Mobile Phone Info

Nokia 5800 Express Music

2009-05-05T12:44:00.001-07:00

Clearly a competitor for iPhone, but at lesser cost. After all, there are not many models out there that comes bundled with so many features, at less than 300 Euros.

The software is responsive, but it is not any great either. Touchscreen scores above average, even though the iPhone fares batter in this department. On the texting front, Nokia 5800 Express Music offers more than one option to the users: a mini QWERTY keyboard, full screen QWERTY,and an alphanumeric keypad.

Multimedia is excellent. The camera clicks good pictures, even though the performance is not up to the mark in low light conditions.

Time management and office tools lacks full utilites.

Music, the marketed USP of Nokia 5800 Express Music, is good, even though it still has some distance to cover to keep pace with Sony Ericsson. The phone supports
a wide variety of music file formats. The music menu is user-friendly as well.

For music buffs, looking for a smartphone, Nokia 5800 Express Music just fits the bill. If it is the other way around, go for Nokia E71.

Samsung Hero Next

2008-05-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Samsung Hero Next is a CDMA mobile presented by Tata Indicom in its 'affordable'
bracket. Priced at 1300/-, yes, it is one of the cheapest handsets available in the market
today. But the low price means, it comes without many common features. That is,
the Hero Next does not have MP3 ringtones or camera, speakerphone, or FM Radio.
But it does have vibrator alert, organizer, alarm, a couple of games, calendar etc.

However, if there is one aspect that really lacks in Samsung Hero Next, it is the voice
quality. The sound at the earpiece is clear, but it is a tad too loud. In other words,
the sound resoultion is a bit lacking in Samsung Hero Next. Interestingly, even a
low end phone such as Haier C 2000 offers better sound clarity than Samsung Hero Next.

Are Cheap Mobile Phones Worthy?

2008-01-15T04:01:00.000-08:00

Are the cheap mobile phones, as been marketd by Reliance and
Tata, worth its cheap price tag? Well, while it makes a cell phone
affordable for most common man, the low price tag brings with
it cheaper components and hence low quality. Most of the low
priced phones, such as Classic and Haier, have persistent
connectivity issues or the processor is too slow to respond, and
in some cases, its battery life is too less for a CDMA phone.
What you people think? Is it good or bad?

W 200i

2007-06-28T04:19:00.001-07:00

Sony Ericsson’s budget walkman phone with expandable memory. Further, no other mobile phone maker currently has a comparable model in its class. Those who wish to buy a budget phone, but with features such as music, radio, camera, W 200i may just exactly fits the bill. The W 200i costs £50 or 5, 250 INR.

Walkman is easy to use and the sound quality is also excellent. The headphones supplied with the handset are topnotch, but still if you want to swap it for your own, you can do that as well; thanks to the standard 3.5mm jack on the hands-free kit. Further, the handset comes with a 128 MB M2 Memory Stick, but the slot can hold memory up to 1 GB.

In terms of call quality, W 200i scores above average, and regarding its battery life, it is just excellent. Also, there are few extras hidden in the menu such as the RSS reader that lets the user keep updated about the current news from his/her favorite websites.

On the downside, W 200i’s screen is below average in terms of visibility and clarity. If you look from any other angle than straight on, you’ll find the colors washed out or murky. The camera, which incidentally VGA, does not have anything great either. The picture quality is below par. Also, there is no flash and Bluetooth connectivity support (has only infrared).

To sum it up, W 200i is a good buy for those looking for a cheap music phone. If you want a better camera, and is willing to pay few $/ £ more, go for W 810i.

Motofone F3

2007-01-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

Motofone F3 combines the aesthetics of a slim phone and a price tag that most common man can afford. Priced at a modest 1,655 INR, the phone comes with a dirt proof cover, a simple user interface that even an illiterate can navigate through without much struggle, and a long life Li-ion battery. But, the most notable technological innovation that Motofone F3 incorporates in its slender body is the e-ink display, which not only consumes very less power, but also has a good visibility under all lighting conditions. In fact, this is one of the reasons why the phone has a longer battery life than most other phones in its category. Motofone F3's other features include polyphonic ring tones, speakerphone, twin antenna, ringtone downloads, and iTap and voice prompt. Motofone F3 weighs just 68 grams.

On the flip side, Motofone F3 does not have a FM radio, and its screen is a bit small to display 13 digits in a single screen (that is, a phone number with the area code). The same handicap appears while typing text messages as well (in this case, 7-9 characters in a single screen). Elsewhere, Motofone F3 is a handy and affordable phone with good voice reception and decent overall performance index.

Few Popular Nokia Models and Their Prices in India

2007-01-02T07:29:00.000-08:00

Lower End

Nokia 1110 ---- 2,050 INR.
Nokia 1110i---- 2,250 INR.
Nokia 1112 ---- 2,550 INR.
Nokia 1600 ---- 2,650 INR.
Nokia 2310 ---- 3,300 INR.
Nokia 6020 ---- 5,000 INR.
Nokia 6070 ---- 5,900 INR.

