Sony Ericsson Xperia Active, Not for the Couch Potatoes

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is that kind of a phone made for kicking the butts of its competitors. Literally. This soldier over here can survive under water for half an hour, is dust proof and shock resistant and, besides being a tough guy, the Xperia active is also smart and you’ll find out what I’m talking about if reading the following review. Let’s take a look at the main specs:

Key features

•    Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
•    3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
•    3.0" 16M-color LED-backlit LCD capacitive touchscreen of HVGA resolution (320 x 480 pixels) at around 192 ppi
•    Bravia Mobile engine
•    Dust and water resistant, wet-finger tracking
•    Dual back cover design for increased protection
•    Arm case and wrist strap in the bundle
•    Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread
•    1 GHz MSM8255 Snapdragon processor
•    512 MB RAM
•    5 MP autofocus camera, single LED flashlight, Geo-tagging, image stabilization, smile detection, touch focus
•    720p video @ 30fps
•    Wi-Fi b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot functionality and DLNA
•    GPS with A-GPS, Wisepilot navigation
•    microSD slot (32GB supported, 2GB card included)
•    Accelerometer and proximity sensor, notification LED
•    Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
•    Stereo FM radio with RDS
•    TrackID music recognition
•    Relevant package of apps
•    MicroUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
•    Adobe Flash 10.3 support
•    1200mAh Li-ion battery

 Full specs here.

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In its box, you’ll find the charger, a microUSB cable used for both charging and making data connections, a pair of headphones with in-ear buds, an exchangeable rear cover, a 2 GB microSD card, a wrist strap, an arm case, some ear hooks for your earphones and the user manuals.

 Wow, that’s really something, isn’t it ? In this package, you’ve got everything you need for taking your phone everywhere you go and not worry about it.

When reading all the above, I bet you expect this phone to be a heavy and bulky device, but it’s not. It measures 92 x 55 x 16.5 mm and has a weight of 110.8 g, so it’s not heavy at all. It feels comfortable in the hand and your pockets will like it too. Its design is nice and sporty, you’ll find it to be an interesting device to look at and handle. Its back is curved and rubberized, feeling nice in the hand and it also keeps your fingerprints away from sticking to it. The most important thing about it is that you won’t be afraid of dropping it on the floor or in your soup ( I wanted to say toilet, but that would be kind of gross).

The Xperia active comes with a 3 inches LED-backlit LCD capacitive touchscreen that has a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, a ~192 ppi pixel density, scratch resistant glass and is also powered by Sony’s Bravia Mobile engine. Its colors are bright and vibrant, the contrast is great and the sunlight legibility is wonderful – as it should be, as a matter of fact, because the phone is made for being used mostly outdoors.
The screen can be handled with wet fingers and is still very responsive. How cool is that ? You’ll be able to make phone calls and stuff like that in the shower, or if it rains – this fellow is not afraid of water.
Above its screen are the earpiece, a status LED and the proximity and ambient light sensors.
Beneath the display are the microphone, three capacitive keys for Back, Home and Menu and a strap eyelet.
The left side of the phone is home for the lonely Power/Lock key.
On the right side of the phone reside the volume rocker and camera key.
There’s nothing at the top, meanwhile at the bottom, you’ll see the 3.5 mm audio jack and the microUSB port.

If you take out the phone’s battery cover, you’ll find.. another battery cover. Under these two are the SIM and microSD card slots and the battery.
Now that we’ve seen how strong it is, let’s check out the Xperia active’s brain. It comes loaded with Android 2.3 Gingerbread and is upgradeable to v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. It also has the Timescape user interface, which gathers your call logs, email, SMS, MMS, Facebook and Twitter updates and enables you to filter the contents and see the important information only.
Our little champion is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon processor, having a 1 GHz Scorpion processor, Adreno 205 GPU, 1 GB of internal memory (but only 320 MB are user available) and 1 GB of RAM. The overall performance of the phone is great, as it’s very snappy and won’t bug you with lag issues, freezes and stuff like that.

In terms of telephony, the Xperia active comes with a smart phonebook that remembers tons of information about your contacts, syncs with your online accounts, has the quick contacts feature and voice dialing. The phone has a secondary microphone for active noise cancellation, so, the in-call quality is great, with the voices being loud and clear for both ends of the line and the reception was also free of problems.
At the messaging section, your SMS and MMS are organized in threads and displayed as conversations between you and your contacts. You can copy, paste, lock your messages against deletion and search within them for a certain one.
For instant messaging, Google Talk is here for you and supports clients like Pidgin, iChat, Kopete and others.
Your emails are managed by Gmail, which supports batch operations, and by a generic email application, that handles your other email accounts.

For typing, you get the Gingerbread on screen virtual QWERTY keyboard for portrait and landscape modes and a numeric pad that’s available only in portrait mode. Typing is pretty easy if you don’t have sausage-fingers, but even if you do, the landscape mode will be of a real help.
At the connectivity department, the phone has support for quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 3G with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA, Wi-Fi b/g/n, DLNA, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and EDR and microUSB 2.0.

