Canadian iphone trouble early

Some early adopters of Apple’s second-generation iPhone have witnessed thin cracks appear at the edges of the device that damage the phone’s look and threaten to pose a larger threat down the road. Those tracking the issue in an Apple support discussion thread and elsewhere say the hairline fractures most often appear on the plastic shell near the corners of the device, particularly near the headphone jack, ringer switch, and volume controls. The flaws appear regardless of how gently the user takes care of the phone and can increase in number, according to multiple claims, although there are no known reports of existing cracks growing in size. At least a few users, however, report cracks deep enough to create a visible opening, particularly at the headphone jack. Most of those noticing the issue are owners of the white model. Nonetheless, some owners of black editions also report the issue and suggest that it’s not a matter of the material used for the color but a more general problem. The black shell simply hides the cracks better, these users suggest. Apple’s own response to the problem has been mixed. The company doesn’t yet list the problem as common and has largely left exchanges to its in-store technicians. While some affected owners claim to have received little trouble and a quick replacement, others describe being rejected due to the cosmetic nature of the cracks, which to date haven’t resulted in an outright device failure. Those contacting their carriers aren’t necessarily so fortunate: in one case, an Ottawa, Canada resident has been turned back at retail and on the phone by Canadian iPhone provider Rogers Wireless, which said it would have to technically rule the flaws “customer abuse” and charge the full replacement cost of the phone. In all circumstances, though, these customers express frustration at a device that in a short space of time is already appearing to break down, even if the faults are purely superficial. “I don’t think it is such a big deal but then again, I just got this phone and paid a fortune for it,” says one detailed report. “There should not be any problems with it in week one.”

iphone questions answered

Steve Jobs may have launched the iPhone 3G on Monday, and we may have gotten a hands on with it already, but in typical Apple fashion, there’s still a lot of stuff left unsaid. How does activation work? How will first-gen iPhone users bring an iPhone 3G onto their plan? Does the GPS work for driving? How much will games cost on the App Store? We’ve got answers. Lots of them.

The Phone
What’s changed between the first generation and the iPhone 3G? Honestly? Not all that much. The iPhone 3G has all the features of the first one, plus faster 3G data downloads, GPS, and a better battery life. Externally, the phone’s casing is slightly changed, with a thinner edge and thicker middle, but a flush headphone jack and solid-colored back make up the only other major differences visually. Everything else from the screen to the number of buttons and switches on the outside are the same.
How much will it really cost me over 2 years?. That depends on how many minutes you use and how many text messages you want to sign up for, but at AT&T’s lowest plan price of $39 a month for 450 minutes, plus a mandatory $30 data charge and $5 for 200 text messages, you’re looking at $1975 over the course of two years. Before tax and other fees. Here’s how it stacks up against the old iPhone and against other 3G smartphones on Verizon and Sprint. In Canada the phone is $199 on a 3yr contract and a special price of $30 a month for the largest download package available.

When can I buy it? If you’re in one of the first countries to get the phone, which includes the US, Canada, the UK, Spain, Japan and Mexico, it’s July 11. Otherwise, it’s still unknown. Come July 11, there’s going to be a gigantic line of people wanting that phone. You’ll have to wait not only for people in front of you to buy a phone, but activate it too—which is now mandatory and takes about 10-15 minutes. If you can wait, we’d recommend going after July 11.

How fast is the 3G over 2G (EDGE)? During the WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs showed a demo that compared the iPhone 3G vs. the old iPhone when downloading a large web page with lots of images. Apple’s site lists the result of that matchup as 20 seconds vs. 48 seconds, which is 2.4x faster. We’ve got a explainer about the details of 3G as well, if you’re interested.
How does the GPS work? We’ve got a great tutorial on how the iPhone’s GPS works. Long story short, it’s A-GPS, or assisted GPS, which means most of the time it uses the cell towers and Wi-Fi to help triangulate (but doesn’t necessarily need help). If you’re looking to use the iPhone 3G as a GPS in your car for navigation, there’s a catch. There’s a restriction in the SDK that prohibits developers from using the phone for “real time route guidance”. You can still use Google Maps to help guide you if you’re lost, but it’s not as smooth a system as a real GPS. TomTom may have an iPhone 3G guidance suite already in the works, despite the SDK restrictions.
Will the added 3G and GPS hurt my battery life? Apple’s improved the battery life compared to the old version, which ups the talk time on 2G (same as the first iPhone) from 8 hours to 10 hours. On 3G, you get half that. So yes, your battery life will be significantly degraded when you’re using 3G instead of 2G. Apple still hasn’t provided numbers on how much GPS use will degrade your talk time.
What about that rumor that the iPhone 3G has a front camera? Yeah, not so much. Apple didn’t say anything about that during their keynote, and there’s been no evidence of it yet. There’s a weird anomaly on the demo iPhone that Apple’s Phil Schiller was using on stage during the event, but it’s probably just a weird fingerprint.
Does the iPhone 3G finally have MMS/picture messaging? Unfortunately not. Not officially, anyway. There are third-party apps already available that give your iPhone a sort of MMS functionality, but it’s not great.
Can I tether the iPhone 3G to my laptop to get on-the-go internet? Not out of the box, no. The old iPhone was able to be hacked into doing this, but EDGE speeds meant that people only really used it in emergencies. With 3G, it’ll be much more useful. We’ll keep an eye on this one.
How durable is it compared to the first-gen? Our hands-on will tell you more about that, but from what we heard, the new backing is a lot more fingerprint-smudgy than the first.

