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Showing posts with label SMARTPHONES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SMARTPHONES. Show all posts

GSM Version of the HTC Evo 3D Leaked

Posted by Abhishek Tuesday, 7 June 2011 0 comments


When HTC had announced the Evo 3D along with the tablet, we kind of felt that it won’t have a GSM version very soon. However, the latest proceedings around this smartphone is that a GSM version is very much in the works, although this is all based on some pictures showed on HTC’s new site for developers.
Very different to look at from other Evo 3Ds


From the images seen, it’s quite visible that the GSM version will be a little different at least when it comes to the looks of the handset. The rings around the icons which are otherwise present on other versions are not seen over here. Also there’s supposedly an older version of the HTC Sense running on this handset, which is a little strange. The speaker grille is also different and the camera lens is oval, rather than the round variant in the CDMA version. Moving to the back, there are some more changes visible. The flash component is different and so is the coloured ring around the camera module.
The back has changed too
The back has changed, too


For now that’s about it on the GSM Evo 3D and we hopefully want to see some more developments on this handset including pricing and launch dates.

The BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is an upgrade to the popular BlackBerry Curve 8520. In a line, what's new is a few minor aesthetic touches, a faster processor, double the RAM which makes the device OS 6 capable, support for Wi-Fi 802.11n and of course the big extras--GPS and 3G.

Form Factor
Chrome is in and the 9300 flaunts it too and as a result the 9300 looks far better than the staid 8520. Another welcome change is the ribbed back that ensures better grip on q smartphone. The sad part is that the resolution specs are the same as on the 8520--320x240.
No Dimension changes really
No Dimension changes really


The keyboard is the same unit that the 8520 sports and in true BlackBerry style is great to use. Media keys continue on the top, making it easier to access media, and besides the 3.5mm earphone socket on the side, other keys on the sides include volume/zoom keys, and customisable shortcut keys. There's a microUSB slot for the charger and PC connectivity. The hot swap slot for the microSD card is under the rear panel. Nothing the 8520 doesn't have. The sales unit contains a 2GB microSD card though we didn't see an earphone unit.

Features and Performance
Interface
Sadly, though RIM has said the 9300 will feature the much talked about OS 6 and delivered on that promise in 2010, the unit we got came with the old OS 5. In fact, the first official version of OS 6 was available from Singapore's StarHub way back in December 2010! It's shocking that over four months later RIM India still doesn't ship the 9300 with OS 6 though many other global operators have released official versions of OS 6 for the 9300.
Still a comfy trackpad and QWERTY keypad
Still a comfy trackpad and QWERTY keypad


If you wonder why that's important, do look here [http://us.blackberry.com/apps-software/blackberry6/] for what's new on OS 6. In a nutshell, I'll say you'll be stuck for a while with a lousy browser on OS 5, a creaky interface, and you'll also be missing cool features like Universal Search and a superior multimedia experience.

The heart of the 9300 is a Marvell PXA930 processor running at 624 MHz, up from the 512 MHz one powering the 8520. The 9300 has the same processor that powers the Bold 9780 and even the ancient Bold 9000, released way back in 2008. But I think you shouldn't pay too much attention to that fact--while other smartphone makers have long breached the 1 GHz barrier, BlackBerry devices are no slouches when it comes to operating speed--which is clear proof that comparing CPU clock rates is the wrong thing to be doing when buying a smartphone.

Media
There's really nothing to write home about in the media department. As with the 8520 audio quality is good and in true BlackBerry fashion the 9300 also supports most standard video formats so you can watch videos without going through the bother of conversion. And no, there's no FM radio yet.
Are the extra fetaures really worth so much of extra money?
Are the extra fetaures really worth so much of extra money?


Connectivity
This is where this baby rocks. With 3G and built-in GPS, in addition to Wi-Fi 802.11 n support, the 9300 is far ahead of the 8520 in this department--the 8520 was missing 3G and GPS and only supported Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g.

But a word on 3G. It's not exactly cheap in India, thanks to the humungous amounts of moolah the operators have shelled out for 3G spectrum, which they will now recover from you. Secondly, if you're on a cheaper BlackBerry plan that offers just e-mail and BlackBerry Messenger with perhaps Facebook access, 3G won't make too much of a difference to you.

Camera
The 9300 features the same 2 megapixel camera that the 8520 boasts about. Features are quite standard and nothing to write home about. Images come out quite decent, as on the 8520.
No real improvment over the 8520
No real improvment over the 8520


Battery
The battery is the same 1150 mAh unit featured on the 8520, which wouldn't last a full day for a road warrior on BES with a lot of phone calls. But then, do remember that the 8520 and the 9300 are at the lowest to mid-range when it comes to BlackBerry, and if you want top of the line battery performance, you'd need to almost shell out double the money for a Bold 9780. That said, despite a faster processor, this unit met my expectations--around a full day of use. But if you're a road warrior, do invest in a car charger.

