Pantech To Launch Their First U.S. Android Phone, The Crossover, For AT&T On June 5th

You know, we haven’t really thought much about Pantech since the ol’ days of Helio (and the Pantech-made Helio Ocean.) We’d figured the company had decided that the U.S. mobile market and its current iPhone/Android-mindset was a bit too tough to crack, and had gone back to mainly focusing on slingin’ their feature-phone wares in their home country of South Korea.

Well, Pantech’s back — and this time, they’re rockin’ Android.

This morning, AT&T and Pantech announced the Crossover. Right off the bat, AT&T says it’s “perfect for first-time smartphone users”, which should sum things up pretty nicely: it’s cheap ($70 on contract), but it’s also not exactly cutting edge.

Inside that QWERTY-sliding shell you see up above, the Crossover is packin’ a 3.1″ touchscreen, a 3-megapixel camera, Android 2.2, and a rather paltry 600Mhz CPU.

Remember, dear reader: when you’re buying a new handset, you’ve got to think of the long-term cost. When you’re locked into a 2-year contract at $70-$90 per month, a $70 handset doesn’t cost $70 — it costs $1750+ ($70 x 24 for the 2 years of monthly bills, plus $70 for the handset). Buy the best handset you can afford up front — that upfront cost is but a small chunk of the device’s overall cost, and you’ll be happier with the beefier handset a few months down the road.

Look for the Crossover to hit AT&T’s shelves come June 5th.

Android 2.1 Update Now Available in the US for the AT&T Xperia X10

Android 2.1 upgrade will be available for AT&T Xperia X10 customers in the US starting Tuesday, May 31st. Here’s to the ability to download more apps and gain better functionality to enrich your Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 experience. With Android 2.1 your X10 will now have:

720p HD Video capture

Multi-touch support

Continuous autofocus in still and video capture

Face detection in video capture

Expanded homescreens increased from three to five.

If you’d like to learn more about how to upgrade your phone, please feel free to visit the following link: www.sonyericsson.com/attupdate

 

ASUS Announces the Padfone - A Smartphone and Tablet Combo

ASUS has announced the Padfone, which is both smartphone and a tablet. (See video above) It is a first of its kind that allows you to switch seamlessly between pad and phone for a user experience that best-fits your activities, at any time. Internet access from the 3G network connection is shared between the phone and pad, as data storage is streamlined through a single storage pool.

Qualcomm to Demo Snapdragon-Powered Mobile Computing Devices

Qualcomm Incorporated will be demonstrating the latest Snapdragon®-powered mobile computing devices, including tablets running Android 3.0, at COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2011, May 31 – June 4. Qualcomm's Snapdragon family of smart mobile processors has steadily gained traction across a diverse array of mobile operating systems, including Android, BlackBerry, Chrome, HP webOS, Windows Phone and the next version of Windows. Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile processors currently power 125 announced smartphones and tablets, with another 250 designs in development, more than 40 of which are tablets.

"We are very pleased with the tremendous Snapdragon traction we have been getting with a variety of companies," said Luis Pineda, senior vice president of product management, computing and consumer products at Qualcomm. "We are showcasing some truly innovative products from HTC, HP, ASUS and many more OEMs that are leading the mobile computing industry."

Droid X gets genuine Gingerbread update, leaked build floats out for the impatient

Still bothering with that unofficial 2.3 update for your comparatively monstrous Droid X? Good news, eager beaver; right on cue, the bona fide Gingerbread update is rolling out to select Droid X owners this weekend, and if you aren't lucky enough to be included in the initial soak test, you can take matters into your own hands by visiting the source links below. Per usual, we'd caution against a manual install for those who aren't familiar with the process, particularly since the masses should receive it as the week forges on. Naturally, the v2.3.3 changes are subtle (at least in comparison to the changes seen in the leap from Eclair to Froyo), but hey -- an update's an update.

LG and Intel Introduce First All-In-One Pc with FPR Display And IPS Screen Technology

LG Electronics (LG) will be unveiling its first all-in-one PC which will feature the innovative Film-type Patterned Retarder (FPR) display, found in its popular CINEMA 3D TVs. The LG V300, developed in partnership with Intel, will be unveiled at Computex 2011, Asia’s largest IT exhibition, in Taipei from May 31 to June 4.

The LG V300 will come with an impressive list of features including 2nd Generation Intel Core processors, 3D FPR display, In Plane Switch (IPS) screen technology that creates a stunning 178-degree viewing angle and a triple camera system for superb multitouch capability.

 

“The combination of the newest Intel Core processor and the FPR display in the LG V300 is going to create a new level of performance and viewing experience in a PC,” said J.J. Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of the LG Electronics PC Business Unit. “With millions of homes now using their PCs as entertainment hubs, marrying the best from the computing world with the best from the display world was the next natural

step in the evolution of the PC.”

 

“2nd Generation Intel Core processor paves the way for great all-in-one systems like LG Electronics new V300. ” said Mooly Eden, Vice President and General Manager of Intel PC Client Group. “The V300 combines LG Electronics’ display technology with 2nd Generation Intel Core’s great performance and built-in visuals to create an awesome PC experience. ”

 

Better 3D, No Discomfort

 

The 23-inch 3D Full HD LED monitor on the LG V300 offers vivid and crisp 3D images with less crosstalk and flicker. And because FPR does not require glasses to sync with an emitter, heavy shutter-type glasses are a thing of the past. Instead, the LG V300 comes with two sets of lightweight polarized glasses for a more comfortable and enjoyable 3D experience. Furthermore, the viewing experience on previous 3D displays was negatively affected by non-perpendicular viewing angles. This problem has largely been eliminated with the LG V300’s IPS technology, which allows for an impressive 178-degree viewing angle. The system operates a Color Shift configuration that accurately renders colors and images for viewers not directly facing the screen.

 

Minimalism Is In

 

LG’s engineering team reduced the thickness of the LG V300’s active display to a mere 44.65mm, which is up to 65 percent slimmer than other leading models. This focus on reducing unnecessary bulk was then incorporated into LG’s concept of minimalism. With a wireless keyboard and mouse, the design requires only a single power cable, eliminating clutter and tangled cords. The end effect is a sleek, clean appearance that

fits elegantly into any interior dcor.

 

An Enhanced Multi-touch Experience with a Triple Camera System

 

With three individual camera sensors to provide a more accurate multi-touch functionality, LG’s new PC brings a higher level of precision to the touch screen experience. The user interface has also been optimized to be as intuitive as possible, and the interface itself is supported with easy-to-use applications. The final result is a smooth yet sophisticated multi-touch interaction between the LG V300 and the user, free from ghosting and glitches.

 

The LG V300 also includes full support for Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) to enable sharing of data between devices as well as Intel’s Wireless Display, also known as ‘Wi-Di’ to wirelessly stream content to a TV. LG V300 will launch in Korea in July followed by markets in Europe, Middle East and Asia.

 

HP Veer gets bricked, disassembled after checking 'Organ Donor' box

There's a saying 'round the webOS world... something to the effect of "it's impossible to brick a webOS device." Turns out, that's hardly the case these days -- the newfangled Touch to Share technology that's tucked into the latest round of HP devices is mighty fickle, and one Rob Whitby has somehow managed to turn his Veer 4G into a bantam paperweight. Rather than using it as a projectile with a mind to make his security deposit vanish, he did the only remaining intelligent thing to do: rip it open, while taking pleasure in refusing it an epidural. There's no video of the presumably gut-wrenching procedure, but there's a shockingly detailed account of the teardown linked below. Eye candy's just a click away, and yes, donations for a replacement are being accepted. The funeral date, however, remains undetermined.

NVIDIA Gives Notebook Gamers New Levels of Power and Portability With GeForce GTX 560M

NVIDIA today unveiled the first gaming notebook graphics processing unit (GPU) in its award-winning GeForce 500M Series of notebook GPUs. The GeForce GTX 560M graphics processor hits the “sweet spot” for gaming notebooks by delivering a no-compromise gaming experience at full 1080p resolution in the hottest new DirectX 11 titles. For the first time, leading OEMs will also be offering GeForce GTX gaming GPUs with NVIDIA Optimus technology.

“The GeForce GTX 560M and NVIDIA Optimus mean gamers get 50 frames per second in Duke Nukem Forever and five hours of battery life in Microsoft Office,” said Rene Haas, general manager of notebook products at NVIDIA. “That’s real power and real portability.”

 

Available only with NVIDIA GPUs, NVIDIA Optimus technology enables extra-long battery life by automatically switching on and off the GPU so that it runs only when needed. The smart convenience of NVIDIA Optimus technology is designed into over 80 percent of GeForce 500M Series notebooks and is used by every major notebook OEM.

 

GeForce GTX 560M GPUs are “DirectX 11 Done Right,” and offer even more performance-per-watt than the previous generation, with faster frame rates and more detail with the same battery life. The power of GeForce GTX GPUs means gamers can play at full 1080p high-definition resolutions with the advanced technology features that set GeForce GPUs apart from the competition, including:

NVIDIA 3D Vision technology support, the #1 3D technology for notebooks

NVIDIA PhysX technology support, for in-game real-time physics effects

NVIDIA CUDA architecture support, for GPU computing applications

 

GTX GPUs also support NVIDIA SLI technology, the industry’s most scalable multi-GPU platform for doubling gaming performance, and are also supported by the highly-praised NVIDIA Verde notebook drivers.

