Tag Archives: smartphone

Pantech Flex Smartphone for AT&T – Review And #Giveaway | @PantechUSA

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Pantech Flex Review
The Pantech Flex is a great new Android smartphone that is available through AT&T Wireless. The device is loaded with a wide variety of great features, boasts a bright touchscreen and sports a wonderfully thin and unique design. It is the ideal smartphone for first time Android users and is perfect for everyone from teens to grandparents and everyone in between. It is well worth looking into the great aspects the Pantech Flex has to offer if you are in the market for a great new phone.
Pantech Flex
Pantech Flex

A wonderful device for moms, the Flex runs on the 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. It offers the individual the option of using Easy Experience mode, which makes operation of the Pantech even simpler or the standard user interface can be used. It is a 4G LTE capable phone that connects to the fastest speeds AT&T has to offer, meaning it is a breeze to stream content, download anything and surf the web. It is a slim device at only 0.31 inches and very light at 132 grams.

Pantech Flex Easy vs. Standard Experience User Interface
Pantech Flex Easy vs. Standard Experience - User Interface

The display of the Flex is a Super AMOLED 4.3 inch screen that boasts a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels and 256 pixels per inch. Internal storage clocks in at 8GB, and the phone has a slot for additional storage, supporting microSD cards of up to 32GB.  My son is one who never thinks a device comes with enough interval storage.  He prefers devices that allow for additional storage via a microSD card.   1GB of RAM and a 1.5GHz dual-core processor allow it to pack a powerful punch. The Flex also provides the user with access to plenty of useful quality apps courtesy of Google Play. Facebook is one of the top free apps, and checking email is straight forward. Key Ring, an NFC enabling app, is pre-loaded in the Flex and makes shopping far easier as coupons, loyalty cards and other items can be stored within and scanned at various places.

Pantech Flex review
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There are plenty of wonderful features that any mom would appreciate, such as an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera that is perfect for shooting photos of the kids. For all of the videos you’ll shoot with the Pantech Flex, you’ll be happy to know that it is capable of capturing 1080p video at 30fps. The secondary front-facing camera is a 2 megapixel shooter that is ideal for engaging in video chats with family and friends. Whenever I’m away on a business trip, I chat with the kids via video on my phone.  I can’t imagine going on a trip and not being able to see them!  The built in calendar allows the user to set up reminders for important events in life.

Overall, the Flex by Pantech is a great device for people of any age. It serves as a phone, organizer, camera and so much more. It also received the 2012 Red Dot Design Award, and with good reason.

Learn more about the Pantech Flex:

Would you like to win a Pantech Flex for AT&T?

This is a subscriber only contest.  This means that you must subscribe to our email in order for your entry to be valid.

Use the form below to enter.

This contest is open to U.S. residents ages 18 and over only.  No P.O. Boxes.  Entries accepted through 11:59 December 31st, 2012.  The winner will be contacted by email and must respond to our email by January 3rd, 2013.  If the winner does not respond, another winner will be chosen.  The winner is responsible for all services related to the phone.  Service is not included in the prize.  The unit used for this review is the unit the winner will receive.  A SIM card is not included in the box.

Win Pantech Flex Android Smartphone for AT&T

Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone Review

Father's Day Gift Guide, New posts, Smartphones, , , ,

[simple_series title=”All posts in the Nokia Lumia 900 Series”]

To say that the Nokia Lumia 900 is an important phone would be an understatement. With Windows Mobile on the rise but no true marquee device on the market, Nokia looks to deliver the flagship phone for Microsoft’s new OS that some might consider to be lacking. On all counts, the finished product is a success in my eyes.

Nokia Lumia 900 Windows phone
Nokia Lumia 900 Windows phone from AT&T

Design

Starting with the design itself, Nokia brings to Windows Mobile the iconic design that it started with the N8 and N9 line of smart phones. Sporting a 4.3-inch OLED display with a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, the high definition is an easy eye catcher that is great for streaming video, browsing the web, or viewing photos captured with the 8 megapixel rear camera. The design is also nearly flush throughout, except for the display itself which is slightly raised. A 1.3-inch megapixel camera is also located on the front to serve your video chat needs.

Operating System, Speed, Social Networking Apps

With Windows Mobile 7.5, otherwise known as Mango, the abilities of the phone are truly able to shine. The mobile operating system may be the newest to the market, but Microsoft has always been reliable when it comes to quality products and does not disappoint here. With the built in Windows Marketplace, users will have access to a plethora of apps to suit their every mobile need. Social networking has become one of the most popular activities in this smart phone era, and the Lumia 900 has applications for Facebook, Twitter, and many more. In just a swipe of your finger, your social media can be uploaded directly to your favorite networking site. Combine this with AT&T’s super fast LTE network and load times simply become a thing of the past.

