PhoneLon

If you fancy owning the latest technology without the burden of a premium price tag, then a refurbished phone could be the perfect solution. Despite the great savings, many people are unaware you can buy refurbished phones. What are they and what are the benefits of owning one?

What is a refurbished phone?

A refurbished phone has been returned to mobiles.co.uk by customers who change their mind within 7 days of purchase. This means all handsets have hardly been used and are barely out the box.

What are the benefits of a refurbished phone?

By purchasing a refurbished phone, you can own a handset for less than if you bought it brand new. If you’re on a strict budget, refurbished phones will give you more features, faster technology and more fun for your money. Alternatively, if you know exactly what phone you’re after, why pay more? The savings on buying a refurbished phone could be handy towards a holiday or that guitar you’ve always wanted.

How does a refurbished phone differ to new handsets?

The handset may have minor cosmetic flaws to the exterior design. All refurbished phones are fully inspected, tested and repackaged by qualified engineers so you can be sure that you will receive a fully functional phone. Due to testing, refurbished phones will arrive to you in a different box to the original. Though you will always receive the handset, battery, charger and manual, we cannot guarantee additional accessories will be included i.e. headphones.

Am I covered for faults?

A refurbished phone still comes with the 12 month manufacturer’s warranty starting from YOUR day of purchase, so you can have peace of mind your phone has identical cover to a brand new phone.

How much can I save?

A refurbished phone can often be purchased for 30% less than the price of a brand new handset.

It’s not only refurbished phones that we offer. Many of our free gifts are also available as refurbished. This allows you to receive a higher value gift on a lower monthly tariff.

See our current offers on refurbished phones

For up to date offers and the latest news, visit our Facebook page

If you were lucky enough to receive a brand new iPhone 4S or iPad  2 in your stocking this Christmas, the latest present from the App Store is sure to whet your appetite. Created by Apple, the 12 days of Christmas App, offers exactly what it states; a free gift each day for the 12 days of Christmas.

In Apple’s words “Each download will only be available for 24 hours. Get our special 12 Days of Christmas app to make it even easier to access your gifts while you’re on the go.”

This is Apple’s fourth year to offer free content throughout the festive season and has kick started with some great freebies. On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me … an iTunes Live Coldplay E.P (A package containing three videos and music files for free!)

The gift for December 27^th, a free episode of Top Gear, was perfect for petrol heads and those after some light hearted motor entertainment. Today (December 28th) the 12 days of Christmas app offers a free download of Lady Gaga’s smash single “Marry the Night”. Rolling from December 26^th until the 6^th January, the 12 days of Christmas App is a great way to introduce your new device to the App Store with popular content into the New Year.

To see what’s available today, visit the 12 days of Christmas App page.

For all the latest Mobiles.co.uk offers visit our Facebook page.

Now available at mobiles.co.uk, the Apple iPad 2 offers some nice improvements to its 2010 predecessor. If you’re looking to get kitted out with a tablet for the New Year but are confused with the terms Facetime or iCloud, we explain their meaning and how they can enhance your tablet experience.

 

Apple iCloud

If you’re the type who has digital media scattered across a range of devices, then iCloud will help collate it all together. You’ll never be without your favourite music track with instant access to your media across a range of portable devices. It’s also a great timesaver as a file uploaded straight to iCloud will automatically appear on each of your synchronised devices. You can even edit documents across devices or open an iBook on the exact page you left on your iPhone. Beyond accessibility, iCloud is a back-up system for your valued files should your iPad get lost or stolen. By logging into iCloud, you can view a map to locate the whereabouts of your device and even lock or wipe the handset should it enter the wrong hands.

