Consumer group Consumer Focus has condemned Ofcom for abandoning their website which allowed comparison between offers.
An incredible 1.3 million mobile phone deals are currently available, which has left customers confused and created a number of problems when it comes to making an informed decision about which is best for them.
In a report released by Consumer Focus, Ofcom was encouraged to take action. The report also covered several complicated tariffs, the reliability, service and quality of hotspots, or “notspots” as they were dubbed in the report, calling them key concerns for customers that need to be tackled.
Consumer Focus’ report was based on the findings of an online survey the group conducted, of which 67% of those questioned stated there were too many mobile tariffs currently available.
A telecom expert with the company, Audrey Gallacher, stated that; “With 1.3 million deals on the market and packages offering different allocations of voice minutes, text messages and data allowances as well as bundled deals, it is no wonder consumers are bewildered. As a result, people often sign up for unsuitable packages and over spend.”
I think we can all agree with that, not only is it a problem for everyday users, but also for older people who are just discovering mobile phone for the first time, and who are at the highest risk of being ripped off by a bad deal that the really lack any understanding of.
As Gallacher also pointed out, shopping around looking for the best deal has become increasingly difficult thanks to the largely hidden costs that users are not always completely aware of, or in many cases just don’t understand.
Variety and options are good, but only when they can be easily understood by the regular consumer.
Archive for October, 2009
Mobile Buyers Confused By Number Of Offers Available
Thursday, October 29th, 2009Android 2.0 Becomes Official
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Android version 2.0, also being called “Éclair”, is now official and there are a good number of improvements to be seen. For starters, the camera interface has had a makeover and is now far more compatible with higher mega pixel cameras. The browser has also seen several improvements, as has Bluetooth and various other parts of the operating system.
The camera interface changes sound pretty sweet; they include detailed flash settings, scene modes, macro shooting, colour effects, white balance and a pretty impressive digital zoom for taking those awkward photos of friends, who then spend the following six months begging you to take them off your Facebook page.
The browser was already easily one of the best we’d seen, however Android version 2.0 has managed to improve on it, adding (partial) HTML 5 support, as well as support for video tags.
Of course there are also the more general updates as well; Android as of version 1.6 will be able to support more display resolutions, so you will not be stuck using a HVGA screen. The virtual keyboard has also seen some tweaking, and has been altered to make typing more accurate, as well as increase speed. The new multi touch support is also in place now, however we aren’t sure whether or not it will allow for things such as pinch zoom yet.
In my opinion the best feature for heavy texters is going to be the addition of the dictionary’s new ability to learn new words as you type, and the fact that it will now automatically suggest contact names.
Android is fast becoming many users operating system of choice, and with the upcoming mobile phones using it, such as the Moto Droid, it is likely to enjoy even more success in the future; especially with the new and improved Android 2.0.
BlackBerry Struggles With Shortages
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Over the course of the past two weeks several retailers have been experiencing great difficulty when it comes to getting their hands on a number of BlackBerry mobile phones, including the highly sought after BlackBerry 8900 Curve.
Both distribution and retail sources have been experiencing the problems for a couple of weeks now, with one dealer stating; “This is the first time I have ever had a problem getting hold of BlackBerrys. I couldn’t get them from Data Select, Brightpoint or O2.”
Another retail member of staff from Vodafone says that they have been having the same problems, saying that “Distribution has been a bit scarce,” before adding, “The 8900 is one of the most popular handsets and BlackBerry must be struggling to keep up with demand.” – This sounds like good news for BlackBerry in terms of demand, but when customers are left waiting for too long they are somewhat inclined to look at alternate options.
Research In Motion (RIM) have just announced the launch of their second touch screen mobile phone, the Storm 2, which will be available exclusively on Vodafone.
Another unnamed retail source stated that; “The 8520 Curve and the new Storm have just come out. But on the whole, we can’t get BlackBerrys quick enough. It has only been like that for the last couple of weeks, but it is a problem. It is very difficult to cross-sell a BlackBerry device; if someone wants a BlackBerry you haven’t really got anywhere to go.”
We can only hope that RIM get the problem sorted out before the BlackBerry shortage in the UK has consumers eyeing off other handsets as a possible alternative – although we are left wondering how committed they are to the problem, giving that they have, as of yet, declined to comment.
Apple iPhone on Vodafone in Early 2010
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
A day after Orange makes an official announcement that it is the new carrier for the Apple iPhone, Vodafone gets in the same act announcing it will be UK’s second carrier to sell the popular handset in early 2010. Poor O2 is left holding an empty bag after selling nearly 1.7 million iPhones in the two years it enjoyed exclusivity with the Apple handset.
But if it’s any consolation, O2 is getting exclusive marketing for the upcoming Palm Pre – an upscale smartphone with a good following and is considered the iPhone’s direct rival. But it is doubtful the Palm can give O2 the same level of iPhone sales that has made it the number one carrier in the land.
