HTC Amaze 4G Display

HTC Amaze 4G contains a 4.3inch qHD super LCD touchscreen of 960 x 540 pixel resolution. The screen brightness is expected to be comparable to other smartphones. HTC Amaze 4G looks similar to the Sensation 4G, in terms of its form factor. With curved edges and a recessed front, this device looks sleek and should fit into the palm of the hand easily. The left side of the device houses the microUSB port while the right side contains the volume rocker and the camera keys. The rear of the HTC Amaze 4G has a soft touch at the top and bottom, with a shiny metal portion in between. This smartphone has a solid build and feels sturdy enough. It is available in two colors, black and white.

Processor and Memory

HTC Amaze 4G runs on a 1.5Ghz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor. This processor will definitely speed up operations on this device. The smartphone has 1GB RAM and 16GB internal storage.

Features

This device uses the Android Gingerbread OS and the familiar HTC Sense UI 3.0. T-Mobile’s fast and upgraded HSPA+ network is expected to touch speeds up to about 42Mbps. Most functions are quick on the interface and there is hardly any lag. This smartphone contains an NFC (near-field communication) chip. Several interesting apps are expected to be available on HTC Amaze 4G.

Camera

It was rumored that HTC Amaze 4G would provide a really fantastic camera experience and indeed this is so. This smartphone has an 8MP camera, with dual LED flash at the back of the device. There is also a front facing 2MP camera for video calls. Not only is there a dedicated camera button, there is also a video button. Full HD video recording at 1080p is also promised on this device. Thanks to zero shutter lag and a backlit sensor, image quality is superb, even under poor light conditions. With features like SmartShot and PerfectPics, users will be able to choose the best photo from those they have taken and organise them in their display.

HTC Amaze 4G Release

Orders for HTC Amaze 4G, earlier touted as HTC Ruby, began from October 10. This smartphone can be purchased at T-Mobile stores and from other dealers. Currently, HTC Amaze 4G is available at $259.99 with a new two-year contract. This price is arrived at after a $50 rebate.

With Samsung’s Galaxy S II also releasing on the same day, there was a great deal of speculation about the device which would steal the day. However, HTC Amaze 4G appears to have lived up to its name.

Display and Design

This slate grey device has a plastic feel but feels sturdy enough. The edges of Nokia X2-01 are slightly curved and it is slim enough to fit into the pocket easily. The display consists of a 2.4″ QVGA screen of 320×240 pixel resolution. Images and text look relatively clear and screen visibility outdoors is mostly good. Below the screen is a directional pad in the centre surrounded by call and end keys, two navigation keys and two shortcut keys. X2-01 Nokia shows where priorities lie as one shortcut key is for the Music Player (opening the music library or FM radio) whereas the other is for Messaging (email, text and instant messages). The left side of this device holds the microSD card slot and microUSB port. The VGA camera lens and speaker are found at the back of Nokia X2-01.

Nokia X2-01 Specifications

Nokia X2-01 measures 4.7″ x 2.35″ x 0.56″ and weighs 3.79 ounces. It has an internal memory combo 128MB/64MB and a memory card slot that can support upto 8GB additional storage.

Nokia X2-01 Features

Nokia X2-01 runs on S40 6th Edition OS. It uses a simple interface, with a clean homescreen containing shortcuts that can be customized. Nokia OSS web browser helps in surfing on X2-01. Pages load fast and built-in social networking apps can be accessed easily. However, users cannot navigate between apps after opening one and this is an inconvenience. This device has Push email and Nokia Messaging 3.0 and supports Gmail, Hotmail, Windows Live, Ovi Mail, Yahoo and other services. Call quality is quite good and speakerphone volume is satisfactory. However, earphone quality is debatable.

Keyboard

The keyboard on Nokia X2-01 is clean and spacious, allowing users to type easily. The keys are raised and curved at the sides to easily distinguish them from each other. Keys offer good tactile response.

Nokia X2-01 Camera

Unfortunately, the X2-01 Nokia VGA camera really disappoints. Not only are the images grainy, the video quality is also below average.

Nokia X2-01 Themes

Interesting themes such as Silver Paint Clock, Green Network and Sleek Violet, among others may be downloaded from the Ovi Store for Nokia X2-01. While some are free, others have to be purchased.

Battery

Nokia X2-01 has a rated talktime of upto 4.5 hours and standby time upto 21 days.

