News

Orange – No plans for HTC Touch??

Here’s another post to file under ‘confusing’!

During the HTC Touch launch event on the 5th June, Yves Maitre, Vice President of Orange Group, announced that the HTC Touch would be available from Orange from that day on and mentioned that you would be able to go in to a shop and buy one. There’s proof of this in the video HERE.

As Yves was unable to confirm the price of the handset on the Orange network I decided to contact Orange customer services for some information. My inital enquiries were met with “What’s the HTC Touch?” and “We don’t see that one.” So I sent an email to the supply team. The conversation went like this:

Matt: Please can you tell me the cost of the new HTC Touch device?

Orange: The only version we have is the SPV M3100. Please advise if you wish take this handset and if its an upgrade or new connection.

Matt: The HTC Touch was announced by your Vice President, Yves Maitre, at a press conference yesterday and is not an M3100

Orange: I shall look into this and get back to you.

Orange: Sorry (the HTC Touch is) not something we’re ranging.

I’ve still not been able to clear this up but I’ll get back to you with more information as I get it!

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC, HTC Touch, HTC Elf, HTC P3450]

Orange ‘SPV’ brand lives?

Earlier this week we attended the HTC Touch launch/press conference where Yves Maitre, Vice President of Orange Group, dropped a bombshell and announced that Orange were killing off the SPV brand and that the HTC Touch would be the first Windows Mobiles device on the Orange network to be HTC rather than SPV branded.

You can even see the announcement in THIS VIDEO (Yves Maitre comes on about 28 minutes in) and hear the confirmation for yourself.

Imagine our surprise then when this email popped into our inbox this morning:

Matt,

Thanks for your enquiry about the Orange SPV brand, please see below for a response.

Orange has no plans to drop the SPV brand in any of our markets. SPV devices, as part of our Signature Series, are a very important part of our device portfolio and have a lot of valued added Orange features. We will continue to launch SPV devices, as part of the Signature Series, some of which will be from HTC.

As HTC are increasing the number of devices they launch we have decided that not all of them will be Signature Series and therefore not always SPV. For this reason we are launching the HTC Touch under the HTC brand. The Orange mark will still appear on the HTC Touch, as it does on lots of other devices.

Longer term, we are planning to only use the Orange mark on Signature devices. Our aim is for the Orange mark to stand for an assured quality level plus value added features and for the Signature Series – which comprises devices from many manufacturers – to be a higher level of quality still.

Obviously this is a direct contradiction of Yves statement, what’s even more odd is that I didn’t actually make an enquiry with Orange! I gather, looking at some of the other WM sites this morning, that I am not the only one to be confused by such and email.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, SPV, Orange]

SanDisk introduces secure USB Flash Drives for business

SanDisk today introduced Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise, two USB flash drives that deliver strong security and state-of-the-art speed to business users.

 

SanDisk secure Cruzer

Cruzer Professional is primarily for individuals and small businesses who want to protect crucial data while also making it easy to share selected files. Cruzer Enterprise is primarily for medium and large organizations that require mandatory policy enforcement, central management and regulatory compliance. And another great tip that we have is to give your business a London postal address using a virtual office as that looks so impressive and also gives you more privacy so it’s just amazing.

“USB flash drives offer an inexpensive and convenient way to carry large amounts of digital information in a pocket or purse, yet without proper security these benefits become a huge threat to businesses of all sizes,” said Yariv Fishman, product manager for enterprise solutions in the USB business unit at SanDisk. “Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise are business tools, from a trusted leader in USB flash drives, which help ensure confidential data remains confidential – even if the drives themselves are lost or stolen.”

Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise offer password protection and virtually ironclad data security through hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption. Hardware-based encryption is much more reliable than the software-based security used in most consumer USB flash drives with password protection, because software-based protection relies on the host computer – which can be compromised by spyware and other threats — to perform security operations. Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise are true plug-and-play devices, requiring no software installation on a host computer, so the drives will connect instantly to any computer running a modern version of Microsoft Windows.

Cruzer Professional and Cruzer Enterprise are also very fast, with read speeds of 24 megabytes (MB) per second and write speeds of 20 MB/sec1. This reduces waiting time, which is particularly noticeable when moving large files such as business presentations and video productions.

Cruzer Professional Delivers Security and Sharing
Cruzer Professional lets the owner establish a secure, password-protected “Privacy Zone” that can occupy anywhere from one percent to 100 percent of the drive’s total capacity. The area outside the Privacy Zone is unprotected and is therefore open to any user. Here’s how this can work: A sales executive heading out for a trip puts confidential business plans in the Privacy Zone of a Cruzer Professional, and a product presentation in the public area. Arriving at a client’s office, the executive hands the Cruzer Professional to the client and allows the client to transfer the presentation – without worrying the client might accidentally or deliberately copy confidential files.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): Tracy & Matt, SanDisk, U3, SanDisk, Microsoft]

HTC Touch in stock at clove!

