Saturday 15 December 2012

Samsung Galaxy S3 mini REview..

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Key Features
  • 4in display with 480 x 800  resolution
  • 1ghz dual -core processor with 1gb ram
  • 8gb storage
  • 5-megapixel camera with HD video recording
  • Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

Galaxy S3 Mini: Introduction

When I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy S3 and compared it to the iPhone 4S back in June, I said that it was - just about - the best smartphone money can buy, knocking Apple off the top spot for the first time in five years.
I said Samsung had shown the world that the iPhone's 3.5in screen was too small, although it might have over-egged the pudding a bit with the Galaxy S3's 4.8in display, leading me to think that something in between the two is probably best.
Samsung must have been listening, because now we have the Galaxy S3 Mini, a phone that borrows exactly the same design as the regular S3, but trims the screen down to four inches.
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The processor, storage and cameras have all been on a diet too, so will the S3 Mini bring us a pocket-friendly S3, or has Samsung dumbed the S3 down too far to reach the £300 price tag?

Galaxy S3 Mini: Design and Feel

The Galaxy S3 Mini is exactly what the name suggests - a smaller version of the S3 with the same design, button layout, thin profile and light weight.
My pebble blue review unit looks great - better, in my opinion, that the white one with its fake metal strip around the edge - but the glossy plastic still has the same cheap feeling as the regular S3.



The 4in screen is protected by Corning 2 Gorilla glass and below it sits the central physical home button, flanked by two capacitive touch buttons for menu and Google Now (with a long press) on the left, and a back command on the right.
The right edge is home to a power/screen lock button, while there is a volume rocker on the left, a headphone jack at the top, and a microUSB port for charging and syncing next to a microphone on the bottom.
Above the screen there is a chrome speaker grille next to a front-facing VGA quality camera, and finally on the back there is a centrally-positioned 5-megapixel camera next to an LED flash and loudspeaker.
At 111.5g, the S3 Mini is half a gram lighter than the iPhone 5, which also sports a 4in display. At 9.9mm the Samsung is noticeably thicker than the 7.6mm iPhone and, strangely, the 8.6mm Galaxy S3.
The S3 Mini's footprint measures 122 x 63mm, compared to the iPhone 5's taller-but-thinner 124 x 59mm.
I've never been a huge fan of Samsung's excessive use of plastic on its Galaxy tablets and smartphones, but the S3 Mini (in blue at least) does a good job of exhibiting the quality its £300 SIM-free price tag suggests.
This doesn't mean it's perfect though, as I found a number of light scratches on the back of the phone after just a few days of being carried in my bag. The S3 Mini didn't share a pocket with any keys or loose change during my time with it, so I'm not sure what caused the scratches.
I found the full-size S3 a little too cumbersome to be used with one hand, because I couldn't quite reach the top of the screen and even the lock button and volume rockers were a stretch; but with the S3 Mini, I can comfortably use it single-handed, and it feels more secure in my hand.
With the S3 I felt my hand was under the phone rather than around it; the S3 Mini fixes this perfectly.

Galaxy S3 Mini: Hardware and Connectivity

Unsurprisingly, the S3 Mini gets very similar hardware to the regular S3, with a microUSB port being the only external connection, and there's a microSD card slot hidden beneath the battery, along with space for a regular-sized SIM card.
Even though it's hidden awkwardly beneath the 1,500mAh battery, you'll be happy the microSD slot is there, because the S3 Mini comes with just 8GB of internal storage, and only 4.5GB of that can be used by the user, with the rest assigned to storing the operating system. Although the phone doesn't come with an SD card - at least my review unit didn't - you can pick up a 32GB card for around £15 online..
Inside, the S3 Mini has everything you would expect of a high-end smartphone, from Wi-Fi N, to the ability to be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP for streaming music to wireless speakers and headphones.
There's also the usual range of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor and a digital compass for use with mapping applications.
The S3 Mini is powered by a 1GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM, which is significantly down on the regular Galaxy S3's quad-core 1.4GHz processor, although the smaller display and lower screen resolution helps the Mini overcome any issues this may have casued the performance.