Bottom Line
With the 8520 now retailing for Rs 9,990, the 9300 retails for Rs 14,700. That's a difference of close to Rs 5,000. Would I pay Rs 5,000 more for GPS and 3G and the promise of OS 6? I guess I would if it actually came with OS 6. But without that, the 8520 still seems like an awesome deal that's only grown sweeter with time since it features most of what the 9300 comes with.


HTC has been in the Android smartphone business since the very beginning. They’ve managed to keep themselves at the top of the game and their latest smartphone, the HTC Incredible S, aims at pushing their stock a few steps ahead of the pack. So if you’re wondering if the Incredible S is a smartphone that you should consider shelling out your hard earned money on, here’s a closer look at the device that should help you make a calculated decision one way or the other.

Form Factor
The Incredible S is right up there with the slick looking handsets in the Android community. It’s all black contoured design looks very polished and even a bit rugged. The slightly protruding rear panel, although quite unusual does give the handset a better grip and a certain feel-good-factor about it. A subtle but very interesting aspect about the Incredible S are the touch sensitive backlit keys under the 4-inch S-LCD display (480 x 800 pixels, 16 million color, gorilla glass encased) that change orientation along with the UI. These keys look seriously funky and are easily visible from all angles and in all lighting conditions. The same goes for the display. Very innovative.

Unusual rear panel but adds to overall styling
Unusual rear panel but adds to overall styling


A 3.5mm handsfree socket is located at the top of the handset right near the power/screen lock button. A set of volume/zoom keys along with a universal (charge PC interfacing) micro USB port are located on the left side of the device.  A hot swap slot for a microSD card (32Gb supported) is located under the rear panel. Incidentally the Incredible S features 1GB of internal storage. An 8 megapixel AF/Touchfocus camera with Dual LED flash is strapped onto the rear while a secondary 1.3megapixel camera is located in front to support video calling.

Features and Performance
Interface
The Incredible S is equipped with a 1 GHz Scorpion processor and an Adreno 205 GPU but is, for now, not loaded up with Gingerbread so you’ll have to suffice with FroYo. Speed is however a non issue as everything from accessing menus and apps to multitasking is fluid. Android still hasn’t been able to offer users a smoother orientation transition from Landscape to portrait and vice versa. The iPhone has them all beat overall UI fluidity.
Super Clear LCD with Gorilla Glass, Sweet!
Super Clear LCD with Gorilla Glass, Sweet!


HTC’s Sense UI with SenseUI.com are truly designed to offer users a very hands on experience with an Android handset. Normally I’d swap the existing UI for something like LauncherPro to simplify usability and speed up overall functioning, but there was really no reason to do so with HTC Sense. It’s smooth and very layered with plenty of options like HTC Scenes that are preset version of the UI designed for a variety of uses – Work, Play, Travel, Social Networking etc. There’s also an option get more. Of course you can create your own according to your own preferences. HTC scenes are essentially themes for Sense UI. Specialised HTC Sense UI widgets, sound sets etc. are also available pre-loaded and downloadable make the interface extremely customizable.

Another interesting thing I noticed about HTC was the UI’s ability to remember and recall data like usernames, email address etc. making retyping them in some places quicker. This is what one expects from a ‘Smart’ phone. Simple things like pre-inserting ‘gmail.com’ when typing ‘g’ immediately after the ‘@’ symbol makes you appreciate the UI more. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to use on the whole.

Media
I’ve never had an issue with HTC’s audio quality for both calls as well as media. When it comes to media the Incredible S offers a wide range of services. From a very receptive FM radio that took less than 12 seconds to locate all 9 of our available stations and store them as presets to a video player equipped to handle DivX and XviD encoded files and enhance audio with virtual surround sound via SRS WOW HD effect settings, you’ll want for nothing. Well almost nothing. In this particular case the lack of Video Out via HDMI is sorely missed.
Audio quality via the native music player is excellent. Tones are quite in-depth with a resound thump in the bass line and well balanced higher and mid levels as well. EQ presets are also available for those looking to customise their experience to an extent. The player also allows you to connect to YouTube to watch videos of a track you’re currently listening to. With DLNA support you can also hook up the handset to a media server or other DLNA certified devices to stream media or share media.
Supports DivX and XviD playback with SRS enhancement
Supports DivX and XviD playback with SRS enhancement


The Media Gallery is designed to let you easily switch between your images and albums stored on your handset or memory card or those stored on cloud services like FB (YOURS AND YOUR FRIENDS albums), Picasa and Flickr. HTC has preloaded a very user friendly and easy on the eyes, ebook reader that includes quite a few titles pre-loaded and the ability to sign up, create and account and download more.

