LG has announced one of their next smartphones – the LG Optimus Sol. Hardware-wise the Optimus Sol is far from unimpressive. A single-core 1GHz CPU won’t turn too many heads, but it’s still a fast and solid processor for a smartphone. 512MB of RAM should be enough to handle most multitasking and a 5MP camera is pretty standard for today’s smartphone market.
The HTC Wildfire S is a small, budget smartphone available exclusively on the Telstra network in Australia. Unlike most network-exclusive handsets, the HTC Wildfire S will not actually function on any 3G network other than Telstra’s, but will still offer standard calling and texts on other carriers.
The HTC ChaCha (aka the HTC Status in the US) is one of the new breed of Facebook/Social Media centric phones we’re starting to see crop up around the place. Much like the INQ Cloud Touch, the HTC ChaCha has a user interface (UI) experience based heavily around efficient Facebook navigation. However, unlike during the INQ Cloud Touch review we did a couple of weeks back, we were pleased to discover that HTC managed to not only make an easily navigable interface, but a responsive one as well.
Telstra has announced the Enterprise and Business launch of its new Telstra 4G LTE Network. Come the 29th of August two thousand pioneer USB modems will be made available to Telstra Business customers. This new product is to be named the Telstra USB 4G and will run on both 4G LTE and 4G HSPA, utilising both the 1800MHz and 850MHz spectrum bands. This means that anywhere where customers do not have 4G support Telstra’s 3G HSPA network should still be available.
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.