The spec sheet suggests that the Samsung Moment, available on?Sprint?in the USA should be one of the best?Android-powered handsets out there, with its AMOLED screen, fast processor and the "now" network. But can its specs live up to the dream? Read on to find out.

To say that the Samsung Moment is big would be an understatement; to say that it was ugly: a fairer statement; to say it is fast: that much is true.?That's pretty much the best way to describe the new Android 1.5 smartphone, because whilst it's one of the fastest Android handsets we've tested, it's also one of the most unpolished in terms of "wow" factor t.

The decline and fall of the handset starts with the design. A landscape slider, the unit measures a rather bloated 4.6 x 2.34 x .63in and weighs a hefty 160 grams (5.6oz). A brick (Mrs Pocket-lint's words not ours) is probably the politest way to describe it.

The rather impressive 3.2-inch AMOLED 320 x 480-pixel screen holds its own on the front of the unit offering up not only an array of touch-sensitive and physical buttons beneath but a gaudy strip at the top.

Sliding out to the side of the left screen is a QWERTY keyboard while the right offers a dedicated camera button, voice control and the Mini-USB socket. There's also a 3.5mm socket covered by a bit of plastic that will break within 3 weeks and the standard volume keys.

Slide open that keyboard and you'll hurt your eyes, especially if it's dark. Looking like a beehive honeycomb, the keys are laid out over four rows with the numbers getting their own dedicated row.

That means that Samsung?has crammed the rest of the keyboard over the next three. The end result is that the spacebar is in-between the "V" and "B" something that is very off putting and unconformable for the touch typists amongst you. You might not realise it but you know where the keys are on a keyboard and throwing in random space bars for us just doesn't work.

All this pales in significance however if you use it in the dark. The keyboard handily lights up, however all the function keys (there is one for every key) glow a strong blue. Confusing isn't the word.

Back to the top side of the device and the touch sensitive buttons under the screen offer the usual home, menu and back features found on most Android handsets. Beneath that there is a call answer and hang up button and between those a touch-sensitive optical trackpad (like that found on other Samsung handsets and the BlackBerry Bold 9700).?The touchpad is actually one of the cooler elements of the handset as it allows you scroll through menus, icons on the screen or the web pages without touching the screen.

The only other tech on the outside is the 3.2-megapixel camera with flash. With Samsung dominating the megapixel race (it's up to 12 megapixels) we're surprised to see only a 3.2-megapixel offering and at the current state of play it looks like Sony Ericsson will be the purveyor of high pixel cameras for the platform with the Xperia X10 sporting 8 megapixels.

Connectivity is served by Sprint's Dual-Band EVDO Rev. A 800/1900MHz offering and you'll get Wi-Fi b and g along side Bluetooth. There is also GPS in case you get lost.

Power up the phone and that 800MHz chip running Android 1.5 is fast. Even though we've played with a 1GHz Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 (pre-production) the Samsung Moment appears (currently) to be faster.

One of the reasons for this, is that like the i7500 released in the UK, the Samsung Moment has no customisation what so ever. No Sense UI, no Motoblur, no Nexus UX - Samsung might have embraced the Android platform, but it hasn't done anything to enhance the experience above and beyond what Google has offered in the OS.?In fact, beyond the big silver Samsung logo on the front and the second one on the back there is no trace of the Korean manufacturer.

As for Sprint, that's a different matter. As an exclusive handset it gets an even bigger silver logo above the screen and the usual array of Sprint flavoured applications like SprintTV, Sprint Navigation (Google Maps Navigation?is only available for 1.6 and 2.0 based devices at present), and Nascar Sprint Cup (all as found on the Sprint?HTC Hero).

As for the rest of the applications, well it's the usual story. The usual suspects are installed - Amazon MP3, Gmail, and Google Maps, with a further 10,000 available in Marketplace.?All this software or data that you create can be stored on the phone's own internal 288MB of memory or an external microSD card, you get 2GB in the box.

Phone time is around 5 hours from a single charge, while the battery lasted the usual day in our tests, but is heavily dependent on what you do. Use it like a laptop and it will last like one.

?

Verdict:

The Samsung Moment really is one of those handsets that looks so much better on paper than in real life. The specs suggest this will be a monster, and in fairness in performance it is. The trouble is that it is incredibly dull both in its software offering and its design.?This makes the T-Mobile G1 look good and that's saying something.

