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Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

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This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar</h3>
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This week's we've got a great batch of reviews for you as well as lots of hands on reviews including the new Motorola Atrix 2 and Nokia's new Lumina 800.</div>
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In full reviews, tablets are also prevalent this week - we've got the rather fine new Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 as well as the Asus Eee Pad Slider review.</div>
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And for camera fans, there's the super new Nikon J1. Read on to check out all this week's reviews from TechRadar.</div>
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review</div>
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Samsung's attitude to the tablet market has been to throw so much mud at the Android wall that at least some of it sticks. It's got its Android 2.3 7-incher, the wonderful 10.1-inch flagship, the beautiful forthcoming 7.7-inch model and this here 8.9-inch masterpiece. By having all bases covered elegantly, Samsung is well placed to work out where the sweet spot is and to hit it hard as the market grows.</div>
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The Galaxy Tab 8.9 is essentially the same as the 10.1 only it's slightly smaller, thinner and lighter. So it's pretty good then, and perfect for you if 10.1-inches is not quite portable enough for you to be lugging around.</div>
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Asus Eee Pad Slider review</div>
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It's been a long time coming, but the Slider really is a brilliant device. While Samsung is going for the traditional tablet look, Asus is trying something a little different. The Transformer had a brilliant keyboard dock, while the Slider has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. It's ideal then for use on the go, and typing out emails or documents is made easier by the physical tapper.</div>
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The screen is brilliant too, and Android 3.2 never looked so good on any device. A real stunner. Your only challenge now is to actually find one - stock is hard to come by at the moment, so if you see one somewhere you'd better snap it up quick!</div>
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BlackBerry Curve 9360 review</div>
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We have to say that we're really impressed with the BlackBerry Curve 9360. More so than the Bold 9900, in fact. This is the first time we've really felt that a Curve device has been given all the bells and whistles of more premium handsets, and we think the Curve 9360 will be a best seller for RIM.</div>
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It's aimed squarely at those who are either on a budget and want a BlackBerry but without the size/price tag of the excellent Bold 9900, or those who are slightly younger. This is a model we can see in the clutches of many a teenager over the next few months, and with its reasonable price tag - £280 SIM-free or free on a £25 per month contract - it's likely to fit that mould perfectly.</div>
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Nikon J1 review</div>
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While the Nikon J1 is easy to get to grips with, a high-quality touchscreen would make its handling a little slicker and speed up AF point selection. An articulated screen would make composing from unusual angles easier as well. Image quality from the Nikon J1 is good, competing well with the average compact camera and approaching that of entry-level DSLRs. In summary, the J1 provides a good introduction to interchangeable lens cameras, although it lacks some of the fun features such as in-camera filter effects seen on other offerings</div>
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Toshiba 55WL863B review</div>
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Toshiba's first real stab at introducing some of its CEVO processing power into its UK TVs isn't without its flaws, but it's still a very nice TV overall. While there's a nagging sense that Toshiba could perhaps have used its CEVO Engine processing a bit more overtly in the 55WL863, it's still the case that the system has helped Toshiba deliver a really good TV that deserves a place at the top table of TV quality this year.</div>
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This week's other reviews</h4>
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Antec Kuhler H2O 920 review</div>
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Palicomp Phoenix Inferno Redline review</div>
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Zotac Zbox Nano AD10 Plus review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">DSLRs/Hybrids</span></div>
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Canon PowerShot SX150 IS review</div>
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Nikon J1 review</div>
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Olympus PEN Mini E-PM1 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Graphics Cards</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/graphics-cards/asus-eah-6770-dc-1037132/review" mce_href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/pc-components/graphics-cards/asus-eah-6770-dc-1037132/review" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;">Asus EAH 6770 DC review</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Headphones</span></div>
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Sony DR-GA200 review</div>
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<img alt="Sony dr-ga200" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20259/PCF259.wired_flow.sony7-420-100.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Format/PCF%20259/PCF259.wired_flow.sony7-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Roccat Isku Gaming Keyboard review</div>
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Mionix Zibal 60 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Laptops</span></div>
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Asus N73SV review</div>
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Toshiba NB520-10S review</div>
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Asus U46 SV review</div>
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MSI GT780DX review</div>
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Rock Xtreme 685 review</div>
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Dell XPS 14z review</div>
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Asus Zenbook UX31 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Lenses</span></div>
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Nikon AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED review</div>
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Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro review</div>
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Canon EF 100mm fS2.8 USM Macro review</div>
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Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. 7 Albino Edition review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Mobile phones</span></div>
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BlackBerry Curve 9360 review</div>
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Nokia 700 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Monitors</span></div>
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Apple ThunderbSlt Display review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">PC cases</span></div>
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Antec Solo II review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Sat navs</span></div>
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TomTom Go Live Top Sear Edition review</div>
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OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPs review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Tablets</span></div>
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Asus Eee Pad Slider review</div>
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Archos 101 G9 review</div>
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Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Televisions</span></div>
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Toshiba 55WL863B review</div>
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Manfrotto 055XPROB and 496RC2 head review</div>
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Benro A297EX FlexPod and BH2-M review</div>
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Jessops Major Carbon Fibre review</div>
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Hands on reviews</h4>
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Hands on: Canon EOS-1DX review</div>
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Hands on: Samsung Epic 4G Touch review</div>
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Hands on: Samsung Galaxy Nexus review</div>
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Hands on: Nokia Lumia 710 review</div>
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Hands on: Nokia Lumia 800 review</div>
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Hands on: Motorola Atrix 2 review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">OSes</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/hands-on-ice-cream-sandwich-review-1036402" mce_href="http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/hands-on-ice-cream-sandwich-review-1036402" style="color: #0066cc; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5;">Hands on: Ice Cream Sandwich review</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Printers</span></div>
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Hands on: Canon Pixma Pro-1 review</div>
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<img alt="Canon pixma pro-1" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Canon/PixmaPro1/Printer-420-100.jpg" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Canon/PixmaPro1/Printer-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar This week's we've got a great batch of reviews for you as well as lots of hands...

