Penny Mobiles – Mobile phone news, reviews & information

Nokia’s X6 is a pretty impressive handset. It sports a 3.2 inch TFT capacitive touch screen display, an ARM 11 434MHz CPU and a 5 mega pixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, auto focus and LED flash. This media-centric handset has been designed to play plenty of media file formats and provide users with hours of entertainment in video or music.

Of course, that entertainment can only last so long. Between surfing the web via 3G or WiFi and using the handset’s media player, many users are reporting that the X6’s 1320mAh battery is not living up to expectations (on a full charge, users expect to get about 35 hours straight of playback).

According to a recent report, it seems that the culprit for the battery issue is not really the hardware, but user’s inability to shut down applications that are still running in the background. While the same solution applies to many other devices, it is inherently important for the Nokia X6 –as shutting down these errant apps is a simple matter of having to just access a menu and individually turning off the unneeded apps.

For those wondering why background applications would drain power, it is because the processor is still running the apps. CPU’s are among the most powerful users of battery energy. Running apps to a minimum is an important part of conserving the energy on a phone.

Of course, there are also a few other things that users should keep in mind when it comes to batteries. The first is to have an alternative power supply if you know you would need it. Long trips, all night events and other activities have a tendency of keeping users away from being able to charge at home. In this case, having a phone charger or a secondary battery is quite important especially if you will need the device (of course, it is important to make sure that the secondary battery always has a full charge).

It has just been confirmed that the Nokia C1 is now available in the UK and it is priced at a very cheap price of just 30 Pounds Sterling. The impressive little budget phone from Nokia might sound like an absurdly cheap device, but it still packs enough features to be worth the purchase.

Overall, the Nokia C1 is a candy bar 2G handset with a few extra features that makes the selection worthwhile (and for the low a price, it is hard to get any better than the C1). The new phone will come with 1.8 inch TFT display that provides users with 128 x 160 pixels of resolution. The screen can handle up to 65 thousand colors so you will be able to view content quite easily. The phone menu is short and easy to figure out on the first run.

As one would expect, the handset is able to handle voice calls and text messages. The phone memory can store up to 64MB of data, but users need not worry about the limited space since the device will support microSD cards.

The music player on the handset will allow users to play MP3, Wav and AAC music files as well as tune into FM radio. An FM recorder will allow users to make quick recordings of their favorite tunes or programs.

Packed with an 800 mAh camera, the Nokia C1 will keep your phone running for more than 500 hours on standby. On a full charge, the device can take a call 10 hours long –nonstop.

The Nokia C-series handsets, particular the C1, C2 and C3 mobile phones, are mostly low end devices that are focused on delivering practical features at a decent price. In that regard, the Nokia C1 easily fulfills its objective and is a successful one at that.

A few weeks back, Nokia surprised everyone by announcing that their Ovi Maps satellite navigation service will be offered for free on all of their smart phones that are compatible with Ovi maps.

The announcement instantly boosted the overall value of almost every other Nokia smart phone as the devices were instantly transformed into walking and driving navigation tools. While Nokia has yet to explain how it managed to work out such an awesome deal, we are all just too happy that the average Nokia phone will now give you voice instructions to the closest pub –pretty sweet deal isn’t it?

Now, it turns out that Alpine will be teaming up with the Finnish phone manufacturer to bring that unlimited map support to cars. Alpine is a well known “dashboard system manufacturer” for automobiles and this new tie up will allow drivers to dock their Nokia smart phones to their dashboard, output the maps on a larger LCD screen and have the voice navigation to be  on the car’s stereo system. And with the Ovi maps service being completely free, this is some pretty good value for your money –placing GPS manufacturer Tom Tom with some pretty heavy competition from Nokia.

Getting deeper into your car functions, the Alpine setup for the dashboard will enable users to use widgets on the LCD screen. It will not only show your maps, but some other digital information as well. Aside from the usual GPS readouts like destinations and points of interest, the widgets can be made to display fuel levels and other important information –making the effort to glance at the screen well worth it.

So far, the new systems for the dashboard is not yet available; but expect to see the new gear for your car to come out sometime this year.

Read more about the new Nokia and Alpine team up at Mobile Choice UK.

When people hear the word Nokia, they know exactly what to think. One of the most famous and influential mobile phone companies ever to exist, Nokia have revolutionized the way we use mobile phones, as well as they way they are manufactured and designed. The latest release from Nokia, is the Nokia X3.

