Free Download Mobile Themes

To enhance the mobile device display, you can change the default theme on your mobile device. Here's some of beautiful mobile themes that you can download the suitable your taste. This download is for personal use only.

How to use:
* Find phone model behind your battery
or check your mobile-OS
* start download
* Save the file on your PC
* Transfer the file to your phone

Symbian S60 3rd Edition 176x208 Themes

1) Blue

Click here to download

2) Mohammad

Click here to download

3) Animated love

Click here to download

4) Romantic love

Click here to download

5) Spidy

Click here to download

6) Naruto smash

Click here to download

Symbian Series 40 3rd Edition 240x320 Themes

7) Butterfly

Click here to download

Sony Ericsson vUIQ3b 240x320 Themes

8) iPhone: Smoke in Black purple

Download here

Sony Ericsson v4.7 240x320 Themes

9) Crysis

Download here

Pocket PC Themes

10) Jelly fish

Download here


source: www.gallery.mobile9.com

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Nine-year-old has written an application for the Apple iPhone

taken from news.bbc.co.uk

This boy has name Lim Ding Wen, a nine-year-old Malaysian boy in Singapore has written a painting application for the Apple iPhone. He started using a computer when he was aged two.

Lim Ding Wen created the finger painting program, known as Doodle Kids, for his two younger sisters aged three and five.

The program allows iPhone owners to draw images on the handset's touch screen using just their fingers.

The program has been downloaded more than 4,000 times from Apple's iTunes store in less than two weeks.

While most children of his age are painting or drawing with crayons, Lim Ding Wen has been programming.

Lim, who is now fluent in six programming languages, first started using a computer when he was two-years-old, discovered programming aged seven, and has since completed more than 20 programming projects.

His latest application, Doodle Kids, allows users to draw pictures using their fingers and then clear the screen by shaking the iPhone.

"I wrote the program for my younger sisters, who like to draw," said Lim. "But I am happy that people like it."

Lim wrote the original application on his computer but has now adapted it for use on an iPhone.

He told The Electric New Paper in Singapore that he wrote the application in just a few days in Pascal.

Go on my son

Writing on his website, Lim's father - Lim Thye Chean - a chief technology officer at a local hi-tech firm, who also writes iPhone applications, was modest about his son's achievements.

"Ding Wen is an above average boy with an interest in computers, especially Apple IIGS and Macs, likes to do programming, and that's it.

"Doodle Kids is an extremely simple program that can be done by anybody. Everybody can program - if Ding Wen can, so can you," he wrote.

Lim Ding Wen is now working on a sci-fi game for the iPhone called Invader Wars and plans to join his school's robotics club.

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Multi-Touch Patent has been Awarded by Apple

Patent Definition

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The term patent usually refers to a right granted to anyone who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. The additional qualification utility patents is used in the United States to distinguish them from other types of patents but should not be confused with utility models granted by other countries. Examples of particular species of patents for inventions include biological patents, business method patents, chemical patents and software patents.

Some other types of intellectual property rights are referred to as patents in some jurisdictions: industrial design rights are called design patents in some jurisdictions (they protect the visual design of objects that are not purely utilitarian), plant breeders' rights are sometimes called plant patents, and utility models or Gebrauchsmuster are sometimes called petty patents or innovation patents. This article relates primarily to the patent for an invention, although so-called petty patents and utility models may also be granted for inventions.

Certain grants made by the monarch in pursuance of the royal prerogative were sometimes called letters patent, which was a government notice to the public of a grant of an exclusive right to ownership and possession. These were often grants of a patent-like monopoly and predate the modern British origins of the patent system. For other uses of the term patent see Land patents, which were land grants by early state governments in the USA. This reflects the original meaning of letters patent that had a broader scope than current usage.


Apple Awarded Multi-Touch Patent

taken from news.worldofapple.com

Congratulations to Apple Inc. because Apple has been awarded a patent that appears to cover much of the iPhone's multitouch user interface.

According to the US Patent Office Apple was awarded patent number 7,479,949 on January 20, 2009. The patent which was filed on April 11, 2008 covers multi-touch and all associated gestures such as pinch, swipe and rotation.