The Software
When will the iPhone 2.0 software be released? At the very latest, July 11, when the iPhone 3G is launched. There are rumors that it can come as early as June 27, but Apple hasn’t given any official word yet.
What’s MobileMe? It’s Apple’s replacement for .Mac, which manages your email, calendar, contacts, pictures and various other things. It’s useful for iPhone users because it allows you to sync stuff automatically between your phone and your various computers. Any changes you make on one device gets pushed to the other ones.
Are there limits to what kind of applications I can download in the App Store? Not really. A good 71% of iPhone applications will be free, with the rest starting at a price of $0.99 going all the way up to $999. You can pretty much download as many apps as you have space for on your phone. The largest applications will be 2GB, but we don’t think there are going to be very many at that weight. The Sims for iPhone, maybe, if EA ever decides to release that.
Is there going to be iChat? Apple unveiled the AIM application back at the last event, but as far as we know, there hasn’t been any talk of iChat (like the one on OS X). As such, we wouldn’t count on any iChat Video chat either.
The Service
Do I need to sign a new two-year contract with AT&T if I buy a new iPhone 3G? Yes, but the good news is that your old contract gets ripped up. If you signed yourself into AT&T’s grasp back when the iPhone was launched, you’ll only have to stick with them for another two years starting now, not three. It’s as if you’re an entirely new customer. Rogers customers must sign up for a new three year plan.
Will activating a new iPhone 3G brick my old iPhone? Definitely not. You’ll be able to give your 1st gen iPhone to someone to reactivate via iTunes on a new plan.
What are European iPhone plans looking like? You’ll have to check your local provider, but from what we’ve been hearing, O2 in the UK and Telefonica in Spain will get free a iPhone 3G if they sign up for an 18-month plan that’s at least $88/month.
What happens a year from now when Apple releases an even better iPhone? Nobody really knows, but it’s likely that they’ll just do what they did this time and have you buy the phone and renew the contract for another two years.
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The Rest
Will there be cases for the iPhone 3G when it launches? Yes. All accessories are available at http://northcentralcommunications.ca
If I somehow get hold of an iPhone 3G and shove in a SIM from my old iPhone, what happens? That’s a pretty damn good question. We’re not sure. If the iPhone 3G is straight out of the box, it’ll need to be activated. If it somehow already got activated (or, hacktivated), you might be able to just use it on your old iPhone 2G plan. We’ll keep an eye on this. Thanks Moe.
Does the iPhone 3G work like an iPod with iPod accessories? Yes, it works just like the first iPhone does. Most iPod accessories will support the iPhone 3G, but some speaker docks might have some GSM interference static if it isn’t shielded correctly.
Can I use the iPhone 3G on Telus or Bell? Nope, never. Not even if you unlock it.
If I buy my friend’s old iPhone when he updates to iPhone 3G, can I use it as a cheap iPod touch without activating it? Yup! Everything but the calling features should be active, except it will say “No SIM” at the top.
What are the chances of Apple releasing an iPhone with increased data storage before the next-next gen iPhones come out? Pretty damn likely. I’d expect a 32GB iPhone some time late this year or early next year.
I’ve got international roaming on my AT&T plan now. Can I take the iPhone 3G to various countries, including Japan? We don’t have official confirmation of this from Apple yet, it’s likely that your phone will work in Japan. The iPhone is Quad-Band, which means it works on GSM/EDGE on the 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz frequencies and UMTS/HSDPA on the 850, 1900 and 2100 MHz frequencies. Because of the reports that Apple’s using Softbank to distribute iPhones in Japan, we can deduce that you should be able to roam just fine. From Wikipedia:
SoftBank Mobile currently operates both PDC (Japanese 2G) and W-CDMA (UMTS 3G) networks. SoftBank’s 3G network is compatible with UMTS and supports transparent global roaming for existing UMTS subscribers from other countries outside Japan. Subscribers of GSM networks having roaming agreements with SoftBank Mobile can also roam on the SoftBank 3G network by using UMTS handsets.
After I activate my iPhone 3G, will I be able to sync all the settings from my old iPhone onto it? Yes. When you activate the new phone, iTunes will ask you if you want to sync the old existing data onto it. Do a sync with your old phone before docking your new one and you’ll be set.

