Vodafone makes approach for T Mobile

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

 

Reported in much of the business press this morning, it appears that Vodafone, which currently has 25% of the UK market, is considering a bid for T Mobile, which is currently owned by Deutsche Telecom.

vodafone_logo

T Mobile were the first company to launch an locked Android phone, the G1, followed by Vodafone with the HTC Magic and this week, HTC themselves with the first unlocked Android phone, the HTC Hero.

The deal could be worth an estimated £2.5 billion and would create the largest network in the UK with over a 40% market share.

The financial times reported that the bid could be blocked by regulators as the deal could lead to something of a monopoly.

T Mobile has been the subject of longstanding rumours that it will be sold off after underperforming for its parent company. 


Intel Announce breakthrough deal with Nokia

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker, will sell processors to Nokia, the world’s biggest mobile phone manufacturer. This looks like the most important breakthrough in Intel’s efforts to move into the mobile market, according to Bloomberg.

While over 80 percent of the world’s PCs run on Intel chips, the corporation has been striving to make headway in the mobile device market for a decade – with limited success and many false starts. Anand Chandrasekher, SVP of Intel’s ultra-mobility group, will provide more details of the Nokia deal later today. His division sells a pared-down version of a PC chip, known as Atom, that has been adapted for use in mobile devices.

Extracted from Mobile Business Briefing


Sunnysoft Interwrite Arabic Suite

Friday, June 26, 2009

Sunnysoft has recently released new software for the HTC Touch Pro2 and the HTC Diamond2, Interwrite Pro Ara. The software essentially translates your device into Arabic, localising not only standard and system parts, but specific parts of your particular device as well. Included with the software is an on-screen keyboard with over 50 languages and a new advanced version of Arabic Suite. Within Arabic Suite are three applications; Prayer Times, Muslim Holidays and Hijri Calender. Prayer times are included for over 1000 cities and 500 of these are Arabic. Seven methods for time calculation are available, as well as prayer notifications before, during and after the prayer time.

Sunnysoft Interwrite Pro Ara is also compatible with the Samsung Omnia, HTC Diamond and HTC Touch 3G.

For a free trial, or to buy the software, visit:

http://www.sunnysoft.com/software.php?idarticle=318

 

          

 

 

 

 


Nokia N97 – In Stock Today

Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Nokia N97 is today in stock.

  

Available in BLACK only the N97 is the newest device from Nokia. A long time coming the N97 was today officially released for sale.

Feature rich, this killer smartphone, is geared to numerous users but works particularly well for those who require the ability to manage and compose emails on the move.

Integrated technologies include Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, GPS, MicroSDHC to name just a few.

Get your hands on one of the first today.


HTC Hero – *BREAKING NEWS* – Full Specs and Images

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Hot on the heels of our last post, we can now bring you the full specification and images of the HTC Hero. Announced only moments ago, the HTC Hero is HTC’s first unlocked and SIM free Google Android Device.

Click the thumbnails to see full images.

 

                  

 

                

Technical Specification of HTC Hero

Operating System -
Google Android

Processor -
Qualcomm MSM7200A 528 MHz

Memory -
ROM: 512 MB
RAM: 288 MB

Display -
3.2-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 320×480 HVGA resolution

Contract -
No Contract SIM Free/Unlocked

Network –
HSPA/WCDMA:
900/2100 MHz
Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds

Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:
850/900/1800/1900 MHz
(Band frequency and data speed are operator dependent.)

Connectivity -
Bluetooth 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 b/g
HTC ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB 2.0 and audio jack in one)
3.5 mm audio jack

GPS -
Internal GPS antenna with Google Maps Pre-installed

Audio -
3.mm Audio Jack
Supported Formats – MP3, AAC(AAC, AAC+, AAC-LC), AMR-NB, WAV, MIDI and Windows Media Audio 9)

Expansion Slot -
MicroSDHC Memory Card Slot (Support up to 16GB) (SD 2.0 compatible)

Camera -
5.0 megapixel colour camera with auto focus

Device Control –
Trackball with Enter button

Talk Time –
Up to 420 minutes for WCDMA
Up to 470 minutes for GSM

Standby Time –
Up to 750 hours for WCDMA
Up to 440 hours for GSM

Battery –
1340mAh Rechargeable Lithium-ion 

Dimensions -
112 x 56.2 x 14.35 mm ( 4.41 x 2.21 x 0.57 inches)

Weight -
135 grams ( 4.76 ounces) with battery

Other -
G-sensor
Digital Compass

The first stock will begin shipping on 3rd July.  Just over a week away, you can already orders yours online HERE or visit www.htchero.co.uk

UPDATED: Watch a demonstration video of the Hero


HTC Hero – Revealed

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Just moments ahead of an event in London, Engadget have managed through some jiggery pokery get the details of HTC’s Hero from HTC’s own website.

As we prepare for HTC’s official launch event today, we’re starting to see some details appear on HTC’s own website of the much rumoured Hero. Through some URL trickery, we’ve managed to unearth several details that confirm the previous rumors. Hero includes the new HTC Sense widget-based interface that puts at-a-glance info right up front on the home screen where it belongs. A new Scenes profile feature lets you transform your phones focus from business to weekend mode. Viewing your contacts shows how to contact them but also the interactions you’ve had with them in email as well as social networking updates like status and photos. A dedicated search button searches the phone as well as services like Twitter. In fact, like Palm’s Pre, the HTC Hero seems ready to fully integrate your local data with all your subscribed social media sites.

