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Reviews written by Administrator
HTC
HTC Touch Cruise Review and Overview
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
HTC TOUCH CRUISE WRITTEN REVIEW
When HTC announced their TouchFlo technology less than a year ago it become quickly apparent what the technology would morph into, at last that realization has been acknowledged in the HTC Touch Cruise, a fully featured business device that doubles as a multimedia handset and all in one GPS unit. The design, features, and overall feel of the HTC Touch Cruise showcase HTC's desire to grow their brand, while providing more functionality thanks to the use of a Quad-Band GSM offering. If you are an AT&T customer, or for that matter a GSM customer in general, this is the phone you have been waiting for. Check out our review below to learn more.
DESIGN
The HTC Touch Cruise is slightly larger than the HTC Touch and HTC Touch Dual models that came before it. The unit measures in at 110 x 58 x 15.5 mm, making it small enough to hold in hand, while still large enough to house a 2.8 inch touch screen on the front of the unit. When first confronting the HTC Touch Cruise users will notice a very sparse frontside. The unit features the screen, followed by a send key and end key which are both touch sensitive features, as well as a GPS shortcut key and an internet browser shortcut button which also feature touch sensitivity technology. Between the buttons rests the devices D-pad, unlike the keys it is not touch sensitive, but rather a tracking wheel with a button in the center that can be pushed to select your options. The front side also features a VGA camera for video conferencing.
Looking on the left side of the device the HTC Touch Cruise features a Voice Recorder / Voice Command button on the top left side, followed by a Volume up and down key directly below.
On the right side of the unit users will find the MicroSD card slot that supports SHDC card technologies, along with a camera button on the right hand side. The camera button is located in such a way that your hand won't get in the way of your shot.
Next on the bottom of the device the phone features the reset button, and the units MiniUSB slot.
The top of the device simply features the On/Off/Standby key.
Finally on the back of the unit the device features the battery cover release button, and the units 3.0 megapixel camera, with a self-portrait mirror.
Features
The unit features Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional, which makes editing Microsoft Office documents a breeze. It also means the unit features HTML Email, support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and a host of new applications that run solely on the Windows Mobile 6.0 API platform.
The device also features HTC TouchFlo technology, while this is not a new feature, being offered on the Touch series of devices for almost the last year, it is a nice feature for navigating around your device, while setting up your own shortcuts. One negative of TouchFlo is the battery use, because TouchFlo technology must be constantly running in the background it consumes more power. If you are a heavy user I would suggest purchasing a second battery and charging cradle.
The newest feature added to the Touch series is the Cruises very powerful Sirf III GPS Processor. The unit comes equipped with a TomTom Taster Map with one city, but can also function on most Windows Mobile 6.0 based navigation software. The GPS is not only fast, but also offers A-GPS support which allows for better GPS positioning. The second choice AGPS works off your networks data plan, so I would suggest you only use this option if you have an unlimited data plan through your carrier, but to be honest the stand alone Sirf III GPS processor works as well as any GPS unit i've seen on the commercial market.
Display
The HTC Touch Cruise features a 2.8 inch screen that offers a resolution of 240 x 320 while pushing out 65k colors. The display offers TFT Touchscreen technology with the HTC TouchFlo Technology. Overall the screen offers nice backlighting, however much like the previous HTC Touch models, it also features a screen that acts as an instant fingerprint magnent. Because the screen takes up much of the devices front side realty its a good idea to keep a microfiber cloth within reach, as you will definately smudge up the unit in a very short period of time. With that said, the screens fairly large size allows for easy access to the units keyboard, a 20 key and qwerty key setup can be chosen, or you can write on the screen via handwriting recognition.
My biggest complaint with the units screen is that VGA resolution is not offered. Instead the unit uses QVGA technology, and it really makes video playback suffer.
Camera
The camera functionality on the HTC Touch Cruise is helped along by the units impressive 3.15 MP backside camera, which also features a self portrait mirror. The camera can push out pictures with resolutions up to 2048x1536 pixels, the unit also features an autofocus feature that worked well enough, but did appear slow at times, especially if the images in frame were too close, or too far away. The picture quality was good, no real overtones or undertones except oddly enough in the top right corner of some pictures I took, and for normal distance pictures it worked as well as to be expected on a 3 mega pixel camera. The video abilities on the device were actually pretty impressive, much like my review of the HTC TYTN II I found the video to act fluent, and offer an overall good experience, the sound recording was also fairly crisp. Was it perfect? Far from it, but for a device that packs as much into it as the Cruise does, I was fairly impressed. The unit also features a secondary VGA videoconferencing camera which pushes out lower quality VGA pictures. Unfortunately Video Conferencing is still developing in the U.S. so I didn't have much of a chance to test the functionality of the camera in that mode, but for basic self portraits it works well.
