3D Battle: LG Optimus 3D P920 Vs HTC Evo 3D

LG Optimus 3D P920 deals

If you're a fan of 3D then you're in luck because we're now going to compare the first two Android glasses-free 3D phones to enter the market. So get ready to find for a mind blowing experience, as we put the LG Optimus 3D P920 and the HTC Evo 3D in a battle to the death for the glory of being crowned king of 3D!

The 3D Effect

First of all, for those of you interested in how the 3D effect is created, you're not going to get much of an explanation here. Basically though when the 3D effect is in operation the screen is creating two images, directing one to each of your eyes. These two different images are combined in your brain to create a 3D image, the way it does with the images presented to it from your eyes in real life.

This has a few consequences. One is that the resolution of the screen is effectively cut in half any time the 3D effect is in use. It also means that it takes more processing power and it is going to drain the battery more quickly. Lastly, it means that you have to hold the phone at just the right angle to be able to make out the 3D effect, and that is a relatively narrow zone that you have to get to. These are issues with both of the phones under consideration.

Enough of the technical stuff though, let's get to the fun stuff! So what's on offer with these phones?

Well you might be a little bit disappointed to find out that not everything on the phone is in 3D. The menus, for instance, are still in 2D. Both phones come with dedicated features to use the 3D in though, games and videos mainly. And even though the HTC Evo came out later than the LG Optimus 3D, it is actually the LG phone which has the better effect. It can only be viewed in portrait mode but since, as we mentioned, it is only videos and games for the most part that use the effect anyway that's not a huge drawback. And it turns out that the 3D effect is simply more pronounced on the LG device. It's still decent on the HTC Evo, but we preferred the LG offering in that regard.

HTC Evo 3D contract deals

There is a problem in that there isn't a lot of 3D content available though. Other than what comes with the phone, YouTube will be the main port of call for other 3D videos. Although you can also create your own 3D content as well.

You'll notice, when you get the phone, that there are actually two cameras on the back. That's because, as we said, for the 3D effect to be created you actually need two images, one for each eye. So when you take a 3D photo or film in 3D, both cameras will be recording images at the same time, but from slightly different angles which is what produces the 3D effect.

Both phones also have a HDMI port so that you can watch your 3D videos directly on your television (so long as you have a 3D television of course) or if your TV supports DNLA technology then you can stream it wirelessly from your phone. Or of course you can upload your videos to YouTube, expanding the amount of content available for everyone.

Other Features

The 3D aspect is just one feature of each of the phones of course, how do the rest of them stand up? Well, as you would expect, with the HTC Evo coming out later, it does have better specs. For instance it has a 1.2GHz processor, to the LG Optimus 3D's 1GHz. It also comes equipped with the later version of Android, 2.3 Gingerbread, rather than the Froyo version which the LG comes with. The HTC Sense user interface is also generally accepted as one of the best additions to the Android OS.

Both phones are bulky, due to the 3D technology in use. The LG Optimus 3D comes in at 168g, while the HTC is a touch heavier even at 170g. They're also very cruel on their batteries, another consequence of using 3D. You'd be lucky to get a whole day out of either of them if you're using 3D very much. In this regard as well though, the LG is slightly superior because you have the option of turning off the 3D if you want to conserve battery, which isn't possible with the HTC Evo.

If you want to compare the two further for yourself, you can find the specs on the LG website and HTC website respectively.

Summary

Both the LG Optimus 3D and the HTC Evo are decent Android phones, although neither would probably be worth considering if you're not interested in the 3D aspect since that does make them rather bulky and power thirsty. If you are looking for a 3D phone, they're both worth considering but we'd probably have to crown the LG Optimus 3D king on the basis of the 3D effect alone. But then again, taking the 3D out of the equation the HTC is probably the better bet so it's hard to say.

If you're going to make a decision based on price though, check out the best LG Optimus 3DP920 monthly contract deals and HTC Evo deals available on the web.

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The Motorola Gleam: A Shining Example of a Budget Phone

Motorola gleam black deals

It seems that these days, with all the smart phones around, actually using a phone as a phone seems like the lowest priority on most people's list. If that is the case for you, then you're not going to like the Motorola Gleam. On the other hand, if you primarily want a phone for making calls and texting, then the phone deals on this the Gleam are well worth a look.

