Archive for September 7th, 2010

Galaxy Tab – UK & EU prices confirmed, rest of world confused

While we’ve just got a confirmed price for Samsung’s hotly awaited Galaxy Tab, it seems the rest of the world is still in confusion. UK retailers Clove.co.uk have price the 16GB version at £616.88 (inc VAT), that just over $800.  This price is for a SIM-free version so it does appear that the device will be priced rivalling a high end phone (which are always expensive) as opposed to rivalling the Netbook sector that tablets are expected to eclipse next year.  Similar high prices are popping up in the EU with Amazon.de having the device for €699 and €799 for the 16GB and 32GB versions respectively (that’s over $800 or $1000!), which is perilously close to the price of the Apple device it’s meant to be rivalling.

These seem to be upper estimates though, as O2 Germany later confirmed a price of €99 for the device and a further €27.50 for the line rental over 24 months.  This ties in closely with Samsung executive Hankil Yoon’s figures of $200 and $300 given in the Wall Street Journal.  This would seem more accurate as at this price point, the Tab’s closest contract rival now becomes Dell’s Streak, a device that has already laid the table for Android tablets and mobile operators.  Of course, the Tab betters in most departments and with the right contract and initial outlay, UK operator Vodafone could have a worthy alternative to Dell and Apple’s devices.  Galaxy Tab tariffs are expected to be announced next month on Vodafone throughout the EU.

Posted by: Ian

O2 release HTC Desire Froyo update – wait, no they didn’t

In a strange display of corporate confusion, O2 today released the long awaited Android 2.2 firmware update for the network’s Desire handsets, only to pull it shortly afterwards.  Why did the network pull the update so quickly?  Well it appears that not all Desires took to the update well, with O2 stating some handsets were experiencing issues.  While it’s clearly frustrating – especially as the vanilla HTC update has been around for a while now, and with many UK networks already having their own version out – firmware flashing is a process that can brick a handset in seconds.  It seems O2 would rather be safe than very, very sorry.  Here’s the situation in their own words:

“As some of you will have noticed the Android 2.2 Froyo update for HTC Desire on O2 went live this morning. While we’re pleased that so many of you have been able to download it successfully and are enjoying the benefits of 2.2, we have seen that a small number of people are having problems installing the update.

While we check out these issues we’re putting the 2.2 update on hold. We’ll update you as soon as possible and would like to thank our HTC Desire customers for their patience.”

Posted by: Ian

First Windows Phone 7 Advert

Microsoft have started their marketing campaign by showing a video advert at a one of cinema showing last week.

I’m not sure if we will see this same advert appearing on our TVs but as you will see below the phone displays the words ‘The Revolution is coming’.

Will we all be dumping our iPhones, Android and BlackBerry smartphones for a WM7 device? I wouldn’t have thought so, straight away at least, but you never know.

We will have some hands on time with Windows Phone 7 in the coming weeks so stay tuned for some video.

WP7 advert after the break

iPod Touch an iPhone? Well Apple’s Photoshop People Seem to Think So

The 4th gen iPod Touch is basically just an iPhone without the phone, right? Well someone at Apple’s art department seems to think differently, as they have managed to accidentally include the phone app in the images of the latest iPod Touch.  And it doesn’t stop there, when you search using Spotlight, you get SMS as well. But it does remind you that Apple is not just a heartless company with robots for employees. They do make the occasional mistake *cough* iPhone antenna problems *cough*.

Read on for the images…