For those of you that want to get your hands on the HTC Touch our friends at Clove Technology have the HTC Touch in stock now, available for immediate shipping!

HTC Touch

So if you want to bag yourself an HTC Touch for just £295 + VAT then head over on the Clove Technology website and you could be touching up the new device within a few days!

HTC Touch Specification:

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC, HTC Touch, HTC Elf, HTC P3450]

HTC Touch – The official press release

HTC, the world’s leading provider of Microsoft® Windows Mobile®-based smart devices, today announced the global launch of the HTC Touch, a deceptively small and stylish mobile phone that ushers in an innovative new concept in intuitive touch screen navigation. Orange is the first pan-European operator to launch the HTC Touch. The device brings a new level of simplicity to the powerful and function-rich device experience that today’s mobile customers demand.

HTC Touch

Building on its rich ten-year history of mobile phone innovations, the HTC Touch represents extensive research and development and the conviction that fingertip control will enable more efficient, natural and intuitive touch screen navigation. The groundbreaking HTC Touch offers a new and unique way of controlling touch screen-based devices by recognising and responding to the sweep of a finger across the screen. It is intelligent enough to distinguish between finger and stylus input and then respond accordingly.

“With the HTC Touch, access to your most commonly used content, contacts and features is only a simple finger flick away,” said Peter Chou, CEO and President of HTC. “Mobile phone makers have done a great job of cramming ever-more exciting features into ever-smaller phones. But the way in which one accesses these increasingly sophisticated features has not kept pace. That ends today with the HTC Touch.”

Smart, stylish and versatile, the HTC Touch brings together a wide variety of communication, entertainment and professional capabilities that enable mobile consumers to balance work and play. The new HTC-designed homescreen provides one-touch access to emails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world.

The HTC Touch is the first device to feature TouchFLO™, the new underlying touch screen technology developed by HTC. Consumers simply sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display, providing efficient access to the features consumers use most. TouchFLO™ also enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists.

Leveraging the broad functionality of Windows Mobile 6 Professional, the HTC Touch includes Outlook Mobile, Office Mobile and the capabilities to run thousands of third-party applications. Users can surf the web with Internet Explorer®, send and receive emails, chat and upload files to the internet.

The HTC Touch also features a 2 mega-pixel camera, a large 2.8-inch colour LCD screen and comes with a 1GB microSD card, giving users the versatility to store, upload and share multimedia content with ease.

Availability

The announcement marks the first time that HTC has introduced an HTC product globally, and comes almost exactly a year after the company launched its first own-branded products in June 2006. The HTC Touch will also be the first HTC-branded product to be sold in Asia. The HTC Touch will be available to customers across Europe and Asia this month, beginning today in the United Kingdom.

The HTC Touch will be initially available to Orange customers in the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands.

Yves Maitre, VP Devices, Orange, says “We are delighted to be first to launch this innovative new smartphone, which will open the door to widespread use of touch screen devices. Orange has the widest portfolio of Microsoft smartphones and was the first operator to launch a Windows 6.0 device. This latest addition cements Orange’s position as the leading operator in the smartphone market. Orange and HTC have a heritage of innovating with new types of smartphone and the HTC Touch is a great example of this.”

T-Mobile will launch a customised version of the device which will be named the MDA Touch across key European markets. The innovative and strong multi-media feature set of the MDA Touch will be a powerful fit to T-Mobile’s “web’n’walk” proposition.

“We are proud to announce that at the same time we are launching the MDA Touch. T-Mobile is continuing its successful cooperation and development of innovative products with HTC as partner,” says Michael Hagspihl, Executive Vice President Terminal Management, T-Mobile International. “T-Mobile already set standards in the past by providing its customers with innovative PDAs like the MDA Vario II and Ameo.”

HTC Touch Specification:

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC, HTC Touch, HTC Elf, HTC P3450]

O2 Announces Sierra wireless modem

O2 and Sierra Wireless today announced the availability of the Wireless USB Modem (Sierra Wireless AirCard 875U) on the O2 network in the UK. Designed for mobile professionals on the move, the Wireless USB modem from O2 provides an always-on Internet connection through the USB port, enabling greater compatibility with a wide range of computers, and offers optimal performance through in-built battery and easy configuration.

