By Adhurim Murtezai

After the shock and awe of the Consumer Electronics Show last month, Samsung is bringing us a more mid-range mobile device that will satisfy those consumers  who want more functionality without shelling out the money for a brand-new, top of the line smartphone. So, without further ado we introduce to you the Galaxy S Advance a welcome addition to the Samsung Galaxy cell phone line.

The following is an insightful video review of the Samsung Galaxy S Advance by Mobile Gazette

Customers will experience a zippy interface that is quick to open apps and multi-task on. The specs are solid, if not stellar. 4 inch Super AMOLED display gives a great visual experience and the middle-of-the road RAM and internal storage are pretty standard.   There are no current plans to move the mobile OS from Android Gingerbread to Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich.

Consumers can further enhance the Samsung Galaxy S mobility by optimizing aaplications with select accessories including stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

As Samsung’s President of IT & Mobile Communications Division, JK Shin noted, “The GALAXY S Advance adds to the successful track record of the GALAXY  smartphone range with a phone that combines power and style with all the versatility of Samsung’s Hub services.” This particular group of services is what will give users over 11 million music tracks, 2.3 million e-books, 3,500 magazine and 200 newspaper titles which are both excellent reasons to invest in good headphones and speakers.

For gamers, the ever-popular Game Hub puts thousands of catalogued games at users’ fingertips. As these may take up more juice, check the specs and requirements to see if a purchase of additional resources is needed.

And, in a move that will bring a more competitive offering to the new Nokia Windows Phone line, ChatON acts as a kind of people hub to interactively share content, group chat via video and voice and in general make messaging intuitive and easy. The last (and perhaps favorite) feature is Find My Mobile which is a unique lost-phone management system. Securing and encrypting data, ability to wipe the device data via Web or trace the device via Web is uber awesome.

All in all, Samsung looks to bring a best-of-both-worlds kind of phone to market and we look forward to seeing the smartphone in action!

By John Castell

Anyone who followed the Consumer Electronics Show knows that Nokia is making some serious moves to win business and mindshare in the United States this year. The company has moved lightning fast since signing agreements with Microsoft last year with Nokia Lumia cell phones winning some great nods of approval.

Based on the announcement that Nokia will be launching its first Window mobile OS smartphone with T-Mobile in the United States, which will allow Nokia to extend market breadth and reach wider consumer base. Noted as an important part of their strategy, the next few months of product releases and announcements are bound to keep the good press rolling.

Leaving your valuable mobile devices unprotected is risky! Discover the latest innovative protection solutions… stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes. Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.

While it does not have quite the jaw-dropping specs and capabilities as their flagship Lumia 900, which will be launching with AT&T in March…  the Nokia 710 smartphone will be available for $50.  Walmart will have it available for free with a service contract.  This will further expand Nokia’s to capture the consumers that want transition from their current feature phone to a smartphone. With these incredible deals, customers have more funds to accessorize their new handset with accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

But what will customers get with this phone? To start, it is 4G capable with a great scratch-resistant ClearBlack screen that makes for easier outdoor viewing.  Browsing is made snappy with a Snapdragon processor and makes uploading photos taken from the 5 megapixel camera a breeze (and Nokia has some impressive camera technology at work). Even gamers will be satisfied with the interactive gaming experience through Xbox Live.  Experience the mind blowing clarity of XMI Speakers.  Uncompromised sound quality and a revolutionary design accentuating today’s interactive lifestyle.   Our earpieces and headsets combine sophisticated style and precision engineering that deliver brilliant sound for your total listening pleasure.

While we can’t write to the accessory options available at Walmart or T-Mobile to accompany this purchase, there are an incredible number of peripheral devices and accessories to peruse online. And if you want a Nokia phone without being tied to a carrier, we will keep you posted on any unlocked options coming down the pipeline!

By Aldo Panessidi

No doubt, Nokia cell phone Lumia 900 made quite an impression at CES, but another (non-Samsung and non-Apple) smartphone contender made waves as well.  That is Sony Ericsson’s Xperia S. Taking the approach of tailoring and optimizing software to the hardware, Sony has taken the familiar and effective Gingerbread OS and made a device that runs incredibly smoothly and also has the look and feel of a great smartphone.

