The Phones that rocked the previous year

[Bond007]

"Best" is a tag that everyone seems for a film star, a cricketer or even a mobile phone. While evaluation of mobile phones can be a dicey task. there are so many different features and aspect that you need to evaluate. But in the end, we did manage to pickup a few devices that really stand apart in the madding crowd of handsets. These are devices that have carved a deep niche for themselves; by their versatility and appeal, they have managed to set new standards for the handset industry.

They are real trailblazers, and quite often they have managed to cast a new glow on the reputation of their parent company.

In this thread, I will bring you the best among the rest from 2010 in various categories from the industry, based on a magazine review.

These are the stars that made the year that was.

[Bond007]

AFFORDABLE COMMUNICATION

In the entire mobile market, the segment that saw the highest growth was the one that catered to the low end users. we are talking about handsets that are typically cost less than Rs 5,000. This was also the segment where we saw majority of new handset brands emerging and vying to grab the biggest piece of the pie. The crucial USP of this segment was affordability and the brands fought to bring more and more features into cheaper and cheaper phones. Such stiff was the competition that even 3G phones priced under Rs 5,000 were launched in 2010.

However, when it came to the right quality, features and style, only one of the upcoming brands was able to make it to the nominees list and that was the Zen Z22.

Global brands Samsung, LG and Nokia still score high, when it comes to getting quality and features combined with affordablility.

In this category nominees were:

Nokia 2690
Zen Z22
LG GU220
Nokia 2730 Classic
Samsung C3200 Monte Bar

[Bond007]

And the winner in the affordable phone category is the Nokia 2690. the phone was an instant hit when launched and was touted as Nokia's answer to the growing crop indigenous brands. An Edge phone that combines Bluetooth connectivity with VGA camera, stereo FM radio, GPRS and Email.

It is also customer killer due to it's great style.

http://myhindiforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8798&stc=1&d=1297546004

[Bond007]

http://www.unwireindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/nokia-2690.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-VGA Camera (No Flash or Zoom)
-Bluetooth Connectivity
-GPRS, EDGE
-Internet Browsing with Opera Mini
-Audio Playback with 3.5 mm Head phone jack
-FM Radio
-15 MB Inbuilt Memory. Expandable Using microSD/Transflash up to 2 GB
-SMS/MMS/Email.
-Nokia LifeTools, Themes.
-Li-Ion Battery with Capacity 860 mAh.
-Talktime: 5 hours.
-Standby Time: 335 hours.
-Nokia OS Platform
-3G Support : No

The phone is available is various colors like Graphite, White Silver, Hot Pink, Blue.

Latest Price: Around 2,700 INR (3 Feb ’11)

[Bond007]

The next category is MUSIC MASALA

You know what, it's difficult to imagine our culture without a hefty dose of music in it. Be it a college student plugged into his phone's music player or a village farmer blaring Vividh Bharti on his phone's loudespeaker while working in his farm, it won't be wrong to say that our music make us tick. Handset makers have to fokus actuely on musical qualities of their phones in order to sell in our markets.

And here are the few different price categorised phones that swayed the hearts of the million and energed as best phones in the music category.

[Bond007]

Price Category: Up to 6,000

While there were many in this price segment that rocked the mobile world with their music capabilities, there were only a few that made it to the top list. In the price range less than 6,000 there were many strong contenders and some new name made an strong impact. Among these was the Videocon with its V1425.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were:

Nokia X2
Samsung Monte Bar C3200
Videocon V1425
Zen M20
LG GB230

[Bond007]

However it is Nokia with its X2 that made an impression on maximum number of music aficionados. Great sound quality, combined with good looks and easy access to a music features, makes this device a desirable choice, when it come to a music phone.

http://myhindiforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=8799&stc=1&d=1297549130

[Bond007]

http://www.mobilegazette.com/handsets/nokia/nokia-x2/nokia-x2-2.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :
- 3.5 mm AV connector
- BL-4C 860 mAh Li-Ion battery
- Camera:5 Megapixel, LED flash
- Comes with Music*
- Dedicated music keys
- Dimensions:111 x 47 x 13.3 mm, 61 cc
- Display:2.2 inch TFT,256K colors,
- Dual stereo speakers
- GPRS/EDGE
- Memory Internal 48 MB/MicroSD memory card slot, up to 16 GB
- Talk time: up to 13 hours/Standby time: up to 540 hours
- Colors: Red on Black, Blue on Silver
- Stereo FM radio with RDS; built-in antenna

[Bond007]

Price Category: Rs 6,001 to Rs 12,000

As far as the music phones go, features such as graphic equalisers, sound enhancement, etc become important in saperating men from boyes. In this price category, competition is really tough and very few phones are able to make an impression.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were:

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic
LG BL20
Sony Ericsson Xylo
Nokia X5-01
Samsung Monte S5620

[Bond007]

The title for the best phone in this category goes to Nokia 5530. A part of the XpressMusic series, the phone offers great musical experience with a music player that supports a wide range of formats, FM radio with RDS and a long lasting battery for the continuous entertainment. A close second to the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic, is another Nokia device called the Nokia X5-01, which too comes with impressive music features and sound quality.

