Nokia C6-01

Nokia C6-01 Review:

The Nokia C6-01 is a new tablet-style Smartphone by Nokia that operates on the latest Symbian^3 technology system. However, the handset has not yet arrived on the market and is expected to hit the stores by the end of 2010. It is a descendant of Nokia C6, yet various modifications have been observation in the Nokia C6-01 which has a touch screen and a highly improved operating system as well as camera. It is expected to accumulate a lot of attraction from the consumers with much appreciation

Display and Design:

Nokia C6-01 is designed as a sleek, compact, stainless steel and glass handset, more so a Smartphone’s that runs on new software system known as Symbian^3. It has an 8megapixel camera and a 3.2inch AMOLED touch screen that seems quite pocket friendly. The handset has integrated ClearBlack technology that endows all users with visible images outdoors. Nokia C6-01 is regarded as a revamped version of the Nokia C6 and features many other advanced applications as well. When compared to the elder brother Nokia C6 Pakistan, this phone Nokia C6-01 lacks the QWERTY keyboard.

The touch screen displays around 16M colours while being capacitive at the same time. Also, the display screen of the handset supports proximity sensor for auto turn-off and accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate.

Memory and Memory Cards:

Nokia C6-01 phonebook memory entails practically unlimited number of phone entries and fields with Photocall support. The call records are retained with complete details for a maximum duration of 30 days. The internal storage area of the handset is 340MB along with 256MB RAM. On the other hand, the card slot of the Nokia C6-01 has a MicroSD up to 32GB storage with a 2GD card also included.
Battery:

Nokia C6-01 has a battery support of 1050 mAh that gives around 4-4.5hours of talk time on a 3G handset and 15-15.5 days standby duration. USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Camera:

Nokia C6-01 supports Bluetooth 3.0 and a USB 2.0 connectivity, which certainly adds up to its total value an puts it to next level n race of smartphones. Turning over the Nokia C6-01, you shall see at the back the handset’s 8megapixel camera integrated with a dual-LED flash as well as a 720p HD video capture. The handset further supports 2x digital zoom and a secondary camera which is VGA and is used for video calls at large. The camera of the handset supports still image file formats as well that are the JPEG and the Exif. Along with features like face recognition and red eye removal, automated motion blur reduction and face tracking; the camera software sure is quite impressive of the Nokia C6-01.

Software:

Since the Nokia C6- 01 is powered with the new technology of Symbian^3 operating system, it endows all its users with quite advanced features. For example, it is believed that with the integration of this new Symbian operating technology, consumers would be able to experience and enjoy over 250 new features. Also, with the enhanced core software of the handset, the user would be able to customize the phone is any desired way. The inculcated software is sure to make the handset comforting with its easy, intuitive touch screen controls. Now, you can run various applications and develop them with your own expertise and imagination as well.

Some Insights on Performance:

As mentioned earlier, Nokia C6-01 is a revamped version of the Nokia C6 and has various modifications inculcated in its new handset, the most evident being the Symbian 3^technology. About the performance, it cannot be yet validated since the handset has not been personally experienced, however, it sure reflects on the brand’s effort in brining about new technology in its realm.

Video Review :

Impressions or Conclusion:

With its impressive and sleek form factor, Nokia C6-01 has surely impressed all onlookers and is expected to be a bombastic success on the market soon after its arrival. This samrtphone, which is slightly different from Nokia C6 has been selling l hot cakes for several erasons, and one of the reasons is its affordability. Its current market rate varies, rght ow Nokia C6-01 Price in Pakistan is in the range of 29,000 PKR to 31,000 PKR, it all depends on which retailer you go to. We encourage our readers to contribute to this review by expressing their personal experience with this smartphone. On a side note to users, who prefer a lower range handsets, we had published a Nokia 5250 Review earlier, which you might find useful.

iPad 3 Chargers Portable-Backup aims to provide affordable backup solutions, specifically in the form of Portable Chargers for pretty well all mobile devices which will take a 5V input.

Nokia C5

Nokia today launches the latest C5 device, an inexpensive touchscreen smartphone with a couple of neat features that may well pique your interest if you want a new device that’s simple to use but covers all of the essentials for modern-day phones. What’s new with the C5-03? Find out more and feast your eyes on the pictures after the break.

