Thursday, May 17th, 2012
HTC have had a killer year so far after the release of the One X, but the handset giants are going back to their roots and updating their popular HTC Desire to feature all the newest tech and be even smaller than before – meet the Sim Free HTC Desire C.
Sim Free HTC Desire C
Slightly bigger than a credit card, the HTC Desire C is the newest entry level handset to be released by HTC; don’t be fooled though as it’s still packed with HTC Sense 4.0 and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) technology, so this little handset packs a punch and leaves you with a world of apps at your fingertips.
For music lovers, the HTC Desire C Sim Free uses Beats Audio so that your music can be heard in the way it was intended or if you’re more of a photography fan, the built-in 5MP camera ensures that you never miss a moment and that your images can be shared easily through messages and social networks.
The processor may only be 600MHz but that’s more than enough to complete multiple tasks without the handset becoming slow and perfect for those who want some smartphone features, without the higher pricetag.
Memory isn’t an issue with the Desire C either; there’s 4GBs on board, but should you even need more the Desire C supports microSD cards so that you can store even more images, audio and media.
The Desire C is available in black, white and red, with the black and white versions being available from 28th May, costing £179.95. It’s a great handset for those new to smartphones.
So that’s the HTC Desire C handset covered but obviously it’s going to need a range of HTC Desire C accessories to help keep it looking newer for longer and free from damage. We’ve sourced a variety of official HTC accessories for the Desire C but here’s a couple of my favourites:
HTC SC S780 Silicone Case
HTC HC C780 Hard Shell
I like a good, exciting looking case and these two Official HTC cases certainly fit that description. The red HTC Desire C case on the left is a silicone case so helps to improve the grip of the handset; whilst the blue case on the right is a hard clip on style case, offering more protection against scratches.
Made from a tough silicone construction, the red SC S780 HTC Desire C cover improves the feel and grip of the Desire C. The soft touch material helps the phone to slip in and out of pockets easily, whilst the bright red colouring helps you to stand out from the crowd and add character to your Desire C. It’s an extremely light and thin case, offering a small amount of protection to the corners and sides of the Desire C in particular, but due to its silicone nature will protect against impacts and shocks better than other cases.
The blue HC C780 hard shell is a more protective Desire C cover, thanks to its tough injection moulded plastic construction, meaning it offers more protection from scrapes and scratches. The cover still has an extremely stylish design though, adding tons of character to the Desire C and being at the forefront of style for fashionistas. Simply clipping on to the Desire C, this case protects without adding any bulk; simply team it with a HTC Desire C screen protector and you have the ultimate all round protection.
What are your thoughts on the HTC Desire C and its official accessories? There’s plenty more to see on the site. Let us know through the usual channels.
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
Today we’ll be having a look at the differences between two of the biggest phones of the past two years: The Samsung Galaxy S III and its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S II. Both have proved extremely popular so far, but will the Galaxy S III go on to sell as massively as the S II did last year? I think so, because these two phones really are galaxies apart. Let’s have a look!
Hardware
The most obvious difference between the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy S3 is that of hardware.
Where the Galaxy S2 was quite big for its time at 4.3″ diagonal, the Galaxy S3 takes this even further at 4.8″ diagonal. That extra half an inch of screen real estate unlocks the door to a 720p HD display, a massive increase in screen quality from the Galaxy S2. The Galaxy S3 also brings a lot more firepower to bear, courtesy of a home-grown quad-core CPU.
|
 |
 |
| Display Size |
4.3″ |
4.8″ |
| Resolution |
800 x 480 |
1280 x 720 |
| Pixels Per Inch |
217 |
306 |
|
|
|
| Processor |
Exynos 4210 |
Exynos 4412 |
| Cores |
2 |
4 |
| Clock Speed |
1.2 GHz |
1.4 GHz |
|
|
|
| RAM |
1 GB |
1 GB |
| Internal Storage |
16 / 32 GB |
16 / 32 / 64 GB |
| Micro SD |
up to 32 GB |
up to 64 GB |
|
|
|
| Battery |
1650 mAh |
2100 mAh |
|
|
|
| Dimensions |
125.3 x 66.1 x 8.5 mm |
136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 mm |
| Weight |
116 g |
133 g |
As you can see, there’s a fair amount of difference between the two phones – almost everything has been upgraded in the Galaxy S III to exceed the standards of the day – the Galaxy S3 compares favourably to the HTC One X, Lumia 900 and iPhone 4S too (click here for a more detailed comparison).
