Category Archives: Phones

HTC Evo 3D Phone

HTC Evo 3D phone

Aside from the LG Optimus 3D phone, here’s another device which will blow you away – the HTC Evo 3D phone.

Aside from the LG Optimus 3D phone, here’s another device which will blow you away – the HTC Evo 3D phone.

This evolutionary mobile gadget was actually the first of its kind to offer an autostereoscopic display, enabling the phone to capture, record, and display photos or videos in stereoscopic 3D. This feature allows users to experience 3D without the need for 3D glasses. Its two rear-facing 5 mega pixel cameras plus the 1.3 mega pixel front facing camera allow you to take pictures in either 2D or 3D in 2560х1920 resolution. Geotagging is also available. Video is at 720p and at 30 frames per second. The camera is also equipped with dual lens flash and autofocus functionality.

Launched on June 2011, the Evo 3D is powered by a Snapdragon S3 chipset with a dual core 1.2 GHz processor. It has 1 GB RAM internal storage with microSD card slot expandable by up to 32GB. It also supports pre-formatted microSDXC 64GB cards. The operating system is the Android 2.3 Gingerbread (upgradable to 4.0 or the Ice Cream Sandwich.

Its 4.3 inches (540 x 960 pixels and ~256 pixels per inch density) high definition 3D LCD capacitive screen is protected by the powerful Corning Gorilla glass, preventing scratches, dents, and acting as additional protection from unexpected drop and other potentially damaging circumstances. The body measures 126 x 65 x 12.1 mm and weighs 170 g.

The HTC Evo 3D phone is available via Amazon. Click here to purchase!

Awesome Phones for Photographs and Videos

41 mp phone

What are some of the best phones for sharing videos and photographs with family and friends? These are phones with excellent cameras and video players as well as smartphones that are capable of easily sharing files via social networks and directly to other phones. Some of the best phones in this regard include the Sony Xperia S, the Samsung Galaxy S III, the Samsung Galaxy S4, the HTC One X, the Motorola RAZR i, the Apple iPhone 5, and the Nokia 808 PureView, which boasts an impressive 41 megapixel camera.

 Sony Xperia S

This phone comes with a 12.1 MP camera, which relies on Exmor R Low Light technology to enable clear photos even in poor lighting conditions. The phone also features a 4.3 inch touchscreen as well as a Sweep Panorama feature that allows you to bring together multiple images in one sequence. The rear facing camera is also a decent 1.3 MP and can mostly be used for video calls and self portraits.

Samsung Galaxy S III

The third generation version of the S III remains one of the best phones for taking photographs and videos, which can then be shared with other people via Android apps and between other Samsung phones using S Beam. The S III comes with an 8 MP camera as well as a Super AMOLED 4.8 inch screen and also provides full HD video recording and auto focusing.

HTC One X

Featuring an 8 MP camera, the HTC One X’s claim to being one of the best smartphones for taking photographs and videos is enhanced by its f/2 aperture lens and by its excellent performance in low light settings. The HTC One X also has a lot of storage and a 1.3 MP front facing camera that offers decent light sensitivity and sharpness. Files can be shared using SMS and Android apps.

Motorola RAZR i

This smartphone is one of the best for the mid range market and has an 8 MP camera with HDR, multi burst shots, and a touchscreen that takes up almost the entire face of the phone; a 2 GHz processor means that the RAZR i runs smoothly while the phone includes the latest version of Android and 3G for sharing files.

Apple iPhone 5

The latest Apple smartphone is boosted by an 8 Mp iSight camera that ties in well with its Retina Display. The flattened style of the iPhone also makes it comfortable to use as a camera which also works well in low light and has a front facing camera for decent self portraits. Apple users can share images and videos easily through apps and SMS.

Samsung Galaxy S IV

Already one of the key smartphones on the market, the S IV is distinguished by its 5 inch HD screen and 13 MP camera. When combined with a 1080p screen, the S IV delivers very high quality photos and videos at a resolution of 441 ppi, which puts it ahead of Apple. The phone’s HD AMOLED screen also means that colours look great for shots.

Nokia 808 PureView

Featuring a frankly mind boggling (for a phone) 41 MP camera, the PureView is all about its camera and runs on a Symbian OS; the extra large sensor on the phone enables more light and detail and you can benefit from 16.7 million available colours when taking shots. Video recording is similarly boosted by digital zooms and full HD settings.