The device has a 3.2-inch touch display and now features Wi-Fi, for fast internet access without the need or expense of a data plan. It also features a compass and assisted GPS for use with the latest version of the free Ovi Maps hands-free navigation service, now featuring public transport support and location sharing through social networks. Like many recent Nokias, you can put your most important contacts directly onto the homescreen so you can call, message or chat them up in just two taps. The C5 has a 5-megapixel camera with 4X digital zoom, but no flash.

It measures 105.8 mm x 51.0 mm x 13.8 mm (L x W x H) and weighs 93g – that makes it a similar size to the (imminently) forthcoming C6-01, and quite a bit smaller than the Nokia N8 or C7. It comes with up to 40MB of user memory and support for MicroSD cards up to 16GB. The talktime is quoted at 11.5 hours for GSM use and 4.5 hours using 3G. Standby time is estimated at 24-25 days. The operating system is Symbian^1 (aka. S60 5th edition touch-edition).

The Nokia C5-03 allows for easy email set-up – either an existing webmail or POP3 provider through Nokia messaging. For business users, there’s also the option of Mail for Exchange. If that isn’t enough, you’ll also find a quick setup wizard for Ovi Mail for users either new to email or who want a different account for their mobile messaging. As you’d expect, there’s also access to Ovi Music and the Ovi Store so you can fill your device with fresh content on a daily basis.

The two-tone colour scheme comes in both bold and restrained flavours, as the pictures show.

Launching globally at the end of this quarter, the Nokia C5 is expected to retail at around €170 before taxes or operator subsidies.

CATIA Video Tutorials Video-Tutorials.Net provides high quality self-study CATIA video tutorials, beginner through advanced levels. Real world examples; learn at your own pace; discounts for students and companies. Free sample CATIA video tutorials.

Nokia N8 Free Games

Nokia N8 Free Games: Doodle Jump For Symbian^3

Doodle Jump is a free game for Nokia N8 and works on the N8's motion sensors. This is a very simple and yet a very addictive game. Doodle, the character in the game needs to be jumped higher and higher. The jump depends on the green color bars appearing on the phone screen.

Every time Doodle jumps over a green bar you need to move your phone so that it again jumps on another green bar. This keeps elevating the Doodle and your score keeps increasing, You have to avoid jumping the doodle over a broken brown bar which makes it fall down and the game ends. You have springs on green bars that give Doodle a very high jump thus increasing your overall score. You need to target these springs and adjust the phone that Doodle jumps over the spring. You also have flying caps that helps Doodle fly up and again increases your score.

All this apps makes Nokia N8 a gaming dream? Well Please watch the video below and find out by your self:

This game has excellent graphics and superb motion control. It can be played in both the portrait and the landscape modes. I am personally impressed with this game. Every time you complete a game, your score is recorded and in the next game your name displays in background of the game when you reach across that level. You also have the option to upload your score and see the previous ones. I would just say that this is a very clean and simple to play game. The moment you launch the game, it hardly takes 30 seconds to understand the overall technique to play the game. This is a must have for your phone, a premium looking game with a cute character. Do let us know if you likes this game. Post your views and opinion at the Nokia N8 Forum.

Nokia N8 is one of the best device ever produced by Nokia having 3.5-inch touch screen with 12-Megapixcel camera along with HDMI out port, in simple you can easily make videos with your Nokia N8 Device, It also has HD gaming support and you’ll be surprised how cool games and look, lets have a look at the best games for Nokia N8 in the year 2010.

Though Angry Birds is available for Nokia N8 recently but we cannot say it’s the only huge name out there as both Real Football 2010 HD and Need for Speed HD have grabbed the attention of game lovers over the world.

Nokia N97

Touch Screen Wonder From Nokia

Nokia N97 is one of the best smartphones in the market and is widely known as Nokia’s best fully featured and most powerful phone. Several magazines and newspapers covered a story on Nokia N97 review mentioning that the large touch-display of this phone has refused Nokia fans to switch over to the iPhone. Why not? That is the main USP of this phone. Well, this article is not based on others review, but we have actually used N97 Nokia for few weeks. We have continuously browsed web, read news, checked several sites and also accessed Facebook application. Below are the details about what we found in it.

