Avec Mobile articles, news, how-to guides and reviews about mobile devices
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Archos 101 Internet Tablet has more features, larger screen, lower price than Apple iPad / 04:36 01-09-2010
Archos is a pioneer of MP3 player and multimedia player product categories. It also had commercial tablet computers before the Apple iPad. Now, thanks to Apple, at least half of the world is excited about tablets. Archos has welcomed the increased awareness for tablets and introduced five new products. By far, the most exciting product is the Archos 101 Internet Tablet that can do more than the iPad - for less money.
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Nokia 5250 is an entry-level touch screen smartphone / 04:02 26-08-2010
Lately, Nokia management has been pondering how it could revive company's high-end smartphone product line. One of the first decision was made by Anssi Vanjoki who announced that Nokia will start using Linux-based MeeGo software for its high-end smartphones. The decision left low-end and mid-category smartphones for Symbian software. The Nokia 5250 is a prime example of Nokia's capability to produce low-cost smartphones.
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Nokia X3 Touch and Type with keypad for messaging and touch screen for media access / 04:16 20-08-2010
Many new mobile phones come with touch-sensitive displays, but many people still want hardware keypad for faster typing. Both the touch screen and keypad can be built into the same device, but the units tend to become bulky. Nokia has taken a new approach and designed a slim mobile phone small numeric keypad and touch screen - the X3 Touch and Type.
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Hanvon Touchpad B10 tablet PC challenges the iPad with Windows 7 / 06:11 15-08-2010
Ten years ago, Microsoft's Bill Gates announced he had invented the future of personal computing. He introduced tablet PCs to the world. Hardware manufacturers had designed prototypes and were building production lines for the new product category. Software Development Kits were shipped to programmers and media was excited. Then, nothing happened. Until Steve Jobs announced his tablet and everyone was excited. Nonetheless, Microsoft has been developing further the tablet software. Now, Windows 7 tablet devices, like the Hanvon Touchpad B10 are available.
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Blackberry Torch smartphone with touch screen and qwerty keypad / 03:58 10-08-2010
Blackberry smartphones are renowned for their robust email capabilities. That's why Blackberry devices have always had qwerty keyboards for easy typing. Today, however, most people expect smartphones to come with touch screens. Blackberry's response to touch screen requirement is to design a phone with both qwerty keypad and touch-sensitive display.
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Amazon Kindle ebook reader with web browser, Wi-Fi and long battery life / 03:18 01-08-2010
Even though ebook reader devices existed before the Amazon Kindle, it was the product that created the market for ebooks, newspaper and magazine downloads. Amazon has developed multiple generations of the device after the original Kindle. The latest generation comes with Wi-Fi, increased capacity, lighter weight and longer battery life. Since this is all about consumer electronics, the product price hasn't increased with new features but fallen considerably from the first edition. Here's Amazon Kindle in Graphite and white.
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Color screen and large keypad define the low-priced Augen The Book ereader / 04:44 24-07-2010
Even if you are absolutely sure you will only read ebooks that don't have graphics or have very few pictures, ereader devices with color screens are tempting. They are even more attractive if they let you access the Internet via Wi-Fi. The downside, not as sharp and high-contrast display as in ereaders built on E-ink display technology, has to be accepted if you want colors. Price is always a factor as well, especially when the affordable Augen The Book ereader comes with color screen.
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Cruz Reader with touch-sensitive color display for ebooks / 04:33 17-07-2010
Low-cost ebook readers are useful little devices for reading, but that's it - there's not much you can do with them. Full-featured tablet-PCs, like the Apple iPad let you do practically anything, but they cost as much as laptops and are as large as netbooks. Perhaps a product positioned just between these two categories would be the perfect tablet/ereader? Let's find out what the Cruz Reader and Cruz Tablet can do.
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Compact Motorola Charm with qwerty keyboard and touch screen / 05:02 10-07-2010
Qwerty keyboard, instead of virtual on-screen keyboard, is still the fastest way to type on a phone. The problem (for some phone owners) with hardware keyboard is that the phone tends to become large or thick or both. Peculiar-looking Motorola Charm is neither thick or large, and it is running on Google's powerful Android operating system.
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Let your mobile phone automatically set the most suitable profile / 04:34 04-07-2010
Practically every mobile phone owner is familiar with the terrible feeling when the phone rings at an awkward moment. Although most mobile phones have a feature that lets you disable the ringing sound and adjust other settings as well. The problem is that it is impossible to remember to change the setting for each and every sensitive occasion. Fortunately, it is possible to download an application that automatically changes the audio and other settings on a phone.
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Waterproof, HD video camera Pentax Optio WS80: Product Review
December 6, 2009
The Pentax Optio WS80 is a perfect camera for photographers who always want to carry a camera along to his or her outdoors (and indoors) trips. The camera is small and light. Since it is waterproof, the photographer doesn’t have to worry about the camera’s survival in the rain or snow. Pictures are all right, and the HD video looks stunning on a PC screen. When the price, features and quality are considered, we regard the Optio WS80 a good buy. Read the review >
Water resistant pouch for mobile phones: Review
October 19, 2009
One of the most common accidents that can destroy a mobile phone (or any electronics) is dropping the device into water. Water resistant mobile phones designed for sports activities are available, but few people find them attractive. It is, however, possible to totally protect a mobile phone from water. You simply slip the phone into a pouch designed for the purpose. We tried out a low-cost waterproof pouch for mobile phones.
Top 10 Things You Should Know about Heart Rate Monitors
August 27, 2009
I know, you know and we all know what a heart rate monitor is, right? A small device that looks like a wristwatch and measures your heart rate. True. How does it work? Well, that's a tougher one. But if you understand how a heart rate monitor works, you can start using the device as a training computer, not only as a heart rate monitor.
i-gotU GT-120 GPS Tracker: Review
August 3, 2009
We know a bunch of people who would like to have mobile devices that make their life easier or safer, but worry about having to learn technology before they can use the product. GPS is a useful and safety-improving - but relatively new - technology that would benefit from, say, Apple's design touch. Instead of Apple, Mobile Action Technology has introduced a dead simple GPS track recorder device for photographers and for people who enjoy the great outdoors. Find out how the i-gotU GT-120 GPS travel recorder did when we took it on the road and into the wilderness and matched our photos with the track recorded by the device.