Mid Level

Nokia 6080 ---- 7,500 INR.
Nokia 5200 ---- 8,500 INR.
Nokia 6600 ---- 8,600 INR.
Nokia 3230 ---- 9,800 INR.
Nokia 6125 ---- 10,500 INR.
Nokia 7610 ---- 10,700 INR.

Nokia 6131 ---- 11, 500 INR.
Nokia 6151 ---- 11,800 INR.
Nokia 6681 ---- 11,900 INR.
Nokia 6630 ---- 11,900 INR.
Nokia 5300 ---- 11,999 INR.
Nokia 6681 ---- 11,999 INR.

Nokia 5500 ---- 12,499 INR.
Nokia E50 ----- 12,999 INR.
Nokia 6680 ---- 12,999 INR.
Nokia 6233 ---- 13,299 INR.
Nokia 6280 ---- 13,999 INR.

N Series

Nokia N72 ------------------ 15,700 INR.
Nokia N70 ------------------ 17,700 INR.
Nokia N73 ------------------ 24,600 INR.
Nokia N93 ------------------ 33,800 INR.

Nokia 6151

2006-12-30T21:15:00.000-08:00

Nokia 6151 is Nokia’s attempt to bring 3G WCDMA/UMTS phones to the masses, and also to preempt any similar moves by its competitors. As of now, it is Nokia’s cheapest 3G handset available across the different continents on earth. Nokia anticipates the pricing of 6151 to be anywhere near 240 Euros + taxes or equivalent dollars/pounds/INR.

Regarding features, the Nokia 6151 comes equipped with a 1.3 mega pixel camera, 30 MB internal memory, microSD memory slot, MP3 player that supports MP3, AAC, and WMA formats, FM Radio, voice dialing, push-to-talk, Bluetooth connectivity, flight mode, 262k color display of 128x160 pixel resolution, and an easy to use S40 interface.

Nokia 6151 has a Li-Ion battery, which, according to its manufacturers, gives 4.5 hours of talk time and a standby time of 4.5 hours. On a user scale, this equation translates to 2-2.5 days of battery survival, assuming that the user spends at least an hour daily on the phone, making or receiving calls, and occasionally using MP3, games, or other applications.

Prices of Few Popular Sony Ericsson Models In India

2006-12-29T07:34:00.000-08:00

Walkman Phones

W300i --------------- 9,500 INR.
W550i --------------- 10,200 INR.
W700i --------------- 11,700 INR.
W810i --------------- 14,900 INR.

Megapixel Camera Phones

K790i Cybershot -------- 18,800 INR.
K750i ------------------- 10,600 INR.
K510i ------------------- 6,500 INR.
Z550i ------------------- 8,000 INR.

Snap Shot Phones

K310i -------------- 4,950 INR.
Z530i -------------- 6,800 INR.

Business Phones

M600i ------------- 15,800 INR.
P990i ------------- 30,800 INR.

Easy Phones

J100i ------------- 2,300 INR.
J220i ------------- 3,150 INR.
J230i ------------- 3,250 INR.

These are the rates as on Decemeber 2006. For more info on the models mentioned, visit http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp?cc=in&lc=en&amp;amp;amp;ver=4000&template=ph1&zone=ph

Samsung D830

2006-12-29T02:10:00.001-08:00

Samsung D830 is the clamshell design in the newly released Ultra Thin Edition phone series. It is named Samsung Ultra Edition 9, the last digit hinting the thickness of the phone case, which stands at 9.9 mm. Samsung D830 measures 103x54x9.9 mm and has a weight of 92 gm. One may well think how Samsung had managed to cut the weight of its handsets. Pretty simple, except the battery and the electronic circuits, make all other parts plastic. Samsung D830's front and back cover may appear like metal. But in realty, it is not.

Samsung D830 comes with a 2 mega pixel CMOS fixed focus camera, which is located on the rotating block near the flip axis. In fact, that is the only place in the entire phone body where the camera could have been embedded, thanks to its 9.9 mm thickness. The camera functionality, the ISO settings and white balance, they are pretty standard and similar to comparable Samsung models. The picture quality is ok, if not that great. Comparable models of Nokia and Sony Ericsson produces better quality pictures under the same conditions. However, the biggest drawback in terms of taking photos and videos is that the user cannot automatically save the pics directly into the memory card. One may have to do it manually. Worse, the counter problem with Samsung’s earlier models persists in Samsung D830 as well. Having taken the pictures, if the user moves the image files to some other location, the counter resets to 1 again. This could cause problems when you download images to your PC. There you may have to deal with too many files with the file name 001.jpg. This software flaw is really irritating, to be honest.

