Nokia 6500 Classic is different from Nokia 6500 slide. They have the same name but the differences end here. Slide 6500 is bulkier and has a better set of features. They include 3.2 megapixel camera armed with Carl Zeiss lens, microSD expansion slot and FM radio. Nokia 6500 Classic has two megapixel camera and there is no expansion slot. Instead, you get one gigabyte internal memory out of which 920 MB is available for storage to the user. This will be enough for taking snapshots and can also hold about 230 songs of around four megabytes each. There aren’t a lot of features here and the phone is made for budget users. The interface is user friendly and refined. Nokia 6500 Classic is quite similar to Nokia 6300. One big enhancement on the 6500 is the inclusion of 3G (WCDMA 850/2100 MHz) which gives you roaming capabilities. The big disappointment here is the lack of camera for video calling. Nokia 6500 Classic  [...]

Sonim XP3300 Force is a very durable phone with a strong body. It complies to the military specifications for thermal shock, transport shock, humidity, fog and salt. The device can tolerate temperatures between 131 degrees and four degrees Fahrenheit (55 degrees and minus 20 degrees Celsius). You can also submerge this handset in water till six and half inch depth and it will still come out smiling. Other than that, this phone can stand oil and pressure up to one thousand pounds per square inch. I performed a lot of tests on it like dropping it on hard surfaces, throwing it down stairs, stamping with boots and putting in freezer. The device was unaffected. I then submerged the Sonim XP3300 Force underwater and then made phone calls. I also smashed the handset on the ground with a concrete brick wrapped around it. Hammering a nail on the phone made a tiny scratch. The gadget failed in one test – I tossed it up in the air and watched as it landed on the concrete. The  [...]

Samsung Transform is a mid range Android phone with a slider full QWERTY keyboard. This phone is meant for messaging enthusiasts. Spring gives phone with Android 2.1 which is a dated version but they are going to offer the Froyo update. On this phone, you will find all the typical Android features. You get the five home screens, three onscreen buttons and Google search widget. The three onscreen buttons relate to phone navigation, opening up the app tray and launching Sprint ID. Samsung Transform is amongst the first three phones, and the first one from Samsung to have Sprint ID. The Sprint ID is a profile which lets you preconfigure the shortcuts. Wallpaper, widgets, e-mail and the Wi-Fi settings on the five start screens of the phones. You can just load these Sprint ID packs instead of personalizing the start screens for wallpapers, apps, and tool-set. I  [...]

While reviewing the RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300, I realized that the manufacturer has borrowed a lot of ideas from the previous models. Frankly speaking, this is just an old wine served in a new bottle. It has a few features that we didn’t have in the predecessors and hence I won’t recommend upgrading to this handset if you already own the old one. For instance, this phone has GPS and 3G that the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8520 didn’t have. Apart from a few goodies here and there, this phone doesn’t have any major inclusions. This would still be a good choice for users looking for an entry level smartphone. Cost of this phone is $79.99 with a two year service agreement. Address book on the RIM BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 is limited only by the available memory which means it is virtually endless. The SIM card can take in additional 250 contacts. A single entry can take multiple phone numbers, street addresses and e-mail addresses. You can make groups of your callers  [...]

Samsung L170 is a candy bar phone having small screen and a very curious keypad which is a bit hard to press. However, you will get used to it after some time. This phone is chromed and it looks aesthetically appealing. The chrome body gives it a shiny and nice look but such surfaces can easily attract a lot of fingerprints and this might not go well with hygiene freaks. The shell is chromed and it looks metallic and this is what gives the handset the heavy feel. On the back of the Samsung L170, there is camera. The shutter button for this is located on the right side along with a toggle button. On the left, there is a camera shutter button and the headset port. This is where you have to plug in the headset or charger. The keys of this phone are white and black along with white color backlight. I liked the ridged effect, it is curious and I haven’t seen this before on any other phone. Numbered part of each of the button and alphabetical part of this same button is  [...]

