Crazy Verizon Phone

What do you think of the phone pictured below? Nokia is trying to create a swivel version of the E71, complete with a full QWERTY keyboard and running Series 40. This CDMA phone is set to launch on Verizon, on a date yet to be determined.

  

So are you going to run out and buy this when it releases? I think I'll stick with my 8900. I just don't see the appeal in trying to twist open a phone to get at the keyboard. And that squarish form factor looks like it'll fit into my purse better than my pocket.

-Zara

Mobile Phone Controlled Vacuum

Here's something that you don't see every day. A vacuum that can be controlled by a cell phone over 3G. Yes, the picture below is of the CW100, a "smart" vacuum that can operate by itself or follow your every command. You navigate with the keypad, with a live view of what it "sees" showing on the phone's screen. 

And the best part is that it sells for $370, as long as you sign up for a $3.70/month data plan. Too bad this is only available in Korea on the carrier KTF. I wouldn't mind a $3.70/month data plan. And the robot would be a nice addition too ;)

-Zara

No Skype for iPhone in Canada

This is something interesting that I just came accross. Our friends in Canada can't use the Skype app on their iPhone. It's already gotten over 2 million downloads worldwide, but a Canadian patent over the Skype codec seems to be causing the problem.

 

There's been a lot of speculation about what may have been holding it up, but Apple, Rogers (the Canadian carrier), and the CRTC (regulations board) all stated that they had nothing to do with the holdup. Hopefully this issue will get resolved soon so that everyone in the world can get in on the Skype for iPhone goodness.

-Zara

App Time

Hey Guys!

The BlackBerry App World is now up and running for readers in the US, Canada, and the UK. This is so exciting!

Requirements:

• BlackBerry OS 4.2 or higher
• Trackball or touchscreen
• PayPal account (to purchase apps)
• Data plan with BlackBerry Browser access

Be sure that your BB suits the requirements and let me know what the first app is that you download from it.

-Zara

Skype for iPhone is Live!

We've been waiting for it and now it's finally here. An official Skype app for the iPhone. 

It's been off to a bit of a bumpy start with crashes and unexpected behavior for people on the iPhone OS 3.0 beta, who have jailbroken iPhone, and those not running the latest firmware. For everyone else, it gives great sound quality, but only works on WiFi. 

Next, all we need is the Skype app for BlackBerry. That will really be something to celebrate!

-Zara

Windows Mobile 7 Screenshots... Sweet!

Here we have it, 5 screenshots of the new Windows Mobile 7. Well, they are more likely early mock-ups, but nevertheless, they look promising. 

Mobile Marketplace

IM Application

Music Player

Maps Application

Home Screen

One of the biggest complaints so far is how the battery and volume indicators are on the bottom of the screen, meaning that your fingers are likely to cover it while using the phone. Also, I hope that the UI will have a more unified feel once it releases, but Microsoft is definitely on track to produce a winner. The question is why this isn't 6.5 and getting released later this year?

-Zara

E71 on AT&T... Soon

Yesterday was the rumored launch of the E71x on AT&T. Is it any surprise that a last minute bug was discovered? Apparently, the bug deals with the phone's ability to handle emails. Since the firmware update is still weeks away, don't expect to see the E71x in stores any time soon.

I have to wonder what AT&T is thinking, launching this phone after it has already been on the market for almost a year. Do you think they'd be better off just waiting for the E75? Post a comment to let me know what you think.

-Zara

Readers Prefer to Weather the Storm

The votes are in on the poll and the Storm easily cruised into first place as the device that most readers would buy:

• The Storm got 137 votes or 51% of the 265 total votes 
• Second place went to the iPhone at 29% 
• The Pre got 19%
• The G1 lagged behind with only 11% of the votes
• And there were 17 votes or 6% of people voting for 'None of them'

Long live BlackBerry! And don't forget to vote on my new poll asking which carrier you are on.

-Zara

iPhone: Best Business Device?

When I think of the iPhone, I generally see it as a consumer device. But no more. The iPhone ranks first in terms of customer satisfaction among corporate smartphone users. 

The 1000-point score for each manufacturer is composed of:

• 270 points for Ease of Operation
• 240 points for the Operating System
• 210 points for Physical Design
• 180 points for Handset Features
• 100 points for Batter Aspects

The top 3 scores:

• Apple with 778 points
  
• RIM with 703 points
  
• Samsung with 701 points
  

I always think of BlackBerry devices as being the corporate devices. RIM ranked second, just slightly above Samsung, which was a surprise. Now the study was done between August and September of 2008, before the Storm launched. 

