Apple iOS 6 preview

Apple used the keynote of its annual WWDC event in San Francisco to announce the latest version of their iOS mobile platform. The sixth major build of the OS aims to bring the user experience to the next level with no less than 200 new features, services and UI tweaks.

The number is certainly huge, but then again so were the expectations of the millions of Apple fans around the globe. The fact that iOS 6 will only go official in three months' time heaps even more pressure on the latest release of the platform. By that point Android will probably have Jelly Bean to chew on, while Windows Phone will have released the multi-core friendly Apollo.

The iOS 6 key features include a Siri upgrade, system-wide Facebook integration and brand new Maps with turn-by-turn voice navigation. There're plenty of lesser new goodies such as achievements in the Game Center, new App store UI and the Music app, improved Safari with full-screen mode, better Mail, etc.

The complete changelog is coming up, but first we'll get the issue of compatibility out of the way. iOS 6 is compatible with the three latest iPhone generations (3GS, 4 and 4S), iPad 2 and 3 and the fourth-gen iPod Touch. The first iPad is not on the list, so if you are still holding on to the original Apple slate, you might finally want to consider an upgrade.

A few other restrictions apply, too: the iPhone 4S has finally lost its Siri exclusivity, but it's only going to share it with the iPad 3. The turn-by-turn navigation and the Flyover mode in Maps can be used only on dual-core iDevices - iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPad 3.

Source I GSMArena

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LG Optimus L5 to launch in Europe this month

LG is still trying to grab mind share in the congested world of manufacturers who offer Android handsets. The Korean based OEM will be releasing another phone this month in Europe, which includes the UK, Germany, and France. This latest device will be called the Optimus L5. The L5 will carry low-end specs – like an 800 MHz CPU, 4 GB of internal storage memory (which can be expanded up to 32 GB by way of an Micro SD card), and a 5-megapixel camera. Yea, it’s not very impressive.

Besides the mediocre specs, the phone carries a decent sized screen at 4-inches and has a 9.5mm thick body. LG still has a long ways to go when it comes to being a dominant player in the Android market.

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Sony Water Proof Android Handsets Xperia Acro S and Go

Sony water proof android handsets now outside of japan with Xperia acro S and Xperia Advance. it is gradually revealing more and more about those models.

The company outed two videos that detail the specs and waterproofing of the phones, and will be answering questions about them at the Sony Blog at 10am ET today, so you can head over to the source link and ask what bothers you about any of these two.

For all it's worth, the sony Xperia acro S seems to be a waterproof Xperia S in terms of specs, and the Xperia go is pretty appealing in its flashy color combinations, shown in the video below.

Source | Phonearena

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Nokia Lumia 610 Review

Nokia Lumia 610 Review

Nokia used its press conference to expand its Lumia range of Windows Phone 7 handsets, with the brand new budget Lumia 610 and release of the big Lumia 900 outside of the US. It’s the first handset that is of more interest though, as it takes advantage of an upcoming Windows Phone 7 update that will make the OS run smoothly on more modest devices.

Using a fairly modest Qualcomm 7-series chipset, and with just 256MB of RAM, the Nokia Lumia 610 will be the cheapest Windows Phone 7 handset yet, allowing the OS to compete with budget Android offerings. A recommended price of 189EUR isn’t quite in the 100GBP territory of some Android handsets, but it should bring the OS to many who previously were priced out.

Just how well Windows Phone 7 runs on a handset with half the RAM remains to be seen. It also has a Qualcomm S1 800MHz chipset, which though far from cutting edge, isn't exactly sluggish on Android. A 3.7in with the usual 800x480 Windows Phone resolution certainly doesn't look budget.

We tried the handset out on the stand and it felt OK, maybe a little sluggish to load some apps, how it stands up in proper use when it’s packed full of apps all running in the background remains to be seen.

In terms of look and feel, the Nokia Lumia 610 stands up well comared to the more expensive Lumia 710. However, we were sad not to see the 710’s replaceable fascias on this model. Instead it comes in pink, cyan, black and white – with a metallic strip around the screen that complements the main colour.

Nokia is placing this model as an introductory handset to Windows Phone 7 for a younger audience. As such, we should see it widely sold as a pay-as-you-go model, something the current line up is sorely missing. We look forward to testing it fully, and seeing just what apps do and don’t work the handset.

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Nokia Asha 203 Review

The Nokia Asha 203 is similar to Asha 202 sharing almost all the same specs. The actual  difference is that the 203 doesn't support dual SIMs so it lacks the extra SIM slot on the side.

Design

The 203 has the same candybar form as the 202, with a shiny black plastic face, edged in metal trim. There's a choice of three basic handset colours -- red, white or grey.

The keypad on the 203 is alpha numeric so you need to multi-press each key to form words when typing texts and emails.

The display is a 2.4-inch touchscreen, but it's the resistive type, rather than the capacitive screens found on most smart phones.

On the back there's a 2-megapixel camera, which isn't going to win you any photography awards, but it's a welcome addition to a device at this price.

Software

Like all of its fellow Ashas, the 203 runs Nokia's Series 40 OS, so it sits squarely in the budget blower category.

Nokia has tweaked the S4 interface to fit its diminutive screen dimensions. The emphasis is on getting to stuff quickly and easily with minimal presses. For example, contacts shortcuts can be added to the home screen and swiping left or right will take you to your favourite contacts or to games and apps.

As with the other Ashas in the range, the 203 can be hooked into your Facebook account so you can post and view updates from the home screen with only minimal key presses.

To encourage app downloading, Nokia is making a gift of 40 EA games that can be installed onto the 203 for free in the first two months of use. That's one reason why you will certainly need to expand the internal 10MB of memory via the microSD card slot that supports up to 32GB of extra capacity.

