Press Releases

Orange iPhone Sales Exceed Expectations

Today is the day a lot of iPhone fans here in the UK have been waiting for – The release of the iPhone on Orange. And I’m not surprised that the sales of the iPhone have been humongous!

Orange

Apple iPhone

Our friend Conor from orange told us this:

• Orange are delighted to reveal,  that as of 4pm today Orange had sold more than 30,000 iPhones across  the UK – smashing what we believe is the previously published first  day sales records for a handset in the UK
• At the same time, Orange’s first  ever exclusive UK app – Orange Wednesdays – has gone to the top slot in the  Entertainment Category, and hit second place in the free apps chart on the  Apple App Store. The app combines the latest film reviews and trailers with up  to date info on what’s on, where films are showing, information on how to get  there and the ability to redeem the 2-for-1 Orange Wednesdays cinema voucher  on your Orange iPhone.
• Orange’s 3G mobile network covers more  people in the UK  than any other, and is currently the focus of our recently launched  £multi-million pound advertising campaign, which from today features the  iPhone, entitled ‘You’re Covered’.

These figures are sure to keep climbing day after day and I would imagine that Vodafone will be doing everything in their power to get their iPhone in the shops as soon as possible.

Posted by: James

Orange and T-Mobile Merger Confirmed

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom (parent companies of T-Mobile & Orange) have signed a final agreement to merge the two companies together.

Orange & T-Mobile

Now that the confirmatory due diligence has been completed, this binding agreement confirms the terms of the transaction announced on 8 September 2009.

Completion is conditional upon approval by the relevant authorities and remains expected in the first half of 2010 as previously indicated.

The agreement is subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Telekom and the Board of Directors of France Telecom.

Timotheus Höttges, CFO of Deutsche Telekom, said: “This joint venture is based on the full commitment of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom to a long term partnership. I am very pleased to say that the spirit of this partnership is reflected in the way we conducted and concluded our talks. Our joint venture, which has now passed a major milestone, will set new standards in the UK mobile sector.”

Gervais Pellissier, deputy CEO of France Telecom in charge of Group Finance & Information Systems, said: “The relative terms of the transaction as announced on 8 September were fully confirmed. I would like to stress the excellent cooperation between the teams of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, which enabled us to deliver on the timing and process objectives which we set out in September. This is an important step towards our objective of establishing an excellent platform to deliver operational synergies and offer innovative and high quality services to our customers.”

 

Well we thought it may happen and it looks like all the rumors were true. Its certainly good news in the long run in terms of coverage. Orange already has the best UK 3G coverage and this merge is going to improve things even more. We will have to wait and see if the rumors were true about Orange looking after the business side and T-Mobile the consumer side.

As soon as we get more confirmed news we will report it here.

Posted by: James

HTC unveils global advertising campaign

New HTC Logo

If you watched “X Factor” last night in the UK you may of noticed an advert for HTC pop up. Well, this is part or there new advertising campaign being rolled across 20 countries in the coming weeks. The adverts centre around the tagline “You don’t need to get a phone. You need a phone that gets you”.

Its great to see HTC doing there first global campaign. Recently we have seen adverts for specific phones like the HTC Hero but this is he first time HTC are promoting there whole brand.

HTC Advert

“Quietly brilliant is doing great things in a humble way, with the belief that the best things in life can only be experienced, not explained,” said John Wang, chief marketing officer, HTC Corporation. “The YOU campaign is the perfect embodiment of ‘quietly brilliant’ and is core to HTC as a company, innovator and partner.”

The YOU campaign is focused on driving broad, global visibility and understanding of HTC’s unique brand promise – that it’s all about YOU, the consumer, and in fact not the device. HTC worked with Los Angeles-based advertising agency, Deutsch LA Inc. to create the YOU campaign that will employ an integrated-media approach to reach consumers via television, print, outdoor and online.  HTC’s design expertise will be echoed throughout the campaign, with commercial spots highlighting the unique functionality of HTC smartphones. If you are looking to boost your marketing efficiency as they did, consider checking out this IDX broker.

“We’ve come to have a very emotional relationship with our phones. Many of our key experiences in any given day come through this one device and yet most of the advertising in the category is still about utility,” says Eric Hirshberg, co-CEO and chief creative officer, Deutsch LA. “HTC’s whole design philosophy is very personal. They make phones where your experience is completely unique, so we think there is a connection between how people feel about their phones and how HTC makes them.”

