Updating Samsung Galaxy S2 to Android 4.0 ICS

It was never an intention to update my firmware. I am completely satisfied with the stable performance of the Gingerbread (Android 2.3.6) on the Samsung Galaxy S2 on stock ROM.

But after positive feedback from peers, I bit the bullet.

And was I glad Samsung made it simpler.

All I did was to plug the phone to the computer, run Kies, who detects a new firmware, spent a lengthy time to download the firmware (depending on your network connection), then another short duration to upload the firmware onto the phone, and finally the bootup sequence where Samsung will optimise your existing apps with the new firmware.

When it's all done, you have a Galaxy S2 running on ICS, with all your apps intact, save the homescreen launcher which is reset to default, so you have to set all the apps shortcut and widgets all over again - unless you are using third party launchers, for which you could backup and restore.

Tip: capture screenshots of your old stock launcher so that you can re-create them again after the firmware upgrade.

What has changed:

ICS improvements. You get the same enhanced apps and features as all the ICS-enabled phones. Like Gmail, Browser, swipe-to-remove notification, long-press home button for recent apps list.

ICS constraints. You also inherit the limitations. For instance, ringtone and notification volume cannot be independently adjusted.

Screen capture shortcut keys. Instead of the "home + power" button combi, you have to use the "volume-down + power" combi, and you have to hold it a little longer

Phone app. The contacts shortcut tab is gone. To access contacts from phone app, you have to open the menu.

Notification icons. They are now larger, and Whatsapp notification icon is in white, not in green anymore.

Restart phone option. You have option to restart phone when long-press the power button.

Camera. I feel there is slightly longer lag when I press the shutter.

Resume phone from standby. When I press the home button or power button, I feel there is slightly longer lag than previous.

Apps compatibility. Beware that some apps might not work optimally on the new ICS version, although occurrence is rare.

Overall phone performance. No remarkably improvement in speed, but no apparent lags either.

Update Firmware: Yes!
Ice Cream Sandwich is safe to update on your Samsung Galaxy S2. The update via Kies is painless and does not delete your apps nor reset any functions (except homescreen launcher shortcuts and widgets). All you need is about an hour of your time to download the firmware, execute the firmware upload, and apps optimisation process. Go for it!

ASUS Padfone Review: First 24hr Impressions

24 hours ago, I received the complete review package from ASUS consisting of the Padfone (A66), the Padfone Station and the Keyboard Dock.

It's finally in my hands after almost a year of wait. So obviously I can't wait any longer to share with you my first impressions within a day.

It Is Responsive. It Is Fast.
Padfone is the third Android smartphone I've tried that runs on Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS, after Galaxy Nexus and HTC One X. It feels responsive, the homescreen swipes around fast, switching between apps is fast.

I am surprised that despite running on Snapdragon S4 dual-core 1.5GHz, the Quadrant benchmark score of 5076 surpasses the HTC One X 1.5GHz quad-core processor, and blazes past Galaxy Tab 7.7 running on dual-core 1.4GHz. I know the Quadrant tests may not be a true indicator of performance, but still, it's a good feeling to see such high score coming from a modest Padfone.

I do notice sometimes the Padfone got "stuck", probably due to some background tasks. For instance, it took a long while loading the call history when I assessed. But when I tried again later, it feels normal.

Padfone + Station = Transformer Pad

Once I dock the Padfone to the Tablet Station, it took less than 5 seconds to start up the Tablet. The Tablet homescreen displays an entirely different set of icons and widgets from the Padfone.  I do not feel any unusual lag under Tablet mode. It just behaves like any normal tablet, in fact, you might be mistaken as a normal Asus Transformer Pad.

Once the Padfone is removed from the Station, the Padfone instantly resumes to phone mode. However, if your app is on display, there is a high chance that it will be force-closed because it does not support dynamic display switch. Just go back to homescreen before ejecting the Padfone and it will be fine.

And There's the Keyboard Dock
Dock the Padfone Station to the Keyboard Dock and you get a complete laptop solution just like the Transformer. For insights on the Transformer + Dock setup, refer to my Asus Transformer review.


Camera Is Not Up To Expectations
The camera is probably the most disappointing feature of the product. While the quality of the 8mp f/2.2 camera is slightly above average, the camera suffers slow focus, slight shutter lag, and inconsistent auto white balance. The front camera is out of focus and there is no AF option. The ICS camera effects list are absent.

Another 13 Days More

I will be holding on to the review units for 2 weeks. Join my facebook page at http://facebook.com/musicphotolife , add me at my twitter feed at http://twitter.com/musicdiary . Leave comments below and I'll try to answer if I can.

HTC One X: Review

After Google Galaxy Nexus, the HTC One smartphones are the first Android phones in the market that are launched with the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS pre-installed. On top of that, HTC has customised the OS with HTC Sense 4.0, transforming the phone to be less geeky and more user friendly, to such extent that even a seasoned Android user like myself could be unaccustomed when handling the HTC phones.