Like the Nokia Lumia handsets, the Sony Xperia S smartphone is made of a single piece of high density polycarbonate which feels substantial and appears chic and modern. It also serves as a great frame to the 720p screen that uses the Sony Bravia Engine and fuses the LCD glass to bring down reflections.  Let the latest in trend setting fashionable accessories express your unique style!  Discover an extensive array of award-wining design protective cases and skins deliver modern style, stunning design and smart protection.  Make your mobile devices stand out.  Customize your look – how cool can you be?

Another impressive feature is this handset’s camera.  For what it lacks in flashy new Android OS updates, a 12 megapixel rear facing camera that can be used with just the press of a side button – even when the phone is turned off! Incredibly zippy, this camera goes from zero-to-shutter in less time than the Galaxy Nexus. And, the photo quality far surpasses the competition as well.

Enhance your mobility and turn your device into a power tool!  Discover select accessories such as; stylus & pens, micro SD memory cards, batteries, docking stations, Bluetooth headsets, data cables and glider gloves all specifically designed to make your devices functionally efficient and performance rich.

Unfortunately, Sony Ericsson opted to use the Snapdragon S3 chip instead of the S4. Also disappointing is the lack of LTE on this device (which the manufacturer doled out to its AT&T exclusive Xperia Ion in the US). There are rumors that an LTE Sony phone will come Canada’s way in Q3, but in tech terms that is quite a ways out.

Some silver lining to the LTE regret is Sony will be bundling Video Unlimited support and the Xperia S is Playstation Certified which is great news for gamers who will have access to an ever growing number of PSOne games. This makes a case for purchasing better earpieces and headphones, speakers and additional MicroSD Memory cards to get the most of the device investment.

Canada should see this smartphone hit the market in March or so, but actual release dates and carrier availability are bound to follow, so keep tuned!

By Megan Fleet

Let’s be honest, the latest hero device from the Nokia cell phone line-up, the Lumia 900 wowed spectators  at the CES. From the keynote Microsoft address that showed an impressed audience the fruits of its partnership with Nokia and how the device works with Microsoft peripheral devices like the Xbox. The stellar performance of the Nokia Lumia 900 was duly recognized by CNET which named the smartphone as its category winner at the 2012 CES.

The move from Symbian to Windows mobile OS and the added bonus of BlueStack’s technology which will bring Android apps to those customers has sparked excitement and hope into both Nokia and Microsoft that 2012 will bring a 180 degree shift in sales and market share.

What is better news is that the vague announcement that the Nokia Lumia 900 will be available in “the next few months” may be whittled down to a more accurate date if the rumor mill is based in any kind of truth. Even more reliable is that the March 18^th date is being bandied about by Windows gurus Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley. These two “all about Windows” people came together to work on TWiT and discuss March as the release month in the latest Nokia developer newsletter.

Mister Thurrott is apparently not one for vagueness by making it clear that the Nokia Lumia 900 will be released precisely on March 18^th. Hopefully his crystal ball or tea leaves are accurate as anxious customers are bound to seek out this sleek unlocked cell phone as soon as possible.

Surely the smartphone manufacturer will make more accurate announcements that will include date of availability, the cost, and start touting more of the peripheral accessories that will heighten the handset’s popularity and longevity in a fickle, competitive and ever changing mobile tech market.

By Aldo Panessidi

The world’s greatest tech show – CES 2012 – kicked off on Monday,  January 9th… and will run until Friday January 13th.

With more than four decades of success, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) reaches across global markets, connects the industry and enables CE innovations to grow and thrive.   The show is produced by Consumer electronic Association, the preeminent trade association promoting growth in the $186 billion U.S. consumer technology industry. CEA represents more than 2,000 corporate members involved in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and integration of consumer electronics products. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, industry promotion, engineering standards development, market research and legislative advocacy.

This year’s show is held at the Hilton Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas and will cover more than 1.8 million square feet which is equivalent to 35 American football fields with over 2700 exhibitors and close to 200,000 attendees from across the globe.