Design

The Motorola Gleam is made in a clam-shell design, the type that opens up on hinges. You don't see that very much these days of course, but the main reason that Motorola has returned to this design we suspect is to harken back to the days of the Motorola Razr, perhaps its most popular phone. This was in the days before smart phones, when a good game of snake was just about the height of mobile gaming and hardly anybody had even uttered the word “app”. Now, the Motorola Gleam doesn't go that far back in time, but it's not a touchscreen and you're not going to have any apps to mess around with.

Although the design is reminiscent of the Razr, the Gleam is made from plastic rather than metal so isn't quite as sturdy. It has an alphanumeric keypad with very large buttons, which take some getting used to but once you do, texting because very simple.

The screen is only 2.4 in. at the diagonal, which compared to smart phones is very small but for phones of this sort it's not bad.

Hardware

Even for for a budget phone such as this, we would have expected something better than a 2-megapixel camera. That really isn't very good quality, and the video it takes is quite bad as well. That's okay though because you're not going to be able to fit much of any pictures of videos with the 5MB internal storage. You can get a microSD card to beef up that storage capacity though, so that's not so much of a problem.

There's also no 3G or wi-fi capabilities, which is a bit of a disappointment. But then they probably figured that anyone who is going to want to a fast web connection on a phone will go for a cheap Android instead.

There is some good news with all of this, which is that the Motorola Gleam has an excellent battery life. It can go days without a fresh charge, whereas with a smart phone you're not always guaranteed a full day without having to charge it again.

Find the full specs on the Motorola website.

Summary

If you're nostalgic for the days when a phone was a phone and don't want all the fuss of a smart phone then you're probably going to love the Motorola Gleam. It's not flashy, but it has a nice design, it looks good and it gets the job done. If you're interested, check out the best Motorola Gleam black monthly contract deals available on the web.  Or if you'd rather something other than the black, you can find Motorola Gleam lilac deals and Motorola Gleam white deals.

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Samsung Galaxy Note: Is Bigger Better?

Samsung Galaxy Note v iPhone size comparison

The Samsung Galaxy Note has the biggest screen of any smart phone anywhere ever... and it might not ever be beaten either. Get much bigger than the monster 5.3 inch screen of the Note and you're practically a tablet, like it or not. So if your philosophy when it comes to phone screens is the bigger the better, then you're not going to be disappointed with Samsung Galaxy Note phone deals. However, there are some drawbacks which are also worth considering.

Pocket Sized?

For one thing, you're going to need pretty big pockets to be able to carry this beast around with you. It is thin and surprisingly light, but the width and length make it better suited for the inside pocket of a jacket or even a bag instead of the side pocket of your trousers.

If getting the Galaxy Note in to your pocket is a physical difficulty, taking it out might cause a bit of embarrassment. Not that it's badly made or looks cheap, of course... but again, you really have to understand how big this thing is! It doesn't exactly look like it's phone sized anymore, it looks like something else... something alien almost. It might provoke the odd sideways glance is basically what we're trying to say. A double take here and there.

Is it Worth It?

So okay, there are definitely some downsides to having such a large screen. There are also some good things about it though of course. For instance, watching videos on it is great. It has a sumptuous 1280 x 800 pixel resolution making every image crystal clear, and Samsung's acclaimed AMOLED technology makes colours vibrant and blacks deep. With the screen as big as it is, you can actually become immersed in what you're watching, which is sometimes tough on a phone.

With a screen this large you also need a processor powerful to run it properly, and the Samsung Galaxy Note certainly has that too with a 1.4GHz dual-core processor. This makes operations smooth, and apps open quickly. Any slowness in web browsing will probably be down to the internet connection rather than the phone itself. The Note comes with 3G and wi-fi capabilities.

The phone runs on Android's 2.3 Gingerbread operating system, although an Ice Cream Sandwich update is now available. This is overlaid with Samsung's TouchWiz User Interface. It doesn't make a huge difference to be honest, which is good because Android in its pure form is usually the best.