HTC One X and One V

Let's check out the specs of the HTC One X:

• 4.7-inch 720x1280 (HD) resolution
• 1.5GHz quad-core
• Built-in 32GB user memory (no microSD card slot)
• 1GB RAM
• 1800mAh battery
• Uses MicroSIM
• NFC
• 8 megapixel camera f/2.0 28mm with dedicated imaging chip
• 1080p video recording
• Pre-installed with Android 4.0 ICS
• 130g

The review unit is white in colour, made of polycarbonate body and Gorilla Glass. For its size, the phone feels light on the hands. One thing which baffles me is why all the phone makers - except Samsung - continue to position the power button at the top of the phone. As smartphones get larger, it becomes more difficult to reach for the power button using one hand. I also do not favour the micro USB port located at the left side instead of the top or bottom of the phone.

Sense-sational Experience
The experience of a HTC device is defined by its interface and tools, HTC Sense 4.0. The HTC One X is heavily customised to rid the user of the boring Android stock interface.

Using the "Personalize" menu, you can conveniently change the theme, the skin, or customise the lock screen. You can choose from various preset lock screen settings, like "Photo Album", "Productivity", "Friend Stream". These styles will allow specific content to be displayed on the lock screen without unlocking.

HTC has also maximised the homescreen by removing the Google search bar, moving the 3 on-screen button as touch buttons below the screen. The result is a very well-spaced homescreen, but still retaining the 4x4 layout. I thought HTC could have optimised by adding another row or increasing the icon size, but I guess you could use third party launcher apps to achieve that.

HTC One X appears warmer and more pleasing than Samsung Galaxy S2.

The Super LCD 2 panel is a beauty, the colours appear warm, better contrast and more pleasing than the Samsung Galaxy S2. The large 4.7-inch HD screen means you see more information on-screen with less scrolling, as highlighted in my earlier Google Galaxy Nexus review.

Personally, despite running on quad-core processor, the phone does not feel exceptionally fast. There are noticeable lags when performing some actions, for instance, pressing the "Recent Apps" button. Indeed, Quadrant benchmark runs off the roof at 4785, but I still experienced occasional non-response from apps, which I attributed to the stability of the Android 4.0.

The battery does not last longer than my Samsung Galaxy S2, despite a larger battery capacity. And since the battery is fixed, you cannot swap battery when it's low. Your best bet is to keep it charged or buy a portable USB battery pack.

Sound Worthy
HTC has tied up with Beats Audio to incorporate their audio engine. When you plug the HTC One X to any headphones, the Beats Audio sound enhancer will be enabled. Pity that the earphones included in the retail package is not Beats-branded. I find the Beats Audio enhancement natural-sounding and it boosts the loudness and clarity of the music tracks.

Camera Wonder 
The most unique offering of HTC One has got to be the camera. The camera starts up fast and auto-focuses continuously so that you do not need to pre-focus. HTC builds a dedicated imaging chip so the phone can capture 99 frames at one go. Even when shooting multiple single shots, I don't feel any processor lag. I like how you can do video recording instantly without having to switch to video mode.

My favourite feature has got to be the ability to capture full-resolution still images while video recording is in progress. No need to decide between high-quality still image captures and HD video recording. HTC One X lets you do both at the same time without lag.

HTC One V
If you find the HTC One X pricey (and perhaps too large), HTC One V is a more compact and affordable variant. It also comes with HTC Sense 4.0, Beats Audio, and 5mp camera for 99-consecutive shots. As it uses a lower-powered 1GHz processor, some limitations naturally exist: the phone feels more laggy, lower-resolution screen, less supported video formats, capture only HD-size still images while doing video recording. The body feels more rugged and you can expand the memory with microSD.

• 3.7-inch 480x800 resolution
• 1GHz single-core
• Built-in 4GB user memory
• Expandable microSD card slot
• 512MB RAM
• 1500mAh battery
• 5 megapixel camera f/2.0 28mm with dedicated imaging chip
• 720p video recording
• Pre-installed with Android 4.0 ICS

It's The One
HTC One X is the most powerful smartphone in the market now. It's the first Android phone after the Google Galaxy Nexus to be pre-installed with the Android 4.0 ICS. The large screen and lightweight body is an ease to use, plus the camera is the best that any smartphone can offer. This is the phone to capture your memories, both still and video at the same time.

I would buy it because:

• The camera is fantastic. I can capture video and still images at the same time
• The screen is large and bright
• It is lightweight

I won't buy it because:

• There is no microSD card slot to expand the storage
• The battery is not removable
• The power button is hard to reach using one hand
• White colour is hard to maintain

Motorola Atrix 2 and Lapdock 100

Last year when I reviewed the ATRIX with Lapdock, it was a new experience using a phone that transforms into a workable netbook.

Now, the new ATRIX 2 has released and offers improved user experience and specs from the original ATRIX.

