Rear-projection TVs: CRT, DLP, LCD, and LCoS

Thinking of going big? Rear-projection HDTVs still offer the biggest screen for your buck, although falling prices among big-screen plasmas--58 inches and up--are forcing RPTV makers cut prices on their own. It's pretty obvious, in fact, that eventually RPTVs will go the way of the dodo as flat-panel HDTVs take over completely, but we're still years away from that. Rear-projection sets start at a mere 37 inches (diagonal), but the most popular models are 55 inches and larger. Their big screens hide two basic varieties of display technology: old-fashioned CRT tubes and microdisplays that use DLP, LCD, or LCoS technology. Here's an introduction to the choices.

CRT

	Upside:		Downside:		Forecast:
	Relatively inexpensive.		Deep cabinets; need periodic maintenance; not ideal for bright rooms; narrow viewing angle; softer image than microdisplays; most cannot display computer signals.		These dinosaurs are quickly being phased out in favor of lighter, lamp-driven microdisplays, and their demise is clearly in sight.

Tube-based RPTVs used to rule the big-screen roost, but unless you're really strapped for cash or willing to get professional calibration to achieve the best home-theater image quality, we recommend skipping the tube in favor of a microdisplay. Tubes are not as bright as microdisplays, and they require careful setup and regular convergence adjustments to achieve sharp focus and maintain alignment of the red, green, and blue CRTs.

Low prices will keep CRT-based big-screen TVs in the game for another year or two, and videophiles may indeed point out that the best examples of this technology still provide superior image quality in many ways. They still have better black levels than any microdisplay; they generally have deep, well-saturated color; and they can achieve a sharp picture if adjusted properly. Truly good-quality CRT-based big-screens are basically nonexistent now, however, and the product category as a whole is destined to die off sooner rather than later.

Microdisplays

A new generation of rear-projection televisions has effectively succeeded CRT-based RPTVs. These sets are called microdisplays because they're based on one or more microchips that contain thousands or millions of pixels. DLP, LCD, and LCoS are all competing types of chips. Every current microdisplay rear-projection TV contains a lamp that bounces light off of (DLP and LCoS) or through (LCD) its chip and onto the big screen. Below is a brief look at how microdisplays differ from standard televisions, as well as a cheat sheet to give you a quick grasp of the many abbreviations and terms in this category. More in-depth explanations of each technology follow.

• The lamps inside these sets, which cost $200 and more, must be replaced every 3,000 to 10,000 hours, depending on technology and conditions of use. You can replace most lamp assemblies yourself.
• The lamps take from 20 seconds to a minute to warm up and cool down. During the warm-up phase, the image is either dim or completely dark.
• The TVs are lighter and slimmer than CRTs, and you almost always need a stand to get them at eye level.
• Most can display computer sources, as well as high-definition and standard TV, and usually look better when fed a digital (DVI, HDMI, or FireWire) rather than an analog connection.
• Unlike rear-projection CRT sets, all microdisplays can get quite bright without losing detail, so they're perfectly viewable in brightly lit rooms.

Microdisplay cheat sheet

			DLP		LCD		LCoS
	Full name		Digital Light Processing		Liquid crystal display		Liquid Crystal on Silicon
	Chipsets, variations, and brandings		HD2, HD2+, HD3, xHD3		3-LCD, H-LCD		HD-ILA, SXRD
	Principal brands		Texas Instruments (chip producer), Samsung, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, LG, RCA		Sony, Hitachi, Panasonic, LG		JVC (HD-ILA), Sony (SXRD), Brillian
	Main picture-quality advantage(s)		Good pixel fill and uniformity; deep blacks in better models		Lack of rainbow effect		Excellent pixel fill; lack of rainbow effect; deep blacks in better models; 1080p chips have all 1,920x1,080 pixels
	Main picture-quality disadvantage(s)		Rainbow effect; low-level noise; wobulated resolution on many chips		Black level; screen door effect; uniformity		Uniformity
	Pervasive myth		Causes headaches		Degrades over time faster than other microdisplays		Subject to burn-in

DLP

	Upside:		Downside:		Principal brands:		Forecast:
	Very good black-level performance on the best models; excellent uniformity; wide selection of brands and price points.		Rainbow effects; some low-level video noise; currently no nonwobulated 1080p models.		Samsung, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, LG, RCA		DLP is only getting cheaper and more popular, and the best examples deliver excellent image quality.

