BlackBerry Storm2 here to stay

The first touch-screen BlackBerry phone, the Storm, got a few things right, but generally it was a chore to use.

Good thing a lot can change in a year. Though not without flaws, the latest version of the device, the BlackBerry Storm2, is the phone Research In Motion Ltd. should have released last year: It's faster, smarter and more fun to use.

The Storm2's face is still dominated by a large, bright touch screen. The buttons that previously sat just below the screen have been integrated, making most of the phone's face one big, slick slab.

From the start, I found the Storm2 more responsive and accurate than its predecessor. When I reviewed the original Storm last November, I found the screen often took an irritating amount of time to change from portrait to landscape mode when I flipped the phone to one side or another. On the new Storm, there's little to no delay.

Owing to the latest BlackBerry software, the phone also makes it easier to scroll through lists of contacts and messages, though I still sometimes wished the scrolling was even quicker to bypass a block of text or bevy of e-mails.

The Storm's virtual keyboard has been improved as well: I could type on it more easily and made fewer mistakes when sending e-mails and text messages.

One of the most noticeable features of the original Storm was its combination of touch screen with physical feedback you could mouse around the screen with your finger, but needed to press down on the screen to complete an action like opening an application. Trouble was, it required some force to push.

The new Storm keeps the click, but it's a little easier to push on the screen. It has also learned a neat new trick: When the phone is off or asleep, the screen doesn't click (and, because they're all connected, the buttons below it don't move either).

If you're an application junkie, RIM's BlackBerry App World may not satiate your appetite. It's still just a fraction the size of Apple's App Store, which has more than 100,000 applications. Fortunately, the basics are there for keeping up with Facebook friends, communicating through the short-messaging site Twitter, listening to music and checking the news.

I was surprised that RIM didn't upgrade the Storm's 3.2 megapixel camera to one-up rival Apple Inc. and its popular iPhone especially as other phone makers including Motorola are incorporating cameras that leapfrog the 3 megapixels on the iPhone.

The Storm2 comes with a 16-gigabyte microSD card, doubling the amount of storage space for photos, videos and music.

And if you were bemoaning the lack of Wi-Fi on the first Storm, you'll be pleased to see it is included on the latest model.

Of course, aside from all the bells and whistles, a cell phone should be good for making calls. And while I had a strong reception nearly everywhere I took the Storm2, I didn't think calls sounded as clear as they could have. I also thought Web pages tended to load rather slowly, and photos on them appeared distorted several times.

The Storm2, which came out in late October, is available from Verizon Wireless for $179 with a two-year contract and after a rebate.

It isn't likely to be a game changer, but it is clear that RIM recognized and fixed the glaring problems found in the first version. If you were intrigued by the Storm last year but were nervous about making the commitment, chances are you'll be happier with it this time around.

TAGS: BlackBerry Storm2 reveiw, BlackBerry Storm2 features, BlackBerry Storm2 mobility, BlackBerry Storm2 in use, BlackBerry Storm2 in India

Palm Pixi Reveiw

Palm Inc. is fighting harder than ever to snag a chunk of the smart phone market, and just six months after releasing the stylish Pre it's back with a lighter, more petite and affordable version called the Pixi.

With its trim candy bar-shaped body, full keyboard and $100 price tag (with a two-year Sprint Nextel contract and $150 in rebates), it's clear that Palm is aiming the Pixi at younger, text messaging-savvy consumers.

The Pixi is one of the most attractive phones I've seen. Its glossy black face features a crisp-though-diminutive 2.6-inch touch screen and a full keyboard that's about the size of a Pink Pearl eraser. The keys are the sticky, rubbery kind familiar to Palm fans. In between the screen and keyboard sits a small area where you make finger swipes to switch between applications.

The Pixi felt great in my hand. The sides of the device are rounded and its sides and back are a matte, rubberized plastic. At 3.3 ounces, it's a featherweight compared to the Pre, iPhone and most BlackBerry phones the Pre and iPhone each tip the scales at 4.8 ounces. The Pixi includes 8 gigabytes of storage for photos, music and videos.

