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TechRadar Phone awards - do you agree?


The MOBIFUN3  Phone Awards 2011 have come to an end and now we can finally announce the winners.

This year the awards comprised both readers' votes and categories judged by some of the biggest names in the technology world.

To say that we were pleased with our reader response to the awards would be an understatement. Garnering over 130,000 votes, the awards have been a runaway success, so we can only say thank you to you all for being such an opinionated bunch!

The Phone Awards have been MOBIFUN3  most popular awards so far and it just goes to prove that the mobile phone market is positively burgeoning, full of technological innovations, warring factions and fanboys who live to see what the next OS update will bring.

So, without further ado here is the list of the biggest and best phone tech of the last year… feel free to argue it out in the comments.

 

Phone of the year

Nominations

• HTC Desire

• Apple iPhone 4

• Orange San Francisco

• Samsung Galaxy S2

• Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc

WINNER

Samsung Galaxy S2



What the judges said: "The Samsung Galaxy S2 might have only been out for a short while, but consumers have been buying it in droves thanks to the combination of stunning design, lightning operation and a pin-sharp screen, putting it head and shoulders ahead of the competition."

Best phone for business

Winner

NFC



What the judges said: "In terms of the furthest reaching
implications, NFC is far and away the most exciting innovation to bring to mobiles. Even if mobile wallets take a while to take-off, other uses such as ticketing, content sharing are disruptive and cool.

Nominations

• BlackBerry Bold 9780

 

• BlackBerry Torch

 

• HTC HD 7

 

• Nokia E72

 

• Apple iPhone 4

Winner Apple iPhone 4 What the judges said: "The consumerisation of business devices continues apace - the BlackBerry is the business device of yesteryear."

Best phone innovation

Nominations

• NFC

 

• Tegra 2 chip

 

• Xbox Live

 

• Android 2.3

 

• Swype

Which is the best 32-inch LCD TV?


Our constantly updated list of the best 32-inch TVs in the world.
Which is the best 32-inch TV?

Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK.

But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k.

There's only one certainty at this size - your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently.

A typical circa £500 purchase will sport a Full HD screen, have at least three HDMI inputs, and some kind of 100Hz scanning, though the latter feature varies so much in effectiveness that you've simply got to see it in action in the shop before you shell out any extra cash.


Full HD, media streaming and even built-in Freesat HD or Freeview HD - it's all possible on these small TVs.

Freeview HD is on some of these TVs, but not all. If you've got Sky or Virgin, of course, a Freeview HD tuner is mere frippery, and worse, will add unnecessarily to the cost. And besides, if you're not among the 50 per cent of the UK population that can receive Freeview HD broadcasts yet - and are set on finding a subscription-free hi-def solution - you're better off going for a TV with a built-in Freesat HD tuner.

Toshiba 32HL833B - £320

This back-to-basics edge LED-backlit model redefines the budget LCD TV

Edge LED backlighting and full HD resolutions were considered high-end features only a couple of years ago, so to see them on this sub-£500 screen is quite something. Toshiba's entry level 32-incher may lack the latest web, 3D and Freeview HD goodies, but this slim HL Series set has more than enough technology for many.


The lowlights are just two HDMIs, poor audio and the lack of Freeview HD, though great colour saturations, decent sharpness and contrast do enough to deliver a sense of cinema that bely its price. DivX playback is handy and the detail in Blu-ray is superb, while DVD and Freeview are watchable on this good value, efficient TV that delivers the basics well

Sharp LC-32LE210E - £345

Cute and good value edge-lit LED set sadly lacking Freeview HD

Sharp's latest 32-inch TV is LED-powered and is cheap to boot. The edge-mounted backlight enables a depth of 46mm, about half as thick as a comparable CCFL-lit set. A good value TV that ignores Freeview HD and 100Hz, this Sharp gets away with it because of its high quality LED panel, novel record-to-USB functions, and low online price; one for those on a budget and just after the basics.

