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Lets All Bid Adeu to the Idou-Sony Ericsson Pulls Satio From Shelves
Nov 27th
Nokia Doing the Same With N97?
What’s the Deal With the Satio?
The Sony Ericsson Satio, also known one time as the Idou, was one of the first phones to debut a 12 megapixel camera. It has other features such as 3.5″ with a ratio of 16:9 with 640×360 resolution, 3G and Bluetooth, along with the usual Smartphone capabilities. It is a really nice phone and sales were almost through the roof.
OK, So Why Was It Pulled?
The phone was doing really until is was pulled from shelves by Carphone Warehouse and Phone4You, two of the largest retailers of mobile phones in the UK. They were apparently still available from other dealers such as T-Mobile and Vodaphone, but after reading the following, I sincerely don’t think anyone will want to.
The phone, the retailers and customers are saying, seems to be freezing, powering off, crashing and showing other signs of incompatibilities and nuisances. This is apparently due to a problem with a software skin placed over the phone’s native OS. It is said the customers are returning the phone because when trying to switch apps, or access their stored apps, the phone will power down for no reason. Two of the Satio dealers, Orange and Vodaphone do not use these skins, but have their own, which could be why they are still selling the phones and haven’t pulled them as of yet. It seems the phones with those skins aren’t having any problems.
Is There A Solution?
Sony says there is a solution in the works. Apparently it will come in the form of a patch that can’t be deployed over the air. So the best thing is to bring the phone back to whee you got it from so it can be fixed. Sony is also saying the patched should be in place and the phones back on shelves before Christmas. According to The Times, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4you are also offering new phones in place of the defective ones.
What’s The Deal With the Nokia N97?
Apparently, the Nokia N97 was pulled for almost the same reasons as the Satio. When someone goes to the Vodaphone site to purchase the N97, they are immediately redirected to the N07Mini (which isn’t actually so mini…).
What Is the Actual Problem?
Most people are thinking that because the two phones both use the Symbian OS software that it might actually be the problem. The phones were pulled to test the OS as well. And this in no way is what Symbian needed at the present time. With other companies looking at Maemo, and Android, Symbian is hitting a major setback in trying to keep a hold of the open source smartphone OS world.
So What’s the Verdict?
I think that with the Smartphone competition so fierce these days, the companies were in a way being forced to get their product on the shelves as soon as possible. But apparently the need to so so has shown the quality of the phones to be lacking at best. Just like Microsoft releasing the WinMo 6.5 OS, not really being a major upgrade like they said it was supposed to be, they should have waited until everything was tested and sure of the quality. Sony and Nokia should have waited as well. In their rush to play the market, they are hurting not only their sales in the holiday season, but their reputation as well.
For more great articles and user ratings and reviews, please visit the home page @ Youserbase.org
Check back tomorrow for more of the latest in the mobile phone industry. If any if our readers have any suggestions as what to review, or something you think needs to be talked about, feel free to leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Til then, happy phoning!
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Youserbase.org’s executive staff, and Youserbase.org as such hold no liability of any damages arising from any opinions expressed by the author.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Update Plus: Verizon vs. AT&T Feud Fires Up Again
Nov 23rd
Is The Feud Ever Going To End? Or DO They Like It Like This?
What’s The Update All About With The Xperia X10?
Well, since we last wrote about the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, the specs have been updated on the Xperia’s home page, and T-Mobile has been taken out of the deal completely. According to Phandroid.com, because of the way the network is set up, it indicates that the phone will be compatible with AT&T’s network band, as it is missing a needed component for T-Mobile.
Some of the specs include an 8.1 megapixel camera with flash, auto-focus, stabilizer and face recognition as a 5 Faces Friend finder, a 480×854 WVGA TFT Touchscreen, Turbo 3G. internal memory of 1GB and 1Ghz SnapDragon processor. The external memory is SanDisk Micro SD card of 8GB is expandable up to 16GB. Some other offerings include a Web Kit and streaming, A-GPS, Google Maps App, 3D Games and Sony Ericsson Mediascape. The phones go for $999 Unlocked of you pre-order them, but if you can hold off long enough, they will be $868 for an unlocked phone.
