Gareth, James and Andy get down to another packed week of all things mobile. This week there is a lot of news about Palm, O2, HP, Tesco, Virgin Mobile and Phones4U. Also Andy’s bought himself an iPad. As a special bonus for those who have purchased the iPhone App you can have the Mickey Papillon Ringtone!
iPhone App
Regulars: James Richardson, Matt Davis, Gareth Myles and Andy Lee
While I was checking out crackberry.com earlier today I spotted that they mentioned a new YouTube player was available to download for free. I like free stuff so the app was downloaded straight away.
Streaming YouTube videos on a BlackBerry never gives you the quality picture you may find on other devices but it is still good to have a decent app for when you want it. If your BlackBerry is running OS 4.6 and up then I think this is a much better solution than heading over to YouTube on your BlackBerry web browser.
This new one is rather attractive. As you can see it’s extremely colourful and it’s is dead simple to navigate.
More after the break.
Nokia today announces the launch of Own Voice for Ovi Maps, a free app from Ovi store, which allows people to personalise the voice that gives them turn-by-turn instructions when using Ovi Maps drive navigation.
The Own Voice app lets you create a new voice pack, taking you through each step of the process. Find a quiet space to record, then let the app take you through each of the 53 required commands including the penultimate "You have reached your destination". When you’re done recording, you simply add your name, save and the voice pack is uploaded to the Own Voice website meaning that others can also choose your voice to direct them en route.
With 10 million downloads of Ovi Maps already on devices, there’s sure to be no shortage of voices to choose from. The app lets you browse new voice packs by popularity and by recommendation. Own Voice also lets people share voice packs by Facebook and Twitter and if you find one you really like (or hate) then you can rate it.
Rupert Englander, Head of Services, Nokia UK, commented: “Nokia continues to redefine the mobile navigation market by bringing free walk and drive navigation to millions of people around the world. Many of us have a love-hate relationship with our sat nav and being able to record or choose a voice that you love is a great way to make Ovi Maps fun to use.
Own Voice is available as a free download from the Ovi Store http://store.ovi.com/content/34132
Own Voice for Ovi Maps is available only in English and is compatible with all Nokia devices which support the new version of Ovi Maps (3.03) including Nokia 5800, Nokia X6, Nokia E72, Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini and all upcoming GPS-enabled smartphones.
Walk and drive navigation is free on Nokia smartphones as part of a new version of Ovi Maps, available for download at www.nokia.com/maps. Nokia’s mapping and navigation software has been specifically designed for mobile use and is based on unique hybrid technology. The new version of Ovi Maps includes all essential car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries in 46 languages, and traffic information for over 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for over 180 countries.
More information on “Own Voice for Ovi Maps” can be found from www.ovi.com/ownvoice
Posted by: James
Here’s another device made for T-Mobile by HTC, the myTouch 3G Slide. I can’t confirm at this moment in time if this new 2.1 Android device will grace our shores over here in the UK but in the mean time we can just look on and envy.
Designed by HTC exclusively for T-Mobile, the myTouch 3G Slide features a 3.4-inch HVGA touch- screen display with virtual keyboard as well as a roomy, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Less than 15mm thick, the elegant design slides easily into your pocket proving that Android brains don’t have to come in a sci-fi box. The myTouch 3G Slide also features a 5-megapixel camera, a music player with a pre-installed 8GB microSD memory card, and enhanced video capabilities to make it easy for users to record and share pictures and videos, whether via e-mail, MMS or one-click upload to sites such as YouTubeTM and PicasaTM.
Specs are pretty sweet. Read the full T-Mobile press release after the break.
Independent retailer Phones 4u has launched its biggest instant cashback deal ahead of the bank holiday weekend. However, I wouldn’t get too excited.
Customers are being offered instant cashback or trade in up to the value of £350 from 29 April until the end of the bank holiday weekend when they sign up to one of the bank holiday special deals on offer.
The offer is available on the Nokia 5230 and Samsung Tocco Lite when taken out on a massive 24 month contract.
