Top Three Mobile Phones in the Market
For a couple of weeks, I have been wanting to write a post on mobile phones. Initial idea was to pick on one top performing phone and clearly, iPhone seems to have won the race on many fronts. But considering the number of other high end phones out there in the market, it becomes rather biased to pick only one product. Of course, iPhone’s sleek design, usability and stunning touch screen is miles ahead on the other mobiles, despite lacking some of the basic features such as video recording. But, the vast number of iPhone accessories seems to have negated the missing features. there has been a stiff competition from other handset makers and they have come out with equally impressive phones feature rich phones. So, this post will exclude iPhone from the list.
Nokia N96
First up on the list is Nokia’s take on the iPhone. With an impressive 16 GB internal memory and an additional slot for Micro SDHC, its possible to get a total of 24 GB memory. The phone features a DVB-H tuner, 5 Mega pixel camera with Carl Zeiss Lens, GPS navigation and a 2.8 inch display with 16 million colors. It also features the ultra fast HSDPA data transfer. However, the biggest downsides is the battery which seem to be borrowed from its predecessor. For a feature packed phone like this, it would need certainly an extended battery life. But nevertheless, it is the most anticipated phones of 2008 and will certainly not dissappoint.
Samsung F480 Tocco
Samsung Tocco is one of the many phones Samsung has launched this year featuring touch screens, suggesting the company’s strategy to challenge iPhone. However, unlike the Nokia N96 and the iPhone itself, Tocco doesn’t offer a large internal memory, instead provides a slot for MicroSD slot. In terms of functionality, it offers the same features as the Nokia N96 and comes with a 2.8 inch screen with 262, 144 colours. On the downside, Tocco is reported to drop calls and the voice clarity is a bit poor. If Samsung release new firmware to get around this, it is sure to stand out in this crowded space.
Sony Ericsson C902
In comparison with iPhones, Nokias and Samsungs, Sony always has different tact to entice customers. It has always leveraged its success from its other electronics and steam rolled that into its mobile phones. Be it a Walkman Phone or a CyberShop phone, it has been incredibly good with its products. Sony’s C902 definitely lives upto its expectations. This is an incredibly brilliant phone with a 5 megapixel camera featuring face-detection autofocus, LED flash, and superior camera controls. It also bundles in a music player, FM radio, 3G HSDPA, Bluetooth and plenty of memory. On top of it, the phone is very slim and is available in two different colours.
Watch TV on your computer or phone with the Sling Media Slingbox Pro
Entertainment on the move is undoubtedly a factor when buying a new laptop or PDA. The success of the iPhone has to be aided by the fact that you can watch movies, YouTube or web based television whilst travelling. So it seems only natural to want to improve the options available.
Slingbox was the first real player on the market and as such was picked up by early adopters but only recently has the concept of ‘place-shifting’ [accessing your media whilst away from home] become a desirable addition for the man on the street.
So what does it do? In simple terms it sends your existing home entertainment to any chosen computer via the Internet meaning you can watch and control your favorite TV shows live whilst away from home and your precious TV subscription. Slingbox Pro separates itself from the past models* by offering a wider variety of in-puts. You can connect one high definition video source and up to three standard definition video devices such as home TV, DVR, basic cable, digital cable box, or satellite receiver. With the optional SlingPlayer Mobile software you can access your Slingbox on a Smartphone. No Support as yet for the iPhone.
*Other models include: Sling Media Slingbox SOLO, Sling Media Slingbox PRO-HD and Sling Media Slingbox AV.
The Pro also includes dual outputs so you can wire the Slingbox between your receiver(s) and the TV, plus with it’s built in digital TV tuner so you can expand your selection of home television if you don’t have a cable or satellite package.
Once you have plugged in all your devices you then need to program your various remotes, this is done by simply pointing Slingbox’s control eye at the IR receivers on your different devices. With support for 5,000 components you won’t be disappointed. Plug the Slingbox into your Internet connection and run the installation CD on your PC and you are ready to experience over-the-air entertainment anywhere in the world.
