Hardware

The Prada design theme in collaboration with LG has done a good job for this Prada phone. The phone has a removable battery and with a plastic back cover but it feels solid. We can say that the Prada phone is better designed than the Optimus line of phones by LG. The attention put into the details like the metal buttons, cover of the USB port, the capacitive buttons, and the display makes the phone standout from the rest.

The 4.3 inch screen occupies the front plane of the phone together with the Prada branding and the 1.3MP camera. The back cover has the Saffiano pattern which forms part of the Prada branding, and somehow helps the user to keep the grip on the slim phone. The configuration of the buttons is still very LG using the 4-button arrangement, and we are curious how this will be updated in the future.

Overall the design is a bit too safe for a Prada LG collaboration in the time when attractive designs are coming up for smart phones. Perhaps they could have used more of the high end elements or a mental finish instead of the shiny paint job.

Software

The Prada 3.0 also makes use of its own interpretation of the Android environment. Users will still be very comfortable using the system as it has the same feel as the Android Gingerbread just without all the colors. The Prada 3.0 runs on Android 2.3.7 but can be upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich in the near future. You will not fail to notice the line drawing icons plus some shades of grey for the notification bar. There are also built apps from LG for media streaming and options for the display.

Conclusion

Prada is Prada and it is a brand which can convince anyone. Add to the logo the specs which makes the phone worthy of your hard earned money.

Hardware

In terms of design, this new EVO phone has no wow factor. Do not get us wrong, it feels premium but when you know when you hold it that there should be something better with this HTC. It may lack flair but the soft to the touch rubber, glass, and brushed aluminum gives it a feeling far from cheap. It has a unibody architecture that hugs the 4.3 inch screen and houses its capacitive buttons. It has a dimension of 121x61x12mm and that is a bit thick plus the camera swells on its back.

The LCD display is very crisp even on a smaller screen compared to its predecessor. The 960 by 540 pixel screen displays great color even in unusual angles.
Then 5 megapixel camera is sufficient and should not be counted out. The focusing capability is decently quick even for macro shots. The capture time is also very snappy most times but there can also be washed out images due to the limits of color reproduction.

Software

The EVO Design 4G runs on Gingerbread 2.3.4 and has a design language that replaced the old Sense’s locks, app drawers, home screens, and every layer in between. It looks good but there will be times that its 1.2 Gigahertz processor will be performing rough compared to the smoothness of the Galaxy S II or the iPhone 4. If you will be getting the EVO Design 4G under contract, you can also expect some bloatware to come with it from the provider. HTC though promises an upgrade in the near future to Ice Cream Sandwich.
Performance wise, this phone running on Android will be a lot better if it has a minimum set up of a dual-core brain so it will have the horsepower it needs.

Conclusion

The EVO Design 4G from HTC gives you the best value for your hard earned money. It is well made, nice screen, and very affordable but the phone trying to become a jack of all trades pours in more negativity to its side.

1. Choice of Networks: The biggest reason that most people will jailbreak their iPHone is so that they can use it on a different network. Currently the only network that you can use an iPhone on without jailbreaking it is AT&T. Unfortunately AT&T have developed a well deserved reputation for not being the most reliable network in the world. A lot of people have avoided buying the iPhone specifically because of the requirement to use them. This is not an issue anymore since you can jailbreak your phone and use it on any network you want. How to jailbreak your iPhone? Well, click the link and you’re on your way!

2. Choice of Apps: One of the great things about smartphones is all of the apps that are available for them. Unfortunately when you have an iPhone your choice of apps are limited to those that Apple has deemed acceptable to sell. Admittedly there are a lot of them available from Apple but the fact remains that not all apps can be used on an iPhone unless you jailbreak it.

3. FaceTime Video Chat: FaceTime is an option that allows iPhone users to video chat, the problem is that it can only be used on a Wi-Fi network. This creates an issue for most people since it will only allow them to video chat when they are at home. If you are out and about you won’t be able to chat unless you jailbreak your phone. If you do you can use FaceTime over a 3G network which makes it much more useful.