Another big difference between the two phones is their look – while the Galaxy S2 has a more standard design reminiscent of the iPhone, thanks to Apple’s legal teams the Galaxy SIII looks like an entirely new creation, with a much more rounded look and unique colour choices of ‘pebble blue’ and ‘marble white’. You can see this quite clearly in the image below (credit to Android Authority).
Software
Another big way the S3 offers an upgrade over the old model is in software.
Firstly, the Samsung Galaxy S3 ships with Ice Cream Sandwich, Android 4.0. The Galaxy S2 shipped with Gingerbread, Android 2.3. There’s as big a difference between those versions as the 1.7 gap suggests; Ice Cream Sandwich is worlds ahead in terms of usability, the strength of the included applications and the overall design language.
While the Galaxy S2 has since been upgraded to Gingerbread, Samsung have taken a much more additive approach to the Galaxy S3, with dozens of new features not found anywhere else.
For example, you can watch picture-in-picture videos while playing games, taking notes or surfing the web – a feature Samsung calls Pop Up Play.
Another feature called Smart Stay uses the front-facing camera to ensure that the display never dims or locks when you’re looking at it.
S Voice is a Siri-equivalent for Android that looks more polished than anything we’ve seen before.
S Beam combines NFC and WiFi to transfer files between phones at high speeds with just a touch.
For more information, check out our coverage of the Galaxy SIII announcement.
Accessories
Finally, we can’t help but mention some of the Samsung Galaxy SIII accessories that should really go beyond what was available for the Galaxy S II. As well as the normal plethora of Samsung Galaxy S3 cases, there’ll be wireless charging, a Wi-Fi display hub, an HDTV dongle and even a Galaxy S3 C-Pen stylus.
Conclusion
So as you can see, there’s a much bigger difference between the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2 than you might have thought. The mobile industry moves at a breakneck pace, and nowhere is this more evident than with the next Galaxy superphone.
Got any questions or comments? Please talk to us via the comments below, or say hello via Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
As the Samsung Galaxy S III keeps ticking along towards release, we’re starting to get more information about the
official Samsung Galaxy S III accessories that we’ll soon be stocking.
These are the Genuine Samsung Flip Covers, which are now available in five new colours – Light Blue, Lemon Yellow, Orange, Pink and Mint. We’re already seen these in Chrome Blue and Ceramic White, so now there’s a great amount of colour choices available.
The small image in the upper right is the official image that we were provided with, but as it was a little small we’ve taken the liberty of mocking up what these cases should look like on a larger scale. Expect vibrant colours and high quality, as these are genuine Samsung Galaxy S III cases.
These flip covers replace the back cover of the Galaxy S3, allowing you to add significant protection and a splash of colour without significant bulk. As always, these flip covers include cutouts for all buttons and features, so you can easily take a photo, adjust the volume or charge your phone without taking the cover off.
For more information, please check out the product pages listed below or ask us a question via the form below. Thanks for reading!
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
After our recent post showing off the first images of the Official Samsung accessories for the Galaxy S3, we’ve got a couple more to show you!
Samsung Galaxy S3 Slim Case
Samsung Galaxy S3 Slim Case Blue
This time the images are for the Official Samsung Galaxy S3 Slim Case in White and the Official Samsung Galaxy S3 Slim Case in Blue. The Slim cases offer extremely hard wearing protection without adding any bulk to the S3. In fact they’re possibly the lightest cases around and offer the same protection as a hard case, they even add grip to the S3 thanks to the matte finish.
As you’d expect they have the cut-outs to all the ports and features in order to keep the handset fully functioning at all times too. They’re sleek, stylish and highly protective – the perfect solution for those who want protection and no bulk.
If you’d prefer we have this article and other S3 ones in local versions: French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian and German.
What are your thoughts on the official products? Let us know through the usual channels.
Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
The Samsung Galaxy Note has proved surprisingly popular, and the big case manufacturers are starting to take note. We’ve just got in a shipment of
Otterbox Commuter cases for the Note, and you can order one right now for immediate dispatch tomorrow.
The Otterbox Commuter series is a strong blend of rock-solid protection and beautifully slim design.
The Commuter uses an innovative three layer design, combining a rugged plastic case with a silicone inner core and a top quality screen protector. The case also includes exposed silicone corners for deadening impacts and silicone plugs to protect the USB port. You’ll be able to keep your phone completely protected from scrapes, scratches, knocks and shocks – if you’ve ever worried about damaging your Galaxy Note, this is the case for you.
We’re the only company in the UK with stock on these cases, so for more information on this massively popular case, check out the product page linked below:
As always, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to write to us via the comments form below, or talk to us on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.
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