All iphone accessories available at http://northcentralcommunications.ca

iphone frenzy hits Japan

iPhone Fever Hits the Streets
By Teresa von Fuchs
WirelessWeek – July 08, 2008

Japanese carrier Softbank plans to open its store in the Harajuku district at 7 a.m. local time this Friday to accommodate iPhone enthusiasts who just can’t wait to get their hands on Apple’s new 3G handset. The launch on Friday marks the first time Japanese consumers will be able to buy the much-hyped handset, since the original iPhone ran on networks incompatible to those in Japan.

But even New Zealanders will beat the Japanese at being first to get the device. Vodafone announced that it will open three stores across New Zealand at just 1 minute after midnight on July 11, making it the first country in which the 3G iPhone will be available. Australia will be second and then Japan.

Not being first has not stopped a group from camping out in front of Apple’s flagship New York store. Starting last Friday, a full week before the handset goes on sale, the group reportedly said it is trying to set a Guinness World Record for the most time spent waiting in line to buy something, and trying to promote sustainable agriculture.

Calling itself Waiting for Apples, the group is presumably waiting for a week outside in order to purchase iPhones, but in interviews the group also said its goals are to use the stunt to promote the idea that the next U.S. president should plant an organic farm at the White House, and that “it’s a good idea to grow food.”

David Bowman Simon, spokesman for Waiting for Apples, also reportedly said that he plans to buy a 3G iPhone for both U.S. presidential candidates.

Sony Ericsson z520 review

Z520i – GSM 900/1800/1900 in Europe and Asia
Z520a - GSM 850/900/1800/1900 in America

General 2G Network GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 – Z520i
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – Z520a
Announced 2005, June
Status Available
Size Dimensions 93 x 46 x 24 mm
Weight 96 g
Display Type TFT, 65K colors
Size 128 x 160 pixels, 29 x 35 mm
– Second external CSTN display 4096 colors (101 x 80 pixels)
- Wallpapers, screensavers
Ringtones Type Polyphonic (40 channels), MP3, AAC
Customization Composer, download, order now
Vibration Yes
Memory Phonebook 500 x 8 fields, Photo call
Call records 30 received, dialed and missed calls
Card slot No
– 16 MB shared memory
Data GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 – 48 kbps
HSCSD No
EDGE No
3G No
WLAN No
Bluetooth Yes, v2.0
Infrared port Yes
USB Yes
Features Messaging SMS, EMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML
Games Yes + downloadable, order now
Colors Light Blue, Pale Purple, Pale Pink, Pale Yellow
Camera VGA, 640×480 pixels, video
– Java MIDP 2.0
- MP3/MPEG4 player
- Image viewer/editor
- Exchangeable covers
- Built-in handsfree
- Organizer
- SyncML
Battery Standard, Li-Ion 900 mAh Stand-by Up to 400 h
Talk time Up to 9 h
z520 manual

The razr’s long history

Motorola RAZR V3

Screen Internal: 176×220 pixel (2.2inch) TFT LCD, 65,100 colors External: 96×80 pixel STN 4,096 colors
Ringtone MP3, Polyphonic – 24 Chords . Vibration
Memory 9.6 MB internal
Networks GSM Quad band 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Connectivity GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 – 48 kbit/s; Bluetooth v1.2; USB
Battery 840 mAh Li-ion
Physical size 53 mm×98 mm×13 mm (2.1 x 3.9 x 0.54 inches)
Weight 125 g (4.41 oz)
Form factor Clamshell
Motorola RAZR V3 (pronounced “RA-zer”, is a thin clamshell mobile/cellular camera phone designed and manufactured by Motorola. The phone was initially regarded as an exclusive fashion phone,[2] with a high price of $600 with service agreement and $800 without. However, in 2005 the phone entered the mass-market as a mid-priced phone. PC World put the RAZR at #12 in The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years.[3] Many versions of the V3 were released, and on May 15, 2007, Motorola announced the new RAZR 2, with a bigger external screen, better UI, faster processor (10x the speed of its predecessor) and Linux platform.
2G Models
V3
The original RAZR V3 GPRS phone is carried by AT&T (formerly Cingular), Cincinnati Bell, T-Mobile,Suncom Wireless and Centennial Wireless in the USA, Rogers Wireless and Fido in Canada, Telcel in Mexico, Optus and Telstra in Australia, Vodafone in New Zealand and Australia, Brasil Telecom GSM, Claro, Airtel, BPLmobile & Hutch in India Oi and TIM in Brazil and by many companies in other countries.
Matte Black version
A black version was produced for distribution in the 77th Academy Awards gift bags, and was released in early May 2005. As of September 2005, the black version is available in the USA from AT&T, Metro PCS,Suncom Wireless and Cellular One from Dobson Cellular Systems, Canada only from Fido Solutions or Rogers Wireless and in many other countries from Movistar and Claro (Telcel).
The black V3 is widely available in the European Union and is the standard version of the phone in Brazil.
Hot Pink versions
The first pink version was released in October 2005, and as of June 2006, is available in the USA from T-Mobile (as RAZR V3 Magenta, after the T-Mobile—and its parent, Deutsche Telekom’s—corporate color, but called RAZR V3 Pink in other countries, including other T-Mobile networks), Verizon and Cingular Wireless and Suncom Wireless (each in a different shade, currently exclusive to the US). It is available in Canada from Bell, Rogers Wireless and Telus, and in the United Kingdom from T-Mobile and the Carphone Warehouse. $25 of sales from the Rogers pink V3 go to Rethink Breast Cancer. It is also available in all Movistar-serviced countries and Claro (Telcel).
Miami Ink Collection
As of October 30, 2006 through T-Mobile in the United States, Motorola offered a version with laser-etched tattoo-inspired designs created by Ami James of the TLC reality television show, Miami Ink. The phones are aesthetically different however they are standard V3r’s.
V3i
Motorola RAZR V3i