The patent is titled:
"Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics"

The initial patent abstract is as follows:
"A computer-implemented method for use in conjunction with a computing device with a touch screen display comprises: detecting one or more finger contacts with the touch screen display, applying one or more heuristics to the one or more finger contacts to determine a command for the device, and processing the command. The one or more heuristics comprise: a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a one-dimensional vertical screen scrolling command, a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a two-dimensional screen translation command, and a heuristic for determining that the one or more finger contacts correspond to a command to transition from displaying a respective item in a set of items to displaying a next item in the set of items."

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Best Free Download Mobile Games

Last time I have been collecting the "Best Free Download Mobile Software", and this time I will to inform about "Best Mobile Games for Free" that I have been selected from some websites. The genre of games are including action, adventure, simulation, racing, and puzzle, with 2d or 3d graphics.

These are Most Popular Free Games for Your Mobile Phone, PDA, or Handheld Device

1. Frozen Bubble

As you probably already know Frozen Bubble is a popular free puzzle game (especially in Linux platform). User controls a small canon, shooting bubbles and tries to hit other bubbles so to create groups of 3 or more bubbles of the same color. Requirements: Symbian S60 3rd Edition. Download here



2. The Tumbleweed

The unique realism of physics and graphics of the game will have you rolling and jumping in the desert for hours. Have a safe trip. Enjoy astounding 3D action and keep the high score. Tumbleweed is a 3D game for S60 3th edition. Download here





3. Freeflight is a 3D flight simulator

Freeflight is a 3D flight simulator for JAVA (j2me) compatible mobile phones. It will give you a chance to fly with four different aircrafts over many landscapes. The 3d graphics are taking alot of the phone resources, thats why you need some powerfull Symbian phone to have it running smoothly. Download here




4. S-Tris 2

S-Tris 2 is based on the famous Tetris concept and is the follow-up of our popular S-Tris game. This game comes as a demonstration of our in-house developed game engine Edge and is completely free. The game is available for Windows Mobile, Symbian, the GP2X game console and Windows desktop. Download here




5. SpeedRacer

Free Flash lite racing game, drive & control your car on danger road. Requirements: Symbian OS with Flash lite. Download here You need to register for free before downloading this game.








Download Free Mobile Games from Gamejump.com

How to Download :
1. Browse to the www.gamejump.com
2. Choose the game you like (puzzle, action, arcade, or adventure).
3. Click Select phone, choose your phone type. Download key will see.
4. Browse to the m.gjmp.tw on your mobile phone or computer.
5. Enter download key to download the game, and click submit.
6. Enjoy the game

Don't know your phone model?
Try powering off your phone and removing your battery. Most phones have a sticker under the battery that will have the phone manufacturer and model listed.

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Apple iPhone vs. Google T-Mobile G1 Android

Apple iPhone vs. Google Android

5 Ways Google's Android Beats the iPhone (and 5 Ways It Doesn't)

taken from popularmechanics.com by Seth Porges

Google is hoping to transform cellphones the way it did the Web, beginning with its first Android phone, the new T-Mobile G1. But if Google really wants to dominate the mobile market, it will have to prove that it can out-do (or get third parties like HTC to out-do) Apple's iPhone, the market leader when it comes to functionality and usability. And while many of the G1's features are direct responses to iPhone shortcomings, there are still many departments in which the iPhone will remain dominant. Here are five ways Android and the G1 beat the iPhone, and five ways they don't (at least not yet).


5 Ways the G1 is Better Than the iPhone

1. Keyboard
As proficient as we've become with the iPhone's virtual keypad, tapping touchscreen keys (especially ones without haptic feedback) has its limits. Physical keyboards, like those on BlackBerrys and Treos, are much easier to use. The G1's little keyboard will become especially important as smartphone manufacturers increasingly market their devices as pocket-based PCs, and may give the G1 a clear edge when it comes to gaming.

2. Expandable and Removable Parts
The iPhone's sealed battery is more of a metaphoric problem than a functional one. Sure, it's a pain not being able to swap in a new battery for long jaunts off the grid (thankfully, plenty of accessories are designed to fix this problem), and nobody likes having to ship his phone back to Apple if his battery begins to lose its charge. But this problem has drawn as much fire as it has because it is symbolic of the closed, unmodifiable nature of Apple products—a criticism to which Android seems a direct response. Not only can you swap the G1's battery for a fresh one at will (a feature it shares with virtually every other phone on the market), but you can also add extra memory for songs and programs using its micro-SD slot. Good thing too, since the phone's built-in memory is pretty paltry (more on that below.)

