Author: Sloan Bowman

iPhone 4S At a Glance

Apple has released another addition to the iPhone series this year and they named it the iPhone 4S. As many of you remember the S indicates upgrades in hardware and software alike. In June of 2009 Apple made this very same bold move by releasing the 3GS which was a performance boosted 3G. Many claim to be “disappointed” by the decision yet the record sales disprove that claim abruptly. Whether you approve of the decision or not the 4S claims to be a faster, more efficient version of the wildly popular 4 released in June 2010. Let’s take a few minutes and look at the noticeable differences at a glance. Please note this is not a full review of the hardware or software. With that in mind lets move along to the good stuff. Continue reading “iPhone 4S At a Glance”

Apple iPhone 4S Unboxing

The iPhone 4S hit stores in many countries across the world yesterday including the United States.FoneArena’s Sloan Bowman takes a quick look at the iPhone 4S for AT&T and unboxes the device for us. As a bonus we have a interesting comparison between the iPhone 4 and the 4S. Watch the video after the break.

Continue reading “Apple iPhone 4S Unboxing”

Samsung Fascinate Review

Here is the FoneArena Samsung Fascinate Review

2010 could easily be dubbed the year of the Galaxy S, releasing a version on almost all carriers in North American and abroad. Verizon networks released a version on their network called the Fascinate boasting many of the same properties of the rest of the Galaxy S lineup but has a handful to call it’s own. Having spent ample time with the device let’s get started talking about what makes it special, helping you decide if this is the device for you. Continue reading “Samsung Fascinate Review”

Samsung Fascinate Unboxing

The Samsung Fascinate, available on the Verizon network, is a Galaxy S device specifically designed for Verizon. The Fascinate includes some of the latest technologies including a Super AMOLED display, 1 GHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor, PowerVR SGX540 GPU, Hummingbird chipset, 5MP camera with LED flash all in a slim attractive form factor we have all grown to expect from Samsung and their Galaxy S line of devices. As more and more Android devices are released hardware becomes the deciding factor in many purchase decisions. We are going to spend time with this Fascinate to see what sets it apart from other Android devices on the market. Armed with this knowledge we will help you decide if this is the right Android device for you. For now enjoy our unboxing video to get a brief look at what the phone has to offer.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsFRZKRamiI

BlackBerry Playbook Hands On

Here is FoneArena’s first hands on the Blackberry PlayBook which is a QNX powered tablet from RIM. The device looks like a beast in terms of performance as it can multitask seamlessly.

Take a look for yourself in the video below. Continue reading “BlackBerry Playbook Hands On”

Sprint smartphone data rate increases, value remains

As many of you have already read Sprint yesterday announced that they were increasing their smartphone data plans by $10 a month. If you were browsing headlines you immediately assumed this was a bad thing, more equals less for your money right? Sprint has an added value for their customers in that they offer one of the only truly unlimited data plans on the market. Even T-Mobile, which is known for affordable data plans, limits your bandwidth once you exceed the fair use policy. By adding an extra $10 for the new premium data you still save money when compared to others which can charge up to $29.99 on top of your talk minutes. Not only are the “Everything Data” plans cheaper but they actually offer unlimited data, not capped at the 2GB or 5GB limit like other carriers. For the average consumer this means you can use your phone without worrying about going over your allocated data limit, accruing large fees in the process .Nobody likes it when prices increase however when you stack it up against the competition I think you will see that the increase isn’t a bad thing after all. Below are the facts, you be the judge. Continue reading “Sprint smartphone data rate increases, value remains”

T-Mobile releases new ad targeting the iPhone 4 and its carriers

T-Mobile releases their latest campaign video with “Ms 4G” taking a stab at the iPhone 4 on both the Verizon and AT&T network. Claiming to have to largest and faster 4G network nationwide, T-Mobile clearly identifies that if you fancy an iPhone 4 you aren’t going to be going anywhere fast, at least with 4G.