Nokia N97 Features & Specifications

Nokia N97 features at a glance

3.5″ Touch Display

32GB internal storage + 16GB optional storage vis flash card

5 Megapixel Carl Zeiss Lens

GPS

WIFI, Bluetooth

3.5G

FM Radio

Nokia N97 Full Phone Specs

Nokia N97 Phone Basics

The sound quality is awesome with powerful sound quality and the dialing of numbers is easy, but dialing a contact is little complex. To browse the contact list there are facilities of either scroll and click or type a name and then click. The virtual numeric pad (keyboard) easily replaces the physical one in all the applications except in typing a name for dialing. The phone asks, each time while dialing, whether you want to place a video call. There is no point asking every time because it is hardly seen people using video calls. I did not find the option to skip this question.

Well, answering any call, placing on hold or hang up is easy.

Nokia N97 Touch Phone Aspect

Nokia N97 is purely used as a touch phone. Good job by Nokia. The interface is highly user-friendly.

To avoid accidental clicks vs. drag interpretations Nokia has used a double-tap system. This means the first tap is for selecting and the second one is for launching the application.

Few features such as the “Unlock” or “Menu” are only accessible by its hardware buttons and not through the touch display. So, we can say that it is not completely intuitive.

Nokia N97 Responsiveness

If more applications are opened at the same time then the phone becomes slow. There is no “close all apps” icon on homepage. So, one has to close all the apps one by one.

Nokia N97 Homepage Widget

Nokia N97 has one of the best homepage widgets implementation among all other smartphones. In this the widgets are not messy as we found in OMNIA. The screen space is maximum in it. The default homepage has Facebook included. We noticed that sometimes the phone lacked to provide real-time content. Moreover, the widgets cannot be interacted directly from the homepage.

Nokia N97 Text/Email, Mapping and Web Browsing

Nokia N97 has too many email options. Email arrives instantly in it but the phone does not use the cache feature. So, it spends time doing a “sync” from scratch. GMail in it had all the mail server settings.

The default navigation app is the best. The Nokia maps are cache on the device and hence it does not download each time. So, one can pre-load the entire city or country while traveling. This will cut down the roaming charges.

Well, the map is fast with smooth scroll and zoom in/out features. It can send .Imx files that contains geo-position.

The phone is a good browser. Almost every sites were well browsed. Yahoo Finance and Google Docs were equally good on it. Google Sheets had a problem in both the mode, write and also read-only. Adobe Flash Lite was well supported. YouTube was also perfect as a computer.

Customizing Nokia N97

Like any other high end Nokia phones, the N97 can be customised with themes and softwares. To download Nokia N97 themes and Nokia N97 softwares visit the links.

Conclusion

For the fans of Nokia this is the best smartphone even though there are few shortcomings. Those are forgivable by them. For those who are not in love with the brand Nokia may try some other smartphones. Well, put down your comments whether you support this view or not. May be, also some more information about the phone for other readers to know it better.

LG KE500 SHINE

LG KE500 SHINE

LG newest member of the “Shine” series is the KE500 model, an elegant and compact slider. If design is the interest point and functionality comes second, you could consider this Shine that comes at half-price.

Launched in Q3 2007 by the Coreen manufacturer, LG KE500 has a pleasant design that will appeal to the masses, a typical slide from LG with Shine collection elements, where simplicity and ergonomics are the keywords.

Tech-talks

Unfortunately, positioning the phone in a lower market segment brings a bundle of compromises: plastic elements, although the screen diagonal measures 2 Inches the resolution is rather small (176×220 pixels), the flash is almost useless, low battery autonomy, EDGE connectivity but no email client.

If the below list has not distracted you, for a mobile phone in the $150 price range, before taxes and subsidies, KE500 benefits of a nice design and also of a long list of features (2 megapixels camera, bluetooth, microSD card, mp3/mp4 player, Java support, radio FM, 3.5mm headset adapter in the box).



