UK’s Samsung Galaxy S4 to run on quad-core processor

Samsung has confirmed the UK version of its Galaxy S4 will come with a quad-core Snapdragon processor
Samsung has confirmed the UK version of the Galaxy S4 will run on a quad-core processor, rather than an octo-core processor as originally mooted.
Unveiling the handset on March 14 the manufacturer said the processor will differ according to market, but gave only its own 1.6GHz octa-core Exynos 5 processor in the list of specifications.
It has now confirmed the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the UK will run on a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor made by Qualcomm.
Samsung said: “The Galaxy S4 is equipped with a 1.9GHz quad-core processor or a 1.6GHz octa-core processor. The selection of application processor varies by markets.
“In the UK, the Galaxy S4 will be available as a 4G device with a 1.9GHz quad-core processor.”

Carphone: Samsung’s S4 “the one to watch” as interest rockets

Retailer sees interest in Galaxy S4 rise 446 per cent compared to the manufacturer’s flagship smartphone the SIII last year, calling it the busiest pre-registration period it has ever seen
Carphone Warehouse has received more than four times (446 per cent) as many pre-registrations for the Samsung Galaxy S4 than when it did when the manufacturer announced the S III last year.
That is based on figures taken from March 15 to 18 for the Galaxy S4, and April 25-30, 2012 for the Galaxy S III.
Carphone Warehouse chief operating officer Graham Stapleton said: “The vast number of pre-registrations we’ve had for the device is evidence how hot the Galaxy S4 is going to be. The launch event in New York clearly captured the imagination of many of our customers – acting as the driving force for the busiest pre-registration period we’ve ever seen.
“The Galaxy S III broke all records last year and was always going to be a tough one to beat, but the S4 is already proving to be more than a capable step up in the series that will inspire many people to make the switch to Android from other operating systems. The device is one to watch for 2013.”
The Galaxy S4 goes on sale at all networks and major mobile retailers from April 26. Since the Galaxy S III went on sale last May, it has achieved sales of more than 40 million units worldwide.

BlackBerry denies OS rejected for UK government use

BlackBerry has said that, contrary to media reports, its new OS has not been rejected for use by the UK government
BlackBerry has dismissed reports alleging its operating system, BlackBerry 10, has been rejected for UK government use.
Several sites including Mobile News reported yesterday that the communications electronics security group (CESG) had deemed BlackBerry 10 unsafe for essential work by government employees.
The Guardian cited a source as saying the problem lay with BlackBerry Balance, software designed to separate work and personal content.
The newspaper has since retracted the story.
A GCHQ (government communications headquarters) spokesperson said discussions with BlackBerry are ongoing and set to conclude in the summer.
They said: “We have not yet performed an evaluation of the security of that platform (BlackBerry 10), but we expect to be issuing Platform Guidance in the summer. This will cover a number of platforms including BlackBerry 10 (and the use of ‘Balance’).
“We have a long standing security partnership with BlackBerry and this gives us confidence that the BlackBerry 10 platform is likely to represent a viable solution for UK Government.”
BlackBerry said it’s previous OS, BlackBerry 7.1 remains the only mobile solution approved for use at ‘restricted’ level and said that reports its latest OS had been rejected are “false and misleading.”
A spokesperson for the manufacturer said changes to the approval process has “had an impact on the timeline for BlackBerry 10 to receive a similar level of approval [as BlackBerry 7.1].
“The U.S. government’s FIPS 140-2 certification of BlackBerry 10 and the selection of BlackBerry 10 by the German Procurement Office and Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) underline how our new platform continues to set the standard for government communications.
“We are continuing to work closely with CESG on the approval of BlackBerry 10 and we’re confident that BlackBerry 10 will only strengthen our position as the mobile solution of choice for the U.K. government.”

Sony Xperia Z experiencing ‘sudden death’

Sony has acknowledged there is a problem with their latest smartphone, the Xperia Z, suddenly dying on users
Sony Xperia Z users are reporting that the device is dying suddenly, forcing them to reset their handsets.
Sony has acknowledged the problem and said it will be fixed with an upcoming software update.
However, the manufacturer has not explained why the devices are experiencing ‘sudden death’, a problem that also affected Samsung’s Galaxy S III earlier in the year.
In January, Galaxy S III users reported the device was dying unexpectedly and usually while charging. Samsung fixed the problem with a software update.
The Sony Xperia Z launched in the UK on February 28.

BlackBerry 10 now offers over 100,000 apps

BlackBerry says the growing portfolio of apps compatible with its new OS will “bolster momentum” for its handsets
BlackBerry has announced that users of its new operating system now have access to over 100,000 applications.
Amazon Kindle and The Wall Street Journal are examples of major applications that have been made available to BlackBerry 10 users since its launch at the end of January.
The manufacturer says CNN, eBay, Skype and Viber will be available to download or purchase on its platform “in the coming weeks.”
BlackBerry vice president of global alliances Martyn Mallick said the response to the new OS and applications has been “outstanding.”
“It now appears that the already impressive levels of developer support for the BlackBerry 10 platform are accelerating into the launch window for the BlackBerry Z10. The prospect of a very robust app catalog can only bolster momentum for the product and the platform itself.
“The ability to attract and sustain developer support is like lifeblood for any mobile platform, and it’s not something that simply happens. This progress is a testament to BlackBerry’s early and innovative engagement with developers worldwide and the innovative architecture of the platform itself.” Mallick said.

Samsung Galaxy S 4: Moving further from Android

The lights raised in New York City last night and Samsung unveiled its newest phone in the Galaxy line, the S 4. The features of the S 4 were not a surprise as information had leaked most of them in advance of the launch event.
See also on CNET: Full coverage of Samsung Galaxy S4 launch | Live blog from the Samsung Galaxy S4 event in NYC | Hands-on review
Samsung has designed the S 4 to bridge the successful S 3 and the innovative Note 2. The 5-inch display fits between the two existing phones although it ratchets up the resolution to 441 PPI.
The touch display of the S 4 is new as it can be operated without actually touching it. It can also be used while wearing gloves, a feature introduced last year by Nokia.
The 13 MP camera on the S 4 is a big jump over the 8 MP cameras used in Samsung's existing phones. Allowing both the front and rear cameras to operate at the same time is a new way to take advantage of those cameras.
Hardware aside, software is the big story on the S 4. Samsung has continued its focus on making software that adds value to the user and perhaps most importantly further distances its offerings from the vast Android herd.
See also on ZDNet: Samsung Android: Better than Google's Android | Samsung reveals the Galaxy S4 (photos)

The unique use of eye tracking to make operating the S 4 easier along with a collection of software designed to make the phone more useful makes the Samsung software distribution vastly different from its competitors. While Samsung's Android was already better than Google's Android, with the S 4 it is better than ever.
Samsung is deliberately distancing its products from Google Android. Android was not even a topic at the S 4 launch event, it was all about Samsung.
The interface on the S 4 is distinctive and continues to offer features that focus on the user experience. Samsung has added so many useful features to its version of Android that it no longer bears much resemblance to that of all the other Android phones out there.
This formula has worked well for Samsung as the S 3 is the biggest selling Android phone. Put the user first with useful software and produce solid hardware to drive it. The S 4 pushes that model forward without radically changing from the S 3, and that's smart business by Samsung. It's not

UK government agency clarifies stance on BlackBerry 10 security certification

I read an article earlier today over on The Guardian's website which stated that BlackBerry 10 would not be safe enough for government work here in the UK. I didn't believe what I was reading could be true, so I made a few phone calls to my buddies at BlackBerry to set the record straight.

The Guardian stated that the UK's Communications-Electronics Security Group (CESG) have not passed certification for BlackBerry 10. Well, that would be correct and here's why: CESG have recently changed the way that they operate and the new evaluation process is not a short one. In fact, it can take a good seven months or so. If that's the case then of course the CESG would not have said that Blackberry 10 is secure enough for the UK government and security agencies to use - BlackBerry 10 simply isn't old enough.
BlackBerry is working closely with the CESG here in Great Britain and considering that older BlackBerry software has been famous for its security features, I am more than confident that when the testing process is complete all will be fine.
Here's the official word from CESG on the matter:

"Discussions with BlackBerry are ongoing about the use of the BlackBerry 10 platform in government. We have not yet performed an evaluation of the security of that platform, but we expect to be issuing Platform Guidance in the summer. This will cover a number of platforms including Blackberry 10 (and the use of 'Balance'). We have a long standing security partnership with BlackBerry and this gives us confidence that the BlackBerry 10 platform is likely to represent a viable solution for UK Government."

