September 15th, 2009 | LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Touchscreen
The LG KP500 Cookie is a touch-screen phone that will appeal to anyone on a tight budget, but who doesn’t want to compromise on the functionality and appearance of the device. With its price slashed to a truly affordable rate, compared to other touch-screen phones, users are sure to enjoy the 3inch TFT 262k colour touch-screen.
This product has a virtual QWERTY keyboard that can be slid into view when you turn the phone to landscape. Another fun feature of the Cookie is that you can use it Wii-style, shaking and flipping it while playing games. It also has a handwriting recognition device.
The LG KP500 Cookie is compact, weighing just 89grams and its large screen, which measures 3inches across, makes it very user-friendly for a touch-screen phone. It has multimedia functions, supporting most popular formats and it also features a built-in FM radio.
The Cookie has a 3.2-megapixel camera, which does not have an autofocus, but does have a video-recording capacity. The phone’s memory is limited to only 48MB, but for added storage, you can use a MicroSD memory card and expand it to a maximum of 8GB. Connectivity is provided by USB and Bluetooth, while its talk time is 3.5hrs.
The main disappointment with this phone is that it is not Wi-Fi enabled, despite its big screen. Also, there have been reviews noting that some users have experienced software glitches. Overall, however, with the other features mentioned and the affordability of this stylish phone, the market has, once again, been taken by storm.
September 9th, 2009 | Mobile Broadband, Wireless Technology
The range of broadband providers and packages is almost unlimited. In fact, this number continues to grow annually, making the decision of which broadband deal to choose even more complex and difficult.
New broadband consumers or those who want to change their providers should complete as much research as is possible on the different broadband deals and packages available to them, before committing to a long-term contract. With so much competition in the broadband market, consumers should have no problem finding a deal that best suits their pocket and requirements.
The first place to search for broadband deals and packages is the Internet. The Internet offers a plethora of information to guide (and confuse) consumers. There are two approaches to finding the best broadband deal. The first is to go directly to the website of one or more broadband providers that you are familiar with and view the options that they offer. Alternatively, if you want to get a more comprehensive idea about what a number of broadband providers are offering, then it is best to find a site that offers a comparison, where you can easily compare broadband providers and packages.
Broadband Finder is a highly recommended site for those who would like a critical comparison of the offers available. In its latest ratings Virgin Media’s Virgin Size L broadband plus TV plus phone is located at the top of this list. This is a one-year contract that offers speeds of up to 10Mbs and unlimited downloads. In second place is Virgin’s Virgin Size L broadband-only offer. This costs £15 pounds a month for a one-year contract, it includes unlimited downloads and speeds of up to 10Mbs.
September 6th, 2009 | Mobile Network News, Mobile Technology
Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. has recently performed well in the stock market with a gain of more than seven per cent. Virgin Mobile USA is a mobile phone network operator that provides various wireless communications services.
According to the company’s quarterly report, Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. had the adjusted earnings per share of 24 cents for its first quarter. The figures are outstanding compared to one year ago, with a reported seven cents a share. The quarterly report showed a surprise rise of nearly 85%.
Virgin Mobile, USA has a daily average volume of 591,000 shares moving. In addition, the company’s shares are expected to give earnings of 37 cents at the end of this year; an 8.8% increase over last month’s 34 cents. This is expected to increase to 53 cents per share next year, with a year-over-year advance of 43%.
Furthermore, the company has been resilient during bad business cycles and through a stagnant market. Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. had total operating revenues of $337.3 million, an increase of two per cent. In addition, net service revenues reached $318.1 million, an increase of four per cent.
Virgin Mobile USA, Inc. is continually looking for ways to serve customers better. The company has announced a Pink Slip Protection programme. In addition, it will be offering unlimited plans for $49.99.
The company has often surpassed the predictions of Wall Street regarding its quarterly profits. The company has surpassed the expectations of analysts for the last four quarters. In response to this, analysts have increased their profits estimates for the company.