DLP was developed by Texas Instruments, and the company sells many types of DLP chips to numerous traditional and not-so-traditional TV makers, making DLP the most widespread and popular microdisplay technology.

A tremendous range of DLP-based sets are available today, and their image quality varies greatly according to price and manufacturer. Entry-level models, among the least expensive microdisplays you can buy, generally have 720p native resolution (1,280x720). Step-up models have 1080p resolution (1,920x1,080), which can deliver sharper images with 1080i HD and computer sources (more info on 1080p).

Both 1080p and some 720p DLP televisions use a technique called "wobulation" to achieve their stated native resolutions. With wobulation, which Samsung calls SmoothPicture, the DLP chips have half as many physical pixels (a 1080p chip has 960x1,080 pixels). A tiny mirror or lens moves rapidly back and forth to alternately create the first and second halves of the image and achieve 1,920x1,080 resolution. Wobulation can produce good results, and on some 1080p TVs, it can technically deliver all 1,920 lines of horizontal resolution; on other sets, it makes the image look softer. As usual, performance varies from model to model.

One potential problem with DLP sets is known as the rainbow effect. Some people can see brief streaks of color on these TVs, especially in images with black fields and some bright features (such as a spaceship). This is caused by the fact that the single DLP chip uses a color wheel to create red, green, and blue, and hence all colors. The occurrence of these rainbows has been significantly reduced with the advent of newer, faster color wheels, and most people who watch a DLP never see rainbows at all (and the few who do usually only see them occasionally). DLP HDTVs do introduce a bit more low-level video noise--which can look like tiny dancing pixels or motes in shadowy areas--than other microdisplay TVs.

New DLP technologies address a few of these issues. Samsung sells HDTVs, such as the HL-S5679W, that use LEDs instead of the traditional bulb. In addition to lasting 20,000 hours, the LEDs eliminate the rainbow effect, although as noted in our review, the TV had some uniformity issues. The company announced new LED-powered DLPs for 2007 as well, which may address these issues. Mitsubishi, for its part, demonstrated a laser-powered DLP HDTV last year that hits the market later in 2007.

LCD

	Upside:		Downside:		Principal brands:		Forecast:
	No rainbow effect.		Blacks not as deep as the best LCoS or DLP sets; some uniformity issues; visible screen-door effect.		Sony, Hitachi, Panasonic, LG		LCD will continue to challenge DLP among entry-level sets, and the appearance of 1080p versions could extend its appeal to higher-end buyers.

Though less popular than DLP models, LCD-based rear-projection sets should continue to do well as long as Sony stays in the game. The company has developed a step-up chip, however, which it calls SXRD (see below) and puts in its higher-end rear-projection HDTVs. We did not review any LCD-based rear-projection HDTVs in 2006, but this year we're excited to check out Sony's new models, which include some of the first 1080p LCD-based rear-projectors and slimmer cabinet designs

Judging from previous models we've tested, the best DLP and LCoS sets still hold the lead in producing the deepest blacks, but LCD chips have made serious improvements. Translation: Unless you have them side by side, you probably won't be able to tell which of the two delivers the deepest blacks. Prices for similarly sized DLP and LCD TVs will likely remain close as big-brand behemoths face off and try to outdo one another.

