Again, 3G is short for third-generation mobile telephone technology. 3G services provide the ability to transfer both voice data (a telephone call) and non-voice data (such as downloading information, exchanging e-mail, and instant messaging), among others.
In a fully developed 3G environment, one can make video calls where both parties can see each other; listen to Visual Radio with its image-enhanced content; watch streaming videos, short, capsulized "mobisodes" of TV blockbusters, and even catch real-time news bulletins, sports updates and weather reports.
Originally, 3G was supposed to be a single, unified, worldwide standard, but has since been split into three camps. The Philippines belong to UMTS or Universal Mobile Telephone System. Based on WCDMA technology, UMTS is the solution generally preferred by countries that use GSM.
Thankfully, the texting capital of the world has no shortage of 3G-ready phones, with Nokia and Sony Ericsson leading the charge with several 3G-capable models already in the market, Motorola having launched one early this year, with Samsung and LG soon to follow. Here now are some upcoming 3G handsets that will soon be available at mobile phone outlets nearest you.
The Nokia N80 incorporates a large internal memory of up to 40 MB, which can be further expanded with a hot-swappable miniSD card of up to 2GB, allowing users to store up to 1,000 high-quality images or videos on the device. It even plays stereo FM and is Visual Radio-enabled.
The Nokia E61 and Nokia E70 support todays most popular and newly announced corporate mobile e-mail solutions like BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-On Mail, and Visto Mobile.
The E61 and E70 are built on the latest edition of the Series 60 Platform running on Symbian OS v. 9.1. They include a variety of GSM frequencies and 3G (WCDMA) cellular network support for seamless roaming across different countries, as well as a range of local connectivity options such as WLAN, Bluetooth and infrared and are USB 2.0-compatible.
The E61 and E70 also feature superior voice functionality when compared to other devices that combine PDA-like features with a mobile phone. The devices support advanced voice services such as Internet phone (VoIP) calls, Push-to-talk (PTT), and other SIP-based rich call services. Companies deploying an Avaya or Cisco IP PBX can connect the new Nokia devices directly to their corporate phone networks, enabling functions employees have come to expect from a corporate network like four-digit dialing and assisted call answering.
The W950is design will turn the heads of the most avid style aficionados. Its thin, sleek and compact form is finished in mystic purple, fingerprint-proof matte with orange accents. The purity of its design is strengthened by the keypad being flush with the surface, and orange backlighting that brings the music keys to life in a stunning yet practical way.
As a music player, the W950i not only lives up to the renowned Walkman name, but takes it to new heights. Its 4GB storage can take up to 4,000 songs and the sound quality, delivered on high-quality headphones, makes listening to music a real pleasure. A new graphic-rich interface on the Walkman player makes it easy to navigate around the music library by song, artist or playlist and even makes it possible to search visually by browsing through album covers using the stylus and touch screen.
Beyond music, the W950i is a complete mobile entertainment center that delivers great speed and exceptional quality sound and vision. Users can now enjoy the complete spectrum of mobile multimedia applications, from Web browsing, push e-mail and video streaming to 3D gaming and store-and-share of media files. Besides music, 4GB is enough storage for a wealth of photos, videos or e-mail attachments.
The W950i is based on the new Symbian v9.1 and UIQ 3.0 platform, benefiting from a growing multitude of third-party applications. All these applications are available for download from the Sony Ericsson Application Shop, an online catalogue that is stocked directly by third-party developers.
Despite an 80MB onboard memory and the 64MB optional expansion, the M600i stays as trim as a slimming salon model, with 4.2 x 2.2 x 0.6 measurements. This includes the gigantic 262K-color TFT touch-screen display.