When Vodafone announced their new Vodafone 360 web service, they also brought forth detail of two new handsets that would offer the ultimate way to interact with this revolutionary online world, the Vodafone 360 M1 and 360 H1. Both of these devices will run on the LiMo operating system, and include an impressive specification list. In this first review of those two new phones, we are going to take a further look at the Vodafone 360 M1.
Before we dive headlong into the spec of the M1, though, we are going to take a closer look at the LiMo OS. The LiMo foundation was founded in January 2007, with the aim of providing a broadly accepted operating system within the mobile industry, to further enhance the development of integrated web services that can easily be accessed on mobile devices, along with providing a stable platform that offers developers a large arena on which they can produce their applications, and offer them to the largest base of users. It is the goal that all should be aiming for, a common standard platform that offers enough flexibility for each handset to offer some kind of individuality whilst at the same time bringing a level of co-operability that allows users from a variety of devices to access the same applications.
Whether this goal can be achieved remains to be seen, but what we have at the moment is an industry that fragments across platforms. It is debateable whether the mobile industry can continue to support so many different operating systems, with Windows Mobile, Symbian, Android, the iPhone, and RIM all offering smartphone platforms, as well as manufacturers individually offering proprietary operating systems, such as Nokia with S40, LG with their new S Class, and Samsung with their TouchWiz interface, for example. Something is going to have to give, and currently the platform that seems to be in the strongest position is the newest entrant to the smartphone arena, Android, which also interestingly runs on a Linux based OS, as LiMo does. It will be interesting to see how these platforms develop over the coming months, as the maturing market settles down into a more sustainable model.
As for the handsets, the 360 M1 is the baby brother in terms of features to the more powerful 360 H1. Developed by Samsung exclusively for Vodafone, the 360 M1 is an all touchscreen phone, and given Samsung’s track record with touchscreen devices we can expect the TFT display to be very responsive. Supporting up to 16 million colours, the display measures in at an impressive 3.2 inches, and has a pixel resolution of 800 x 480. The user interface on the device will be presented in a 3D fashion, and video previews of this in action show it to look pretty impressive. The device measures in with dimensions of 111 x 55 x 13.3mm and weighs in at a very acceptable 111g.
Internal memory capacity on this product is set at 1GB, which can easily be expanded with MicroSD memory cards, with capacity supported at up to 16GB. This quad band GSM device offers high speed data connectivity of HSDPA Mobile Broadband, but surprisingly there is no WiFi option included. Bluetooth 2.0 is onboard for local connectivity, and comes with A2DP support for stereo audio transmission.
A camera is included on the phone, with the M1 offering a 3.2 Megapixel imaging device, with video record option, plus there is a secondary camera for making video calls over the 3G network. GPS is included on the phone, and this is supported with aGPS connectivity, and we hope some kind of geotagging option will be available, too.
The 360 M1 includes a full media player, with options for video and music playback. Full details of the file formats supported are yet to be confirmed, although we can expect the minimum basics of MP3, AAC and MP4 to be included. The M1 also has a 3.5mm audio output jack, allowing you to listen to media playback with your favourite headset, for ultimate comfort, the handset also offers a stereo FM radio with RDS support.
Of course, the real star of the 360 M1 will be the web integration offered by the Vodafone 360 service, and we can’t wait to give it a full try out. There won’t be long to wait for this, as this handset is expected to be on general release in Q4 2009, in plenty of time to catch the Christmas rush.
Related Vodafone 360 M1 Links
- Compare the latest Vodafone 360 M1 deals
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- Read user Vodafone 360 M1 reviews
- Full list of Vodafone 360 M1 specs
- View gallery of Vodafone 360 M1 pictures
- Watch latest Vodafone 360 M1 video
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4:12 pm
I've been lent an M1 by my father whilst my Sony C905 goes back (again) because the speakers don't work. But my god, I think I'd rather have a silent Sony than this Samsung rubbish. My dad, who is not an expert in phones, was tricked into taking this phone on his last upgrade by a salesperson at a Vodafone store who promised it was easy to use and perfect for him.