Audio
The Touch Cruise features MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA/WAV/AMR-NB compatibility. What it doesn't feature is a dedicated headset plug, meaning you will once again have to plug in your MiniUSB adapter to the device, and use your headset from there. Propietary offerings from HTC have always rattled my nerves, and it appears as most developers go to standardized plugs HTC is continuing to resist the move in that direction. Oh Well, the audio at least sounded good, i didn't hear any background hiss while listening to light jazz, but I did notice a very slight background disturbance of some sort while playing back some harder rock music.
I chose to play my audio files through the pre-installed HTC Audio Manager music player. The audio manager let me sort tracks by artist, album, genre, or composer. I found setting up custom playlists easy, and the unit allows for an unlimited number of playlists to be added. The best part about the Touch Cruise audio manager is that it was actually designed for finger based navigation, helping add to the units use of its TouchFlo screen.
The unit also features Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, allowing for bluetooth stereo playback. I tested the stereo playback via a Motorola S9 bluetooth headset and I found it to connect easy, and offer solid playback.
Overall the audio doesn't offer anything new, but it works well, and the unit can function in place of an MP3 Player with no add-ons needed.
Internet
The HTC Touch Cruise's internet capabilities caught my eye thanks to three words "Opera Mini Browser" I have always been a big fan of the Opera Mini Browser, and i've made no qualm about that in my past posted. With the Opera Browser users can more easily navigate their favorite websites, zoom in and out on their favorite articles and website sections, and in general navigate more easily. Internet surfing on the Touch Cruise is made even easier thanks to the devices support of HSDPA access, also known as 3G access. The phone also features GPRS/Edge capabilities, meaning T-Mobile customers and other non-3G customers can still access the internet, albeit at slower speeds. Of course the internet can always be accessed via the devices WiFi connection which I'll discuss in the connectivity section.
Messaging
The unit features your standard MMS, and SMS messaging features, making text messages and video/picture messaging easy to follow with a no thrills offering. The unit also features Microsoft Exchange support all the way to Exchange 2007, and it supports POP email, giving users access to their email via their favorite email portals such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and others. Users can also sign onto MSN Messenger live by simply inputting their username and password, a feature offers on all Windows Mobile 6.0 units.
Connectivity
In terms of network connectivity the unit offers Quad-Band (850/900/1800/1900) GSM connectivity. Meaning GSM Users throughout the United States can take advantage of the device. Users can also connect to the internet via Tri-Band UMTS/HSDPA access, allowing for high speed data transfers over the phones internet connectivity.
WiFi 802.11 b/g connectivity is also offered on the device. The WiFi is certified and can connect to both secure and non-secure networks. I even used it on a MAC assigned WiFi network and it connected quickly and pulled up pages quickly.
Aside from 3G access the unit also features GPRS/Edge connectivity for users of non-3G networks.
The unit also allows for seamless data transfers via the devices Data sync cable which ships with the unit and allows for PC Syncronizations with the device.
Finally the unit features Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) and Bluetooth Stereo capabilities (A2DP). The Bluetooth data transfers were fast, and went smoothly, and the A2DP worked as well as could be expected.
Conclusion
Overall the Touch Cruise is an upgrade to the original models. While the design doesn't offer the same feel (Something I actually missed) the unit packs more of a punch, the 400mhz processor and upgraded 128mb Ram are much appreciated additions, and the inclusion of a GPS receiver running a Sirf III GPS signal was also welcomed with open arms. I still wish more than an 1100Mah batter was given, it forces heavy users to buy a second battery, and a charging dock if you don't want to charge your battery at night and wake up early to charge the second battery.
Overall the HTC Touch Cruise is a welcomed addition to the HTC Family, I only hope in future models they work out some of the propietary issues and allow users more options when adding hardware to their units.
