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.

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  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.

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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.

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Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 v Galaxy Y: You Know... For Kids!

Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 contract deals

Is your child badgering you to get them a smart phone, but you don't want to spend too much?  Then the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 or Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 might be just the phone you're looking for. They're both small (good for tiny fingers), with a solid design should stand up to a bit of rough and tumble. While neither are all that powerful, their simplicity is appealing, making them good entry-level smart phones. There are also some very good phone deals available for these budget Androids. But which one is better?

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 v Samsung Galaxy Y

If you want to go for a phone which has been designed specifically with children in mind then the Galaxy Y is the one to go for. The “Y” literally stands for “Young”. It has a tiny screen, just 3 inches at the diagonal, and will fit very nicely in to smaller pockets (it's about the height and length of a bank card, although much bulkier of course). The truth is though that the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 meets these standards as well. Its screen is a little larger, at 3.27 inches and it has a better resolution of 320 x 480 pixels. The Galaxy Y only has a dismal 240 x 320 pixels, meaning that graphics and text are fuzzy.

The good thing about the small screens with low resolutions, however, is that they make the battery last longer. With light use, the Galaxy Y could last a few days without a recharge, which is practically unheard of with a smart phone. The Mini 2 is also pretty good on its battery.

Another reason for the longer battery life than usual is the smaller processor. In this case the Galaxy Y actually has the slightly larger processor, at 832MHz. The Mini 2 is only just behind at 800MHz though, and it is in good company as a couple of other excellent budget Androids, the Orange San Francisco II and T-Mobile Vivacity, also have that sized chip. In fact when it comes to budget Androids, the only one that really beats it is the Huawei Ascend G300 with a 1GHz processor.

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 deals

Of course you are always going to have to make compromises when it comes to budget smart phones, and the screen of the Galaxy Y has certainly been sacrificed to make it as cheap as possible. Not only is it low-res but there is often a noticeable lag when swiping your finger across homescreens. Plus if you give anything but the lightest of touches, the screen will flex. Not a good sign. The buttons on the phone are not always the most responsive either.

While the Galaxy Mini 2 is a bit more expensive then, you do get a better screen as well as more internal storage (4GB to the Galaxy Y's 160MB) although in both cases these can be expanded with a microSD card, which usually come with the phone.

They both run Android Gingerbread, which is not the latest but does make just about every app at Google Play usable. Neither phone has a great camera, the Galaxy Y's 2 megapixel device producing quality a bit above what you would expect, but the Mini 2's 3MP camera does beat it.

All in all, there really isn't a huge difference between the phones. The Mini 2 is probably a bit better than the Galaxy Y on specs, but then on the other hand it's also a bit more expensive and doesn't have as good battery life. So it is really very much a judgement call. To compare the two in more detail though you can find the full specifications of the Mini 2 and the Galaxy Y on the Samsung website.

Google Play

Both phones serve as a very good stepping stone from a feature phone to a smart phone. They're basic and simple, and not overly powerful, but that's okay. They make for a nice transition if you're not accustomed to smart phones, especially for younger users.

So what's the biggest benefit of a smart phone over a regular feature phone? Well there are a few but for most people the main one is the amount of downloadable apps that there are available. For Android users these come at the Android Marketplace, now called Google Play. There are plenty of free apps available to download, and cover everything from iconic games such as Angry Birds to applications that let you point your phone at the night sky and will identify the constellations visible to you. There are social networking apps, ebook readers, apps for news and sports and just about anything else you can think of.

You can also browse the web of course and watch videos, listen to music and edit documents. The smart phone constitutes a revolution in phone design, so that we will never again think of them as simply allowing us to connect to people through voice and test. A phone can now be a computer that you can carry around in your pocket, and it's well worth getting involved in this relatively recent advance.

If you're already on the smart-phone ladder, however, then the San Francisco II, Vivacity or Ascend G300 are probably going to be more appealing budget Androids. If you're new to smart phones though, especially if you're young, then it's definitely worth checking out the Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 monthly contract deals and Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 deals available online.  You can also check out Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 white deals and Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 pink contract deals.

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King of the Bargain Basement: Huawei Ascend G300

Huawei Ascend G300 deals

As technology continues to improve in the mobile market, smart phone deals are getting better and better. At the top of the bargain basement right now is the Huawei Ascend G300 which gets you a whopping 4 inch screen and 1GHz processor for amazingly low prices.

Budget Android

Two of the main contenders to the Adcend G300 are the recently reviewed T-MobileVivacity and Orange San Francisco II, which we praised for providing a lot of bang for your buck. But they only have 3.5 inch screen and 800MHz processors. Now granted they do tend to be a little bit less expensive than the Adcend G300 but really not very much less so the Ascend G300 is really doing a remarkable job for such a low price.

Of course the processor on the Adcend G300 isn't going to be able to handle 3D gaming like the top line phones can, but you really can't expect it to at this price. Also, while the screen is larger than the Vivacity or San Francisco II, the resolution stays the same at 480 x 800 pixels so the pixel per inch score is a bit lower, meaning that the resolution is in effect a bit lower. However it's barely noticeable and you still get a great looking screen. When browsing the web you're going to have to be prepared to do plenty of zooming and scrolling though.