Outlook

The Asha 203 won't appeal to gadget fiends. But it's very cheap so it could make a good basic or first phone for kids wanting calling, texting, light social networking and games on tap.

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Nokia Asha 306 Review

Nokia is proud to introduce Nokia Asha 306 touchscreen phone. At the moment there are ten Nokia Asha phones available in more than 130 countries worldwide, providing young consumers budget friendly cell phones with smartphone-like features. The Nokia Asha 306 is a fun and entertaining single SIM phone, and becomes Nokia's most affordable Wi-Fi handset to date. The Nokia Asha phone has been made to provide a rich mobile experience to users who want to be set free from excessive data costs and short battery life. 

Nokia Asha 306 phone features 

The Nokia Asha 306 is a fun and entertaining mobile phone. The Nokia Asha phone features a bright and colorful 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen along with Bluetooth and Dual Band connectivity. The Nokia Asha comes with 40 mobile games, a 2 Megapixel digital camera, Nokia Maps and the revolutionary Nokia Browser which helps significantly lower data costs. Along with all these great features, the Nokia Asha 306 phone also provides WLAN, enabling users to stay connected while on the move. The Nokia Asha 306 mobile handset also supports video streaming through both GPRS and WLAN, meaning this Nokia phone truly is a fun way to stay in touch. 

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Nokia Asha 305 Review and Specs

Nokia Asha 305 Review

Nokia has announced three new members of the family of Asha version of the Touch handset the first time. They are the Nokia Asha 305.

Nokia Asha 305 Features

Nokia Asha 305 dual-SIM. I ni-sized handset 110.3 mm x 53.8 mm x 12.8 mm and weighs 98.3 grams. This handset has a resistive touch screen 3 “WQVGA resolution, a 2MP camera, microSD card slot, dual-band GSM with EDGE connectivity and 1110mAh battery. Asha also provided 305 Bluetooth 2.1, microUSB 2.0 port, 3.5 mm audio jack and an accelerometer. Together with Nokia Asha 311, Nokia Asha 305 also provides 40 free game from EA Games and Nokia Browser.

Nokia Asha 305 Specifications

• Network: GSM
• Internal storage: 10 MB, 64 MB
• Card slot: microSD 2 GB inbox (Support up to 32 GB)
• Memory: 32 MB
• Type: TFT Resistive TouchScreen, Multi Touch
• Size: 3.0 inch
• Resolution: 240 x 400 pixels
• Camera
  • Back: 2 Megapixel
  • Video Recording: 176×144 (10fps)
• Data Connectivity
• GPRS
• EDGE
• Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR
• microUSB microUSB v2.0
• 3.5 mm Audio jack
• Size
  • 110.3 x 53.8 x 12.8 mm (HxWxD)
  • 98 grams
• Battery
• Type: Li-Ion 1110 mAh
• Talktime 2G: 14 hours
• Music play: 40 hours
• Stand-by 2G: 22 days

Source : Free Smartphone

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Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300 Review

The Galaxy Pocket makes the Galaxy Mini look like it's on steroids and the Y series like a bunch of semi pros.

Life at the bottom of the food chain is far from enjoyable but it can be pretty exciting, and some creatures have figured out how to adapt. They're usually small, fast and good at mimicry. The Galaxy Pocket meets the size requirement, but we'll have to check about the speed. And no, no one will mistake it for a trimmed down S III but some feature phones may be fooled into getting too close.

Some Specs

• Quad-Band GSM and dual-band 3G support
• 2.8" 256K-color QVGA TFT touchscreen
• 832MHz ARMv6 processor, 289MB of RAM
• Android OS v2.3.6 (Gingerbread) with TouchWiz UI
• 3 GB of internal storage, hot-swappable MicroSD slot (up to 32 GB)
• 2 MP fixed-focus camera with geotagging
• GPS receiver with A-GPS
• Stereo FM radio with RDS
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Swype text input
• MicroUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth 3.0
• Social network integration

Disadvantages

• Low screen resolution limits choice of apps
• Fixed focus camera
• No secondary camera
• No camera flash, no dedicated camera key
• QVGA video recording @15fps
• No Adobe Flash support

This is obviously as basic as a smartphone package gets, but the Galaxy Pocket is still a true droid. It gives users quad-band GSM connectivity and dual-band 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a capacitive, multi-touch enabled screen. It can be a basic music player and a basic camera - and the expandable memory is one of the key features that make the Galaxy Pocket a smart buy.

There're lots of blank spots on its spec sheet, which make it vulnerable to older midrange droids in the same price range, but the Samsung Galaxy Pocket is for learners, not knowers. Convenience and affordability were top priorities, in what Samsung would like to see as the first step towards a long-term commitment.

Source : GSMArena

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Google Upgrades iPhone Search App

Google has updated the search app that it developed for Apple's iPhone and says that it now offers a way to access all of a users Google apps in one place.

The autocompletion of search suggestions is significantly faster in this latest version of the app, bringing search predictions instantly with each letter typed.

The upgraded app also helps pages load faster, and checking out multiple pages is easier with the slide-in panel. Quickly swipe back and forth between webpages and search results, and swap between search modes like Images and Places with a swipeable menu.

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Motorola Xoom gets Android 4.0 update

It was reported that two Verizon products, the Motorola Xoom and the HTC Rezound would soon be slated for an Android 4.0 update.

New features include the Roboto system font, panoramic shooting, email search, the ability to save web pages for offline reading, and a photo editor integrated in the Gallery app.Customers on the Big Red are now able to update their tablets to the Ice Cream Sandwich OS.

In addition, improvements have been made to quicken the response time for screen rotations, there are more video editing effects, and and you can now launch the camera from the lock screen.

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