Samsung Galaxy Gio S5660 disadvantages

Introduction

It’s devices like the Samsung Galaxy Gio that helped Android gain so much ground in so little time. They are a better bargain than the uber-smartphone and find their way into people’s pockets a lot easier. With that goal in mind, the Galaxy Gio must be an all-round pleaser of a phone.
They may soon be running out of names for the Galaxy lot. But it will be when number plates start to fall short that they’ll know they’re in trouble. Back to the point though. Boy number S5660 is called Gio. He’s a teenager – mischievous and fun, too young for a suit and tie.
It’s a decent offer for the midrange: with a good enough version of Android (2.2.1 Froyo), good enough screen, a powerful 800MHz processor and a great connectivity set, ranging from 3G to GPS. There’s little to complain about, save for the imaging skills perhaps.
Here’s the rest of what the Galaxy Gio has to offer.

Key features

·    Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
·    7.2 Mbps HSDPA support
·    3.2" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) resolution, multi-touch
·    800MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset; 278MB of RAM available to the user
·    Android 2.2.1 (Froyo) with TouchWiz 3.0 UI
·    Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n with Mobile Hotspot functionality
·    GPS with A-GPS connectivity; Digital compass
·    3.2 MP autofocus camera with geo-tagging and face-detection
·    QVGA@15fps video
·    microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
·    microSD slot (up to 32GB, 2GB in box)
·    Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
·    Accelerometer and proximity sensor
·    DNSe sound enhancement
·    Stereo FM radio with RDS
·    Document viewer
·    Smart dialing
·    Swype text input
·    Samsung Apps brings a few nice apps for free

Main disadvantages

·    Poor video recording
·    No shutter key for the camera
·    No Adobe Flash support in the web browser
·    No ambient light sensor for auto brightness
·    No DivX/Xvid video support out of the box

The Samsung S5660 Galaxy Gio obviously isn’t a camera-centric device. QVGA video and 3.2 MP stills don’t go a long way. But as a smartphone it has what it takes to be taken seriously.
The Samsung Galaxy Gio is a phone of compromise. If you’re looking to give smartphones a try, you may be willing to live without a killer screen and a brilliant camera. The Gio will be a good choice for newbies or budget upgraders, if the price is right

Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 disadvantages

Introduction


The Samsung Galaxy Ace can get far with a name like this but it isn’t going any further than its comfortable midrange spot. You know, if you want the best seat in the house you need to move the cat. The Samsung Galaxy Ace S5830 is a feline droid – the black cat in Samsung’s Android portfolio. And it spells bad luck for the competition – mid-range droids are a force to be reckoned with in the smartphone world.
With the kind of specs, the Galaxy Ace could have passed for a high-end phone a while back. So, if your processing power and screen estate needs haven’t risen sharply during the past year or so, the Ace will serve you well.
In fact, with Froyo on an 800MHz processor, good connectivity and screen size and resolution that were good enough for the first three iPhones, the Samsung Galaxy Ace is looking good.
The only downside to the package is the QVGA video @ 15fps. That may be acceptable on a low-end dumbphone but certainly disappointing on a mid-range Android.
Here’s what else is going on the Ace’s spec sheet.

Key features


·    Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support
·    7.2 Mbps HSDPA support
·    3.5" 16M-color TFT LCD capacitive touchscreen of HVGA (320 x 480 pixels) resolution
·    800MHz ARM 11 processor, Adreno 200 GPU, Qualcomm MSM7227 chipset; 278MB of RAM available to the user
·    Android OS v2.2 (Froyo) with TouchWiz 3.0 UI customization
·    Swype text input
·    5 MP autofocus camera with LED flash; Geo-tagging, face and smile detection
·    QVGA@15fps video
·    microSD slot (up to 32GB, 2GB in box)
·    Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n and DLNA
·    GPS with A-GPS connectivity; Digital compass
·    microUSB port (charging) and stereo Bluetooth v2.1
·    Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
·    DNSe sound enhancement
·    FM radio with RDS
·    Document editor
·    File manager preinstalled
·    Samsung Apps brings a few nice apps for free
·    Accelerometer and proximity sensor

Main disadvantages

·    Dismal QVGA video recording @15fps
·    No shutter key for the camera
·    No support for Adobe Flash in the web browser
·    No ambient light sensor
·    No DivX/Xvid video support out of the box