Screen Internal: 176×220 pixel (2.2inch) TFT LCD, 262,144 colors External: 96×80 pixel STN 65,536 colors
Ringtone MP3, Polyphonic – 24 chords
Memory 13.4 MB Internal and External microSD cards expandable up to 512 MB (1GB only with the latest firmware)
Networks GSM Quad band 850/900/1800/1900
Connectivity mini-USB, Bluetooth Class 1.0, GPRS Class 10 (4+1/3+2) slots 32-48 kbit/s
Physical size 53 x 98 x 13.9 mm
Weight 96 grams (3.4 oz)
The successor to the RAZR is the RAZR V3i. It addresses some of the faults of the original RAZR V3 including a better (1.23 megapixel) camera with 8x digital zoom, an improved external and internal display also support for microSD cards of up to one GB. V3i is functionally very close to Motorola V635 model. The V3i comes in two versions: one with iTunes and one with Motorola’s Digital Audio Player (DAP). The iTunes version of the phone has a 50 or 100 song limit restriction (“cap”) depending on where the phone model was made. The Motorola DAP does not suffer from this cap; however, it takes considerably longer time to load and uses the V3’s battery at a much faster rate than iTunes does. The phone’s looks have also been subtly changed. It was announced on December 8, 2005 that Motorola had teamed up with Dolce & Gabbana to produce a Special Edition Gold RAZR V3t. Only 1,000 of these have been made and sold for a premium price.
On June 1, 2006, Motorola and Dolce & Gabbana once again released their limited edition gold phone. This model includes a D&G cell phone holder, a signature leather pouch, Bluetooth headphone, and FM earphones. It is available from all major Motorola retailers and select D&G boutiques.
The V3i is available in the following colors:
Silver Quartz (main color)
Gunmetal Grey
Gold Plate (special edition DG version only, see above)
Dark Blue
Maroon
Violet
Orchid
Black for (PRODUCT)RED (special edition to tie in with the (PRODUCT) RED initiative)
Platinum
Red
Chrome Green
Chrome Purple
Celery (some companies call it Lime Green instead)
The Motorola RAZR V3i was released to most worldwide markets in the Q4 of 2005–2006. In the U.S. the phone was released through Cingular Wireless on September 6, 2006, with a new activation price of $299, but is availible with At&T Wireless as well as Suncom Wireless.
V3r/V3t
The V3r and V3t are models sold by T-Mobile, AT&T (formerly Cingular), and Canadian cellular services such as Rogers Wireless, respectively. These models are virtually identical to the V3 and V3i, except they use Motorola’s Digital Audio Player instead of iTunes for music playback. T-Mobile’s V3r offers a Voice Notes feature which permits forwarding your audio recordings to voicemail as the only storage method. However, a publicly available seem edit permits users to enable the hidden Voice Records feature. Voice Records allows you to save voice recordings locally to phone memory. Currently, Voice Records is limited to less than two minutes of audio recording and stores the resulting records as .avr format files on the a partition within phone memory. In contrast, currently available seem edits can expand the maximum size of video recordings.
T-Mobile V3t phone memory is 10.0MB total, including all system files. This space is divided unevenly into a and c partitions. Memory on partition a is larger than 2MB and contains system files, including some of the branding images for the phone carrier. Partition a also contains the avr structure for the hidden Voice Records feature. Partition c is larger than 5.5MB and stores user data, including images, sounds, videos, text notes, calendar entries, phone book entries, Java applets and web cache. V3r and V3t phones sold by T-Mobile come equipped with Java-based software that supports T-Mobile’s “MyFaves” rate plan. Publicly available third party tools can remove this Java software and other system or locked files to free memory for other uses.
Canada’s Rogers Wireless also carries them for a reduced price compared to the original Razrs.
MS500
