Motorola Razr XT910 – review

Motorola’s Razr XT910 is one of the thinnest phones on the market

Motorola owes its survival in recent times to two phones – the Razr and the Droid. Perhaps Motorola was hoping to sprinkle magic dust on its latest high-end offering by naming the version launched on Verizon’s network in the US as the Droid Razr.

Released in 2004, at a time when Motorola’s market share was flagging against Nokia and cooler brands from the far East, the first Razr’s ultra slimness appealed, and it went on to shift 130m units, becoming the world’s best selling flip-open phone.

The Droid came along in 2008, when Motorola was again in the doldrums, pushed out of the limelight this time by the iPhone. Chief executive Sanjay Jha bet the company’s future on Android, the mobile operating system owned by Google. His first Android model, the Droid, was launched with Verizon and had a slide-out keypad akin to a palmtop computer; it proved popular in the US and went on to sell more units in its first few months than the iPhone.

Otherwise known as the XT910, the latest Razr resembles its predecessors in more than name. It is one of the thinnest phones on the market, the main body just 7.1mm thick, although it widens at the top end. And, of course, it runs on Android.

It also shares a certain 1980s-Terminator-cyborg aesthetic with the Droid. The military sci-fi references, appealing to Android’s techie fanbase, are clearly intended. The reverse of the case is coated in a fabric woven from Kevlar, the synthetic material used in bullet proof vests.

With a stainless steel frame, Motorola claims the case is strong enough to pass the famous “back pocket test”. Sadly, the Razr fails the single-hand test. A great slab of a machine, measuring roughly 13x7cm, it does not balance well in the palm, and only feels safe with one set of digits holding the case while the other hand types.

On the plus side, it has one of the fastest brains on the market combined with a very high resolution screen. With a 4.3in display and 960×540 pixels, the picture quality is superb and the 1.2GHz dual core processor ensures fast browsing. It has 16GB of inbuilt memory, and comes with an added 16GB on a microSD card.

The Razr is able to take corporate email feeds, synchronise with work calendars and contact lists, and keep the information secure with passwords. Microsoft Word documents can be read and edited from the phone.

The Android navigation is among the best I have used. Search for a street name, and after typing in the first few letters matching streets nearest your current location immediately appear. Click once to land on the map, and once more to see your current location flash on screen, with an arrow corresponding to the direction your phone is pointed in.

With these generous features, the Razr deserves its high end positioning as an alternative to the iPhone or Samsung’s latest Galaxy. But there are annoyances. The interface is busy and confusing, with apps and alerts scattered across five home screens.

The battery only lasts a day, although that is now standard for most high specification smartphones.

A universal inbox notifies the user of all new voicemails, text messages or instant messages from Facebook and the like, but this does not appear on the lock screen. Which means the handset must be unlocked before the user knows if anyone has tried to contact them.

And, when replying to a text message from the universal inbox, the send button seems to disappear. Countless messages laboriously typed had to be discarded, and retyped after I had exited the inbox and opened the separate text message box.

In aiming high with the latest Razr, Motorola has overlooked some important basics.

Pros: fast processing, high resolution screen, office compatible
Cons: hard to hold and dial with one hand, fiddly text messaging
Motorola.com

Features

8 megapixel camera.
7.1mm thick
4.3in display
960×540 pixel screen resolution
Runs on Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread
127g weight
1GB of RAM
16GB of inbuilt storage
16GB of storage on a microSD card
1.2GHz dual core processor

Android at Mobile World Congress 2012

What is Business Intelligence (BI)?

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence, or BI for short, is an umbrella term that refers to competencies, processes, technologies, applications and practices used to support evidence-based decision making in organisations. In the widest sense it can be defined as a collection of approaches for gathering, storing, analysing and providing access to data that helps users to gain insights and make better fact-based business decisions.

What is BI used for?