Galaxy S3 Mini: Operating System and Performance

The Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and has the Korean company's TouchWiz skin draped over it. I'm a big fan of TouchWiz in its current guise and have liked it since the Galaxy S3 arrived earlier this year.
What it means for the S3 Mini is the same 'inspired by nature' UI as the full size S3, and that means the same watery effect on the lock screen and a wide range of motion controls, such as tilting the phone to zoom in on photos, pan the phone to move around when zoomed in, and turn the device over to mute an incoming call or pause playing music.
Some users will see no purpose to these features, but once you learn how to use them (and most importantly, remember to use them) they can make interacting with the S3 Mini more enjoyable and efficient.
Another 'inspired by nature' feature taken straight from the regular S3 is Smart Stay, which will keep the screen on and unlocked while you look at it, but if you look away then it will lock, thanks to the front-facing camera 'watching' you. Creepy perhaps, but it works effectively.
Elsewhere, Android users will feel right at home, with the seven home screens offering up space to stick application shortcuts and widgets; a swipe down from the top gives you your notifications and quick access to toggle settings like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, mobile data and automatic syncing on and off.
There's also a link to the full Settings application and a slider to adjust the screen brightness - bizarrely, Samsung has removed the auto screen brightness function for the S3 Mini, so you'll have to adjust it yourself if you want to get the most out of the battery.
Despite being much less powerful than the quad-core Galaxy S3 on paper, the Mini feels nice and responsive, with the home screens flying by at the slightest touch, notifications coming through and opening quickly, and multitasking between applications takes no longer than on more powerful phones.
With less pixels to push around, the 1GHz dual-core processor isn't bad at all, and goes to show that with smartphone performance you shouldn't always read a book by its cover. Of course, intensive 3D games are going to tax the S3 Mini and drain its battery, but for regular day-to-day use I didn't encounter a single problem with performance.
If you've ever been watching a video on your phone but keep getting interrupted by text messages and emails, or want to play a game at the same time, then Pop up Play on the Galaxy S3 Mini is for you.
Pop up Play is an icon in the video player, tap this and the video pops out into its own small window that can be dragged around the screen and placed over any other application.
This means you can keep watching the video while answering a text message, or continuing your game of Angry Birds. While not being a feature that I can see myself using often, Pop up Play is a great way of demonstrate that the S3 Mini's performance is better than you might think: in testing, the phone didn't slow down at all while playing some HD video over the top of other applications.
Of course, running HD video and a 3D game at the same time is going to kill your battery, and where the feature made sense on the large S3, the Mini's screen isn't really big enough for Pop up Play to be useful, but I'm glad to see Samsung has kept the feature in, to prove the S3 Mini packs a bigger punch than its name suggests.
The S3 Mini's 1500mAh battery is slightly larger than the iPhone 5's, and I was able to get two full days out of it, although this was with very light use, as I wasn't using the Mini as my main phone initially.
Having said that, I had push notifications coming through from Twitter, Facebook and Gmail, so some users might just get two days out of the Mini. But once I started to use the Mini as my main phone battery life fell faster so, as ever, I'd recommend charging the phone every night, just like every other.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini: S-Voice

S-Voice can be activated by double-pressing the Home button or by saying a predetermined phrase, such as the default "Hi Galaxy", but having this feature turned on means the phone is constantly listening and will affect battery life.
In testing I found S-Voice to take some time to answer my questions, more than ten seconds in some cases, and often key clauses of requests were missed. For example, asking S-Voice to remind me to buy lunch at midday tomorrow resulted in a reminder to buy lunch tomorrow, but at 9am.
Despite this, S-Voice impressed me with its ability to understand indirect phrases such as "is it going to rain tomorrow?", which produced tomorrow's weather forecast for my current location.
All told, S-Voice is good enough at answering basic internet searches and filing reminders, but I found it's voice recognition not accurate enough to be trusted every time. I like that Samsung hasn't filled S-Voice with jokes and film references (I'm looking at you, Siri), but a broader understanding of colloquial phrases and sentences with multiple clauses would be helpful.
Because S-Voice is accessed by a double tap of the Home button, there is always a small delay between pressing the button once and the phone responding, as it waits a second to see if you're going to press for a second time.

