Thanks for everyone’s entry into the contest. Here are the winners

Danny Dy

Jailbreaker909

PC4Free

Christopher Kay

Thanks entering the contest

V-JAYS are super light portable headphones made by a Swedish company called JAYS. Who specialize in make light comfortable headphones with superior sound quality

The design of the V-JAYS is simple and to the point. with collapsible head pieces for easier portability and a slight tilt with each ear piece to give better placement on the ear.

Where the V-JAYS truly excel is the sound quality. I must admit at first glance on receiving the V-JAYS headphones. I seriously doubted the sound quality but. Once i put them on; it really felt like jumping into another world of audio bliss. Its hard to describe and more of an experience and a good on at it too. The rich bass produced by the headphones are outstanding and inconceivable each time you take a step back and look at the headphones

Be it an MP3 player or a cellphone the V-JAYS work perfectly to a cue. Now wonder after listen with the V-JAYS and then checking out their site. The first thing I read is “Don’t be deceived by the sleek, lightweight and portable design of v-JAYS. Because, while tweaking the speakers for the v-JAYS we realized we were about to unleash a monster. These are the hardest hitting pair of headphones you’ll have ever heard.” I will end it with that saying. the V-JAYS are of tremendous quality and worthy picking up if you are looking for simple yet wonderful sounding on ear headphones.

V-JAYS Website

TECH SPECS

Driver

Type
40 mm Dynamic Speaker, Open

Sensitivity
98 dB SPL @ 1 kHz

Impedance
24 Ohm @ 1 kHz

Frequency Response
25 Hz – 20 000 Hz

Headphones

Weight
59 grams (2.08 oz)

Cord

Type
TPE coated copper wire

Length
60 cm (23.5 in)

Diameter
3 mm / 2 mm (0.112/0.079 in)

Plug
Straight, Gold-Plated Stereo Mini-Plug 3.5 mm (1/8 in)

Extension Cord
70 cm (27.5 in)

We have talk in-depth about the need for HULU to move to a tangible subscription model, and its finally here with Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus will be available soon and currently under invite only status for $9.99 per month and will give you access to every episode of current TV shows from ABC, NBC, Fox and access to past library of over 2,000 episodes from classic TV shows of the past. You will also get shows in HD if available in 720p.

You will also be able to Hulu Plus on the road with with an Apple, iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.  Samsung, Sony and Vizio Tvs and Blu-Ray players will support it and now gaming console are getting in the mix with support for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 coming as well.

Thunder E here live. Blogging from the Samsung Galaxy S release event in NYC will update with pics and more

Mr.. Shin on stage

Galaxy S Phones

Captivate

Epic 4g

Vibrant

Fascinate

On AT&T,sprint, T-Mobile Verizon respectively on all four major us networks

Samsung worked hard with carrier partners to get the phone out for later this year

Now more Pr talk about the device

Ok talk on super AMOLED

Contrast ratio of 50000:1. Better than most TVs. Better color reduction. Design creates less refraction. Response time is 100th of a millsec. Avoid ghost images.

More benefits of Super AMOLED, multitouch, pinch to zoom,

Hummingbird cortex A8 1ghz processor

In built GPU.

720p recording @30fps

Galaxy S marriages great hardware software and content.
AKA the most engaging Android Software. Running Android 2.1 with a Froyo update coming

Samsung Android app
Social Hub. Combination of all your social networks in on group.

Buddies now, creates a carousel of the people and thing most important to you

Gaming
Will be awesome, accelerometer, magnetic displacement. Providing six axis gaming feel

Media hub
Media distribution service. For movies games and music

B.O.B was the musical guest at the event

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The HTC EVO is the first Android device that is 4G ready and available on the Sprint network via manufacturer HTC. The EVO packed with a 1ghz snapdragon processor ( similar to recent HTC Android smartphones),4.3 inch touchscreen an 8mp camera with 720p video recording, 1.5mp front facing camera for video calls 8GB of internal storage, HDMI out port; all running Android 2.1. Lets take a look at how well HTC EVO Stacks up.

Hardware

The HTC EVO is a lovely looking device, granted it looks a little larger. The device feels comfortable in the hands and is well weighted. The addition of a kickstand also adds a different flare to the device, with 4G that allows for better mobile streaming and Video conferencing. The kickstand gives a HTC EVO a more natural fit for its function.

