The Canada-based Research In Motion announced today, just ahead of the Mobile World Congress 2012, that their long-awaited BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 operating system is available for free download for BlackBerry PlayBook owners.
The updated OS resolves a few issues with previously-missing elements and includes a long list of enhancements and additional features that include
– An integrated email Inbox that supports multiple personal or business email messages in a central location. The feature also includes SN messages from such sites as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
– Social Integration with your Contacts and Calendar apps. Each contact entry is automatically updated with new information posted on the contacts’ social network sites.
– An updated BlackBerry Bridge app that connects your BlackBerry PlayBook with your core apps on your BlackBerry smartphone, including your Contacts, BlackBerry Messenger, Email, Browser and Calendar. The Bridge app provides a larger tablet view of those entries that make you squint on your smartphone. The app provides all the app functions incorporated into your smartphone, which includes document and image viewing and editing, reading emails, profiles, web pages and more.
– The new Print To Go app and an improved BlackBerry Balance that optimises your business data.
– More apps and content, including a new BlackBerry Video Store that opens today, as well as elevated web browsing experiences.
In addition to the BlackBerry 2.0 OS, RIM has made available a first-run release of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion that enable joint management of your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and your BlackBerry mobile phone. The initial run does have limited capabilities, but the full version with maximized features and capabilities is expected out in late March 2012.
In additional BlackBerry news today, RIM released the BlackBerry Bold 9790 in Hong Kong. The Bold 9790 utilizes the BlackBerry 7 browser that provides a smoother surfing experience and HTML5 smoothness for brilliant video and gaming enjoyment.
Here’s the first of the promised Huawei Media Pad tablet reviews we promised. Two of the biggest differences between this Huawei Media Pad S7-301w tablet and its brother, the Huawei Media Pad is that this one is not a GSM device, nor does it sport the voice communications, SMS or MMS capability of the Media Pad.
This is a lower-tech, cheaper mobile tablet, but it packs enough in its aluminium-backed case to interest tablet users who are satisfied with their mobile phones that they don’t need or want that additional technology or cost.
Overview
Huawei recognised that not all tablet users needed massive connectivity options and produced a WiFi-only model.
They didn’t skimp on the rest of what this tablet brings to the table or the lap or the hand, though.
Specifications
MobilePhones.org.uk staff try our best to find accurate information on your behalf, but the information provided may not be current or accurate. Whenever possible, we mention if its based on rumours or unofficial information.
Dimensions: 190 x 124 x 10.5 mm / 390 g.
Display: 7.0 inches / IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen / 1280 x 800 pixels at 216 ppi.
Operating System: Android 3.2 Honeycomb, upgradeable to Android 4.0 ICS.
Speed: 1.2 GHz, dual-core Snapdragon
Memory: 1 GB / 5.8 GB internal, external microSD to 32 GB.
Battery: 4100 mAh / Play: up to 6 hours / Standby: up to 200 hours.
Camera: Rear: 5 MP / 2592 x 1944 pixels / autofocus / LED flash / Video: 720p at 30 fps. / Front: 1.3 MP, video recording at 720p at 30 fps.
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi hotspot
Features: Same SRS sound enhancement. MP3 / WAV / WMA / eAAC+ audio player; MP4 / WMV / H.263 / H.264 video player with 1080p video playback. HDMI port. Google Talk, Search, Maps, Gmail.
Additional comments: The WiFi Hotspot feature is an elevated addition to many WiFi-only models. Just as light and compact with great resolution as its sibling tablet. Same great camera and video recording features.
Overall opinion: For a WiFi-only mobile tablet, the Huawei Media Pad S7-301w is a rather attractive option!
ZTE has just announced they will be presenting another smartphone during the Mobile World Congress 2012, due to start in just a few days. The mid-range device is called the ZTE Mimosa X, and let’s see if this mobile phone adds that touch of pizazz to the mobile juice that its name implies.
Overview
One of the most interesting technical aspects of this mobile phone is that it is the first to carry an NVIDIA Icera 450 HSPA+ baseband modem and does so right along side the dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 chip. What does that mean for the average user? It means a potential peak download speed of 21Mbps. It means the IceClear interface cancellation technology it features boasts a steadier, more reliable transmission of data.
The rest of the ZTE Mimosa X’s capabilities are aligned with its mid-class ranges in both technology and price, but both classifications are enhanced by the possibilities that the modem-and-chip design bring to the table.
Specifications
MobilePhones.org.uk staff try our best to find accurate information on your behalf, but the information provided may not be current or accurate. Whenever possible, we mention if its based on rumours or unofficial information.
Dimensions: Unknown.
Display: 4.3 inches / capacitive touchscreen with qHD capability / 540 x 960 pixels at 256 ppi.
