when anonymous callers try to contact you, you can use an app that locates calls by cell phone numbers in reverse - use it when you are not sure who the number belongs to

 

• 20Oct

  HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  The Sensation XE contract looks just like any one of those slightly coloured in ‘Limited Editions’ we hear of from time to time, that are just a marketing exercise at trying to extract more money from customers. So, is this phone exactly that or is it something better?

  Well the body looks like an improvement on the original. The phone is a attractive one with a nice few red additions on a new black paint. This makes the phone look a lot more desirable than the previous one, which was in all honestly quite a bland looking phone.

  The new Sensation XE also comes with a dual core 1.5GHz chip, making it a lot faster than the previous one and a lot faster than many other devices on the market. This new chip performs to excellent standards and we must say we were thoroughly impressed with it for all the multimedia uses on the device.

  The most obvious of these multimedia uses is the Beats Audio one. This Beats Audio option is one that allows you to get something known as the Beats effect on the device. This is fundamentally a more bass orientated sound. The phone comes with both extra software and headphones to enable this new software to work. However, the sound effects don’t work with any other headphones than the specific ones and so is a little limiting, should you like us be a little lax with headphone maintenance.

  There are also some other improvements in the software on the phone and the device comes with versions of Android 2.3.4 and Sense 3.5 – the latest upgrade in the Sensations user interface. This all looks very attractive on screen and we must say the phone thoroughly impressed us in the way it functioned and once again is a lot better than the original Sensation, and one of the best Android phone deals around today.

  The camera on the phone is the same, however this doesn’t mean there are any problems with it. The phone has a 8mp camera, with a dual lens and the ability to take 1080p video – which is all of top quality and looks well on the 4.3inch screen, which is the same as the originals.

  The qHD screen looks excellent indoors, however like on the original it is known to lack a little in brighter lights.

  We would have to conclude the Sensation XE is not a marketing exercise and actually an excellent update.

• 31Mar

  Use Your Android Phone to Cheat at Sudoku

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  If you own an Android phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S there is a new Android App that will solve any Sudoku puzzle and in order to do so you just need to photograph it with your phone camera.

  Of course the question might arise as to why you might wish to cheat as Sudoku. The whole point of the game is to use your brain power to fill in the missing numbers, not just fill them in using an app on your smartphone.
  In a demonstration of the Sudoku solving capabilities of the new Google app Google recruited the 2009 world champion of Sudoku, Tammy McLeod, and challenged him to beat it. Pitted against him was a Sudoku novice who was equipped with an Android phone and the App.

  McLeod was given a head start and was soon filling in the numbers on an extremely difficult Sudoku puzzle. His opponent switched on his phone and photographed the puzzle. The text recognition software produced a digitised image of the puzzle on the display screen and within seconds the puzzle had been solved.

  In response smartphones have been officially banned from all Sudoku competitions.

  The App can actually to far more than just solve Sudoku puzzles in record times. It is also a highly efficient barcode scanner. All you need to do is hover the app over a barcode and the phone will vibrate once it has interpreted it. It will then open up a web browser and display information on the item including price comparisons across a range of retailers.

  This is just one example of an augmented reality app. It seems that these apps will soon be changing the way we interact with the world. We can point our phones at the night sky and identify the stars and planets; we can point them at a restaurant and read the current menu on our display screen; we can point the camera at a Spanish road sign and see on our screen an English translation. It is a new world, and we will need to get used to it. To find the right phone for you visit dialaphone today, dialaphone stock a huge number of cheap mobile phones, be it the latest iphone 4 or an older classic model you will find it for a great price dialaphone.

• 19Feb

  Sony Ericsson Jalou: Absolutely Not A Phone For Guys

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  The Sony Ericsson Jalou is another one of those fashion phones that Sony Ericsson has been in the habit of producing. Aimed squarely at the female demographic, it packs both a unique diminutive size and a highly-original (albeit, debatably attractive) looks.

  Physically, the clamshell phone’s shape is supposed to resemble a gem, with a polished surface and shapely cut lines. Naturally, it’s a veritable magnet for smudges and fingerprints. It comes with two display panels – a 1.3-inch LCD in the front and a 2-inch QVGA LCD inside. Both displays are clear and bright, while the overall device sports a really solid build.

  As a phone, it manages good voice calls, although adjusting the volume while you’ve got it placed next to your ear is very difficult because of the size. Battery, which is rated at 7 hours, is surprisingly good.