BlackBerry supporting students in the United Arab Emirates

It looks like BlackBerry are getting into the swing of helping out students over in the UAE. They have teamed up with not-for-profit organization INJAZ and launched their Junior Achievement Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Innovation Camps. The first to kick off saw more than 100 students partcipate in the camp which was focused on business challenges in the field of mobile technology.

The Innovation Camps are an initiative developed through a partnership between BlackBerry and JA-YE Europe aimed at motivating students, aged 10-18 to consider STEM oriented careers. The Innovation Camps help raise awareness amongst secondary school students of STEM-related issues, showcase industry role models, and lead the way to showing that skill-based CSR programs have a vital role to play in the future of education and th alignment  of business needs with curriculums.
At the Dubai Innovation Camp, students were asked to create an idea for a mobile application that could be used by students in the classroom. Participating students created sales plans in support of their mobile app concept, and the winning team was chosen by a panel of judges which included His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Nahyan, Chairman of INJAZ; Sulaf Saleh Al-Zu'bi, CEO of INJAZ; and Robert Bose, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at BlackBerry. 
At the end of an exciting day filled with challenges and a tremendous amount of innovative thinking on display, Group Ping from Dubai International School were chosen to represent the UAE in the Junior Achievment international finals against thirteen other schools from around the world.

“BlackBerry was built on innovation and is a strong supporter of science, engineering, technology and math in education. We are proud to support Junior Achievement as they engage young people and encourage them to think outside of the box. Through regular STEM camps, we hope to foster an environment of entrepreneurial and innovative thinking,” said Robert Bose, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa at BlackBerry.
“I want to congratulate everyone on such an amazing experience and opportunity we extended to those students. Not only have we introduced entrepreneurship to high school students, we also got them to think about using technology bases business ideas that help solve the issues that today's youth are facing. Everyone came out having learned something new, including the volunteers and organizers," said Sulaf Saleh Al’Zubi, CEO, Injaz.

Coming soon: The Samsung Phone platform

Samsung embraced the Android platform early on as it needed a decent OS to drive its mobile hardware. Android had everything it needed: a rapid development effort by Google; open source; growing ecosystem; free to modify by OEMs.
While OEMs jumped on the Android bandwagon with Samsung, they were all looking over their shoulder at the fruity phone from Cupertino. Meanwhile Samsung had all of those OEMs firmly in its own sights.
See also: Samsung Galaxy S 4: Moving further from Android | Samsung Android: Better than Google's Android
It seems apparent that as Samsung's market share grew the company formed a game plan to take it to the next level. The company realized that as long as so many companies were producing Android phones, it couldn't stand out from the crowd. It needed its own brand to rise to the top, so that's what it set out to do.
The customizations that Samsung put on its Android phones were only slightly different from the rest in the beginning. Android enthusiasts blasted Samsung for its simple TouchWiz interface, as it was considered ugly bloatware that interfered with the pure Android experience.
The launch: Amid great expectations, the Samsung Galaxy S4 has arrived | Samsung reveals the Galaxy S4 (photos) | Samsung's Galaxy S4 first to launch with B2B tool Knox | Samsung's Galaxy S4 focuses on differentiation but reveals growing problem for handset makers On CNET: Full coverage of Samsung Galaxy S4 launch

Even marketing aimed at Apple was a shotgun blast at all the other Android phone makers.

That was OK with Samsung as it realized it had to be different to create its own branding in the Android world. Its developers continued plugging away to make its Android offering unique, and it did so by adding good functionality to its phones.
The rest of the Android OEMs continued to try and compete with the iPhone with no success. They produced as many phones as they could, the equivalent of throwing them up against the wall to see which one would "stick." Through it all, they listened to the tech pundits and the core Android enthusiasts exhorting them to keep the UX close to the "real" Android experience.
While this manic activity was going on, Samsung just kept adapting the Android distributions to be totally different from that core Android model. It added one feature after another and showed them to the buying public with smart marketing. That marketing sealed the fate of the other Android OEMs as Samsung successfully buried Android under its own skin. Even marketing aimed at Apple was a shotgun blast at all the other Android phone makers.
This worked, probably better than even Samsung thought it might. Samsung is probably selling more "Android" phones than all the other OEMs combined. Not only is the Samsung flavor of the UX gaining favor with the mainstream market, it's pushing Android further out of consumers' eyes. That is crystal clear if you look at the press coverage of the Galaxy S4 launch. Only Apple generates this much buzz with a single product.
It's no accident that Android wasn't mentioned at the cheesy Galaxy S4 launch event recently held in NYC. The message was clear that it is Samsung's phone through and through. Sure, Android is at the kernel of it all, but that doesn't matter. It's all Samsung now.
Samsung's dominance of the entire Android ecosystem is almost to the point where it can control its own destiny. Google cannot afford for Samsung to go away — the entire Android system would implode.
This powerful position will keep getting stronger once the S4 hits the market. Samsung will be in a position to officially proclaim its own fork of Android as a real thing. Samsung Phone will be born.
This new platform will still be based on Android but it won't be acknowledged by the company. It will be marketed as its own OS, which, technically, it will be. "It's a Samsung phone" will have significant new meaning as the company touts its own creation.
Samsung will heavily promote its ecosystem, or hubs. This will become the backbone of the Samsung Phone platform. Google Play will still be buried on the Samsung phones, but not promoted.
The key to make this work is that Samsung, like only Apple, controls its own supply chain. It makes its own components and thus controls everything from start to finish.
What about Tizen, the OS that Samsung and others are looking at to potentially replace Android? I believe there are two reasons Samsung is looking at Tizen. First and foremost, Samsung is using Tizen as a misdirection to keep Google and Android OEMs from seeing exactly where Samsung is headed with Samsung Phone.
Secondly, playing with Tizen, and Samsung says a phone will be released this year running it, is a trial run for the company to have its own platform. It is getting the infrastructure in place to "launch" the Samsung Phone platform.
Having a forked version of Android will not appeal to Android enthusiasts and tech pundits in general. Expect a lot of gnashing of teeth and pounding of keyboards to proclaim how big a mistake Samsung is making. Some, like my colleague Jason Perlow, won't like the new Samsung Phone.
That's OK with Samsung. The company has learned the most important lesson from Apple: It doesn't matter what these small fringe groups think or say. It only matters what the hundreds of millions of mainstream consumers say. And it believes they will be saying "I have a Samsung Phone."

Mobile Datenübertragung über EDGE

T-Mobile hat schon vor einiger Zeit bekannt gegeben, dass bis Ende 2007 im gesamten T-Mobile Netz EDGE zur Verfügung steht (Erweiterung von GPRS, basierend auf das GSM-Netz). Damit sind Downloadgeschwindigkeiten von bis zu 200 kbit/s möglich (Upstream ca. 100 kbit/s; Praxiswerte).

Ein wichtiger Punkt - v.a. auch für Geschäftskundenanwendungen - kommt in der Kommunikation allerdings weniger oft vor: die Latenzzeit (auch Antwortzeit oder Roundtrip-Time genannt). Aus diesem Wert ergibt sich die Zeit, wie lange eine Datenanforderung benötigt, bis sie beantwortet wird (also bevor der Datenstrom mit der entsprechenden Geschwindigkeit loslegen kann).
Bei bestimmten Anwendungen ist dieser Wert wichtiger als die Übertragungsgeschwindigkeit.
Ein Beispiel, das jeder kennt: Auf einer Webseite sind viele verschiedene Elemente vorhanden. Für jedes Element, das gesondert als "Datenpaket" angefordert wird, schlägt die Latenzzeit zu (sogar mit einem Faktor von ca. 3, da bevor der Datenstrom richtig startet erst einmal die "Maschinen" miteinander plaudern).
Antwortzeiten von 50 ms sind ideal. Bei GPRS hat man Antwortzeiten von ca. 600 ms, bei UMTS ca. 250 ms, bei HSDPA ca. 120 ms.
Wie verhält es sich bei EDGE? In großen Teilen des T-Mobile Netzes (z.B. komplett Bayern, Hessen, Niedersachsen) steht bei EDGE schon heute eine Antwortzeit von ca. 200 ms zur Verfügung. Diese erreicht man jedoch nur mit aktuellen EDGE Endgeräten (z.B. web'n'walk Card Compact 2 oder die web'n'walk Express Card 2).

Was bedeutet dies in der Praxis? Nur wenn die Antwortzeit kleiner 300 ms ist, funktionieren einige wichtige Geschäftskundenanwendungen wie Outlook/Exchange, Citrix oder Windows Terminal Server in vernünftiger Weise.
Somit kann man hier etwa zusammen mit dem Einsatz von Citrix in weiten Teilen Deutschlands flächig (also nicht nur in Ballungszentren) mobil arbeiten, als wäre man im Büro. Man kann hier auch nahezu keinen Unterschied zu UMTS/ HSDPA feststellen.

