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Tuesday 29 July, 2008

Skyfire accepting BETA requests for the Skyfire symbian OS based web browser.

This browser is going to be the next big thing ....throwing the likes of the S60 browser and opera mini out of the window !!










Previously the beta was only open for windows mobile users , but looks like now they've started developing a symbian OS version too. at the moment the beta is only open to U.S residents, but others can register too and will be informed as and when the browser is available for their region.
Head over to http://www.skyfire.com/sign-up to book your spot on the waiting list..!! :)

Samsungs 8 megapixel stunner !!

Samsung INNOV8 (Samsung i8510) takes mobile handset photography and multimedia experience to new heights with its 8 megapixel camera. It offers users top of the range camera technologies, a surround-sound cinematic video experience, the best mobile internet browsing experience and mobile gaming capabilities. The Samsung INNOV8 has the latest in imaging applications such as smile shot, blink shot and face recognition allowing memorable moments to be stored in their best quality. Users can also personalize and edit their photos, videos and music with Movie Maker and Story Board applications. The handset also acts as a digital photo frame, allowing users to display their favorite images. For the gamers, the Samsung INNOV8 comes pre-embedded with two of the world’s most famous games, Asphalt and FIFA 08. Additional features include an optical mouse and 4-way navigation key for enjoying PC-like browsing experience. And HSDPA high speed Internet and WiFi connection offer convenient and seamless internet experience wherever users are.

Feature Overview

  • 8 Megapixel camera
  • 2.8” QVGA Display
  • Optical mouse and 4-way navigation key
  • A-GPS
  • FM Radio with RDS
  • HSDPA 7.2 Mbps (900/2100)
  • EDGE / GPRS (850/900/1800/1900)
  • Symbian OS V9.3, S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2
  • Memory: 16GB Flash + External Memory slot : microSDHC™ (up to 16GB)
 Finally a phone that has everything !! I cant wait ... :P

Friday 25 July, 2008

Nokia E71 : Initial Observations !

The great people at Womworld sent me a Nokia E71 to trial. This device is everything you have read about it and much much more..!! I was seriously skeptical about how much praise was being heaped on this "E-Series-Posterboy" phone, but once you get your hands on this stunner ..trust me ....you wont feel like looking at any other e series phones ... ever ! I'm sure a lot of people are going to dump their blackberrys for this baby !

This is only the review of the physical features of the E71. I will be posting a detailed software review later.



As you can see in the picture ... the E71 looks absolutely stunning , The amazing metallic finish feels good to look at and to hold too. Also as with the other newer E-series phones .The phone runs on symbian OS 9.2 and has the new "home" and "delete" keys .. and also features a "CTRL"(which i'm assuming is used to in VPN and Remote Admin functions) function on the dedicated "special characters" button.Also visible in the picture are the Dedicated calendar , phone book and messages button.Also hiding beneath somewhere is the GPS chip. this is the second E-series phone to get inbuilt GPS functionality after the E90. The GPS lock on is fast and takes under 10 seconds as compared to nearly a minute on my N95.The full qwerty keypad is amazing ! it might look minuscule here ... but the buttons are so well contoured that even a guy like me with big fingers can easily use the keypad without pressing two keys at once. Also the combination of predictive text + auto correction + qwerty keypad makes typing out even the lengthiest emails on this device a real breeze.



The side view of the E71 , in all its stunning glory.The only disappointment here was 2.5 mm headphone jack in lieu of the standard 3.5mm one , but i guess it had to be done due to space constraints. So this means you cant use your normal mp3 player headphones like you can in the N95 and certain other N series phones. There button with the dot in the center is used to mute calls.





The back casing of the E71 has a nice feel to it. All the squares you can see are actually carved into the metallic cover , which ensures that this sleek phone does not slip out of your hand under any conditions.Also provided is a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus & geo tagging , and a LED flash.The E71 also does away with the front camera found in most N series phones. The camera quality is fairly acceptable for an E-series phone , and cannot be compared to the likes of the N73 or the N95 for that matter. Still , I wish the camera was a little better .



These are some of the accessories that come with the E71 box. A nice red and black lanyard and Case. The case is of really good quality and has a nice red interior and looks very very classy (a nice addition to those Armani suits :P ) . Also included are a 2.5mm headset and the usb data cable (unlike Motorola and Samsung ...you cannot charge the phone with this) and a travel charger.

Comparisons with the Nokia N95 : (physical features)

The E71 is THIN !! Just comparing it with my N95 was like comparing the size of a mac book air to a Panasonic toughbook !!
And I dunno how nokia engineers managed to squeeze a full qwerty keypad in there ...but I must say ..its real impressive to see the amount of stuff they've crammed into this device !



The E71 as you can see is only slightly longer than the N95 in the closed state.




In terms of thickness ... There is no comparison at all !! The E71 is wafer thin as compared to the N95 .. which is really good for all those business suits out there ...so you don't have an awkward bulge sticking out of your trouser/suit pockets !
















This concludes my review of the physical features of the E71. I will be posting a detailed software review of the device and its features later. Do let me know if you have any questions about the device and i will try to answer them in my next post. :)

Thursday 10 July, 2008

Nokia Chat out at Nokia beta labs.

Finally Nokia releases their twitter-esque location based chat and messaging app. I've been waiting for such an app for so long ... and i'm really glad that Nokia has finally released it !!

From the beta labs website :

Nokia Chat is more than just messaging. You can share your status and your location, giving you physical presence! Start a Nokia Chat with your friends with instant and voice messaging and finish it face-to-face. Get together with Nokia Chat – it’s where we are now.

  • Meet one-to-one
  • Update your status
  • Share your location
  • Message friends
Features
Meet one-to-one

Chat helps you hook up with no hassles by sending your real-time location in an instant message. This unique feature lets your friend pinpoint your position and share her own on Nokia Maps.

Share your location

Chance meetings with friends are made easy. Pick out your places on Nokia Maps and choose where you want to publish your presence. Chat automatically updates your location status when you arrive at your hangouts.

Update your status

As well as sharing your location, you can edit your status with what’s going on and stay up-to-the-minute with your friends. Status symbols on Chat show when you’re available, on the phone, or away.

Message friends

Chat puts quick and easy instant messaging at your fingertips. You can also record and send voice messages to friends.


Tested with:
Nokia N95 8GB, N95, N82, N81 8GB, N81, N76, E71, E66, E51, 6290, 6120 Classic, 6110 Navigator

Should work with:
Nokia E90 Communicator, 6124 classic, 6121 Classic, 5700 XpressMusic

To download this app , head over to : http://www.nokia.com/betalabs/chat

Remember , you have to install both the files in order for the app to work !!


Wednesday 9 July, 2008

Yay !! I got featured on Overdrive !!

My picture in the july 2008 edition of the Overdrive India magazine :)





...And the bike i won as a first prize in the contest. Thanks Nokia :)







You should hear this baby roar...!! Awesome ... :)

Friday 4 July, 2008

Please Become my fan.

The Nokia Fusions challenge is on . Please help me improve my chances of winning this contest by becoming my fan. It only takes a few seconds.

Click on the link : http://tinyurl.com/5emc94

Thanks :)