Access to the World from the Palm of Your Hand
Multimedia cell phones bring all your media to your fingertips. Combining internet access, email, PC syncing, document viewing, a camera, and (of course) a music and video player; multimedia phones can handle it all.
Why Buy Multimedia Cell Phones?
The short and sweet of multimedia cell phones is that they do everything. These full-service entertainment cell phones display video, take pictures, play music, and even access the internet. They also support IM, send text messages (SMS) and can help you organize your life with calendars, notes, voice notes and email. Some multimedia phones include productivity tools like document-viewing, PC syncing and travel tools so you can justify using them for work.
The best multimedia cell phones offer:
* Video: Believe it or not, the new multimedia cell phones display video; some even offer television and most can capture video. With a bit of video compression and adequate memory, you can enjoy your favorite video entertainment anywhere.
* Audio: All multimedia cell phones play music. Most music-enabled cell phones play MP3s and a few other common audio file types, like those utilized by iTunes, Windows Media Player Mobile, Sprint Music and V Cast. Many of them also have the ability to play streaming music.
* Camera: Multimedia phones come equipped with at least a 1.3 megapixel camera. The best include at least a 2.0 or higher megapixel camera, as well as zoom, pan, flash and sharing abilities. Some can even send print commands and connect to online photo printing and sharing sites.
* Email: The top multimedia cell phones work with most POP3 and IMAP email providers, which means you can access web based email like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and Gmail. Many also sync with Outlook and offer push email. The best multimedia cell phones can even display full HTML email and attachments.
* Internet: Nearly every multimedia cell phone includes some kind of internet capability. Many of them offer full webpage access and the top rated phones include Wi-Fi connectability. So with a capable internet cell phone, you can stop lugging around that six pound laptop and enjoy the World Wide Web with a less than five-ounce device.
* Messaging: If you like to IM or text message, a multimedia phone may be your best friend. Many multimedia phones offer full QWERTY keyboards and advanced text messaging features (like MMS) and are compliant with major IM providers such as Yahoo, Google Talk, MSN and AOL.
In this site, you’ll find articles related to cell phones, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side-by-side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which multimedia cell phone is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS , we do the research so you don’t have to.
What to Look for in a Multimedia Cell Phone
In the U.S., your cell phone options are often limited by what your provider supports. We looked at multimedia phones supported by popular U.S. cell phone services and some unlocked phones that may work with a variety of providers.
If you are happy with your provider, look for the best multimedia phone that your provider supports. If you are not pleased with your provider, look for a cell phone service that offers the terms and coverage you desire, and then choose the best multimedia cell phone they support. Check out our service provider reviews for help in making that important choice. http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com/
Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate multimedia cell phones:
* Voice/Text Features: Multimedia cell phones should provide basic cell phone functions such as 3-way calling, speakerphone, voice dialing and text messaging. The best cell phones are flexible and are compatible with a variety of networks such as quad-band world phones and those that work with 3G networks.
* Multimedia Features: These types of cell phones should shine in this area. The best include a good cell phone camera, high-resolution display, and are capable of recording and playing back a variety of audio and video file types. It is also nice if the cell phone includes extras like games and radio.
* Internet Features: We looked for phones that provide the ability to access the internet. The best include the ability to connect through a variety of methods such as the 3G network or Wi-Fi.
* Productivity/Lifestyle Tools: Although these phones are not necessarily work phones, they are more practical if they can also double as your work phone. The most productive phones offer organizing tools and support third party applications, like Windows Mobile Office, calendars, task lists, and memos.
* Technical Specifications: A good multimedia phone is streamlined yet functional and includes a long-lasting battery and plenty of memory. The best cell phones support additional memory cards, standard headphones and wireless Bluetooth headsets.
* Wow Score: The wow factor definitely influences buyers. Our wow score is based on a combination of style and innovation.
The Best Multimedia Phones Reviews
Why Buy Multimedia Cell Phones?
The short and sweet of multimedia cell phones is that they do everything. These full-service entertainment cell phones display video, take pictures, play music, and even access the internet. They also support IM, send text messages (SMS) and can help you organize your life with calendars, notes, voice notes and email. Some multimedia phones include productivity tools like document-viewing, PC syncing and travel tools so you can justify using them for work.
The best multimedia cell phones offer:
* Video: Believe it or not, the new multimedia cell phones display video; some even offer television and most can capture video. With a bit of video compression and adequate memory, you can enjoy your favorite video entertainment anywhere.
* Audio: All multimedia cell phones play music. Most music-enabled cell phones play MP3s and a few other common audio file types, like those utilized by iTunes, Windows Media Player Mobile, Sprint Music and V Cast. Many of them also have the ability to play streaming music.
* Camera: Multimedia phones come equipped with at least a 1.3 megapixel camera. The best include at least a 2.0 or higher megapixel camera, as well as zoom, pan, flash and sharing abilities. Some can even send print commands and connect to online photo printing and sharing sites.