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini: Display

Samsung's efforts to reduce the size and cost of the Galaxy S3 mean the Mini misses out on an HD screen. Instead, the 4in display has a resolution of 480 x 800 and a pixel density of 233 pixels per inch (ppi) which, for reference, is about the same density as the iPad mini.
The iPhone 5 comfortably trumps this, with a resolution of 1136 x 640 and a pixel density of 326ppi, but that doesn't mean you should discredit the Samsung on numbers alone.

Monday 5 November 2012

AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE AT PACC WITH REVIVING YOUTH & ANIMA

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 AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE AT PACC WITH REVIVING YOUTH & ANIMA

When work and study stress exceeds a limit, I often try refreshing myself amongst young teenagers and enthusiastic tech-savvy audience. Last Sunday on 21st October 2012, the team of Reviving Youth and Anima(Towards Light) organized an event tagged as "Scene On Hai" which means Plugged in or to be more appropriate Scene is On in English. It was organized at PACC's auditorium i.e Pakistan American culture Center in Karachi.  The event included some interesting guest speakers and was spiced up with Magic, Illusion, Drama and Singing performance which literally turned my mood on. Ayesha Gull, President of Anima invited us for a Guest speaking session which proved no less than a great honor. Following are some highlights that we could capture so far during our one and a half hour presentation, the longest so far.
GUEST Speaker:-
Following is the complete list of invited guest speakers:
Abid Beli - CEO & Founder at Beliscity
Rehan Allahwala - Founder and President of Super Technologies Inc.
Mohammad Mustafa Ahmedzai - Founder STC Network
Following is the list of Guest speakers from within the organizing team
Adeel Jatoi - President Reviving Youth
Hammad Shaikh - V.P Anima
Hammad Makani - Young Entrepreneur
What Did We Talk This Time?
For a detailed highlight of the talk, we appreciate you read the following:
Presentation at Greenwich University
This time the topic I chose was "Its time to start your online business" The audience was mostly of age group 16-25,  I therefore ensured to keep the discussion focused on entrepreneurship by sharing different aspects of online business and its utmost importance in students life in current era of growing economic recession, unemployment and career orientated approach to life. This time I emphasized on PLAN A and PLAN B strategies of life and explained the difference between both by providing a solution at the end on how to get rid of the common PLAN A life and start their online business right form today by taking intelligent risks.  I had never enjoyed speaking so much as I did that day because there was too much of fun and laughter everywhere and yet a productive participation from all corners. Distributed some gift hampers again along with a unique surprise, that further added colors to the event. :)

You can download the slides from here:
Some Snapshots:
Following are some photos that will narrate the remaining half of the story. :)
Photo Credits: Photos with no watermarks are taken by our personal photographer Saad Khan and the watermarked ones are from the PACC team.
About the Team

What amazed me the most was that the entire event was organized mostly by young teenagers from different academic institutes of Karachi and each one of them was a bucket full of extra ordinary skills and talents. The entire team offered us great hospitality and were indeed a great company. I would like to thank Ayesha Gul , President of "Anima" and Adeel Jatoi, President of "Reviving Youth" for their invitation and especially for their endeavors in enlightening the youth by providing them with a productive and creative platform. Wish you guys more power.
Your views?
The slides include some important ingredients that are required for a lucrative online income. The videos recorded were not in their full version because some important part of the discussion is missing and that's why we can not share them online. For details related to Plan A and Plan B, you may  surely post your queries in the comment box below.
How far do you think you need to establish your own business, no matter online or offline?
What business ideas do you have that could be put online to earn a living?
Do you think students need to worry about all such headache at an early academic stage or they should rather think of business after graduation?
Your ideas would mean a lot. I will be posting regularly for one week, after which Qasim will be managing the blog on my behalf. My terrible exams are on their way and EID has yet to come. I would love to help you guys as much as time allows within this period. Peace and blessings buddies :)


