From the category archives:

Mobile Phone & Smartphone Reviews

Reviews: SPOT 2 Satellite GPS Messenger and Inmarsat iSatphone Pro

Mobile phone coverage spots in remote areas like Western Australia’s Kimberley region are few and far between for Telstra NextG customers, and mostly non-existent for Optus and Vodafone. So the only way you can regularly make contact with family, friends and work colleagues is to use satellite-based communication systems. As luck would have it the [...]

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Jabra Stone 2 Bluetooth Headset (Review)

Bluetooth earpieces come in many shapes, sizes and colours, most of which leave you looking like a lame call-centre operative who has wandered into the street to carry on a conversation. In this respect the Jabra Stone 2 really stands out. With its unique shape and charging mechanism, it’s the first of its kind that [...]

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Mobile Communication Off The Beaten Track for Rural Australians and Travellers

The falling cost of satellite phones and GPS tracker devices is making it easier for travellers to places off the beaten track to call, SMS, tweet and facebook their friends and family about their trip as well as contacting emergency services if they get into trouble. However this raises a troubling question. If the purpose [...]

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Android Attack: History of Google Powered Smartphones and Tablets (GEARE #63)

We always knew it would be quick when the Androids landed. Google’s operating system for mobile devices was officially launched just over 3 years ago, but is already outselling all others in some markets thanks to a variety of manufacturers, prices and implementations. Are these the droids we are looking for… I write short articles [...]

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HTC Desire Z Telstra NEXTG Compatible QWERTY Keyboard Android Phone (Mobicity Review)

The NEXTG Compatible HTC Desire Z sold by importers Mobicity.com.au is the only real choice for Australians who want a modern Android Phone with a QWERTY slideout Keyboard that is fully compatible with the Telstra mobile network. I’ve been testing it on loan from Mobicity for several weeks and apart from being a bit heavier [...]

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2011 Year of the Tablet-iPad, Android, Blackberry, Mobile Apps and Connectivity – Business Spectator Webinar

I was recently a guest expert for a Business Spectator webinar about 2011 possibly being the Year of the Tablet: discussing hardware like the iPad, Google Android, Blackberry as well as Mobile Apps and Connectivity … all in the context of how Australian organisations and their employees can use these to be more effective and [...]

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Personalise iPhones Laptops Gadgets with SmirkAbout Skins (Review)

Gadgets like iPhones, Laptops, ebook readers etc tend to be grey, black or white in colour which is not visually appealing and means it can be easy to mix them up if you have the same gadgets as friends or family members. That’s why I use SmirkAbout skins on my HTC Desire phone, Lenovo laptop [...]

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Initial Android Tablets Not Using Tablet Optimised Android Software

A wave of Android tablets will hit Australia in late 2010/early 2011 but many buyers are unaware that these initial Android tablets are jumping the gun using 2.1 Eclair or 2.2 Froyo Android versions which are meant for phones not tablets. Frustrated by the success of the Apple iPad, rival manufacturers seem to have decided [...]

11 comments

LG Optimus One Android Smartphone $309 Outright Optus with GPS Kit

LG launched Optimus One Android 2.2 smartphone in Australia for $349 RRP outright through Optus stores with a great value for money GPS Kit bundle including NDrive GPS application using Navteq maps, windshield mount and a car charger cable (extra value worth around $99). You can get it from Optus online for $309 or Virgin [...]

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Get Smart Phone: (Control) Apple iPhone vs (KAOS) Google Android

I review a lot of mobile and smartphones and one of the common questions is which is better: Apple’s iPhone or one of the Google Android phones. The cult classic TV series “Get Smart” featured a constant fight between the agents of Control and KAOS and I’m going to use this metaphor to describe the [...]

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Samsung Wave S8500 Review: Great Budget Phone or Basic Smartphone

I tested the new Samsung Wave mobile phone for 3 weeks. It feels like a premium phone thanks to the well designed mostly metal case, great screen and multimedia features and yet it is available for an amazing price of $469 outright from online retailer Mobicity or relatively low cost Vodafone cap plans from $29+. [...]

7 comments

HTC Desire Tips To Enable Extra Features and Video Review

I recently bought a Telstra NEXTG compatible HTC Desire Android smartphone and did a video review of it for online retailer Mobicity. Since I’ve tested a lot of Android phones as a journalist I know how to tweak them to add extra features which aren’t enabled out of the box. I’ve listed the best tweaks [...]

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Introduction to RIM Blackberry Mobile Phones: Pros and Cons

Business people who send and receive lots of emails prefer Research in Motion (RIM) Blackberry phones. I stated this in my Ignite Sydney 2 talk about the Evolution of Mobile Phones in early 2009 and most people would agree with my statement – but will it be the case in the future? Blackberry’s benefits are [...]

10 comments

Google Nexus One Android Mobile SmartPhone (Review with Root Instructions)

GUEST ARTICLE: After all the end of year hype Google confirmed that they had commissioned HTC to manufacture an Android smartphone which they had a fair amount of say in the specifications of at a press launch on January 5th 2010 This Nexus One handset is not “Google” hardware but Google influenced HTC hardware and [...]

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Acer Liquid A1 Android Mobile Phone (Review)

EXCLUSIVE FIRST AUSTRALIAN REVIEW: I’ve just tested the Acer Liquid A1 Android smartphone and am really surprised that Acer hasn’t officially released it in Australia yet because for the price (currently $519 at importers Mobicity) it’s the best value Android phone sold in Australia with a big 480x800px WVGA capacitive touchscreen (2.5 times iPhone resolution), [...]

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