It might be more powerful and faster than the HTC Hero from Sprint, however unless you are ready to be mocked by your friends when your phone rings we would avoid this from a street cred point of view at all costs.

That said, if you have no friends or don't care, you can't (currently) get much faster than this.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Samsung Android Google Sprint

Samsung Moment mobile phone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:45:11 +0000

With a very compact design, small screen, cheap price and no optical drive, it’s easy to think of the Samsung X120 as a netbook. Look at the specs though, and it’s a no-brainer - the Samsung beats most netbooks hands down - but does it deliver in other areas?

The 11.6-inch screen is a stunner, for a start, offering incredibly crisp images and excellent colour reproduction. With a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution, there’s enough space to work with a couple of windows open simultaneously - unlike on the vast majority of netbooks - and it’s also great for movie playback. This is also an area in which it copes fine - the integrated Intel GMA 4500M chipset running films without dropped frames.

The X120’s distinctive design features a lip that runs around the edge of the chassis - with the interface sitting slightly lower. It looks great, and with the lip fitting snugly against the screen lid, there’s no chance of anything falling between the display and keyboard when you’re on the move.

The unusual design stretches to the keyboard location, which sits smack in the centre of the chassis with a lot of vacant space above it. As a result, the palm rest is very small, leading to your hands sitting on the desk or hovering as you type. There are no touchpad buttons below the touchpad - they’re located on each side instead, which takes some getting accustomed to.

The keyboard is excellent, with a design reminiscent of Sony’s previous-generation VAIO laptops. The centres are raised, with a slight dip around the edges that makes it a bit easier to type. The keys are well attached and very comfortable to type on, providing a good travel, although it’s not the quietest board during use.

Instead of an Intel Atom processor, you’ll find a CULV Intel Pentium chip running at 1.3GHz. A dual-core chip, and backed by 3072MB of memory, it offers far better performance than you’ll find in similarly priced netbooks, with the ability to multi-task without too much lag. A battery life of around 3 and a half hours is reasonable, although those looking for all-day use will be disappointed.

All three USB ports are located on the right-hand side of the chassis, although with a large amount of space between each one you’ll be able to connect bulky peripherals without fear of blocking the other ports. On the left side, Samsung has fitted both VGA and HDMI ports. There’s a memory card reader on the front, where the power button is also hidden.

Verdict:

We like the Samsung X120. With netbooks all offering the same specifications, and prices rising rather than falling, this product is a refreshing change. There’s enough performance to use for regular home and office tasks, and although it’s still not the fastest machine it features a great specification for the price.

It also provides excellent quality, the screen is top-drawer, and it offers a high-end ultra-portable experience that’s out of sorts with the budget price tag. If you’re on the lookout for a compact machine, then the Samsung X120 is highly recommended.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Samsung Samsung X120

Samsung X120 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:06:23 +0000

Windows Mobile 6.5 swoops in and ousts the 6.1 variation of the mobile phone operating system. We first got our hands on Windows Mobile 6.5 at Mobile World Congress back in February and today it finally comes to market on a slew of handsets from a number of different manufacturers. If you are after a Windows Phone, then from today you have the choice of all shapes and sizes.

The most surprising thing, perhaps, is that Windows Mobile 6.5 was outlined at the same event that saw the unveiling of the HTC Magic, which has since been supplanted. Such is the rapid pace of evolution in mobile phones, does Windows Mobile 6.5 earn its place in today's line-up of smartphones?

There are improvements across the board, but it's obvious from the name – 6.5 – that this is more of an upgrade than a complete redesign. At Tuesday's launch event for the "new" operating system, Microsoft representatives were careful not to comment on what we already know is incoming: Windows Mobile 7.

So what is Windows Mobile 6.5? It is essentially a stop-gap, plugging the holes apparent in previous editions of the operating system before we see more significant changes in the next iteration. But with such a long lead-time, there's every chance that consumers will find themselves stuck in a contract with 6.5, when 7 emerges. For business users this is perhaps less of an issue, but if you are forking out your hard earned cash, it's certainly a consideration.

Windows Mobile 6.5 is all about shifting from the awkward interface of 6.1 (which bears hallmarks going back to editions much, much, earlier), to a more consumer focus. In this regard it addresses a major hurdle in the fastest changing segment of the mobile phone market: touch control.