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| Overall rating: |
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8.5 |
| Styling: |
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9.0 |
| Ease of Use: |
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9.0 |
| Display: |
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8.0 |
| Voice Quality: |
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8.0 |
| Battery Life: |
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7.0 |
| Quality/Build: |
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10.0 |
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LG
LG Chocolate (VX8550) Review
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Introduction
The original LG Chocolate didn't pack the functionality of the new VX8550 version, and it didn't look as sharp and defined, but it was still a huge success, and ultimately helped usher in a new set of mobile phone standards, including better MP3 Players, and all around better multimedia features. It should come as no suprise then that the new LG Chocolate VX8550 continues to build on the innovative design factor of its predecessor, while offer a slimmer, curvier, and all around sexier looking phone, while also offering several much needed updates.
Design
The contoured design of the VX8550 reminded me alot of the HTC Touch, with one big different, a prominent D Pad located in the bottom front section of the unit. The D-Pad on the new version of the Chocolate has luckily done away with the problematic touch pad of the previous unit, this time choosing to focus on a metalic feeling scroll wheel which provides a better user experience. Another cool feature of the D-Pad is a light that chases around the outside of the wrong D-Pad, and which can be programmed to alternate different patterns based on calls and other features. That D-Pad is then surrounded by four brightly lit red keys. The first is a softkey on the left side, and another softkey to the right, those keys are responsible for bringing up messaing and contact lists. While the bottom two keys feature a Speaker (Spk) quick launch button on the bottom left and a Clear (CLR) button on the bottom right. One of my favorite additions involves the touch feedback of the device, when one of the red touch sensitive keys are touched a small vibration is felt, queing the user that the key was successfully pressed.
Next, sliding the phone to the open position reveals a standard keypad with send and end buttons, of course a call can be answered by sliding the device open when a call is received in the closed position, and can be ended by sliding the device closed.
While examining the left side of the device, users will find a Volume contol console with an up arrow and a down arrow for volume adjustment, as well as a voice activation key below the volume controls, and towards the bottom there is a charger port.
For users looking to upgrade their devices memory, the right wide of the phone features a MicroSD card slot, which is expandable up to 4gb. The right side also houses the devices Lock function and a Music key for Multimedia shortcutting.
I personally used the Black Cherry colored unit which I found to be Glossy and attract fingerprint easily, but what touch type device doesn't attract fingerprints these days. The device is also available in a Blue Mint and Black Finish.
The LG Chocolate (VX8550) also comes with an 800 mAh Li-Ion Battery, the AC wall charger, A Headset Adapter, and the User Manual. You can also get several add on music parts from Verizon.
FEATURES
The OS on the Chocolate is nice and easy to follow, it runs on a Verizon Propietary system that relies heavily on a simple to navigate user interface with a pleasant rounded button design. The layout on the Chocolate is nice in default mode, but also offers a variety of themes, color options, and animations, which comes in handy for those users looking to personalize their unit.
The VX8550 also features a handy airplane only mode, the premise behind this option is that the phones radio transmitter is turned off, essentially turning the device into an MP3 Player that can be used in flight.
The phone uses an Auto lock feature, which activates after 17 seconds of no use. This wouldn’t be a bad feature if sliding open the device would unlock the unit for calling, but that isn’t the case, instead to answer or make a call the user must hit “ok” twice, while it may be a nuisance, at least I wasn’t making accidental calls.
The unit features an 800 mAh lithium-ion battery, which claims talk time up to 250 minutes and standby times of 350 hours, which may be the case with limited usage, but that is quickly cut into when you take into consideration music downloads and video viewing, still the battery appeared to at least perform better than the original Chocolate design.
DISPLAY
The VX8550 features a TFT screen that consumes a lot of output power, but luckily the phones slider design means only one screen is used, which helps reduce the battery sapping ability of the device. The screen itself is 2.2” on a diagonal measurement and features a pixel resolution of 240 x 320, which is capable of displaying up to 11 lines of text on the screen at one time.
CAMERA
The VX8550 features a 1.3 mega pixel camera, much like the original Chocolate. The device is capable of taking both still pictures and offers camcorder functionality. I was a little disappointed that there is still no flash on the device, hopefully it will be added in the next Chocolate release. The camera does however have a mirror next to the camera for the purpose of taking self portraits, I don't use that feature too often, but I caught on pretty quickly and the pics were well centered using that hardware option.
I was actually pretty impressed with the devices picture taken ability. Still shots were fairly vivid and crisp, I would even say they were better than some 2.0 mega pixel camera on the market. The camera itself is capable of shooting in three different resolutions 1280 x 960, 640 x 480, and 320 x 240 pixels.