Sony KDL-32CX523 - £349

You call this entry level? Smooth images, smartphone control and BBC iPlayer on this great value Bravia

This is one exciting package from Sony. A combination of a basic LCD panel with an integrated Freeview HD tuner ought to suit the mass market just fine, but there's more; surprising extras include smartphone app control, USB recording, wireless connectivity (via an add-on dongle), Bravia Internet Video (including BBC iPlayer, Sony's own Qriocity hub, and Lovefilm) and a new incarnation of the Xross Media Bar user interface, all alongside a full HD resolution. You won't, however, find 3D playback or 100Hz scanning.


With the possibility of Skype video calling (if an add-on camera is bought), too, the KDL-32CX523 has the potential to go way beyond its entry level roots.

Philips 32PFL7605 - £410

Excellent value edge LED TV lacking only an HD TV tuner

Philips' 32PFL7605H is the latest in a procession of startlingly affordable, relatively small edge LED TVs – and here it means no significant compromises to performance. The set also manages to cling to an impressive roster of features despite its affordability, with highlights being its potent video processing mix and its online capability, especially open web access. Freeview HD is missing – a huge oversight, but virtually the only one in an otherwise unbeatable performance if judged purely on value.

LG 32LV550T - £439

Impressive mid-range TV with bags of features and enjoyably cinematic 2D performance

The 32LV550T is a well-made TV with tons of features that sells for an exceptionally aggressive price. It's better looking than most 32-inch sets and its connections wouldn't look out of place on a flagship TV – so don't be fooled by the lack of 3D.

Edge LED lighting is unusual at this price, and though you'll have to do without a Freeview HD tuner, it also includes full HD resolution, 100Hz, TruMotion processing and endorsement by the Imaging Science Foundation (ISF). No wonder, since with judicious calibration the 32LV550T is an engaging and natural picture performer.

Add LG's Smart TV system, extensive DLNA PC network compatibility (including the fabulous Plex interface that makes home networking a lot easier), USB multimedia playback and optional Wi-Fi, and the smallest member of the LV550T range makes a big splash.

Panasonic TX-L32E30B - £490

Sophisticated and often excellent mid-range 32-incher with Viera Connect, but no 3D

If Panasonic'sTX-L32DT30Bis a bit rich for you, how about this near-identical Edge LED TV? 3D goodies are stripped away, but DLNA capabilities, USB recording/playback, and the refreshed Viera Connect online service remain.

Black levels aren't reference-level, but this set is far easier on the eye than most previous Panasonic mid-range sets, and is better built than similarly specified models from other brands.

Pictures are naturally coloured and sharp, multimedia options are extensive and the viewing angle is wider than most on this two dimensional darling.

Sony KDL-32EX524 - £539

With clever features and decent pictures, we're left wondering if the price tag is a misprint

Part of Sony's EX Series, this all-rounder is stuffed full of features, but stays at a reasonably wallet-friendly price.


Able to deliver hi-def pictures and play content from a variety of sources – including USB devices, networked computers, Blu-ray players and from Sony's magnificent Bravia Internet Video portal – the below-par build quality is the only reason we could find for its low price.


The smartphone app control is a nice extra, and though we spotted some motion blur, judder and average contrast, the KDL-32EX524 punches above its price tag with a generous array of features and decent all-round picture performance

Philips 32PFL9705

Direct LED and peerless picture quality make this one of the finest 32-inch sets ever made

Philips likes to push boundaries with its flagship 9000 Series TVs and it's done this again in grandstanding style with the 32PFL9705. What's more, it's done it on two fronts.



In feature terms, its expanded its multimedia support with the unique MediaConnect system, offering a really great way of getting your TV and PC to work together for people not comfortable with the usual more inscrutable TV file streaming approaches.


The other area where the 32PFL9705 breaks new ground is with its picture quality. The use of direct LED lighting with local dimming really does make the set the best 32-inch LCD TV the world

Panasonic TX-L32DT30B - £749

Impressive multimedia options, but is 32-inches too small for a 3DTV?

"3D is all about immersion", they say, "the bigger the better". So why do we love this, one of the smallest active 3D TVs we've tested so far?