There's an 8 megapixel camera which can also take 1080p HD video and a Voice Talk app which operates like the iPhone's Siri feature, enabling you to control the phone with your voice. This is not entirely reliable though.

Samsung Galaxy Note: S Memo

The Galaxy Note also comes with a lot of bloatware unfortunately, and you'll probably want to spend a bit of time figuring out what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. If you're going to get this phone though then one of the main reasons may well be for the S Memo app which allows you to sketch, jot things down, do a little drawing – which on a big screen you can actually make look pretty good. A stylus also comes with it, and while you might think that we've come past that kind of technology, it actually is really helpful on the Galaxy Note. It means you can be that bit more accurate than you can be with your finger, so if you like making notes or drawing little pictures while you're out and about, and want to be able to put them in your calendar or maybe share them on Facebook or Twitter, this phone is fantastic for that.

For the full specs, check out Samsung's website.

Battery Life

This brings us, unfortunately, to one aspect you have to consider when considering this phone that might be enough to put you off. All smart phones have an issue with battery life of course, since they do so many functions, using up a lot of energy. However, to power the Galaxy Note's dual-core processor and extra large screen really takes it out of the battery and you might only get 12 hours out of it with just moderate use.

So long as you're not going to be away from a plug socket for a long period of time, it's not really a problem but if you're going to be away from a charging source for long periods of time you'll have to come up with some kind of strategy to deal with this issue. A car charger might do the trick, perhaps. It's an issue you have to consider though.

Summary

If you love big screens on an Android you're going to love this phone, it's as simple as that. Yes, there are problems, but they're the problems you would expect with a screen of this size. If the big screen is enough for you to look past these potential difficulties, it's definitely worth checking out the Samsung Galaxy Note monthly contract deals and Samsung Galaxy Note white deals that are available online.

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Nokia Asha 300: Low Cost Feature Phone

Nokia Asha 300 black deals

The Nokia Asha 300 is a simple feature phone, not a smart phone, so if you're looking for something to download apps galore on to, you're much better off getting an Android. However if you're in the market for a simple touchscreen phone that makes calling and texting easy, and even comes pre-installed with Angry Birds Lite, then it's worth checking out the great phone deals you can get on the Asha 300.

Display

The Nokia Asha 300 houses an alphanumeric keypad, ala mobile phones of bygone eras, but it still has a touchscreen for it's 2.4 in. display. That size of screen is fine for budget phones of this type but there is a problem with the touchscreen, in that it is resistive rather than capacitive. In effect what this means is that you're going to have to work a little bit harder to get things moving at your fingertips. If you're not careful it's easy to accidentally open an app when you are just trying to swipe somewhere else.

That's a shame because the phone is run by a 1GHz processor, which is more than a lot of lower end Android phones. The fact is though that you don't really feel that processing power in the speed of the phone most of the time.

Instead of Android you get Nokia Series 40 OS and it works fine, but as we say if you're looking for something that is highly customisable and that has access to a number of different apps then you'd be better with an Android or iOS device.

No Wi-Fi

The most disappointing thing about what is a fine phone otherwise, is that there is no wi-fi capability. It does connect to the internet though, through 3G services. If you want to use it on your wireless network at home however, that's not going to be possible.

In terms of web browsing with the 3G though, it is quite fast, as you would expect with a 1GHz processor running the phone.

Extras

You will find everything else you would expect from a feature phone on the Asha 300, including a bit more actually. A 5 megapixel camera, for instance, is an unexpected bonus. And as mentioned, it is one of the first phones to have a version of Angry Birds pre-installed. There's a music player of course, although not much room to store music with only 140MB internal storage. Having said that however you can purchase a microSD card to increase that up to 32GB.

You can find the full specs on the Nokia website.

Summary

If it weren't for the lack of wi-fi and a resistive rather than capacitive touchscreen, the review for this modern feature phone would be unreservedly positive. If you are able to see past these flaws then it's still a nice little simple phone, and it's well worth checking out some of the amazingly low Nokia Asha 300 black monthly contract deals that are available online.

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The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini: Good Things, Small Packages...