Connectivity
There are plenty of connectivity settings built into the Incredible S. Firstly it’s a 3G enabled (HSDPA, up to 14.4 Mbps) handset that works just fine on slower connections like EDGE or GPRS. You can also tether the handset to other devices or create a 3G Wi-Fi hotspot. I already mentioned DLNA support. GPS capabilities offer all of Google’s pre-loaded content from Maps and directions to Places and Latitude and more. HTC has also thrown in a ‘Car Panel’ app that also has a host of handy GPS enabled functions (integrates) to offer that include maps for India and other locations with directions, a digital compass and plenty more sub-options inside. Data might need to be downloaded so I suggest using Wi-Fi and not eating into data usage.
Full browsing with Adobe Flash support as well
Full browsing with Adobe Flash support as well


Social networking functionality is also very evident with HTC’s Friend Stream app and widget that combine FB and Twitter for am amalgamated listing of updates and simultaneous posting to both your accounts. Standalone apps for Facebook and Twitter (Peep) can also be used. HTC has also thrown in Plurk which is a consolidated app that pulls feeds, news updates and social updates into one neat app. HTC’s Hub and HTC Likes offer applications from the App Market and HTC’s online services that HTC believes would help enhance your Incredible S experience. It’s a bit redundant but doesn’t really hurt.
Plenty of navigation options
Plenty of navigation options


Bluetooth with 2.1 with A2DP + EDR and USB 2.0 make up the rest of the handsets fundamental connectivity solutions.
Misc. Features
In the extras I found that all the basics – Calendar (syncs with Google and FB), calculator, Alarm, world Clock, Adobe Reader and QuickOffice (editing and creating Word and Excel sheets allowed) are all present. A Stock Market application and News readers are also provided. Weather apps, Teeter (HTC’s favourite game), a Voice recorder and Sound Hound for music details are also thrown in. HTC has also included a Data Transfer application that allows you to transfer all of your important details from any phone to this one. It took unusually long though to transfer just the contacts from the Motorola MILESTONE to the Incredible S so it was much easier to just download it off of Google’s servers. Social networking integration between your contacts and your networks was a simple, noontime consuming and uncomplicated process.

Rear eBooks with ease
Rear eBooks with ease


Camera
HTC has started adding quite a bit of additional functionality to their cameras. A little special features option provides features like - Depth of Field settings, Distortion, Vignetting, Vintage options and more effects. Touch focus for both the still and video camera are also available. Face detection, Geotagging and other simple settings are all included. Image quality was quite good with focus that was quite sharp wherever selected or normally.
Better than average image quality
Better than average image quality

Depth of field option for close ups
Depth of field option for close ups

Depth of field option for distant surroundings
Depth of field option for distant surroundings


720p video recording @30fps with touch focus also worked out quite well and quality was once again, nothing to complain about.

Battery Life
The Incredible S’ battery was just one more asset with an average talk time of almost 7 hours on a single charge.  I was able to use the handset for a good two days with a few calls, social networking, music, messages, web browsing and emailing.
It' Slim, it's Sleek, probbaly whay it's got the 'S' tag
It' Slim, it's Sleek, probbaly whay it's got the 'S' tag


The Bottom Line
With a price tag of Rs. 28,000 (MOP), I can highlight just one issue with the HTC Incredible S and that’s the absence of HDMI and TV Out. At this price, HTC should have considered including it over and above DLNA. Other than that, the handset is loaded to the hilt with all kinds of useful and very relevant functionality, all packed away into a very appealing shell. But the lack of video out could be deal breaker for some. If you can get passed it, the Incredible S is a superb handset and defiantly worth the money.


It’s HTC in the lead, bringing us yet another Windows Phone 7 handset - enter the HTC HD 7. I wasn't altogether too pleased with their initial offering, i.e. The HTC 7 Mozart. While the handset proved to be mediocre at best, the new look and feel of the Windows Mobile UI didn't really do it for me either. Having said that, their latest offering had the community wanting more and I was hoping that that's just what HD7 would offer. Here’s a closer look.

Form Factor
Taking its cue form big brother HTC HD2, the HD7 is pretty much just an upgrade in some instances and a downgrade in others. For instance, while the HD7 is a classier, more elegant and refined looking handset, it’s a tad heavier than the HD2 but not enough to hamper portability or usage. Like the Mozart, the HD7 doesn’t have support for external memory. It’ll be available with 8GB or 16GB internal storage. It’s big phone to say the least, with display size and resolution almost identical to the HD2 – 4.3-inches, 480 x 800 pixels, only the HD7 features 16million colors while the HD2 could only handle 65,000.

Large as heck, but what a looker
Large as heck, but what a looker


The physical keys under the display of the HD2 have been replaced with 3 simple touch sensitive options – return, a Windows key to get to the Home Page and search. A micro USB connectivity/charging port is located at the bottom right next to the 3.5mm handsfree socket with the volume/zoom keys on the right side above the camera activation/shutter release key.

At the rear of the handset is a neatly engineered kickstand to prop the handset up in landscape making it really easy to view while watching videos. The bundled handsfree, while extremely comfortable and able to provide excellent quality audio, has the microphone built into the control pad which is situated too far. This makes it harder for the person on the other side of a call to hear you too well.

Features and Performance
Interface

There’s really no difference or changes made to the HD7’s UI as compared to the Mozart’s. It’s still as smooth as ever thanks to the 1 GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 200 GPU and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset which incidentally was also available on the HD2. At least with HTC’s Windows Mobile version of Sense UI, functionality was a lot better even if the layout wasn’t so simple. The little drop down menu from the top of the screen doesn’t any more information other than battery power, time and signal strength. A few more details would have helped. New messages and a small music player UI shows up when necessary but doesn’t stay there too long.

