Technologies evolve, things get faster, cheaper, sleeker and generally more efficient, but this progress is perhaps most evident in the mobile phones industry. There are still a lot of us that remember a time before mobile phones even existed, when such a technology was reserved for ill conceived Sci-Fi movies, none of which even came close to predicting just what type of potential this technology truly had.

It is hard to say when exactly did it all start, what was the first mobile phone available to the general public, but most people agree that it was probably Motorola’s DynaTAC made in 1973. It is not surprising that the first call made from the first mobile phone was if not a prank call than a spite or a gloat call. It was made by Motorola’s vice president at the time Martin Cooper and at the receiving end was his rival from Bell Labs, Joel S. Engel. They have been competing for the position of the first company to produce an autonomous phone and Motorola won. But it still took ten years for the phone to be mass produced and offered to the general public. It worked on the first 1G analogue service but it cost almost $4000, you should double the amount if you wanted to know how much that would be worth today.

Now, DynaTAC was a technological marvel at the time since it allowed you to make calls wherever you were (as long as you respected the limitations imposed by the yet imperfect cellular network), but it was still so cumbersome that the term “mobile phone” was to be taken with a grain of salt, a “barely mobile phone” might have been a better description, so Motorola pulled up the sleeves and in 1989 made MicroTAC, the first flip phone ever designed that didn’t boast the battery life of its older brother but that was much smaller and lighter. When you mention mobile phones today this is, roughly, what you are thinking of.

So it was possible to make calls, what else can you do on a mobile phone? BellSouth and IBM tried to answer that question with IBM Simon, a device that is the best known ancestor of what we would now call a smartphone. You could make calls with it, but you could also send or receive faxes, it had an address book, a calendar, calculator, world clock, note pad and an e-mail client. It also featured a touch screen which at the time was not really as common place as it is today. The honourable title of the first smartphone is often accredited to Nokia’s 9000 Communicator, a clamshell phone that featured a full QWERTY keyboard made in 1996. But the term samrtphone itself was not coined until a year later and Ericsson’s GS88, the first phone whose intelligence was considered to be above average.

2G bought new possibilities and new ways to improve mobile phones. The first 2G digital GSM network was launched in Finland in 1991. It allowed for many new and exciting technologies such as texting that we know and love today. The first text message was sent in 1992 in the UK. It also allowed for limited use of Wireless Application Protocol and Nokia’s 7110 was the first phone to make use of that new possibility in 1999. The same year brought us GeoSentric’s Benefon Esc, the first device that combined a mobile phone and a GPS navigator, as well as the first phone with a camera Kyocera’s Visual Phone (VP-201), although its camera was used only for video calls. The first phone that used the camera the way it is used today is Sharp’s J-SH04, which first hit the shelves in the year 2000.

It is in 2000 that another massive game changer was introduced. It was Symbian, the open system that was first featured in Ericsson’s R380 Smartphone. Open systems brought the new revolution to mobile phones industry. They allowed you to do things you couldn’t think of before and further reduced the gap between mobile phones and PCs. Symbian’s development further emphasized the imperfections of the obviously outdated 2G, so in 2001 the first non commercial trial network was launched in Tokyo area by NTT DoCoMo. The main difference between the old technology and the new one was that 3G used packet switching for data transmission instead of the now outdated circuit switching 2G relied on. This allowed for much higher connection speeds and finally, streaming of radio and television content to mobile phones.

But the development of mobile phones was, after all, not all about new technologies and ways to improve their functions. They also needed to look good. Motorola RAZR was the first device that was marketed as a “fashion” phone in 2004. This started a trend and a whole new class in the mobile phones industry. The size and functionality were not necessarily the most important features of a phone anymore, after all, not everyone needed high speed internet or a camera that could take pictures of bacteria, some people were just happy to have a functional phone that went well with that new purse they bought.

The year 2007 brought what was perhaps the most talked about mobile phone ever – Apple’s iPhone - a touch screen smartphone that had incredibly intuitive interface that made people wonder why did no one manage to do something like this before. This model revolutionized the industry and became the bases for many more or less successful copy cats.

