Posted on 2012 under Mobile News | Comments are off
The HTC Desire C is the latest addition to the HTC phones of 2012, joining the highly rated , HTC One S and HTC One V. The HTC Desire S is looking to take over the baton from the well loved HTC Wildfire S, which was a compact offering full of high-end smartphone features at an affordable price.
As you would expect from HTC, they have created a highly stylish, well built phone with a very durable metal frame. It also remains compact in the hand, measuring just 107.2 x 60.6 x 11.95mm. With Ice Cream Sandwich preloaded you’ll gain access to all of the latest features from Android including face unlock, resizable widgets, improved multitasking and faster browsing. The 3.5″ inch capacitive touchscreen punches well above its weight with excellent viewing angles, vivid display and pin sharp quality. All of this makes for a pleasant viewing experience whether you use it for browsing the internet, updating your Facebook profile or watching movies.
A 5 megapixel camera allows for great quality pictures on the go, and the Shoot and Share feature means you are only a few taps away from sharing that moment with your friends and family. , the Desire C includes Beats Audio profiles to help you enjoy your music collection as the artist intended. A generous 4GB helping of storage means there is plenty of space for all your apps and music. For the movie buffs among you, the memory can be expanded to 32GB by the microSD slot or via the free 25GB Dropbox account.
Overall, HTC have managed to fuse the perfect balance between power and affordability. With its high end features and affordable prices, the new HTC Desire C is sure to spread like “wildfire”. Expect it to be available on mobiles.co.uk within early June, in the meantime check out our full range of .
Official Spec of the HTC Desire C
3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen
Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS
HTC Sense 4.0
Beat audio sound enhancement
600GHz Qualcomm processor
5 megapixel camera
NFC technology
Bluetooth
4 GB internal memory
25 GB Dropbox account
What do you think of the HTC Desire C? Let us know your thoughts on our .
This week saw the unveiling of Samsung’s flagship new handset, the Samsung Galaxy S3. Following last month’s announcement that Samsung have overtaken Nokia as the world’s largest mobile manufacturers – they shipped 93 million phones in the first quarter of 2012 – the S3 looks set to cement their position as market leader. It also lands a considerable blow to their nearest smartphone rival, the .
Apple’s next release is thought to be the iPhone 5, but this isn’t expected until the end of summer at the earliest. This means the iPhone 4S will have to hold its own against the mighty for the best part of 2012. But has the current iPhone got what it takes to compete with Samsung’s new smartphone behemoth?
Under The Hood
A quick look at internal specs show just how powerful both handsets are. Running on a 800 MHz dual-core Apple A5 processor, and with 512 MB of memory, the iPhone 4S has impressed us with its smooth user experience, fast processing speeds, and ease of multitasking. It would appear, however, that the dual core processor may soon be out-dated, as quad-core processors begin to infiltrate the smartphone market. The Samsung Galaxy S3 is at the forefront of the quad-core revolution, packing in a 1.4 GHz quad-core processor to make it one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. The Galaxy S3’s 1GB of memory also trumps the iPhone 4S’s 512 MB, making it both powerful and lightning fast. Weighing in at just 133g, all this power is concealed in a package that is 7g lighter than the iPhone, meaning you can carry around one of the most powerful smartphones in the world, without even noticing it’s in your pocket.
Does Size Matter?
The success of Samsung’s recent smartphone/tablet hybrid, the Samsung Galaxy Note proved one thing – smartphone users like a big screen. From games to browsing to watching videos, people like to see their multimedia on large shiny HD display. Samsung have taken note (no pun intended), and beefed the Galaxy’s screen from the 4.3 inches of the S2 up to an impressive 4.8inches for the S3. The screen itself has been pushed closer to the edge of the handset, resulting in a much larger display without drastically increasing the size of the phone, and dwarfing the 3.5 inch display of the iPhone 4S.
