Sony Ericsson launches new smartphone, upgrades X10

Video Sony Ericsson X10 from Youtube


STOCKH0LM (Reuters) - World No.4 mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson said it would add another smartphone to its offering in the fast growing sector as it looks to consolidate its recent return to profitability.


Sony Ericsson has seen its market share slide in recent quarters, partly due to a lack of appealing smartphones -- mobiles with multimedia, networking and PC-like functions.

The company, which bounced back to a surprise profit in the first quarter, said on Wednesday it would launch its new Xperia X8 model in the third quarter.

The phone, cheaper than Sony Ericsson's flagship X10, uses the Android operating system, has a 3-inch screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

Smartphones were the bright spot in the gloomy market last year and industry researcher Gartner has said the sector will grow 46 percent this year from the 172.4 million phones sold in 2009, boosted by cheaper models.

However, competition in the smartphone segment is fierce.

On Wednesday, world No.1 Nokia issued a profit warning saying profitability at its key phones unit would be weaker than expected this quarter and in 2010, hurt by competition from high-end rivals like Apple.

Nokia said it still expected the mobile device market to grow 10 percent this year.

Sony Ericsson also said its X10, X10 mini and X10 mini pro smartphones would get software upgrades in the third quarter with additional features to be offered.

The company said the phones would be upgraded to run on the Android 2.1 operating system. The Xperia X10's will also get HD video recording capability while a further upgrade will make it possible to connect wirelessly to and display content on a TV screen.




Editing by Jon Loades-Carter, http://us.mobile.reuters.com

Nokia's Smartphone Reinvention Begins With N8 Phone

Video Nokia N8 from Youtube


Nokia today unveiled the N8, the first handset from the Finnish company to use both the Symbian 3 operating system and the Qt cross-platform application framework. Although the physical hardware of the N8 is attractive, the Symbian 3 software is more important to Nokia's future. The company's falling status as a market leader is largely due to its reliance on an old interface not fully optimized for touch, so Symbian 3 represents Nokia's best chance to prove that it can still reign atop the smartphone world.


The N8 toucscreen supports multitouch navigation and gestures, the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously and social network status updates directly from the home screen.With a 12 megapixel camera and Carl Zeiss optics, consumers can use the N8 to create and edit HD-quality video recordings, which can be shared or viewed on a television by connecting the N8 with a cable. Nokia plans to launch the N8 in the third quarter for 370 euros ($492) in select markets.

The N8 marks Nokia's largest undertaking to recapture lost smartphones market share - which has dropped to 39 percent from over 50 percent just two years ago. Some of that loss has come at the hands of newer mobile operating systems, such as those from Apple (a aapl) and Google. As competitors created new platforms and user interfaces, Nokia relied heavily on its aging Symbian S60 system.
The lone smartphone exception is Nokia's N900, which runs on the Maemo platform - a derivative of Linux.

While the hardware looks stellar on paper - the first images captured with the N8' s camera rival those of a high-quality dedicated digital camera, for example - Nokia is pinning its hope on the software that will power the N8 as well as future Nokia phones.

Using the new Symbian 3 platform, Nokia hopes to reverse its market share losses and prove to consumers that it can still reign atop the smartphone world. And by leveraging the Pt evironment that it owns, Nokia is also attempting to woo developers to write software for new Symbian 3 devices.



By Kevin C. Tofel, http://gigaom.com

New Device Leak: Nokia C2

Video Nokia C2 from Youtube

It looks like another phone in the Nokia C Series has been leaked (Thanks to bel for the heads up), the Nokia C2, which appears to have a split QWERTY keyboard (similiar to the Nokha 6820 but instead of the keyboard flipping over, the screen rotates). It seems like an interesting device, and would be nice to see a prototype as sometimes these sketches do not do the phone justice.

The phone specifications we can see are just equivalent to an entry level device, i.e,:

- 2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics
- Display: 240 x 320 pixels
- Rotation Feature

Possible Features (I could be completely wrong about these):

- Front facing camera (based on concept picture)
- 3G Connectivity (to allow the possible front facing camera to work properly)

I suppose we will just have to wait and see!

UPDATE (01/05/2010):
New picture below was added by the guys over at ciamondo.it and now the keyboard layout makes a lot more sense! If i'm not mistaken I think it say's 3.5G under the network signal levels so looks like it has HSDPA, but with the addition keys in the middle I think that the touch screen facility is unlikely, not that it looks like it would need it!