We have come a long way since 1973 and DynaTAC, we have seen a great number of open systems, network types and innovations, giant companies joined forces to create things that still leave us in awe (Android being just one of the examples) competition made the advances ever faster, and we still don’t have a clue what the future has in hold for us, how long will it be before we really get the chance to see phones featuring holographic displays and things that today’s Sci-Fi movies are making wild assumptions about. Well, we don’t know, but the past has taught us that the wait can be pretty fun, and that the results often surpass even our wildest imagination.

This is a guest post by Melissa Mayer - she is the executive editor of http://www.mobileshop.eu/. She is a modern technology expert and Android mobile phones are her passion. Her idea was to introduce her audience to the latest trends in mobile industry.  

If this sounds like you, here are a few phones and gadgets that won’t leave your fingers disappointed.

The Toshiba Portege G500 and G900:

http://www.mobilephonereviews.org/uploads/Image/Toshiba-Portege-G500-Mobile-Phone.jpg The Protege G500. (Source: mobilephonereviews.org)

http://www.mobilegazette.com/handsets/other/toshiba-g900/toshiba-portege-g900.jpg The Protege G900. (Source: mobilegazette.com)

According to CNET, Toshiba has come up with a pair of smart phones that are truly a delight to operate. The G500 is small enough to fit easily in your palm and features a slide out keypad and 2 megapixel camera among several other features, including a speedy internet connection. Other buttons, such as the camera key and operating buttons, are easily accessible and respond well. The G900 takes it up a notch by featuring a bright, responsive touchscreen and a slide out QWERTY keyboard with individually raised buttons to ensure easy typing.

What makes these phones different from others, however, is their ability to actually fingerprint the user. Flip either phone over and you’ll find a screen that acts as a fingerprint scanner. This will ensure that any confidential emails or other documents are seen only by you. Best of all, you can even view these private documents on the same screen and scroll through them simply by using your fingers. This, combined with the aforementioned reasons, makes either phone an amazing addition to any collection.

 
The Blackberry Curve 8900:

http://www.myhphone.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/blackberry-curve-8900-picture-2.jpg The Blackberry Curve 8900. (Source: myhphone.com)

Blackberries are well known for being competent email phones. However, while their speedy internet connection and intricate email interface certainly is useful, it’s their design that truly makes them shine. Along with being able to enjoy its sleek, attractive design, the Blackberry Curve 8900 comes with a QWERTY keyboard that is truly a typist’s dream. Broad and big, it has individually raised buttons for quick and easy texting or emailing, making it an ideal finger friendly phone.

 
Motorola DEXT:

http://media.boygeniusreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/motorola-dext-orange-500.jpg Motorola DEXT. (Source; boygeniusreport.com)

The Motorola DEXT is another phone that’s ideal for texting, typing, and accessing widgets and websites. Not only does it come with a great slide out QWERTY keyboard, but its touch screen is big, bright, and beautiful as well as responsive and easy to use. Unlike a lot of touch screen phones out there, the operating system isn’t so flashy and confusing that the phone is difficult to use, either. It also comes packed full of social networking goodies, allowing you access to twitter, facebook, emails, texting, and more.

If a brand new phone isn’t what you’re looking for, here are a few interesting gadgets you can add to your current phone to make it a bit easier to use.

CLIQUICK:

CLIQUICK is an application you can install on your phone to make texting and writing emails much easier. It looks much like a phone’s regular keypad, with some exceptions regarding letter and symbol placement. It is specifically designed to allow you easy access to the most used characters. It’s even compatible with 100 different languages. Best of all, you won’t have to use a stylus with this program―the buttons are big and easy to press, making texting with a touch screen easier than ever before.

You can learn more information here: http://www.clickapps.com/moreinfo.htm?pid=18073&section=ppc

Finger-Friendly Friend:

The Finger Friendly Friend is an application that makes organising your contact lists much easier. This program is designed to allow you access to your most frequently contacted friends. Along with being fairly low memory, it also features the Doesn’t Really Matter Where You Touch Keyboard, which means that regardless of where your fingers access the keyboard, you’ll be able to find your most common friends.