Specification

Network	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
Generals	97 x 47 x 14.9 mm ; Weight: 90 g
Display	TFT, 256k colors; Size: 176 x 220 pixels, 2 inches
Memory	60 MB shared memory, microSD card slot
Data	- GPRS, EDG - stereo Bluetooth v 2.0; USB v2.0
Messaging	SMS, MMS
Camera	2 MP, 1600×1200 pixels, video(QCIF), flash
Features	- Java MIDP 2.0 Built-in handsfree FM radio - MP3/eAAC+/WMA/MPEG4 player
Battery	- Standard battery: Li-Ion 800mAh - Stand-by: Up to 200 h - Talk time: Up to 3

LG KF510

The LG KF510 Touch Slider is a stunner, back it comes to the connectivity section. It has got the WAP 2.0/xHTML browser that helps the user to cream his favourite websites sitting at one abode only. There is additionally avant-garde Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP that helps the users to alteration any affectionate of abstracts after any hassles. There is additionally GPRS and EDGE at the account of the users.

Memory :

LG has consistently been accepted for their accomplishment performance-oriented adaptable phones and they accept succeeded this time too. With 16 mega bytes of user memory, a user hardly feels the charge for activity for the anamnesis expansion. However, if they want, they can, acknowledgment to the aperture accustomed for the anamnesis expansion. With this abounding abundant memory, the users can abundance absolute acquaintance numbers, music files, video files and alike photos.

Send colourful letters to your admired ones :

Feel chargeless to use the account of Enhanced messaging, argument messaging and alike account messaging. So for users who acquisition it adamantine to accurate their animosity for others, can booty the avenue of these different messaging features. The users can alike accelerate their presentation to any allotment of the apple to his corresponding audience by E-mails.

Click after blink:

The 3.2 megapixels high-end camera leaves annihilation for users to do any affair appropriate as forth with it this absurd camera, additionally has the avant-garde appearance of autofocus, beam and best of all angel stabiliser which imparts the images aerial chic accurateness and clarity. So from now on, for users authoritative a photo-trail of the best admired moments of activity is not at all a boxy job.

Get thoroughly entertained at any time of the day

If as a -to-be user, you are attractive for a adaptable accessory that may accumulation you with every affection of ball again LG KF510 Touch Slider is aloof what will fulfil your every expectation. The Java MIDP 2.0 adaptation will acquiesce the users to comedy Java based amateur at any time of the day. It can alike run alfresco applications and can alike advice the users to download Java based Wallpapers and screensavers. Users can alike comedy their favourite music and videos by the congenital media player, that has the adeptness to bear power-packed achievement at any time of the day. There is additionally FM radio, for all those who demand to accept to their favourite music side-by-side with the their Radio Jockey's comments.

Unparalleled looks

LG KF510 Touch Slider is one adaptable buzz that is an alarming admixture of chic and style. Its attendance helps the users to advertise an unmatchable appearance statement. Alike the basic stats of 104.5 x 49.5 x 10.9 mm, imparts this adaptable admiration pocket-friendly outlook. As far as the weight is concerned, the users never feel abounding while accustomed this absurd adaptable gem by the name of LG KF510 Touch Slider, which weighs alone 91 grams. Alike the high allocation of the adaptable handset from LG is a arranged with Touch acute keypad, that allows users to admission functions after giving any ache to the fingertips. Additionally with Touch Slider form, application this buzz gives the users a feel acceptable activity about it.

Display awning

The 2.2-inch TFT affectation awning is one affection of this adaptable starlet that captures a users attention, aboriginal of all. Its gigantic admeasurement and action acquiesce the users to go through an out of apple acquaintance while operating it. The big admeasurement of the affectation awning additionally allows the users to appearance the affairs absolutely acutely which is the arch acumen why users adopt it over added adaptable phones. The affectation awning provides the accomplished imaging solutions to the users at a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels.