T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9900 to get WiFi calling in November

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 users on T-Mobile: we’ve got some good news for you. The carrier has been reported as having plans to push out an u...

RIM to announce BlackBerry X at this month’s DevCon?

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It looks like RIM is working hard to bounce back to its feet after posting disappointing results for Q2 this year. The sales of the new ...

Review Roundup: This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar

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This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar</h3>
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Has the economy suddenly picked up? This week we got our hands on the fantastic 60-inch, 3D-capable and Smart TV-enabled UE60D8000 from Samsung, which doesn't come cheap at £4,300, and then the £1,000+ Asus MARS II Limited Edition graphics card landed on our desk.</div>
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At the other end of the spectrum we were impressed with the Samsung PL120, which can be picked up for under £100 and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro, which is both small in price and size.</div>
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Read on for this week's most popular reviews on TechRadar.</div>
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Samsung UE60D8000 review</div>
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When Samsung gave us exclusive access to its brand new flagship LCD TV, we were excited. It's hard not to be excited by these new Samsungs - just look at them. There's almost no bezel at all, which means the picture goes right to the very edge of the TV. The gorgeous looks are backed up by an equally gorgeous watching experience.</div>
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Both 2D and 3D pictures are handled excellently and once you've experienced its mind-blowing big screen images, mesmerising design and class-leading smart functionality you'll be hunting around for £4,300 so you can own one. And if you can't raise that much cash, you can always check out the 55-inch or 46-inch versions.</div>
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Asus MARS II Limited Edition review</div>
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Combining two Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 chips on one card, the Asus MARS II is by some distance the fastest and most powerful graphics card in existence. It weighs the same as six elephants, is bigger than a double decker bus and is probably worth more than your car. In certain benchmarks, the MARS II is 20 per cent quicker than any other card, although at times two GTX 580s in SLI come close.</div>
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It's not just the performance that impresses us, it's the temperature management and build quality. With a three-figure price tag it was never going to be a consumer's champion, but there's a lot on offer here for overclockers and modders beyond simply raw performance.</div>
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BlackBerry Torch 9860 review</div>
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When is a BlackBerry not a BlackBerry? How about when the BlackBerry in question has no physical keyboard and is in fact RIM's first proper touchscreen smartphone? Yep, the BlackBerry Torch 9860 marks RIM's first foray into pure touchscreen control, without any of the SurePress shenanigans of the Storm 2 or the slide-out keyboard of the Torch 9800 and 9810.</div>
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With the improvements of BlackBerry OS 7 and better specs across the board, the result is largely a success. It's a slick package from afar, but using the BlackBerry Torch 9860 after the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S2, HTC Sensation or iPhone 4 feels like going back to 2009.</div>
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<img alt="BlackBerry torch 9860" class="aligncenter" height="202" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/BlackBerry/BlackBerry%20Torch%209860/pr/Torch_9860-9850_BottomAngle-420-100.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Mobile%20phones/BlackBerry/BlackBerry%20Torch%209860/pr/Torch_9860-9850_BottomAngle-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro review</div>
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So, just as Sony Ericsson accompanied its X10 Mini with the X10 Mini Pro in 2010, this year's excellent new Xperia Mini is now accompanied by a heavier, sturdier model of the same size, the Xperia Mini Pro. The new smartphone also has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard for those of you still stubbornly refusing to go 100% touchscreen</div>
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Samsung PL120 review</div>
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For £100, this is a camera that you'll get a lot of use out of, from holidays to updating your profile picture on Facebook. The tiny size means that it'll simply fit into a pocket when it's not being used and the price means if it does get broken, it doesn't cost the earth to replace.</div>
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<img alt="Samsung pl120" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Samsung/PL120/press/samsung-pl120-1-420-100.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Samsung/PL120/press/samsung-pl120-1-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Also reviewed this week:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Audio systems</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Creative ZiiSound D5x & DSx system review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">AV receivers</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Pioneer VSX-2021 review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">CCTV</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Smart Witness Smart-i review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Compact cameras</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Samsung ST95 review</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Sasmung st95" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Samsung/ST95/samsungst95f-420-100.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PhotoRadar/Samsung/ST95/samsungst95f-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Components</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Kingston HyperX 240GB SSD review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Smart Witness Smart-i review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Coolers</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Cooler Master Hyper 612S review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Cooling</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Cooler Master Hyper 612S review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Desktop PCs</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Dino PC MediaJoy 3850 review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Ipod accessories</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Philips DS9010 review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Laptops</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Zoostorm 3390-2012/A review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Memory</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Patriot Gamer 2 AMD Black Edition review</div>
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Patriot Gamer 2 AMD Black Edition review</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Mice</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Microsoft Touch Mouse review</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Microsoft touchmouse" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Microsoft%20Touch%20Mouse/main-420-100.jpg" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/TechRadar/Computing/Microsoft%20Touch%20Mouse/main-420-100.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Mobile routers</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Three MiFi Huawei Wireless Modem E586 review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Monitors</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
iiyama ProLite X2472HD review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
LG D2342P Cinema 3D Monitor review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Motherboards</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Zotac Z68-ITX Wi-Fi review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Zotac Z68-ITX Wi-Fi review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Asus MARS II Limited Edition review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">NAS drives</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Promise Pegasus RAID R6 review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Radio tuners</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Q2 Internet Radio review</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
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<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
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<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
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<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
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<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
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Hands on: Vodafone 555 Blue review