3. Integrated Compass
Not only does the G1 have GPS, it has an integrated compass that can determine which way you're facing and give you Google Maps StreetView images of the buildings around you. It's not that useful on its own; after all, you could just look up to see what's around you, but we're interested in seeing what third-party developers can do with this functionality. Maybe Garmin or another company could put together a program that turns the G1 into a fully featured hiking GPS? Even if that doesn't happen, carrying a compass around can't hurt when you find yourself in unfamiliar territory.

4. Offline Integration with Google Apps
You can access mobile versions of most Google applications on an iPhone, but with a few exceptions (such as the Google Maps application) you'll need to do it through the Web. The Android phone's calendar is an offline version of the much-loved Google Calendar online application. Enter dates into your phone, and they automatically show up on your online calendar. And while you can easily set an iPhone to sync up with calendars such as Google's there is a beautiful simplicity with the way Android replicates the online programs you are used to offline, in areas where you don't have service.

5. Multitasking and Copy and Pasting
The iPhone can do a lot, but it can't do a lot at once. With the exception of the iPod music-playing program, which can run in the background while you do just about anything, the iPhone is a multitasking weakling (somewhat ironic, considering the fact that Apple's Macintosh computers were desktop multitasking pioneers). With Android, you can easily swipe between programs. However, it must be noted that it is still to be seen what sort of effect this will have on the phone's memory and performance. The perils of mobile multitasking are among the chief problems with Windows Mobile, where you can certainly load up a ton of applications simultaneously, it will just take forever for them to do anything. It must be noted that we really do appreciate that Android allows you to copy and paste text. Perhaps it will motivate Apple to finally bring that feature to the iPhone.

5 Reason's the iPhone's Still Number One

1. The G1's Not a Real Media Player ... Yet
The iPhone doesn't just play back video—it's one of the best (and best-looking) portable media players on the market. While we'll certainly see developers making video playback programs for the G1, there are none built into it. But Apple beware: If there's one thing the open-source development community loves, it is support for a wide range of video formats and codecs. All it will take is one robust mobile playback program (mobile VLC, perchance?) to make users remember just how much they hate converting videos into MP4 so they'll play on an iPhone.

2. The iPhone is Thinner
The G1's slide-out keyboard may be useful, but it comes at a price: The G1 takes us back to the pocket-bulging smartphones of yesteryear, while the iPhone is svelte enough to fit in the front pocket of your Levis.

3. No Multitouch
The G1 uses a capacitive touchscreen. This is the same highly sensitive type of screen found on the iPhone (most touchscreen phones use mostly inferior resistive touchscreens), and should allow the G1 to compete when it comes to touch sensitivity. But the G1 does not have the iPhone's multitouch capability. While the G1 attempts to make up for it by utilizing "long-touches" to bring up deep menus, it loses out on the huge amount of functionality (and coolness) that comes from the iPhone's ability to sense two fingers at once.

4. Terrible Headphone Jack
The iPhone proved that people were willing to listen to music on their cellphones. Still, most manufacturers are reluctant to put a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack on their phones, forcing customers instead to use bulky adaptors or subpar bundled headphones. The 3G iPhone bucked that trend (the original had an annoying recessed headphone jack that could only take specially made headphones), but the G1 relies on an irritating proprietary plug. To make things work, early indications are that adaptors won't even be available when the phone first hits shelves, making the bundled headphones the only choice.

5. Internal Memory
The iPhone currently comes in 8 GB and 16 GB varieties, and we'll likely see a 32 GB version before long. The G1 has just 192 MB of onboard memory, and comes with a 1 GB micro-SD card. That's not really enough memory for a phone that's supposed to be full of music and downloaded applications. If you want an 8 GB G1, you'll have to purchase an 8 GB micro-SD card, which will push the price of the phone from $179 above the iPhone's $199 price tag. If T-Mobile, Google and HTC really expect us to use the G1 as a mobile computer, they'll need to give us more memory.

Review below taken from technology.timesonline.co.uk by Murad Ahmed

The T-Mobile G1 is Great, the iPhone is Better


The first mobile phone powered by Google was launched September 23, 2008 ready to do battle with Apple’s iPhone for the top spot on many people’s Christmas gift list.

