News

HTC Sense online goes live

If you are lucky enough to have pre ordered the HTC Desire HD or Desire Z you will be pleased to know that the online HTC Sense webpage is up and running ready for when you get your new device later this month, hopefully!

Although the web portal is currently restricted to these two new devices we hope that the service will be rolled out to slightly older devices at some point in the near future.

The online service will allow you to manage your phone online as well as track and even wipe everything from it in the event of loss/theft.

Sounds pretty sweet and a big selling tool if you ask me.

Lets hope the devices don’t take too much longer to arrive in stock. We of course will have full reviews of both the Desire HD and the Desire Z as soon as we can.

You can register for HTC Sense online here.

Posted by: James

HP confirm new WebOS devices are coming in 2011

Once a contender but currently a side note in the mobile OS world, Palm’s WebOS looks like it’ll be finding its way onto handheld devices next year, according to HP senior VP Eric Cador.  This of course come of the back of another HP VP, Todd Bradley, confirming the existence and release of the “PalmPad” earlier in September, plus news of WebOS 2.0 hitting beta. So while WebOS may not be the great white hope it was a couple of years back, it’s not the dead-and-buried OS others may think.  Will one of these devices be the rumoured Palm Mansion?  With new rumours of an 800×480 screen and touch only interface it certainly marks a change in direction for the OS (maybe at HP’s insistence?) although the WebOS 2.0 screengrabs haven’t yet served up an on-screen keyboard.  A screen with that size would likely be bigger than the Pre (and certainly the Pixi) to enable a decent QWERTY keyboard on there, unless Palm fancy still-birthing another great OS with shoddy hardware.  Lets hope not, WebOS could still be a tour-de-force with decent hardware, especially in the tablet arena.

Source: Mashable

Posted by: Ian

Is the Motorola Droid Pro a BlackBerry killer?

I have not been hugely impressed with recent Android offerings from Motorola but this Droid Pro that was announced recently caught my eye for the obvious reason that it has the BlackBerry form factor.

Although us BlackBerry addicts now have the Torch I would love RIM to give us a front facing qwerty with a nice big touch screen. The Droid Pro is headed for Verizon in the States so I’m not sure if we will ever see it over here in the UK but I think that Motorola would be mad not do.

Anyway, here is the official word on the street:

BlackBerry Torch 9800 sim free from Clove

Some weeks ago we posted that the BlackBerry Torch 9800 was expected in stock soon and as usual it didn’t happen due to a delay from RIM. Good news today as stock as arrived at Clove and all existing orders will be processed Wednesday for delivery Thursday.

If you have not seen our BlackBerry Torch review you can do so here.

Here’s a run through of the key features of the BB Torch:

Spotify Comes to Windows Mobile, WP7 Version Coming Soon

For all 19 people still using Windows Mobile and want Spotify, your prayers have been answered. As Spotify announced Spotify for Windows Mobile alongside Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer at Stockholm’s Royal Institute of Technology event. Spotify is going to be available for all Windows Mobile phones 6.0 and onwards, and the features are per usual.

You can now:

• Search, browse and play millions of tracks
• Stream them over Wi-Fi or 2.5/3G
• Play your playlists offline
• On-the-fly sync. So every track you add to a playlist appears on mobile and computer
• The What’s New tab
• Wirelessly sync your local files to your phone
• Starred tracks so you tag all your favorites into a special list

Check out the video below.

Microsoft reveals October event is indeed for WP7, and we’ll be there!

Just as we and no doubt all of you expected, the event we are attending in central London on the 11th is indeed going to be the launch of Windows Phone 7. It will coincide with another event over the pond where Steve Ballmer himself will unveil the first crop of retail devices. Our lucky man James has already had a toy with the new operating system, and he’s also going to be at the event on Monday tweeting live. Over in NYC they’re expecting some hands on with the new phones, and I hope we’ll get the same treatment here!

So what can we expect? Starting with the HD7, it looks to be a monster of a phone with a 4.3 inch display, 8GB storage, 1GHz processor and maybe ‘Dolby Mobile Sound’! The second device circulating the interwebs is the HTC Mozart – this is perhaps more mainstream with a 3.7 inch display, an 8MP camera and more or less every extra you can think of, all wrapped in a 11.9mm thick body. Just as important as the devices is the fact that it looks as if all five main UK operators will carry a WP7 device of some sort, with a Phones4U leak suggesting a release of late October!

So with the dates so close, have you started saving the pennies for a Windows Phone?

Posted by: Vince

An important message for Orange and T-Mobile users

You may remember a while back we mentioned the integrated services from Everything Everywhere, the parent company that now owns both Orange and T-mobile.

Orange have released a short video on YouTube which explains nicely how the first stage of the shared networks will operate.

Read on to see the video.

Samsung Galaxy Tab arriving November 1st

Samsung’s highly anticipated Galaxy Tab is arguably the first tablet out of the Android camp really worth talking about, and it’s not long now till we can play with it too. Samsung have named November 1st as the date when the Froyo-laden Galaxy Tab will be hitting UK shores, and the second bite of good news is that it will be available from “all major carriers”. Hopefully that will help to curb the extravagant prices we’ve seen thrown around before, and the Carphone Warehouse and Dixons Store Group will also receive stock. How much will you have to give up to get a Tab of Galaxy in your hands? That’s the only question Samsung have left to answer, but hopefully we can expect some sort of carrier subsidising.

How much will you have to shell out for a Galaxy Tab? We’ll have to wait and see.

Posted by: Vince

Buy an O2 mobile at Sainsbury’s

O2 has opened its first concession store with a Sainsbury’s supermarket.

This first new venture has taken place in the recently refurbished 100,000 square foot Sainsbury supermarket in Crayford, near Dartford.

O2 trained staff and managers will run the concession and will sell the same products and services found in a typical high street store, including both prepay and contract, the Apple iPhone 4 and fixed line services O2 Home Broadband and O2 Home Phone.

O2 claims the concession will operate to the same level as its retail stores offering the same levels of customer experience.

O2 is expected to open further concession stores within Sainsbury’s, which has a footprint of 537 supermarkets and 335 smaller convenience stores.

Posted by: James

Nokia N8 starts shipping

Good news if you pre ordered the Nokia N8. Nokia have confirmed they have now started shipping so fingers crossed it wont be long until the N8 hits your door step.

Nokia’s latest entertainment smartphone, the highly anticipated Nokia N8 with Ovi services, has started shipping. Customers who have placed a pre-order for the Nokia N8 in Nokia Online Shops and Nokia retail stores will be the first to receive their Nokia N8. Market availability will vary by country and by operator, with broad availability in the coming weeks.