The older Windows Mobile edition looked cluttered and too much like most other smartphone UIs at the time, WP7 is far more refined. From accessing menus to animations that happen while the accelerometer is in use and even pinch zooming, it’s all very iPhone-esque. It’s a fluid UI and the large virtual QWERTY keypad even in portrait mode makes for quick and comfortable typing. Multi-tasking on the WP7 platform isn’t very well thought out since there’s really no way you can access apps running in the background other than the music player.

WP7, smooth as silk but far from complete
WP7, smooth as silk but far from complete


The Tile system and side scrolling for most menus is easy to navigate but the lack of an actual ‘homescreen’ could take a little getting used to. There’s no way to adjust the background except with a light or dark (white or black) theme and tile color options. Almost anything can be pinned to the desktop making it somewhat easy to access. However, with platform like iOS or Android with their smaller icons and widgets, you have slightly more options per screen. Nevertheless, the Tiles are large and clear for viewing and access. Sadly though, the entire menu system does not switch to landscape, so if your handset’s neatly propped up on your desk, you’ll have to manage viewing the desktop, menus page and a few others in a sideways angle. Settings are minimalistic and that’s not a bad thing.
Media
There’s just one thing wrong with the handset’s media set up – Zune! The fact that I have so much space to play around with but restricted to using a proprietary system of data transfer is just annoying, pure and simple. There’s absolutely no issue whatsoever with the audio quality or decibel level in this device. With Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancement technology for both audio and video, the HD7 handles audio out put really well. EQ presets are not available from within the players interface. A separate app has been provided (Sound enhancer) for it and that includes a few preset options. The FM radio worked out quite well providing a decent amount of reception in most places even while on my daily commute and that’s something to be a little impressed about.


Dolby takes quality up a notch but Zune has got to go!
Dolby takes quality up a notch but Zune has got to go!


Unlike iTunes that has issues with conversion of all kinds of files for the ‘i’ products, Zune manages to accept all formats but takes an insanely long time to convert them to the appropriate size and resolution for the device. My advice is, convert them to iPhone size MP4 files using any converter software available and then transfer them through Zune. The process is much faster. It’s a pity a device with such a fabulously large and clear display has no support for DivX or XviD codecs.

There’s also no option for stretching videos to fit the screen or viewing them in their actual resolution. Sometimes videos that I converted from a 16:9 aspect ratio got unexpectedly stretched to the size of the HD7’s screen. While clarity was not an issue, it did bother me to see Bruce Willis’  bald head look more egg shaped than usual.  A photo enhancer app is also available for adding a few choice flavors to your photos.

Connectivity
The WP7 platform seems to be the only one that automatically captures and stores my Loop Mobile EDGE settings without any manual intervention. The HD7 supports 3G, EDGE and Wi-Fi with no frills. At least the HD2 and its much older Windows Mobile system allowed you to use the handset as a Wi-Fi router. The platform also doesn’t allow for tethering. Bluetooth connectivity is still limited to just A2DP with no file transfer options. Images can be shared only via Wi-Fi/EDGE by uploading them to Facebook, or Microsoft’s SkyDrive server for storage. They can also be emailed or sent via MMS of course.

No Flash but not even Sliverlight? C'mon!
No Flash but not even Sliverlight? C'mon!


Setting up email accounts is as simple as it is in any new Smartphone platform. Basic details are required, a verification protocol is run and that’s it. The UI for emails is neat and designed for comfortable viewing. WP7 also comes with a preloaded Stock market app which, once again, is oddly similar to what Apple used to do for iPhone customers. HTC’s Hub interface is more like an immersive weather application where you can also add a few shortcuts to various apps. It could have been an option for a secondary desktop but instead it’s an additional app that you’ll need to activate each time you want in.

The IE browser, as brilliantly as it performed while browsing, does not support Flash or Silverlight making the over experience a little underwhelming, all things considered. The App market is not yet available for India so it’s quite an offset for HTC to have launched two WP7 handsets in the country without app support. There are work-around methods of accessing the store via a PC but apps are a little pricey and the ones that are free just didn’t seem all to impressive. App development for WP7 is still a work in progress, as is the platform itself. Good luck Nokia.

Bing could be big
Bing could be big


One of the perks to the WP7 platform is Xbox Live integration. Though the Windows Phone 7 Games Hub you can access titles from Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Game Studios and other publishers as well as your stats and other account related information. It even allows you to play online. Facebook, Google, Windows Live and Twitter account integration with your contacts is quite well fashioned. The absence of any preloaded chat applications and the extremely limited availability of the same on the App Market is another peeve one has to deal with on the WP7 platform for now.

Bing is the native browser of course and Bing Maps handle the handsets GPS (with A-GPS support) capabilities. They’re no match for Google Maps just yet but you never know. As is though, they’re not a bad option even when it comes to navigation (no voice guided option).