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini white contract deals

Are you in the market for a smart phone, but hanker for the days when mobile phones didn't look like something that apes might start dancing around and killing each other over (and if you don't get the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference this just means that lots of smart phones are practically monolith size these days)? If so then it's worth checking out the phone deals for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini.

Size is Everything

The size of the screen on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini is quite small at 3 inches, but that is not really a down side. To complain about that would be to entirely miss the purpose of this phone. It's small, that's the point. It fits snugly in to your hand and even though you are still basically going to be carrying a mini computer around in your pocket, it's not going to feel like it quite so much. With 320 x 480 pixel resolution images are sharp as well.

What's more, for a mini phone, the screen is actually pretty large. It's only half an inch off the size of an iPhone screen, so it's still easy to use the touchscreen. More so than with other mini phones. Plus a full QWERTY keyboard can fit on the screen, even in portrait mode, so it really doesn't have to be used any different to a regular smart phone.

Having said that though, you can't fit as many icons on each screen but they make up for that by having shortcuts to apps in each corner. In that way you can have more than enough apps available to you at the swipe of a finger.

In fact the whole design is good, including the physical buttons. There's a nice and large home screen button at the bottom, and on either side of that you have touch sensitive buttons for accessing a menu and to go back.

For the full specs check out Sony's website.

Power

Just because the Xperia Mini is small, that doesn't mean that it doesn't pack some punch. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread with a 1GHz processor, which is more than enough for the majority of apps out there. These days the high end Androids come with dual-core or even quad-core processors but unless you need to be able to play all of the latest 3D games, a single-core is more than adequate. Sliding between menus is nice and smooth and watching videos is a pleasure as well, especially considering that it's such a small screen.

Added Extras

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini comes with some custom apps, the one that stands out probably being Timescape, which provides you with an animated stream of your combined Facebook and Twitter feeds. It's optional though, you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

There's also a 5 megapixel camera, which is pretty standard for all but top of the line smart phones. You can also record video in 720p HD.

Summary

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini might be small in size, but it's large in stature. No compromises have been made with processing power and it's a perfectly good little Android. Of course if you prefer big screens then it's not going to be your cup of tea but if you prefer phones on the dainty side, be sure to check out the best Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini monthly contract deals on offer. Or even better perhaps, Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini white deals instead.

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BlackBerry Curve 9360 Review

BlackBerry Curve 9360 deals

It's quite difficult to say how good the BlackBerry Curve 9360 is, it all depends on what you're comparing it with. Okay, so you could say that with just about any phone but it's really quite an issue in this case. If you compare it with Androids of a similar price, mid-range, then it's not that great. It doesn't have a touchscreen, it only has a single-core processor and the number of apps available on BlackBerry App World is comparably pitiful compared to Google Play.

On the other hand, if you compare it with other BlackBerry's in the Curve range, it's excellent. The full QWERTY keyboard is superb, it's fast, it has wi-fi and 3G capabilities and it has the first-class BlackBerry Messenger 6 service.

Are You a BlackBerry Fan?

In the end then, it really comes down to whether you're a BlackBerry fan as to whether you are going to like this phone or not. If you love the physical keyboard and being able to message other BlackBerry users free of charge with the messenger service, and you're looking for a BlackBerry on a modest budget then the phone deals on the BlackBerry Curve 9360 are well worth checking out.

On the other hand, if you're open to mid-range Android offerings as well then you're probably going to find something better to your fancy there.

Here are a few of the problems with the BlackBerry Curve 9360 compared to Androids:

• No touchscreen. It operates the BlackBerry OS 7 which was designed to be used with a touchscreen and a trackpad, but there isn't a touchscreen here, probably to keep the cost low. The trackpad does work well, but most people are used to touchscreens now so that could be a bit frustrating.
• Small screen. This is one of those things that it's not really fair to complain about with a BlackBerry of course. If you're going to have a physical keyboard, that has to take up screen space. The 2.44 inch screen does have a 480 x 360 pixel resolution though, which figures to a high 246 pixels per inch, so images are very sharp. Colours are vibrant as well, so there can actually be few complaints about the screen.
• Single-core processor. The BlackBerry Curve 9360 is run by an 800MHz single-core processor, whereas most mid-range Androids these days have dual-core processors. Here again though, there can really be few complaints because the phone does run extremely smoothly. Better, in fact, than many Androids that do have dual-core processors. However the failing does show up in:
• Slow web browsing. The web browsing is frustratingly slow. Also, if you're used to a touchscreen then you're likely to really miss it here.