***VIDEO REVIEW***

Fring Test CAll

There is no native Android or HTC app for video calling. Fing is an app which you can download from the Android marketplace that does exactly that. The app support various video calling programs like yahoo messenger, live messenger, AOL, Skype and a few others. Simple add which of the services you use be it Skype, yahoo or AOL and you are good to go. You can video conference on 4g, 3g and Wifi with Fring.

Pictures from 8MP camera

Indoors

Outdoors

In conclusion the HTC EVO is a top class Android smartphone, that rivals any other smartphone on the market. With a lovely large 4.3 touch screen, HDMI out, a solid 8mp camera and 720p video recording. There really isn’t much to ask for except for say better battery performance with is the one major draw back. This maybe be resolved with an upgrade to Froyo. I can’t wait for the expansion of sprints 4G service which I couldn’t test( no 4G in Boston yet. Cmon Sprint) In all the HTC EVO is the cream of the crop and I dare say the Smartphone put there that everyone should aim to beat.

EVO SPECS

• Network
  • Type
    • CDMA dual band (1900/800 MHz)
  • Data
  • 1xEV-DO rev.A
  • 3G Capable
    • Yes
• Size
  • Dimensions
    • 4.80 x 2.60 x 0.50 inches (122 x 66 x 13 mm)Size Compare
  • Weight
  • 6.00 oz (170 g)
• Battery
  • Type
    • Li – Ion, 1500 mAh
• Main Display
  • Resolution
    • 480 x 800 pixels
  • Type
    • 65 536 colors, TFT
  • Physical Size
    • 4.30 inches
  • Touch Screen
    • Capacitive
• Camera
  • Resolution
  • 8 megapixels Resolution
  • Video
    • 1280×720 (720p HD)
  • Features
    • Flash: Dual LED; Auto focus, Digital zoom
• Multimedia
  • Video Playback
    • MPEG4, H.263, H.264
  • Music Player
    • MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, AMR, MIDI
  • FM Radio
    • FM
• Memory
  • Memory Slot
    • microSD/microSDHC
• Software
  • Smartphone
    • Android 2.1
  • Processor
    • Snapdragon, 1000 MHz
  • Memory
    • 512 MB RAM / 1024 MB ROM
• Input
  • Predictive Text Input
    • Yes
• Connectivity
  • Internet
    • HTML
  • USB
    • microUSB
  • WiFi
    • Yes
  • Bluetooth
    • 2.1, Stereo Bluetooth
  • Headphones connector
    • 3.5mm
• Other Features
  • PhoneBook
    • Capacity depends on system memory; Ring ID, Picture ID, Search by both first and last name, Multiple numbers per contact, Caller groups
  • PIM
    • Alarm, Calendar, To-Do / Tasks, Calculator, World Clock, Notes
  • Voice
    • Dialing, Commands, Recording, Speaker Phone
  • Email
    • Yes
  • GPS
    • A-GPS

The Samsung Omnia II is a striking mobile device for the Verizon network by Samsung. Running Windows Mobile 6.5 at its core. This 3.7  AMLOED resistive touch screen smartphone comes packed with a 5 megapixel camera with flash, built in wifi , DLNA support, 8GB internal memory ( Expandable with microSD), aGPS.

HARDWARE

The Samsung Omina II is a well designed device with smooth and rounded edges.TH AMOLED screen is absolute gorgeous to look at and easy on the eyes, the resistive touchscreen is very responsive and possibly one of the best resistive touchscreens on the market. Omina II feels light in the hands with a soft comfortable grip. All around the Omina II is a sold and sleek piece of hardware.

***VIDEO REVIEW***

CAMERA & Pictures

As we have since with the Samsung Intrepid, the Omina II has a simple but effective camera software that is easy to use.  With various photo options. Also the video recording capabilities of the phone do a decent job and records at 720/480. You can find a sample recording within the full video review.

Notable mention( Bing Apps Beta)

As we know most smartphone either have GPS or some sort of map and navigation with it.  A cool app, which can be downloaded of the Windows marketplace is the Bing Beta app. Which gives you full turn-by turn GPS functionality while combing the full benefits of Bing search into the application. Here is a detailed look at the app running on the Samsung Omina II.