• 8 mp camera (vs. 5mp)
• Full HD 1080p video recording (vs. 720p)
• 4.3" qHD screen (vs. 4")
• 4GB onboard system memory, 1GB RAM (original ATRIX has 16GB built-in user memory, but this new one is also priced lower)
• 147grams
• 1735mAh battery capacity (vs. 1930mAh)
• RRP S$699

List of Likes on the ATRIX2:
- Sleep mode lets you turn the phone off and all radio activities, conserving precious battery life, but you can turn on the phone instantly without waiting for the boot up.


- Social-enabled apps like Gallery, Music, help you to reach out to your contacts. When you open the Gallery app, you can browse your camera photos, your phone storage photos, your online photos, and your friends online photos. As you browse their photos, you can comment or like them. When you browse your own photos, you can also select to upload and write comments to them too. Likewise, the music player is also integrated with online content. Easily listen to Internet radio, identify songs, watch YouTube. The ATRIX 2 even streams the lyrics as you listen to songs stored in your phone.


- Over-the-air content management. By installing the free MotoCast software on your desktop or laptop, you can browse your computer multimedia content on the ATRIX 2 and watch them over-the-air.  When you open the file manager app on ATRIX 2, you will see options to browse files either from your phone or from other DLNA-connected devices or your MotoCast computers. The ATRIX 2 also comes with Phone Portal app to let you manage your phone content over a web interface.

- Shortcut camera button, always taken for granted, helps you start up the camera app any time without having to look for the icon on the screen.


- Micro HDMI port, a standard feature on all Motorola Android devices, lets you mirror your screen to any HDMI-supported display.


- Matt rear casing offers good grip and durability.


- 10 free EA games, making the ATRIX 2 a little more appealing. But I find some of the games like FIFA 10 require a larger screen size to better enjoy the gaming experience.

List of Dislikes
- MicroSD card is required to store user content. There is no built-in storage, unlike the original ATRIX.
- Rear casing can be difficult to remove without strong fingernail.
- It's the same uninspiring Motorola interface design like all previous models.
- The fingerprint security has been removed. Pity, as it would have been a unique feature for ATRIX devices. I would go for this compared to the face-unlock feature on the new Android 4.0 ICS.

Lapdock 100
On its own, the ATRIX 2 offers nothing compelling compared to the competitors. But it shines when paired with the Motorola Lapdock.

The new Lapdock 100 is remodeled to allow a wider range of Motorola smartphones to be plugged to it. Its design is a more futuristic take compared to the previous slim compact mould. With the new Lapdock, your Motorola smartphones will be charged by the Lapdock battery when plugged in. The keyboard is also gapless like normal desktop keyboard instead of the chiclet style which I abhor. There are custom functions on the first row of the keyboard, similar to what the Asus Transformer dock is providing.

Other than the design, I don't observe any major difference with the original Lapdock. The webtop app still only supports Firefox browser and every other function is handled by the native phone app via a separate window. You would not get a complete laptop experience with the Lapdock, but if your life depends on desktop web browsers, then the Lapdock will help you attain higher productivity. The speakers are not top-notch, but delivers decent sound for general listening.

Final Thoughts
The ATRIX 2 is a minor product upgrade from the first ATRIX, offering similar feature sets and experiences. The price is competitive and will appeal to Android users who have many social accounts and like to share content yet not tech savvy enough to look for third party apps. The ATRIX 2 easily feeds the user with social news, contact photos and music on the ATRIX 2.

The Lapdock 100 is redesigned to generically work with more Motorola devices as the connector is a flexible cable. Its primary purpose is for you to access a Firefox web browser with a full keyboard rather than surfing on the small phone with half the screen occupied by the soft keyboard. Remember: the Lapdock runs the real desktop version Firefox browser, unlike Android or iOS web browsers. You also get a multi-window interface to let you tile or cascade your windows.

The ATRIX 2 alone might not be a compelling smartphone choice, but when connected to the Lapdock 100, makes a viable alternative to a netbook.

Google Galaxy Nexus: Review

For months after the announcement of Android's latest OS 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS), Galaxy Nexus remains as the only smartphone officially running on ICS. Even new Android phones launched after Galaxy Nexus are still installed with the Gingerbread OS 2.3.6. As for existing handsets, the update rollout is frighteningly slow. This has led to consumer hesitation on whether to purchase these new mobile phones with an old OS. While these new phone manufacturers have promised to release the ICS update, the actual date remains unknown.

So we ask yourselves this question: are the ICS enhancements really great? We look to the Galaxy Nexus for answers.

Being the official ICS smartphone, the Galaxy Nexus contains all the features that Google wanted, but that does not mean it has everything that consumers want. As a Samsung Galaxy S2 owner, I reviewed the Galaxy Nexus with an open mind and, as usual, less of a technical view and more of an experiential perspective. (To learn the new features of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, head on to this official link - http://www.android.com/about/ice-cream-sandwich/ )

Design
The Galaxy Nexus sports similarity with the Samsung Galaxy S2: a bulge bottom and a flexible plastic casing for the battery. The front screen is slightly concaved to offer added ergonomics in phone handling. The earphone jack is at the bottom, something that male users like me might appreciate because I keep the phone head first in my trouser pockets.