What’s the Buzz About With Verizon vs. AT&T?
Apparently, both sides are profiting form the bad blood between them. The ad ward back and forth have created a type of buzz on the street that has made popularity of both companies soar. According to YouGovPolimetrix’s BrandIndex, via MediaPost.com,
“…between Nov. 2 and Nov. 19. At the beginning of the period, AT&T’s buzz was at about 7.7, while Verizon’s was around 21.3. By the end of the time period, AT&T’s had risen to 14, while Verizon’s had risen to 32.3.”
In an interview between DailyTech.com and Seth Bloom, he does say that AT&T thinks Americans won’t be able to figure out there is coverage in the white areas, just not 3G coverage. He also says AT&T thinks the map is very deceptive and states the dropped call average is actually less than what was reported.
AT&T recently upped the stakes of the feud between them with a commercial aimed to discredit Verizon, saying that AT&TY has the fastest coverage, and the phones allow for talkig and surfing at the same time. The war continues with another hearing set for December 16 2009.
And The Verdict Is?
Honestly, I think the move from T-Mobile to AT&T with the Xperia was probably a good one, what with all of the recent data problems (Sidekick and others) they have been having.
As for Verizon and AT&T… If I am not mistaken, The Droid Does, Right?
For more great articles and user ratings and reviews, please visit the home page @ Youserbase.org
Check back tomorrow for more of the latest in the mobile phone industry. If any if our readers have any suggestions as what to review, or something you think needs to be talked about, feel free to leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Til then, happy phoning!
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Youserbase.org’s executive staff, and Youserbase.org as such hold no liability of any damages arising from any opinions expressed by the author.
5 Top of the Line Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) Accesories
Nov 17th
List Time Again-This Time For Sony
What’s Sony Ericsson’s Satio All About?
This is a beautiful Smartphone. And I figure because it is the highest rated Smartphone on Youserbase.org, I simply must write about the best accessories for it this week.
But First-A Look At What’s Under the Hood
Like I said above, this is a beautiful phone and the original review was posted back in August of this year. It is one of the few that have a 12.1 megapixel camera that takes pictures so well that they look almost professional. Then it has the usual 3G and WiFi capabilities and BlueTooth. It does have it’s downfalls, though. The touchscreen is (arrrggghhh) resistive, so it requires some major touching and if you aren’t careful them your finger could get sore. But it IS 3.5″ with a ratio of 16:9 with 640×360 resolution, so it looks pretty and you can see what you are doing. It only has 128MB Internal memory but Sony kind of makes up for it by including an 8G MicroSD and the option to add up to 32GB. it also lacks a 3.5mm jack, so um.. guess you won’t be ignoring anyone on the sly anytime soon.. And now, on with the list!
Car Accessory Pack
Comes with a holder, which attaches with a suction cup mount and has a flexible neck so you can adjust it to have it within reach but still out of your way. It also comes with a battery car charger, an official Sony Ericsson CLA-60 and it actually helps hold the Satio in place and it can charge while it’s being held.
BlueTooth Car Kit
By Venturi, this mini FM transmitter and BlueTooth technology combines brings you all your calls through your car speakers. Plug it into the car charger and go. It also has on teh receiver, caller ID and song information too.
Invisible SHIELD
A clear plastic film that covers both the front and the back, without being a full case. It takes longer to install than usual screen protectors, but then again, this isn’t a normal screen protector, is it? This is great because you are apt to take your phone everywhere with you get into situations where it might get scratched, or maybe your kids get a hold of it and smudge the pretty little thing up. Not anymore with the Sony Ericsson Satio InvisibleSHIELD.
BlueTooth Headphones
The HBH-IS800 BlueTooth Headphones for Satio look small and feel small, but the battery power they pack is unbelievable! And the features are great too. You can answer and end calls and pause and play your music. All on the Headphones themselves.
ITC-60-Plug N’ Play
Well, for those who want to take advantage of the 12 megapixel camera the Satio is famous for, the Plug N’ Play connects the Satio to your TV or stereo to look at pics or listen to music.