Panasonic's first-ever non-plasma 3DTV, this Active 3D LCD TV is built around the brand's latest IPS Alpha panel technology. Multimedia tools number DLNA support, file playback from USB drives, recording of Freeview HD to powered USB HDDs or thumb drives, and Panasonic's new BBC iPlayer-endowed Viera Connect online portal. That's some combo.



Best of all, the set's 3D performance is superb; the LCD panel used is so quick that 3D looks clean and free of crosstalk. Sharp and colourful images are joined by that rarest thing on skinny flatscreen TVs – decent sound quality. Pricey, but worth it, is our conclusion.

Nokia's E-series phones have done two things to BlackBerry: first, they've given the latter a run for its money and second, they've proved to it that business phones need not be ugly. Nokia E71 had takers from not only the corporate areas but even the college-goers started loving it. Its successor E72 also enjoyed considerable success. And then came the E5 which is often touted as the “BlackBerry Killer”.
Nokia's latest offering, almost after a year of E5's launch, is the E6. The phone arrives in the time of iPhones and Android devices which are unmistakably loosening the Finnish giant's grip on the upper segment market. Nokia understands that Symbian is now a thing of “medieval ages” and it needs to offer a revamped OS and a revved-up interface and may be some extra goodies as well. The E6 doesn't disappoint. It is all spiced-up, the user interface is more appealing and there also some treats you would normally not find in a business phone. But the biggest surprise is the new, hotly-awaited Symbian Anna OS on which the phone runs.

 

 

Appearance, Build and Display
The handset is quite sleek, a trademark of the E-series. Ruggedly built, the phone is composed of stainless steel, matte plastic and Gorilla Glass, thereby confirming that it has been built to withstand a lot of wear and tear (and even a few nasty drops!). Measuring 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm and weighing about 133 gm, which is quiet okay for a phone like this, the handset can be comfortably held in the hand. The QWERTY keypad is sturdy, even though the keys are a bit softer as compared to the E71.


The 2.46-inch capacitive touch-screen takes up almost half the space, and yes, the phone does feel a bit cramped. Pegged at 640 x 480 pixels (almost twice of what E5 offered), the screen resolution is fairly good. And here's a wee bit of surprise, the phone boasts of a pixel density of 328 ppi, which is 2 ppi more than the iPhone's Retina display.

 

Camera and Other Media
The new Nokia E6 comes with an 8 MP fixed-focus camera with dual-LED flash. The quality of still images, to be honest, is average - decently detailed and moderately sharpened. Some images might appear under-contrasted. You can record up to 720p HD videos running at 25 fps (frames per second). But again, the video quality, too, is average.


The music application hasn't changed much in Symbian Anna. Supported audio formats include MP3, AAC, WMA, and WAVE. The video player on the device can support DivX, XviD, MP4, WMV, and most MKV videos. Under the garb of a YouTube app, all you get is a web shortcut, a disappointment, indeed. The phone has 350 MB of internal memory and an external card slot which can support memory cards up to 32 GB.

 

 

Interface and Applications
The phone offers a great deal of customization. It lets you add and rearrange widgets and shortcuts easily. There's also a small notification area but not as good as the ones found in Android devices. Pressing and holding the home key opens Task Manager which allows you to view the open tabs, switch between them, and close them. In spite of just 256 MB of RAM, E6 can easily handle about 12 apps simultaneously. The new Symbian Anna is a welcome addition by Nokia. But iOS or Android can easily dwarf it in terms of appearance and appeal. That apart, the new OS runs smoothly and promises that we can finally bid goodbye to the sluggish ancient version of Symbian.


There's a bettered, touch-optimised version of Ovi maps. The E6 gets locked with the satellites faster than Samsung Galaxy S2! The Lonely Planet city guide is a great addition. But the flash games are disappointing. The new 7.3 version of the browser is fast but does not stand a chance when compared to Androids. Word, Excel and Powerpoint files can be easily edited and there's Adobe Reader as well. The Ovi Store's UI looks overhauled. It doesn't crash anymore and offers a good number of apps. But again, this remains a petty achievement in front of Andriod and iOS.