September 3rd, 2009 | Mobile Network News, Mobile Technology
The Hutchison 3 Group, a leading 3G telecommunications service provider, announced that it has signed a multi-year contract with Ceragon Networks Ltd. Ceragon is a provider of wireless high-capacity backhaul and Ethernet solutions.
Under the contract, Ceragon Networks Ltd will be supplying the Hutchison 3 Group with Ethernet solutions for its global operations. The Hutchison 3 Group aims to become more efficient and effective in meeting global demand for telecommunications services. It provides services to several countries, including the UK, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Israel, Australia, and Hong Kong.
Ceragon will be providing the FibeAir IP-10 platform. This backhaul platform features Ethernet networking and TDM, and has a range of 10Mbps to 500Mbps over a single radio carrier. Furthermore, it operates on one RF unit from 6GHz to 38GHz.
The Ceragon CEO, Ira Palti, commented on how the Hutchison 3 Group can make the transition easily from TDM to IP with their services.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Hutchison 3G UK plans to put advertisements in the sign-in page of 3G modem users. This is known in Austria as a ‘mobile broadband dashboard’ in which the advertisements may reach one million customers nationwide. The dashboard appears when connecting to the Internet.
The company’s head of advertising, Neil Andrews, commented on the uniqueness of the way they present advertisements. He discussed the company’s broadband market and the potential of using their technology in advertising.
The company is looking for partners whose advertisements will have a click-through rate of six per cent. The advertising partners are exclusive and they will benefit from impressions that can reach up to three million users per month.
August 30th, 2009 | Mobile Broadband, Mobile Technology
Most people who go from dial-up service to broadband are happy with the improvement in speed. Nevertheless, if you feel your speed is not what it should be, there are a few things you can do. First, test your download speed. Look online for ‘test broadband speed’ to find sites that do this quickly and for free. Keep in mind that rarely do actual speeds match the speed your broadband provider has sold you. This is true for all providers. Often the actual speed is about one-half of the stated speed (4Mb instead of your plan’s 8Mb). However, with broadband, your Internet should in theory still be fast. If you still feel your speed is slow, speak to your ISP. They should be able to check your system and recommend improvements.
Remember that your router and modem are important links in the system, especially if you have wireless internet (Wi-Fi). Read the manual, especially the troubleshooting area, and see if tweaking might boost your speed. You can search for help for your particular router and modem online, to see if others have faced similar problems and how they solved them. If you download large files, like movies and TV programmes, these eat up a lot of bandwidth. Try downloading at off times. Certain applications on your computer can also slow your system. Ask a technician or your ISP for help on this. If all else fails, you can try going with a different ISP or upgrading to a higher speed if one is offered by our provider; before you go this route, look online for broadband comparisons to get the latest information and deals.
August 28th, 2009 | HTC, LG, Mobile Phone Reviews, Nokia, Samsung Mobile Phones, Touchscreen
Check out these new mobile phones! The iPhone 3G S is without question one of the most-awaited mobile phones on the list. Presently, it is considered the fastest iPhone and features a 3-megapixel camera, maps with GPS and digital compass, voice control, and improved Internet surfing performance. It can also be used as a widescreen iPod and comes in 16 or 32 GB.
Nokia is offering the N97 and the 6303 classic. The N97 is a smartphone with a 3.5-inch widescreen and a fully customisable homescreen, and it can store up to 32 GB of media. The Nokia 6303 classic is encased in stainless steel, is of compact size and a timeless design. It has an Internet browser and fast file sharing capabilities for videos and photos.
The HTC Magic looks sleek and supports Google-related apps including Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube. It also has an onscreen keyboard and is equipped with Smart Dialer. Another from HTC is the Touch Diamond 2, a high-resolution smartphone which has a unique feature of tracking the history of conversations with people.