LG KF510 Touch Slider features:

• Vital stats - 104.5 x 49.5 x 10.9 mm
• Weight - 91 grams
• Enabled with high-end Bluetooth v2.0 With A2DP
• Touch-sensitive navigation panel with haptics
• EDGE
• GPRS
• 2.2-inch TFT display screen
• 16 mega bytes of On-board memory
• Option of memory expansion
• 3.2 built-in camera with autofocus
• Java MIDP 2.0 version
• FM radio
• MP3/MPEG-4 player
• WAP 2.0/xHTML Internet browser
• Standby time of battery - 400 hours approximately
• Talk time of 4 hours approximately
• USB port v2.0
  
  
  

LG KE970 Shine

LG’s new Tri-band slider buzz is alleged the Shine KE970, but I’m activity to alarm it the Shine from actuality on in. The aboriginal affair I acclaimed about the Shine was that it was able-bodied named. Its brushed stainless animate case is actual eye-catching. The capital awning on the advanced of the handset at aboriginal glance looks like a mirror, which is absolutely a little disconcerting. Back the phone’s awning isn’t alive and you authority the handset up you can see yourself clearly.

I acquisition that bland cogitating abstracts aren’t the best abstraction for handsets as they tend to accumulate grease from fingertips and ears. The Shine is no barring and I begin myself consistently aggravating to accumulate it clean. There’s no backbone to grab authority of back sliding the Shine accessible and closed, so I was larboard with putting my deride on the mirrored advanced – abrogation anointed prints behind. I’m additionally not assertive that the awning breadth will abide blemish fee.

The 2.3in affectation provides 240 x 320 pixels of examination breadth with 262,000 colours. It looks abundant indoors, but is absolutely difficult to see in ablaze sunshine. The Shine is ample for a slider, barometer 99.8mm alpine and 50mm wide. It is attenuate admitting at 13.7mm and ablaze at 119g. Back you extend it to abounding acme it grows to 135mm absolute a collapsed cardinal pad.

The ancillary buttons are all on the appropriate bend and comprise aggregate controls and shortcuts to the congenital music amateur and camera as able-bodied as a covered adapter for headphones, PC articulation cable and power. There is a microSD agenda aperture on the larboard bend and you charge to abolish the array awning to get to it. Anamnesis is aloof for 300 SMSs, 1,000 contacts, 100 agenda entries and 100 memos. 45MB of added anamnesis can be abounding as you wish.

I commonly don’t affliction for collapsed keys, but in this case I begin that they were accessible to use due to actuality ample and visually able-bodied separated. What I begin best difficult to get on with was the aeronautics key arrangement on the advanced of the casing. There are bristles controls in all, in a coffer below the screen. The two bendable keys are accomplished to use, while the two alien buttons are press-only. The average one includes a vertical scrolling function. Pressing one of the three takes you to Contacts, the accessory card and a account of nine favourites. The alien buttons baby for accumbent scrolling, while the axial section’s action changes depending on the appliance you are in. It shoots images or changes aggregate back music is playing, for example.

LG KE970 Shine Specifications & Features

Screen
2.2 Inch TFT 256k Colour Screen with Mirror Effect (240 x 320 Pixels)

Imaging
2 Megapixel Camera
Autofocus
Flash
2 x Digital Zoom
Photo Settings
Photo Album
Video Record
Video Player
Video Gallery
Video Settings
Picture Wallpaper
Screensaver
Themes Display

Messaging
SMS (Text Messaging)
EMS (Enhanced Messaging)
MMS (Multimedia Messaging)
Email
Predictive Text

Sound
Music Player
MP3 Ringtones
Polyphonic Ringtones

Entertainment
Java™ Games
Embedded Games
Downloadable Games

Organiser
Calendar
Alarm Clock
Calculator
Phone Book
Stopwatch
Timer
Notes
Vibrating Alert

Connectivity
USB
Bluetooth®
GPRS

Network
Tri Band Technology (GSM 900, GSM 1800 & GSM 1900)

Internet
WAP Browser
XHTML

Memory & Talk Time
1 Gbytes Memory
3 Hours Talk Time
280 Hours Standby

Weight & Size
115 g
98 x 51 x 14 mm

LG KF600

Copy your commodity beauteous LG KF600 is a appearance acquainted adaptable buzz which comes with two screens, one of which is a blow acute aeronautics screen. The LG KF600 is additionally accepted as the LG Venus or the LG KF600 Venus. This adult handset is a accelerate aperture adaptable buzz which comes with a accelerate out keypad. The amazing two awning architecture is absolutely different & provides the user with an accessible ascribe adjustment on the lower blow screen. The capital affectation awning is a colourful TFT awning which is 2 Inches in admeasurement & comes with a 240 pixel by 320 pixel awning resolution for a bright examination experience.