 

For thin-and-light notebooks, NVIDIA also refreshed its entry-level GeForce GT 500M GPUs with the arrival of the new GeForce GT 520MX GPU. GeForce GT 520MX offers better performance, wider support and a more advanced feature set than integrated graphicsi and offers a step forward from the existing GeForce GT 520M GPU.

 

Alienware and Toshiba will be offering notebooks featuring GeForce GTX 560M and Optimus technology. ASUS, Clevo, MSI and others will be offering notebooks featuring GeForce GTX 560M. ASUS, Samsung and others will be offering notebooks featuring GeForce GT 520MX.

 

Rumor: Is This The (Buttonless!) Nexus 3?

This story is about as shaky as they come, but we figured we’d pass along the details for anyone out there lookin’ to get a quick fix of Memorial Day mobile news.

Here’s what we know:

According to TechHog, the device up above is the one floatin’ around in the Android team’s labs as the mobile hardware test design for Ice Cream Sandwich

As you can see, this device appears to lack any sort of button on its face. The latest tablet build of Android (Honeycomb) ditched all hardware buttons in favor of on-screen navigation controls; is the mobile build taking the same route?

Some are referring to it as the “Nexus 3″; according to the guys over at Droid Life, the name “Nexus Prime” is also floating around.

This handset, they say, is made by HTC — but HTC isn’t alone in their hopes to be the manufacturer behind the next Nexus. According to the original tipster, LG also has something in the works

An unspecified party has supposedly asked TechHog to removal details/photos, and they’ve complied

To be honest, the whole thing rings up a bit strange. From the questionable source and blurry photo to the take down request (which almost never, ever happens in this industry; companies generally play dumb and publicly ignore leaks, as acknowledging them legitimizes them), I wouldn’t get too attached to this device just yet.

FOXTEL on Xbox strips away data charges and adds new channels

FOXTEL announced Telstra BigPond broadband customers will not be charged for any data when using FOXTEL on Xbox 360, and there will be six BigPond TV channels added to the service from Monday, May 30, 2011. This means all video content will be unmetered for Telstra BigPond customers when viewing the FOXTEL on Xbox 360 service, including watching TV shows from up to 30 world-leading FOXTEL channels on the live streaming television service, the six BigPond TV channels, Catch Up TV, and hundreds of new release films, library movies and TV episodes from the FOXTEL on Xbox 360 On Demand service.

The six channels from BigPond TV cover sport, racing and news including: FOOTY TV the AFL channel, LEAGUE TV the NRL channel, V8 Supercars Australia, RACING TV with TVN, BigPond Sport TV, and BigPond News. These channels will be available on the FOXTEL on Xbox 360 service to all Get Started subscribers at no additional charge.

 

This is the first time FOXTEL on Xbox 360 subscribers will have the benefit of both selected live coverage of sports via FOX SPORTS PLAY and ESPN, as well as streamed AFL and NRL games available on delay.

 

In addition, from June games from the current season of AFL and NRL will be available on the service as Catch Up video on demand, and a highlights piece will also be available for each AFL and NRL game. Live AFL will come to FOXTEL on Xbox 360 from the start of the 2012 season.

 

FOXTEL Executive Director of Product & Sales, Patrick Delany said, “This arrangement with Telstra is a big win for FOXTEL on Xbox 360 users, allowing unmetered access to thousands of hours of great programming – all without a FOXTEL fixed term contract.* There are around 1.3 million Xbox consoles in Australia and getting unmetered access to FOXTEL on Xbox 360 is now as simple as plugging into BigPond internet to give subscription TV a go.

 

“The FOXTEL on Xbox 360 service offers FOXTEL’s huge amount of exclusive and first run TV programming, plus access to hours and hours of On Demand TV episodes, new release films and movie favourites. There’s always something to watch, either live or On Demand and it’s simple to sign up online and start watching straight away.”

 

Telstra’s Executive Director of Media, J-B Rousselot said, “Hundreds of thousands of Australian homes now have access to BigPond TV channels which makes a compelling reason to get online through Telstra. BigPond’s unmetered content is already a hit with T-Box, Samsung and LG customers, and we’re pleased to be bringing unmetering to customers connected to FOXTEL on Xbox 360.”

 

Try FOXTEL on Xbox 360 for free for a month by signing up any time in June. Watch over 35 live streaming channels (including BigPond’s AFL and NRL channels), there’s no installation required, no FOXTEL fixed term contract, and you can change your subscription anytime – with everything delivered over your broadband connection.* Plus it’s unmetered on Telstra BigPond which means there’s no maximum download limit.

 

Existing FOXTEL on Xbox360 subscribers who don’t already subscribe to the showtime movies or Movie Network packages will be able to watch all movies from these channels for free throughout June.*

 

The FOXTEL on Xbox 360 premiere programming highlights this June include: Big Fat Gypsy Weddings on Lifestyle YOU, True Blood (Season One) on FOX8, Torchwood: Miracle Day on UKTV, Upstairs Downstairs on UKTV, Lip Service on showcase, The Real King’s Speech on National Geographic Channel, Tennis: Wimbledon Championships on FOX SPORTS PLAY, and NBA Finals on ESPN.

 

Continuing highlights available on FOXTEL on Xbox 360 include Balls of Steel Australia from The Comedy Channel, Jersey Shore from MTV, Tim Winton’s cloudstreet from showcase, Boardwalk Empire from showcase, Man vs Wild from Discovery, and B430 on channel [V].

 

BigPond TV Channels include:

FOOTY TV: AFL TV is around-the-clock action featuring the best of the AFL regular-season and finals series. With match replays, highlights, player interviews, International Rules action and much more, this is 24/7 footy at its best. From June AFL games will be available as Catch Up video on demand after a twelve hour delay following the live game.

 

LEAGUE TV: Catch every game of the Telstra Premiership, Finals Series, State of Origin, City v Country, Four Nations and Test Matches on LEAGUE TV. LEAGUE TV offers match highlights, full game replays, NRL news, player interviews and more. From June NRL games will be available as Catch Up video on demand after a twenty-four hour delay following the live game.

 

V8 TV: Suit up for 24/7 streaming of the big events including, live action, interviews and driver features, expert analysis, race recaps, crash compiles and more. V8 races are streamed live and a highlights piece from each race is available as Catch Up video on demand.

 

RACING TV: TVN is a dedicated thoroughbred racing channel including local and international racing, commentary, tipping services and the latest thoroughbred industry news and information from Australia and around the world.

 

BigPond News: BigPond News provides the latest entertainment, finance and technology stories, regular weather updates, live crosses to breaking news, broadcast around the clock.

 

BigPond Sport: BigPond Sport TV covers everything to do with sport – tune in and sit back for big news, plus live events, big-match replays, highlights, opinion and profiles from all the sport you love.

 

FOXTEL on Xbox 360 subscribers can choose the amount of data used when watching live streamed TV by selecting the “Change Quality” option when watching a channel, and choose from any of the High, Medium or Low settings. The download file size of Catch Up TV and On Demand movies or TV episodes varies depending on the duration of the title selected, and this information is clearly communicated onscreen prior to viewing on FOXTEL on Xbox 360.

 

Reserve Power: Stand Off, Part 1

Ross Rubin contributes Reserve Power, a column focused on personal perspectives and products.

With handset screens getting larger and applications such as streaming primetime shows and video chat becoming more prevalent, it's not surprising that some handsets such as the HTC Evo 4G include a built-in kickstand. Most phones, though, suffer from Clapper commercial syndrome –- when they've fallen, they can't get up. To offer some assistance, a whole cottage industry of pocketable products – many with inventive designs -- have appeared to let you enjoy your handset's screen without your hands in the way. But how universal are they?

I tested a variety of popular and unusually-shaped handsets -- including the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, Droid 2, Droid X, BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Torch, Palm Pre, HP Veer, Samsung Captivate and the monstrous Samsung Infuse -- finding, for example, that some phones fit in some stands only when their physical keyboards were extended. Surprised at how well a few of the stands held up, I even tried them with a few tablets, including the BlackBerry PlayBook, Apple iPad and Motorola Xoom. This column will introduce the first six devices after the break, while the next Reserve Power will discuss several more, conclude with my favorites, and link to a spreadsheet detailing which devices and stands paired appropriately with one another.

3Feet ($15)
http://3feet.com

The beefiest folding stand I tested, the sturdy 3feet can handle nearly any pocketable device you throw at it without breaking a sweat. It can also fit in a pants pocket, although it will take up much of the space therein. The 3feet has two adjustable angles using its main support, and a third leg that allows the device to be raised at a steep incline, say, to be seen from a standing position. It is also one of the few stands of its kind marketed for handsets that can accommodate the iPad and Xoom in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The 3feet can also accommodate the iPad at a shallow typing angle, using its third foldout leg and its bottom lip to prevent the iPad from tipping over, but there was a little too much give; I even preferred using Apple's folio case in the "typing" position over the 3feet for that use case. The 3feet is available in a wide range of colors and you can even mix and match colored parts to, say, show support for your alma mater or favorite sports team.

Agent 18 StandHear ($25)
http://www.agent18.com/productdetail/extras/standhear/157.aspx

The square white-and-gray StandHear is only a so-so stand. For example, while it was able to handle a top-heavy Droid X in portrait orientation, it was a bit touch-and-go due to the device's relatively narrow support leg. However, recessed under the device's lid is a 3.5mm audio cable and on either side is a 3.5mm audio jack. Yes, the StandHear doubles as an audio output splitter so you and a friend don't need to settle for half of the stereo effect in a shared song or video.