For surfing the web, you have the Gingerbread standard browser that comes with support for Adobe Flash 10.3 and has a simple user interface. It also features text reflow, double tap and pinch zooming, multiple tabs and switching between them, bookmarks, find on page and others. The pages are loaded fast and the overall browsing experience is very pleasing.
The Xperia active comes equipped with a 5 megapixel autofocus camera that takes pictures at a maximum resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixels and has a single LED flash for helping in low light situations. The camera interface features geo-tagging, touch focus, image stabilization, face detection and others. The image quality is very good, with accurate colors and decent amount of resolved detail.
The video camera is also very capable and produces 720p videos at 30 fps.
For audio playback, you get a fancy music player which is very similar to the Walkman players and features several equalizer presets, the Infinite key for searching a song on YouTube, the xLOUD enhancement for boosting the loudspeaker volume and others. The audio quality is great.
For watching videos, you don’t have a dedicated player, as the videos reside in the gallery, but you can easily download one.

In its basket of goodies, the Xperia active carries some nice applications, like the WalkMate for counting your footsteps during a day, the iMapMyFITNESS+ for information about your training, which are sent to your mapmyfitness.com account, which is free. For viewing Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files, you have the Office Suite. You also have Notes, Reminders, Calendar, Calculator, Alarm  - which has the desk clock and night modes. A Facebook app is also on board.
A built-in GPS receiver is also here and has support for A-GPS. For navigation, you have Google Maps.
The Xperia active holds inside its tough body a 1200 mAh battery and it endured almost a day and a half on moderate usage.

In conclusion, the Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is a great choice if you’re living an active life. If you’re going hiking, for example, this phone is going to be your best buddy and you won’t have to worry about it if it rains cats and dogs over you or if you drop it into a puddle of mud. This fellow is both a survivor and a smart guy, so you’ll definitely grow feelings for it and keep it close in your adventures.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, Seeing is Believing

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was meant to be the swan song of the company, their first android device and they want it to be absolutely perfect, both in terms of hardware and software. Perfection comes at a price; in this case it took them quite a long time to get there.
 Even if this was their first droid device, it’s not the kind of smartphone you can take it for granted and forget about it after the first date.
So let’s see the specs and the main highlights of this love child:

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and tri-band 3G support
• 7.2 Mbps HSDPA and 2 Mbps HSUPA support
• 4" capacitive touchscreen of WVGA (480 x 854 pixel) resolution and scratch-resistant surface
• 16M-color ready (65K effective colors under Android OS v1.6)
• Android OS v1.6 with complete Sony Ericsson UI customization
• Timescape and Mediascape UI
• Excellent social networking integration
• Excellent build quality
• Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon 1 GHz CPU, OpenGL ES 2.0 support; 384 MB of RAM
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash, touch focus, image stabilization, geotagging, face and smile detection
• WVGA (800 x 480 pixels) video recording @ 30fps
• Wi-Fi and GPS with A-GPS
• 1GB storage, microSD slot, bundled with an 8GB card
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
• Document viewer
• Li-Po 1500 mAh (BST-41) battery
• Great audio quality

Even if R&D for this phone took quite a while, when X10 hit the markets was on par with its rivals at the time of release.
First things first, let’s start with the retail package which resembles the one from iPhone, in terms of minimalist design and dimensions, which are petit to say the least.
In the box you can find a charger, the USB cable and a two piece headset easily upgradable due to the standard 3.5 mm jack.
The phone has a 4 inch display, pretty huge actually even with today’s standards, and that makes the device a big league player, it measures 119 x 63 x 13 mm and weighs 135 grams, not too much for such generous dimensions. This has to do with the absence of metal on the casing design but despite this, X10 is as solid as they come.
In terms of design, the phone is subtle and elegant; most part of the front is covered by the huge touchscreen. The 4" capacitive touchscreen unit has a resolution of 854 x 480 pixels and great picture quality.
 In terms of contrast and sun light legibility, this is as good as it gets on Sony Ericsson and the sensitivity of the screen is also excellent. Above the display we find the earpiece and the ambient light sensor is hidden on its left, a small status LED on the right. On top we find the 3.5mm audio jack, the power key and the micro USB port which is covered by a small plastic lid.
The back of the handset features the 8 megapixel camera lens and the LED flash. Camera lens has no protection so you should be careful with this baby. Under the battery you find the micro SD card slot which obviously is not hot-swappable. In terms of build quality, X10 is a tank, there are no creaks and the plastic parts are very well put together.
 On the back there is some matt plastic which is finger print proof and the front, well, you should give it a rub from time to time, and glossy plastic is not that hardcore.
As in later phones, X10 benefits from a design called Human Curvature, the phone feels very comfortable and smaller than it really is.
X10 runs on Android OS 2.1 (upgraded from 1.6) and the interface is customized with Timescape and Mediascape, in terms of hardware it comes with a fast 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the aforementioned 4 inch beast capacitive screen, UI runs smoothly and flawless.
In terms of telephony, Sony Ericsson X10 is strong, there are no problems with signal reception or call quality, the sound is loud and clear, unfortunately we don’t get smart dialing but if you ask me, I can live without it.
 As in most Sony Ericsson devices, audio quality is great, X10 is among the best in its class.
X10 features an 8 MP camera with LED flash capable of taking photos at a maximum resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels, you have a bunch of options like four capturing modes and five focus modes available, it takes very  good photos with excellent detail and colors, but that’s normal for a Sony cyber shot. Video recording is captured in WVGA resolution (800 x 480 pixels vs. 720 x 480 for D1) at 30fps, in mp4 format with AAC audio codec.
In terms of connectivity, the force is strong with this droid, you get  quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, three localized versions - each with tri-band 3G, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA.
Local connectivity is well covered too – Wi-Fi b/g with DLNA, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP and file transfers.  There’s also a microUSB port for connecting with a PC.

