UK regulator shows complaints stable at virtually zero
Archive for February, 2010
App of the week: Layar
Augmented reality on Android and Apple
Google Adobe partnership
Flash a-ah. Saviour of the Universe?
As the MWC came to an end this year, Google and Adobe announced they’ve struck up a partnership to bring Adobe products to Android handsets. Adobe Flash is a popular web format used for embedding video and animation and is used in many advertising applications. And Adobe AIR is a cross-platform suit of routines to put Flash and other functions directly into user apps.
Samsung Galaxy Portal review
Value Android in vanilla flavour
Samsung’s Galaxy Portal, Spica or I5700 is little brother to the I7500 Galaxy. It’s a basic Android 1.5 touchscreen smartphone, with the punch of a respectable 800MHz processor. Cosmetically a bit chunky and weighing 124 grams, the bottom of the unit sports large and easy to use control buttons.
HTC Desire coming to all major UK networks
Like the Nexus One, and then some
Android fan blog, Phandroid (see what they did there?) report that all the UK networks have now announced plans to sell the HTC Desire.
Orange T-Mobile deal to protect 3
Mobile mast triple play
In a move designed to appease regulators at the European Commission and to get their UK merger accepted by the end of March, parent companies France Telecom (Orange) and Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) have proposed that their combined UK operation would continue with, and extend an existing network share between T-Mobile and 3.
Windows Mobile 6 rebranded
Not the end for WinMo. Reduce, Recycle, Reuse!
After the launch on Monday of Windows Phone 7, I thought, maybe I’d even secretly hoped that we’d seen the end of Windows Mobile. Apparently not. Although a fine product, it became boring. Overshadowed by Android, out performed by iPhones and lacking the ‘oo’ factor of new and mysterious operating systems like Samsung’s Bada, it was easy to drift away and demand something newer. Of course, I’m considering it from the point-of-view of a decadent European capitalist, secure in my world and eager to consume new things. For the developing world, WinMo is still a rugged proposition, providing a proven, stable and established smartphone platform. And as a legacy product, manufacturers can now negotiate and bundle it much more cheaply.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz review
Smooth operator with appealing curves
In its first product announcement for 2010, Sony Ericsson introduce us to the fresh and distinctive curves of the Vivaz. Its designer look and feel immediately captures the imagination in a way previous models failed to do. Thank you, SE for trying something different.
UK carriers snap up Android phones at MWC
Going robo-shopping in Barcelona
More Android phones are confirmed at the Mobile World Congress this week, for release in the UK market. Vodafone are taking two from HTC and T-Mobile is branding another Huawei device in its own livery, the same way it began selling HTC devices. All of these babies run the latest version of Android, 2.1 out of the box, and are reported as available from April.
Vodafone M-PESA and Nokia Money
Mobile money makes the world go around
Vodafone is launching its mobile money product, M-PESA in South Africa, via subsidiary company, Vodacom South Africa. Pesa is Swahili for cash. The service is already up and running in with Vodacom in Tanzania, Safaricom in Kenya (40% Vodafone stake) and with Roshan under the brand name M-Paisa in Afghanistan (no Vodafone company stake).