Are you interested in buying a mobile phone? If you are in such position, may be this list will help you. It's AMAZON.com's best selling articles!
#1 BlackBerry Curve 8900 Phone, Titanium
#2 Samsung Eternity a867 Phone, Black
#3 LG Dare VX9700 Phone, Silver
#4 Samsung Impression A877 Phone, Blue
#5 LG Xenon GR500 Phone, Blue
I hope I've helped you with some ideas. I've to admit that I would like to try several of these mobile phones myself. I'll continue to provide you with such kind of information.
I've mentioned you once that Skype was available using INQ mobile devices.
Now, Skype, the internet telephone unit of eBay, launched its service for iPhone users. BlackBerry users will have it in May.
But there are more good news, Skype will also be available for Nokia phones and for phones based on Android, Google's mobile operating system, and Windows Mobile, from Microsoft.
With this move Skype is trying to boost its mobile phone position, and fight social sites such as Facebook, Twitter or MySpace. The first reaction seems quiet ok. Skype is just working perfectly!!
And about the prices??? We know how Skype is: Skype iPhone application is free to download and allows free calls between Skype users. Cheap fees are being charged for calls to traditional phones.
Skype is still considering whether it will offer video for the iPhone or other phones.
I really hope that Skype will lanch the video service as it is one of the most interesting tools of Skype.
You can download this app using your iPhone or on Itunes app store.
This nice video tells you how to play with Skype on your iPhone.
Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of a new service which would enable mobile users to buy or rent movies and TV series online and download them to their mobile phones. Right now, the Samsung Movies service is offering more than 500 films. Samsung Movies is designed for users of Samsung mobile phones. It is currently available in the UK and Germany. The company is planning to expand it to other European markets in the coming months. By the end of June 2009, it is planned to offer 2,000 movies and TV shows.
You can select your movies in different sections:
- New releases; - Critics choice: Which are gritty movies and quality performances well worth watching; - Classics: A selection of timeless classics; - Concerts: A great selection of live concerts; If you are in the UK, tonight I would recommend you to download "The Matrix" . You can buy the movie for £10.99 or rent it for 24-hours at £2.49
iPhone fans will love this story. Kevin Rose(Digg.com founder has confirmed that iPhone3 will include copy and paste function:
iPhone fans are asking for this feature for a long time. According to Rose, Apple has implemented it as a multi-step process: - You double tap on a word - A kind of magnifying glass appears with quote marks on either side of the selection - You drag the quote marks forward or back to surround the section you want to work with - You choose one of three buttons: Copy, Paste or Cut
BlackBerry´s official applications store, “BlackBerry App World.”, will open soon!
With this tool we will be able to find applications designed for a BlackBerry® smartphone. So, we can now personalise a BlackBerry smartphone with games, social networks or personal productivity applications.
I´ll let you know more about App World in future posts. In the meanwhile, you can register yourself to receive updates on the latest news about BlackBerry App World™ https://www.blackberry.com/profile/?eventId=9321
I wonder whether Obama will be able to use BlackBerry App World. What do you think?
I've been talking about INQ mobiles which has the nickname of "Social mobile". But eventually my reader can ask and what about the gadget of the moment: iPhone. How can I access to online social networks as Twitter or Facebook.
iPhone open source atmosphere has made it possible the development of some applications that help those who want to access their social network accounts.
I'll show you two applications that do the job for you on Twitter and Facebook:
Let's start with Twitter:
As mention in their website, PocketTweets is a Web-based Twitter client for the Apple iPhone. Using this app you can actually see the latest tweets from your contacts or update status remotely. PocketTweets was built from the ground up to support Apple's new phone platform.
For browsing Facebook using your iPhone I recommend Facebook application (very original, no??). A second version of this app was released in October 2008. Compared to the version first version, the new version.
The new application includes instant messaging functionality. Facebook’s “Chat” IM is therefore available. However part of the traditional social networking features of the site, such as some profile info (eg. what your favorite movie is).
As I told you in my last post INQ1 has just been awarded as the Best Mobile handset 2009 in Barcelona.