 Web browsing is a pleasant experience on Android based devices, the browser is simple and efficient, pages load quickly and surfing is a pleasure on that high res screen.

 For business users, the phone comes with QuickOffice preinstalled   and it has support for viewing document files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF, including the Office 2007. Due to its big screen and fast processor, reading docs on X10 is a pleasant experience.

XPERIA X10 comes with a GPS receiver and Google Maps as application; the app supports Street View and Wise Pilot.

 In conclusion, Xperia X10 is a nice multi media tool, excellent for business users, browsing the web, taking pictures and riding social networks. Sony Ericsson did a great job with this first android flagship, even if there’s still some stuff needs polishing.




 You can have one on a monthly contract deal here.

continue reading "Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, Seeing is Believing"

HTC, a Legend In Its Own Time

After launching Hero and having success with this model, HTC created its legendary successor, HTC Legend. A super smartphone with Android 2.1, exceptional hardware and a nice design. The aluminum housing makes a good impression, and the AMOLED screen offers a very attractive image.
In addition to hardware performance, the software also contributes to the success of this model. Android 2.1 has a lot of useful and interesting news and the apps from Android Market offer the possibility of almost doing everything you want with your phone.

Key features:

Aluminum unibody design
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
3G with HSDPA 7.2 Mbps and HSUPA 2Mbps
Android OS v2.1 with latest Sense UI
3.2" capacitive AMOLED touchscreen of HVGA resolution
Qualcomm MSM 7227 600 MHz CPU, 384 MB RAM
5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and VGA@30fps video recording
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g and GPS receiver
Digital compass
Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and turn-to-mute
Proximity sensor for automatic screen locking during calls
Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP); File transfer over Bluetooth
Standard microUSB port for charging and data
Standard 3.5mm audio jack
FM Radio with RDS
microSD card slot with support for up to 32GB cards (2GB one included)
USB tethering support right out-of-the-box
Social networking integration with Facebook and Twitter
Web browser comes with Flash support
Multi-touch zooming in gallery and web browser
Direct access to the official Android application repository

 Full specs here.

In the phone’s box I received its charger, microUSB cable, a headset with a 3.5mm audio jack, a 2GB microSD card, a software CD and the user manual.

The phone is very compact, even if it has metal housing. Legend has a length of 112 mm, a width of 56.3 mm and its thickness is only 11.5 mm. The weight of 126g is similar to other smartphones on the market. Using plastic would have reduced a few grams, but the metal offers a very pleasant aspect and I was glad to observe that fingerprints are hardly sticking to the phone. It’s available in two colors, black and gray.
The Legend's frontal side is dominated by the 3.2 inch screen. Lacks secondary camera for video calling. Below the screen are four hardware buttons: home, menu, back and search. Under these buttons you will find the trackpad, which replaces the usual trackball for HTCs. It is easy to use and accurate, but trackball fans will miss it.
The right side of the phone has no button and the left has only the volume control key.
On the top, you will find a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones and the ON/OFF button. The audio jack is not protected against ingress of dust.
The bottom is not made of metal, but plastic. Here is the microphone, microUSB port and the hand strap attachment hole.
The back of the phone is simple. Here is the 5 megapixel camera and LED flash. The camera’s lens is not protected from any scratches, so you may notice a quality drop when taking photos after a while. The camera’s area is soft plastic, in some places having some speaker holes.

The Legend’s 1300 mAh  battery has a good capacity for a smartphone, which consumes more than a regular phone. The manufacturer says it has an autonomy of 440 hours standby and 7 hours talk time on 2G. The 3G autonomy increases to 560 hours standby time, but it decreases the talk time to 6 hours and 10 minutes. The reality is different, because this phone prompts you to use it a lot. If you use the whole capacity and listen to music, watch movies or surf the Internet, you’ll have to charge it it daily. If you use it moderately for calls, messages and occasional take pictures, it will resist even four days. It depends very much on how you configure the screen’s brightness and on the Internet browsing frequency.
Legend uses the new Sense user interface, which is very user-friendly. The processor is powerful  and the memory size is generous enough to eliminate delays.
The call sound quality is very good, the Legend’s speaker provide clear and powerful sound. The signal reception is good too.
The video player does not support DivX / Xvid, so you can just look at 3GP and MP4 movies. The high resolution does not block the phone because the CPU is fast enough.
The music player is simple and efficient, it’s standard on Android phones.
FM radio is present on the HTC Legend. It’s able to automatically search the FM radio stations in range and save them. RDS function prsent.
The camera has 5 megapixel camera and LED flash. You have quite many image settings such as setting ISO speed and white balance, change resolution, layout, photography, etc.. Unfortunately, no dedicated shutter key. Image quality is pretty good, but I expected more from a 5 megapixel camera on a phone with such a big name.
The video is recorded at VGA resolution (640 x 480 pixlei) and 30 fps. The user interface does not differ much from the camera. The video quality is good for a camera of this type.