Note, though, that due to the very short length of the cable, many handsets will only work with the audio splitter when held in a landscape orientation. This probably isn't a major issue for most consumers, but as video chat-capable handsets proliferate, we may see instances where people would like to share the audio of a remote person while crowding in front of the screen. (The relatively short Pre and BlackBerry Curve with its side-mounted audio jack were exceptions to the landscape orientation dilemma, but neither supports video chat.)

Breffo SpiderPodium (15, $20 at Amazon.com)
http://breffo.com/

The Spiderpodium takes the GorillaPod idea of wraparound stabilization and cranks it up from three legs to eight. This provides extraordinary flexibility in how its rubbery appendages cradle virtually any handset on the market. The remainders are used to stabilize the device or wrap it to any number of surfaces, including chair backs or car air conditioning vents. The product's center platform also has a slot to accommodate an Apple 30-pin connector. Tripod screws can even fit through the slot to stabilize compact point-and-shoot digital cameras.

As was once said to another spider-inspired entity, "With great power comes great responsibility." The Spiderpodium's grip on a device or whatever you're looking to affix it to is only as secure as you've bent it to be. The gangly Spiderpodium may not be the prettiest, smallest or quickest handset stand, but it offers the best flexibility in more ways than one. The company also offers a larger version for tablets priced at 25. Bravo, Breffo.

elago M1 ($10) and S2 ($10)
http://elagodesign.com/

Design-conscious accessory maker elago has two phone stands. The more versatile one is the hinged M1. Perhaps the smallest such product on the market, the M1 is one of the few one could feasibly attach to a keychain. It opens like a tiny crocodile mouth to reveal two wavy notches for positioning your portable device at one of two angles.

Unlike the M1, the S2 is made from a single piece of metal and provides only one viewing angle. It delivers style, stiffness and simplicity. While the company doesn't advertise it as such, it can also be used as an earbud wrap, although this works better if the buds have equal cable length for each ear as the Apple earbuds do. Still, the S2 doesn't offer a lot of confidence-inspiring support, especially when devices are in vertical orientation.

Griffin Travel Stand ($10)
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/travel-stand

Wth its moonstone-like shape, the Griffin Travel Stand unfolds to reveal a small dock-like cup that should hold most thin, narrow slate phones. A tall back provides good support in portrait orientation but overall the product provides minimal support for devices in landscape orientation, considering its size. Griffin also includes a small earbud wrap that can fit inside the stand when it's not being used for phone display. On one hand, it's a nice little extra freebie you can use without taking the rest of the case along. On the other hand, since it's separate, it could get lost. Overall, the relatively large size of the Travel Stand and limited device support make it less compelling than its competitors.

iAngle ($9.99)
http://www.iangle.net/

The simple iAngle is a piece of traingular hard rubber with a number of notches and gouges taken out of ether side of its surface, the largest of which create the space to support an iPhone. There is also a canal that runs along its perimeter that, along with two prominent holds in its midde, are designed to support Apple's standard earbuds. The compact iAngle has no moving parts to break, and scores points for doubling as an earphone wrap, but the lack of flexibility of its indentation made it capable of supporting fewer devices than competitors -- particularly in portrait orientation.

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) is executive director of industry analysis for consumer technology at market research and analysis firm The NPD Group. Views expressed in Reserve Power are his own.

Login Problems fixed by Skype for Windows, Mac Version

If you use Skype you will have heard of the problems many users have had logging into Skype since yesterday, as we mentioned earlier Skype has been working on an update version for both Windows and Mac.
Skype has now released an updated version of Skype for Windows, and they have also said that a Mac version is coming later today, which will address the same issue for Mac OS X.

Yesterday we issued a Skype for Windows update to fix a corruption that occured in a small percentage of users’ systems, resulting in some of our community not being able to sign in to Skype.

You need to ensure that no Skype processes are left running before installing this update, so please be sure to quit your existing Skype application before performing the download.

If you’re using Skype for Windows, and have experienced this problem logging in, please update Skype to the latest version now. We plan to release an update to Skype for Mac today to address the same issue, and we’ll update you when that becomes available.
You can find out more details over at Skype as well as information on downloading the new version.
If you have updated to the latest version and are still having problems, or have managed to get it working leave a comment below and let us know.

T-Mobile G2x experiencing reboot issues, Gingerbread may be the remedy (update)

Ready for a good story? Gather around, kids, we have an intriguing one to share. The T-Mobile G2x is enjoying its share of controversy this week as concerns arose about the phone experiencing random reboots. Our saga began on Wednesday, as we received tips about the G2x getting pulled from stores due to "quality concerns." We confirmed no inventory was in stock, but T-Mobile emailed us denying there was any reason for this other than high demand. With the phone being so popular, that's fair enough, right? Not so fast.

As it turns out, our tale doesn't stop there. A well-worded statement was sent out explaining, "a small percentage of customers have commented about possible improvements and we are working with LG to deliver a software update." A bit of a far cry from confirming reboot issues (or bugs of any kind, for that matter), but it is refreshing to hear some sort of acknowledgement at least. T-Mobile didn't get specific on what those "possible improvements" may entail, but the carrier also reiterated plans to bump the flagship phone up to Gingerbread "by summer" -- possibly tackling the bugs at the same time. The end to our story has yet to be written, but we sure hope it's a happy one.

Update: TmoNews just posted a screenshot (shown after the break) that shows a resolutions sheet to help employees troubleshoot a few customer concerns about the G2x. The list includes overheating, rebooting, low battery life, and WiFi handoffs. Now, it's important to note that this isn't T-Mobile acknowledging these as known issues; the company is just receiving enough calls on them that it needed to add these to the list of standard support responses.

Do You Prefer Cell Phones Over Sleep? You’re Not Alone

Our obsession with our smartphones has grown into a full-blown addiction, according to a new survey in the iPass Global Mobile Workforce Report. According to iPass, one of every three mobile workers get up regularly throughout the night to check email on their phone, and nearly half of those surveyed admitted that they couldn’t sleep without a smartphone within reach.

And loss of sleep isn’t the only obstacle our phone addiction brings with it, as a little under one third of respondents said that their domestic partners were upset by their incessant use of technology. And that’s most likely a low-ball figure, as a good chunk of those surveyed were probably either single, or somewhat oblivious to the fact that their partners were upset.

The report claims that our mobile obsession, at least within the workforce, started when people began to value speed over quality. In many executive circles, the employee with the first response was considered to be a better worker than his more thoughtful colleagues. According to the survey, 40 percent of respondents admitted to interrupting a meeting to take a call.

Even those of us who don’t partake in the corporate America lifestyle know how annoying it can be to try having a conversation with someone whose main priority is their current SMS exchanges. What’s funny is that, along with the 40 percent who admit to interrupting meetings for phone calls, an additional 40 percent agree that doing so is unacceptable behavior.

[via The Register]

Apple Contour and-20 dock

With so many mobile phone deals, today I want to present you the Contour and-20 dock.The first is an internet and digital radio dock for iPhone and audio from 36 W.

Contour is on the network and allows both the streaming media server, NAS or computer, or listening to Internet radio and podcasts. The pull-out dock for iPhone and iPod charging, and also allows the remote control is included in the package. Thanks to this video outputs (s-video and RCA composite) can connect the iPhone to a TV, monitor or projector and audio input through the 3.5 mm we can use all MP3 players or mobile phones.

I-20, however, is a dock for the Apple interface (also compatible with iPad) to external devices through a series of links and an internal converter that improves the performance of MP3s. The signal, in fact, is extracted and processed by the Pure Clearsound technology and sent to the audio outputs of i-20. The i-20 is available now at € 99.99 with the included remote control. Countour, however, will be available during the first days of April and will cost € 279.99.

http://www.phones4u.co.uk/

Xperia Play finally lands at O2 UK, available in black or white

It took a while, but that O2-exclusive white Xperia Play is finally with us. Earlier this month, the UK carrier had promised to deliver the Play in June, but evidently things have gone better than expected, as we now see "in stock" signage next to both the black and white models of Sony Ericsson's gaming phone. Pricing is identical for both color variants, starting at "free" when attached to expensive (£34 per month) two-year contracts and peaking at £430 ($702) on pre-pay deals. O2 also throws in a matching multimedia dock plus three bonus games to sweeten the deal. We're guessing that Android 2.3.3 update that Sony Ericsson just rolled out for the Xperia Play might finally have allayed O2's software concerns, which has allowed it to now start selling the device in earnest.

Daisy Wholesale: out of the shade

After the storm, the calm: As Daisy Group’s spate of acquisitions slows, it’s time for the Daisy Wholesale arm to properly integrate its new firms and set some bold new growth targets, reports Paul Withers

Over the last 18 months, acquisitive reseller Daisy Group has spent about 100 million of its war chest purchasing companies. Daisy Wholesale has been under the radar, but some of its acquisitions, those of Your Network Solutions, Cole Robert & Co (CRC) and Murphx Innovative Solutions have now been fully integrated into the Daisy Wholesale business, which is now ready to put its head above the parapet.