One of the biggest changes in recent times has been the adoption of capacitive screens over resistive. In the past, all Windows Mobile devices were resistive, but that's all set to change with this latest iteration. We've had our hands on the HTC HD2 which features a 4.3-inch capacitive display. The response is remarkable, completely changing what you expect from Windows Mobile, and a world away from the experience of Toshiba's TG01, it's closest hardware rival.

With this capacitive display comes multi-touch too, giving you the sort of features that Apple iPhone users have been enjoying for years. But not all Windows Mobile 6.5 users will experience this with their device. In fact, the demonstration by Microsoft to assembled journalists at the official launch saw an awkward dragging around of an internet page, jumping and staggering around. A stark contrast to what is actually possible.

Microsoft's new homepage is one of the first things to be obliterated by customisation from the manufacturer. The Windows Mobile default homepage presents a selection of major heading bars like pictures, music, through to email and text messages. On each bar you can scroll left and right too, so if you have multiple email accounts you'll get easy access to them. Make a selection on the homepage takes you with a tap through to that image. It isn't whizz-bang flashy, but works well enough.

Microsoft has made a point of adding features to the lock screen too, so rather than just giving you a method of unlocking your phone, you can see your next appointment and notification alerts, with easy access to things such as text messages. It's a mindful modification and considers the way that people actually use their phone.

6.5 users are presented with a new honeycomb menu system, arranging icons which can be easily tapped to launch an application. It works well enough, giving you a long list of your applications, including those you pickup from the Marketplace, or sideload. You can rearrange to a certain degree, sending icons to the top, but you don't get a multi-page arrangement to organise these icons. An application search is included, so it's perhaps not a problem.

Many menus have this honeycomb layout, which is fair enough – getting to your applications or settings is pretty easy, but then the stop-gap which is Windows Mobile 6.5 ends. Dive into the Sounds and Notifications menu for example and you are presented with small tick boxes and tiny tabs, regardless of all the screen real estate on offer.

In fact, these menus are almost identical to a 2002 to a Compaq iPAQ we found in the office, running Pocket PC ver 3. And therein lies the problem that blights Windows Mobile: at its core, it is still an antiquated system and as you dig into Windows Mobile 6.5, it becomes abundantly apparent.

Getting back to new features, your new smartphone now features Microsoft MyPhone. This is a feature we like, not only because it apes Apple's MobileMe offering, but because it is free. All you have to do is run a quick set-up on your device, plug in your Windows Live ID and away you go.

MyPhone backs up your handset to the cloud, a quick and easy process that costs you nothing but the data. It will take care of your contacts, calendar, tasks, text messages, favourites, photos, videos, music and documents. You get to select what you want to sync too, so if you don't want a record of banal text messages, you don't have to have them.

You can then share items through the MyPhone website, with connected social networking sites including Facebook, MySpace and Flickr, as well as the obligatory Windows Live network.

Other exciting features include viewing your phone's last known location. Great! If your phone is stolen, you can see where it got to, until the thief disabled the feature in the menus. "Premium" features include ringing the phone, seeing it on a map, locking it and erasing the content. The MyPhone website offers a "limited time offer" on these features, so if you are planning on having your phone pinched, you'd better do it fast.

The Marketplace is another addition to your smartphone. It has been a long time coming and Windows Mobile users will appreciate finding applications in a central location, rather than having to fish around for them. The Marketplace is currently going through plenty of changes and in the last 2 days we've seen content come and go. Launch teething troubles, we hope.

The interface is rather basic and lacks the gloss you'll find on other devices from the Android Market to the BlackBerry App World. But there is a capable search function and you can select to browse only the free stuff if you want. It's a little early to judge at the moment, but first impressions are a little underwhelming.

The final major overhaul comes in the form of Internet Explorer Mobile. Browsing the Internet on the move has seen massive growth over recent years, fuelled by increasingly affordable data packages and enhanced solutions. Microsoft's Mobile browsers have never been very well received and Internet Explorer looks to change all that.

In reality, it's a bit of a clunky experience still. Double tap zooming in and out, dragging the pages around with a finger, it doesn’t really impress. No surprise then that HTC's CEO Peter Chou demoed multi-touch on the HTC HD2 with the Opera browser. It's free and still delivers the better experience.

