Twist and shout: Nokia 3250 Twist Phone

As mobile phones cram in more and more features, a major problem is providing comfortable controls for all those extra functions. The Nokia 3250 twist phone provides an elegant solution: the keypad at the bottom of the unit can be twisted to activate various features. Twist it 90 degrees and activate the 2 megapixel camera. Twist it 180 degrees and you activate the controls for the music player.

The music player is compatible with a number of formats including MP3, Real Audio and WMA. Also included is a stereo headset which connects via a standard 3.5 mm jack which means that the phone is compatible with a wide range of audio accessories. The 3250 has extendable memory up to 1 GB in the form of very small and light microSD cards.

The 3250 is one of the first phones to feature the Symbian 9.1 OS and has a variety of useful software. The Nokia Audio Manager helps you organize your music files and transfer them from your PC. There is a diary application which lets you to combine your phone’s photos, video and text. Another nifty feature is a sound meter which measures noise levels around you.

Technorati Tags
Nokia 3250 | Mobile Phone | Twist Phone

Walk the talk: Sony Ericsson Walkman Phones

Sony’s original walkman is a legendary product in the history of consumer electronics so it’s not surprising that in 2005 Sony Ericsson announced plans to introduce a series of walkman phones. These phones are regular mobile phones of high quality but what they have in common is great stereo music and excellent multimedia capabilities.

For example the Sony Ericsson W810i comes with a stereo headset, dedicated music control buttons for convenient navigation and Disc2Phone: a music management programme for easily transferring your music from your PC. The phone also comes with an excellent 2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and a flash as well a 262K colour screen. Adequate memory is essential to properly use multimedia features and the W810 features expandable memory and comes with a 512 MB memory stick which can store a few hundred songs or photos.

When it comes to the top of the line W950, the most striking feature is the 4 GB hard drive which can store thousands of songs or photos and several hours of video. The model also features the new Symbian OS 9.2 and a touchscreen which is handy for navigating for all those multimedia files.

Technorati Tags
Sony Ericsson | Walkman Phone | W810i

Making the most of your bluetooth headset

One of the inconveniences of mobile phones is the need to use one hand to hold the set to your ear while talking. Bluetooth wireless headsets solve this problem by allowing you to use your phone while keeping it in your pocket or on your table.

The Jabra BT800 is a popular model with some great innovations like a small, backlit LCD screen which displays caller ID information as well as the phone’s call list and menu options. In addition, the headset has three buttons for “mute”, “answer” and “end” and a jogwheel which can be used to adjust volume. It’s also possible to choose a ringtone and set the headset to vibrate. BT800 isn’t just about nifty controls; it also features noise cancellation technology which provides clear audio in a wide range of environments.

Stereo headsets like the HPM-70 from Sony Ericsson are also available; they are ideal if you like to use your phone to play stereo music. Some headsets are also quite elegant and can almost be considered fashion accessories. For instance Sony Ericsson’s Akono headsets come with changeable covers with different colours. Two covers are included with the headset and more can be purchased separately.

Technorati Tags
Bluetooth Headset | Wireless Headset | Jabra BT800

Smooth as a pebble: Motorola Pebl U6

It’s easy to see where the Motorola Pebl gets its name. With its smooth, rounded clamshell design and graphite black colour it does indeed look a bit like a shiny pebble. It feels different from other phones as well: a bit like hard rubber. Equally striking is its opening mechanism. Clamshell phones are usually hard to open one-handed but it can be done easily and smoothly on the Pebl because of a series of custom hinges and magnets.

The unit comes with an outer display which provides basic information like battery state and signal strength as well as alerting the user about incoming calls and serving as a clock. The main display is also pretty good with 262,000 colours and a resolution of 176X220. The Pebl comes with a VGA camera and 5 MB of internal memory which can be used to store MP3’s, photos and ringtones as well as downloaded games and applications. The unit also features speaker-independent voice dialling and voice commands. The battery gives about 6.5 hours of talk time and ten days of standby. The Pebl can connect to the Internet through GPRS and also has Bluetooth for wireless connectivity to your PC.

Technorati Tags
Motorala | Pebl U6 | Pebl