The long-awaited smart phone, the T-Mobile G1, which was unveiled at a press conference in New York, will go on sale in the US next month, and is expected to hit British stores by early November.

The event, featuring whooping and cheering more often associated with the unveiling of new Apple products, revealed the first handset to run on “Android” — Google’s new software for mobile phones.

The arrival of Android signals the opening round of the battle between Google and its rivals, such as Nokia and Apple, to create software for the next generation of mobile phones that allows users to connect seamlessly to the internet.

A Google spokesman said that, these days, using phones “does not just mean a phone call, but rather access to the world’s information” and that mobiles will be one of the most important ways to connect to the internet in future.

However, when The Times was granted a first glance at the new device, the phone did not seem to offer a ground-breaking feature to rival the “wow factor” of the iPhone’s touchscreen. Instead, the G1 happily adopts the best features of the iPhone and BlackBerry — two of the best smart phones on the market.

It has the easy-to-navigate and intuitive touchscreen, like the iPhone. But, like the BlackBerry, it has a qwerty keyboard, which slides out, and a “trackball” that helps you navigate around the screen.

The internet giant emphasised that the phone is not a “Google phone” per se, as it is manufactured by HTC, a Taiwanese manufacturer, and will be offered exclusively by T-Mobile in Britain. To obtain the phone, customers must sign up to an 18-month contract that costs £40 a month. But it seems the product will be sold on the back of Google street cred.

Early versions of the phone were called the “Dream” but the final handset has been named the “G1”. Instead of the manufacturer’s name on the back, it reads “with Google”. As a result, it is Google’s brand and reputation that will be enhanced — or dented — by this phone.

The phone may represent a threat to Apple’s iPhone and iPod, as the new device is able to download digital music from amazon.com. As a result, about six million tracks will be available on the G1 at the touch of a button.

However, the G1 cannot compete with Apple’s sleek design. At first touch, the G1 looks and feels plastic and clunky by comparison.

The mobile allows easy access to Google’s range of online applications, such as Gmail, its personal e-mail service, and YouTube. The G1 also allows you to see Google Maps in “street view”, so you can explore cities virtually, as if standing on the street corner itself.

However, the buzz surrounding the G1 has less to do with ground-breaking new features, and more to do with Google’s innovation — the Android operating system that runs the phone. Google’s aim is to get more people online, using search and advertising services from which it makes money.

And there are more Androidpowered phones to come, with the manufacturers LG and Samsung likely to reveal mobiles that run on the software next year.

Google also hopes to take the lead over Apple by making Android “open source” — meaning that people will not be charged to use it on their handset or for writing applications for it.

This means that anyone can write programs that will run free of charge on an Android-powered phone.

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Best Free Download Mobile Software

Collection of best free software for your Pocket PC, SmartPhone, or Palm PDA.



Best Free Windows Mobile Software

from www.cnet.com.au by Jessica Dolcourt and Joseph Hanlon

You dig your Windows Mobile device, but you'll love it more when it's loaded up with free software for entertainment, security and work. Find the best and brightest free downloads for your faithful handheld.

You think you like your Pocket PC or Windows smartphone now, but when you see our collection of best free software made just for the portable operating system, your heart will beat a little faster. From music and chat to ringtones and games, these free mobile applications rise above the rest.

GSPlayer

You need music, and you need it now. GSPlayer simply and effectively manages your MP3s with sound quality that's more than acceptable. Not a fan of the basic blue look? Skins are available, too.

Skype for Pocket PC

The lovely thing about mobile telephony is that you don't need a phone to use it, which makes Skype ideal for wireless-enabled Pocket PCs. If you do have a smartphone, paying your wireless fees is still less expensive than making a direct international call.

Kevtris

This addictive Tetris-like game adds an extra aid and extra hurdle. Shadowy place holders will remove some guesswork by prompting you where pieces fall, but navigating with the small buttons on your device is its own challenge.

Spybot - Search & Destroy

As mobile attacks are on the rise worldwide, security is one area where you don't want to skimp. With free basic protection for Pocket PC and smartphones, you have no excuse not to.

Magic Button

Wouldn't it be great to have a single command that actually closes a Pocket PC program with the push of a button? Enter Magic Button, which populates your taskbar for easy control over running programs and lets you map digital versions of hardware buttons to boot.

