NokiaDNA has moved servers. The new site can be found here http://project-dna.org Read the rest of this entry »

The Nokia Lumia window phones brings forth some indecisions. You first dilemma is to choose between the Lumia 900, 800, 710 and 610, following which you need to pick your colour smartphone of choice. The main colours are White, Black, Magenta and Cyan with additional choices for the 710 and 610.

Here we will take a look at the cases that are supplied for the Magenta and Cyan to bring you a better idea to the colour matches. We will be bringing you a full review of the products very soon. So head on over to make your colour choice.

Nokia Lumia 800 A Dash of Colour Here and There.

The Nokia Lumia 900 has been on sale for less than a week and is available in Cyan and Black. It is hoped that the colours of Magenta and White will join the released devices soon.

The unibody provides a strong durable casing but Read the rest of this entry »

Nokia announced the Lumia 710, its second Windows Phone at Nokia World 2011.

The Lumia 710 followed in the footsteps of the Lumia 800 but in a different form. The 710 arrived with interchangeable fashionable covers. Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday I received a package from the good folks from ZAGG, who are more known for their Invisible Shield protection for various mobile devices, but in the package was their latest offering, a whooping 6000mAh Battery Back Up and Charger that they want me want me to review.

This post is an Overview of the ZAGGsparq 2.0 6000mAh Battery Back Up & Charger, which comes in a simple package, with no frills, no leads, or connectors, simply a two pin adapter for European recharging.

The ZAGGsparq features not one, but two USB Charging Ports, and these are labelled, “Optimized”, and “General”. It’s so so much more than just an extended battery charger.!

Optimized: This is the top USB Charging Port, which is optimized for most Smart Phones, and other devices that are capable of taking an optimized charge, including Apple’s iPhone, and iPod family of products. It must be noted that some devices will not charge through the optimized charging port, but I will be putting this to the test later today now that I have fully charged the ZAGGsparq. (Nine hours charge is required before first use).

General: The secondary USB Charge port uses the standard USB Specification, and will charge devices that do not utilize the optimized USB charging Specification.

The ZAGGspaq can indeed charge two devices simultaneously, however, when charging a large, power hungry device such as say, the Apple iPad, you may not be able to use both USB ports at the same time. If you connect a second device to the ZAGGsparq whilst charging say an iPad, the ZAGGsparq may discontinue charging both devices, but if this occurs, you simply have to remove of of the devices. Again, i will be putting this port through its paces also, so keep your eyes peeled right here on NokiaDNA.com.

The ZAGGsparq advertised that once fully charged, it will allow four full charges, guaranteed. This is quoted for the iPhone, but in my usage, I will be testing various Nokia devices with various battery capacities, from 950mAh, to 1500mAh.

Here is what ZAGG have to say about their ZAGGsparq 2.0 Product..

Portable power: More than a simple extended battery, ZAGGsparq 2.0 carries multiple charges for any personal electronic device with you – including four full recharges for a power-hungry Apple iPhone™

On-the-go convenience: ZAGGsparq 2.0 fits easily in a pocket or bag, the perfect size for travelers and business people

Very compatible: ZAGGsparq 2.0 works with most USB charged device, including cell phones, handheld gaming systems, and digital cameras (adapters for mini-USB to USB sold separately)**

Charge multiple devices: ZAGGsparq 2.0 provides twoUSB charging ports: Optimized and General

Optimized: The top USB charging port is optimized for smartphones and other devices that are capable of taking an optimized charge, including Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod family of products.

General: The bottom port uses the standard USB specification and will charge devices that do not utilize the optimized USB charging specification.

Superior Engineering: ZAGGsparq 2.0 has been specifically engineered to charge Apple’s iPad. It adds an additional 5 to 6 hours of video playback to the iPad.

As you can see, there is much more to the ZAGGsparq that most conventional extended battery chargers, and with 6000mAh to boot, this thing has some serious backup power too. Stay tuned for my ongoing testings, and review right here at NokiaDNA.com.

Upon leaving Nokia World last year, I was given a Nokia BH-214 to take away with me, and it came in really useful as I had actually forgotten to pack any headphones for my travel to Stuttgart, Germany where Nokia World was held last year.

