Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
MOBILE PHONE BUYERS GUIDE
The first mobile phone call in Australia was placed in 1987 using a Mitsubishi Electric handset and since then the range of phones has grown exponentially. With so many to choose from, buying a new phone can be a testing experience. There’s one out there for everyone, but pinning it down takes time. This guide highlights the key characteristics of popular manufacturers, networks and form factors and helps find the perfect mobile for you and your lifestyle. Click on any of the images to find out more about a particular handset.
SO, WHERE TO BEGIN? Mobiles phones have evolved from a basic communication apparatus to anything from a camera, positioning device, diary, music player, fashion accessory and more. There are now more active mobile connections than people in Australia with an estimated 1 million new phones sold every month, according to research published in The Australian. As a result there are hundreds of models to choose from on MobiCity and new models are appearing faster than the old ones are phased out.
MANUFACTURER 95% of the phones in Australia are produced by one of eight companies. They are Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Sony Ericsson, Apple, BlackBerry and HTC. While each appeals to different sectors of the market, here’s a rundown:
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Former longest reigning top cell phone maker with easy to use and most reliable phones for everyone. PRO’S: Intuitive operating systems Strong build quality Reliable performance CONS: Often slow to innovate
ICONIC PHONE: Nokia 5800 – Nokia’s first touchscreen smartphone.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Nokia Lumia 800 – Ultimate Windows Phone 7.5 smartphone in an elegant slab‐form design, 1.4GHz processor, 8MP HD camera with Carl Zeiss optics.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL: The new market leader with a massive range of ultra high quality phones. PRO’S: Android based phones with a huge variety of free apps and high‐tech features Huge range of diversified phones CONS: Difficult to update handset software
ICONIC PHONE: Samsung i9000 Galaxy S – Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series smartphone.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Galaxy Nexus – First Android 4.0 phone featuring 4.65” HD Super AMOLED curved glass display, dual‐core 1.2GHz processor, 5 MP rear camera and host of other great features.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Innovative manufacturer that serves digital needs of the customer and enriches people's lives with great mobile technology. PRO’S: Some great new high‐spec Android phones in the offing CONS: Very few products to choose from
ICONIC PHONE: Motorola Milestone – Motorola signalled their resurgence with this iconic phone in 2009.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Motorola RAZR (Spyder) – Ultra thin, stylish Android smartphone powered by Dual‐core 1.2GHz processor features 4.3‐inch Super AMOLED Advanced display and 8MP camera.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
South Korean manufacturer of mobile phones known for originality, affordability, as well as coherence within individual
product lines. PRO’S: Relatively high‐spec phones at low prices CONS: Build quality can be inconsistent and sometimes difficult‐to‐use operating systems
ICONIC PHONE: LG KP500 Cookie – Budget friendly touchscreen phone with 3" display.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Prada Phone by LG 3.0 – Android smartphone with 4.3‐inch NOVA display, 1GHz Dual‐core CPU, 8MP camera and PRADA themed UI.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
The brand for people who like innovative, sophisticated and inspirational smartphones. PRO’S: Cutting‐edge design and outstanding battery life CONS: Higher pricing than similar phones from other brands
ICONIC PHONE: Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 – Powerful multimedia Android smartphone with 8MP camera & HD video recording.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Sony Xperia S 32GB – Android 2.3 smartphone ,4.3‐inch LED backlit LCD with mobile BRAVIA engine, 1.5GHz processor & an incredible 12MP camera.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL: Famous manufacturer of powerful high‐end and aesthetically pleasing smartphones.
