The UK’s best (and free) mobile phones

Thanks to the subsidies offered by the likes of Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone and 3, there’s an amazing selection of mobile phones available for free. You still have to sign up for a monthly contract, but you can get hundreds of pounds-worth of mobile phone technology for absolutely zip.

Put it this way: the 8GB Nokia N95 costs over £440 without a contract on Expansys, but it’s free with a £35 contract at the Carphone Warehouse. A SIM-free Samsung Soul costs over £300, but you can get it for nothing at mobiles.co.uk.

All of which got us to thinking… What’s the best ‘free’ mobile phone you can get your hands on? What’s the best free handset if you want good music playback? What’s the best free phone for business? Or for taking photos? Here’s what we think.

The best music phone – Sony Ericsson W890i

As the successor to the W880i Walkman phone, the Sony Ericsson W890i has a lot to prove. An upgraded feature set offers enhanced 3G (HSDPA) high-speed data connectivity, a 2GB MemoryStick, FM radio and a 3.2MP camera. Crucially, the Sony Ericsson W890i has also maintained the essence of the W880i’s slim, stylish design, high quality finishing and overall desirability. (Free on: 3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile)

The best camera phone – Sony Ericsson K850i

The K850i brings the best of Sony’s Cyber-shot brand to bear on a 3G (HSDPA) mobile. Like many other Sony Ericsson handsets, the K850i is a music and video player, FM radio and Internet gizmo. But its key feature is a 5MP digital camera with 16x digital zoom and a Xenon flash. 40MB of built-in memory is available for photo storage, but this can be expanded via MemoryStick or MicroSD cards. (Free on: O2, Orange, 3, T-Mobile, Vodafone).

The best touchscreen phone – LG KU990 Viewty

The LG Viewty (aka the KU990) is certainly popular – it’s consistently been the most-searched for phone on TechRadar. The star of the show is the Viewty’s iPhone-esque 3-inch touchscreen. You use it to type text and email messages, view images, browse the web, shoot video and much more. A 5MP camera, stylish design and 3G (HSDPA) connectivity all contribute to make the KU990 Viewty is one of LG’s best ever mobile phones. (Free on: O2, Orange, 3, T-Mobile)

The best business phone – Blackberry Pearl 8120

Until Apple decides to give the 2nd-gen iPhone away for free, RIM’s Blackberry phones still dominate the business market. Dubbed ‘Crackberry’ phones by email-addicted owners, the 8120 Pearlhandset is the best way to get your messages on the move – enterprise server integration and personal email accounts are both supported. Once you’ve got used to the SureType keypad (two QWERTY keys per button), the Blackberry 8210 is a cracking smartphone. (Free on: O2)

The best sat-nav phone – Nokia N95

Whether you get the original N95 model or the new N95 8GB variant, Nokia’s do-it-all smartphone pushes GPS modules as the next standard-issue phone feature. Nokia uses its own mapping technology as standard - Nokia Maps. But third-party software, such as ALK’s more advanced Co-Pilot Live 7, can be installed instead. Whatever you use, the N95 is capable of giving standalone sat-nav devices a run for their money and is ideal for last-mile pedestrian location-finding. (Free on 3, O2, Orange, Vodafone)

The best slider phone – Samsung Soul

Samsung has blazed into the mobile phone market with a series of slick slider phones. The so-called ‘Soul’ is one such handset. The build quality is excellent, while the handset boasts 3G (HSDPA) support and a 5-megapixel camera. There’s a gimmick too: the Soul boasts dual screens, with a mini touchscreen below the main LCD. The touchscreen features dynamic icons that change depending on what you’re doing. (Free on: O2, Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile)

The best free phone – Nokia N95 8GB

Yes, the Nokia N95 is a bit of a brick, but just look at all the functionality you can get for free: 3G, built-in 802.11g, GPS (with A-GPS support), an FM radio, 5MP digital camera (with Carl Zeiss optics), music and video playback, plus 8GB of internal flash memory. OK, so all of this power can drain the battery pretty fast. But in its new 8GB guise, the N95 is one awesome all-rounder smartphone. (Free on: 3, O2, Orange, Vodafone, read our full review).