Another version of this phone was released in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) on June 1, 2005. This version has the similar physical appearance as the original V3 but instead of GSM, it is a CDMA phone for SK Telecom. It is the first CDMA version of the RAZR without the expandable memory, Bluetooth and SIM card, since Motorola Korea’s system was able to produce its own model before worldwide GSM format release. It has a 1.3 megapixel camera, video recording, 80MB of internal memory and a variety of UI features, such as mobile blog, Yoga graphic book, Diet diary and Lotto number generator for Wellness theme. It also comes in colors other than those mentioned above. Black, pink, and lime models are seen around Korea. In February 8, 2006 Motorola Korea released its own slide-phone model for the RAZR named Z model name MS600. Unlike most other versions, the MS500 version is packaged with a charging dock and has three metal terminals on the back side immediately under the battery cover.
Also, as the add-on to the MS600, MS500 Lime RAZR has been in circulation in South Korea since October 2006 along with the Motorola KRZR Black and Motorola KRZR Fire (Red).
CDMA2000 Models
V3c
On November 21, 2005, a CDMA version of the RAZR, known as the RAZR V3c, became available to Alltel and SaskTel users. Verizon Wireless followed suit on December 7, 2005. Unlike models for Alltel and other carriers, Verizon’s V3c features a proprietary user interface and disables, in software, Bluetooth file transfer capabilities (called OBEX). (Although OBEX is supported in Verizon’s V3c firmware version .02, and version .04 if flash-upgraded directly from .02, skipping any install of .03.) In January 2006, Canadian Telus, Bell Mobility and Aliant Mobility, Venezuelan carriers Movistar and Movilnet, and Brazilian Vivo began carrying the V3c. In April 2006 Cricket Communications began selling the V3c. The RAZR V3c supports CDMA 2000 1xRTT and 1xEVDO third generation wireless technologies. This is the technology Verizon Wireless uses to provide their V CAST multimedia service. The coverage of this feature, however, may not be available everywhere. US Cellular and Alaska Communications Systems, Alaska’s CDMA provider, also carry the V3c. It also has approximately 41.2 MB of internal memory, although only about 36 MB are available for use. The V3c does not support an expandable memory card.
The original version of the V3c was charcoal gray, and a light pink version called Satin Pink (different from the GSM Magenta/Pink and the AT&T Cotton Candy versions) was released by Verizon Wireless in January 2006. Telus Mobility, Bell, Aliant, and Vivo also carry pink versions of the V3c.
V3m
V3m is a CDMA version of the RAZR. As an upgrade to the V3c, it features a microSD card slot for up to 2 GB of memory expansion, a longer lasting battery, and 40MB of internal memory. The V3m presently comes in silver, pink, red, and through Alltel, Fire Red although the original release as well as models currently available on the Sprint CDMA network featured the gunmetal gray color of the V3c. This is not available in the UK, although the V3x is on sale there.
Verizon Wireless version
Verizon Wireless disabled certain features on the V3m including the ability to transfer data files to and from the phone via Bluetooth (a specific protocol called OBEX). Verizon has also blocked the transfer of most data over USB, such as ringtones. These phones also run Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW), which signs each application to the phones Electronic Serial Number, or ESN, thus preventing the use of free applications. The equivalent models offered by competitors (such as the V3t by T-Mobile) still retain these features.
Verizon also installs their own user interface instead of the default Motorola interface that they used to use in the past. This has led to many Verizon Wireless users to resort to using their own artificial means of reverting their phones back to an original Motorola condition, or to that of a Verizon phone that has some of the disabled features enabled. A newer Verizon version of the phone has been upgraded and features limitless video capture, easier laid out menu system and the ability to customize the external screen. The phone is still unable to sync to a computer via USB cable for anything other than charging, unless a software such as Bitpim is used to access files.
Red V3mPartnering with Motorola, US Cellular and Sprint released a special Product Red RAZR and Bluetooth H500 headset to help support Global Fund programs which positively impact the lives of women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Also in the UK there is a Product Red V3i, SLVR, and Bluetooth H3 headset.
W-CDMA/UMTS/FOMA models
V3x