Nokia X2-01 looks good and functions well as a messaging and media device. For those looking for a reasonably priced QWERTY device to check mails and messages and listen to music, this may be a decent option. However, those users looking for a good camera feature or 3G connectivity will have to look elsewhere.

Design and Quality

Nokia C5-03 has a plastic construction and feels very light in the hand. However, it also feels durable enough. This budget-phone has a black body which can be matched with graphite black or lime green for the textured lower cap. It has a 3.2″ resistive screen. Unfortunately, this screen of 360х640 pixel resolution is not comparable to the touchscreens available nowadays. Taps are not registered accurately on the screen at all times. Further, screen visibility outdoors is a problem. There are three physical keys on the lower portion of Nokia C5-03: Call, End and a key that opens the apps menu.
While the top of the Nokia C5-03 holds the 3.5mm headset jack and microUSB port, the right side contains the volume rocker and lock key and the lower end has a charging port.

Nokia C5-03 Specifications

Nokia C5-03 measures 4.16″х2″х0.54″ and weighs 3.28 ounces. This device has 40MB internal memory and a microSD card that can support memory upto 16GB.

Nokia C5-03 Features

Nokia C5-03 runs on Symbian S60, 5th Edition. There is only one homescreen that can be slightly personalized. Four icons at the bottom-Contacts, Clock, WiFi and email notification- help in reaching these features easily. This device does work well but the absence of a portrait QWERTY keyboard may be a disappointment.
Internet browsing experience is good on Nokia C5-03, with this device supporting FlashLite 3.1. Social networking sites can be accessed and the Ovi Store can be visited to download applications. Though this is a 3G device, the speed is not extra-fast.
Quickoffice helps in viewing documents but for editing users will have to download another app.
The music player is well organized and sound quality is quiet good. Connectivity options are strong and include A-GPS and WiFi. Pre-installed Ovi Maps 3.0 also helps in voice navigation.

Camera

This device has a 5MP camera, with zoom upto 3x. Photo effects and different modes may be used for images. Since the camera lacks a flash, taking photographs in low light results in dull images. Most images are of average quality.

Battery

Nokia C5-03 has a talktime upto 4.7 hours and a standby time of 24.5 days on 3G. Battery can charged through the microUSB port or charging port, though using the latter is faster. This device can handle usage for about 2 days before it needs to be charged.

Nokia C5-03 Price

Nokia C5-03 is priced at about $185 online.

Despite delivering on many counts, there are many who feel that Nokia C5-03 cannot offer what the Android experience does. Many other competent devices are available at this range and the Android apps provide for a more enhanced experience. Thus, the problem arises not only from an older operating system on Nokia C5-03, but competition from other devices that may offer more.

HTC Thunderbolt Release

After a lot of anticipation, HTC Thunderbolt was released on 17th March, 2011.

Design and Display

HTC Thunderbolt looks big and feels heavy in the hand, having a standard HTC design. It looks similar to HTC Inspire with a unibody metal chassis. This device has a spacious 4.3″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen of 480×800 pixel resolution. The display looks sharp and crisp, displaying images and text clearly. At the back, the battery cover is made of plastic but has a smooth steel finish. There is a kickstand attached at the back, with the loudspeaker below it. The sides of the HTC Thunderbolt contain the power button and volume rocker.

HTC Thunderbolt Specs

HTC Thunderbolt measures 4.75″ x 2.44″ x 0.56″ and weighs 6.2 ounces. This device runs on a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon single core processor, Adreno 205 GPU and MDM9600 chip for LTE. A slight disappointment arises here because a dual core processor can improve performance and battery life, helping in delivering a quick performance. Further, this device has 8GB internal memory and 768MB RAM. It also comes preinstalled with a 32GB microSD card.

Features

This smartphone runs on Android 2.2 (Froyo) with HTC Sense UI. The Sense UI is standard. HTC Thunderbolt blazes as a 4G/LTE device. Upto eight WiFi devices can be tethered to it, enhancing the pleasures of internet browsing. Download/upload speeds are great for viewing web pages, apps and watching videos. Some of the apps that can be accessed include Kindle, FM Radio, Adobe Reader and Quickoffice. Audio quality is best when the device rests on the kickstand. Otherwise it is slightly muffled.