Mobile 3D Experience via the LG Optimus 3D Phone

lg optimus 3d phone

The LG Optimus 3D phone lets you experience 3D on your mobile phone! This revolutionary device breaks all boundaries as the one of the first of its kind in the market today.

3D Gaming

The LG Optimus P920 is a 3D smart phone powered by Android OS Froyo (upgradable to v4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich). So its Android apps download to the max with this phone. But other than the usual applications, 3D gaming is also possible. The screen allows you adjust the 3D level within the game. Some 3D games downloadable for free include Nova, Gulliver’s Travels, Asphalt 6, and Lets Golf 2.

Glasses Free 3D

This 168 g phone is also the sole device which permits 3D viewing without glasses via its 4”3 inches (5.07 x 2.68 x 0.47 in dimension) wide screen LCD capacitive touch screen. It’s 16 M colors, 480 x 800 pixels, and ~217 ppi pixel density is protected by the corning gorilla glass.

HDMI/DLNA

These icons are familiar as I’m sure you’ve seen them on various devices including smart TVs, DVD players, and gaming consoles. The LG Optimus P920 enables content sharing through any device with HDMI or DLNA technology.

Real Time Recording

You can capture real time 3D images and videos with its 5 MP dual cameras (2592х1944 pixels, autofocus, and LED flash). Videos are at 1080p@30fps (frames per second) for 2D and 720p@30fps for 3D. It also comes with video stabilization capability.

YouTube 3D

You can upload videos on the first ever 3D YouTube channel.

Hot Keys

You can easily switch the device from 2D to 3D and vice versa using accessible hot keys.

Other notable features include a dual core CPU, 8 GB storage with 512 MB RAM, microSD expandable up to 32 GB, Wi-Fi hotspot capacity, and Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery which allows up to 450 hours on standby and Up to 13 hours (2G) or 9 hours (3G) talk time.

Pricing

The LG Optimus 3D phone was released on July 2011 and is available through stores online and offline. Click here to purchase it at Amazon.

Samsung Galaxy Camera GC100: Camera Plus Phone?

Samsung Galaxy camera gc100

Dropping by a local Samsung store within a mall stall nearby and after a short chat with a friend who works there, I came across the sleek Samsung Galaxy camera GC100. Anyone’s attention will be captured by this camera’s 21x optical zoom functionality.

Tested on actual action, the camera allows you to zoom the camera in and watch artists perform on a stage as if they’re right in front of you even if you’re situated at the far end of the stage. But other than its enormous zooming capability, the camera also boasts of other notable features. Some of which include the following:

  • 16.3 MP primary camera with 4608×3456 pixels, autofocus, pop-up Xenon flash, AF light, touch focus, and optical image stabilization
  • 1080p@30fps and 512p@120fps (frames per second) for video
  • display size of 720 x 1280 pixels, 4.8 inches HD screen, and 306 ppi pixel density (note that the higher the density, the clearer the images)
  • corning Gorilla glass 2 to protect the screen
  • Android OS v4.1 (Jelly Bean) which lets you download apps through the Google Play store as you normally would for any other Android device
  • Super Clear LCD capacitive touch screen with 16M colors
  • 4 GB and 1 GB RAM internal memory
  • microSD expandable up to 64GB for optimal external file storage capacity
  • WiFi capability which enables the camera to connect through the Internet so you can easily upload photos and videos
  • micro SIM slot which allows you to use the camera on a mobile network for messaging (SMS, MMS, email, IM included)

Nokia 808 Pureview versus Samsung Galaxy Camera

The camera features makes it a worthy to be pitted against the 41 MP camera phone Nokia 808 Pureview. The latter can be categorized as a camera due to its high pixel camera while still remaining as a phone. But it can’t beat the Samsung Galaxy camera for its optical zoom and flash. Nor can the Symbian OS match the widely used Android operating system in general. However, the GC100 remains a camera attempting to possess phone features through messaging alone but not calling.

Conclusion

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy camera GC100 can’t be the phone/camera device you are looking for but it is to beat in terms of optical zoom capacity.     