SOURCE: ENGADGET


HTC Touch Diamond2 – SMS Notification Hotfix Available

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

HTC have released a hotfix for a known issue on the HTC Touch Diamond2.

If you have been having problems with your device not sounding a notification for an SMS when in standby mode then this hotfix will resolve the issue.

Installation Instructions:

Note: This hotfix only can be applied to ROM versions equal to 1.40.XXX.X or lower.

Installation instructions

Follow the instructions below to download and install the hotfix on your device:

  1. Make sure you have Microsoft ActiveSync® installed on your Windows XP PC or Windows Mobile Device Center on your Windows Vista® PC. You can find Microsoft ActiveSync from this link or Windows Mobile Device Center from this link.
  2. Connect and synchronize your device with your PC via Microsoft ActiveSync® or Windows Mobile Device Center using the USB cable.
  3. To download this hotfix select the hotfix below and the location closest to you then click Download.
  4. Copy the hotfix, which is an .exe file, to your device. To install the hotfix, tap the .exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.

Note: If you perform a device hard reset, you will need to reinstall the hotfix after the hard reset.

You can download the hotfix here.


Google Android (Google Phone’s) – The Guide To

Monday, June 22, 2009

Google Android is slowly becoming better known.  If you are any reputable techy or gadget fan then you will know all about it.  If however you have missed all the hype and the fuss, then where have you been?

HTC have already manufactured two Android handsets, with many other manufacturers planning to ship devices later this year.

So what is Android, and what is all the fuss about?

 

History

Android is a version of the Linux operating system designed specifically for mobile devices. The ‘core’ of the platform was developed by a company named Android, who were quickly purchased by Google, and is now managed by the Open Handset Alliance. A partnership of 47 manufacturers and mobile network operators all hoping to create a platform of services and products around Android. Neither Microsoft nor Nokia are members of the Open Handset Alliance.

The source code of Android was released by Google under the open source software license, meaning that it is available to anyone who wants to develop applications to run on the platform. With the opening of the Android Marketplace, hosted by Google, developers can now submit their applications to a growing target audience – although a share of the revenue must be paid to Google for use of the marketplace web site.  The marketplace is a growing avenue for applications and you can find an app for most things!

Features

As you’d expect from a platform designed for mobile devices, Android provides support for a wide range of connectivity options and services:

  • GSM/EDGE, CDMA, EV-DO, UMTS
  • Bluetooth
  • WiFi
  • SMS
  • MMS

The standard web browser is an implementation of WebKit, the same platform that Firefox and Apple’s Safari web browsers are based on.

Android also supports a wide range of hardware devices:

  • Touchscreen
  • GPS
  • Accelerometer
  • Magnetometer
  • Accelerated 3D Graphics

SDK

An SDK, or Software Development Kit, is available from the Google developer web site (http://developer.android.com/), which includes an emulator of the platform that can be run on Windows, MacOS or Linux.

Devices

The "first" publicly available Android-based devices was the Android G1, released exclusively via T-Mobile.

This device was actually manufactured by HTC, codenamed the "HTC Dream", but was wholly owned by Google: HTC literally built it; Google provided the software image and the specs for the hardware.

HTC have built other Android-based devices, including the "Magic", released exclusively to Vodafone.

Other manufacturers, including Huawei, Acer, Samsung and LG among others have all announced plans for Android-based devices, which will result in a very interesting an innovative range of products in late 2009 and early 2010.


Growing Speculation of HTC’s Announcement on Wednesday

Monday, June 22, 2009

We are only a matter of days away from an announcement that is set to take place on Wednesday in London. 

The event, hosted by HTC has gained much attention and rumours are fling everywhere as to what will be mentioned here.

The most common thought is that HTC will be releasing an Android device, possibly the Hero.  However news suggests that there may be two Android devices launched, one with and one without a keyboard.

With the manufacturer increasing its manufacture of Android devices, it is possible that such will be announced.  In line with this however, their primary focus has always been very much Windows Mobile and there are also indications that they will announce one of these too.

Just what will be announced, who knows.  It may not even be a device.  Florian Seiche has commented at the Mobile Innovation event in Barcelona last week:

HTC had shifted its strategy recently from an “engineering-centric model towards generating a software user experience” which put the mobile Internet at the heart of the device. He added that the vendor was also focussing on developing widget-based interfaces into its handset designs based around a “zero click, zero wait” end user proposition

It could be just software….

We will reveal all on Wednesday as the news becomes available.

Source: Mobile Innovation, MSmobiles and mobiletechaddicts


HTC Hero – Approved by GCF

Monday, June 22, 2009

The rumoured HTC Hero has apparently been passed by the GCF (Global Certification Forum) approved the HERO100.

 

Going by the GCF, the Hero will be a quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE handset as well as supporting dualband UMTS/HSPA (1800/2100MHz).  Since they don’t concern themselves with any other specifications we’re still in the dark, but we’re expecting the usual bevy of WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS and a capacitive touchscreen.

Via: Slashphone