Mobile Phone Reviews

Archive for the ‘Android’ Category

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus is a Google Android phone, supporting Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich).  This Samsung Galaxy Nexus review will show both the pros and cons of the phone.

Considered by many to be the best Android-based handset currently on the market, the Nexus’ biggest and best feature is its OS.  Android 4.0, which is intended to unify the smartphone and tablet versions of the operating system, contains enhancements that users of the Motorola Xoom and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be familiar with.

When it comes to design, the Galaxy Nexus leaves something to be desired.  Samsung is known for its plastic phones and, unfortunately, this hasn’t changed.  However, while plastic may not be as aesthetically pleasing, it does mean the unit is incredibly light, coming in at 135 grams.

Other than the cheap feel created by the plastic, the handset is a nice looking unit, looking a bit like a blown-up Nexus S combined with the back panel of the Galaxy S2.  The trademark Galaxy ‘bump’ is also present.

The screen features 720 x 1280 pixel high definition resolution with a pixel density of 316 pixels per inch.  Combined with the Super AMOLED technology, this phone offers one of the best screens found on a mobile phone.

When it comes to processing and storage, the Galaxy Nexus delivers 1.2 GHz dual core processor and internal storage of either 16 or 32 GB.  (The 32 GB version may not be available in Europe.) The camera is not extraordinary, but it isn’t bad – with snap and sensor making up for lack of megapixel count.

The Motorola Atrix is a smartphone that comes with a dual core processor.  It was the first Motorola mobile to use one, and as this Motorola Atrix review will show, it has been used it to its full potential.  The Atrix is an Android phone, using Froyo (version 2.2), and is pitched at the top of the smartphone market. 

One innovation the Atrix has, which has many potential customers interested, is its use of a fingerprint scanner.  You have to configure it when you first start the phone, and you can use either your right or left index finger.  To unlock the phone, you simply swipe your finger over the phone, which is a great security feature.  It comes with a 4-inch display, with 540 by 960 pixel resolution, with great definition for showing pictures and words.  Swype is pre-installed so you can use gestures to text if you prefer this to the multi-touch keyboard it also comes with. 

It has great connectivity features, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB ports, DNLA, and even a 3.5m jack for headphones.  It also has Motoblur, Motorola’s attempt to match HTC Sense, which comes with some interesting features such as displaying your Twitter and Facebook feeds on the home screen if you desire. 

The GPS that comes as standard works excellently, and with Google Maps and Street View installed enables the phone to make a superb satnav device as well.  The camera produces five megapixel images with a built-in flash.  There are also zoom and automatic focus features to help take great pictures or HD video.  The 16GB of internal memory is great if you like taking lots of photos, or use all the latest apps and games. 

Although Motorola’s claim that this is the best smartphone around is a matter of opinion, there is no doubt it is a great smartphone so shop around for Motorola Atrix deals if you are interested.

The LG Optimus 2X is a smartphone that comes with a dual-core Tegra 2 processor, and was the first to be announced with this capability.  This LG Optimus 2X review will let you decide if it worth the fuss or not.  The added power of the Tegra 2 chip certainly enables the device to have some great features. 

The chip is manufactured by Nvidia.  The benefits of this can be seen through fast loading websites, the capability to multitask effectively, and to provide a slick interface with apps loading quickly and smoothly.  You can thumb through the various menus quickly too, so that everything feels easy to use.  The responsiveness allows you to twist, click or pinch easily to control complex commands such as zooming or altering the viewpoint.  It has a 4-inch screen as well, providing a great display for the web, photos, videos, games and Google Maps. 

The camera is also superbly spec’d, with eight megapixels and a large number of settings to configure as you prefer.  Its camcorder capabilities are even more impressive, with the ability to shoot proper Full HD Video at 1920 * 1088 resolution.  The inbuilt HDMI connections mean you can view your recordings on any HDTV. 

The LG Optimus is a powerful smartphone, and its full HD video and great camera set it apart from much of its competition.  The power of its processor makes everything about its operation slick and easy to use.  The battery is a slight let down, but if you are not concerned about this then check out the best LG Optimus 2X deals around.

