BlackBerry Bold 9900 vs Nokia E6

We see how Nokia’s E6 compares to the BlackBerry Bold 9900 in the ‘messenger phone’ stakes.

Can Nokia take on RIM at its own game? We find out as the BlackBerry Bold 9900 squares up to the Nokia E6.
Form:
BlackBerry Bold 9900 - 115 x 66 x 10.5mm, 130g
Nokia E6 - 115.5 x 59 x 10.5 mm, 133g
Visually both phones follow the same design ethos, inspired by RIM’s original BlackBerry devices.
In each case a relatively small screen sits atop a fixed Qwerty keyboard in the middle of a squat, broad handset design.
The difference comes where the BlackBerry sports more softened and curved edges, while the Nokia has a much harder and more chiselled feel.
Although they are more or less the same in overall size, the Nokia has slightly narrower proportions and a smaller screen. The keyboard also appears more condensed and all these elements combine to give a slightly more slender appearance.
Both phones are equally light and thin.
We prefer the Nokia’s angled and tapered lines to the BlackBerry’s curves.
Winner – Nokia E6
Storage:
Both handsets offer a good amount of on-board space, with 8GB of internal capacity in each.
They also both support Micro SD cards up to 32GB.
For processor support the BlackBerry comes with 768MB of RAM against the Nokia’s less impressive 256 MB. The Nokia also has 1GB of ROM.
A pretty equal setup overall but the RAM arrangement on the BlackBerry makes a difference and is our preferred choice.
Winner – BlackBerry Bold 9900
Display:
These phones use similar touchscreens. Each is a TFT capacitive screen with a resolution of 640x480 pixels.
The BlackBerry has a 2.8-inch display with a pixel density of 285 pixels-per-inch (ppi) and featuring multi-touch input, an accelerometer sensor and an optical track-pad.
Against this the Nokia’s smaller 2.4-inch screen comes in at 325ppi for a much sharper picture. It’s also made from toughened Gorilla Glass and has the usual accelerometer and multi-touch features.
We’d normally prefer the Bold’s larger screen but the picture quality on the Nokia is very high indeed.
Winner – Nokia E6

Processor:
The BlackBerry Bold is a reasonably powerful machine with a single core 1.2GHz Qualcomm 8655 running under the Snapdragon chipset.
Additional graphical punch is provided by an Adreno 205 graphics processing unit (GPU).
The Nokia E6’s processor seems to be modelled after older BlackBerry’s, running as it does a single core ARM 11 processor at 680MHz.
The graphics setup is quite a mouthful - it runs a 2D/3D Graphics HW Accelerator featuring OpenVG1.1 and OpenGL ES 2.0 architectures.
Of course this setup doesn’t have anywhere near the same capability as the BlackBerry Bold, meaning RIM’s device emerges the victor this round.
Winner – BlackBerry Bold 9900
Operating System:
On the Nokia E6 we have Symbian Anna, the latest update of Nokia’s own Symbian^3 operating system. The BlackBerry Bold 9900, meanwhile, runs RIM’s BlackBerry OS 7.
BlackBerry OS 7’s interface has changed very little in appearance from the previous build, but behind the scenes plenty of work has been done.
System performance on the whole has been ramped up so that both navigating the system and performing tasks is slicker than it ever has been.
This extends to browsing too. BlackBerry’s Webkit based browser has been enhanced and can bring your pages up rapidly with a custom Javascript compiler and Flash support powering things.
Not only this but pinch zoom and a voice activated search function have been added to make things a little more convenient.
RIM has included some forward-thinking tech support in this build with Near Field Communication (NFC).
This means that when stores start enabling remote payment through your phone you’ll be able to take full advantage.
Funcionality doesn’t end there. The technology also has potential to allow “bump” transfer of data between devices and to be used as a reader for promotion stickers and the like.
HD video capture support is also a new addition and it’s just as well as the Bold 9900’s camera has this capability in its hardware.
Lastly there’s the BlackBerry Balance suite, which RIM has included to enable users to separate personal and business information on their phones.
Symbian^3 has been updated several times since its release and the functionality has gradually improved as a result.
Multi-touch support as well as improved graphics capability, multi-tasking and location-based services have all been added over time to make a much more rounded system.
The Symbian Anna update improves things further.
In Symbian^3 there was no support for touch scrolling - users had to use a rather fiddly scroll bar on the side of the screen. This has been rectified in Anna and a simple swipe up or down will allow you to navigate freely.
The native browser has also been enhanced to offer much faster performance than previous builds.
In addition, Nokia has included a new portrait-oriented Qwerty touch keyboard, designed for one-handed typing.
Finally, there's the new inclusion of a split screen mode for message threads that allows users to view a conversation and type a response at the same time.
While Symbian has been improved it is still behind many other systems on the market, the functionality is not as extensive as its competitors.
BlackBerry OS 7, on the other hand, has come on leaps and bounds to give users a much more complete system.
Winner – BlackBerry Bold 9900
Camera:
RIM’s new model Bold comes equipped with a 5-megapixel primary camera at a resolution of 2592x1944 pixels.
Video capture is 720p HD and there’s no secondary camera.
Features include autofocus, LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection, image stabilisation, digital zoom and editing effects.
Nokia has opted for something a bit brawnier, the E6 houses an 8-megapixel primary at 3264x2448 pixels.
It’s fixed focus but has a dual LED flash, geo-tagging, face detection, digital zoom, exposure control and a self-timer.
Video capture is 720p HD and the phone supports video calling. There’s also a secondary VGA camera.
The Nokia E6 has a higher quality and more feature-packed camera, winning it this round.
Winner – Nokia E6
Final Thoughts:
The Nokia E6 has some areas where it excels: the camera is top-of-the range, the display is great and the visual design shows typical Nokia flair.
However, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has more substance in our view, with a much better processor and storage setup and a much more functional and intuitive operating system.

