App Review: Dropbox

Despite the advancement of technology, transferring files is still not a hassle free affair. To transfer files from your smartphone to computer or vice versa, you have to connect both and turn on the syncing software, put the file to be synced in the software and finally you will be able to see it.

However, with the drop box application users can share almost anything between devices at just a click of a button. It is a smartphone counterpart for the famous Dropbox service for computers.

Dropbox application is available on iOS, BlackBerry and Android platforms. We have chosen the BlackBerry version of this application for the review considering the business usage of the BlackBerry smartphone.

It is a free to use application available for both computers and smartphones and can work seamlessly between devices. Users are required to have an account registered with the Dropbox online service. So if you have an account you can link it directly with the application or else the application itself will guide you on how to set up or sign up for an account.

The Dropbox service is available in both paid and free versions. The paid version offers a larger storage space along with some exclusive features but the free version also gives all the required functionality with a limited 2GB data storage space, which is more than enough for a casual or a moderate user.

The application has a modest download size of 1.2 MB which will take only a couple of seconds on an EDGE network and even lesser time if you are using a 3G network. Post the installation the application prompts you for the account information. As mentioned earlier, users can opt for a new account or can link an existing account with the application.

The Dropbox application layout is simple and user friendly with folder and files stacked together in an alphabetical order. Users are free to create multiple folders based on their usage from the Dropbox online account, by default the application has 2 main folders public and pictures.

By using Dropbox, users can share files, documents, pictures, videos songs and any other data across various devices. Along with this, Dropbox also allows users to create and share public libraries with others by invitation or by directly posting links of popular websites like Facebook and Twitter.

Basically the Dropbox simplifies the process of sharing and adds a few more functionality to the process.

But Dropbox also is not a perfect application in itself. It lacks the folder creation option on the BlackBerry device which is majorly missed during usage. Users can log in to the web account using the browser of the device but the in application functionality would have been much better.


Ultimately, Dropbox is a classic example of how innovative and excitingly cloud computing can be used for sharing data and files across various platforms, which are as different as mobile and computing.

The inclusion of free usage will definitely help it go a long way and add a few million users. The Dropbox application is available across different platforms and provides cross platform connectivity too which is a notably good thing to have.

So Dropbox is a must have application for any and all smartphone users as it give ultimate functionality and usage whereas more things are discovered as you use it more.

Handset Review: Blackberry Bold 9780

Pros

• Performance
• 624 Mhz processor

Cons

• No front facing camera
• Apps don't work without BlackBerry data plans

The best thing about BlackBerry devices is that they are like a pair of Russian Matryoshka dolls, where the bigger toy houses a smaller one inside. Similarly, the BlackBerry devices do not undergo a complete overhaul but they keep things intact while changing innovatively, so as not to let users feel that they got something that landed from the planet Mars.

Same is the story with the BlackBerry Bold 9780, which is also popularly known as the Bold 3. Built on the same lines as the Bold 9650, the Bold 9780 is marginally smaller and thinner than its predecessor and weighs lesser by 14 grams. Although it is not much but during that long call every gram of weight counts. In comparison to the Bold 2, it has the same specifications except for a few hardware changes.

The Bold 9780 has a fuller but a non crammed look, the space available has been utilised well with no room for empty spaces. The display has a very thin bezel that gives a better feel while using the device and the keys on the Qwerty too run from edge to edge. The space utilisation on all BlackBerry devices has been superb and the legacy still carries on.

The Bold 9780 comes in a two tone finish, in black and white colours. The front carries a glossy piano finish, while the back has a rubberised matte finish following with a faux leather finish on the battery cover. It has a comfortable grip and enthuse confidence in users that it will stay in the palm no matter what unlike other phones that tend to slip. Similar as other phones, the glossy finish is a fingerprint magnet and needs regular cleaning.

Coming to usability, the Bold 9780 features a 2.44 inch screen, 65,000 colour TFT display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels offering ample viewing comfort to the users. The ambient light sensor keeps track of the display brightness, offering optimal display readability under different light conditions.

