SonyEricsson T707 Sharapova phone

The most obvious reason that we tend to not report SonyEricsson handset is that you can't actually tell which model the phone is by merely looking at it. Their models are so indistinguishable and their product line feature are blur. This new model, Sony Ericsson T707, is a rare exception.

For T707, Ericsson has partnered with Maria Sharapova, the famous tennis star. Unlike the ordinary uninteresting outlook of Sony Ericsson phone, T707 is a flip phone which is believed to be a 3G successor of Z610, a 2006 model with sharp colors and reflections.

Commentable features:
- Memory Stick Micro (boo..., they should make it dual compatible like k850)
- 3.2MP camera, geotagging (mediocre camera, with geotagging some users might be interested in it)
- 95g (quite compact for flip phone)
- 2.2", TFT, 240x320, 262k color display
- UMTS/HSDPA 2100 (no practical use besides Youtube)
- Youtube (With the small size of screen, you won't probably want to Youtube)
- Gesture keys to mute incoming calls or snooze the alarm (without actually flipping the phone) (finally a nice function.)

Rumor says it will be available by June 2009. We expect the price will be $2,488 in Hong Kong, a city with no sales tax. (nobody's willing to pay more on this very mediocre phone)


(Via engadget)

Facelift of KC910 - LG Renoir KC910i

Four months after the launch of LG KC910, a facelift of the handset is available. Although official name is still Renoir KC910, in MWC, LG called it KC910i.

The differences for the original Renoir and facelift one are:

- The notorious photo cropping function was a miserable experience for some users, and the new version of viewfinder solves the problem of.

- The lens cover is now automatic.

- The ROM also features the Microsoft Exchange sync, where you can sync your email, contact list and appointments between your PC and the phone, like a Windows Mobile handset.

- Now more black in color instead of silvery.

Of course, the goodies - wi-fi, 7.2M HSDPA, 640x480 30fps video, 8mp camera are still there. For information, price here was 440€ on KC910's launch (November 2008), and 350€ on KC910i now (March 2009).

IE 8.0 download and our site browser statistics

According to Google Analytics, the browser experience of users for this site is not like the general ratio. Contrary to the general 70:30 IE:others ratio, our site's breakdown is like:

        Internet Explorer           42.74%
       Firefox                     42.41%
       Opera                        5.06%
       Chrome                       4.41%
       Safari                       4.08%

This is a healthy distribution (and if we only take the data of the previous 30 days, Firefox had already taken over IE to the top). Sadly, for our other sites, IE users are still a majority (70%+).

We have mixed feeling on Internet Explorer. Although we do not recommend users to use IE, (you can update the Internet Explorer to 8.0 at Microsoft's "Worldwide" official site), it won't block Google's AdSense applets like other browsers do.

For fairness purposes, here are a couple of words for other browsers.
- for speed-wise, Chrome
- for elegant layout, Safari is the way to go.
- for convenience, choose Firefox (with Foxmarks and FireGestures add-ons)
- for best tabbed browsing experience, Opera (don't forget to turn on the additive Mouse Gesture function!)
- for travel usage, pick Opera@USB

Picture: A blatant copy of Firefox's phishing warning by IE8.

LG KM900 Arena will launch ... on March 2009

Yes, it's official. LG KM900 Arena is out this month. Being one of the most powerful flagships in the MWC this year, Arena takes the earliest invasion to the market.

LG's marketing strategy is to focus on the multiedia features. True, aside being regarded as too "iPhone" in the menu, its media functions are overwhelming. In addition to the Dolby Mobile sound system, a 5mp camera on a 3 inch WVGA screen, it features the all-new "3D S-Class" interface.

Better still, it finally features a 3.5mm audio jack, which is a big stepforward - you can finally use the handsfree when charging.

Beware of their "40GB" memory though. It merely means it has 8GB internal storage and can support a 32GB MircoSD card.


Hey, look, it lags.

400x240 sized Wallpapers and screen backgrounds

As KU990 Viewty is 400 x 240 in pixel (WQVGA), other handsets with the same resolution can display these wallpapers too. Known handsets with the same resolution include:
LG Cookie KP500, Renoir KC910, Prada KE850
Samsung Omnia i900^*, Pixon M8800
SonyEricsson Xperia X1
K-Touch E60

*Note: 400 x 240 pixel pictures interacts poorly for Omnia i900's accelerometer, you will need larger pictures to eliminate the black edges

How big is 400x240 is in your screen? We have attached a photo of Ribeauville, Alsace, France for your reference. (If you like it, feel free to use it as your phone background.)

When we search the net, we found a massive load of screen background (swf) and wallpapers (jpg) for Viewty which you might want to see. High quality good stuff. http://www.reptilis.org/Viewty/index

Drastic price increase of Apple Store

With the launch of iPod Shuffle 3g(3rd Gen), a series of price revisions were taken place in Apple Stores all over the world.