Camera

HTC Thunderbolt has an 8MP camera lens at the back of the device with LED Flash. A 1.3MP front facing camera is also present. Photo quality is good but unfortunately there is no dedicated camera key on HTC Thunderbolt.

HTC Thunderbolt Battery

There have been concerns about the battery life of HTC Thunderbolt from the start. This device was rated to have about 4 hours of battery life on 4G but pulls along for a little more time. Therefore users will have to use the HTC Thunderbolt battery carefully, charging phones in time or using the add-on battery pack. Without 4G, battery lasts longer.

For users who need a device that delivers along with a wide network to work in, HTC Thunderbolt provides a good option. Priced at $249, with a two-year contract, this device is set to wow customers with what it offers. Despite 4G battery life issues, HTC Thunderbolt offers a powerful mobile experience.

Design and Quality

Motorola Flipside phone is a plastic device with a chrome bezel lining around the edges. It has a soft touch exterior, fitting well into the hand. The display is dominated by a 3.1″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen, having 320×480 pixel resolution. Colors on this device look average. However, screen visibility outdoors is quite poor and viewing angles are limited. Below the screen there are four capacitive buttons (menu, home, search and back) surrounding a large optical trackpad. The screen responds well to touch and the size of the trackpad makes navigation smoother. While the left side of the device holds the microUSB port and LED indicator light, the right side houses the camera button and volume rocker and the top contains the 3.5mm headset jack, microphone and power button. Overall, the device has a standard build.

Specifications

Motorola Flipside measures 57.5mm x 109.5mm x 15mm and weighs 145 gms. It has a 2GB microSD card included and can support a maximum of 32GB.

Features

Motorola Flipside runs on Android 2.1 and this can be very disappointing for users who are expecting Froyo. However, the MOTOBLUR interface is good, allowing some customization and better performance. The Motorola Flipside integrates with the contacts app recent social networking updates. Though the address book holds multiple entries per name, it is limited by memory availability. Accessing social networking sites is helped by MOTOBLUR while email services are standard on this device. There is a universal inbox option that can bring together email from all inboxes together. AT&T apps like AT&T Maps, AT&T Navigator and apps like MObiTV, Voice Dialer are some that are found on this device. Connectivity options include Bluetooth and GPS. Unfortunately, call quality on this device is quite unsatisfactory. Voices sound hollow and unclear.

Keyboard

The screen of the Motorola Flipside phone slides across to the reveal the full QWERTY keyboard. The keys are well spaced apart and offer a good tactile response when pressed.

Camera

The rear of the Motorola Flipside holds a 3MP camera lens and a self portrait mirror. Images can be taken in three resolutions but unfortunately look washed out at times. There are photo editing options available to improve the quality of images.

Battery

Motorola Flipside MB508 has a rated talktime of 440 minutes and a standby time of 288 hours on GSM. Battery life is definitely something to be concerned about as users will have to keep charging the device daily or even more than once a day.

Though Motorola Flipside offers some good features, there are issues like poor call quality and a staid design that needs to be considered before purchasing this device. For those who are not too fussy however, Motorola Flipside may be an option.

Design and Quality

It is commonly believed that HTC Fuze is the AT&T version of HTC Touch Pro, with many similar features between the two of them. Both devices do have a similar design, with the HTC Fuze having a pure black look that makes it look sophisticated. The rear of this device has a textured diamond look. The display on HTC Fuze is dominated by a 2.8″ TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen. Image and text look bright and clear on this device. Below the screen there are the Talk and End keys and Home and Back button, with a directional pad at the centre. The accelerometer helps in effortlessly changing the orientation of HTC Fuze from portrait to landscape mode or vice versa. While the power button is located at the top of HTC Fuze, the bottom contains the USB port/charging port and the left side houses the volume rocker and push-to-talk key

HTC Fuze Specs

HTC Fuze measures 4″×2″×0.7″ and weighs 5.8 ounces. It functions on a Qualcomm processor running at 528 MHz. There is 512MB ROM and 288MB RAM on this device.

Features

HTC Fuze uses HTC’s TouchFlo 3D interface and runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Edition. Contacts can be stored on this device, limited by available memory, with multiple entries per contact. Thanks to quad-band world roaming facilities, this device can be used easily by the travelling businessman. Standard services such as Microsoft Office tools and Adobe Reader are available. Email can be easily accessed from this device and Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger can be used for instant messaging. Apps can be launched with just one touch, with users having a wide variety to choose from. Connectivity options include WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS.