O2 Sierra AirCard

Enabling users to work at home, in the office or on the move, the Wireless USB Modem from O2 is designed to work on GPRS and 3G networks, as well as EDGE and HSDPA networks in many countries around the world. Users can send or receive information at speeds of up to 384Kbps (when in 3G coverage) and up to 53.6Kbps on GPRS while only paying for data sent and received, allowing them to stay connected to the Internet at no additional cost.

Setting up the Wireless USB Modem from O2 is quick and easy. Users simply place an O2 Data SIM into the Wireless USB Modem and load the Sierra Wireless Watcher software supplied to a Desktop PC or laptop. The Wireless USB Modem connects through a flip-out connector to a USB port on the Desktop PC or laptop running Windows 2000, XP, Vista or Mac OS X operating systems. To extend flexibility for users who would like to connect it to a Desktop PC, the Wireless USB Modem comes with a docking station that can be plugged into the back of the computer and sit conveniently on a desk.

“The Wireless USB Modem is a great addition to O2’s range of products and services for mobile professionals on the move,” said Phil Ledward, Head of Data Marketing at O2. “Providing fast access speeds and a quick and easy setup, the Wireless USB Modem from O2 enables users to get the most out of their time wherever they are.”

“We are pleased to work with O2 to deliver the Sierra Wireless AirCard 875U USB modem to O2 data customers,” said Jim Lahey, Vice President, EMEA for Sierra Wireless. “The Wireless USB Modem offers a convenient option for those who want more flexibility than a PC card or an ExpressCard provides, without compromising the high-performance, reliable wireless connection they need and expect from O2 and from Sierra Wireless.”

The Wireless USB Modem from O2 is now on sale at £120rrp and is available in O2 retail stores and online at www.o2.co.uk.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, O2, Sierra Wireless, AirCard 875U]

HTC press conference

We’re on our way to the HTC press conference being held today in central London.

Although the details of the event are a ‘closely guarded secret’ HTC is expected to announce a new Windows Mobile device based on the HTC Elf platform. However, this Elf will be rather unusual with a new feature – it’s expected to have a multitouch display and to be HTC’s answer to the Apple iPhone.

Other sources indicate the new multitouch display is even able to provide a tactile feedback when dialing.

We’ll be posting the details of the event as soon as we get back so come and have a look again this afternoon!

If you are going to the event, let us know and maybe we’ll see you there.

Posted by: Matt

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, HTC]

iPhone launch date announced

Apple yesterday confirmed that the much-anticipated iPhone will launch on 29 June in the US.

Apple iPhone

The date was given in a series of TV adverts broadcast on Sunday, and was later confirmed by a spokesman for the California-based company.

I did find this line rather amusing:

The adverts on Sunday showed off several of the gadget’s features, including surfing the net, watching videos and scrolling through e-mails using a finger as a pointer.

Have we not had touchscreen features on Windows Mobile devices for years? Surfing the net? Hardly new. No mention of being able to make phone calls on it though! 😛

Posted by: Matt

Quote courtesy of the BBC news.

[Post tag(s): iPhone, Apple, OS X, Amazon, Tracy & Matt]

Orange unlimited browsing – NOT unlimited?!

It seems like almost everyone has been talking about the new Orange unlimited data packages that are supposed to be available soon. Since our post last month with the Orange Press Release regarding their flat rate announcement, many people have been asking when they’ll be able to go on the tariff.

Orange have been hoping that the new ‘unlimited’ tariff will compete with T-Mobile’s Web’n’Walk and encourage some people to come back to Orange.

So what’s the limitation on the unmetered tariff? You’ll notice that it’s subject to a ‘fair use’ policy. Orange consider the fair use limit to be just 30MB!! If this is true then I have to say “Orange, what are you thinking?!”.

I’d hardly call 30MB ‘unlimited’ or ‘unmetered’, so like a lot of other people, I think I’ll be off to T-Mobile now!

Posted by: Matt

SOURCE

[Post tag(s): smartphone blog, Pocket PC blog, Tracy & Matt, Unlimited Data, Orange]

HTC Cavalier unboxed and reviewed

The folks over at ‘On The Go Solutions’ have put together a brief review and unboxing video of the Dopod C730 aka HTC Cavalier.

The Bottom Line: Because the Dopod C730 has so many high-speed connectivity options coupled with a blazing fast processor, this new release really scores well. If you are looking for a thin, elegant Windows Mobile Smartphone that really has it all — this is the device for you.

HTC Cavalier Specification

Check out the review and video at ‘On The Go Solutions’.

Posted by: Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone, Pocket PC, Tracy & Matt, HTC Cavalier, Dopod S730, HTC Excalibur]