To say that O2 has some “capacity issues” would be an understatement. With over a million smart phone users in the network –many of whom are prolific iPhone users, there is a strong degree of network based congestion in 3G.
Competitor Vodafone has yet to feel the full brunt of the network issues as they have only started offering the iPhone to customers last January –placing their current number of users at a significantly lower number than that of O2.
O2 on the other hand is wisely investing in the expansion of their network by placing more masts in London and several other measures. According to the Chief of Technology for the operator, the problem will not just go away in a matter of time, in fact, network congestion and the demand for faster and more stable connections is always on the rise.
With apps for Facebook and Twitter becoming more and more common, people are starting to rely on living life with their smart phones easily able to go online in order to update their status and other important information.
According to studies, the growth of internet usage among mobile phone users is encouraged heavily by the presence of social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter. The two sites are considered to be the most often visited websites of today –easily beating Google. Facebook is a social networking tool with thousands of apps available for use, Twitter on the other hand is a micro blogging service.
O2 is keeping up with 3G demands by further expanding their network. They have already installed an additional 1550 3G sites in order to extend the areas of their network coverage. More masts are expected to be coming as well.
Get to know more about O2’s network expansion at Mobile Today UK.
To paraphrase what many people saying: WP7 shares many of the same problems of the iPhone OS.
Despite Microsoft already being well aware of customer complaints regarding the Apple iPhone, it seems like the developer is forgetting many of the key problems that the device faced in its early years. The most significant similarity of the old iPhone and the upcoming WP7 mobile platform is that both lack cut and paste capabilities.
Cutting text into a clipboard for pasting on other apps is a simply task that people would expect of a smart phone. With WP7 designed to run Pocket Office applications such as Word, having such a crucial function missing is a big drag –though some speculate that internally, within the Office application, the function would still be present.
Anyway, cutting in pasting is one thing, but the lack of multitasking is also a pretty tough thing to lose. The upcoming Apple iPad lacks it and people are not too happy to know that. After all, being able to do more than two things at once is the biggest benefit of multitasking –a lack of which is also one of the reasons why the system lack cutting and pasting in the first place.
Lastly, the devices running the OS will be able to support SD cards. While this is pretty understandable, it does remind of simper days when a phone using the older Windows Mobile OS would have those functions.
These missing functions have already been confirmed, but many are already hoping that with the many months until the release of the OS, Microsoft might still add in these capabilities. In any case, despite having this few flaws, folks are still eagerly anticipating the release of the device.
Get to know more about the missing features from WP7 at Stuff TV.
Having 20 patent infringement lawsuits being filed against a company is more than just a severe legal action, it is also an insult to the work and effort of many of HTC’s engineers and designers. Any artist would consider it an affront to have their work credited as unoriginal, and it is with this same passion that HTC is now defending itself against Apple’s claims that the company has indeed infringed on existing patents.
HTC has been in the mobile device market for a long time where they have played a crucial role in the growth and development of the Windows Pocket PC. They before they even became a part of the Open Handset Alliance, HTC was already at the forefront of mobile phone technology with their many innovations in regards to touch screens, menus and hardware.
To quote HTC CEO Peter Chou:
“HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible. From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.”
Jason Mackenzie, VP of HTC USA also added “HTC has always taken a partnership-oriented, collaborative approach to business. This has led to long-standing strategic partnerships with the top software, Internet and wireless technology companies in the industry as well as the top U.S., European and Asian mobile operators. It is through these relationships that we have been able to deliver the world’s most diverse series of smartphones to an even more diverse group of people around the world, recognizing that customers have very different needs.”
For more information about the HTC-Apple lawsuit, go to Softpedia.
When you work for one of the largest mobile network operators in the UK, you would think that the level of employment stability and the security that comes with such a position would be hard to match.
This is the exact opposite of what many employees within Vodafone are feeling at the moment. Despite the company getting ready to offer its clients some of the best smart phones available this coming April (along with the Apple iPad touch screen tablet), the feeling for most Vodafone employees right now is that their jobs could be removed suddenly without warning. This is the result of a series of the cost cutting implementations that saw the removal of 500 employees in 2009 and 375 just this month.
Redundancies had to go, but not in the way Vodafone implemented the change. Without warning, the employees were simply told to take their things and leave as the cost cutting procedures have decided that their jobs are no longer useful to the company. The teary-eyed employees were then escorted out (apparently by security personnel that Vodafone added in at the last moment –perhaps in case some of the employees riot). Vodafone also had to close down six stores, the employees of which are part of the 375 redundancies.
