Zanco Beetle Miniature Smartphone

There are many miniature phones hitting the shelves these days. The demand for tiny, basic mobile phones is at an all time high. The new Zanco Beetle is just one in a long line. Some people want to buy one because they think it looks really cool, others want one to use as a second phone, and a few people even want them for sinister reasons. To hide things like having an affair, or trying to sneak it into somewhere that does not allow the use of mobile phones. Many of those locations, such as a Prison, use a metal detector to scan for these devices.

Check out the full specification (USA)
 

Or view here for UK interest

Whatever the reason, the one thing that gets quite old after a while is that every time a new mini phone comes out it’s automatically given the title as the “Worlds Smallest Phone“. It’s a good marketing trick, but it’s not really the truth. Most of them have different dimensions and are different shapes. Some, like the Zanco Fly and the J8 Long CZ, are longer and thinner. While the Beetle is wider but shorter. Does it really need to be the smallest phone in the World? As long as it’s small enough, right.. Saying that, for the people smuggling them into places like Prisons, I guess they really do need to make sure they have the smallest nano phone possible.

Anyway, they are all tiny, so what does the Zanco Beetle have to offer. Well, it has a screen that’s a little over 1.5 Inches in size, and takes a micro SIM card. The big difference between this phone and its many competitors is that this is a touch screen phone. Some are calling it a fully fledged Smartphone. And at this moment, maybe it does hold the title for being the smallest touch screen phone.

Not sure how people with sausage fingers will fare using it though. I’d say they would probably find it quite annoying to be honest. Maybe using something like a matchstick would be a good idea. It’s capable of playing music in MP3 or MP4 format and even has a camera! With flash. There are not many details regarding the pixel count quality of the camera.

However, the numbers 3 and 7 seem to be paired together on a few websites giving the specification. So that either translates to 3 mega pixels, 7mp, or 3.7mp. I’d tend to go with the latter. This phone also has a flash light. A really fun feature that the Beetle has, and one that other similar phones also have, is the voice changer. You can choose some really funny voices. A few include, rude man, rude woman, Asian man, Black man and bad child. Messing around with those would be a laugh.

The new Zanco Beetle also has Bluetooth. Can it be used to browse the Internet? No, I wouldn’t have thought so. It’s just a basic, miniature mobile phone with some cool little features. And if it could, it won’t provide the best user experience. It won’t work on 3G (Three) but should be just fine on most other UK Networks. Battery life is also reported as being pretty good.

Will it pass the detector test? The real question is how sensitive is the detector. A good way to find out is to get your hands on a metal detector, put it on high sensitivity (In all metal mode) and scan the phone at close range. Does the detector make any noise? Then do it again with the micro SIM inside. That’s the best test you can do.

However, nothing is guaranteed, so the risk is in the carriers hands, or ***. Personally, I believe the Beetle will not pass through undetected. But, all in all, a good novelty phone for the cheap price tag. Excellent to take with you for exercises like running while simultaneously using it to listen to music, rather than carrying that spaceship we call a (full sized) Smartphone.

The Jivi X3i Dual SIM Mobile Phone

The Jivi X3i is quite a strange mobile phone. On the one hand, take a look at the list of features this phone has and you will be thinking, wow, that’s sounds really good. Then, when you see how cheap it is to buy you will probably think, what’s the catch. There is no denying it, on paper the Jivi X3i has many excellent features and functions. So it’s very surprising to find out that the makers of this Candy Bar phone have left out some of the most basic things you could imagine. What do you want first, the good part of the specification or the bad?

Jivi Good, Bad and Ugly

Let’s start with the good. It's not a  Smartphone. The X3i is Quad Band (GSM + CDMA) and has Dual SIM functionality. This means you can have two SIM cards, that are fully operational, in the phone at once. Both will work alongside each other. Two SIMs in one phone is convenient for many reasons. One being if you have a works phone and a personal phone. No need to carry two phones around with you anymore! Check it out Amazon. Actually don't buy it from Amazon UK, buy it from eBay UK instead.

It also has Bluetooth, call recording, LED torch, Camera, SD card slot, Radio, MP3 player and a good battery life. So you can see, for the low price this phone has a lot to offer. It still looks like a basic phone but has some nice little features going for it. So what’s not so great about this phone.

The Jivi X3i Dual SIM Mobile Phone Is Confused

The Bad: By most accounts there is no vibrate built into this phone. Conflicting reports. Some manuals state that there is a vibration alert, but end users can’t seem to find or activate it. Lack of built-in ringtones seems to be of some annoyance to users also. Numerous reviewers claim they could only find one ringtone. Silent mode is present. However, to the frustration of some users, ringtone volume also seems to be an issue, only offering either low or really loud.

Is it worth the purchase? Well, firstly. For how cheap it is to buy, and considering all the good points, it’s still a decent phone for those looking for a no frills mobile with a few tweaks. Just don’t expect to get a Samsung Galaxy S6 or Note 9 level of quality and refinement. This is a super cheap, non-smartphone phone. The bad points may not be that important to some, but to others they might be deal breakers.