Sunday 4 November 2012

Sony Xperia SL review: The NXT one

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INTRODUCTION

A refresh, instead of a proper upgrade. A replacement model rather than a successor. Is the Sony Xperia SL aiming too low? Many will probably say so, but you can't blame Sony for trying to extend the life of a pretty solid smartphone and one of its best-received handsets.
The Sony Xperia SL might not tempt anyone already owning the Xperia S to upgrade, but then again that's where the Xperia T steps in. The new Sony smartphone takes the path of the Arc S and tries to give a once successful flagship better chances to survive in the mid-range.

The Xperia SL finds itself in the middle of an extremely fierce battle. It's squeezed between the affordable dual-core NovaThor-powered droids and the flagships from the beginning of the year, which have undergone several price-cuts and are ready to conquer new territories.
The question is whether the Sony Xperia SL has what it takes to survive in these conditions. A look at its main strengths and weaknesses should help us with the answer.
                                                           Key features
  • Quad-band GSM /GPRS/EDGE support
  • 3G with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
  • 4.3" 16M-color capacitive LED-backlit LCD touchscreen of 720p resolution (720 x 1280 pixels) with Sony Mobile BRAVIA engine; Scratch-resistant glass
  • Android OS v4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
  • Dual-core 1.7 GHz Scorpion CPU, 1 GB RAM, Adreno 220 GPU, Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8260 chipset
  • 12 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geo-tagging, Multi Angle shot
  • 1080p video recording @ 30fps with continuous autofocus and stereo sound
  • 1.3 MP front-facing camera, 720p video recording
  • Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
  • GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
  • 32GB built-in storage
  • microHDMI port, dedicated TV launcher
  • microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
  • Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
  • Stereo FM radio with RDS
  • Voice dialing
  • Deep Facebook integration
  • PlayStation Certified, access to the PS Store
  • Accelerometer and proximity sensor
                                                    Main disadvantages
  • More powerful chipsets can be had for the same price
  • Display has sub-par viewing angles
  • No microSD card slot
It's quite obvious, that even after the speed bump, the Sony Xperia SL isn't the most powerful droid around. There are several offerings within its own price-range to offer Krait cores and newer generation graphics processors, which might or might not matter too much, depending on wether the Sony smartphone can offer a smooth ride through the UI.
Plus, there's the 720p BRAVIA-powered screen of Retina-beating pixel density and the very capable 12 megapixel camera, which give the Xperia SL a couple of potent weapons of its own. The design has not changed one bit, but few will deny that the Xperia S was already one of the sleekest looking smartphones around.
It appears that the Xperia SL won't allow our jury to make an easy call, so let's kick off this review in the hope that by the time we are finished, the picture would be more clear..................................................


iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: Which phone should you get?

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iPhone 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S3: Which phone should you get? hulk_thor 
Android is the most popular smartphone platform on the planet, Samsung is the most popular Android manufacturer, and the Galaxy S3 is almost certainly going to be the most popular Android phone this year. And the iPhone 5 is going to be one of the most popular phones, period. So, that means anyone looking to buy a new phone for the next year will likely end up trying to decide between the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple's iPhone 5. The good news is, both are phenomenal devices. The bad news is, that makes the choice especially tough. Our Mobile Nations sibling site, Android Central has already given you their take. Here's mine.
iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Hardware
I'm not wild about Samsung hardware. I'll state that bias right up front. When it comes to Android, I far prefer the build and material quality of HTC to Samsung. Likewise the LCD to SAMOLED PenTile display. That said, Samsung has been improving year after year, generation after generation. It's still not at the level of HTC, much less Apple or Nokia, but it's better. Apple's fit and finish is still out of this world. At roughly 20% thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4S, the iPhone 5's glass and aluminum monolith, from design to construction, simply outclasses Samsung's plastic river stone.