Designed to combine technology with ease of use, the new phone revolves heavily around music, and is designed to be a music lovers dream. Coming with the Ovi store enabled, you can download any of your favorite tracks, with millions to choose from, literally. On some contract plans you receive unlimited free downloads, so you have an unlimited music collection at your finger tips. Using a 3.2 megapixel camera, you will always be able to take photographs of your favorite moments or events without worrying about bringing your digital camera out with you.

Once taken, you can transfer the photos across to your computer or upload them directly to sites such as Facebook or MySpace depending on the website. Most phones with a music player feature an annoying headphone output which requires special headphones, and if you lose the original pair you can end up having to spend a fortune on a replacement set. The Nokia X3 features a normal size headphone output, allowing you to use your preferred set of head phones. The X3 was meant to go on sale late 2009, and is available in most places but if in doubt then have a look online for what Nokia X3 deals are available.

The Nokia 5330 was a popular enough model as it was combining new technology and new application with design, style and price. Nokia decided to release a new version of their popular phone, titled the Nokia 5330 Television Edition. This phone is basically just the same as the last one, but it uses fantastic technology to allow you to watch live stream TV from various channels.

When you sign up to a contract plan for the phone, you receive a certain number of real TV channels for free. You can watch these channels as much as you want, and you can play, pause, rewinding and fast forward the channels so you can always watch what you want. You can then opt to subscribe to additional channels. You pay a small fee for these but there are so many different types of channels from religion, sports, children’s TV, nature documentaries and much more.

If you thought that was not enough, the phone comes complete with a 3.2megapixel camera ideal for snapping up some photographs while you are on your travels. Once the photos have been taken, you can view them on the handy 2.4 inch phone screen. You can then transfer images to your computer for use later on.

The 5330 Mobile TV can handle a huge 6 hours of constant TV watching, around 12 television shows, or around 3 full length movies. As you can see, you will never be bored again, and this phone will literally keep you occupied for hours. Nokia expects to release in a further 20 countries within the next 2 years, the price tag for the phone is expected to be around £140 in the UK.

The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition utilizes the latest technologies in mobile entertainment.  Individuals will be able to watch television, take pictures and play music. Users have the opportunity to watch up to 6 hours of live TV. The handset comes with a Nokia headset for private listening.

The 5330 gets great reception. Users will be able to conveniently flip through the channels and adjust the volume as needed. The handset has a feature that allows users to peruse through the program guide so that they can see what television shows are upcoming. For those not satisfied with the channels that come standard, it’s possible to order additional and premium channels.

Offering live television is a huge departure from most mobile phones. While camera and video has become standard, television is definitely an upgrade. Users can watch standard channels or purchase premium ones.

Though, television viewing is the phone’s biggest and best feature, the Nokia 5330 offer users more then that. The phone comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash and video. It has a music player and FM radio. The handset’s display screen is 2.4 inches QVGA screen with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The phone is available in high gloss black and matt white.

The 5330 comes standard with a BL-4U 1000 mAh Li-Ion battery that offers users 400 hours of standby time, 30.5 hours of music playback time, 6 hours of television and 5.2 hours of talk time (GSM).

The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition is a really cool phone. It is a multi-media phone with most of the features that come standard with mobile phones these days. It stands out however, in a big way with its ability to play live television. Those persons who are often on the go and worried about missing their favorite television shows might find this phone to be ideal.

Nokia launches 3 new CDMA handsets (6316s, 3806, 1506). Each of these brand new handsets, are reasonably priced and offer different things in terms of features.  The 6316s will likely to be the most expensive of the three. Nokia has included many of the features found in top to mid midrange smartphones, but priced the 6316s considerably cheaper.  The 3806 offers many of the same things as the 6316.  One noted difference, however, between the 3806 and the 6316s is the health assistant application. This app is designed to help individuals take control of their health.  The 1506 appears to be a very bare-bones phone. It might be a good option for individuals that aren’t interested in spending a lot of money on a mobile phone but still want a decent brand.  Users will have basic phoning functions. They will also be able to record their voice and talk on speakerphone.

The Nokia 6316s has a 2.2 QVGA display screen, a music player, GPS, Bluetooth 2.1, a 2.0 megapixel camera, dedicated music keys and a music player. Individuals will also be able to check and receive e-mail and browse the internet.  This phone comes in red, gold and black.  It is scheduled to be released during the first quarter of 2010.

The Nokia 3806 is quite similar to the 6316s in many regards.  It also has a 2.0 megapixel camera and a 2.2 inch QVGA screen. Individuals can add up to 4GB of memory via the microSD card slot.