You also get a 5 megapixel camera (like the Vivacity and San Francisco II) and 2.5GB internal storage (with room for a microSD card up to 32GB). Video quality isn't that hot though and audio quality is only so-so, but perfectly adequate for making calls.

The Ascend G300 comes with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but Huawei are promising an update to Ice Cream Sandwich soon. However it's expected that a lot of people won't make that upgrade since you will really need more processing power to make full use of it, so Gingerbread should really be more than adequate.

Check out Ascend G300's full specs at Huawei's website.

There have to be down sides of course, we're talking about a bargain phone so that is inevitable. For one thing operation between menus is slightly jittery, but if you're not used to the smoothness of high end phones then you probably won't even notice that. Also, the screen can be a tad unresponsive to the touch. That just means that you have to get used to using a little more pressure when you slide your finger across it, rather than the light touch required for more expensive phones.

Summary

The Ascend G300 is never going to compete with iPhones or the latest Android like the Samsung Galaxy S III, but it's not designed to. This is a phone for people on a budget. That an Android smart phone with a 4 inch screen and 1GHz processor can now be produced for bargain prices is a testament to just how fast mobile technology is developing.

If you want a powerful phone for practically rock bottom prices then look no further than Huawei Ascend G300 monthly contract deals.

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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.

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  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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Budget Music Phones: Nokia X3 Vs Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman

Nokia X3 Red

The Nokia X3 Red and Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman are both marketed as music phones, but in all fairness we're taking a bit of a liberty by comparing the two. The Nokia X3 is a budget slider phone without 3G or wi-fi whereas the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman is an Android with a 1 GHz processor. They're in totally different leagues really, but they are both marketed as budget music phones so we'll compare them on that basis.

Specifications

Nokia X3 red

Size (HxWxD): 96 x 49.3 x 14.1 mm

Weight: 103 g

Screen Size: 2.2 in.

Screen Resolution: 240 x 320 pixels

Connectivity: Bluetooth, Edge, GPRS

Full specs at the Nokia website.

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman

Size (HxWxD): 106 x 56.5 x 14.1 mm

Weight: 115 g

Screen Size: 3.2 in.

Screen Resolution: 320 x 480 pixels (180ppi)

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G

Full specs at the Sony website.

They're No iPhones

The first thing to consider, when talking about music phones, is how they compare to the iPhone. Which is in a way the most unfair comparison of all. If you have the budget to get an iPhone and you're looking for a good music playing phone then check out the latest iPhone deals or a high end Android phone. 

These phones we're consdierting here are for folks on a budget, so don't be expecting the best. Now, having said that, what do we get?

Budget Music Phones

Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman

It's been quite some time since the brand “Walkman” had any cache with hip music listeners, in fact if you're old enough to remember them then you're probably too old to be truly hip anymore. For those of you who are not old enough to remember them, you see in the old days you needed a physical thing called a CD or cassette tape, and they only held about an hour and a half's worth of music at most. If you wanted to listen to them on the go then the Sony Walkman was one of the best devices you could get.

Of course nowadays that kind of hardware is practically obsolete and you can listen to music on just about any mobile phone, so what do these self-proclaimed music phones have that others don't? Well the Noika X3 boasts dedicated music buttons to the left of the display, allowing you to pause, play, stop, wind, etc. at the press of a button. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack, but again that's actually pretty standard.

When it comes to the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman, its music playing capabilities are actually one of the most disappointing things about it, considering that it's been given the Walkman brand and is classed as a music phone. There are no easy to use buttons that enable you to control the music any easier than you would on any other phone, the supplied headphones are poor and perhaps worst of all it only comes with a 2GB micro SD card which, for anything but the most meagre music collection, is going to be far from sufficient. It can handle up to a 32GB SD card though and if you intend to use the phone for music primarily you'll probably want to make that investment.

As it stands then, when it comes to being a dedicated music phone, the older and more basic Nokia X3 actually is better in a way. At the very least it makes it easier to control the music tracks than the Sony Ericsson does. But there is of course more to a phone, even a music phone, than the music.

Other Features

The Nokia X3 is only two years old but you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a lot older. It's design is clunky, it doesn't support 3G or wi-fi and it has a small screen with a very narrow viewing range. What's more it's camera only uses a disappointing 3.2 megapixels and there is no auto focus function. Also, the call quality, usually excellent on Nokia's, is lacking in this model, even in areas with a strong signal.

On the other hand, when you forget about the supposed music superiority of the Sony Ericsson then you will find that it stands up very well to other budget Android phones. The 1 GHz processor makes it powerful, it's compact, there's a good build qulity and Sony's Timescape 4.0 user interface is excellent. For Androids the screen is rather low in resolution, making web browsing a bit tough; you're going to need to do a lot of zooming. On the plus side though it has Adobe Flash capabilities so watching videos on the net is perfectly fine.

Overall

If you're looking for a cheap music phone then check out the Nokia X3 red deals available because, although it is lacking in many places, it does stand up well as a budget music phone. On the other hand, if you're new to Android and you're looking for a good quality entry level device then it's worth looking at the Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman black contract deals or Sony Ericsson Live with Walkman white deals. If you're looking for an alternative to the iPhone then neither of these phones are it, but if you're on a budget and you know exactly what you want from a phone, these are worth checking out.

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