  Like many fashion phones, the Jalou is primarily about its looks. However, it does come with some advanced features, like 3G, HTML browsing, an accelerometer and a good set of apps (including Facebook, YouTube and an onboard pedometer). It features Sony Ericsson’s usual media features, like TrackID, PlayNow and several basic media editing tools.

  The 3.2 megapixel camera offers a good set of options, along with average quality stills (no flash, though). A novelty mirror function, which lets you use the LCD as a mirror, actually works. Other handset details include stereo Bluetooth and microSDHC expansion.

  Overall, the Sony Ericsson Jalou makes for a sexy, little phone. The ridiculously small size makes it near-impossible for full-sized men to use (let’s see you open that clamshell with your large fingers), but should work very well for majority of female users. Priced at around $320 unlocked (depending on where you buy), it’s a good choice if you’re into a stylish, though not necessarily powerful, device.

• 17Feb

  Blackberry Storm 2 Adds Wi-Fi, Faster Performance, Improved Touch Facility

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  While the Blackberry Storm didn’t exactly turn other touchscreen smart phones on their head, it wasn’t all that bad. With a series of software improvements and beefed-up hardware, though, there are high hopes for its successor, the Blackberry Storm 2.

  Physically, RIM’s new touchscreen device isn’t a big departure from the original Storm. It sports the exact same dimensions and similar weight, but adds a few subtle touches. The capacitive touchscreen measures 3.2 inches with a 480 x 360 resolution. It comes with a built-in accelerometer and a proximity sensor. The latter feature detects when a face is close to the screen, automatically turning it off to avoid mispresses.

  The biggest update here, by far, is the revamped Sure Press touch interface. Instead of a mechanical suspension system, like in the original Storm, the new handset uses electronic activators beneath the display to simulate clicks. The result is basic multi-touch support, improved touch response, faster typing and key rollovers. Along with some nifty UI enhancements, it makes for a touchscreen facility that can finally rival some of the best smart phones around.

  As a phone, the Storm 2 manages excellent voice calls, with a rich and clear sound that’s free from any background interference. Speakerphone was similarly loud and clean-sounding. Overall phone performance is pretty snappy, while the 3G facility makes for very good data transfer rates. The onboard browser appears faster than on other Blackberry phones, but it could also be the increased memory assisting the speed. Battery has a rated talk time of 5.5 hours, which makes it useful for about 2 to 3 days on normal use.

  RIM thankfully decided to add Wi-Fi to the mix, making the Storm 2 one of the more interesting world phone (yes, it supports both quad-band CDMA and dual-band GSM) choices around. It also comes preinstalled with OS 5.0, which adds numerous enhancements to the handset’s various applications. Messaging, of course, remains a major strength (it syncs with literally everything), while the browser (with Google Gears, Blackberry Widgets and streaming support) has received notable improvements. They even threw in Data Viz Documents To Go Standard Edition to supplement the attachments viewer.

  The on board 3.2 megapixel camera is pretty good, with plenty of additional niceties (image stabilization, flash, lots of settings) and decent quality. Other features include aGPS (with Blackberry Maps), a media player with wide format support, stereo Bluetooth and micro SDHC expansion.

  Overall, the Blackberry Storm 2 is a serious touchscreen smart phone contender. The world phone capabilities, wide range of connectivity options, improved OS and Sure Press technology makes it an attractive device for jet setting business users.

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• 04Feb

  PSP Phone: The Rumours

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  The rumour of a PSP phone has been circulating various mediums for the past few years but 2011 could be the year that Sony finally give in to the growing demand for a game based phone.

  It has been speculated by many sources that the so-called ‘Playstation phone’ will use of the Android 3.0 operating system. Inclusion of such a system will elevate the PSP phone to the heights at which other high-end devices operate. Sony may possibly also release the phone under the name of the Sony Ericsson Z1 or Xperia Play. The use of such a name will most definitely reduce the effect the name of PSP may have on skeptics of a game based phone.

  Other rumoured features include a 1GHz processor, 5MP camera and a 4.1” screen; all aspects that would bring the phone in line with expectations of a top quality smartphone.

  Leaked pictures show the initial face of the handset to be dominated by this 4.1” screen. Behind it lies the slide out keypad that, instead of donning the QWERTY format, operates on the Playstation D-pad design combine with a touchpad in the centre.

  The interface seems to still be in development, which is a risky venture as Sony could possibly miss the competitive battle between many top companies in the first half of this year. However, with the unique advantage of being a game based phone they may have no need to rush their interface development.