Übrigens ist es geplant, im Laufe der nächsten Monate oder Jahren die Übertragungsgeschwindigkeit bei EDGE weiter zu steigern. Bis zu 1 MBit/s scheinen bereits sehr greifbar zu sein.

Aktueller Stand T-Mobile Netze

UMTS:
Alle Zellen arbeiten mit HSDPA-Technik und HSUPA.
Bei HSDPA (Downstream) stehen überall mindestens 2 MBit/s zur Verfügung (in den Zellen ist die 3,6 MBit/s Technik implementiert). Viele Zellen (v.a. Großstätte) haben auch schon die 7,2 MBit/s Technik im Einsatz.
Bei HSUPA (Upstream) steht überall die 1,4 MBit/s Technik zur Verfügung. Es erfolgt momentan der Ausbau auf 2 MBit/s.
Latenzzeiten sind <>
EDGE:
Jede GSM-Zelle ist mit EDGE Technologie ausgestattet. Downstream kann eine theoretische Geschwindigkeit von 296 kbit/s erreicht werden, Upstream 118,4. Die Latenzzeiten sind abhängig von der eingesetzten Netztechnik. Überwiegend beträgt diese um die 200 ms. Ansonsten um die 300-350 ms.
(Vergleich klassisches UMTS: 384 kbit/s down, 64 oder 128 kbit/s up)
Die Qualität der Verbindung (Geschwindigkeit und Latenz) ist stark von der Empfangsstärke abhängig! Die Spitzenwerte erreicht man nur bei gutem Empfang.

Empfangseigenschaften

Wenn eine bessere Empfangseigenschaft hergestellt werden soll, eignet sich in einigen Fällen der Einsatz eines Mobilfunk/ WLAN Routers zusammen mit einer guten Außenantenne. Die T-Mobile Web'n'Walk Box 4 stellt hier die mit Abstand beste Wahl dar (auch Port für analoges Telefon).
Bei diesem Endgerät besteht die Möglichkeit eines guten Antennenanschlusses (SMA-Anschluss) und es kann per Schalter auf die externe Antenne umgeschaltet werden.
Zusammen mit den richtigen Komponenten (gute Antenne, gutes Low Loss Kabel) hat man mit diesem Gerät die besten Erfolge im Vergleich mit anderen Endgeräten.

Probleme bei VPN-Verbindungen

Kein Provider bietet wirklich komplett transparente Verbindungen ins Internet an (u.a. Sicherheitsproblematik). In einigen Fällen kann es z.B. bei VPN-Verbindungen (v.a. IPSec) dadurch zu Problemen kommen.
Die beste Möglichkeit mit möglichst wenig Einfluss auf die Datenpakete bekommt man bei T-Mobile, wenn man den alten Internet-APN wählt ("internet.t-d1.de"), bei dem eine öffentliche Adresse vergeben wird (kein NAT; Vorsicht: Möglichkeit von Spamtraffic, der auch verrechnet wird!!!) und das VPN-Gateway über die IP-Adresse (nicht über Domain-Namen) angesprochen wird.

Stromverbrauch bei UMTS-Betrieb

Häufig gab es Beschwerden, dass bei UMTS-Endgeräten der Akku rasant leer wird (z.B. auch über Nacht).
Die T-Mobile hat im Netz aktuell eine Optimierung implementiert, die dem entgegenwirkt.
Bei vielen Endgeräten müsste es nun so sein, dass bei Standby-Betrieb und UMTS der Akku eher weniger belastet wird. Bei aktivem Verkehr (Sprache, Daten) beansprucht UMTS diesen jedoch nach wie vor mehr als GSM-Betrieb.

Blackberry Bold

Der Blackberry Bold hat hervorragende Übertragungseigenschaften im GSM und UMTS Bereich.
Hier übertrifft das Gerät auch viele Datenkarten (Hardware).
Die Empfangseigenschaft ist maßgeblich für die erreichten Datentransfer-Geschwindigkeiten.
Aus diesem Grund kann es durchaus empfehlenswert sein, die Möglichkeit zu betrachten, den Bold als USB-Modem zu verwenden.

Skype sur Windows Phone 7, intégration ou App Tierce?

Depuis le rachat de Skype par Microsoft les possesseurs de smartphone sous Windows Phone attendent avec encore plus d'impatience son arrivée sur la plateforme. 

Toutefois, si Skype avait été annoncé comme arrivant via la mise à jour Mango, cela n'a pas été le cas, et près de 6 mois plus tard nous sommes tout le temps dans l'attente.

Certains parlent d'une application tierce qui arriverait rapidement avant d'être remplacée par une intégration "poussée" à l'image de Facebook ou de Windows Live. 

Pourtant une question se pose. Pourquoi passer des mois à créer une application tierce pour la remiser au placard d'ici 6 mois? Bien que la demande soit importante, il me semble qu'il serait plus opportun de prendre le temps qu'il faut pour l'intégrer totalement au système et faire les choses correctement plutôt que de sortir une application pour combler un manque plus ou moins important. 

Si une application voit bel et bien le jour, The Verge pense savoir qu'elle sera de sortie pendant le MWC de Barcelone.

HTC annonce le HTC ONE x

Via un communiqué de presse laché un peu trop tôt dans la nature, on en sait plus sur le tant attendu HTC ONE x : 

• Dimensions : 134, 36 x 69,9 x 9,29 mm
• Poids : 130 grammes
• Ecran : 4,7 pouces Super LCD HD 720p Gorilla Glass
• Processeur : 1,5 GHz quadcore ( Tégra 3) 
• OS : Android 4.0 + Sense 4.0
• RAM : 1 GB
• Stockage : 32 GB internes (jusqu’à 26 GB disponibles pour l’utilisateur) + 25 GB offerts pendant 2 ans par Dropbox.
• Batterie : 1800 mAh 
• Appareil photo : 8 Megapixels f/2
• Caméra frontale : 1,3 Megapixels
• Beats Audio et voix HD
• Il est aussi disponible en deux coloris : blanc et noir. 

LG annonce le successeur de l'Optimus 3D : le 3D Max

Alors que l'Optimus 3D premier du nom n'a semble-t-il pas rencontré le succès, on aurait pu croire que LG n'allait pas réitérer de si tôt l'expérience "3D", et pourtant il y'a 3 jours, la firme a profité de l'avant MWC pour mettre en avant le successeur de l'Optimus 3D qui portera le nom Optimus 3D Max. 

On notera que le smartphone n'évolue pas de manière considérable hormis au niveau du processeur. On retrouve aussi une version d'Android qui commence à dater, à savoir Gingerbread 2.3. Mais la société Coréenne "promet" (avec la réserve bien connue de la gamme précédente) une mise à jour très rapide vers android 4.x

• - Processeur Dual-Core cadencé à 1,2 GHz
• - Afficheur LCD de 4,3 pouces, de type Wide VGA (800 x 480) avec verre ultra résistant appelé
• « Corning Gorilla Glass 2 »
• - Mémoire interne de 8 GB + 1 GB
• - Capteur photo de 5 Mpixels, double lentille
• - OS sous Android 2.3 Gingerbread (évolutif vers 4.0)
• - Batterie : 1,520 mAh
• - Connexion HDMI 2D, 3D, Full HD 1080 lignes
• - Compatible DLNA
• - Mode Tag + (étiquettes électroniques)
• - Compatible NFC (Near Field Communication)

Source : communiqué de presse LG

Huawei Ascend D quad " le smartphone le plus rapide du monde"

Huawei annonce " le smartphone le plus rapide du monde"  via son dernier né le "Ascend D"

Avec son processeur à quatre coeurs, Huawei vise le très haut de gamme tout en restant "compact".

En effet, des smarphones à quatre coeur nombreux sont ceux à avoir un écran de 4,7 pouces. Celui-ci n'a "qu'un" écran 4,5 pouces 720p. Plutôt fin avec ses 8,8 mm d'épaisseur , il n'est pas de ceux qui vont chercher à repousser les limites de la physique, et tant mieux ! Un smartphone étant fait pour être tout de même tenu en main. 

 

 

Côté caméra, il possède un capteur de 8 mégapixels à l'arrière qui filme en full HD. Et une caméra de 1,3 mégapixel à l'avant pour la visioconférence. 

Seul problème peut-être sa puissance a été pour la société plus importante que son design qui est disons-le plus que quelconque. 

Via : communiqué de presse Huawei

Huawei présente une tablette quad core à écran 1080p : la MediaPad 10

Huawei a profité de sa conférence pour présenter en plus de sa gamme de smartphones, une tablette qui vise le haut du marché.