Operating System: Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Speed: Unknown GHz. / dual-core, NVIDIA Tegra 2.
Memory: RAM unknown / 4 GB internal with 32 GB external microSD or micro SDHC slot.
Battery: Sorry; don’t know this either.
Camera: Rear: 5 MP / video recording-capable. / Front: 1.3 MP with video calling.
Connectivity: GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz / 4G-bands as well. / Data: WiFi bands and features, unknown beyond DLNA / HSDPA+ / EDGE / GRPS
Features: Dolby sound. Built-in gyroscope. Dual microphones. Proximity sensor – screen locks when close to something to avoid accidental navigation. Phone book: Unlimited entries; multiple numbers per contact; picture ID; ring ID. MP3 audio player; MPEG4 video player.
Additional comments: Sorry, we don’t know the screen technology at this time. Excellent pixel density, though, for great clarity and sharpness of images displayed. We doubt that the music and video files are that limited, but it’s all the info we found.
Overall opinion: As you can see, we don’t have a lot of the information that we like to present to you, but what is known piques our interest in this step-up mobile phone from ZTE.
Earlier today, we promised a reference review of the two Media Pad tablets that Huawei released last year. This is a look at the Huawei Media Pad, the anchor model of the pair.
Overview
One of the highlights of this compact tablet is that it has GSM voice communications operability built right into the mobile device. Along with that are the SMS and MMS features.
The screen resolution in the Media Pad closely rivals the high-selling Asus Transformer Prime TF700T with its 10-inch screen and 224 ppi specification.
The Media Pad has an aluminium back panel that lightens the carry load and slides the model in ahead of even the Kindle Fire, and it has a far greater array of features and capabilities to back up its
“better than”
…boast.
Specifications
MobilePhones.org.uk staff try our best to find accurate information on your behalf, but the information provided may not be current or accurate. Whenever possible, we mention if its based on rumours or unofficial information.
Dimensions: 190 x 124 x 10.5 mm / 390 g
Display: 7.0 inches / IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen / 1280 x 800 pixels at 216 ppi.
Operating System: Android 3.2 Honeycomb, upgradeable to Android 4.0 ICS.
Speed: 1.2 GHz / dual-core Snapdragon
Memory: 1 GB RAM / 5 GB internal, expandable with 32 GB microSD slot.
Battery: 4100 mAh / Talk: up to 6 hours / Standby: up to 200 hours.
Camera: Reaer: 5 MP / auto-focus / 2592 x 1944 pixels / Vdeo: 720p at 30 fps. / Front: 1.3 MP, video calling, recording at 720p at 30 fps.
Connectivity: 2G: GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 / 3G: HSDPA 900, 2100 – S7-301u AND HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 – S7-302u or HSDPA 900 / 2100 / AWS – S7-303u / Data: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot / HSDPA / HSUPA / EDGE / GRPS
Features: Voice communications! (It feels odd typing that in a tablet review!) Stereo speakers have SRS sound enhancement. MP3 / WAV / WMA / eAAC+ / FLAC audio player; MP3 / WAV / WMA / eAAC+ / FLAC video player. Video playback at 1080p. Google Search, Maps, Talk and Gmail. HDMI port. GPS with A-GPS support.
Additional comments: The dual-camera recording is a great feature!
Overall opinion: We can see why the Huawei Media Pad is a popular model! What do you think?
We wanted to pass along some information on the Opera Mobile and Opera Mini browser that will be subject of an announcement in the forthcoming Mobile World Congress 2012 that starts in a few days.
The Opera Mobile and Opera Mini browsers were announced in 2010 and has become the number one mobile browser in use today. It’s only fitting that a major update is announced during the MWC 2012.
Many users think that the Opera Mobile browser and the Opera Mini browser are one and the same. After all, they both work on the mobile phone or tablet, don’t they? Alas, there are differences, but the Big Red O is still the same.
Opera Mini sends a website through the Opera servers first. There, the website is compressed for viewing on your smartphone. The compression speeds loading time by two to three times, bringing faster surfing and navigation. Users also use less data than with a stock browser, which could ultimately save them considerable money in bandwidth use.
Opera Mobile uses the mobile phone’s own technology and hardware to display compressed web pages, which give total bandwidth reductions by as much as 80 percent.
Opera is expected to detail the major update more specifically during MWC.
HTC Loses Patent Ruling
Just a quick note here to update you on an Apple patent battle.
Last year, HTC filed a patents counter-suit against Apple in 2010, stemming from HTC’s purchase of the small company, S3. HTC bought the company to gain control of some of its patents – not an unusual step at all in the mobile industry.
In November 2011, a patents court ruled that Apple did not violate one of the HTC-held patents, but HTC appealed that decision – also not uncommon.
HTC has lost the appeal regarding the graphics control programme that Apple uses in some of its mobile devices.
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