Keyboard

The HTC Fuze has a 5 row QWERTY keyboard that slides out from below the screen. Instead of a dedicated number row, the numbers are embedded onto alphabet keys while the top of the keyboard contains the punctuation buttons. This keyboard design may or may not be appealing, depending on preferences. Users may also use the onscreen keyboard for entering data. Overall, the QWERTY keyboard looks compact and keys offer good tactile feedback.

Camera

HTC Fuze has a 3.2MP camera, with autofocus and flash. Picture quality is average on this device, but video quality is not too great.

HTC Fuze Battery

HTC Fuze has a talktime of 445 minutes and a standby time of 367 hours on GSM. For heavy users, the battery life may be a concern.

Overall, HTC Fuze is a competent device for a business user. While there are some concerns with the design of the device and a few performance issues, most tasks on this smartphone can be performed with satisfaction. There are also entertainment options that can be utilized.

Design and Quality

Motorola Quench XT3 looks sleek and fits comfortably in the hand. The smooth plastic build and rounded edges, with a silver band around it, make it look like a more expensive device than it is. This grey smartphone has a 8.1cm HVGA touchscreen having 480×320 pixel resolution. Unfortunately, screen responsiveness is not too great. Often the screen does not register taps whereas, at other times, a slight inadvertent pressure opens applications. Immediately below the screen there are the Home, Menu, Back and Search buttons. There are also two physical buttons below these four buttons, for receiving and ending calls. They surround a trackball that helps is navigation. While the right side of Motorola Quench XT3 contains the camera button and volume rocker, the left side houses the microUSB port. At the top there is the power button and 3.5mm headset jack.

Specifications

Motorola Quench XT3 runs on a 600 MHz Qualcomm processor and has 256MB RAM. This device measures 56.8mm x 114.9mm x 12.6mm and weighs 114 gms.

Features

Motorola Quench XT3 runs on Android 2.1 OS. Most users will be happy to receive this operating system on a mid-range device. Unfortunately, the onscreen keyboard is not too responsive at times. Google services such as Gmail, Google Maps and so on are preinstalled and can be easily accessed. Calling is made easier with smart dialing. Connectivity options on this 3G device include WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS. Call quality is good on this device.

Camera

Motorola Quench XT3 has a 3MP fixed focus camera lens at the back of the device. Digital zoom and flash are present. Image quality is average, looking better for midrange shots. There are also several photo editing options for altering images.

Battery

This smartphone has a talktime of 492 minutes and a standby time of 560 hours on GSM. Users are recommended to keep their chargers handy as this device needs to be charged daily.

For those who are looking for a decent entry-level smartphone, Motorola Quench is a good option. Not only does it look sophisticated, it also offers some good features for the price that it is offered at. However, there are issues with the screen of this device that need to be considered before purchase.

Design and Quality

At first glance, Samsung Wave is a winner. It looks sleek, with its polished metal body making it look like a high-end device. With only 10.9mm thickness, Samsung Wave feels really slim. It can be easily held in the hand. The 3.3″ super AMOLED multitouch capacitive screen on this device really lives up to expectations. With 480×800 pixel resolution, image and text look bright and clear and contrast levels can really blow your mind away. Moreover, there are multiple viewing angles and screen visibility outdoors is great. Below the screen there are the Call and End keys, with a large diamond shaped Menu key in the center. While the left side houses the volume rocker, the right side holds the camera key and lock and the top of the Samsung Wave holds a 3.5mm headset jack and microUSB port.

Specifications

Samsung Wave runs on Samsung’s own 1GHz Hummingbird processor, with 2048MB inbuilt memory. Memory can be further extended through a microSD card, upto 32GB. Samsung Wave measures 118mm×56mm×109mm and weighs 116 grams.

Features

Samsung Wave runs Samsung’s own Bada OS with the TouchWiz UI. This is also the first device to use the TouchWiz 3.0 that has been updated from earlier versions. Unfortunately, there is no video introduction to the UI, so first time users may find it confusing. There are more homescreens on TouchWiz 3.0 and widgets can be added for ease of navigation. A drop-down menu notifies users about new messages or emails received. The social networking app could be improved upon as it is quite slow. The Bada app market does not provide much now, but it can be hoped that this will improve. Connectivity options include Bluetooth, WiFi and GPRS.

