The Google Nexus S is the first Google-branded phone manufactured by device giant Samsung. Running on Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread out of the box and easily upgradeable to 2.3.4 in most countries, the 4 inch Nexus S has seen its fair share of popularity due to its unique outward design, solid specs and penchant for seeing Android updates ahead of the competition.
The INQ Cloud Touch was the first of the new class of Facebook-centric smartphones. Originally referred to in only whispered rumours under the moniker of Facebook Phone, the Cloud Touch is an affordable Android device aimed those who have busy social lifestyles but don’t wish to pay for a top-end device. So, how does it compare to the competition and does its Facebook-centric user interface (UI) hold up under the pressures of a heavy user?
Australian Telcos have been in the news of late, along with ACMA (The Australian Communications and Media Authority). The Sydney Morning Herald reported some of our investigations here at WhistleOut into simplifying mobile plan information and extracting the available minutes on plans - to display alongside the "value" they promote. Effectively the same idea as unit pricing in supermarkets. This echoed some of ACMA's recommendations in their inquiry into the telco sector: Reconnecting the Customer. Gizmodo also picked up on our infographic and it kicked off quite a bit of discussion on their site.
Goodness knows the original Galaxy S had more versions of it than you could shake a stick at and, true to form, it looks like Samsung is taking the same path with the Galaxy S II. Introducing the Samsung Galaxy Z (I9103); the first semi-clone of the Galaxy S II. The Galaxy Z is a phone that sports a modern look and feel, but with a down-grading in both hardware and price when compared to Samsung’s new flagship phone of similar external design.
The N9 has spent enough time running through the tech world now for opinions to have finally settled and the almost unanimous verdict is that Nokia has done something right. Although the Meego operating system has been described as a dead platform by more than on tech industry guru, it appears that both Nokia and Meego have managed to come together to create a fluid, interesting and overall useful device.
The HTC Incredible S might not look like much when compared to its contemporary brethren, but appearances can be deceiving. At first glance the change in approach to case design taken by HTC is obvious. Instead of the usual heavy brushed stainless steel frame the Incredible S sports a monotone soft-touch case that gives the device a plastic feel. The shape of the case itself is basically just a sized-down Desire HD. The back of the device sports a “unique contoured design” that really isn’t anything special when compared to the intriguing rear plates of the Desire HD or HD7. All in all it isn’t an ugly device, but it isn’t an overly stylish one either.
The HTC Sensation is soon set to become HTC’s new flagship phone just about everywhere but the US. The Dual-core 1.2GHz handset boasts some impressive hardware specs, as well as the Android Gingerbread OS and new Sense 3.0 user interface (UI). It’s basically the very definition of the new generation of smartphones and should emerge as a solid competitor for Samsung’s much awaited Galaxy S II.
The HTC Salsa is set to be released soon and carry on the strong-chinned legacy of the HTC Hero and HTC Legend, although with somewhat less focus on the unique case design and more on social networking (the iconic chin has seen a definite decrease in size when compared previous models). Also noticeable is the lack of any trackball or touchpad at the base of the device, HTC opting to instead include a dedicated Facebook button that lights up at different times, but more on that later.
The HTC Desire Z is one of HTC’s newer mid-range Android releases. Running on Android 2.2, the Desire Z sports a relatively straight forward design that’s pretty compact for slider keyboard device. Once again we noticed the capacitive buttons instead of mechanical (yes, we know we mention this a lot but we really do prefer mechanical buttons) but on the Desire Z it tended not to be too much of a problem, as they had a much smaller surface area than usual and were thus more difficult to tap by accident.
The HTC Desire HD is the natural successor to HTC’s old flagship phone – the HTC Desire. The Desire HD is very similar to the Desire in many respects. However, the improvements implemented in the Desire HD are definitely noticeable such as the larger screen, brighter display and Android 2.2 (Froyo) operating system.