Tips on Buying Used Cellphones

Buying used cell phones is quite cheaper way to get your favorite handheld device, with all the necessary applications. Usually a second hand phone is priced almost 50% lesser than the new one irrespective of the features and functions provided by it.

Image Source

Before going for a used cellphone, it is important to check a few pointers so that you don't end up getting into a bad deal and repent considering your choice. I've known some of my friends who've got the best handheld devices at smartest prices, just because they did their homework well, followed certain essential points and got the best deal. So, let us check out some of these pointers below:

1) Always check the age of the phone: 
You might have fallen in love with a cellphone some 5 years back, and seeing it being sold second hand in the list of cell phones for sale might excite you a lot into buying it. But, it is important that you check whether the phone is still there in the market or not, before you decide on it. The reason - in case of any wear and tear, it might be extremely difficult or kind of impossible to find the phone's parts. So, make your choice wisely and choose the phone models that are just around 3 years old.

2) Current physical condition of the phone:
If you are going for a used cellphone, don't expect it to come in shiny glossy finish to you. It is perfectly normal for the phone to have minor scratches or marks with peeling cover etc. However, the point is to see if the phone has experienced any physical damage, that may reduce its lifetime. Always ask your seller to send the latest pic of the phone taken from all the angles. If you are lucky enough to get face to face and see the phone in person, check the display screen properly, keypad (whether all keys are working fine or not), and camera lens (if the phone has camera)

3) Features offered by the phone that are working fine:
While buying a used phone, it is important that you carefully check the working features of the phone. It might happen that one or two features of the phone may not work. Always make a point of enlisting the features that are most important for you. For instance, if the speaker of the phone isn't loud enough, or the phone doesn't support headphones anymore, etc. Consider your priorities and decide accordingly.

4) Check the reviews of the phone and also other alternatives: 
Compare the models, prices and resale value of the phones well and go for the deal that best suits you.

5) Always buy your used cellphone from a reliable store.
You can always check various reliable websites that give deals and sell used cellphones at amazing prices. For instance certain websites give good offers and put verizon cell phones for sale. Always ensure that your transaction and point of contact with the website is secured and trustworthy.

Read rest of entry

Latest news and updates on smart phones

Image Source

Excellent Growth of Smartphones in the market.

Smartphones stood first in the overall market for mobile phones.Before smartphones, people used their mobile phone to make a call to a particular phone number, to answer the call and to store the phone numbers and customer service numbers. Smart phones changed that by acting as an all in one device that is why smartphones are significantly growing day by day. Experts predictions says that CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 24.9% for the period 2011-17to reach 1.7 billion units. Android and Apple’s iOS are going to play the most important role in smartphones market. However, together their share will reach to 75% in 2017.

New iPhone may come with a new look

Apple announced WWDC (Worldwide developer’s conference) which led to lot of rumors about the new device. The upcoming version of iPhone may look different. The new iPhone may be longer and thinner than previous models. Based on the naming structure of recently launched iPad, everyone is expecting the similar change in the naming of iPhone. The new iPhone can be named as just “new iPhone” instead of iPhone 5.  There are also rumors that Apple is going to release low cost iPhone “nano” this year.

Samsung is emerging as No.1 

Samsung is emerging as No.1 in the world of smartphones taking over the lead from Apple. The greatest advantage of Samsung is that it is having different sizes. Samsung is having more than 13 different sizes ranging from 2.8 inches replenish to 5.3 inches the Galaxy note while Apple is offering only a 3.5 inch display on two of  its iPhones. Samsung releases number of models every year with a hope that one or more may hit. Apple always believes in limited number of models. Samsung also took over the lead from Nokia, the world’s biggest maker of all kinds of phones from a period of 14 years.