Conclusion

The Smasung Omina II is a very solid smartphone, though the OS feels a little sluggish( slight negative). It performs very well. What I do like about the device is how it feels less like a windows mobile phone and more like a smartphone. Samsung did an excellent job here in ensuring the device ran and felt smooth. With no hiccups or issue during our testing. The software interface felt smooth, the response of the resistive touchscreen to finger use was excellent and the AMOLED screen is the icing on the cake that allows for easier viewing. In all the Omina II is a solid smartphone and a great windows mobile 6.5 phone.

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FULL SPECS

Network

Phone Network
3G, EDGE, GPRS, HSDPA (3G), HSUPA, UMTS (3G)

Service
850, 900, 1800, 1900

Connectivity

Bluetooth
v2.0

Infrared
No

Wi-Fi (WLAN)
Yes

USB
Yes2.0, miniUSB

Fax / Data
Yes

Display

Main display
Colour AMOLED Touchscreen

Color display
65000 colors

Dimensions
3.7 in.

Resolution
480 x 800 pixels

External display
No

Memory

Internal memory
2GB/8GB/16GB

External memory
32GB

Memory slots
Yes

Storage types
MicroSD, MicroSDHC

Basic

Battery
Standard battery Li-Ion 1500 mAh

Standby time
430 hours

Talk time
10 hours

Calling

Vibrate alert
Yes

Photo ID
Yes

Ringtones
MP3

Camera

Camera
Yes

Megapixels
8.1 megapixels

Maximum photo resolution
Unknown pixels

Digital zoom
Yesx

Optical zoom
No

Auto focus
Yes

Flash
Yes

Recording video
Yes

Second (front) camera
No

Messaging

SMS
Yes

MMS
Yes

T9 text function
Yes

E-mail
Yes

Internet browsing
Yes

Entertainment

FM radio
Yes

Java
Yes

Audio player
AAC, MP3, WMA

Video player
DivX, H263, H264, MPEG4, WMV9, xVID

Features

Add ringtones
No

Organiser
Alarm, Calendar, Calculator, To-do list

Video call
No

Other features
OS: Windows Mobile, 3.5 mm jack, aGPS, Camera: Face Detection / Smile Shot / Mobile Blogging / Geo Tagging / Photo Editor

Format

Weight
4.3 oz.

Dimensions (H x W x D)
4.6×2.4×0.5 in.

The Gefen USB to DVI HD Adapter is a very simple and effective device. Which allows you to connect you laptop or computer to an external monitor or HD TV simple via your USB port to either DVI, VGA or HDMI.

The package contents include a mini USB to USB cable, installation CD and two connector heads for DVI to HDMI & DVI to VGA. The Gefen adapter is a small rectangular shaped device that easily fits in the palm of your hand. it has a dvi out port on on end and a mini USB port on another.  A thing I like with the Gefen device is the setup process is very easy and akin to literally being a plug and play device

Install the the contents of the CD connect the device via USB to computer or laptop and the connect it to you TV or monitor via DVI, HDMI or VGA and you are good to go. Windows will recognize that a monitor is connected and you are set to use you monitor or TV.

***VIDEO REVIEW***

Conclusion

I really like the ease of use of the Gefen USB to DVI HD Adapter, its easy setup and driver compatibility make it a very handy device.  The availability to also switch out sources from DVI to HDMI is a plus. On the down size though the device is small, I would like to  see it even small to allow easier use around office desk sets and TVs. In all the Gefen USB to DVI HD Adapter to a solid device that does what it should with the greatest of easSpecs

Specs

Features:

• Supports DVI-D by default , but also DVI-A, VGA, and HDMI using adapters
• Supports additional displays, in extended desktop mode
• Supports up to 6 additional displays to work simultaneously
• Hot-Plugging ability to add or remove displays without a requirement for a system reboot
• Supports Windows 7, Mac OS X, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2, and Windows Vista
• Supports Resume from hibernation or suspend modes
• Resolutions Supported: 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1280×960, 1360×768, 1366×768, 1368×768, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 2048×1080, 2048×1152
• USB bus powered

Specifications:

• Host Interface: USB 2.0 (type Mini USB)
• Built-in RAM: 8M x 16 DDR Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
• Supported Modes: Extended (default), Mirrored, Primary Display
• Supported Colors: 16 Bit and 32 Bit
• Dimensions: 3.4″ W x 0.7″ H x 2.3″ D
• Shipping weight: 1lb

The Samsung intrepid is a full qwerty keyboard windows mobile 6.5 smartphone offered on the sprint network through Samsung. The first thing you notice about this phone is how fast and responsive it is; armed with a 2.5 resistive touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, wifi, bluetooth, 3G. We put the Intrepid through its paces and see how it fairs in our review.