Android smartphone users will benefit from a variety of features that are included in their device.  One of these is the android sat nav.  This is a built-in GPS system that allows users to access various navigation applications.  The benefits of using these apps are endless and with many choices available, users will be able to find a great Android sat nav app for free.

For users in the UK, Android sat nav apps are usually offered free of charge, allowing users to have a reliable GOS system on board at all times.  Many of the available applications have the ability to store data.  This is a great benefit when they internet signal is lost.  In this case, the app will function as a standalone GPS unit, still providing the required information.

Android mobile phone users will reap the benefits of the Android sat nav system.  It is a much cheaper alternative that buying a GOS system, and since the system is already included in the mobile device, users simply have to download one of the great free apps to take advantage of this fantastic Android feature.

The apps offer complete mapping systems, allowing users to enter their destination points and receive a detailed route.  Many of the apps can be customised with certain colours, features and sound controls.  Android sat nav apps have become some of the most used applications on mobile phones.

Manufactured by Samsung, the Google Nexus S features a super AMOLED display screen offering supersonic brightness and colour definition, a 1GHz processor,  5 mega pixel camera, rear facing camera and front facing VGA camera.  The Nexus S also boasts a gyroscope and accelerometer, compass, proximity and light sensors and has 16GB of internal memory.

The attractive Nexus S’s contoured and curvy design fits both hand and ear comfortably and, the Nexus is not just a pretty face, it is also practical and can match all other contemporary models.  The Nexus is slim, lightweight (127.5g) with dims of 63 x 123.9 x 10.88mm and although not the smallest smartphone on the market the ergonomic design of the Good Nexus S’s reinforces its contemporary appeal.

The Nexus S employs the QWERTY keyboard with additional fast features (cut, copy, paste et al) and, size notwithstanding; one could be forgiven for thinking that using the Google Nexus S is pretty similar to some laptops.

Fast and professional navigation and with apps launching at the speed of sound (well almost!), the Nexus S has many integrated features that are to be expected with a Google product; wi-fi, GPS, bluetooth – and some others that might surprise the user.  Social networking sites integrate with contacts and the super efficient sharing and transferring contacts, mail and calendar information, and Nexus S users are also first in line to receive Android updates and Flash video.

Another advantage with the Nexus S is that it comes open as standard, giving the user the opportunity to select the best provider so be sure to check out current deals when purchasing the Nexus S.

The LG Optimus One is an affordable, mid-range Android powered smartphone. With a touch screen handset and fast connectivity, the LG Optimus One comes highly rated for its ease of use. All basic functions are easily accessed from any of the home screens on this simple to use handset. What makes the LG Optimus One such a desirable phone is its price; it beats most other Android smartphones hands down for affordability.

Compact, stylish and highly user-friendly, the LG Optimus One offers all the basics you would expect from a modern smartphone. It includes a variety of apps, such as the Android sat nav. Featuring full web functionality, terrific battery life, FM radio, camera and music player, the Android sat nav app is an excellent feature of the LG Optimus One handset. The Android sat nav app is extremely effective and is a fantastic bonus of this affordable phone. Other useful inbuilt features include USB tethering and Wi-fi. 

Extremely lightweight with a decently sized screen, the LG Optimus One is a fantastic entry-level phone for new smartphone users. In addition to all the usual Android apps and easy access to Facebook and Twitter, it is crammed with useful features, such as Wi-fi hotspot. The touch screen is very user friendly, and communication and messaging are simple using the integrated communication networks of the LG Optimus One. Overall, it is a convenient, simple and easy to use handset with exceptional Android sat nav included.

The Sony Ericsson Arc, also known as the Experia Arc, is an Android smartphone. After a disappointing model in the X10, Sony Ericsson has gone back to the drawing board and returned with this new handset.

Perhaps the most striking feature of the Arc is its thinness, measuring just 8.7mm with a curved back. The touchscreen is larger than many other smartphones around, with a size of 4.2 inches. It has small white bulbs between the bottom keys, which light up whenever a key is pressed.

Unlike many other Android phones around at the moment, it does not come with a dual-core processor. However, running Android 2.3 and coming with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor it copes easily with all the demands made by modern smartphones. It incorporates Sony’s Mobile Bravia engine to produce sharp images with vibrant colours. 