PRO’S: Intuitive user interface with touchscreen technology that offers very smooth operation CONS: Guarded sales & distribution models and glaring hardware omissions (Bluetooth file transfer, MMS, copy/paste, etc)
ICONIC PHONE: Apple iPhone 3GS – 600MHz 3G phone with iPhone OS 3. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: iPhone 4S – Most amazing iPhone yet featuring a 1GHz Dual‐core
Apple A5 processor, and the best touch display.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL: One of the best business‐phone manufacturers of the world with most widely used QWERTY handsets. PRO’S: Email management capability BlackBerry Messenger IM app QWERTY keyboard CONS: New models better address consumer needs, but the new OS is quite buggy
ICONIC PHONE: BlackBerry Bold 9000 – Form and function.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 – Best business smartphone by BlackBerry with 1.2GHz CPU, Liquid graphics touchscreen, 5.0MP camera, and a thin stainless steel high gloss design.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Taiwanese manufacturer of many critically acclaimed Android based smartphones. PRO’S: Large and elegant touchscreen displays Excellent multi‐tasking Android OS with thousands of free apps CONS: Relatively expensive
ICONIC PHONE: HTC Google Nexus One – Flagship smartphone built by HTC and running on Google’s Android OS.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: HTC One X – HTC's latest flagship smartphone. Stylish and powerful device featuring a brilliant 4.7‐inch touch display, 1.5 GHz Quad‐ core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, and the latest Android OS v4.0.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
NETWORKS
Australia has a combination or 2nd and 3rd Generation mobile network infrastructure. 2G offers a wider coverage area, while the 3G network has a wider bandwidth, allowing for faster downloads and more advanced calling options such as video calling. When choosing a new phone it is critical that the handset you select meets the system requirements of your network. Check the specs of the phone you are interested in, but almost all phones on www.mobicity.com.au are 2G compatible but it pays to do your homework if you have a 3G SIM or uSIM as many handsets may not work. One of the most profitable telecoms companies in the world, Telstra operates a 2G network, a 3.5G network called ‘Next G’ and also Austrlaia’s only current 4G network. Australia, the US and Brazil are pretty much the only countries running on the UMTS 850 band and as a result there is a reduced range of handsets available on this frequency. However, the longer range of this frequency gives Telstra the best coverage with approximately 98% of the Australian population.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Nokia Lumia 900 (NextG)
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
Like Telstra, Optus run a standard 2G network that will be compatible with most phones. Their 3G network runs at UMTS 900/2100, the same as most of Europe and Asia and as a result most 3G phones will work with an Optus 3G SIM, but you get only 96% network coverage.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung S7500 Galaxy Ace Plus
Vodafone is spending over $1 Biillion on network infrastructure and has the greatest diversity of network frequencies in the 3G range. They offer 850/900 and 2100 signals, so its best to get a tri‐band or quad‐ band handset that covers off all variables to ensure the maximum level of coverage in all areas. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
HTC One S
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
FORM FACTOR The common mobile phone styles or shapes are Candy Bar, Clam, Flip, Slide, Swivel and more recently the Touchscreen.
Candy Bar Otherwise known as the Bar or Block, this is the most basic style. The entire phone is one solid monolith, with no moving parts aside from the buttons and possibly antenna. To prevent keys from being pressed accidentally while the phone is in a pocket, etc., a "key guard" feature is usually provided, requiring a special key sequence to "unlock" the keys. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: Nokia C2‐01
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
Clam Perhaps more commonly known as the ‘Flip’, this type of phone consists of two halves, connected by a hinge. The phone folds closed when not in use. The top half usually contains the speaker and display, with the bottom half containing the keypad and remaining components. The main display & keypad are protected when closed, although many phones have secondary display on the outside.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung C3520 Flip Flip This type of phone is a cross between the Bar and Clamshell types. Most of the components of the phone are in one part, but a thin "flip" part covers the keypad and/or display when not in use. The flip may be all‐plastic, or it may contain one or two minor components such as a speaker or secondary keys. This style is now obsolete. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung S7230 Wave 723
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
Slide This type is usually designed similarly to a clamshell, with a large main display and speaker in one half, and the keypad and battery in the other half. But the two halves slide open instead of using a hinge. Slide designs allow the main display to be seen when closed, and are generally easier to open and close one‐ handed. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
BlackBerry 9810 Torch 2
Swivel This type is similar to the slide type, with a large main display and speaker in the top half, and the keypad and battery in the lower half. But the two halves pivot at one point instead of sliding. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Motorola MB511 FLIPOUT
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
Touchscreen While not actually a separate form factor, touchscreens are an emerging handset style and can be integrated into any shape or style phone. Touchscreens allow for a dynamic keyboard which can change according to the function. They also enable a much greater screen size. MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
OPERATING SYSTEM
Mobile Operating System (also called Mobile OS, Mobile platform, or Handheld operating system) is a software through which a mobile device is operated. This is similar in principle to a Desktop / Laptop operating system such as Windows or Linux.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IOS (IPHONE OS): iOS (also known as iPhone OS) is Apple’s mobile operating system. iOS has been something of a revolution in the handheld market that offers an elegant and easy to use user interface, great multimedia capabilities and an efficient mobile browser. iOS was originally developed for the iPhone, but has been extended to support other Apple devices as well such as iPad and iPod touch. As of March 2012, Apple's App Store has more than 585,000 iOS applications available, with a staggering 25 billion downloads worldwide. PRO’S: Easy to use Largest number of Apps available (over 585,000) Desktop Synching OBICITY RECOMMENDS: M
iPhone 4S
CONS: Multitasking not supported (except iOS 4.0) Only available in Apple products (Limited hardware choice) No Adobe Flash support
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
ANDROID: Android is Google's Linux‐based open source mobile platform and is currently the world's best‐selling Smartphone platform. The Android Market is the online software store developed by Google for Android devices. Using a preinstalled application program on most Android devices, users can browse and download apps published by third‐party developers hosted on Android Market. There are currently over 450,000 apps available for Android on Google Play, accessible from the Play Store mobile App on Android (formerly Android Market). According to an Analyst firm Android is the most widely used operating system for smartphones.