Many current employees are disheartened by such events. Many of those removed have worked loyally for the company for many years and did not deserve to be treated in such a way. Should the cost cutting even affect more jobs, it is quite likely that the overall morale for employees would drop at an all time low. Union groups such as CWU have been coordinating with those affected by the cost cutting.
Read more about the full details on what is going on with Vodafone’s cost cutting and why it is affecting so many jobs at Mobile Today UK.
We are literally drooling all over the place as we saw the recently announced specs for the HTC HD3 smart phone. Most of you may have already given up on the previous HTC HD2 when Microsoft confirmed that the device will not be compatible with Windows Phone 7 mobile platform.
While no word has been given regarding the OS that will be used for the alleged HD3, many are expecting this device to be the first HTC WP7 smart phone.
New to the HD3 is a large 4.5 inch AMOLED capacitive touch screen. While we certainly enjoy having a big screen this certainly makes the phone significantly larger than many other devices already out. The screen will support playback of 1080p HD videos (the screen can handle up to 1280 x 800 pixels of resolution –higher than most net books) and the phone is able to record in 720p HD with the 8 mega pixel snapper with LED flash.
In any case, much like the upcoming iPhone 4G, it seems like 4G devices will make 4 inch screens the new standard. Speaking of which, yes, the HTC HD3 will indeed be 4G compatible. Expect to see killer connection speeds when going online with this device.
The 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor is possibly the new dual core version of the CPU. We can only wait and see how much of a difference 1.5GHz really gives –though we expect to device to be able to run some resource heavy games.
Okay, here is the part where we claim a bit of bullocks: the phone will only be 10mm thick –seriously, that much impressive hardware and they are saying that it will be thinner than the iPhone. Some things sound too good to be true –in case we are wrong, we are going to be the first in line buying this phone.
Get more info about the rumored specs for the HTC HD3 at Know Your Mobile.
3 mobile will be offering the Sony Ericsson Vivaz when the device comes out next month and it looks like they will be bundling the smart phone with the Spotify music streaming service.
3 has already offered Spotify along with the HTC Hero earlier and the offer is outright amazing, for a few extra pounds each month, users can enjoy Spotify Premium on the Android handset.
While the deal for the Vivaz will only deliver the standard Spotify service at an additional cost of £9.99 per month, it is still a deal worth going for particularly if you really enjoy listening to music. Spotify delivers high quality audio at 320 kbps –something that other music streaming services cannot always match. Their track selections are also pretty comprehensive and even those with much defined music tastes will certainly enjoy it.
This combination is pretty good, considering that the Vivaz is geared more towards the creative individuals with its 8.1 mega pixel camera and the ability to record videos –putting in music streaming makes perfect sense (and the deal is much more budget friendly than Nokia’s original Comes with Music deal for the X6).
The Sony Ericsson Vivaz was shown off last month at the Mobile World Congress along with several other Sony Ericsson devices. Among those other phones, only the SE XPERIA X10 is expected to be coming out their April along with the Vivaz. For those hoping for a smart phone geared for heavy texters, SE also showed off the Vivaz Pro. This new device comes with all the specs of the Vivaz with an additional slide out QWERTY keyboard. It has a 5 mega pixel camera and still retains the ability to record videos in HD quality.
Get to know more about 3’s launch of the SE Vivaz at Pocket Lint.
For the past few weeks, LG has taken a great big step in the WP7 area with images of the new upcoming LG Panther. Now, it looks like Samsung gets to be the next big name to jump into the WP7 bandwagon with the announcement of a new Samsung device that will be running the new Microsoft mobile OS.
The device is going to be a touch screen, slate-type handset; it matches the previously announced type 1 chassis. The new Samsung smart phone will also come packed with a super AMOLED touch screen just like the one on the Samsung Wave Bada phone. The announcement comes as a bit of a surprise since many assumed that Samsung will be too busy working on their Bada operating system which just debuted last February.
The LG Panther on the other hand follows the type 2 chassis for Windows Phone 7 devices. According to leaked images of the handset, the device will have a slide out, QWERTY keyboard that people can use to type on.
The chassis types being used as hardware requirements by Microsoft will ensure that all WP7 devices meet the necessary hardware to be able to run the OS smoothly. As many are already aware, the new OS is pretty graphic intensive and Microsoft will not have it clunking down by forcing it on a slow device.
For those wondering what the hardware requirements for running WP7 are, the basics are simple: a capacitive touch screen with at least a resolution of 480 x 320 pixels, 256MB of RAM and a high speed processor (presumably a Snapdragon). 7 series devices are expected to come with a combination of a 5 mega pixel camera, A-GPS, accelerometer and other basic smart phone features.
Get to know more about the upcoming Samsung WP7 smart phone at Stuff TV.
