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Use a Bluetooth keyboard with your Nokia phone

Andy Simpson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 16:44:29 +0000

Email on mobile phones is becoming a pretty standard feature, but the one thing that still puts me off emailing on a traditional handset, is having to type (a sometimes lengthy) email using the mobile phone keypad. Predictive texting and phones with half/full qwerty keyboards do make this a little easier, but its still not the same as having a proper, full sized keyboard.
The good news for Nokia owners is that if you have a handset that runs on S60 (think Nokia N95, N96, 5800 etc..) you can use a full size Bluetooth keyboard with your phone. Officially this isn’t supported on all phones, but un-officially all Symbian 60 devices are supported!

Now obviously if you’re walking down the street trying to email, this is going to be of no use to you what so ever, but what if you’re out of the office and need to reply to that email or maybe you’ve plugged your phone in to the TV to watch back your photo’s and want to be able to control your phone remotely?

We’ve put together a short guide that tells you how you can set up your phone to work with almost any Bluetooth keyboard. Read More…

Xperia X1 Available Now!

Andy Simpson — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:09:24 +0000

After months of waiting, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is now in stock and available to order.
The Xperia X1 is Sony Ericsson’s flagship handset and features a touch screen interface and slide out QWERTY keyboard

In a first for Sony Ericsson, the phone runs Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 rather than their usual Symbian UIQ interface and uses Mini USB for charging and data transfer.

The X1 features:

Windows Mobile 6.1
Touch Screen
QWERTY Keyboard
3.2MP Camera
GPS
Wi-Fi
3G for Fast internet
Push Email
Handwriting recognition

Order your Xperia X1 now!

BlackBerry Buyers Guide

Andy Simpson — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:24:31 +0000

Which BlackBerry should I go for?

BlackBerry handsets used to be all about email, but not any more. Although email is still a very important part of a BlackBerry, its not their only feature. BlackBerry have realised that we want more from our phones than just basic functionality, and their range now has a handset that should suit just about everyone. They come in a range of shapes, sizes and colours, and can match, if not beat, the features of most phones made by Nokia and Sony Ericsson. Most BlackBerrys now feature a digital camera, music player, expandable memory and Sat Nav, eliminating the need to carry several devices around with you.

My personal favourite is the 8900 Curve, its small enough to carry in your pocket, but big enough to use easily and the Sat Nav works exceptionally well. There are currently 8 devices in the BlackBerry handset range. They range from the smaller BlackBerry Pearl, right through to the full touch screen BlackBerry Storm.

Here’s a quick summary of each of the handsets:

First time users, or people that aren’t quite sure about making the switch to BlackBerry should consider the BlackBerry Pearl. The BlackBerry Pearl is more of a cross-over device. It has all the standard BlackBerry features, but looks and feels more like a normal handset. The Pearl series have a "SureType" keypad. A cross between the standard keypad found on most phones and a full QWERTY keypad found on most BlackBerry’s.

BlackBerry Pearl 8100 is the original Pearl and has a 1.3MP Camera with flash, expandable memory and internet access.
BlackBerry Pearl 8110 has all the features of the 8100, but with the addition of built in GPS and a 2MP camera.
BlackBerry Pearl 8120 has all the features of the 8100, but with the addition of Wi-Fi for faster internet browsing and a 2MP Camera with Flash.

Not everyone that likes to email likes to carry round a big phone, BlackBerry knew this, hence the BlackBerry Pearl, but for some, even that was too bulky, so they have now introduced the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 . The specification of the phone is very similar to the BlackBerry Pearl 8210; 2MP Camera, Wi-Fi, Suretype keypad, expandable memory, but in a more compact flip design and with a newer version of the BlackBerry Menu System.

The BlackBerry Curve is the most popular range of BlackBerry handsets. They feature a full QWERTY keyboard, making typing much quicker. A larger screen than that on the Pearl makes reading emails and browsing the Internet much easier. If you use email regularly then the Curve is a good all round handset.

