Phones

A little more evidence to suggest a Padfone 2 is on the way

The Padfone does feel like it got a full release over here in the UK and save for a few online retailers you probably wouldn’t realise it was released at all. In an effort to “keep up with the Joneses” Asus have refreshed their combination device with some exciting specs, if the above pic is of an actual product and isn’t fake. The picture is supposedly of the packaging of the device and lists the specs. Here is what is listed on the box,

• Quad-core Qualcomm APQ8064 Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU clocked at 1.5 GHz
• 2 GB of RAM
• 13 MP rear-facing camera with Auto-Focus, LED Flash, Zero Shutter Lag, and FullHD recording.
• The phone’s display is listed as a 4.7-inch Super IPS+ HD with 1280 x 720 pixels resolution and the icon below the list shows “SuperAMOLED.”
• 1.2 MP front-facing camera
• 2,140 mAh Li-Ion battery
• WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Micro-USB 2.0, GPS and A-GPS

HTC One X going cheap at Expansys

Looking for a top end Android smartphone? Expansys may have the answer. They are currently selling the HTC One X for only £399.99 sim free with free shipping, which is quite a bit cheaper than some other sources. The device is the EU variant but comes with a UK power adaptor.

If you missed our hands on video and testing you can catch up here.

The One X is in stock right now so why not grab yourself a bargain.

Posted by: James

Nokia announce the Lumia 920 & Lumia 820 running Windows Phone 8

Espoo, Finland and New York, USA – Nokia today announced the Nokia Lumia 920 and the Nokia Lumia 820, the first devices in Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 range.

The Nokia Lumia 920 is the flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone, including the latest advances in Nokia PureView imaging innovation. Using advanced floating lens technology, the camera in the Nokia Lumia 920 is able to take in five times more light than competing smartphones without using flash, making it possible to capture clear, bright pictures and video indoors and at night. It also compensates for hand movement while the photo is being taken.

“Nokia PureView continues to deliver cutting-edge technology to make it possible for a smartphone camera to take the kind of images usually only seen on a standalone SLR camera,” said Jo Harlow, executive vice president of Nokia Smart Devices. “With the Nokia Lumia 920 we have made it possible to shoot pictures and video at home, outdoors, in a restaurant or even at night, and come out with professional-looking results.”

“We view imaging as a core area for differentiation in the smartphone space,” said Crawford Del Prete, Executive VP WW Products and Chief Research Officer, IDC. “Low light photography has been a weak point for smartphones. Nokia has addressed this with PureView to create real customer value. By applying its rich expertise in imaging Nokia has created a best of breed experience for everyday use.”

Everything Everywhere signs five year deal with Mastercard – NFC payments galore

Everything Everywhere, the parent company of T-Mobile and Orange has signed a five year deal with Mastercard to enable digital payments on the two networks. The plans involve rolling out NFC payment options at over 100,000 retailers in the UK.

Everything Everywhere chief marketing officer Gerry McQuade said: “Working with MasterCard is an important step in making mobile contactless payments more widely available for our 27 million customers. By moving our existing co-branded card offers onto mobile devices, we are closer to a world where our customers will be able to use their phone to pay for travel to work, pay for small purchases and take advantage of loyalty rewards from their favourite retail outlets.”

MasterCard UK and Ireland president Marion King added: “We’re delighted to be working with Everything Everywhere, the UK’s leading mobile operator. MasterCard’s vision is of a world beyond cash, where consumers and small businesses alike can benefit from simple payments using smart technology. The partnership we are announcing today builds on our strong heritage in the mobile payments space and ensures that MasterCard remains the partner of choice for leading businesses in the UK.”

Although NFC has been around for some time now it is not in frequent use in our everyday lives. Maybe this will change in the not to distant future?

Posted by: James

Source: mobilenewcwp

Back to school tech

Once upon a time ‘back to school’ meant a trip to WH Smiths and buying half-a-dozen new pens and a new ruler. Nowadays though it seems that everything from printers to mobile phones are included on that back to school offering, a trip to your local supermarket reveals a whole aisle of ‘essential’ items for the most discerning of school kids.

Having a 4 year old starting school I am acutely aware of the kit that they expect to take to school. Of course, not every 4 year old needs a smartphone for school!

Check out some of the best offers from the folks over at eXpansys below.

Top 5 Apps To Locate Your Phone in Case You Lose It

If you are like me (and thousands of others in the world) then you simply cannot live without your cell phone. These little devices are something that many of us have become totally dependent upon. For instance, what is the first thing I do in the morning? Before I even get out of bed I reach over and look at my cell phone. I check my mail messages and the weather before I have been awake for two minutes. I depend on my phone for work, social connections, calculations, alarms and calendar events. I would feel naked without it. The problem is that these phones are so compact that sometimes we cannot find where we laid them down! Sometimes we get distracted after a phone call or email and forget to put our phone back in its case. Sometimes we simply cannot remember when it was last seen. For me, losing my cell phone switches me over to panic mode. I can only imagine how horrible it is for those of you who set their phones on vibrate! At least when the volume is up you can call it from anther phone and track it down. However, this will only work if you lost in the vicinity in which you are dialling for the sound. What happens if you have been ten places in a day and have no idea where the phone may have been dropped or left? Cell phone app developers recognize this issue and have come to our rescue with phone apps that are meant to help us find lost or stolen cell phones – and we love them for it! I highly recommend that once you get a new phone, you install one of the following five apps before you do anything else! It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to such an important part of your life!

HTC One X update – what about the UK?

You may recall the press release from HTC on Friday of last week about the next update for their flagship HTC One X phone in which we were told that the ‘next upgrade for the HTC One X will be released on August 10th’.

This update should take the version of Android OS to 4.0.4  (still Ice Cream Sandwich) and bring with it various improvements to the Sense experience.

However, I’ve had lots of feedback through Twitter asking where the update is. Indeed I’ve been wondering the same thing myself as the update has not yet presented itself to me on my One X either.

Several other unconfirmed tweets suggest that the UK isn’t getting the update while the rest of Europe already has it. I’m waiting for comment from HTC but anyone out there already rocking 4.0.4 through a legit OTA update?

Posted by: Matt

Motorola RAZR MAXX arrives at Carphone Warehouse

For those of you waiting for it and possibly due an upgrade you may want to check out Motorola’s hotly anticipated smartphone, the brand new  Motorola RAZRT MAXX, is now available at Carphone Warehouse.

The handset will be available for free from £20.50 per month, with tariffs on Vodafone, Orange, O2 and T-Mobile networks.  Full tariff details are available here.

The Motorola RAZR MAXX boasts an incredible battery life that delivers up to 17.6 hours of talk time1. It also comes with 1GB RAM combined with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and AndroidT operating system will ensure you are always entertained, delivering a lightning-fast user interface and the power to multi-task like never before.  This combined with the long lasting battery means the Motorola RAZR MAXX is perfect for those with hectic non-stop lifestyles.

The RAZR MAXX is a tough and resilient handset; Corning® Gorilla® Glass defends 4.3-inch screen from scratches and scraps. Every part of the Motorola RAZR MAXX is protected by a splashguard coating, which even extends to the electrical boards inside, ensuring a go anywhere, do everything attitude.
The Motorola RAZR MAXX is available in Carphone Warehouse stores, online at www.carphonewarehouse.com or by calling 0800 925 925.

Posted by: Matt