And the best free gift is…?

A trawl of the mobile phone sites and stores on a Friday reveals that sellers will significantly sweeten the deal if you’ll buy a phone from them. Mobiles.co.uk, for example, is offering a Samsung J700 and a free PlayStation 3 if you commit to a £35 per month contract. Buy an LG Viewty via the Carphone Warehouse and they’ll throw in a free Nintendo DS. It’s well worth shopping around. Offers currently range from games consoles to HD TVs, Apple iPods to camcorders. And there are always cash-back deals to be had.

source : http://www.techradar.com/

Nokia and T-Mobile Collaborate on Mobile Services

Nokia and T-Mobile announced on Friday they will work together to accelerate the development of Internet services on mobile devices.

The deal will work both ways: T-Mobile customers will be able to access all of all to Nokia's Ovi services, and Nokia will also customize its devices to provide T-Mobile services.

Ovi is Nokia's portal for Internet services, which amongst other things includes music, maps and games. Ovi is at the heart of Nokia's push to supply content for its customers.

The announcement doesn't come as a surprise to Mark Newman, chief research officer at market-research company Informa Telecoms and Media.

"Nokia has already signed Ovi deals with Telefonica, Vodafone and Orange, so it was expected that T-Mobile fell into line," Newman said. "I think Nokia will have an easier time working with T-Mobile, since it has a more open strategy to services, compared to the other operators."

Nokia and T-Mobile will also work on widgets, web-based applications that give access to information, and the mobilization of social networks. Together they plan to enhance T-Mobile's community-oriented MyFaves service, according to a statement.

The companies didn't supply any details over how they will share revenue.

source : http://www.pcworld.com/

Vodafone offers unlimited web access

New monthly mobile price plans from Vodafone will offer unlimited internet access as a standard feature in a bid to meet the growing demand for access to email and social networking on the move.

The move makes Vodafone the first mobile phones UK operator to offer a flat rate monthly tariff for internet usage, although O2 offers a similar plan for iPhone customers.

Vodafone is keen to promote unlimited internet access to everyday mobile phone users as means of grabbing additional share in an increasingly saturated market.

"Many people already have phones that can browse the internet so they do not need to buy new ones," said Al Russell, head of mobile internet and content services at Vodafone.

Thus far consumers have been reluctant to embrace internet over their mobile phones in the face of complicated pricing structures and limits to the amount of data they are allowed to download.

"A lot of people are worried about how to use the internet on their phones. Our staff will put the phones in their hands and show them how to do it in two minutes. And they do not have to worry about the cost," said Russell.

Internet access will be bundled with all new plans at no extra charge, with prices starting from £25 per month.

Users will be subject to a 'fair usage policy' of 500MB per month, and will be contacted if they exceed this allocation.

Facebook, Google and the BBC are the top three internet sites on the Vodafone Mobile Internet, according to the company.

source : http://www.vnunet.com/

Nokia N810

In the first half of 2007, Nokia released the N800 Internet Tablet, a distinct hardware step up from the original Nokia Internet Tablet, the Nokia 770. It sported a new OS, though original tablet owners could upgrade if they wished. At the end of 2007, Nokia announced the N810, which is quite similar to the N800 in terms of specs-- but there are two important additions: a slide out QWERTY keyboard and GPS. Also, while both share the same TI OMAP processor, the N810 is clocked 80 MHz faster at 400MHz.

Surprisingly, Nokia added these two features while making the device smaller. That's impressive given the amount of space a hardware keyboard requires. Weighing in a nearly 8 ounces, the N810 is better in a bag than a baggy pants pocket, though at 0.55" thin, it won't take up much room in that bag. The handheld looks absolutely stunning with modern lines and an attractive metal casing. It looks like an expensive gadget and at $479, it is more expensive than the two budget priced models that precdeded it.