The most recent purchase was rival O-bit Telecom in February. This will be integrated into the business in the next couple of months. The O-bit deal added 120 resellers to Daisy’s base, bringing its total number of resellers to 1,000. Daisy Wholesale now sells mobile, broadband, leased lines, VPN (virtual private networks) and SIP (session initiation protocol) trunking.

O-bit Telecom’s products were aimed at internet service providers, telecoms resellers and IT services organizations. They, in turn, were selling to SME and mid-market business customers. O-bit Telecom chief executive David Breith and his senior management team came with the Daisy package and now report to Daisy Wholesale boss Carl Churchill (pictured).

Churchill joined Daisy Wholesale with the Murphx deal. He was Murphx commercial director and landed the top role at Daisy Wholesale in October, leading a combined workforce of 100 Daisy Wholesale and Murphx employees. These include the Murphx trio of chief executive Richard Jay, operations director Nicki Jay and chief technology officer Ben Murphy. Previous Daisy Wholesale managing director Rob Sims left his position following Churchill’s appointment.

Organic growth
The plan is now for Daisy Wholesale to grow organically rather than by waving its chequebook. The first goal is to increase turnover by 27 per cent to 70 million by the beginning of its next financial year.

Growing organically means the company’s acquisition strategy, for which it has become so renowned for over the past couple of years, takes a back seat, at least for the time being.

As part of this mission, Daisy Wholesale has beefed-up its senior team with three new staffers. Garry Growns has joined the company as sales director. He was previously founder and managing director of disaster-recovery provider ImperaData and was group sales director at Guardian IT, as well as having worked at COLT Internet and BT.

Daisy Wholesale’s new operations director is Paul Richens. He held a similar role at O-bit Telecom after leaving Tiscali Wholesale, where he managed the Pipex and Tiscali Business portfolio.

Former BT and Eircom consultant Frank Chapman is the company’s new finance director. He joins with more than 20 years of global telecommunications experience, having joined US-based telecoms company BellSouth in 1989.

Daisy Wholesale managing director Carl Churchill says he now has the right team to chase the planned turnover growth.

“Our focus now is about driving organic growth. We have looked at the business and made the investment where we felt it was needed.

“We’ll never say never to further acquisitions, but there is nothing coming up in the immediate future. The job now is to focus on building a strong and loyal customer base. To do that will require a cross-selling strategy. With the number of reseller partners we have and the capabilities of the companies we bought, Daisy Wholesale has some great opportunities.”

Cross-selling
Daisy Wholesale is now pursuing an aggressive cross-selling opportunity. It is able to proceed with this due to the number of products and services its reseller partners are selling as a result of the acquisitions made in recent months.

Churchill has already set a target for this move.

“I want Daisy Wholesale to be in a position where half of its customers are buying more than one product,” he says. “We have over 1,000 resellers. These customers have traditionally bought from the product portfolios of our acquired businesses. Cross-selling provides the biggest opportunity. I want half of our base buying more than one type of service from us.”

Full article in Mobile News issue 488 (May 9, 2011).

To subscribe to Mobile News click here

CNN and Nokia announce plans for international partnership

CNN and Nokia today announced a multi-level international collaboration where Nokia becomes a key part of CNN’s roster of mapping providers, delivering its rich mapping services to the international news network. The collaboration harnesses the companies’ strengths in global newsgathering, user-generated content, mapping technologies, and location-based services. The collaboration debuted with the use of Nokia’s 3D Maps across CNN’s platforms in its recent coverage of the British royal wedding.

“This collaboration is a great fit for us as both companies share a similar philosophy on connecting people beyond borders through the combination of compelling news content and highly sophisticated technology,” said Tony Maddox, Managing Director, CNN International. “The international scale of each of our businesses makes the scope of the collaboration particularly exciting.”

 

“Nokia and CNN share the belief that news is now mobile, powerfully democratic, and can immediately be shared by people around the world,” said Jerri DeVard, Chief Marketing Officer, Nokia. “We are pleased that CNN wants to use Nokia’s innovative mapping services for its international news platforms, and we are excited to work with CNN to deliver a compelling news service to users of Nokia phones.”

 

The collaboration also includes the CNN App for Nokia which provides mobile access to CNN’s world, business, sport, entertainment and technology reporting, as well as live streaming video. The app also allows users to share CNN’s news via their own social channels, and participate in the reporting process with direct access to CNN’s participatory news community, iReport. The CNN App for Nokia is available in Ovi Store.

 

Sprint Partners with Google as First Carrier to Launch Google Wallet

Sprint announced today a partnership with Google to launch Google Wallet, an application using near field communication technology (NFC) to make your phone your wallet. When Google Wallet is available this summer, eligible Sprint customers will be able to tap, pay and save money and time while they shop. Sprint will be the first carrier and Nexus S 4G will be the first phone to deliver this innovative service.

“We are pleased to join Google in offering this cutting-edge capability that lets you leave the house with just your phone, and tap and pay to shop, dine out and go to the movies,” said Fared Adib, senior vice president of Product for Sprint. “We are proud that Nexus S 4G is the first smartphone with Google Wallet and pleased that our customers can be the first to experience the service.”

 

Google Wallet is expected to work initially with the fast growing MasterCardPayPass network accepted at 124,000 merchants nationally. Existing Citi MasterCard holders can add their cards to Google Wallet over the air. Google also will support a pre-paid card that can be funded to make payments. In addition to quick payments, users also will be able to redeem offers and even scan loyalty cards – all with a single tap – with participating retailers (with no additional fees added).

 

Google Wallet is not available now, but more details about how to get it and how to use it can be found at www.google.com/wallet.

 

Sprint has a strong history of partnering with Google to support an open philosophy that integrates the products and services that consumers value and enjoy into the mobile experience. Sprint is a charter member of the Open Handset Alliance and launched the first 4G Android smartphone. In April, Sprint launched the Nexus S 4G and launched Google Voice integrated with Sprint for Sprint CDMA phones.

 

In keeping with its open approach, Sprint is actively working with others in the mobile payment ecosystem. Sprint believes in enabling the existing framework and solutions – in this case, banking institutions or existing financial instruments – to bring familiar services to consumers without creating a new solution for their mobile lives. Sprint sees this as enabling choices for customers that best meet their needs, not the needs of the carrier. Sprint will continue to bring practical, easy-to-use mobile payment solutions to customers on Sprint devices.

 

Update to YP Yellow Pages App Offers iPad Users Faster Access to Local Deals

AT&T today announced that an updated version of its YP yellow pages app for iPad is now available in the App Store. Located in the Navigation category, the update introduces faster access to local deals – encouraging iPad users to easily find local businesses with great savings nearby. The app takes advantage of the iPad’s printing capabilities, allowing users to cash in on local merchant discounts both online and in-person through digital and printable coupons.

In addition to encouraging users to cash in on local deals, the app now greets users with an updated look and feel, new features that support a faster connection to local businesses, sharing with mobile, email and social networks, and personalization.

 

Updates include:

A convenient “Deals” tab to browse nearby coupons, specials, and discounts across a variety of popular everyday savings categories. On the “Business search” tab, users can also filter search results to show only businesses offering deals.

An enhanced “Send to Phone” feature allows easier transfer of business information to a mobile phone, further integrating the tablet and mobile experience.

New map auto-search capabilities allowing users to pan, zoom and automatically refresh search results.

Ability to submit reviews about favorite businesses.

Personalize the category carousel by adding favorite searches, rearranging and deleting others.

More space dedicated to local business profiles and quick access to save, share (email, SMS, Facebook, Twitter) or map a business.

View saved deals, favorite businesses and search history in “My Stuff.

Access to more local highlights like the weather and movie show times at local theatres.

 

Whether through these new features or existing functionality like 360 degree business snapshots or video profiles,  advertisers have the opportunity to be found by iPad users looking to search, find and save on local businesses’ products and services.

 

The YP yellow pages app for iPad is available for free from the App Store or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

 

Apple Sues NY Teenager Over $130,000 White iPhone Scam

The level of controversy surrounding the beautiful, yet mystical, white iPhone may have reached critical mass today. First, the launch was delayed by ten months, which peeved quite a few Apple fans, to say the least. Then, once the white iPhone finally reared its said-to-be fat head, reviewers had a field day claiming the smartphone was thicker than its black counterpart, which proved false. Today, almost a month after the phone launched, Apple sued a teenager from Queens, NY who had been selling white iPhone conversion kits.

Fei Lam, who purchased white iPhone 4 conversion from Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn, made a whopping $130,000 off the “entrepreneurial” project, selling his kits for $300 a pop. That’s nearly $100 less than the cost of the black iPhone 4. Interestingly enough, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was one of many to place an order on Lam’s site, WhiteiPhone4now.com.

The already-settled suit alleges that Lam engaged in deceptive practices, including trademark infringement and dilution, as well as compromising the company’s relationship with its customers by muddling their perception of the official white iPhone release date. “Defendant Lam willfully and without authorization has used Apple’s trademarks in connection with the sale of his ‘White iPhone 4 Conversion Kits’,” Apple said. “Among other things, Apple’s logo and ‘iPhone’ trademarks are used in connection with the promotion and sale of the iPhone 4.”

But Lam wasn’t the only one stung by the suit, as his parents were also named in the complaint. According to Apple, Lam’s parents acted as partners in the scam, and pushed their son to create the business under their supervision. Apple has requested a permanent injunction to stop the Lams from any further white conversion kit sales, and asked the family to turn over any and all profits generated from their enterprise, along with legal expense reimbursement and additional financial retribution.