A New Business Model for Apple
Vodafone is well poised to take on the iPhone markets as its extensive 3G network is not fully utilized. If it can generate even half of the O2 sales of the iPhone over the next year or so, Vodafone will be getting back its 3G network investments for sure. That shouldn’t be difficult as the non-exclusivity deal with Apple is sure to bring the iPhone tariff to wider market demographics than it did with O2.
No more revenue sharing with Apple in exchange for an exclusivity deal the California-based computer niche player had wanted. Apple will be getting more revenue steams from online sales of iPhone apps at its iTunes App Store with more iPhone owners. This is a late realization that has clearly given Apple a new business model that increasingly makes any revenue sharing in its contracts with carrier entirely unnecessary.
UK iPhone market to benefit from the New Deals
The iPhone 3GS on Vodafone and other UK networks like Orange is expected to lower the tariff for two main reasons. For a start, the absence of any revenue sharing commitment gives the carriers more maneuvering room to set a lower subscription tariff to the market.
Secondly, with two or more carrier choices in the market, the free market dynamics takes over to further erode the prices. Both Vodafone and Orange have alluded to a possible price war, though Apple just might give a price floor so as not to dilute the upscale product image of its iPhones.
The new 16GB iPhone 3GS fetches £96.89 on a £44 monthly contract with O2. There’s still no specific tariff information from Orange which will get the marketing deal earlier than Vodafone. But it is sure to be significantly cheaper under both Orange and Vodafone slugging it out.
A price war could be inevitable as research has shown “that in every country where there is more than one operator selling it, it is cheaper,” says Steven Hartley, a market analyst for the research house Ovum. He further opines that a ₤5 per month reduction is expected, bringing down the 2-year contract cost of owning the iPhone on Vodafone or Orange ₤120 cheaper.
Some 30,000 customers who had taken O2 contracts with the iPhone over the last few weeks are expected to shift to either Vodafone or Orange soon. And with a hundreds of thousands of older iPhone users jumping ship soon for an upgrade, the new carriers are expected to get a windfall.
Apple iPhone 3G S Links:
An Android Alternative: the Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
If you want an Android mobile phone but you can not afford the newer models like the Sony Xperia X3 or and Android smart phones by HTC, then you can look up Samsung and their Galaxy Lite. Samsung already released a models with similar specifications under the name i7500 Galaxy. The Galaxy Lite is better designed Android phone with similar features but less internal memory and a 3.2 mega pixel camera lens.
Is It a Good Switch?
If you can afford the original Galaxy, get it (or maybe a Sony or an HTC). Otherwise, get this model. An Android mobile phone is worth having because it is fast, it is easy to use, it runs a lot of useful applications and it has a lot of 3rd party developer support. Qualcomm processors are also utilized better with the Android. The bottom line is that the Android is currently the best operating system available for mobile phones and that it will be a long time before anyone can trump that; not even the upcoming Windows 7.
Features and Specifications
The Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite can access wireless LAN, EDGE, GPRS, HSDPA and 3G networks. It has a 3.5mm audio jack for media playback and support for wide variety of media file types. The touch screen is 3.2 inches with 320×480 pixels of resolution. The Android version installed is v1.5 Cupcake. All these features originally came from the i7500 Galaxy. What is not being ported over is the 5 mega pixel camera and the 8GB of storage.
Not Enough Space for a Galaxy
The Galaxy only has a 3.2 mega pixel camera. Which is really more than enough; the problem lies with the internal memory. At 1GB, there is hardly any space for media and you would need an SD card to hold your files.
Samsung i5700 Galaxy Lite Links:
Palm Pixi Gets Release Date And Price Tag
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Mobile phone manufacturer Palm‘s latest WebOS handset, the Palm Pixi, is set to hit shelves in the United States next month, and it is expected that the UK release will be far off.
The Palm Pixi mobile phone itself will only set you back £60 up front if you are signing up for a 24 month contract, although it is considerably more affordable in the US, due to the device subsidy model.
Residents of the US are going to be able to buy the new Palm Pixi as of the 15th of November, and with the UK speculated to not be far behind we could be seeing the handset by the start of December – this makes perfect sense as companies are all in a mad rush to be on the shelves come time for the annual mad shopping rush that is the Christmas season.
The Palm Pixi is a more affordable version of a WebOS device, Palm’s standard operating system.
All in all it is a very reasonable mobile phone, sporting a 2.6 inch display and a 2 mega pixel camera with built in flash – although sadly it does lack in the connectivity department, as it does not feature Wi Fi functionality. It seems to be targeting consumers who are ready to upgrade to a smartphone, but who are not yet ready to spend several hundred pounds in the process.
As of yet there is no official work on the UK release date, however the very heavy speculation suggests it will be much faster than the Pre’s transition from the US, for which we got stuck waiting five months.
Samsung Galaxy Lite Coming Soon
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Mobile phone manufacturer Samsung‘s latest smartphone to run under the Android operating system is known as the Samsung I5700, the Galaxy Spica, or if the rumour mills are to be believed, the Galaxy Lite.
It is largely similar to the current Samsung Galaxy mobile phone, which is a pretty stock standard Android handset, as many of you already know.