ToneThis

Most free ringtones sound like they've been ripped from bad video games. Instead of shelling out for a tune that reminds you of Lemmings, produce one from your desktop and transfer it to your device.

Google Maps

The truth is, everyone needs good directions. We recommend giving Google maps a spin. Too bad the program doesn't also use GPS sensors to pinpoint our current location on the map, but for free, we can't complain!

Quake

Re-live the PC classic on your Pocket PC. Navigate through the labyrinthine maps and use the handset's touchscreen to aim at monsters before blowing them away. Note: to play Quake you also have to install a few files which can be downloaded from here.

PocketCM Keyboard

Jealous of the iPhone's finger-friendly on-screen keyboard? PocketCM Keyboard features the same visual feedback which highlights the key you've just selected, making it easier to be sure you're striking the right place for each character.

Group SMS

Just as the name suggests, Group SMS makes it easy to send a burst message to a number of contacts simultaneously. A must-have for business users with a team to communicate with.

YouTube Player

Some newer Windows Mobile devices come with a preloaded YouTube player, similar to the iPhone. For everyone else there's Youtubeplay.

PDAcraft Paint

What's a Windows operating platform with a version of MS Paint? Explore your inner artist with this very simple drawing program for your mobile.

Adobe Flash Lite 2.1

This standalone version of the Flash Lite 2.1 player for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices is free and allows developers to test their Flash Lite applications and content before actual handsets start shipping with Flash Lite 2.1 pre-installed. This version is also available to end users who want to play back Flash Lite content and applications on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices.


Most Popular Free Symbian Software (compatible with any Symbian device)


eBuddy

The most popular and free instant messaging application on your mobile. Download it to your phone to chat on MSN, YM!, AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, and Facebook; all in one single buddylist.

Smartguard

Hide your mobile content sms, images, videos, and numbers with password

Opera Mini

Try the new version of this free full Web browser for your phone. Browse the full Web anywhere, anytime, on any phone. Synch your bookmarks, history, notes and more between your computer and mobile phone.

FileExplorer

FileExplorer is a program for managing files on the phone and memory card. Current features include hiding/unhiding of folders and files, password protected access to the program and copying and moving files.

Twitter (New)

Social networking and microblogging service utilising instant messaging, SMS or a web interface.


Best Islamic Mobile Software


Qur'an Reader (for Java, Blackberry, PalmPRC)

Read the translation of Holy Quran in Arabic and English translation by Mohsin Khan for Java-enabled phones. Quran Reader has a fast scrolling display and a full index of all the Surahs (chapters) of the Holy Quran. It includes the feature of saving and retrieving bookmarks, as well as browsing to a particular verse inside a Surah (chapter). The translation includes verse numbers and verse highlighting for easy reading and easy reference.

IMAGiNET Islamic Suite

The world’s first Holy Quran and Hadith Shareef on Pocket PC devices. The software comes with Arabic-Latin soft keyboard, in addition to an Arabic character handwriting recognition. A multilingual interface, Arabic, English are included.

Another Islamic Software

At this website, you can also find and get your favorite Islamic Software. It's totally free for your Mobiles Phones or Pocket PC.

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iPhone 3G by Apple Inc. a Best Smartphone, News and Review

see full specs on Apple site

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The iPhone is an internet-connected multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Apple Inc. with a flush multi-touch screen and a minimal hardware interface. The device does not have a physical keyboard, so a virtual keyboard is rendered on the touch screen instead. The iPhone functions as a camera phone (including text messaging and visual voicemail), a portable media player (equivalent to an iPod), and Internet client (with email, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity). The first generation phone hardware was quad-band GSM with EDGE; the second generation also adds UMTS with HSDPA.

Apple announced the iPhone on January 9, 2007. The announcement was preceded by rumors and speculation that circulated for several months. The iPhone was initially introduced in the United States on June 29, 2007 and has since been introduced worldwide. It was named Time magazine's "Invention of the Year" in 2007. On July 11, 2008, the iPhone 3G was released and supported faster 3G data speeds and Assisted GPS.

review taken from cell-phones.toptenreviews.com

Apple iPhone 3G 16GB


Introduction

The question of whether or not the new and improved iPhone 3G deserves all of the glowing reviews and accolades it has been receiving is a simple one to answer: it does. What the iPhone 3G has, it has in spades. With improved connectivity, durability, speed, reception and refinements in its button positioning and material design, the 3G iPhone is miles ahead of its predecessor, and even further ahead of its competitors. But best of all, it comes with a much reduced price tag, and increased memory capacity.