[via Gizmodo]

Use Your Phone to Make Purchases via Google Wallet: Coming Soon!

Today in Google's New York City office, along with Citi, MasterCard, First Data and Sprint, Google gave a demo of Google Wallet, an app that will make your phone your wallet. You’ll be able to tap, pay and save using your phone and near field communication (NFC). Google has been field testing Google Wallet now and plan to release it soon.

Google Wallet is a key part of our ongoing effort to improve shopping for both businesses and consumers. It’s aimed at making it easier for you to pay for and save on the goods you want, while giving merchants more ways to offer coupons and loyalty programs to customers, as well as bridging the gap between online and offline commerce.

Kingston Digital Adds 32GB Class 10 microSDHC Card

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping a 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card, adding to its family of 4GB, 8GB and 16GB Class 10 cards. The Kingston® 32GB Class 10 microSDHC card is perfect for users with substantial memory and performance needs.

Kingston’s Class 10 microSDHC cards are compatible with many of the latest smartphones, hi-def cameras and popular tablet PCs. The Class 10 cards have a fast minimum data transfer rate of 10MB/s and when combined with an optional adapter, can be used as a full-size SDHC card. The cards come as a standalone, with an SD adapter or as a Mobility Kit which includes the card, SD adapter and USB card reader.

Kingston microSDHC cards are backed by a lifetime warranty and 24/7 live technical support. For more information visit www.kingston.com.

Kingston microSDHC Class 10 Features and Specifications:

CNN and Nokia to Deliver Mobile News and Rich Mapping

Today Nokia and news network CNN have announced plans for an international agreement which will see Nokia providing rich mapping services to the network. You may have already seen the first fruits of this collaboration when CNN used Nokia’s new 3D maps to show the route of the recent royal wedding procession in the UK.

The collaboration also includes a new CNN news app available in Ovi Store.

Now that the Internet revolution is here, CNN is adapting to the new way of interacting with it’s audience as well. CNN has embraced getting feedback and discussing issues with viewers on Twitter, even live during broadcasts.

Nowadays, mobile devices are a main way media outlets are dispersing and receiving news as well.

Email Service With Facebook Updates by Yahoo

The email wars have been over for a while now, but Yahoo keeps on fighting like one of those Japanese dudes in the Pacific. The latest volley is the addition of Facebook and Twitter features to Yahoo Mail, specifically the ability to tweet and post Facebook status updates. And if that doesn’t address your innermost email desires, check out the new 100 MB attachment limit, which… we have to admit is pretty damn cool.

Why is it that we can’t attach gigabyte size files to emails yet? Is it one of those retarded Y2K-type legacy errors? Regardless, this is a step in the right direction, Yahoo. A tiny, belated, borderline irrelevant one, but a step in the right direction nonetheless. Now if only you could disable that feature that floods my Yahoo inbox with all of my friend’s Facebook statuses at once. That would be awesome.

KDDI haptic smartphone prototype promises up to seven layers of touch, only shows off two

Ah, another possibly vaporous, yet intriguing addition to a long line of haptic patents and prototypes. Today's offering: a KDDI smartphone mockup (utilizing Kyocera display technology) promising to render sensation through multiple layers of applied touchscreen pressure. Imagine depressing a camera shutter on a touchscreen, and you've got the idea. KDDI only had a screen sporting two haptic layers on hand when they demoed the prototype at Wireless Japan this week, but Kyocera reportedly told Akihabara News that the technology is capable of up to seven layers of tantalizing touch. Neat. Maybe we'll get a few authentic haptic touchscreens on the market and do away with all the vibrational fakery we've been seeing.

Ofcom ranks mobile internet providers

Research shows O2, Vodafone and Three are better than Everything Everywhere for mobile broadband services

Ofcom research into mobile broadband speeds has revealed, on average O2 delivers faster download speeds than any other operator.

The findings put O2 ahead of Vodafone and Three which were in turn found to be faster than both Everything Everywhere operators Orange and T- Mobile.

The findings were for for mobile internet dongles and datacards only and did not include smartphone use.

The research which was carried out between September and December last year found the average download speed achieved by consumers was 1.5 Mbit per second. The average download time for a web page was 8.5 seconds.

Download speeds however improved in areas better serviced by 3G, increasing to 2.1 Mbits per second in non peak times when average web page download times were 2.2 seconds.

These results compare with average fixed line speeds of 6.2 Mbits per second and average web page download times of 0.5 seconds.

O2 chief operating officer Derek McManus said the research proved O2 customers were benefiting from the operators infrastructure investment

“Our customers are seeing the benefit from the huge investment we have made in our network. We always aim to deliver the best network experience for our customers and these results are another indicator that we are doing just that,” McManus said.

Disputes

Three which has been running a massive advertising campaign in recent months centred around its broadband coverage said the research showed it provided the most extensive 3G coverage in the country.

A spokesperson for the operator also said its network had improved considerably since the research was carried out.

“Ofcom’s research shows that Three offers coverage to more customers in more places than any other network and despite carrying around half of the UK’s total mobile broadband traffic, the report shows we offer some of the best speeds in the market,” the spokesperson said.

“The data in Ofcom’s report is now five-months old, during which time Three has continued to invest heavily in improving and upgrading our network.

“This summer we will be rolling out HSPA+ which will offer customers faster speeds and even greater capacity.”

The spokesperson also defended Threes marketing campaign

“We market our mobile broadband service on ease of access, flexibility and value, not headline speeds. Ofcom’s comparison with fixed-line broadband is not like for like,” the spokesperson said.

Vodafone welcomed the findings but like Three felt that the research was not entirely accurate.

A Vodafone spokesperson said: “We are pleased to see that Ofcom’s first review of mobile broadband shows that Vodafone offers consistency to its customers across speed and ability to access the web first time, as well as proving that Vodafone offers the fastest download speeds available in the UK.

“While the report provides a snapshot of the experience that British consumers have of accessing the web on the move, it is disappointing that the regulator has not taken into account the point that we have made repeatedly about the way it has measured ‘latency’. Ofcom’s testing fails to reflect the great experience which our customers actually receive.”

Orange also questioned the findings saying it was “concerned” the study only focused on dongles.

“Our main concern is that Ofcom’s study only focussed on dongles, which are only one part of a consumer’s mobile broadband experience and excludes the millions of users that access the internet through their 3G smart phones,” an Orange spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said since the research had been carried out it, like Three had been working on its network and believes it is currently in a better position than it was at the end of last year.

“Since this research was conducted 6 months ago, we’ve delivered significant improvements as part of ongoing investment in our network and we feel this significantly enhances our position,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue working with Ofcom to address our concerns about this report and to ensure any further iterations better reflect what really matters to consumers and the many issues which combine to make an effective mobile network.”

Location differences

As well as testing the speed of downloads, Ofcom also looked at how download performances varied between different parts of the UK.

The research found that urban areas out performed rural ones due to greater availability of 3G services.

Despite this Ofcom said findings showed performance was “highly variable” across urban areas with no guarantee of good performance offered in city centre locations.

Testing took place across Birmingham, the M62 corridor between Liverpool and Manchester, Swansea and semi rural areas in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards (pictured) said the research would give consumers a clearer picture of the performance of mobile broadband dongle and data card providers.

“The research is another important step in Ofcom’s efforts to ensure that consumers have the information they need to exercise their choice effectively and to make the most of competition in the market,” Richards said.

Google gets creative, names new NFC payment system Google Wallet? (Updated)

Yesterday, anonymous sources said that El Goog and Sprint would debut a new NFC payment system on May 26th -- otherwise known as tomorrow. Today, a leak allegedly from The Container Store appears to have spilled the beans on the moniker for Mountain View's mobile money method: Google Wallet. Not the most creative cognomen, but at least it sums up the service succinctly. Still, it's no Ice Cream Sandwich, but we'll find out how it tastes live at tomorrow's event.

Update: Eagle-eyed reader Steve pointed out that looking up the WHOIS info for googlewallet.com does indeed lead you to Mountain View, though this was created way back in 2005. You may recall that Google Checkout was initially known as Google Wallet, as reminded by InformationWeek, but we just noticed that the URL is now plain dead instead of taking us to a Google error page, as it did minutes ago. Very intriguing.

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (May 25, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Wednesday, May 25th, 2011.

