Most mobile phones these days come with Smartphone technology, but this is usually accompanied by a hefty price tag. The latest offering from Orange however has everything you need at less than half the price of its competitors.
Costing just £99, the San Francisco is one of the cheapest Smartphones out there. It runs on Android 2.1 software which provides you with the same features as the popular HTC. The Android market is now loaded with Apps so it doesn’t come far behind the iPhone in terms of the features it can provide you with. Compared to the other Smartphones at the lower end of the market, the San Francisco is much more user-friendly with its 3.5 inch sharp capacitive touch screen.
It is also the same shape as the popular HTC Desire and iPhone, with a large screen and a few essential buttons along the bottom. The 3.2mp camera doesn’t allow for great photos but it provides autofocus and does an acceptable job. The handset also comes with Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and 3G.
Orange have well and truly made their mark on this phone by giving it a default Orange home screen with plenty of Orange widgets, both in brand and in unattractive colour. However it is easy enough to change the settings to Android which is much more flexible in terms of look.
One down side of this phone is the weakness of its outer casing. Most phones don’t take well to being dropped but with the San Francisco even slight rough handling can leave its mark. Finding a cover or accessories for it has also proven to be difficult. But with the phones low price, it’s not asking much to settle for ‘one size fits all’ screen protectors and cases for now.
The large number of apps on offer, not to mention addictive games, means there will probably be a strain on the battery life. With heavy use you may find yourself having to charge the phone every night but a full battery will usually get you through a day and a half.
The San Francisco comes with an array of attractive features making it a good example of what Smartphones can offer. The £99 price tag makes it great value for money and can allow users to overlook the not-so-great camera and build quality. Even those not wanting to spend hundreds on a mobile phone can now join the Smartphone revolution.
April 10, 2011 at 8:06 pm
I knew your blogging would come in useful eventually. Very nice by the way,
April 11, 2011 at 9:45 pm
I, abdul mutalib, have just read your blog about htc phones…
my personal preference extends far beyond the android and windows mobile frame of mobile computing.
for me i require something unmatched and unparalleled to any smart phone experience. Hence, i believe the apple iphone can carry the burden of meeting such standards.
It, in its own right, can only be described as berr sikk. the led backlit screen offers bright and vibrant visual qualities. Retina display offers crystal clear text and images coupled with the title of ‘thinnest smartphone in the planet’ at launch, the iphone 4 definitely feels as good as it operates.
However, such a product, with such high end attributes will still have its flaws. For the iphone that will always be the price. £500-600 for a device which allows you to make calls – who would be stupid enough? But if we scrutinize its finer points, we again declare the iphone 4 victorious as the saying goes ‘its not what you can do, its the way you do it’.
A mercedes benz will cost far more than a vauxhall astra, the mercedes customer will argue his money is going towards the finer details, such as ride comfort, well upholstered interior etc. Both cars will allow you to meet your initial objective, i.e. get from a to b, however it is the experience within going from a to b is where some would draw significance.
And naturally, every iphone release draws storming attention from global media for end consumers ranging from basic home and leisure to international corporations. The sales which force immediate stock shortages show the appeal of the device is like no other, however again, apples production management are always quick to rectify any shortages with prompt supply.
It seems the only problem left with the iphone is that we are running out of superlatives to describe it…