HTC worked with London-based creative consultancy, FigTree to create the quietly brilliant brand positioning.   The ‘quietly brilliant’ positioning was inspired by HTC’s culture of putting customers first, born from a heritage of creating breakthrough products and continued innovation. As part of HTC’s culture, the “quietly brilliant” positioning will be rolled out in all forms of communication and brand touch points across the company.

“Some of life’s most brilliant ideas started with a simple doodle on the back of a napkin,” said Simon Myers, CEO of FigTree. “HTC’s new look uses this visual language of doodles to explain all the quietly brilliant features and benefits of HTC devices in a simple and human way.”

I’m looking forward to seeing what else HTC have up there sleeve.

Posted by: James

HTC HD2 is nearly here and with HTC Sense on board

HTC today officially announced the HD2 which will be running a version of the popular Sense UI that can be found on the HTC Hero.

HTC HD2

This device has been the talk of the town for a while now as it sports a whopping 4.3 inch screen as well as a superfast 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. It is also rumored that the HD2 may be upgradable to windows mobile 7 next year although that is still to be confirmed by HTC or Microsoft.

TAIWAN – October 6, 2009 – HTC Corporation, today unveiled the HTC HD2ä, the first Windows phone with HTC Sense, a customer experience focused on putting people at the centre by making their phones work in a more simple, natural and personal way.  With its industry leading, high-resolution, 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, the ultra thin HTC HD2 delivers more visible content in a sharper, brighter and richer way.
“At HTC we believe that the best things in life should be experienced, not explained. HTC Sense is based on this principle by making the phone more simple and natural to use and by enabling people to personalise their mobile experience in their own unique way,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation. With HTC Sense, the HTC HD2 melds the power and flexibility of the Windows platform with the most advanced phone we’ve ever created.”
“HTC has a long history of innovation with Windows Mobile, shipping millions of devices over the years in a wide range of designs,” said Andy Lees, senior vice president, Mobile Communication Business, Microsoft Corp.  “The HTC HD2 Windows phone breaks new ground with its responsive, touch screen.”
The HD2 uses the first capacitive touch display on a Windows phone to make viewing, zooming and resizing websites, Microsoft® Office files, PDF documents and pictures easier with just a pinch of your fingers. The large display also enables faster, more efficient and accurate typing using the onscreen keyboard.  Utilizing Qualcomm’s new 1Ghz Snapdragon mobile processor, the HTC HD2 offers enhanced performance that improves the speed of applications, videos, games and more.
Developed with a passion for enhancing people’s lives through innovation, design and ease of use, HTC Sense is rooted in three fundamental principles of Make it Mine, Stay Close and Discover the Unexpected.
Make It Mine
The HD2 continues HTC’s drive for personalization by reflecting not only what you want on your phone, but also where you are. Using its large 4.3-inch window-like display, HTC has brought a new dimension to weather with a localized, animated weather experience that utilizes HD2’s entire display without being invasive to your important content and information.  The HD2 can also be further enhanced to reflect your needs and style by downloading a wealth of applications at the new Windows® Marketplace for Mobile.
Stay Close
The HD2 helps you stay close to the important friends and colleagues in your life with HTC’s people-centric communication approach that provides a single contact view that displays individual communication snapshots of your conversations with the people in your life regardless of whether a call, text, Facebook status update or email were used.  While in the midst of email exchange with someone you can easily transition to a call by pressing the call button.  HTC has also included a new Windows-based version of its Twitter application, HTC Peep.  The pictures you take with the 5MP camera can also be quickly shared via Facebook or Twitter.
Discover the Unexpected
With the HTC Sense experience, the HTC HD2 includes a variety of enhancements that expand and improve the overall phone experience. The HD2 includes a variety of sensors including a proximity sensor that is used to prevent false screen touches when the phone is picked up to answer or make a call.  A light sensor automatically adjusts the brightness of the display.  Leveraging its 3G broadband connectivity, the HTC HD2 also offers personal Wi-Fi anywhere for your computer or other devices.
Also available for the HTC HD2 is the optional car kit that automatically transforms HD2’s user interface into a finger friendly in-car navigation experience for driving.
Windows phone
As a new Windows phone, the HTC HD2 showcases the powerful messaging, browsing and productivity capabilities delivered by Windows Mobile® 6.5.  Offering a best in class e-mail experience complete with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, you have the ability to check and manage multiple email accounts. Microsoft’s new My Phone service enables you to automatically back up and synch photos, music, contacts and text messages for free from the HD2 to the web.
Availability
The HTC HD2 will be available later this month with selected operators across Europe, before rolling out to other regions in the coming months."