The HTC Legend’s connectivity is complete and provides a very good speed. For browsing, you have WiFi and HSPA (7.2 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload).
The Web browser is excellent, it loads the pages quickly and accurately, you can load any web page without blocking, even if it is complex. The copy & paste function in Android is available everywhere, being very useful in web browsing. It has support for Flash, so you can browse Flash sites and YouTube.
To connect to the computer, you can use the micro USB data cable and Bluetooth.

Like any Android phone, Legend comes with a rich range of applications. If the pre-installed ones are not enough, you can download many others from the Android Market.
The QuickOffice application is very useful if you work with Microsoft Office files. It knows how to open Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Legend also has an application for PDF files.

HTC Legend also has GPS and it uses Google Maps as map-application. Unfortunately, Google Maps has voice navigation in only a few countries for the moment, so you cannot use the phone as a GPS unless you buy another car navigation application.

In conclusion, the Legend is one of the best phones of the HTC manufacturer. Android is an excellent operating system, which makes this phone to be good enough for any user. Whether you use it for music and photos, surfing the Internet or using it as a GPS, Legend will not disappoint you.

 You can have it here, on a monthly contract deal for free.

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HTC Sensation, a True Rice Rocket

HTC Sensation came into the market with a BANG, right on the dual core scene like a superstar of droids, everything from the huge screen through camera to the powerful chipset. No compromise, lock stock the friggin’ lot, sort of speak.
 Even the name was carefully chosen, it’s something else, it simply sticks to the device. The 1.2 ghz dual-core processor  with the new Adreno 220 graphics promises a world of goodies, but let’s not anticipate.

When launched, HTC Sensation was virtually  a direct competitor to Samsung Galaxy S II.
For a good monthly contract deal on a HTC Sensation, please visit us.

The phone was launched in May  2011 and was one of the first mobile phones from HTC with dual-core processor.  It had tiptop hardware, including a 1.2 GHz dual core processor, 768 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM and a camera of 8 megapixel camera, capable of recording in Full HD.

The HTC Sensation comes in a ordinary looking box .There we find besides the  manual, a micro USB cable for data transfer,  a plug adapter that converts the charger, a micro USB cable and a handsfree headset with 3.5 mm audio jack.  We also find a micro SD  memory card of 8GB.

HTC Sensation has a  similar design to the popular Desire HD,  but narrower and  slightly longer and lighter . HTC Sensation has a length of 126.1 mm, a width of 65.4 mm, 11.3 mm thick and weighing 148 grams.

In the rear HTC Sensation has the  8 megapixel camera, along with two LED flashes. Here also, well concealed, we have the loudspeaker. Under the back cover is the  1520 mAh battery  which should provide a range of 350 hours of standby and 8 hours and 20 minutes of talk time in 2G or 400 hours standby and 6 hours and 40 minutes of talk time on 3G. As for autonomy, it lasted me  for 2 days with heavy use, I was impressed.

Metal casing of the HTC Sensation is very sturdy and even if the phone is a little on the heavy side, it looks great and is durable.



Sensation  uses the Android operating system version 2.3.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense 3.5 user interface. The new HTC Sense has some improvement over older versions.
The display is an S-type touch screen LCD of 4.3 inch  and is protected by Gorilla glass, scratch resistant. The  resolution of 540 x 960 pixels is one of the best for a screen this size. Viewing angles are great, the detail is excellent and colors are vivid. The screen is very good in daylight unfortunately, it fades pretty quick in direct sunlight.

HTC Sensation shows some impressive hardware : a dual-core 1.2 GHz processor, 768 MB of RAM, and a dedicated graphics accelerator. It plays high resolution videos without problems, including Flash movies in your browser. It goes without saying that it does very well in games. I have not managed to get him fail me during the test, although I opened many applications.

HTC Sensation comes with 1 GB of internal memory, but also with an 8 GB micro SD card already inserted. The phone supports micro SD cards up to 32GB, so you will not have issues with your storage space.

The camera has 8 megapixels and can shoot at a maximum resolution of 3264 x 2448 pixels. It has a dual LED flash, which make it possible to shoot in low light. Picture quality is very good and the camera  interface is very rich in features.

The video is at a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels at 30 fps with stereo sound. The interface is similar to that of the camera and the double LED flash can be used when shooting. It was  one of the few full-HD camcorders on the market at the time of the launch.

The video player is good and easy to use. The phone is powerful enough to play 1080p HD movies smoothly. If you have a DLNA TV, you can play movies on your phone directly on the TV via Wi Fi.


HTC Sensation gives you everything you need to connect to the Internet. You get  WiFi b / g / n,  if you don’t have hotspots in your range, you can use your HSPA with speeds up to 14.4 Mbps download and 5.76 Mbps upload.