Dotée d'un écran 10 pouces d'une résolution de 1920 x 1200, de son processeur à quatre coeurs maison appelé le "K3". Tout ça pour une épaisseur similaire au Huawei Ascend D Quad soit 8,8 mm. Elle possède aussi une caméra de 8 mégapixels en plus de celle en façade, chose énorme pour une tablette qui n'a pas vocation d'être utilisée pour autre chose que pour de la photographie d'appoint.

La tablette tournant sous Android ICS sortira lors du prochain trimestre comme ses homologues smartphones.

Tout ceci en attendant notre prise en main

news Blackberry

We have developed a series of launcher apps for Blackberry phones to give you quick access to BBC News on Blackberry smartphones 5 and above.
As some BlackBerry connections are routed overseas, BlackBerry users occasionally have problems accessing BBC content that is only available inside the UK. The application will also help to stop this from happening and make sure that, if you're in the UK, you can access everything that you ought to be able to access.
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News on your mobile

The mobile site works on a range of devices and screen sizes

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The mobile site offers a large range of news sections

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Lycamobile launches MVNO service in 18 US states

New York, Florida, Texas and California among areas service will be initially available in 
Ethnic MVNO Lycamobile has moved into the US market by launching its service in 18 states, taking its international presence to 16 countries.
Areas served by the MVNO now include New York, Florida, Texas and California with a national advertising campaign set to support the launch.
The firm – which currently has around 30 million customers in Europe and Australia – claims it is the first ‘full MVNO’ to launch in the US.
Lycamobile chairman Subaskaran Allirajah said: “Since opening discussions surrounding a launch in the US, the appetite for our proposition has been overwhelming. It is this enthusiasm for the service that has led to our biggest launch yet.
“As the first full MVNO to launch in the United States, this is a milestone operation both for Lycamobile and for American customers who we look forward to helping connect with their loved ones across the world.”

Pescado opens third office as part of expansion

Vodafone platinum partner planning a further office opening later this year and will also look to increase staff numbers by 25 per cent
Pescado has opened a third office in Castle Donington and has plans to open another in the south of England later in the year.
As part of its expansion, the Chester-based dealer is looking to employ up to 10 new members of sales staff – taking numbers above 40 – across its range of services which, in addition to its mobile offering, includes hosted telephony, IT and cloud services.
The increased office capacity and greater staff numbers are part of a drive to cross-sell more services into its existing customer base as well as recruit even more new customers. The firm reported sales in its mobile division were up 25 per cent in January compared to 2012.
Currently around one in three of its customers takes more than one service from the firm, a statistic MD Fraser Watson expects to improve on in the coming months.
Watson (pictured) said: “Our customers are much more likely to stay for life if they have two or three services with us, and it makes us much less vulnerable to factors out of our control.
“We have excellent relationships with the networks and handset suppliers but we have to continue to be stable and minimise the effect of any changes they may make. Small changes from large suppliers can have much bigger effects on smaller businesses like us which in turn can affect the customer, so we have to continue to be self-sufficient.”
Pescado was promoted to Vodafone Platinum Partner status in July after winning the operator’s Gold Partner of the Year award in the network’s annual dealer awards for 2012.

SteelSeries predicts ‘explosion’ in mobile gaming

Gaming accessories manufacturer predicts that smartphones and tablets will replace consoles and are taking revenue from games consoles makers
SteelSeries is predicting an ‘explosion’ in mobile gaming over the next few years, as tablets and smartphones replace consoles.
The North American company, which signed with distributor Data Select in October last year, told Mobile News there is increasing convergence between traditional games consoles, such as the Xbox 360, and
tablet devices.
The manufacturer said smartphones, and more so tablets, are encroaching on the gaming marketplace, and taking revenue from games console makers.
Market research shows that by 2014, the value of the games console market is expected to fall to $18.5 million (£11.8 million), in comparison to the $11.4 billion (£7.3 billion) mobile gaming market.
SteelSeries marketing and PR director James Dean said a survey carried out via its Facebook page revealed 25,688 of the 32,600 people who responded said they already play online games using their smartphone or tablet device.
The survey also revealed 66 per cent of tablet owners play online daily, compared to 53 per cent of smartphones users.
The change in gaming habits, encouraged by the ease and affordability of downloading games, means SteelSeries is looking to partner with mobile operators, manufacturers and retailers.
SteelSeries products, including a mobile controller designed for tablets such as the iPad, are currently sold through mobile retailers Expansys and Clove, as well as through Data Select.
Dean said: “We are talking to the larger buyers, the bigger high street [mobile] retailers.”
SteelSeries regional marketing director for EMEA Gillian Tune said the company also aims to work with mobile and tablet manufacturers.
Tune said: “With the competition between tablet manufacturers they want to add value – something to pull the proposition together.”
She added SteelSeries is looking to offer its products as part of a bundle with smartphones or tablets.

O2 offers entire top 40 singles chart for £1 per week

O2 Tracks app updates chart on handsets weekly and is available on other networks for £4.99 a month
O2 has launched its own music service which allows its customers to download the Top 40 UK singles onto their handset for a weekly charge of £1.
The O2 Tracks app, currently for sale on Apple and Android handsets and coming soon on Windows Phone and BlackBerry, is available on a two month trial to its own customers and on a two week trial for subscribers of other networks.
The service is then available for £1 a week for O2 customers and for £4.99 a month for everyone else.
Customers will receive all of the tracks in the Top 40 downloaded to their handset, which will then be replaced by the new chart on a weekly basis.
O2 consumer and marketing director Sally Cowdry said: “O2 Tracks allows you to access the most popular music directly on your mobile and for better value than ever before. O2 has built a heritage with music and offering exclusive experiences. That’s why our customers can enjoy two months free. Even after this promotion, our new app means you get the entire chart for little more than the price of downloading one track.”
MusicQubed CEO Chris Gorman added: “We share O2’s vision of delivering hand-picked, low-cost music to mainstream customers, easily and with no fuss. O2 Tracks will help O2 build deeper relationships with its customers and also ensure that artists get paid equitable rate for their music.”

Tesco Mobile appoints former O2 marketing chief

Simon Groves, who spent 12 years as head of brand and marketing at O2, is taking on a similar role at Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile has appointed former O2 head of marketing Simon Groves as its chief marketing officer.
Groves will be responsible for all customer facing marketing and brand activities at Tesco Mobile, as part of its drive to increase its customer base.
He joins the company from Telefonica UK (O2), where he spent 12 years as head of brand, marketing and customer experience strategy.
Tesco Mobile and Tesco Telecoms chief executive Roger Fogg said the appointment demonstrates the company’s “commitment to fresh thinking.”
Groves said: “I look forward to working with Roger and the rest of the team to ensure that on its ten year anniversary, Tesco Mobile remains a highly competitive network delivering great experiences for all our customers.”

General Comms rebrands and moves offices

EE principal partner also takes on six new business account managers as part of its expansion plans this year
Mobile dealer General Communications has rebranded and completed a move to purpose-built offices in Ty Glas Llanishen, Wales, as part of its 2013 expansion plans.
The EE principal partner switched to the new offices, just 1.5 miles from its previous premises, at the end of last month.
It has taken on six new business account managers and plans to continue this recruitment drive throughout 2013.
General Communications new business development manager Chris Hamblin added the firm’s increased sales in tablets and smartphones have come as a direct result of Cardiff being selected as one of the 10 launch cities for EE 4G.
“We are very much looking forward to completing the picture with the introduction of 4G on Vodafone and O2,” Hamblin said.
Managing director Andrew Comrie said: “The days of corner shop walls covered in slatted boards full of cheap accessories have gone.
“The more discerning customer, CEOs etc, are now looking for mobile phone companies that mirror the new age, high-tech mobile phone industry, and we believe that General Communications portrays that image perfectly.”