Verizon iPhone 4 is going to come out in less than a week and the service provider has started with teaser campaigns for all its existing customers. It asks them to come back at 3 a.m. Eastern of 3rd February. Verizon has sent e-mails to its business customers this week telling them about it. Existing Verizon customers will need to check if they are eligible for the Verizon iPhone 4 upgrade. The frequently asked questions page on Verizon’s site says that the preorders will start from the 3rd February and the handset will be sold on first come, first serve basis. 3 a.m. Eastern time might seem like an odd time for the service provider to start taking the iPhone 4 preorder but it is also the earliest time when all the contiguous states reach Feb. 3. The Verizon iPhone 4 16GB model is priced at $199, the 32GB model is priced at $299 and for each, you have to sign a two year contract. Apple Website accidentally leaked some information about Verizon  [...]

Unlocking mobile phones is not a new thing; enthusiasts unlock phones all the time but I am still writing about it here because there are tons of e-mails in my inbox asking me how to unlock T-Mobile G1. The most popular smartphone in the market right now, Apple iPhone 4 also comes locked from the manufacturer. For the iPhone, you have the Jail break but for handsets like G1, you will have to do it manually. To unlock the T-Mobile G1, you have to get the unlock code. You can get it from T-Mobile and for this, you need an account which has been active for more than 90 days. You can either get the unlock code from T-Mobile or through Third Party Service like Unlock-tmobileg1.com which costs $23.99 USD. Insert the T-Mobile SIM card in the handset and press the menu button for switching it on. Don’t release the menu key and you will automatically enter the safe mode. After that, press the Emergency  [...]

Apple has put plenty of restrictions on the iPhone and this certainly hasn’t gone well with people who yearn for freedom. They have made software called Jailbreak iPhone. Jailbreaking an iPhone lets you run third party applications on the handset that were otherwise blocked by Apple. There are two big application installers right now – Cydia and Icy. I prefer the former and through this, you can download and install tons of 3rd party applications which you won’t find anywhere on the App Store. Jailbreaking an iPhone has a few drawbacks but it is nothing risky. If things get out of control you can always use iTunes to restore the handset to its factory settings. This will make the device as good as new. Jailbreaking the iPhone gives you lots of things that you didn’t get in the first place. For example, you can put any custom wallpaper on the display. The firmware also gives you a great way to  [...]

Have you bought a screen protector or screen guard for your phone before? I bet you have just walked in to store and took the one that the dealer offered you. I too used to do the same thing. I was in the market buying HTC Desire screen protector and realized that there are a lot of counterfeit ones out there. Stay away from the fake screen guards even though they are very cheap. These cheapos die out quickly and don’t protect the screen as well as the original ones. Your phone is precious right? So don’t hesitate if you have to spend the extra buck. I would recommend buying original ones; they are a bit costly but the glue on them is really good and they hold on to the screen really well. The fakes ones tend to peel out easily. When I went to buy my HTC Desire screen protector, I found a lot of cheap china products. The glue on them is really weak and the sheets are very thin. This makes the screen vulnerable to damages. I bought my set with  [...]

LG Octane is quite similar to the LG Envy line of messaging phones also from Verizon Wireless. It is a flip style phone and on the front, you get a external display along with a number keypad. Flip it open and you will see an internal display with a full QWERTY keyboard beneath. The external 1.2 inch display shows you a limited menu and you can also use it as a camera view finder. Underneath the screen, there is a navigation array which consists of contacts, clear, send and end button. In the middle, there is a four way navigation button with OK button in the center. The numeric keypad underneath is very roomy and you can easily type small text messages or phone numbers. On the back, the LG Octane has a 3.2 megapixel camera along with flash. You have five options for resolutions and there are plenty of other settings too. They include self-timer, white balance modes, flash, shutter sounds (along with a silent option),  [...]