Samsung show off flexible AMOLED display!

October 30, 2009 at 9:53 am by Dan | In Just For Fun

Always pushing the boundaries of innovation in mobile phone technology (first phone to feature HD video capture/ worlds thinnest watch phone to name but a few), we can often look to the Samsung R & D labs to see what kind of tech our future phones will be sporting. And if the following turns up in the next Omnia or Tocco, we’re in for a treat. Unveiled at a recent technology trade show, Samsung were keen to show off a new flexible AMOLED display. You read that right, a small screen that is completely flexible and yet small enough to be implemented into a mobile device (like say a mobile phone!?). But flexible isn’t really doing this new technology justice. Check out the video below to see the bendy AMOLED given the hammer treatment and compared to a conventional LCD. No word on how soon this could be making its way into your mobile but it certainly makes for something exciting to look forward to. Keep an eye on the blog for more info as and when we get it.

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HTC Touch Diamond2: The long awaited OS update

October 30, 2009 at 9:21 am by Mark | In Mobile News

You may remember back to the beginning of this month, when we posted saying that the HTC Touch Diamond2 would be getting a much needed update from Windows Mobile 6.1 to 6.5. Well, the wait is finally over, as of today, you can now install this OS update directly from HTC’s website.

The Touch Diamond2 has been released for nearly 6 months now, and ever since first rumour of Windows Mobile 6.5, Touch Diamond2 owners have been counting down the days until it became avilable to them. That said, there’s still no word on when the update for the Touch Pro2 will be available, although Vodafone has released the Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade for the Touch Pro2 which is available by clicking here, and following the instructions.

We expect the Official HTC OS update release for the Touch Pro2 will follow shortly, but in the mean time, keep an eye on the blog.

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Android 2.0 Eclair update coming soon!

October 29, 2009 at 11:46 am by Dan | In Mobile Content/Services, Mobile Phone Applications

It seems like just last month that we were checking out what to expect from Android 1.6. Ok, so it WAS last month but try telling that to Android as the open source OS prepares to launch its second major update in as many months; Android 2.0. Affectionately nicknamed Eclair (Cupcake, Donut; we’re loving the confectionery theme here!), Android 2.0 promises to bring heaps of new functionality to the OS. Highlights so far include multiplayer gaming over Bluetooth and the excellent Quick Contacts bar which lets you tap on a contact and then displays the multiple ways you can contact them (SMS, Email, IM etc.). The full feature list for Eclair is set to be revealed in the next few days but for know, we’ll once again hand over to the Android himself to explain what he’s got in store for you lucky Android users.

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Nokia N900 Maemo delayed?

October 29, 2009 at 9:00 am by Dan | In Coming Soon Handsets, Mobile News, Mobile Phones, New Mobile Phones

Seeing as it’s nearly the end of the month and there’s still no sign of a launch this one’s a bit of a no-brainer but for those who have yet to put 2 and 2 together; the Nokia N900 has been delayed. Since it was announced back in September at Nokia World 2009, Nokia’s flagship device has garnered lots of attention due to the operating system it runs. Long affiliated with Symbian, the N900 see’s the first high profile departure from the OS in favour of Maemo, the Linux based operating system previously employed in Nokia’s internet tablets. But will this latest delay take the shine off an impressive unveiling?

Well, in a word; no. Firstly, in regards to the aforementioned delay, thankfully we’re talking weeks not months. Originally slated for an October launch, Pete Schneider, Nokia’s head of Maemo marketing has since stated that “we expect it to start shipping during November 2009″. Nice of Pete to put the year in there to keep those scaremongers at bay. The exact reason for the delay wasn’t given however, Schneider did confirm that feedback had been received from some of the 300 developers that were privileged enough to receive a loan sample at the recent Maemo Summit event; “This feedback is extremely important to us and as such we also want to provide the best user experience with the Nokia N900″.

After the underwhelming launch of the N97 which was riddled with bugs (since remedied in various software updates), it’s refreshing to see Nokia take a more measured approach and make sure they get the N900 right first time rather than rushing it to stores in a half baked guise. Expectations for the N900 and Maemo are sky high and this could be make or break time for Nokia to get into the touchscreen market properly after some rather lack luster sales. Fill in your details below and we’ll keep you up to date on any developments for the new N900 and update you as soon as it’s available to order.