Other than that the specs are pretty standard, you've got 512MB internal storage, with room for more with a microSD card. There's a 5 megapixel camera which is fine, but you can't record HD video which is quite disappointing. You can find the full specs on the BlackBerryWebsite.

Summary

This is undoubtedly a very nice phone, it's well designed and it's a very smooth smart phone. If you're open to getting an Android phone, however, then you'll probably find something better at a similar price. On the other hand, if you just love that QWERTY keyboard and don't mind the rest of the failings, then it's definitely worth checking out BlackBerry Curve 9360 monthly contract deals to find the best price.

Or if you are attracted to other colours, there's quite a selection here.  So check out BlackBerry Curve 9360 white deals, BlackBerry Curve 9360 purple deals and BlackBerry Curve 9360 pink deals.

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How Sensational is the HTC Sensation?

HTC Sensation deals

When the HTC Sensation came out, most people agreed that it really did live up to its name. Powerful, with a big screen and the latest version of Android, it was one of the top contenders in the market. That was just over a year ago now, but a year is a long time in the mobile phone technology market. Not so long that it's no longer considering however. In fact, it is still a very good device and if you can find the right phone deals then it's well worth checking out.

Sensational Specs

The stand out features on the HTC Sensation are its high resolution, large screen, it's powerful processing capability and impressive user interface.  Check out the full HTC Sensation specs on the HTC website.

The Sensation comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread installed, which was the latest version of Android at the time. At the time of writing that title goes to Jelly Bean, but Gingerbread continues to be a very good operating system. And HTC continues to be one of the few manufacturers which has managed to improve upon the pure Android OS with its Sense user interface.

In the Sensation HTC you are treated to the Sense 3.0 UI which nicely combines popular social network sites facebook and twitter with your google mail address book for optimum convenience and ease. There are also a number of good widgets, including the weather widget which is a favourite for many HTC users. The widgets have also been given a nifty 3D effect, which takes up a lot of processing power to do. So is it powerful enough?

An argument could be made that the processing power of this phone is too good. The speed with which menus scroll can make it seem a bit jittery, but that's a minor complaint and the truth is that the dual-core 1.2GHz CPU is more than welcome. These days of course some of the latest phones come with quad-core processors but it's actually questionable whether that much processing power is really necessary. As it is, the HTC Sensation will be able to handle all but the most demanding 3D games and will continue to be a good performer for most of the content available for a while yet.

A well powered processor is also necessary for the screen, which is nice and large at 4.3 in. Sometimes larger screens can be less sharp than those with smaller screens if the resolution isn't increased, but that is not the case here as they have gone for 540 x 960 pixels so everything is crisp and vibrant. That's also a 16:9 aspect ratio, which is perfect for watching videos.

Super Supplements

If you are interested in using your HTC Sensation to watch videos then you might be interested in the HTC video store which comes with the device, known as Watch. This is like Apple's iTunes, only you can't get music, only videos. Whether a film or a TV show, there's a lot available. They are a tad pricey but they'll look great on your large, high resolution screen.

There are two cameras, the main one on the rear taking pictures with 8 megapixels, which makes for a pretty good shot. You can also record video in 1080p, the highest HD standard. The front facing VGA camera can be used for self portraits or video calls.

The case is made out of metal and is plenty stylish, feeling nice and solid in your hands. It does mean that this is not exactly the lightest phone out there, at 148g you'll feel it's heft.

Summary

While the specs of the HTC Sensation are not as spectacular as when they first came out due to recent advances in the latest phones, this is still a beast of a phone and if you can do without the very latest tech then it's well worth checking out HTC Sensation monthly contract deals. Or if you're looking something similar but a bit lighter and closer to the pure Android OS, then Samsung Galaxy S II deals might be more up your street.

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