97, but it’s not just the size of the phone that’s different. The internal memory has been reduced to 8GB from 32GB, the keyboard layout is slightly different, the screen is slightly smaller and the battery won’t last you quite as long. Other than that though, most other features are the same.
The fact that Nokia have named two phones N97 is bound to cause confusion – especially when you’re looking for accessories for your phone. Before you order any accessories for your phone, you should double check to make sure you’re ordering the right accessory for the right phone.
- Nokia N97
The quickest and easiest way to figure out which phone you’ve got is to look at the keyboard on your phone. The N97 has a D-pad on the left of the keyboard to move the cursor around with, whereas the N97 Mini has 4 arrow keys on the bottom right corner instead.
Nokia N97 Mini
Accessories such as Chargers, Bluetooth Headsets, Car kits, memory cards will all work regardless of which N97 you have, but N97 Cases and N97 Mini Cases are significantly different as the phones are different sizes.
To give you a clearer idea on what the differences are between the two phones, I’ve listed the key features of each handset below.
|
|
|
| Features |
Nokia N97 Mini
|
Nokia N97
|
| Size |
113 x 53 x 14
|
117 x 55 x 16
|
| Weight |
138g
|
150g
|
| Memory Card |
up to 16GB
|
up to 16GB
|
| Screen Size |
3.2″ |
3.5″ |
| Screen Pixels |
360 x 640 |
360 x 640 |
| Camera |
5MP |
5MP |
| Bluetooth |
|
|
| Radio |
|
|
| MP3 Player |
|
|
| Handsfree Kit |
3.5mm Audio Jack |
3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Internal Memory |
8GB |
32GB |
| Music Playback (hrs) |
32 |
40 |
| Talk Time (hrs) |
7
|
9.5
|
| Standby (hrs) |
320
|
432
|
Once you’ve determined which handset you’ve got, head over to the main site and take a look at all of our N97 Accessories or N97 Mini Accessories.
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(6 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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