While both the Samsung Armani and the LG Prada represents the merge of two different brands, the two promise an interesting and unique set of features. Here is a comparative summary between the two.

Design elements

Both the Samsung Armani and the LG Prada boast of a slim and petite external appearance. However the Armani seems to edge out the Prada in terms of its stylish appearance and slim design. Both are a perfect antithesis of the regular bulky smartphone that is often overpowered. Instead these two phones promise daintiness combined with over the top prices and an ultra stylish exterior.

Overall performance

The Samsung Armani comes with the unique haptic feedback technology which allows a user to feel the vibration on the phone whenever a key is pressed. However apart from this the interface doesn’t really promise much. As compared to the Armani version the LG Prada has a much better interface. It is very responsive to Touch and also comes with a wider screen size (approximately around 3 inches as compared to the Samsung Armani screen which comes at 2.6 inches). Though not that much of a difference it does play a part in terms of overall size of the icons and screen resolution. Also the inbuilt camera in the LG Prada has a 2 Megapixel capacity as compared to the Samsung Armani which comes at 3 Megapixel. However, surprisingly it is the pictures that come out from the Prada that promise better clarity and quality. The interface of the LG Prada also comes with much more interactivity.

For example, while navigating the screen with your finger little icons like a butterfly and a fish follow your movement. It is these small details that help the LG Prada edge out the Samsung Armani in terms of interface interactivity. However, if you are a music buff then most likely the Samsung Armani will impress you better! It offers options like sorting based on Last played, album as well as artist names. In terms of aesthetics the LG Prada offers a better looking MP3 player. Being smaller in size, the screen in the Samsung Armani can be difficult to navigate if a person has large fingers. This makes textual inputs a little difficult. If you are looking for durability and robustness in the exterior the Samsung Armani is a clear winner because of its metallic casing as opposed to the LG Prada which uses plastic casing.

Rich set of features

The Samsung Armani is a definite advantage when it comes to the inbuilt memory capacity. While the Armani version comes with a 60 MB inbuilt memory the LG Prada comes with just 8 MB. However both phones come with a microSD card slot. The LG Prada supports tri-band GSM connectivity but does not come with a 3G data network facility. It is the same situation with the Samsung Armani which is devoid of 3G capability.

Pros and cons

Overall both the Samsung Armani and the LG Prada are fashion accessories in themselves. However while the Armani edges out the Prada in terms of durability and music playing options the Prada is advantageous in terms of interface interactivity.

The Apple iPhone is available for $689.89 at ElephantCellular

tagged: LG, 3G, Touch, Samsung, Armani Phone, Prada, iPhone

The Samsung F480 might closely resemble the Samsung Armani in terms of design but it has a couple of elements that are distinctly different. Instead of the Armani which came with a 3 megapixel camera, the F480 comes with a 5 megapixel one instead. This in itself gives it an edge when compared to the Armani version.

Rich feature set

The Samsung F480 comes with a Croix operating system as well as a tactile feedback mechanism. The 5 megapixel camera also comes with an autofocus feature with an LED flash mechanism as well. One major drawback of the Samsung F480 is that it is devoid of Wi Fi connectivity. However this is compensated by a 3G, EDGE as well as GPRS connectivity which is a great feature for those of us who love the 3G enabled phones! It supports HSDPA connectivity with download speeds in excess of 7.2 Mbps. The phone also comes with an image and video stabilizer as well as an inbuilt video editor and slow motion functionality. The inbuilt multimedia player supports diverse file formats both video and audio. The FM radio also comes with RDS functionality. The phone also comes with blog support, browsing functionality and email client built in.

Compact and sleek design

The Samsung F480 has a small nice and compact design which can take you by surprise considering the number of features the phone boasts of! Weighing around 91 grams and measuring in dimension around 96mm x 55mm x 12mm the phone is lightweight and small. Battery life is suspect considering that Samsung has not included any information in this segment. The large QVGA Touchscreen display measures 2.8 inches across which makes for pleasurable viewing of all our favorite videos and pictures! Once slided up the Touchscreen reveals the conventional Keypad below. The phone also comes with inbuilt video messaging facility and comes with USB version 2.0 and Bluetooth capability. The sleek and slim black design makes this phone a sure head turner. Definitely a phone to have for all those of us who hate those ‘brick’ style gadgets! Although the phone measures about a millimeter thicker when compared to the Samsung Armani, it sure compensates this increase in size by enhanced features. This makes the Samsung F480 much more of an attractive option as compared to the Armani.