The HD2 is a great looking handset and we should hopefully have a review device in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye out for Matt’s unboxing video “coming soon”.

Posted by: James

Orange opens its first UK multimedia store

Today in Milton Keynes Orange opened its first UK multimedia store. Unlike the other 401 Orange Retail stores this one is designed to encourage engagement between consumers and the range of multimedia technology that is now offered by Orange.

The front of the store

Not only did the store open today but it also launched the new Motorola DEXT, Motorola’s first Android device. This was the first place in the world where the DEXT could be purchased today!

Sian Doyle, Director of Orange Retail said: “Milton Keynes offers the perfect venue to launch the first ever Orange Multimedia Store. Its young demographic and forward-thinking population plus the estimated potential 297,000 mobile users in the city, tells us there is high demand for the latest mobile, broadband and digital solutions. Also, as a sign of our commitment to the Milton Keynes area, we were able to have the much anticipated Motorola DEXTT with MOTOBLURT available exclusively on opening day, a day before it goes on sale anywhere else in the world.”

The mobile market is changing rapidly, with devices and the services operators provide evolving all the time giving you access to a wide range multimedia on the go. The Orange Multimedia Store in Milton Keynes brings the best of mobile multimedia together, creating a ‘live’ experience of what can be accessed and achieved through the mobile.

Popularity of Multimedia on your Mobile

The demand for such an advanced store is backed up by the surge in the popularity and consumption of digital media. Orange’s fifth digital media index shows a ‘digital media boom’ in data usage across mobile phones especially in the area of entertainment and social networking, which increased by 129% in 12 months.  Dongle use increased by 4,125% while music and video downloads via mobile have increased by 38% in the last six months alone.

The Milton Keynes Multimedia Experience

The Orange Multimedia Store in thecentre:mk is a digital ‘playground’ – ranging from its giant 70-inch cinema style screen and seating at the front of the store to the bouncy rubber floor when you first walk in. The seated area has been created for new product demonstrations, basic education workshops and film previews, as well as offering it to the local community as a unique platform for endless possibilities, such as book signings and product launches.

The store will also feature live handsets for customers to engage with all the services available from Orange while the showcase screen on the main wall, which is one of the biggest in the UK, is the place where all the mobile technology available in store will be brought to life on a large scale.

This screen will also play host to two of the stores most unique interactive features.

1. A giant virtual Mexican Wave which will be made up of customers filmed in store via mobile devices.
2. From launch day, people are also being invited to send in pictures of ‘what symbolises Milton Keynes’ to feature on the screen, creating a ‘PhotoClock’, which will display images at the time they were taken / sent from anywhere in Milton Keynes.

Not only is the store packed with state-of-the-art features, it also has a team of experts in store to help bring all these interactive elements to life.

Cherry Peters, manager of the new store said: “Advances in digital media are staggering and increasingly becoming an essential part of our everyday life. Therefore, the need to keep up has never been greater, which is why Orange has created a fun and entertaining centre for all to enjoy whether you’re a tech savvy teen or less aware of what your digital devices can offer to make your life easier.”

The launch of this store will coincide with the exclusive unveiling of Motorola’s highly anticipated DEXTT with MOTOBLURT the only solution that automatically manages and integrates all of your communication, from work e-mail to social messaging activity – all to your home screen in easy to manage streams. Milton Keynes will be the first place in the UK to showcase the Motorola DEXTT with MOTOBLURT.

Orange’s Multimedia Store will open to the public on Tuesday 6^th October at 3pm and can be found at on Midsummer Arcade, in thecentre:mk.

The Orange cinema

It will be interesting to see how the new store takes off. If its a success you could see a similar one coming to a town near you!

Posted by: James

Confirmed list of new Windows Phones

I have just got back from the official launch of Microsoft “Windows Phone” in London and before I write up my report of the days news I thought I would first get out the full list of devices launching with 6.5.

Windows phone

The following list is confirmed for the UK:

HTC Touch 2 from T-Mobile and Carphone Warehouse

HTC Touch HD 2 from O2 and Carphone Warehouse

LG GM750 from Vodafone

Samsung Omnia 2 & Omnia Lite from Carphone Warehouse

Samsung Omnia Pro B7730 from Carphone Warehouse on October 30th

Sony Ericsson X2 from Vodafone on October 30th

Samsung Omnia Pro B7610 from O2 on November 30th

The below handsets are upgradable from 6.1 to 6.5:

HTC TouchDiamond2 from T-Mobile and Carphone Warehouse

HTC Touch Pro2 from Vodafone on October 14th

HTC Snap

Toshiba TG01 from Orange.