So, the video is no good, but the still camera should be doing pretty well. Samsung’s refined TouchWiz 3.0 with a document editor and file manager out of the box score good points for the Galaxy Ace too.
The phone is pretty compact and we especially like the new rubbery textured back. There’s nothing to worry about in terms of ergonomics or pocketability, but those decidedly iPhone-ish looks are a bit questionable.
That’s about all we can say by just looking at the phone – and it’s the second time we meet the Samsung Ace. You may as well remember our quick preview from a while back. It’s now time to see how ready the Samsung Galaxy Ace is for the real world and we begin with the hardware

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy 551 is something that should have happened a long time ago. This is not to say that the form factor was out of favor with Samsung. But it took a slew of CDMA messengers to finally see a QWERTY side-slider to land in Europe.
Android debuted on a full QWERTY phone, but messengers were never meant to be the dominant species. The Galaxy 551 is pragmatic enough to accept the fact and live with it. Samsung itself knows better than expect the market to embrace more QWERTY messengers the skill and size of the Motorola Milestone or the HTC Desire Z.
The Galaxy 551 does not look forward to making a big splash, It’s part of a broader effort of giving the Galaxy lineup some depth in the midrange. With Froyo and all-round connectivity the Samsung Galaxy 551 makes perfect sense in the segment of affordable smart messengers.

Key features

·    Slide-out full QWERTY keyboard

·    Quad-band GSM and dual-band 3G support, 7.2 Mbps HSDPA support

·    3.2" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of WQVGA (240 x 400 pixel) resolution

·    Great QWERTY keyboard

·    Android OS v2.2 with TouchWiz launcher

·    667MHz processor

·    3.15 MP autofocus camera, QVGA video recording at 15fps

·    Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n

·    GPS with A-GPS connectivity

·    160 MB internal storage, microSD slot

·    Accelerometer and proximity sensor

·    Standard 3.5 mm audio jack

·    Stereo FM radio with RDS

·    Smart dialing 

·    Access to Android Market and Samsung Apps repository

Main disadvantages

·    Glossy plastic is a smudge magnet and scratch-prone

·    No dedicated camera key

·    No Adobe Flash support

·    No live wallpaper support

·    No secondary video-call camera

·    No DivX/XviD video support out of the box

·    No document viewer

The Galaxy 551 does well to stay out of the way of the heavyweight Droid messengers. But some of the omissions on its spec sheet are surprising. Given the QWERTY keyboard, a document editor would’ve made sense – but the phone actually lacks a document viewer to begin with. Even Samsung’s traditionally solid codec support has been hit by cost-cutting. The bottom line obviously is that Froyo, Wi-Fi and a QWERTY keyboard is more than enough for the money you spend on the Galaxy 551.
But the Samsung Galaxy 551 comes with a clear purpose – to boost the messaging capabilities in the Android mid-range. It’s an affordable smartphone facing lax competition – sounds like the stuff that makes the sales meter tick.
Follow us on the next page where we take the Galaxy 551 out for a spin.

Samsung B7610 OmniaPRO disadvantages

Introduction

Now that we have the B7610 OmniaPRO running on the much-awaited Windows Mobile 6.5, we're finally up to speed. Omnia smartphones have a pretty wide reach already and they are known for their WinMo customizations and feature-rich specs sheets. The B7610 OmniaPRO however was the first family member to sport a full hardware keyboard and by the looks of it, Samsung have done a great job.
Side-sliding or not, the B7610 OmniaPRO is definitely a capable device in both hardware and software equipment. The QWERTY keyboard however is a convenience tool usually reserved for the competition's high-end offerings, so you can bet the OmniaPRO will have to tackle some really capable contenders. But you can easily tell, it a tough nut to crack as well.

Key features:

.    Quad-band GSM support and 3G with HSDPA


·    3.5" 16M-color (65K effective) AMOLED display of 800 x 480 pixel resolution


·    Work & Life mode switch key


·    Full side sliding QWERTY keyboard


·    800 MHz processor with dedicated graphics accelerator


·    5 megapixel auto-focus camera with dual-LED flash and D1 video recording at 30 fps


·    Windows Mobile 6.5 fully skinned with TouchWiz UI


·    Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP, standard microUSB port


·    Standard 3.5mm audio jack


·    2GB built-in storage, 256 MB RAM, microSD (up to 32GB), 8GB card included


·    Wi-Fi with DLNA


·    GPS receiver with A-GPS


·    Built-in accelerometer for UI auto-rotate and turn-to-mute


·    TV out functionality


·    Nice audio output quality


·    Large capacity Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery


Main disadvantages:


·    Bulky and heavy


·    65K color limitation of display has color gradients banding


·    Poor sunlight legibility


·    Comes with OmniaLITE-grade HSDPA speed, and no HSUPA support


·    microSD card slot under the battery cover


·    The display and back pannel are finger print magnets


·    Performance under WinMo 6.5 not a good as it was under 6.1


·    No preinstalled SatNav software


·    No voice dialing


·    No web Flash support


·    No stereo speakers

Who is the OmniaPRO is a multiple choice question. And there is more than one correct answer. The original Omnia has produced such an offspring choosing names became a problem. They even had to name one of the kids after the uncle. If you've been keeping track, you'd know the OmniaPRO has an Armani-branded alter-ego - the B7620. But well, Giorgio was lucky. The B7610 OmniaPRO less so.
Now, there's nothing wrong with the name except that there are another couple of Pros in the family. And perhaps too many of them in other houses.
We've never had a doubt about the quality of the Omnia genes but such a strong and versatile lineup perhaps exceeds the most optimistic scenarios. Samsung are obviously not only trying to update their portfolio but confront their key market rivals by matching competing devices spec for spec.
The B7610 OmniaPRO will be engaging the enemy on the high end of the performance and pricing scale. And that's where even the smallest details count. The B7610 doesn't have a unique defining feature like the Omnia HD to give it an edge against some unforgiving rivals. So, it will have to squeeze every bit of performance out of its system. It can count though on Samsung's solid record in multimedia and interface customization.
Speaking of which, the custom-made TouchWiz looks and feels better than ever. So much that it's worth the spoiler. And the mode switch for toggling Work and Leisure is keen to make a point that this here Pro knows good fun too.
So, the B7610 OmniaPRO will be trying to make its mark. And so will be Windows Mobile yet again. Because the OmniaPRO is certainly not running against PocketPCs only - the competition's finest will stand on its way. That's Symbian, and Android, and Maemo.

Samsung B7300 OmniaLITE disadvantages

Introduction

It's business as usual on the WinMo front and all the action seems to be around the upper end of the pricing scale. Impressive as those top PocketPCs may be, they are hardly the stuff that makes the sales meters tick and bring the profits that fuel the R&D machine.
Samsung B7300 OmniaLITE is one of the very few that dare to try and bring Windows Mobile to the masses. Budget PocketPCs are not unheard of but what makes OmniaLITE different is WinMo 6.5. The compact full-touch handset has the essentials perfectly covered, and sprinkled with a few nice extras too. But most importantly, the price tag won't make you wince.

Key features

·    3" 65K-color resistive touchscreen of WQVGA resolution


·    Quad-band GSM support


·    3G with 3.6 Mbps HSDPA


·    Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional OS with TouchWiz UI


.    Samsung ARM 1176 667MHz CPU and 256 MB of RAM


·    3 megapixel autofocus camera with smile detection and VGA@15fps video


·    Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS


·    Wi-Fi with DLNA


·    FM radio with RDS


·    DivX and XviD video support right out of the box


·    Stereo Bluetooth 2.1, standard microUSB port


·    Office document viewer and editor




 ·    Excellent response and performance


·    Above average audio quality


Main disadvantages

·    Low-end display resolution

·    No standard 3.5mm audio jack

·    Poor screen sunlight legibility

·    No two-position shutter key, despite autofocus functionality

·    No stylus slot

Most of them Samsung B7300 OmniaLITE specs are quite a good match for the original Omnia. There are some differences of course but in the eyes of the potential buyers they just can't be make or break we think. And besides it's a pretty fair trade-off considering the asking price.
The doubled RAM and standard microUSB port come at the price of a smaller screen and a downgraded camera. But those differences are not really enough to pull the two devices that far apart.
We guess the LITE version looks quite a bargain - at least on paper. But don't think Samsung have suddenly become charitable. The thing is the original Omnia has produced an impressive offspring. And the strong lineup is so segmented and the market so evolved that users can enjoy a high-end feature set at a midrange price. But the important question is will the B7300 OmniaLITE survive in the shadow of its near-iconic sibling that easily tops our all-time popularity ranking of Samsung handsets.
As usual when such questions arise, we try to provide the answers. For starters, we'll check if the build quality and ergonomics of the B7300 are up to the high standards of its elder brother. So, hop on to the next page where we kick it off nicely.