HARDWARE

The Intrepid has a very simple finish with smooth rounded edges and a very distinct look, with a light an comfortable feel. That leans towards a power user, with a clear business approach. The qwerty keyboard feels very nice  though the raised angular nature of the keys take some adjustments. The 2.5 resistive touch screen is very very responsive and the need for a stylus is almost none existent here./ I applaud Samsung for making good use of the screen. In all the hardware is solid and straight to the point.

***VIDEO REVIEW***

SOFTWARE

So how does Windows mobile 6.5 fare on the Intrepid. Answers is very well. The Os runs smoothly with little to no experience of hiccup or slow downs.  Also the addition of numerous preinstalled apps were a plus, i.e sprint TV, Tellme to name a few, provides the user with a good feel of how to use the device and show of what it has to offer.  Samsung did a very good job of making windows mobile less cumbersome and more straight forward; which in turn provided a rich experience with device.

CAMERA & PICS

The camera software was easy to use and the setting where very user friendly. Pictures from the device to look sharp and crisp, but  do not video recording is not one of the cameras strong suits. Here are some sample Pictures from the Samsung Intrepid.

Indoors

Outdoors

Panoramic

Conclusion

The Samsung Intrepid is a solid business class windows mobile phone, its simplistic approach allows for easy access to the user. Combined with a solid keyboard and very responsive touchscreen make for a great windows mobile user experience. On the down side, the poor quality of the video camera is to be noted as the camera is suited for taking pictures. In all the Samsung Intrepid is a very solid windows mobile phone,though the device is geared towards power user; its simplistic and efficient approach will attract other users.  Samsung’s use of Windows mobile 6.5 is impressive to say the least and clearly shows the relevance of windows mobile in the smartphone arena.

Samsung Intrepid Specs

• Network
  • Type
    • GSM Quad-band phone capable of global roaming (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
      CDMA dual band (1900/800 MHz)
      UMTS European/Asian 3G (2100 MHz)
  • Data

    • EDGE/UMTS/1xEV-DO rev.A
  • 3G Capable
    • Yes
• Size
  • Dimensions

    • 4.88 x 2.44 x 0.53 inches (124 x 62 x 13 mm) Size Compare
  • Weight 3.20 oz (91 g)
• Battery
  • Type
    • Li – Ion, 1480 mAh
  • Talk
    • 6 hours (360 mins) of Talk time
• Main Display
  • Resolution
    • 320 x 240 pixels
  • Type
    • 65 536 colors, TFT
  • Physical Size
    • 2.55 inches
  • Touch Screen
    • Resistive
• Camera
  • Resolution
    • 3 megapixels Resolution
  • Features
    • Digital zoom
• Multimedia
  • Video Playback
    • MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV
  • Music Player
    • MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA, MIDI
• Memory
  • Memory Slot
    • microSD/microSDHC
• Software
  • Smartphone
    • Windows Mobile Professional 6.5
  • Processor
    • 528 MHz
  • Memory
    • 256 MB RAM / 512 MB ROM
• Input
  • Predictive Text Input
    • Yes
  • Keyboard
    • Full keyboard (QWERTY)
• Connectivity
  • Internet
    • Internet Explorer Mobile
  • USB
    • microUSB
  • WiFi
    • 802.11b/802.11g
  • Bluetooth
    • 2.0, Stereo Bluetooth
  • Headphones connector
    • 3.5mm
• Other Features
  • PhoneBook
    • Capacity depends on system memory; Ring ID, Picture ID, Multiple numbers per contact
  • PIM
    • Alarm, Calendar, To-Do / Tasks, Calculator, World Clock, Stopwatch, Notes, Converter
  • Voice
    • Dialing, Commands, Recording, Speaker Phone
  • Email
    • IMAP/POP3/SMTP
  • GPS
    • GPS

Seriously!!! Jaywalking!

Nintendo 3DS was just announced. Comes with a 3D camera to take 3D pics. an analog stick , 3D slide depth meter. Has a gyro, WiFI, motion sensor. Compatible with DS1 games

Will have a list of third party game support like Madden, Ninja Gaiden, Resident Evil, a Batman title, Splinter Cell, and, finally, a Metal Gear Solid entry.