Microsoft to launch web-based Windows Phone Marketplace alongside ‘Mango’
Looking for an app for your Windows Phone, but don’t have WiFi and don’t want to spend on data charges? Well, soon you can buy one straight off your desktop. That’s right. Windows Phone Marketplace is following in the footsteps of Android Market, and will soon have a web-based app store as well. Purchased apps will be installed OTA “via SMS or email.” Windows Phone Web Marketplace will be rolled out later this year once Mango is officially unleashed to the public.
Engadget

Verizon’s LG Revolution launches May 26th for $249.99
The Revolution, the one from LG, is coming to Verizon, and will be hitting stores tomorrow, May 26, with a retail price of $249.99 on a 2-yr contract. The LG Revolution sports a 4.3-inch touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera, HDMI-out, a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, and Android 2.2 Froyo as its OS. Yeah, in this day and age of Gingerbread and dual-core handsets, this is a bit mundane, but for what it’s worth, it’s really not all that bad.
BGR

Bell to release the HTC Wildfire S for $249.95
Have the hots for the HTC WildFire S? If so, then here’s news that’ll be music to your ears. According to Baka Wireless’ listing, Bell’s launch this Gingerbread handset on the 1st of June with an outright purchase price of $249.95. For those not familiar with the Wildfire S, this is an entry level device that runs on a 600MHz processor, and sports a 3.2-inch touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, WiFi, and Sense running on top of Android 2.3.
Mobilesyrup

Sony Ericsson’s Canadian online store hacked, more than 2,000 customers’ data taken
Oh, Sony. We pity the situation you’re in. After dealing with the PSN hack last month, it’s their handset franchise’s turn to get the security breach treatment. Sony Ericsson Canada’s eShop was the latest victim to fall prey to hackers, and even though this pales in comparison to the PlayStation Network breach, we’re pretty sure this won’t bold well for Sony’s track record and reputation.
Engadget

Nokia Oro announced: Symbian Anna inside and gold outside
No, this isn’t the Nokia Windows Phone just yet, but this is one of the more unique Nokia handsets that Espoo’s released in quite a while. Clad in gold, sapphire crystal and leather, this opulently designed handset is basically the blinged out version of the Nokia C7. It features a 3.5-inch ClearBlack AMOLED touchscreen, an 8-MP camera, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, 8GB on-board memory, and Symbian Anna running the show. No word yet on North American availability, but it is confirmed going on sale in Europe, China, and the Middle East in Q3 for at least €800.
GSMArena

Verizon Rolling Out Droid X Gingerbread Update on Friday

Verizon is preparing to roll out the long awaited Android Gingerbread update for the Motorola Droid X on Friday after first being rolled out by Motorola in April to select users as a part of final testing before wider rollout. The update includes the following additions/bugfixes and pushes the software version to 4.5.596.MB810.Verizon.en.US:

New Download Manager App

App and Power Management Details

Multi-Touch Key-Chording-New ability to enter numbers and symbols with keyboard shortcut combos, instead of having to change to the numeric keyboard mode for every input.

Improved Word Selection and Copy Functionality

New User Interface and Color Scheme

Dock Icons

App Groups

Emergent Groups and Smart Contacts

Updated Calendar Options

Geo-Tagging for Camera applications

Email application- Improved contact syncing from multiple accounts, Email pushes now work correctly when using Exchange Active Sync.

Successfully edit Contacts without being directed to the home screen.

Auto focus Camera feature has been improved for use in low-light conditions

Improved battery life while using Bluetooth

Mango Includes A Web-Based Windows Marketplace

Despite the fact that Microsoft didn’t find it important enough to mention during yesterday’s VIP reception, we think the launch of a web-based version of the Windows Marketplace in conjunction with the Mango roll-out is newsworthy. Just like the App Store, Android Market, and Amazon Appstore for Android, a web-based Marketplace will give users the option to browse and download apps from their PC, and install them onto the phone.

Unlike in the App Store, users can install apps to their phone from the web-based Marketplace through SMS or email. As we’d expect, the web-based Windows Marketplace will integrate your favorite social networks, Twitter and Facebook, letting you share and promote apps, along with the option to share an app through email or an embedded link.

Also, no need to worry about lost apps when you upgrade to a new phone, as the implementation of a web-based Marketplace will allow Microsoft to save your download history. That way, you can easily re-install your apps straight to your new phone. According to the Windows Developer Blog, the web-based Windows Marketplace will launch alongside the Mango update, which should see the light of day “later this year.”

[via Windows Developer Blog]

Tetracam Introduces 3D Viewer For Smartphones

Tetracam Corporation recently announced the release of its patented 3DVu2Go stereoscopic 3D viewer.  Priced at $8.95 per unit, the 3DVu2Go extends the audience for 3D videos, still images, games and applications to the majority of the 60 million smartphones in the USA and the quarter of a billion smartphones around the world.  

The 3DVu2Go works with Droids, iPhones and other smartphones that have a 3.7” or less display (measured diagonally). In order to view a 3D video downloaded from the web, the user places the smartphone into the 3DVu2Go’s hood which encloses the phone and divides its display into two halves.  The user then adjusts the 3DVu2Go’s lens to magnify and focus the video and voila, 3D. The 3DVu2Go creates 3D images in the same manner that Victorian stereoscopes did in the 1800’s, only 3D video frames displayed on the smartphone in side-by-side format replace the stereoscope’s fixed pair of left and right printed images.  

Mystery Caller: Insuring an iPhone 4

Mystery Caller has bought an iPhone 4 from the Apple store. But given its high price, insuring it is a must. His fi rst call for an insurance plan is to the operators. What could they offer and how clued-up were the CSAs on the topic?

6: Virgin Mobile

This happened a further eight times before the line went dead. Not a good start

Manner – 1/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 2/5
Helpfulness – 1/5
Clarity – 1/5
Overall – 2/5
Total – 9/30

5: T-Mobile

I needn’t have bothered, as Mark wasn’t able to help me much either

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 2/5
Knowledge – 1/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 2/5
Total – 12/30

4: Vodafone

I felt bit annoyed that I had been shifted across the Vodafone system, only to realise my request was not going to be answered

Manner – 2/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 1/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 13/30

3: Three

I went for the ‘lost or stolen’ option, which always results in a CSA picking up fairly urgently

Manner –3/5
Understanding – 3/5
Knowledge – 3/5
Helpfulness – 3/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 17/30

2: Orange

Luckily she was just covering her bases and I was on the line with Noddy in about a minute

Manner – 3/5
Understanding –3/5
Knowledge – 3/5
Helpfulness – 4/5
Clarity – 2/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 18/30

1: O2

I pulled him up on this and he seemed annoyed, but did apologise

Manner – 3/5
Understanding – 4/5
Knowledge – 4/5
Helpfulness – 2/5
Clarity – 3/5
Overall – 3/5
Total – 19/30

Summary

It was another average-to-bad showing from our CSAs this week.

Even though many of the networks don’t sell insurance, it would be a nice touch for the advisors to give friendly advice on how to fi nd some. Only a handful did. I’ve rarely been spoken to by a ruder CSA than Virgin’s Andy, while T-Mobile’s Mark, although slightly politer, didn’t seem bothered about my request. The unnamed man from Vodafone was not much better, but gave good advice at the end.

The lady from Three was good throughout and pointed me in the right direction to buy insurance. Orange’s Noddy put in a good show and although couldn’t provide what I wanted, did fi nd out what he could. Noddy was just beaten by Nathan from O2, who fi nished strongly, and would have scored 10 points higher had he not tried to swivel out of my request at the start.

Full review in Mobile News issue 489 (May 23, 2011).

AT&T bringing LTE to five cities this summer

AT&T announced last fall that it would begin its LTE rollout in mid-2011, and it's now finally delivered a few more details. The carrier has just confirmed that five markets -- Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio -- will be getting LTE sometime "this summer," with ten more as-yet-unnamed cities set to join them in the second half of the year. All told, AT&T says that should cover about 70 million Americans by year's end. Of course, an LTE network needs some devices, but AT&T unfortunately isn't providing much in the way of details about those just yet -- it's only saying that it plans to add 20 4G devices to its portfolio this year, and that "some of those" will be LTE capable.

Show full PR text

AT&T's 4G Evolution

Dallas, Texas, May 25, 2011

By John Donovan, AT&T Chief Technology Officer

AT&T has delivered five mobile broadband speed upgrades in recent years, including our HSPA+ deployment last year. And average nationwide speeds on the AT&T network have increased – more than 40 percent over the past two years alone.

The next network evolution will arrive this summer with the addition of LTE in five markets – Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio. We plan to add another 10 or more markets in the second half of the year, and cover 70 million Americans with LTE by year-end. We also have plans to add 20 4G devices to our robust device portfolio this year, with some of those being LTE capable.

We're positioning to deliver a great mobile broadband experience in the near term with HSPA+ and a growing LTE footprint.

We've invested $75 billion in our wireless and wired networks over the last four years – more capital invested in the U.S. than any company in any industry. And we plan to invest $19 billion in our wireless and wireline networks and other capital projects this year. The investments we've made to evolve our mobile broadband network in recent years, plus what we have planned for the future, put our customers in position to benefit fully from a host of coming mobile broadband innovations.

Nokia Oro is covered with 18ct gold on the outside, tinged with Symbian regret inside

Nokia has just unveiled a strange new beast of a smartphone. Internally, it's your good old C7 -- 3.5-inch AMOLED screen, 720p video recording, 8 megapixel camera, a pentaband radio, and Symbian as your zombie OS -- but externally it's taken on a lick of gold paint and a rear cover made of real leather. The price for a phone built quite so luxuriously is said to be upwards of €800 ($1,126) before taxes and subsidies and launch is expected in Q3 in select countries across Europe and Asia. Russia in particular is called out as a successful market for such "premium" phones, with Nokia's Gabriel Speratti, General Manager for its operations in the country, explaining that:

"We have a large number of users who are looking for products with a build quality and superior materials that attest to their success and social standing. In some areas, possession of such premium products is the passport to being taken seriously."

We have to agree, owning a phone like this will certainly have an effect on your social life, we're just not so sure it'll be a positive one.