How Apps Are Changing Our Customer Service Experience

how apps are changing our customer service experience

We’re rapidly approaching a time (and may have already reached it) where people are more likely to use the Internet by way of a smartphone or tablet app than through an Internet browser. That means that all facets of online business, including retail, customer interface and customer service will eventually be available through a mobile version of the store.

Apps have already changed the way we shop; now, they are beginning to change the way that we pursue and are given customer service and assistance.

While there aren’t many companies who provide customer service apps, the ones that do are only a microcosm of a growing trend among businesses that have customer service being delivered in the following ways:

  • Quickly, with immediate access to resources and assistance
  • Less focused on calling and more focused on live online help or easily searchable FAQ pages
  • A central location for engaging with customer service and finding information

Since so many people are moving away from Internet browsers and depending more and more on their smart phones for accessing the web, it makes sense that companies would be seeking for a way to incorporate their customer service into the world of smartphone and tablet apps.

While it’s true that you can always call customer service via your smartphone, it’s not the most typical way to get things done anymore.

The challenge for the business app world is whether or not an app can take you through that process more quickly and with less stress.

Is an app actually better?

On a basic level, customer service apps are centralizing the support and customer service elements that were previously stretched between web pages and telephone calls.

The question is now whether or not setting things up that way is less stressful and time-consuming than the other options that are still in place for many companies. A lot of brands have an app for their store or business, but are hesitant to release an app that is specifically for the purpose of providing customer support.

Typically, when a customer needs support, the added time of having to search for and download another app isn’t an attractive option simply because you’ve now added two other steps to getting a desirable solution.

When presented with that scenario, someone who’s having a problem that they want dealt within a timely matter is still more likely to call instead of go through the trouble of finding an app.

The Future of Customer Service Apps

That’s not to say that apps aren’t going to play a role in the future of customer service; however, it is more likely that they’ll be consolidated into the company’s main app, or their most popular one that would have likely been downloaded already.

As previously mentioned, this will further contribute to the trend of consolidated customer service that mobile applications have already started to create.

We’ve got some ground to cover before any kind of significant percentage of customer service is delivered by way of a mobile or tablet app, but there has definitely been some shifts in the way consumers interact with websites and web-based companies.

Whether or not those apps prove to be more convenient than a computer and a phone number will determine their success.

iPhone 5 versus Lenovo K860

lenovo k860

The iPhone 5 is an ideal comparison point for several exceptional phones in the market today; one of which includes the often disregarded but performance driven Lenovo K860. In this feature, we will compare notable features between these two phones.

 

Feature iPhone 5 Lenovo K860
Screen size 4” 5”
Pixel 1136 x 640 1280 x 720
OS iOS 6 Android v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
Processor 1.2 GHz 1.4 GHz
Core 2 4
Maximum battery life 8 hours 12 hours
Battery capacity 1.44 Ah 2.25 Ah
Standby 225 hours 336 hours
Memory card No Yes
Thickness 7.6 mm 9.6 mm
Front facing camera 2 MP 1.2 MP
Dimensions 58.6 x 7.6 x 123.8 mm 74.4 x 9.6 x 143.5 mm
Weight 193.5 112
Price Up to $700+ Up to $400+

 

The Lenovo K860, also called the ideaphone is an ideal gamer’s handy mobile device. At an inexpensive price, the phone already boasts of features every mobile gamer will enjoy. You can enjoy high definition games at a wide phone screen with reliable specifications. The specs include the following:

  • Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A9 CPU
  • Android OS, v4.0.4 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
  • 8 GB internal memory expandable up to 32 GB
  • 1 GB of RAM

The iPhone 5 on the other hand lets you enjoy the same iPhone you love with new exciting features including the panorama view which lets you shoot widescreen images extending up to 360 degrees.

Recommendation

The iPhone 5 offers exciting never before seen features any iPhone or Apple lover will love. The Lenovo K860 ideaphone on the other hand is your ideal choice if you’re after exceptional performance and affordability.