For those considering upgrading from the Nokia 770 or N800, it's an easy decision if you're coming from the 770-- the N810 is faster, more polished and adds the keyboard (which most everyone finds useful) and the GPS (for those of you who get lost-- you know who you are). If you're an N810 owner, the decision is harder since the N810 can be upgraded to OS2008 (we've done that with ours) and not everyone wants a GPS. If the one thing you wish the N800 had was a keyboard, then the N810 is a tempting upgrade.

Like the N800, the N810 has a built-in swing-out stand, a large 4.1" display and a VGA web cam. But the web cam no longer pops out like a party favor-- it's integrated into the display bezel. The single MiniSD card slot lives under a cover on the bottom edge (that's right, the N810 doesn't have dual slots like the N800), and the battery lives under the back cover. It's the same battery as the N800's-- the Nokia BP-5L rated at 1500 mAh. The d-pad has moved to the slide-out keyboard and there are ports on the side for the 3.5mm stereo headset, USB and charging.

The email client is similar to that found on Nokia S60 smartphones like the N95 and it handles POP3 and IMAP email and renders HTML email nicely. Flash playback on YouTube is OK over WiFi, but the frames do drop and stutter intermittently. Should you wish to use a Bluetooth phone as a wireless modem with the N810, expect more stuttering. The Nokia N810 has Bluetooth 2.0 +EDR which is a good match for high speed 3G connections using AT&T HSDPA phones. This is handy when you're not near a WiFi access point or HotSpot and is more than adequate for email downloads and web browsing.

The N810 runs OS2008, Nokia's port of Debian Linux with the Gnome deskop manager and Nokia's UI on top. It's friendly and easy to use-- no need to be a Linux guru, though Linux heads do have a great deal of fun tinkering with the N810's underpinnings and writing applications for it. The Nokia Internet family is supported by the Maemo development platform, and there's quite a wide selection of free apps available. They haven't all been ported to the 2008 OS yet, but no doubt most will be.

GPS
The N810 has an internal GPS, but unforuntately this isn't the powerful SiRF III. It's similar to the integrated GPS used in Nokia phones like the N95-4 and the E90 and that means you'll need to be outdoors or very close to a window to get a 3D fix. Fix times aren't the quickest and it took 2 minutes to get a cold fix and 30 seconds for a warm fix. But once it did get a fix, the N810 maintained a steady connection with GPS satellites and was accurate for location. The device ships with "Map" for maps, POIs, and location info. If you want turn-by-turn directions and voice guidance, you'll have to fork out an additional $122/year or $15/month for the full version from Wayfinder with N. American maps (other countries are also available at an additional cost). The N810 comes with a car mount so you can use it more easily for driving directions, though the display does wash out a bit in direct sunlight.

And Beyond
The Nokia N810 is good for a little fun too. The N810 has a music player that supports most popular formats including MP3, AAC, WAV, Real Audio (RA) and WMA. It can play content from internal memory, storage cards, streaming sites and from UPnP devices. The media player also handles video playback with support for 3GP, AVI, H.233, WMV, MPEG1, MPEG4 and Real Video. It has playlists and can handle M3U and PLS lists, and it also acts as an image viewer for BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF and SVG-tiny files. Keep the video files under 500kbps and the N810 is a handy way to take ripped videos on the plane or train. The Rhapsody client is there for you Rhapsody users and it's been updated for the 2008 OS.

There's Skype support for VoIP calls (no Skype Video though) and it works quite well with the built-in speaker and mic as well as the included headset.

Conclusion
If you're looking for the perfect couch or bedside companion that boots instantly and won't attract virii like Windows, but has a desktop-like web browser, email, PDF viewer, music player and more, then the N810 is attractive. It sells for significantly less than list price (often under $400) and for that price it has a lot to offer then Internet-addicted set. The keyboard is a wonderful addition, though the GPS excites us less thanks to the subscription fee for navigation and slow fix times.

source : http://www.mobiletechreview.com/

Vodafone's mobile phone lock-down

There's been mounting criticism in the tech blogosphere of Vodafone's move to lock new mobile phones so they can only be used on the Vodafone New Zealand mobile network.

