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HP has announced that it plans to stop making phones and tablets, so what does this mean for the recently launched HP Pre 3? Well, after a huge drop in price the handset is now available for free from only ?10.50 a month on a 24m contract! If you are looking for a cheap monthly contract you won’t get a phone of this caliber for anywhere near this price.

The Pre 3 has a 3.58 inch touchscreen and slide out QWERTY keyboard, a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, digital zoom and HD video, plus a front facing camera for video calling. There is also a 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8x55 processor, 512MB RAM and 8GB built in memory. It runs on HP’s own Operating system ‘WebOS’ which is ideal for multi-tasking and has its own dedicated app store. This features HP’s card interface which allows you to run and organise multiple apps with just a simple swipe of your finger. You can switch between apps without having to close a thing, just swipe across until you find the one you need. You can also enjoy a full web browsing experience as its offers support for HTML 5 and Adobe Flash player.

The Pre 3 is a top quality handset at a great price, available now only on Vodafone from mobiles.co.uk.

The results are in – thousands of A-level students across the country are now looking to the future and the lure of university (we don’t need to say what they are but studying is obviously top). And the world of technology has never looked so good to the aspiring student, with tablets, laptops and smartphones aplenty, but whilst we now know how the future generation are getting on in the classroom – the jury is still out on which next generation gadget is best in class.

Well here at mobiles.co.uk we’re going to try and answer that question. Is it the time of the tablet PC or do laptops and their smaller cousins the netbook still reign supreme?

Lap up the Laptop

So let’s start with the traditional laptop as it’s still the most recognised mobile computer device on the market. They sport big screens (significantly more so than netbooks and tablets) and faster processors for better multi-tasking (and we don’t mean shooting Pool in one hand and drinking a beer in the other – that’s impossible). With the inclusion of a mobile broadband package or USB modem dongle, laptops also mean you can take the internet with you, which is great for studying or keeping in touch with friends.

They also tend to hold a sizable chunk or memory both in terms of the Hard-Drive and RAM, supplying ample multimedia storage from music and games to photos and videos plus of course that hefty dissertation!

Where laptops fall short is, whilst still being all about portable computing, they’re pretty big (usually 15-16 inches screen width) and heavy (between 2-3kg’s) and because they do a lot, battery life is key and you’re often left wanting (most laptops peter out at around ten hours)

Netbook Next

If you want something cuter and more compact than a clunky laptop, then the netbook is a good place to start.

When netbooks first arrived on the scene a few years ago, they filled a gap in the market by offering the basics of a laptop but at a much more compelling price. Netbooks do all the things you need on a daily basis from internet browsing, emailing, documentation and storing and editing files. Where they’re lacking is in the powerful hardware that lets you indulge in high octane gaming or lots of multi-tasking.

Netbooks are however much better for portability as they’re smaller and as a result of shedding all the heavy duty stuff, boast a much more healthy battery life meaning it won’t be giving up the ghost quite so regularly when you’re relaxing in the park, pub or coffee shop.

They may lack the punch in terms of processing speed but they’re stylish and affordable and therefore perfect for students, though perhaps as a useful addition to more meaty desktop PC or laptop.

Take your Tablets

Last but not least, the most recent entry into portable computing – the Tablet PC – and you must have been living in a cave to not have heard of these gems because they’re coming out left right and centre at the moment. But many of us are still scratching our heads as to what tablets actually offer that laptops and netbooks don’t.

In truth, not much except maybe the orgy of downloadable apps available catering for everything under the sun. Plus the tablet doesn’t need five minutes to boot into the action. They’re quick, convenient and well…cool.

You won’t be writing wordy documents on a tablet like you could on a netbook however. For a start there’s no keyboard – we’re talking full touchscreen technology here but that’s the norm these days if your new smartphone is anything to go by.

As always though, it comes down to what you’re looking for. Tablets are small enough to fit in a hand bag (from the 7 inches of the market leading iPad 2 to larger incarnations such as the Asus Transformer at over 10 inches) and are therefore the pinnacle of portability.

They also provide an enhanced web browsing experience thanks to high resolution screens, the latter of which also lends itself to gaming, reading e-books and watching movies. A strong battery life also contributes to the growing appeal.

But are they all play and no work? Well they’re compatible with Microsoft software such as Word and Excel and good for multi-tasking, fuelled by decent processors along the same lines of netbooks but maybe not as speedy as laptops.

Okay so maybe we haven’t been able to answer the question of which is best, but it really does depend on what you want to get from it and your personal lifestyle. Gaming and sheer convenience tends to lean toward the tablet, but a powerful portable computer for studying and keeping in touch is where the laptop comes into its own. Netbooks are small and easy to lug around and do the basics of both at a more affordable price.