 

Facetime

With a front and rear camera built into the Apple iPad 2, Apple have found the best way to say hello to your loved ones. Facetime is great for video calling and won’t cost you data charges when connected to a Wi-Fi connection. With both cameras operable during Facetime, it’s effortless to flick between front and rear camera. This feature is great for showcasing your surroundings in high definition, yet allowing you to see their reaction as it happens. Not restricted to the iPad 2, Facetime is available on the Apple iMac, iPhone 4 or the latest iPod touch. Once you create an Apple ID you’re only a tap away from sharing a smile with those who matter most.

With prices starting at £399, the Apple iPad 2 is now available at mobiles.co.uk. Click here to see a full range of models and latest Apple iPad 2 deals.

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To celebrate 10 years since its release, Rockstar Games have made Grand Theft Auto 3 available on iOS and Android platforms. Back in its day, GTA 3 was the first game in the series to allow a full 3D experience as gamers could kill, steal and hijack from the inhabitants and underworld of Liberty City.

One of the most exciting features of the GTA franchise is its ability to allow full flexibility in the way you complete the game thanks to its non-linear gameplay. Take on heists and assassinations instructed by the mafia at a time that suits you; preferably in between the thrills of taking on the fuzz, SWAT teams and the army purely for the adrenaline rush of survival.

As one of the most influential games of all time, this is no standard rerelease. Now with HD quality resolution and visually stunning updated graphics, GTA 3 comes with even comes with better graphics than the original release a decade ago.

At just £2.99 in the App Store and Android Market, GTA 3 looks a dead cert to shoot its way to the top of the charts and steal the Christmas number one spot.

Panasonic are back! The Japanese brand has officially announced their plan to release a Panasonic smartphone across the UK and Europe. Though limited details have been announced, we’re excited that the information unveiled so far suggests a high powered smartphone capable of challenging the Samsung Galaxy S2 and iPhone 4S.

Due for release in March 2012, the Panasonic smartphone will boast a stunning 4.3 inch OLED qHD display. Rumoured to have three navigation buttons along the bottom, it offers a similar interface to the Galaxy Nexus. Being a new release on Android, if Panasonic really want to establish themselves as smartphone innovators, expect the handset to be pre-loaded with the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich. Panasonic’s allegiance to Android will surely boost the dominance of the Android Market further, which recently reported the preferred OS for 52% of smartphone users.

One factor which could potentially leave rival smartphone brands trailing is the camera specification. Panasonic are renowned for their premium Lumix camera range and have previously integrated this technology into a Japanese only Panasonic smartphone release (The Lumix Phone 101 P). The camera for this phone offered 13.2 megapixels, optical zoom and a real camera flash. Though it’s unlikely the new European Panasonic smartphone will be so camera orientated, let’s hope they use some of the technology to produce a great handset.

Stating the upcoming release as “dustproof and waterproof”, Panasonic have understood the need to offer durability and robustness in a high value handset. In addition to these features, images of a prototype model clearly have NFC engraved on the back which is a popular technology in Japan for sharing data and paying for goods with your smartphone.

A UK release of a Panasonic smartphone sounds exciting and should add a new dimension to an already competitive market. The official unveiling of the latest Panasonic smartphone is scheduled for the World Mobile Congress in February.

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Korean electronics manufacturers Samsung have reported end of year mobile phone sales of over 300 million. Comfortably beating last year’s record, Samsung have breezed past their 2010 best of 280 million units.

Part of Samsung’s success can be attributed to the Galaxy S smartphone series. Q3 of the financial year reported Samsung’s first time as the largest selling smartphone manufacturer worldwide, toppling Nokia from their throne. Both the Galaxy S and Galaxy S2, running the widely popular Android OS, are reported to have contributed significantly to the record breaking year.

In addition to the latest technology, Samsung also offer a wide range of budget handsets which all contribute to the record breaking year.

With a Samsung Galaxy S3 release anticipated as early as February 2012, Samsung look to set to steal a head start from the iPhone 5 in the battle of the next generation smartphones.

For our range of Samsung mobiles visit here.