The front side D-Pad is also used with the camera, by pressing the wheel you can adjust the brightness of the picture, and zoom in and out on your area of focus.
The camera also features a self time function, White Balancing, and "Conditions" settings, such as Nighttime and Cloudy, etc.
If you want to switch from Camera to Video or vica versa, simply press the camera key again. Unfortunately video resolution on the unit is a measly 176 x 144 and offers less than adequate video taking, but then again it is only a 1.3 megapixel camera so I wasn't expecting much more than that.
AUDIO
The LG Chocolate VX8550 supports Verizon Vcast services which allows users to download songs directly to their phones for a cost of $1.99. The cost for direct to phone service is higher than downloading MP3’s directly to your PC, but that partly comes from the convenience of the service, also keep in mind that while downloading you are charged airtime for the download, unless you subscribe to Verizon’s unlimited Vpak plan.
For the thrify shopper I suggest downloading the MP3’s to your computer, or transfer songs you already have directly to your Chocolate by using a data sync cable, or if you prefer you can take advantage of the devices SD card slot (up to 4GB) and load your songs directly. MP3’s can be played as long as they are unprotected, and are converted into WMA format upon upload.
The unit also features A2DP connectivity, meaning the use of a Stereo Bluetooth Headset is available, and my Motorola S9 connected flawlessly and offered excellent playback.
The sound on the VX8550 is good, but not much better, if at all better than the original model. I found very little background interference, and a fairly good tone from the device.
I also like the always present addition of the quickly launch music key which made accessing my song lists easy and organized them much like an iPod by genres, artists, playlists and albums.
MESSAGING
The LG Chocolate VX8550 comes loaded with a host of text and picture messaging options. A quick click of the messaging shortcut key for instance gives the option of sending a text, a picture with or without sound and a video message.
Its important to note that video messages are limited to 30 seconds or less.
In terms of text messaging, users can send messages for up to 10 users at a time. Users can also gain quick access to AOL, Yahoo or MSN Messenger IM accounts, while hotmail, gmail, yahoo and other web-based accounts are easily accessible via Mobile Web 2.0.
INTERNET
The devices internet is powered by EV-DO access, which can speed up to rates of 3.6 Mbps. The main function of this super fast connection is the ability to seamlessly stream Verizon Vcast offerings, such as access to news stories, streaming videos, weather channels, and a ton of other sites, most of which require the downloading of third party applications to run unfortunately.
I should also note that even though Web Service 2.0 will allow you to access your Hotmail, Yahoo, and AOL mail accounts, there is a separate monthly charge for the service.
All in all, not a bad service, but a fully supported internet browser would have been nice, I guess I’ll have to stick to my Windows Mobile Devices for that purpose.
CONNECTIVITY
The VX8550 offers a ton of Bluetooth pairings, when all is said and done up to 20 devices can be paired with the unit, why anyone would need that many pairing options is beyond me.
Since V-Cards have also become a popular option for Verizon users, I also likes the addition of the Object Push Profile (OPP) which gives users the ability to exchange V-cards. The device also features an SPP connection option as well.
CONCLUSION
When all is said and done the LG VX8550 is an impressive device, the design is flawless, and the overall build is much more impressive than the original Chocolate which was slightly flimsy. The audio doesn’t offer much more than the original but the A2DP feature made listening to music over a Bluetooth enabled A2DP headset easy, and was quite efficient. I thought the battery life was ok on the device, and the screen offered good clarity at only a slightly loss to battery life. I could have done without the auto-lock function, and I would have liked more Audio playback formats to be supported, as well as the addition of a more robust internet browser. However, the device is meant as an Audiophiles toy, and for that purpose I would highly recommend the VX8550 to any user looking for an easy to integrate audio option for all of their downloading and MP3 needs.
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| Overall rating: |
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8.7 |
| Styling: |
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9.0 |
| Ease of Use: |
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9.0 |
| Display: |
|
9.0 |
| Voice Quality: |
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8.0 |
| Battery Life: |
|
8.0 |
| Quality/Build: |
|
9.0 |
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MWG
MWg Atom Life Offers Excellent Mobility Solution
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
MWg Atom Life Review
Mobility according to dictionary.com is the "Quality of moving freely" a notion that with many cellular device users is often hindered by slow processing speed, and a lack of fully supported hardware and software applications for their units. Luckily the MWg Atom Life truly defines the above term, offering a set of Mobility applications, and hardware add-ons that showcase why the phone has been so popular in other markets, such as Asia and Europe. Now MWg has brought the device to the United States and has begun a campaign to compete with the worlds biggest Windows Mobile providers such as HTC and i-Mate.
