Its Android time again after a very long break. The last Android smartphone that was reviewed here on Mobility Nigeria is the T-mobile G1 way back in May 2009.

This time, we bring you a unique Android smartphone that was recently released in June, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro. It is the smallest smartphone that I have ever seen. It is so small that at first I was scared that it would be absolutely unusable. Here are the specifications:

• Android v1.6 (upgrade to v2.1 coming in Q4 2010)
• Weight: 120g
• Size: 90 x 52 x 17 mm
• 2.55-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen of 240 x 320 pixels
• Scratch-resistant surface display
• slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED
• GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
• Wi-fi, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, USB cable
• Qualcomm MSM7227 600MHz processor
• 170mb RAM
• Memory: 212mb + microSD slot (2GB card in retail box)
• GPS with A-GPS support
• Stereo FM radio with RDS

First Impressions
I have had it for a few hours, and have found it quite usable. Surprise, surprise. The QWERTY keyboard is good and the display responsive.

At the moment, I am installing and configuring it to my taste, and in the next several days, this cute babe will be put through its paces. Let me know if you have any particular questions that you would want addressed in the upcoming reviews.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures:

Size Comparison - X10 Mini Pro and W595, a slider feature phone

X10 Mini Pro with slide-out keyboard extended

Size Comparison - X10 Mini Pro and the Samsung B7610

Size Comparison - Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro and Samsung B7610

As part of my review of the Nokia E5 QWERTY candybar smartphone running Symbian S60 3rd Edition, I have prepared some screenshots for your convenience.

In this gallery of screenshots, you will catch a glimpse of the full editing QuickOffice suite and Nokia’s Chat application which supports multiple chat services. But that’s not all. There’s Facebook, Hi5, Friendster, MySpace, Twitter, Ovi Sync and YouTube, among other extras – making the E5 an excellent social networking tool.

If one must be straightforward, the E5 packs a wallop with a long list of built-in functionality. Those others will be examined in a subsequent review article.

For now, enjoy the following screenshots:

From Nokia E5 ScreenShots, posted by Yomi Adegboye on 8/28/2010 (12 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

We took the Nokia E5′s 5 megapixel camera for the usual spin. This camera has an LED flash but unfortunately it is fixed-focus. There’s also no dedicated camera button though, so you’ll have to settle for using the D-pad to take your shots.

Overall, it isn’t a shabby camera and produces some nice shots.

“Camera shots using the Nokia E5′s fixed focus 5 megapixel camera.”

From Nokia E5 Camera Samples, posted by Yomi Adegboye on 8/27/2010 (5 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

I have had the new E-series smartphone from Nokia, the E5, with me for a while and used it extensively. I have come off with very positive impressions of the device, and when I think of a summary of the E5, it is that here is a sensible smartphone.

It is sensible in the sense that nothing major is missing, and its usability is one of the best out there in its category. Here are a few quick points:

1. the E5 has a very good battery life. I get over 24 hours of intensive use – always-on 3G mode, email client checking mails every 5 minutes, active Bluetooth earpiece connection, web browsing, calls, music, etc. With less intensive use, the E5 chugs on for about 2 full days.
2. the QWERTY keyboard is the most user-friendly I have seen yet in its class. Characters like comma, full stop, the @ sign, and question mark require one key press, instead of a combination of two keys on other candybar QWERTY and BlackBerry devices. The keys are also well domed, making them easy to use.
3. one-handed use of the device is tops. It is almost like using a regular phone – except that the QWERTY is there for when you need to really crank out text
4. good build quality
5. good music and video playback
6. very good web browsing
7. good (not superb) 5 megapixel camera

I could go on and on, but the summary is that the E5 does everything you want. It won’t win any awards for any groundbreaking feature, but it is a sound decision to make when you want a sensible device for everyday use.