Organisations use Business Intelligence to gain data-driven insights on anything related to business performance. It is used to understand and improve performance and to cut costs and identify new business opportunities, this can include, among many other things:

• Analysing customer behaviours, buying patterns and sales trends.
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• Budgeting and financial planning and forecasting
• Tracking the performance of marketing campaigns
• Optimising processes and operational performance
• Improving delivery and supply chain effectiveness
• Web and e-commerce analytics
• Customer relationship management
• Risk analysis
• Strategic value driver analysis

read more…

Nokia 808 PureView – The next breakthrough in Photography

Pure Quality with Pure View

 

It’s time to think differently about photography. Say hello to perfect photos ready to share or print. Nokia PureView imaging technology turns the world of photography upside down. It takes every bit of image goodness captured by a 41 MP sensor and Carl Zeiss lens and turns it into beautifully detailed 5 MP photos and Full HD videos. Be ready to shoot in a second, even in low light, and share instantly with friends – all from a rather clever smartphone.

Apple’s iPad 3 anticipation mounts

Apple isn’t the first tech company to be worth $500bn – Microsoft, Intel, Cisco and GE passed that mark during the dotcom boom of 2000 – although none are near that now

Apple is expected to launch a new version of the iPad next week, with events scheduled in San Francisco and Kings Place, London. Photograph: AP

Apple is not the first company to be worth more than $500bn (£315bn) but with its equity value passing that landmark on Tuesday, it is currently the only business in the world priced that highly.

During the dotcom boom in 2000 Microsoft, Intel, Cisco and GE passed that level, with Exxon Mobil reaching $500bn in 2009. None of them are near that level now, and Apple is worth $90bn more than the oil company.

As the anticipation mounts for next week’s product launch – expected to be the latest incarnation of the iPad – the company’s stock, in all senses of the word, has never been higher. It is not just the technology that is causing the excitement among investors. Apple has $100bn of cash on the balance sheet and analysts are hoping the company will use some of that stockpile to pay out a dividend.

It is not all plain sailing however. A Chinese court is hearing Apple’s appeal of a ruling against its right to use the iPad trademark in China. It is in dispute with Proview Electronics, which it says sold it the rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries, including China, in 2009.

To put Apple’s value into perspective, only 20 countries in the world have a gross domestic product worth more than $500bn. In the UK the largest company in the FTSE 100 by value is Anglo-Dutch oil company Royal Dutch Shell, which is worth just under £150bn. So while Apple has seen off the US oil giants, Britain’s technology businesses have yet to achieve the same feat.

BARC’s BI Survey 10—QlikView Highlights

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ZTE Era hands-on

ZTE is making a splash at Mobile World Congress thanks to a wide collection of smartphones – most of which have been announced in name only. One exception is the new Era, the Chinese OEM’s highest-end smartphone due out some time in the next few months. We made a point of seeking out the Era for its take on the quad-core smartphone, since everyone and their parent company seems t have on to show off. Like most of its contemporaries, the ZTE Era uses Nvidia’s Tegra 3 processor in its new 4-Plus-1 incarnation.

We won’t mince words here: the ergonomics of the Era are fabulous, easily meeting or beating any new phone at the show. The curved back definetely has a lot in common with HTC’s new One series – a bit of convergent gadget evolution. A segmented desihn is capped at the top and bottom of the phone with plastic inserts for access to the  the SIM card and to allow space for wireless signals to carry. The best way to describe it is a sort of flattened bone shape, and it feels great.

The specifications are impressive, but considering the other phones here at the show, they don’t wow us like they might have a few months ago. The screen is a 4.3-inch TFT qHD panel, not the best that we’ve seen, but as much as you need for the size. Android 4.0 seems to have been left alone for the most part, though the standard four Android buttons seem to indicate that this model was running Gingerbread at some point. An 8MP rear shooter compliments DLNA, HDMI-out via an MHL adapter and Dolby sound for some serious media chops.

ZTE says that the Era will be released in HSPA+ form some time in the second quarter. While there’s no word on where it’ll land first or with what carrier, the combination of high-grade components and ergonomics with ZTE’s budget reputation should make it an attractive option for carriers and consumers. For more coverage (including the ZTE Mimosa X) check our Mobile World Congress portal.