  The Playstation phone is definitely a handset that will exploit the growing game app market and the interest from some of the world’s most credible software developers. As Apple did with the iPhone, Sony could possibly do with their latest phone; take a popular media format and successfully adapt it to a phone. Head over to dialaphone.co.uk to find out all the latest infomation and rumors on psp phone, click here to find out more .

• 28Jan

  Motorola Droid Specs Temporarily Spill Out From Official Website

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  Verizon Wireless has been teasing customers with the Droid all through the week, as part of the build-up to the smartphone’s Oct. 28 unveiling. Leave it to Motorola to ruin all the fun.

  Earlier today, the Motorola website put up their dedicated section for the Droid, listing the handset’s full details and specifications. While it’s prudent to prepare a mini-site a week before a device’s release, you’re also supposed to keep it behind the firewall – a precaution the company didn’t take. As a result, we now have the full dirt on the heavily-hyped Android smartphone.

  Running on Verizon’s network, the handset will come with CDMA 1X 800/1900 and EVDO rev. A connectivity. Disappointing expectant customers a bit, it’s running a 550 MHz CPU, a slight letdown from the originally rumored 600 MHz processor (it’s supposed to be using the same one on the iPhone 3GS). Motorola will be shipping with the latest Android version (2.0 Eclair).

  Main features include a 3.7-inch touchscreen (16:9 aspect ratio, 480 x 854 resolution), a 5.0 megapixel camera (with dual LED flash and 24fps captures), a side-sliding QWERTY keyboard, aGPS, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth, a Webkit-based browser with HTML5 compatibility and Flash 10 support (by 2010). It will come pre-loaded with a 16GB microSD card, with support for up to 32GB units.

  Phone dimensions are quite impressive at 2.4 x 4.6 x 0.5 inches, making it only slightly thicker than the iPhone, despite packing a full QWERTY keyboard. Like most Android releases, it will come pre-installed with the entire range of Google’s apps, along with Amazon’s MP3 Store and contact list integration with Gmail, Facebook and Exchange. It doesn’t appear to be coming with the Motorola Blur, though (likely Verizon’s choice).

• 24Jan

  Sony Ericsson Aino Innovates On Features, Doesn’t Exactly Succeed

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  The Sony Ericsson Aino is an ambitious phone that tries to add new capabilities other handsets usually don’t come with. It bears some very noticeable flaws, but its brave attempt at providing innovative features help it stand out from the pack.

  While not exactly the PSP Phone everyone was hoping for, the handset does have a special relationship with the PS3. You can’t use it to control games as earlier rumored, but you can turn the console ON and OFF from your phone. Streaming video and audio over cable works like a charm. You can also do it over 3G and Wi-Fi using the Remote Play feature although it’s not that easy to configure (let’s just say you’ll do a lot of trial and error – mostly error).

  Physically, the Aino is a beautiful phone with a very attractive design. The interface modes are also quite unique to the handset, mixing both touchscreen and non-touchscreen interfaces, depending on whether the keyboard is slid out or not. Like many Sony Ericsson handsets, the touch implementation is not that good, especially if you’re used to better touch controls, such as those on the iPhone and Samsung’s handsets.

  As a phone, it manages average quality voice calls, with natural-sounding voices and little distortion. Speakerphone is also better than average. Battery life rating isn’t stated, but it should be good for around two days of normal use.

  The Aino is a feature-rich device, easily evidenced by reading through the specs list. Quite simply, it has everything you can ask for in a feature phone and more. Notables include a good number of useful apps (both pre-installed and downloadable from Sony Ericsson’s app store), a decent (albeit, not full HTML) web browser, both 3G and Wi-Fi access, an onboard GPS and a very good music player. For the latter, do note that the phone doesn’t have a 3.5 mm jack, but it does come with a wireless adapter. There’s also a pretty powerful 8.1 megapixel camera with a huge amount of editing options, although quality of stills is largely average.

  Overall, the Sony Ericsson Aino is an ambitious feature phone with some innovative talents. It doesn’t always work as advertised, but is a good try nonetheless. It could use a bit of a price reduction, though.

• 23Jan

  Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition Announced, Comes With DVB-H Programming, 3G

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  Nokia just announced a new handset that boasts DVB-H mobile broadcast TV among its list of entertainment features. Called the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition, the new phone offers a bevy of multimedia and social features, along with the ability to watch television programs on the go.