Jivi or Divvy

Considering how crowded this price range is, and with there being some really good competitors, like the cheap Samsung’s and Nokia’s, it’s hard to recommend this phone over the more well-known but less feature rich leaders at this price point. But if you want something a bit different and you see a feature in the Jivi X3i that you could really do with, go for it. You could do a lot worse than a X3i. Personally, I’d go with a Brick instead! But I’ve got a soft spot for retro models. The old UK saying, I’ll be there in a jiffy springs to mind..Instead, with this phone, it’s, I’ll be there in a Jivi!

Turn Off EDGE (E symbol) Samsung B2100

How to turn off EDGE GPRS (The E symbol) on the screen of your Samsung B2100 Xplorer Phone. Just been given this phone and I must say, it has many of the features that I look for in a mobile phone. First off, it's not a Smartphone, so that's a big plus. Second, it's very tough, also a much needed feature for me as I'm so clumsy and heavy handed that items need to be reinforced to last the test of time in my possession. The other thing about the Samsung B2100 that is great, and one of my favourite things other than the very clear loudspeaker, is the torch. That thing is pretty bright.

The Hidden GPRS Tool Options for the B2100 Xplorer

Okay, so after putting my SIM card in this phone, and not looking for any trouble, unless I'm pushed, I get the dreaded Phone Lock Password required screen of annoyance. This was quickly sorted out by inserting the master / phone reset code, which is: *2767*3855#. Some people have had no luck with that code and have used *0206*3855# with some success. However, the first code worked just fine for me.

That solved the problem. Great, I'm now up and running and having a mess around with the menu, ring tones, testing the 1.3mp camera, etc. What do I keep seeing at the top of the screen that is giving me a serious obsessive compulsive disorder to get rid of? The EDGE symbol at the top of the screen. If you look through all the normal settings in the viewable menu there is just nothing there that allows you to disable this feature. You can try changes the Network Mode to one of the other settings, such as from Quad Band to only GSM 850/1900, but then the phone will only work in America. No UK Network coverage at all. Choose GSM 900/1800 and the EDGE box still remains. What a pain in the aine. Here's how to remove the E symbol and to disable this feature.

How To Turn Off The EDGE (E symbol) On The Samsung B2100 Xplorer

From the phones main screen type in *#4777*8665# to pull up the hidden GPRS Tool. You'll see a list of different options. Scroll to GPRS Detach and select it. See the picture above if you're unsure. Give it a second or two and you should see the E symbol disappear. If you want to re-enable GPRS just click GPRS attach and you will see the E box re-appear again, meaning it is now enabled again. Hope this helped you out.

Blocsock Phone SAR Anti-Radiation Pouch

Blocsock Mobile Phone SAR Anti-Radiation Protective Pouch. These days, with all the technology that’s crammed into mobile phones, the SAR levels on many of the most sought after phones, like Smartphones, remains high. And it doesn’t just affect the user when the phone is in use and put to the ear. A mobile phone is also transmitting radiation when it’s not in use abd just sitting in a users pocket on standby. A lot of the newer Smartphones, such as the Apple iPhone 6 and 7, are hovering around the SAR Level of 1 W/kg head and 1 W/kg body. That is fairly high.

The body SAR W/kg being the same as the head means that the phone is giving off just as much radiation when not in use as it is when in use. That’s why it is a good idea to consider using not an Anti-Radiation sticker, but an Anti-Radiation Protective Pouch (Pictured above).

This easy to use and affordable Blocsock Mobile Phone Radiation Protective Pouch will safeguard you against EMF radiation when your phone is in use, and even when the phone is on standby and within close proximity to your head or body. Made from quality materials that are known to absorb EMF radiation, this Mobile Phone Radiation Protective Pouch reduces / eliminates harmful EMF radiation by 96%. That is close to all EMF radiation eradicated from your mobile phone. If after using your cellphone you have headaches, fatigue, or just don’t feel comfortable because you are spending long periods talking on the phone, then you should consider giving this product a try. It will house normal phones and Smartphones up to 14cm in height and 7cm in width.

This Mobile Phone Radiation Protective Pouch is one of the very few anti cell phone radiation products that have excellent feedback from the people who really matter – The people actually using the product (Verified purchasers). The price is quite competitive, but given how many Anti-Radiation Mobile Phone products are out there on the market, and with how bad their feedback is from users, this one looks the most promising.

Although, there is a lot of speculation toward products like these. And even though one of the description pictures for this product is of a test report from RFI Global Services LTD, I would still take the report with a grain of salt, because it shows no results or any information of what type of tests were carried out and what the results actually were. So buying this product is a small risk. It may work for some people and not for others. But customer review feedback does look good, which is a very positive sign.