Appeal and Flexibility

While the iPhone 3G isn’t the first 3G phone, it does make better use of the technology than other devices before it. Aside from its four 3G radio bands, the iPhone 3G includes three GSM radio bands, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, providing seamless access and use from virtually anywhere. But the iPhone 3G really shines in its improved software performance.

The iPhone 3G supports the 2.0 software, an upgrade that promises new additional features such as iWork document support, contacts search and the capability to view PowerPoint presentations. Also included in the software are parental controls, a scientific calculator and user-friendly bulk-delete option. The supported Microsoft Exchange Server also offers email, contact and date planner, remote wipe, global contacts access and auto-discovery, enhancing its work-use crossover appeal even further.

Though the many users that contracted with ATT with the first iPhone release last fall are likely to be upset, new users are certain to be pleased by the reduction in price. But users beware: the 2-year AT&T contract will cost more over time than the first generation iPhone, so while it’s lighter up front, it does carry heavier baggage.

Design Features

Like all Apple products, the iPhone 3G is a work of art, and stands somewhere between fashion-forward accessory and jack-of-all-trades handheld tool. The body maintains its overall design from its previous versions, but with key differences in the material used. The buttons are chromed for further protection against damage, while the touchscreen itself has had some cosmetic changes to provide for better protection and easier touchscreen use. The aluminum backing has been replaced by an ultra-light, black plastic skin, which helps to defray the cost of the product, while reducing overall weight.

A key difference between the iPhone 3G and the previous iPhones is the location of the headphone jack. While other iPhones had a recessed headphone jack, the new iPhone 3G's headphone jack remains flush with the body, enabling users to hook up any 3.5mm headphones they want.

The iPhone 3G supports three 3G bands, 850, 1900 and 2100, allowing it impressive speed and connectivity. In fact, in speed demonstrations, the speed of the iPhone 3G has proven to triple the speed of the previous iPhone. But it isn’t certain if these speeds will be a standard when many iPhone 3Gs are using the same network.

The GPS features offered by the iPhone 3G are a cut above others, using Assisted GPS with the help of satellites. The 3G iPhone’s GPS can also be used for live tracking, making it a very useful tool for pedestrian or automotive navigation. Better still, the iPhone 3G offers photo geotagging. Turn-by-turn directions by third-party apps are promised to follow very soon.

The battery life of the iPhone 3G also boasts strong improvements over the previous iPhone, providing more than 10 hours of 2G talk time, five hours of 3G talk time, five hours of 3G internet time, six hours of Wi-Fi internet time, seven hours of video playback and 24 hours of audio playback. These improvements are likely to keep the charger at home, allowing for by all accounts, all-day use.

The iPhone 3G also offers support for more than 15 languages, and includes a spray can styled applicator for writing characters in Asian languages.

Improvement

The body of the iPhone 3G remains virtually the same as the previous iPhone. However, with its ultra-light plastic backing, the new iPhone 3G does weigh in slightly lighter. The edges of the iPhone 3G are also now tapered to provide leverage and easier use of the interface. Most importantly, the same ultra-light plastic backing solves many of the battery changing questions and problems that occurred with the first model.

While picture resolution and audio quality remain the same, expanded memory capacities and better connectivity provide for more media storage and entertainment options. And with third-party gaming applications soon to come, the iPhone 3G is likely to have further use and crossover appeal within handheld gaming.

The most important improvement of course is the incorporation of 3G technology. Cell phones and handhelds have provided internet connectivity for the better part of the last five years. But with server, bandwidth, hardware and software problems, the results were often hazardous at best and restricted to ring tone downloads and sports scores. The iPhone 3G makes up for years of error, providing speedy and stable internet connection.

The iPhone 3G also includes a SIM card removal tool and power adapter, making up for many of the problems that faced the earlier iPhone.

What's Missing

To the surprise of many, the new iPhone 3G still fails to make use of many of the multimedia options that Apple itself champions. Multimedia messaging, voice dialing and video recording—options which are standard in most cell phones—are painfully absent. Also in need of work is the built-in camera, which is a pretty bare-boned feature. While most iPhone users are unlikely to be dissuaded by the shortcomings of its built-in camera, it would be nice to see improvements made in later versions.