PRO’S: Easy to Use True multitasking Open Source Platform. Over 450,000 apps available Many top cell phone manufacturers use Android (including HTC, Sony, Samsung, LG, etc.) Adobe Flash 10.1 support
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
HTC Sensation XL
CONS: Complicated Desktop Synching OS version fragmentation
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
SYMBIAN: The Symbian operating system offers a broad range of personal information management (PIM) features, including contact and calendar management and a robust library of third‐party applications. The latest update on Symbian software is Symbian Anna which includes new icons and usability enhancements alongwith an improved text input, a faster browser and refreshed Ovi Maps. Nokia has recently announced a partnership with Microsoft on February 11, 2011 and this will result in Nokia adopting Windows Phone 7.5 for its smartphones. PRO’S: CONS: User‐friendly UI Web browser not among the best in the market Great personal information management (PIM) Text input through onscreen keyboard (touchscreen features phones) is somewhat inconvenient Multitasking Adobe Flash Lite support MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Nokia 500
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
WINDOWS PHONE 7 Microsoft announced "Windows Phone 7.5" codenamed "Mango" in February 2011 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, while the first handsets that came pre‐loaded with the new operating system were released in the fourth quarter of the same year. Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is the latest in Microsoft's line of Windows Mobile phone operating systems. With its strong integration and synching capabilities with Microsoft Office 365 and other cloud components, many reviewers believe that the new OS can give a really tough time to BlackBerry OS, in particular. PRO’S: CONS: Easy to use UI Consumer focused OS Wider Carrier support (even more than the iPhone) No Adobe Flash support Office 365, Windows Live & SNS integration No support for removable storage All messages & Emails organized in a single thread Limited apps available MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
HTC Titan
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
BLACKBERRY OS RIM’s BlackBerry phones are regarded as great business tools, thanks to the BlackBerry operating system. BlackBerry OS is built for the business user but has extras for the consumer. The OS has the most reliable and secured email system that is why BlackBerry phones are considered the best email handheld devices.
PRO’S: Business friendly Secure and reliable email Robust wireless synchronization Adobe Flash 10.1 support
CONS: Not the best of the Web browsers (especially in earlier versions) Limited apps available
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
BlackBerry Bold 9790 ‐ NextG compatible
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
SAMSUNG BADA OS: Samsung bada is a mobile operating system developed by Samsung Electronics. Samsung claims that the latest bada 2.0.5 will rapidly replace its proprietary feature phone platform, converting feature phones to smartphones. Samsung Wave was the first device that was launched with bada unveiled to the public at Mobile World Congress 2010. With the phone, Samsung also released an app store, called Samsung Apps, to the public. The latest phone to use bada 2.0 is Samsung Wave 3. Though Samsung plans to install bada on many of its phones, the company's focus has shifted towards its huge lineup of Android smartphones.
PRO’S: Easy and Intuitive UI Adobe Flash 10.1 support
CONS: Limited Multitasking Limited apps available
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung Wave III S8600
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
FEATURES Other important features to consider are a still and/or video camera, GPS, expandable memory, connectivity, size and weight, and durability. Most mobile phone owners don’t use 80% of the features and functions on their handset. Only buy what you need and don’t be tempted by the ‘latest and greatest’ as you may be paying more for things you don’t want or need.