Another area where DLP and LCoS have an image-quality advantage is something called the screen-door effect. If you sit close to an LCD--at least the 720p versions we reviewed in the past--you may notice a faint grid of pixels, much like a screen door, overlaid atop the image. You're seeing the space between the pixels, which is more visible on LCD than on the other two microdisplay technologies. It's generally not noticeable even on LCDs unless you sit closer than twice the diagonal measurement of the screen. We expect the new 1080p LCDs to have a much less noticeable screen door effect, if they have it at all.

LCD and LCoS also generally have more white-field uniformity issues than DLP. With expansive flat fields, such as the ice in a hockey rink, some LCD and LCoS sets introduce slight discoloration into some areas of the screen. This effect varies widely from model to model, but DLP sets are generally immune.

LCD's big advantage over DLP--one that it shares with LCoS--is its lack of the rainbow effect, a big deal if you see rainbows on DLP sets and a moot point if you don't. Don't put too much stock in the slightly higher native resolution afforded by some LCD chips; in the big scheme of things, 1,386x788 doesn't provide much of a sharpness boost over 1,280x720. DLP makers have also claimed that the organic compounds in LCD chips degrade over time, while DLP chips do not. Though this is essentially true, it has little impact on a product's real-world life span because LCD chips still last very long time under normal working conditions. While LCoS and DLP makers tout the "inorganic" nature of their chips, we don't consider that a major reason to choose one technology over another.

LCoS

	Upside:		Downside:		Principal brands:		Forecast:
	Excellent black levels on the best models; great interpixel fill; no rainbow effect; true 1,920x1,080-pixel chips on 1080p models.		Some uniformity issues.		JVC, Sony, Brillian		As long as Sony sticks with SXRD, LCoS will continue to be regarded as a worthy competitor to the best DLP HDTVs.

LCoS has been through some trying times, and Philips, Toshiba, and Mitsubishi are among the heavy hitters that produced early-generation models then decided to abandon the technology. Intel even floated a rumor that it would enter the LCoS market, which has since proven untrue. Today, JVC and Sony are the only major LCoS makers, and each company's HDTVs have performed very well in our tests. It remains to be seen whether other manufacturers will jump on the LCoS bandwagon, although chipmaker Brillian has an expensive LCoS line of its own.

JVC (HD-ILA): JVC has been producing LCoS-based front projectors for years under the D-ILA (Direct-drive Image Light Amplifier) brand, and in 2004, the company proffered a line of rear-projection sets, exemplified by the HD-52Z575 and employing yet another acronym: HD-ILA. JVC's HD-ILA expanded in each succeeding year, including well-performing models like 2006's HD-56FN97. We're excited to check out the new sets, especially the extra-slim HD-S998 series.

Sony (SXRD): Much like JVC, Sony rebranded its LCoS chip, choosing to call it SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display or Silicon Crystal Reflective Display). In 2006 we reviewed two models, the KDS-60A2000 and the step-up KDS-60XBR2, that delivered excellent picture quality. Despite their high prices, Sony's SXRD sets remain extremely popular. The company has announced that its entry-level 2007 SXRD sets, the KDS-A2020 series, is basically unchanged from last year's A2000, so we eagerly await details on the 2007 XBR models.

Source: http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108443-3.html?tag=arw

Nokia Eco Sensor phone concept

So lately Nokia has been trying to bring out the eco-friendly sprite in all of us, with little to no success. Last week it was the environmentally friendly Nokia 3110 Evolve, this week its this Eco Sensor concept phone.

This phone is really a system of 2 devices, the phone, and then the wrist band. The wrist band is loaded with sensors which then communicate their data to the phone via low-power near-field communications. Now, making a gadget that can help your phone do cool things like predict the weather and monitor your health and local environmental conditions is cool, but unless it can do something more useful, it isn’t much of a selling point for the masses.

So, add a watch, caller ID, something like that to the solar-powered watch portion of this gadget. The phone appears to be fully touchscreen, which is kind of cool, but has also been done before. To keep the eco-friendly thing going, they are made of the most eco-friendly components available, such as printed electronics, bio-materials, and reclaimed materials, oh, and the wrist-strap part is solar powered by the panels built into the wrist band.