The Nokia 5230 is being offered for £25 a month with 200 cashback and 300 minutes and 3000 texts. The Samsung Tocco Lite is being offered for £35 a month with 300 cashback, 900 minutes and 3000 texts. The amount of cashback on both offers increases when a handset is traded in.
Phones 4u spokesperson, Russell Braterman said: ‘This is a really significant promotion for Phones 4u as its the biggest instant cash back deal we have ever run. We constantly strive to provide the best deals for our customers and are delighted to offer such incredible cash back value for everyone to enjoy this bank holiday weekend!’
It doesn’t take a bargain hunter to realise you are probably better off keeping whatever phone you have and staying far, far away from contracts that last over 2 years with a phone that might last 12 months.
Tesco has launched an all-out assault on Carphone Warehouse, with plans to open Tesco ‘Phone Shops’ on every high street and a major push into the contracts market.
The supermarket giant is speeding up the rollout of 500 new phone shops. From this week, it will open three phone stores each week to deliver at least 100 per year. With 107 Phone Shops already open, Tesco Mobile should hit its target of 500 shops by the end of 2013. Tesco anticipates it will create around 750 jobs this year through the rollout, made up of both Tesco staff and external recruitment.
It is estimated up to 3,000 jobs will be created over a three-year period. The first 200 Phone Shops will be in Tesco’s larger Extra stores. A further 300 phone stores will open in Tesco’s superstores and its high street Metro shops. Each will be customised to fit the store’s profile. In an exclusive interview, Tesco Telecoms chief Lance Batchelor told Mobile: ‘We are working out how to put a full service Phone Shop in our Metro stores and we are trialling different ways of doing this. This will give us the ability to be on every high street in the country.’
Tesco is also targeting the contracts market, adding 28 new handsets to its contract range this month. Batchelor forecasts at least 333,000 contract sales in Tesco Phone Shops this year. Batchelor said: ‘With prepay, we were only playing in half the market. Now, with our Phone Shops and the addition of 28 new handsets in our contracts range, we have moved into the whole of the consumer market.’ No commissions are on offer to Phone Shop staff in order to discourage ‘hard sell’ tactics. Tesco is also wooing the networks, with plans to deliver operator upgrades later this year.
All smartphone platforms these days have voice guided satellite navigation but the reason I stumbled across Trafficmasters Smartnav is that on the BlackBerry there is not a decent navigation app here in the UK.
Smartnav is different to most other sat nav apps. Not only do you not see an onscreen map whilst driving you can also call a Trafficmaster assistant if you need help. How about that for service! In addition Smartnav will check for problems on your route and re route you if necessary to prevent you from getting stuck in a traffic jam.
Trafficmaster’s Smartnav is the most efficient sat nav and live traffic information service available and is supported by a unique team of Personal Assistants, operating 24/7. It’s already known to save frustrated motorists at least four hours per month from sitting in traffic and always makes sure you are on the right road and the quickest route to get to your destination.
Read on to find out more.
When it comes to eBook readers the Amazon Kindle (and Kindle DX) seems to get all the press but in fact there are several other makes and models of eBook reader to choose from. The Sony Reader Pocket Edition PRS-300 is just one of the smaller and less expensive units on the market and one which I shall be using and reviewing.
The Sony Reader is one of a growing range of eBook readers, a product designed to function as an electronic book reader. The PRS-300 is the baby of Sony’s range, although that doesn’t mean that they have compromised on quality and function. It is a sturdy well-built device that’s also affordable.
Read on to see my thoughts.
LG Ally is coming to save lives. Making reference to Android apps including Latitutude, OpenTable, and eBay we see some “heroes” in the background of the action in Ironman 2 using the Ally,,, efficiently.
It’s a giggle and a much better ad than we are seeing from the rival’s at the moment.
Spotted this interesting Q&A session with Microsoft Senior Product Manager Augusto Valdez about the Office HUB. Everything seems to be in order however there will be no PDF support and this will be require from Third party. I suppose this is no big problem and the device will probably ship with something Adobe-esq pre installed. David K from Tilt Mobility has kindly arranged an condensed the session into a much more readable format. Check it out after the break.
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