The Qwerty keypad on this device is designed for typing with two thumbs and therefor the keys have a slight angular outward slant that aids fast and accurate typing. The keypad has a gentle feedback that gives a comfortable typing experience. The key pitch is on the lower side, hence not suitable for people with fat fingers. The optical trackpad is a beauty to use; it reads the intensity of the finger motion and translates it in to a faster or a slower scroll.

The biggest change in the Bold 3 is the inclusion of the OS 6.0 as a preinstalled option, which is the most appreciated BlackBerry operating system till now. Although much better suited for a touch based operation, the new OS 6.0 works flawlessly with the trackpad also. Research In Motion always had in mind that this new OS has great touch capabilities and that also explains the making of the next gen touch and type BlackBerry Bold device, the Bold 9900.

The OS comes preinstalled with the BlackBerry native applications such as the BlackBerry Messenger, email client and the BlackBerry App World. One of the coolest features of the new OS is the 'quick search' facility. On the home screen just type in a few words and everything related to those words, be it contacts, apps email anything is shown right on the home screen.

The new browser is probably one of the best ever to feature on mobile devices rendering every web page almost the way they appear on the computer screen. The trackpad works flawlessly by automatically locating links and adding support for navigation too. The browser is flash enabled but strangely certain flash objects and videos fail to run on the device. Even the link they present for downloading update fails to locate.
 
With 3G HSPA+">HSPA capabilities, the Bold can connect easily to high speed networks for faster data transfers but sadly it still lacks a front camera, hence video conferencing is not possible on this device. The inclusion of WiFi can help users save on 3G data costs which are on the higher side right now. The phone can be used for internet connectivity and can be easily teetered to computers as an internet modem.

In terms of calling, it has a great bundle to offer but since it lacks video conferencing, calling it perfect would be an overkill. Otherwise the quad band phone can be used on both 2G and 3G networks.

Users will obviously have to take the special BlackBerry data and call plans from their telecom operators in order to make any of its features work except calling and SMSing. The onboard GPS chip and AGPS capabilities along with preinstalled BlackBerry maps add more functionality to the device but here also the maps do not work in the absence of data network.

BlackBerry Bold 9780 offers a superb call quality with ample earpiece and loudspeaker volume. The microphone offers noise cancellation and voice privacy so the receiver can only hear your voice and nothing else.

The multimedia department of the Bold 9780 is red hot. The inclusion of Divx content playback is like a sigh of relief for many; the audio player offers decent amount of features and playback quality which is enough to satisfy anyone on the move. The missing FM radio is still one big concern.

The 5 megapixel camera comes with a power LED flash. The images are sharp and vivid in outdoor light but the flashlight makes the images loose details and turn to a grainy texture.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the Blackberry Bold 9780 is a nice update to the Bold 9700 and the 9650 with additions like the new OS, faster browser and an attractive design. All these make it worthy contender and a perfect companion for any businessman.

But the price tag of Rs 27,990 will hold back many users from buying this. Even the market operating price of Rs 26,000 also does not make it very appealing for many users. RIM seriously needs to reconsider the pricing of Bold 9780 as, with the new generation touch and type devices that are in the pipeline, it will be difficult for this device to gain ground among the potential users.

Handset Review: Blackberry Bold 9780 Specifications

Network	3G
Operating System	BlackBerry
Dimensions	109 x 60 x 14 mm 122 Grams
Display	2.44 inch
Input Method	Qwerty
Processor	624 Mhz
Memory	256 MB/512MB ROM/ 32Gb Expandable
Connectivity	Blutooth/Wifi/Edge
Multimedia	Audio video playback
Camera	5 MP
GPS	Yes plus Agps
Additional features
Battery	1500 mAh
Warranty
Price	Rs 27,990

Handset Review: NoKia C3-01

Pros

• Nice formfactor
• Lightweight
• Good battery life

Cons

• Poor user interface
• Costly

Nokia C3-01, according to Nokia, is a product designed as per demands of users, who wanted the functionality of touch as well as physical keys. And that's what the phone features, a 2.4 inch resistive touch screen along with a multitap keypad.