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Google Videos App Hacked to allow root users to stream movies

This has been discussed more than a few times since we first found out the Google Videos App would not allow rooted users to watch rental movies on their devices. Just yesterday Google updated the video app to allow streaming and playback of rented movies on FroYo and Gingerbread devices too. We have good news for those rooted users though.

The developers over at SDX have been hard at work, we can now use a modded version of the app where they have removed the root check so all devices will be able to enjoy movie playback. This version should also work with all supported devices running Android 2.2 and above so those on older Android are also in luck.
As always make sure to backup or save the previous version just to be safe, otherwise uninstall and install the new modded APK and you are good to go. For the few not wanting to use the modded APK and have rooted devices and rented movies didn’t play, you can also go to the YouTube app and watch them through “rentals” in YouTube as Google has yet to implement the root check into it — just a tip! Head on to the source for more details.
Modded Video App Download
[via Droid-Life]

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HTC Sensation OTA Update for 2.3.4 Gingerbread Hitting Europe

New reports this morning are suggesting the update to the late Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread is currently underway for the European model. The update hit a few unbranded Germany roaming HTC Sensation phones but should be rolling out to other carriers throughout the next week or so. As far as I know there hasn’t been any word regarding an update for the Sensation but this could be a good time to include some fixes and update to the latest OS version.

Folks that have received the update are saying it was around 41mb and was a fairly fast and easy process, as well as bringing the phone software version up to 1.45.401.2. We are still waiting more details but it appears to bring GTalk video chat to the device as a standard option instead of using things like Qik or other options.
As always with OTA updates you’ll find a few software tweaks, bug fixes and some performance enhancements so hopefully this update will start hitting other carriers soon. We haven’t heard from HTC regarding the update but most likely it should start rolling out to other carriers and possible other regions too. The T-Mobile Sensation 4G here in the states is still on 2.3.3 and I know I’ve had a few readers ask when it will receive 2.3.4 so hopefully this clears up things a little bit as its already started.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Sensation 4G

Manufactuer : HTC

Carrier : T-Mobile

Announced Date : April 12, 2011

Release Date : May 19, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.30 Inch


• Resolution : 540x960


• Screen Type : qHD

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 4.96 Inch


• Width : 2.57 Inch


• Depth : 0.44 Inch


• Weight : 148 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1520 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 350 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 2.3.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AMR


• MID


• MP3


• WAV


• WMA

• Video Playback:


• 3GP


• MPEG-4 (MP4)


• WMV

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS

Hardware

CPU : Snapdragon

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 768 MB

Internal Storage : 4 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :8 MP

• External Storage:


• MicroSD


• MicroSDHC

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• Flash


• 1080p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• GSM

• GSM Band:


• 850


• 900


• 1800


• 1900

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 3.0

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

[via Phandroid]

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Devs claim payments from Google aren’t matching Amazon Market app sales

There are some Android developers that aren’t happy campers. Apparently, some of the devs have taken to the Google Market forums to complain that the payments they are receiving aren’t matching up with the sales of their apps. The issue isn’t widespread apparently with only a few complaining that their checks are short.