One improvement has been made in terms of the processor, which at 800 MHz is significantly faster than many other Android mobile phones currently out there, although the processors used in recently released smartphones do seem to be getting faster these past few months, which we expect has something to do with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1 GHz, although we cant be sure.
The Galaxy Lite is a little more slick and perhaps retro than its predecessor, which was nothing special in the looks department. It will be available in either black or white, which is also a nice change from black; the colour might suit everything but sometimes you just feel like a change.
Samsung have only revealed a few specifications relating to the I5700 Galaxy Lite, including that the touch screen measures 3.2 inches, it has a GPS and a digital compass built in, a 3.2 mega pixel camera, and 3G support.
These are obviously only some of the specs, and while they don’t sound all the interesting yet we are expecting some more features to be announced soon. We can tell you that it is expected the Samsung Galaxy Lite will have a 320 x 480 pixel display, although this cannot be confirmed.
Check back in with us over the coming weeks as we reveal details as they emerge.
Samsung Blue Earth Review
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
We first heard about the Samsung Blue Earth in February this year, and it was getting to the stage we wondered whether or not we’d ever actually see one; it seems that now LG have released their “green” phone, the Samsung Blue Earth is finally ready to make an appearance.
The most innovative feature of the Blue Earth is the solar panel situated on the back of the device, which allows it to charge using only the sun. It is also crafted out of recycled plastics for the most part, and comes with an environmentally friendly charger in the box, which by the way is made out of cardboard that you can reuse, according to instructions inside the lid, as a photo frame or a pencil holder; we aren’t sure how many people will actually make use of this “feature”, but at least they put some thought into it, beyond just telling you to put it in the right garbage bin.
The Samsung Blue Earth has seen several improvements since February, and has actually shaped up to be quite a nice little device. It is a 3.5G mobile phone with Wi Fi connectivity, GPS, a very respectable 3 inch 400 x 280 pixel touch screen display, as well as a 3.2 mega pixel camera. There is also a built in FM radio and multimedia player, and the device supports microSD cards for additional memory.
We should point out that the Blue Earth isn’t exactly cheap if rumours are correct, which have it priced at €400 (roughly £363,) although you can’t really put a price on helping to save the planet … can you?
Promoting Good Grammar, the Samsung Genio TXT
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
The biggest problem that the English language (and several other languages) is facing is the slow degradation of the average teenager’s ability to write properly. Grammar is one of the most important communication skills and it is one aspect where a lot of people are failing. The presence of message sending features on mobile phones is not helping curb this problem. By delivering a mobile device with a good usable keyboard, Samsung is slowly taking steps to do something about this.
Keyboards and Literacy
The intrinsic feature of mobile phones is that they used to rely on alphanumeric keypads that had ten digits from zero to nine with all twenty six letters of the alphabet accessed through repeated button presses. This made typing harder as some letter took several button taps to type, in turn; some words were harder to spell altogether.
What the Genio TXT Can Do
The Samsung Genio TXT helps eliminate the need for repeated button tapping thanks to the presence of a full QWERTY keyboard. This makes all letters instantly easy to type; the fact that it is on the face of the phone and not a slide out means that people will have to use the keyboard when making messages. Since each button will only need one button press to access; hopefully, this will encourage people to type words properly instead of truncating them. There is no way to know if this step is too late since a lot of people carry this disambiguated version of language even when they are already using desktop computers with keyboards.
The Genio TXT Specs
If you cannot appreciate the Genio TXT, for its messaging features, then its 3.5mm audio jack, 2 mega pixel camera and other features will not prove to be anything impressive either. You might want to consider getting a different mobile phone for the same price.
Samsung Genio TXT Links:
LG BL20 Chocolate is Behind the Times
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
GSM mobile phones are good devices, but they are not longer in any real demand. In fact, manufacturing GSM models in this day and age is the same as releasing a diesel car in an age of electric motored vehicles. The technology should be made obsolete. While this may not be the final case until the next few years (there are still plenty of carriers who need GSMs for their contracts), it should be the focus of an industry that is constantly pushing forward. The mobile phone industry generates billions in revenue, competing with weapons and computer technology for being one of the most constantly advancing technologies in the world.
Taking a Step Back
Regardless of how the industry stands regarding GSM phones, there is no doubt that they still attract a large enough crowd to generate profit. Here we have the LG BL20 Chocolate, a step down from the original BL40 Chocolate Touch. Doing away with the unneeded touch screen and focusing more of making the device slim, the BL20 was made to be easy to handle and carry.
Simple Specs
The screen is limited in size; the 2.3 inch QVGA does its job well at displaying a good user interface and the touch sensitive face buttons react well to your touch. On the other hand the slide out keypad has resounding keys that lets you get a good feel of the phone.
Overall Performance
The phone works well and quite smoothly. The processor is good enough to handle applications for the built in 5 mega pixel camera with autofocus and flash. Meanwhile, the mobile phone still maintains its small size. The interface, as said, is very responsive and will allow you to browse phone contents and access features without much trouble. If you have been looking for a new GSM model, then LG has the right phone for you.
LG BL20 Chocolate Links: