Totally Hardware

When you first glance at the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from Samsung it is easy to see why Apple called in their legal eagles. They look like twins that were separated at birth and if it wasn’t for the fact that it has Samsung on it, you would put money on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 actually being an iPad.

The German courts agreed with Apple and have banned the sale of it for infringement of patent. Similar skirmishes in the courts of Australia, South Korea and Japan are currently in progress and the outlook seems bleak after the German ruling,

It’s such a shame that it has come to this as it could so easily have been avoided. The current design team at Samsung seems to consist of one guy with a photocopier, which is a sharp contrast to the days when the Korean company where praised for the chic and elegant hardware they produced.

The ironic part of all this is that the Tab 10.1 is the best tablet by far that Samsung have so far produced, it has beautiful proportions and is also fast and very light. Do not confuse this however with the Tab 10.1V, which looks like the iPad’s incestuous cousin, but the one who ate all the pies.

This new and much improved Galaxy Tab 10.1 is slimmed down to the point that it is actually lighter than an iPad, but a tad wider. Herein lies the dilemma for the tablet buyer. If you can buy the iPad’s doppelganger for the same price that lacks the vast array of software available for your iPad, why would you bother not buying the real thing?

Apple currently command over 75% of the tablet market, and sell more iPad’s than all the other tablets put together, and unless Android suddenly makes a massive technological breakthrough that nobody saw coming, their dominance will continue. Sure, Android give you the old faithfuls on the tablets; Twitter, Facebook, Angry Birds etc, but the list isn’t very long compared the tens of thousands you can get from the Apple app store.

The Lumia 800 is the new mobile phone that has been launched by Nokia and it is the first Nokia handset to be using the operating system by Microsoft, Windows Phone 7. Initial sales of the phone have suggested that it is going to be the first blockbuster smart phone for Microsoft as they are able to cash in on the devotion of Nokia fans.

Many loyal fans of Nokia’s have found that the operating system they previously ran on is not up to scratch and that is let down what otherwise excellent phones. Utilisation of Microsoft’s operating system is expected to greatly improve the overall phone experience and increase the number of people buying Nokia. Despite these advantages, it is facing some serious competition from the Samsung Galaxy S2 as well as the Apple iPhone 4S.

When you first look at the device, you will instantly notice that it is not as attractive as the Apple and Samsung counterparts. Compared to these beautiful devices it looks positively dull, nothing more than a plasticky black rectangle. The iPhone is a very nice looking device and it really feels as expensive as it is, and this is simply not true of the latest Nokia offering. Despite its aesthetic failings it is a much more sturdy device than the competitors and holding it you will really feel how it will be more resistant than an iPhone or a Samsung Galaxy.

The operating system on the iPhone is incredibly intuitive and even if you are picking the phone up for the first time it is likely will very quickly be able to work out how to use it. Android is a system that is very nice looking, in a similar way to the iPhone, but it is not so easy to get used to. Many people have compared the android operating system to a desktop computer system.

The Windows system is also different and it has not been is tried and tested as it’s more established counterparts. First impressions have generally been positive though and something called ‘live tiles’ is particular popular.

The screen on the devices the same size as that on an iPhone, and this is slightly smaller than the Samsung’s. When comparing the iPhone to the Samsung Galaxy, most people would agree that the iPhone has a better screen. The whites are better and text appears more crisp which makes reading on it very easy. The screen that is seen on the new Nokia offering is as good as the iPhone’s and this is certainly good enough.

When you compare the speed of the device it is about the same as the Samsung but a little bit behind the Apple. Considering that it only has one core compared to the other devices dual cores this is rather impressive and is a testament to the quality of the operating system that Microsoft have supplied. Also, having the single core means that the battery is exhausted far less quickly than its dual core competitors.

Nokia has officially launched its new Windows Phone range with the Nokia Lumia 800;  Stephen Elop, Nokia’s CEO, called it “the first real Windows Phone”. The device, previously known as Sea Ray, is similar to the N9 but with some new features.

The 800 runs Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and it has the unique Nokia Drive, which is a navigation system whereby users can download maps and save money on roaming charges.  It also offers a 3D view of the designated area, and voice control navigation.  In addition there’s an ESPN hub for sports fans, and a music platform that includes Mix Radio, allowing free preset music mixes with no subscription needed.

Nokia has set the price for the Lumia 800 at £365, but they are coming out with a more affordable version right on its heels.  The Lumia 710 will have very similar specs but the pricing is aimed at the mid-range market.  The 710 will reportedly list for £235 and appeal to new customers looking to upgrade to medium-priced smartphones.

Nokia stock had dropped in value by two thirds after the launch of Apple’s iPhone in 2007, and dropped  dramatically again following CEO Elop’s announcement of a partnership with Microsoft and a change in software platforms.  However, Elop is very optimistic about the future of his company; he said Nokia is a different company since his 13-month tenure began, and the Lumia 710 and 800 are just the beginning.