I’m sure we will see many more announcements over the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled!

Posted by: James

Windows Marketplace Update

With the launch of Windows Mobile 6.5 on Tuesday one of the exciting new features is the Marketplace (app store).

It feels like windows phone users have been waiting forever for this and its long over due but Microsoft initially said it was only for version 6.5.

Windows Marketplace

This week Microsoft have stated that is defiantly coming to 6.1 as well which is fantastic news for those whose phones are not supported for the upgrade to 6.5.

The Marketplace has got some catching up to do so it will be interesting to see how many apps it launches with and also what the prices are like.

Windows apps have historically been expensive compared to other platforms so lets see if Microsoft can give Apple a run for its money.

“First, we’ll launch Windows Marketplace for Mobile with Windows phones on October 6th. We’ve also discussed following this launch with an update that will include support for Windows Mobile 6 and 6.1 by the end of the year. More specifically, we’re targeting November for phase two. In addition, this second phase will bring the PC based catalog and shopping experience, user generated app reviews, advanced key-based anti-piracy protection and other enhancements that expand your business opportunity and make it easier for a larger number of customers to find and buy your application.”

Posted by: James

iPhone on Orange confirmed!

A press release today from Orange has confirmed that not only the iPhone 3G will be available on Orange later this year but also the newer 3GS!

Apple iPhone

Orange already sells the iPhone is 28 countries worldwide and the rumour that we will get it here in the UK has been around for a little while.

I would imagine that the iPhone is going to be in great demand on Orange so you can register your interest with them on the below link:

https://interest.orange.co.uk/default.aspx

Good news all round!

Any further details will be updated here.

Posted by: James

ViewSonic launch Palm-sized HD Media Players

Not simply satisfied with breaking in to the netbook market, ViewSonic had just announced a new range of palm-sized media players.

In order to meet consumers’ mobile video and audio demands, ViewSonic® – the global leader in video technology – today introduced two brand new palm-sized media players – the MovieBook™ VPD500 and VPD400. Differentiating from similar products, the MovieBook™ line-up features larger screens, and extended multimedia support for a variety of file formats, making them a great solution for portable entertainment.

Weighing as little as 134g (VPD400), these easy to use and compact devices fit perfectly into the palm of a hand, to easily view the 5-inch or 4.3-inch crystal clear TFT-LCD display. Featuring high-resolution, 800×480 LCD panels, 720p video output, 8GB of built-in memory and a micro SD card slot for memory expansion, the user can experience all their favourite content whenever and wherever they choose. Combined with a 1900mAh (VPD500) large capacity battery, the devices can play up to four hours of video content or fifteen hours of music (display off) with one charge, making them ideal for viewing movies, listening to music, sharing photos, all while travelling or commuting to work.

From playing movies on the built-in display or connecting to a TV, users can play video and audio files without going through a complex file conversion process. ViewSonic’s MovieBook™ devices support popular video and music formats, including AVI, RMVB, FLV, MP3, WMA and WAV, APE and FLAC.

The ViewSonic MovieBook™ VPD500 and VPD400 will be available in October with an Estimated Street Prices of £115 and £105 (inc VAT), respectively.

I want one!

Posted by: Matt

Press Release: Vodafone Add Carphone Warehouse to Suppliers List

VODAFONE UK ADDS CARPHONE WAREHOUSE FOR NEW CONNECTIONS AND EXTENDS AGREEMENT WITH PHONES4U

From this month, new and existing Vodafone customers will have an even wider choice of where they can purchase the best handsets and range of competitive tariffs in the UK.

Vodafone UK will team up with Carphone Warehouse from 7 July so customers can not only buy pay as you go mobiles and receive upgrades as they do currently but also get new pay monthly contracts and mobile broadband connections.

Vodafone UK has also extended its partnership with Phones4U who will continue to sell pay as you go and contract packages to customers upgrading and joining Vodafone, for both mobile phone and mobile broadband connections.

“Carphone Warehouse has developed a formidable retail presence on the high street and we’re very pleased to offer our customers even more choice,” says Ian Shepherd, Consumer Director, Vodafone UK.  “We’re also delighted with Phones4U’s performance so we’ve extended our partnership into a multi year agreement.”

From this month, a combination of over 1650 Vodafone, Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U stores will provide customers with excellent face to face help and service where and when they need it on the high street.  Customers can also visit Vodafone online at shop.vodafone.co.uk and access the many self service options on their handset for advice and support at any time.