Whatever you decide, don’t forget to check out our range of tablets and laptops here, all available free with pay monthly phone contracts. Or click here to browse our best student deals to keep you connected.

It’s been a pretty hectic week as far as tech news goes, following the shock announcement of Steve Jobs standing down as CEO of the most valuable fruit in the world and the controversial injunction that will block Samsung shipping it’s products in Europe, we bring you not one but three leaks out of the HTC camp.

First up, we have the rumoured HTC Bliss which follows hot on the heels of the recently released HTC Sensation and HTC Evo 3D.  Despite being nothing more than a few blurry images previously, XDA China have managed to get some hands on time with the HTC Bliss and have reported it to be running a new incarnation of HTC Sense; Sense 3.5 on top of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Bliss is also reported having a front facing camera, 800MHz Qualcomm processor and an Adreno 205 GPU handling the graphics. Dimensions are said to be similar to the current Desire S which means that in all likelihood, this device will form part of HTC mid-range, more affordable offering sitting below the flagship handsets like the Sensation and Evo 3D. Great news for all those out there that like Smartphone tech at affordable prices! (Source: XDA.cn)

Next up, is the leaked screen shots of what is rumoured to be HTC Sense 3.5 (pictured below). Whilst there’s been no confirmation either way from HTC, we’d hedge our bets and say that it looks pretty real to us. Eagle eyed readers will notice that the update appears to be very minor from the screen shots so far, donning two on-screen buttons (App draw and phone) where typically HTC’s curved, black/silver dock would have sat. Aside from this, the screen shots reveal  a larger weather widget which, for all those out there that enjoy the weather animations, will also probably be a welcome addition. These screen shots are said to have been captured on the aforementioned HTC Bliss which given it’s spec,  seems to support the rumour that HTC will be removing the imposed minimum hardware requirements that infuriated so many HTC owners when Sense 3.0 was announced. That means that for anybody clinging on to a HTC Desire or Wildfire S, chances are you’ll be able to update to this at some point in the not-so distant future! (Source: XDA.cn)

The final HTC update takes us away from the little green Android and over to Windows Phone. Meet the HTC Omega. It’s rumoured to be the next HTC handset joining the Microsoft ranks. You’ll notice if you look carefully, that the Omega looks very, very similar to the Bliss pictured above. In fact, aside from the paint job, the only real difference we can spot is the 3 touch sensitive Windows Phone buttons under the screen where the Bliss dons the usual 4 Android buttons. Given the similarities in looks, we expect the Omega to also share a similar spec list although that isn’t confirmed. The HTC Omega is said to be the first handset launching on the Mango Windows Phone update and the inclusion of the front facing camera supports Microsoft’s confirmation that Mango will bring with compatibility with front facing cameras. Windows Phone users, welcome to the wonders of Skype video calling. (Source: PocketNow)

Hit up the comments section and let us know what you think of the latest HTC devices, do you like them? Would you buy one? And keep an eye on the blog for more details as we get them.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has stepped down and the board has replaced him with Tim cook. The company said “Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company.”

It is a sad story that Apple’s innovator has finally stepped down but we have suspected that this was coming for a while although the timing is quite a surprise. Most expected and hoped he would release the long anticipated iphone 5 before doing so. Steve’s health has been an area of concern since 2004 when he was diagnosed with cancer, Jobs thankfully recovered from this after surgery however was then the recipient of a liver transplant in 2009. In a statement this week Job’s announced “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.” The exact reason for his step down as CEO is unknown however he will continue his role on the board of directors and remains an employee of Apple.

Apple has some big products coming up such as the long awaited iPhone 5 which no retailer has received a release date for yet, the iPad 3 and not to forget the mass of desktop and laptop computers. It seems while Apple shares decreased, shares in two of Apple’s main competitors gained. HTC rose 4.1% and Samsung Electronics gained 3.2%. These manufacturers compete with Apple in the smartphone and tablet sector of the market. However the overall effect on the share price of apple isn’t expected to last. “At the end of the day, consumers don’t buy products from Apple because they’re from Steve Jobs, they buy them because they meet their needs and they’re good products, and they’ll continue to do that,” Michael Gartenberg from Gartner told the BBC. As long as Tim Cook, a long time serving employee of apple, is able to continue the “Apple Vision” we don’t imagine any dramatic changes in how Apple’s success.