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 24px; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman','Bitstream Charter',Times,serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 19px; margin: 0px; max-width: 640px; padding: 0.6em;">
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<img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="150" mce_src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_05-200-200.JPG" src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_05-200-200.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="200" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Vodafone sprung a demi-surprise in being the next brand to launch a Facebook phone in the shape of the Vodafone 555 Blue.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
But without the latest in connectivity, a relatively slow processor and a familiar shape, will the 555 be top of the pile or singing the Blues?</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The new phone, manufactured by Alcatel, has one key difference though: it's a non-smartphone, instead using a dedicated Java-based OS that Vodafone claims integrates Facebook more deeply than ever before on a mobile.</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_01-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_01-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The 555 Blue will be aimed at the 16-25 market in the UK, with its cheaper price tag of around £70 eschewing the need for a contract and offering social networking for not a lot of dollar.</div>
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The design is a standard QWERTY keyboard design, taking a lot of cues from the BlackBerry range of old. Vodafone tells us that the 555 Blue was conceived over a year ago, presumably at a time when feature phones were still the main choice for consumers.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The chassis feels robust, if a little plasticky and light, and the 2.4-inch screen is bright without being too high-res. We don't have the official specs yet, but it seems like a QVGA offering packed in there, leading to a relatively high level of pixellation for many applications.</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="315" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_05-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_05-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="420" /></div>
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The keyboard is solid too; the keys are a little close together, so typing speeds are ever so slightly hampered, but on the whole it's a better experience than most.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
A speaker grille and 2MP camera (surprisingly with single LED flash) reside on the back - the former is predictably tinny and no use at all for music, and the quick test shots with the camera show a slow shutter speed and uninspiring pics - but then again, for the price, that's to be expected.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Haven't we seen this before?</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
We'll agree it looks a lot like the HTC ChaCha, but it's a darn sight cheaper and has a slightly different fit in the hand - HTC's effort feels a lot more premium.</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_07-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_07-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
So let's dive in and look at the main reason behind the creation of the Vodafone 555 Blue - the Facebook integration.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
It's worth noting where this phone is aimed - it's certainly not one for the tech lover, more for the non-technophile that's still desperate to interact with Facebook.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
That said, we're looking at a phone that (according the early rumoured specs) has a 200 MHZ processor to run the entire Facebook overlay - sure, it's only really got to do that and be able to call, text and check out the internet once in a while, but that's still a worryingly low-power engine.</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_10-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_10-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The Facebook overlay brings us something that looks very similar to that which we've seen with the INQ Cloud Touch - division of Chat, Messaging, News and profile at the bottom of the screen.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
And the Facebook key - but weirdly this only does one thing, and that's take you to the home screen of the application. Why not update a status or post a picture? Hopefully this is simply a bug at the moment.</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_03-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_03-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Not being a touchscreen everything is handled by the optical keypad in the middle of the phone, which also acts as an Enter key, flanked by two softkeys.</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_02-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_02-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Vodafone made a big deal about the background download capabilities of the phone; instead of having the phone refresh at given intervals or when the app is opened, your Facebook info is constantly refreshed in the background.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
The depth of the phone's functionality is refreshingly low - we're talking the Facebook integration, Opera Mini as the browser for intenetting and the like, and a simple music player - plus some organiser tools, like a calendar and alarm clock.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" mce_name="strong" mce_style="font-weight: bold;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5;">Up to the task?</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