As well as the size of the screen, a pin sharp HD resolution also adds to the desirability of any smartphone, and both handsets hold their own in this particular arena. The awesome Retina display of the iPhone 4S packs in a 326ppi pixel density, which offers a screen as clear as crystal. Not too far behind is the Samsung Galaxy S3, with a 306ppi pixel density on its new Amoled screen (for any acronym fans, that stands for Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode), which also offers a striking HD display. With the both handsets offering such stunning visuals, the sheer size of the Galaxy S3’s screen really does make the most of its high resolution display, and we’ll be surprised if the new iPhone doesn’t appear with an extra inch or so in the screen department.
You Talkin’ To Me?
No cutting-edge smartphone is complete without its own array of unique features and innovations. The main talking point of the iPhone 4S was the inclusion of Siri, which utilises voice recognition software to carry out a range of functions, as well as using the phone’s internet access to answer questions spoken by the user. Committed to keeping up with the neighbours, The Samsung Galaxy S3 comes with a new voice activation interface dubbed as S Voice. While this may not be as advanced as Siri, it does allow spoken instructions to activate many of the phone’s functions, such as playing music, sending texts or emails, and taking photographs.
But the Samsung Galaxy S3 doesn’t just know when you’re talking to it, it also knows when you’re looking at it. The 1.9 megapixel front camera also comes with eye-recognition software, which means that the phone won’t lock or go dark so long as it can see you’re looking at it. Whether this will turn out to be a useful innovation or a battery draining annoyance remains to be seen, but it proves that Samsung are committed to staying on the cutting edge of smartphone advances. Read on how the .
Head to head
With the Galaxy S3, Samsung have proved once again why they’re dominating the smartphone market, and have delivered a product that will be valuable in retaining their crown. The Galaxy S2 was one of the bestselling handsets of the past year, and we’ll eat our quad-core processor if the S3 doesn’t follow the same trend. With a range of impressive specs and new innovations, the new iPhone release later this year has a lot to live up to if Apple are to match the high benchmark set by Samsung with the Galaxy S3.
Who do you think wins in the Apple versus Samsung battle? Let us know on our
Posted on 2012 under Mobile News | Comments are off
Since the recession, have become popular with savvy customers who are more price conscious and less bothered about the mobile phone they own, with the main benefit obviously no lengthy contract. A lot of customers prefer to go with SIM only deals rather than signing up for regular 12/18/24 month contract phone deals with their network provider. Why? Let’s find out right away!
Flexibility: One of the biggest advantages of signing up for a SIM only deal is that it offers complete flexibility for consumers. If a customer takes a 12 or 18 month contract, they have to continue with that contract for a minimum term. If they cancel or change before that, they would have to pay an unavoidable early termination charge. With a SIM only deal, you can opt for a 1 month rolling contract or a 12 month contract, meaning if you are not satisfied with your tariff or feel a lack of value for money, you can change the tariff with ease.
Value for Money: Most of the SIM only deals offer great value for money. These deals mostly include a lot of internet and text allowance. As texting and browsing is the new smart phone trend, taking SIM only deals instead of regular contracts only make more sense because you can opt for unlimited internet or texting tariffs and get these at an affordable monthly cost.
Use your current phone: SIM only deals are a great advantage to people who have existing mobile phones and just require a SIM to pop into their phone. As SIM only lacks the inclusion of a smartphone like , the cost is drastically reduced. All you have to do is put the new SIM in your existing mobile phone and you’re good to go. If you’re prepared to pay for you handset upfront, you could even purchase the latest phone SIM free and insert your desired SIM-free tariff, for a winning combination.
Let’s take a look at the two most selling SIM only plans in the market.
O2 Simplicity SIM only deal
The O2 Simplicity SIM only deal is one of the fastest selling SIM only deals available in the market. O2 has been offering a wide range of Simplicity SIM only packages. Here are the highlights of these packages:-
While the minutes and internet allowance of each of these deals vary, all the packages offer unlimited texts for customers to use texting to the full extent.
You can choose between 300, 600, 900, and 1200 minutes to call your friends and loved ones.
The O2 Simplicity 300 offers 100 MB of data allowance while most of the other packages offer 500 MB of data allowance.
The O2 Simplicity 900, 1200, and Simplicity unlimited do not come with internet allowance.