So far, nothing has confirmed that the batteries on the Apple iPad touch screen tablet are indeed defective (it is still some weeks away before the device officially launches). But with Apple already announcing its device replacement deal to customers ahead of time, one cannot help but wonder what Apple is keeping from us.
The battery on the iPad is expected to be able to power the tablet for at least ten hours. Considering that the device comes with a 9.7 inch capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels which auto rotates depending on the device’s orientation and that it also runs on a 1GHz A4 processor –it is a wonder that the battery is even running for more than 3 hours.
Anyway, Apple has not denied the rumors about the alleged 10 hour battery life for their devices. In fact, the announcement of the deal for replacing iPads with batteries that have diminished capacities means that they really do intend for the tablet to have a battery that good.
Good or not, it seems like Apple is already prepared to deal with folks who might be unlucky enough to purchase an iPad with a defective battery. Apple has agreed to replace devices for free but owners will still have to shoulder a pretty expensive service fee –aside from shipping and other costs. This places plenty of concern for buyers as they might have to incur an additional cost due to a factory defect.
Looks like the legendary wall of Apple lawyers are working their magic again as Apple is apparently clear of the responsibilities for supplying the world with another device with a possibly defective battery (iPod first generation anyone?)
Get the full details on the iPad replacement plan the how much it will cost iPad owners at Mobile Today UK.
The facts are pretty basic. First off, Google and Apple are industry rivals; not just with mobile phones but also in many other aspects. With Apple currently holding top position in the mobile phone industry, it makes sense that they have started the fight here.
A few weeks back, Apple sued Taiwanese mobile phone manufacturer HTC for allegedly infringing on 20 hardware and software patents that the company owned. HTC has already stated that they will be defending their own patents and will face Apple head on. Later reports confirmed that a majority of HTC mobile devices affected by the lawsuit are Android smart phones –further fueling reports that this is as much an attack on Google as it is on HTC.
HTC is already known to be a solid supporter of the Android OS. The company has been the first to make an Android smart phone and was the manufacturer of the first Google phone. Google has already stated that they will be standing behind HTC in regards to the lawsuit.
Many believe that the lawsuit against HTC is a move in order to cripple an important pillar in Google’s stability in the mobile industry. With several HTC branded devices expected to come out, it makes sense that a lawsuit would come at this time –perhaps an attempt to get stocks held back or even recalled.
Google on the other hand has yet to actually make a solid step against Apple. The company has been pretty vocal about their disapproval of Apple and Steve Jobs’ ideologies and methods, as well as the way Apple restricts their app developers.
With the lawsuit still ongoing, it is unlikely that either Google or Apple would be trying something else at this time.
Get to know more about the tensions between Apple and Google at the Guardian UK.
It seems that some residents have been requesting to Google that images of their residences and nearby locations be removed from the company’s Street View service.
In a privacy issue much like the one raised by Google Earth (which used satellite photos of our planet), some folks feel that the sanctity and more importantly, privacy of their houses have been compromised. While there is no law that actually prevents anyone from taking a digital image of a private house, there are sanctions that would prevent such an image from being posted publicly online.
Panoramic views of streets in the UK can prove to be a major problem particularly for people who are worried with security. Since criminals need visual references to locations they intend to trespass, Google would be providing these people with all the necessary information that they would need without having them risking being seen in the location prior to an illegal act.
Google has stated that it considers privacy important and will remove images and other details upon request by involved parties.
For other people however, the walkthrough maps are a great blessing. Business owners and other businessmen are able to check out locations and promote nearby locations easier. Showing potential customers what a certain location looks like becomes a matter of sending a URL.
Right now, the presence of Google’s camera car (and their three wheeled mini cam-cab) is delivering a mix of reactions from people. Google has said that there are people who request that certain images be taken down while there are those who request that their street be added into the service.
With resident’s priorities and opinions regarding the matter are still mixed, we can expect the creation of Street View support in the UK to proceed as planned.
Get to know more about Google Street View at the Telegraph UK.
To say that O2 has some “capacity issues” would be an understatement. With over a million smart phone users in the network –many of whom are prolific iPhone users, there is a strong degree of network based congestion in 3G.
To paraphrase what many people saying: WP7 shares many of the same problems of the 
Having 20 patent infringement lawsuits being filed against a company is more than just a severe legal action, it is also an insult to the work and effort of many of 
When you work for one of the largest mobile network operators in the UK, you would think that the level of employment stability and the security that comes with such a position would be hard to match.
We are literally drooling all over the place as we saw the recently announced specs for the HTC HD3 smart phone. Most of you may have already given up on the previous 
For the past few weeks, 
So far, nothing has confirmed that the batteries on the 
The facts are pretty basic. First off, 
It seems that some residents have been requesting to