It has an 8.1 megapixel camera, which comes with a CMOS sensor as well as Sony Exmor R technology. This all combines to give some great images and HD video. The 4.2 inch screen has a resolution of 480 by 854 pixels, with 16 million colours as well. The interface is based on Android but with Sony Ericsson’s own Timescape technology to enhance it. It is responsive and very intuitive to use. There is a GPS with Google Maps and Google Latitude, which shares where you are with your friends. If you want a stylish smartphone with lots of functionality, then look around for some Sony Ericcson Arc deals. 

Motorola originally started life as a manufacturer of car radios in 1930. In the early 1980s it began developing a range of Motorola mobile phones. Recently it has been struggling to make an impression in the marketplace. However, it has recently released some smartphones that have received favourable reviews.

The Motorola Atrix is one of the first dual-core smartphones to be released. It runs on Android 2.2 and has its own enhancements as well. Moto Blur keeps you up-to-date with Twitter and Facebook feeds. It weighs around 135g and feels solidly made. The screen is 4 inches with a resolution of 540 by 960 pixels. The camera has good specifications, with 5 megapixels and an LED flash. It can also shoot video in 720p HD. The GPS integrates well with Google Maps and other android sat nav apps. Its unusual feature is that it comes with a fingerprint scanner, and once set up you need to use this to unlock the phone.

The Motorola Defy is another Android smartphone. Its 3.7-inch screen has a high colour display. It weighs 118g and is 134mm in depth. It is also equipped with a GPS, which combined with Google Maps turns it into a reasonable sat nav device. The music player is capable of playing a variety of files such as MP3, WAV and AAC.

Motorola has also started producing some lower end phones with the Motorola Wilder about to come onto the market. This phone is designed to be tough and has a resistive touchscreen. It rounds out the current range of Motorola mobile phones. 

The LG Optimus Black is an Android smartphone. It is slim and light but doesn’t feature a dual-core processor like the Optimus 2X. However, you will be able to find much better LG Optimus Black deals available.

It is a nice phone to hold and look at, with tapered sides on the back. It measures 9.2mm and weighs just 109g. It has a matt finish, which doesn’t mark so easily as other glossy phones. The screen is 4 inches and looks similar to an iPhone. The resolution of 480 by 800 compares favourably with similarly priced phones. The NOVA display technology provides for a crisp image, which is particularly bright.

Although it doesn’t have the dual-core processor, the phone seems capable of running apps and games well. It also comes with an FM radio tuner, which provides a good signal. The amount of apps for Android phones is a strong feature of this phone. 

It has some innovative interface enhancements. If you shake the phone while holding the ‘g-button’, it will answer incoming calls. Turning the phone over will mute it or stop the alarm as well. 

There are two cameras on the phone, a front-facing camera for video calls and a 5 megapixel camera which is rear-facing. This comes with an LED flash and an autofocus system. Battery life is good for this type of smartphone, probably lasting around 2 days before needing another charge. 

When making the Optimus 2X, LG decided to introduce a dual-core processor.  For a home computer this is standard, but for a mobile phone this is anything but.  Only a couple of phones are powered by dual-core processors and this ensures that such models are most definitely regarded as ‘premium’.  The introduction of such a processor means that smartphones can now perform tasks that were only dreamt of 12 months ago.  Take HD video recording as an example.  Most smartphones of today are capable of such recording, although at 720p resolution, you can’t help but notice the difference in quality between ‘real’ HD recordings and mobile HD.  The LG Optimus 2X is different.  Due to the powerful processing capabilities, LG is now able to offer full 1080p HD video recording and, coupled with the HDMI connectivity of the device, recordings can be streamed to any HD-ready TV with superb results.

The LG Optimus 2X comes installed with Android 2.2, although by following on-screen prompts the 2.3 version is easily installable.  Bizarrely, LG has decided to fit the LG Optimus 2X with a TFT screen instead of an AMOLED display.  This is especially surprising given the processing capabilities of the device, and the TFT resolution unfortunately takes away some of the sharpness and clarity of the display.

This phone is surely a sign of things to come.  With new smartphones being released almost daily, it will not be long before a dual-core processor is the norm, along with full 1080p HD video recording.