Web browser is excellent and can be used as easily as the browser on your computer. The large screen makes browsing enjoyable, and it supports Flash and Javascript. It plays  Flash movies in Full HD smooth as silk. Pages load very quickly if you have a good Internet connection and the browser can open multiple pages simultaneously.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
• 4.3" 16M-color capacitive LCD touchscreen of  HD resolution (540 x 960 pixels); Gorilla glass
• Android OS v2.3 Gingerbread with HTC Sense 3.0
• 1.2 GHz dual Scorpion CPUs, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 chipset
• 768 MB RAM and 1 GB storage for apps
• 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; face detection and geotagging
• 1080p and 720p video recording @ 30fps
• Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
• GPS with A-GPS
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• micro SD slot up to 32GB (8GB card included)
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor and an auto-brightness sensor
• Front facing camera with video calls
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• micro USB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v3.0
• MHL TV-out (requires MHL-to-HDMI adapter)
• Smart dialing, voice dialing
• DivX/XviD video support
• HTC Locations app
• HTCSense.com integration
• HTC Portable Hotspot
• Ultra-fast boot times (if you don’t remove battery)
• Office document editor


 Full specs here.

Conclusion:

 HTC Sensation stands out from the android crowd with it’s huge  screen , the powerful hardware, but also with it’s metal case and excellent build quality.  You can play/record HD  video content smoothly , this makes it a very good choice for multimedia fans who want an android in their pocket. The large screen and numerous applications make it a preferred device for business users.

 For a good monthly contract deal on a HTC Sensation, please visit us.

continue reading "HTC Sensation, a True Rice Rocket"

LG Optimus L3 Vs L7

LG Optimus L3 black deals

If you're looking for a mid-range or budget Android with Hollywood good-looks, then you'd be remiss if you didn't consider the LG Optimus L range of phones. There are actually three of them, but we're going to be reviewing the two extremes here: the least expensive L3 and the most expensive L7. You can find some good phone deals on both of them out there.

LG Optimus L3 v LG Optimus L7

So clearly these phones are not intended to be in direct competition. They're more like squabbling brothers. As with real siblings though, you get to know more about each of them by knowing them together (yes, we can get pretty deep here) so we think that the comparison is going to be useful. And we think you might be surprised by the results as well. If that's enough of an intro, let's get started.

• Display. With smart phones being such a visual experience as much as anything, we'll start off with the display. The L3 has a 3.2 in. screen with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels while the L7 has a 4.3 in. screen with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. In both cases, the resolutions are a little low for the size of the screen. However with the L3 having a screen over an inch smaller, its resolution is not actually as bad as the L7's. Which is not to say that either are ugly, but actually it is the smaller screen which delivers better colours and crispness.

• 

  LG Optimus L7 black monthly contract deals

  Processing Power. One of the most important factors in making a screen work properly is a large enough processing chip. The L3 has a single-core 800MHz chip, while the L7 has a single-core 1GHz chip. So that makes the L7 the faster phone, right? Well, actually, no. Yes it has a more powerful processor, but it also has a much bigger screen and runs a later version of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich to the L3's Gingerbread). The result is that the L3 feels nippy, whereas the L7 feels slow and unresponsive at times.
• Android. Both are Android phones of course, but as mentioned the L3 runs Gingerbread while the L7 runs Ice Cream Sandwich. Again this is a case of the latter looking better on paper, but the L3's Gingerbread OS works better with its processing power than the L7's works with Ice Cream Sandwich. That's despite the fact that the L7 doesn't come with all of ICS's features, such as face unlock, but that is promised in an update.
• Design. Both phones have a good build quality, and they are also both very handsome. Indeed that is one of the main selling points, and reasons for bringing this series of phones out. It is for those people who want a good looking phone without having to pay for all of the top of the range specs that can make smart phones so expensive.
• Camera. The LG Optimus L3 only has a 3 megapixel camera, which is pretty bad even for budget Androids these days. The L7 comes with a much more respectable 5MP camera and can record video with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels.
• Storage. To store all of your pictures and videos (not to mention everything else) you're going to need some storage space. The L3 only comes with 1GB internal storage, to the L7's 4GB. However in both cases you can stick a microSD card in there and bump it up by an additional 32GB if you want to.

The full specs for the L3 and the L7 can be found on the LG website.

Summary

With the L7 being the top of this range of phones you would think that it would be the best of the bunch however, although it has the best specs, the L3 actually tends to perform better for what it is.

We wouldn't really recommend the L3 over the L7 though, they're not in the same league, but if you're looking for a good looking budget Android and you don't mind small screens, you should definitely check out LG Optimus L3 black monthlycontract deals.  Or LG Optimus L3 white deals of course.

On the other hand if you're looking for a mid range Android with a big screen, and you can tolerate a little bit of sluggishness getting around, then it's worth considering LGOptimus L7 black deals.  Or, again, LG Optimus L7 white monthly contract deals.

continue reading "LG Optimus L3 Vs L7"

The Cute and Colourful Sony Xperia U Review

Sony Xperia U white monthly contract deals

The Sony Xperia U is a budget to mid-range Android with some solid specs and cute little touches. It's fair to say that this is an artful little smart phone, and will appeal to many. However others could easily hate it, it's quite a daring move from Sony. Being at the lower end of the market though, you will be able to find some excellent phone deals for the Xperia U.

Colourful Lights

Do you like your electronic devices to shimmer and glitter with light for no apparent reason? If so then you're probably going to love the Sony Xperia U. It has a small strip near the base of the phone which is always changing colours, although not entirely randomly. In fact the colour it displays is going to depend on what you are looking at on the phone. It will try to approximate the colour it displays to the colour of the content you are looking at. For example, if you have a picture of a blue sky on the phone, the light will turn blue. When listening to music, the colour will try to copy the dominant colour of the album colour.