Nokia’s latest and upcoming smartphones

·         Nokia 700  is a slim, smart and a speedy device with atouchscreen ofsize 3.2 inches, 5 mega pixel camera, 47h maximum music playback time and 6.9 h of maximum video playback time

·         Nokia 701 is a fast and colorful smart phone with a touch screen of size 3.5 inches clear black LCD display, dual flash camera with 8MP EODF,71.4 h maximum music play back time and 8.9 maximum video playback time

·         Nokia Lumia 800 comes with curved 3.7 inch AMOLED clear black glass touch screen, Carl Zeiss Optics, 2x LED flash HD video camera of 8MP Auto Focus.

Written By Mike, Catch me @thetechlegend

Read rest of entry

Review: Nokia X5 - Buy Cheap Nokia X5 phone online

Lately, Nokia has been in the limelight because of its efforts in bringing forth the new version of Symbian operating system (Symbian 3). However, this does not stop Nokia from using its Symbian Series 60 (3rd edition) that has powered all the devices in its much famous E series and lots of non-touch smartphones in N series.

The Nokia X5 aims very well to suit the needs of people who want a smartphone without the need of using a touchscreen. Even though Nokia X series has been marketed primarily as music and messaging phone series, its X5 offers all the facilities of a full fledged smartphone - right from its packing to the operating systems that run Nokia E72 and E5.

What does Nokia say about its X5 mobile phone?

The Nokia X5-01 is a unique square designed phone that is built for music and messaging. It fills the gap between the X3 and X6 by featuring a slide-out keyboard with support for high-speed HSDPA Internet and Wi-Fi connectivity. Users can snap photos with its 5.0-megapixel camera or listen to music from Ovi Music through headphones or loud speakers. They can spin the phone to switch to a new random track or shake it to view unread messages. The X5-01 also supports all the major instant messaging clients and social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Hi5. Additional features include a microSD slot, Bluetooth 2.1, and USB 2.0.

Customers' opinion on Nokia X5:

Pros:

1) A nice pocket friendly device, with lots of goodies that include regular Symbian S60 stuffs like Ovi store, free push mail, Ovi music and even a view only version of QuickOffice.

2) It supports 3G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

3) It is a square shaped phone with a wide screen display of 2.36 inches, which hides a nice spacious QWERTY keypad behind it. The design might remind you of Motorola Flipout. However, X5 is quite compact comparatively.

4) The phone is quite solid and feels good to hold.

5) Quite efficient in multi-tasking. You can easily run four out of five applications at same time without experiencing any performance issues.

6) Good battery life. The battery can run comfortable for two days, after which you will have the need to recharge it.

7) The display has accelerometer that provides a lot of possibility of regular smartphone tricks. You can change tracks by simply shaking the phone, or easily find the number of messages by holding the volume key and giving it a shake, after which the X5 will give a knocking sound to show new messages. Many of you may find this "shake to discover new messages" feature quite cool.

6) Since, it is marketed as a music phone; it has awesome sound quality along with the best XpressMusic handsets.

Cons:

1) Surprisingly no GPS.

2) A bit heavy in weight despite its compact size.

Click here to know more about the phone and its excellent deals >>>

Have you used Nokia X5 or X6 phone? Share your experience in comments. Thank you!

Read rest of entry

Preview: Motorola Atrix

The Motorla's Atrix that got showcased in CES 2011, in addition to being the most powerful of the smartphones available now, has the power to replace the desktops and laptops, when accompanied with some unique accessories.

The phone has a dual core 1Ghz Tegra 2 processor and 1GB RAM which is quite to comfortably playback (or output) 1080p full HD video. Include the optional accessories like the HD Multimedia Dock and you have Atrix working as a desktop PC that can power a large monitor and work with normal USB keyboard and USB mouse.

Apart from above unique features, the thing that makes Atrix stand out in the crowd is its Laptop Dock. The Atrix can slot a laptop dock quite neatly and can function all day for basic computing that includes multimedia, email, editing documents and web browsing. It has an amazing battery life of 8 hours. The phone is expected to be launched at initial price of $700.