The Pixi's display is an elfin version of its older brother's. Like the Pre, it has Palm's easy-to-navigate WebOS software, which organizes your open applications like little playing cards that stretch across the screen, waiting for you to tap on them to bring them to the foreground. (You use an upward finger flick to dismiss them.)

A notable WebOS feature has been its ability to aggregate your contacts and calendar entries from such services as Facebook and Google. The Pixi takes things a little further by letting you include your contacts from Yahoo and business-networking site LinkedIn, too.

There's also a Facebook application on the handset so you can start updating your status and checking up on your friends right away.

Numerous issues make the Pixi hard to use, though. The keyboard is cute, but the keys are so tiny that I often had to type with my fingernails. I'm guessing this would be problematic for any people who keep their nails trimmed. The screen also felt too small, as I often found myself squinting at e-mails and enlarging Web pages so much that I had to constantly scroll just to read a block of text.

An even bigger problem was the Pixi's sluggishness. Even if I had just one or two programs running, the phone regularly stuttered or took a long time to load applications.

While typing a status update in the Facebook app, for example, I might not see the words I had written for a few seconds. Many times I opened the camera while a few other applications were open and the Pixi stalled for a while before finally letting me take photos. And when I turned the phone to the side while surfing YouTube, the images on the screen took a while to follow.

Sometimes, it was hard to tell whether it was the Pixi or Sprint's network that was the issue, like when it took a long time to load busy, graphic-heavy Web pages like The New York Times' home page.

On the Pre, you can get around spotty or no network coverage by using Wi-Fi, if it's available. Sadly, the Pixi has no Wi-Fi, so if you're in an area with subpar data coverage or no coverage at all you're sunk. Several times the handset seemed unwilling to download an application for updating my feed on Twitter.

Like the Pre, the Pixi takes photos very quickly once you push the button (many cell phone cameras have a lag that means subjects' smiles turn to grimaces by the time the shutter snaps.) The Pixi's 2-megapixel camera is not as good as the 3-megapixel one on the Pre, and shots often seemed darker than those I've taken with the Pre.

Battery life was not amazing. I got about 10 hours of casual use out of the Pixi, and if I were doing lots of texting and talking the Pixi probably would not have made it through a full day.

If you're a first-time smart phone buyer who's big on style and text messaging, the Pixi may be a good fit. Beyond that, however, its charm quickly wears off.

Tags: Palm Pixi reveiw, Palm Pixi features, Palm Pixi rating , Palm Pixi in India, Palm Pixi looks

Nokia E72 Features

The New Nokia E72 is up against some serious competition. Competition from its own family and its own predecessor. By the summer of 2009, Nokia E71 was the best selling QWERTY-device in the whole world. Thus the E72 has some big boots to fill.

From the outside, not much has changed. The keypad has been rearranged for the better, a 5 megapixel camera and the inclusion of a standard 3.5 mm audio jack as opposed to the 2.5 mm in E71.

The 360MHz CPU seen in the E71 has been replaced with the much-needed 600MHz CPU plus the built-in storage has been jacked up to 250MB.

Lets get down to what the phone really looks like. In Zodium Black, Topaz Brown as its colors, the phone reflects as a phone with some class.

The metal body only adds to it looks that means business. It's a contemporary design, with a fully integrated QWERTY keyboard that is ready to take the QWERTY success forward for Nokia especially after the E71.

It has a super slim frame of 10 mm and a sleek design that has been added for easy user interface. And that's not all to keep your life smart and simple. The optical navigational key helps you glide through your mails and menu with quite an ease.

Lets add the amazing noise cancellation feature. So now you can have clearer conversations and in case you have lost your way, use the A-GPS and compass with map integration. And if it's a situation where you are stuck in the dark, simply press the spacebar for the torch to come on. Simple, right?

Well, that's exactly what Nokia wanted to do for you, make your life simple and smart.

The improvement in the performance is evident with high internet speed and processing power. The support for up to 10.2 Mbps connections over HSDPA is a feature that would be greatly appreciated by the heavy-duty users.

Add to the performance some software features that come with the E72. A full version of Quickoffice, which includes editing Office files. SIP VoIP 3.0 plus an electronic compass.

Given the gamut of features you can avail with the Nokia E72, the choice of how you want to respond is completely yours.

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