The phone looks very similar to what Nokia has been offering over the ages, a typical bar phone with metal back and nice build quality. Another similarity is the long batter life it offers.

Build Quality and buttons
 
The keypad has a nice feel to it with sufficient feedback and big size. The touch screen's response is also commendable, despite it being a resistive type. The back panel is a metal piece, while the rest of the body is crafted out of plastic and carries a metallic paint job. The phone is comfortable to hold and is lightweight. So it gets full marks for the physical appearance and finish.


While it is a good idea to have both physical keys and a touch screen, it doesn't feel well integrated for the beginners as you continue to search for direction keys but its just a matter of time before you get used to.

What is lacking, however, is a full Qwerty keypad, which has become a norm these days. Also, despite having a touch screen, there is no option even in the touch panel.

Another problem is the lock key, which is placed on the right hand side of the phone. The placement is not an issue, it is the fact that you can't feel the button, so you have to look if the phone has locked or not.

That's not the case with the camera key or the volume rocker, which are placed on the right side and is protruding out so you can feel it.

Camera and Music
 
The 5 megapixel camera of Nokia C3-01, is an average performer. The shots taken with it lacks the amount of details that you expect from such a camera; however, colours are reproduced well. The single LED flash is a good addition and helps in low light condition, but is insufficient if your subject is placed more than four feet distance. This LED also doubles up as a torch, which can be switched on and off by pressing the * key for long.

The FM reception is good and the music player supports all the major music formats. Though clear, the speaker of the phone is not loud, something which some might not like. Even the supplied ear phone is not loud enough and in noisy situations it becomes difficult to hear (even calls).

There is a 3.5 mm jack, so you can attach any headphone.

Connectivity
 
The phone is fully featured on this front with HSPA+">HSPA (3G+), which supports up to 10.2 Mbps speed, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and the USB cable for wired connection.

But there is a problem here: C3-01 has a very ambiguous options list for connecting to the mobile internet network. So, if your service provider has two options, you will not be able to know which is what.

For instance, in Airtel you have Airtel Live and Mobile Office options, which are mentioned in the phone's list as AIRTEL and airtel. This creates further confusion.

In my case, where I prefer mobile office as I have a pack for it, it was a guesswork. A WiFi setting is easy though.

Operating system
 
The phone is based on Symbian S40 version, which is kind of strange as S60 is already available. This OS has been tweaked to support touch and type. As I mentioned earlier, you will initially be searching for the direction keys or trackpad but then once you get a hang of it, you will find it easier to touch things to open it.


A single home screen is customisable to rectangular widgets, so you can have four applications sitting in the home screen, but then there are issues with it. For instance, there is no option to display the latest emails on the widget, it simply says 'mail 1 account', no notification of how many new mails or anything.

Facebook widget displays the latest update but it too does not displays the updates.

There is also no way to select several SMSes to delete them at once, you can either delete all in the folder or delete one by one, making it a very cumbersome process.

Similarly, when you search for a contact to dial it, it takes atleast three steps to it. Even to reply to a missed call, you have to follow these steps. However, sending SMSes has been made easy which requires just three touches.

Having said that, the overall User Interface (UI) is more friendly than a standard one that works without the touch screen feature.

Verdict
 
The phone is a brilliant attempt by Nokia to launch a product that is different and useful. However, implementation could certainly have been better. Even, the inclusion of S60 (latest Symbian) would have been a much better choice but that is not a deal breaker, the UI is still good enough.

But, the problem is that the rivals have much better phones at Rs 8,500 range with several Android phones like Spice Mi310, Dell XCD 28 and Huawei Ideos being cheaper than this phone and featuring full touch screen and a better operating system. Even the Blackberry Curve is available in this price bracket.