Source: http://www.slashgear.com/nokia-eco-sensor-phone-concept-108948.php

This year, give the gift of iPod accessories

Holiday gifts are not hard to come by when shopping for iPod or iPhone accessories.

There are sizes, shapes, colors and patterns to fit most any "i-personality."
Here are some if you need a last-minute "i-gift" for any "i-friend or i-relative."

The Macally BT Cup is an all-in-one unit to play an iPod in a car and make a cell phone hands-free.

It acts as an iPod docking station to listen to the iPod through an FW stereo, hooks up with any Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to make it hands-free, charges the unit (powered through cigarette lighter) and sits comfortably in most car cup holders.

Buttons on the top of the unit make it easy to reach to power on/off, answer calls and change channels.

Docking inserts are included to make it work with most of today's popular iPod models.

When hooked up with a cell phone the music switches off when a call comes in and then back on after it ends.

Information: $119, list of retailers at www.macally.com.

As if the iPhone wasn't cool enough, the Vibe Duo headset from V-Moda can help take it to the next level.

The headset is a noise-isolating dual-use headphone/headset.

On the headset cable is a microphone with a call button, allowing users to control the iPhone music as well as taking calls.

The design is unique with durable black fabric cables and minimalist all-metal components for style and comfort. A leather pouch, along with three sizes of soft silicon ear inserts to ensure correct fittings and comfort, are included.

Besides the sound and answering calls, most other iPod and iPhone functions have to be done with the phone itself.

Information: www.v-moda.com, available for $99.99 at the Apple Store.

About a year ago, I was flying with a co-worker and he asked why I would read a book about iPods?

That's the last I saw my book "iPod The Missing Manual"; for the rest of the flight home as he was hooked in with just one look at the book's content.

O'Reilly Media Inc. recently released the sixth edition of the book packed with new features, including the new iPod Touch and the redesigned iPod Nano.

The manual goes way beyond loading music. Users can become experts in podcasts, loading videos and photos, creating customized playlists and going deep into explaining the settings to customize them for your needs.

Ever try to burn a playlist on a CD and end up giving up? And where is the music stored on my computer?

These and many more topics are explained in great detail along with user-friendly color graphics to help understand what the authors are saying.

Information: www.oreilly.com, $19.99

Life does not end when your iPhone's battery goes dead, but it sure does change things.

To the rescue comes the Mophie Juice Pack.

This is a battery pack, which an iPhone slides into, providing 8 hours of talk time, 7 hours of video playback, 24 hours of audio playback and up to an additional 250 hours of standby time

The battery case has a non-slip finish and a charge status indicator light on the back. A 30-pin dock connector is on the bottom for easy charging with standard iPhone accessories.

Pre orders at being taken at www.mophie.com, with an estimated delivery date of Dec/ 21.

A similar battery for the iPod Touch will be available in January 2008.

Information: $99.95, available at www.mophie.com

The EGO iPod Waterproof Sound Cases from Atlantic Inc. are a portable solution to play an iPod on land or even in the shower.

It's both shatterproof and waterproof, with speakers and a control wheel built into the case for sound and control.

Three AAA batteries power the player, which comes in models to play with an iPod video, photo, 4th Gen, mini, and the nano.

All you do is insert your iPod, close the case and play. The case is built with polycarbonate plastic to protect the device and silicone o-rings keep it waterproof.

The case can sit on a desktop with the attached flip-out stand and gives over 18 hours of playing with new batteries.

Information: EGO iceBar for the iPod nano 1st generation or 2nd generation $59.99; EGO iPod for the iPod video, photo, 4th Gen, mini, and nano $149.99, www.atlantic-inc.com

New cases are in for all sizes, shapes and styles to add personality to all the latest portable media players.