Learn more here: http://www.jotto.no/fff/manual.html

RATING: 4.5/5 – The Samsung W880 is the perfect gadget for any technical buff. Equipped with a 12-megapixel optical-zoom camera, the phone is sure to be a hit amongst consumers. The easy to navigate touch-screen interface delivers a fantastic user experience, whilst the camera permits stunning videos and pictures to be taken with a simple point-and-click feature. The absence of WiFi connection capabilities knocks points from the overall tally, but we can clearly see that this phone will win over millions through its versatility alone.

Unfortunately for the rest of the world, the Samsung W880 is to be released only in South Korea, with a similar model being distributed to American and European shelves at a later date. Disappointing as this is, the new-and-improved W880 AMOLED phone, which does not have a confirmed release date as of yet, will be equipped with the ability to connect to WiFi networks, making it well worth the extra wait.

One of the first things we notice about the phone is its bulky, thick demeanour, which in fairness is to be expected considering the array of purposes it serves. It may not be the prettiest of phones and may not be as sleek as similar models, but taking its multi-functional personality into careful consideration, Samsung have done a great job in jamming so many features into such a portable device.

As you may have gathered, the camera is the focal point of the phone and does nothing to disappoint the consumer. With optical zoom and Xenon flash, the lens is good enough to rival a mid-range digital camera, which is a pretty impressive feat for a mobile handset.

Beneficially, the W880 camera is fairly simple to use and users do not require a degree in applied photography to accomplish the most difficult shots. With an array of options and special effects to experiment with – the novelty never ceases.

The quality of the images produced by the phone is second to none, with barely any noise levels or interferences visible. Vibrancy and exciting colours are incorporated into each and every shot, meaning that great pictures can be snapped whatever the lighting.

Thanks to the touch auto-focus tracking employed by the phone, the best possible focus is achieved. This reduces the chances of blurred shots upon processing the images for print out via your laptop or computer.

In addition to the camera, the Samsung has a number of positive attributes working in its favour, such as the 3.3 inch lit interface and the healthy 4GB worth of internal storage. The lack of WiFi connection does let down what is otherwise a wonderful phone, but we must not forget the brilliant job that Samsung have completed in the production of this exciting gadget.

It is astonishing to think that a mobile and digital camera could be rolled together so seamlessly to produce a new product entirely, but Samsung really have achieved this feat remarkably, as it can be very difficult to do well. The W880 is sure to go down a treat in South Korea, with the improved sibling proposed to enter worldwide sales soon to better it still. Samsung have created something quite unique – a great phone cum camera, meaning it is ideal for all mobile phone users: whatever their agenda.

Have you ever wondered what controls your mobile phone? How does such a compact handset manage to deliver so many applications and options? Basically, this all comes down to the operating system, or an OS for short. An operating system is almost like the ‘brain’ of the phone, and plays the part of providing a software platform for other applications to run off. Not only does it control the features and functions offered by your handset, it also permits further third party applications to be downloaded and installed. In this article, we take a look at some of the most common operating systems in today’s world, analysing in depth their various features, applications, advantages and drawbacks.

 
Windows Mobile 6.5

Windows Mobile 6.5 is the latest operating system from Windows, designed exclusively for use on mobile and smartphone devices. Since making its official début in October 2009, Windows Mobile 6.5 has settled itself as one of the most advanced, complex operating systems ever created.

So, what are the main features of this much anticipated system? Well, the revamped version of Windows Mobile 6.1, 6.5 features an all new ‘today’ screen, which permits the user to review their daily appointments, pending alerts, missed calls and more. And that’s just the home menu!

Another particularly bold feature of the 6.5 software is the honeycomb-styled start screen. The logos of all the various applications are set in a tessellated, honeycomb arrangement, which is quite engaging, but slightly difficult to adjust to.

6.5 also gives users the chance to access the web quickly and easily, with the assistance of the new and improved web browser. Windows Marketplace can also be used at the click of an icon, something which did not feature on previous software.