Due to currency fluctuation, some products in Apple Store of various countries skyrocketed. Taiwanese users are already complaining about the price increase of iPod Nano. However, there are more extreme cases in South Korea, which our old post just covered a few days ago.

One week ago, iPod Touch 8G was 280,000 KRW (Korean Won) in South Korea. Now it is 36% more expensive: 379,000 won in official store.

Yes, this sounds a lot, but today's 379,000 KRW is more or less the 280,000 KRW one year ago.

iPod shuffle new generation launched

The Apple store is now loaded with iPod shuffle of the new generation. The most essential stuff you might want to know:

• $79
  
• 4GB
  
• 45.2 x 17.5 x 7.8mm
  
• 10.7 grams
  
• 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
  
• 10 hours music playback
  
• earphones, with remote, without microphone
• able to read mp3 file details (song title ametc) in various languages
  

With an MP3 small like this, it will be easily forgotten/lost if you are careless. Plus, when viewing from the front, lacking the distinctive style of buttons, you cannot really tell it's an Apple product.

(p.s. No, this time don't buy in Seoul, it's 129,000 won which is $83, and doesn't worth the work to tax refund. Just only hoard the iPod Touch there. In Hong Kong, iPod shuffle new gen is just 600 HK dollars = $77)

HTC Magic (G2) out in April 2009

Vodafone has it confirmed that the second Android handset from HTC, "Magic", will be out in UK in April 2009. Rumor says that HTC Magic will also be available in Asia at the same month. But no official press releases on that at this moment.

Samsung C3110, interesting low-end 2G phone

We understand there must be some users who are not aiming to get all hi-tech stuff in one machine. Sometimes it get to back to basics.

C3110 is a slider phone which aims are basic users, no 3G shenanigans. It comes with Bluetooth and FM connectivity though.

Samsung C3110 has two very interesting features, attracting low-end users.

1) Motorola's Crystal Talk Technology. No, we are kidding, but according to the official site, it is actually Crystal Talk: "Thanks to Dynamic Noise Suppression, Handset Echo Canceller and other SAMSUNG's enhanced audio technology, SAMSUNG C3110 cancels out the echo and gives users the most crystal clear sound."

2) Forged incoming call function. Once enabled, you can activated it by hitting the down keys for four times. An anonymous call will be simulated and you have to pretend to be talking. For smooth action you can even pre-record the message so that you can "interact" with the "anonymous call". Superb function to interrupt annoying person / boring situations.

Oh and a bonus 3) for you guys:
8.5 hours talk time. Nuff said.

First SDXC card - Pretec 32GB

Pretec grabs two firsts on this evil card at CeBIT 2009.

One: capacity, 32GB SD is the first in the market.
Two: XC. The first SDXC card ever.
With an impressive 50MB/s read/write, with SDXC replace CF cards for DSLR or high-end camera storage?

Oh, just a reminder, SDHC readers can never read an SDXC card. Similarly, cameras and phones just can't use this. So even if you've got this card, you can't use it any way at this moment.

HTC Touch Cruise 09 Release Date

Hong Kong mobile phone operator Smartone-Vodafone has announced to sell the new HTC Touch Cruise 09 on Wednesday 4 March 2009.

According to their press release, the selling price is HK$4480, around €460.

As the law there forbids TV screens in front seats, the release version in Hong Kong include car charger and phone holder, which is essential for navigation purpose. It also includes a map navigation software named "Papago".

Its main feature, the "Footprint" of photos, is rumored to be easy to be implemented to other WM mobiles.

Lacking a unique attractive features, we would recommend readers think twice before ordering one. If you insist for a review anyway, click here for a Chinese site.

Discount iPod touch / iPod nano in Seoul

(note: by 11 March 2009, this article is obsolete due to a 36% increase in official price of Apple Korea. Read more)

Our team was on vacation for a few days, and we are just back from South Korea. In Seoul, where home appliances shops are hard to come by, we've found the rare shops selling Mac products in an amazing price.

As the exchange rate of South Korean Won (KRW) has been dropping significantly, prices of iPod products have been dropped to a very reasonable price.


This photo was taken in Frisbee in Myeongdong, the shopping street in Seoul. We were astonished to see that the price of iPod touch after tax (280,000 won minus tax = 263,000 won) could be as low as US$160 (US$1 = 1600 won as of 28 February). That's 30% off. If you somehow go to Korea, you might as well find this "Frisbee" shop in Myeongdong. Just don't forget to file a tax rebate.

iPod nano are in very attractive price too as the table. MacBook, on the contrary, is not as drastically cheaper as iPod series, so we didn't pay much attention to the price. There's no iPhone.