Build aside, however, Samsung continues to jam a breathtaking amount of specs into their flagship line. While the Galaxy S3 screen remains PenTile, it's also HUGE. 4.8-inches, 1280x720 huge to be precise. That absolutely dwarf's even the iPhone 5's newly expanded 4-inch, 1136 x 640 screen. The iPhone 5's IPS in-cell display looks better and at 326 ppi than the Galaxy S3's 306 ppi, and is insignificantly sharper, but overall size does matter. Unless you really want a screen you can use one handed, or you have tiny hipster jean pockets, or you really care about pixel-perfect graphics, Samsung's bigger is bigger. (You might even be able to skip a Nexus 7 if you buy a Galaxy S3 -- it's seriously, luxuriously, big.)

When it comes to performance, it's difficult to compare Apples to Samsungs. The iPhone 5 has the brand new Apple A6 processor, which they simply cite as being twice as fast as last year's Apple A5. Apple has a huge advantage in that they tailor make their own unique software for their own exactly matched hardware. Body and soul in one device. Samsung has to fit Google's generic software to their specific hardware. Hand at the wheel. The Apple A6 is Apple's first custom chipset with a dual-core ARM v7s based processor and triple-core PowerVR graphics chip. That's a big deal. To geeks. For everyone else, Samsung's 1.4GHz Exynos quad-core monster will likely be every bit as impressive. Tie.

Apple has a higher built-in storage option, at 64GB to Samsung's 32GB, but Samsung lets you put in up to 64GB of extra, micro SDHC storage. There are some cons to removable media, but not enough to stop me from giving Samsung the edge there.

Both the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3 have aGPS and GLONASS. Both go up to 802.11n Wi-Fi at 5GHz and Bluetooth 4.0. Both can support ultra-fast 4G LTE. Apple can't do simultaneous voice and data over LTE, so if you're on AT&T/GSM, you'll drop down to still fast DC-HSPA+. If you're on Verizon or Sprint, however, you'll be offline (unless you're on Wi-Fi), just like the pre-LTE days. If you use a lot of simultaneous voice and data on Verizon or Sprint now, like looking things up on the web while talking on the phone, Samsung has the advantage. The Galaxy S3 also has NFC, which is a checkbox in its favor to be sure, but only if you frequently have a mobile payment system, check in system, or other NFC-enabled Android devices to work with. Still, winning.

Samsung had a dud of a camera in the Galaxy Nexus, but made everything right in the Android world again with the glass in the Galaxy S3. It's 8 megapixel, f2.6 shooter looked almost, if not exactly as good as the iPhone 4S' 8 megapixel, f2.4 lens. We'll have to wait and see what, if any, pure photon enhancements the iPhone 5 camera offers over the 4S before we can decide this one, but once you factor in software and apps, it'll almost certainly be too close for any mainstream shopper to call.

So when it comes to hardware, the story is pretty much what it always is with Apple and Samsung: Apple wins on design, manufacturing, and elegance, and Samsung wins on size, power, and quantity of specs.
iPhone 5 vs. Galaxy S3: Software
iOS vs. Android is almost a cliche at this point. To take just one example, Apple's personal digital assistant, Siri, has a funner, better personality, and is tied into some helpful apps and services, but Google Now is being more aggressive when it comes to context awareness and predictive behavior than Apple. Siri will do what you tell it. Google Now will try to figure out what to do before you tell it.

But here's the thing -- the Galaxy S3 didn't ship with Google Now because it was released before Android 4.1 Jelly Bean hit the market, and Samsung included their own S Voice instead. When Apple releases a new OS, every compatible iPhone gets it the same day. When Google releases a new OS, it can take weeks, months, or an eternity for you to get it, depending on the manufacturer and the carrier. Buy an iPhone 5 with iOS 6 this week, and you'll get iOS 7 day and date next year. Buy a Galaxy S3 this week and it's even odds when, if ever, you'll get next year's version of Android. That may not matter to you -- your phone will keep working the same then as it does now.

