Press Releases

A new iPad Bluetooth keyboard – from ARCHOS Design

Earlier this week ARCHOS Design announced the Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad; a magnetic Bluetooth full QWERTY keyboard for 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th generations. The Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad was created by a new division in ARCHOS that will be dedicated to sharing ARCHOS innovations with other brands. With a very similar look and feel to the ARCHOS Gen10 XS coverboard, the Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad is ultra-thin at only 5mm (0.2”) and features an adjustable kickstand along with an aluminum back casing. Combining the best of both worlds, iPad users can expect this to be available in March for £49 MSRP.

“The needs and wants of today’s consumer have changed drastically over the past few years. Consumers expect everything to be smaller, faster, thinner, lighter and aesthetically pleasing,” says Henri Crohas, Founder and CEO of ARCHOS. “In order to meet this demand we feel that we should share our innovation and design across a number of different platforms.”

Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad features include:

· Ultra-thin Design– At only 5mm (0.2”) this is the thinnest iPad Keyboard available; it’s almost as thin as a Smart Cover

· Adjustable kickstand – Allows one to adjust their iPad for the best viewing experience possible

· Magnetic bonding to the iPad – The keyboard is magnetically held to your iPad

· Automatic screen switch on/off Function – The iPad will turn on or off when the keyboard is removed or placed in the cover position

· Long battery life-Enjoy with your iPad for months thanks to a long battery life via a Bluetooth connection

· Aluminum back casing – Stylish aluminum back casing to match your iPad

· Full QWERTY keyboard – Type easily with a full keyboard and work quickly with iOS shortcuts

More info on the keyboard can be found at archos.com

Posted by: James

Lookout for Android gets updated

The Android mobile security application, Lookout has received an updated bringing two new features – one which is included in the free version and one that premium users can access.

· Lock Cam (available on free version) – lets you know if someone is trying to look at or use your smartphone without your permission. It silently takes a picture with the front-facing camera if the password on you smartphone is entered incorrectly three times. The picture is sent to your email, along with the location of your phone on Google Maps.

· Lock Screen (available on premium version) – if you lose your phone, you can now remotely lock it and tailor the lock screen with a message for whomever finds it. For example: “As you are a lovely person who values good karma, please contact me on XX to return my phone.”

Mobile security has become an increasingly important issue in the UK. The Metropolitan Police says phones are by far the most common item stolen, making up 70% of items taken in personal robberies. In fact, in London alone, 314 phones are stolen each day. Recent research by Lookout reveals some alarming attitudes towards mobile security and privacy in the UK:

· 66% of people don’t have a lock pin or passcode on their phone

· 28% of people admitted to looking at someone else’s phone without permission

· 12% of people surveyed said they found someone looking at their phone without permission

For more information on the new features of the Lookout app, as well the research, please see the full press release below:

New 4G price plans from EE

EE, the UK’s most advanced digital communications company, today announced a range of new 4GEE promotional price plans. The new packages are designed to provide consumers with an even greater choice of 4G options to suit their needs.

As a special promotion from 31 January until 31 March, a range of entry-level 4GEE plans is being introduced. For only £31 per month on a 24 month plan, customers receive unlimited UK calls and texts, and 500MB of mobile data, as well as the option to choose from a range of 4G smartphones for a one off fee such as the HTC One SV LTE or Nokia Lumia 820 which are available from just £29.99 (a saving of £90 on existing EE deals). Customers on 24 month plans can also take their unlimited calls and texts abroad with them to select destinations for just £5 more per month while those looking for flexibility can get a 12 month plan for only £41 per month.

Additionally, after listening to customers, EE will be launching a new plan offering 20GB of mobile data. The plan addresses a small number of ‘super-users’ (currently fewer than 1% of 4G customers), who have shown a desire to use more than the 8G of mobile data that is currently available on EE’s largest 4GEE plan. The 20GB plan, which is rolling out across retail channels from today, will be available on a 12 month SIM-only plan at a special rate of £46 per month for the full length of the plan if they sign-up between now and the 28 February. The bundle comes with unlimited UK calls and texts and is also available with the very latest 4G handsets for £61 per month on a 24 month plan to customers who sign-up by 28 February . EE is also introducing a new SIM-Only 12 month 8GB plan for £41 per month.