Among the manufactures with new products out for iPhone's are Sena's Italian Leather Cases, Marware's C.E.O Premiere and ifogz Silicone wrapz. All give the phone unique protection and style while still giving the user full control over the device.

Griffin, Belkin and ifrogz also have new cases for the full line of the new iPods.

If you're heading into the water with an iPod, H2O Audio has a full line of waterproof cases and waterproof headphones to keep everything in working order after the swim.

Information: www.drbott.com

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO) has some cases for all the new iPods that have unique features.

The DLO VideoShell surrounds the player in crystal clear protection and has a built-in sliding kickstand that comes in handy for watching hands free.

In addition, it offers complete protection when the unit is stored in a pocket or suitcase.

The DLO Jam Jacket for iPhones and iPods is made with a no-slip silicone case that adds a gripable layer of protection.

What's great about the Jam Jackets is the exclusive Earbud Management System on the back. This allows users to wrap the cord directly behind the iPod for storage and keeps them from getting damaged.

The cords easily wind on and off in seconds.

All the functions of the iPhone are usable with the Jam Jacket including the camera lens and headset jack.

Information: www.dlo.com

Source: http://www.theolympian.com/524/story/298029-p3.htm

http://www.theolympian.com/524/story/298029-p2.html

http://www.theolympian.com/524/story/298029.html

Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 - black (Verizon Wireless)

Product summary

The good: The Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 has an attractive user-friendly design, a solid feature set, and an admirable speakerphone. It also offers an excellent megapixel camera with great photo quality.

The bad: The Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 had middling streaming-video performance, and the call quality wasn't the best we've heard on a Verizon phone. Also, the business-card reader was unimpressive.

Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900

The bottom line: Though it could offer better call quality, the Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 is one of the best camera phones we've seen in a while.

Specs: Band / mode: CDMA2000 1X 1900/800; Talk time: Up to 210 min; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player

Though you wouldn't know it from its name, the Samsung FlipShot for Verizon Wireless is a redress of the carrier's earlier SCH-A990. Also called the SCH-U900, the FlipShot offers a similar array of camera-centric features (what would you expect with a name like "FlipShot"?) in a comparable flip phone design. Yet that's not to say the FlipShot doesn't offer any improvements over its predecessor; it has a stereo Bluetooth profile, a business-card scanner, and dedicated music controls below the external display. On the whole the FlipShot is a solid effort. The design is user-friendly and the camera is one of the best we've seen on a cell phone. But, while call quality was satisfactory, the multimedia performance remains somewhat uneven. You can buy the FlipShot for a reasonable $199 with service.

Design
As mentioned previously the FlipShot has a lot in common with the SCH-A990. Both have a standard, if somewhat boxy, flip phone design with straight lines and sharp angles. They also resemble standalone cameras when viewed from behind because of the large camera lens and flash. But more importantly, the FlipShot also features a swiveling display that can rotate 180 degrees. It's an interesting, and somewhat gimmicky, feature but it allows you maximum use of the camera. To take self-portraits, just open the front flap and rotate it clockwise until the display (which also acts as the viewfinder) faces the rear of the phone. To take regular shots, you then can close phone so the main display faces outward. Not only does the latter movement activate the camera, but the phone also takes on the comfortable ergonomics of a standalone shooter. In a change from the SCH-A990, the FlipShot lacks a sliding lens cover, but that's not something we miss.

Though it manages to pack in a wealth of features, the FllipShot isn't a clunker. At 3.76 inches by 1.83 inches by 0.73 inch, it's about the same size as the SCH-A990 but it manages to shed some girth to weigh in at 3.88 ounces. It feels comfortable in the hand and it slips easily into a pocket, and we like that Samsung didn't go overboard (as the company tends to do) in making the phone excessively thin. The flip and swivel mechanisms feel sturdy; in both cases we had to give a firm nudge. Front and center is the 65,000-color external display. It's smaller than we'd like (1.25 inches, 128x96 pixels) but it shows all the information including photo caller ID. You can change the display's wallpaper and the clock style.