Nintendo is also talking about how the system will seek out WiFi hotspots or other 3DS systems “without you knowing,” which sounds a bit ominous, to be honest. Systems can communicate regardless of which games are being played. It can even pull in new DLC   directly from other consoles, all without a monthly fee.

The Droid Incredible is the newest smartphone from the Droid line of Android phones on Verizon wireless. First thing you will note about this phone is its very slick nature. the hardware build is solid with the smooth rounded edges and uniquely designed back for excellent grip.  The Phone has very few physical buttons  and comes with a nice 8MP camera and 8GB of internal storage(expandable with MicroSD)

***Video Review***

Software

The Droid Incredible runs Android 2.1 with HTC’s sense UI overlaid. With its 3.7″ WVGA OLED capacitive display, runs very smoothly and the integration of HTC’s sense UI is seamless and effective showing off the device well. Other than that is pretty much Android 2.1. Through a froyo update should be expected in the near future.

Camera

The 8MP camera with its dual flash take some very crisp and clear pictures, HTC on camera is used here and it is a step above the stock Android camera software. You can also shoot video with the camera. Which does produce decent video quality. Video clips from the camera are included in the video review.

*Indoor Camera Pics*

*Outdoor Camera Pics*

Conclusion

The Verizon Droid Incredible is another very very solid Android smartphone offerings and probably the best android phone on the network. Its fast smooth and light on the hands. Solid 8Mp camera for taking pictures and decent video. But slight down side it the battery life. IN all the Droid incredible truly does live up to its name and is an Incredible device.

Droid Incredible Specs

The Kodak PlaySport can easily be considered just another Handy HD Cam. But Kodak Has done a something different here in making the PlaySport a different kind of HD Cam. Our first glimpse of the device was at CES 2010 were Kodak displayed the PlaySport in a fish bowl.

HARDWARE

Simply put the device is rugged and I love it, the PlaySport is one of the few handy cams that I would glad keep in my pocket any day of the week. It feels solid in the hands.  What makes the PlaySport stand out is its waterproof design. Now Kodak claims 3M or 10 feet, granted we didn’t test it that deep but we where able to get it into a pull and I must say the PlaySport handled it like a champ,; with no water damage to the SD card or Battery and it too several dives in the pool with our test

VIDEO REVIEW & UnderWater Testing

SOFTWARE

The PlaySport software interface and setting Controls are made easy and simplistic as with out Kodak Products which I find refreshing  in this case. Because what you want to do with this camera is fuss less with controls and movie to some serious footage indoor, outdoors or in some water somewhere. Kodak has do a good job making it easy to use.

INDOOR 5MP Camera Pics

OUTDOOR 5MP Camera Pics

ConClusion

The PlaySport is a great HD Cam to get, its rugged, fun, and easy to use. Granted on the down side it has no Macro and it also as no audio jack( which would be tough with its underwater nature). In all the PlaySport is a stunning devices that does what it intends to do. Record underwater, and is rugged as nails.

COl. Adebola Ibrahim Ogukwu Of Singala

Caleb Mcgreger of CCB had an opportunity this past weekend to sit down with the Military ruler of Singala, Col. Adebola Ibrahim Ogukwu otherwise known by his opponents as Col “Thief”.   Who rose to power at the young age of 31 to take rule of the country. Even though he has received though opposition with the national slogan NONO, the Col. has taken thing with stride in such a manner that sum in the country have dubbed him the “Professor”, for his very calculated and often cruel tactics.

Though a short interview, many questions were fielded to the nature of the Col’s. rule of Singala, on how he has dealt with the opposition and many more. So sit back relax and enjoy the special one-on-one interview with the Col by Celeb Mcgreger.

**** Col Adebola Ibrahim Ogukwu, Caleb Mcgreger & CCB Network are fictional characters and entities created for entertainment purposes. All statements made by the character are not real and do not apply to any real world events. Thank you****

Sony dash is a personal table top internet  viewing device., with a 7 inch touch screen the dash allows users to views pictures, twit, watch videos on YouTube , check stock, RSS feeds, Listen to music and more through over a 1000 apps available for  the device. In this review, we take a good look at the dash by SONY and see what it has to offer .