Competition in the smartphone market is intense, with Apple, Motorola and Google all way ahead in terms of market shares.  However again, buyers and analysts who have scrutinized the new Nokia offerings are cautiously encouraging.  The feeling is that aiming at a presumably wider consumer base by offering good quality at less-than-peak prices will give Nokia the boost it needs to get back in the running.

Every time that Google develops a newer version of Android, they work alongside a manufacturer of tablets or smartphones, as well a manufacturer of processors to create a device that will host a completely new and clean version of their enviable software.

The most recent example of this is the Nexus S, this is on the market with three carriers in the US and carrying android 2.4 gingerbread, the latest inception of the OS.

As far as tablets are concerned, we have Motorola XOOM, available both on Verizon and also Wi-Fi only. This features the latest Android OS for tablets, Android 3.0 honeycomb. Whilst the Xoom hasn’t technically joined the naming scheme, every hero phone carrying Android is part of the Nexus collection, and thee next in the set will feature an Android system to tie together the tablets and phones; the Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Android number, 2.4, 4.0 etc, hasn’t yet been released, but some details have that are sure to have some of you salivating. The processor is the bit that has everyone guessing, while the Nexus S boasts a Samsung Humingbird, and the XOOM has an NVIDEA Tegra 2, the smart money is on Google teaming up for this venture with Texas instruments and implementing their OMAP4 SoC.

The launch date for the ice cream sandwich is estimated for late October and a leak from a tipster has given us some chassis specs. There will be a 4.6 inch HD display and the glass will be curved as the Nexus S is and the device will be 8.8mm thick with a predominantly metal chassis. The tipster also claims that it will have the name of Samsung Galaxy Nexus and since Google wallet was rolled out this week in the US, it’s seems safe to say that it will have the NFC capabilities.

The word is also out that Verizon will not carry the Galaxy S II as they want a Droid Prime exclusive. An unnamed droid source has said that the Prime, still devoid of the Droid part, is a completely separate entity from the Nexus, which gives the impression that Nexus Prime is merely a red herring. This source also mentioned that as well as the Prime, testing was also being done on the HTC Vigor, and the results so far indicated that the latter was a much better device.

There seem to been some misdirection back in August too when legal paperwork was sent out to various sites, again citing the Nexus prime name, and saying that they had codes for the device earlier than they should have done. Come mid-August we were given the impression that the Samsung Nexus would be coming out in October complete with the ice cream sandwich.

As far as the ice cream sandwich goes, it’s still all very cloak and dagger and we are awaiting the official announcements. Texas will most likely be the ones to join forces with Google, which is more important that who provides the chassis.

The Nokia 700 is going to be released very shortly and most people are very excited about being able to use the smallest smart phone so far. Many reviewers have already commented about how good the phone is and are praising its features and its use of the Symbian software. The Nokia 700 is being praised as a mobile phone that does not lack on any of the features typical to smart phones and manages to fit them into a much smaller case.

NFC technology is utilised in the phone and this means that synchronising it with other devices is incredibly easy. All you have to do is merely tap the phone against another device in order to establish a wireless link. In testing, the phone was linked to a pair of speakers designed to be compatible with it and the linking process took less than three seconds. This is much faster than other technology currently available.

It is also utilising the latest Symbian operating system, known as Belle. This software is very user-friendly and makes the phone easy to use. It has a colourful icon-based interface and notifications on the phone are well-organised. The software is customisable and you will be up to choose what you want on your home screens. The phone is also capable of multitasking so you can run all your apps at the same time.

Physically, the phone is very stylish, polished glass and brushed metal give it a great feel. The quality of the handset gives it a very high-end feel and at less than 100 g it fits very nicely to the hand and pocket. Despite being so light and thin, the Nokia 700 feels like it could take some hits without being damaged. It is remarkably scratch resistant to keys when in your pocket with them.

In the tiny shell satellite navigation is also included. Maps of the entire UK are included which should help you be able to navigate roads immediately. Better yet, if you want to travel abroad you just have to go onto Nokia’s website where you will be up to download maps of the entire world, and these will also come at no extra charge.

The screen of the phone is one of its most striking features. It is a 3.2 inch screen that has a 640 x 360 resolution. This means that images are incredibly crisp and have great clarity. This screen makes the Nokia 700 one of the best phones around for viewing videos and photos. The phone also utilises Nokia’s ClearBack technology which helps to reduce reflections on the screen and ensures colours remain bright and vivid, even while in the sun.

What is really remarkable about this phone is the amount that it fits into its chassis. All of its applications and features mean that it is truly the only smart phone that you will need. This Nokia phone is widely regarded as one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and with all its features and beautiful design, this is hardly surprising.