Vodafone will charge $50 to unlock new handsets if people want to shift to another provider here or use someone other than Vodafone overseas for mobile roaming.

Check out the robust discussion on Geekzone where Vodafone has been slammed for what many see as anti-competitive behaviour.

Aardvark chips in here and asks whether the move "could this be the best thing that's ever happened to the grey market phone business".

Parallel imported phones are sold unlocked so can be used on any network. Will Vodafone's lock-in push people away from Vodafone stores?

We've already effectively got lock-in in this country when it comes to mobile. Telecom's phone's don't have SIM cards and use the CDMA technology of which there is only one network - Telecom's (though TelstraClear now re-sell the service). Vodafone has the only GSM network, but New Zealand Communications has built part of a network and even has some cell sites live.

It's no coincidence that Vodafone, after years of selling unlocked phones, is changing its policy as Telecom prepares to launch a GSM network and New Zealand Communications gets into the game as well.

It's speculated that NZC in particular will target Vodafone customers with cheap calling deals and urge them to bring their unlocked phones to the new NZC network. Telecom will be more focused on luring in converts with subsidised handsets procured through its new deal with global mobile phone distributor Brightstar.

Either way, Vodafone customers buying a new handset or people considering joining Vodafone need to be aware that they won't simply be able to pop out the SIM card and put in a rival operator's SIM card to get the alternative service. To allow that to happen you'll have to pay $50 (though I'm sure the geek community will soon have some easy unlocks widely available on the internet).

Vodafone's reasoning for the change is smirk-inducing at best: "This is being done to protect the customers' experience of the Vodafone brand. Vodafone brands its mobiles with both the Vodafone and Vodafone Live! look and feel. If a customers takes a Vodafone mobile to another network, the customer won't be able to access the Vodafone experience and services," said spokesman Paul Brislen.

But the reality is that this is the end of the good times for Vodafone mobile users in terms of having the freedom to roam overseas on other SIM cards to get cheaper local rates. Phone locking is widely practiced overseas where in the big markets there are as many as six operators competing using the same technology.

Phone locking is legal in most countries - apparently its banned by law in Belgium, but its common in the rest of Europe, Asia, the US and in Australia. Most operators charge a fee for having a phone unlocked. Vodafone Australia has a website for people wanting to unlock their phone

In places like Britain there's a bit of an underground market in unofficial mobile phone unlocking. You'll find people on the fringes of London's markets offering cheap and quick, though warranty-voiding, SIM unlocks.

Is phone locking fair? As some have pointed out, it seems reasonable that if you've received a subsidised handset as a result of signed up to a fixed term contract, say 24 months, its fair that you should be penalised for breaking that contract both in terms of early termination fees and an unlock fee.

But what about pre-pay users who generally get much less in the way of subsidies and people buying phones at full price? Those people have a right to be annoyed about having their phone locked and having to pay $50 just so they can take it elsewhere.

It's like Orcon or Ihug charging you to have your wireless router unlocked so you can move to another broadband provider. Anyway, I doubt the Commerce Commission will have a go at Vodafone over this, based on international experience.

So be warned. If you're travelling regularly and are used to buying pre-paid SIM cards overseas to cut down on calling charges while you are away make some careful decisions before you upgrade to a new phone. Your next handset may leave you locked out of the networks you've connected to in the past.

What do you think? Is this fair play for Vodafone or has the mobile operator crossed the line? Do you think it will hurt the company's handset sales? Anyone know any good SIM unlocks?

source : http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/

A New Use for Mobile Phones! Who Would Have Thought?

Boris Rubinsky, bioengineering professor at the University of California, came up with an unique, affordable and simple alternative to currently used medical technology. The mobile phone is in the spotlight again. It seems that the extraordinary potential of this device has barely been exploited until now as the number of functions and features it can bring together is constantly increasing.

The professor’s idea is to turn a normal electromagnetic imaging machine into a portable scanner that can be connected to a cell phone and a computer, thus enabling properly trained people to perform the same operations regardless of location, and with the use of equipment which is worth many thousands of dollars less than typical systems.

