Mobile Phone Features

General features

Mobile phones are designed to work on cellular networks and contain a standard set of services that allow phones of different types and in different countries to communicate with each other. However, they can also support other features added by various manufacturers over the years:

• roaming which permits the same phone to be used in multiple countries, providing that the operators of both countries have a roaming agreement.
• send and receive data and faxes (if a computer is attached), access WAP services, and provide full Internet access using technologies such as GPRS.
• applications like a clock, alarm, calendar and calculator and a few games.
• Sending and receiving pictures and videos through MMS, and for short distances with e.g. Bluetooth.
• GPS receivers integrated or connected (i.e. using Bluetooth) to cell phones, primarily to aid in dispatching emergency responders and road tow truck services. This feature is generally referred to as E911.
• Push to talk, available on some mobile phones, is a feature that allows the user to be heard only while the talk button is held, similar to a walkie-talkie.
• features aimed toward personalisation, such as user defined and downloadable ring tones and logos, and interchangeable covers, which have helped in the uptake by the teenage market. Mobile phone content advertising has become massively popular but has also drawn a great deal of criticism. Usually one can choose between a ring tone, a vibrating alert, or a combination of both.

As a result of all these features packed into a tiny device, mobile phones have recently gained reputations for their poor ergonomics. Their small size, plethora of features and modes, and attempts at stylish design may make them difficult and confusing to use.

Other Features

• Multi-mode and multi-band mobile phones
• Data communications
• Cameras

Mobile Phones

A mobile phone also called mobile, cellphone or handphone is an electronic device used for mobile telecommunications over a cellular network of base stations known as cell sites. Mobile phones differ from cordless telephones, which only offer telephone service within limited range through a single base station attached to a fixed line, for example within a home or an office. Low-end mobile phones are often referred to as feature phones, whereas high-end mobile phones that offer more advanced computing ability are referred to as smartphones.

A mobile phone allows its user to make and receive telephone calls to and from the public telephone network which includes other mobiles and fixed line phones across the world. It does this by connecting to a cellular network owned by a mobile network operator. A key feature of the cellular network is that it enables seamless telephone calls even when the user is moving around wide areas via a process known as handoff or handover.

In addition to being a telephone, modern mobile phones also support many additional services, and accessories, such as SMS (or text) messages, email, Internet access, gaming, Bluetooth, infrared, camera, MMS messaging, MP3 player, radio and GPS.

The first hand held phone was demonstrated by Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset weighing in at two kilos. By the end of 2009, the number of mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide reached approximately 4.6 billion, penetrating the developing economies and reaching the bottom of the economic pyramid.

The Nokia 6700 Slide

Although the world's leading cell phone manufacturer has already pushed out a few touchscreen handsets, it's touch-sensitive portfolio remains relatively tiny, compared to that of some other companies, say Samsung. For good or bad, in this review we'll be looking at a new non-touch phone from Nokia - the 6700 slide. Our journey won't be boring though, as the Nokia 6700 slide is a smartphone, running the Symbian S60 3rd Edition operating system. Not only that, but it's also really pretty, has very good build quality and owns a 5MP AF camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics. So, let's not waste any more time and get down to business.

Here's what you'll find in the box:

• Nokia 6700 slide
• Charger
• 2GB microSD card
• Wired handsfree
• Way too short microSD cable
• Extensive user guide

Most of the Nokia 6700 slide's body is made of aluminum, giving it a solid and high-quality feel. In addition, Nokia has come up with a beautiful design, which looks incredibly stylish. Well, at least our silver color variant is stylish, but the Nokia 6700 slide also comes in many other colors, including red, green and blue, which look somewhat more youthful. The in-hand feel of the phone is what it's meant to be - superb, while the sliding mechanism works flawlessly.

The display on the Nokia 6700 slide measures 2.2 inches and has a resolution of 240x320 pixels, which is more than enough for the size. It has a light sensor for automatic brightness handling that we found to work okay. Still, when outdoors you'll have to shield the screen with your hand in order to get a clear view of what's going on.