Source: http://mynokiablog.com

Samsung Mythic Review

Samsung Mythic has been named aptly as it could only exist in myths a few years ago. The phone boasts all the latest technologies packaged in a smart bundle. The phone, although of block from factor, is indeed quite a looker. It sports a large screen of 3.3 inch, which is fully touchscreen. It has a host of widgets making online life on the move a breeze. As of now, the phone is available bundled with AT&T network only. Not only does it have internet capabilities, it also serves as a decent mobile TV. At present, AT&T offers Comedy Central, CBS, MTV, ESPN, FOX, NBC and many other channels.

The navigation between apps and website is quick and easy thanks to Samsung's Touch Wiz user interface. It comes preloaded with software apps like AT&T navigator, AT&T Social Net etc. The home screen scrolls left and right to for accessing additional phone application using touch navigation. One of the most important features is that it comes with AT&T's modified Opera browser. It gives you three windows to surf the internet. You can view the World Wide Web in one window; get information about places of interest nearby, maps, traffic alerts, driving directions on the other; and headlines from popular news, sports and entertainment websites on the third.

The Mythic is a good addition to the Samsung's envible lineup of smart phones. The block form factor is targeted towards the people who dislike the clamshell ones. Among technical features, it has a full bag. The screen is TFT with 262K colors. It has an mp3 player and an expandable memory using microSD or TransFlash memory cards. The PC Sync is available with USB 2.0 specifications. The default web browser is Opera 2.0 and also has GPS navigation provided by AT&T Navigator. As with all the mid and high end phones, it has a speaker phone.

The touch screen user interface might need a little getting used to for people habitatuated to using actual keyboards. The touch screen keyboard is the only option for typing on the Mythic as it does not have a real keyboard. But once you get used to it, you start to find it much more convinient to use than the normal keybords. The Samsung Touch Wiz user interface, also seen on some other Samsung phones gives a quick access to your favorite websites such as YouTube and Facebook. If it were not for the Samsung Touch Wiz user interface, the phone could have tuned out to be a drab, but the user interface makes it a really competent phone.

Because of the rich colors, watching web TV is a lot of fun on the Mythic. It can store many video clips, pictures and games due to the expandable memory. This makes the phone very useful not only to business professionals who want to keep abreast of stock updates etc, but also for those who want a smart phone just for entertainment. The Samsung operates on GSM and UMTS networks.


Source: http://mobibu.com

Nokia 2220 Slider Phone Perfect Gift For 2010

Nokia's yet to be announced entry-level slide phone Nokia 2220 will hit the market before the advent of New Year.

The mobile giant, Nokia's stylish Nokia 2220 slider phone will not only be the perfect gift for the girlfriend but being a low cost phone it will be a perfect gift from Nokia to all the budget oriented customers.

The pictures of Nokia 2220 slide are already exposed onto the net shows that this sleek stylish phone will be the choice of youths.

Assumptions are that Nokia 2220 slider phone will be available in the market with a price tag of $100. The phone is expected to hit the market before the advent of New Year.

Nokia 2220 is based on S40 and supports dual band GSM connectivity (900/1800 MHz). Nokia handset features 128 x 160 TFT display. Just with 10MB of internal memory, Nokia 2220 slider does not seem to offer a comprehensive multimedia experience.

Its specifications include 3.5 mm audio jack with FM radio, Opera Mini browser, 8 hours in standby time, OS: Nokia S40 and a very basic VGA camera. The handset will be made available in black, white, blue, green and violet colors during launch.

Nokia 2220 is the right choice for the person who wishes just to stay in touch, interested making some calls few text messages.

By Hema Manchanda, http://ub-news.com

Nokia Smartphones N900

Nokia launched mobile Smartphone, the Nokia N900 will come with concepts such as a PC. With keybad QWERTY and other features such as GPS.

The N900 has just leapt out of the depths and is primed to make a splash as Nokia's debut Maemo device (sorry, couldn't resist the fishy metaphor). In terms of where the N900 sits on Nokia's newly broadened produck spectrum - courtesy of this week's introduction of the Booklet 3G - it bridges that wilderness between smartphone and compack laptop.
The concept behind the N900 simply being that it enables you to experience a proper desktop-like experience in a pocket-size device.