Android 1.6

Android 1.6 is the latest addition to the Android family, and promises to be a complete facelift of its predecessor, Android 1.5.

The all-new mobile framework delivers several exclusively designed extras, including a one-of-a-kind feature which is able to lead the user to the most relevant search results. It does this by memorising the most popular searches over a period of time, and subsequently revealing the most fitting content.

The software also delivers a new and improved camera experience, which gives users the opportunity to exchange between still and video capture screens. Additionally, the unique camera interface also permits the navigator to capture shots at a rapid rate, with the time taken in between the snapping of shots reduced by a grand total of 28%.

Another promising feature of Android 1.6 is the useful battery usage application. The screen makes the user aware of which particular apps are consuming the most power, so that the purchaser has the opportunity to make informed decisions as to which apps to use and which to avoid. Clever, isn’t it?

Taking in to account the software as a whole, Android are blatantly keen to launch a serious competitor in to the world of mobile phone operating systems. The 1.6 version is certainly worth keeping a close eye on, as it could prove a serious rival to other frameworks.

Symbian OS 9.5

The new arrival on to the Symbian scene, the 9.5 version is set to appear on many phone models in the near to immediate future.

Enriched multimedia facilties are promised as part of the new package, as are a great range of connectivity options.

One feature that particularly stands out about Symbian 9.5 is the camera, which excels in all fields. Through the provision of over 35 different modification options, the camera interface is pretty much unrivalled - giving the user the chance to enhance images and reduce red-eye, whilst also toying with the auto-focus feature.

Symbian is well-known as the worlds most popular operating system, and the 9.5 version lives up to the high expectations entirely. Navigators will have an abundance of connectivity choices ranging from Wi-Fi to 3G.

The Symbian OS 9.5 is the ideal choice for anybody on the lookout for a reliable and unique, yet an intelligent software platform.

iPhone OS

Developed exclusively for the iPhone and iPod touch by Apple, the iPhone OS is a fairly new arrival on to the operating system scene, which focuses mainly around the touch activated interface of the device.

Apple have really formulated something quite individual in the iPhone OS, as it is swishing, swiping and tapping motions that are required to navigate the interface, rather than simple clicks.

The home screen displays an assortment of icons, all of which take the user to separate applications. Although some of the icons come pre-installed, many applications must be downloaded separately, for which there may be some charge.

As a whole, the application support that the iPhone OS offers is quite astounding. Thousands of apps are available to install, courtesy of the ‘App Store’ function, which comes as a complimentary feature. Whether it is news, games or music you are on the hunt for, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be a well-fitting app.

All-in-all, the iPhone operating system focuses mainly upon providing excellent app support, rather than looking to showcase internal Internet services, for instance. There are separate apps for pretty much everything, but the user is directed to a different screen/interface, which explains why the OS takes up so little space of the overall memory.

After reading this article, you will hopefully have generated an improved understanding of how an operating system functions. It is clear to see: the software platform really is the main controller of the phone, the headquarters, so to speak.

Next time you look to purchase a phone – find out about what operating system it runs on first. By getting some background information on the OS of the phone, you’ll find it far easier to identify whether or not it is well-suited to your needs. Just bear in mind: the above examples are a mere few of the most common frameworks in operation, but there really are many more.  

1.If you spilled liquids such as salt water, soda, or coffee, you’ll need to rinse off your phone thoroughly before drying. This may sound like you’re only worsening the problem, but in the long run it helps flush out any salt or sugar crystals that can damage the interior of your phone.

2.Pat the phone dry with a soft cloth or paper towel. Be sure to open any crevices normally protected by rubber seals, such as headphone jacks or charger plug-ins. While the phone dries out, keep it on a paper towel to help in absorbing everything.

3.Once your phone has dried out for a little while, you can help the process along a bit by gently running a vacuum hose along the phone. Just be careful not to accidentally suck it into the vacuum cleaner!