The keys below the display are nice to use, including the two circular buttons for "home" and "delete" that give the phone a kind of retro appearance. Although a bit on the smaller side, the numpad is well-made and won't give you headaches. Its keys have a well-pronounced click, which makes it easy to feel when you've pressed them.

Surprisingly, there is no volume rocker on the Nokia 6700 slide. On the right side you'll find the two-step camera shutter, the second step of which could work better, and on the top are the 2.5mm headset jack, Nokia charging port and a wisely-hidden standard microUSB port.

A design element that is worth mentioning is that if you want to remove the aluminum back cover, you'll first have to open the microUSB and then press a key that releases the battery door. Although it's a rather unconventional solution, we can't help but admit we like it, as it is a nice touch that gives the phone even more sense of classiness.

The back side lets you look at its pleasant-to-the-eye 5MP camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar optics and dual-LED flash.

DROID 2 Comes Equipped with More Power, More Speed and an Improved QWERTY Keyboard

Hitting all the right keys, DROID 2 is a feature-packed device that helps manage work and social life with an enhanced QWERTY keyboard, ultra high-speed Web browsing, 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities, full push corporate e-mail, intuitive social messaging and Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 for access to the full web – all built on Android 2.2.

Jeffrey Dietel, vice president – wireless device, marketing and development for Verizon Wireless said that “When we announced DROID X last month, we reaffirmed our commitment to continue to bring unique Android experiences to the Verizon Wireless network, The DROID by Motorola was our first Android device, so it is important for us to include the successor to that phone in our portfolio. DROID 2 is not only a continuation of our commitment to Android but offers customers the features and form-factor they crave on the Verizon Wireless network.”

“With the new DROID 2, we’ve taken a big leap forward from the original DROID,” said Bill Ogle, chief marketing officer of Motorola Mobile Devices and Home Business. “We listened to consumers and are providing an even more robust experience built on Android 2.2 that includes a new keyboard, increased processing power, Adobe Flash Player 10.1 and 3G Mobile HotSpot capabilities to send, access and share information even quicker than before.”

DROID 2’s super-slim design helps customers e-mail, text and tweet with ease. DROID 2 offers a redesigned symmetrical keyboard with raised keys for more responsive typing to push out notes and status updates. Speech-to-text input and the virtual multi-touch keyboard allow for quick messaging; or customers can also use Swype for even easier text input. In addition, full push corporate e-mail delivers enhanced features such as remote wipe and password enforcement so that information remains secure.

DROID 2 packs power and speed. Customers can enjoy the freedom of wireless with the 3G Mobile HotSpot and the ability to connect up to five compatible Wi-Fi® devices, and watch content on the full multi-touch 3.7-inch brilliant display, or share content captured on the 5-megapixel camera with enhanced functionality and DVD-quality video capture with DLNA connectivity to share on compatible devices.

Customers can also download favorite apps from Android Market™, which has more than 70,000 applications, and store them on 8 GB of preloaded on-board memory and the 8 GB microSD™ card, which can be upgraded to a 32 GB SD card for a total cargo capacity of 40 GB. Popular apps available on DROID 2 include NFL Mobile (downloadable), Skype mobile(™) and BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video. Customers can even manage their wireless accounts or their contacts from their phones with My Verizon and with Backup Assistant(SM).

David Wadhwani, senior vice president and general manager, Creative and Interactive Solution Business Unit at Adobe said that “It’s great to see amazing new smartphones like the DROID 2 come pre-installed with Flash Player 10.1. With the completely redesigned and hardware accelerated Flash Player 10.1, DROID 2 users will be able to experience the full Web on the go.”

Adobe Flash Player 10.1 lets mobile users experience millions of websites the way they were meant to be seen – with rich Internet applications (RIAs), content inside the browser, including games, animations, data presentations and visualizations, e-commerce, music, video, audio and more.