Design
At first glance the MWg Atom Life resembled many of the HTC products on the market (This isn't a bad thing considering HTC's stellar reputation and strong build factors), which carry over well into the MWg device.
Looking at the front side of the device users will quickly notice at the top of the unit a long speaker followed by a VGA conference camera, one of two camera's features on the MWg Atom Life, next its impossible to miss the front display that takes up much of the phones front side realty. The screen measures at an impressive 2.7 inches and is accented nicely by the devices all black and glossy exterior.
Below the touch screen you will find two shortcut keys, which are programmed to the standard left side phone shortcut and the right side contacts, after all, why mess with a good thing.
Below the two shortcut keys users will find on the left side the Call answer key followed by a D-pad in the middle which is used to control media options and to toggle among the devices applications when not using the touch screen option, and to the right is the end call button.
Below that set of keys there are two final buttons, on the right bottom side there is the Windows Start button for easy access to Windows Mobile applications, and on the bottom right side is the devices Media launch key, this button will launch the user into the devices media applications and Windows Media player with the click of a button.
Looking at the top of the device the phone features three prominent areas, on the far right is the devices silver stylus which fits well into the units opening, while slightly to the left is the phones ON/OFF button which also takes the device out of standby, and to the far left is the units easy to access MiniSD slot, I really liked the MiniSD card slot which easily ejected the card by lightly pushing down on it from the top loaded SD card slot area.
Moving onto the left side of the device we first noticed the Volume control buttons which worked well for adjusting the device volume, while below those keys we found an IR Port for sending data, I will note here that I like the IR Ports which are quickly disappearing, while they may not be as fast as Bluetooth with EDR, they use much less power to operate.
On the bottom of the device there is the reset button, followed by a Mini USB adapter for charging and syncing the device, and then a very nice dedicated 2.5mm headset jack.
Looking to the right of the device we can next see on the bottom right side the devices quick launch shortcut key to the Atom Life's Camera/Video function, followed by a shortcut key programs as a quick launch to the devices notes section.
Finally the back side of the MWg Atom Life features a nice 2.0 megapixel camera with flash, and is accented by the MWg logo prominently featured on the unit.
Features
The MWg Atom Life comes equipped with one of my favorite features, a power saver mode, essentially by activating this feature you can actual slow down the devices massive 624mhz processor, thus saving battery life. This feature is perfect if you are using your device as a phone and not much more, if you are using the rest of the phones features I would suggest using the automatic mode as it tends to keep the device running smoothly while allowing for a lower power output.
Another nice feature is the units Media Shortcut key, a quick push of this front side loaded shortcut key allows for quick access to the devices media offerings, we'll talk about this more in the audio section.
I also like the new upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.0 which MWg announced after taking over the brand, with Windows Mobile 6.0 customers will now have access to HTML style emails, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, and all other Windows Mobile 5.0 to Windows Mobile 6.0 upgrades.
Finally, The Media shortcut key leads users into the O2 MediaPlus console, which features several shortcuts including: My Music, My Photo, My Video My Settings and My Radio, all which are accessible on the device.
Display
The TFT Touch Screen on the Atom Life features a nice 2.7 QVGA LCD display that pushed out 240 x 320 dots of resolution, while color support for 262k colors is available with an effective rate of 65,536. I found the backlit to be ample on the screen, while the colors could have popped more, the overall effect was easy on the eyes, and the standby mode still allowed me to see the background without taking the phone out of standby, creating another power saving mechanism. As far as QVGA screens go the device was up to par with devices such as the HTC TyTn II and other Windows Mobile based devices.
Camera
The device features two Camera's the first is the backside camera that offers 2.0 mega pixel picture taking with the help of a built in flash via a white strobe light. The device also features Macro Focus for up close picture taking. While the main 2mp camera also offers the ability to take pictures and video captures. Overall pictures appeared about as good as I would expect on a 2 mega pixel camera phone, there were slight yellow undertones, but they were decent, while video overall was okay, but lacked fluid motion at certain times.
