Author Archive: Gareth

Orange announce Toshiba TG01, available from this weekend

Orange today announced it will be exclusively ranging the Toshiba TG01 in the UK across all its own retail channels in time for the weekend. Offering the widest high-definition touch-screen available on a mobile, the TG01 provides users with a cinematic viewing experience on a handheld device and is testament to Orange UK’s focus on ranging innovative multimedia handsets so consumers can make the most from the latest shifts in modern technology. It follows the announcement earlier in the week that Orange will also be launching the world’s first Touchscreen Watch phone in the UK.

A powerful and feature-rich mobile entertainment device, the TG01 offers uses the largest widescreen handset yet and comes with an exclusive pre-loaded film trailer for the forthcoming summer blockbuster “GI Joe”. What’s more, the 4.1” W-VGA screen is the perfect size for watching TV, videos and looking at pictures in high quality.

Sony Ericsson Rachael UI looks great

We mentioned the Sony Ericsson Xperia Android device a few days back, well The Boy Genius has unearthed some more pictures and a video of the UI that will be part of the device when it launches. This is another great looking customisation of the Android OS and all of a sudden Android is beginning to explode, we are excited.

Swiss rail offers buying tickets through iPhone app

While in several other countries iPhone apps for railway usually are made by third party developers and just allow for time schedule checking, not so in Switzerland: the app is official and published by Swish rail (SBB, train of SBB pictured above!) itself and it offers something great: you can buy rail tickets directly from the app, for example seconds before you enter the train! Here is how it looks like:

Assassin’s Creed for iPhone released in FREE Lite version

This game is boring. We tried it and fallen asleep after passing the first level (that requires pickpocketing a key from a guy on a street).

But if you like climbing on roofs:

Toshiba TG01 promotional video

As we get closer to the UK launch of the highly anticipated Toshiba TG01 Windows Mobile Professional device, a little video has appeared to whet your appetite of this ultra thin and ultra powerful device. Just to refresh your memory, this baby packs a 4.1 Inch screen with an 800 x 480 resolution but that is not the most exciting feature, thats left to the 1GHz Snapdragon processor. Look for an official announcement in the next couple of days and lets hope O2 don’t nab this one too or the other networks may as well shut down.

Enjoy the video after the break.

A look at Google Wave

Android And Me have written up an interesting assessment of Google Wave. Is Google Wave a evolutionary marriage of communication for the future or a confusing mess destined to be ignored by most? Check after the break for some very impressions of an early engine

Telefónica and Palm announce Palm Pre exclusive in Europe

Palm Pre to Launch With O2 & Movistar In Spain, Germany, UK & Ireland

Telefónica and Palm, Inc. today announced an exclusive agreement to sell the Palm® Pre™ phone initially in Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland and Germany when the device is launched in Europe in time for the winter holidays.

“We are fast becoming the home of the smartphone with the addition of the hotly-anticipated Palm Pre to our already extensive portfolio,” said Matthew Key, chairman and chief executive officer, Telefónica Europe. “Our customers will be the first outside of North America to experience one of the most successful mobile devices of the year.”

“Europe continues to be an important region for Palm, and we’re proud to work with O2 and Movistar to spread the excitement Palm Pre has already ignited in North America,” said Jon Rubinstein, Palm chairman and chief executive officer. “Since we showed Palm Pre at Mobile World Congress in February, there’s been a great deal of anticipation for an announcement about European availability, and that day is here.”

Palm Pre, the first phone based on the new Palm webOS™ mobile platform, brings your information from the many places it resides – on your phone, at work or on the web – into one simple, integrated view.

Palm Pre introduces a breakthrough user interface and hardware design that makes it one of the most integrated and user-friendly mobile phones on the market. Featuring a smooth, elegantly rounded ergonomic design and a physical keyboard that slides out only when needed, Palm Pre is engineered to feel natural in your hand and comfortably small in your pocket. When closed, Palm Pre is ideal for phone calls, web browsing, music, photos and videos; when open, Palm Pre is optimized for email and text messaging. It provides an exceptional experience for phone calls, whether held to your ear, over speakerphone or via Bluetooth.

Orange to launch Watch Phone exclusively in the UK this summer

Orange today announced that the world’s first Touchscreen Watch Phone will hit UK stores in August. The LG Touchscreen Watch Phone will be one of several new innovative ‘future phones’ Orange will be ranging over the next 18 months, chosen specifically for their unique digital lifestyle benefits that allow users to make the most from the latest shifts in modern technology.

Available from Orange for a limited time period, the Watch Phone will be available at an exclusive price point on either Orange pay as you go or SIM-only. The device features a compact and stylish design with a Bluetooth headset, in-built speaker and a full touch-screen interface, as well as 3G+ and video-calling capabilities.

The device heralds a new focus from Orange, to showcase the latest innovative, original, and high-end multimedia devices on the market, with at least three new market-leading devices to be unveiled by the end of the year.

Nokia jumping on the Android bandwagon

According to The Guardian a well respected UK Newspaper who also broke the news that the Palm Pre will be hitting O2 soon are now reporting that Nokia will be releasing a Android Handset.

The new touchscreen device will be unveiled at the Nokia World conference in September, say industry insiders, as the Finnish handset giant tries to revive its fortunes in the smartphone market.

Nokia, which makes roughly four out of every 10 mobile phones sold, has been losing out in the market for phones that can access the internet, send emails and download third-party applications, to products such as the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry Storm. The Android software platform, meanwhile, has been gaining ground with over half a dozen handsets expected to be available by the end of the year.

Analysts at HSBC reckon Nokia had 47% of the global smartphone market in 2007; that was down to 35% last summer and 31% at the end of the year.

The smartphone segment is critical as it is the only part of the mobile phone market which is growing. Cash-strapped consumers are either holding on to their existing phones and opting for cheaper SIM-only deals or "trading up" to more advanced gadgets such as the iPhone.

Opting to use Android, an "open source" platform that any software developer can access, is a reversal of the company’s previous strategy in mobile phone software.

via The Guardian