Samsung B5310 CorbyPRO disadvantages

Introduction

The S3650 Corby was just the beginning of a lineup that appears to have no visible end. There is a Corby for the touchscreen addicts, a Corby for the music buffs, Corby for the heavy texters, Corby for the young, and one for their parents. That’s pretty much everyone, don’t you think? We guess there should even be a Corby for the bored-with-the-Corby.

The founding member of the Corby wasn’t announced so long ago, but so much has been changed. Well, if you put the S3650 Corby and the recently announced B5310 CorbyPRO side by side you'll notice one thing that hasn't changed at all: design. But on the inside they are very different, indeed.

The Samsung CorbyPRO is meant for a different range of users altogether. It combines great texting and the intuitive touchscreen control tops that up with a nice connectivity package (such as HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS and a 3.5mm audio jack) and all that is delivered at a bargain price. 

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/EDGE
• Dual-band UMTS support with HSDPA
• 2.8" resistive TFT touchscreen of QVGA resolution
• Four-row side-slide QWERTY keyboard
• 150 MB onboard storage, microSD card slot (up to 16GB)
• 3.15 megapixel fixed-focus camera with smile detection, QVGA video @ 15fps
• FM radio with RDS
• Find Music recognition service
• TouchWiz and Cartoon UI
• Social networking integration with direct file uploads
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Wi-Fi and GPS
• 3.5mm audio jack
• Accelerometer sensor for screen auto rotation
• Office document viewer
• Excellent web browser
• Push email
• Smart unlock
• Replaceable rear covers (Fashion Jackets)

Main disadvantages

• Disappointing sunlight legibility
• The camera has no autofocus or flash
• Video recording maxes out at QVGA@15fps
• All preinstalled games are trial versions only
• Google Maps is the only GPS navigation app
• microSD slot is under the battery cover

The original Corby was all about design, about touchscreen, about budget. The CorbyPRO, on the other hand, has managed to keep all that but goes much further by adding some killer features that are well above the S3650 league.

For instance, now you get UMTS support with HSDPA which will dramatically boost web browsing. But the really big news here is Wi-Fi support. It is a great addition to the comfy QWERTY keyboard and the numerous social networking services that the phone gives you access to.

Strangely, the latest of the Corbies also has an integrated GPS receiver. You can use it for image geotagging as well as for navigation. Unfortunately, if you decide to use your CorbyPRO into a GPS nav device you'll have to solely rely on the preloaded Google Maps app or on a third-party Java alternative.


And when it comes to the Corby basics, we shouldn't forget to mention the 2.8" touchscreen. Well, it turned out to be resistive this time around but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. The colorful UI is also aboard and, unfortunately, so is the fixed-focus camera (3-megapixel this time).
The time gap between the S3650 and the B5310 is rather small but it was enough for the competition to release some good CorbyPRO rivals that offer a similar feature pack at nearly the same price. But before we come to that, there’s planty of Corby to cover here. Starting with the looks and feel of this Pro on the next page.

Palm Pre disadvantages

Introduction

It's not like we didn't tell you. And hey, it's not like we're on time either. But we guess better late than sorry goes both ways. Once a popular (mostly stateside) PDA and smartphone maker, Palm were going full blast from safe to sorry. So, did they try to put the brakes? Negative. They hit the U turn.

Many must've doubted Palm ever getting out of the twilight of their dwindling smartphone line. But we're not gonna give you all that crap about second chances. It won't be fair to the Palm Pre. It couldn't have been bleaker for the company but the Palm Pre is not the kind to walk around a with "Will work for food" sign on its neck. No sir. It's looking to elbow its way through a crowd of apples, androids and PocketPCs. 

Are we talking the mother of all comebacks here? We honestly don't know. But it looks like a debut of the same magnitude as the iPhone OS, Android and Maemo. The Palm Pre seems to have all the things that made the iPhone so special: multi-touch display, an Application Store, fluid and creative UI and a good web browser. But Palm didn't stop there - the webOS is all about multitasking - to an extent that gives quite a point to those who wouldn't call the iPhone a proper smartphone.

The webOS and all the touchscreen gadgetry will sure keep us busy enough. It's the interface and the handling that will earn the Palm Pre its deserved share of admirers. But before we power up this multitasking monster and start navigating its new and unique system, let's look at the package itself.