The SIM Only One Plan
The SIM Only One Plan from 3 mobile is a total game changer. This deal offers customers more than they can imagine. Here’s a look at what it offers.
Enjoy 2000 cross network minutes and 5000 3 to 3 network minutes every month to call whoever you want to in the UK.
5000 text messages every month help you constantly keep in touch with your loved ones, even if it is just to say “Hi”
3 mobile has included 1 GB of internet allowance in the One Plan to give users unmatched value for their money.
The plan also allows you to get a free PAYG SIM for a friend if required.
All this for just £25 on a one month rolling contract.
Posted on 2012 under Mobile News | Comments are off
Within the midst of the , Apple announced the toppling of an exciting benchmark as the App Store achieved its 25 billionth download. The Apple App Store, an online market for iOS devices such as the , is the first mobile app store to sail past this momentous value.
So who downloaded the 25 billionth app from the Apple app store? Chunli Fu from eastern China, who downloaded the free Disney app “Where’s my Water”, was the man who turned the landmark into a reality. Apple seemed pretty thankful too as he was awarded a $10,000 iTunes gift card for his efforts. The paid app with the most downloads is Angry Birds; an app so successful, the franchise perches pleasantly on the US stock exchange.
With over 585,000 apps to download within the Apple App Store, there’s something to please everyone. With the highly anticipated release of the Apple iPhone 5 this summer, expect to see advanced technology offering !
iOS has never looked so healthy. With 15.4 million purchased last quarter alone, this value outsells the total units shipped by leading PC manufacturers such as HP, Dell and Acer. Apple CEO Tim Cook, describes the iPad as “the poster child of a post-PC world”.
Outnumbering the world’s population by over 3:1, the 25 billion Apple App Store download barrier is far from a final destination as the company continues to pick up speed. It was previously believed that the Android Market was hot on the heels of the Apple App Store as . Apple’s latest statistic however means 10 billion iOS App Store downloads since July 2011; a rate of 1.25 billion downloads per month! Expect the 50 billion barrier to be shattered before the end of 2013.
With prices slashed to just £329, the world’s best selling tablet has just become more affordable to a wider audience, thus helping Apple push their App Store downloads even further.
What’s your favourite app from the Apple App Store? Let us know on our .
As anticipation builds towards one of the hottest handset releases for 2012, leaked info on the Samsung Galaxy S3 has spread like wildfire across the internet. With the iconic success of the Galaxy S2, Samsung have built up a loyal legion of fans and support for their future flagship device. Can the Samsung Galaxy S3 take on the ? Going off the latest leaks for the Samsung Galaxy S3, it appears Samsung may have victory in the bag!
The Samsung Galaxy S3 will sport a 1.5GHz quad core processor which is; HTC’s flagship phone announced at the Mobile World Congress last week. Samsung’s latest device however will operate using a Samsung branded Exynos processing chip. Could a same branded chip and smartphone offer improved performance over the HTC phone integrated with a NVIDIA Tegra 3 chip?
The Samsung Galaxy S3 leak source also claims the handset will offer a glorious 4.8 inch touch screen; 0.1 inch larger than the , and half an inch larger than the predecessor . With such a large range of smartphones within their Galaxy series, Samsung don’t need to worry about this handset being too large for its market as there’s a smartphone for every need. The Samsung Galaxy S3 appears targeted towards those who love high end multimedia and gaming on their mobile phone.
As with the HTC One X, the Galaxy S3 leak states Android Ice Cream Sandwich for Samsung’s most eagerly awaited for device.
Samsung Galaxy S3 release date?
Rather than promoting the at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Samsung have already confirmed that they will hold their own announcement party event “closer to the commercial availability of the product.” With April being the bookies favourite for a Samsung Galaxy S3 UK release, the smartphone giants are trying their best to keep it entirely under wraps. Samsung have since confirmed that their prestigious S3 release will be tweeted from @samsungtomorrow when it is ready to be announced.
Don’t forget to sign up to our group to keep in the know of all the latest handset news for 2012.