The phone is slightly bigger than the Galaxy S2, but after a while, you get used to the size. Even after inserting the Google search bar (permanent) at the top and the favourites icons at the bottom, and not forgetting the 3 on-screen buttons, the home screen icons are comfortably spaced out, thanks to higher resolution. And with that, the status bar can squeeze a lot more notification icons. Sadly, the battery indicator still does not show the remaining battery percentage.

What I Like
Here are a list of features that I find nice about the Nexus (and ICS).


Font. Some people hate it. But I like it. It's clean, clear and contemporary. It might be inspired by Windows phone, which I also liked.

Screen resolution. At 1280x720 in a 4.65" super AMOLED screen, the Nexus packs a lot of pixel density for a "retina display" experience. You see more information in one screen without the need to scroll around too frequently. The colour reproduction is much better than the Galaxy S2, which suffers blue tint. Despite having similar resolution as tablet, the OS does not display apps on the Nexus in the tablet layout, something which the Samsung Galaxy Note does.

Screen capture anytime. Nexus allows the user to capture screen shot by pressing the vol-down and power buttons simultaneously. I can practically capture any screen, allowing me to share review screen shots with great ease.

Recent shares. Some apps like camera displays your most recent share apps so that you can quickly use them without searching them again.

Camera shutter lag. Or lack of! Shot to shot is so instantaneous, I had to double check if I actually took the shot. I would prefer if there is an indicator on-screen to show that I have captured the shot, for instance, a blink on the screen.

Notification light. Samsung Galaxy never has one of these, and so I really appreciate having these. Some apps even let you define the notification colour so that you can easily identify which apps have incoming notifications, even without turning on the phone screen.

Slide to read next/previous messages. With Android 4.0, some apps like Gmail allows you to swipe the email to read the next or previous messages. The best part is that, when you swipe back to the earlier message, it remembers the position, so you do not have to scroll back to where you stopped.

Slide to remove notifications. Previous versions require you to either click the notification to read it and at the same time remove it, or click the "Clear all" button to remove all notifications at once. Now, you may choose to selectively remove each notification by sliding it out of the window. This allows me to keep the notifications I want while removing those that I want to ignore.

Photo gallery and editor. The new gallery is more compact which allows display of more gallery folders in a single page. The editor has a lot more useful functions to create photo effects and face touch-ups.

Camera live effects. Finally, the Android phone camera offers fun live effects that have existed on desktop webcam apps for the longest time. The effect feature serves as an entertaining feature for my young daughter, who is ever so delighted to see her own face transformed "live" on the phone display.

Sync frequency on email. Galaxy Nexus allows me to modify my email sync frequency in just 2 clicks. Previously, I had to navigate into the email options to look for this option. However, unlike other custom email apps like Samsung Galaxy S2, the Nexus does not allow different sync frequency for on-peak and off-peak.


What I Don't Like

No enhanced app features. Galaxy Nexus offers the plain interface and basic apps. Comparing to the Samsung Galaxy S2, for instance, the Nexus lacks a few conveniences, like the ability to assign ringtone on any track I play on the music player, the ability to search for contacts using the phone dial. For that, I'd prefer my Galaxy S2 over the Nexus.

Action bar: hide and seek. The action bar is where you select options available for each app.This action bar can appear on top or at the bottom of the app, which in my opinion is not very consistent.

On-screen keys positioning. The Galaxy Nexus has a huge blank space at the bottom, which would have no purpose since the action keys are now on the screen. As a result, I find it a little stretched to reach for the on-screen keys.

Image quality. The 5mp camera captures normal quality, incomparable to Galaxy S2. Upon closer inspection, the Galaxy S2 camera images are heavily sharpened to give you the illusion of sharp images. Even so, I thought the Nexus lacks sharpness, which means I might have to do post processing before sharing.

No external memory card slot. Need I say more?


Improvements That Don't Matter
The following lists are things that don't make an influence to my decision for using Galaxy Nexus or ICS, either because they are not practical to use, or I can easily find third party apps to give me the same features.

Face Unlock

As useful as it may sound, it would be rather silly to use, because you had to point the phone at your face to unlock. Imagine doing that during office meetings, or while you are driving. No worries, though. If the app is unable to recognise the face, you may proceed to unlock with a pin. But I might as well set to unlock by pin in the first place.

Near Field Communication
There is still no real application as yet. For now, you can use the Galaxy Beam to interact with another Galaxy Nexus device to share information.

Improved Apps
Galaxy Nexus (or ICS for that matter) has improved the usability of several apps, but the features are already available as pre-installed apps by other phone makers or as third party apps available on the Google Market. Here's what ICS offers, and see if these features sound familiar to you.