The front side secondary VGA camera doesn't offer the same quality as the 2mp camera, however it does a good job with standard video conferencing, and quick picture taking.
Audio
The Audio features of the MWg Atom Life are what really make the device shine, as previously mentioned accessing Media functions is as easy as pushing the front loaded media quick launch key. Click on My Music and you are brought to a menu that offers shortcuts to the following categories: Albums, Artists, Playlists, Songs and Genres. Choosing one of those features you can then select your song, which can be played in several formats including MP3, WMA, WAV, and 64-chord Midi.
Audio came through crisp and clear both over the phones speaker system and through the included Stereo Wired headset. The phones SRS WOW HD (Surround Sound Experience) offered one of the better options I've heard in sound playback as of recent. While A2DP Stereo Bluetooth playback was more than I could have asked for, I personally tested the Stereo Bluetooth playback over a Motorola S9 and found it to work with fluid sound and very little background noise interruptions. A colleague of mine said his S100 bluetooth headset also offered great playback over A2DP.
Calls over speaker phone were also well received with a louder than normal speaker output.
Overall I found the Audio to be one of the biggest selling features for the device, while the media applications on the device were well suited for the phones offerings, giving the user just enough to enjoy the full audio spectrum of the unit, without bogging it down with needless applications.
Internet
The whole keep it simple stupid approach of the device continued with the use of Internet connectivity, essentially there are three connection options with the unit, first users in Europe and overseas can connect with 3.5G wireless access, being in the U.S. I didn't get to test this feature, however the Edge/GPRS connectivity was fast, and loaded pages at a suitable speed, since this unit is a Tri-Band device 3G was not really a concern due to T-Mobile's current lack of the technology.
Where I really found the MWg Atom Life to shine was in the devices use of WiFi capabilities, the unit operates on the 802.11 b/g wireless spectrum, and offers WiFi use even without the sim card being inserted. If you check out our video review of the Atom Life you can see that the pages load at lightning quick speeds, even over a standard ADSL connection, and it runs even more quickly over a Cable connection. The WiFi is easy to configure, simple access the Comm manager which is located on the front side of the screen and you are ready to go after clicking on your wireless network, if a password is needed you simply enter it and hit finish, its that simple.
Messaging
The overall messaging package on the O2 is pretty standard, support for exchange server is available if you are receiving email from your company and they run an exchange serve via Microsoft Outlook Mobile with Direct Push Technology, emails are picked up quickly and with Windows Mobile 6.0 upgraded to the device you can even view them in HTML format. While POP and IMap support allow you to connect to your favorite email portal and have your emails pulled to your device.
Text messaging is easy to use although the screen for doing so is fairly small, I suggest using the hand writing recognition, or downloading a full size keyboard application that will give the device more of an Iphone type keyboard feel and size.
Overall the messaging is easy to setup, easy to use, and offers a nice set of options, especially for emailing. Also, since the device runs Windows Mobile, you always have the option of downloading any number of Third party applications that will work with your favorite IM platform.
Connectivity
The MWg Atom Life offers several types of connections, the first connection is a standard USB connector, this connection allows users to sync via active sync to their PC and download or upload images, contact, calendars and all the other features offered with Active Sync in a flawless manner (Vista users can use Device Manager which is downloadable from Microsoft).
The second feature is the units Infrared irDa port, while not as fast as Bluetooth connectivity the irDA port takes about 4 times less power to operate and is only active when in use.
Finally, the device features Bluetooth 1.2 if you are not familiar with the Bluetooth versions, this unit will essentially allow you to connect up to 3 different Bluetooth devices at one time using different Com Ports. The biggest feature for Bluetooth on this device is the use of A2DP Bluetooth Stereo, which I discussed in more length during our Audio section review.
Conclusion
If you refer back to the original definitely of Mobility that I described at the beginning of this review you will remember it's the "Ability to Move Freely" the MWg Atom Life definitely allows users to move freely while adapting to a number of environments, whether that environment is business based, personal based, or a combination of both, the Work related applications such as Exchange Server support blend well into the playful multimedia applications that the device offers to its users.
I have read many of the original O2 Atom Life reviews, and I was unable to notice any of the freezing issues, even after heavy use, or any of the other issues related to the device, and my co-workers have seemed to agree that the device is not only ample, but a step in the right direction as the first fully branded device for the newly formed WMg, throw in the free upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.0 and its easy to see why other markets around the world have so heavily endorsed the Atom Life, and the rest of the MWg product line.