Had Nokia C3-01 been priced atleast Rs 2,000 below the current price, it would have been worth recommending but not at this price point.

Handset Review: NoKia C3-01 Specifications

Network	3G
Operating System	Symbian
Dimensions	111 x 47.5 x 11 mm, 100 Grams
Display	2.4 inch
Input Method	Resistive touch screen and multitap keypad
Processor
Memory	64 MB RAM, 128 MB ROM
Connectivity	Blutooth/Wifi/3G
Multimedia	Audio video playback
Camera	5 MP
GPS	No
Additional features
Battery	1500 mAh
Warranty	1 Yr
Price	Rs 8,500

Top five Qwerty phones within Rs 3,500

Qwerty keypad is a must have feature for social media addicts because it makes typing easier. Here are five Qwerty phones with the best features within Rs 3,500.

If you are addicted to messaging or if you send a lot of mails from your phone, you probably need one that has a Qwerty keypad. This is especially true if you have a limited budget as bigger touch screen phones are much more expensive than these.

Here we have picked some mobile phones that have decent features along with a Qwerty keypad, and that cost within RS 3,500.

Nokia X2-01

This Nokia phone is a light weight device with a lot of social media applications, a 2.4 inch screen and one of the best keypads in this price bracket. A drawbacks of this phone is its camera, which is capable of just VGA (.3 megapixel) resolution.

Apart from that, the phone has all the typical features you expect from a Nokia phone — decent battery backup and easy to use interface (Nokia still has a simple UI for feature phones, unlike for its smartphones).



The phone comes with Flickr, Facebook and Twitter apps built in, and other apps can be downloaded from the Ovi Store. Bluetooth and FM radio too are present. The device's external memory can be expanded up to 8 GB. However, it does not use either Wifi or 3G. But then, this is a budget device.

The phone has a candy bar design, which feels nice to hold, and it weighs just 107 grams. The keypad is easy to use because spacing between keys is perfect.

If you are willing to overlook a bad camera (calling it average will not make sense when 2 megapixel has become the new average,) then it is a great phone, with a low price and decent features. Besides, it is good looking and is of standard Nokia quality.

The phone is available in several colours including red, blue, white and black, and costs just under Rs 3,500.

Micromax Q6

This one has both, a multitap and a slideout Qwerty keypad.



Qwerty phones are typically broad, which makes them slightly awkward to carry in the pocket, but since the keyboard slides back, this phone is as wide as a normal multitap phone; while is also has a large Qwerty keypad when needed.

The good part of this is that you get separate direction keys and larger spacing between keys, making it much easier to type with.

Other than that, this Micromax phone is a dual SIM device with a 2.4 inch screen that has 320x240 pixel resolution. Memory can be expanded up to 8 GB. There is also a 2 megapixel camera at the back. The phone sports a 3.5 mm jack, so you will be able to connect most headsets to it.

Along with that, you also get social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter and Nimbuzz. The default browser is Opera mini. For connectivity the phone uses Bluetooth and GPRS.

It is available in black colour and is priced at Rs 3,400.

Lava B8



This is the most feature rich phone in this list. It is a dual SIM device with a 3.2 megapixel camera and a flash that can also be used as a torch. It has 64 MB of internal memory expandable up to 16 GB through an SD card. Its screen measures 2.4 inches and displays 320x240 pixel resolution.

The phone features push mail service, aimed at people who are hooked to their emails. Connective options are also rich for this price bracket with Blutooth, Wifi and GPRS.

The device also has social networking apps, Opera Mini browser, an Indian calendar and music player with equalizer (and 3.5 mm jack) etc.

The phone has a gravity sensor and a motion sensor just in case you need to play games. The price is good too at Rs 3,400.

Alcatel ICE OT 606M



This single SIM slider phone from Alcatel is not much different from Micromax Q6, apart from the fact that the screen is a bit smaller at 2.2 inches and the camera offers VGA resolution.