• Lock screen: you can activate camera.
• Incoming call management: quickly reject the call with pre-defined SMS messages.
• Data management: captures the data usage of apps. 
• Phonebook: offers you a single view of the contact's social feeds.

Final Words

The value of getting an Android phone running on stock OS is to be able to update the phone to the latest version without waiting months for the phone makers to develop their own custom version. The beauty of Android phone is that you can replace any apps with third party equivalents - even the Phone Dialer, the SMS, the Calendar, the Contacts manager, and the Home Screen. But for most consumers, they want a phone that works.

The Galaxy Nexus offers the latest yet the most basic Android experience, and despite a list of things I don't like (or don't matter), I really enjoy using the phone. And since you can easily replace apps with third party ones, the minor quibbles shouldn't really matter much. The camera quality might be a drawback for heavy camera users, as well as the lack of external memory card slots for the video-heavy users.

Logitech Mini Boombox: Review

[Facebook wall post] On Friday, I received the Logitech Mini Boombox for review. When I took out, I was like: huh, so small. After I paired to my phone, I played a track from Adele. It filled the entire office. Heads turned, people gathered and looked at this wonder. One colleague even committed to buy it within a minute of sampling.


This is the strongest testimony one can get for a product trial.

Imagine this: a battery-powered mini speaker shorter than the length of an iPhone 4 or Samsung Galaxy S2, offers up to 10 hours usage, bluetooth connectivity and direct cable connection, doubles as a speakerphone with built-in mic, touchscreen controls for skipping tracks and adjusting volume.

My colleague actually intended to get this Boombox and be used as a car speakerphone. Asked why not get a dedicated car speakerphone, he replied curtly: "This is portable and multi-functional." He also suggested that this Boombox could also be used for teleconference.

The Logitech Mini Boombox is powerful enough to fill the room, doing what it is meant to do. Not only will the audio make head turns, it will make people wonder how this compact device can achieve so much. The ability for me to place this thing anywhere, anyhow, without worries of wires, is game-changing. Instead of listening audio through my mobile device speaker, I can pipe through the Mini Boombox, which is as portable as my mobile device. Exciting.

As I compared the audio quality between bluetooth connection and direct line-in, I found that the bluetooth audio balancing sounds warmer and better bass production while the direct line-in gives a clearer sound with less bass. I actually prefer the bluetooth audio.

The Mini Boombox can pump out most music genres rather well, but it doesn't seem to handle certain frequency resonance well, like acoustic piano recording. When these tracks are played, the Boombox rattles. Do take note if you intend to get this to play your favourite classical piano tracks. One should also not expect the Mini Boombox to handle demanding loud music.

The Logitech Mini Boombox works really well as a portable wire-free speaker and handsfree speakerphone. Sound quality is surprisingly good for its size and will satisfy most consumer needs. Retails at S$109.

Jabra HALO2 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones Review

Jabra brand is synonymous with premium handsfree solution for mobile devices. To celebrate Valentine's Day, Jabra is offering the HALO2 at a special price of S$125 (usual $148) till 14 Feb 2012. I received a review unit last week, which allows me to try the device and share my experience here.

The HALO2 experience is radically different from most bluetooth headsets out there. Here are 3 things that are unique:

1. Foldable
There is no on/off switch. Just fold the HALO2 to switch off, and unfold it to switch on. HALO2 immediately connects to all paired devices and you are ready to enjoy wirelessly.

2. Touch Volume
To adjust volume, slide your fingers up and down the volume bar. The touch sensitivity is good so volume adjustments are responsive. You can skip tracks by double-tapping the "+" or "-" icons, though in my experience it's a hit-and-miss because you can't feel where the icons are. Jabra should have build little bumps so that we know exactly where to touch.

3. Wired Audio
The HALO2 is the first wireless headset I know of that comes with a wired option. Plug the adapter cable directly into your 3.5mm audio device and the HALO2 goes into dedicated audio mode. The bluetooth mode is turned off and so you will not be able to answer calls wirelessly. You also cannot adjust volume or skip tracks on the touch panel. If you want to revert the bluetooth mode, you need to switch off HALO2 and back on again.

Design
The HALO2 is very slim and looks like an oversized hairband. Though the headset can be extended, the ear-fit might vary for different people because the curvature is fixed. The open backed design means the sound will leak and people around you will hear it, so be mindful about the volume.

Audio Quality
For my review unit, the treble frequency is lacking, but the bass is natural. Equalizer adjustment is imperative in order to achieve a good audio balance. The AM3D Virtual Surround Sound enhances the audio experience.

Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the equalizer for mobile call audio. The result is a rather muffled sound of the other party, while other party commented that the HALO2 user's voice sounded distant. Since there is no extended mic coming out from the HALO2, there is no way to improve the pick up.