Well, he used it for 30 minutes before putting his sim card back in a 6 year old Siemens phone. I've borrowed it now and realised just how awful it is. The first thing that I noticed was that it took ages to start up. Then I had to create a 360 account... which was easier said than done. Eventually I got into the phone and tried to bluetooth my contacts list from my Sony. The Samsung couldn't read the standard vcard file. So I had to upload from my sim card, which then meant I had to edit every contact back into a normal format that looked like a name rather than 1~smith;b for example.
Then the hell I created when I added Facebook... Suddenly my "phonebook" was full of everyone on my facebook as well as my normal contacts. Oh great. So every time I wanted to make a call or send a text I had to wade through people's facebook contacts and their updates trying to find a phone number. Eventually I managed to delete facebook off the phone and then manually remove all the contacts from it. But the phonebook is still stupid with some kind of "3D" effect... just awful and completely senseless. Every phone I've ever used has a list, but Samsung and Vodafone clearly thought this stupid rotating thing was a step forward.
Things got worse. I managed to set an MP3 as my ringtone but became stumped when I tried to use my usual MP3 SMS alert. I have now discovered that Samsung and Vodafone have clearly decided that I shouldn't be allowed to do this and that I must choose one of their three horrible little noises. None of which are audible when anywhere where noise levels are above a whisper and are quite frankly a bit fluffy. But I am sure you know best...
Ever since I have had a colour screen mobile (sometime back in the early 2000's) I have had a photo wallpaper, sometimes my car and more recently my other half. But again Samsung and Vodafone have decided that they know better, obviously all I want to look at is their awful cheaply made and clearly iPhone immitating menu. Even when the phone is locked or in sleep you only get a clock in the font of their choice.
The touchscreen itself is awful as well, it is so slow. And the text input is particularly poor. If you are using the predictive text and want to use a word that isn't there you have to come out of predictive using a backward menu system and enter it, before going back to predictive. There is no "Add Word" facility. Bad. Really bad.
The camera is poor (only 3.2mp, I had that four years ago on a Sony C series) and there is no flash, not even an LED.
The apps available are shocking and there is nothing I would even want. At least you decided that I must have your F1 app and your Time Out app. I don't know how I lived without them.
To conclude, this is a terrible phone and if you are considering buying one don't. If you don't like it and it doesn't suit you then you are stuck with it. Oh yes, Vodafone tie you into a TWO YEAR contract and refuse to accept any exchange whatsoever.
What next?
Well, hopefully my C905 will be fixed again and I can get back to a Sony. As for my dad, he's just spent £90 on a C510 Sony to replace this. And once the contract is up he'll be leaving Vodafone after 15 years as a loyal business customer. And so will I, and so will my brother and my mother and my girlfriend.
Well done Vodafone and Samsung. Job well done.
9:49 am
I have to agree with the above review, I lost my Nokia 5800, a phone I really liked, bought one of these as a replacement, its awful, very slow and difficult to use, stuff that was easy to do on most phones is a nightmare on this thing, it insists on creating a 360 account, done that, but it still won't connect to the internet. Finding numbers is labourious and you need pin thin fingers to text at any speed, then its seems impossible to re-send anything that didn't go, its the worst phone I've had in years, wish I'd forked out the extra for another Nokia, but I'm stuck with this.
8:15 am
I have problem removing unwanted sms that is stored in my control panel, by pressing the "mail" icon and selecting "Inbox" I can see a lot of messages stored (actually now I have 43). These messages increase everytime I load my cp. It is alarming because as I re load it, the number of stored sms increases. This might eat my cp and memory card space. What shall I do to delete all these unwanted messages?
8:17 pm
Without any shadow of a doubt the worst, hardest to use and most pointless phone I have ever had! Again like the above I was conned into having this phone on a 2 year contract, it does nothing.
1:32 am
Again - I would reiterate the comments. This was a hard sell by Vodafone staff and a dreadful, dreadful phone. Very slow. Combined with complete lack of acknowledgement from Vodafone.
11:27 pm
Yup, As above I have never regretted getting a phone until the day I was palmed off with this utter pile of ****. I actually find myself happier with my old broken LG where the down button doesn't work than wait 10 mins to read a txt.
11:52 am
This is without doubt the worst pile of CRAP the phone world has ever seen. Vodafone staff must have been on a big bonus to shift this. No Vodafone renewal for me.