* Email: The top multimedia cell phones work with most POP3 and IMAP email providers, which means you can access web based email like Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail and Gmail. Many also sync with Outlook and offer push email. The best multimedia cell phones can even display full HTML email and attachments.
* Internet: Nearly every multimedia cell phone includes some kind of internet capability. Many of them offer full webpage access and the top rated phones include Wi-Fi connectability. So with a capable internet cell phone, you can stop lugging around that six pound laptop and enjoy the World Wide Web with a less than five-ounce device.
* Messaging: If you like to IM or text message, a multimedia phone may be your best friend. Many multimedia phones offer full QWERTY keyboards and advanced text messaging features (like MMS) and are compliant with major IM providers such as Yahoo, Google Talk, MSN and AOL.
In this site, you’ll find articles related to cell phones, as well as comprehensive reviews and a side-by-side comparison to help you make an informed decision on which multimedia cell phone is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS , we do the research so you don’t have to.
What to Look for in a Multimedia Cell Phone
In the U.S., your cell phone options are often limited by what your provider supports. We looked at multimedia phones supported by popular U.S. cell phone services and some unlocked phones that may work with a variety of providers.
If you are happy with your provider, look for the best multimedia phone that your provider supports. If you are not pleased with your provider, look for a cell phone service that offers the terms and coverage you desire, and then choose the best multimedia cell phone they support. Check out our service provider reviews for help in making that important choice. http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com/
Below are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to evaluate multimedia cell phones:
* Voice/Text Features: Multimedia cell phones should provide basic cell phone functions such as 3-way calling, speakerphone, voice dialing and text messaging. The best cell phones are flexible and are compatible with a variety of networks such as quad-band world phones and those that work with 3G networks.
* Multimedia Features: These types of cell phones should shine in this area. The best include a good cell phone camera, high-resolution display, and are capable of recording and playing back a variety of audio and video file types. It is also nice if the cell phone includes extras like games and radio.
* Internet Features: We looked for phones that provide the ability to access the internet. The best include the ability to connect through a variety of methods such as the 3G network or Wi-Fi.
* Productivity/Lifestyle Tools: Although these phones are not necessarily work phones, they are more practical if they can also double as your work phone. The most productive phones offer organizing tools and support third party applications, like Windows Mobile Office, calendars, task lists, and memos.
* Technical Specifications: A good multimedia phone is streamlined yet functional and includes a long-lasting battery and plenty of memory. The best cell phones support additional memory cards, standard headphones and wireless Bluetooth headsets.
* Wow Score: The wow factor definitely influences buyers. Our wow score is based on a combination of style and innovation.
The Best Multimedia Phones Reviews
Dell Thunder is running under Android 2.1. This device is expected to arrive on the market sometime in the fourth quarter of the ongoing year, bringing forth an impressive 4.1-inch touchscreen display.
Boasting features as impressive as those included in Lightning, the Dell Thunder comes with a sleek design, a 4.1-inch OLED touchscreen display that boasts a WVGA resolution, and with a custom Dell "Stage" UI on top of Google's mobile operating system. Those who are familiar with HTC's Sense solution will find some similarities with it in Dell's interface. However, the UI is heavily customized, and it is also able to offer enhanced connectivity with social networking sites, it seems.
The Dell Thunder reportedly comes with Facebook and Twitter integration, while boasting Swype technology with its touchscreen keyboard. At the same time, the handset includes support for Flash Player 10.1, as well as an “integrated web video Hulu app,” Engadget reports. Although there are no specific details available on what the application is all about, it is expected to offer a great experience to users.
Among the other known specifications of Dell's new Android mobile phone, we can count an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, along with HSDPA connectivity. The device is supposedly powered by a Snapdragon processor too, just as Lightning, and should arrive on the airwaves of AT&T sometime in the fourth quarter of 2010, followed by an LTE model in late 2011. On thing that is certain here is that, if these leaks pan out, Dell seems set to deliver highly appealing devices to the market during this year and the next, while proving that it can do very well on the mobile market too.
Boasting features as impressive as those included in Lightning, the Dell Thunder comes with a sleek design, a 4.1-inch OLED touchscreen display that boasts a WVGA resolution, and with a custom Dell "Stage" UI on top of Google's mobile operating system. Those who are familiar with HTC's Sense solution will find some similarities with it in Dell's interface. However, the UI is heavily customized, and it is also able to offer enhanced connectivity with social networking sites, it seems.
The Dell Thunder reportedly comes with Facebook and Twitter integration, while boasting Swype technology with its touchscreen keyboard. At the same time, the handset includes support for Flash Player 10.1, as well as an “integrated web video Hulu app,” Engadget reports. Although there are no specific details available on what the application is all about, it is expected to offer a great experience to users.
Among the other known specifications of Dell's new Android mobile phone, we can count an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, along with HSDPA connectivity. The device is supposedly powered by a Snapdragon processor too, just as Lightning, and should arrive on the airwaves of AT&T sometime in the fourth quarter of 2010, followed by an LTE model in late 2011. On thing that is certain here is that, if these leaks pan out, Dell seems set to deliver highly appealing devices to the market during this year and the next, while proving that it can do very well on the mobile market too.
