Mobile Phone Blog:

Samsung says it will introduce Near Field Technology (NFC) and improve usability on its Bada operating system over the next year.

The Bada 2.0 improvements include an improved user interface, NFC support, a new ‘ad gateway’, easier multitasking, text-to-speech and speech recognition, and better security.

It’s reported that changes to the user interface will allow for greater personalisation and a ‘smarter’ homescreen.

While Bada only runs on the Samsung Wave family of phones, it’s an expanding platform with a growing app market and reach. (more…)

The dual-core Android powered LG Optimus 2X will go on sale in Europe next month.

To celebrate its launch LG has also announced that legendary film soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone will make exclusive ringtones for the powerful smartphone.

It’s thought the LG Optimus 2X will cost around £470 when it goes on pre-order.

The phone has a four-inch touchscreen, Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, Android 2.2 (with an update to Android 2.3 likely), eight-megapixel camera and is compatible with other Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) devices so you can view content stored or recorded on your phone on your TV or computer. (more…)

The Google Nexus One will get an Android 2.3 update within weeks according to the Google Nexus Twitter team.

The team tweeted that the update, aka Gingerbread, would be making its way to the Nexus One “in the coming weeks”.

It’s not known when exactly the over the air update will be rolled out, with customers told to “hang tight!”.

It will be the second device to run the latest Android operating system – the first being the Nexus S, which is being sold through Carphone Warehouse from this week. (more…)

Well, we’ve heard rumours in the past, saying that Nokia will be using Windows Phone 7 (or Android) in their future phones. And every time, it’s turned out to be complete bobbins. Still, the fact it’s complete bobbins doesn’t stop these rumours popping up every now and then, and the latest one states that Nokia are in talks to use Windows Phone 7 in their phones.

However, this time (according to IntoMobile), it’s well-known blogger Eldar Murtazin saying that’s what’s coming. That’s intriguing, because usually, when Murtazin says something, it pays to listen, as he has a pretty good track record. That’s not to say it will happen, but when someone with that track record says it, it piques my interest… (more…)

Right then, one of the big questions on, ooh, several people’s lips is what the actual proper name of the PlayStation Phone will be, once it gets officially unveiled. Will it be the PlayStation Phone? Will it be the Sony Ericsson Z1? Will it be something else entirely?

Well, according to Pocketnow, they may well have gone with “something else entirely”, because they’re reporting that it’s possibly, maybe, called the Xperia Play, which I suppose is an okay name, although it’s not particularly awe-inspiring, is it, when you compare it to “PlayStation Phone”.

Come to think of it, why aren’t they just calling it the PlayStation Phone? (more…)

Right, time to blog about a manufacturer I’ve talked about roughly 3 times in the entire history of this blog. I’m talking about Meizu, and their handset, the M9 (aka/ “the vapourware phone that wouldn’t die”). It’s the phone that keeps getting teased, but Meizu never seemed particularly inclined to actually release the damn thing, hence the name.

Er, except now, it seems that Engadget (well, Engadget’s Chinese wing) has got hold of one, and made a rather extensive gallery of this unicorn of the mobile world. They’ve put it through its paces, and stuck a nice big gallery of the phone online.

And god help me, despite every rational instinct I possess, I think it looks gorgeous… (more…)

I can’t believe I used to think Motorola were rubbish (okay, granted, about 8 years ago, they were); I tell ya, nowadays, the best description of Motorola is not “good” or even “brilliant”, but “made of win”. And you know why? Because of this:

Yes, this is the teaser video Motorola have put together for their big tablet reveal at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2011. And it’s for a tablet device. What tablet device are they rumoured to be developing? (more…)

Well, folks, I’m still sulking about the news that the Nexus S, the phone that famously has a curved screen, doesn’t actually have a curved screen. No, what it has is a normal flat screen, with a curved glass fascia on top. Still, at least it’s Gorilla Glass, right, so it’s nice and stro-

You what? What do you mean it’s not Gorilla Glass?

Yes, that’s the latest news, according to the @Samsungservice Twitter feed. Bit of a shame, really, as I’ve seen phones that use Gorilla Glass subjected to some rather appalling torture and, well, their screens are pretty much indestructible.

So, why doesn’t the Nexus S use it? (more…)

Samsung are set to launch Android handsets pre-loaded with the Mobage social gaming platform.

Millions of people around the world connect with each other through platforms like Mobage, meaning Samsung can tap directly into a vast market by ensuring this type of connectivity straight out of the box.

Kwanghyun Kwon, Senior vice president of the Media Solutions Centre at Samsung, stated: “As social gaming features rise in popularity and importance for mobile experiences, Samsung will continuously invest to provide the best experience to our consumers.” (more…)

Here we go, this is the one I’ve been looking forward to; I’ve done the top 5 pay as you go phones, the top 5 uber cheap phones, and the top 5 mid-range smartphones, and now, it’s time for me to do the category closest to my heart. Yes, I’m now doing the top 5 uber-mega-smartmonster big hitters for Chrimbo 2010.

There are two reasons why I’ve been looking forward to this one most of all. First, I get to talk about my preferred category of phone, properly high-end smartphones, and second, I can guarantee with absolute certainty that the iPhone 4 is not on this list, which will doubtless annoy a lot of fanboys, and I’m not happy unless they’re baying for my blood, which probably says a lot about me… (more…)