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LG GD510 Pop now in stock!

October 28, 2009 at 11:32 am by Dan | In Mobile News, Mobile Phones, New Mobile Phones

For those that have been living under a rock/ on the moon/ any other obscure location for the past year, the LG Cookie struck something of a chord with Mr Joe public, shifting over 6 million units to date. The combination of a good solid touchscreen, healthy spec list and low cost all wrapped up in a compact little shell was spot on and cemented the Cookie’s place as one of the most popular mobile phones ever released. And now LG aim to do it all again with its successor the LG GD510 Pop. The Pop has now launched and is in stock at Mobiles.co.uk so lets take a quick look at what the Pop has lurking within to see if it’s worthy of the Cookie’s crown.

The first thing you’ll notice is the size; the GD510 is considerably smaller than it’s forerunner. Despite the decrease in dimensions, the Pop still manages to pack in a 3.0 touchscreen display making it the most compact 3.0 inch touchscreen bar ever made. The display is nicely complimented by an accelerometer and ever more common customisable home screen where users can add shortcuts (or widgets) to provide one touch access to their favourite content. Not quite the full S-Class experience found on other LG phones such as the New Chocolate or Viewty Smart but still a nice user interface that is easy on the eyes and to use.

In terms of features elsewhere, the GD510 Pop eschews 3G in favour of GPRS so web access takes a more leisurely stroll rather than a fast paced sprint. A 3.15 Megapixel camera with video capture is competent at still image and video capture, an on board MP3 music player and FM radio lets you listen to music on the move, Bluetooth v2.1 supports file transfers at a faster rate and lets you stream music to compatible wireless headphones and 40MB internal memory is complimented by a memory card slot (supporting up to 16GB MicroSD cards) providing ample storage for all your media.

No one can deny that the LG Cookie was a huge success and with a similar spec list and improved form factor, we wouldn’t bet against the LG Pop repeating that success. In stock now and available on Vodafone, Orange and O2, click here to check out the available tariffs for the LG GD510 Pop.

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N97 gets kinetic scrolling, as promised!

October 28, 2009 at 9:58 am by Mark | In Mobile Content/Services, Mobile News

It was a major gripe we had with the Nokia N97’s web browsing experience; scrolling on pages compared with the likes of the iPhone was a tedious and rather annoying affair. Nokia has now released a firmware update set to rectify this. Firmware version 20.0.019; this update brings kinetic scrolling not only to web browsing but as a system wide implementation. Nokia already included this technology on some of it’s Symbian handsets, the 5530 XpressMusic in particular, so it was only a matter of time before the N97 got the technology it so desperately needed.

Along with the scrolling fix, the update also sees a tweaked version of Ovi Maps, Ovi Maps 3.1 which boasts 3 dimensional maps, while Nokia Email, Ovi Contacts and Ovi Store are all integrated in the core system image. Apparently, along with all this added functionality, the Nokia N97 is reported (by Nokia themselves) to benefit from increased memory and battery performance as well as improved image and video stability.

This update brings everything that the Nokia N97 should have been originally, and is available now from the manufacturer’s website. Lets hope Nokia don’t drop the ball again with the long awaited N900. Keep an eye on the blog for all things mobile.

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BlackBerry Storm2 in stock now!

October 27, 2009 at 12:14 pm by Hannah | In Mobile News, Mobile Phones, New Mobile Phones

The Successor to the BlackBerry Storm, the Storm2, is now available at mobiles.co.uk. Offering many outstanding features, the Storm2 is not one to miss out on.

As the second touchscreen from BlackBerry, the Storm2 looks the part with the 3.25 inch display which can offer a smooth experience for users thanks to the built in accelerometer and the SurePress technology which acknowledges your actions on screen.

The Storm2 has a 3.15 megapixel camera with autofocus and an LED flash and supports HSDPA and more importantly Wi-Fi this time round which was sorely missed in the original Storm. Other standard features which the Storm2 boasts include a built in GPS receiver, expandable memory so there is always enough space to store any music, videos or photos, built in Music player and Bluetooth. The dimensions of the handset are exactly the same as the Storm has a similar weight at 160g.