Update: I had a look at some of the test results for the Blocsock Protective Pouch and my conclusion is: If you are someone who is concerned about radiation exposure from your phone, and you are using your phone a lot, I would give this product a shot. Some of the test results were quite promising and did show a difference in SAR Levels (Lower when the Blocsock pouch was used). Although there was an uncertainty level of just over 17%. Take a look at the PDF test report for yourself.

Is The Blocsock Too Powerful?

The question is, is the Blocsock too effective? Check out the video demonstration below which not only shows the Blocsock eliminating most of the radiation from the phone when receiving a call, but also cutting the call off when the phone is placed inside the pouch. This test was done using a Blackberry, so it doesn’t mean this will happen with every mobile phone. I’m sure some of the customers who bought the Blocsock would have mentioned in their review if the phone didn’t actually work when in the pouch. Damn, they removed the video!

However, there are a few different models and various methods for using the Blocsock pouch. I believe the user shouldn’t actually have the whole phone concealed in the pouch when making or taking a call, they should use the pouch opening (kangaroo pouch) which has some of the phone exposed in order to still get a signal. The picture at the top of this post shows the phone turned outward, but if you wanted protection when making or receiving a call you would turn the phone around so that there is a protective layer (the Blocsock pouch) between your head and the phone.

Can’t afford to give a pouch a go? Here’s three quick tips to help keep your phone radiation exposure to a minimum. 1. Make shorter calls. Say what you have to say and get off the phone. 2. Buy yourself a non-smartphone with minimal other features to play with (like a budget Samsung), so you can only use the phone to text and make phone calls rather than sitting there holding it playing games or watching videos on Youtube. 3. Do not have your phone within close proximity to your head and body when not in use, such as when you’re in bed and you need to have the phone close by. Have it at an arm’s length at the very least.

Make it so you have to really stretch to grab the phone. Not in bed? There’s no excuse, have the phone at minimum several meters away from your body. Whenever possible put the phone somewhere else other than in your pocket. This has become a bigger problem in a way because people now use mobile phones as entertainment devices, so if there not making or receiving calls they're doing some other activity on the phone, like playing a game, chatting on WhatsApp all night, or browsing Facebook.

This makes the exposure to radiation a constant issue, so a Blocsock, or another highly rated alternative is a good option because unlike all the anti-radiation stickers out there, the Blocsock can cover the whole phone, which is particularly helpful for people holding their phone all night chatting on apps like Whatsapp.

Buy a Cheap Nokia 3310 Brick Phone

If you’ve been coming here often, or just happened to scan the theme of this website, you would have noticed that I love old school phones. And what better phone would there be to buy right now other than the Nokia Brick! Also known as the Nokia 3310. Renowned the world over for its toughness, and with a respectable set of features for its age, this phone is one of the P4P greatest “Bricks” ever to ride the airwaves. Buy one today. They are readily available for sale used on eBay.

Even today, they are still very sought after by people who want an easy to operate mobile phone that offers supreme durability and battery life on a level that Smartphones can not compete with. The material and plastic chassis design make the 3310 a real beast. Try and break one and see how hard it is. You could drop it off a 10 storey building and the chassis will remain intact.

For its age it has one of the most durable enclosures known to man. That is of course an exaggeration, but I think you get the point. These old school phones are easy to use and last a very long time. They are popular as a works phone, particularly in the construction industry.

“The Brick” Quick Specification

• Monochrome LCD Display 

• SMS messaging 

• T9 Predictive Text 

• Vibration alert 

• 34 Ring Tones (Classics) 

• Ringtone composer + Downloadable 

• Calculator 

•  Clock 

• Alarm 

• Multiple languages 

Games: Snake II, Pairs II, Space Impact and Bantumi.

SAR Level: 0.96 W/kg (Fairly high)

The 3310 has become a long-standing joke online due to how indestructible it is. The memes relating to this phone are really funny, and it’s widely considered as the Chuck Norris of cellphones. It’s considered by many as impossible to truly kill. Because of it’s hard-earned reputation for being a tough nut to crack, there are always people who are eager to find out how much punishment this Brick can really take.

The 3310 has been put up against everything. Tanks, guns and bullets of all sizes, dropped from hundreds of feet, blown up, you name it. And yes, the fascia / cover will fly off and the screen will sometimes be cracked, but more often than not it still powers up afterwards, and in some cases can even manage to receive a call. For the price I’d say it’s an excellent deal.

One of the things I would have liked the 3310 to have is a loudspeaker so the unit can be operated hands free while talking, However, this model was released at the start of the millennium, so we can’t expect it to have all the features that come as standard with most of today’s phones.

And thankfully, hands free kits are very cheap to buy for this model. Another bonus with this model is the replacement covers. If you buy this phone used and it looks a little worn, buy a new fascia and you will have a brick that looks as good as new. When it comes to cases, there are literally thousands to choose from. The original Blue case (Pictured above) still looks really good. This is the same for a lot of the older Nokia’s, including the 3210 (Link) and 8210 (See it here). They are brilliant, and so easy to get looking brand new again.