There are already countless articles about the best flagship phones in the market including the Samsung Galaxy S4, Sony Xperia Z, and HTC One, but let us face it; not all of us can afford those phones. Not that we don’t have the money, but we just think that a good midrange phone will suffice with our needs. After all, we can live without the latest graphics and 720p displays were great just about a year ago.
Tag: mobile
There was some debate on the merits of Samsung’s latest announced product, the Galaxy S4 Zoom, the moment people got word that the Korean manufacturer was going for a smaller, telephony-capable variant of its much-maligned Galaxy Camera. Branding issues, aesthetic concerns, and speculation over the device’s actual utility are all part of the discussion. It’s a confusing product, no doubt about it, and the future doesn’t look good for this ambitious cameraphone.
Cameraphones are things of the past
Cameraphones used to be a valid segment in the mobile phone market, back when do-it-all smartphones weren’t the norm and feature phones ruled the day. Sony, then known as Sony Ericsson, really hit the cameraphone concept right out of the ballpark with CyberShot-branded phones that looked good, were pocketable, and had decent camera sensors for superb photography.
new FB-centric UI, Facebook Home. But now, the HTC First got a considerable price drop; from $99, it was lowered to $0.99—almost free with an AT&T contract. If this was any indicator of the product’s market performance, we could easily assume that this Facebook phone flopped, and the price drop is the only way for HTC and for AT&T to cut their losses.
Samsung take note, next generation Lumia coming soon.
This cryptic tweet sent August last year by Chris Weber, Nokia’s current Nokia EVP of Global Sales and Marketing, drew quite a bit of speculation from tech pundits and Nokia fans alike. The reference to "note" led some commentators to speculate that Nokia might be thinking into breaking into the phablet market. If you had read this tweet in 2012 like everyone else, you might have raised your eyebrows and even chortled at what seems to be a case of too much reading in between the lines.
Now fans can be more expectant as The Financial Times reports that Nokia aims to "revitalize its smartphone business with flagship launches this year". This includes plans to unveil a supersized phone and other new devices. Insiders say that the most innovative move of the company this year would be to work on a device that could function as both a phone and tablet, with specifications that would best the popular Samsung Galaxy Note. Insiders also mention that Nokia plans to launch the first Nokia Lumia smartphone with advanced Pureview imaging technology. Possibly to be launched in July, the smartphone will sport a 40-megapixel camera. Other devices to watch out for are a lighter and upgraded Lumia 920 and a lower-priced version in autumn. If the rumor mill is true, this event will mark Nokia’s first foray into a market dominated by Samsung and Apple.
It’s no question that many Nokia fans would welcome a "Nokia Note". Before Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 launch, enthusiasts were already floating around ideas of what they would like to see from the Finnish smartphone maker. Perhaps no other Nokia concept phone idea around this time became as popular as the bright purple Nokia Lumia OneNote 5.5” phablet created by Ibrahim Sujau. Apart from a quad core 1.6 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, up to 64 GB of storage, a microSDHC card slot, 12-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, and HSPA+ connectivity, Sujau’s concept also included business phone features that would make professionals salivate.
These days, more and more people are turning in their feature phones for a brand new spanking smartphones. Contrary to the belief of some, you don’t necessarily have to shell out the big bucks for your smartphone. Today’s mobile phone manufacturers know the needs of the global market and work overtime to produce multiple models at different price points. You’re sure to find a smartphone that will suit both your requirements and your budget – or, at the very least, reach a good compromise.
Before Apple dominated the smartphone market, BlackBerry was the king of mobile handsets. Back then, touchscreens were rare, and the alphanumeric “qwerty” keyboard of Blackberry phone was the industry standard for input and navigation. With the emergence of iPhones and other touchscreen-equipped devices from Android, the QWERTY lost its appeal and functionality: it would be unwise to waste the face of a mobile device with a permanent keyboard fixture. The end became apparent for the once-loved mobile phone keyboard when virtual keyboards evolved to become more tactile and intuitive, giving rise to haptic feedback, type-and-swipe, and auto-correct features, among others. But with BlackBerry’s latest attempt to salvage its brand, we see new smartphones sporting the iconic BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard. One of these devices is the Q10, a full-fledged smartphone running the new BlackBerry OS 10. With the lukewarm reception of BlackBerry’s first OS 10 gadget, the Z10, the future of the Q10 is highly questionable. Is this device really worth the time, money, and attention? Does adding a full QWERTY keyboard enough to convince everyone to bite into the “other fruit” of the smartphone market? Read more to find out.