Gusto to launch new range of Juice products from April

Emergency power charger Cube and speaker Bluetooth Sound Square to follow the Juice chargers in company’s portfolio

Gusto Telecom Solutions is launching a new range of emergency charging products and speakers under the Juice brand from April.
Products include the ‘Juice Cube’, which provides emergency backup power for handsets and portable games consoles.
The Cube is compatible with all iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry, HTC, LG, Nokia, Samsung and Sony smartphones, as well as the Sony PSP and comes with a USB cable and eight universal connectors.
The Cube can be charged  using a mains adaptor and displays a row of four lights to show the level of charge remaining when it is shaken.
The firm has also unveiled the Juice Bluetooth Sound Square, which enables music to be played from a handset at a distance of  up to 10 metres.
It is compatible with Apple iPhones, iPads, the iPod Touch and Samsung Galaxy devices  and is available in red, yellow, green, blue, orange, pink, cyan and magenta.
The Sound Square takes two hours to charge and provides six hours of playback on Bluetooth and 10 hours through a USB cable.
The firm also has plans to launch a range of power battery backup smartphone cases, called Juice Jacket, in the near future.
The Cube and Bluetooth Sound Square will be priced between £24.99-£29.99, with Gusto currently in discussions with high street retailers to sell the products.
Gusto currently has agreements with O2, John Lewis, Dixons Store Group (DSGi), telecoms provider Jersey Telecom and Carphone Warehouse Ireland for stock of its Juice charger products.
Gusto Telecom Solutions managing director Joe Bennett said: “Most people don’t have an emergency power product so there is a big opportunity to put that right. Making emergency power work in the UK market is about making it appealing so the Cube is a step in the right direction. People have become miffed with Apple changing the charging socket on the iPhone 5 because a lot of the docks will now become useless. This provides a really good alternative to that.
“Juice is sold in a number of high street retailers and has achieved phenomenal success, selling thousands a week across the UK and Ireland. This is the first evolution of the brand and there will be many more evolutions to come.”

Phones 4U to give customers preview of Xperia Z

Sony Mobile’s flagship handset to be showcased in over 300 Phones 4U stores from February 15 before going on general sale two weeks later
Phones 4U will give customers a two week preview of the Sony Xperia Z ahead of its general release on February 28.
It will go on show at 300 of the retailer’s stores to enable customers to trial it, receive a live product demo, experience its features and pre-order the handset.
The Xperia Z will be available in black and white and will be free from £36 a month on a range of networks when it goes on sale at Phones 4U.
The first 1,000 customers to pre-order the Xperia Z at the retailer will also receive a free pair of Sony MDR-1R headphones worth almost £300.
Phones 4U chief commercial officer Scott Hooton said: “We are delighted to be enhancing our in-store experience by offering the opportunity to fully experience the Sony Xperia Z before it lands on general sale. By doing so, we’re giving people the freedom to test out the handset before they commit to a pre-order, ensuring they’re picking the smartphone that’s right for them.”
The Xperia Z is powered by a quad-core 1.5GHz processor and initially runs Android 4.1, with an upgrade to Android 4.2 available soon after.
It has a five-inch HD screen that is made from toughened glass and is powered by Sony’s Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 technology, which the firm said improves screen brightness and clarity.
Included is Sony’s Exmor RS for mobile, which it said is the world’s first image sensor with HDR (High Dynamic Range) video for smartphones, providing sharp imagery regardless of the conditions. It comes with a 13-megapixel autofocus rear camera, 2.1-megapixel front camera and HD video recording capability.
The ‘Walkman’, ‘Album’ and ‘Movies’ apps come preloaded. The Walkman app provides access to 18 million songs from Music Unlimited. The Movies app gives users access to over 100,000 films and TV series from Video Unlimited, with the Album app enabling access to Facebook friends’ photos as well as browsing photos by location.
Other features include Battery STAMINA, which Sony said quadruples standby time by shutting down battery-draining apps whenever the screen is off and restarting when it is back on. Users can also view photos and videos on the BRAVIA TV via NFC by touching the handset to the TV’s remote control.

Daisy Wholesale offers incentive for Vodafone mobile resellers

Six top performing partners will win an all expenses paid trip to the Stapleford Park Country House Hotel in Leicestershire in June
Daisy Wholesale has launched an incentive for its Vodafone mobile resellers, with the prize on offer a weekend trip to Stapleford Park Country House Hotel in Leicestershire.
The incentive began on February 1 and runs until April 30. It is aimed at two categories; ‘new resellers’ (businesses that signed up to the Vodafone mobile proposition after October 2012) and ‘established resellers’ (those who signed up to resell Vodafone mobile before October 2012).
Three passes will be awarded to the top performing resellers in each category. One pass per company will be awarded, with performance judged on the number of individual Vodafone connections.
The trip will take place over the weekend of June 7 – 9. Winners will be able to play a round of golf on the hotel’s Championship Golf Course, take part in archery, shooting and falconry activities and use the spa, swimming pool and gym.
Daytime activities will also include 4×4 driving experiences, with evenings comprising of meals in the hotel’s Grinley Gibbons restaurant.
Daisy Wholesale managing director Terry O’Brien (pictured) said: “Our mobile incentive event is an opportunity for us to show our resellers how much we value our relationship with them and it will give the winners a well-deserved break for all their hard work.”

Telefonica Digital teams up with FeedHenry in cloud apps deal

Deal with cloud solutions provider will enable Telefonica’s enterprise customers to improve productivity and deliver new revenue streams through producing their own apps
Telefonica Digital has partnered with FeedHenry to enable its enterprise customers to design, build and manage mobile applications hosted in the cloud.
The partnership will see Telefonica offer FeedHenry’s cloud-based mobile application platform alongside its Infrastructure-as-a-Service solution, which is optimised for mobile and M2M applications.
According to Telefonica Digital, the agreement will give businesses the ability to leverage the power of mobile and cloud to improve productivity and deliver new revenue streams.
This deal expands the relationship between the two companies after an agreement was struck last year to bring FeedHenry’s mobile applications platform to corporate customers in key Telefonica markets. This service is currently available through O2 in the UK, Ireland and Germany.
Telefonica Digital cloud director Tim Marsden said: “The intersection of mobile and cloud is a natural one. Our goal is to accelerate the availability of mobile-optimized, cloud-based services for app development and management, giving full access to cloud services like storage, security, caching, and server-side business logic.
“Our partnership with FeedHenry is an important step for us, helping us to extend our service offering to customers who are embracing mobile as part of their future business strategy.”
FeedHenry CEO Cathal McGloin said: “The key to mobile business success in this era of BYOD is to ensure apps are reliable, portable and secure across as many devices as possible and we are seeing increased demand from enterprises seeking cloud-based mobile app platforms to reduce up-front costs and time to market.
“Corporate IT and app development teams will now be able to build applications for the most demanding consumer and enterprise users to quickly and easily deploy them securely to the cloud

Avenir launches BlackBerry and EE incentive

Dealers can earn points redeemable against designer headphones, cinema vouchers and handsets
Avenir has unveiled a new incentive for its dealers selling EE connections and BlackBerry handsets.
Resellers can earn points for selling airtime connections or upgrades with the operator’s brands, sending staff on a BlackBerry training course and for each BlackBerry handset sold.
Points can then be redeemed for designer headphones, cinema vouchers, BB10 handsets, home cinema systems and the dealer who earns the most points above target will win a night in a luxury hotel for two.
Avenir MD Andy Tow said: “We are delighted to be launching this incentive as 2013 is fast becoming a year of exciting developments for both BlackBerry and EE.
“To be able to join forces with BlackBerry following the launch of the Z10 handset and the new BlackBerry 10 operating system provides a great opportunity for all our dealers, as does the continued expansion of EE’s new 4G superfast network, which we are now able to offer to all of our airtime partners

Three launches BlackBerry Z10

The touchscreen BlackBerry Z10, the first device to run on the manufacturer’s new operating system, is available from Three stores and online
The BlackBerry Z10 is available at Three stores from today.
The network is offering the device on its ‘Ultimate Internet 500′ plan, which comes with unlimited internet, 5,000 texts and 300 minutes for £34 per month with an upfront cost of £69.
Competitors EE, O2, Vodafone and retailer Phones 4 U already offer the touchscreen BlackBerry Z10, the first device to run on the manufacturer’s new operating system.
Key features of the phone include BlackBerry Flow, which allows users to swipe between applications, and Time Shift camera mode, which captures a sequence of shots with one click.
Three’s head of devices Sylvia Chind said: “The BlackBerry Z10 is ideal for those looking for a smartphone that combines the best aspects of a traditional BlackBerry device with modern and innovative features.”

Daisy takes charge of 2e2 data centre business

Business telecoms firm will continue to provide data and hosting services from the IT firm’s data centres in Gateshead and Reading
Daisy Group has been appointed by Oakley Capital Private Equity to manage the 2e2 data centre business. It comes after 2e2 entered administration last month.
Through Daisy Data Centre Solutions, Oakley has acquired the business and assets of the 2e2 data centre business owned by the 2e2 Group that is in administration.
Daisy Group said this contract, along with other investments it is making into its data centre offering, enhances its portfolio and will significantly increase exposure to this market.
The firm will now work with existing data centre employees of the business to provide data and hosting services from its data centres in Gateshead and Reading. THese will double the amount of data centre power available to the Group’s customers, from 2Mw to 4Mw.
Daisy Group CEO Matthew Riley (pictured) said: “This appointment provides 2e2 customers with the opportunity to work with a long-term partner with proven expertise in the growing data and hosting market.
“Through the additional data centre facilities, the Group is in a position to significantly expand its data and hosting footprint, providing stability to existing 2e2 customers and offering further expertise and resource to Daisy customers.”