One day after , Mobiles.co.uk now have pre-order available on pay monthly contracts with Vodafone and T-Mobile. This is the first mobile phone retailer to move to pre-order of the HTC One X and is likely to set the trend on the pricing.
Just a little catch up on the specs of the HTC One X – it packs a powerful 1.5GHz quad-core processor; which is enough to munch through Android Ice Cream Sandwich and still be hungry for more. The HTC One X also comes pre-installed with Sense 4.0; HTC’s unique user interface which helps you multitask to the max.
Available in White or Grey, the design is flawless with a 4.7 inch touch screen which curves at the edges to give a really beautiful flowing feeling. With Beats Audio, your favourite songs and media are rendered clearer and more defined. With HTC ImageSense, the 8 megapixel camera will interact withyour surroundings to offer more than just point and shoot. The HTC One X is an incredible piece of kit.
Pre-order the HTC One X today!
You can on £31 per month contracts on Vodafone and T-Mobile. With the SIM free price rumoured to be around the £600 price mark, the pay monthly tariffs offer a great deal on the most powerful smartphone we’ve ever seen. The HTC One X will be released in the UK early April, so pre-order yours today to get your hands this amazing piece of technology.
What do you think of the HTC One X? Let us know your thoughts on our
Posted on 2012 under Mobile News | Comments are off
For a phone that has had three codenames (Supreme, Edge and more recently the Endeavour), and more leaks than a sieve – the HTC One X doesn’t disappoint those that have been taking an interest.
It makes sense to start at the beginning of the HTC One X experience, with its image. Available in black or white, the white variant is possibly the best looking phone I have ever seen. The stunning 4.7 inch display compliments the single piece of polycarbonate body making the HTC One X extra strong, lightweight and very durable. As with , you can’t remove the battery or slot in an external memory card but who cares? The HTC One X is beautiful! Even if you are worried about not having enough space for your favourite tunes or snap shots, don’t worry, the HTC One X comes with 32GB internal memory and access to The screen is sleek and very smart looking. Its curved design gives the HTC One X a gorgeous flowing look. Safe to say if I was a phone, I’d be dialling that number!
It will, as . It doesn’t stop there though. Not only does the HTC One X have a quad core processor, but it is a massive 1.5GHz quad core processor; knocking all previous processors out of the ball park.
This being said, if the One X hasn’t been created in a way that can utilise all of the power – it’s pretty much as good as a chocolate tea pot (slight exaggeration but you get the picture)! After a quick play with the HTC’s flagship phone for 2012, I soon discovered just how responsive it really is. Any task you assign to the HTC One X, is taken care of at lightning speed. With and HTC Sense 4.0 built in, this is HTC’s friendliest user experience ever. The latest edition of HTC Sense, gives users improved multitasking and copy and pasting functionality.
Even the 8 megapixel camera demonstrates how the HTC One X could be a leading phone for 2012. With the ability to autofocus in a blistering 0.2 seconds, the HTC One X can even capture up to 99 snaps simultaneously with Burst mode. There’s even seven differing levels of flash brightness to make sure your pictures always dazzle.
Quietly brilliant, HTC have released a powerhouse of a smartphone in the form the HTC One X. As for a UK release, expect the HTC One X to be released early summer. We can’t wait to test this device out.
Official Spec of the HTC One X
4.7 inch screen with Gorilla Glass
Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS
HTC Sense 4.0
1.5 GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor
8 megapixel camera recording 1080p video
Secondary 1.3 MP camera with 720p video
NFC technology
Bluetooth
32 GB internal memory
25 GB Dropbox account
Is this the smartphone of 2012? Let us know what you think of the HTC One X on our . Alternatively, discover more on available .
From February 27th to March 1st, the Mobile World Congress will take place in Barcelona, Spain. The MWC conference is Europe’s largest gathering for all things mobile! The event brings together phone manufacturers, software designers and the media, into a magical melting pot to discuss the future and beyond of our favourite portable devices. Unlike Las Vegas’ Consumer Electronics Show (CES), anything shown at the MWC conference is highly likely to reach the UK. So what are we most looking forward to seeing at the MWC conference 2012?