Do you think that the Storm would have pushed RIM past Apple in corporate customer satisfaction? You can read the whole article here. Post your comment to let me know what you think.

-Zara

WinMo 6.5 Gets "More Usable"

I really wonder what Microsoft was trying to solve with the whole honeycomb pattern. Apparently, beta testers in Microsoft wondered the exact same thing. End result - no more hexagons, but the same offset icons. Can you believe that Microsoft is touting this as "more usable"? At least scrolling is more fluid than before, but that itself doesn't really constitute the .4 upgrade.

It's disappointing that Microsoft really hasn't changed much from WinMo 6. And now, 6.5's not even going to have the honeycomb look. So what is it going to have? Same old keyboard, same old browser, and the same old media player. Did I mention no support for capacitive touch screens? What's the upgrade again? Please Microsoft, give us something new.

-Zara

BlackBerry Bullet No-Go

By now, you've probably seen the blackberry bullet video with it piercing an apple and printing the words "The world's first BlackBerry touch screen, nothing can touch it." Rightfully, an iPhone fan had to come up with a video response. And what could be better than the following:

Gotta love the iPhone, especially with the 3.0 OS coming out. Cudos to Apple. As for the Storm, it's a BlackBerry, NOT an iPhone killer. And I seriously can't wait for the Pre!

-Zara

iPhone OS 3.0 Announced

Hey guys! Some exciting news from Cupertino today: the iPhone OS 3.0 is official. So what does that mean for you?

The big new features:

• Cut, Copy, and Paste for text and photos 
• MMS for photos, vcards, and audio
• Landscape keyboard in all core apps

Big things still missing:

• Apps running in the background
• Push Gmail
• Video recording

Of course, there's lots of other additions to the OS, mostly for developers to take advantage of. For the full list, check out The iPhone Blog's page here. Are you excited? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

-Zara

Camera Comparison

Hi guys! Here are the pictures from the iPhone, G1, and Storm that I took during the video review.

iPhone

G1

Storm

The iPhone's camera is very simple and may only be 2MP, but it gets the job done well.

The G1 also has a very simple camera lacking configurable options, but it sports 3.2MP and autofocus. The catch is that the delays while taking a picture can be quite annoying. Waiting for the camera to focus is understandable, but a noticable delay of a few seconds between pressing the capture button and the camera taking the picture is unacceptable.

In terms of options, the Storm's camera wins hands down. It is 3.2MP, features an LED flash, autofocus, and a nice camera options menu to change everything from the resolution to white balance to applying an effect. I don't think that more options necessarily makes the best camera, but I would expect these features on all of these phones.

Post your comment and let everyone know which camera you think is best. I think that the iPhone is looking the best in this test, but that's just my opinion.

-Zara

New Video Up

I've got another video for you - this time looking at the iPhone 3G, Storm, and G1. Check it out!

Also, don't forget to vote on which phone you would buy. Would you go for the iPhone, G1, Storm? Are you waiting for the Pre? Or do you prefer another device?

Keep it m0bile ;)

-Zara

Pre to Kill iPhone on June 29, but Not According to Palm

You heard right, err you heard what Roger McNamee (pictured below) is predicting. It's a biased perspective though, seeing how he's a founder of the investment firm that resued Palm from its financial troubles. Here's exactly what he had to say in an interview with Bloomberg:

"June 29, 2009, is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone. Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later. Think about it -- if you bought the first iPhone, you bought it because you wanted the coolest product on the market. Your two-year contract has just expired. Look around. Tell me what they're going to buy."

It sounds like a pretty bold claim that everyone is going to drop their iPhone and run to the store to buy the Pre. I'll admit that the Pre does look like a cool device, but are you really that anxious to give up your iPhone? And what do you think Apple has in store for its new iPhone that should launch in June or July? I can't see the guys in Cupertino giving up without a fight.

Palm is at least being a bit more realistic and discounting McNamee's statements:

"The statement in the second paragraph of the article that "not one" person who bought an Apple, Inc. iPhone on the first shipment date "will still be using an iPhone a month" after the two-year anniversary of that day is an exaggerated prediction of consumer behavior pattern and is withdrawn."

-Zara

RIM Announces BlackBerry App World

First, there was the App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Then there was the Android market. Now, be prepared for the BlackBerry App World, RIM's app store, which was officially announced last night. 

The only kicker is that apps are either free or $2.99+ (USD). So we won't be seeing any $1.00 apps in App World. But hopefully that will mean higher quality apps. (I should stop dreaming).

-Zara

iPhone: Too Hot to Handle?

This marks the second iPhone spontaneously catching fire. The device sparked after about three hours of charging, which started a fire at the base. Can you believe it?

