News

LG App Store Launching in Asia

It seems that there are now 2 things in life that make you as a mobile phone manufacturer, the first is having one of your handsets on the Google Android Operating System and the second is now having your very own app store.

LG Electronics Inc, the world’s No. 3 handset maker, is launching an online store for mobile phone applications Tuesday with an initial focus on Asia and aspirations for a more global reach by year-end.

Phone makers and mobile firms worldwide are in a race to match the success of Apple’s App Store, creating their own virtual stores where users can download software and content.

Improving software is key for South Korean mobile phone makers Samsung and LG, which have grown on well-priced handsets but are lagging in the fast-growing smartphowne category.

LG, which trails Nokia and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in mobile phones, said in a statement on Monday that the "LG Application Store" would provide 1,400 applications including 100 free programs, available in 15 languages.
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The service will first be offered in Asia-Pacific countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia and will reach Europe and the South America by the end of this year, with the number of applications to be offered to increase to more than 2,000 by then, LG said.

LG has not set any firm plan to launch the marketplace in the United States, the stronghold of Apple’s iPhone and Research In Motion’s Blackberry.

What I find really funny though is that this is not a “new concept” and infact “app stores” have been around for a vey long time indeed and you only have to look at the symbian operating system to see that. Whilst not effectively an “app store”, applications have been getting released and sold through my sybian for a number of years.

This however does come as a welcomed move and the limelight should’t be taken away from LG, they are growing faster than ever and striving to put the customers wants first.

Posted by: John

Microsoft Pink Smartphone To Stay Microsoft Branded

Microsoft is rumoured to be releasing the new Pink smartphone under its own in-house branding.

Until now Microsoft has maintained that it is “committed to the licensing model”, but according to comments on CNET.com the device will actually be branded as a Microsoft handset.

We would expect the handset to be running the newest version of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system, which depending on release will probably be Windows 7.

If the rumours are to be believed then the handset will be reserving a custom UI to sit atop the OS, one which will presumably remain unique to Microsoft’s own-branded handsets, rather than those running the re-sold Windows 7 OS.

Last we heard of the Pink project, the handset was being designed by Microsoft, with manufacture going to a third-party; this latest rumour flies in the face of official comments regarding an own-branded Microsoft handset and no doubt places Microsoft as a direct competitor of other handsets that will be running the Windows 7 system.

There’s no specs to report just yet, but we’d expect some serious touchscreen real-estate on board as well as the other usual suspects amongst the high-end feature set.

Posted by: John

T-Mobile myTouch 3G Pre-Order Arrival Dates

If you are already a T-Mobile customer and are planning to pick up the new myTouch 3G handset, we have some good news for you. T-Mobile customers will be able to pre-order the phone before everyone else, according to recent reports.

T-Mobile MyTouch 3G

According to TmoNews, existing customers should be recieving an email from T-Mobile informing them about Pre-order details for the new myTouch 3G.

The email states that T-Mobile customers will be able to pre-order the phone from July 8th – July 28th. If you do so, you’ll recieve the phone on the 3rd August, two days before the normal public launch.

Posted by: John

Russia Go Android with Vobis

It’s not very often you here the words Android and Mobile Phone in a sentence witout the letters HTC following it these days however in Russia they are about to release the HIGHSCREEN PP5420 which will be manufactured by Vobis Computer.

HIGHSCREEN PP5420

The HIGHSCREEN PP5420 will have quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band 7.2Mbps HSPA connectivity, a 528MHz processor, 256MB ROM, 128MB RAM, 3-inch WQVGA touchscreen , a 3-megapixel auto-focus camera, WiFi, aGPS, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, and a 1080 mAh battery.

The phone will hit the Russian market on the 6th of July and you can expect it to cost around $500 without a contract.

The main question now is would you pick the HIGHSCREEN PP5420 over the HTC Hero? Personally, me thinks not.

Posted by: John

Toshiba TG01 on Orange now official!

Well we we’re pretty sure it was about to happen but today it became official – the Toshiba TG01 will be coming to Orange here in the UK! Excellent news I’m sure you’ll agree and it’s great to see that Orange are taking more of these cutting edge handsets such as the HTC Hero and recently the HTC Touch Pro2.

The Toshiba TG01

So here’s the official release for you. Unfortunately I was not able to get along to the launch even in London but hope to have more news, and ulitmately a review, for you soon.

Orange brings the portable cinematic experience to mobile users in the UK with the exclusive launch of the Toshiba TG01

• Orange to range the Toshiba TG01 exclusively across its own retail channels in the UK
• The TG01 will be available for free on selected pay monthly price plans from 10th July
• The TG01 is the first handset in the UK to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 1GHz processor

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.