Specifications:

• Bluetooth 3.0 EDR+eSCO wireless technology, up to 10m
• A2DP for music streaming
• AM3D Virtual Surround Sound 2.0 and PowerBass
• AVRCP for remote controls (skip track, pause, etc.)
• Noise Blackout technology with dual microphones
• Foldable headband and carrying pouch
• Talk time – 8 hours
• Wireless Music time – 8 hours
• Standby time – 13 days
• Micro USB charger
• Dimensions: 45mm (D) x 165-190mm (H) x 136mm (W)
• Weight – 80 g

Summary Thoughts
The Jabra HALO2 is primarily a music headset, with the convenience of a handsfree solution. The audio sounded rather impressive, but only after running through an audio equalizer. I liked the slim profile of  HALO2 when worn and the responsive volume adjustment via touch. The price is rather reasonable as a gift for your loved ones who enjoy music as much as being on the phone.


Jabra Valentine’s Day promotion is valid from 1 Feb to 14 Feb 2012, exclusively at all Infinite Apple Premium Sellers and Apple Shops at Best Denki.

Lumia 800: Nokia's first Windows Phone 7

The Nokia Lumia 800 is the first Windows Phone that I have reviewed. So that puts me in a perfect position to offer my perspective as a brand new user.

Design
The Lumia 800 is curvy at the left-right sides and edgy at the top-bottom. Its smooth matt surface provides little grip on your hands, and is easily stained with grease. I like the subtle curves of the touchscreen surface to blend with the phone curves. There are 3 hardware buttons: the volume rocker, the power button and the shutter release. I find the power button too close to the volume buttons. When I hold the phone in a natural position, my index finger rests on the volume button, so I tend to press the wrong button to turn on the screen. On the top of the phone are 2 instructional (removable) labels to teach the user how to get access to the micro USB port and to remove the micro SIM card. At the bottom, you will find speaker grilles.

On the whole, the design is very clean, seamless, modern.

Interface
Having tried both Android and iOS interfaces extensively, I can't help but make comparison to the Windows Phone 7. iOS and Android interfaces are all about presenting their apps in rows of icons, which looks pretty much like a computer desktop we are familiar with. You can expand as many screen pages as you want.

These 2 screens are all you need to find all you have on a Windows Phone.

On the other hand, Windows Phone is very different. It only has 2 main screens. The first screen contains all the live tiles, and the second screen all the apps. You can access everything in your phone with these 2 screens. Depending on how the apps are designed, the tiles will animate to show updates. With such large tiles, it is easy for you to look out for notifications like unread message count, appointment schedule, your contacts' latest social statuses.

Fonts and the transparency level plays a major part in the interface. It tells you what the text implies, and so the screen displays a lot more information without confusing users.

Just look at the settings screen above. It shows your "System" settings menu with all the categories and their setting values. To see more system settings, scroll down. If you swipe the screen to the right, you will be expected to see "Applications" settings menu.


Apps and Games Market
Lumia 800 comes pre-installed with Nokia Drive, a turn-by-turn navigation app to aid you in getting around. It also comes with Nokia Maps, making the Lumia one of the few smartphones that do not need to rely on Google Maps.

The number of apps in the market are nowhere compared to iTunes and Android Markets. There aren't a lot of free apps, but all paid apps are available for trial downloads. Due to the OS limitations, third party social apps like Twitter and Facebook do not support background updates. Whatsapp supports notification, but your conversation history is lost if you uninstall the app. The official Foursquare app does not come with check-in Live Tile, but you can download 4th & Mayor app which offers better experience.

Familiar apps like Foursquare are redesigned for the Windows Phone.

There are a handful of gaming titles driven by Xbox Live. Just like Apple Game Center, you can create an online identity and share your game achievements and conduct multi-player gaming challenges. But Xbox Live is cross-platform which brings your gaming experience from your mobile to your PC and your Xbox console - potentially.

Camera
The dedicated shutter release button offers the user ease of activating the camera function, anytime. You can choose to capture the photo instantly without focusing, or you can half-press the shutter button or tap the screen to enable focus before capturing. You can conveniently upload to your predefined social app like Facebook. The image quality isn't on par with iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S2, but it's good enough when shooting under non-demanding lighting conditions.

Large camera shutter release button, very useful for quick shots.

Would the Nokia Lumia 800 running on Windows Phone 7.5 suit you? That would depend on what phone you currently own and your usage behaviour. Let me break down the analysis.

If you are a new smartphone or touchscreen user
The Nokia Lumia 800 is a good device to start your smartphone experience. You get a balance of functionality, interface consistency, and interactive information. It doesn't offer much advanced features or lots of third party apps, but you probably will not need them as a new smartphone user. And as you grow to become more savvy, so would Microsoft be improving the OS functionality. I firmly believe that over time the Windows Phone will match the other phone OSes.

If you are an existing iPhone user
The iPhone experience is app driven, so when you switch to a WP7 phone like Nokia Lumia 800, you will get a withdrawal syndrome because there aren't many entertaining apps or games to fill your void.