While there are real issues with the Symbian S60 5th Edition interface, I don’t see what people are complaining about the non-touch version (3rd Edition) as it is today. Everything looks lovely and works well. I am able to customise the menu to my taste and there are subtle effects implemented by Nokia.

The Web browser supports multiple tabs, javascript and Flash, and handles everything that I need well, so no issues there at all. With 256mb RAM and a 600 MHz processor (same specification as the N900), it is no wonder that I hardly encounter anything slowing down or freezing up on the E5.

Web browsing is also super friendly with keyboard shortcuts that enable you to zoom, go back, switch between tabs, reload a page and more.

Email Issues – again.
One thing that I do still have issues with is Nokia’s implementation of email on their smartphones. The interface is lovely, but for some reason, there are periods that the email client is connected to the server but does not download any fresh mails. There are days I go to bed and for the 7 hours that I am asleep, the E5 does not download any mail until I pick it up and select the option to “Send and receive now“.

Not good. What is wrong with Nokia and email? My mobile history is checkered with clashes with Nokia’s email clients on smartphones, whether we are talking Symbian or Maemo.

Email management is made user-friendly though with keyboard shortcuts too. Users can delete mails, mark mails read or unread, and carry out a number of various actions via keyboard shortcuts. Now, if only Nokia can fix the auto-retrieve issue…

Conclusion
Besides the email auto-retrieve issue, I have no other complaints about the E5. It is a device that almost anyone will love and find handy.

My verdict: I rate the E5 a 4.75 out of 5.

During a session at the recently concluded mobiFEST 2010 event, a participant spent some time lamenting how our system was not up-to-date. One of the things he devoted time to was his opinion that there is a dearth of Near Field Communications (NFC) mobile phones in the country while the rest of the world has moved on.

I found that amusing (and you will find out why shortly), but never got to respond to his “complaint”. For starters, what is NFC?

Near Field Communication or NFC, is a short-range high frequency wireless communication technology which enables the exchange of data between devices over about a 10 centimeter (around 4 inches) distance. This makes NFC specifically suitable for mobile payment, identification and other related services.

Basically NFC turns a mobile phone into a contactless card and electronic reader, and allows the phone to communicate and exchange information with other NFC devices.

With all the excitement pushed by the gentleman, the reality is that there is a very limited choice of devices on the market at the moment. There are no more than a handful of NFC phones available. Nokia has announced that from 2011 their new smartphones will be NFC-enabled.

In the meantime, NFC on mobiles is still almost entirely on trial. For example, perhaps the most easily obtainable NFC handset is the Nokia 6212 Classic (pictured in this article), but even that is no longer in production. While some other manufacturers have NFC devices, they are either for development or trial purposes.

This was what made the gentleman’s comments amusing. There is no NFC revolution going on anywhere yet. Even if he lived in North America or Europe and wanted to purchase an NFC phone now, he would be hard pressed to find one.

Do you know of any NFC devices in circulation? Have you used any? Have any useful information about NFC? Tell us about it.

The Smartphone Show is an informal meetup of mobile and smartphone buffs scheduled for Saturday 23rd of October, 2010 at the University of Lagos Guest House.

Members of the general public are invited to come along with their Symbian, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Android, Bada, WebOS, iOS and Maemo smartphones to share, discuss and demonstrate their capabilities.

Individuals who are interested in knowing more about how mobile phones and services can help them with work and play will also find the Smartphone Show an event worth attending.

Individuals who are interested in doing brief on-the-spot reviews of their devices are welcome to send a mail to mobility@mobility.com.ng to apply for a spot.

Mobility Nigeria will also be announcing the names of winners of the ongoing WIN-a-Smartphone Promo. Particiapnts in the promo have the opportunity to win one of three smartphones, including a top-end device as the grand prize. The promo is open till the day of the event and can details be accessed at WIN-a-smartphone promo

Winners who are based outside Lagos will have their devices delivered to them via courier.