Camera

The rear of the Samsung Wave contains a 5MP camera with an LED flash. The camera contains touch-to-focus, image stabilisation and other features that can help it shoot good quality images. Excellent quality HD video can be shot at 720p resolution with 30fps.

Battery

Samsung Wave has a rated talktime upto 15 hours and a standby time upto 600 hours.

Samsung Wave Price

Samsung Wave is available at around $325.

Though Samsung Wave comes packed with plenty, there are areas where it really falls short. For social networkers, this device may disappoint as accessing Facebook or Twitter might not always be smooth. Ultimately, this device may be considered a midpoint between a feature phone and a smartphone. Bringing forth the beginnings of Bada, more can be expected in the future.

Design and Display

Motorola Fire XT has a 3.5″ capacitive touchscreen that dominates the display. The screen has 320×480 HVGA pixel resolution which is disappointing. With support for 262k colors, image and text look average on this device. It has a plastic build with rounded edges. The volume rocker and power button are located at the side of the Motorola Fire XT. Above the screen there is the front-facing camera and below the screen there are the usual four touch-sensitive buttons: Menu, Home, Back and Search. Unfortunately, the screen attracts dust and grease very easily, so users will have to be careful.

Specifications

Motorola Fire XT runs on an 800MHz Qualcomm processor. This device measures 114mm × 61.9mm × 11.95mm and weighs 84 gms. It has 512MB RAM and 512MB ROM and memory can be extended upto 32GB with a microSD card.

Features

Motorola Fire XT runs on Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread. Unfortunately, the device is not too responsive and users may face lag issues. For entering data, users can choose between the Motorola or Android keyboard or use the Swype keyboard. Unfortunately, with a poor screen resolution image and text look dull and washed out. Moreover, the text gets distorted at times. Users can group apps and use them according to their choice. Accessing email is a bother due to the slow speed of the processor. The music and video player are standard but unfortunately, due to the poor screen resolution, users will not be able to enjoy watching videos on this device.

Camera

Motorola Fire XT sports a 5MP camera at the back of the device. This camera comes with LED flash, autofocus and zoom. Unfortunately, the screen resolution plays spoilsport here too, with images looking unclear.

Battery

Motorola Fire XT has a talktime of 5 hours and a standby time of 20 days. Users will have to charge their device daily after heavy usage.

Motorola attempted to reach out to a larger number of users through the Motorola Fire XT, but in their attempt to bring a budget device they ended up compromising on screen quality, camera and processor speed. Obviously this will adversely affect consumer choice, making them pick up the Motorola Fire XT only if they are left with no other choice. With other budget phones offering more, most users might choose to give this device a miss.

Design and Quality

Motorola Motokey is expected to have a 2.4″ screen having 320×240 QVGA screen resolution. This touchscreen device will also have a full QWERTY keyboard beneath the display. The social networking Facebook button is located at the bottom left of this device, illuminated in blue. At one press of this button, users will be able to update their status updates, upload photos and start chatting with friends.

Specifications

Motorola Motokey will roughly measure 105mm × 60mm × 9.98mm and weigh 87 gms. This device will contain about 64MB RAM and 128MB ROM. While this is not much memory, it is enough to appease basic users.

Features

Unfortunately, Motorola Motokey being a budget device will not run on the Android OS. Rather, it will run on the OS seen on lower-end models. Connectivity options on this device include Bluetooth and WiFi. This phone also features a music player and FM radio. This device will also offer access to Gmail and Twitter. It will  have support for IMAP email and POP3.

Camera

Motorola Motokey is expected to carry a 3MP camera lens at the back of the smartphone. Obviously, with a 3MP camera, stellar image quality cannot be expected. However, basic shots can be taken, with the camera feature including digital zoom. Photos can be easily uploaded by the social networker, after using this camera.

Battery

Motorola Motokey will contain a 910 mAh battery and have a talktime of 180 minutes and a standby time of about 240 hours.

Motorola Motokey is live on the Motorola website and is available in a smoke grey color. The price for this device has not been announced yet, but considering what it has to offer, it can be expected that the Motorola Motokey is not going to burn a hole in the pocket. Overall, this smartphone offers decent features to users. For the eager social networker, who does not care much about the other functions of a smartphone, this may be an option to consider.