The user can appearance aerial colour activating wallpapers on this ample & colourful screen. The buzz comes with eight themed displays which accommodate artwork by Keith Haring. The lower awning which is 1.5 Inch in admeasurement & displays up to 262k colours on a awful adapted blow screen. The lower awning is an InteractPad™ awning which comes with capricious interfaces to clothing the affection actuality acclimated which allows the user to ascendancy their appearance application the beautifully advised blow awning with InteractPad™ controls. The case is bunched & the handset has a solid feel to it which weighs 107 grams in total. Its all-embracing ambit are 14.1mm abysmal by 50.7mm advanced by 101.2mm alpine which feels acceptable to authority & accomplish in a distinct hand.

The buzz comes with 40 megabytes of congenital in user anamnesis additional the user can aggrandize the anamnesis adequacy added by abacus a MicroSD™ blazon anamnesis agenda as the LG KF600 Venus can abutment up to 2 gigabytes back abacus a anamnesis card. The user can affix to accordant accessories application a Bluetooth wireless affiliation amid the two accessories which allows the user to alteration files amid accessories wirelessly.


A USB affiliation can be acclimated amid accordant USB accessories & the KF600 Venus comes with EDGE technology which allows the user to have a good timefast abstracts alteration rates. A rechargeable array back absolutely answerable can accommodate up to 2.5 hours of allocution time or up to 200 hours of standby time. The LG KF600 Venus is a tri bandage technology handset which allows the user to roam throughout Europe & the majority of the US but the advantage is absolutely abased on the arrangement provider. The user can admission the World Advanced Web application the congenital in Internet browser which allows the user to admission Internet account sites & advice back the user is on the move.

A congenital in camera affection allows the user to abduction still & affective footage in either vertical or accumbent mode. The camera is a 3 megapixel camera which comes with complete with InteractPad™ camera controls which accomplish this affection fun & acutely accessible to use. The user can use the 4 x agenda zoom to zoom in & out of their target. The auto focus affection ensures a bright attempt is captured anniversary time the abduction key is pressed. The 3 megapixel camera comes with a congenital in beam which allows the user to abduction pictures in darker surroundings. The user can abundance their pictures in the phones anthology or allotment them with others application the messaging services. The LG KF600 comes with video recording capabilities which acquiesce the user to recording affective footage for a livelier experience.

The user can have a good timesound as able-bodied as imaging appearance on their new KF600 Venus as the congenital in music amateur allows the user to have a good timeall their favourite advance complete with accessible to use music controls. The user can ascendancy their music application the lower awning with the InteractPad™ music controls & appearance their music complete with anthology art affectation on the capital screen. The LG KF600 Venus has anticipation of aggregate & will accumulate its user entertained for hours. A congenital in FM radio allows the user to tune into their adopted radio base & have a good timehearing the latest news, acclimate & music.

The buzz comes with a alternative of messaging casework which allows the user to acquaint with others after authoritative a call. The user can create, send, receive, advanced & annul messaging on their phone. The KF600 Venus supports a adaptable email service, multimedia account messaging & a argument bulletin account complete with a predictive argument ascribe option. The user will be afraid at the outstanding looks & account of the beauteous LG KF600 Venus which has been advised to be admired & enjoyed. ere.

LG-KF600 Specifications & Features ::.
Mobile Phones Pakistan: LG KF600 - Changing navigation keypad as you need it..Smartly Intelligent LG KF600 has a unique interactive touch-based virtual navigation keypad that interacts with upper display and with the users. A stylish and excellent mobile, The LG KF600's highly sophisticated design will keep your attention as others lean in to take notice. The Interact Pad will create a whole new experience in your mobile life – one of comfort and convenience.
	Dimension	101.2 x 50.7 x 14.1 mm - Colors: Pastel Pink, Shiny Pink, Wine Red, Titan
	Connectivity	Bluetooth v2.0, USB, GPRS Class 10 (48 kbps), EDGE Class 10 (236.8 kbps)
	Weight	107 g
	Battery	Talk time Up to 4 h, Stand-by Up to 480 h
	Memory	5 MB internal memory + Memory
	Display Size	240 x 320 pixels, 2 inches + Touch-sensitive lower display (176 x 240 pixels, 1.49 inches)
	Display Colour	TFT, 256K colors + Touch-sensitive lower display (also TFT, 256K colors)
	Band	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
	Entertainment	Interactive Pad, Dynamic themes, FM radio, MP3/WMA/AAC/AAC+ player, Games - WAP 2.0/xHTML - Scroll & Sweeping control, Document reader, Built-in handsfree
	Camera	3.15 MP, 2048x1536 pixels, autofocus, video, flash
	Tones	Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3
	Messaging	SMS, MMS, Email

