Monthly Archives: March 2009

Pantech Matrix Pro

Posted by on Thursday, 26 March, 2009 No comments

pantech matrix pro 300x299 Pantech Matrix ProThe Pantech Matrix Pro, recently released by AT&T, is a unique dual slider phone with both a QWERTY keyboard and a full number keypad.

It has a 2.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, a microSD card slot, and 128 MB of RAM. It comes with a nice protective pouch that also doubles as a polishing cloth, a very small AC adapter, and a headphone adapter dongle.

In some ways it’s the best of both worlds, but there are a quite a few tradeoffs which make it hard for me to recommend this device wholeheartedly.

Design and Build
The Pantech Matrix Pro is a dual slider phone, so it’s somewhat “fat” but still pocketable and comfortable to hold in the hand. It is very solidly built, and when I manipulate the sliders I find that they work smoothly and strongly “snap” into the appropriate position whether they are being opened or closed.

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Samsung Propel

Posted by on Friday, 13 March, 2009 No comments

samsung propel 209x300 Samsung PropelThe Samsung Propel offers a sliding keyboard, camera, and 3G antenna in a compact form factor.

This AT&T-powered phone is web enabled with a full keyboard to make messaging easier, but there are some notable deficiencies in the Propel. The screen has an average resolution, and is small compared to the available space available.

Weighing the pros and the cons of the phone, it’s hard to say that the Propel significantly outshines its competition in the $50 price range in which it resides.

Design and Build
The Propel is more comfortable in your pocket than a deck of cards when the keyboard is hidden. The keyboard slides out easily, though not easy enough to do so accidentally.

Keyboard: The Propel’s keyboard features a dedicated letter per key, with most keys also serving as a function key. There are also shortcut keys for AT&T’s Cellular Video, the camera, and a toggle mode for vibration.

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Sony Ericsson Xperia X1

Posted by on Friday, 6 March, 2009 No comments

sony ericsson xperia x1 front 144x300 Sony Ericsson Xperia X1The Xperia X1 is the first Windows Mobile smartphone from Sony Ericsson. It’s an ambitious start: a WVGA touchscreen, built-in keyboard, GPS, 3G, and a host of other high-end features.

Like many Windows phones these days, it offers an alternate user interface than that standard one from Microsoft.

It’s a well built and well designed device, and it’s only real drawback is its price. The X1 wasn’t released by any U.S. carrier, but  it’s available from retailers likeeXpansys, who was kind enough to loan me a review unit.


Build and Design
When developing the X1, Sony Ericsson used a tried-and-true design. It’s a tablet with a large display on the front which slides aside to reveal a keyboard.

The display is beautiful, and very high resolution (800 x 480), but at just 3 inches isn’t especially large. This means that you’ll primarily be using the stylus to select items on the screen, not your fingertip. Still, it’s comparable to the display on one of its top competitors, the HTC Touch Pro.

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BlackBerry Curve 8900

Posted by on Tuesday, 3 March, 2009 No comments

blackberry curve 8900 BlackBerry Curve 8900

The revamped BlackBerry Curve 8900 by RIM is the convertible sports-car of BlackBerrys. It is sleek, light, comfortably sized and incredibly powerful.

The Curve has been an abiding standby for BlackBerry nation, and the newest model promises to deliver on expectations. Much of the 8900′s improvements can be attributed to design considerations and software and usability.

There is still room for improvement in some areas, though. Most notably, the Curve 8900 lacks 3G, but T-Mobile’s version does have UMA-enabled Wi-Fi. Also lacking on the Curve 8900 are the rubbery keys sported by models such as the 8800 and the Bold. These deficiencies are small, however, compared to the considerable assets the device boasts.

The 8900 pulls on many of the best features of existing BlackBerrys and rolls them together in a nice package.

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LG Dare

Posted by on Sunday, 1 March, 2009 No comments

LG dare2 283x300 LG Dare

The LG Dare is a high-end phone from Verizon whose large touchscreen, easy to use music player, and highly-functional camera give it an emphasis on multimedia.

This model does many things surprisingly well. If you’re a consumer looking for an inexpensive, fully-featured mobile phone or a multimedia enthusiast, you should definitely take a closer look at the Dare. However, if you’re a die-hard road warrior, you probably need a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile smartphone.

Design and Hardware
The Dare is a tablet-style phone; I specifically chose it because I prefer that style to the flip design. Because there are no moving parts, the entire phone feels quite solid in the hand.

The large touchscreen dominates the front of the device, with three small buttons at the bottom for call, context-sensitive clear/voice command, and disconnect.

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