INQ devices are designed to stimulate mass market mobile data use, and feature a select set of geographically relevant social networking, email and instant messaging applications. The first device is called the INQ¹.
INQ mobile INQ¹ is an HSDPA handset with a range of fully-integrated social networking features like Facebook, Skype, Windows Live Messenger, Last.fm, Google and Yahoo apps built-in, but you can add more if you want. That's why this handset has the nick name of "Social Mobile"
The access to these social networking applications is very easy as you can do it directly from the phone's home screen. The shortcuts are placed right at the home screen, and you can select one to access that site or app. The INQ1 mobile comes with Facebook, Skype, Windows Messenger, and Google and Yahoo apps built-in, but you can add more if you want.
But democratizing smart phones is not just about nice features, is also about pricing. So is this an affordable mobile phone?
The handset is only available in the U.K., Ireland and Australia. The company is planning to start selling this product in the U.S. and other European countries soon.
In the UK, on a Pay as You go Plan, the phone is on sale for £88.29 and in Ireland €99. In Australia, INQ1 costs $AUS 249.
To make a long story short, I'm excited about INQ devices: Cheaper smart phones could make the Web more accessible to everyone all around the world. Well done INQ!
Full Specifications some listed applications are operator dependent • Size: 97 x 47.6 x 14.4 mm • Weight: 110g • Battery: 329 hrs (standby) 324 mins (talktime) application dependent • Connectivity: Bluetooth A2DP, USB 2.0 • Camera: 3.2 Megapixel • Network: HSDPA enabled • Games: Java compatible -x games preloaded • Screen: 2.2”QVGA -262K colour TFT • Memory: internal 50MB - external to 2GB • Music: MP3 player • Integrated Facebook • Integrated Skype • Integrated Windows Live Messenger
1) The first topic to highlight is the Green attitude I've mentioned before:
A new universal mobile phone charger unveiled as industry gets greener. This new charger will reduce by 50% in standby energy consumption. Manufacters that have signed up the initiative include Nokia, Sony-Ericsson, Samsung, LG and Motorola. With this agreement the majority of new phones should use the 'one-size-fits-all' energy efficient charger by 2012.
2) Another "green" announcement at Mobile World Congress was made by Samsung which unveiled the Blue Earth touchscreen phone. See my former post on this: "What is going on in GSMA' Mobile World Congress?"
A similar announcement was made by LG.
3) We also saw the Chinese group ZTE unveiling world's first low-cost solar-powered mobile phone targeted at the world's poor, which is expected to go on sale in June for under 40 dollars (32 euros).
4) Microsoft was very active in this Congress too. Microsoft officially presented the latest version of its mobile operating system: Windows Mobile 6.5. The updated Operation System brings a new enhancements, such as an application store for searching, browsing, and purchasing mobile applications for your smartphone (Windows Marketplace for Mobile), a backup and restore service (My Phone service), and an improved mobile Web browser, designed to be "finger friendly".
The bad news is that Microsoft doesn't plan on releasing Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrades or devices until the second half of 2009.
5) There were not too many news about the Android operating system developed by Google. Even tough, HTC released a second Android-based smart phone, the HTC Magic, available in Europe this spring.
6) Nokia rolled out two new E-series phones: Nokia E55 and Nokia E75. Both offer full messaging and smartphone features. The Nokia E55 is presented as the world's thinnest smartphone. It will be available this summer for $339 (265 euros).
As for Nokia E75, Nokia is accepting orders starting Monday on its Web site. The price is $352 (275 euros).
Nokia also announced the Ovi Application Store, following Apple and Google's example with the iPhone and Android devices. This way Nokia users will be able to download apps easily to their phone over-the-air.
7) Sony Ericsson is putting its efforts on image. The company Sony Ericsson showed a mobile phone under the concept name Idou, a name that will change once the product hits the market in the second half of 2009.
Idou features a 12.1-MP camera and a full touchscreen that can display video in 16:9 widescreen format. The phone will operate on what will become the Symbian Foundation operating system.