For pricing and other information visit
Expansys
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| Overall rating: |
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8.7 |
| Styling: |
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8.0 |
| Ease of Use: |
|
10.0 |
| Display: |
|
8.0 |
| Voice Quality: |
|
8.0 |
| Battery Life: |
|
8.0 |
| Quality/Build: |
|
10.0 |
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Reviewed by Administrator
January 22, 2008
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Last updated: January 22, 2008
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Samsung
Samsung Juke SCH-U470 Offers A Nice Cheaper Altern
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
Samsung SCH-U470 Juke
The Samsung Juke couldn't have come at a better time of the year, especially if you think of it as two christmas presents in one. On the one hand the Samsung Juke as it is known offers an MP3 styled device, while on the other, it operates as a typical cell phone, the best part of the present? Its cheaper than many MP3 capable phones on the market. The device is definately geared towards the younger crowd, offering a hip look in a portable package that fits perfectly into any active lifestyle.
Design
When looking at the front of the Samsung SCH-u470 users will immediately notice that the phone features a look similar to a skinny iPod, the device literally houses only a Silver D-pad accented by the grey surrounding of the phone, and a nice screen that occupies most of the front side realty, the device only measures 97mm x 31mm x 21mm (3.8" x 1.2" x 0.8") and weighs 87g (3.1oz). The real magic in the phone however lies behind the curtain so to speak. The D-Pad on the front side offers a unique swivel design, simply turn the front of the phone around 180 degrees and the devices keypad is revealed.
The Keypad on the Samsung Juke is a little differet than your standard keypad the phone begins with 6 buttons, on the top left there's a softkey followed by a one touch camera key in the middle and another softkey to the right of the device. The second row of keys from left to right includes a send button, a Clear (CLR) key, and an End Key which also acts as the devices on/off button. Below both row of keys is housed the phones numeric keypad, no surprises with the rest of the keypad its just your standard phone layout.
The left side of the device then features a covered headset port and the charging port for the device, as well as a lock and hold key which is used in conjunction with the phones MP3 player, ensuring you don't accidently switch songs or turn them on for that matter. The right side of the Juke then features the devices Volume Rocker, which not only controls volume, but also puts the Juke into Silence and Vibrate Modes.
The back of the device then features the phones speaker and VGA fixed camera.
The device is well built, however answering calls is not always fun, one the device is flipped open you have to rotate the phone to use to, its a little bit annoying, but its still better than having to carry an MP3 player and a phone around.
Navigation
I don't usually assign an area to discuss menu navigation, but I thought it was warranted with the Samsung Juke, to navigate menus the Dpad is used, and it truly does allow for easy navigation, a simple turn of the keypad allows users to navigate between listed menus, and each selection on the menu screen is assign a number for easy access. The device offers two skins so users have a choice of how their menus look. The Dpad shortcut keys also come preprogrammed as Picture and Video, Get It Now, Calendar, and New Txt Message, and they can be changed based on user preference.
Display
The screen on the Samsung Juke is nothing to right home about, its basically meant to find music, and to display dialed numbers. The Juke features a 1.45" display that outputs 262k colors on a TFT screen with a pixel resolution of 128x220. That's really about it, all together the screen is well lit, and offers no thrills, since there is no web browser which i'll talk about in a little while, it doesn't really need more, although I will admit that a smaller screen that doesn't push out the same resolution as others does help save on battery life, which is actually pretty impressive on the device.
Camera
The VGA fixed focus camera on the Samsung Juke is nothing to write home about, however for a VGA based camera the pictures were decent enough, even in low light. There was some undertones that appears in light blues and greys. The device also lacks video recording, I didn't really consider this a nuisance considering the phone is meant as a music phone, not a full blow multimedia device. The Camera does allow for several types of pictures to be taken, in VGA mode pictures display at 640 x 480 pixels, QVGA mode displays at 320 x 240 pixels, and the low resolution setting displays at 224 x 168 pixels. While there is no video mode, the phone does offer a self timer, typical picture effects and even a self portrait mirror mode. One big problem I had with the device was that pics can not be transferred via USB, I wanted to display my pics on this review, then I realized I would have to send them via Verizon's Pix Place or through my email, and I didn't want to spend money to transfer pics when many other devices simply allow for the use of the USB sync option, I think this may have been an intentional oversight, after all Verizon is in the market to make money and it seems like a good way to increase MMS messaging.