On January 6, 2011 Philipp Humm made his first public appearance as president and CEO announcing the plans to upgrade the T-Mobile 4G network by doubling the speeds as well as releasing 25 new 4G devices. T-Mobile is clearly making a point that they want to be the leading 4G network with the most devices available to its users. Will “Ms 4G” still be smiling after the other carriers finish their 4G network infrastructure? Watch the video and let us know what you think.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pb9-LbxFeU

Nokia N8 Review Week – Day 6 – Phone Calls, Messaging, Email

Hello and Welcome to N8 Review Week here on FoneArena! Each day of this week, one of our team members will cover one area of Nokia’s imaging flagship with all the do’s and dont’s. This should make for an exciting week and we’re all looking forward to that! Today is Saturday, my name is Sloan Bowman, and I will be covering the N8’s Phone, Messaging and Email features . Enjoy reading along and if you have any questions please feel free to comment.

N8 Dialer

Continue reading “Nokia N8 Review Week – Day 6 – Phone Calls, Messaging, Email”

BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review

Presenting a review of the BlackBerry Torch 9800 for AT&T

bb torch slider open

When you think of BlackBerry the first thought that comes to your mind is either email or full qwerty keyboard. The last thing that users think about is touch screen and user interface. For years BlackBerry has been known for their stellar solutions that provide seamless push service like email, web , contacts, and calendar all in a small productive device. Each year new devices come out typically with minor enhancements to adjust from any user complaints from the previous models. Very rarely do we see an entirely new form factor from the Canadian company Research In Motion. The latest change that was arguably a success was the BlackBerry Storm which boasted a new technology named surepress, allowing users to feel the screen click as they pressed on the user interface elements. The Storm may be popular by volume but it wasn’t the game changing device that BlackBerry wanted it to be. Continue reading “BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review”

Sprint to update the Epic 4G to resolve data speeds

Per a post by an administrator on the Sprint official forums, the Samsung Epic 4G may be in for some updates as soon as today for some users. The update is said to resolve some of the 3G/4G speed issues many users have been complaining about. The official post from the administrator goes a little something like this:

Good news – an update will be released tomorrow 9/30.  It will be rolled out over a 4 day period so not everyone will get it on day 1. I will have the standard MR information (fixes included, rollout schedule, etc) available tomorrow morning and will post it in a new featured thread.

Will this please the well over 500 users complaining currently on the forum about the issue? I guess if you are the chosen one  you will find out soon. Let us know how it works out for you.

via [Boy Genius Report]

Samsung Epic 4G Review

Here is the FoneArena Samsung EPIC 4G Review where we take a deep look into the latest Android phone for Sprint USA.This year Samsung has taken the mobile market by storm after releasing their latest line of Android based phones called the Galaxy S series. In the US market alone Samsung has released one Galaxy S variation for each of the four major carriers. T-Mobile USA has the Vibrant, AT&T released the Captivate, Verizon released the Fascinate, and Sprint brings us the Epic 4G. Each has its own characteristics defining its place in the Galaxy S line. Continue reading “Samsung Epic 4G Review”

Samsung Epic 4G First Impressions

The latest in the Samsung Galaxy S line-up, the Epic 4G, has arrived and we wanted to bring you our first impressions. First things first lets talk “phone talk” before we get into our first impression. The Epic 4G boast the latest in processor technology with the Hummingbird Cortex A8 1GHz processor. Out of the box the Epic 4G provides ample storage capacity with its 512 MB ROM as well as an included 16 GB micro SD card to store your media. The screen is powered by a 4.0-inch Super AMOLED capacitive display that offers HD-like quality. Our review unit is running Android 2.1 build Samsung ECLAIR.DG27 which to my understanding is what is shipping to its customers.  The Epic 4G is using the custom skin from Samsung named TouchWiz 2.5, which offers its customers a unique feel for the Android platform.

Continue reading “Samsung Epic 4G First Impressions”