8) Mobile Watch: A name to remember is LG's GD910, a touch watch phone with 3G Video Telephony and GSM Network capabilities. In addition to keeping time, LG's GD910 can send text messages, and make phone calls via its touchscreen.
9) In Barcelona we saw also new players on the mobile market. Among this, we saw Acer introducing a whopping eight new smart phones, known as the Acer Tempo smart phone series. They include the Acer M900, the Acer F900, the Acer X960, and the Acer DX900, which will come to market in March and April. The rest of the line will follow later in the year.
10) INQ Mobile won the GSMA's award for "Best Mobile Handset or Device" for its INQ Social Mobile. This award is given to a device with the combination of design, technical excellence and functionality that comes together to position a product at the top of its market. The INQ1 won the award over four other shortlisted contenders including the Nokia E71, T-Mobile G1, RIM BlackBerry Storm and LG KS360.
INQ Mobile, a new Hutchison Whampoa company, is creating a category of consumer devices that put social networking, email and instant messaging at the heart of innovative mass-market mobiles. The company launched the INQ1 in October of 2008 and it became known as the world's first Facebook phone.
The INQ is an HSDPA handset that provides one-click access to fully integrated applications including Facebook, Skype, Windows Messenger and Last.fm.
Another topic that I have to add: This is not exactly new, but I have to say that Barcelona was as beautiful and sunny as ever:
Well, you might get lost with the amount of news coming from Barcelona today.
I'm too. However, to sum up everything, I've seen two major developments there. First, a green attitude is a most in today's mobile industry.
Samsung took a good step in the right direction. Samsung (Global number two mobile manufacturer) announced a solar-powered phone. The "BLUE EARTH" IS MADE WITH recycled plastic with a solar panel on the back for charging. Samsung said in a statement its "Blue Earth" solar-powered model had a touch screen and was made from plastic taken from used water bottles. No pricing information was disclosed. We also don't know when the phone will go on sale.
Windows Marketplace is a new 'application store' developed to download service to make it easier for customers to buy and install new software on their mobile phones.
A for Nokia's Ovi Application store, is a virtual storefront where developers can upload applications and consumers can easily download them. As explained in my previous post Android is the open-source mobile operating system from Google.
I'll tell you more about these developments in future posts.
Android Market helps developers get their applications in the hands of users by acting as an open distribution system. A beta version is now available on the world's first Android-powered phone, the T-Mobile G1.
Here you have some examples of application which are available for Android-powered phones:
Amazon MP3 for Android (currently only available to US customers). This application allows you to download music from Amazon MP3 from your phone. Using this application, you can browse, search, sample, and buy high-quality MP3 www.mp3.com/ files that play on your phone or any MP3-capable device.
Phonebook is a brand new G1 user interface for viewing and managing your contacts. It displays contacts with pictures and other information such as coming birthdays, missed calls and unread text messages.
Visa Mobile BETA bundles three services: Near real-time Alerts to keep track of daily transactions, Offers on special deals and Locator of nearby ATM or offer.
Wertago is a mobile application for nightlifers. Here you can find information about hot venues, coordinate plans with all your friends, and much more.
Wikitude - Mobile Global Travel Guide. This is meant to be the most innovative and comprehensive travel guide ever: You can have access to Wikipedia content which relates to the places you are visiting.
Much more applications are available. In fact, Around 800 applications are currently available for Android phones, still much fewer than the iPhone App Store's 15,000. However, the war is just about to start.
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For browsing Facebook using your iPhone I recommend Facebook application (very original, no??). A second version of this app was released in October 2008. Compared to the version first version, the new version. 
4) Microsoft was very active in this Congress too. Microsoft officially presented the latest version of its mobile operating system: Windows Mobile 6.5. The updated Operation System brings a new enhancements, such as an application store for searching, browsing, and purchasing mobile applications for your smartphone (Windows Marketplace for Mobile), a backup and restore service (My Phone service), and an improved mobile Web browser, designed to be "finger friendly". 
7) Sony Ericsson is putting its efforts on image. The company Sony Ericsson showed a mobile phone under the concept name Idou, a name that will change once the product hits the market in the second half of 2009. 