It's sad to see an iPhone die like this. I just hope that Apple will replace it without too much hassle. We all knew that the iPhone was hot, but not like this.

-Zara

Nokia 5800 XpressNo3G

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic looked like a pretty cool device. I wanted to get my hands on one until I heard about the 3G issues. Apparently, they cannot access 3G networks in Chicago and New York, but 3G works fine in Dallas and Miami. 

Looking through Nokia's official statement, they sound like they don't know what the problem is. According to them, some devices are having issues, an investigation is ongoing, and anyone experiencing issues should call their customer care. 

This is shaping up to be an interesting drama. Did Nokia create the problem, is it a network issue, or a combination of both? I just feel bad for everyone who ran to Nokia stores and paid $400 for one. 

-Zara

Steve Ballmer on Android

"I don’t really understand their strategy. Maybe somebody else does."

“You’ve got to remember Android is version one….and it looks like version one. They’ve got one handset maker, we’ve got 55. They’re available through one operator, we’ve got 175.”

"I assume we’re going to see Android-based, Linux-based laptops in addition to phones. We’ll see Google more as a competitor in the desktop operating system than we ever have before."

When I read these quotes from Steve, they truly sounded like the Microsoft we all know. He is oblivious to what Google is accomplishing with Android. He is assuming that Microsoft dominance will continue in the mobile and desktop world. At least he identified Google as a competitor, albeit in the desktop world. Maybe one day he will even consider Google a competitor in the mobile space. 

I wonder if he has used Android and then tried a Windows Mobile device. I think that would help him understand a little more. What do you think?

-Zara

Favorite Android App

Hey guys! I've been using the G1 for a bit and it's amazing how many apps are available in the Android market. Granted, the G1 doesn't ship with that many apps, but I feel like I can find just about anything I'm looking for. Whether it's actually implemented well is another story though.

So I'm curious - what's your favorite Android app? Are there any favorite BlackBerry apps or iPhone apps that you can't seem to find for Android? Have you had any bad experiences with an Android app? I can't wait to read your stories :)

Keep it m0bile!

-Zara

Want to Win an Unlocked BlackBerry Bold?

Who doesn't, right? You know I do! Check out emkWan's blog at http://emkwan.wordpress.com for how to enter. 

The clock's ticking. You have to be subscribed to his channel by midnight on March 9, 2009 . Also, don't forget to post a comment on his blog as to why you feel you deserve the Bold. It's that easy. Good luck!

-Zara

2D goes 3D

Over at TAT, the guys who polished the G1 UI are at it again with an eyetracker UI. Not quite sure how useful this is, but it sure looks cool. Check out the video below.

Keep it m0bile ;)

-Zara

Keyboard Selection

It's exciting when a QWERTY keyboard comes to portrait mode. The G1 could really take advantage of it. With the Storm, it could save you many a SureType frustration. Just keep in mind that the iPhone has the portrait QWERTY ever since it released and its landscape keyboard came later.

iPhone

G1

Storm 

Now the question turns to how they will perform. The above pictures (for the G1 and Storm) could become your best friend or your tormenting keyboard. Only time will tell. 

-Zara

And the Best Mobile Breakthrough Award goes to... SurePress?!?

Over in Barcelona, the Global Mobile Awards have come and gone, leaving some people like me quite surprised to say the least. The clickscreen on the Storm won the award for Best Mobile Breakthrough. 

According to dictionary.com, a breakthrough is defined as:

"any significant or sudden advance, development, achievement, or increase, as in scientific knowledge or diplomacy, that removes a barrier to progress"

According to the Global Mobile Awards, a breakthrough is defined as:

"RIM does it again, with a new twist to the touch screen. The SurePress screen incorporates touch with confirmation, taking interaction to a new level."

Didn't the definition talk about removing a barrier to progress? I don't remember the part about creating a newer, bigger barrier. Boy Genius Report comments how "We honestly struggled for a long time to think of a single application for the Storm that is better than any of the alternatives for other touchscreen handsets and we simply couldn’t do it" and how "The simple fact of the matter is the more time we spend with SurePress the more frustrated we get with it." So it's not just me who feels this way.

I know that some people can type fast on it and that some people love it. I am not one of those people and clearly, I am not alone. I'll stick with my 8900 ;)

-Zara

Live from Barcelona

Hey guys!

Barcelona seems to be the centre of the mobile universe right now as Mobile World Congress is in full swing. Honestly, there's just too much for me to blog about. Head over to Engadget for a summary of yesterday's events at http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/16/mwc-day-one-the-empire-strikes-back/#continued

The one that caught my eye on that list of highlights is how the Palm Pre will support Flash. Here's the kicker - Apple and RIM still have a long way to go before you'll see Flash on their devices. 