Panasonic ELUGA Power hands-on

Panasonic has been largely silent on the smartphone front for the last few years, at least outside of Japan. That changes at Mobile World Congress, where they’re showing off the Eluga smartphone – not to mention its bigger brother, the ELUGA Power. This model differs from its smaller version with a full 5-inch screen, putting it squarely in “phablet” territory. If Panasonic wants to make a splash with the new hardware, that’s certainly a way to get people’s attention.

The screen is a full 1280×720 panel, an improvement upon the 4.3-inch qHD screen on the regular Eluga. Despite the larger size, the phone is still relatively slim at 9.6mm. Inside it gets the same 1.5Ghz dual-core Snapdragon, and based on what we saw, the performance is impressive if not outstanding. Like most of the new phones here at MWC, it’s running Ice Cream Sandwich, and may need a little more time in the oven as far as software is concerned. They’ve got some time to work on it – neither phone is set to land in Europe for a few months at least.

As far as styling goes, the Eluga is a little bland. Not awful, just understated in a way that’s likely to get it overlooked next to more ergonomic competition. When comparing it with other large-screen phones like the Galaxy Note and Optimus Vu, it’s definitely a little behind the times – though in both cases, it’s got the advantage of mostly stock Ice Cream Sandwich. Currently, Panasonic has shown no intention of releasing the phone outside of Europe.

For a look at the standard Eluga taking a dunk (to show off its water-resistant capabilities) check out SlashGear’s write-up. And make sure to keep an eye on the Mobile World Congress portal this week for more breaking news.

          

ASUS PadFone ‘Expand Your World’

Sometimes it’s hard to realize a good idea until you’ve seen it in action. And to be honest, I was a bit skeptical of the ‘two devices, one data plan’ idea for some time. But the ASUS PadFone seems flawless; well, it does in their advertisement so I guess there’s some bias there. Either way, be sure to check out 1:38 in the video clip when they show how the included stylus doubles as a bluetooth headset!

It’s a rather long commercial showing much of the same when it comes to actually using your device. But what they try to convey is how one device can now serve all your needs throughout the day. The PadFone apart from the tablet attachment has a 1500mAh battery, so it’s not the most impressive in that department; but when slipped into the tablet the battery life boosts up to 5X.

 

 

 

There’s one aspect of tablets that we don’t necessarily “need”; they don’t have to be thin. After all, that’s what many liked about the Sony Tablet S, it was easy to hold because of the included lip along to the top edge. If it performs as well as it does in the advertisement, then hopefully we will see more manufacturers take this ‘all-in-one’ approach with their devices. Also, be sure to check out our hands-on with the PadFone from today in MWC!

ViewSonic made a big impact with ViewPhone 4s Hands-on

ViewSonic is making a surprisingly big showing at Mobile World Congress. Up to now they haven’t made much of an impact on Android, especially on the smartphone side of things. They aim to fix that with a trio of new smartphones, one of which is the rather temptingly titled ViewPhone 4S. As you might have guessed, it’s got more in common with a certain Cupertino phone than a similar name. We took a gander at ViewSonic’s MWC booth to see if it could match the goose.

The ViewPhone 4S’ screen is just 3.5 inches, but it crams in a massive 960×650 pixels – the exact dimension and resolution of the iPhone 4 and 4S. But that’s where the similarity ends – this one’s all Android, with ViewSonic’s customized customized interface (provided by SPB Shell 3D) running over Ice Cream Sandwich. The phone uses a unique two-tone layered case that’s surprisingly light, though can feel a little cheap if you’re not feeling generous. The 4S is powered by a 1Ghz single-core processor and has a 5 megapixel rear camera.

Of course, one of the primary features is a dual-SIM design, allowing the ViewPhone 4S to operate with two phone numbers and/or data connections. This is particularly useful in underdeveloped areas where coverage from single carriers is spotty. Most dual-SIM smartphones are low-cost variants of existing phones, but ViewSonic seems to be targeting the market directly with unique and relatively high-end hardware. We’ll see if that helps them gain a foothold in the market.

The ViewPhone S, along with its hardware cousins, is set for release in a vague “soon” timeframe in Europe. We’ll see if they can get the phone out before Apple sics the lawyers on them. Make sure and check the MWC 2012 portal for more hands-on looks at new phones and tablets.