4.Canned air is also a nice alternative for blowing stubborn droplets out of crevices, though some avoid this, as the chemicals found in canned air can be dangerous. If you decide to use canned air, stick to areas on the phone’s exterior.

5.If vacuuming or using canned air on your phone isn’t effective, denatured alcohol is another alternative. This substance is known for absorbing water. It also evaporates gradually. However, it’s not a good idea to use this on the inside of your phone, as it may become trapped there. Once your phone is dry, be sure your phone is alcohol free before putting your batteries in.

Now that you have a better idea of what to do with a soaked phone, here are some methods that you should decidedly NOT try:

1.DO NOT turn your phone on after it gets wet. Checking to see if your phone still works may seem like a smart thing to do, but turning it on will actually damage it more. It’s best to keep it off and do your best to dry it off as thoroughly as you can before checking.

2.DO NOT blow dry your phone. Even the lower settings can potentially damage your phone’s delicate interior, especially as each blow dryer has different heat settings.

3.Similarly, do not put your phone in the oven, even on lower settings. Doing so may damage your oven. Worse still, there’s always the risk you may accidentally melt your phone, which will leave you with a very unpleasant mess to clean up.

4.DO NOT microwave your phone. This will render your phone into a sparking mass of melted plastic, and you will ruin your microwave as well!

Keep in mind that even if you manage to salvage your phone from the watery depths, your screen may have a few dead pixels or wonky glitches. Other times, your battery may not survive. If you find yourself unable to fix your phone, it’s time to face the music and look into recycling your mobile. Additionally, be sure to get rid of your batteries in an eco-friendly way. You can learn more about how to ditch your waterlogged phone by reading our previous entries on how to recycle your electronics.

If you want to prevent this from happening again, there are preventive measures you can take, such as purchasing a waterproof case such as the one featured here. These are especially useful if you plan on taking your phone to the beach or out on a boat. They’re great for preventing dirt or sand from getting inside your phone as well.

All else failing, try investing in a waterproof or water resistant phones. The Samsung B2100 Solid is a prime example of a phone that won’t keel over and die if splashed or dunked. Buying a replacement can be cheaper through mobilephone cashback deals.  

In today’s mobile phone market, manufacturers often attempt to lull consumers in to a false sense of security, selling handsets that boast excellent features and come complete with innovative gadgets, when really the basic necessities have been excluded from the overall package. In this article, we review the different flaws and faults that are often at the heart of the phones we invest in.

 
With a camera without flash, you can forget night photography

Despite sporting top-of-the range, 5-megapixel cameras, many camera phones do not actually have flash capabilities, which is very disappointing.

Since the invention of flashlight powder way back in 1887, flash photography has developed to become a camera must-have, an essential, especially when taking shots at night time or in poor light conditions.

In fact, when flash is not present within the camera, photography can be made as equally difficult during the daytime as at night. Not only does this useful technology permit extra illumination to be added to dimly lit scenes, it also enables quickly moving objects to be captured clearly.

All things considered, without flash, photos taken in negative light or at high speeds will be practically useless, even if the camera boasts an impressive 5 megapixels.

Getting connected must mean WiFi

WiFi is the modern world’s answer to connecting to the internet. Basically, it translates to wireless networking or wireless fidelity. If a phone sports WiFi, that’s half the battle over in terms of connectivity. This is because not only is it fast, but it is reliable and comes at a relatively low-cost to the user.

Typical WiFi (also known as 802.11) networks are faster than any of their rivaling competitors - even EDGE, 3G or ASDPA. In truth, WiFi offers such a high transfer rate per second – a mobile phone without it is practically unbearable, especially in the cosmopolitan society we are part of.

The reasoning behind WiFi’s electrifying pace is due to its smaller service range, i.e. each connection operates over a small, local area, meaning that when outside of the locality, the connection cannot be sustained.

Another decisive factor that separates WiFi from the rest is the fact that you can often access it in public spaces. Many airports, coffee shops, libraries, hospitals, colleges, hotels and fast food restaurants now offer a WiFi connection – free of any added charge.