During my return travel, the Nokia BH-214 Bluetooth headset solution was superb, and basically consists of a superb concept, and solution, which has more functionality than you would first assume, (I will expand on this later in this post).

The Nokia BH-214 consists of two parts, the Bluetooth remote itself, and the white matching headset, which are the in-ear type headphones. These come with three different sized silicon in-ear pieces, ensuring you get the perfect fit for your ears.

The great thing about the BH-214, is that you don’t actually have to use the supplied headset at all, and your free to use any other headset of your choosing thanks to the 3.5mm headphone jack on the Nokia BH-214 Bluetooth Remote. This is just as well, as just the other day whilst out for a leisurely walk, my right ear piece failed on me, so now I use my Nokia N97′s headphones with the Remote.

Getting back to the BH-214 remote itself, this little thing is great, and comes with a smart clip, so you can attach it to your clothing, or anywhere else you wish to place it whilst your out and about.

On the top of the remote you will find the central On/Off button, which is also used to pair the remote with your bluetooth enabled device. To the right of the On/Off button you have a multi-coloured led, which is your status indicator. This is used to indicate not only the status of the Remote during usage, but also acts as a charging status indicator too.

The Microphone is located to the left of the On/Off Button, and on the rear of the Remote you have the belt clip.

Onto the bottom of the device you will find the standard Nokia 2mm Charging socket.

The main face of the BH-214 is your control panel, and this boasts all the controls you will need for your music so you don’t have to reach for your Nokia mobile.

You can also use the BH-214 as an handsfree, with “Call Answer” button at the top of the front, then moving clockwise you have “Next Track”, or hold down for “Fast Forward”, at the six o’clock position you have the “Play, and Pause” button, and then finally at the 9′oclock position you have the “Back, and Rewind” button, and of course, the Volume rocker switch on the side.

Now as mentioned you can use theBH-214 as your handsfree solution, but as also mentioned at the start of this post, you can do even more with this great little device….

For example, whilst shooting videos with your Nokia device, if you are putting together, say a presentation, or alike where you are talking to the camera, you can actually use theBH-214 as a wireless Bluetooth Microphone, and with a great wire-free range of 30ft or so, its a sound solution for just this purpose, and saves having any wires getting in your way whilst shooting your video presentations.

BH-214 Specifications…

Dimensions
51 x 39 x 18 mm

Operating keys
On/off key
Send/End key
Backwards
Forwards
Volume Up/Volume Down
Play/Pause

Connectors
Additional 3.5 mm jack
Nokia 2 mm battery charger connector

Operating temperature
Operating temperature: -15 °C to +55 °C

LED indicators for status notifications
Green
Red
Blue

PowerPower supply
Rechargeable 160 mAh Li-Ion Polymer battery

Operating time (maximum)
Talk: 8 h
Music: 7 h
Standby time (maximum)300 h

Connectivity
Bluetooth version2.1 with enhanced data rate (EDR)

Bluetooth profiles
Handsfree profile (HFP) 1.5
Headset profile (HSP) 1.2
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.0.

Further information on the Nokia BH-214 can be found over at the Nokia Official Website.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this respect, having had many Nokia devices in my time, and of course what goes with them, chargers of course, and mobile device chargers, and what comes with these Chargers, and Mobile Charging solutions.? Bloody Adapters! Lots of them!  Don’t throw them away just yet.

So glad Nokia has already started to move to only using the MicroUSB on all their new devices now, and its also great news other manufactures following suit, bar a couple. So what will happen to all these redundant tips, connectors, and adapters I hear you ask? Well, don’t throw them away just yet, keep hold of them, as I’m pretty sure that soon there will be some kind of recycle option open for everyone, somewhere we can forward our redundant masses of connectors, and adapters, which will then possibly go onto third world, developing countries, where they will be using older devices for quite some time to come.

The X6 however I was very surprised to see a 2mm Charging socket though, but alas the N97 does have a Charge, and Sync MicroUSB port which was Announced, and in the market place before the X6, so what gives?  The E72, although that also comes with a 2mm Charging port, the E72 can charge via its MicroUSB port, so why the 2mm port too?

What is your opinion on the rollout of MicroUSB ports across all devices, no matter what brand.? Do you have any uses for these masses of adapters that will soon be rendered useless in your household?, will you be happy to recycle them to developing countries? Look forward to hearing from you.