CPP 100 Power Pack
This Power Pack for the Satio plugs right into its side with no cables or wires tripping you up or getting in the way. It gives instant power when and where you need it. it also has a handy LED light so you can monitor the battery life.
And the Verdict Is?
To be honest with you, these items are all great. But I would hold off until teh Platinum or Executive Accessories Packs are available. They will have so many great accessories all in one and they will save you so much money, rather then if you bought the, piece by piece. Here’s a taste of what will be in the Platinum, pack:
- Desk Stand with cable clips
- Car holder with the suction mount
- The Flexible Neck
- Carrying Pouch- Felt, padded and carries horizontially
- Car Charger
- Laser Screen Protector
- The USB Mini Bluetooth Dongle
- USB Card Reader
- spare battery
The Executive Pack won’t have quite as many accessories included, but it will be worth it as well. Either one you choose, you are saving money and gaining the convenience of having everything together in one place.
Enjoy the Sony Ericsson Satio and all its accessories in all their glory, it is probably one of the best ones out there, aside for the Droid, that is…
For more great articles and user ratings and reviews, please visit the home page @ Youserbase.org
Check back tomorrow for more of the latest in the mobile phone industry. If any if our readers have any suggestions as what to review, or something you think needs to be talked about, feel free to leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Til then, happy phoning!
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Youserbase.org’s executive staff, and Youserbase.org as such hold no liability of any damages arising from any opinions expressed by the author.
Introducing the PowerMat- The First Universal Charger? And A List of PowerMat Devices
Oct 31st
But First–It’s That Time of Year Again…
It’s The Holidays
Whatever your holiday may be, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Hanukkah and so on, it is just about the time to start your holiday shopping. I think that because almost everyone in the world has a Smartphone, Smartphone accessories would be a great place to start looking for the perfect gifts.
So from now until the middle of December, I will be throwing in some “Best Accessories” lists for a different Smartphone with every list. It will include what it is and how much it costs. Maybe I’ll even tell you where to find them.
Any Comments From the Peanut Gallery?
One thing though, there are so very many of them, I may not be able to get to them all. So if any of you out there have a unrequited need for me to include a phone that I haven’t already, leave a comment and let me know, and I will do my best to throw up a list for it. If not, them I will go on my merry little way and list the accessories for the most popular smartphones.
The Number one accessory Great for Any Phone-The POWERMAT
And anything with Bluetooth, any cell or smartphone, digital cameras and readers, hand-held games, MP3 Players, portable GPS, and possible even more things. If it is wireless, you might be able to charge it on the PowerMat!
That’s right. Reviewed by Network World in their October 19th Print Magazine, is a little tiny article on the PowerMat and now it’s starting to pop-up all over the Internet. And boy does this thing rock.
The Obvious Question-What’s the Deal?
Well, first of all it can charge up to 3 devices at the same time. And it also has a USB plug in the back to charge a fourth if needed. It is out of the way, recessed and apparently hard to reach. But who needs more than three trays anyway? Almost anyone I say. That is the first problem with the PowerMat. It should be larger with all the devices people own and need to charge these days, that should have been thought of from the start.
The places you set the devices down on the mat are called plates. Each plate has a LED light to let you know the device is charging properly. The lights can be customized to vary in intensity or turned off completely. It also has what they call “Audio Confirmation” and it uses a beep when the device is firmly seated in place and another, different sounding beep when the device is removed. But for those people who don’t like the sounds the audio can be turned off too. It also has a magnetic receiver to hold the device firmly in place so it charges properly.
For each device, you will need a special receiver so the mat will know how much power and how long to charge the device for. The RFID tags do this job and the PowerMat already have one for the iPhone, BlackBerry and Nintendo DS. There is a general adapter as well. A test done by Theinquirer.net used an iPod Nano4G and an HTC Magic and reports that …”
Charging both at the same time on the Powermat, the Nano was fully charged in around minutes and the Magic was done in about two hours, pretty much the exact same amount of time as charging them with dedicated chargers.