Alcatel looks good, and with several dual colour options including pink and florescent green, it is especially appealing to women. The keypad is also well designed and as the phone sits well in the hand, typing is a lot more comfortable.

With Alcatel, you can expect slightly better quality but its availability has been an issue until now. The company has recently started to sell phones at Big Bazaar outlets, which is a welcome relief if you are looking for this phone.

ICE OT 606 is priced at Rs 3,350.

Lemon IQ 707



This dual SIM phone is one of the oldest in the market, but is also one of the best buys right now. It is very light at just 96 grams. The keypad is really comfortable to use, and its trackball too is smooth and of good quality.

Though the screen is small at 2.2 inches, its resolution is good. The phone has a 3.2 megapixel camera, which works well in most lighting conditions.

While it doesn't have connectivity options comparable to Lava B8, it does well for its price with Bluetooth and GPRS.

What impressed me most is the quality of the product, which, coming from an Indian manufacturer, is better than expected. The look and feel of the product is better than what its price, Rs 2,800, suggests.

Micromax launches the Bling-2

It comes in a white leather carry case enclosed with a compact mirror and special pouch where ladies can keep their lip gloss, making it easier for them to retouch their make-up anytime, anywhere!

In a move to win the hearts of fashion-savvy women mobile users, Indian handset maker Micromax has launched Bling 2, a successor to Bling Q55.


With its glossy finish frame made with Swarovski Zirconia, Bling 2 has an Android 2.2 Froyo operating system and numerous pre installed apps.

To add to its design and features, it comes in a white leather carry case enclosed with a compact mirror and special pouch where ladies can keep their lip gloss, making it easier for them to retouch their make-up anytime, anywhere!

The phone also comes with interactive apps that would keep today's demanding woman on their toes. Some of which are MiRoamer- Mobile radio, Saavn- Music on Demand, Mosho- Mobile shopping, Mundu Live TV (1 month free trial) and Whatsapp- a messenger that works across platforms (VAS).

With a display of 7.1 cm, and a capacitive screen, Bling2 provides features such as surfing the net, texting, sharing pictures, music, videos and more. The Bling2 also offers a Mi-Fi pocket wireless internet feature, making it personal wireless broadband connection.

The phone works on both 2G and 3G networks. The phone comes with 3.0 MP cameras and the lens is framed in Swaroski Zirconia. The memory of the phone is expandable up to 32GB with micro SD card. The phone comes with 3.5 mm universal jack and Bluetooth connectivity. It also comes with an integrated GPS system. It is priced at Rs 9,000.

Indians mostly look for Nokia phones online: Survey

5 per cent of users searched for Nokia followed by 30 per cent for Samsung and 29 per cent for BlackBerry. Micromax came in a close 4th at 22 per cent.

 

Nokia is the most sought after mobile phone in India, according to the findings of a research conducted by ViziSense on the 'interest in mobile phones online'.

The study, which cited data for the January-April 2011 period of all the users who searched for mobile handsets on ecommerce sites, said that 35 per cent of users searched for Nokia followed by 30 per cent for Samsung and 29 per cent for BlackBerry. Micromax came in a close 4th at 22 per cent.

With the growth of internet penetration, more and more people are using ecommerce sites to assist them in their buying decisions and for great deals.

Interestingly, though the overall share of smartphones in India is a meagre 5 per cent, a huge 44 per cent of people showed their interest in smartphones online compared to the lower end handsets.

According to the study, amongst all those who look for phones online, 12 per cent of them end up purchasing the mobile phones from the e-commerce and group buying websites (i.e. 1 in 8 searches end up in transaction).

Explaining the trends from the research, Amit Bhartiya, general manager and vice president, ViziSense, commented, "Rampant changes and upgrades in phone models and features has made the internet a very compelling medium to help decision making around buying phones. As the largest buyers lie in the TG of 15㬔 year olds across the country, Blackberry seems to have a done great job in capturing the imagination of this audience in a market infested by smartphones."