Google have announced this week that the Android Market has reached its ten billionth app download. The popularity of the Android Market appears to be expanding at a phenomenal rate as 70% of total downloads have been obtained in the last 9 months. With no signs of slowing down, it’s expected the Android Market will soon see a regular 1 billion downloads per month; a figure which took 22 months to achieve the first billion.

The success of the Android Market is largely down to the huge availability of manufacturers offering the OS on their smartphones. With 52.5% of smartphone users operating on Android, the Market is accessible to more smartphone users than any other store.

Android still have some way to go before overtaking Apple as the leading app provider. The App Store announced their 15 billionth download in July earlier this year. With no recent announcement of Apples 20 billionth download, it can be implied the Android Market is fast catching App Store and could overtake for the top spot as early as next year.

To celebrate the success of the Android Market, Google have announced they will showcase 10 different apps per day for a bargain 10 pence price tag. With classic apps such as Minecraft and Fruit Ninja already released as part of the celebrations, next week seems the perfect opportunity to get the hottest apps onto your Android smartphone or tablet device.

To find out which apps are currently 10 pence, visit the Android Market. Alternatively find out more about Android smartphones here.

Just in time for the holidays, Apple’s fifth Manhattan store opens for business at New York’s world-famous Grand Central Terminal at 10 a.m. on Friday, December 9. The store overlooks the historic Main Concourse and features two Genius Bars, entire rooms dedicated to Personal Setup and Personal Training, and an expert team of 315 employees. Holiday shoppers can test-drive Apple products, attend 15-minute Express workshops, get free technical support, and more.

In an interview at National Geographic’s Adventure blog, director Tim Kemple of Camp 4 Collective — an outdoor video and film production company — describes using iPhone 4S to shoot a hi-def music video at the Great Salt Lake as an experiment in remote location capture. Kemple reports getting excellent video from iPhone 4S, noting that “because it’s always with you means you end up using it when you’d least expect.” The interview includes tips for stabilizing shots, optimizing for iOS 5 features, using helpful apps in extreme environments, and shooting in low light.

With Christmas just around the corner, we demonstrate how you can use your phone in a fun way to maximise your Christmas experience. Providing a dashing of festive fun, here’s five free Android apps to get you into the Christmas spirit:

Christmas Radio
If you wish it could be Christmas everyday then the Christmas Radio is the perfect start to our Android apps list. The free app from BluMedialab.com will always find the music to cater your Chrimbo cravings. With over 40 xmas radio stations to choose from including traditional, rock, religious and jazz, there’s a sound to get your sleigh bells ringing. There’s even a radio station broadcasting from the North Pole!

Christmas Carols
This is ideal for those who love carol singing but can’t remember the words. With a pick and mix selection of popular Christmas carols you’ll have no problem participating in the festivities. Forgotten the melody? This free app can even play you the carol, so you’ll know your Away in a Manger from your Ding Dong Merrily On High!

Christmas Trivia
Think you know the traditions of Christmas? The Christmas Trivia App offers a fun way to test your knowledge on the world’s most celebrated holiday to the max. Topics covered include food, music, decorations and history. Why not set up your own profile and challenge a friend? For being educational and informative, Christmas Trivia is accepted into our Android apps list.

Christmas Recipes
One of the highlights of Christmas is sharing quality time with loved ones over a delicious dinner. If you need help on the essential turkey or wish to expand your pallet with a festive desert, this Android app provides the time-tested recipes that’ll please any critic.

Christmas Advent Calendar 2011
Of course before you can truly enjoy Christmas, you must endure the 25 day countdown. Lighten up the anticipation with free Android apps every day before Christmas. The Christmas Advent Calendar 2011 from MagicSolver is a great way to receive a present a day.

With a range of free apps providing music, quizzes and recipes, we hope our list of top Android apps will help deliver a truly special occasion. If you’re still looking for Christmas gift ideas, we have a range of free gifts, including Android tablets,  available here. If you wish to know more about Android phones check out our friendly guide.

 

Merry Christmas!