Blackberry Curve 8300 is the original Curve and has a 2MP Camera with flash, expandable memory and and high resolution light sensing screen.
Blackberry Curve 8310 has all the features of the 8300, but with the addition of a 2MP camera and built in GPS. The mapping software is subscription based.
Blackberry Curve 8310 Maps for Life Edition has no subscription costs for the mapping software.
Blackberry Curve 8320 has all the features of the 8300, but with the addition of Wi-Fi for faster internet browsing.

The BlackBerry 8800 is aimed at the business user. The 8800 has a longer life battery giving up to 22 days standby times. Built in GPS allows it to be used as a Sat Nav device (although there is an extra subscription cost for this). The 8800 is ideal for those that work in places where cameras are not allowed as there is no camera on the 8800.

The BlackBerry 8820 is an updated version of the 8800 and has the same specification, with the addition of Wi-Fi for faster internet access and support for Stereo Bluetooth and higher capacity memory cards.

BlackBerry’s first 3G device for a few years was the BlackBerry Bold. The Bold is a more advanced handset that will appeal to people that need their phone to do pretty much everything. The screen is a higher resolution than most other BlackBerry’s, making images and videos appear exceptionally clear. The Bold is one of two BlackBerry devices that support 3G, and gives download speeds of upto 3.6Mbps. The Bold can be used as a modem to connect your laptop to the internet. WordToGo software allows you to edit attachments, as well as view them. The MP3 player on the Bold is compatible with iTunes, making it easy to sync your music.

The BlackBerry 8900 Curve is the replacement for the original Curve series. It has both GPS and Wi-Fi, unlike the 8310 or 8320 which made you choose one or the other. The 8900 Curve is essentially the baby brother to the BlackBerry Bold. The only real missing feature is 3G, but BlackBerry devices have been running perfectly well without it for years, so unless you do a lot of internet browsing, the 8900 Curve is a better priced alternative. Screen resolution is the same as on the Bold, but the phone is smaller and lighter and is the first BlackBerry to feature a 3MP Camera.

With almost every new phone coming out now with a touchscreen, BlackBerry didn’t want to be left behind so they introduced the BlackBerry Storm. Its touchscreen interface is unique, as rather than being touch sensitive, the glass screen presses in. It’s something you need to see really as its not easy to explain! The device is (and we expect it to always be) exclusive to the Vodafone network, so no sim free version will be available. Featurewise, it has a high resolution screen, 3MP Camera, GPS, and 3G connectivity, but interestingly lacks Wi-Fi support, meaning that all your downloads will need to go through your mobile network, rather than your free home Wi-Fi network.

As touchscreen is new for BlackBerry, its getting some very mixed reviews, so if its one you’re considering, check out some reviews online first, and go and have a play in your local Vodafone store before comitting to a lengthy contract!

If you’ve already got a BlackBerry, let us know what you think of it by leaving a comment below.

Nokia E72 and Nokia E75 Leaked

Andy Simpson — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:57:55 +0000

Barely a week goes by without at least one new handset being leaked on the internet. Well, this week it looks like its the turn of Nokia to have their thunder stolen, with the unofficial leak of two new E-series devices. Currently dubbed the E72 and E75, these two handsets build on the current successes of the E-Series but add higher spec and better usability.

Nokia E75 spy shots

Nokia E75
Nokia’s new E75 features a unique slide out QWERTY keyboard, I say unique, but this style of keyboard has been around for many years on HTC devices and is about to make its debut with Sony Ericsson on the Xperia X1.

Nokia E72 Spy Shots

Nokia E72
This appears to be an upgrade to the recently announced and extremely popular Nokia E71. The only differences we can see so far are slight cosmetic changes to the keyboard with the introduction of a couple of extra keys and a possibly a higher megapixel camera.

Can Nokia beat its rivals? With the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 due in a matter of weeks, and the HTC Touch Pro already doing well, it will be interesting to see if Nokia can attract any more users. The E-Series platform works well, runs smoothly and is already proving to be a successful platform for business users.