EE cuts upgrade period for Orange B2B customers to 30 days

Operator to reduce timeframe from three months on April 1, but the 90 day rule will still exist for dealers upgrading Orange customers to 4GEE plans
EE is to cut the period from when dealers can upgrade Orange business customers from 90 to 30 days. It comes into effect from April 1.
The operator said the move brings it in line T-Mobile across all B2B channels, as well as being broadly in line with the industry.
An Orange spokesperson said: “As of April 1, we will be making a change to the loyalty period for partners upgrading Orange business customers, reducing the period from 90 days to 30 days.
“This will apply to partners upgrading small business and corporate customers, and brings the Orange upgrade period in line with T-Mobile, as part of our ongoing integration process.
“Partners upgrading Orange customers to 4GEE plans will still be able to take advantage of a 90 day loyalty period. We are advising our partners of these changes now to give them time to update their forecasts.

New ‘HTC One’ handset to launch in March

The new Android handset will be unveiled next week (February 19) in London, with Carphone Warehouse said to have already confirmed stock.
HTC will unveil its latest Android handset, the HTC One, at a launch event in London next week (February 19).
Mobile News understands the device, which is code-named the M7, will launch mid-March.
Features on the device are still to be confirmed, but sources close to the firm claim it will run on Android 4.1.2 and be 4G compatible.
Unconfirmed rumours online, suggest it will feature a 4.7 inch display, a new version of HTC Sense, 32GB inbuilt memory – expandable with a MicroSD and a 4.1 megapixel camera. The camera is also rumoured to include, what is being described as an ‘Ultrapixel Sensor’ which effectively triples the megapixel quality.
Carphone Warehouse and O2 are already said to have taken pre-orders to stock the device from launch. The SIM only price is expected to be just under £400.
HTC has so far refused to confirm the name of the device, stating it “doesn’t comment on rumour and speculation.
However, the firm has been actively advertising the new device during a number of high profile Champions League and Uefa Cup televised football matches during this week (see image).
The firm has also set up a countdown timer on its official website ahead of the launch.
The device is also expected to be accompanied with a significant marketing campaign. Its CEO Peter Chou admitted in January HTC hadn’t done enough marketing its products and brands.
His comments followed the firms financial result for Q4, which saw quarterly profits plunge 91 per cent sequentially.

Visa to push mobile payments in 2013

Visa is to prioritise the roll-out of mobile payment services this year, enabling more handsets with NFC technology
Visa is planning a mainstream launch of mobile payment services this year, following a successful trial at the London Olympics.
The payment company’s UK and Ireland managing director Marc O’Brien said mobile is its “immediate priority” as it hopes to maintain its core business, high street transactions.
Speaking at a Westminster event on the future of digital payments, O’Brien said in 2013 Visa will roll out “much more” contactless cards and terminals.
The UK is second behind Poland in terms of rolling out the infrastructure, which O’Brien said is “not good enough”, adding it should be able to catch up as large retail chains M&S and Boots instal terminals.
Visa has already certified 80 mobile handsets as NFC capable, which means they can be used as debit or credit cards.
To pay for low-value transactions, users tap their device onto a terminal. Higher-value transactions required tapping and entering a PIN number.
The service was trailed on Samsung devices by 700 VIPs during the London olympics. Over the ten-week trial, 10,000 transactions took place.
“We are working to make all handsets NFC capable,” said O’Brien, “We have the means of making the iPhone NFC capable.”

Vodafone partners with security firm BAE Systems

Vodafone’s five-year deal with BAE Systems will see its range of smartphone and mobile security products expand
Vodafone has signed a five-year partnership with defence company BAE Systems which will see it provide the operator with a range of tablet and smartphone security products.
UK-based BAE, one of the world’s largest defence, aerospace and security companies, also announced it intends to select Vodafone as its preferred supplier of mobile communications worldwide, excluding the US.
Vodafone said the partnership was part of its efforts to extend its commitment to provide its global enterprise customers with the most advanced and robust security products and services available.
The first product to emerge from the alliance will be cloud-based mobile security solution, Vodafone Mobile Threat Manager, expected to go on sale in the spring, initially to Vodafone’s largest 1,500 global enterprise customers.
The solution will work across all networks, scanning traffic to and from a company’s mobile devices in order to safeguard against malicious attacks and block inappropriate content, without impacting on device performance.
Vodafone will provide services to BAE Systems’ 35,000 UK employees from July 2013, with a view to expanding these services across its global workforce over the term of the contract.
The operator is also discussing the supply of Unified Communications to BAE Systems in the UK, a statement on its website said.
BAE Systems CEO Ian King said: “This partnership is unique, not only in bringing together a defence and security player with a major communications provider, but also in its ability to help global enterprises realise their ambitions around leveraging the future of communications technologies in a secure manner.”

Nokia customers ‘more likely to recommend brand’

YouGov survey shows 45 per cent of manufacturer’s customers would now promote its handsets
Almost half of Nokia users would recommend one of its handsets to a friend, according to a new survey from YouGov.
The independent study showed 45 per cent of customers would now recommend the brand, up 18 per cent compared to the turn of the year.
In the same period the share of people who would not recommend a Nokia handset fell from 37 per cent to 33 per cent.
Forty per cent of those asked were using a Lumia, up from just one per cent in December 2011.
YouGov associate director Russell Feldman said: “Nokia has finally turned a corner. By increasing the number of Lumias in its base it has given their customers something worth coming back to. It is now seen by its consumers as a quality smartphone brand.
“While they are still a fair distance behind Apple and Samsung in terms of market share and loyalty, the fact they have changed consumer perception among their customers puts them in a solid position as the smartphone war intensifies.”

Fujitsu to make entry into European smartphone market

Device aimed at senior market to be displayed at Mobile World Congress
Fujitsu has signed a deal with Orange to launch a handset aimed at the senior market, initially in France, followed by other European markets.
The device, named the Stylistic S01 is a smartphone which has been especially designed for older users.
Features include a strengthened screen that requires the same level of pressure to operate as traditional buttons do, a loud personal security alarm and enhancements to the earpiece of the device so audio can be slowed down or turned up depending on the level of hearing ability of the user.
No details are currently available on the device’s availability in the UK market.
Fujitsu corporate vice president Nobuo Otani said: “As Fujitsu’s first extensive entry into the smartphone market outside Japan, we are delighted that Orange – a company that holds a strong position in the European market – will be offering our phone.
“We are committed to the success of this partnership as we strive to expand our smartphone business overseas, while advancing the promotion of Japanese technology worldwide.”

Nokia signs deal with Foxtons for 900 Lumias

Estate agent will utilise its own app on the devices to allow staff to work on the move
Nokia has signed a deal with estate agent Foxtons to deploy Lumia 820 handsets to 900 of its employees in London and Surrey.
According to Nokia, Foxtons chose the handsets partly due to the Windows 8 operating system and its ability to integrate with other Microsoft programmes such as Word and Excel.
Foxtons has also developed an App for the handset to allow workers to better operate on the move.
Foxtons IT director Dan Rafferty said: “In a fast moving business with many staff movements across departments and locations, keeping an accurate, up-to-date contact list is a challenge for us.
“We’ve developed an app integrating our personnel system with our active directory and phone system so all the information is accurate and can be accessed directly from our agents’ Nokia Lumia 820s. It’s a great timesaver and asset for the team. The Nokia Lumia 820 aligns with our entire device strategy and allows us to fully integrate our current Microsoft systems throughout the company.”

EE service revenue and customer numbers down in Q4

Operator reports contract connections up 201,000 in Q4 but prepay down by 239,000
EE’s service revenue fell by 3.9 per cent year on year in the fourth quarter of 2012, to £1.46bn, as the operator saw its total customer-base drop by 38,000.
Over the course of last year the operator saw a 2.6 per cent drop in service revenue to £5.9bn, which it blamed on the effect of regulation.
In total it added 752,000 contract customers during the year, with 201,000 net contract customers adds in Q4 and 250,000 in Q3. During the last quarter of the year it lost 239,000 prepay customers, giving a loss of 38,000 customers in the quarter. Churn for the year was 1.2 per cent.
Prepay now makes up 48 per cent of its total customer base with smartphones accounting for 94 per cent of all new connections and 78 per cent of its contract base in total.
Although the operator did not split the figures into the percentage of its customers on each individual brand, it claimed 10 per cent of its business customers are now trialling 4G.
ARPU is currently £18.60, compared to £18.90 at the end of 2011, although EE claims customers who have moved onto 4G plans from Orange and T-Mobile have recorded an average ARPU lift of around 10 per cent.
EE CEO Olaf Swantee said: “In the past year, we delivered solid financial performance, underpinned by good progress integrating the business and success in attracting high value customers.
“At the same time, we built a strong platform for growth, launching a new company, new network, new customer brand, new retail estate and being the first to provide UK consumers and businesses with 4G mobile services alongside fibre broadband.”