Misc. Features
With some mobile standard apps like a unit converter, calendar (that does not sync with your Facebook account), alarm, calculator you’re good to go as far as basic features are concerned. What’s missing is a Notes application and Facebook or Google integration with the calendar. Then again, this is a Microsoft enabled handset so Google really isn’t given too much priority. The suite of Microsoft Office functions with OneNote and SharePoint adds quite a bit of value to the device but still not enough to cover all that's missing from the OS.

Good stuff but we want more...
Good stuff but we want more...


Camera
The HD7’s 5 megapixel autofocus camera is provided with a dual LED flash and features a few scene modes. Effects, flicker adjustment, metering and of course geo-tagging. Image quality isn’t as sharp as some of HTC’s previous offerings and does appear a bit on the dull side with colors looking just a tad washed out. In native resolution details are not really as clear as you’d expect either.

Click to see what this looks like up-close
Not the most clear of them all


Battery
Battery life proved to be a big drawback. With silly Tiles being unnecessarily animated, FB and emails on Push and the large LCD sucking up power, I found the HD7 doesn’t offer too much usage without needing to be charged each and every day. On an average talk time ran into the 3 hours 30 minutes span which is not really too great.

The Bottom Line

With a price tag of Rs. 28,990 (MOP), the HTC HD7 might seem like a great handset but do keep in mind handsets with far superior capabilities and operating systems that provide you with more functionality exist. The HD7, while a classy piece of hardware is saddled with an OS that is not yet full functional and, like I said before, a work in progress. For the record, the HTC HD7 is a handset to keep your eyes on.  It’s quite future-proofed, however there’s no telling just how frequently the updates will come though. This means you’ll be stuck with a handset with tremendous potential that’s just waiting to be unlocked to its optimized capability.
Prop it up and sit back
Prop it up and sit back


If you’ve got the patience, I say go for it, but we’ve been though this before with the iPhone and even the Android OS. Let’s not forget handsets like the Hero were seriously flawed but new age handsets like the Desire models have unlocked a whole new realm of mobile usability. It might be better to simply wait and see what the next update brings to the table and then decide. The only big hurdle you’ll have to conquer is the poor battery life.



Motorola is aiming to be Android top dog and to achieve that takes not only awesome high-end smartphones like the Atrixes, but also phones that take potential buyers’ wallets into consideration. This resulted in the Quench XT5, a phone that takes on the LG Optimus One P500 and the Samsung Galaxy 3. We clearly liked both of the aforementioned devices, so the XT5 has quite the task ahead of it. Let’s find out just how well it fares, shall we?

Design
The candybar XT5 just screams cool the moment you lay eyes on it. The exterior is mostly comprised of a matte black finish, with a dash of chrome thrown in for good measure on the rims. The front is mostly glossy and it houses the 320x480 3.2-inch Gorilla Glass encased display, which is pretty high quality for the resolution it runs at. Below the display lies the four generic touch-sensitive keys, but Motorola have also included call answer/end keys, as well as a trackball below that. The power button and the 3.5mm audio jack are on top, a flapped micro-USB port is on the left and the right houses the volume rocker and the click button used for the 5 megapixel fixed focus camera which is located on the back. The Motorola logo also doesn’t take up the usual spot centered above the display, but is instead positioned on the top left, which is pretty cool if you ask me.
Well designed and built
Well designed and built



The phone doesn’t feel rugged but it does feel extremely solidly built. It’s not bulky either, which is a bonus as a solid light phone is pretty hard to come across these days. Overall, the XT5’s design gets a major thumbs up.

Features and Performance
Interface
The XT5 is powered by a Qualcomm MSM7227 processor, which is clocked at 600MHz, and comes with stock Android 2.1 Eclair. Eclair’s a bit of a bummer, not by itself, but simply because the Optimus One ships with FroYo out of the box, and even the perennially slow Samsung have announced a FroYo update for the Galaxy 3. Motorola on the other hand, are being rather defiant about updating their phones, and there’s no news on if/when the XT will get an OS update.

One might expect the 600MHz processor to cause a performance bottleneck, but contrary to expectations, the XT5 performs admirably. The touchscreen, even when using multi-touch, is responsive and there’s minimal to no lag present and even that only shows up when the phone’s undergoing heavy multi-tasking. The accelerometer is also quite responsive and it recognizes tilts quickly and accurately.
Performs pretty well, too!
Performs pretty well, too!



The call answer/end buttons are a bit of a headscratcher. While the OS can be configured to allow those buttons to activate the display (it’s not enabled by default), the call end button doesn’t take you back to the home screen. It’s not a dealbreaker by any means, but I would have liked to have at least an option that enabled that function. The clickable trackball, on the other hand, works fine and is a real help while browsing the web.

There are three different keyboard layouts for text input, which can be changed at will by swiping over them. These include the standard QWERTY layout, the numeric keypad and even a half-QWERTY keypad. The keys are well spaced out, especially in landscape mode, so typing isn’t much of a hassle.

Media
The video player on the XT5 is decent, as its augmented by a pretty good screen. It only plays files of resolutions of up to 640x480 (640x360 for 16:9 videos), but the codec support is pretty good, with DivX and H264 both supported.