Here is a list of all available devices by the PowerMat-
Home & Office Mat
Portable Mat
Powercube
Dock for iPod and iPhone
iPhone Case
iPod Touch Case
BlackBerry Bold Battery Door
BlackBerry Curve 8300 Battery Door
BlackBerry Curve 8900 Battery Door
BlackBerry Pearl Battery Door
Nintendo DS Lite Back Panel
Nintendo DSi Back Panel
And the Verdict Is?
So Lets see if I got this right… The PowerMat will charge almost any wireless device all in one place. Meaning no looking for cords, or tripping on numerous plugged in cords as the only cord needing to be plugged in is that of the PowerMat itself. And it makes the Greenies happy by its automatic shut off and saving energy. That sounds like a winner to me. And there are so many different devices to choose from you are sure to find something to but the person who has everything…
And here’s the kicker… There just might be some more bands of the PowerMat on the way. Sony apparently has one in the works as I type. Maybe it will be finished for the holidays. I think it is bout time there is something like this on the market.
It can be bought online @ the PowerMat website or at any Best Buy and Target Stores. As for the price? The prices are oddly the same in wither store… between $29.99-$39.99 for the smaller receivers and devices and $99.99 for the home Mat and the Office Mat. I can see paying the prices for the smaller items, but $100 for the PowerMat itself? I would rather wait for a sale. Keep an eye out for Black Friday sales.. The prices are sure to go down a bit then(and you can put them on layaway too).
For more great articles and user ratings and reviews, please visit the home page @ Youserbase.org
Check back tomorrow for a list of the best accessories for the Palm Pre Smartphones. If any if our readers have any suggestions as what to review, or something you think needs to be talked about, feel free to leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Til then, happy phoning!
Sony Ericsson Finally Graces India With Its Presence-With 3 New (Really Awesome) Smartphones
Oct 29th
What’s the Deal?
Well, 3 new phones are released in India by Sony Ericsson. They are the Satio, Aino and Yari. And, they have to be the greatest smartphones available. Not because of the OS, but because of the specific features on each phone. According to Anil Sethi, president of Sony Ericsson Mobile India, these phones will “…set the trend for the new age smartphones.,” and she also said “…Once the 3G spectrum allocation happens, we can roll out more features with better network.” So does that mean that the Indian people can’t use them yet? No, it doesn’t. It just means that they have limited service and features.
What DO They Have Then?
Well, they each have their own respective features. The Satio is the greatest for photography with its 12.1 megapixel camera. It also has a 3.5″ screen with 16:9 wide screen format. What kind of OS does it have? Who cares? It’s got a 12 megapixel camera!
And the Aino has almost just as great of a camera at 8 megapixel. And the feature of thsi phone that stands it apart from the other two is that is cn access information stored on a PS3 from anywhere, as long as there is Wi-Fi service available. It has remote play access to all media as well.
The Yari is the last of the bunch with only a 5 megapixel camera. But it’s feature that sets it apart is that is can play games without touching the screen by allowing the moves to be made in front of it. Interesting… I wonder how they do it…
What’s The Verdict?
It has been a long time coming for India and they definitely deserve these phones. And I think that India should stop putting off the allocation and get on with the extra features already. I mean, they already have so many awesome features, but think about it… More to come. What else can there be? X-Ray vision? Money printer? Damn… A 12 Megapixel camera… Oh well, The Holidays are coming anyway.
For more great articles and user ratings and reviews, please visit the home page @ Youserbase.org
Check back tomorrow for more of the latest in the mobile phone industry. If any if our readers have any suggestions as what to review, or something you think needs to be talked about, feel free to leave a comment and I will see what I can do. Til then, happy phoning!
Is Symbian A Dead End Or Just At A Fork In The Road?
Oct 9th
What’s Up With Symbian? A Bit Of History
Despite its surge in sales and its 47% share of the market, Symbian has been declared by most as a dead end. When Sony Ericsson started laying off employees as it closed down its UIQ department and ported some pieces of the UIQ to Nokia in 2008, it has gone downhill. Ever since then, S60 has been knocking at death’s door as well, although David Wood, one of Symbian’s great masters said that “the statement was a little premature, but attention grabbing.”