Samsung Galaxy S4 rumoured for March 14

Samsung is rumoured to be unveiling one or more Galaxy devices at its March press event
Samsung is expected to unveil the latest handset in its Galaxy range, the S4, at a press event in New York on March 14.
A report from technology news site The Verge said it had confirmation from sources that the Korean manufacturer is launching one or more new devices at the event.
Other devices which may be unveiled include Samsung’s latest tablet, the Galaxy Note 8.0.
It is rumoured the Galaxy S4 will have a higher screen resolution than its predecessor, use a quad core processor and run on Android 4.2.

Tech Data Mobile to attend MWC for first time in its own right

Distributor to exhibit for the first time under its new name, supported by partners showcasing their own products
Tech Data Mobile has confirmed it will be attending Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2013 in Barcelona for the first time in its own right. It follows the acquisition by Tech Data Corporation of the former joint venture with Brightstar for $165.5 million last July.
Customers and manufacturers will be able to meet personnel from the distributor and find out about the range of supply chain and managed services it offers. It will also showcase how it can uniquely offer end-to-end mobile solutions through engagement with Tech Data’s other specialist divisions.
A major feature of the stand will be the B2B and B2C Eco rooms. The former will feature Samsung products and focus on convergence with multiple devices being used to connect people to the web and to enable data and voice communications. The B2C room will explore the potential of mobile solutions and accessories in the home for communications, social media, and visual and audio entertainment.
Cisco and Symantec are also supporting Tech Data Mobile at the event. Cisco will show how it can help organisations in the BYOD space and allow different devices to establish secure wireless connections, while Symantec will demonstrate the features of its latest security solutions for users of smartphones and tablets.
Tech Data Mobile will also be featuring ‘Activate-Here’, its online electronic software distribution service which it said makes it easier for SMB resellers, e-tailer and retailers to offer a full and up-to-date choice of leading software solutions to their customers.
Tech Data Mobile president Rod Millar (pictured) said: “We have a new name but nothing else has changed – the dynamic essence of our mobile operations across Europe continues. Indeed, we have continued to take our business forward since the acquisition, securing a number of important contracts that underline the strength of our performance in the services sector.”

UK mobile operators celebrate 4G auction success

EE (T-Mobile, Orange and 4GEE), Three, O2 and Vodafone all successful with their bids – and will launch 4G services this year
The results of the 4G auction have been announced today (February 20), paving the way for mass market 4G speeds and services in the UK.
After more than 50 rounds of bidding EE, who launched 4G services in the UK in November, O2, Three, Vodafone and BT subsiduary Niche Spectrum Venture were all successful.
A total of 250MHz of spectrum was auctioned in two separate bands – 800MHz and 2.6GHz. This is equivalent to two-thirds of the radio frequencies currently used by wireless devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops.
The lower-frequency 800MHz band is part of the ‘digital dividend’ freed up when analogue terrestrial TV was switched off, and is ideal for widespread mobile coverage. The higher-frequency 2.6 GHz band is ideal for delivering the capacity needed for faster speeds. The availability of the two will allow 4G networks to achieve widespread coverage as well as offering capacity to cope with significant demand in urban centres.
Vodafone said in a statement it has acquired spectrum of 2 x 10MHz in the 800MHz band and 2 x 20MHz in the 2.6GHz band plus an additional 25 MHz of unpaired spectrum in the 2.6 GHz band. The spectrum licences are all indefinite in length and have an initial term of 20 years. The total amount payable is £790m.
Vodafone UK chief executive Guy Laurence said: “We’ve secured the low frequency mobile phone spectrum that will support the launch of our ultra-fast 4G service later this year. It will enable us to deliver services where people really want it, especially indoors. This is great news for our customers. The next generation of mobile internet services will bring real benefits to both consumers and businesses.”
EE confirmed it has won 2x5MHz 800MHz and 2x35MHz of 2.6GHz, at a price of £588,876,000.
EE CEO Olaf Swantee said: “EE is extremely pleased with the outcome of the spectrum auction. Coupled with our existing 1800MHz 4G network, it consolidates our position as the most advanced, largest and most capable 4G operator in the UK.
“The acquisition of low and high frequency spectrum allows us to boost our superfast data services and coverage – indoors and outdoors, in cities and the countryside.
“This result means that we are perfectly placed to meet future data capacity demands – further enhancing the superfast 4G services we already offer the UK’s consumers and businesses.”
Telefónica UK (O2) revealed this morning it has invested £550million to secure 2x10MHz of spectrum at 800MHz. The acquisition of this block of spectrum underpins its commitment to ensure the widest and deepest possible reach for new services and will see O2’s 4G network provide indoor coverage to 98 per cent of the UK population. The company has already begun upgrading its network grid to offer 4G capability.
O2 CEO Ronan Dunne said, “Today, Telefónica has made a significant investment in next-generation 4G technology for the UK. While 4G will indeed allow for faster data speeds and a more seamless mobile experience, it is our intention to go beyond what has already been offered in the market and give our customers a unique and exclusive range of digital experiences, marking a new generation for the mobile industry.
“This is a truly landmark moment for the UK, presenting a wealth of opportunity to transform mainstream services to improve people’s lives. Now the investment has been made for 4G to become a nationwide reality, we want all organisations across all sectors to ensure the true value of 4G is realised, so that together we can make Britain truly digital.”
Three CEO Dave Dyson also commented: “Consumer appetite for enjoying the internet via mobile devices continues to grow, playing to our strengths. With a significantly increased spectrum holding we will continue to be the competitive force in the UK mobile market.
“We have more than doubled our spectrum holdings in the past 12-months thanks to spectrum acquired at auction and outside the auction process. Doubling our capacity allows us to continue our growth with significant headroom to increase our current base of over 8m customers.”

Ofcom raised £2.4 billion from the auction – more than a billion less than it had originally predicted (£3.5 billion).
The regulator said in a statement this morning that the auction has achieved its purpose of promoting strong competition in the 4G mobile market. This is expected to lead to faster mobile broadband speeds, lower prices, greater innovation, new investment and better coverage. Almost the whole UK population will be able to receive 4G mobile services by the end of 2017 at the latest.
It added that by 2030, demand for mobile data could be 80 times higher than today and is planning now to support the release of further spectrum for possible future ‘5G’ mobile services.
Ofcom CEO Ed Richards said: “This is a positive outcome for competition in the UK, which will lead to faster and more widespread mobile broadband, and substantial benefits for consumers and businesses across the country. We are confident that the UK will be among the most competitive markets in the world for 4G services.
“4G coverage will extend far beyond that of existing 3G services, covering 98 per cent of the UK population indoors – and even more when outdoors – which is good news for parts of the country currently underserved by mobile broadband.
“We also want consumers to be well informed about 4G, so we will be conducting research at the end of this year to show who is deploying services, in which areas and at what speeds. This will help consumers and businesses to choose their most suitable provider.”

Ofcom defends 4G results

Ofcom says ensuring competitive pricing of 4G services for consumers is its priority, after auction revenues fail to meet expectations
Ofcom has defended the results of its auction for 4G licences, saying it was more focused on protecting competition than maximising revenue.
The regulator announced today it raised £2.3 billion from the sale of 250MHz of spectrum allocated for 4G. This is below government estimates of between £3 and £4 billion, and well below the amount raised for 3G bandwidth – £22.4 billion.
But Ofcom said today it was pleased with the result, as it means there will be five providers (Three, O2, Vodafone, EE and BT) in the UK’s 4G market. It had hoped for a minimum of four to ensure services were competitively priced.
Ofcom said: “The key thing for us is that there are now five parties in the market for the first time. This is quite significant and we are happy with the outcome. We weren’t concentrating on price, we are focused more on competition.
“Because of this we should see more innovation and lower prices for consumers.”
It added total revenue will grow marginally from the £2.34 billion already secured as, over the next few weeks, it is decided exactly where in the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands the winners’ spectrum will fall.