LG KC550

With all the 5 megapixel cameras on offer today it can be difficult to choose one to suit your needs. For those who require a decent camera, but don't want to fork out for unnecessary features, the LG KC550 could be the perfect choice. Touted as the cheapest 5 megapixel camera phone on the market, the KC550 is sure to worry its competitors. We take a closer look to find out if there's a catch to this great deal.

Physical Aspects

Despite its keen pricing, the design of the LG KC550 certainly hasn't been affected. It sports a simplistic, classy look, with lashings of chrome and fingerprint-loving glossy black plastic. It shares the same slider layout as LG's range-topping Secret, and the sliding action is just as smooth. Happily, the KC550 has rectified my main gripe with the Secret, and provides a 'proper' tactile 4-way d-pad and enter button. It seems that cost-cutting has its perks.

Either side of the d-pad you'll find the device's softkeys and call/end keys, as well as the dedicated cancel button. Oddly, the cancel button didn't function as expected. Rather than offering a quick way to delete things, it is instead used to go back one screen. However, when entering numbers or text, it resumes its expected role as a backspace button. The red 'end' key also doubles-up as the device's on/off button.

The front of the device is otherwise dominated by the 2.4" screen, with its bright 262,000 colors and 240 x 320 pixel QVGA resolution. The display appears to be the same as the LG Secret's, but without touch-sensitive capabilities. However, unlike the Secret, the KC550 doesn't have a mirrored finish over the display, making it much easier to view in bright environments. Just above the display is a discreet slit housing the earpiece. Overall the front of the device is very simplistic and stylish - very LG.

The rear of the phone is clad with grippy soft-touch plastic, so you don't have to worry about fingerprints here. There are also a few slits for the loudspeaker, next to the camera's brushed metal effect lens cover. The lens cover slides across with a satisfying click into place, but is fairly stiff, so you might find yourself opening the phone instead. Opening and closing the lens cover automatically activates and deactivates the camera.

The left side of the device is home to a single headphone/data/charger port, covered by a plastic door that slides across to keep grime out. The right side is a little busier, with a covered microSD slot, zoom/volume keys, and the camera shutter button. At the top corner of this side you'll also find a neat lanyard fixing. The microphone and button to unclip the back panel can be found on the bottom of the device.

Giving the fascia a push upwards will reveal the KC550's large 12-key keypad. It sports an attractive checkered design, with some keys being black, and others in a grey spun metal effect, similar to the d-pad's enter button. The keys are perfectly flat, but offer good feedback with a satisfying click.

LG KU990 Viewty

The LG KU990 Viewty is a true powerhouse packing a mass of high-tech goodies under its hood: the impressive 3" touchscreen display with 240 x 400 pixels resolution, the HSDPA 3.6 Mbps capability, the stereo Bluetooth and the highly intriguing 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, which is also capable of capturing video at 120 fps. Feature-packed and exquisite, the LG KU990 looks set on the fast track to success and we were more than happy to get our hands on it.

LG KU990 Viewty official photos

Key features

• Tri-band GSM/GPRS plus HSDPA support
• 5 megapixel autofocus camera with image stabilization
• Camera strobe flash and focus assist beam
• Secondary video camera for video calls
• 3" 262K color TFT touchscreen display with 240x400 pixels resolution
• VGA video recording at 30 fps
• QVGA video recording at 120 fps
• TV-out support
• Original stylus dongle
• DivX video playback
• Haptic feedback when the screen is pressed

Main disadvantages

• No hot-swap memory card capability
• Having stylus as a dongle is an inconvenient solution
• File management slows once the memory card starts filling up
• Operating the zooming jog wheel gets in the way of the lens

The LG KU990 Viewty was only recently announced but it somehow fails to cause the same stir in the mobile community as the 5-megapixel Sony Ericsson K850 or the Samsung G600. Yet, as we managed to find out, it's a highly sophisticated device, that's quick to impress and certainly deserves attention.