Angry Birds game on Nokia Lumia 900 Windows phone
Angry Birds game on Nokia Lumia 900 Windows phone

Games & Entertainment

What better way to help your children pass the time on those long summer road trips than through Microsoft’s XBOX Live service? Exclusive to Windows Mobile phones, access to XBOX Live has never been quicker and easier. Multiplayer gaming, unlocking achievements, and online leaderboards will keep kids (and adults!) entertained for hours on end. The Lumia 900’s 1.4 GHz Qualcomm S2 processor along with 512 MB of RAM ensures that even the most intense games and high end graphics run without a hitch.

Nokia Applications

To round out the package, Nokia even includes custom applications of their own, further distancing it from the remaining Windows 7.5 smart phones. These extra features make the Lumia 900 an even more ideal choice for the perfect Father’s Day gift. If dad is a traveler, the Nokia Drive application provide free turn by turn navigation. Enhancing this as well is Nokia Maps, a full featured map service that will even render maps in 3D if you wish. Or for the sports Dad, ESPN Hub is your one stop for all sporting news, articles, and videos.

So how do you get the perfect Father’s Day gift this year? Nokia makes it simple: start by getting the perfect phone! This Father’s day, the Lumia 900 should not be overlooked.

Learn more about the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows phone.

Alicia Hagan, Editor

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review. I received a Nokia Lumia 900 for review purposes.

[simple_series title=”All posts in the Nokia Lumia 900 Series”]

Staying Connected with the Nokia Lumia 710 {Review and Giveaway}

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Nokia Lumia 710 review

My son is 12 going on 16 and I’m seeing more and more that he is wanting to be connected to his friends outside of school.  I am very pleased with his choice in friends so I don’t mind the occasional phone call or text.  I recently received a Nokia Lumia 710 to review and I’ve learned that while Moms and their teenagers may be a generation apart, the Nokia Lumia 710 offers something that every age desires – a great phone that makes it simple to connect with friends. Weighing only 4.4 ounces, this phone is not too heavy for a purse or pocket.  It is available in black or white, but you can dramatically change its look by changing out the Xpress-On covers. These covers come in many colors and fun styles.

Nokia Lumia 710
Nokia Lumia 710 Home Screen

Text messaging is a breeze with the onscreen keyboard. The autocorrect capability of this phone keeps you from worrying about making silly mistakes. Moms like that they can keep in touch with friends and family without endlessly going back to make corrections. Teens like that they can type out messages in a flash!

Nokia Lumia 710 Twitter view
Nokia Lumia 710 Twitter app

The Windows Marketplace has over 55,000 apps to keep you informed, entertained, and productive. Besides Facebook and Twitter, you will also find Foursquare, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and just about every other fun game you can imagine. With T-Mobile TV and Netflix available, teens will never be bored again!

Life is full of fun moments; and fun moments were meant to be captured and shared. The 5MP camera, with LED flash, takes excellent pictures and can record stutter-free video. The Twitter and Facebook apps are integrated into the Windows Phone system so posting pictures is a snap. Teens want to go out with their friends, but moms will always worry. With GPS navigation, parents know that their kids won’t get lost while they’re out making those memories.

After all the Facebook updates, Tweets, and text messages, there’s nothing like hearing the voice of someone special on the other end of the call. T-Mobile’s excellent nationwide network ensures that calls come in crystal clear no matter where you are. Whether you’re a teenager, or a teenager’s mom, the Nokia Lumia 710 is the perfect choice for staying connected with the special people in your life.

Want to win a Nokia Lumia 710?

Congratulations to the winner of the Nokia Lumia 710, Melissa T.!

To enter to win tell me what feature of the Nokia Lumia 710 is most exciting to you or why you want to win this phone!

Earn extra entries:

  • 2 entries – Like The Mommy Insider on Facebook
  • 2 entries – Follow Mommy Insider on Twitter
  • 2 entries – Subscribe to our RSS newsletter
  • 3 entries each time – Tweet about this giveaway: “I entered to win a Nokia Lumia 710 on TheMommyInsider.com.  You can enter this #giveaway here: http://bit.ly/TMINokia @mommyinsider”
  • 3 entries each – Enter any of our other contests and let us know which contests you entered in the comments below
  • 5 entries – Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave the URL in the comments below.  Do not copy and paste this post into your blog.
  • Be sure to tell us what you’ve done in the comments below.