Coming soon to Three – Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 620

Today Three announces that the Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 620 will be coming soon to the network.

Great for budding photographers, the Nokia Lumia 920 has PureView camera technology with a built-in Optical Image Stabilizer and Carl Zeiss optics that capture blur-free, crisp pictures every time even in low light. This sleek and durable phone also comes with free voice guided navigation with Nokia Drive* and additional SkyDrive storage for all your file storage needs.

The affordable and innovative Nokia Lumia 620 comes with LiveTiles which provide personalised updates direct to the homescreen and interchangeable covers so people can completely customise their smartphone. Both of these new Windows phones are preloaded with exclusive Nokia apps such as Cinemagraph for animating still images, Transport for travel advice and Citylens which combines the camera and viewfinder for a brilliant augmented reality experience.

Sylvia Chind, Head of Devices at Three said, “It’s a great start to 2013 to announce these two new smartphones coming soon to Three. With thousands of apps available from the Windows Store and some clever new features, you’ll really get the most out of the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 620 and enjoy the mobile internet on Three”.

The Phones 4U Christmas boom

The retailing division of Phones 4u Finance plc, Phones 4u, one of the UK’s leading mobile phone retailers, today publishes a trading update for the month of December 2012. Total sales for the period were £121.6m, up 23.3% compared with December 2011, with like-for-like sales up 15.8%. For the full year total sales were up 20.7% with full-year like-for-like sales up 11.9%.  Online sales continue to grow strongly with revenue up 47.3% in December year-on-year and up 73.2% for the full year.

The strong growth is primarily driven by contract volumes which were up 34.8% year-on-year in December and up 26.8% for the full year.

Tim Whiting Group Chief Executive said:
“Phones 4u is focused on giving customers excellent choice and value, and we continue to trade well in challenging market conditions.  Our impressive Christmas numbers are reflective of consistently strong performance throughout 2012 as we continue to grow market share, especially amongst customers looking for the latest high-end smartphones purchased on contracts.

“It is the knowledge and experience of our 6,000 staff and their commitment to give outstanding service that has delivered these results.  At a time of continued economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever that we give our customers clear advice on the next generation of smartphones and technology.”

Nice to see business is so good in the mobile space.

Posted by: James

ZTE and Nuance to Collaborate on Portfolio of Voice-Enabled Android Devices

Nuance Communications Inc. and ZTE Corporation have announced a multiyear collaboration where Nuance’s voice capabilities will be integrated as part of a new portfolio of ZTE Android devices worldwide.  The result will be a diverse set of mobile applications and devices that foster a more natural, human interaction between people and their ZTE phones – in more than 25 languages.  Among those applications is ZTE’s new Car Mode application unveiled at CES 2013 in Las Vegas.

Car Mode integrates Nuance’s powerful voice capabilities to let users speak to stay connected to the people and content they love, without bringing additional manual-visual distractions into the car.  Taking advantage of Nuance’s automotive-grade voice technology and expertise, ZTE’s Car Mode application is embedded within the device to provide people with a reliable, always available hands-free, eyes-free access to the phone functions that are used the most while driving, such as making phone calls, reading text messages and accessing music. At the same time, no network or data connection is required and the app is designed for noisy automotive environments.

People simply engage Car Mode with a hands-free wake-up word, and the app is at their command to dial contacts and numbers, launch navigation apps, get the local weather, and play music on the device. Furthermore, Car Mode announces incoming callers and reads incoming text messages aloud with Nuance’s natural text to speech, and allows people to barge in with new voice commands or cancel incoming audio when needed. Car Mode also features a “Do not disturb” mode where drivers can further minimise distractions by blocking all incoming calls and text messages until they arrive at their destination – with notifications available of the calls and text messages missed.