4. It’s Really Easy: There was a time when jailbreaking your iPhone required a fair amount of technical knowledge, it also put you at risk of ruining your phone. This is not really an issue anymore. Now that it has been decided that it is legal to jailbreak an iPhone there are companies creating software to allow you to do just that. This not only makes it easy to do but it also removes most of the risk. This makes people more comfortable with actually doing it.

5. Can be Easily Reversed: One of the reasons that people chose not to jailbreak their iPhone in the past was that they were afraid of the consequences. They worried that they would ruin the phone and the more likely scenario that Apple would release an update that would make their phone unusable. This is not really a concern any more since you can now quickly and easily reverse the jailbreak by connecting to a computer and selecting restore iTunes.

The recently released Xperia Arc S looks like its older sibling when you look at it with the same curvatures which wowed everyone when the Arc was unveiled. Inside, the parts are basically the same except that the Arc S gets a better CUPU with a 1.4GHz Qualcomm brain. Aside from the minor tweak, the Xperia is also the first handset which gets the 3D sweep panorama by Sony which can take 3D pictures for you and view them when you have a compatible TV at home.

Hardware

The Arc S takes the form of a convex profile just like the original Experia Arc. The backing of the phone also seems to be more rigid compared to the older version but it still retains that hmm-whats-that-creeking-i-hear battery cover. Sony Ericsson could have given this smartphone a bigger power button located near the port for the micro-HDMI. The phone still does not come with a camera that faces the front. The three buttons below the 4.2 inch screen might as well serve better with a backlight.

The 4.2 inch screen that runs on a Mobile Bravia technology by Sony is there to impress anyone as it gives you clear and crisp images at 854×480. It also provides a good space for your fingers if you do a lot of browsing or gaming. The 8 megapixel camera using the Exmor R camera sensor works wonders with the updated software that allows more customization choices.

Software

The Xperia Arc S runs on Android Gingerbread. You get the usual feel of Google or Facebook, and there’s also a screen grab feature. The web browser performs well even when you scroll the screen up or down fast. Sony Ericsson also improved the native keyboard for this version making it Swype-ishly responsive.

Performance

According to benchmark tests against the older Xperia Arc, the Arc S scores better primarily due to its improved CPU. The phone works well even when you view a good amount of graphics or browse the web a lot. On normal use involving phone calls, browsing, multimedia playing, the battery of the Ar S can last a day.

Conclusion

The Xperia Arc S is a single-core device which is very reliable. The difference is not much compared to the original Xperia Arc. The 3D Panorama feature is a bonus but it will not be a feature that you will be using much.

It comes at just 158 grams and 12.2 mm thick. The styling of the Photon 4G veered away from the squarish Droids by Motorola but instead went for curved lines without the corners and the hard edges. The 4.3 inch touch screen is protected by a two-tone coating similar to that of the Mileston XT720 extending to the housing of the mic and the four buttons below the display.

At the back, you will find the 8 MP camera, the LED flash, and the soft-touch plastic covering the battery. There is also secondary microphones and the Motorola emblem in silver. The camera button and the volume rocker are on the right side of the phone while the headphone jack and power key are on the top. On the left side, you get the micro US and micro HDMI connectors.

Specifications-wise, the Photon 4G comes equipped with the Tera 2 1GHz dual-core from NVIDIA, 1GB of RAM, an internal storage of 1GB and the capability to be used in 8 radios. The last feature makes it a true global phone. The call quality is of high standards.

The Photon 4G makes use of the Gingerbread with a Motorola skin. The overall setup makes everything go smoothly with the phone coming in with apps and widgets from Motorola to help the user link with social media networks.

The performance of this phone in terms of speed is quite impressive. The screen display is awesome. So far, this could be the best Motorola handset in the market today.

The world of Android consists of screaming big screens which somehow makes it difficult to find something in a small package.