RAZR V3x
Announced in March 2005 , the RAZR V3x was formerly known as the Motorola V1150. Externally, it appears to be a larger RAZR V3, albeit with enhancements such as a 2.0 Megapixel camera. Internally, it is quite different, utilizing a different microprocessor, chipset, an Nvidia GoForce GPU, and radio ICs. As a 3G product, its feature set is closer to that of phones such as the Motorola V980, e.g., two cameras instead of the single camera typical on GSM or CDMA products. However one of the main attractions of the RAZR V3, the fact that it is very thin, is no longer present in the V3x; although it is the smallest phone available in the UK on the “3″ network, compared to other clamshells, it is only an average-sized phone. It won the “Best 3GSM handset” at the 2006 3GSM World Congress.
M702iG
In Japan, a 3G(W-CDMA) NTT DoCoMo version of the V3x was released in late August 2006. This version has IrDA.
V3xx
Announced in July 2006, the V3xx is a 3G Category 5/6 (3.6 Mbit/s) HSDPA and EDGE supported handset. It is extremely similar in appearance to the compact V3i design, but incorporates an improved feature set with a 1.3 megapixel camera in place of the 1.23 megapixel, 50 MB of internal memory, support for microSD and Bluetooth A2DP. Like the V3x, it is also equipped with a secondary screen and a higher resolution 240×320 pixel (QVGA) main screen.. The V3xx was made available for purchase internationally on the Three network in November 2006, and is now available on at&t (formerly Cingular) for $149.99 with a new 2-year contract. The secondary camera is not available in the USA. The built-in GPU, manufactured by Nvidia (model GoForce 4800) is capable of rendering 3D images through OpenGL ES. The phone includes a much faster CPU as well, making the performance of all features, including 3G/Data much more real-time. (All menuing delays common to the slower V3 platform are gone). With the new CPU available, the V3xx Phone now also includes a fast USB V2.0 for downloading ringtones/images/mp3 files quickly. (older V3′s were limited to USB V1.1)
Unlike with the V3 and V3i (both of which were quad band GSM and thus worked equally well on any GSM network in the world) the V3xx comes in different variants depending on the local frequency bands used for GSM and UMTS/HSDPA. The North American V3xx is quad band (850 MHz/900 MHz/1800 MHz/1900 MHz) GSM and dual band (850 MHz/1900 MHz) UMTS/HSDPA, whereas the version sold in Europe and Asia is tri band (900 MHz/1800 MHz/1900 MHz) GSM and single band (2.1 GHz) UMTS/HSDPA. This is likely due to the need to fit the internal components of the V3xx into a small casing; as of early 2007 global phones that support quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA are considerably bulkier than the V3xx.
M702iS
NTT DoCoMo version of the V3xx. This version does not have GSM, HSDPA. But it has IrDA. NTT DoCoMo FOMA M702iS
RAZR maxx
The RAZR maxx is a new 3G HSDPA and EDGE handset predated by the RAZR V3x. Initially known as the “MAXX V6,” it was released in Europe by the end of 2006. Additionally Motorola had released pictures on its website of the Verizon version. The original version has a 2.0 Megapixel camera with LED flash, a large 2.2-inch (56 mm) screen with 240×320 QVGA display (like the V3xx) and 50 megabytes of internal storage. While gaining a significantly improved featureset, it will maintain the same thin profile of the original RAZR V3. Key to its design are a glass fascia with external touch-sensitive controls for MP3s.
This phone is available in Australia from Telstra on their 850 MHz Next G network.
The Verizon Wireless version became available on April 24th, 2007.
The Verizon Wireless version, the RAZR maxx Ve, does not have the second camera on the inside of the phone. Instead, there is a shutter button for focusing and picture taking. The Ve will feature Verizon’s menu system, but is said to support OBEX profiles, unlike Verizon’s current RAZR V3m.
RAZR²
The new, more sleek and more stable design of the RAZR came out in North America in July 2007. This new RAZR includes more features such as Crystal talk (a feature designed to improve telephone audio quality) and a touch sensitive external screen (used for replying to text messages, listening to music, and other features). Also, sturdier materials such as stainless steel will replace aluminum in the RAZR. The new models are the V8, the V9, and the V9m.
Developments
The original V3 was intended to be a low-selling “halo product” to promote the Motorola brand. The phone was comparable in functionality to other cell phones when first released, but due to advancements in the cell phone industry, is now of relatively limited functionality. It had only 5.5 MB of usable memory capacity, upgradeable to an absolute maximum of about 10 MB by modding the phone Furthermore it had no storage expansion slot and a low camera resolution of 0.3 megapixels (Resolution: 640×480 pixels).
The newer models (V3i and V3x) addressed these issues by increasing memory capacity to 30.8 MB and 62.8 respectively. Camera resolutions were increased to 1.23 megapixels for the V3i, and 2.0 megapixels for the V3x. The hinge mechanism was also reinforced. For the V3x, Motorola slightly modified the keypad layout in response to complaints about it being difficult to use. The keys are bigger and more widely spaced, and rubber spacers have been added in between, instead of the laser-etchings on the metallic surface itself as seen previously.
U.S. network restrictions
Verizon intentionally restricts otherwise-available functionality in V3c and V3m models. Such phones are unable to transfer files via wireless Bluetooth (OBEX), forcing users to purchase ring tones and transfer photographs to home computers via Verizon’s paid PixPlace service. However, through certain unsanctioned modifications, some of these capabilities can be re-enabled. The V3c and V3m handsets sold through Sprint, US Cellular, and Alltel do not suffer from such limitationsDue to many Sprint customers complaining about less than expected battery life, Motorola has begun to offer free high-capacity batteries to Sprint customers who contact Motorola’s customer service line with battery life issues.
Cultural impact
The RAZR has been said to be the “iPod” of mobile phones. Being the slimmest phone during its release in 2004 , it easily stood out amongst other phone models. It has also been one of the most popular mobile phones since its first release, having been spotted in the hands of celebrities and businessmen alike, it is frequently seen in movies and TV shows and is also being used by the Dutch Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
In popular culture
Since its release the RAZR has become identified as a ‘fashion’ product and an iconic cell phone.[23] The RAZR has since been used in several television shows and featured in several movies. Contestants on the NBC adventure reality show “Treasure Hunters” were given RAZRs for communication with the host and each other throughout the season. The Product Red edition of the RAZR was launched by Oprah and Bono for charity. Its popularity has greatly faded though in recent years to newer models.
Specifications
The complete list of specifications for the V3c variant of the RAZR follows. Note that specifications for other versions vary.
Type Specification
Modes CDMA 850 / CDMA 1900
Weight 3.49 oz (99 g)
Dimensions 3.90″ x 2.10″ x 0.60″ (99 x 53 x 15 mm)
Form Factor Clamshell Internal Antenna
Battery Life Talk: 3.33 hours (200 minutes) Standby: 215 hours (9 days)
Battery Type LiIon 740 mAh
Display Type: LCD (Color TFT/TFD) Colors: 65,536 (16-bit) Size: 176 x 220 pixels
Platform / OS Symbian/ VZW
Memory 30 MB (built-in, flash shared memory)
Phone Book Capacity 1000