At this point, you're probably having a reaction to that. Either you think that sounds cool, in which case you're probably going to like this phone. Or else you're going to think it sounds tacky and embarrassing. In which case this is probably not the phone for you. You may as well stop reading now to be honest.

Features and Specs

Right, now that we've got rid of the losers who don't like colourful lights on a phone, let's talk about the features and specs of this phone shall we?

It's actually kitted out pretty well. It has a dual-core 1GHz processor, which is going to handle with ease all but the most strenuous tasks. For instance you're probably going to have difficulty trying to keep multiple tabs open on the web, but for one at a time it's nice and fast. It's also going to handle the majority of games and other apps with aplomb. Don't expect to be able to play the latest 3D games though, for that you're going to need a more powerful phone. For things like Angry Birds though, it works very well.

This is quite a small phone, with a screen measuring 3.5 inches on the diagonal. That's the same size as the latest iPhone, however this screen is narrower and if you have large hands then it's probably going to be excessively fiddly. With 480 x 854 pixels though it has a good resolution, very nice for watching videos. Sony also uses its Bravia TV technology to make the colours vibrant and fresh. The only problem with the screen comes as a consequence of it being a budget Android; there is some flex if you push down too hard. That's not a major failing though.

The Xperia U runs the Gingerbread version of Android, but there's a promise from Sony of an update to Ice Cream Sandwich being available soon. Sony also put their own skin on top, which is not a major problem or attraction in all honesty.

If you need a lot of storage on your phone, then this might be another deal breaker. It has 8GB internal storage, which is okay. But only 4GB of that is available for pictures and apps. Which would also be okay, except for the fact that there is space for a microSD card, so you can't expand the memory capabilities at all.

There's a 5 megapixel camera, which is the best you are going to get on a mid-range Android. It can shoot 720p HD video as well. Both of these are of fine quality.

There isn't much more to say about this phone. The physical buttons feel a little bit spongy, the screen is very responsive though, as are the touch sensitive buttons. It's stable and reliable for the most part, a perfectly good phone all in all.

To get the full specs, check out Sony's website.

Phone Deals

If you like bright, colourful, cute and cheerful phones, then it's well worth checking out the excellent SonyXperia U black monthly contract deals and the Sony Xperia U white deals available online.

continue reading "The Cute and Colourful Sony Xperia U Review"

HTC One X Review

HTC One X deals

The HTC One X is a very big phone – both in size and in specs. It's big, it's powerful, and if that's what you're looking for from a phone then you won't be disappointed with this top of the range Android smart phone. If you only have modest demands of a phone then you might have some difficulties with it, and it is on the pricey side, but there are some great phone deals out there if you like the sound of it.

Big Phone

Big is a relative term, so what do we mean by that? Well, its screen is 4.7 inches on the diagonal, which is not quite the biggest screen you can get on an Android, but it's close. It's over a full inch bigger than the iPhone screen. It has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, which is very good but because of the size of the screen it's not as impressive as it would be on most other phones. Still, there is certainly nothing to complain about when it comes to the quality of the display. When web browsing, for instance, if you have decent eyesight then you shouldn't have to zoom to be able to read the text.

With the screen being so big though, HTC made the decision to have very little bevel around the sides of the phone, meaning that the screen reaches almost to the edges. Which would be fine except that it means when you're holding the phone, it's easy to accidentally press something you didn't mean to, launching an application unintentionally for instance. The sheer size of the phone also makes it a little difficult to hold, unless you have very big hands yourself. The rounded corners and extreme smoothness of it doesn't help matters either. That said though, once you've found a way to actually get a good grip of it, it is comfortable to hold (good for long conversations).

If you're going to have a big screen though, you need a powerful processor for smooth running. There are absolutely no problems in that area with the HTC One X, it uses a 1.5GHz quad-core processor. This makes for quick web browsing and gaming, including the latest 3D games. It also supports tabbed browsing, having music play in the background and the ability to switch quickly between apps. However you can also do all of that with a dual-core processor, so there are some who wonder whether quad-cores at this point are strictly necessary.

You might say to yourself though, why not? Which is fair, except the thing is the more processing power there is, the harder the phone is going to be on the battery. Same goes for the size of the screen, the bigger it is the faster the battery is going to be drained. That's a double whammy against the HTC One X then, so as you would expect the battery life is problematic. You'd be lucky to get through a whole day without having to recharge if you go for anything close to moderate use.

Ice Cream Sandwich and Other Features

The HTC One X runs one of the latest versions of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich. This makes for very smooth operations, especially with the One X's quad-core processor. There are also a couple of things new to ICS which are pretty impressive. Chrome for Android is one of them, which is Google's own web browser. This supports multi-tabbed browsing in a very nice design. There's also a face unlock feature with this, so you get to feel very futuristic by using your face to unlock your phone (and we don't mean running your nose across the screen)!

The device comes with 32GB internal storage, which is very good but you have to take in to account that there is no microSD card. However there is a bonus, in that you get two years free service from Dropbox, allowing you an extra 25GB space with them.

Another big selling point for the HTC One X is the camera. It's an 8 megapixel camera with a quality lens which produces very good colours and depth of field. It also has a variable LED flash, and a number of cool after effects you can add to your pics. For taking pictures of high speed occurrences you can hold the capture button and take up to 99 shots in a continuous burst, then either keep them all or choose the best. On top of that you can record Full HD 1080p video as well, and with excellent results.