The smartphone has become one of the most popular advancements when it comes to mobile communication. Over the last few years, the number of smartphone users has been hugely increasing. Based on the latest trends, it is forecasted that there will be a continuous rise in the number of smartphone users. The phenomenal success of smartphones has become possible because it was able to penetrate markets such as rural areas and other areas that have no access to dial-up Internet.
And Blackberry is back at the game. After some delays, the much awaited Blackberry Z10 that features the new Blackberry 10 OS is here. The phone is now available in UK and Canada, and will be officially available in US soil this March.
Now the question is should you buy it? The problem in addressing this question is that the expectations for the latest incarnation of this device are very high. After all, the brand has been languishing in the cellar for quite some time now, and was thoroughly overtaken by the iPhone and other Android phones in the market. As a result, there is more riding in this phone than just being a solid smartphone option in the market.
Is it a good phone? It definitely is. But is it good enough to redeem the Blackberry brand? That we do not know.
But to help consumers decide, here are the top reasons why you should buy this phone:
You are a Blackberry fan
Even with the rise of the iPhone and Android phones, and the lack of innovations from Blackberry itself the last few years, there has still been a loyal market to the brand that stayed on waiting for RIM to get its act together and redeem their beloved phone.
For the loyal fans, this is the phone that they have been waiting for. It has the sleek and professional look that the phone has always been known for, the voice chats flow seamlessly in a central messaging hub, and the gesture-based OS is something that separates it from the iPhone and the Androids of the world. What’s more important is that, spec-wise, it is able to stand up to other phones with its 1,280×768-pixel WXGA HD resolution LCD display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 chip, 8mp camera, 4G LTE, HSPA+, and global roaming.
You want a secure phone to use for business
Blackberry has been the premier business phone before it was overtaken by the iPhone. But the Z10 looks to regain its status in the professional world with a phone that has some pretty neat security features. First, it lets you use multiple accounts for work and personal mode, allowing you to separate sensitive business apps from personal ones. Second, RIM employs their signature encrypted servers. Third, there is a couple of interesting privacy settings, including parental controls. Lastly, RIM has what they call Blackberry Protect, which allows remote wiping. IT administrators who are strict about the devices that connect to their network can find this very appealing.
You Want Great Email and Messaging Features
Another reason why the Blackberry was once the top business phone is its email and messaging features. Both are improved in the Z10. The Z10 allows you to do so much with your email like flagging, marking unread messages, changing urgency status, creating a folder system, and inviting colleagues to a meeting. It also allows you to include attachments, and has good contact recognition so that when you type a few letters in the contacts section, and it will already suggest possible names.
BBM or Blackberry Messenger also got an upgrade. You can now send files like images through it, do voice and video chat, share your screen, and add contacts through NFC.
You want something different from the iPhone and other Android devices
If you want variety and something that separates you from the other smartphone users, then the Z10 gives you an opportunity to try out a completely new OS. It will take some time to learn, however, especially if you are used to button-based phones. As said above, the OS lets you use multiple accounts and the phone is pretty handy for multi-tasking through its VPN ability.
Not everyone will love this phone. Android and iPhone users will probably see nothing new to make them even consider a switch. But if you are one of those above, the Blackberry Z10 might be the business phone for you.
It seems like a no brainer: why get one piece of equipment set only to do one thing when you can get another piece of equipment that can do two or more things? These days, everyone wants a device that can do more than just what its previous form was designed to do. There simply isn’t enough room for everything that people need their electronics to do these days that it’s no wonder that they now expect their devices to multi-task.