Reasons why you would want to switch to WP7:
- you don't install any third-party apps on your iPhone nor play any games (I know many iPhone owner-friends who don't)
- you find the iPhone icon-filled home screens dull and lacks interactivity
- you like a device that offers you an interactive glimpse of what's happening, like your contacts' latest social status and photo updates, your new messages from SMS or email or instant messenging, your calendar appointments. On the iPhone, you need to go into every app to find out. On WP7, you see the updates on the single home screen.
- you want a phone that is as easy to use as an iPhone

Interactive and informative Live Tiles.

If you are an existing Android user
WP7 is many steps backward for an advanced smartphone experience. You lose a lot of functionality that you might be so familiar and be dependent on. I find myself struggling with the lack of third party apps, most of them lacks background tasking support. And the ability to share files across apps easily. Or customise the home screen with widgets of various sizes. But if you are not an app person and are already happy with all the built-in apps, then WP7 works well and works pretty too.

Reasons why you might want to ditch your Android phone:
- you find it hard to find your apps or your files, no thanks to the home screen and apps drawer and the ability to store your files anywhere you want
- you find Android phones too complicated to use due to the customisability resulting in inconsistency. Asking for help with fellow Android users turn out futile because they would ask you to use so-and-so app to solve your difficulty, but that again adds further confusion.
- fear of malicious apps hacking your phone, especially if you are the kind who likes to download and explore free apps


In Summary: Luminating
I am impressed with the design of the phone and the interface, agreeing with most other expert views in the industry that Nokia and Microsoft have delivered an evolutionary communication device. But as an advanced tech-user, I find Android OS a more empowering platform that better meets my needs.

There is great potential in Windows Phone, and I can't wait for Microsoft to catch up with Android and iOS. My wish: more free apps, improved background tasking, file management.


Have you tried the Lumia 800? Do you like the Windows Phone interface?

Motorola HX550 Bluetooth Headset: Hands-Free Solution Review

I remember owning the world's first bluetooth headset from Ericsson (HBH-10) back in 2001. My, it's rather weighty and comes with a limited-edition large biscuit-tin box with loads of accessories and a bluetooth receiver to plug to your compatible Ericsson phones.

10 years later, I received a Motorola bluetooth headest HX550 for review. It's so small and feather-light at only 9 grams, I can't even feel I'm wearing it. The unit has 3 hardware buttons: the volume up/down and the answer/hang up button. The flip doubles as a switch to turn on and off the unit.

Besides the weight (or lack of), the experience is much improved. It comes with voice-assisted audio prompts to inform you of the headset status. For instance, when you turn on the headset by flipping out the mic pickup, the headset will inform you whether it is paired with any device. It will also remind you with instructions on how to pair the headset with your phone device. When your headset is out of range from your paired device, you will also hear the announcement. But once you are back in range, the headset will also inform you via the voice prompt. No worries of compatibility issues, as the HX550 can pair with any mobile devices that supports the usual Bluetooth profiles.

The headset will inform you of the battery level every time you switch on so that you will not be caught with battery issues. Speaking of battery, the HX550 has a great battery life. I did not do any scientific tests, but you can rest assured that the phone battery will drain faster than than the headset itself. You can easily charge it with a micro-USB cable.

What I also like about the headset is the ear hook is easily adjustable to fit any ear. You can also pair this headset with up to 2 devices at any time. And the headset will automatically switch to one of the devices when there is an incoming call.

I'm amazed with how the HX550 instantly connects to an incoming call when you flip open the headset to switch it on. Motorola calls it the RapidConnect(TM) feature. If you are a casual headset user who do not wear it constantly on your ear, this method will save your battery life extensively.

Other noteworthy features:
- RapidCharge: 15 minutes charge gets you over 4 hours of usage
- Talk Time: 9 hours
- Standby Time: 16 days
- 300 feet range

If there is anything to nitpick, I'd say that the music playback quality is no match for the stereo bluetooth headsets which may be more practical but is double the price of the HX550. The size of the headset also means it can easily get lost in your bag. But if your life depends on owning a wireless handsfree solution, then I'd say the HX550 is a fantastic piece of gadget.



Chester writes for XinMSN.

Samsung Galaxy Note Review: Should You Upgrade Galaxy S2?

Samsung Galaxy SII and Galaxy Note

As a Samsung Galaxy SII owner upgraded from Samsung Galaxy S, my eyes gleamed when Samsung announced the 5.3-inch Galaxy Note (GT-N7000) - a larger version of the SII! Several months back, I reviewed the 5-inch Dell Streak and was tempted by its generous screen size. Thankfully, I did not have to wait too long before Samsung handed me a review unit of the Note. I certainly generated some buzz after posting some photos on my social sites as my friends kept asking me for my feedback. They all have heard of how fantastic the Galaxy SII was, yet they are enticed by the larger form factor of the Galaxy Note.

Sizing the Differences
There are just a couple of features that sets the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Note apart.