Blackberry Applications

With so many applications out there to chose from, it’s extremely hard sometimes to decide which ones should take up the precious space on your Blackberry smartphone. Do you keep your fitness application or forsake your health and go for the game that you love to play on your way to work? Tough, tough decisions but thankfully we have some help in a quick guide to some of the very best applications available for Blackberry devices.

Not Now

We all know that mobile phones have been a fantastic invention, making our lives far more convenient and allowing us to contact one another whenever we want. This does have its downsides though as it means you are available at all time and if you happen to turn your phone off then you will get the inevitable questions about why you did. Not now helps you out here as it allows you to screen calls and automatically sends a polite message explaining why you could not take the call. A great tool if you are often busy, or if you just wish to take a break!

Unit Converter

As we live in the United Kingdom, a beautiful but confused place where both imperial and metric measurements are still used regularly, there will be times when you need to convert between the two. We all know that your diary has the equations in the back but then you need to do the sum on your calculator as well. Not with this app. Just type in the measurements and what you want to convert from and to and the Blackberry does the rest.

Message Scheduler

If you have a very busy schedule then this application could very well be for you. Write your messages at the beginning of the day and set exactly when you want them to send and the application will do it for you. It works seamlessly with the Blackberry software so it does not even seem like you have a programme running. Faultless programming and extremely useful.

For more infomation and to order your very own brand new Blackberry head over to Dialaphone, Dialaphone have years of experience in the mobile industry and are sure to have the best advice for you.

StreakDroid 2.0.0 gives the gift of Gingerbread to Streak hackers

If you've been following along, you know that a phone enthusiast named DJ_Steve has kept the Dell Streak fresh, thanks to a series of hacked ROMs, dubbed StreakDroid. The latest version, 2.0.0 (or GingerStreak, if you're feeling cute) brings Gingerbread to the 5-inch smartphone -- expanding on the last ROM, which gave hackers the option of selecting Gingerbread's app launcher. As always, though, dear Steve has noted a handful of bugs in the ROM's early stages, including issues with the Superuser app, less-than-stellar graphics performance, and the fact that both GPS and 720p video recording require an engineering baseband and DSP to be flashed. As of this writing, all of the comments are from Streak owners eager to download this for themselves. We assume you are, too, so let us know how the new ROM works out for ya.

T-Mobile Doubles 4G Network Speeds, Introduces Rocket 3.0 Laptop Stick

In a world where second-gen devices launch mere months after their predecessors, I guess it’s not too much of a surprise that large-scale upgrades are already being implemented to 4G networks. T-Mobile, specifically, has announced that it will double the speed of its 4G network in 55 different markets.

The goal is to offer download speeds of 42 Mbps to Atlanta, Ga., Chicago, Ill., Los Angeles, Calif, among others. And that’s not all T-Mo customers have to look forward to, as the pink carrier is also launching its first 42 Mbps-capable 4G product, a laptop sick called the T-Mobile Rocket 3.0.

Manufactured by ZTE, the Rocket 3.0 laptop stick will sell for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate on a 2GB two-year contract. Off-contract, the Rocket 3.0 will jump to $199.99. T-Mobile promises more 4G devices soon, 25 in 2011 to be exact, to join the dozen 4G-capable devices already in its portfolio.

Today’s Mobile News in Brief (May 24, 2011)

As reported here on Cell Phones Etc. and across the Web, here’s your daily brief on what happened in the world of mobile phones this Tuesday, May 24th, 2011.

Microsoft sticks with Qualcomm Snapdragon for Windows Phone Mango
Microsoft squashed rumors that they’ll be opening up Windows Phone to other chip makers, assuring everyone they’ll still be sticking to Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. So, what about the recent new that Nokia will be going with ST-Ericsson for their processor needs? Well, it’s either they have a special arrangement with Nokia on this one, or this just means that they’ll be opening up Windows Phone eventually to other chip makers at a later point in time. Anyway, what’s confirmed for now is Windows Phone is still exclusive to Qualcomm, which could either be good or bad news depending on your take on Qualcomm’s offerings.
IntoMobile

Windows Phone 7.1 ‘Mango’ update to land this fall
Windows Phone Mango is now official, and intros a bevy of features, including multitasking, IE9, new Bing search tools (Vision, Voice, Music Search), text-to speech and vice-versa messaging, and deeper social networking integration just to name a few. Microsoft has also announced the addition of Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE to their growing roster of partner phone makers. Mango is scheduled to roll out this fall, and will be available to all existing Windows Phone handsets.
BGR

Opera Mini 6 for iOS is out, high-res and with new UI
Opera Mini 6 for the iPhone (iPad and iPod touch) is finally out after close to 2 months of waiting since its release on other platforms. This latest iteration features a more polished UI (adds Retina Display support), smoother and faster panning and zooming, and Share buttons for Facebook and Twitter. Interested? Then head on over here to download Opera Mini 6 for your iPhone now.
GSMArena

Windows Phone ‘Mango’ will be used on first Nokia WP devices (updated: multiple!)
We were already sort of expecting this, but hey, confirmation is still good. Still no word though on when the very first Nokia Windows Phone handset will be released, but MS did say they have Nokia phones running on Mango already in their labs. Will its launch be next in line? That’s what were hoping for, but again, only time will tell.
Engadget

CyanogenMod lets users select which permissions Android apps can access
Tired of all those Android app permission requests? If so, then the latest build of CyanogenMod is just the thing for you. Users can now reject permission requests, and still continue to use an app thanks to this custom ROM. Of course, some apps might be dependent on these permissions. So just be aware that rejecting all permission requests could result in some crippled apps along the way. Want to give this a shot? You can head on over here to check if there’s a CyanogenModel build available for your Android phone.
Androinica

Microsoft announces Windows Phone 'Mango' update, coming in early autumn

Mango may no longer be a secret in and of itself, but we doubt Microsoft would've set up an entire event to preview its big Windows Phone update if there was nothing hidden up that Redmond sleeve. To that end, we've just come across an official press release from the company, released on its Romanian website. The machine translation awaits after the break.

The first thing to note is that the update will be "freely available" to all current Windows Phone handsets, something Microsoft already committed to, and will be ready for download "at the beginning of this summer." (Update: it looks like our translation machinery betrayed us, tipsters are saying it's actually the beginning of autumn.) Naturally, the new goodness will also figure in new devices and from new partners, including Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE. Those fresh faces join Nokia and the incumbent partners of Dell, HTC, Samsung, and LG to expand the WP ecosystem.

A Beta SDK of the new Windows Phone free tools will be available within 24 hours, we're promised, for developers to sink their teeth into.

In the communications department, Microsoft is introducing conversation threads, which seamlessly transition between MSN Messenger chats, SMS, and other messaging to keep you talking to the same person irrespective of the method. New contact group tiles are also incoming, with the ability to send quick emails or IMs to entire groups. Twitter and LinkedIn contact integration is mentioned, though we expect this go a lot deeper in Twitter's case, as Microsoft has already demonstrated. Speaking of more in-depth integration, Microsoft has improved the Live Tiles to allow the display of more dynamic information from apps, which will of course be able to multitask beautifully. Internet Explorer 9 is also joining in on the Mango fun with support for HTML5. Jump past the break for all the details.

Show full PR text

Microsoft announces a new version of Windows Phone, Mango

'Mango' brings an intelligent and simplified approach to communication, and Internet Applications

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Microsoft announced today the new version for Windows Phone called Mango that will bring over 500 new features that exceed the user experience of smartphones, communication, and Internet applications. The new version will be freely available to all terminals with Windows Phone and can be downloaded at the beginning of this summer. More details about scheduling updates for the terminal will be announced closer to launch. Also, Windows Phone will be available for new terminals, new partners from the manufacturers.

Andy Lees, President Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft Corp., "seven months ago, we kicked off this mission: to make smart phones smarter and easier to use by users. With Mango, Windows Phone is a big step forward in redefining how users communicate, use applications and surf the Internet, so with half the effort now to get double results. "

Communication: connecting and sharing information is easier

Interaction with the smartphone can be complicated by a multitude of applications and accounts disconnected people trying to keep up with all the ways that communicate - from telephones, messages, emails, status updates, tweets, check- ins, by tagging and posting photos. To help users cope with the complexity created, update Mango organizes information around a person or group that interacts with and not around application use.

• Threads. You can toggle between messages, chat up, and Windows Live Messenger, all in the same conversation

• Groups. Contact groups Tiles custom Live turns to see the latest statuses and quickly send a message to an email or instant message to the entire group, directly from the Start screen

• Better integration with social networks. Twitter and LinkedIn contacts are integrated into the card and can include up Mango check-in, also have available one nine facial detection software that makes it easy tagging your photos or posting them on the Internet

• Linked inbox. More email accounts in a secure inbox, conversations are organized so you can view the most recent mail

• Hands-free messaging. Built-in speech-to-text and text-to-speech, which allows writing messages and chat hands-free

A more intelligent applications

Windows Phone will change the way users look applications. Today, their usefulness is measured taking into account what can be done with the application, but its promise lies in how it can be integrated directly into the center of the experience with the phone. Besides that you can receive notifications and updates of applications directly on the home screen, Mango will add applications to the search results in Windows Phone Hubs. As a result, a useful application will be available where needed.

• Connect App. By connecting and integrating applications on their search results in Windows Phone Hubs, including Music and Videos and Pictures, applications are visible when and where needed.

• Live Tile's improved. You can get updated information without requiring applications to be open. Live Tiles are now more dynamic and can store more information.