Adding to the thread of positivities, promising initiatives are up and running on a worldwide basis to cut costs for internet users in city residences through the provision of a local WiFi connection. Government plans imply that this kind of service could be delivered at an attractive, low fee, or else entirely free of charge.

Poor battery life equals poor performance

Many modern mobiles offer so many stimulating applications and additional features that they completely and utterly exhaust themselves – quite literally.

Phones which flaunt the most extravagant features often also offer the worst performing batteries, many of which only last for 12 hours or less– even if they are untouched within that time period. When your phone struggles to make it through the working day, you must begin to worry somewhat.

There are various ways in which you can improve battery life, for instance, by putting your phone in a low-power state, but the implications of such terrible charge cannot be evaded entirely. Eventually, despite all of your desperate attempts to prolong the battery life, your handset will succumb under the pressure.

Purchasers often find themselves in a state of sheer shock when their phone appears to fail after such a short time, but the stupefaction rapidly transforms in to irritation as to why your phone needs to be re-charged on a daily basis. Particularly when you have forked out a great deal of cash to pay for a phone, the last thing you expect is for it to continuously cut out on you.

Consumers beware: even if your phone does offer gripping games, enticing extras and awesome applications, what is the point if it doesn’t last past the hour?

Empty boxes could leave you out of pocket

Upon purchasing a mobile, you ordinarily receive a box of some description, containing not only the handset, but the vital accessories necessary to get the maximum potential out of your phone.

Most manufacturers are considerate enough to include the bare minimums at least, i.e. a fully compatible charger, USB cable, USB headset, an SD card, a headphone jack, a battery and a user manual.

However, some of the more sinister companies will leave you very disappointed indeed; excluding the majority of the above stated necessities from the boxing, which is quite ridiculous considering that mobiles don’t come at a low cost in the first place.

Without a charger – what purpose does a phone serve over a prolonged period of time? Without a user manual, how is the user supposed to fathom out the ins-and-outs of their mobile? Ultimately, if you are missing one or more of the above essentials, you will eventually have to cough up the cash.

To make matter worse, having to fork out for these accessories at a later date often delivers quite a killer punch where it hurts – the pocket. Under most circumstances, you won’t even be able to cut corners by purchasing the additional items from a secondary retailer, as only the exact manufacturer will sell the much-needed part (a common example with Sony Ericsson and Nokia phones, which both have custom-sized headphone sockets).

All in all, it really is imperative that you investigate what your desired mobile really has to offer; especially in a market where conning the customer is unfortunately a common occurrence.

Does the handset of your dreams really meet up to the high expectations that you have come to think of it? Does it provide the bare essentials, or just elaborate extras to masquerade the missing links? By not distinguishing the truth at the beginning, you could well be letting yourself in for a wide array of problems in the long-term future.

Remember: look beyond the glorified aura of the phone, get down to the clear-cut facts and avoid any unpleasant disappointments.  

With dozens of touch-screen phones being released by mobile phone manufacturers by the quarter, the consumer is being dazzled by more and more extravagant features that would have been unthinkable in a phone just three years.

 
Things are presented to you very graphically

One of the defining things that make this phone stand out from the others is the 3D user interface. The phone’s graphic uses a cube to allow you to flick between your multimedia, contacts, widgets and shortcuts – everything that matters to you.

The phone takes accessing your files and information a lot more interactive. A great example of this is the contacts list – when slipping in your SIM card, you find your contacts presented to you on a film reel of sorts (very similar to the Cover Flow seen on iTunes). The good thing that the interface has is consistency – this film reel design in contacts is similar to those seen when you access your music and photos, meaning that when you master using one aspect of the phone, you have more or less mastered them all.

When it comes to music, the phone is versatile in the file format it accepts. One point of appeal is the way it accepts the AAC+ format. AAC+ is the type of file you purchase off iTunes – this phone is very rare in the way it is iTunes compatible.

The type of touch-screen is advertised as ‘real touch’ by LG. When you get to grips with the phone, you can see what they mean. Navigating around the phone, the brightness and accuracy of the touch-screen brings a sense of realism to the experience you have when you are using your phone.