As we continue our headlong plunge into the digital age, media portability is becoming an accepted (and somewhat taken for granted!) part of everyday life. Be it music, videos, or even an entire shelf of books (yes, we mean you Kindle); your average person will be carrying around quite the library of media – all of which is compressed into something no larger than the palm of your hand. It’s not only the varieties of media that have increased; it’s also the mediums through which one can obtain said media. Today we’ll be looking at music, and the various ways you can get your hands on it…

Napster is a pay monthly service wherein you are given unlimited access to a library of something in the region of 15 million tracks. Spoilt for choice, perhaps? It can be accessed via computer, mobile, or even a net-connected TV. Playlists can be made, and any amendments to these will automatically synchronise with all devices used. MP3s are also purchasable on an individual, pay by download basis.

Pretty much the same as the above. Also claims to have a library of 15 million tracks. A paid premium service is required in order to stream music to a mobile phone, though.

Last.fm is (surprise) similar to the aforementioned two services, only with a more social slant to it. You can create a profile which lists your favoured bands, recommend them to friends, and write a little bit about yourself. It’s also a fantastic way to discover new artists that are similar or related to your existing taste in groups/singers.

Heard of any new music services? Let us know in the comments below.

Last week Google announced they were going to buy Motorola mobility for a reported $12.5b putting it head to head with the other  software/hardware giant, Apple.

With over 80 years of history of innovation in communication technology products and development of intellectual property, Motorola is a prized asset for any intercom business. The company’s achievements include the introduction of the world’s first mobile phone over 30 years ago and the world’s first “wearable” mobile in 1996.

The acquisition may seem an unusual play by Google but it is a natural fit when looked at in several factors. Of course the competition from main rival Apple is the main reason since Google can now be assured of hardware delivery to match its phone and tablet ambitions.

In 2008 Motorola mobile phones bet on Android operating system for all its Smartphones so the synergy is already there and the move will give Google advantage of being able to control hardware innovation to match its software.

It is also by no coincidence that the acquisition is coming in the middle of a number of patent infringement law suits by Apple and Microsoft against Android based devices manufacturers.

If the deal goes through, it gives Google an Aladdin’s cave of patents which Motorola has been working on including approximately 14,600 granted patents and 6,700 pending patent applications. So Google may go from being pursued for infringements to a patent powerhouse with leading innovation.

The move will also help Google TV in its attempt to get into the paid television world by getting set top boxes. This has to be an important move with the transition of the humble television to Internet Protocol (IP) TV. As Google CEO, Larry Page, pointed out Motorola has been a “market leader in the home devices and video solutions business.”

But the most likely advantage is shoring up the Android Market which has seen magnificent growth despite not having a guaranteed hardware supplier. But  Google CEO, Larry Page, was quick to point out that the acquisition will not change the decision to run Android as an open platform so it likely improve the Android eco system.

So, all in all, the takeover is likely to be to the benefit of all Google stakeholders including users and developers. It will also likely improve the market by increasing competition for similar Apple products. It will be interesting to see if Microsoft takes a similar view and pursues a hardware manufacturer like Nokia.

The LG Optimus Sol was officially announced yesterday. It boasts an ‘Ultra AMOLED’ display on a 3.8” screen which claims to improve the image quality outdoors. The 9.8” mm thick Smartphone runs on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It has 512MB of RAM and 2GB ROM of which 150MB is available for usage. The Quad-band handset runs  Bluetooth 3.0 and features Wi-Fi connectivity as to be expected.

LG are marketing the Sol as the cheapest handset rocking a 1GHz processor in the market.  The other unique feature of this handset are its visibility in the beaming sunshine! (Not that England see’s that much.) It’s been rumoured to offer unrivalled performance in direct sunlight due to its ‘Ultra AMOLED’ screen. It also has a ‘Dark UI’ option enabling the user to reduce the amount of white light emitted. The result of enabling this option can increase the battery life by a whopping 30%! That can mean an extra few hours of usage or an extra hour of gaming if preferred.

The LG Optimus Sol looks to be a winner for style and effective features. It will be released in black, white and titan which is likely to be a graphite-esque shade.  Watch out for this sleek handset, it’s due to enter the market in mid-September.

With two fully fledged 3D smartphones now on virtual shelves, the time has come for a 3D shoot out.

