BLACKBERRY CURVE 9360Price: Rs 19,990
Specs: 2.44-inch display; 5MP camera; 512 MB internal, 32 GB storage; 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; 99 gm; 1000 mAh battery
For long BlackBerry has been associated with the corporate world. With the launch of the BlackBerry 8520 (an affordable BB device) it managed to move beyond the boardroom. It clearly capitalised on the 'BlackBerry Boys' campaign to pull in the college goers and youngster. When everyone was asking how long Research in Motion would rely on the 8520 to sell, especially when others lauched new products every quarter, RIM has announced the launch of the new Curve, the 9360.
The BlackBerry tree has clearly turned over a new leaf. The 9360 has a sleek design, fine finish and is lightweight and yet retains the the signature BB looks. A set of five physical keys in between the 2.44-inch non touch display and the QWERTY keypad isn't new but all this in 11mm thickness and 99 grams is commendable. The volume controls and camera shortcut too have been nicely incorporated in the black, rubberised design.
However, it is not just the cosmetics that BB has focused on. The 800 MHz processor in combination with 512 MB RAM and BlackBerry OS 7 gives the phone quite a boost.The basic set-up prompted us to key in the BlackBerry ID and password and fetch our email account details to the new phone automatically. The same BB ID links to the BlackBerry App World for downloading applications. Social feeds from Twitter, Facebook and BB Messenger are all shown in one space.
The phone is also NFCenabled but sadly it can't be put to use at the moment. The new BB OS 7 is smooth and the liquid graphics added colour to the phone. In order to present a slimmer phone, BlackBerry has replaced the battery with a 1000 mAh one that managed to last a day and half with active BB services and Bridge to link to the PlayBook tablet.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? Finally BlackBerry lovers have a good phone to opt for.
HTC EVO 3D: Unpleasant Dimension
Price: Rs 35,990
Specs: 4.3-inch display; 5 MP camera; 1GB internal storage, 32GB expandable; 3G, Wi-Fi; 170 gm; 1730 mAh battery
3D in smartphones is a relatively new concept. With the rules of the game laid down by LG Optimus 3D, it's time for us to test the capabilities of the HTC Evo 3D. The HTC Evo 3D has a 4.3-inch 3D display, a 5 MP dual camera at the back, a higher dual core processor clocking at 1.2 GHz and the latest version of the Android v2.3 that makes it look identical to the Optimus 3D on paper. However, in reality, there is a huge difference. The Evo 3D is good looking with circular touch sensitive keys below the display. The textured back panel adds style while facilitating good grip. However, while accessing the 3D content, it wasn't really impressive. Unlike the Optimus 3D which has a dedicated 3D zone (for content, camera, etc.), here everything is scattered in the main menu. To capture 3D content, you have to switch between 2D and 3D modes using the physical key placed next to the camera shortcut. Moreover, the 3D display isn't on a par with the Optimus 3D as it lacked depth and stressed our eyes within a
minutes of viewing. We had to continuously adjust the placing of the phone for optimum viewing angles too. On smartphone functionalities, it handled most things smartly, leaving no room for complaints.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? 3D isn't impressive and is expensive.
VODAFONE BLUE 555: FB friend
Price: Rs 4,999
Specs: 2.4-inch display; 2 MP camera; 40 MB internal, 16GB expandable storage; EDGE, Bluetooth; 1000 mAh battery
'Yet another Facebook phone?' was my instant reaction when I first heard about the Vodafone Blue 555. But it was the price that tempted us to have a look at it. Designed in collaboration with Facebook, it is crafted out of matte silver and white plastic and sports a 2.4-inch display and QWERTY keypad. Except for an 'f' key placed on the bottom right, there isn't any Facebook branding on this device. Turing on the Blue 555 reveals a Vodafone logo but the homescreen is dominated by the social networking site. The homescreen is the FB status update bar. At the bottom of the display is a row of shortcuts including FB friends, FB news feeds, favourites, etc. and is customisable. The 'f' key lets user access the FB stream that looks similar to the updates from friends that shows up on the FB homepage. By hitting options, you can directly post a picture on the wall. When scrolling through friend's feed, the options allow user to download images (if any), comments, likes, send message, call friend, view friend profile or even use URL. Most of the FB features are accessible from the homescreen.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? Cheap handset and free Facebook access for a year-it is a great deal.
BLACKBERRY 9810: Holding the torch
Price: Rs 29,990
Specs: 3.2-inch display; 5 MP camera; 8GB internal, 32 GB expandable memory; 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, A-GPS; 161 gm; 1270 mAh battery
BlackBerry lovers have a reason to smile. After launching the Bold 9900, Research-In-Motion has now introduced a successor to its first touch and type device, the Torch. The new sibling in the Torch family, the 9810, looks like a twin to its successor. With similar dimensions, it weighs 161 gm. The only difference one can feel here is the textured back instead of the plain plastic that marked the earlier device. Also on board is a different version of the operating system. BB OS 7.0 has added colour and life to this phone. Once again the menu is divided into different categories and the home screen comprises a notification bar and a search icon for browsing the web as well as searching the handset. Unlike earlier versions of the OS where one could simply configure an email account using email id and password, the new OS prompts for the BlackBerry user name and password. A noticeable difference over its predecessor is the speed of the phone-this one is powered by a 1.2GHz processor along with 768 MB RAM. However, even though it offers both touch and key interface, we felt using the onscreen keypad in vertical mode was very difficult. We often opted to slide out the QWERTY keypad or change the orientation to landscape mode while typing. The 5MP
camera on board isn't disappointing. Our only concern is the battery as with above average use, it only lasted a day.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? Original Torch lovers will like this phone. However, Bold 9900 is a better device.
SONY ERICSSON RAY: Style Statement
Price: Rs 20,000 (approx.)
Specs: 3.3-inch display; 8 MP camera; 1GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB; 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth; 100 gm; 1500 mAh battery
Sony Ericssom is trying to reach out to a wider audience by launching Android smartphones at different price points. The latest in the Xperia range is the Ray that fits smartly between the existing Mini Pro and the Arc. The Ray has a modish look and feel. The straight line design along with 9.4mm thickness makes quite a style statement. Even the minimalistic controls on the side panel- power and 3.5mm jack on top, charging jack on left and volume control on right-are classy. Matching the outer hardware are the inner components. With Android v2.3 on board, it also has a single core processor clocked at 1GHz along with 512 MB RAM. This handles operations including emails, applications download, browsing, smoothly on the 3.3-inch bright capacitive display. Typing on the onscreen physical keypad in portrait mode was easy though using it in landscape mode was easier and quicker. Along with a smartphone, it qualifies to be a photo phone as Sony Ericsson has placed an 8MP camera on it. Settings include geotagging, automatic scene recognition and smile detection. One can capture videos at 720p. While doing this, the face detection setting proved quite handy. The biggest attraction was the Bravia Mobile engine-powered screen that made watching videos an enjoyable experience.
BAG IT OR JUNK IT? Good, nothing out of the ordinary here.