Performance aspects

The video editing and mobile blogging features are a definite plus in the Samsung F480. The combination of the 5 megapixel camera and the LED flash is another winning feature in the phone. The Samsung F480 also supports tri-band connectivity while supporting EDGE/GPRS data connectivity. In addition the support for A2DP stereo makes for an added bonus in this phone. This way sharing and printing data is now possible wirelessly to any device which is compatible with the F480. For those who like to download into their PC or merge the calendar appointments with the phonebook (it supports over 1000 entries!) there is an alternative feature for a USB plug in. Additional enhancements include the presence of browser, email as well as document viewer and organizer. These features are targeted at the discerning businessperson who wants much more from a phone than mere aesthetics.

Final say and outlook

Overall if you think the Samsung F480 is just a pretty phone that will make people sit up and notice you’re wrong. In spite of being sleek and stylish the phone promises superior functionality and high end features that make this phone a long term choice in the market today.

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tagged: Touchscreen, 3G, HSDPA, Touch, Keypad, Samsung, F480, 5 megapixel

The large Touchscreen and uncanny design resemblance can have you confuse the F490 with the Samsung Armani. However the F490 is quite different in actuality. In terms of functionality there are a lot of things that set it apart from the Armani.

Fashionable design elements

One of the most impressive features in terms of design in the F490 is the large Touch screen. The touch screen is replete with many touch controls that facilitate good user friendly experience. The rather lightweight and compact design makes for a good firm grip on the phone. Weighing just around 102 grams and 115 mm across the phone snugly fits into the palm of the hand. Coupled with the slim sized phone is the added bonus of a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus feature. The phone lacks a QWERTY sliding Keyboard but the sheer glossy surface surely compensates for this deficit. In addition the phone also comes with a haptic feedback mechanism which further accelerates the touch screen sensitivity. You will also find the phone devoid of a flip cover which characterizes most of the touch screen phones of today. The TFT display measures around 3.2 inches across and comes with a resolution of around 240×432 pixels. The only two buttons you will see are the end and call keys which are located just beneath the touch screen area.

Feature rich phone

The phone comes with a 5 megapixel fully autofocus camera inbuilt which produces fine quality pictures overall. The phone also has video recording facility as is present on most phones these days. Along with the fact that the phone has 3G capability the phone also supports video formats such as MPEG4, H264 and 263 as well as WMV formats. One of the highlights in terms of textual input is the predictive text input facility which automatically fills out a word when you start typing it in. Saves all of us a lot of time in that department! Music supported file formats include the MP3, AAC+ as well as AAC and WMA formats. In addition the phone also comes with inbuilt 3G HSDPA connectivity which also facilitates high speed downloads that rival even regular broadband connections! In addition the phone has a USB port externally located as well as Bluetooth functionality.

Verdict on performance

In terms of high end features the F490 comes with a fabulous 5 megapixel camera that has autofocus too. With it one can click high quality pictures with clarity and precision. The call quality is relatively good. Unfortunately the phone is devoid of Wi Fi as well as VGA video recording capability. One of the highlights of the F490 is the presence of intuitive controls for the music player. You can skip through track portions and control volume levels via the horizontal and vertical axes respectively. You can play VGA files but don’t expect an aspect ratio of 16:9 as many fans of the F490 anticipate! The touchscreen experience isn’t exactly exhilarating owing to the rather poor scroll functionality. However the Java support the phone offers is truly exceptional.

Outlook: is it here to stay?

The sheer slim and compact design of the Samsung F490 makes it a clear winner in the market. However as compared to other models from manufacturers, the F490 doesn’t deliver as per expectations. For example the video recording capability is rather sluggish and the battery isn’t all that big either. However the fashionable design and fantastic user interface makes this a good choice amongst phones today!

Get Unlocked Samsung Phones at ElephantCellular

tagged: Touchscreen, 3G, HSDPA, Keyboard, QWERTY, Touch, Samsung, F490, 5 megapixel

With a stylish exterior and a name that promises a surefire style statement, the Samsung Armani or the Samsung P520 has generated a lot of curiosity for us. From the encasing to even the user guide, everything is classy and stylishly designed!

Small and compact design

The Samsung Armani has been designed to make heads turn. With a uniquely small design which is compact and versatile the phone promises great aesthetics. With a stylish brass colored metallic exterior the phone exudes an air of quiet sophistication. In addition the phone also comes with a large Touchscreen area which is similar to the IPhone from Apple. Doing away with the rather plain-looking ‘calculator’ design of predecessors like the P300 or the P310 the Samsung Armani does away with the hardware Keypad. The only two buttons that are found are the end and send buttons which are also elevated and Touch sensitive in nature.

A smart design element is the presence of hardware keys located on the right edge of the phone. Discreetly embedded on the right side is the Hold as well as on and off keys. The charger or data port is located above these two buttons on the right edge of the phone. On the left side of the phone edge you would find a volume modifier slot as well as a slot for the memory card. On the back of the Samsung Armani you would find a camera lens and an LED flash to go with it as well. With a 3 megapixel capacity and full autofocus capability the phone certainly has adequate functionality.

