Gadget and Technology Reviews
Gadget Reviews
A Review Of The Samsung Galaxy R
06 months ago
by admin
in Gadget Reviews
Samsung Galaxy R
The Samsung Galaxy R is one of the newer additions to the popular Samsung Galaxy range of smartphones. It is essentially a mid range Android powered smartphone, with a decent spec list and offers a more affordable alternative to its Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note counterparts.
This article will provide an overview of its key features, which you can then use to determine of this is the right smartphone to suit your needs.
The handset itself is nothing out of the ordinary in terms of its size or design. It is similar in shape to the iPhone 4, and measures 125x 66x 9.5mm, so it is about the average size for a smartphone, but thinner than most, and quite light at 135 grams. It has a glossy black finish with three shortcut keys beneath the screen, which dominates the front of the device. It has the usual 3.5mm headset jack, volume rocker, front facing camera, speaker and Samsung branding on the outside, but aside from these lacks any remarkable features. Overall, the appearance is good; well designed and functional with a somewhat minimalistic style.
The front is dominated by the 4.2 inch SC-LCD capacitive touchscreen. This has a resolution of 480x 800, so it is capable of displaying imagery in good levels of detail and clarity, and coupled with its 16 million displayable colours, ensures that tasks such as multimedia use and web browsing are pleasing to the user. The screen allows functions such as pinch to zoom to be carried out, thanks to its multi touch input support. Accelerometer, proximity and gyro sensors are all included as standard. (more…)
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus With New Android OS
06 months ago
Samsung Galaxy Nexus
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the latest Google Nexus smartphone, and the second to be manufactured by Samsung. Generally released as a showcase for the latest versions of Google’s Android operating system, the Nexus series has enjoyed a decent level of popularity since the first instalment, the Nexus One.
In this article I will provide an overview of its key features, so you can decide if it is the right smartphone for you.
Hardware
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus provides pretty much the best available technology in every aspect of its hardware. The screen is advanced, with Super AMOLED capacitive technology providing a responsive and intuitive means of navigating the interface and applications. It is also quite a large screen, measuring up at 4.65 inches, so it outdoes many competing handsets such as the Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation. But the most noteworthy feature of the screen has to be its resolution; at 720x 1280, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to improve upon Apple’s “retina display” found on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. This is of course great news for those who like to view photos, watch videos, play games and surf the web on their phone. There is plenty of available storage for files such as these, with both 16 GB and 32 GB version available. The handset does lack a microSD slot, but this should not prove problematic for most users as the internal storage is likely to prove ample. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a competent camera phone. Although it only has 5 megapixels (2592x 1944 resolution) it still has all the features you need to take good quality still images and even 1080p HD video. Autofocus and LED flash are included along with face detection and a front facing (1.3 MP) camera for video calls and self portrait photos. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus has the specs to provide very fast internet browsing. 3G coverage allows users to stream data at up to 21 Mbps, putting it on the same level as the Samsung Galaxy S2, which is generally seen as the benchmark smartphone in this respect. It also offers Wi-Fi connectivity, and even a Wi-Fi hotspot feature which allows users to utilise the handset to provide Wi-Fi to other devices like tablets or laptops.
Software
As mentioned, one of the main roles of Google Nexus smartphones is to showcase the new versions of Android and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is no different. The eagerly anticipated version 4, known as Ice Cream Sandwich makes its debut on the handset. Although not much is known about it as yet, it will undoubtedly include the same level of versatility and customisation as well as the opportunity to browse thousands of apps for download, which we have seen in previous versions. Of course, the full list of social networking integration, web browsing, GPS, multimedia player and many more applications are all included as standard, so it is a functional device right out of the box, as are most Android powered smartphones.
The Samsung Galaxy Nexus in, in my opinion, the closest thing to the perfect smartphone yet. Features like its screen resolution really set it apart, and with the new software, there are likely to be many more who share this opinion. Many will be surprised by the 5 megapixel, where the standard for new smartphone seems to be 8 megapixels nowadays, but one can’t argue with its 1080p HD video capture.