Audio
The device comes loaded with a nice little feature, 2gb of onboard memory, that's about 500 songs, and the songs can be downloaded via Windows Media Player and through Verizon's Music Manager Application. I tested the device with both options and found both to be suitable, Music Manager it should be noted does come at a cost, so for the cost conscience I would suggest using the simple to navigate Windows Media Player option. After loading my music I decided to set my music player to a visual setting I preferred, being a visual person I found the skins available to be easy to setup, and they didn't look to bad. There is an equalizer also available, however I found the factory installed settings to work fine for basic listening, if your a musician, or you just like a certain amount of bass or treble I will say its easy to adjust your songs to your liking. The device supports MP3, WMA, and AAC music files, and the music player can be accessed without needing to open the phone.
I received quite a few calls while listening to music, and I was pleased that the device paused each track easily and accessed my calls immediately, returning to the song after each call was ended. I wasn't please however that the device uses a 2.5mm jack, I needed to use an
adapter to hook up my expensive 3.5mm headphones, although for casual listening the included 2.5mm stereo wired headset works just fine, i'm just picky.
The MP3 Player on the Samsung Juke will also play music in the background as you run other applications, I didn't even notice a lag when I chose to exercise this option. The device also allows for quick entering and exiting of music, a simple push of the keypad can launch and end your song choices at will, while locking your MP3 player to make sure you don't choose songs or end them is easy with the help of the multpurpose Volume Rocker on the side of the device.
I was also impressed by the devices use of Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP accessibility. A2DP allows users to stream stereo music to their Bluetooth enabled stereo headsets, allowing for wireless audio connectivity with overall good sound. I tested the device with a Motorola S9 (Currently my favority A2DP headset to date), and found that it sync's easily and works with no problems that I noticed in the few hours I used the headset. Background noise was generally isolated and sound quality was of overall good quality.
Internet
The Samsung Juke is not a high speed internet machine, in fact it doesn't offer a browser at all. That's not to say users have no access to Verizon based applications, Juke users can still access Verizon's Get It Now Apps, and VZ Navigator. Outside of that, there is really not alot to the devices internet capabilities, its simple, its straighforward, and to be quite honest, it didn't really need robust internet support, especially with a smaller screen that would have made browsing uncomfortable to begin with.
Messaging
I liked the messaging features on the Verizon Juke, although it was missing some key support, aside from typical T9 predictive text message the device also offers access to Verizon's Get it Now Mobile messaging, which I found easy to use when sending AIM and Yahoo messages, as well as Live Messenger, which I didn't test since I don't use Live Messenger. The phone also allows for the storage of up to 500 contacts, which can be combined with their respective email address and other contact information, and which can be synced with Microsoft Outlook. I will mention that the Juke does not have any built in email support or instant messaging include, instant messaging as I noted must be downloaded. User can however download their Outlook contacts as Vcards if you are near a bluetooth device.
Connectivity
As I mentioned in my audio section Bluetooth 2.0 is present with A2DP connectivity, the device also allows for PC syncing through the Cellular Phones USB cable, which is also used to charge the device. The battery on the device also lets you stay connected with 3.5 hours of talktime and nearly 10 days of standby time. I actually found almost 4 hours of talk time to be available upon testing, give or take 10 minutes.
Conclusion
Overall the Samsung Juke from Verizon is a suitable phone for music lovers who are looking for a low cost alternative to the more expensive iPhone. The device isn't going to keep you connected in the way you would be from a pocket PC, or from higher priced alternatives, however if you are not looking to cruise the internet from your device and you want an MP3 player and small phone in a small package its a nice alternative to the Sprint Upstage also made by Samsung, and it does offer a unique spin on the cell phone design. Overall I liked the device I found its build to be top notch, and minus a few announces with the way I had to answer the phone, I would have to say the device is worth the money, and any Verizon CDMA user on a budget should appreciate the device, heck even if you don't have a budget in mind, if you want a nice MP3 device added to your phone, this might be the device for you.
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| Overall rating: |
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7.7 |
| Styling: |
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8.0 |
| Ease of Use: |
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7.0 |
| Display: |
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6.0 |
| Voice Quality: |
|
8.0 |
| Battery Life: |
|
9.0 |
| Quality/Build: |
|
8.0 |
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