Most of the leading smartphone and wireless mobile device (such as tablets) manufacturers and vendors will be unveiling their latest product and technology.  In the same breath, these manufacturers will be showcasing their latest in innovative protection solutions… … stylish top brand bags, sleeves and cases specifically designed to protect your devices from scratches and blemishes.  Tough on the outside, sweet on the inside these brand name protection accessories combine complete device coverage with sleek artistic expression.

The following capture the most important CES smartphone and wireless mobile device news and product video overview:

	LTE-packing Nokia Lumia 900 is finally official, exclusive to AT&T HTC Titan II vs. Nokia Lumia 900 vs. Samsung Focus S – the ultimate WP showdown [TABLE]  Nokia Lumia 900 – specs • hands-on
	New Samsung Series 9 ultrabook comes in 13.3″ and 15″ versions, the small one weighs just 1.16kg Samsung and AT&T unveil Note, Skyrocket HD and Exhilarate Android-powered webcam-like device, the Samsung inTouch, adds Smart TV magic to your boring HDTV Sprint unveils Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE Verizon debuts Galaxy Tab LTE   Verizon Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE- specs • hands-on • second hands-on AT&T Galaxy Note LTE – specs • hands-on • second hands-on Samsung Skyrocket HD – specs Samsung Exhilarate – specs Samsung Galaxy Nexus LTE – specs
	Sony Ericsson LiveView successor spotted at CES, announcement seems imminent The Sony Xperia ion coming to AT&T in Q2 2012 Sony announces Xperia S with a 12MP camera and HD screen  Sony Xperia ion – specs • hands-on Sony Xperia S – specs • hands-on
	LG brings a ton of new HDTV stuff to CES, 3D is everywhere, and there’s a motion-controlled remote with voice input LG Spectrum goes official, joins the Verizon LTE gang on Jan 19 Sprint unveils LG Viper  LG Viper- specs LG Spectrum – specs • hands-on
	HTC Titan II vs. Nokia Lumia 900 vs. Samsung Focus S – the ultimate WP showdown [TABLE] LTE HTC Titan II with 16 MP camera revealed, heads for AT&T HTC Titan II - specs • hands-on • camera samples
	Acer announces Aspire S5 and Aspire Timeline Ultra Ultrabooks, claims the former to be the world’s thinnest Acer showcases the new Iconia Tab A700, comes with a quad-core processor and a full HD display
	Verizon announces several Droid RAZRs  Motorola RAZR MAXX – specs • hands-on Motorola Droid 4 - specs • hands-on
	Lenovo continues CES invasion with IdeaCentre B-series all-in-ones and refreshed desktops Lenovo announces IdeaPad S200 and IdeaPad S206 netbooks, will launch in June Lenovo IdeaPad U310 and U410 new Ultrabook laptops get under the spotlight Lenovo unveils Ideapad S2, the S2 smartphone and K91 TV
	Huawei Ascend P1 and Ascend P1 S droid beasts announced  Huawei Ascend P1 – specs • hands-on Huawei Ascend P1 S – specs • hands-on
Misc	Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update starts rolling out for the ASUS Transformer Prime ASUS and NVidia CEOs show a 7-inch Tegra 3-powered tablet with ICS for $249 Gigabyte keeps Atom dream alive with Cedar Trail powered T1006M convertibe netbook and tablet, Windows 7 on board In case of emergency: The new SpareOne mobile phone promises to hold its charge for up to 15 years Fujitsu showcases quad-core Tegra 3 smartphone at CES Parrot shows AR.Drone 2.0 at CES – now with 720p video recording, easy sharing and sturdier hardware OCZ Lightfoot SSD boasts Thunderbolt connectivity, speeds beyond belief Canon PowerShot G1 X is a 14MP compact with a DSLR-sized 4:3 image sensor • Canon G1 X hands-on Fujifilm announced rangefinder-style, mirrorless X-Pro1 camera, to cost $1,700 at launch SanDisk unveils the world’s fastest SDXC card, promises write speeds of up to 45MB/sToshiba showcase three mysterious tablets at CES and tell us nothing about them Razer reveals Project Fiona, a tablet with controllers attached to it running on a Core i7 and Windows 8

Many thanks to GSM Arena for the above references and links.