Below the display are touch controls for the music player. You can activate the player by pressing and holding the Play/Pause button and then scroll through your playlist using the Rewind/Skip controls. Pressing and holding the Play/Pause button will turn off the music player. The SCH-U900's memory-card slot isn't in the best location, unfortunately. Though it's not behind the battery itself, it is behind the battery cover.

The left spine of the FlipShot holds a speaker, a 2.5mm headset jack, and the charger port. The right spine features the remaining exterior controls plus another speaker. In the FlipShot's normal mode, you'll find the volume rocker, a button that locks the exterior controls, and a key that will activate the flash for a short period so you can use it as a flashlight. When the phone is open, the latter button activates the camera and serves as the camera shutter. And when in camera mode, the volume rocker serves as the zoom control while the aforementioned locking button allows you access to the camera's menus without using the main navigation array. On the whole, it's a convenient arrangement.

Inside the SCH-U900 you'll find the attractive 260,000-color (320x240 pixels) main display. At 2.25 inches, it's big enough for navigating the menus, playing games, and taking photos. What's more, its vibrant and crisp resolution does everything justice, from animations to graphics. You're offered a set of menu interface designs, including one that has a camera theme, but all of the options feature Verizon's standard, and a somewhat convoluted, organization system. You can change the display's contrast and backlighting time, and you can adjust the dial font size and style and the menu font size.

The FlipShot's navigation array has been redesigned so the controls are now flush with the surface of the phone. Though that makes them slightly less tactile than on the SCH-A990, the array's large size made misdials rare. The four-way toggle serves as your primary interface tool. You can program it to act as a shortcut to four user-defined functions while the OK key in the middle of the toggle opens the main menu when the phone is in standby mode. Surrounding the toggle are two soft keys, a dedicated speakerphone control (nice), a shortcut to the camera/camcorder, Talk and End/Power buttons, and a Clear key. The dialpad buttons are also flat with the surface, but, like with the navigation array, the keys are large. Also, raised lines between the individual buttons made it easy to dial by feel. The numbers on the keys are large and brightly backlit.

Feaures
The FlipShot has a 500-name phone book. Though that's a tad small for a phone of this caliber, each contact has room for five phone numbers, two e-mail addresses, and notes. You can save callers to groups and pair them with a photo for caller ID. You can also assign them a personalized ringtone, but we were disappointed that on a music phone we were only offered seven, 72-chord polyphonic tones. Other essential offerings include a vibrate mode, text and multimedia messaging, a voice recorder, a speakerphone, a calculator, a calendar, an alarm clock, a stop watch, a world clock, and a notepad. Beyond the basics, the FlipShot offers USB mass storage, speaker-independent voice commands, instant messaging, and Web-based e-mail. Bluetooth is onboard, as well, and we were glad that Samsung included a stereo profile. On the other hand, it's too bad that in typical Verizon style the SCH-U900 doesn't offer all Bluetooth object exchange profiles. Also, you won't find calendar syncing.

Samsung emphasizes the FlipShot's camera features, and rightfully so. Its 3-megapixel shooter is one of the best we've seen on a cell phone in a while. You can take pictures in eight resolutions (2,048x1,536 down to 160x120) and choose from three quality settings, three color effects, and three white-balance settings. There's also a digital zoom (unusable at the highest resolution), spot metering, ISO, an auto-focus, three multishot models, a flash, a self-timer, and a brightness control. What's more, the camera offers settings for taking various kinds of shots. You can take portrait, landscape, macro, and night photos, and you can select special settings for shooting pictures at night, in bright daylight, or with a backlight behind your subject. That's a thorough selection of offerings, to say the least.

The camera menus are easy to use, and we like that you can toggle between the various windows at the touch of a button. For example, when you're inside a submenu, pressing the Clear button will take you back to the main menu instead of closing the camera interface completely. We also like that you're given a handy meter to track the remaining memory both on the phone itself (56MB) and on the memory card. For more personalization, you can choose from three shutter sounds and three "ready sounds" (such as "Say cheese!"). Or, if you so desire, you can turn off the sounds completely.