Audio quality is also very good on this phone, both for playing music and for calling people. Even in noisy environments, it's easy to hear what is being said on the other end of the line, and they will be able to hear you easily as well.

You can find the full specs on the HTC website.

Phone Deals

If you like big phones, we're confident that you'll love this phone. The only downside really is the poor battery life, but if that's something you can live with then check out the excellent HTC One X monthly contract deals available online.  There are some great HTC One X black deals as well.

continue reading "HTC One X Review"

Motorola Milestone XT720 v Orange San Diego: Old v New

Orange San Diego contract deals

The Motorola Milestone XT720 is a top of the range smart phone from 2 years ago, whereas the Orange San Diego is a current mid-range Android. As you would imagine, it's not going to be much of a competition between the two, the mid-range San Diego blows the Milestone out of the water. Also, ironically the San Diego houses its own milestone as it is the first smart phone to be run by an Intel processor. More on that later. For the most part this review is going to be a feature on showing how far mobile phone technology has come in three short years.

You can still get great phone deals on both devices though.

Specifications

Back in 2009, the Motorola Milestone was wowing Android users with its 3.7 inch screen (bigger than the iPhone), its 480 x 854 pixel resolution (which is still pretty good to be fair) and the new Android 2.1 Eclair operating system. Well, we're now up to 4.1 Jelly Bean but that's not what the Orange San Diego has, it still sports the 2.3 Gingerbread system. It also has a 4 inch screen and 600 x 1024 pixel resolution. Remember, the San Diego does not represent the best that it is available, it is only twice as expensive as a budget Android. You'd have to double that cost to get the very best available right now.

Some other major differences. The Motorola Milestone came with 150MB internal storage. The San Diego has 16GB. Both can be topped up with microSD cards though. When the Milestone came out it was one of the first to have multi-touch features, allowing you to zoom by pinching your fingers on the screen. That's pretty standard these days.

The San Diego comes with an 8 megapixel camera which can record 1080p HD video. The Milestone has an 8MP camera too but only records jerky 720p HD video. The San Diego camera also has a burst mode which takes ten pictures in quick succession, which is good for photographing high speed action. This is quite rare even these days though.

One of the most significant differences is in processing power. The Milestone has a 600MHz processor, which would be bad even for budget phones now. The San Diego, however, is not typical in its processor. In fact, as mentioned, it is the first smart phone to be run by an Intel processor.

Motorola Mileston XT720 deals

Intel Processor

The San Diego's Intel processor has been clocked at 1.6GHz. That's a 1GHz of processing power more than the Milestone. That is very high for a single-core processor though, the high end Androids usually only reach around that mark with dual or even quad-core processors.

The major benefit of the Intel processor is that it makes web surfing very fast and slick. In fact, for the money, you won't get any faster web browsing. It also promises a more stable system, meaning that you're not going to get apps crashing on you.

It also means that it can do things that usually you would need a dual-core processor to do well, such as record video in 1080p and export through a HDMI port, allowing you to link it directly to your television. The only disappointment in this area is that the lens is not very good, so the quality of the shots is not as good as it might be.

There is a downside to this Intel processor though, which is that, for technical reasons too complicated to properly explain, it is incompatible with some downloadable apps. Orange says that 70% of apps will work with the Intel processor, but another way of saying that is that almost a third of them will not.

The full specs of the Milestone can be found on the Motorla website. The San Diego specifications can be found on Orange's website.

Phone Deals

So what have we learnt here, children? That even mid-range phones these days are better than the best phones from two years ago? Didn't we know that already? Yes, we probably did.

However, hopefully we have also learnt that the Motorola is still a quality phone, if a little dated now. Also, that while the San Diego's Intel processor has some impressive benefits, it also has some potentially deal-breaking downsides.

What else is there to know? Well, if you're interested in getting your hands on either of these phones then there are some great Motorola Milestone XT720 monthly contract deals and Orange San Diego deals available online.

continue reading "Motorola Milestone XT720 v Orange San Diego: Old v New"

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro Review

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro deals

There's a lot to like about the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro. Of course it helps if you're not a fan of large screens; if you are then you're probably not going to like this phone. But then if that's the case, why are you looking at a phone with “mini” in the title, hmm? A lot of the time people who do prefer smaller screens have to put up with lesser specifications though, but that is not the case with the Xperia Mini Pro. So as long as you're not dead-set on getting a large-screened phone, then you might be tempted by the phone deals available on this device.

Defining Characteristics

We recently reviewed the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini, so what makes the Pro different? Well, the major difference is that with the Pro you get a full QWERTY keyboard which slides out from underneath the screen. We suspect that's going to be the main pull for anyone who is going to be interested in this phone. If you like physical keypads for your texting and emailing on the go, but you also want access to the vast array of apps that Android smart phones offer (rather than the minimal apps on a BlackBerry, for instance) then this has got to be one of the top contenders.