By Megan Fleet

The changing of the guard from one year to the next brings inevitable changes. This is especially true with mobile technology which is arguably one of the most competitive and innovative segments of the tech industry as traditional feature phones and carriers are challenged with smartphone technologies and apps and unlocked phones.

So even if you keep half an ear to the latest happenings in this niche of the world market, there is a plethora of information, rumors, and announcements to keep track of. To help make the focus more manageable, here are a few noteworthy notices to kick off your 2012 mobile tech watch.

First, the continuing saga of the king of feature phones as it endeavors to make its mark in a smartphone world: Nokia. The mobile OS this manufacturer chose for its foray into smartphones is Symbian. Clearly this pairing didn’t fare well in the global marketplace. As a farewell gesture that is bound to drive the final nail in the coffin of Symbian, Nokia has opted to rebrand its latest smartphone as Nokia Belle. No Symbian to be mentioned in association again it seems. Perhaps the best rebranding for Nokia would be launching a new tablet featuring its next mobile OS choice.

Not to be left out, Google Android is bound to make this list. And, it is no surprise that it is causing waves with its much-buzzed-about OS upgrade: Ice Cream Sandwich. Global rollouts of this Android 4.0 update were supposed to have begun for Nexus S customers a few days ago, but according to the Google Community Manager, Paul Wilcox, announced that they are pausing updates to better monitor feedback for a while (this sounds oddly familiar to CarrierIQ scandal which highlighted the benefits of customers choosing unlocked devices).

On a more positive note for Google, they are now globally activating approximately 700,000 Android devices daily. The company’s willingness to work with many manufacturers (creating more opportunities for customers to choose carrier neutral unlocked phones), is significantly contributing to their continued growth around the world.

To follow on the heels of Google’s customer driven philosophy, carriers are having to fight the loss of their exclusivity on smartphones, tablets and accessories by dropping their prices. Recent reports show that 4G LTE pricing may drop by as 60% by 2016 as the additional speeds aren’t worth the cost for heavy users and the carrier specific devices that enable 4G are markedly more expensive than their 3G counterparts as well.

By Megan Fleet

In an era where patents are sold and bought  like commodities in lieu of protecting intellectual rights;  and where mall innovators are snapped up for their technological visions and execution, – HTC is a wonder to behold.  The rising star of the smartphone world has « arrived. »

Ten years ago HTC couldn’t even be considered a boutique cell phone to set yourself apart from the mundane crowd of Motorolas and Nokias. It was, however, a company earning its chops manufacturing hardware for Windows Mobile-powered devices for household names like Compaq and XDA.  Now HTC is manufacturing the Raider, Amaze and Desire line of cell phones coupled with a plethora a innovative protective solutions and premium electronic accessories

HTC’s big break came in 2008 : with the Android. The Dream and G1, which launched the brand into the periphery of the ever growing smart phone consumer market.  Its years as a technological innovator for Windows helped carve a niche and secure a market notoriety for cell phone and mobile accessories.

The following video provides an excellent account of The Quietly Brilliant Story of HTC

Throughout the years there has been escalating competition in particular from Samsung cell phones.   But as any good capitalist knows, a competitive environment spurs creativity and innovation. And, as any informed consumer knows, also keeps costs competitive thanks to vendor agnostic retailers such as puremobile.com where the buffet of unlocked cell phone and mobile devices can be sampled, reviewed, and easily paired with practical yet fun wireless accessories.

HTC is an underdog with elegant and smart technology that marries performance and beauty into something intuitive and tangible for a memorable end user experience. Translation? HTC is a rising star .  They may have lost the dominant Android market share to Samsung but the recent performance and successes of Sensation and EVO 3D will pair with upcoming jewels like the Ville and sharp music accessory bundles (without the proprietary encumbrance of Apple’s iTunes) for a bright 2012.

Accessories make great stocking stuffers for the tech savvy Android aficionado in your life, take a gander at some great holiday accessory deals at puremobile.com!

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Okay guys, Valentine’s Day is coming. Hopefully you already ordered the flowers and they are set for delivery. But maybe you should go a step further. You know she needs a new cell phone. So why not surprise her and get one of the beautiful pink cell phones. What a great way to let her know that you love her. You can even set up the screen with a picture of you with the message, I love you. This just does not have to be for your girlfriend or wife, you can also get a new phone for your daughter, mother or grandmother. By taking the time to personalize it proclaiming your undying love, you will most certainly take them by surprise and let them know that you have gone the extra step.