The TG01 also bridges the gap between notebook and mobile by featuring the latest in chipset technology and is the first handset to be sold in the UK which has a 1GHz processing power, offering fast mobile internet connectivity for a richer multimedia experience. This also enables users to make the most out of their phone, whether it be for watching video, updating social network pages or just browsing the web – just like they do on their PC.

The handset is the first from Toshiba to be part of Orange’s successful Signature Series and comes with quick links so users can easily get to grips with the handset’s great functionality. Shortcuts to the best of Orange TV & Video (which recommends great video content such as Sky 24/7 Football), Orange Maps (Orange’s own sat nav service which utilises the TG01’s inbuilt AGPS), and Orange World (Orange’s own mobile internet portal), come integrated on the device’s user interface.

Posted by: Matt

Palm Pre exclusive deal with O2

It appeared in the news today that the mobile operator O2 have just signed an exclusive deal to sell the Palm Pre here in the UK, Ireland and also Germany.

“O2 said the phone would be available in the UK in time for the winter holidays. No details have been given of how much it will cost when it goes on sale.

The Palm Pre smartphone is seen as a rival to Apple’s iPhone because of its web-centred operating system and innovative interface.”

 

At the launch of the Palm Pre in the US the cost of the phone was approx £129 (this was after a rebate and being tied into a two year contract). Rumour has it that it’s going to be be more expensive over here.

The release date is still to be confirmed

Posted by: Emma

HTC Hero appears on Orange website

We knew it wouldn’t take long but less than two weeks after the HTC Hero press event in London Orange have the Hero listed on their website as one of their ‘Coming Soon’ handsets.

No indication of pricing or availability as yet but you can see for yourself by keeping an eye on the Orange website.

Posted by: Matt

[ Post Tags: HTC Hero, Video, stunt, tracyandmatt.co.uk ]

Samsung i7500 Galaxy with Android on o2

Thanks to the guys at TechRadar we can now confirm that the i7500 Galaxy will be going to o2.

O2 has confirmed to TechRadar that it will be bringing Samsung’s first Android handset, the i7500 Galaxy, to the UK.

The new phone, which first appeared in the July issue of the network’s catalogue under the ‘coming soon’ section, will be hitting the shops in July.

Although there’s no word on whether O2 will be stocking the i7500 Galaxy exclusively, it’s yet another phone in the stable for a network that already has the iPhone 3G S on a multi-year exclusive deal, and apparently the Palm Pre and Toshiba TG01 coming soon.

Best specc’ed Android yet

The Samsung i7500 Galaxy phone obviously comes with the 1.5 Cupcake update, a 5MP camera with flash and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

It also packs 8GB of internal memory as well as microSD slot for expansion, all in a 11.9mm frame, making it the thinnest Android phone on the market when it lands.

O2 already has a 27 per cent share of the market in the UK, and with the rumoured stable of phones it has for the coming summer, it seems it will snatch even more as consumers flock to get the latest and greatest smartphones.

It should prove interesting to see this handset in action as its up against the current market leader for Android, HTC.

Posted by: John

Android Going to Sony Ericsson Xperia

It seems that you aint anybody these days unless you release a handset under the Google Android O/S so I guess that why Sony Ericson (part of OHA) have decided to release the Xperia X5 (codenamed Rachael) with Android.

The XPERIA X5 will be powered by Qualcomm QSD8250 1GHz Snapdragon platform that has outstanding 3G graphics capabilities. The phone will have a 8 Megapixel camera, a colour touch screen and support for 7.2Mbps HSDPA connection. The other good news is that it will have a 3.5mm audio jack.

With so many phones churning out now on Android you have to think hard about which one you choose now.

Posted by: John

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BIC Branded Phone to Be Sold in Spain

Orange is to launch its BIC branded PrePay phone in Spain, following sales of the product in France for the past year. The BIC phone is a rechargeable mobile telephone, 100 % ready-to-use when purchased with a fully charged battery and the SIM card already inserted.

Bic phone

On sale in supermarkets and local stores (tobacconists, newsagents, petrol stations, stations and airports…), the BIC mobile phone focuses on the basic functions for a telephone: sending and receiving calls and SMS’s.

The Spanish BIC phone provides the same features as its French cousin, with some minor adaptations specifically for the local market. It is on sale at the recommended price of 29 Euros. The offer includes 20 minutes of calls valid for 2 months from the time the mobile is activated.

The BIC phone has achieved sales of over 110,000 units since it was first launched in France in August 2008 and a consumer research conducted by LH2 with a sample of 600 respondents showed that the BIC phone really is the "must-have" phone for people who are looking for simplicity

Posted by: John