Another negative – if thought that way - with Samsung D830 is its keypad, which is a sensor numeric keypad as in Motorola RAZR. Its problem is that the user won’t realize if he had actually pressed the key while typing. Hence, it is mandatory that you follow the display as well closely. Else, you could end up calling wrong numbers or mistyped sms.

Samsung D830 has a 2.3’ TFT display that is capable of showing 262k colors, at a resolution of 240x320 pixels. The downside however is that the display fades under bright sunlight. Else it is very much ok. Other features of D830 include blue tooth connectivity, MP3 player, expandable memory slot, GPRS, GSM 900, 1800, and 1900MHz bands support, Wap browser, email client, 80 MB internal memory, and flight mode.

Regarding battery life, Samsung D830’s 630 mAh Li-Ion battery scores only below average when compared with similar models of Nokia and Sony Ericsson. About one hour spent on calling, and no other applications used, the charge may last up to 2 days. If you are an avid gamer or music buff, then most probably you may end up recharging it every 24 hours.

Final Call – Not worth the money spent, especially since other models in this category performs far well than Samsung D830. A Samsung X820 or Motorola KRZR would be a better choice. Samsung D830 is priced at around £230/$400/17,000 INR.

Nokia N73 - A Review

2006-12-28T11:22:00.000-08:00

Nokia N73 can be viewed as a thinned down version of its own N70, with enhanced features such as QVGA display and a 3.2 mega pixel auto focus camera. It measures 110х49х19 mm and weighs 117 grams with SIM card present.

Starting from the front, the display of N73 boasts a resolution of 240x320 pixels and is capable of displaying 262k colors. The translucent metallic substrate that lines the display ensures that it remains readable even under the brightest of sunlight. Above the display, to the right, is the VGA camera, tailor made for video calls in 3G networks. It can take pictures as well. To the right of the VGA camera is the light sensor for controlling the backlighting of the keypad. The sensor also carries a blue tooth indicator LED.

The 3.2 mega pixel camera is at the back of the phone’s body, protected by a sliding shutter. In order to switch on the camera, what all one has to do is to slide open the shutter. It starts running automatically. Regarding performance, it has good picture quality, quite comparable to that of its immediate competitor, Sony Ericsson K800i, with a fast enough auto focusing and decent macro mode for close-ups. The camera menu is also very much user friendly. The zoom control/volume control button lies to the right side top, while the shutter button and click button can be found at the bottom, same side.

If there is any glaring negative in N73, then it is its keypad. It is crammed and small, and it will be really awkward if the user tries to manage it single-handedly. Another con is the sunken position of the joystick inside the casing. Compared with similar Sony Ericsson models, this one is rather more difficult to operate.

Like other models in this price range, Nokia N73 comes with EDGE, 3G, blue tooth 2.0 with EDR, complete PIM applications with synchronizing to Outlook, MP3 player, email client, web browser, and 42 MB internal memory. The SD card slot is at the bottom, and it can be expanded to 2GB if one wishes so. On the downside, N73 lacks WiFi support.

To conclude, Nokia N73 is a great phone, especially for the tech savvy younger generation, who always want to keep abreast with the latest technology. N73s battery life however is not quite as good as Sony Ericsson K800i. But, then, it has its pluses as well, which no other competitor can match. Nokia N73 is priced at around £350/$670/27,000 INR.

Sony Ericsson K750i

2006-12-27T09:57:00.000-08:00

Sony Ericsson K750i, released in the second quarter of 2005, still remains the best buy in its price range. No other mobile phone companies offer a comparable model in the price range 10-11k INR.

Going right into its specifications, K750i spots a clearer TFT screen than its predecessor K700i, easy to use keypad, and a very userfriendly user interface. Its 2-megapixel autofocus camera performs reasonably well under well lit conditions, but hopeless in poorly lit surroundings. Its built-in flash is of very limited purpose. The music player gives good audio quality, few of the drawbacks being the lack of graphic equalizers and the inability to forward the current playing track. Dedicated hardware buttons help the user to go straight to the media player without having to navigate through the menu.

K750i supports GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz networks, alongside HSCSD and GPRS. Unfortunately, EDGE and 3G are absent. Bluetooth and Infrared manages short distance connectivity. The phone comes with a 32 MB non-volatile internal memory and a 64KB memory stick in its expandable Memory Stick Duo slot, which can be expanded up to 2 GB. Other features of Sony Ericsson K750i include mms and sms, polyphonic as well as MP3 ring tones, email, WAP 2.0 support, USB 1.1 connectivity, and Java MIDP.

On full charge, assuming phone conversations for more than a hour daily, and the phone switched on for 18 hrs on a trot, the charge will last for two such days. MP3 playback drains the battery faster. For every one hour of MP3 music, it consumes nearly 20% charge.