The difference between the reported sales of the apps and the amount of the checks is apparently large. One of the devs that has the issue said that less than half the apps that had actually sold during the period were paid out. A bit of digging turned up a possible reason for the light payments.
Apparently, all the devs that were affected has apps purchased on the web store for the Android Market. The thought is that the purchased made on the web store and then pushed to the devices aren’t being tallied up on the checks. Google noted that it is aware of the issue and is working to fix it.
[via AndroidApps]

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Samsung Galaxy S II official US launch on August 29

Samsung has scheduled a press event on August 29, 2011, in New York City, and judging by the conspicuous “II” on the invitation sent to Android Community, it looks like the Galaxy S II is finally ready to make its US debut. The “major product announcement” the invite promises is one that has been much-anticipated by US Android-lovers: the Galaxy S II has already set sales records for Samsung in Europe and Asia.

In fact, Samsung has had the Galaxy S II on sale outside the US for several months now – we reviewed the European version back in April - and it’s already on sale in Canada, too. You can still see the appeal: a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 8-megapixel camera with Full HD 1080p video recording still leaves the Galaxy S II at the top of its game.
We’ll be headed to New York for all the details on August 29, when hopefully Samsung will tell us exactly when the GSII will go on sale and for how much. Meanwhile, if you’re in the UK remember we’re giving away two Galaxy S II units courtesy of Vodafone!

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy S II

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : AT&T

Announced Date : February 13, 2011

Release Date : April 28, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.27 Inch


• Resolution : 480x800


• Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 4.93 Inch


• Width : 2.6 Inch


• Depth : .33 Inch


• Weight : 116 Grams

Battery & Power

• Battery Type:


• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh


• Talk Time : NA


• Stand By Time : 710 hours

Software

• Android OS:


• 2.3.x

• Audio Playback:


• AAC


• AAC+


• MP3

• Video Playback:


• h.263


• h.264 / AVC


• MPEG-4 (MP4)

• Messaging:


• SMS


• MMS

Hardware

CPU : Exynos

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 16 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Camera Resolution :8 MP

• External Storage:


• MicroSD


• MicroSDHC

• Camera Features:


• Auto focus


• Flash


• 1080p Video Recording


• 720p Video Recording

• Sensors:


• Accelerometer


• Proximity

QWERTY :

Cellular Network

• Network Technology:


• GSM

• GSM Band:


• 850


• 900


• 1800


• 1900

Device Connectivity

• Wi-Fi:


• 802.11b


• 802.11g


• 802.11n

• Bluetooth:


• Bluetooth 3.0

• Location Features:


• Compass


• GPS


• Cellular location


• Wi-Fi location

FM Radio :

)

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Research firm claims Android Market is driven by very active developers

Data from an app rating and discovery company called Mobilewalla has surfaced that digs into the Android Market and found some interesting details about developers for Android. According to the metrics firm, the Android market is led by a number of very prolific app markers. The company also found that the apps on Android also see more updates per app than apps on the App Store at Apple sees.

I am sure that has to do with the fact that developers on the Android Market can update and publish as they see fit whereas Apple forces all updates through an approval process. The data the company published shows that in May Android devs that have created more than 100 apps and are responsible for more than 53% of the apps on the Market.
On the App Store, by contrast developers that have more than 100 apps to their credit only represent 23% of all apps. The implication is that the fast growth of the Android market means that it is driven by a smaller set of developers that are pushing out lots of new apps.
[via Gigaom]

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Box.net updates Android cloud app with tablet support

The cloud storage choices are growing quickly out there and if you are a fan of the Box.net cloud platform that has been around for a while for sharing mobile data on the go using smartphones the app has been updated. The new version of the Box app has been updated and it now supports Android tablets. The app was only for Android phones before and this is the first time for tablet support.