Read rest of entry

Next Generation Mobile Computing to go KeyLess

An Israeli start-up has launched a system that aims to make mobile computing easier by letting users type on invisible keys instead of a keyboard that typically takes up much of the screen.  SnapKeys calls its technology the "keyless keyboard" and has forged a deal with Philips Electronics to market the product, company officials said. 

SnapKeys and Philips will split revenue 50-50. "There is a fundamental problem in entering data on mobile devices," SnapKeys Chief Executive Benjamin Ghassabian told Reuters. "Keyboards were meant for fixed devices, not mobile. And screens are not supposed to be your input device; they are supposed to be output."
He said the keyless keyboard was 10 years in the making. The sucess of Apple's iPad -- which Ghassabian says is more entertainment than computer -- shows that people want more portable devices. Around 40 companies seek to market tablet computers, he said. 

"The market is moving towards mobile computers -- that's why tablets are coming out," Ghassabian said. 
SnapKeys, privately funded with $4 million, and Philips have started approaching the top mobile device and computer companies about using its keyless keyboard. 
"We are in the phase of closing deals ... It will take a few months to get to the market," Ghassabian said, adding the system works on all Windows, Symbian and Android-based devices. 
The keyboard has four invisible keys -- two on each side of the device's screen -- each comprising six to seven letters. There are other keys for numbers, punctuation and symbols. 
At first, the location of the keys appears on the screen but the company believes users will quickly learn the location of letters and will not need the overlay for long. Users tap the invisible keys with their thumbs and the system predicts the words. 
SnapKeys says its English version has about 100,000 words and is 92 per cent accurate. If the word isn't correct, it can be changed. Ghassabian said the system, in which typing words is far faster than a typical keyboard, is available in all European languages as well as Chinese. An Indian version is in the works. 


"The only competition for us will be voice recognition and that's not working well yet in mobile devices," Ghassabian said, noting it was not as discreet as typing. 

He rejected the notion that people will not want to change their typing habits from a keyboard that has been around for a century. 
"People used to have horses but when cars came out, not everyone wanted to switch to cars. But when they started driving cars, they didn't want to go back to riding horses," he said.

Read rest of entry

Top 5 Qwerty Phones to Choose From

Full QWERTY cellphones offer the comfort of quick and easy typing to those looking for a handset that is ideal for using messenger services or writing emails. These new breed of phones not only come with dedicated buttons, but also offer spacious keyboard for drafting long messages and emails.

Below is a list of top 5 full QWERTY handsets from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Acer, BlackBerry and Palm.

1) Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro

The X10 Mini Pro is the smallest of all and could be the dinkiest smartphone you might have ever handled. A flick of a thumb is enough to slide the screen up with a satisfying snap to reveal the surprisingly roomy QWERTY.

It has so far proved to be a fine platform for speedtyping, but those who want to work with larger digits, may find it more challenging. Beneath the responsive capacitive touchscreen is an Android-based interface, which has been tweaked to accommodate the small screen size. If you have previously been put off QWERTY handsets for their size, the Mini Pro could change that for sure.

Verdict: A lesson in smartphone miniaturisation that is incredibly user-friendly.

Specifications:

OS: Android 1.6;

Display: 2.6-in, 320x240 capacitive touchscreen;

Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 30fps;

Storage: 128MB + microSD;

Battery: 3.5hrs talk, 360hrs standby

2) Palm Pixi Plus

This entry-level Pixi Plus is a multitasking demon, thanks to Palm’s flexible webOS. No rival QWERTY handset can switch between applications and features so smoothly and fluidly.

It is quite slim, light and well built, and while the keyboard looks cramped it is great to use. The soft rubbery domes are very tactile, you get dedicated full stop and comma keys, and the phone’s slender profile means you can easily tap out messages one-handed. This frees your other hand to use the responsive capacitive touchscreen or the gesture pad.

Verdict: This multitasking smartphone has more appeal than its entry-level status suggests.