Where the Quench surprisingly shines is the music department. The DAC is high-grade stuff for a phone in this budget range and sounds better than most PMPs – it’s loud enough and provides a decent soundstage with good bass and treble levels. Of course, the problem that music players on most Android Phones have – complete lack of EQ Settings – returns, but a quick install of any of the third-party music players available on the Android Market will unlock the true potential of the XT5’s DAC.

Jack it in
Jack it in



The bundled handsfree is of an earbud design so it could be either a good or a bad thing, depending on your preference, but they are built decently and sound decent too. They’re obviously no match for a good pair of earphones, but as bundled handsfrees go they’re fantastic.
Connectivity
The Quench XT5 is 3G enabled, HSDPA even, along with the other standard connectivity options like EDGE and GPRS. WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP is also included.

On the software front, the phone comes pre-loaded with Gtalk, MySpace and Facebook apps, you’ll have to get the Twitter app yourself. E-mail support includes your standard POP/IMAP accounts, along with Gmail.

The phone ships with GPS, a-GPS support and even has a GPS tracker that, as the name gives away, tracks your movements if you enable it. This is in addition to the pre-loaded Google Maps app.

Misc. Features
There are quite a few handy tools thrown onto the XT5. There’s Documents-to-go, a notepad, a file browser and an RSS reader. Being a stock OS, it also has access to virtually every application on the Android Market.

Camera
The 5 megapixel fixed focus camera comes with a bunch of options. There are options to change the white balance, colour effects and even parameters such as sharpness, contrast and saturation.

Click to Enlarge
Click to Enlarge



As for performance, the camera doesn’t do dim lighting very well but the well-lit pictures are pretty decent.
Click to Enlarge
Click to Enlarge



Battery
The 1270mAh battery manages to hold its own against the XT5, providing talktime of about five hours on an average. Off a full charge, it lasted for around two days with regular usage which includes WiFi, music, videos and calls and three days with light usage, so I’d say that’s pretty impressive.

Of course, the functionality of the auto-brightness feature goes a long way to help this. However, the phone lasted that long without any app killers or battery saver apps, so one could probably go even higher with those installed.

Verdict
The Motorola Quench XT5, which is available at some places for Rs. 13,000, is quite the sleeper hit. The OS is smooth as butter, music playback is excellent and the Gorilla Glass-encased display ensures scratches don’t affect your viewing experience. Add to that the quality build and the good battery life and the XT5 becomes a fantastic mid-range Android option.
                                              Specifications


Display
Form FactorBar
Screen Resolution320 x 480
Number of Colours262k
Type
Input TypeTouchscreen
Screen
Screen TypeTFT
Screen Size3.2
Hardware
ProcessorARM 11
Speed600 MHz
Memory
Internal256
Maximum capacity32
Extendable MemoryYes
Memory TypemicroSD
Resolution
Sensor Resolution5 MP
Camera Features
Resolution2592 x 1944
Optical zoomNo Information
Video resolution / frame rate320x480 / 15 fps
Front facing cameraNo Information
Video RecorderYes
Zoom
Digital ZoomNo Information
Sound
SpeakerphoneYes
Audio connector3.5mm
Audio Features
FM RadioNo
Connectivity
InfraredNo
2GSM 850/900/1800/1900
3GWCDMA 850/1900/2100
A2DPYes
Dual Sim SupportNo
WAP EnabledNo Information
Interface
WiFiYes
Connection Options
USB ConnectorYes
EGPRS or EDGEYes
GPRSYes
Software
OSAndroid
Version2.1
Type of Camera
Type
Battery
TypeLi-Po
Capacity1270
Talk Time with Standard Battery 390
Standby Time with Standard Battery 545
Dimensions56.8 x 114.9 x 12.6
Weight114
Multimedia
Music PlayerYes
Music FormatMP3, H.263, H.264, MPEG-4, WAV, AAC, MIDI, AMR NB, AAC+
Email and Messaging
Email ClientYes
Type of Email Account SupportPOP3/IMAP embedded, Google Mail
Additional Features
MMSYes
Dual BandYes
Tri BandNo Information
GPSYes
Java TypeNo Information
Network
Quad BandNo Information
Type
Sound Settings
Ringtone TypeMP3, WAV
Volume
Volume
More Features
Unique Feature
After Sales Service
Warranty Period1


