Within the past years they have been consistent in providing exceptional mobiles that are able to cater to several types of users. The Nokia C6 is another mobile from this Finnish manufacturer and it is sure to take to the Smartphone market by storm.

Closer Look

The Nokia C6 is another slider mobile from Nokia. At first glance you would notice right away that the design looks similar to that of the N97. However, it is fair to say that it is more compact due its smaller dimensions of 113 x 53 x 16.8 mm. The Nokia C6 slider only weighs 150g which makes it ideal to carry around.

One of the strong features the C6 offers is the TFT resistive touch screen display. It measures 3.2 inches with a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels. It recognizes 16 million colours making any picture look vibrant and lush.

The auto-rotate feature is made possible because of the accelerometer sensor. Therefore you have the option to decide to view the display either in landscape or portrait mode.

The beautiful QWERTY keyboard is positioned under the screen. The space of the keypad is evenly distributed therefore typing should be a lot easier.

Other Functionality

The design of the Nokia C6 is undeniably beautiful but its functionality is equally gorgeous as well. It can be used both in 2G and 3G network. Furthermore it is compatible with Class 32 GPRS and EDGE. This simply means that that the C6’s internet speed is more likely faster than other mobiles out there. WIFI can also be utilized at Hotspot locations for web browsing.

The internal memory is at 240MB and when a MicroSD card is used it can be expanded up to 32GB. That amount of memory will surely allow you to store a lot of songs, games and downloads.

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Before, it would have taken plenty of time before each company would be able to have their say and for members of the mobile phone community to be able to tell each other about individual findings. Now, thanks to the internet, all it takes is a week or even less to get word around.

Anyway, last week was full of official statements and indirect comments from other mobile phone manufacturers disagreeing with Apple. Now a private research company based in Germany, Stiftung Warentest, has announced that the iPhone 4’s antenna issues are unique.

And this is more than just trying to make simple calls on the phone and occasionally touching the handset’s exposed antenna. The German research company has put the iPhone 4 in a serious battery of tests to see how much signal is really lost when the device is touched or held.

According to the results, 90% of signal strength is lost when the antenna is touched. While it is common to lose a certain degree of signal power, losing 90% is just too much. No wonder that that iPhone 4 has a big history of dropped calls even though the device has only been launched recently.

On average, mobile phone users operate in an environment where the signal strength is not perfect. But at any strength well over 50%, one would still expect a smart phone to be functional and even handle a phone call (not minding voice quality that is); to see that Apple’s device will not work unless the actual signals are perfect, than the iPhone 4 is certainly designed with a major flaw.

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As promised by Microsoft, several handsets that run the new OS will be offered when the system finally comes out this year. This means that users will not only get to try out the new operating system, but they will also have a range of devices to choose from.

While Microsoft did declare specifics for minimum hardware requirements to run the new OS, there are still variations among the different devices –particularly with the form factor. The Windows Phone 7 OS works with three existing device configurations –though so far, type 1 is the most prolific while there are only a couple of type 2 devices available.

Speaking of which, one such type 2 handset is the LG Panther. This Korean made smart phone will be using a slide out QWERTY keyboard as opposed to just being a standard touch screen smart phone. According to the reports, all WP7 devices will have WVGA touch screen displays. Several other manufacturers have been named, among which are HTC, Samsung, Dell, and Asus.

The developer version of the system has already been distributed last week to various developers and testers. According to early reactions to the new user interface, many find that the new direction Microsoft has taken to be quite bold. The design is something that people really love or really hate, which means that it will be having a very specific niche crowd of users despite being made to be an OS for all.

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For those who do not know, they have recently announced that there will be an issuance of bumper cases at no cost in order to improve the performance of the Apple iPhone 4. For any user who has previously bought an official bumper case, a rebate may be applied for at official Apple Store branches, those who remain dissatisfied may still return their units for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

That being said, it seems that these same bumper cases are no longer available for purchase from the company’s online store. The price displayed has even been switched to zero and a note confirming that Apple is fulfilling their promise to its users is posted at the bumper’s product page:

“iPhone 4 Bumpers are currently unavailable for sale.

Apple will offer a free iPhone 4 Bumper or other select cases to iPhone 4 customers. Details on how to order a free Bumper or case will be available soon on apple.com.”

Also, some of those who have bought a bumper case from the online store have received an email from the company informing them of their respective purchase refunds being processed automatically.

Since the number of iPhone 4 toting customers are in the millions range, Steve Jobs said that Apple’s bumper case supply is not enough to meet the demand. The removal of iPhone 4 bumpers from the online store, along with the production of new cases, seems to be a step in the right direction to make sure everyone is satisfied with their Apple product.

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Sure, looking at the video might seem like Apple was right all along. But many are forgetting the fact that the Nokia N97 Mini has been out since last 2009. That has given Nokia owners more than enough time to air whatever possible complaints they may have. So far, the only issues that Nokia has had to contend with are some firmware freezing issues that were easily resolved (most likely left over from the more unstable firmware on the original non-mini Nokia N97).

Simply put, the N-series handset does not suffer from the antennagate issue. Never has Nokia ever needed to pull an emergency press conference to explain their handsets, nor does the N97 Mini need to be used with a casing to work properly.

The biggest clincher would have to be the fact that even if the signal drops to a lower bar, it is not enough to drop calls. Maybe, bringing the N97 Mini to a very low reception area might suffice for a dropped call. But in almost a year of use, N97 Mini owners has never had a problem with dropped calls (else they would be openly complaining about it).

Apple presents a very intriguing argument for anyone who is not too familiar with the facts and the nature of the problem. And in that regard, they would succeed. But misdirection can only go so far –particularly when they are dealing with devices that are already tried and tested.