A mobile clinic service will be provided at the event, helping participants to setup mobile internet, mobile email and to troubleshoot issues that they may have with their mobiles and network services.

Details of the event:

• Saturday 23rd October, 2010
• 1.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m.
• Committee Room C, UNILAG Guest House, University of Lagos, Akoka
• Free Registration/Admission
• Dress Code: Casual English

You can let us know whether or not you will be coming via the comments section or Facebook.

Sponsors and Partners Welcome!
Phone manufacturers and phone retailers (or anyone else for that matter) are welcome to sponsor this event. Send us a mail at mobility[@]mobilitynigeria.com if you are interested in sponsoring this event or partnering with us in making it happen.

The show is being hosted by Mobility Nigeria.

About Mobility Nigeria
Mobility Nigeria (www.mobilitynigeria.com) is the largest, most visited, most referenced, and most respected online source of information on mobile technology in Nigeria. The site provides news, reviews, tips, a marketplace, forums, as well as an online phone store with delivery service to every corner of the country.

While this news item does not exactly fall under the scope of this website – mobile devices with network radioes built-in, we must not forget that devices like the iPod Touch can make for good accessories to mobile phones.

Every September each year Apple announces new products especially its iPod group of products. The iPod Touch in particular interests me.

According to Bloomberg, a U.S. news agency, and PCWORLD, the 2010 Apple event would be held on September 7th – barely two weeks from now. The obvious speculation here is that there will be a revamp of the iPod line of Apple products. Another forecast is that an Apple TV called iTV will also be released.

The new iPod Touch is speculated to feature a front and forward facing camera. It may also likely resemble the iPhone 4 in hardware design and features. As such we should be expecting the following new hardware/software features in the new ipod touch (4th Generation).

1. Beautiful Gorilla glass body -a gorgeous thing on a phone
2. External Wi-Fi antenna
3. Front and back facing camera with likely ability to use Facetime (video calling via Wi-Fi)
4. Retina display
5. Factory fitted iOS4
6. And perhaps the video editing feature of the iphone 4; imovie!
7. 1 GigaHertz CPU (A4)
8. 512 Megabyte RAM

For those of us that have been holding off buying the iPhone 4 because of the exorbitant price (About 200,000 Naira in Nigeria), this is your chance to actually use something close and perhaps as gorgeous as the iPhone 4. The iPod Touch 4th generation is likely to be an iPhone 4 look-alike but without the GSM/3G antenna.

It should thus be able to do all that the iPhone 4 can do apart from making and receiving calls. But some may claim it could still make calls perhaps via wireless (by Wi-Fi) through Skype or Fring apps for instance. All these depend on your perspective.

I just have to warn you though, given the secretiveness of Apple, all these forecasts mentioned above may just well be only speculations. However, Apple has not failed us over the years in its yearly September announcements. And I believe if any of these come true, this may be the best selling iPod Touch of all time. We may soon have in our hands a genuine iPhone 4 substitute.

Someone typed out a 160-character block of text in 25.94 seconds using SWYPE on a Galaxy S. Shortly after, another individual cranked out the same text on the standard keyboard of his iPhone 4 in less than 22 seconds. Here is the text:

the razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.

The question is: how fast can you type out that sentence?

Get someone to time you if you can’t handle that yourself (a timer is more accurate than the average clock or wrist watch), get out your mobile device and give it a go, then post your result/s here. Tell us:

1. what device you used
2. what text input you used e.g. T9, SWYPE, landscape onscreen QWERTY, etc
3. your time record (or a list of all your readings)

Feel free to try as many times as possible and then post your best record. While we have no way of verifying that everyone will be truthful, what does anyone stand to gain by cheating on this? The purpose of this exercise is fun. The results presented here cannot be deemed scientific in any way as we each have different typing speeds and are used to different input media.

Let’s have some fun!