Above average performance

On an average the performance of the Samsung Armani does impress quite well. Although the phone doesn’t look all that good under sunlight, the sunlight mode present in the phone does help to alleviate the excess light. You can easily adjust contrast as well as brightness in order to ensure easy readability. The highlight of the device seems to be the haptic feedback which allows the user to feel a slight vibration once a key has been pressed. However, one thing to note is that the vibratory sensation does not come until an action has been completed fully. You can select from amongst three levels of vibration intensity as per your wish. The overall sound quality is much above average and unlike its predecessors; the Samsung Armani does not suggest familiar contacts based on the series of numbers typed in. In terms of loudspeaker performance, the Samsung Armani is just above average however the Croix interface more than makes up for this deficit.

Popular features

The Samsung Armani comes with easy messaging facility that supports MMS, SMS, EMS as well as email functionality. There is also a T9 dictionary which is provided in conjunction with textual inputs. The phone unfortunately does not come with 3G capability which can be a downer for most of us! It also does not come with HSCSD instead supports EDGE connectivity. Weighing just around 85 grams this phone is certainly counted as lightweight! There is also Bluetooth version 2.0 support along with A2DP as well as USB version 2.0 support. The browser supports WAP version 2.0 as well as XHTML and the camera has a 2 megapixel capacity.

Outlook and overall verdict

Stylish and with looks to truly die for, the Samsung Armani remains yet another phone which makes a style statement. In terms of functionality, it offers a few things like the haptic feedback. However if high end features are what you are looking for then this phone is not for you. If you want stylish looks as opposed to a feature rich phone then the Samsung Armani is perfect for you!

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tagged: Touchscreen, 3G, Touch, Keypad, IPhone, Samsung, Apple, Armani Phone, Prada

If you were to get mistaken by the F700 as an IPhone – you would be forgiven! Being uncannily similar to the iPhone as far as design and aesthetics go, the F700 is clearly also proving to be a tough rival to the iPhone.

Unique design aspects

The Samsung F700 comes with a smart slideout QWERTY Keyboard which allows for easy usage while also viewing the screen. The phone comes without a stylus and is responsive only to Touch access via the fingers. The keyboard has inbuilt VibeTonz technology through which the user can actually feel the vibration on the phone while touching a particular numeric key or a letter. Measuring overall 104 mm across and 50 mm wide, the phone is a prototype for a compact and solid handset. Externally the phone has a smooth and glossy finish and a curvy edge which makes for better ergonomics. The phone is also called the Ultra Smart phone and its main focus is towards technology and multimedia applications. With a smart and stylish metallic edging as well as a unique black edging on the screen, the phone is very sleek to look at.

Functionality and stylish features

The Samsung F700 is not just aesthetically pleasing. It is also very functional. The phone supports HSDPA connectivity and has 3G capability. Average download speeds are in excess of 7.2 Mbps which can prove very useful for those of us that like good Internet speeds while on the go. Replete with tri-band network capability the phone allows you to toggle between network bands. The phone has Bluetooth technology, EDGE/USB connectivity as well. The Flash interface coupled with 3G capability enables easy video calling capability in the phone. The inbuilt camera is of 5 megapixel capacity and of very high quality. The video player in the F700 also provides for compatibility with Real, MPEG4, H364 as well as 263 video file formats. The phone also has compatibility with music file formats such as AAC+, MP3, as well as eAAC+ etc. The QWERTY keyboard facilitates easy browsing and text input experience for the user.

Optimal performance

One of the highlights of the Samsung F700 in terms of performance seems to be its flexible touch screen mechanisms. While the QWERTY keyboard does provide touch screen functionality for those used to the technology, even for the uninitiated the phone can be a tutorial of sorts. Allowing novice touch screen users to transition into the touch screen mode, the phone is quite user-friendly that way. Network speeds are on the higher side which is an added plus for the phone. As opposed to the iPhone from Apple which lacks in HSPDA connectivity, superior camera ability and sliding out keyboard, the F700 meets all these challenges.

Outlook and future trends

The Samsung F700 is certainly a cut above the rest when it comes to the kind of features you would expect in a smart phone. Doing away completely with a stylus, the phone promotes only a touch screen interface which uses finger touch recognition. The beauty and functionality of the phone coupled with clever design features surely makes this a must-have on everyone’s list!

The Apple iPhone is available for $689.89 at ElephantCellular

The Samsung F700 is available for $559.89 at ElephantCellular

tagged: 3G, HSDPA, Keyboard, QWERTY, Touch, PDA, F700, Samsung, Apple, iPhone, Touchscreen