Key features:

• 3.1" 16M-color TFT display of 320 x 480 pixel resolution and excellent sunlight legibility
• 3 megapixel fixed focus camera, LED flash
• Quad-band GSM support
• Tri-band UMTS support with HSDPA
• ARM Cortex A8 600 MHz, PowerVR SGX graphics chip
• 256 MB RAM
• Sliding-out full QWERTY keyboard
• Palm webOS is an innovative multi-touch user interface, heavy on multitasking
• Touch-enabled Gesture Area
• Built-in GPS receiver
• Wi-Fi
• 8 GB of onboard storage
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor
• 3.5 mm audio jack
• Bluetooth with A2DP support
• Application Store for direct apps download and installation
• Office document viewer

Main disadvantages:

• No video calls over the 3G network
• No memory card slot
• Glossy plastics look cheap, love fingerprints
• Camera has no auto focus… nor any settings at all, disappointing image quality
• No video recording unless hacked
• Web browser lacks Flash support, but it's on its way
• No DivX/XviD video playback support
• No Bluetooth file transfers
• App Catalog available in a limited number of countries
• Small and fiddly QWERTY keyboard keys
• No onscreen keyboard, portrait typing only
• No smart dialing

The specs ring the iPhone bell and you may think the Pre is just another copycat - you'll be wrong. The Palm Pre is pushing a brand new OS and doesn't keep a stiff upper lip like some other smartphones - that goes to you Symbian and WinMo. 

But so much for the resemblance to iPhone. It's a completely different form factor, there are some novel navigation solutions and there's a QWERTY keyboard and multi-tasking. The Palm Pre is a fresh and exciting addition to the world of smartphones.

The webOS may have learned a lot from the iPhone OS, but it certainly is trying to do things its own way. The Pre is obviously limited much like the first iPhone and earliest Android handsets.

It's not the list of do's and don'ts that makes this phone though. It's not the capacitive, multi-touch-enabled touchscreen, it's not the QWERTY keyboard. The Pre hopes to be a symbol of a company's rebirth and promises an exciting time for touchscreen. And it's got a darn good reason to be hopeful: the webOS.

We'll get there but let's take this one step at a time. The Palm Pre gets unboxed, handled and described right after the jump.

Nokia X6 disadvantages

Introduction

In the world of Nokia it's all about evolution, rather than revolution. So don't expect the specs on the X6 to blow your mind. The handset is the next step for the market leader scrambling to make up for a late start in touch- screens. To be honest, the Symbian S60 touch edition has been struggling to catch up with the standard setters in terms of user experience. And the X6 claims to have the answer: the responsiveness only a capacitive screen can bring. 

The Nokia X6 is also the first XpressMusic handset to head straight for the high-end. Midrange is the highest the music Finns have gone so we are interested to see how this change of approach works. Nokia have always had a strong appeal to the masses, but pleasing the selected few is undoubtedly harder

Key features:

• Quad-band GSM support
• Tri-band 3G with HSDPA support
• 3.2" 16M-color TFT LCD 16:9 capacitive touchscreen (360 x 640 pixels)
• Symbian S60 5th edition UI
• ARM 11 434 MHz CPU, 128 MB of RAM memory
• 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash
• VGA video recording at 30fps
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology
• Built-in GPS receiver
• 32GB built-in storage
• FM radio with RDS
• Bluetooth and USB (standard microUSB connector) v2.0
• 3.5mm standard audio jack
• Very good audio quality
• Proximity sensor for screen auto turn-off
• Accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation and motion-based gaming
• Stereo speakers
• TV out
• "Comes with music" edition gives you a year of all-you-can-eat music subscription
• Landscape on-screen virtual QWERTY keyboard
• Ovi Maps 3.0 Touch
• Further Ovi and MySpace service integration (direct image and video uploads)
• Most regional retail packages include a set of the great Nokia WH-500 headphones

Main disadvantages:

• X6 is still quite pricey (around 500 euro at the time of writing)
• UI is still immature with somewhat inconsistent user experience
• Touch web browser not quite polished and with dodgy Flash support
• No voice-guided navigation license
• No office document viewer preinstalled
• Doesn't charge off microUSB
• Very poor sunlight legibility
• Slow image gallery
• No DivX/XviD support for the video player
• No microSD card slot (as a connectivity solution)

As you can see in the two lists above there is almost nothing new in the software package, so it all falls on the hardware to justify the high asking price. The well-stuffed retail package is a great place to start but does the capacitive screen improve usability enough to be worth the extra money over, say, the 5800 XpressMusic? And the difference in price is by no means trivial.

