Press Releases

ZTE announce another Android device: The Grand X LTE

This new device from ZTE has been announced earlier this week to be released in both Europe and Asia in Q3 of 2012 which doesn’t seem too far away. The key thing to note here is the fact that the phone possesses an LTE chip for Europe! This is a huge announcement by all accounts because as far as I’m aware this is the first announcement of such device for Europe as particularly in the UK we don’t yet possess a 4G network.

The device will possess a very respectable 1.5GHz Dual-Core CPU, 8 Megapixel camera and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, unfortunately though these are the only specifications we could get hold of so far. The one thing that ZTE are priding themselves on though along with Qualcomm is the fact that this phone will be the worlds first single- chip LTE device.

You can see the official press statement below:

T-Mobile launches Internet & Broadband Travel Boosters

T-Mobile today announces the launch of Internet and Broadband Travel Boosters, a brand new system offering customers the unbeatable peace of mind that they will never pay more than they expect, anywhere in the world – for the use of any mobile data service. The first of their kind for the UK, the Travel Boosters are available from 19^th June 2012, across all consumer and business plans.

Customers wanting to use mobile data anywhere abroad, via their smartphone or mobile broadband device, will simply be re-directed to a page where they can click to buy a booster. Once the purchase is complete, they can immediately continue to browse the internet, update Facebook, email or download apps and documents without the worry of paying more than they expect when they return from their travels.

The Internet Travel Boosters (for smartphones) and Broadband Travel Boosters (for all mobile broadband devices) start from just £1, with a full range of bundle sizes available¹, each of which last for 30 days or until the data has been used². The cost of the bundle will either be added to the customer’s monthly bill, or deducted from their pay as you go credit – and once the bundle has been used, customers can simply buy another.

Ben Fritsch, Head of Propositions, T-Mobile UK comments: “This year, 90% of all our new³ pay monthly customers have opted for a smartphone, which proves the ever increasing demand from consumers to be connected while on the go. We are really proud to be the first UK operator to ensure our customers can continue to be connected, anywhere in the world – and have the peace of mind they’ll never come back to an unexpected bill.”

For more information, please visit www.t-mobile.co.uk/roaming

Posted by: James

Three open up EU data roaming!

At last: From today, Three pay monthly phone customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of the internet on their smartphones whilst holidaying in the EU without the fear of running up a massive bill.

For just a fiver a day, customers can tweet, tag, browse, book, update, upload, search, send, and Google as much as they want without worrying about how much they’re spending.

So, if you’re trying to find that perfect pizzeria, you can just Google it and track it down on a map. If you can’t remember the word for donkey in Spanish, download a translation app. Or, if you really can’t resist finding out what’s going on at work, you can pick up your emails whenever you like and wherever you are. But best of all, you can make everyone back home insanely jealous with loads of gloaty “look where I am right now” type status updates and photos.

Thomas Malleschitz, marketing director at Three said, “We love the mobile internet at Three and we want our customers to enjoy it on holiday as much as they do at home. The Euro Internet Pass gives our customers the freedom to use the internet in the EU without having to think about how many megabytes or gigabytes they are using or where the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot is.

"We’ve been campaigning for lower data roaming rates and welcome the new regulation from Europe. These changes promote competition and allow us to offer our customers a better deal so they no longer have to worry about running up a massive bill when using the internet”.

Fantastic news for Three customers. Happy holidays.

Posted by: James

CoPilot Live reveals free update for v8 customers, free GPS app and Olympic features

Leading sat-nav app CoPilot Live has announced that its CoPilot Live v8 iPhone, iPad & Android customers in Europe can now upgrade to the latest generation CoPilot features for free.

Existing CoPilot Live v8 customers you can unlock turn-by-turn, voice-guided navigation features by downloading the recently launched CoPilot GPS app at no cost. By upgrading, you will continue to enjoy unlimited CoPilot Live navigation as before, only better – and with regular app updates in the future. Plus all your existing CoPilot Live Favourites, Recents and Subscriptions will be restored from v8. CoPilot GPS provides latest and greatest navigation features, including alternate routes, drag and drop route editing, and a sleek new user interface designed for the latest smartphones and tablets. For full details on how to upgrade please visit – http://blog.copilotlive.com/uk/?p=4459

· CoPilot GPS is also available for free to new users, providing a  route planning and mapping app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. It is currently #1 free nav app in iTunes UK, and #54 of all free apps on iTunes. Key benefits include on-board map browsing and route calculation, along with advanced itinerary optimisation features usually reserved for premium paid navigation apps.