article thanks to wikipedia

Nokia 2125i CDMA

Noki1 2125i

Lightweight design with chrome accents, an internal antenna and 96 x 65 pixel display in 65,536 colours
Bring things to light with the easy-to-activate flashlight
Talk handsfree with the integrated speakerphone
Stay on task with tools like the calendar, alarm clock and calculator
Stay connected Stay connected Voice dialing, recording and commands
Stay in the loop when on the go with the mobile Internet (Internet content/services designed for mobile devices)
Store up to 250 contacts in your phone book
Connect to friends and family with text messaging and picture message templates
Predictive text input
Personalize your caller ID with fun graphics
Make it yours, have fun Make it yours, have fun Enjoy richer sounding polyphonic ring tones
Express yourself with downloadable ring tones and Xpress-on™ colour covers (sold separately)
Take the fun with you with preloaded games
Specifications 800/1900 MHz CDMA plus 800 MHz AMPS band/mode
Weight: 85 g with battery
Dimensions: 102.4 mm x 42.2 mm x 21.5 mm
Power ManagementBattery Capacity Talk time Standby time

Accessories available here!

nokia-2125i-manual

Blackberry 8820 comes to Rogers

It seems like these days the announcements are coming fast and furious from Rogers from the iphone to the Centro. Their latest new phone coming out is the Blackberry 8820. Complete with Home Zone Calling.
The 8820 is set to launch June 18 2008. And the cost is expected to be:
1yr $549
2yr $499
3yr $449
3yr special promo price $349
By appearance it looks a lot like the 8800 but the Wifi and GPS addition is going to be huge. The specs on it do look interesting:
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 Edge
Form Factor:
114 x 66 x 14 mm 134g
Black in colour
Trackball Qwerty keyboard

Display 65K colors 320×240 pixels
Features:

Bluetooth v2.0 64mb Memory internal microsd external
Mini usb data
Blackberry email client
Yahoo messenger
GPS
Camera No
Mp3 player stereo headset jack with echo cancellation
Battery Stand-by 520h talk time 5h
The thing that jumps out at me is the lack of camera. That is almost unheard of these days. But the wifi more than makes up for it to the business user.