In the increasingly competitive touchscreen market manufacturers don't have much room for error. The unpolished S60 UI is enough of a burden already, so Nokia X6 has to be near perfect in every other respect. A tall task indeed, but let's see how they've tackled it.

Nokia X5-01 disadvantages

Introduction

On occasion Nokia will experiment with form factor and shape. The Nokia X5-01 is the kind of phone that might just leave you wondering. Is it having a bad slider day or a great square day? No, the Nokia X5 is better than that. It’s a neat and chubby Symbian smartie with a QWERTY keyboard and a 5MP camera.

The struggle to provide a better system of text input while keeping the size down is still ongoing. Touchscreen provides an answer of sorts, but nothing yet really beats an old-fashioned hardware QWERTY keyboard.

The full four-row keyboard on the Nokia X5 has a long list of applications – from SMS and email, to IM and social networking. The Nokia X5-01 sports a dedicated media key too – it’s no square when it comes to having fun.

The 5MP camera is a constant source of photos to share with friends and you can do it over Wi-Fi, no need for a data plan. The Nokia X5-01 is a full-blown smartphone too – 600MHz and 256MB RAM put it within a stone’s throw of the Nokia N8 performance. And the Ovi Store is steadily growing with new and useful apps.

We were a little disappointed to find the X5-01 doesn’t have a GPS receiver. Check out our list of pros and cons to see what made the cut and what didn’t.

Key features

·                 Full QWERTY slider form factor

·                 Quad-band GSM/EDGE, tri-band 3G with HSDPA and HSUPA

·                 Symbian S60 UI, 3rd edition FP2

·                 600MHz processor, 256MB RAM; 200MB user-accessible storage

·                 2.36" 256K-color QVGA display 

·                 5 megapixel fixed-focus camera, LED flash, VGA@15fps video recording

·                 Standard microUSB port (charging)

·                 microSD card slot (32GB supported, 2GB included)

·                 Wi-Fi b/g; DLNA and UPnP support

·                 Bluetooth (with A2DP) 

·                 Accelerometer-based controls

·                 Dedicated media key

·                 Stereo FM radio with RDS, Internet radio

·                 3.5mm audio jack

·                 Excellent audio quality

·                 Comes With Music bundle in select markets

·                 Good email and social networking support

·                 Office document viewer; ZIP file support

·                 Quick Business and Personal homescreen toggle

Main disadvantages

·                 No GPS receiver

·                 No office document editing

·                 Small, low-resolution screen

·                 Non-hot-swappable microSD card under the battery

·                 Fixed focus camera

·                 Poor video recording 

·                 No camera lens protection

·                 No DivX or XviD video support out-of-the-box

·                 No smart dialing

So, some things were left out, but Nokia managed to fit a lot of features in a small package. The last square-shaped QWERTY messenger we reviewed was the Motorola Flipout, which had its own set of pros and cons. For one thing, the Nokia X5-01 is a cheaper entry into the world of smart messengers. And it’s an entry with a bang.

It’s clearly not a phone that will appeal to everyone, but some will fall for its looks and rectangular charm. And as far as non-touch smartphones go, the Nokia X5-01 actually ranks pretty high on features.

It has a couple of nice accelerometer-based tricks too. If you press and hold the volume key, then shake the X5-01 it will “knock” several times – according to how many new messages you have. You can also skip a music track by shaking the phone.

Now, you can go ahead and skip to the next page for the hardware tour. We begin with unboxing and the 360-degree spin

Nokia X3 disadvantages

Introduction

The Nokia X3 is our first glimpse into the new Xseries and we’re excited to see how things have changed since XpressMusic ran the show. And they have changed, the new angular look is a testament to that. The S40 on the inside has changed as well, throwing Ovi Store and basic multi-tasking into the mix. 

Currently the Xseries is composed of two completely different phones. The Nokia X6 is a touch phone running Symbian, and the X3 is an affordable Series 40 slider. It packs stereo speakers, excellent audio quality and a built-in FM radio antenna for a complete sonic experience. All right, we said affordable, so don’t go looking for top-notch gear beside the obvious full music package.