Specifications:

OS: webOS 1.4.1;

Display: 2.63in, 320x400;

Camera/video: 2MP/VGA@ 30fps;

Storage: 8GB;

Battery: 5.2hrs talk, 350hrs standby

3) Acer's Neotouch P300

The Acer’s 3.2-inch widescreen display is an absolute beauty. Unfortunately, this Windows Mobile-powered phone doesn’t follow through with performance to match. The sliding keyboard is spacious and geared for drafting long messages and emails.

Flush to the surface with an almost pressurepad action, each key is distinguishable by a smooth rubberised finish. The same can not be said of the resistive touchscreen. It copes fine with aggressive taps on the main menu icons, but swipe and scroll and it becomes temperamental.

Go off-road from the main menu and you will be grabbing the stylus to negotiate the fiddly sub-menus. Also, the processor seems to have trouble if you throw it a quick volley of taps or swipes, needing time to catch up. Ultimately this lack of response overshadows the fairly impressive set of features.

Verdict: A great QWERTY is let down by a moody touchscreen and sluggish processor

Specifications:

OS: Windows Mobile 6.5;

Display: 3.2in, 240x400;

Camera/video: 3.2MP/320x240@30fps;

Storage256MB+microSD;

Battery: 4.4hrs talk, 400hrs standby

4) BlackBerry 9700 Bold

In terms of design and ergonomics, the BlackBerry’s keyboard is the finest on test. Inspired by the frets on a guitar, it has reasonable-sized keys that are ridged to help your thumbs keep their bearings.

It’s a pleasure to use and great for instinctive typing, even in the absence of standalone punctuation keys. Like the Nokia E72, the Bold is a traditional messenger, so there’s no touchscreen but there is a touchsensitive optical trackpad. Teamed with its splendid keyboard, for pure messaging the BlackBerry is hard to beat.

Verdict: Its thumb-friendly keyboard makes this BlackBerry a top-class messenger

Specifications:

OS: BlackBerry 5.0;

Display: 2.4in, 480x360;

Camera/video: 3.2MP/480x352@30fps;

Storage: 256MB + microSD;

Battery: 6hrs talk, 408hrs standby

5) Nokia E72 

The E72’s multimedia skills beat all the others here. It’s very stylishly built, flaunting an elongated profile and a robust metallic rear battery bonnet. The keyboard’s domed buttons (which include dedicated punctuation keys) are easy on the thumbs, feeling almost ceramic to the touch, although not as distinct as the BlackBerry’s.

The Symbian S60 interface is a bit dated but highly customizable. The push email set-up rivals the BlackBerry for ease of use, and while Nokia’s Ovi Store isn’t overflowing, it offers a decent choice of apps and games to download.

Verdict: With outstanding media and SMS talents, the E72 is the best all-round QWERTY phone

Specifications:

OS: Symbian Series 60;

Display: 2.4in, 320x240;

Camera/video: 5MP/VGA@ 15fps:

Storage: 250MB + microSD;

Battery 6hrs talk, 576hrs standby

Read rest of entry

Review - Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Phone

Buy Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 online



Sony Ericsson Android-powered Xperia X10 has been launched in the US markets on AT&T platform. The smartphone's specs sheet includes: 8.1-megapixel camera with smile detection, face recognition, autofocus and LED flash. 
Those expecting Xperia X10 to run on latest version of Android will be dismayed as the smartphone runs Android 1.6 and so far there is no word about an update. In early May, Sony Ericsson said that it would deliver Android 2.1 to the X10 in Q4, but if analysts don't see Android 2.2 coming. 


Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 comes with a 2GB in-box microSD memory card. The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 also sports a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, as well as a Timescape solution for viewing Facebook and Twitter updates, text messages and e-mails in a streamlined view. 
By clicking on Sony Ericsson's infinite button in Timescape, users can also bring up and view all communications from a single person in a single place. 
The Xperia X10 is available online. 