The SCH-U900's camcorder takes pictures in two resolutions (320x240 and 176x144) with sound. The editing options aren't as extensive as on the still camera, but you still get a good selection of options including three quality settings, a self-timer, a choice of color effects, and adjustable brightness and white balance. Clips meant for multimedia messages are capped at 30 seconds; otherwise you can shoot for up to 10 minutes. The SCH-U900 offers a few methods for getting photos off the phone. You can upload them to an online album, transfer them via Bluetooth or a multimedia message, and you can use Veriozn's PictBridge service.

on the FlipShot is quite good. Colors are bright and object lines are crisp and distinct. The flash also offered a good amount of light for dim situations, and the autofocus helped to keep the camera steady. Photos had little of the blurriness that we see in other camera phones, but we wouldn't have qualms printing them out. Our only complaint was that some photos were too bright, but it wasn't a big deal. Videos were decent, as well. There was less pixelation than we're used to seeing, and the sound quality was admirable. But still, it couldn't handle very quick movements. Unfortunately the SCH-U900's business-card scanner was unreliable. It could capture names and e-mail addresses, but most phone numbers came out jumbled.

As an EV-DO phone, the FlipShot supports the full range of Verizon's 3G services, including the V Cast streaming video service and the V Cast music store. The music player interface is the same on most other Verizon handsets, which is to say it is pretty minimalist. You can set your own playlists, but the player's options are limited to shuffle and repeat modes. The player supports WMA and MP3 files but you can't use music tracks as ringtones. The SCH-U900 also supports Verizon's VZ Navigator GPS service.

You can personalize the FlipShot with a variety of wallpapers, display themes, and alert sounds. You also can type a personalized banner. You can download more customization options and additional ringtones from Verizon using the WAP 2.0 wireless Web browser. Unfortunately the SCH-U900 doesn't come with any integrated games, so you'll have to buy titles if you want to play.

Performance
We tested the dualband (CDMA 800/1900) FlipShot in San Francisco. Call quality was decent, but it wasn't quite as good as we've heard on other Verizon phones like the LG VX8350. Though the signal was clear and free of static, voices were a bit distorted. Our friends sounded rather breathy, and others sounded like they were heavy smokers. Also, we noticed a slight hiss in the audio at a few points. None of these issues distracted from our overall experience, but they are worth noting.

On their end, callers said we sounded fine. They could tell we were using a cell phone, and they reported a fair amount of wind noise, but they weren't dissatisfied with the call quality. Automated calling systems could understand us, though it's best if you're in a quiet location. Speakerphone calls were quite good. The speakers on the side of the phone are well placed, and they deliver loud audio. We could understand our callers, and they could understand us.

Streaming video quality on the SCH-U900 was uneven. The EV-DO connection was strong, and Web and V Cast pages loaded quickly, but we noticed a fair amount of pixelation in the videos. Small text on the screen was unreadable and quick movements were choppy and blurry. On the upside, the audio was satisfactory and the sound was in sync with the video, but on the whole it wasn't the best V cast experience.

Fortunately, music quality was better. Thanks to the stereo speakers the audio was quite loud. In fact, it was good enough to be heard across a large room. Likewise, we were impressed by the sound clarity and sharpness. It won't replace your MP3 player, but it comes close. It took 45 seconds to download a 1.58MB song, which isn't bad.

The FlipShot has a rated battery life of 4 hours talk time and 14.6 days standby time. An extended battery is available, which boosts the promised times to 6 hours and 18.75 days, respectively. According to FCC radiation tests the Samsung FlipShot SCH-U900 has a digital digital SAR rating of 1.4 watts per kilogram.

Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/cell-phones/samsung-flipshot-sch-u900/4505-6454_7-32760601.html?tag=cnetfd.mt