Why iPhone 5 And Samsung Galaxy S3 Tied in Web Traffic Usage Share

iphone 5 vs samsung galaxy s3

The most prominent manufacturers of smart phones are definitely Samsung and Apple. Both companies are synonymous with quality and reliability. The features offered by them are pretty much the same and vary only to the minutest of details. Everything from the high class HD display right down to the inner components is just perfect and needs no modifications as such. All this makes it really tough to choose between the world’s most distinguished smart phones, namely iPhone 5 by Apple and Samsung Galaxy S3 for Samsung.

iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3 may be similar in terms of components. The OS systems are different yet offer pretty much the same features, which is why they are often compared on a side by side basis. Despite this, the iOS and the Android platforms are still caught up in a fierce battle with both parties holding strong. Experts believe that the battle will not end anytime soon because fans of both operating systems are present in millions across the globe.

Recently, a survey which analyzed the web traffic that came from both Apple and Samsung products was conducted. The research particularly focused on the number of users who surf the Internet on either the iPhone 5 or the Samsung Galaxy S3. The iPhone 5 was launched sometime after the Samsung Galaxy hit the market but a longer user trial followed it than that for the Samsung’s Galaxy S3.

According to the results, iPhone 5 is used by almost 56% people whereas Samsung Galaxy S3 is used by only 44%. If you take a look at the actual figures, approximately 149.7 million iPhone devices have been sold as indicated by another survey, which is probably why iPhone 5 is slightly more popular. Another research conducted in different regions concludes that iPhone 5 shares 51% of the web traffic and Samsung Galaxy is characterized by 49% of Internet traffic. These stats intensify the competition even further.

As you can see, iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3 have a fairly close competition. The following reasons can perhaps account for this.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Release Date

The Samsung Galaxy S4 was already launched last March 14, 2013. Everyone likes to have their hands on the latest products in the market so after the release; the sales of existing models go down considerably. On the other hand, Apple has not even announced the release date for their next model in the iPhone product line yet which is why the sales for the iPhone 5 is still going pretty strong in the market.

Display

The iPhone 5 features the all new Retina Display screen which results in an exceptional screen quality and vivid colors on the screen. Samsung Galaxy S3 HD offers Super AMOLED which is amazing but the iPhone 5 screen gives a better output.

Costs

The costs associated with any cellular operator or mobile broadband plan largely depends on the type of plan you choose. It could be that iPhone 5 users are somewhat wiser and carefully select a plan so that they incur the minimum possible costs. Since bills are low, the Internet is used more. In contrast to this, if Samsung Galaxy S3 users are not selecting the right plans, they might not be using the Internet much because of high costs. After all, choosing an incorrect plan does result in a significant upswing in monthly bills; and hence, you should consider all possible options.

The Bottom Line

You cannot really compare the iPhone 5 against the Samsung Galaxy S3, and thus figure out accurate reasons why the stats related to their web traffic are neck to neck. The iPhone 5 may be more user-friendly and robust but Samsung Galaxy S3 fans will never agree to this. Both devices offer countless apps to those who would like to spend their time away by tapping onto their smart phones. Both also offer similar media options for those who plug in their headphones the whole day.

In a nutshell, there is no clear winner because the differences are only slight between the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Will There Be Another 41 MP Phone?

41 mp phone

 

The world was caught in awe of the powerful 41 MP phone Nokia 808 Pureview. But the succeeding phones of the Pureview series was left wanting more. None of them featured the same enormous camera capability. So will there be another phone of this kind? The answer is YES!

 

Tech site sources are all excited to talk about an upcoming Nokia phone said to be equipped with the same 41 megapixel camera similar to what’s available in the Nokia 808 Pureview. But it will be supposedly powered by a Xenon flash. Some say the phone will be part of the Lumia family but is currently dubbed as the Windows Phone 8.

 

Aside from the whopping high pixel camera, the phone is said to feature a rare quad core CPU and an Amoled 1280 x 768 display.

 

But as always, we are yet to find out whether or not there will be another 41 MP phone.

The Technology behind Multiple SIM Card Phones

multiple SIM card phones

While multiple SIM card phones appear to be a new technology among popular brands of phones, it had actually been applied in the Benefon Twin phone by Benefon of Finland since 2000. Herewith, the secondary SIM card slot was only offered as an alternative when switching from one slot to another. However, both slots can only accommodate one mobile network carrier. A more updated version of this technology was introduced years later which actually allows two networks in one phone through the dual SIM feature. There are even Chinese manufactured triple SIM card phones now.