  According to the company, the new device offers one-click access to live broadcasts, with capable reception quality aided by the bundled headset that doubles as an antenna to spruce up signal pickup. It also comes with Nokia’s Electronic Program Guide, which allows you to build personal channel listings and customized TV viewing.

  Apart from the DVB-H capabilities, the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, a 3.2 megapixel camera module and 3G support. It comes with preloaded apps for numerous services, including YouTube, Facebook and MySpace, as well as Nokia’s own messaging client that can work with a wide variety of IM services. Ovi Store support is also integrated, so you can download more content directly from Nokia’s storefront.

  Touted as an entertainment handset, the phone comes with dedicated music controls, along with support for the company’s largely unsuccessful Comes With Music Service. Nokia claims a battery life of up to six hours for uninterrupted TV viewing.

  The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition is slated for introduction in over 20 countries within the coming months, angling for a piece of the worldwide mobile TV audience, which they expect to reach well into 300 million users by 2012. Price is listed at €155 ($232) plus VAT, although exact release dates haven’t been provided.

• 22Jan

  Nokia 6350 Brings Excellent Communication Features, Slips Off On The Multimedia

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  While geared towards basic users, the Nokia 6350 brings along a good set of extra features to go with its attractive clamshell design. It’s not the kind of phone that’s designed to impress, but you’ll have all your standard communication needs met with a few bonuses thrown in.

  Physically, it looks just a tad better than your average flip phone, featuring slim lines, smooth corners and a nice material on both cover sides. It doesn’t open all the way through. Instead, it creates an arc that allows the screen to slightly incline, which is an overall better way of using the device. Nokia claims the model is free from harmful materials and is 80% recyclable.

  It features a small, full-color 1.36-inch screen outside and a 2-inch LCD inside. Both panels manage brilliant colors with plenty of details. The keyboard is well-spaced and the navigation array is spacious, making it very easy to use.

  As a phone, the 6350 manages very good calls, with clear, loud and uninterrupted sound. The full-duplex speakerphone also performs admirably. Overall phone speed is quite snappy and is paired with a fast 3G connection. Battery life is rated at 4.2 hours of talk time.

  Running S40, it comes with all the basic handset capabilities, including a 1,000-contact address book, Bluetooth 2.1 and full messaging support (SMS, MMS, IM and web-based email). It can also operate in AT&T’s PTT network. The 2.0 megapixel camera offers a good range of editing options but the photo quality just leave much to be desired.

  The phone’s 3G was fast, making for quick downloads of music and files. Streaming video loaded well, but playback quality was another matter altogether. Suffice to say, it will make do as a music phone, but could be pushing it too far for video. It comes with a good number of Java apps pre-installed, including MobiTV, Juice Caster (for IM) and YellowPages Mobile.

  Overall, the Nokia 6350 is an excellent phone for basic communications as well as downloading. As a multimedia device, though, both the camera performance and video playback just aren’t up to par. At the low price it’s selling for, however, it sounds like a good deal all the same.

• 20Jan

  Sony Ericsson Announces Two New Greenheart Phones, The Hazel Slider And The Elm

  Mobile Phones No Comments

  Sony Ericsson recently announced two new phones in their eco-friendly GreenHeart line, the Sony Ericsson Elm and the Sony Ericsson Hazel. Like the rest of their similarly-branded models, both handsets are geared towards minimizing Co2 emissions and environmental footprints.

  Green credentials for both devices include the use of recycled plastics for theirbody, in-phone digital manuals, freedom from hazardous chemicals, waterborne paint, minimized packaging and a low-consumption bundled charger. Onboard apps include the Walk Mate eco (an onboard pedometer that helps measure the environmental benefits you effect by walking) and a green calculator (for measuring your overall Co2 emissions).

  Despite ably living up to the brand’s green credentials, both the slider Hazel and candybar Elm come with a well-rounded set of features. Specs are largely the same and the two, in fact, look similar, save for the form factor and screen size (2.6 inches for the Hazel and 2.2 inches for the Elm). Each handset comes with a 5.0 megapixel camera, aGPS, a good amount of social networking and location-based apps, Sony Ericsson’s various music-based niceties (PlayNow, TrackID), pre-installed NetFront web browser, dual band HSPA and microSD card support.

  Along with the phones, Sony Ericsson also announced their very first accessory in the GreenHeart line – the VH700 Bluetooth headset. As expected, it’s minimally-packaged and uses recycled materials, apart from sporting dual mics and micro-USB charging. According to the company, they intend to make all of their accessories GreenHeart-compliant by 2011.

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