Although medical diagnostic techniques have come a long way, only one third of the world’s population currently has access to imaging technologies. By adding medical functions to such a popular device, many more people will be given the chance to benefit from the scientific progress that has been reached in the past years. It is only a matter of time before this technology is implemented at a large scale, as the advantages it brings are indisputable.

"You go through India, anywhere, in the middle of the road, there's someone with a cell phone. A friend calls me from the jungles of Costa Rica," Rubinsky said. "I can see so many applications in which the cell phone becomes an integral part of a medical device. A cell phone can cut the cost of almost every [diagnostic] device."

The invention is acknowledged as joint property of both Yissum, technology transfer company of the Hebrew University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

source : http://www.enews20.com/

Sony Ericsson to merge Java, Flash for mobile phones

Sony Ericsson has announced to unveil its project called Capuchin which will enable the software developers to create applications for mobile phones using both Java ME and Adobe System’s Flash Lite.

In fact the company plans to release a set of APIs (Applications programming interfaces) and a software development kit in the second half of the year to merge two different mobile development styles.

Ulf Wretling, general manager and head of developer program and communications for Sony Ericsson said “This project will enable the Java developers to use the richer user interface technology found in Flash Lite. The developer may also use Java’s three-dimensional graphics for a mobile game and Flash Lite for menus.”

Sony Ericsson is expected to come up with such technology-incorporated mobile phones in the second half of the year.

source : http://www.telecomtiger.com/

Samsung Introduces P960 Mobile TV Slider Phone

Samsung Electronics announced today P960, the world’s first slider type Digital Video Broadcast - Handheld (DVB-H) mobile TV phone P960.

P960 is also the world’s first DVB-H mobile TV phone that supports both of European mobile TV standards, Digital Video Broadcast - Convergence of Broadcast and Mobile Service (DVB-CBMS) and Open Mobile Alliance Mobile Broadcast Service Enabler Suite (OMA-BCAST). DVB-CBMS is DVB Forum initiated DVB-H standard based on DVB-T standard, currently available in Italy through H3G, TI and Voda.

It will soon become available in France, Belgium, Poland and Russia. OMA-BCAST is OMA initiated DVB-H standard known as the next generation DVB-H solution. It will first become available in Netherland and will continue to be adopted in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

P960 offers an optimized television-on-the-go experience with a large 2.6” QVGA TFT screen with vivid 262K color image-enhancing DNIe. TV watching experience is enriched by numerous innovative DVB-H features such as Electronic Service Guide (ESG) that provides an on-screen TV guide and Picture in Picture (PIP) that allows users to view two channels at once, and Time-Shifting feature that shifts TV program schedule when a show is interrupted by incoming calls. P960 also proudly features Bang & Olufsen ICEPower technology for a professional quality audio experience. The battery life of 1200mAh ensures up to 5 hours of TV watching time.

In addition to DVB-H technologies, P960 also offers satisfying entertainment features to meet even end-users needs. A 3 megapixel camera with power LED, a music player with Music Library feature and codec support, a FM radio with RDS for around the clock news and music, are all included in P960 to provide the users convenience and enhancement in both audio and visual entertainment life.

The P960 device features all the up-to-date technologies within a slim 16.7mm thin metal body, softly brushed with hairline pattern.

Geesung Choi, President of Samsung’s Telecom Business said P960 is a milestone for mobile TV technology, as the launch of the device will signify the beginning of DVB-H phone era in Europe.

“Samsung has already achieved a stable No. 1 leader position in Korea as the mobile TV phone provider. There is no doubt Samsung will continue the success in Europe with P960.”

DVB-H

DVB-H was officially endorsed by the European Union as the "preferred technology for terrestrial mobile broadcasting" on March 18. It is an effective technology for deploying broadcast mobile TV among the many digital technologies available to deliver mobile TV services. DVB-H technology offers high service level quality, very low in battery consumption, and offers the end-users the ability to simultaneously receive broadcasts while using other mobile services such as telephony and internet access on their device.