If you are looking for an alternative to the iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus would be my recommendation.
Blackberry Bold 9900
06 months ago
by admin
in Gadget Reviews
Blackberry Bold 9900
Are you a fan of RIM’s handsets? If you are, who can blame you? These handsets come with QWERTY keyboards that will allow you to type with ease when composing or responding to emails. They also allow you to enjoy more from the Canadian phone manufacturer’s popular instant messaging service the BBM. However, there is one thing the company is not known for. This is creating slim smartphones. Oftentimes, Blackberry’s lineup is criticized for their bulkiness. This is all about to change with the Blackberry Bold 9900.
When it comes to the phone’s specifications, it will not disappoint. The previous version comes with a 2.44 inch display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels. This display did not offer a touch interface. The new version comes with a 2.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. Input options include a QWERTY keyboard, a touch interface, and an optical track pad. When it comes to processing power, this new smartphone will not let you down. Its predecessor the 9780 comes packed with a 624 MHz single-core processor under the hood. Today’s standards simply demand more clock speed. Its successor will allow you to enjoy twice as much processing power. It comes packed with a 1.2 GHz single-core processor under the hood. When it comes to software, it is powered by the latest BB OS 7.0. Despite offering more powerful hardware and updated software, it is a mere 10.5 mm thick. It’s hard to imagine how RIM managed to cram in cutting edge technology in a phone that is 10.5 mm slim. (more…)
New HTC Rhyme
06 months ago
by admin
in Gadget Reviews
HTC Rhyme
HTC seem to be releasing a constant stream of new handsets, with one of their latest being the HTC Rhyme. This mid range smartphone is perfect for those who are looking for a functional all rounder which is easy to use, and has all the features needed for carrying out a range of tasks on a day to day basis. In this article, I will take a closer look at the HTC Rhyme, and give an overview of its key features.
The HTC Rhyme has a good 3.7 inch S-LCD capacitive touchscreen. it is responsive and intuitive, and the resolution of 480x 800 is enough to provide good display quality of on screen imagery. This makes it fine for viewing photos, videos, websites and games. Whilst it is certainly a mile away from handsets like the iPhone 4 and the HTC Sensation, it still provides pleasing results; remembering that this is not a top-end device.
Users are able to store data of various types (e.g. Music, videos, and downloaded applications) within the handset thanks to a handy 4 GB of internal storage. This can be boosted significantly by using the microSD slot, which can accommodate a memory card of up to 32 GB. there is an 8 GB card included with the handset to get you started.
Internet browsing is an important part of smartphone use. The HTC Rhyme performs well in this area, with 14.4 Mbps download speeds, putting it on par with handsets like the HTC Sensation and Desire HD. With such high speeds, users can expect web pages to load quickly, and enjoy fast streaming with YouTube videos. Wi-Fi connectivity is also included as standard, meaning that users can enjoy free, fast web browsing when they have the appropriate access details to wireless networks.
The camera on the HTC Rhyme is decent, with the ability to capture good quality images thanks to its 5 megapixel operating resolution of 2592x 1944. Autofocus and LED flash are included as standard, so taking good quality photos is not difficult. As an added bonus, the handset can also shoot HD video footage in 720p quality.
Android Gingerbread is the operating system of choice, and alongside a 1 GHz Scorpion processor provides a versatile and customisable user experience. The new version of HTC Sense (v3.5), the manufacturer’s custom Android interface allows for a high degree of customisation, and allows users to browse thousands of apps in the Android Market, which can be directly downloaded straight to the phone.
Whilst much of the technology in the HTC Rhyme is far from cutting edge, it offers everything you could want from a mid range smartphone. Just think, it was only around a year ago that a spec list like this would have been top of the line, so despite more advanced competition, the HTC Rhyme is a great choice for those looking for a functional all rounder, or an alternative to the popular iPhone series.