• Processor. Note runs on 1.4GHz Cortex-A9 dual core. S2 is 1.2GHz Cortex-A9 dual core. While I feel that the S2 runs smoother and faster, the Note handles really well for a device with that screen resolution.
• Screen Size. Note is 1280x800 pixels (same as Galaxy Tab) and 5.3 inch. S2 is 800x480 and 4.3 inch. The advantages of a higher resolution screen is obvious: you can see more information in one page screen.
• Battery Size: Note is powered by 2500mAh while S2 is 1650mAh. I experience similar battery life between the 2 devices based on my kind of usage.
• Pen Input: Note supports the pen input to let you doodle stuffs.
• Interface: With a larger screen, Samsung tweaked the Galaxy Note's home screens to display 25 app icons per screen instead of 20 on the Galaxy S2. Many of the widgets from the Samsung Tab are also made available on the Note. The Note also supports more gestures like palm swipe for screenshot, Pen double-tap to open S Memo Lite. I like that the home screen pages are looped.
• New calendar app, S Planner: With a larger screen, Samsung is able to squeeze in more information, smaller tabs to let you navigate faster. The S Planner is one of the apps re-designed for high-resolution small screens using pen entries.
• Weight. What do you expect with a 5.3-incher. 178g vs. 116g doesn't seem much difference, but after you held the Note, the S2 felt feather-light.

Sizing the Experiences
Using the Galaxy Note is both a joy and a chore. It's a joy because of its generous screen size, which displays more things on one page. If you consume a lot of content and find the tablets too big, then the Galaxy Note provides a great proposition. The pen input offers another method to create content, and people who loves drawing or annotating will be able to use the Note for creative sharing of information.

Galaxy SII's 800x480 vs. Galaxy Note's 1280x800

Yet, it's a chore because you have to use 2 hands to navigate or type on the device. The Note requires a generous pocket size, and though it can fit in my jeans pocket, it does get a little tight when seated. With the Note, I cannot handle the device as nimbly as I would on normal-sized phones.

My iPhone friend getting a hands-on with the Note.

Another point to note is that not all Android apps are optimised for large screens. So on the Galaxy Note, some apps would appear with comparatively large buttons, while some might not display properly. For instance, when composing tweets on TweetDeck, the sets of icons below the "Send" button do not appear on the Note at all. In another instance, when using third-party app Widget Locker, I am unable to resize the custom slider as I did on my Galaxy S2, and I need to slide the slider at greater distances on the screen to activate the apps. On top of that, the Note feels less snappy than the S2, and that's probably due to larger resolution and extra burden of the S-Pen functionality.

Finally, the power and volume buttons are placed too high up on the Galaxy Note, almost beyond the reach of my fingers when holding the device naturally. This is a stark contrast to the Galaxy S2, where the buttons are placed closer to the mid-section, allowing ease of access by the fingers. The buttons are positioned at areas where I usually hold on when slipping in and out of my tight pockets, and that might activate the screen and potentially unlock the device.

Pen It All
The S-Pen offers an additional input method on the Galaxy Note. When you need to jot down some important information, just double-tap with the pen and the S Memo window will pop-up on the screen without requiring you to leave your current app. Using the S-Pen, you can doodle with different pressure levels to achieve varying thickness, or pull-out menus with pen gestures. You can get greater accuracy when using the S-Pen for some tasks, including playing games - like Fruit Ninja.

However, I don't find the pen as sensitive as I expected. I had to give the pen a good press against the screen before it gets recorded as a stroke. The 5.3-inch screen is rather small to scribble a lot on one page, and I find it challenging to write with the S-Pen without touching other parts of the screen with my hand, as the Note also recognises body touches as inputs.

The S-Pen is certainly a nice feature on the Galaxy Note and I would use it to spice up my photos with freehand sketches and for precision inputs. But it does not offer the same kind of pressure-sensitive entry like the normal pen tablets.

Sizing It All
The Samsung Galaxy Note screen size and the interface is clearly tweaked to improve usability akin to a mini-tablet, with the added convenience of the usual smartphone functionality.

When I initially started using the Note, I thoroughly enjoyed the large screen experience. 5.3-inch is a comfortable size to consume content, and with a higher resolution of 1280x800, I can see more information without having to swipe around or zoom out. I can even type comfortably in portrait orientation. It has the exact same resolution as the large tablets, yet it is certainly much easier to carry around than the large tablets.

The Galaxy Note is as thin as the Galaxy S2

But once I got comfortable fiddling with the Note attentively with 2 hands, I started using it like a normal phone. And that's when I find myself stumbling somewhat, because the Note is too big to be handled like a normal phone. You do need to make adjustments to some phone-using routines and get accustomed to such a large phone. For instance, when your have your hands full of stuff, it would be a little tough to use the Galaxy Note with just one hand. And, you would need to tweak your wardrobe a little to accommodate the Note (no more tight-fitting pants).

If you treasure the large screen and high resolution more than the slight bulk, then the Samsung Galaxy Note is definitely worth getting. You will get almost the similar smooth-performing experience as the well-received Galaxy S2, on a large-screen high-resolution format.

Chester writes for XinMSN.