If you're looking for the highest specs available, then you won't find them on the Xperia Mini Pro, however this is no entry level Android either, and for a small phone it's really quite powerful. We say small, which it is of course in terms of width and height (92mm x 52mm) but it's also twice as thick as many androids at 18mm. Of course with a QWERTY keyboard that slides underneath the screen you have to expect that. It also means that there's room there for a 1GHz processor as well as 512MB RAM, which is plenty for the Gingerbread OS from Android, with operations feeling very smooth and flowing. Sony Ericsson also use what they call “Hot Corners” which are present on every home screen and provide short-cuts to things like your SMS app, the dialler, media apps and address book. These are customisable, and make up for the fact you can't fit as many apps on the screen as you would with other smart phones.

You do have to be willing to put up with a smaller screen than usually found on smart phones though. When it comes to web browsing, for instance, you're going to have to zoom in pretty close to be able to read even normal text. The screen is 3 inches on the diagonal which, in fact, is better than a lot of small Androids, and only half an inch off the iPhone size. Also, if you're planning to watch videos, although the 320 x 480 pixel resolution is okay for a screen of this size, and contrasts are actually good, the screen is so small that it's difficult to really feel involved in what is going on in the video. Not a phone to watch a whole television episode on, or a feature film, in other words.

Other Features

Everything else on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro is pretty much what you would expect from a mid-range Android. You have all the usual connectivity possibilities, as well as DNLA support meaning that you can stream videos or pictures from your phone through a PS3 or a DNLA equipped TV to see it all up on the big screen.

The Xperia Mini Pro comes with a 5 megapixel camera, which is pretty standard but the results from it are not great. Also, although it can record 720p HD video, the quality doesn't come out very well, there is often quite a lot of blurring. It also has a VGA camera on the front for video calls.

Check out the full specs at Sony's website.

Summary

On the whole this is a very good phone if you're looking for an Android smart phone with a small screen, a QWERTY keypad, or both. If you're not interested in either of those features though, you might be better off looking elsewhere. If you're searching for a truly pocket sized Android phone which doesn't compromise on the specs though, it's well worth looking in to the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro monthly contract deals that are available.  Or the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro white deals if you prefer.

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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.

continue reading "3D Battle: LG Optimus 3D P920 Vs HTC Evo 3D"

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.

continue reading "Samsung Galaxy Note: Is Bigger Better?"

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.

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

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.

continue reading "How Sensational is the HTC Sensation?"

Battle of the Twins: T-Mobile Vivacity v Orange San Francisco II

T-Mobile Vivacity deals

If you're looking for a budget Android smart phone then you really can't go wrong with either the T-Mobile Vivacity or the Orange San Francisco II. However making a case for one over the other is going to be tricky because they are practically twins. Not identical twins, because in appearance they are actually quite different. Their make up, however, is practically identical.

Similarities

You think we're joking? How about these for similarities:

• Screen: 3.5 in., resolution of 800 x 480 pixels

This is not bad for a budget Android, it provides for crisp pictures and vivid colours. The screen is the same size as the iPhone's, although of course the resolution is not as good.

• Processing power: 800MHz CPU, 512MB RAM.

Again, for a budget Android phone this is not bad at all. As long as you don't try to play 3D games or do too many tasks at the same time, the operation is going to be as smooth as you like.

• Camera: 5 megapixel (rear) + front facing camera for video calls.

Both devices have a 5 megapixel camera which, again, is fine for a budget phone. It's not going to replace a compact camera but it's okay for a phone.

• 

  Orange San Francisco II contract deals

  Android 2.3 Gingerbread

Both the T-Mobile Vivacity and Orange San Francisco II run the latest version of Android Gingerbread. While this is far from the latest version of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich has recently been surpassed by Jelly Bean) for the processing power of the phone it's probably the best one you could have anyway. You're not going to be able to make use of the best features of the latest Android outings without a beefier processor. For instance the Samsung Galaxy S III now has a quad-core processor and is nearly twice as powerful at 1.4GHz, and if you're willing to spend around £400 more on a phone then it's definitely worth checking it out. But if you're looking for good phone deals on a budget android then the Gingerbread is plenty capable and it's a good fit.

To compare the full specs of both mobile phones, here are the Orange San Francisco II specs and T-Mobile Vivacity specs.

Okay, so those are the main similarities between the Vivacity and the San Francisco II – they're what make both phones well worth considering if you're looking for a low-priced Android smart phone. So, how should you choose between them?

Differences

• Design: iPhone (Vivacity) V Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo (San Francisco II)

The design of neither phone is entirely original, they are both quite obviously based on the design of other phones. The Vivacity has the straight edged, cuboid look with metallic finish of the iPhone while the San Francisco II has the sleek and shiny design of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo.

When choosing between the two phones then, it's probably best to go with which one you like the look of the more. This might be the first and last time that we ever advise choosing a phone on the basis solely of what it looks like, but when it comes to these two there is really little else to consider.

Having said that, T-Mobile and Orange have adapted the pure Android slightly and you have provided their own bloatware of course. In all honesty though, those differences are not as significant as the aesthetics of the phone.

Summary

It's not often that we will advise judging a phone on the basis of its chassis, but if you like the specs and you like the price, then whether T-Mobile Vivacity monthly contract deals or Orange San Francisco II deals are going to be more attractive will probably largely come down to which one is more physically attractive to you. In terms of what's underneath the skin, they don't compare to the more expensive Android offerings of course but for the price these are a couple of little gems and we're confident you won't be disappointed with either of them.

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