Nokia 5800 Xpress Music Video Review

Can't wait for the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music? Here, here. Despite all the flak the Nokia Tube has been getting around the Internet, I still want one, and too bad I can't get it this coming Holiday season.

The 5800 is Nokia's first touch-screen phone, and an MP3 phone at that. To get us all riled up again, here's a featured video review of the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music.

LG Rhythm Now Available at U.S. Cellular

Great news for LG fans as U.S. Cellular just announced the addition of the LG Rhythm in its cell phone roster. It's available in pink and black.

As mentioned in a previous post, the LG Rhythm is looking up to be a very good MP3 phone. I would have to do a thorough review of it in the near future.

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Where to Download FREE and LEGAL MP3s

Finding and downloading mp3s over the internet is easy. But finding LEGAL mp3s for download is another matter. With the advent of torrents and P2P, pirating songs has become a breeze. But this post is not about the morality or legality of downloading pirated songs, instead I would like to point out several sites where one can download free and legal mp3s.

Googling free mp3s will get you nowhere, that's for sure. You'll be led to site after site and eventually you'll end up paying for the song or worse, getting an illegal copy. The only way to get free copies of your favorite music is to know where to look, or know what to look for. To give you some ideas, here are some tips to get you started:

Official [Artist Name] Websites - The first place to look is the artist's official site. If they have a new album out then there's a great chance that mp3s of singles will be available for download. Sometimes they even give away recordings of live performances. There are rare times though, that you'll get more than you bargained for. Take for example Nine Inch Nails' website, where you can download their album the slip for absolutely free.

[Record Company/Label] Official Websites - Another gold mine of free mp3s are record companies' official sites. Not only will you find free mp3s of your favorite artist, you'll get the chance to check out similar bands in more or less the same genre. A fairly good example is The Aggrolite's page on Hellcat Records.

Music Communities - Online music forums or communities is a great way to discover rare artists. Also, it's a great source of free mp3s. Artists on these sites are itching to be heard. You'll be doing them a favor by downloading their music onto your players. A good place to start is http://www.unsignedbandweb.com/.

Podcasts - Although most podcasts are of low quality in terms of bitrate, they are fun to listen to and will often bring up artists that you may find interesting. The trick is to find a podcaster that is in tune with your taste. MOBTOWN SKA SOUNDS for example is a very good match for me. Head over podOmatic to find yours.

Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Limited Edition

Special Note: Although the Nokia N96 is more of a smartphone than an MP3 phone, I just can't pass this awesome news up :)

I absolutely love Bruce Lee. I have a Bruce Lee shirt, hoodie, a semi-life-sized action figure, and almost all of his movies. That was why I was pumped to hear about the Nokia N96 Bruce Lee limited edition phone.

The package comes with a special handset with Lee's face and autograph found at the back. Open the phone up and you'll be treated to a number of rare photos of our favorite martial arts hero. Bruce Lee accessories (notice the nunchucks) and a doll (I call it action figure) are also included.

The whole shindig costs about $1,286 and can be purchased here.

Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Edition video



View special flash site promo of Nokia N96 Bruce Lee Edition.

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Motorola VE66 Launched

Motorola announced a couple of days ago another 5-megapixel phone, the MOTO VE66. The difference between this camera phone and Motorola's ZN5 is that this has LED flash instead of xenon. I'm not into camera phones that much so you be the judge which would be better.

What interests me is the MP3 playback capability of the MOTO VE66. The phone is equipped with FastScroll™ navigation wheel, which is always a good sign. It helps go through those long lists of songs and artists.

The MOTO VE66 will be released before the year ends. More about this MP3 phone when it becomes available.

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New Technology to Improve Lithium Batteries for Laptops and Cellphones

A new technology that makes lithium batteries, commonly used in cellphones and laptops, 90% more energy efficient was recently developed by South Korean researchers. Led by Cho Jae-phil, the team claims that conventional battery life can last upto eight times more using their new technology.

This is good news for people like me who makes the most out of their phones. My mp3 phone usually lasts about a day and a half before I have to charge it again. This new technology will help solve battery issues especially with MP3 phones.

To get the details of how they done it, go here

Zing To Your Zune

In other (somewhat related) news, Microsoft has added 46 new designs for their MP3 player, Zune. Dubbed the Zune Originals, these are said to be perfect customized gifts for music and tech lovers this coming holiday season.
Pick a Zune, choose an artwork, etch a name or a witty phrase, and viola!

http://www.ZuneOriginals.net

Sony Ericsson W705 Announced in Style

Another addition to Sony Ericsson's Walkman™ phone series was added yesterday during the MTV Europe Music Awards, the Sony Ericsson W705. The W705 features includes:

• Walkman™ player
• Clear Stereo & Bass
• Shake control
• SensMe™
• FM radio with RDS
• A 3.2 megapixel camera with 3.2x digital zoom
• Picture blogging
• Video blogging
• Motion gaming
• Google Maps

The W705 Walkman Phone is actually quite similar with W980. It will be available in select markets early next year.

LG Chocolate 3 Review & Info

LG Chocolate 3 Specs

Launched: July 2008
Screen Display: Internal LCD: 240x320 pixels, 260K Color TFT External LCD: 176 x 220 pixels, 260K Color TFT
Size: 3.87 x 1.94 x 0.64 inches
Weight: 3.36 oz.
Memory: 1 GB Internal, 8 GB microSD
Ringtones: MP3
Camera: 2.0 MP

LG Chocolate 3 Review

The LG Chocolate 3 is the third of LG's Chocolate phones. If Motorola has RAZRs, LG has Chocolates. But don't let the cutesy name fool you, this baby's a very good MP3 phone.

The 1 GB internal memory is a good way to start. Add an 8 GB microSD card and you have yourslef hours of music playback. The Choco 3's music player supports MP3, WMA, and AAC & AAC+. There's a shuffle feature as well as repeat, and it comes with 6 equalizer presets. Oh and there's an FM transmitter too. On the right spine of the phone you can find its dedicated music button for easy music player access. The mechanical scroll wheel on the front is awesome as well.

As for the music quality, it's alright. Not that good but not bad either. A little more bass would surely help.

I have to admit, I'm no fan of LG cellphones. But after seeing the LG Chocolate 3, I'm ready to reconsider.

LG Chocolate 3 Video

FastMac iV: Extend Battery Life of Your iPhone 3G

One of the first thing that I check when buying a new phone is of course, its MP3 playback features. After that I kindly inquire about the phone's battery life. What's an MP3 phone without a decent battery, right?. Sadly, a lot of phones fail to impress me in this category. Luckily, there are other options available...

Take for example the FastMac iV, an iPhone 3G extended battery and charger rolled into one. Basically it prolongs an iPhone's battery life upto 3 to 4 times! Here's quick round-up of its features:

• Upto 24 hours talktime, 750 hours standby, and a whopping 70 hours of audio.
• Additional USB Port so you can charge 2 devices at the same time.
• Built-in flash for camera use.
• It's a bargain at just $79.95.

Here's a FastMac iV video:



But don't take my word for it. Visit the official page of FastMac iV for more goodies.