The layout is arguably very similar to iTunes in some respects – especially in how the menus are presented. The four by four square icons just scream iPhone.

 
It’s more than a phone – it’s a multimedia hub, too

The different features which develop this phone into a centre for your multimedia are excellent. The phone has an outstanding Dolby Mobile system which brings surround sound to the Arena – and it is awesome. Using Dolby Mobile really is a credit to the mobile if anything, because if you were to just use the player constantly, you would get 30 hours of playtime – showing the battery life of this phone is spectacular.

With a 5MP camera integrated into the phone, picture quality makes the requirement for a camera questionable – and that is without the face-tracking and image stabiliser that comes as standard. The super-high resolution screen (conveniently widescreen) makes viewing your masterpieces an extreme pleasure.

This phone is so powerful, it requires two chipsets. This power is truly put through its paces when you run the camcorder – which can shoot video of DVD resolution quality: outstanding for a mobile phone. Alas, when in low-light, graininess comes into play and the lack of 2 flash LEDs really compromises the lighting of your imagery – making the subject of your photo look rather artificial. Of course, such quality requires a high storage, 8GB is the standard microSD card which is included with the mobile, although the card slot accepts memory of up to an impressive 40GB.

 
If there were any criticisms… 

Typing was certainly not easy on the KM900 Arena. It seemed to be very hit and miss when it came to texting because the on-screen keyboard was simply too cramped to use. This can be quite inconvenient, especially if you are in a rush.

Lastly, zooming was quite an issue when using the phone. Considering it was a touch phone, the accuracy was found to be quite off to navigating the Internet for this review. It was a hassle having to zoom in when every single web page loaded, as the Internet software was defaulted to zoom out. Hopefully, this could be fixed in future with a bug fix of some sort, but I wouldn’t be too sure.

All in all, the KM900 Arena has impressive battery life and all of the standard features you would expect of a touch-screen phone. The memory capacity, camera quality and surround sound are just some of the things that make this phone stand out from the rest – not to mention the way you can hook up your phone to the TV, which hasn’t been seen in many phones before now. The LG KM900 Arena has great cheap mobile phone cashback deals on the Internet, you can easily manage your budget with the terms they are offering.

They have given it six years, but finally, Nokia have put the last nail in the coffin in their N-Gage gaming service, which has been deemed as one of Nokia’s most notable failures in the 21st century.

Originally launched in 2003, with an N-Gage phone which accompanied the service, the evolution of the mobile gaming world through the launch of the Apple iPhone, the humble app and other services has meant that the N-Gage service suffered. According to executives from Nokia, the service will wrap up its current operations in September 2010.

The relaunch of the service in 2008 also failed to capture the imagination of those who love to game whilst on the move. All of the current games that are currently in the store are going to be available on the Ovi Store from the next Autumn. Only a few fans have been saddened by this anticipated decision from Nokia, as it will mean that the N-Gage community will be no more.

A statement was released by Nokia on the N-Gage blog, where they defended their decision. They said that they strongly believed that all of the mobile games which are available at Nokia should be downloadable from one place, and they wrote: “Mobile gaming is one of the most popular activities in the Ovi Store, with games being the second most downloaded category for premium content.”

If you have an emotional attachment to N-Gage, be it through the awkward phone or the unpopular service, it could be said that now is the time to say your goodbyes.  

RATING: 4.5/5 – It’s an eye-catching phone with a fun nature. With many surprises to be had, Nokia are continuing their philosophy of a simple interface with this amazing model. The camera is a bit behind the times, but all in all, Nokia have thrown their hat into the ring and mean business.

The phone was heavily anticipated by the mobile phone world – not only by consumers, but by rival manufacturers. Touch-screen phones have been around for a while now and the novelty has been beginning to wear off; but with Nokia’s presence on this scene fairly quiet, the hype was beginning to gather when this phone was announced.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic’s features are many – so much that the touch-screen, which is usually the focal point of such phones, is just the beginning of the fun. One of the defining features of this phone is its Xpressmusic feature, which allows the mobile phone to double up as a MP3 player. Many phones have tried to integrate a MP3 player into its interface and failed. Nokia has made the two work together seamlessly – this is mainly down to the touch-screen which makes navigating the user interface practical and easy.