· CoPilot Live GPS is not a replacement for CoPilot Live Premium. CoPilot Live Premium  customers do not need to install the GPS app – they already have our latest CoPilot navigation features including 12 Months free ActiveTraffic and Text to Speech voice guidance as standard. Users of CoPilot GPS can upgrade to the Premium version within the app from £24.99 to get full access to all features.

· CoPilot Live has also announced new features that will help drivers avoid anticipated congestion in central London caused by the Olympics this summer. With these features, CoPilot Live will alert drivers if their route involves restricted roads, including those within the Olympic Route Network (ORN), and offer an alternative route if available. Drivers can also choose to completely avoid affected roads altogether.

Posted by: James

Storage Options announce the Scroll Elite and Scroll Engage – Android 4.0 Tablets

Storage Options, the UK-based technology brand, has announced two new additions to its 2012 tablet line up and new generation of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) devices.

The Scroll Elite and Engage have joined the popular and award-winning Scroll tablet portfolio providing a greater variety of features and sizes from which to choose.

As Storage Options’ latest tablets to run on the new Android 4.0 platform, the Scroll Engage and Scroll Elite offer a wide array of new and improved Android OS features. Users of the lightweight and slender aluminium devices will benefit from faster performance and response times across multiple applications.

The Scroll Elite, which is the same size as the hugely popular Scroll Extreme (one of the first Android 4.0 devices available on the UK and Ireland market), boasts a 9.7″ capacitive screen and 16GB of inbuilt memory, expandable to 32GB through a micro SD card. It also boasts the latest IPS (in-plane switching) LCD screen technology which enables the user to enjoy vivid and natural images.

The smaller Scroll Engage has been packed with features and offers a much more portable solution with its 8″ capacitive XGA screen and Cortex A8 1.2GHz, Mali-400 dual core graphics processor. This highly intuitive device supports rich, flash-based content, all major video and eBook formats and even 3D gaming.

O2 and Vodafone team up to share cell sites

First Orange and T-Mobile got together under the rebranding of Everything Everywhere and now it looks like Vodafone and O2 are teaming up to share cell sites – Yay!

• Companies to pool basic network infrastructure to create one national grid of 18,500 sites. Both companies will be running independent spectrum and competing services
• Both companies pledge to close the digital divide between rural and urban areas targeting 98% indoor population coverage across 2G and 3G by 2015
• Agreement will lay the foundations for two competing 4G networks to deliver the capability for a nationwide 4G service faster than could be achieved independently

Full press release below:

Mix it up on your mobile as Bacardi comes to Shop Scan Save

Shop Scan Save®, the new app that saves money on your shopping, has partnered with Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands to bring exclusive savings on their range in one easy scan of a phone. With the free app on your smartphone, Shop Scan Save users can save money on hundreds of branded products including BACARDI Superior rum, Jack Daniel’s, Bombay Sapphire, Breezer and Southern Comfort.

Shop Scan Save is the first smartphone-based savings scheme providing users with unique offers in more than 22,000 convenience stores across the length and breadth of Britain. Once the free app is downloaded to a smartphone, users aged over 18 can get personalised money-off promotions including Bacardi’s famous drinks.

Matthew Critchlow, Director of Sale (Convenience) at Bacardi, said: “Shop Scan Save is a simple and convenient way to reward customers and support the convenience sector in driving their spirits sales.  Shop Scan Save is a new way for shoppers to interact with our brands and give us feedback on what they like”

Claes Kockum, Commercial Director of Mobilize Systems, the company that created Shop Scan Save said: “Shop Scan Save means you have access to a range of great money saving offers on your mobile including top quality branded products, such as BACARDI rum.  Consumers have access to the best money saving deals to hand, wherever they are.”

The app includes a store finder, which shows the location of the nearest Pay Point supporting stores which include Spar, Co-op, Costcutter, Londis, Nisa and thousands of independent retailers.

The Shop Scan Save app is free to download now from Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Posted by: James

HTC Desire C now available on Three

The second announcement from Three today, this time featuring the HTC Desire C and some rather sweet prices.