 

multiple SIM card phones

 

Dual SIM Types

  1. Pseudo-Dual. This is similar to the very first type of double SIM card wherewith both SIMs are made for the same network.
  2. Dual SIM Shift. Only one SIM card can be actively used and the user must manually switch from one SIM to another.
  3. Dual SIM Standby or DSS. Unlike the previous type, both SIMs can be actively used except during a phone call. The other SIM automatically ceases to be active when the other is on an active call.
  4. Dual SIM Active or DSA. Both SIM cards can be active at the same time. Meaning, you can receive calls on either without getting the other call dropped.
  5. Dual Talk. A user can receive calls from 2 networks at the same time.
  6. Dual SIM Dual Call. Other names include Dual SIM Dual Active or DSDA, Dual SIM Active, and DUOS. This is a combination of DSA and Dual Talk but with the addition of an indicator signifying that an incoming call from the other SIM is present while actively conversing on an already active call in another SIM.
  7. Dual SIM Dual Standby or DSDS. While DSS, DSA, and other dual SIM card types require two receivers, DSDS only needs one.

 

Triple SIM Card Phones

Triple SIM card phones on the other hand applies a technology similar to DSDA phones except that there are three slots for three different SIM cards belonging to similarly three varying mobile networks.

 

Phone Brands and Mobile Networks

Various phone manufacturers worldwide has jumped into the bandwagon of dual or triple SIM card phones including worldwide brand names such as Samsung, Nokia, Philips, and LG to name some. Local phone manufacturing companies and mobile networks have also released their own dual or triple SIM phones such as K-Touch, Karbonn Mobiles, Micromax Mobile, Spice, Lemon Mobiles, and LAVA Mobiles which are all from India, FreeYourMobile in the U.K., Verzio of Singapore, and MyPhone, Cherry Mobile, and Torque in the Philippines to name only a few.

 

Advantages of Multiple SIM Phones

While most users prefer to subscribe to only a single carrier, some purposely carry more than one phone in order to accommodate as many people as they know who are subscribed to varying cellular phone carriers. This is because each phone will have a SIM from a specific mobile network. But with the availability of dual or triple SIM card phones, a mobile user can conveniently use only a single phone for two or more mobile networks.

Aside from conveniently carrying only a single phone, the user will also save money as there will no need to buy extra phones just to be able to accommodate more than one network.

With multiple SIM card phones, it will be possible to get connected with everyone on any network without the need to invest money to possess more than one phone.

Meet the Samsung Youm Flexi Phone!

Samsung Youm

Meet the Samsung Youm Flexi Phone!

At one of the previous posts – Tech 2013 Events, Phones, Gadgets, Gizmos, Games, and Other Technology, I’ve mentioned about CES 2013 held last January 8-13, 2013 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A. In this post, one of the gadgets to look forward to comes to life, the Samsung Youm!

Under phone features at number 2, I’ve listed the Bendy Screen Smartphone feature with the Samsung Galaxy Skin phone, a prototype of the OLED display technology first introduced during CES 2011. Although Samsung had actually been publicly promoting this type of technology already, no actual unit may become available for the public until sometime around 2014 or 2015. But who knows, unbreakable and bendable phones may soon be released earlier via the Galaxy S4 as rumors says so? As for the Samsung Youm, no price or release date was mentioned when it was introduced last month during CES 2013.

Watch the CES 2013 presentation of the Samsung Youm in this video – http://youtu.be/N3E7fUynrZU

Features

Aside from the obvious flexible or bending screen, you will also expect advanced technology hardware and software parts in this upcoming 5 inches in screen size phone. Some of such features include a quad core Snapdragon 800 S4 processor, 2.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 64/128 GB storage, 802.11 AC, 13 MP HDR Camera, micro SD XC card slot, wireless charging running Ubuntu Phone OS, screen resolution of 300 dpi upwards, and a removable battery. The OLED technology also intensifies user experience through a higher contrast, deeper black hues, and greater power efficiency as compared to current LCD displays.

The Flexi Phone Race

But aside from Samsung, other manufacturers such as Nokia, Windows, and LG are also working on their version of this technology.

Whatever is the case, as soon as you get your hands on this phone, you can bend it, roll it, fold it and do whatever you want with it. It doesn’t break!