Summary of Features

• 3.2” capacitive HVGA touch screen
• Froyo and Sense UI
• Quad band
• Wi-Fi capable
• 5 MP camera
• microUBS and Bluetooth connectivity
• PDF and Office viewer
• Facebook,  Twitter, and YouTube integration

Some of the down sides of this offering from HTC are the following: sunlight legibility is poor;  there is nosecondary camera for video calls; no dedicated key for the camera; and the card slot located beneath the battery cover.

We cannot say anything about the design lines since it stands out carrying its signature back panel screw. Somehow it has the hints of the HD Minibut still exudes its uniqueness. The user interface too is very usable giving focus on the social media craze these days. Using the Froyo instead of the Éclair also gave the setup a speed boost.

The sound quality of the HTC Gratia is also very crisp with no problem in terms of signal reception.

The HTC Gratia performs well as a mid range smartphone but the Aria still has a better impression overall. The price might also be something people in the old continent might not be pleased with side by side the other droid phones.

Sony Ericsson Vivaz

The first thing that you will notice about the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is how light it is, this is a very light weight phone. In order to do this the phone had to be made mostly of plastic which gives the feel that the Vivaz isn’t really that solidly built, but that is the trade off of keeping the weight down.

Typing messages on the Vivaz is fairly easy, at least it is if you use the right keyboard. There is a traditional alphanumeric keyboard which works fine. There is also a full QWERTY keyboard that if fairly easy to type with. The mini QWERTY is the one that is a hassle to use, it is way too small to be of any real use. It pretty much requires a stylus to be of any use, there really is little use for it. The stylus itself is a little bit irritating since it dangles off the phone.

The camera on the Sony Ericsson Vivaz is a bit of a disappointment, it works fine if there is a lot of light but it isn’t all that effective in low lighting conditions. There is a flash, sort of, it doesn’t actually flash, you turn it on or off. Even with the flash on the picture quality isn’t that great in low lighting conditions. The same is true of the video camera, it works fine if there is a lot of light but not so well in low lighting conditions.

Over all the Sony Ericsson Vivaz a decent phone but a little bit of a disappointment. There are all the apps you would expect on a modern smart phone on the Vivaz but nothing that really stands out. There are other, better phones that use the Symbian operating system that are better than this phone. The biggest issue is it camera, so if you aren’t too concerned about taking pictures this phone is probably fine for your needs, otherwise you may want to consider a different phone.

Other notable specs include:

• 3.7-inch screen with 480×854 resolution
• A8 CPU with 550MHz AM Cortex
• Talk time – 9 hours
• Standby time – 320 hours

The looks of this new release is pretty much similar to the Motorola’s prowling the scene of the Chinese market. It also looks that Moto is sticking with keyboard-less form handsets for now as they push for their goodies in Europe.

There has not been any update if the Milestone XT720 will head to the US. It might or it might not but we are guessing that they will make the European market as the barometer.

Initial reviews of this phone over the web complain about some shortcomings on the ergonomics department plus a bit of friction when you use the touchscreen. It is pretty much exciting to see a 10.9×13.7mm Android phone without keyboards but we hope it will not disappoint us when we get to feel it in our own hands.

This is the newest addition to the LG company and I have to say that this particular handset sports a heck of a lot of specs … and that is what we are going to go over.  For example a 3.5-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera with 720p video support, Android 2.1 operating system, WiFi, GPS, and a digital TV tuner.

South Korea is going to be the first place that gets this phone but hopefully, it will move on over to the states soon enough!

When you think about it, cell phones are almost like a fashion accessory nowadays.  People constantly have their cell phones out and they are constantly texting away.  However, you want to make sure that you stylishly protect your iPhone, as it is one of the more valuable things in the world – seriously.

That is why the Incase Crystal Slider Case is by far one of the coolest cases and certainly one of the best when you are looking to protect your phone in a stylish way.  Not only does the crystal-flake finish and the high-gloss exterior coating make a difference but the fact that it is shiny is awesome.

Just under forty bucks will get you this beautiful case and to be honest, I love it … and think that it rocks!