News

HP discontinues webOS devices!

HP have today announced they will no longer be developing webOS devices, such as the Pre and the TouchPad.

The press release said they would be "discontinuing operations for webOS devices”. This means they will continue to develop webOS as an operating system but will not manufacture hardware.

So, does this mean we will see webOS licensed and appearing on handsets from some of our favorite manufactures such as HTC, Samsung and LG? I do hope so. Since the release of the Palm Pre we here tracyandmatt have all said that the OS was great but sadly let down by hardware.

This news is a real shame but not one that is a total surprise.

Posted by: James

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray coming soon to Vodafone

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray is certainly a nice looking handset. It has popped up on the coming soon page of the Vodafone site in the last day or so. If this one could be a contender for your next smartphone head on over to the Vodafone site and register for updates on when the ray will be available.

With a 3.3" screen and running the latest Android platform for smartphones (Gingerbread 2.3), the phone packs in a powerful 1Ghz processor, Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, a 8.1mp camera with Exmor RT for mobile and HD video functionality. At only 9.4mm thin, XperiaT ray incorporates market leading design for which Sony Ericsson has become known.

To add to a full set of specifications, the phone incorporates a front facing camera and a scratch resistant screen with excellent resolution and brightness and integrated touch keys.  Sony Ericsson’s unique integration of Facebook inside XperiaT delivers a unique consumer experience for greater social interaction. In combination with the Google services, as well as access to over 200,000 Apps via the Android Market, it provides a solid and entertaining smartphone foundation.

You can see the Xperia ray specs below:

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini and Mini Pro available sim free from Clove

We posted earlier today that you can now pick up the Xperia Mini Pro from Vodafone. If you fancy getting it sim free you can now buy it from Clove as well as the Xperia Mini.

The Xperia Mini Pro is priced at £246 including VAT and the Xperia Mini is £210. Reasonable prices if you ask me.

You can see more details of both devices below:

HP Pre 3 Stock Arriving Tomorrow

We mentioned earlier in the week that the HP Pre 3 had appeared on the support section of the Orange website. If this one is your cup of tea then you can buy it sim free from Clove tomorrow.

At £360 inc. VAT the Pre 3 looks to offer pretty good value for money.

In 2010, HP took over Palm to become HP Palm, launching the HP Palm Pre 2. However, a new range of devices is now lead by the Pre 3, under the name of HP. Of course, the HP Pre 3 features the webOS platform that powered the Palm Pre and HP Palm Pre 2, but with a few improvements.

The HP Pre 3 is designed perfectly to help you cope with the fast pace of life that is created by a busy social and business schedule. Packed into the slim design of the HP Pre 3 is a 1.4GHz processor, email engine, slide out QWERTY keyboard and a robust battery.

With webOS, true multitasking is made easy. Keep multiple apps open once and flip between them using simple gestures. Once you have several apps open, they are arranged in stacks as if part of a deck of cards. Watch a video half way through composing an email, play a game in between texting, or check Facebook while on a call.

HTC Evo 3D available now from Clove

If you have been waiting to get your hands on the HTC Evo 3D then it’s your lucky day. Clove now have the device in stock, sim free, so get your orders in quick.

Priced at £534 including VAT the Evo 3D isn’t cheap but it is one hell of a handset.

If you missed our demo video of the Evo 3D you can watch it here.

Click here to place your order.

Android 4.0 coming in October?

With the iPhone 5 strongly rumoured to drop in either September or October, it seems as though Google has loaded up their cannons to return fire at Apple with their highly anticipated Android 4.0 update, dubbed “Ice Cream Sandwich.” First announced at Google I/O 2011, there is still a great deal of mystery surrounding the next version of Android, but thanks to reports from multiple sources, we have learned that it should be showing up on devices in October. We say devices, rather than phones, because Ice Cream Sandwich will not be a phone-exclusive platform; we’ll be seeing Ice Cream Sandwich on phones, tablets, computers. who knows where else.

Redmond Pie reported on a source who, according to them, has knowledge of Google’s Ice Cream Sandwich plans. The source states that the first device, which may be either a smart phone or a tablet, will be released in October (earlier than planned) to compete with Apple’s next-generation iPhone which is strongly expected to release either in September or October.

Here are some of the features we DO know about Ice Cream Sandwich:

USB Hosting
It is understood that Android 4.0 will bring about USB Hosting which will allow you to use practically any device with the tablet ranging from an Xbox controller for games to a keyboard/mouse for surfing and other things. You will also have the ability to integrate a USB device to work specifically with an app. So a heart monitor used with a fitness app, for example.

Tracks Your Face
Android 4.0 wil have the ability to track your face so instead of you trying to move around to get into the camera, the camera will auto-focus on to you instead. It will also be handy in video conferencing because the camera will move to you when you begin speaking and then move to whoever speaks so you don’t waste time trying to move your phone or tablet every time the you want to focus it on someone in particular.

Posted by: Gareth

Galaxy Tab 8.9 on sale very soon

The wait seems to be coming to an end. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9, the smaller brother of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, was up for pre-order via the Amazon UK site listed at a price of £605.34. The listing shows that the tablet packs a 3G modem inside and has an in-stock date of August 12. This was last week however the pre-order option has since been removed.

With 8.9 inches, Samsung is clearly aiming for not just the right size, but the features to go with. This is something the company failed to do with the original Galaxy Tab.  The device is 8.6 mm thin, 465 grams in weight, and has a 6,000 mAh battery that supports up to 10 hours of video playback, and a platform built specifically for tablets.

Posted by Gareth

Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility

Given the current situation with everyone suing everyone else in relation to alleged patent infringements it’s perhaps of little surprise that a number of big companies are going on the acquisition trail in order that they may bolster their position.

However the news this afternoon that Google are about to acquire Motorola Mobility is something of a surprise.

You’ll find the full press release below.

HP Pre 3 coming to Orange

The HP Pre 3 has been keeping a low profile since its announcement in which seems a lifetime ago. It is however clearly coming to the Orange network as a help and support page has cropped up on the Orange Website.

I’m not totally sure what HP are playing at to be honest. The Pre 3 was first announced back in February and we are still waiting for it. Sure, in the meantime HP released the Veer, which in my opinion is too small for a normal person to use. We then had the TouchPad which seems better but we want the flagship phone soon please HP.

No dates are confirmed when the device will hit the Orange stores but we will be sure to let you know when it does.

Posted by: James

Everything Everywhere – East Africa Famine Appeal

UNICEF is urgently appealing for emergency assistance for the millions of children affected by the drought and food crisis across the Horn of Africa. The situation in the region is worsening by the day, with drought, famine and rising food prices affecting more than 12 million people. Children are most vulnerable, with UNICEF estimating that more than two million children in the Horn of Africa region are affected and a child is dying from starvation every six minutes in Southern Somalia, the worst hit area.

UNICEF is scaling up life-saving efforts by providing malnourished children with life-saving emergency food, access to safe water and sanitation, as well as preventing the spread of killer diseases including measles through vaccination campaigns.

UNICEF is the main provider of life-saving emergency food for children in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti but need more funds urgently to reach children in the worst affected regions as quickly as possible to prevent more children from dying.

Just £5 can help feed a child for an entire week.

Everything Everywhere, which runs the Orange and T-Mobile brands, and is UNICEF UK’s official disaster and emergency response partner, has launched a text donation appeal to encourage customers to help UNICEF save lives in East Africa.