If you like the idea of consistent, dependable software updates, Apple has the edge over Samsung. (As do Android Nexus devices with "pure Google" experiences like the Galaxy Nexus.)

Apple is also leading the charge on accessibility features for users with special needs. You don't need to be able to see or hear, for example, to get considerable value from an iPhone. Aside from that, both Apple's Safari and Google Browser/Chrome will get you to your web pages. Both the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3 have email programs so you can get your messages. Both have a myriad ways to listen to music, watch videos, and do everything else you'd expect a modern mobile computing platform to do. iOS 6 on the iPhone 5, however, is one thing. The software on the Galaxy S3 is two. It's Android 4.0 Ice Creme Sandwich on its way to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean at the core, but the frosting is all Samsung's own TouchWiz interface. For some people, that's an easier, friendlier blessing that enhances the Android experience. For others, it's a blight they dearly wished Samsung would spare them by simply going stock.

The thing about most Android phones, however, is that you can customize and change it far, far beyond what Apple allows with iOS. Sure you can almost always root Android and jailbreak iOS, but you can do more, and more easily, with the Galaxy S3 than you'll be able to do with the iPhone 5, and for a while still. That includes everything from widgets for easy, glanceable information, to different keyboards to adjust your typing experience.

So software is a similar story to hardware. Apple writes better code and creates more cohesive, consistent user experiences than Google. But Google makes code that does more things and is more customizable than Apple. Argue that all you want, but at the end of the day iOS in invariably smoother, more intuitive, more up-to-date, and more pixel perfect than Android, yet just as invariably misses out on a lot of features Android gets early and gets stock. If you want something that's accessible and just works, iOS has the advantage. If you want something configurable that just works the way you want it to, Android wins.




Apple iPhone 5 review: Laws of attraction

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INTRODUCTION

The iPhone 5. As in five million units sold over the course of a … weekend. Can't say no to that. This is the latest installment in the smartphone series that changed the mobile phone industry and we can understand people couldn't wait. Now, what is it they couldn't wait for?
The Apple iPhone 5 brings the long anticipated larger screen and more capable internals that we already know are ready to trade blows with the most powerful chipsets out there.

There's also the new slender, slimmer body that no photos really do justice to. If all of Apple's claims are true then the iPhone 5 is a real engineering masterpiece - double the performance in a more compact package without sacrificing anything in terms of battery life.
They could've done worse. A lot worse. But this is Apple telling you to prepare to be wowed. So you have every right to play hard-to-please.....
                                                                   KEY Features

  • Quad-band GSM and quad-band 3G support with 14.4 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
  • LTE support where carriers support it and CDMA support when sold by CDMA carriers
  • 4" 16M-color LED-backlit IPS TFT capacitive touchscreen of 640 x 1136px resolution
  • Scratch-resistant screen glass, fingerprint-resistant coating
  • 1.2GHz dual-core custom-designed CPU, PowerVR SGX543MP3 GPU, 1GB of RAM, Apple A6 SoC
  • iOS 6 and iCloud integration
  • 8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and touch focus
  • 1080p video recording at 30fps
  • 1.2MP secondary front-facing camera
  • Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
  • GPS with A-GPS connectivity; digital compass
  • 16/32/64GB storage options
  • Accelerometer, proximity sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor
  • Active noise cancellation with a dedicated secondary microphone
  • Standard 3.5 mm audio jack, stereo Bluetooth v4.0
  • Excellent audio output quality (though worse than 4S)
  • Apple Maps with free voice-guided navigation in 56 countries
  • Voice recognition, Siri virtual assistant
  • Supports HD Voice (needs carrier support too)
  • FaceTime video calls over Wi-Fi and cellular
  • Impressively slim and light
  • Great battery life                                                                
                                                               MAIN DISADVANTAGES