• Multitasking. Applications can be rotated quickly and at the same time, others may run in the background, while retaining the performance and battery duration

Surfing the Internet beyond the browser

In addition to the inclusion of Internet Explorer, the update will connect the power of the internet Mango to the unique capabilities of the phone, and identify the location, camera and access to applications, to present a new way of browsing the Internet, which is now easier use and more relevant.

• Internet Explorer 9. The power of a PC browser-based IE9 support for HTML5 and support for hardware acceleration

• Recognize local (Local Scout). Providing local results and recommendations for nearby restaurants, shops and suggested activities, present in a user-friendly guide

• Bing Windows Phone. More ways to search the Internet, including Bing Vision, Voice and Music Search, so that decision making is easier

• Quick Cards (Quick Cards). When searching for a product, movie, event or place we provide a summary and relevant applications

Strengthening Ecosystem

Phone Windows ecosystem has grown steadily since the launch of Windows Phone 7 in October last year, with more than 17,000 applications available on the Marketplace, and Windows Terminal Phone available from a number of international partners and Microsoft, Nokia recently announced partnership. Mango will further expand Windows Phone ecosystem through partnerships with Acer, Fujitsu Ltd. and ZTE Corp. Which were committed to produce devices with Windows Phone sites for various global markets until the end of this year. Moreover, a Beta version of Windows Phone free tools for developers, which will be used to create the next generation of applications and games Mango, will be posted on a public Microsoft site within 24 hours.

Microsoft Officially Announces Windows Phone 7.1 Mango With 500 New Features

Today at Microsoft’s Windows Phone VIP Reception, president of mobile communications Andy Lees and senior Windows Phone product manager Derek Snyder gave us a quick rundown of what to expect out of the newest version of the Windows Phone platform, WP7.1 or “Mango.”

Though he didn’t have time to cover all 500 new features, the focus will certainly center around communication, applications, and the way we use mobile internet. Along with the current service offerings in People Hub such as Facebook, Hotmail, and Gmail, Microsoft has gone ahead and added LinkedIn and Twitter.

Mango will also bring with it a Groups feature, allowing multiple people to communicate across a multiple platforms, while simultaneously integrating those people’s profiles, pictures, and a group history of all events and communication shared. Instead of only being able to communicate with groups that all share the same hardware maker, Mango employs Windows Live Messenger and Facebook Chat to keep you connected with friends, including those with other phones.

Another communication upgrade is an adjustment to call history, which integrates voicemail, missed calls, text messages, and any calendar events with regards to that particular contact. Speech-to-text will also offer a completely hands-free experience for texting, which was definitely impressive in the demo.

Mango also upgrades all the different Windows Phone Hubs, most significantly Pictures, Office, and Xbox Live. Mango offers what Microsoft has dubbed people-centric pictures, which employs facial recognition software to quickly tag and share with friends straight from the Pictures app.

The Office experience has also undergone a bit of a revamp. Mango will support Office 365 along with SkyDrive (which offers users 25GB of free storage). Office in Mango brings just about identical functionality to mobile, allowing users to highlight and arrange Excel cells or make changes to a Word document and save without worrying about any garbled information. Xbox Live Hub basically brings all of your gaming app experiences into one place in Mango, offering the friends scores, integrating a cute little avatar, and offering a quick-resume experience during multitasking.

Finally, Mango will include and use Internet Explorer 9, which uses hardware acceleration and supports HTML5 to deliver a quick experience. When tested against the iPhone 4, the BlackBerry Torch, and the Samsung Droid Charge, the Windows Phone running Mango blew the other browsers out of the water, delivering 27 frames per second compared to BlackBerry’s 4 fps and Android’s 10 fps. The iPhone 4 couldn’t get started.

Bing is also very deeply integrated into the browsing experience. An information search will bring up a Quick Card for a particular movie, event, place, business. Quick Cards offer all the possible information you could want including upcoming events, or other nearby restaurants in the neighborhood. Speaking of neighborhood, Mango also offers a feature called Local Scout, which organizes places by category for each individual neighborhood. Also, if you’ve enjoyed Bing Voice, Mango will be a real treat as Windows Phone 7.1 will bring with it Bing Vision. With Bing Vision, you can simply snap a picture of a QR code, a 2D bar code, or even a book cover to bring up a Quick Card for that product.

Mango will hit users in the Fall, according to Mr. Lees, but developers can get their hands on the SDK now.

Pantech Vega No.5 bringing sexy back to tabletphones, packs 1.5GHz dual-core chip

Yes, tabletphones are coming back! Joining the eccentric Dell Streak 5 is Pantech's conveniently named Vega No.5 (or IM-T100K), a 5-inch Android 2.3.3 smartphone powered by Qualcomm's brawny dual-core 1.5GHz MSM8660. Apart from the extra 0.7 inches of screen size, what we have here is essentially the same package as the Vega Racer: 800 x 480 LCD, 8 megapixel 1080p camera, front-facing camera, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 16GB of memory, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, and 14.4Mbps HSPA+ connectivity. No word on international availability, but expect this slate to hit the shops in Korea later this month. Hands-on video after the break.

Dealers unify to discuss the mobile market

Michael House has an open and frank chat with four of the more senior personnel in the dealer space. They discuss the market’s shape, the burning issues and attempt to decipher what the rest of 2011 will bring

Few could deny the independent channel has faced some challenging times over recent years, be it networks pulling away from consumers, constant consolidation reducing numbers, and the usual commissions cost due, in part, to the decline of voice revenues.

In more recent times, some dealers have even been forced to exit the industry, because their business model doesn’t suit, or cannot adapt to, the payment methods of on-going revenue that has become virtually the industry standard.

Those that have survived are, by and large, the ones who have adapted in what is fast becoming an unrecognisable industry to the one in which many started off.

Data has become an essential sale for survival, effectively filling the financial void from voice. But with data revenues heading the same way, the importance of unified communications is fast becoming the key for any future growth and indeed survival.

Dealers are increasingly adopting new products and services to take a slice of this market. And with operators launching products such as Pocket Landline with Orange, One Net and One Net Express with Vodafone and Joined Up Communications with O2, many dealers are devoting their business to a single operator, instead of offering the full suite.

With all this in mind, Mobile News spoke to Sunrise Associates director Chris Jones, Sprint Communications MD Paul Leonard, Walk and Talk Mobile MD Dipak Vora and Next Communications MD Mark Finlayson, to discuss all things good and bad about the current market.

What’s the burning issue in your part of the industry right now?

Paul Leonard (pictured top right): Data is the biggest issue. We need loads more capacity, because we are in a situation where we have this large uptake of Android. This, coupled with the data requirements from tablets and smartphones, is eating away at data at a rate nearly impossible to keep up with.

To deal with this we need to build networks that are really data tolerant rather than voice, which is becoming more secondary now. It’s essential.

Mark Finlayson (pictured bottom right): The pressure on margins. Some manufacturers, particularly Apple, are making it difficult to make much margin on their hardware, because we have to pay the same amount for one of their devices as the man on the street. It’s not a great model for us, but it’s a device we have to be seen to have.

Chris Jones (pictured top left): The phrase ‘burning issue’ to me suggests a problem. But I don’t think there is a problem in the industry at the moment, just some big opportunities. These revolve around how the market is expanding into things like fixed-line and convergence in particular. We genuinely feel that with some of the offerings from the networks, there has never been a better time for us to do converged sales.

Dipak Vora (pictured bottom left): Being focused on retail, we face different issues to those in B2B – upgrades being one. At the moment we are finding that T-Mobile is actively calling our customers direct when an upgrade is due, so unless we hear about it and have the opportunity to intercept, we lose out on the sale. They are ringing them up and saying: “If you do the upgrade through us, we can offer you a better deal.” Obviously, when a handset is released it takes time before the dealer can get that handset and the operator can, so that’s hard.

Dipak, we often hear how tough retail can be for the independent channel. As the only retailer in this forum, tell us how you view the consumer market today.

Vora: It’s hard and only getting harder. There are lots of handsets that dealers haven’t been able to get their hands on. For example, when the iPhone 4 was released last year, some of my customers waited for a few months to get one through us. In the end, we had to tell them to go and get it directly, as we just couldn’t get the stock. But we keep battling on.

Retention seems to be a key word, certainly from the operators. But with acquisition targets still remaining, what are you doing to get customers onboard?

Jones: The main thing would be consultative sales. Instead of going in with a preconceived idea about what they are going to have, you go in and talk to them about where they are at in terms of their communication requirements, and what their business wants to achieve. We are then able to go away and professionally put something together to facilitate those requirements and make them better prepared for the future.

Leonard: At the moment it is centring around data. So what we have to be careful about is not overselling customers’ expectations. Some people believe they can stream things like BBC iPlayer on their phone using mobile internet. We need to make sure we aren’t promising them things that aren’t going to happen.

Finlayson: It’s increasingly difficult to get new business and build your client base. Everyone is trying to do the same thing. We have been down various routes – telesales and email shots – but the response has been very poor, making the cost of enquiry very difficult. We will need to keep plugging away.

Vora: In our case, it has to be about customer service. Our service has always been extremely good – some of our customers come from far away to do their upgrades with us. They also come in if they need any help with their handsets. We have to be good at this and keep our staff well-trained to keep our customers.

Full article in Mobile News issue 488 (May 9, 2011).

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