Take advantage of the downloadable apps from BlackBerry App World and sync with iTunes and Windows Media Player so you can transfer music files to the Storm2.

The Storm2 has loads more to offer, so to find out more and to get yours tomorrow, click here for more information.

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HTC quietly brilliant? Yes, according to YOU!

October 27, 2009 at 10:23 am by Dan | In Coming Soon Handsets, Mobile Phones

HTC, smartphone specialists and all round innovators have launched a new advertising campaign with a reinvigorated brand to coincide with a shift in focus. For those who enjoyed HTC’s of old (XDA anyone?), the target group was definitely more on the techy side with powerful no frills handsets offering little compromise to your everyday user. But, with the adoption of Android as an operating system and the relaunch of Windows Mobile with the new 6.5 release, this is no longer the case. Now, HTC are urging consumers to “get a phone that gets you”.

The key message HTC are keen to promote is ‘Quietly Brilliant’ and to better explain what this means, let’s turn to HTC’s own John Wang, Chief Marketing officer for HTC Corporation. “Quietly brilliant is doing great things in a humble way, with the belief that the best things in life can only be experienced, not explained. The YOU campaign is the perfect embodiment of ‘quietly brilliant’ and is core to HTC as a company, innovator and partner.“ The YOU campaign is being rolled out across 20 countries in the coming weeks and features the tagline, ‘You don’t need to get a phone. You need a phone that gets you.’ This represents HTC’s commitment to focus on people, their needs and how they work and live to ensure that HTC devices suit them.

With so many brilliant phones already on the market such as the HTC Hero and Touch2, and more exciting launches to come (check out the HTC HD2 for proof!), it’s good to see HTC promoting an idea rather than a specific handset. Check out the video below for the first in what is likely to become an ongoing series for HTC.

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Vodafone rework Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with 1000 phones!

October 26, 2009 at 5:22 pm by Dan | In Just For Fun

Here at the Mobiles Blog, we love a bit of imaginative marketing. Whilst usually the preserve of the manufacturers (check out Samsung’s past efforts if you need any proof), this time around we’re treated to a audio and visual feast from Vodafone. The premise is simple, using ringtones and text alerts from 1000 different mobile phones, Vodafone New Zealand sent over 2000 text messages to reconstruct Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. The end result? A triumph of technology and imagination to create one of the best adverts we’ve ever (or should that be never as it’s not on UK TV) seen. Check out the video below to see the vid in all its glory. Bravo Vodafone, Bravo.

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Amazon announce iPhone shopping app!

October 26, 2009 at 12:31 pm by Dan | In Mobile Content/Services, Mobile Phone Applications

Frequent visitors to this blog will know we’re not shy to cover new apps for the iPhone and the reason for this is simple; many of them are absolutely brilliant! Whether it’s games you’re after or the latest navigation software, it seems the iPhone has it all. Not short of a few shopping apps, the iPhone was missing one, rather notable name from its roster; Amazon. Well fear not, the online giant has today announced an iPhone app to aid all those online purchases. Want to know what to expect when the app hits the App Store? Read on…

Set to launch before Christmas, the Amazon App connects customers to their Amazon.co.uk account and favourite shopping features such as 1-click purchasing, the ability to track packages and edit orders using the ‘Your Account’ portal, receive recommendations based on previous purchases, check out customer reviews and even access and update their wish list. Most intriguing of all, the Amazon iPhone App includes the new Amazon Remembers feature which uses the iPhone’s camera to find and remember items for sale on Amazon. Photos taken by the camera are automatically uploaded to Amazon which will then search for similar products. Once the item has been found the users will be able to perform all the normal Amazon activities (buy, add to wish list, compare prices on Market Place etc.). It works in a similar way to the Android Bar code scanner. The drawback is that it will only find the product on Amazon rather than comparing prices from various sites. The plus is that all you have to do is take a photo of the product rather than fiddling around trying to scan a bar code.

The app will be available to download free from the app store in early November.

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