Korean mobile TV market (DMB)

In Republic of Korea, where mobile TV service is popularly enjoyed, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) is a dominant mobile TV standard. Since the first DMB service started in May 2005, the number of users increased outstandingly, and there are expected to be about 10 million DMB users and corresponding devices sold in Korea. A report from the Korean Ministry of Information and Communication dated Nov. 2007 shows an accumulated data of 1.3 million S-DMB (satellite based) users and 8.2 million T-DMB (terrestrial based) users.

source : http://www.physorg.com/

Nokia Maps gets real time traffic info across 16 European countries

Nokia has introduced Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) in sixteen European countries to its Nokia Maps service.

Nokia is providing the service in association with ARC Transistance, the European network of automobile clubs, which includes the UK’s Automobile Association.

The service will be offered as a premium offering in Nokia Maps 2.0 and in future versions of Nokia Maps.

"By adding RTTI, Nokia can save precious time for drivers by alerting them of traffic, construction or other road hazards that could affect their journey. When Nokia Maps receives the road updates from ARC Transistance, the application can dynamicly re-route during navigation and provide a faster route," Nokia’s press release informs us.

source : http://www.techradar.com/

Three Mid Range Nokia Phones in Q3

Nokia has announced three new cell phones for the mid-priced market to be available by the third quarter of this year; the Nokia 6600 fold, the 6600 slide, and the 3600 slide.

The Nokia 6600 fold is equipped with a 2 mega pixels camera with double LED flash; a 2.13-inches OLED screen displaying up to 16 million colors; and 3G technology. The phone has a double tap feature to display time, incoming messages, missed calls, etc, or reject incoming calls. Nokia 6600 fold will retail for around $430 (Rs 17,254 approx).

The Nokia 6600 slide comes with glossy, high-quality steel covers and an aluminium center key. The phone sports a 3.2 mega pixels camera and a large 2.2-inches QVGA display with 16 million colors. Tapping the 6600 slide twice yields time, snoozes, alerts, and so on.
The 6600 slide will be priced at $390 (Rs 15,649 approx).

The Nokia 3600 slide is fitted with a 3.2 mega pixels camera with auto-focus and a double LED flash. The phone has a TV-out feature ensuring quick and easy sharing of pictures and videos. Nokia claims it is their first phone to feature background noise cancellation. The phone comes with a built-in music player capable of playing up to 3,000 songs, stored on an optional microSD card. The 3600 slide also has Nokia maps, showing over 15 million points of interest, the company claims. This phone will retail for around $274(Rs 10,994 approx).

source : http://www.techtree.com/

Madonna heads to mobile phones

Wireless operators Verizon Wireless and Vodafone have teamed up to simulcast a Madonna performance live to mobile phones on their respective networks. It's considered the first live simulcast across multiple wireless networks.

Madonna will perform songs from her new "Hard Candy" album Wednesday night at the Roseland Ballroom in New York, which Control Room is broadcasting live on the MSN Internet network. The two wireless operators will air four songs from that performance as it happens.

Verizon also is giving away tickets to the limited-seating event (the venue holds about 3,000). The operator tapped producer Timbaland and collaborator Justin Timberlake to create a remix of the lead single "4 Minutes." Any Verizon subscriber who buys the song, ringtone or ringback tone becomes eligible to win free tickets.

Verizon will air the live event exclusively in the U.S., while Vodafone will air it in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Additionally, fans can access the performance after the fact for 30 days via the Verizon VCast Performances video channel.

This is the latest in a handful of live broadcasts made available on mobile phones in recent years. It's not yet clear what the advantage of doing so is outside of the media attention gained for engaging in the relatively rare process.

Streaming live video is incredibly bandwidth-intensive for mobile operators, hence the limitation to four songs. It's also of questionable value to subscribers, given the small screens of most mobiles. Archived live performances have proved popular after the fact, but the need to see a live stream from the phone is of lesser demand considering the full concert can be streamed online via the Control Room/MSN partnership.

source : http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/