  • Aluminum body looks cool but is easy to scratch
  • Proprietary connector, incompatible with previous-gen accessories (needs adapter)
  • The new display is not proportionally bigger, but only taller
  • Unadapted apps run letterboxed due to the unusual resolution
  • nano-SIM support only
  • Apple Maps app not up to scratch
  • No USB Mass Storage mode
  • No FM radio
  • No stereo speakers
  • No microSD card slot
  • No NFC connectivity (though that may be nitpicking)
  • Stuck with iTunes for loading content
  • Mono audio recording in videos
Should the iPhone 5 be worried about not doing quite enough in terms of new design and features? That question sounds ridiculous considering the sales numbers. But there's a long-term perspective that goes beyond a record-breaking opening weekend.
http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_5-review-822.php



Motorola DROID RAZR HD review: Now in HD

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INTRODUCTION
Roughly a year after Motorola brought the RAZR franchise back to the masses, we have the second generation of the popular DROID on our hands. The Motorola DROID RAZR HD for Verizon Wireless comes to the market hot on the heels of its frameless baby brother, bringing a few extra tricks to go with the more impressive screen.
Roughly a year after Motorola brought the RAZR franchise back to the masses, we have the second generation of the popular DROID on our hands. The Motorola DROID RAZR HD for Verizon Wireless comes to the market hot on the heels of its frameless baby brother, bringing a few extra tricks to go with the more impressive screen.
Key features
CDMA/EVDO network support
Quad-band GSM and 3G support (available only outside of the United States with Verizon roaming)
LTE network support
21 Mbps HSDPA and 5.76 Mbps HSUPA
4.7" 16M-color Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels); Corning Gorilla Glass
Superb build quality; Kevlar coated, splash resistant body
Lightly customized Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich
1.5 GHz dual-core Krait CPU; Adreno 225 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8960 chipset
1 GB of RAM and 16GB of storage; microSD card slot
8 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; face detection and geotagging; 1080p video recording
1.3MP front-facing camera for video-chat
Wi-Fi b/g/n and DLNA
NFC connectivity with Android Beam preinstalled
GPS with A-GPS
Accelerometer, proximity sensor and auto-brightness sensor; compass
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v 4.0
microHDMI port
Beefy 2500mAh battery with good performance
Smart dialing, voice dialing
Google Chrome preinstalled as the default web browser
DivX/XviD video support
Office document editor
Main disadvantages
No dedicated camera button
CPU and chipset not on par with the latest crop of competitors
Battery is not user-replaceable
Huge amount of preinstalled bloatware
Even a quick glance at the spec sheet of the Motorola DROID RAZR HD is more than enough to show how massive an improvement the newcomer is over its predecessor. At the same time Motorola's designers have been extremely conservative with the looks of the DROID RAZR HD - the smartphone is unmistakably a RAZR.
Google's touch is strongly felt throughout the software of the device - staring with the barely modified UI, all the way to Google Chrome being the default web browser. An update to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean is promised before year's end, so the overly anxious have no reasons to worry about being left with the cold Ice Cream Sandwich for long.
However, we can't help but notice that, even at its launch, the Motorola DROID RAZR HD appears outgunned by some of its competitors in terms of processing power. Quad-core is the talk of town these days and the latest DROID RAZR is not a member of the elite club. Read on to find out if it has enough other talents to overcome its shortage of CPU cores.



HTC sensation XE review

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This phone is so brand spanking new that it was announced just a day before we first held it in our palms. It adheres to the sensational HTC Sensation's template, but with the addition of ear-pleasing Beats Audio processing and a few spec upgrades.
You needn't be an audiophile to enjoy the new profile, but you will need a set of Beats Audio headphones.
Thankfully, a pair come with the device. In our tests so far, we've noticed a real difference, with the tinny edge of HTC's sound enhancer diminished, the crispness of sounds augmented and the only potential grounds for minor quibbles being the ear canal-shaking levels of bass.
The good news continues elsewhere, with a 1730mAh battery that should have more staying power than the original Sensation, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor to keep the experience smooth and an eye-pleasing design.
Treat your senses and check out the full review when it lands.

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