***Video Review***

Pros

• Excellent integration with twitter & Facebook
• Tagging music from internet radio to use for alarm clock
• Over 1000 apps
• Fits anywhere in the home
• Preloaded with Michael Jackson music videos ( courtesy Sony)
• Wifi connection for the web and app use
• Quick easy setup
• access to personal content via USB

Cons

• Can not browse the web
• Stereo speaker sound is ok at best
• Can’t use wireless connection of device to connect to home PC or laptop
• Touchscreen is a little unrepsonsive

Notes- The dash supports, Windows® Media Video 9 (up to MP@HL 1080p)
Microsoft VC-1 (up to AP@L3 720p)
MPEG 4.10/H.264 (up to MP@L4.0 1080p

Conclusion

The dash is a great device, which I must admit I found myself using constantly after doing the review. It is the evolution of the digital picture frame with purpose. Allowing the user to not only view picture from various sources on the web; with connectivity to video , movies, news and much more. The dash is a young device but i can see it going places, with different version and may even lend itself to portability in the future. But for now if you are looking for an internet capable devices to use around the home ( kitchen, bedroom etc), the dash is the device for you.

Specs

Display

• Native Resolution : WVGA Resolution (800×480)
• Screen Size : 7.0″ (measured diagonally)
• Technology : Projected Capacitive Touchscreen (Single-Touch)
  Digital Ambient Light Sensor

Audio

• Format(s) Supported : MPEG-1 Layers I, II, III/MP3 (up to 320kbits/sec)
  MPEG-4 AAC-LC (up to 192kbits/sec)
  Windows® Media Audio 9 (up to 384kbit/sec)
• Speaker Configuration : Stereo Speakers

Weights and Measurements

• Dimensions (Approx.) : Approximately 7-7/16 x 5-5/8 x 2-3/8″ (WHD)
• Weight (Approx.) : Approximately 1.2 lbs

Power

• Power Requirements : AC 120 V, 0.6 A,60 Hz

Memory

• Internal Memory : No User Accessible Memory

Hardware

• Device Support : Accelerometer supports Vertical Flip
  Digital Ambient Light Sensor
  Real Time Clock with Battery Backup

Inputs and Outputs

• Audio In : Microphone
• DC-In : 9.5 V, 1.5 A, 14.25 W
• Headphone Jack : Variable Output
• PC Audio Input(s) : USB 2.0 Mass Storage Class

Wireless/Networking

• Wi-Fi : 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz WPA, WPA2, WEP Encryption WiFi Certified

The Nokia N97 Mini is the next step in the N97 line of smartphones. Nokia is well known for making some very solid phones with that rivals any other smartphone in the market. We’ve spent some time with the N97 mini, putting it through its paces with its 3.2 inch resistive touch screen, 8GB of internal storage( expandable to 16GB microsd), 5MP Carl Zeiss lens dual flash camera, front facing camera for video calling and reviewing different features to see how well this phone fairs.

Hardware

The N97 mini is a well designed smartphone, starting with size of the phone. Which fits perfectly in your hands. The steel casing for the battery bay gives a very clean professional finish to the phone. Flushed rounded edges give the phone a classic look that says modern, simple, yet power tool. The physical buttons on the devices are well placed and not protruding, keeping the phones overall look flushed and sexy. with just a home/menu button & a Call and end button. The front of the phone is keep clean and simple

The 3 layer keyboard is interesting with its spacebar moved closer to the right side of the board. The keyboard is still very usable ( I grew to like the layout very much), but does take some getting used to with the space bar. Another great design feature is slide up screen, which makes using the 3 layered keyboard much easier and watching videos more casual. Though the slide out mechanism can be a little hard to maneuver at times

****VIDEO REVIEW***

OS

The Nokia N97 Mini runs Symbian OS v9.4, Series 60 rel. 5, for some out there. Symbian OS is like a world in Russian or French. Frankly not many in the US know or understand the OS that well. Nokia’s approach to OS applications is one of in-depth functionality. Once you power on the phone you have a home screen that is full customizability to add what ever widget or Icon you wish to have readily available. You also can access various  other apps by using the option button on the touch screen to access other running apps.

The OS is fully features with full functionality from a fully stocked app store, which allows for creating a highly customized experience.  Email on this phone is a beauty, yes its very simple and doesn’t have cool fancy application but with the new announced Nokia email., you can added up to 10 different email accounts and it works with every major email service out there ( Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Ovi mail).