To watch TV on your computer, turn on the SlingPlayer and select your chosen TV source. This will bring up an image of the relevant remote on the left hand side of the screen allowing you to control the channels, play buttons etc. The best bit is your TV doesn’t even need to be on to watch it whilst abroad!
Once set up the experience is amazing, the stereo audio is outstanding and the video signal is great [max resolution of 640x480]. Not wanting to teach you to suck eggs but this does require a decent Internet connection and you may want to be selective about what channels you watch as the quality of the video is dependant on the upload speed, anything served at below 500kb/sec may break up a little [this tends to be sports shows as the signal is frequently updated] but anything else looks perfect.
Only downsides are the lack of wireless support and no built in DVR to record programs but these are minor drawbacks given that the device works so well under its intended purpose.
Read more about the Sling Media SlingBox Pro (sb200-100)
Average customer reviews 4/5 stars.
Apple Macbook Pro - A Great Buy
Ever since Apple launched Macbook and Macbook Pro, they were lauded for their power and performance. In the same 1 inch thick case design as their predecessors, Macbooks pack much better performance. I recently upgraded from my Windows PC to a 15.4″ Macbook Pro with a processor capacity of 2.5 GHz Core Duo and a 2 GB RAM. Despite the high price in comparison with other laptops available in the market, Macbook Pro is a sheer genius and it is certainly worth every penny. There is little that you dont like about a Macbook. There are so many likeable features it sports and everything deserves a mention.
Macbooks are one of the first systems to use Intel’s dual core processors, enabling the computer to multi-task efficiently while ensuring that it doesn’t heat up quickly. It features a brand-new Nvidia graphics processor, the GeForce 8600M GT available upto 512 MB of video memory, higher capacity hard disk up 250 GB, 8x DVD combo drive, Bluetooth, 802.1 wireless connectivity which is twice the range of 802.11g and five times better in terms of performance. It also includes Multi-touch key pad, allowing you to pinch and swipe just like you do on an iPhone and a built in iSight video camera which is far superior than any of those available in the market. The highlight of a Macbook is MagSafe power adapter that safely disconnects if there is an accidental strain on the cable. Macbook comes with an illuminated keyboard for dimly lit environments and an ambient light sensor, which adjusts the display brightness for optimal visibility as well as a built-in microphone and stereo speakers. To top this all, Macbook comes with a free upgrade to a glossy screen.
Apple has realised that for even Mac users there is an occassional need for running Windows and probably understood that users have been struggling to get Windows on Macs through emulation software. With the new Macbooks shipping with Intel based processors, it makes perfect sense to offer an official software release allowing users to port between OS. To encourage users who need access to Windows, Apple has released a product called Boot Camp, which allows users to boot a Macbook either from Apple’s OS Leopard or Windows. Also, there is third party software called Parallels Desktop, which allows users run Windows as an application within Leopard. A Parallels installation needs a minimum of 512 MB RAM. All in all, Macbook is an incredible toy, which encourages users to unleash their creative side.
On a final note, there has been plenty of speculation these days about a new version of Macbook Pro. A leading German retailer recently published pictures of a new Macbook Pro which doesn’t look any different than the existing Macbook Pros except for a missing latch and a black screen enclosure. The specifications match the existing line of Macbook Pros and don’t offer any radical change. Is this new Macbook coming out soon? We’ll have to wait and see.
New Apple iPod Nano 4G with bigger screen
Not content with a 73.4 percent share in the music player market Steve Jobs has launched yet another iPod. When I first heard that there was to be a new Nano I remember thinking ‘do we really need another iPod???’ Well the answer to that question is now a simple YES!
New Apple iPod Nano 4g
So what is it that makes the new iPod Nano 4G so special? It’s certainly not one thing alone, although the new wider screen does jump right out at you when you first hold it. You quickly see that Apple have used the launch of the new iPod Nano as a way of displaying what makes them the best at what they do, all in one neat little package.