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/images/news/5530-003.jpg

[Bond007]

http://www.newlaunches.com/entry_image/0609/16/Nokia_5530_XpressMusic-thumb-450x378.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :
-Talktime/Standby : 4.5/351 (hours)
-Screen(colours)/Size : 16.7 million/2.9 inch
-Memory Inbuilt/Expendable : 70 MB/16 GB
-Camera : 3.2 MP with Flash
-Quad Band/GPRS/EDGE/3G
-Operating System : Symbian S60
-Music Player/FM Radio
-Form Factor : Bar/Touch Screen
-Price : About 9,800

[Bond007]

Price Category : 12,001 to 19,999

While Nokia dominated the music category in the 2009 awards, this year the brand seems to be heading for a clean sweep. In this category too Nokia seems to have taken lead with its X6 succeeding the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to the throne and becoming the best music phone ranging between Rs 12,000 to 19,999.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :

Samsung Wave
Nokia X6
Motorola Flipout
Sony Ericsson Vivaz
Nokia C7

[Bond007]

However the fight wasn't easy, giving the X6 a tough competition was the Samsung Wave, which runs on Bada OS and offers great musical experience.

Packed with a great touch screen, the Nokia X6 also offers avery melliflouos sound quality. The unlimited song offering available at Nokia's Music Store come as an added delight.
http://st2.gsmarena.com/vv/pics/nokia/nokia-x6-2.jpg

[Bond007]

http://st2.gsmarena.com/vv/pics/nokia/nokia-x6-1.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-Dimension(mm)/Weight(grms) : 111x51x13.8/122
-Talktime/Standby (hours) : 11.3/420
-Screen(colours)/Size(inch) : 16.7 million/3.2
-Memory Inbuilt/Expandable : 16 GB/NA
-Connectivity : Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/GPRS/EDGE/3G
-Camera : 5.0 MP with flash and video
-Operating System : Symbian S60
-Music Player/ FM Radio
-Form Factor : Bar/Touch Screen

-Price : about 15,900

[Bond007]

Price Category : Rs 20,000 and above

In this price category multimedia usually takes a back seat and smartphone capabilities become more important. If an smartphone can give you an impressive music experience then nothing beats that. Simply no dearth of supar advanced mobile phones vying for the top slot. These are the devices that pack a punch when it comes to smartphone capabilities, but also make you groove with their music prowess.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :


Nokia N900
Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro
Nokia N8
Samsung Galexy S
Motorola Milestone XT720

[Bond007]

And...... the one that ruled the musical muses of nation was again a phone from Nokia's stable - the Nokia N8. This is the first phone to run on the latest Symbian ^3 operating system. it's musical powers are truly great.

http://latestpriceindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Nokia-N8-photos.jpg

[Bond007]

http://www.priceindia.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Nokia-N8-10.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-Dimension(mm)/Weight(grams) : 113.5x59x12.9/135
-Talktime/Standby : 12/390 hours
-Screen(colours)/Size(inch) : 16.7 million/3.5
-Memory Inbuilt/Epandable : 16GB/32GB
-Connectivity : Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/GPRS/EDGE/3G
-Camera : 12.0 MP with flash and video
-Operating System : Symbian^3 OS
-Music Player/ FM Radio
-Form Factor : Bar/Touch Screen
-A-GPS with Nokia Maps

-Price : about 24,000

[Bond007]

SCINTILLATING SNAPPERS (CAMERA SEGMENT)

Other than music, the most sought after multimedia feature in a phone is the camera. A camera built into a compact phone not only offers immeasurable convenience, it is also great for those who are deeply into social networking as you can click and share pictures instantly. In the year 2009, Sony Ericsson, which is known for it’s great camera capabilities, dominated this segment, but the year 2010 had some new underdogs racing to the top and actually winning. Wondering who they are?
Read on to know……

[Bond007]

Price Category : Up to Rs 5,999

This year it is Samsung that has managed to bulldoze the competition in the price range of less than 5,999, with it’s extremely versatile Samsung S5200.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :


Samsung S5200
Samsung S3530
LG S310
Nokia X2
Motorola EX115

[ABHAY]

http://www.priceindia.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/nokia-n8-10.jpg

the important specifications of the phone are :