Sony announce their new Android flagship smartphone – the Xperia Z

It looks like the leaks were correct – Sony has tonight announced the Xperia Z over at CES in Las Vegas. The new Android flagship is packing some great specs the device could bridge the gap between Sony, HTC and Samsung.

With a 5″ Full HD 1080p Reality Display, Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, 13 megapixel fast-capture camera, 4G LTE, water and dust resistant durable glass display, the Xperia Z will launch in the UK in Q1 2013.

You can catch the full press release below. This one looks a real beauty.

Huawei announce two large Android devices – one so big it’s tablet size!

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today launched the smartphone with the largest screen in the world, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate, at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The HUAWEI Ascend Mate features a huge 6.1-inch HD display, a 1.5 GHz Hi-Silicon quad-core processor and a 4050 mAh battery. Together with Huawei’s proprietary Quick Power Control (QPC) and Automated Discontinuous Reception (ADRX) battery efficiency technology and fast sharing technology, the HUAWEI Ascend Mate is proof that bigger is better.

“The HUAWEI Ascend Mate breaks barriers to deliver a supercharged entertainment, communication and creative experience for all your personal and professional needs,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “The HUAWEI Ascend Mate is an industry-leading smartphone and showcases our innovation as we continue to make great technology available to more people globally.”

HUAWEI Ascend Mate has a screen-to-body ratio of 73% – the highest in the industry – which maximises your viewing pleasure for emails, documents, video or games. The 6.1-inch HD IPS+ LCD screen has a resolution of 1280 x 720 for unsurpassed clarity and colour accuracy, and ‘Magic Touch’ which provides enhanced screen responsiveness even with gloves. The Ascend Mate is slim and stylish, designed to fit comfortably in a single hand at just 6.5mm thin at its narrowest part.

Samsung launches their ‘Dream the Blues’ campaign

Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its ‘Dream the Blues’ campaign alongside Chelsea FC, providing youngsters with a once-in-a-lifetime football experience. The ‘Dream the Blues’ campaign, spanning eight countries across four continents, aims to encourage football-loving children, aged from nine to 13, to develop and achieve their football dreams. The initiative is an expansion of the Samsung-Chelsea FC Youth Football Camp programme, which has already benefited 5,000 children across the world since 2007.

Throughout the campaign, Samsung and Chelsea will visit youth football camps across the eight countries to provide training for local children to learn ‘The Chelsea Way’ from Chelsea Foundation coaches. From each of the local camps, the 16 most passionate participants will be selected to attend the Blues Camp in London to train and meet with the Chelsea players. The final camp will also offer successful participants the opportunity to build global friendships through football.

Applications will be given to Samsung Home Appliance customers in Mexico, Nigeria, Ghana, Republic of South Africa, China, Thailand, Brazil and Turkey. The campaign kicked off in Mexico on December 21, and local youth football camps will run in each country, ending in Turkey in April, 2013. The final Blues Camp will take place in London in May, 2013.

Samsung announce the NX300 camera

Today Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and convergence technologies, announced the launch of the NX300, the new flagship model in its successful NX series. The NX300 once again raises the bar for compact system cameras (CSC), delivering an outstanding combination of features, functionality and style for perfect shooting in every moment. Samsung also announces the new NX 45mm F1.8 2D/3D lens, the first one-lens 3D system capable of capturing both still images and full HD movies in perfect 3D quality.

Simon Stanford, Vice President, Samsung UK and Ireland, said: “Since its launch in 2010, the Samsung NX System has become synonymous with innovation and design, making the best digital imaging technology available to everyone without compromising on style. The NX300 builds even further on this illustrious heritage. Not only does it deliver incredible speed and accuracy through advanced photographic features, but it is truly built around the user, with upgraded SMART Camera functions making shooting and sharing both easy and seamless. We are also very proud to introduce the first one-lens 3D system alongside the NX300, opening up a whole new world of 3D photography and video recording for consumers everywhere.”