The new smartphone combines all-round performance and the latest technology at an affordable price. With features to make everyday tasks easier and more enjoyable, the HTC Desire C has a five megapixel camera to capture special moments, a large 3.5″ screen for viewing the latest YouTube clips and a 600MHz single-core processor for seamless internet browsing and switching between apps.
Plus, with built-in Beats Audio technology, the HTC Desire C provides the best, most authentic music quality straight out of the box.

Sylvia Chind, head of handsets at Three said, “The HTC Desire C is a great all-rounder with a really powerful battery life, meaning that people can stream videos and music to their heart’s content over Three’s fast network.”

The HTC Desire C is available from £13 a month with no upfront cost on the Ultimate Internet 100 plan. Both the Essential Internet and Ultimate Internet plans offer a fear-free mobile internet experience, with a guarantee of no surprise out-of-bundle data charges.
The smartphone is also available on Pay As You Go for £149.99 All in One 15 costs £15 and gives 30-day access to all-you-can-eat data along with 300 any-network minutes and 3,000 texts. Or All in One 25 costs £25 and offers 500 minutes, 3,000 texts and All-You-Can-Eat data for a 30-day period.

Key features:
. Beats Audio technology
. 25GB online storage with Dropbox (free for 24 months)
. Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
. 4GB internal memory
. 600MHz single-core processor
. 5 megapixel camera

Posted by: James

New budget MiFi goes on sale today at Three

From today, Three customers can get their hands on a new value-model MiFi on pay as you go or contract from all Three stores or online at Three.co.uk.

The Huawei E5331 Value MiFi offers affordable fast, secure Wi-Fi access, for up to 5 of your Wi-Fi gadgets at once, making it the perfect accompaniment to tablets, laptops and handheld gaming consoles wherever you are so you don’t need to rely on public hotspots or expensive coffee shops to get online. Fast and secure just for you; no waiting and no need to share unless you want to.

Mark Brewer, Head of Mobile Broadband Devices at Three said, “As the leading network operator in mobile broadband, we’re delighted to be able to offer our customers a cheaper alternative to getting online, without having to compromise on speed.”

Mark Mitchinson, Executive Vice President at Huawei Device UK & Ireland, said: “Huawei’s family of mobile WiFi products are among the best kept secrets in the wider consumer market; gadgets which offer portable and personal WiFi connectivity that can be shared across multiple devices and people. The Huawei E5331 Value MiFi brings these benefits to a much wider market, supported by Three’s exceptional 3G data network.”

The Huawei E5331 Value MiFi is available for a one-off upfront cost of £29.99 on a one-month rolling contract at £15.99 per month for 5 GB of data or from £49.99 on Pay As You Go with 1GB of data.

Key features:
. LED screen with clear icon display
. One button connection
. Up to 21.1 Mbps technical standard Download (HSPA+)
. Up to 4.5 hours battery life

Posted by: James

Samsung Galaxy SIII – best selling handset of 2012 at Phones 4U

The Samsung Galaxy SIII has become the biggest selling handset of 2012 at Phones 4u, based on both pre-orders and first day sales across all 600 of the retailers’ stores. This also includes sales from the Samsung PIN experience pop-ups in Westfield Shepherds Bush and Old Spitalfields Market, which Phones 4u is the official UK retail partner for.

Prior to this the handset had also broken the record for Phones 4u’s most pre-ordered handset ever. 

The Samsung Galaxy SIII is available to all Phones 4u customers on the new ‘Just Update My Phone’ or ‘JUMP’ contract, which enables consumers to upgrade their mobile phone from a selection of the latest smartphones on the market, from partners Vodafone and Orange, as often as every 6 months.

Scott Hooton, Chief Commercial Officer at Phones 4u commented: ‘The demand for the Samsung Galaxy SIII has been truly phenomenal both in the pre-order period and on launch day. First day trade was exceptionally strong in all stores and at the Samsung PINs. A high proportion of the sales made were via JUMP, with new customers starting up contracts and pre-existing JUMP customers also coming in store to take advantage of the flexible upgrade and get their hands on the Galaxy SIII.’   

Available free on contract from £36 a month, the Samsung Galaxy SIII is available in-store and online at Phones 4u now.

Posted by: James