Recent Developments With Nokia and Symbian
Now, back in May of this year a mole form Nokia leaked to the press that Nokia might just be looking to replace their mobile operating system from Symbian to Maemo with the release of the Smartphone successor to the N97, called the N900. All this time since Nokia and Symbian developed the S60 platform, Nokia has firmly stood behind it with their feet firmly planted in cement. Now it’s been confirmed that they are using Maemo instead.
So Why All of A Sudden the Change of Heart?
With the slated release of the N900 set for later this month, we are sure to soon to find out. Apparently, early reviews are stating that this phone is more than just a Smartphone; it should be in a class all by itself, considering that it isn’t a tablet either. Nokia is saying that it will “…bridge the gap between Smartphone and desktop PC.”
The Verdict
But for all you Symbian freaks out there, don’t be too alarmed. While some people think Symbian is dead, it is still going strong. It is true that it took a bit hit when Nokia dropped them with the release of their new Smartphone, but just look at where it’s still alive and well. Sony Ericsson and Samsung are still running the OS, and many Nokia Smartphones are still using it. So Symbian, although sliding a bit, will be around for a long time to come.
For more great opinionated articles, visit the Youserblog.com
Does Anyone Really Need A Digital Camera Anymore?
Oct 8th
The SmartPhone with a built in camera. Why All the Hype?
With all of the smartphones (and now even most regular “dumb” phones) on the market with camera capabilities, it begs a question that must be asked. Who needs digital cameras anymore? The technology that these phones’ cameras possess seem to be, in most cases, just as good and in some cases, better than some digital cameras. Take the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber Shot phone. It has 8.1 mega-pixels, Xenon flash capabilities, 2.4″ view finder that is larger than some digital camera’s viewfinders, and the usual features you would find on any camera. Auto focus, face detection, and image stabilization. And it is a fully featured smartphone at that. These are all the same features you can find on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150 Digital camera.
So What Does A Digital Camera Have That The SmartPhone Camera Doesn’t?
Well, a “real” digital camera does come with some features that professional photographers would need that do not come on the camera phones. For example, on Sony’s Cyber Shot mentioned above, it has a 5x optical zoom lens, Smile shutter technology and Sony’s exclusive Double Anti-Blur solution. And with the intelligent Scene Mode it can adjust the settings automatically depending on the environment you happen to be in. All of these are things that a prefessional would need that technology just hasn’t gotten around to integrating into a smatpahone camera just yet.
The Overall Verdict
If you are an amateur who loves to take photos, or a professional on the fly and just need a quick shot, a smartphone with built in digital camera is a definite must have. But if you are a professional who requires a little more than the quick snapshot, you still NEED a digital camera.
For more great articles, visit the main page @:Youserblog.com
Android everywhere: Beta for the mass market
Oct 2nd
Android Android Android. Every company now has to produce smartphones with Android. Of course this is understandable: Since the iPhone came to the market, everyone is now desparately trying to bring their ow version of something touchscreen. And what would be better than an open OS that looks at least a bit like what Apple does? Right now every major manufacturer except Nokia brings out several Android phones, no matter if Samsung, HTC or LG, even Sony Ericsson might one sunny day announce their Xperia Rachael. But is Android really a competitor? I would say no.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X2: First impressions
Sep 4th
Yeah: we got a Xperia X2 for about one hour, then we had to return it. So to share my first impressions and took my video camera to show you at least the body and the panels. Too bad I did not pick the other version, that one not not crash when arranging the panels. That is whats really cool: You can arrange the panels in a timeline, so having cnn in the morning, facebook in the evening and business at daytime. Nice idea.
Review of the Sony Ericsson Aino – on youtube
Aug 5th
Here we go, next round, hours of waiting for iMovie to encode the video and horrible upload speeds are behind us, and our next phone review is online. Its about the Sony Ericsson Aino, the new half-touchscreen-half-keypad media phone. We have also uploaded some pictures taken with the internal camera, have a look at them on our Flickr account.