Read More about Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 here >>>

Read rest of entry

Top 7 Classic and Luxury Phones Available Today

These days most of the mobile phones out there in the market can possibly come up with every feature, you might ask for. They are no longer just a voice-based communication device. Often, for majority of crowd now, their whole lives revolve around this 4-inch screen. Most devices have the standard build and often it is just the colour that distinguishes them. Some mobile makers like to add a little sparkle to take the experience to the next level. 
The handsets mentioned below are major eye-candies, and for a lucky few of you, these can be yours if your pocket allows. But, if class and exclusivity are what you are willing to pay a price for, here are some of the best you can choose from:


1) iPhone 4 diamond edition

An iPhone encrusted with 6.5 carats of top-quality diamonds, all individually set, has been introduced at a staggering price of 12,995 pounds. Bling specialist, Stuart Hughes, from Liverpool, designed the stunning iPhone 4 Diamond Edition, which has a beautiful solid platinum and diamond Apple logo on the back. 


"Combining the splendid design of the iPhone 4, with the magical radiance of diamonds, has created an exquisite work of art. There is no finer, purer, or rarer gem than the diamond", the Sun quoted him as saying. 
The handset is a 32GB model and comes unlocked for worldwide use, and it also included a luxurious hand-finished wallet made from strich leather.


2) Samsung i8910 Gold

The Samsung i8910 Gold is embraced inside a pure gold frame. This chic cell phone comes with Samsung’s Touch Wiz technology. The phone has an 8.0 megapixel digital autofocus camera with HD video recording ability. The Gold Edition phone has a 3.7-inch AMOLED screen exhibit which makes for the best viewing of movies and pictures on a screen this size. 


3) Nokia N97 Mini Gold

Nokia N97 Mini Gold Edition is encased in a sleek 18-carat gold body. This Nokia variant is elegant, stylish and has matching accessories, like a colour-matched wired headset, stylus and a white leather pouch with gold finish. The Gold Edition offers all the innovative features of the Nokia N97 mini while adding a touch of luxury. 
The Nokia N97 mini Gold Edition has the same features as the regular edition which includes a 3.2-inch touchscreen display with 360 x 640 pixels, a full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi , HSPA, GPS, Nokia Maps, 3.5mm headset jack, 8GB of internal memory, and a 5MP camera with autofocus and LED flash. 


4) Sony Ericsson D&G Jalou

Sony Ericsson Jalou is a phone with killer looks and lethal features to match. Jalou has been beautifully designed by Dolce & Gabbana which is a brand in itself. This phone has 24-carat gold-embedded buttons and graphics. It comes with a 3.2-megapixel autofocus digital camera enabled with geo-tagging. 
You can even enjoy stereo FM on this phone. This phone, aimed at the ladies, has among other things a shell design with a pink diamond. It also has a screen that turns into a handy mirror at the press of a key.


5) GoldVish Le Million

The world’s most expensive phone is the GoldVish Le Million which has a price tag of $1.3 million. It is made out of 18k white gold and it’s encrusted with 120k of diamonds. There were only three of these ever made. 
Price: $1.3 million


6) Samsung Armani B7620

From the house of fashion maestro Giorgio Armani, Samsung Armani B7620 smartphone features gold accents and Giorgio Armani's logo on front. Samsung B7620 has a sleek black body with attractive bronze edges. 
The phone is a slider with a QWERTY keypad at its slide out position. There is a 3.5 inches AMOLED touch screen. The new Samsung B7620 Giorgio Armani runs over Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 professional operating system that can be upgraded to 6.5 version. 
The phone also has an Armani application that allows users to browse through Armani's latest collections, ramp shows, locate the nearest stores, create a look and lots more.  More here>>>


7) Motorola SLVR L7

Elegant, classy, graceful are the words that can be usually used to define the new collection of the Motorola SLVR L7 diamond mobile phones. 
The surface of the SLVR L7 is made up of 260 quality diamonds which is arranged in a unique design, giving it an exquisite touch. It comes with a price tag of $75000 making it one of the most expensive phones in the market.  More here >>>

Read rest of entry