HTC
look set to steal the show before it even begins. Inviting key members of the press to an event on the eve of the MWC conference, HTC must have something pretty important to announce to warrant their own event. What can we expect from HTC in 2012?
The Taiwanese giants look set to unveil a ONE series of top of the range smartphones. The ONE X (ONEX) is widely reported to have a jaw dropping quad core processor; power in a smartphone that could easily chomp its way through multitasking applications and Operating Systems such as . With a supersized screen of over 4.5 inches, a HTC release of this rumoured spec would certainly help fight their corner against smartphone rivals and . There’s also talk of a HTC ONE S (ONES) which will represent the next generation HTC Sensation, equipped with a still impressive 1.5GHz dual core processor and 8 megapixel camera.
Expect the unveiling HTC devices to have Sense 4.0 preinstalled. Sense 4.0 will give your HTC access to Microsoft’s Skydrive, improved copy and paste functionality and an improved dual panel task manager. Let’s hope the HTC rumours turn to truths at their announcement pre MWC conference.
Samsung Galaxy S3?
After months of speculation and rumour, we were saddened to hear the won’t be making an appearance at the 2012 MWC conference. Instead Samsung plan to adopt Apple’s approach and host their own event; a PR stunt which will raise a mountain of hype and attention towards their flagship Samsung Galaxy S3.
One possible announcement Samsung may unveil at the MWC conference is a new . The previous edition offered a happy balance between tablet and smartphone with a stylus equipped 5.3 inch portable device. For those who like the functionality of a stylus integrated with their tablet, the new Galaxy Note is rumoured to have a 10.1 inch display.
Nokia Lumia 900
We were mightily impressed by the announcement of the . Like an older brother to the Nokia Lumia 800, the latest Windows Phone offers a larger 4.3 inch screen size, 4G LTE capabilities and a front facing camera with Carl Zeiss optics. Currently only available in the USA, we expect Nokia to use the MWC conference as the perfect opportunity to spread the Lumia love and announce a UK release date. The Nokia Lumia series may also be set to expand with new editions trawling the web including a budget Nokia Lumia 730 and a possible Nokia Lumia 910.
With also expected to dazzle their new Windows Tango OS to the world, the MWC conference should announce which smartphones in the Nokia Lumia series will be lucky enough to utilise this software.
BlackBerry
After a troublesome 2011 and senior level restructure, Canadian Manufacturers Research In Motion look set to announce a few new handsets to their BlackBerry Curve series. Expect unveilings of the BlackBerry Curve 9220 and 9320 at the MWC conference. BlackBerry’s biggest announcement is likely to be in the form of a tablet. With a smooth user interface and great multi-tasking potential, the original was let down by the lack of apps available on its BlackBerry App World. With the new BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 to offer apps from the Android Market, could be ready to unveil a tablet which can compete with the best. Let’s hope BlackBerry use the MWC conference to turn their fortunes around.
So there’s our round up of exciting releases we expect to be announced at the MWC conference 2012. Don’t forget to visit us next week as we bring you the latest info from Barcelona. Let us know what you think of these future releases on our
Mobile banking has leapt forward with the announcement of Barclays Pingit; an app which gives customers the opportunity to send money by mobile phone. The free app available on , and , will streamline the banking process for customers who now have the option to leave their wallets at home and shop with their smartphone.
How it works?
By linking a UK mobile number to your current account, the Barclays Pingit app lets you send money by mobile straight to another phone. Simply log into your account and dial your contacts’ UK phone number to wire your funds across in seconds. Currently the Barclays Pingit app only accepts payments between Barclay’s current accounts. With time, Barclays intend to expand their service and allow any Barclays Pingit account to receive payments from any UK banking current account.
How safe is Barclays Pingit app?
With an estimated 90,000 muggings in the UK last year, can banking on the mobile phone expose our hard earned cash to opportunist thieves? For those concerned, the app is protected by a Barclays Pingit passcode, which needs to be entered every time the app is opened. Should your smartphone get stolen, you can call Barclays to deactivate the app as a precaution against fraud. For extra security, only one mobile number can be linked to each current account at any time.