-price : About 24,000

भाई ये तो मेरा फेब्रेट स्टाइल है फोन में मै इसे खरीदना चाहता हू

[Bond007]

A 3.15 MP camera accompanied with a flash gives impeccable picture quality along with a great video prowess. Perhaps the best thing about the phone is it’s support for up to 8 GB of expandable memory and the ease with which it allows users to access social networking sites. A close second is the Nokia X2, which has a 5.0 MP camera, but with a fixed focus.

http://www.mobilephone.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Samsung-S5200.jpg

[Bond007]

http://www.mobilephone.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/samsung-s5200-final.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-Dimension(mm)/Weight(grams) : 103.6x48.7x10.9/97.3
-Talktime/Standby : 05/300 hours
-Screen(colours)/Size(inch) : 16 million/2.1
-Memory Inbuilt/Epandable : 45MB/8GB
-Connectivity : Bluetooth/GPRS/EDGE
-Camera : 3.2 MP with flash and video
-Operating System : Proprietry
-Music Player/ FM Radio
-Form Factor : Slider
-Call Recording

-Price : about 5,500 INR

[Bond007]

Price Category : Rs 6,000 to Rs 11,999
This is another price segment, which has seen extreme competition from every global brand. The phone that has successfully challenged Sony Ericsson’s supremacy in this price segment is the LG GM 360i.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :

Nokia X5
LG BL20
LG GM 360i
Sony Ericsson Hazel
Samsung Monte

[Bond007]

LG GM360i, famously known as LG Viewty Snap, the phone is loaded with a 5.0 MP autofocus camera and LED flash. The picture quality is further enhanced by the presence of an Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens. A close second in this tight race of camera savvy phones is the Nokia X5, which lost out because it is plagued with a fixed focus camera, albeit of 5.0 MP.

http://ucables.com/img/extra/LG-GM360I-UNLOCKED-R274489-1.jpg

[Bond007]

http://www.3noobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/LG-Cookie-Snap-Gm360i.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-Dimension(mm)/Weight(grams) : 108x53.1x11.95/89
-Talktime/Standby : 03/300 hours
-Screen(colours)/Size(inch) : 262 K/3.0
-Memory Inbuilt/Epandable : 30MB/16GB
-Connectivity : Bluetooth/GPRS/EDGE
-Camera : 5.0 MP with flash and video
-Operating System : NA
-Music Player/ FM Radio
-Form Factor : Bar/Touch Screen

-Price : about 8,200 INR

[Bond007]

Price Category : Rs 12,000 to 19,999

Nokia might have lost in the previous categories, but this time around, it has turned out to be bang on the target with it’s Nokia C7, even though this has a fixed focus camera.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :


Nokia C7
Nokia X6
Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro
Samsung Wave
HTC Wildfire

[Bond007]

After tough competition with the likes of Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro and Nokia X6, Nokia C7 has emerged as a winner with it’s 8.0 MP fixed focus camera, dual LED flash, face detection and geo-tagging. The picture quality is good not only in still mode, but also in video shoots.

http://www.mobilestopic.com/images/mobile/Nokia-C7-A.jpg

[Bond007]

http://www.mobilegazette.com/handsets/nokia/nokia-c7/nokia-c7-1.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

-Dimension(mm)/Weight(grams) : 117.3x56.8x10.5/130
-Talktime/Standby : 09/550 hours
-Screen(colours)/Size(inch) : 16.7 million/3.5
-Memory Inbuilt/Epandable : 8GB/32GB
-Connectivity : Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/GPRS/EDGE/3G
-Camera : 8.0 MP with flash and video
-Operating System : Symbian^3
-Music Player/ FM Radio
-Form Factor : Bar/Touch Screen
-GPS, TV Out, Push Mail

-Price : about 18,400 INR

[Bond007]

Price Category : 20,000 and above

In this price range a camera becomes pretty secondary, as more focus is placed on the smartphone capability of a mobile device. However, one phone to have changed that perception is the Nokia N8 with it’s really impressive 12.0 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

The nominees for this price category in music segment were :


Nokia N8
HTC Desire
Motorola Milestone XT720
BlackBerry Torch
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

[Bond007]

The Nokia N8 offered an interesting blend of enterprise and multimedia features. While the last year was all about megapixels, launch of a 12 MP snapper was a rarity. And when Nokia launched it, they did it with a such a perfection that it beat the rest to gain the position of the best camera phone priced above Rs 20,000 and above.

http://www.mobilephone.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/nokia-n8.jpg

[Bond007]

http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Nokia_N8_colors.jpg

The important specifications of the phone are :

Click here. (http://myhindiforum.com/showthread.php?t=2135&page=2&p=48782)