Mobile Phones Exposed
BlackBerry Storm2 - how the 'net has responded
Posted: 20 October 2009
The recent announcement that Research In Motion (RIM) would follow up its first-ever full touchscreen phone with a new model has sparked much excitement in a number of online sectors.
Unveiled on October 15th, it is expected the BlackBerry Storm2 will be available to shoppers on the 26th of the month - and is initially being launched on the Vodafone network across seven European nations and South Africa.
RIM explained it would endeavour to equip the revised model with many of the same attributes as its predecessor, pointing out it was this that had won the original model a number of plaudits. However, it also advised the touch-enabled smartphone "significantly improves" on that which h ...
Mobile gaming - the current market
Posted: 26 August 2009
With various different gaming platforms available - dependent on the mobile phone you opt for - the choice for those in the market for a device that offers the latest playable titles has never been higher.
However, consumers might be interested to know how the market is currently holding up, what lies in its future and some of the factors that have gotten it to the stage it is at today.
One of the most notable options for mobile gamers is Nokia's N-Gage facility. Established in 1993 with a handset that went by the same name, the technology has now appeared on a selection of models that includes the new Nokia N97.
Other mobiles now available with the system include the N78, N79, N81, N95 ...
Palm Pre – will it take a bite out of Apple?
Posted: 26 August 2009
With O2 having announced that it will be the exclusive supplier of the device in the UK, speculation is growing with regards an official release date for the eagerly-anticipated Palm Pre.
On July 7th this year, the network unveiled details of a deal it had struck with the manufacturer via its Telefonica parent group that would make it the only operator able to provide the smartphone to consumers in the UK, Spain, Ireland and Germany.
However, the company was only able to state at this time that the device would be launched across selected European territories "in time for the winter holidays" - leading to a number of websites and publications coming up with their own schedules as to wh ...
Apple iPhone 3G - no longer a network exclusive?
Posted: 25 August 2009
The Apple iPhone 3G S and its predecessors have been something of a coup for O2 in the UK as since the very first model appeared in 2007 they have remained network-exclusive. However, reports are starting to emerge that would suggest this may be about to change.
In November that year, O2 announced that the deal to distribute the new and much-anticipated gadget would allow it to boost its workforce in the UK by around 1,427 people. It was estimated that 700 new employees would be needed to cope with the extra level of customer support while a further 727 would be recruited for the network's retail across the nation.
Mark Stansfeld, sales director of the carrier, explained that the firm was dedi ...
Mobile directory: marketing tool or invasion of privacy?
Posted: 30 July 2009
A new service listing the contact details of handset users across the UK was launched this month and has been met with its fair share of problems, debate and controversy.
For many people, the first they had ever heard of the 118 800 Mobile Phone Directory (MFD) will have been when a friend or colleague passed on a link to opt out via an office email or a social networking portal like Facebook or Twitter.
However, the service may be listing the details of millions of people across the UK who may be unaware that their private number is now visible to anyone who chooses to use the service. Inevitably, this has led to much speculation from sector commentators as to whether or not this type of system ...
Network exclusives: Pushing out third party providers?
Posted: 30 July 2009
Competition in the smartphone market has now driven many mobile operators to offer network-exclusive handsets to try and tempt new customers away from their rivals. However, as these devices are increasingly becoming some of the most sought-after models on the market, does this mean that third-party suppliers are in danger of being pushed out?
One of the most recent examples of a highly anticipated handset being made available only to one carrier in the UK came earlier this month, when O2 announced it would add the Palm Pre to its line of products. Customers across Britain will see the device hit the company's high street and online stores later this month and the deal to become the sole provider of the ...
O2 customers take on iPhone upgrade charge
Posted: 22 June 2009
O2 has announced that the opening day of sales for the new Apple iPhone 3G was a major success, outperforming the achievements set out by its predecessor - but not everyone is happy with some of the network's recent actions.
With the carrier announcing that by lunchtime sales had outstripped those attained by the original device when it was launched in 2008, it seemed the firm had another major hit on its hands - but this followed some other numbers the group was probably less pleased to see on paper.
Customers of O2 were apparently outraged at suggestions they would have to buy themselves out of their contract in order to upgrade to the Apple iPhone 3G S and started a 'Twitition' to register th ...
Sony Ericsson takes on Nokia in the content wars
Posted: 18 June 2009
As mobile manufacturers and networks battle for the attention of consumers, the field can get pretty heated - and since the launch of Nokia's Comes With Music service, Sony Ericsson has been just one of the firms that has upped its game.
More and more facilities are being made available to make the user experience more interesting and various offerings attempt to take advantage of this, whether they do so with audio and video content or photographic technology.
In December 2007, Nokia outlined its plans to bring a web-based music service to its customers that would bring about the next generation of downloadable facilities. As part of a wider vision for the mobile industry as a whole, company ch ...
Incoming – the Nokia N97
Posted: 18 June 2009
With the launch of the eagerly-anticipated Nokia N97 now imminent, the Finnish manufacturer adds a new handset to its range that it will no doubt hope challenges other flagship devices like the Apple iPhone 3G and the HTC Magic. But what can consumers expect from the model when it hits stores in June?
Unveiled in December at an industry event in Barcelona, Nokia was quick to point out that the N97 would be much more than a regular phone. Billed as "the world's most advanced mobile computer", it was announced as a gadget that would bring together some of the latest technologies in a single unit.
The touchscreen display, which measures 3.5 inches, is where users will be able to take adva ...
The HTC Magic - the wait is nearly over
Posted: 27 April 2009
The latest Android-powered mobile phone to become widely available in the UK has arrived on the Vodafone network - which may mean it’s a great time to see what it has to offer.
In February this year, Vodafone announced a partnership with the HTC Corporation that would bring the HTC Magic smartphone to its customers in the UK and across Europe.
Exclusive to Vodafone in Britain, Spain, Germany and France, the handset is now available to pre-order and will be fully available across the nation from May 5th - so far it will be the second device on general release in the UK that runs on Google's Android operating system (OS) - the first being the T Mobile G1.
However, it is not just the ...