Verdict:

But the killer criticisms of Windows Mobile still persist. If you want to close an application, you are faced with a tiny X in the top right-hand corner. Come to make a selection and often you are presented with a small Menu or Done button across the bottom, which is just as frustrating as it always has been. This, unfortunately, is the enduring impact that you are left with.

As a mobile phone operating system it is clear that Windows Mobile 6.5 is still a long way behind the pack. This update doesn’t bring it up to the offerings from Apple or Android which are gunning in the same market and walking off with the fat consumer contracts. Yes, Windows Mobile still delivers stalwart business support and when we hooked it up to our Windows 7 PC to sync with Outlook, the sync process swung in and took over. No messing around, no hiccups, and easy to solve conflicts. It may also be the only operating system that your company will support.

The experience that you get from Windows Mobile will differ greatly from device to device. Today we have seen handsets from Samsung, LG, HTC and Toshiba: all are different, but all have 6.5 lurking under the skin. In this battleground for your slightly-too-sensible smartphone, the lines are drawn out between Microsoft and all the manufacturers. Windows Mobile won't sell itself, but the Sense UI or S-Class interface might just.

These third-party skins can change many aspects of your device, not least including the keyboard. Today we've seen four different on-screen keyboards, QWERTY handsets, sliders and touch phones from the compact Samsung Omnia Lite to HTC's massive HD2.

The choices are almost overwhelming, but cut to its core Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't drastically different from its predecessors. Having seen the stark difference between device performance today, it is clear that there will still be "good" and "bad" devices to choose from.

Tags: Phones Mobile phones Windows Phone Windows Mobile HTC Samsung LG Toshiba Microsoft Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile 6.5 originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:55:15 +0100

Samsung's N510 netbook is one of the first machines featuring Nvidia's ION technology to hit the market. With a relatively powerful graphics card alongside the regular Intel Atom processor, the N510 offers a much more rounded package than most rival netbooks, with the ability to easily play back HD movies and even some light gaming.

The ION chipset allows for an Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics card to be used - offering similar 3D performance to much larger laptops. We managed to run some of the latest games on the N510 - albeit at rubbish frame rates and low settings - but it's still a surprise to see proper multimedia abilities from a netbook. It's at its best when playing back HD movies, however, where films run smoothly - and there's an HDMI port to let you output high-definition content to a HDTV.

Unlike most other netbooks and laptops, the N510's 11.6-inch screen is a matt TFT panel, which pays dividends when you're using it outside. Reflections and fingerprints are well suppressed, and it's ideal for use on a train or on the move.

Colours aren't overly vibrant, but it's good enough for most uses. It's also a very sharp panel, aided by a crisp 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. There's more than enough space to open a couple of windows - as with Sony's VAIO W-series netbook - but the Atom processor means that multi-tasking isn't something that's really on the menu.

As with the other Samsung netbooks we've managed to get our grubby mitts on, the N510 features an excellent keyboard. The large keys are all well shaped and with decent travel, and it's easy to type without fear of clipping the adjoining keys. Overall, the typing experience is similar to Samsung's full-sized laptop line-up.

The quality of the rest of this machine is also good. It's not the most stylish netbook - with sombre black plastics - but it's tough and small enough to take with you on the daily commute.

Aside from the chipset and GPU, there's little else special about the N510 when it comes to components. The Intel Atom N280 is a second-generation Atom chip, backed by the usual 1GB of memory and running Windows XP Home. The 5 and a half hours we managed to run the N510 for between charges is impressive considering the performance on offer. The 160GB hard drive is also in line with rivals.

Along with the HDMI port for HD video connections, there's a standard VGA port on the left-hand side of the chassis for regular analogue connections. A single USB port and Ethernet socket are also situated on that side of the machine.

Two additional USB ports are found on the right-hand side, along with a power socket and Kensington lock attachment. There's a memory card reader on the front of the chassis. Wireless connectivity is top-notch, with both 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in place.

Verdict:
With a mid-level price, the Samsung N510 strikes a good balance between performance, portability and comfort. Its large keyboard is one of the best you'll find on a netbook, and despite a lack of vibrancy the screen is also sharp and highly usable.

The ION chipset allows for a decent GPU, and the results are much better than we've come to expect from a netbook. If you want to play HD content or even play older games in your spare time, then this compact machine is well worth a look.

Tags: Hardware Laptops Netbooks Samsung Samsung N510 Samsung N510

Samsung N510 notebook originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:11:12 +0100