Saturday, November 27, 2010

2010 Review: Samsung S8530 Wave II - Go with the Wave! (preview, tech, news, report, Auckland, "Android Repair"


Introduction


They shall come in wave upon wave. Or so it seemed in the beginning. Samsung certainly wanted a strong start for their own Bada OS and they had it. It is usual for sequels to be questioned and belittled. That’s one thing the Wave II doesn’t have to worry about. It’s bigger and heavier than the original.  http://tiny.cc/samsung8530

When the second gen phone has a familiar sounding model name with an actual ordinal number in it – that doesn’t mean a complete lack of imagination. It’s a way to promote continuity. The Wave II has this base covered too – it’s nearly the same phone as the first Wave but presumably upgraded to reach to a more high-end market segment. Here’s a quick recap of its specs:

Key features

3.7" 16M-color Super Clear LCD capacitive touchscreen, WVGA (480 x 800 pixels), multi-touch input, scratch-resistant glass surface
Slim and solid metal body
Bada OS 1.2 with Samsung Apps
ARM Cortex A8 based 1GHz CPU
Quad-band GSM support with dual-band HSPA
Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity with WPS support, Wi-Fi tethering
Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support, digital compass, Samsung LBS powered by ROUTE 66
5 MP autofocus camera with touch focus and LED flash, geotagging, face, smile and blink detection
720p video recording at 30fps
2GB internal storage, microSDHC card slot
Standard microUSB port and Bluetooth v3.0 with A2DP
Standard 3.5mm audio jack, TV out
Stereo FM radio with RDS, FM recording
Webkit-based Samsung Dolphin Browser 2.0 with Flash support
YouTube client, Facebook and Twitter integration
DivX/XviD video support
Good audio quality
Main disadvantages
Limited number of available applications
Super Clear LCD can’t match SuperAMOLED
Card slot under the battery
No lens protection
SatNav software only a 30-day trial
No ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness automatically
Poor loudspeaker performance
Wave II over original Wave
Latest Bada OS 1.2
Swype-like T9 Trace text input
Over-the-Air software updates
Larger 3.7" touchscreen

Yep, we know, it’s not a great update. Plus the first three differences over the original Wave are about to be washed away once it receives its due software update to Bada OS 1.2.
 

The Samsung S8530 Wave II may not be the upgrade that all users have been waiting for, but the phone runs the latest version of the Bada OS and has kept all the great features of the original: from the powerful CPU, to premium connectivity and HD video recording.

And all this is delivered on a larger 3.7-inch display. Sure, it’s no SuperAMOLED screen but Samsung promises the LCD screen is not your ordinary screen, too. You see, good things come in limited number and Samsung is pressed to supply enough SuperAMOLEDs for their Android and Windows Phone 7 operations.
 

Bad luck for the Wave II, we guess. Even worse for the original Wave – this phone will be as good as discontinued when the stocks run out. The Wave II will take over and that’s that.
Anyway, Samsung are probably not giving up on their Bada OS. If it eventually becomes the base platform for all their midrange touch phones, they will be extremely well positioned to adapt to the new market reality.
 

It’s not about the business benefits or the multitasking – it’s as simple as apps. Users love to have them and makers love to sell them. Imagine being able to do that on all levels – from the most basic feature phones to the top-of-the-line smart devices. That must be enough reason for Samsung to keep their commitment to Bada.


Like it or not, the Samsung S8530 Wave II is just a step in the process. We’re about to see whether it’s as compelling as its predecessor. As usual, we start with the design and hardware, and then put Bada 1.2 under the microscope.

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Circus Circus Cafe, November 2010, Auckland, New Zealand (people, places, lifestyle, tourism, Auckland)

My favorite cafe in Auckland, Circus Circus of Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden, Auckland, New Zealand.  Took this picture on a cloudy day after a hectic business day in November 2010.


  

 
This post is sponsored by Abby Technology Limited (3071547), professional Nokia Repair Specialist, Auckland, New Zealand. Mobile: (021) 264-0000

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2010 Review: PlayStation Phone won't run PSP games still wicked (tech, news, info, preview, Auckland, "Abby Technology Limited"


The latest rumors about the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone is that it won't play PSP games and won't sale under the PlayStation logo. The Android 2.3 running gaming device will be part of the high-end XPERIA family instead.
Yesterday we already reported that the Sony Ericsson PlayStation phone will be unveiled on the 9 December.

But what's so special about this phone then besides the gaming controls and the rumored specs we already covered? Sony Ericsson is said to be preparing a whole line of exclusive games developed by some of the best Sony partners.

The game distribution will be via separate service or a dedicated section in the Android Market. Whatever Sony Ericsson chooses, the games will be exclusive and compatible only with that particular phone. The average game price is rumored to be sub-10 US dollars.
  

  
The tipster who brought all this info says the phone is nowhere near ready, perhaps the launch will take place at the MWC 2011 upcoming February. The tipster also reports Sony Ericsson targets a 500 US dollars retail price with 5 games included.
 

So it might turn that this rumored PlayStation phone won't be branded as PlayStation, but the gaming factor remains. It will run on the latest Android too, but if it's the PlayStation heritage that warms your heart you can always install the unofficial PlayStation 1 emulator PSX4Droid and play some classics.

This post is sponsored by Abby Technology Limited (3071547), professional Nokia Repair Specialist, Auckland, New Zealand. Mobile: (021) 264-0000

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Quad-speaker Nokia X7-00 leaks on video, runs on Symbian^3 (tech, news, report, leak, preview, Auckland, launch)


Nokia X7-00 is the next device to join the Symbian^3 gang. A leaked video shows a touch-based device with four speakers and similar hardware and software like the C7.  http://tiny.cc/x700


Additional information can be unearthed from the Czech forum, which is the source behind the leak. It seems that the Nokia X7-00 processor, graphics and RAM is the same as those of N8.
As you can see Nokia X7-00 also has the similar measurements and screen size, but again the camera department is less than stellar - a fixed-focus 8 megapixel camera plus a dual-LED flash. It's unclear whether the screen will be a ClearBlack AMOLED or the AMOLED used in C7.


Anyway, the most interesting thing about the X7-00 is the four speakers it's got one in each corner. We are sure lots of music geeks will appreciate this.
We guess the official announcement should take place soon.

This post is sponsored by Abby Technology Limited (3071547), professional Nokia Repair Specialist, Auckland, New Zealand. Mobile: (021) 264-0000


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