We are extending the scope of our WIN-a-smartphone promo. Now, for those who do not need a blog website, you can also enter for the promo by purchasing any phone from the Mobility Nigeria phone store! For example, you can pick up a Nokia C5 for N25,500 only and you get entered to win a top-end smartphone of a much higher value.

All customers who have purchased phones from the phone store since August 17, 2010 have been automatically entered for the promo.

Did you say that the promo just got more interesting? Yes; we know! Here’s the link to the promo page again: www.mobilitynigeria.com/promo/.

The WIN-a-smartphone promo is valid till 5.00 p.m., Friday 24th September 2010.

Many of you have asked for it. Apparently, at least one of the four (4) GSM operators has listened (or capitulated, depending). Whatever!The important thing and the good news is that this particular operator will be announcing significantly lower mobile internet tariffs soon.

How soon? A matter of weeks, barring any delays. Of course, for the sake of your sanity, it may be better to assume that there will be a delay. Mobility Nigeria shall not be responsible for any cases of anxiety or related mental/emotional conditions arising from your waiting for the announcement of the new tariff/s.

Anyone wants to guess which network this is? First correct answer wins N500 airtime on any network of choice.

Important!
To be eligible, you must be registered and logged in to submit your comment. Also ensure that your real name is entered in your profile, even if it is a nickname that you choose to display publicly.

The Nokia E5 is a candybar QWERTY smartphone running Symbian S60 3rd Edition. This pictorial review presents shots of the hardware of the device.

From Nokia E5 Hardware, posted by Yomi Adegboye on 8/19/2010 (6 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

While predominantly plastic, with touches of metal here and there, the E5 hardware seems well built and feels comfortable in the hand. One handed use is pleasant. Everything packed into the comfy size of the E5 is a miracle if you remember how big the E61 and E61i were years back. Here’s a picture from my archives (E61i on the left; E61 on the right):

One thing is sure, those two ancestors were built like tanks compared to the E5.

You’all must know how much I am a fan of mid-range candybar QWERTY smartphones that pack a wallop. Remember, my smartphone of the year 2009, the efficient workhorse Samsung B7320?

Well, it looks like Nokia has done better with the Nokia E5. A unit of this got into our hands this morning, and we are just warming up to give it a go.

The E5 in one sentence? Most of the capabilities of an E72 in a less expensive casing. If you think that’s not saying much, in reality that translates to:

• Symbian OS v9.3, FP2
• Weight: 126g
• Size: 115 x 58.9 x 12.8 mm
• a QWERTY keyboard
• 5 megapixel fixedfocus camera with LED (the E72 has autofocus)
• GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA
• Wi-fi, Bluetooth v2.0, USB cable
• ARM 11 600 MHz processor
• Memory: 250mb + microSD slot (2GB card in retail box)
• 256MB RAM with 170MB available after bootup (even I do not believe this! The E72 has only 128MB built-in)
• GPS with A-GPS support and Ovi Maps
• FM Stereo
• Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDF viewer

What’s missing? I’m still searching. The specs already beat the Samsung B7320. Why should I not fall in love with this guy?

First impressions
Well, its mostly plastic with touches of metal below the display. The back cover is metal too, so you still get the cool E-series feeling holding or looking at the E5. Our unit is black, though we hear there are Chalk White, Sky Blue, Copper Brown, and Silver Grey colours available as well.

I like the black. It will look cool with a business suit. By the way, the E5 looks better in real life than it looks in pictures.

The keys on the keyboard are plastic too, of course and are well raised. They look and feel pretty much like the excellent work that Nokia has done with its E-series keyboard in recent times.

The E5 desktop

The device itself is quite light and handy. One-handed use is a joy, coming from the more wieldy world of touchscreens. The new desktop utilised on the E5 is lovely and there are some nice transitions in there.

So far, the 600 MHz processor has ensured that I haven’t seen lags in the interface, but then only daily use over a period of time will tell.

The full review will be coming your way soon enough. If you have specific things you would love for me to cover, please post away in the comments section below.

Don’t go away!