The Nokia X3 runs the Series 40 6th edition but it’s unlike any S40 handset we’ve seen before. For a brief, joyful moment, we thought Nokia have finally given in and added multitasking. The truth turned out to be different but still there were small steps 

taken in the right direction. And you should see what they’ve done with the Gallery – it’s only a notch bellow the S60 one.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and let’s take a look at the Nokia X3 pros and cons. 

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
• 2.2" 262K color QVGA display
• 3.2 megapixel fixed focus camera
• S40 user interface, 6th edition; rudimentary multitasking
• Stereo FM radio with RDS; Built-in antena (so it plays on the loudspeakers even if you don’t plug the headset)
• Stereo speakers
• Standard 3.5mm audio jack
• Up to 26 hours of music playback
• Bluetooth (with A2DP) and microUSB port
• microSD card slot (16 GB supported, 2GB included)
• Rich preinstalled application package
• Ovi Store, Ovi Maps and Ovi Share

Main disadvantages:

• No 3G connectivity
• Smallish display with poor viewing angles and sunlight legibility
• Slider action has an unpleasant plastic-on-plastic friction
• No accelerometer for screen auto rotation
• S40 interface feels clunky and out of date
• No true multitasking
• No smart dialing or an office document viewer
• A bunch of software bugs
• Video recording maxes out at QCIF@15fps 

The specs look like nothing to be excited about but a shortish feature list never tells the whole story. So, think before you go “Nah, it sounds lame”, because you’ll be wrong about sound. We spent several days with it and now we’re ready to tell you the story behind those specs, the good, the bad and the ugly, the whole thing. 

Do we have your interest? Good. Jump to the next page where we open the box and take a look at the Nokia X3. After the hardware inspection we’ll try to explain what the deal is with this multitasking-but-not-quite situation

Nokia X3-02 Touch and Type disadvantages

Introduction

Nokia is trying really hard to build back some lost trust. The new Symbian^3 smartphones are just one weapon in their armory. The other is the touch-enabled lineup of feature phones called Touch and Type. S40 has never before been into the touch business, but the X3-02 is here to change all that.

You have the right to remain skeptical. In fact a healthy does of skepticism is welcome – this market just might not have enough room for yet another touchscreen feature phone. And it’s a S40 phone at that. But you know what – the Nokia X3-02 will not listen to doubters. It’s a phone whose glass is always half full. Half full with touchscreen and half full with keys.

The Nokia X3-02 Touch and Type doesn’t rely on its touchscreen only but on good looks and charm too. It comes in four different colors and has a redesigned keypad. That’s right, Nokia refuses to give up on the good old numeric keypad and it will be an essential companion on the X3-02.

So, you have the touch, and you have the type. There’s the right measure of style too. But that’s not always enough for a classy phone. People want features as well. So, let’s take a closer look at them.

Key features

·                 Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support

·                 Quad-band 3G with 10Mbps HSDPA and 2Mbps HSUPA

·                 Neat and well built, slim and lightweight, metal on the body

·                 2.4" 256K-color resistive TFT QVGA touchscreen

·                 S40 6th edition UI

·                 5 megapixel fixed-focus camera

·                 VGA video recording at 15fps

·                 Wi-Fi b/g/n

·                 Stereo FM radio with RDS, Visual radio

·                 Bluetooth v2.1 (with A2DP)

·                 Standard microUSB port (charging enabled)

·                 USB On-The-Go

·                 microSD card slot (32 GB supported, 2GB included)

·                 3.5mm audio jack

·                 Innovative vibrating touch feedback

Main disadvantages

·                 Small screen (for a touch phone)

·                 No multitasking

·                 No GPS

·                 Fixed-focus camera

·                 No document viewer

·                 No smart dialing

·                 No video-call camera

·                 No accelerometer sensor

There are quite a few things left off of this S40 handset, but it’s the first with a touchscreen on board. Wi-Fi is a rarity on this platform too. In fact we’ll admit quite ahead of our conclusion – we do like the Nokia X3-02 already.

But it’ll take more than that. You’ll have to simply love it. You’ll have to not notice the bad. One thing the Nokia X3-02 won’t give you is multitasking. Another important absentee is GPS and navigation. We just can’t have everything, can we? That might be quite an omission for some, but we hope the performance and ergonomics will make up for that. Let’s see how those shape up right after the jump