Rogers introduces the Palm Centro

With all the talk of the Apple iphone coming out it is easy to miss any other cell phone news. But today Rogers announced they were going to be carrying the Palm Centro. The cost is expected to break down something like this
Monthly term… $399
1yr term $399
2yr term $349
3yr term $299

The smart phone runs on it is own Palm Os operating systems making syncing with things a challenge. The Rogers version of this phone will be cobalt blue. And be 107.22mmx53.5×18.6 and weigh 124g.
I was impressed with a lot of the specs of this phone, 320×320 pixel screen that is said to be touch screen. It also has full keyboard so to have both inputs a keyboard and touch screen is nice.
It is a quadband phone with edge technology. But no HSDPA. It also sports 64mb ram on board but expandable to 4gb. Of course as well it is Bluetooth capable. In ideal conditions it has 4hrs talk time and 300 standby which really is not bad.
From a multi media standpoint it has a small 1.3 mega pixel camera that also plays video and the ability to play music via pocket tunes. Included in the start up disc.
I do think the biggest draw for phones like this is the internet capablities. I mean is this really a good phone to have if you can not get your emails when you need them? And as far as that goes, it has push technology so you can get your emails as they come. It also allows you to view most Office documents and pdf files.
Considering Apple announced today they are coming out with a 3g version of their phone I hope this one does not get lost in the shuffle.

Softbank 913sh comes to Japan looks like the LG Shine

            One of the newest phones to hit the market in Japan is the “Fullface” Softbank 913sh by Sharp. On first glance it looks to me like the LG Shine we have here.  As the picture from the Softbank website shows. As with most phones from there it is only available in Japan for use there only as it is a 3g phone.

 

            It looks like a very attractive phone.  The face is totally flat, giving it a smooth and sleek appearance. The face also has what is known as Sensor keys to allow you to operate the phone even when closed which is a neat feature to have. Of course it is also Bluetooth capable so some things you would not need to open the phone for anyway.  When the phone is closed you are also able to use it as a audio video device with camera and media player.  Or browse the internet with it’s wide screen and high speed 3g.  The projected download speed is 3.6Mps so it is great for viewing many sites and as is common with Japanese phones, television.

            Unlike the Lg we have here it is available in many different colors but that is understandable in fashion conscious Japan.

 

            It also boasts

·         2mg camera

·         Micro sd

·         Video call

·         Graphic mail

·         English/Japanese bilingual

           

As the table below shows it is light at 125g but still heavier then the Shine at 104. The physical size is about the same however. The battery life is about the same as the Shine as well. However like a lot of phones in Japan it is not what you can see that makes this phone stand out. But what is under the hood or in this case the slider.  The launch date for this phone is late July which in a way surprises me as we always hear how much better the phones are over there. And yet the Shine was the first out. It is important to keep in mind that the extras this phone has over the Shine are because of the 3g network not the phone itself.

            But never the less it is a very stylish phone and will be popular among females who most of the new phones are marketed to anyway. There is a  thought out there that Softbank wants to concentrate more on making their phones stylish and leave the technology to their competitors.

Weight:	125g
Dimensions:	W50×H108×D16.8 mm (when closed, excludes protrusions)
Talk Time: (when stationary)	280 min.
Standby Time: (when stationary)	350 hrs.
Charge Time:	150 min.

 

Sony Ericsson w200 comes to rogers

Recently Rogers introduced the Sony Ericsson W200 to pay as you go. After rebate the phone should sell for $109.99. The phone is a very basic phone, but comes with some neat accessories in the package. Aside from the normal battery and charger, it comes with a stereo handsfree, USB cable, software, a 128mb memory stick. That is neat. Most phones just come with the basic charger and battery.
The phone itself is very basic. This is one of the few phones out there these days not to have Bluetooth ability. It does have an infrared port for basic data transfer but to not have Bluetooth is unusual. Almost archaic. The phone tri-band working on 850/1800 and 1900 with no 3g but not being a high end phone this is no surprise. It has a central joystick to navigate but the joystick has been known to break down and stick over time which could make playing games hard on it after time.

-General GSM 850 / 1800 / 1900 – W200a
-Size Dimensions 101 x 44 x 18 mm 85g
-Display Type UBC, 65K colors
-Size 128 x 160 pixels, 1.8 inches
-13 Wallpapers, 5 themes
-Ringtones Type Polyphonic (40 channels), 10 embedded ringtones
-Memory Phonebook Yes, Photo call
-Card slot Memory Stick Micro (M2) 27 MB internal memory
-USB Yes
-Software Adobe Photo Shop, Sony Ericcson file manager, Mobile Network wizard,photo dj and others
-Camera VGA, 640×480 pixels 4x zoom
- FM radio with RDS
- Walkman Media Player 1.0 mp3/aac/wav
-Battery Standard battery, Li-Ion
-Stand-by Up to 300 h
-Talk time Up to 7 h

The biggest selling point of this phone is the fact it is considered a walkman phone. Considering Sony started the whole walkman thing they know what they are doing. the sound quality is good for the price and having the stereo headphones is a nice touch. The sound quality has gotten good reviews. But the lack of Bluetooth and the camera are the biggest drawbacks of the phone.

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