The Nokia 1506 has the least features and will likely be the cheapest of the three. It comes with a voice recorder and speaker phone. It can be purchased in black or plum.  This particular phone is scheduled to be available for sale by the end of 2009 in China. That’s just a few short weeks away.  The other two are scheduled to hit retail stores during the first part of 2010.

Nokia have released details of many new handsets over the last month or so. The 2 main phones, the 6700 and the 7230 are both slide phones which are designed to make life easier for you whilst using the internet, and especially social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. Both phones come in a variety of different colors meaning that neither phone is restricted to a certain sub genre of users.

The Nokia 7230 is specially designed to be used with social networking sites. It features direct programs which take you straight to the sites, rather than having to do it through an internet browser, which can take up a lot of time. The handset will light up when you are receiving an incoming call or message, which is very useful for situations where noise and lighting may not be on your side. With a 2.4 inch screen, a 3.2 megapixel camera and 3G technology, you really will have a fantastic phone with amazing capabilities.

The 6700 slide phone is a much more stylish version, and comes complete with a 5.0 megapixel camera. That is a lot of megapixels for a phone camera, and rivals some of the well known digital cameras at the high end of the market. With built in photo editing technology, you will be able to edit and touch up any photos you take, perfect if you want to show off some great snaps to friends and family.

If you want to get your hands on one of these fantastic slide phones, you will have to wait until march 2010, but it will be well worth the wait. Both phones are expected to be available on pay as you go and contract tariffs, and should be available on various different networks.

One of the world’s leading music discovery providers, Shazam announced recently the release into the market of an improved application in the Ovi store by Nokia. The software, according to the company, comes with newly added feature that will give users of Nokia device the edge when it comes to journey into music more than it used to be in the past.

According to Andrew Fisher, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the company, “with the popularity os Shazam on the Ovi Store by Nokia following our summer promotion, we are delighted to be able to offer an enhanced music journey that will let music lovers experience more about the music they hear around them”. Furthermore, he said that “Now many Nokia users will get shazam pre-loaded onto their devices in the future, and hundreds of millions more worldwide will be able to download Shazam now from the Ovi store by Nokia.”

The Shazam application supports a lot of languages which includes: German, Canadian-French, Latin American, Swedish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Turkish, Dutch, Russian, Bulgarian, Mexican Spanish, Spanish, French, Brazilian, Finnish, Brazilian-Portuguese and plans are still underway by the company to introduce support for the Chinese simplified and traditional, polish, Roman, Bulgarian, Arabic, Hebrew and Ukrainian in the future.

Lovers of this software can enjoy this software for a maximum of 30 days and should they desire to keep enjoying it, they would have to purchase the full version at $4.99 or switch to the free alternative which does not come with the full functionalities of the paid version.

The new version has some very interesting features that will get users stuck to it. These features include: Sharing capabilities for those on the social networks like Tweeter and Face book, an access to the exciting list of tags that online, search music easily like finding artist by name or album among others.

Nokia has announced that its line of N-Series phones will be using the new Maemo operating system. As seen with the Nokia N900 (which is currently being shipped all over Europe), the newer N-series phones will be using versions of Nokia’s new operating system.

However, the announcement only covers high end devices, particularly the N-Series. Nokia has been very consistent in specifying that their “high-end” devices will be using the new Maemo operating system. As many already know, Nokia generate great (greater?) profit from the sales of its low end GSM devices not only in Europe but all over the world. The N-Series may be the flag bearer of the Nokia brand, but the profit that the N-Series generates is not on the same level as the bulk of Nokia’s GSM phones.

Still, the fact that Nokia is using the Maemo on its forefront means that it will be supporting the Symbian less and less as the next few months roll around. While it is still unlikely that Nokia would ever drop Symbian, that possibility still exists. Should Nokia ever develop a Maemo for their GSM line, then the future for the Symbian is truly bleak.

For now, Symbian is getting its own spotlight outside of Nokia as other manufacturers try out the Symbian S60 operating system for themselves. Most notable is the highly fashionable Sony Ericsson Kurara (the Kurara sports an HD screen with an 8.1 megapixel camera capable of taking 720p video). Seeing the S60 on such a high end device shows that the Symbian is far from dead.

With new operating systems being launched (like Samsung’s Bada) and the Google potentially monopolizing Android with the launch of their own phone (they have not given out 2.0 SDK until recently too, despite the 2.0 being around for months), it seems like the status of operating systems on mobile phones might see a huge shift next year.