Ovi store, though not on the phone, was a very easy and simplistic experience. Navigations was easy and search for apps was sorted out by app category or through an app search. Although the phones does not support T-mobile 3G, I was surprised how effective and fast Edge was on the phone. I could easily check and update my Facebook pages, access email.

What sets the OS back is the round about approach. As I mentioned early the OS is capable of everything any other smartphone on the market. The lack of a unified or structured layout, fragments the phone into compartmentalized unit. Making it hard to find certain setting functions or even access apps. Another point of concern is the on-screen keyboard, which could have used a more modern uptake. Yes its very usable, but all your options for an onscreen keyboard is a T9 variation in either vertical or landscape mode. Though you can download keyboards from the market place and also use the physical keyboard

Camera

There is a reason Carl Zeiss name has been attached to Nokia Series phones for a while. Simple, the pictures come out great and the video quality was solid. I took pictures with the camera indoors and outdoor to give you a good look at how pictures turn out as well as some video recordings both indoors and outdoors.

Indoor Photos

Outdoor Photos

*** Indoor & Outdoor Video***

OVI MAPS

Navigation is big within the mobile space. I personally don’t own a GPS and don’t see the need since I have a phone that has a map and can navigate.With Google have its own version of map navigation on their Android devices. One does have to step back and take not that Nokia does offer maps in 180 countries with navigation in 74 (impressive numbers). The issue remains, does it work well. Answer is: its does. Granted I didn’t have the speak turn-by-turn directions activated. But the GPS navigation functionality worked very well in our video test.

Pros

• Solid phone build
• 8 GB internal storage ( expandable to 16GB)
• Integrated email functionality works well with any email service
• Ovi Maps ( free and good)
• Great camera and video recording
• Phone data services work very well on Edge network
• Battery is exceptional ( 4hr charge, almost two full days of use)

Cons

• Slider hard to open
• OS is functional but cumbersome
• T9 only for onscreen keyboard

Conclusion

The Nokia N97 Mini is a well built  solid and sexy phone. It has all the trimming you would want in say a luxury car like a BMW.  Solid camera integration, excellent battery life, integrated email services, OVi maps and 8GB of internal storage. On the down side the the OS needs your patience to learn all its nooks and carnies. That being said the N(7 mini is and excellent phone to have. Once you spend time with the device you do fall in love with all its features. For a business traveler this is an idea phone with lots of features that adds a quality experience.

**Notes*** I hope a T-mobile America version of this phone is released. I enjoy its functionality especially well on edge let alone a 3G service

SPEC Sheet

General
2G Network
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

3G Network
HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100

HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 – American version

Size
Dimensions
113 x 52.5 x 14.2 mm, 75 cc

Weight
138 g

Display
Type
TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors

Size
360 x 640 pixels, 3.2 inches

- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
- Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- Full QWERTY keyboard
- Handwriting recognition

Sound
Alert types
Vibration; MP3 ringtones

Speakerphone
Yes, with stereo speakers

- 3.5 mm audio jack

Memory
Phonebook
Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall

Call records
Detailed, max 30 days

Internal
8 GB storage, 128 MB RAM

Card slot
microSD, up to 16GB, buy memory

Data
GPRS
Class 32

EDGE
Class 32

3G
HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps

WLAN
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology

Bluetooth
Yes, v2.0 with A2DP

Infrared port
No

USB
Yes, v2.0 microUSB

Camera
Primary
5 MP, 2592×1944 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, Dual LED flash, video light

Features
Geo-tagging

Video
Yes, VGA@30fps

Secondary
Yes, VGA@15fps

Features
OS
Symbian OS v9.4, Series 60 rel. 5

CPU
ARM 11 434 MHz processor

Messaging
SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM

Browser
WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML, RSS feeds

Radio
Stereo FM radio with RDS, Visual radio

Games
Yes, DJ Club Tour + downloadable

GPS
Yes, with A-GPS support; Ovi Maps

Java
Yes, MIDP 2.1

- Digital compass
- MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ music player
- WMV/RealVideo/MP4 video player
- TV-out
- Voice command/dial
- Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Video and photo editor
- Flash Lite 3
- T9

Battery
Standard battery, Li-Ion 1200 mAh (BL-4D)

Stand-by
Up to 320 h (2G) / 310 h (3G)

Talk time
Up to 7 h 10 min (2G) / Up to 6 h (3G)

Music play
Up to 32 h