Sounds nice and clean, but here's the problem: the grunt of the Vodafone 555 Blue is just too little to offer a decent Facebook experience.</div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
We should point out that the phone's reactions are mostly fine - opening and closing different Facebook elements is speedy enough.</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_11-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_11-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
But it's when the updating needs to happen that the pain rears its head - we simply can't believe Vodafone when it tells us the handset updates in the background often enough. And when it does, the rest of the phone operation slows down to such a snail's pace that it's not worth trying to open other elements while Facebook updates.</div>
<div mce_style="text-align: center;" style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_04-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_04-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
<div style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;">
If we were to compare it to another handset, we'd say it was like a souped up version of the INQ Mini 3G - it had oodles of Facebook integration but was so slow to operate we had to throw it out of a window before we went insane with frustration.</div>
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The Vodafone 555 Blue works along the same lines, but a lot faster - the pauses are shorter, but even after we had the phone warmed up from first use, we were left watching the 'updating Facebook' screen far too often.</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_12-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_12-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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There's also an integration issue - do we want to have to see a start-up screen each and every time we start the chat application? Surely we'd rather have it running the background constantly so people could ping us when we're not directly looking at the application?</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_06-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_06-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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The pictures section is among the hardest to use on the phone. Unless you've opened and downloaded each individual picture, you'll be forced to go through a minute's wait to open a pic from your Facebook account thanks to the slow connection - plus there's no way to scroll through them all album style.</div>
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We are impressed that, once viewed, the pics and comments stay cached - but this experience needs to be constantly updating EVERYTHING from your profile, from the News Feed to new comments, to be seen as a real bold step away from the smartphone application.</div>
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The internet is supposedly optimised by Vodafone to be smarter, faster and more data efficient thanks to some decent Opera Mini optimisation at the back end, but the unit we saw had a bug that wouldn't let us install the browser. Why this isn't already pre-installed from the factory, we don't know.</div>
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Will the Vodafone 555 Blue be a success? It's a tough one to call, as we have to take off our tech hat and put on that of a teenager with little interest in smartphones but tonnes in Facebook.</div>
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Simply put, we still think the experience is too slow to impress many, even if the price is only £70-odd. Will those who have picked through thousands of pictures on a broadband connection be happy going back to a sludgy speed on the go? We think not.</div>
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<img alt="Vodafone 555 blue review" class="aligncenter" height="189" mce_src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_08-420-90.JPG" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/classifications/Mobile%20Phones/Hands%20on%20pictures/Vodafone/Vodafone%20555%20Blue/Vodafone_555_blue_08-420-90.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #444444; display: block; font-family: Georgia,'Bitstream Charter',serif; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px auto 12px; max-width: 640px;" width="252" /></div>
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That's not to say we're not impressed with the deep Facebook integration - for many things it's fine, such as browsing your friends' profiles from the contacts menu or reading messages.</div>
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But for most uses it's simply too slow, and we're saying that from a normal user's point of view. Vodafone needs to beef up either the processor or the speed (both of which are coming) to get the most out of the phone platform.</div>
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If Orange can bring the San Francisco, with a 600MHz processor and large WVGA touchscreen to the market for not a lot more cash, then Vodafone should be able to pack everything necessary into this phone to make it fly along.</div>
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Imagine a phone with a 1GHz processor and decent wedge of RAM, plus Wi-Fi and 3G background synchronisation so Facebook was instantly up to date - now THAT would be a perfect smartphone alternative, and surely people would pay around £50 or so more for the experience?</div>
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Stay tuned for our full Vodafone 555 Blue review - but we'd be surprised if it managed to be anything other than a mediocre attempt at trying to offer something different to the smartphone brigade.</div>
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Hands on: Vodafone 555 Blue review

Vodafone sprung a demi-surprise in being the next brand to launch a Facebook phone in the shape of the Vodafone 555 Blue. But without...