Acer did debut its smartphones, but the reaction so far isn't very enthusiastic. All of the attention is on the HTC Magic (what some may call the G2) and other Android mumblings. So is this the iPhone killer? Doubtful. But it does look hot.

What do you think? Are you sold? Just wait for tomorrow's Barcelona action!

-Zara

Mobile World Congress 2009 is Coming

Starting on Monday, the Mobile World Conference is sure to bring big news for mobile enthusiasts like me! But when the keynote is about weathering the recession, you know that the tone is going to be different. 

Still, Acer is expected to debut it's new smartphones (judging by the promotion pictured below). But sadly Samsung is officially not showing off an Android phone and Dell might not display its smartphone offering. 

I'm sure there'll be lots of news and I'll be sure to report the highlights of the conference. I hope there will be a few surprises (that Engadget hasn't spoiled) too!

As an aside, it's interesting how this is my 13th post, falling on a Friday the 13th. Good luck or bad luck for for the mobile industry in the coming year? Stay tuned :)

-Zara

8900 For Sale in the US!

Here's the day so many of you have been waiting for. The 8900 is for sale in the US in T-Mobile stores and online. Yours for only $199 (after rebates) plus a 2 year contract.

So how many of you are going to pick one up today? When you do, be sure to post a comment of your first experience with it.

-Zara

Zara's Back With a Flip

Hey guys!

Today is the big day... I just posted my latest (and greatest) video on YouTube! Watch as I take a look at the BlackBerry Pearl and Pearl Flip.

BlackBerry Pearl: To Flip or Not To Flip



Did you think that was hot? The phones of course ;)

-Zara

The Perfect BlackBerry?

So exciting... the 3G BlackBerry 8900! Keeping with the 3G / 9000 series form, this phone (codenamed Gemini) is slated to be the 9300. 

Picture this:

- larger, higher resolution screen than the 8900 (which is already 480 x 360)

- more powerful processor (which means faster than 528 MHz)

- everything else you love about the 8900, plus 3G!

The best part: it's real!

I am so buying this the day it comes out for a test drive. Although that will probably be almost a year away (Q4 '09 or Q1 '10). I guess we'll all just have to wait :S

-Zara

Future Reviews

I know what phones I'd like to review. But I also want to know what you'd like to see. Send me an email at mobilechicmail@gmail.com or make a comment on this post. 

You've probably gathered that I love RIM's lineup (and what's not to love about RIM's lineup), but I plan to branch out a little more to other manufacturers. Speaking of RIM, here's a teaser pic of me with the Pearl and Pearl Flip. 

Stay tuned for the next video and be sure to send in your suggestions. Keep it m0bile ;)

-Zara

A T-Mobile Nightmare

Hey guys! Boy do I have a story for you...

My friend went out and bought the G1 yesterday, excited to try out the 'Google Phone'. After being assured by salespeople at Best Buy that it would work with Pay as You Go, guess what? It didn't.

After popping in his SIM card and powering up the device, it forced him to register the phone with his Google account. No problem, except for the fact that it wouldn't let him use WiFi and it also wouldn't skip the registration. In other words, he had one very unusable phone. 

Calling up a T-Mobile store, the salesperson there confirmed that it should work and gave him the number for support. After having support hang up on him multiple times and still keep trying to convince him that it should work, he got transferred to someone who understood his situation and convinced him that it wouldn't work. It doesn't sound like T-Mobile people know what works and what doesn't. So, in the end, he returned the phone to Best Buy very frustrated and he is going to wait for the 8900. A good choice ;)

Have you had any run-ins with carriers? What was the end result?

-Zara

Customize Your BlackBerry Bold With Free Themes

Good Monday Morning!

emkWan let me know about a new video he posted which showcases some great BlackBerry Bold themes. Check it out on his blog here.

His vote for favorite theme is the 10 icon L style today theme pictured below.

You can download it here.

Do you agree with his choice for best theme? What is your favorite theme for the Bold?

-Zara

Vote for Your Favorite BlackBerry!

Hey!

I'm curious about which BlackBerry you think is the best. So I set up a poll right here on my blog. Vote today!

PS: can you guess from the picture which one I voted for? Think Bold vs Storm vs 8900.

-Zara

BlackBerry Showdown

Hey guys!

I am so excited! Guess which phones I got my hands on? Three of the hottest BlackBerry smartphones: the Bold, Storm, and 8900. And so I made a new video. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this. Check it out and let me know what you think.

BlackBerry Showdown: Bold vs Storm vs 8900

Looks like the new year is off to a good start :)

-Zara