IPhones
It’s also patently false!
Read on for full details of the new iPhone 4.
To claim that the iPhone 4 is the biggest advance in the iPhone since it was launched tells you something about either Apple or Jobs: either the iPhone has hardly evolved since its launch, or that Jobs might be trying to spin things a little!
In short, it’s a good improvement over last year’s model, but there’s no killer must-have feature, and it brings the iPhone in line with some of the features of Android phones from the likes of HTC and Sony Ericsson. There’s no knock out blow, and despite some nifty tricks, it’s clear that innovation in the mobile space has now shifted from Apple to Android.
OK, that said, what does the iPhone 4 give us?
iPhone 4 features
- Apple A4 CPU (as in the iPad)
- 3.5″ screen with a huge 960 x 640 resolution
- 720p HD video recording at 30 frames per second
- 802.11b/g/n WiFi
- 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and auto focus
- Front-facing VGA camera
- 6-axis motion sensor thanks to Accelerometer, compass and gyroscope
- 25% thinner than the iPhone 3GS (just 9.3mm thin)
- Multitasking
- iAd mobile advertising platform ( same as on the iPad)
The iPhone 4’s biggest improvement is the screen, which has an extremely impressive resolution of 960 x 640 pixels. This, apparently, is one of the best displays on the market today, at least in terms of pixel count (and therefore the fineness of the resolution).
The rest of the features merely match other phones, though – they don’t overtake them.
The iPhone was never about features, though; it was about the overall user experience, with the user interface in particular being its wow factor. So what does the iPhone 4 have to offer that’s new with the user experience?
The iPhone 4 – a new user experience?
So does the iPhone 4 offer a brand new user experience? Well, no. It’s the same iPhone experience, with just a few extra features borrowed from the iPad tacked on.Folders, for example, let you group related apps into, well, a folder, while iBooks let you buy and read books. Both of these come straight from the iPad, but then this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as in nearly every sense, the iPad and iPhone 4 share exactly the same operating system (now called iOS 4).
Worse, the end result is simply an extension of of the existing iPhone user experience, and isn’t exactly a great leap forward.
FaceTime – a 7 year old video calling app
Perhaps the biggest new feature of the iPhone 4 is Apple’s new FaceTime video calling app. This is a new app that lets you carry out a video call using two iPhone 4s.This works exactly as you’d expect a video call to work. In fact, exactly as video calling has worked since the first 3G phones became available back in 2003!
The only difference is that with the iPhone 4, you can’t use the mobile network – you can only use WiFi instead. Worse, the result is still just as jerky as video calling has always been, despite the better data transfer rates of WiFi.
I hope Apple don’t make a big deal of video calling. It never took off because it was always lame – it’s just a gimmick. Making a big deal about a gimmick that the rest of the world has had for seven years would be lamer still.
Oh wait – Jobs has said this in the press release:
“FaceTime video calling sets a new standard for mobile communication…We have been dreaming about [this] breakthrough for decades”Seriously?! For decades?! The technology’s been around since 2003!
Call me cynical but I think it’s no more than a giant Apple smokescreen. It’s far more likely that Apple execs, concerned that the iPhone 4 had nothing new to show the eagerly awaiting press and Fanboys other than a fancy new screen, decided to throw in a last minute gimmick that lets the tech blogs post pics and videos that look flashy.
“Oooh, look it does video calls – it’s the future” coo the excited Masses.
Or as a small boy once said “look, mummy, Emperor Jobs is wearing new clothes!”
Lame, lame, lame!
iPhone 4 release date
Apple fanboys desperate to get their hands on Apple’s latest wonder will be pleased to know that the iPhone 4 release date is set for June 15th (for preorder) for the US, UK, Germany, France and Japan, and by the end of September everywhere else.It comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model.
The price of the existing iPhone 3GS model has also fallen to just $99 in the US.
Final thoughts
The iPhone 4 is a great smartphone, of that there’s no doubt. Although I’ve ranted a fair bit in this post, I don’t want you to think it’s a bad phone.But at the same time, don’t be fooled by Jobs’s hype. It’s not a revolutionary phone, FaceTime is a simple gimmick that’s been around on 3G phones for 7 years (and which I guarantee you’ll never use), and if this is the most revolutionary iPhone since the platform’s launch, then Apple’s innovation department has seriously stalled.
With version 4, the iPhone is now as good as Android phones such as the HTC Evo and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 – not better. Its screen is certainly better, but its user interface is simply different, and it has more apps – at the moment.
But in terms of innovation, Apple are no longer defining the mobile agenda – they’re following it, and are barely catching up. Apple have been at the forefront of mobile innovation since 2007, but 2010 is the year they’ve slipped behind. FaceTime is just a huge smokescreen, designed to make you think there’s more to the iPhone 4 than there really is.
The iPhone has now become just another smartphone platform. It’s still a great platform but it’s no longer unique.
Jobs’s worst nightmare just came true: the competition caught up.
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