by Blake on January 10, 2012
Fujitsu seems not to understand that the roads less traveled are less traveled for a reason and releases the LOOX F-07C mobile computer. Fitted with a slider QWERTY keyboard, this device can instantly switch between Symbian and Windows 7, but the main problem is battery life. In Windows 7 mode it will last less than two hours, and that’s if you don’t use the 3G, which makes it more of an experiment than an actual smartphone. This is particularly frustrating since the processor has been under-clocked at 600MHz from its native 1.2GHz, specifically to increase the battery life.
If you add into the mix the 1GB of RAM, it is easy to understand why LOOX F-07C is not only the smallest device running Windows 7, but also the weakest. Trying to play high resolution YouTube videos is not possible, but it works silky smooth when you need to edit documents in Office. The transition between Windows 7 and Symbian is seamless and in less than 30 seconds you can switch to the other mode. While LOOX F-07C has several capabilities in Windows 7 mode, which work more or less, in Symbian you will enjoy only the basic functions of a mobile phone.
The display is 4 inches wide and supports a resolution of 1024 x 600, which results in nice pixel density, but the 5 megapixel camera can only capture videos in 640 x 400. Another significant lacking when it comes to Symbian mode is the absence of Wi-Fi, which drastically limits your options and to some extent, forces you to switch to the battery consuming Window 7 all too often. For all these reasons, LOOX F-07C remains mostly an experiment, and unless you want to join the very few who can brag about owning a Window 7 phone, you should look elsewhere.
by Blake on January 6, 2012
RIM seems relentless, and they are particularly devoted on launching smartphones bearing the name Torch, with the BlackBerry 9810 following the release of the 9850. Without being much better than its 9850 counterpart, this Torch is a better deal, because at 50$ with a two-year contract it is affordable for any RIM fan. The problem is that these guys are decreasing at an alarming rate and given the speed the market is growing, BlackBerries need to pick up speed fast.
BlackBerry 9810 Torch doesn’t bring too many new things on the table, and unless you are passionate about the standard design, you will have few reasons to rejoice. This doesn’t mean that it is unappealing, but it seems like RIM placed more emphasis on what is inside, rather than trying to compel up with an improved design. Packing a processor that is twice as fast as those powering the predecessors, BlackBerry 9810’s 1.2GHz CPU is the standard for the new line of smartphones released by RIM.
Those who are familiar with their recent releases, will not be too surprised to discover that this rather standard processor is accompanied by 768MB of RAM, an upgrade from the unassuming 512. Another upgrade that you might miss initially is the resolution, 640 x 480 instead of the 480 x 360, despite the fact that the display is the same 3.2 inches wide. BlackBerry 9810 Torch is running on BlackBerry 7, which also brings several innovative features, although the absence of a home page might be frustrating.
The camera is now capable of shooting in 720p and both the videos and pictures are very clear, in fact, they are some of the best ever shot with a BlackBerry. The battery life has also been increased, and even if you use it intensely all day long, it will not require recharging more than once per day. For BlackBerry enthusiasts, this smartphone is definitely a step forward and a very inexpensive one, so it could well grow into RIM’s best-selling gadget in 2011.