Whether you go for the ‘Comes with music’ option which gives you unlimited downloads from a choice of millions of songs wherever you are (all thanks to 3G capabilities and a monthly subscription), a pay-per-song plan or the Nokia PC suite, music is never far away – and it would be an insult not to considering the feature-packed mobile software.

Wherever you are in the phone, accessing your music is easy. This is thanks to the Xpressmusic button which allows you to get there in seconds. Painstaking minutes navigating through various menus and options are now a thing of the past, with the 3.2inch resistive touch screen making using your phone pleasurable and quick. The ability to access your music by song, artist, album and playlist gives you all of the options that you would expect of a portable music player.

 
The phone that gives you options

The failing of many phones is the fact that the input is very restricted to the touch-screen. The Nokia 5800’s physical buttons allows you quick access to features like the camera and the volume controls - very convenient if you are in a rush.

When you are using the touch-screen, it isn’t too hard to adapt your phone use to your personal preference. Whether you want to use your fingers, the on-screen keyboard, the handwriting recognition software, the stylus that comes with the phone (or even a guitar pick!), you can make your phone and the way you use it as individual as you are.

The phone is built for storage and comes with an 8GB microSD card. The 8GB card holds up to 2,000 songs – one of the great things about this phone is the fact that you can expand your storage to 16GB if you have a large music collection using the card slot. Plus, chopping and changing between memory cards is simple.

 
Nokia’s little thoughts make big differences to your phone use

Some smartphones with touch-screens can cause you nothing but nightmares when it comes to answering phone calls – with some it can be just too easy to press buttons while in a conversation. The automatic sensor prevents you pressing unwanted buttons when you are in a phone call to prevent any unwanted interruptions: a nice touch on Nokia’s part.

What other phone manufacturers just don’t seem to get is that if you are buying a music phone, you want a high-quality loudspeaker. Flashing out your phone’s loudspeaker can be nothing short of embarrassing because of the mediocre quality. This is not an issue with the 5800, which has a beautifully loud stereo speaker to bang out your tunes with. One thing to like is the fact the speakers do not distort music when it gets louder – with the music remaining clear and crisp.

The user interface is even thumb-friendly, the 640 x 360 screen is rather big compared to other phones on the market – and Nokia has used this feature to its advantage with bigger icons, making even the chubbiest of fingers welcome on the screen.

This review could be the next War and Peace if all of the features of the phone were to be described in detail. It goes without saying that there are many pleasant surprises to be had when you are playing with the phone for a little while, like the impressive 3MP camera; the accelerometer which takes you from portrait to landscape without any hassle; and the beautifully bright screen. Nokia have seldom disappointed with their new offerings before, and now is no exception.

The popular Internet browser Opera has unveiled the latest version of its software for mobile phones which run on the Symbian operating system.

The beta version of Opera 10 is now available from the company’s website, as they address the final tweaks before the official version is released.

Some of the main features that the browser boasts include optimisation for those who are using both touch screens and keypads, addressing the difficulties that software companies have faced in light of the deviation from the ‘one size fits all’ model.

Statistics have shown that the browsing experience using Opera Mobile 10 is now 50% faster than it was before for those who are using a Nokia mobile phone with Symbian installed. This comes as the new browser has tried to compress web pages by up to 70% to make web browsing faster whilst also boosting the compatibility that mobile browsers have with websites which are designed for use on a desktop computer.

Jon von Tetzchner, who is the CEO of Opera Software, had this to say ahead of the beta version being available for download from their website: “This beta continues our work to extend the desktop Web experience to mobile phones, allowing users to surf the Web without limitations, even while on-the-go. No matter the device in use, Opera delivers a faster, easier and hassle-free Web experience.”

There is no confirmation as to when the full version of Opera Mobile 10 will be released to the public.