Google Android smart phones top as Nokia, BlackBerry sink

Posted by Abhishek Wednesday, 1 June 2011 0 comments


New York/Toronto, June 1 (IANS) Google's Android devices have become most popular smart phones in the US, said a Nielsen survey Tuesday, a day when Nokia shares tanked more than 15 percent on weaker quarterly outlook.
Nielsen said Tuesday its April survey of 65,000 users showed that 36 percent mobile consumers now use an Android device, compared to 26 percent who use Apple iPhones and 23 percent who use Blackberry.
If current mobile data usage is also any indicator, Google Android smart phones are set to leave Apple iPhones way behind. Android smartphone owners use an average of 582 MB of data each month, compared to 492 MB for iPhone owners, said the survey. Google's Android operating system (OS) is also proving to be the most popular, according to the survey.
The Neilsen survey came yet another bad news for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) which was dragged down more than four percent as Nokia shares tanked more than 15 percent in New York after the global handset leader warned of lower sales in the second quarter.
Jittery investors also abandoned RIM stock which closed at $41.35 - the lowest levels not seen since 2006 - on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
While RIM has lost more than 60 percent of its value since 2008, Nokia's value has shrunk 43 percent since the last year. At $7.02 Tuesday, Nokia stock is at its 13-year low.
'Nokia's warning this morning is probably just the prelude to another RIM warning that investors have learned to get used to,'' analyst Jon Ogg told the Globe and Mail.
He said merger was the only solution for RIM and Nokia.
'We do not like mergers but this may be the only shot for these companies to stop the bleeding. Admittedly, this is a long-shot deal. A RIM-Nokia merger might encounter too many problems before getting off the ground. Still, what choices to these two companies have today?' the analysts said.
RIM, whose current stock is a pale shadow of $150 seen in June 2008, is currently valued at about $23 billion.
The presence of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at RIM's BlackBerry World annual conference of customers, developers and partners in Florida last month fuelled speculation that the cash-rich software giant could soon buy the BlackBerry company to make a mark in the smart phone market. Microsoft, which is sitting on a $48-billion cash pile, has already partnered RIM to adopt its Bing as the default search engine on BlackBerry smart phones.


As we saw with the HTC HD7, there were some issues with the OS. The Dell Venue Pro however may have just set a benchmark where Windows Phone 7 devices are concerned. Even though I didn’t think it is possible, the Venue Pro does manage to showcase a slightly smoother UI as compared to other WP7 devices we’ve tested.
A new a'Venue' from Dell
A new a'Venue' from Dell


Design and Build Quality 
The Dell Venue Pro can pretty much be considered the WP7 version of the Dell Venue Android handset that came sans QWERTY keypad. The Pro manages to out shine its competition with other WP7 devices when it comes to looks, but not much else. The slightly curved full screen display adds a touch of class to the phone. The sides of the phone and the Dell logo are finished in chrome. The back of the phone is also finished with a stylish patterned design. To say that I am completely awestruck by the beauty of this phone is an understatement.

The Dell Venue Pro features a 4.1-inch AMOLED display with an 800 x 480 (WVGA) resolution (Gorilla Glass). This handset comes with a portrait side QWERTY pop slide keyboard which has elegant hard plastic keys. The spacing of the keys is made to precision and typing is not a problem at all. The keyboard however would have been much better if it was in landscape mode thus fully utilizing the massive size of this device. On the face of the phone are three capacitive buttons - back, home and search, which light on contact.                                                                                           27,900 
The top of the phone sports the circular power/ sleep button to the right and on the left is the 3.5 mm audio jack. On the right side of the phone are the volume keys and below them is the camera shutter release. All these are flushed along the side of the phone and made with the same chrome finish that adds to the elegance of the device phone. The bottom of the phone features a set of stereo speakers with a micro USB port for charging or syncing with a computer in between.
Features and Performance
Interface
The Dell Venue Pro operates its WP7 UI with a 1 GHz Scorpion processor and a 512 MB RAM. Even first time WP7 users should have no problems navigating through the new OS. The responsiveness of the interface is as smooth as an iPhone’s with no lag. The designated search button allows you to connect easily to Microsoft’s Bing search engine through either 3G, Wi-Fi, GPRS or EDGE.
Bulky in design
Bulky in design


The ‘Start Screen’ is customizable to an extent and just about anything can be added to it. This can be an interesting feature to have all your most used items on the main screen.  The Tile system of the Home screen is very attractive in a ‘modern art’ sort of way with the tiles being either square or rectangular in shape. Navigating through the main menu is only available in portrait mode. UI auto-rotation is possible while texting, web surfing, emailing or viewing images. Social networking on the Dell Venue Pro is seamless as it connects your phone contacts with your Facebook, Windows Live, etc. accounts.

Automatic social updates, Facebook style, can be viewed through the ‘What’s New’ tab in the People hub.  Through this feature you can also update your Facebook or Windows Live status while also being able to comment on posts. There is no Twitter integration but a third party app can be used to post your tweets.
Patterned back with chrome Dell logo
Patterned back with chrome Dell logo


One feature where iOS (now) and Android are ahead of WP7 is multitasking. Along with Office, People, Music & Videos, Internet Explorer hubs there is also an Xbox Live Games hub; where Xbox Live games can be downloaded on to the phone and played. Overall the interface of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 is sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Multimedia
WP7, being a closed interface like iOS, multimedia can only be transferred by syncing with the Zune software on a PC. The audio/ video playback on this device truly does provide a sensory feast to the user. There are five different options in the media hub – music, videos, podcasts, radio and the marketplace for media related content.