We've gathered all the must-know details and snaps of Nokia's first Linux-based Maemo handset. Click through to find out more and to see the N900 up close in our photo gallery.

We're not ones to typically dwell on the numbers, but this is one of those devices where the hardware paints a true picture of its potential. The N900's pocket computer credentials are validated when you peek in its engine room, which comprises of a powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor,

with up to 1GB of application memory and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration.

Combine all that horsepower with the new Linux-based Maemo 5 software, and the N900 enables you to multi-task as you would on a PC (the Maemo platfrom was first designed for computers) this set-up means you can quickly flit between stacks of apps running simultaneously and smoothly.

This fusion of the Maemo 5 platfrom and significant processing power is brought to life through the now familiar combo of a high-res WVGA touchscreen and full physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

It also stomachs 32GB of storage, expandable up to 48GB with a microSD card leg-up, and is home to a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. Plus, other features include A-GPS, an FM transmitter, and up to 9 hours of talk time.

The N900 is geared up to let you browse the web as you would on a PC, with a browser based on Mozilla technology, meaning websites look exactly as they would appear on your desktop. Watching online video and enjoying online
apps is also made possible thanks to full Adobe Flash 9.4 support. Couple this with speedy internet access, realized via HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, and the N900 promises to deliver the best pocket-friendly online experience to date.


Anssi Vanjoki is the Executive Vice President of Markets at Nokia, and had this to say about the new N900:

"With Linux software, Mozilla-based browses technology and now also with cellular connectivity, the Nokia N900 delivers a powerful mobile experience. The Nokia N900 shows where we are going with Maemo and we'll continue to work with the community to push the software forward.
What we have with Maemo is something that is fusing the power of the computer, the internet and the mobile phone, and it is great to see that it is evelving in exciting ways."


The Nokia N900 is inked in the diary to go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2009 in selected markets, and will cost around 500 Euros, excluding the usual regional taxes and subsidies.

Nokia 5730 Red a highly gorgeous fantastically designed Smart phone

Nokia 5730 Red a highly gorgeous handset has been fantastically designed by Nokia & comes with a wide selection of features & technologies. The Nokia 5730 comes with a designer casing colored black with red.

The Nokia 5730 clear screen measures 2.4 inches when measured displays up to 16 million colours on a high resolution screen. The user can access a full QWERTY keyboard by simply sliding the keyboard out of the side of the handset. This handset measures 112mm tall, 51mm wide & 15.4mm deep but when its keyboard is in its open position the casing is 80mm wide.

The Nokia 5730 XpressMusic is a music focused handset which on the build in music player. The Nokia 5730 supports MP3, WMA, AAC, AAC+ & eAAC+ format music playback. The user can transfer or download music.

The user can use MP3, 3D stereo, polyphonic & midi ringing tones on their handset in addition to enjoying video ringtones. A built in FM radio is also there which allows the user to tune into a radio station. The 5730 XpressMusic comes with a built in Nokia Web browser, Nokia mini map function & the browser supports a RSS feed.

An integrated camera feature allows the user to enjoy capturing still pictures moving viden footage as the camera supports video recording capabilities. The 3.2 megapixel digital camera comes built in which comes with an automatic focus feature & an 8 x digital room.

The 3.2 megapizel camera supports 3 camera capture modes including a still image capture or a video capture. The 5730 XpressMusic also supports video streaming & video playback in popular video formats including MPEG4 & H263.

This Smartphone comes with a Symbian operating system version 9.3 completed with S60 software. The phone supports A GPS navigation with Nokia Maps 2.0 application. The user can enjoy worlwide roaming with a quad band GSM network & HSDPA network coverage.

The bluetooth technoloy and a micro USB port allow the user to connect with other compatible devices. As the handset supports WLAN Wi-Fi technology the user can enjoy wireless internet connection. The user can experience high speed connectivity and 3G video calling feature with 3G HSDPA technology. A fully charged battery can provide up to 5.2 hours of GSM talk time, 4.2 hours of 3G talk time. The phone comes with 100 MB of internal memory, 128 of RAM plus the handset supports MicroSD memory card & can hold up to 16GB of extended memory.


Source: www.articlesbase.com