Summary

Though the iPhone 3G isn’t by any means revolutionary, it does up the ante by doing an incredible job of refining available technologies, improving upon the previous iPhone design and challenging the various business and entertainment multimedia cell phone markets. Hopefully the future will see an iPhone that taps into the multimedia, video and audio capabilities pioneered by Apple. But until then, the iPhone 3G should do an excellent job of tiding you over.

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Death Match: BlackBerry Storm VS Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

This review from t3.com by Hannah Bouckley

Stormy smarties

Another test with the words ‘iPhone rivals’ in the first paragraph, but for now Apple’s groundbreaking handset is still the bar against which touchscreens like the Blackberry Storm and Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 will be compared too.

Arguably one of the best looking phones we’ve seen, the Storm’s is RIMs first touchscreen, boasting unique SurePress technology that replicates the feel of a solid keypad. Instead of building the features around the touchscreen capabilities, it’s still unmistakably Blackberry, with dedicated back and menu keys.

Using Windows Mobile 6, Sony Ericsson’s X1 is a more traditional smartphone, in the design vein of HTC, masquerading as a modern touchee, with a high-res screen you can jab and poke as hard as you please.

Stuffed with features and fired up with connectivity, is either phone worth your cash?



Death Match One: Ease of use


Blackberry Storm

Free on contracts over £35, 24 months

Great for Google Maps and You Tube, the highlight is the bright, colourful and detailed screen, which rotates automatically - most of the time. Feedback makes the touchscreen feel like a ‘proper keyboard.’ You have to use double-clicks so there’s no danger of hitting the wrong button, unless you’re using the tiny dual-key QWERTY keyboard that is.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

£670 sim free, or free on contract

Hit the X Panel button to access shortcut panels for key applications, such as web, music, photos and main menu. The touchscreen feels small and you’re messily swapping between the stylus and finger, a feat not helped by the sluggish Windows Mobile interface. The slide-out keyboard might not be sexy, but is for more accurate than the Storm.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm


Death Match Two: Features

Blackberry Storm

Ridiculously there’s no WiFi, which for a phone geared up for browsing, is ludicrous, what about using it abroad? You can install Facebook, Google Maps and You Tube apps and RIM’s app store launches in March 2009. As well as GPS, you get six months of Vodaphone’s Fine&Go navigation service.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Unlike the Storm you get WiFi, as well as HSPDA and 3G, although logging on proved temperamental at times. There’s a good 3.2MP camera and trial of Wayfinder Navigator service.

Winner: Sony Ericsson Xperia X1


Death Match Three: Performance

Blackberry Storm

Browsing is speedy, although you’re at the mercy of Vodaphone’s signal. Push email is terrific, and you get a useful cut and paste facility. Battery life is comparable with the N96, iPhone and G1, so you’ll be charging every night.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Battery life impresses, lasting longer than the Storm. 3G browsing is fairly speedy, although we struggled to get onto the WiFi network, but this was due to Windows Mobile. The 3.5mm jack lets you hook up your own headphones, although you’re stuck with Windows Media rather than SE’s superior Walkman interface.

Winner: BlackBerry Storm


Death Match Four: Conclusion

Even though the Xperia X1 has an outstanding build, next to the Storm and iPhone, it’s creaky and dated. The Storm’s emailing is top notch, but the fiddly text input and criminal lack of WiFi let down. When it comes down to it, Sony Ericsson makes far better camera and music phones, whilst the RIM’s BlackBerry Storm is a fantastic smartphone even with the niggles.

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Nokia N95 (8GB, Unlocked)

Product summary review from reviews.cnet.com

The good: The Nokia N95 (8GB) features 8GB of internal memory and has a spacious 2.8-inch display and 3G support. The smartphone also includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, and robust multimedia capabilities.

The bad: The 8GB N95 can be sluggish at times, and call quality could have been better. There's no expansion slot, and it's also very expensive.

The bottom lineThe bottom line: Offering ample memory, a larger screen, and 3G support, the 8GB Nokia N95 is sure to please those looking for the ultimate in multimedia/cell phone convergence, but you'll pay for the features, and there are some performance issues.

Specifications: Band / mode: WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 ; Talk time: Up to 300 min ; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player ; See full specs.

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