Well, the question is which one should you get. Perhaps for your daughter’s first phone you may want to consider the LG KP500 Pink cell phone. This is a great phone because it has all the things your daughter wants a phone. It has the 3.15 camera, the FM radio, and that all-important MP3 player. It’s very easy to use with its 3 inch touchscreen. It has plenty of storage and with the stylus pen, she will be able to edit the many pictures that she takes. The bonus is the phone is a beautiful shade of pink.

You now need to begin to think about your wife or girlfriend. A great phone for her may be the Nokia 7230. This slider phone is great way to be able to take pictures as well as to e-mail and instant message. This slider phone that has 3G ability comes with plenty of talk time, so she will not have to worry about her battery dying right in the middle of a conversation. The design is sleek and clean and with all of the right pink highlights.

It is not too late to order and get your unlocked cell phone delivered just in time for Valentine’s Day. You have ample time to get it all set up and ready so all she has to do is open the box and start making calls and accessing all of the wonderful features.

Firefox has been working hard to get its web browsing applications to your Nokia N900 and N810 black unlocked GSM mobile phone .  They have taken all of their fantastic browsing tools and have put it into a great download for your phone.  The Firefox Mobile 1.0 is ready for you to use.  You can download it directly from the Firefox website by picking the one for your model of Nokia.

So what all does it do?  Well, for those that are familiar with the fast browsing and enhanced security that Firefox has provided to PC users, you will love what it does for the phone.  It has many of the same features.  All of your tabs and controls will be able to be seen on your screen. They will be on the side of the screen for easy viewing.  Just by a quick touch, you will be able to bookmark all of your favorite sites.  You will simply touch to use any tabs or any of the plug ins.  You can even zoom in.

The Awesome Bar will do your searching and get you to your favorite sites without having to type in the long addresses.  You can install any of the add ons to make the browser your own.  The password manager will remember those passwords so you will not have to keep typing them in over and over.  You can always see whatever tabs you have open by just touching them.  It has maps and local information through its Location-Aware Browsing.  If you use Firefox at home you can use Weave Sync that will transfer all of your history, tabs and bookmarks right to your Nokia N900 unlocked or Nokia 810.

This week 4 new phones have been announced by Nokia and Sony Ericsson.  Nokia has announced the Nokia X3, Nokia X6 and the Nokia N97 Mini.  Sony Ericsson on the other hand has announced the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 is going to be released similar to the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.  The Xperia X2 is going to come in a X2 and X2a version.  Basically one (X2a) will have 3G for North America and the other (X2) will have European 3G.  The Xperia X2 is going to have Windows Mobile Professional 6.5, Wifi, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, and even an 8MP camera built in.  All in all the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 does seem like a nice upgrade from the popular Xperia X1

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2

Nokia’s first phone is a follow up the the Nokia N97.  The new phone is the Nokia N97 Mini.  It is a strange release because the N97 Mini is pretty much the same as the N97.  If you are wondering the difference one website saide the Nokia N97 Mini is the N97 at 90% the size.  Basically it’s not really that mini.  It still has the 8GB of internal memory, the 5MP camera and the FM transmitter.  If you found the N97 to be a little bulky then you should definitely give the Nokia N97 Mini smartphone a look

Nokia N97 Mini

[image: Gsm Arena]

The second phone is the Nokia X3.  This is rumored to be a lower budget phone.  The rumor is that the Nokia X3 will cost around $150USD, but that has yet to be determined.  The X3 looks to be a really nice phone.  It’s going to be a slider without 3G capabilities.  It will have a 3.2MP camera, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, and will support up to a 16GB MicroSD card.

Nokia X3

The last phone that Nokia accounced was the Nokia X6.  This new phone will be a touch screen phone.  It will have 32GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera, European 3G and up to 8h 30mins talk time.  The Nokia X6 looks to be a really nice touch screen phone.

Nokia X6

All these phones are expected to be out for Q4 2009.  If they will be pushed back we can’t say but for now we are eagerly awaiting all the new phones.