The handset supports - MP3, WAV, WMA and eAAC+ audio formats. The music hub interface is very smartly designed - not only does the album art show but also a picture of the artist as well in a sort of wallpaper layout. There audio playback was excellent even at high volumes, no distortion noticed whatsoever. Tones were well balanced however, the lack of any presets negate any personal customization, which not everyone will be ok with. The Dell Venue Pro also has an inbuilt radio, something that is lacking on the iPhone. The radio reception was good and no signal loss was noticed.

A variety of video codecs like - H.263/H.264, 3GP, MPEG4, WMV and VC-1 are supported. Viewing videos on this 4.1-inch AMOLED screen was a delight. The performance of the video was tested by using a file converted by the Zune player whilst syncing it to the device. It was encoded at a resolution of 1280 x 720p which fit the entire screen of the phone. 


The Venue Pro features a 1400 mAh lithium Ion and comes loaded with 8GB or 16GB of internal storage with unfortunately, no expansion option. A big issue with WP7 devices. (Apple anyone?). As opposed to the Venue’s 8MP camera, Dell has downsized and equipped the Pro with a 5 megapixel auto-focus camera and LED flash.


Dell went to great lengths to manufacture a phone that could live up to our ever increasing high standard in terms of design and build quality. It looks like it could take a couple of knocks and still come out on top. It weighs in at a whopping 192.8g. Size and weight apart though, this is one beautiful looking handset.

Connectivity
This smartphone has 3G capabilities as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 and USB. The call quality of the Dell Venue Pro was a little poor as there was some voice distortion and static noticed. However, the person on the other end didn’t seem to notice any distortion and found the calls quite clear. There was also no dropped calls or loss of network during the usage of this phone even in areas where cellular reception was low.
Stylish design
Stylish design


The Wi-Fi speed on this device is on par with any other smartphone in the market and the speed of file transfer or downloads were good. Browsing the internet on this phone is really pleasing as the page load rate is really quick thanks to the IE browser on board.

The Marketplace is Microsoft's answer to Google's Android Market and Apple's App Store.The WP7 Marketplace allows you to purchase music, videos, apps and podcasts. It has apps ranging from games to lifestyle, health & fitness to finance and many more. Although, it may not seem like much now, the number of apps are steadily increasing. The games option in the Marketplace directs you to the Xbox Live page. In this page you can download Xbox Live games (online multiplayer as well) made especially for WP7. Here’s the big catch with the Marketplace though, it’s not yet available for India. But, where there’s a will there’s a way, and work arounds are possible if you want to access it. Bing maps for WP7 are also available for use with the Venue Pro’s built in GPS module.

Misc. Features
Office on WP7 is great as you can not only view but also edit and email the content you work on. MS Office on the Dell Venue Pro has PowerPoint, Excel and Word applications. OneNote which is Microsoft’s answer to the hugely popular Evernote is of course also part of the Office set up. Basic mobile features like – a calculator, Alarm clock and calendar (syncs to Windows Live) are also onboard.

Besides the highlighted features above, the Dell Venue Pro also has other interesting features like People, Hotmail, maps, Internet Explorer, G-sensor, e-compass, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor. However, one major issue with WP7 is the lack of a chat application.
Camera
The Dell Venue Pro sports a 5 megapixel, auto-focus camera with an LED flash it is also able to record videos at 720p. Settings include white balance, a few scene modes and geo-tagging, ISO levels (up to 800) which are quite limited when compared to others available in the same price bracket.

The outdoor images were decent with a fair amount of detail and no color supplementation was noticed. All the natural hues are visible and no pinkness was seen in sunlit areas. Overall the outdoor picture quality is good.
A lot of detail is visible with outdoor pics
A lot of detail is visible with outdoor pics


The same cannot be said about the indoor image quality with there being a lot of color supplementation and even with the LED flash on, the area photographed could not be lit up enough. Further to this, in low light environments the images came out quite grainy.
Indoor pictures are grainy
Indoor pictures are grainy


The performance of the auto-focus fluctuates and can frustrate a bit when it sometimes captures blurry images. However, when macro images were clicked using the Dell Venue Pro the outcome of the same was quite sharp. To sum it up, the quality of the camera on this WP7 handset is decent.
Macro pics are crisp
Macro pics are crisp


Battery
The 1400 mAh battery of the Dell Venue Pro is decent where normal usage is concerned that is making calls, browsing the net over Wi-Fi, listening to music, watching videos or playing games all in moderation and had lasted around 17 hours. Under somewhat heavy usage (playing music continuously) the battery got fully discharged in just over 14 hours.  

Verdict
At a market price of  27,900, this may not be the most ideal phone to purchase. With the size and weight of the Dell Venue Pro being a major issue there is also no proper weight distribution when the keyboard slides out. The Pro has some great features and it's fitted with an operating system that is surely going to do well in the future, right now though, there's plenty of room for improvement. The Zune Marketplace is not available in India thereby, making it difficult to download apps. Though the Dell Venue Pro is a good looking phone, with a price tag of 27,900, you would be better off with the HTC Mozart or a phone with another operating system that can offer better specs and at the same time be easier on the pocket.