Contest Rules:

  • Winner is responsible for T-Mobile service.
  • Entries accepted through 11:59PM EST March 31st, 2012.
  • U.S. Residents only.
  • Ages 21+.
  • No P.O. Boxes
  • Winner must respond to our email within 24 hours to claim their prize.
  • Read The Mommy Insider’s Contest Rules here.  By entering this contest you are agreeing to the rules.

 

Alicia Hagan, Editor

 

Disclosure: A received a Nokia Lumia 710 for review purposes.  All opinions stated are my own.

HTC Aria review and why it’s great for social moms

Electronics, Gadgets, New posts,

HTC has introduced another phone, the Aria that brings superb functionality, quality, productivity, and social networking features to moms and teens, without a huge price.  The phone casing has a ‘sure-grip’ texture which is great for busy moms as we as we don’t always have the best grip on things, right?  The 3.2-inch display makes viewing web pages, photographs, emails, and videos, a pleasure.   On the back side of the Aria is a 5-megapixel camera that doubles as a VGA video recorder and speaker. On top of the phone is the power button and a 3.5mm headphone jack and on the bottom is a microUSB jack.

With Android you get seven home screens which enables moms to have a different screen for each child.   For example, you can have a screen just for your toddler’s apps while your older child can have a screen of her own with apps she’ll enjoy.  Now if only you could clone the Aria when you’re at a restaurant and your kids are cranky and you want them both to be occupied. Maybe next time.

Social moms will appreciate the included FriendStream app, which is an app that aggregates your Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates.  If that doesn’t sound exciting to you, just wait until you try it out.  Having all of your social networks mashed up in one place is a huge time saver.. and great when you’re in the carpool line.

HTC Aria - seven homescreens

Music and Multimedia Entertainment

  • Aria users can watch YouTube or MMS videos and have the option of subscribing to MobiTV and AT&T’s Mobile Video app giving users plenty of video entertainment choices.
  • The Aria includes an FM radio app and Android’s music playing app.  Plug in your headphones, play your favorite music, and go for a walk – or simply turn up the tunes and tune out the kids for a few minutes.
  • Check the weather, email, and see what your Facebook and Twitter friends are up to with the free and included apps.
  • Inside the Aria is a pre-installed 2GB microSD card that can be swapped out as needed.  Take lots of photographs & videos?  No worries.
The Mommy Insider website on the HTC Aria

Phone Functionality

  • Watch out moms.. even tiny toddler fingers can navigate the small icons on the Aria.
  • When you’re in the car you can use Aria’s speaker phone or bluetooth capabilities.

Camera & Video

  • The Aria takes great photos making it a good alternative to searching for your digital camera every time you want to take a quick snapshot.
  • The Aria has a VGA recorder instead of an HD recorder but that shouldn’t be a big deal to most users as the quality is still great and serves the purpose which is most likely shooting a 30 second video of your child singing a silly song or your kids running around the yard shooting Nerf guns.

Web

  • What else is there to do when you’re waiting in the carpool line at 1:00 but surf the Web?
    The Aria allows users to easily find websites and look up search terms such as “find a mommy’s helper now!” and you’ll get quick, easy to read, results.   Some image-rich web pages may take a few seconds to come up but mobile versions load fast.
The HTC Aria is slim

Battery Life

  • Despite the fact that the Aria is a small phone, the battery offers up to six hours of talk time. In actual full-day usage (phone calls, emails, Web surfing, social networking, taking photographs, etc), I usually had more than 35% of battery life left by bedtime whereas with my iPhone  I am down to about 20% by day’s end.

Other useful features

  • Calendar
  • Google maps
  • Voice guided GPS
  • Memory expandable up to 32GB
  • Contacts can including social network status, pictures, and auto-populate from social networks
  • Create music playlists
  • Talk on the phone and access data simultaneously

Conclusion

The HTC Aria is a great phone for busy, connected, social moms as well as for teens.   The Android platform offers users lots of productivity, social, and entertainment features.  The Aria’s compact design allows the phone to fit in any diaper bag pocket or your favorite clutch for those rate and muh needed date nights.   As tempted as you might be though, don’t text the babysitter 10 times during your dinner date!  Oh, and speaking of.. I found that I had less typos on the HTC Aria than I do on my iPhone.  I’m not sure if that’s due to the size of the letters or the way the phone reads the touches/taps but I appreciate not having to go back and correct tons of spelling errors.

You can buy the HTC Aria at the HTC website or at your local AT&T store.

Disclosure:  The Mommy Insider was provided with an HTC Aria from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide on behalf of HTC for review purposes.  The opinions in this review are my honest opinions and you may experience different results.