The company said that its smartphone app for Android devices had been downloaded 100,000 times already. The service has a free trial offer and it guarantees 99.9% uptime. That means you won’t have to worry about the service being offline when you need it. Box offers contact management, the ability to share files securely, and the ability to sync files from the desktop.
The mobile access allows you to share documents with coworkers and friends on the go and it lets the user share folders and files with a simple tap. The app is available for iOS devices and the new update supports the Playbook tablet as well. It also has an online workspace for editing documents.
[via InformationWeek]

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Android steals 20% of tablet market from iPad over past year

Android-powered tablets have taken 20% of the global tablet market from Apple’s iPad over the past 12 months according to new data from ABI Research. While Android tablets have collectively managed to make a sizable dent in the iPad’s global market share, ABI says no single tablet vendor has managed to “mount a significant challenge” against the iPad at this point. “Many vendors have introduced media tablets, but none are separating themselves from the pack to pose a serious threat to Apple,” ABI Research mobile devices group director Jeff Orr said in a statement. ”In fact, most have introduced products at prices higher than similarly-configured iPads. Apple, never a company to be waiting for others, has introduced its second-generation iPad media tablet while keeping product pricing unchanged.” Orr continued, “De-featured, low-cost media tablets are being introduced by more than fifty vendors in 2011. This will certainly help bolster year-over-year growth for the category, but it also creates a negative perception in the minds of the mass consumer audience about the readiness of media tablets to be fully functional within the next several years. Good user experiences and product response are needed to propel this market beyond the ‘early adopter’ stage.” ABI Reseach’s full press release follows below.

Android Takes 20% Media Tablet Market Share from iPad in Last 12 Months
NEW YORK – August 11, 2011
Worldwide annual media tablet shipments are expected to top 120 million units in 2015. While not quite as strong as traditional PC or smartphone annual sales, media tablets are emerging from the shadow of non-handset mobile devices and rapidly coming into their own. Android media tablets have collectively taken 20% market share away from the iPad in the last 12 months. However, no single vendor using Android (or any other OS) has been able to mount a significant challenge against it.
ABI Research mobile devices group director Jeff Orr comments, “Many vendors have introduced media tablets, but none are separating themselves from the pack to pose a serious threat to Apple. In fact, most have introduced products at prices higher than similarly-configured iPads. Apple, never a company to be waiting for others, has introduced its second-generation iPad media tablet while keeping product pricing unchanged.”
Fragmentation within operating system software is hindering growth of this device category. Application developers must choose an initial software platform and may delay starting development if the market potential is not significant. Google’s Android OS has no less than three different software builds deployed across media tablets at the same time. The benefits of open software platform development have yet to be realized for media tablets.
“De-featured, low-cost media tablets are being introduced by more than fifty vendors in 2011,” Orr says. “This will certainly help bolster year-over-year growth for the category, but it also creates a negative perception in the minds of the mass consumer audience about the readiness of media tablets to be fully functional within the next several years. Good user experiences and product response are needed to propel this market beyond the ‘early adopter’ stage.”
ABI Research’s new “Media Tablets” study defines the product category, discusses market drivers and inhibitors, and provides information about distribution channels, go-to-market strategies, product pricing, and availability. The report also presents information about device features, capabilities, and use cases, and provides forecasts of media tablet shipments and price bands.
It is part of the firm’s Tablets, Netbooks, and Mobile CE Research Service.

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Apple may unveil iPhone 5 on September 7th

Apple plans to hold this year’s “iPod media event” on September 7th, Japanese-language news site Kodawarisan reported on Friday. The company’s September event has historically been dedicated to the iPod line, with Apple having unveiled its latest iPod touch, iPod shuffle and iPod nano models at last year’s event. With a new iPhone model due to be released in September or October, however, it seems very likely that Apple will use its annual September media event to unveil the iPhone 5 rather than just refreshed iPods. The spotlight has moved off of Apple’s iPod lineup over the past few years — Apple even removed its “iPod” branding from the Music app in iOS 5 — so it seems highly unlikely that the company’s line of media players will continue to warrant a dedicated event. Apple is also expected to launch the new iPad 3 in the near future, though a recent round of rumors suggest that might not happen until late November or even early 2012.
Read

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