Key Specifications

GENERAL
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
SIZE
Dimensions 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 66 cc
Weight 133 g
DISPLAY
Type TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 640 x 480 pixels, 2.46 inches
- Gorilla glass display
- QWERTY keyboard
- Multi-touch input method
- Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate
- Proximity sensor for auto turn-off
SOUND
Alert types Vibration, MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker Yes
3.5mm jack Yes
MEMORY
Phonebook Practically unlimited entries and fields, Photocall
Call records Detailed, max 30 days
Internal 8 GB storage, 256 MB RAM, 1 GB ROM
Card slot microSD, up to 32GB, buy memory
DATA
GPRS Class 33
EDGE Class 33
3G HSDPA 10.2Mbps, HSUPA 2.0Mbps
WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth Yes, v3.0 with A2DP
Infrared port No
USB Yes, v2.0 microUSB, USB On-the-go support
CAMERA
Primary 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, fixed focus, dual-LED flash,check quality
Features Geo-tagging, face detection
Video Yes, 720p@25fps, check quality
Secondary Yes, VGA
FEATURES
OS Symbian Anna OS
CPU 680 MHz ARM 11 processor, 2D/3D Graphics HW Accelerator with OpenVG1.1 and OpenGL ES 2.0
Messaging SMS, MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
Browser WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Radio Stereo FM radio with RDS
Games Yes + downloadable
Colors Black, White, Silver
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java Yes, MIDP 2.1
- Stainless steel panels
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- Digital compass
- TV-out
- MP4/H.264/H.263/RV player
- MP3/WMA/WAV/RA/eAAC+ player
- QuickOffice document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Organizer
- Flash Lite 4.0
- Voice command/dial/commands
- Predictive text input
BATTERY
Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh (BP-4L)
Stand-by Up to 681 h (2G) / Up to 744 h (3G)
Talk time Up to 14 h 48 min (2G) / Up to 7 h 30 min (3G)

 

MacBook Air - Thunderbolt and lightning


Apple has announced its new MacBook Air models, with 11- and 13-inch editions coming with souped-up processing power and the return of the backlit keyboard.

The new 11- and 13-inch models are powered by Intel Core i5 processors and come complete with Thunderbolt connectivity, as predicted by leaks that hit earlier today.

The Sandy Bridge processors mean the new range is "up to twice as fast as the previous generation", according to Apple: the 11-inch Airs come with the 1.6GHz Core i5, while the 13-inch editions offer 1.7GHz, with a custom configuration of the 1.8GHz i7 processor available.

A memory boost has also come to the new Air models; the lowest-spec model comes with the same 2GB RAM as its predecessor, but the three higher-end editions come with 4GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM.

All models now come with the backlit keyboard that was missing from the last generation of MacBook Airs, while the battery life stays the same – the 11-inch models offering five hours of wireless web browsing, and the 13-inchers offering seven hours.

The design and sizing of the new Airs is the same as the 2010 versions, with the Thunderbolt ports replacing the Mini Display video out. All the new MacBook Air models will ship with Mac OS X Lion as standard, and all the 250 new features that it brings.

The new MacBook Air UK release date is 21 July, with pre-orders opening today.

The MacBook Air 2011 UK pricing is a varied beast: the 1.6 GHz 11-inch MacBook Air is available in two models, one with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage coming in at £849, while the 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage model is £999

The 1.7 GHz 13-inch MacBook Air also comes in two configurations, one with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage which will set you back £1,099, while the 4GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage edition will sell for £1349.

According to geeky-gadgets ”ION Audio has introduced their new waterproof iPhone speaker dock in the form of their newly created Water Rocker. The new Water Rocker speaker dock has been designed for use near water and allows you to relax in your pool and listen to media knowing your iPhone is safely protected from dreaded water damage.The ION Water Rocker system is made up of two components the iPhone dock and the waterproof speaker. Once docked your iPhone can stream music up to 150 ft away from the speaker keeping it out of harms way”.