Vodafone UK and O2 UK have announced that the Nokia C6 Symbian smart phone is now available on their official sites. The device is free on 25 Pound monthly tariffs, making it one of our most recommended budget handsets. Finnish manufacturer Nokia is also offering the device on their main UK online store; the C6 is available SIM free at a retail price of 289 Pounds.
The Nokia C6 is a practical smart phone. While it is not the handset of choice for users who are more interested in experiencing the complete modern operating system with Android handsets and next generation platforms –like the Symbian^3 and the MeeGo OS, this device is meant to serve users who need a decent reliable smart phone that has more features than the average low end handset.
In terms of overall performance, the C6 is decent. It is good enough to run a vast range of apps and features, but it will definitely bog down when faced with huge file loads and successive command inputs. At 434 MHz, the ARM 11 CPU’s speed is nowhere as near as high end devices –but for the average smart phone user, this is usually more than enough.
The slide out QWERTY keyboard feels a lot like the 4 row layouts that Nokia uses for their N series devices. The top row tends to sneak just a little under the upper face, but it is not that hard to use when held properly. The buttons are responsive and provide a resounding feedback that allows users to type fast on this device. Expect to see happy grins on text messaging and email heavy users on this device.
The phone also comes with a 3.2 inch TFT resistive touch screen display (with an accelerometer and a scratch resistant surface), a 5 mega pixel snapper (with autofocus, geotagging and face detection) and the Symbian S60 OS.
Categories: Nokia, O2, Vodafone Tags: ARM-11, MeeGo, Nokia, Nokia-C6, O2, QWERTY, Symbian, Symbian-3, TFT-touch-screen, Vodafone
There are times when signing up for a service is quite discouraging. Looking at the termination policies and the cancellation fees, it makes perfect sense that there are users who would prefer to go with SIM less handsets rather than being stuck with a single network operator (and a single mobile number) for about 18 months to two years.
Aside from large costs, there are also roaming fees, bandwidth allowances and other information that should be studied before signing up. The worst case is for users to suddenly realize that one of the locations they frequent do not have coverage for a specific network.
In order to avoid this from happening to consumers, O2 UK is demanding that other network operators should also be open with their clients. There are plenty of places in the UK that suffer from having little to no network coverage. If a would be client comes from such as location, it would be best for the network to be able to inform the person when they sign up for the service.
Since leading by example is often the best way to go, O2 has applied a no questions asked policy. This is quite crucial for many users, and with 15 days for subscribers to decide, it is really quite the generous offer.
O2’s biggest concern is about coverage. Since other network operators are all too eager to boast about the size, speed and stability of their services, it makes it harder for consumers to make an educated decision. Being able to know if the network has coverage in areas that a person frequents (such as home, school or work) is very important, and it is often a piece of information that is taken for granted.
O2’s spokesperson adds: “No operator can guarantee a perfect experience to their customers. But what we can and should guarantee is that they have been given honest and accurate information.”
Why would people spend so much money on an oversized smart phone? For the very same reason that they are willing to shell out the same amount (and slightly more) for a tablet that does the very same things (and less).
The Apple iPad is a gimmick device, and nothing proves it better than the Dell Streak. This impressive piece of hardware brings people closer with all of its functions and of course, the ability to take and receive phone calls. Others may argue that the iPad is a “tablet” and should not require voice call support.
In this case, one has to ask what determines a tablet. As it is, most smart phones qualify as a tablet device –they have touch screen displays. And if we are to set the line with how large the screen is, the 5 inch capacitive touch screen on the Dell easily matches half the screen size on the iPad. And if this argument is not enough to convince Apple tablet purists, then they want to watch out for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tape (which packs a massive 7 inch touch screen).
Going back to the Dell Streak, the handset has been announced as available straight from Dell and retailers at a very decent price of 449 GBP. Not quite a steal, but for all the nice features that this phone offers, it makes for a good investment.
The 5 mega pixel camera, 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, and 5 inch touch screen display all complement each other, and the Android 2.1 Éclair provides an excellent operating system full of useful features that makes the phone worth the seemingly steep price. At the very least, it makes more sense going for the Streak than buying an iPad.
For those looking for contract offers for the Dell Streak; try checking out O2 UK.