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However, in these past couple of days, the excitement for the new OS has turned into apprehension as the developer copies have been shipped out and the initial reactions are quite the opposite of what was originally expected.

In terms of looks and feel, the new OS’ user interface is everything that Microsoft originally demonstrated it to be and a little more. Everything runs smoothly –in fact, some could say that it runs better than the demonstration videos. But there are some crucial factors missing.

These factors are multitasking and “cut and paste”. According to Microsoft, users do not need these features and that adding them in will only sacrifice the handset’s performance.

Anyone who was tried out the Apple iPhone would be quick to say rubbish, and they have every right to do so. When the iPhone OS first launched, multitasking and cut-and-paste were two major features that we not included in the operating system. Users had to demand and beg Apple –which eventually relented; cut and paste came out early, while it took over two years to get multitasking as an available feature.

Microsoft needs to learn from Apple –or at least, Apple’s mistakes. There is not point putting the Windows Phone 7 OS through a similar problem, especially that the industry already knows the possible outcome as well as what the market needs.

With the developer copies of Windows Phone 7 already released, expect to know more about this new OS in the coming days.

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Seriously now, does Apple really care about other companies in the industry? Steve Jobs said in his emergency conference that he and the folks at Apple have considered getting a “wall of PR” to shield them from the troubles of having to deal with issues such as the antenna problem. They certainly ignored the issue long enough, but they still need a good PR crew to stop them from saying things that would offend plenty of people

For those who missed on the emergency Apple conference held last Friday, Steve Jobs decided that the problem with the iPhone 4 was not a rare problem and that other mobile phones were prone to losing signal.

This comparison, however, is exaggerated. After all, all mobile phones will lose a couple or so bars of signal if held in a certain way. But it is only the Apple iPhone 4 that loses signal so badly that calls actually get dropped. Regardless, Jobs still decided to say that the BlackBerry Bold 9700 was also prone to the issue “just like the iPhone” –a comparison that the folks at RIM cannot take sitting down.

According to the chiefs at RIM, they have been working hard at developing and manufacturing products that provide the world with high quality devices. This includes all aspects of product design which includes the technology that they use for antennas. To their credit, not a single BlackBerry handset has ever suffered from antenna issues.

Apple certainly was not in a position to bring in a BlackBerry handset in the event. The CEO’s of RIM also stated that, “One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity”.

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With the new OS update, the signal bars rarely ever show a full signal; which is quite odd for locations where other devices are working just fine. Apple has also made it easier to see how low the signal for an area is by adjusting the sizes of the graphics to show slightly larger bars than usual. It seems that Apple really wants to emphasize that with the iPhone 4, getting a good signal is no longer a possibility.

But is this really the solution to the iPhone 4 antenna problem? It is not. The device would still drop an ongoing call if a certain part of the handset was pressed during operation. This would have been okay (or at least, less of an issue) if it was an obscure part of the handset that was not often touched. However, the part is an exposed piece of plastic where the metal antenna boarder around the device connects to the phone –it is situated in an area that is prone to be touched if the handset is held with the left hand.

Apple has even stated that users are simply “holding the device wrong”, ignoring the fact that the problem still lies with their hardware.

Many users tired of waiting for an actual solution that works, have resorted to using more creative ideas in improving the performance of their device. Some would cover the antenna with some tape while others have reported that a small coat of nail polish is enough. Others simply place the handset in a protective case which prevents the antenna from being directly touched.

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This is one of the many questions that mobile network operator O2 UK want other networks to address when dealing with users and new subscribers. All too often, some users will find themselves signing up for a new service, tariff deal or plan that they think they need and after just a couple of months, realize that they really need something else, or in some cases, they cannot use the service at all.

There have been cases that a new user would come home only to find that the new network they switched to have a very bad reception in their house. It is also possible that the network has no coverage at all in the work place. There are plenty of situations similar to this and according to O2, network operators need to practice a clearer degree of transparency with their users.

Contracts are not just simple terms of agreements either. There are complex cancellation and switching plans. Rewards and incentives are not always available and most plans do not fully cover the things that a user might run into. From data bandwidth to roaming charges, there are plenty of things that can change just by changing one’s location.

O2 wants to set the new standard for their competitors.

The company already has a 15 day full refund policy. While this may already sound good, there is an even better part to the deal: this is a no questions asked policy. This means that if any new user finds their handset or service unsatisfactory, they may return to O2 and have the service cancelled. It is a pretty great system –but one that is not practiced by all. Since each mobile network has varying strengths and weaknesses, consumers have the right to be properly informed.

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In fact, they were pretty much behind the with the whole smart phone era. And by the time 3G and WiFi became common place –and smart usability moved from the business clients to the general users, the Windows Mobile OS could not keep up with the new dynamic user interfaces and the inclusion of mass market appealing capabilities such as social networking integration, games and media playback.

According to Steve Ballmer, current CEO of Microsoft, they missed out on an entire generation of smart phone users. They did nail a significant portion of the business industry –managing to take second place to BlackBerry (which is the only spot which is ever going to be open as RIM is completely dominating that field), and MS is still enjoying a moderate degree of success in the smart phone industry.

But with the shift of users leaning more and more towards general users, Microsoft has to face the fact that they need to change the OS.

And thus we have the upcoming Windows Phone 7. The new OS is everything that the older mobile platform is not. It is dynamic, hip, stylish, fresh and fun. It takes away the serious air and complicated controls of the WinMo UI and brings in a new multi-touch capable, intuitive touch screen user interface. It also brings in new features such as Bing search, Zune media and Xbox Live Games as well.

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