The KU990 Viewty is not the first 5 megapixel cameraphone by LG. There are a number of reasons why their first attempt - the LG KG920 failed to gain noteworthy market share - the high price, the controversial swiveling design, and the slow camera interface, just to mention a few.

Back to our game

The LG KU990 Viewty measures 103.5 x 54.4 x 14.8 mm, which makes it about the size of iPhone, Sony Ericsson P1 or even HTC Touch. It weighs 112 g, which is not really much considering its performance characteristics. Designwise, it's almost certain that people would inevitably compare it to the Prada phone by LG. They share the same form factor, large screen and Flash UI, but are still totally different and this time Prada has no involvement in the project.

LG KU990 Viewty all over

The front panel of the handset features only three hardware keys - the green and red Send/End keys and the correction C key, which is used as either backspace or for going one level up in the interface menu. In the top right corner, the secondary VGA camera for video calls can be found. The left side of the Viewty hosts the charger/headset/data cable universal port (much like the ones used by Samsung). It's ingeniously hidden under a sliding cover.

There are only three hardware keys • the VGA video calls camera is in the top right corner • the universal port is cunningly hidden under a sliding protective cover

The bottom and top parts of the headset host no controls. The only point of interest at the bottom is the microphone pinhole, while the top offers the back cover release button and the stylish hand or neck strap eyelet.

Bottom part with the microphone pinhole • top part with the back cover release key and wrist strap eyelet

The left side of the KU990 is far more interesting in terms of controls, since it incorporates the camera shutter key, the hardware keylock button, which is otherwise used to take pictures with image stabilization, and - finally a hardware slider key, that changes camera modes between still camera, video camera and image gallery.

Camera shutter key • unlock/stabilization key • camera mode key

The backside of the LG KU990 stunningly resembles the looks of a true digital camera. The 5 megapixel camera lens with Schneider-Kreuznach optics has a hardware jog wheel, that controls the digital zoom. It can also be used for setting the exposure compensation and brightness, as well as for zooming on pictures in the gallery, on office documents and web pages, as well as for controlling the volume. Around the camera lens, which has no protective cover of any sort, you will find the strobe flash, the focus assist light and the loudspeaker.

The digicam-like back of the KU990 • the camera is equipped with a strobe flash and a focus assist beam for low light conditions • you will also see a hardware slider key for controlling digital zooming

Removing the back panel reveals the 1000mAh Li-Ion battery. The SIM card slot and the microSD memory card slot are accessible only after you've removed it. As to battery life, there are no official figures but our test revealed that under heavy duty usage, the handset will last about 2-2.5 days with a single charge. The relatively good news is that DivX playback doesn't exert any extra strain on the battery. For example, the battery lasted enough to allow us to use the phone moderately for one full day and watch a 2-hour DivX movie later on in the evening, before it went completely flat.

Removing the back panel • the battery doesn't last that long • the memory card slot and the SIM card slot are available only after you remove the battery

The LG KU990 is really easy to handle and the touch-centric form factor is of no hindrance to usability. It feels nice and comfortable to hold. Speaking of touch though, it has got to be noted that the KU990 Viewty has a different touch-sensitive display than the LG Prada phone. While the Prada screen only accepted commands when touched with a bare finger or through a thin cloth, here you can use your fingers, the enclosed stylus, a pen, or even your doorkeys (certainly not advisable!). The display deals well under bright sunlight, though no display by whatever manufacturer has so far managed to beat Nokia in this respect.

Holding KU990 in hand

The LG KU990 Viewty comes with an original stylus dongle, that doesn't plug anywhere into the handset. It is attached to the handstrap eyelet instead. It's quite innovative and looks great, but we're not convinced that it's that convenient after all, to have your stylus dangle alongside the handset in everyday use.

The stylus dongle might not turn out to be such a treat in everyday use