The process of sending money by mobile phone is a firmly established option in Japan. Using NFC technology, there are over 117 million contactless payment accounts; 20 million of which are considered actively used. As smartphone users go through the cycle of changing their smartphone it’s expected that within 4 years, 90% of Japanese phone users will have access to contactless payment solutions; whether through NFC or mobile banking apps.
As mobile phones continue to redefine their purpose, transferring money by mobile banking will let the smartphone user lighten their pockets as they leave their wallets and purses at home. Will this movement pay off for Barclays? If successful, expect to see rival banks creating their own mobile banking apps in order to offer streamlined services to their customer base.
Does mobile banking appeal to you? .
Would you use a service like this? Let us know on our .
Posted on 2012 under Mobile News | Comments are off
iPhone 5 apps are just around the corner. With the Apple iPhone 5 hotly tipped for a UK release this summer, we’re excited to uncover how Apple plans to push the boundaries of the smartphone industry once again. As new hardware and technology is installed inside the latest smartphones, new apps have to be developed to use this exciting technology. How will the iPhone 5 apps of tomorrow change our usage of smartphones? Here’s the technology we’d love to see feature in the next generation of Apple iPhone 5 apps.
More Powerful iPhone 5 apps
If there’s one thing guaranteed with the iPhone 5, expect improvements in the processor and performance. As rival brands continue to release new smartphones with greater technology, Apple must push the boundaries once again to maintain its crown as king of the smartphones. Rumours suggest that both the and Apple iPhone 5 will contain quad core processors; a step up from the dual core processors found within the and . What does this mean for iPhone 5 apps? Not only will you be able to run more iPhone 5 apps at any time, app programmers will be able to code their apps on a whole new level to what we’ve seen in smartphones previously.
We’ve already been amazed by the A5 dual core chip within the iPhone 4S and its ability to process graphics for games such as and Infinity Blade II. A quad core processing chip for the iPhone 5 would leap a step further and match the multi-tasking abilities of the ; the latest portable console dedicated towards intensive gaming action. For those who love creating music or video clips, quad core will be able to handle the demands of the more professional software available on the market. Even if you’re not a hard core gamer or music maestro, you’ll notice the improvement in everyday iPhone 5 apps as Safari web pages load faster and operate more efficiently.
Holographic Keyboard
This concept design may have existed before the iPhone 4S release but that doesn’t mean to say it won’t happen. , a full sized QWERTY keypad glows onto the work surface in front of you. Use your fingers to type, twist and zoom the keyboard into shape. You can even adjust the projection brightness with the slide of a finger. It’s perfect for typing up those long Facebook updates! Technology like this would be incredible for the next generation of iPhone 5 apps.
Whilst the , , and Samsung Galaxy S2 believe bigger screen displays are better, Apple appears reluctant to increase beyond their iPhone 3.5 inch display. At such a small size, the iPhone 4S is easy on the pockets. The inclusion of projector technology would offer the user a much larger display when required. How could this be use within iPhone 5 apps? How about learning to draw on paper by pencilling over projected lines? You could plan a journey with a map or learn to play the piano at your kitchen table. Exciting stuff!
Improved Voice Integration
The announcement of Siri on the iPhone 4S shows how voice commands have become a reality in controlling our devices. The integration of Google Maps with Siri in the United States allows you to find the nearest shop, fishing lake, or even where to . For us Brits however, Siri’s lack of knowledge of the United Kingdom means we’re left to joke around with his assistance and ask those less functional questions such as We can see Siri sticking around for the iPhone 5 apps, but we expect UK integration with Google Maps to make his presence truly welcome. As one of Apple’s proudest innovations, Siri’s reputation is unlikely to be on the line for third party iPhone 5 apps developers to use. Let’s hope Apple push Siri in their iPhone 5 apps further, offering us more ways to use our voice. The Xbox Kinect already demonstrates how voice integration within gaming can enhance the user experience.
How do you think iPhone 5 apps will develop in the future? Let us know on our .
If you just can’t wait for the new Apple iPhone 5, we now sell the ; letting you save money on the leading smartphone.
