by greg on September 9, 2009
Sony Ericsson have just announced a November release date for the first of it’s new generation of multimedia phones, the Satio. It will feature a staggering 12.1 megapixel camera and run on the same Symbian operating system as the Nokia 5800 and N97. Until now, most phones have either concentrated on being primarily a music or camera phone but the Sony Ericsson Satio seems to do it all. The camera is not only a staggering 12.1 megapixels but also features a xenon flash as well as smile and face detector features. The operating system, which is all new to Sony Ericsson, is run on a 3.5″, 16 million colour, 360×640 resolution touchscreen with an accelerometer controlling the orientation.
With full HSDPA and HSUPA support alongside WiFi, Bluetooth, A2DP and GPS the Sony Ericsson Satio also covers every base when it comes to connectivity and the external MicroSD card slot allows easy memory expansion as opposed to the less readily available memory sticks used in previous Sony Ericsson models.
With all the above features packed into such a good looking handset, Sony Ericsson seem to have all the bases covered with their new top end multimedia handset. With an already proven, functional and easy to use operating system will this be the handset to give the iPhone a run for it’s money?
Sony Ericsson Satio image via Mobile Phone Shop
by greg on September 7, 2009
This is a guest article by Rob from SIM only deals.
A combination of increased markets and lower prices from SIM only mobile phone providers has seen the level of SIM card only mobile phone contracts in the UK rocket over recent months. With the financial crisis still gripping the UK many people are looking to make cutbacks with regards to their finances, and for many SIM only deals have provided the ideal solution to stay in touch with loved ones without having to pay a fortune.
One specialist comparison site, www.simonlyoffers.com, has shown just how popular these SIM only deals are becoming, having reported a massive rise in SIM only sales over the past few months. With more and more people seeing the benefits of SIM only sales levels have soared by nearly sixty percent since the start of the recession.
Director of the comparison site, Rob Webber, has cited a number of reasons for this huge take up in SIM only deals. One of the main reasons for the increase in popularity of these contracts is that people have realised that this is an effective way to save money whilst still staying connected. Another reason is that mobile phone companies have realised the potential of SIM only deals in the current climate, and have subsequently improved marketing and increased awareness of these deals.
Webber added that the benefits of SIM only were obvious, and said that with SIM only consumers were able to enjoy cheaper monthly prices, thirty day contracts as opposed to eighteen or twenty four month contracts, and a greater allowance of texts and minutes, all of which added up to far greater value for money. He also said that it was likely that the popularity of SIM only would continue to soar, as people realise just how much cheaper these deals are compared to standard contracts.
by greg on August 5, 2009
Due to the huge popularity and growing demand for high-speed internet access The GSM Directive recently approved access to new spectrum for advanced data, which can be used for accessing the internet on mobile phones at broadband speeds, and will soon be released following a major breakthrough by the European Union.
A number of European regulators have agreed to share out the spectrum they have more fairly, rather than auctioning it off to the highest bidder. This will allow the spectrum to be used throughout Europe for the current 3G mobile networks and the future 4G networks when they are implemented. This will give mobile phone users the chance to access the internet in the same way as home broadband users currently do, which will be seen as welcome news by many consumers.
Once the GSM directive, which was approved by the Council of Ministers, becomes law in September the Government will have just six months to roll out the measures that have been outlined in it. [click to continue...]
Dial-a-Phone has the scoop today on a coin operated mobile phone designed to cut spending in the credit crunch.
The phone is codenamed the 100-F from a Latvian manufacturer, new to the mobile phone market, called Lirpa. It seems bizarre, but the phone design has been inspired by the global credit crunch (which must have reached Latvia too), and works as either a coin-operated or credit/debit card mobile. The UK variant will have a £1 coin slot for calls and a 10p slot for texts.
by Patrick Altoft on November 13, 2008
Apparently the Nintendo Wii Fit could be the most popular toy this Christmas after topping the search volume charts for October.
The popularity of Nintendo’s Wii Fit, which accounted for one in six searches for a video game during October, has helped online searches for video games overtake those for consoles in the run-up to Christmas. Judging by the search data, it looks as if the current generation of consoles – the Wii, Playstation 3 and X-Box 360 – have started to mature.
The chart below illustrates the volume of searches for three portfolios of search terms over the last three years. The first portfolio contains search terms related specifically to the consoles themselves, while the other two contain terms relating to actual video games and games console accessories. As you can see, last Christmas was the big year for actual console searches, but this year we haven’t seen a similar pre-Christmas uptick. However, searches for video games themselves have continued to increase, implying that this Christmas there will be more searches for console games than the actual consoles themselves.
Via
by Patrick Altoft on October 4, 2008
by Patrick Altoft on June 26, 2007
Those of you who went to the Orange sponsored Glastonbury at the
weekend might have seen some cool new mobile phone chargers.
The wind powered devices were developed in just 4 weeks by
href="http://www.gotwind.org/Orange_Wind_Generator.htm"
class=boldcopy>Gotwind after Orange approached them to design and
make a working prototype for a portable tent mounted mobile phone wind
charger.
Apparently they are proving to be a huge success and the
manufacturers are thinking of going into production with the chargers.
Ben Jandrell from Gotwind told
href="http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/06/21/wind-powered_phone_charger_update/"
class=boldcopy>The Register:
“We are assessing the demand for a wind charger before we commit to production”
by Patrick Altoft on May 16, 2007
For those of you (everyone?) who really loves your phone the mobile phone bed will keep it safe at night.
Tuck your handset up under the covers and use the tiny screen cleaner slippers to polish it the next morning.
You put your phone to bed practically
every night to have it recharge, right?
Let it rest in style in this adorable lil’
plush phone bed by San-X. Your iPod
can even snuggle up, too! Includes 2
cute slippers that are screen cleaners.
Imported from Japan.
Fred Flare via
by Patrick Altoft on May 15, 2007
Villagers in the South Devon village of East Prawle are being
forced to build a 2ft high phone pedestal after an elderly resident
complained about mobile phone users standing on the village bench to
get reception.
For months the only place to get reception in this remote village
has been standing on the bench facing West. Villagers take it in turns
to stand on the bench to make phone calls. After the complaint,
stating that the bench was always full of muddy footprints, the parish
council has voted to move the bench and install a £100 podium in its
place.
David Hampden Smith, chairman of Chivelstone Parish Council,
explained: “We have never been able to get a signal in the village.
Now one has been found, we have decided to put a podium there because
the bench is getting ruined with everyone clambering on to it.
£100 is a lot of money for a small community council but it seems that
everyone wanted it.
alt="East Prawle">
Richard Cordy, 65, a retired shop owner in the village, said: “It
is a bit embarrassing for people to have to climb on to a park bench
but it’s the only way.
The residents here have been waiting ten years for a phone signal and
visitors are always grumbling about it.
There was even a small queue of people wanting to use their phone at
the weekend. It is all a bit mad really.
class=boldcopy>Picture via This Is London
by Patrick Altoft on May 14, 2007
New research in the US shows how one in four adults aged 18 to 24 only uses a mobile phone.
Young people are ditching the landline in favour of mobiles both to save money and because mobiles are much easier to use than most landline handsets.
The mobile revolution hasn’t yet hit the over 65’s with only 2 percent having ditched their landline phones for mobiles.
Overall, the portion of adults with only cell phones grew by more than 2 percentage points in the latter half of last year to nearly 12 percent, an expansion rate that began in the first part of 2006 and was double earlier rates of growth.