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE Most people buy a phone as they like its look, have seen an advertisement/review or have heard it’s the newest model. While these can be valid reasons, where possible do your research and ask the advice of a professional if you are unsure. In most cases there are other options you have not considered that will better suit your need and save you money. If you are unsure or need more information, speak with a MobiCity expert by calling us on 1300 14 6624 sending an email to sales@mobicity.com.au at any time. In the meantime please browse our website and if there are any phones or accessories not listed that you require, please let us know and we’ll do our best to track them down. You can also stay abreast of new releases, exclusive offers and promotions through our through Stay mobile!
site or visit our
page and become a fan.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
TABLET BUYERS GUIDE A tablet is a flat‐panel computer device which can perform the tasks that a notebook computer or a desktop computer can perform. It offers great portability to the users and is very light weight than other types of computers. The device uses a touchscreen display that can be navigated with fingers or with a stylus. Tablets feature the ability to connect wirelessly to the internet and are available in a variety of screen sizes, connectivity options (WiFi only, WiFi + 3G and NextG tablets) and storage capacities (16GB, 32GB and 64GB tablets). These small sized yet powerful machines are very handy for professionals and enthusiasts alike because of the wide array of functions they offer. With so many tablet devices to choose from, buying a new one can be a quite a task. This buyers guide will help identify top devices for you to make your buying decision easier.
MANUFACTURER There are a number of latest tablets available from various top manufacturers on MobiCity including Apple, Samsung, ASUS, HTC, and Sony. New tablet models are also added regularly as they arrive. In Tablet Buyers Guide we list some great new tablets for you to choose from.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Apple ‐ the most popular manufacturer of category‐defining leading edge tablets.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: The New iPad ‐ Apple’s latest addition to the iPad series, the iPad 3 is truly a dream come true for tablet lovers. It inherits its body design from its predecessor with a huge 9.7‐inch LED‐backlit IPS TFT and capacitive touchscreen. The Retina Display is its most superb feature and makes everything look delightfully fresh. Powered by Apple’s A5X Dual‐core 1.0 GHz Cortex‐A9 processor with 1GB of RAM and running on Apple’s very own iOS 5.1 operating platform, it offers an aesthetically pleasing and simple user interface. A must have for any tablet lover.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Market leader in smartphones, Samsung is gaining on the tablet competition rapidly as well with its advanced and brand new range of tablets.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 3G 16GB is a powerful multi‐purpose tablet. The beautiful tablet showcases a 7.7‐inch Super AMOLED Plus capacitive touchscreen display. It uses Samsung’s popular and simple to use TouchWiz UX user interface. The device is powered by a powerful Dual‐ IN A NUTSHELL: core 1.4 GHz Cortex‐A9 processor with 1GB of RAM and runs on Android operating system v3.2 (Honeycomb). Furthermore it is loaded with Mali‐ 400MP GPU. These specifications make this tablet a winner at multi‐ tasking.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL: Through the years, ASUS’ visionary approach has seen it become a major proponent in consumer technology, bringing quality innovation and design into consumers’ lives. The case for their tablets is no different.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime 32GB (with keyboard) ‐ The beautiful tablet models a 10.1‐inch Super IPS+ LCD, capacitive touchscreen. It employs ASUS Waveshare UI. The elegant looking tablet is powered by Quad‐core 1.3 GHz Cortex‐A9 processor with 1GB of RAM and runs on Android operating system v3.2 (Honeycomb). To add more oomph, it is loaded with ULP GeForce graphics unit for excellent graphics and gaming. Also sporting an 8.0 Megapixels primary camera, this tablet offers functionality that is hard to beat.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL:
Relatively limited manufacturer of tablets, but has introduced some excellent devices that offer great value for money.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS: HTC Flyer 32GB ‐ HTC Flyer blends HTC’s trademark design with an all‐new HTC Sense user experience that has been re‐imagined for tablets. Encased in a sleek aluminum unibody, the HTC Flyer tablet exudes the iconic style and build quality HTC is known for. With a 7.0‐inch LCD capacitive touchscreen display, lightning fast 1.5Ghz processor and high‐speed HSPA+ wireless capabilities, the HTC Flyer tablet is perfect for those who have been waiting for a tablet that is both compact & powerful.
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.
IN A NUTSHELL: Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics products for the consumer and professional markets. It offers ultramodern innovations folded into one tablet for all your computing and digital entertainment needs.
MOBICITY RECOMMENDS:
Sony Tablet P 4GB 3G + WiFi ‐ Sony Tablet P is ideal for mobile communication on the go and entertainment alike. The device features NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual‐core 1.0GHz Cortex‐A9 processor, ULP GeForce GPU and is Wi‐Fi & 3G compatible. Sony Tablet P device is equipped with Android OS v3.2 (Honeycomb) and features VGA front and 5.0 Megapixel rear facing cameras that allow for great video recording and capturing still images. An overall excellent mix for work and pleasure
Australian Sales Office: Unit 1a, 36 Agnes St, Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006 1300 14 6624 // www.MobiCity.com.au // May 2012.