LG launches two 4G Optimus devices

LG has launched two mid-range android smartphones, the Optimus F5 and F7, ahead of Mobile World Congress
LG has announced two new 4G enabled android smartphones, to debut at Mobile World Congress this weekend.
The Optimus F5 has a 4.3-inch screen and a 1.2GHz processor, which the Optimus F7 has a 4.7-inch screen and 1.5GHz dual-core processor. Both run on the android jelly bean 4.1.2 operating system.
The Optimus F5 and Optimus F7 are mid-range handsets but come with features including QSlide, which allows users to open two apps at the same time, and Live Zooming, which enables users to zoom in on video recordings. Both features were previously only available on LG’s premium devices.
The Optimus F5 will be rolled out in the second quarter of this year, starting in Europe. The Optimus F7 will follow, in selected markets.
Pricing will be announced at a later date, the manufacturer said.

Google unveils touchscreen Chromebook

Google’s latest Chromebook comes in wifi and LTE models and has a higher pixel density than Apple’s MacBooks
Google has unveiled a 13-inch touchscreen laptop, to run on Microsoft’s operating system Windows 8.
The Chromebook Pixel, which went on sale in the UK and US yesterday, boasts a higher resolution than Apple’s MacBooks, with 239 pixels per inch.
The laptop with Wi-Fi and 32GB of flash storage costs $1,299 (£852), and a 64GB model that can connect on a 4G LTE network $1,499 (£983).
Google said: “It’s one of the most exciting times in the history of personal computing, thanks to a rapid pace of change, innovation and consumer adoption of devices.
“Our goal is to continue to push the experience forward for everyone, working with the entire ecosystem to build the next generation of Chrome OS devices.”

Virgin Media recalls ‘dangerous’ modem power supplies

Units could overheat and cause serious injury according to broadband provider
Virgin Media has recalled a number of power supplies for its modems over fears they may overheat, leading to ‘serious injury’ according to the company.
Affected customers have received letters and replacement power supplies with instructions on the safest way to disconnect the potentially faulty product.
The units were apparently sent to customers who joined NTL or Telewest before 2007, and any Virgin Media customers joining in 2007 or later are thought to be uneffeced.

O2 launches Matchday app for rugby fans

O2 has launched Matchday, an app which allows rugby fans to listen to a live feed of referees’ microphones
O2 has today launched an application which delivers a live feed from rugby referees’ microphones to fans’ smartphones.
‘Matchday’ is available for download to Apple devices, with an Android version coming soon. It will allow users to hear every decision the referee makes and will also track social media for commentary.
International referee Nigel Owens said the app was an example of how transparent the sport is, and will demonstrate the skills involved in being a referee.
O2′s head of priority and sponsorship Mark Stevenson said: “We’ve developed the technology using fan feedback and it will continue to evolve throughout the RBS 6 Nations as rugby lovers put it through its paces. O2 has a strong heritage supporting England and the Ref!Link feature means those fans who can’t journey to Twickenham still get the amazing live stadium experience.”
O2 recommends using wifi to run the app, adding that data usage will be charged at the standard rate according to customers’ data agreement or package.

Carphone Warehouse in talks to sell French arm

The retailer is reportedly in talks to sell its French retail operations as part of a review of its overall Phone House business
Carphone Warehouse is in talks to sell its French arm according to reports.
The Financial Times said the discussions were the result of Carphone Warehouse conducting a review of its overall European business, Phone House, to be concluded next month.
Its French business, which has 250 stores across the country and takes about €300 million in revenues a year, has reportedly already drawn interest from telecoms firms with retail operations and domestic retailers.
Phone House is half-owned by US electrical retailer Best Buy, the co-owner of the Carphone Warehouse Europe group.
Mobile phone prices in France have been pushed down over the last twelve months due to the market entry of Free, a low cost retailer.
Carphone Warehouse said: “We do not comment on rumour or speculation.”

Avenir Telecom switches to O2 for UC services

The distributor expects to save at least £10,000 over two years by moving to O2 unified communications: fixed line and broadband
Avenir Telecom has switched to O2 for fixed line and broadband services, following a review of its telecommunication systems.
The distributor says the move, which takes immediate effect, will result in a saving of at least £10,000 over the next two years at its head office in Borehamwood.
It has also launched a new incentive scheme for partners, offering a £1,500 holiday voucher to the first to reach 150 unified communications connections.
Avenir managing director Andy Tow said: “What better indictment of the product than to adopt it yourself! We have saved a considerable amount of money for our business and we are now working with all of our stockists to review requirements for their own offices.
“That way they will be able to see at first hand the benefits of the O2 UC portfolio. This can only result in them being true advocates and enable them to sell more to their customers.”

Micro-P strengthens comms team with sales manager appointment

Former Nimans sales manager Weaver joins distributor to help resellers looking to build their convergence-based businesses
Micro-P has strengthened its unified communications team with the appointment of Mark Weaver as sales manager for communications.
Weaver (pictured), who was a sales manager at distributor Nimans from August 2007 until July 2011, is tasked with focusing on business development and along with his team of specialist account managers, providing help to resellers wanting to build their convergence-based solutions business.
“As well as Samsung, NEC and Panasonic systems we have an excellent range of peripheral products including Plantronics, BT and Konftel,” he said. “I’ve taken time out to examine the market place and quickly established that Micro-P is a company in significant growth. It was clear they were investing considerable time and resources in to building the leading communications distribution business.
“Convergence is the core message at Micro-P; it’s a huge selling point across several  business units and we have the support and services wrap in place for resellers to grow their business”
Micro-P general manager for communications and networks Gavin O’Shea said: “Mark brings many years’ experience of the Communications reseller channel with him to Micro-P. His product expertise and ability to develop an already highly successful team within our business is second to none and Mark will drive our sales team to deliver our UC strategy to the channel.”

O2 challenges Yahoo on remote working ban

Operator says its own research found that over three quarters of people are most productive when working flexibly
O2 has said that Yahoo is missing out on huge benefits after it announced a company-wide ban on remote working.
In a leaked memo to employees, Yahoo HR head Jackie Reses had said “speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo, and that starts with physically being together.
However, O2 has countered that claim, stating its own flexible working practices have lead to improved productivity and better work/life balance for employees.
O2 business director Ben Dowd said: “In failing to embrace a flexible working culture, companies like Yahoo are missing out on huge benefits, both for their business and their staff. Our own research of over 2,000 UK employees and over 400 employers shows that three quarters of people say they are most productive when they can change when and where they work and one in ten even rate flexi-working as a more important benefit than their holiday allowance and salary.
“The changes we’ve seen at O2 since our flexible working pilot speak for themselves. In just one month our staff saved 100,000 miles of commuting, 30 tonnes of CO2, and £20,000 in fuel – and productivity when flexi-working has doubled. It’s not about sacrificing face time with co-workers, but empowering staff with the right mix of technology, policy and education, to help them shape their own definition of the 9 to 5.”

Windows Phone replaces BlackBerry as third biggest OS in GB

Microsoft OS share grows 240 per cent to 6.2 per cent, with 700,000 new customers adopting the platform in the past year 

Windows Phone has displaced BlackBerry in holding the third largest operating system share in GB, according to the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.
In the three months ending January 2013, Microsoft’s OS held a 6.2 per cent share of the market, up 240 per cent from a year ago. Its user base has grown by almost  700,000 users in the past 12 months.
Kantar said 17 per cent of new Windows Phone customers switched from Android, 26 per cnet from Symbian, six per cent from BlackBerry and two per cent from Android. Forty-seven per cent were first time buyers.
BlackBerry’s share has fallen to 5.8 per cent, down from 15.7 in the same three month period in 2012. Android continues to lead the market with a share of 56.2 per cent, up 6.9 per cent, while Apple iOS is the second biggest, with a share of 30.6, representing an increase of 1.3 per cent.
Samsung continues to be the top smartphone manufacturer in Great Britain with 36.8 per cent of smartphone sales, followed by Apple and HTC. British smartphone penetration has now reached 62 per cent, with smartphones making up 83 per cent of total mobile sales.
Kantar Worldpanel ComTech global consumer insight director Dominic Sunnebo said: “Nokia is spearheading this growth, with the Lumia 800 (pictured) the leader among the Windows handsets.  However, it is not the only manufacturer benefitting from the increasing popularity of Windows. HTC’s 8X is now the third bestselling Windows device in Great Britain, demonstrating the clear cross-manufacturer opportunity of the platform.
“Understanding the source of growth for the Windows platform is crucial to devise and implement the right marketing and sales strategy. The fact that nearly one in five new customers switched from an Android device should give Microsoft, and its partners, confidence that its OS has what it takes to bring the fight to more established platforms.  As almost 30% of its customers switch from rival OS’s, the worry that Microsoft will have to rely on attracting the dwindling pool of first time smartphone buyers to drive future growth is reduced.”