Both LG and HTC have entered the 3D arena and are vying for your attention (not to mention hard earned cash) so which should you plum for? Let the Mobiles Blog help with that difficult decision in our 3D face off…

Design, Size and Weight

One thing is clear with both of these smartphone powerhouses; adding that 3rd dimension certainly bulks up the size and weight. Both these 3D Android’s tip the scale at over 160g, 168g for the Optimus 3D vs. 170g for the Evo 3D (for reference, Apple’s iPhone for is a relative super model at 137g), and it’s a close call in the dimensions stakes as well with the Optimus 3D marginally thinner (11.9mm vs. 12.1mm for the Evo) but the Evo slightly shorter making this a very tough round to call. The physical design of both devices is very similar also with both opting for touch sensitive capacitive buttons and a solid, sturdy construction. The Evo 3D edges this round thanks to its stylish textured battery case, metallic camera shutter and 3D/2D slider, the touch of colour surrounding the dual lenses and a slightly shorter profile making it ever so slightly more pocket able. Winner: Evo 3D (just)

Software

No contest. The Evo 3D runs the latest version of Android, v2.3 (or Gingerbread), whilst the Optimus 3D is still on v2.2 (Froyo, if you’re interested). Whilst certainly not a deal breaker, Gingerbread does offer several tweaks that improve the user experience including support for NFC, Video calling (both these phones have a front-facing camera) and improved copy and past functionality. The Optimus 3D will eventually get the Gingerbread update (LG say it should land very soon) but right now the experience on the Evo just edges the Optimus. Winner: Evo 3D

Performance

Both these phones include a dual-core processor although the Evo 3D clocks in a 1.2GHz (vs. The Optimus’ 1GHz) and offers more RAM (1GB vs. 512MB). To be perfectly honest, in day to day use you won’t notice the difference from the extra 0.2GHz of processing power – we certainly didn’t – so it’s very hard to call this one. What we did find however is that the one element we could separate these two on was battery life. From our real world testing (answering a few calls, browsing the we web, using the 3D cameras and playing a few rounds of Angry Birds), we did find that the Optimus 3D kept on trucking some time after the Evo had given up and gone off in search of a charger. Whether it’s HTC’s Sense UI overlay draining the battery, some clever software LG has installed or just some sort of witch craft, we found we had much more confidence in the Optimus 3D lasting a full day. Either way, both of these will need daily charging so again there’s not much between the two. Winner: Optimus 3D

This week 9 to 5 Mac and TiPB both raised claims that they had received more details on the iPhone 5 release date.

The claim now slates the iPhone 5 release date as the 7th of October with an announcement and pre-order date of September the 30th.  Although the sources for this update are kept as a close secret by both websites, they seem to have a high level of confidence in this latest rumour.  This may be a shock to some as many rumours were pointing to a September launch with assumptions that Apples early September event from 2010 would be replicated in 2011. However Apple very rarely bend their will to satisfy the media, and generally look to make sure their products are 100% ready and have everything in place for a seamless launch.

The rumours  still point to two devices being announced with an iPh0ne 4 upgrade and a lower cost model (iphone Nano maybe?) appearing in the market at the same time. The iPhone 5 will most likely have the dual core A5 processor from the iPad 2 an 8 mega pixel camera and we imagine will be their hero device for showcasing iOS 5.  It’s important to note that on a podcast from TiPD the broadcasters make it clear that the launch date is infact constantly being revised and is dependent oh how quickly Apple are able to Manufacture the new devices and produce enough units for a world wide launch. It’s highly possible that the date could be moved forward or delayed due to how smoothly this process runs.

If we get any more details we’ll let you know right here.

So you’re heading off to University and you have a whole host of things that you need to get ready, the list is endless. For some this is the first time away from the creature comforts of home life, leaving behind friends, family, pets and other familiarities that you associate with your family home. How is this all relevant to a mobile phone blog, we hear you ask? Well it’s simple; our aim this summer is to help each and every one of our customers stay connected with their loved ones.

We have some fabulous deals which will help set you up with all the necessary pieces of kit required to keep you entertained, help you learn and most importantly stay connected. Don’t let price be a barrier either, with these cheap mobile deals you can pick up free laptop deals from ?25 per month, a free tablet from ?20 per month and games consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 from only ?10! It doesn’t end there, during our stay connected promotion we will be throwing in a free 3 month subscription to Napster on all Android and Apple iPhone purchases. Yes that’s right, Napster for free! If you’re impressed with your free Napster trial then you can sign up for unlimited music streaming on your mobile phone for an incredible ?10 per month.

These deals are not limited to university students; we’ve got phones for kids too. It’s important to keep in touch with your children when they first begin travelling to school on their own. A simple pay as you go phone (PAYG) will enable you to stay connected and these start from just ?7.90. We have a wide range to choose from, including fashion phones, phone for messaging, phones for apps or gaming and phones for security.

So take a look through our amazing value mobile phone deals, find something suitable for you and be sure to stay connected this summer.