The LG Viewty Smart boasts an 8 MP camera and features an Intelligent Shot Mode, which adjusts settings automatically when taking pictures. Those who want to look cool will like the LG-GD900 Crystal, which was designed with a sliding keypad that glows when used and includes a Bluetooth headset.
From Samsung comes the Jet, which features an 800MHz processor and the TouchWiz 2.0 and the Dolfin Web browser. The phone also has a 3.1” WVGA AMOLED screen which can support higher resolutions (16 million colours) than the competition. Also from Samsung is the i8910 HD, which allows users to enjoy, record, and share videos in HD (720p). The phone also features a 3D interface and includes the Samsung Mobile Widget.
August 25th, 2009 | LG, Mobile Phone Reviews
The LG KP100 mobile phone is one of the lighter devices available today. The KP100 has the classic bar design which contributes to its simple appeal. If you have ever found yourself frustrated with the numerous bells and whistles available on some of the fancier mobile phones, the KP100 is an excellent alternative. This device provides the user with a basic mobile phone which is extremely easy to use.
The KP100 from LG is 99.8 mm long by 45.5 mm wide and it is 12.9 mm thick. The weight of this device is only 65 grams. It is so lightweight you might forget about it in your pocket. Battery life is reasonable for the KP100. Users can expect around 4 hours and 30 minutes of talk time or 420 hours on standby form the battery that comes with this device.
Many mobile phones that are available today come with sophisticated cameras integrated into them. The LG KP100 does not have a camera which might disappoint some users but this phone was designed to be simple.
This device can be used to easily send SMS and EMS messages. There is also a useful organizer included with the device which will help you keep track of appointments if you choose to take advantage of it.
This LG mobile phone might not be a good option if you find yourself travelling a lot. This device is only dual band with support for GSM 900/1800 MHz networks included. No support for 3G networks is included either, though there would be little use for anyway.
August 21st, 2009 | Mobile Broadband, Mobile Technology
What is broadband?
Broadband is a means of transferring large quantities of data at high speed between two computers that are remote from each other. The use of broadband to connect to the Internet can be via a fibre optic cable (fastest), through a telephone line, or via wireless and satellite service providers. As the name suggests broadband encompasses a large range of electromagnetic frequencies and is therefore significantly faster than the old fashioned dial-up system.
What is mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband allows you to access the Internet using your laptop anywhere that you have good mobile phone coverage. It offers a speedy and stable connection, much like the broadband you have at home. You may still download music tracks, video and also send your emails. However, the speed of your connection may vary from one location to another depending on the network coverage of your mobile phone provider.
Is it simple to set-up mobile broadband?
Mobile broadband is easy to set up. Most of the USB dongles (dongle: a small item of hardware that plugs into your machine) required for mobile broadband are plug and play, and you will be automatically prompted with installation and usage guidelines. The dongle also acts as an external hard drive where the installation files of the device are stored. Once the SIM has been placed in the dongle, a series of comprehensive instructions will pop-up on the screen of your computer to help get you started.
Can I share my mobile connections with other computers?
Mobile Internet broadband can be shared with other computers at home or in your office if you have a router that has a port for mobile broadband connection. The Draytek Vigor 2910 is an example of a router that has a USB port where you can plug in the mobile Internet device.
August 18th, 2009 | Mobile Network News
More than 150 Members of Parliament have already signed a motion in Parliament to support the Terminate the Rate campaign.
The Parliamentary motion supports the petition for decreasing the Mobile Termination Rates (MTR) for mobile phone users. When you ring a phone that is served by a different network from your own, or you make a call to a mobile from your landline telephone, the other subscriber’s service provider will levy a fee to your service provider for carrying the call. This is called a Mobile Termination Rate the current charges for which are around 4.7p or more for each and every minute of the call’s duration. The campaign is calling for this to be lowered to a rate of 1p per minute, or even less. The motion also appeals to Ofcom to provide a better mobile rate package for users.
The Lancashire MP Nigel Evans, who was one of the first supporters of the campaign, nominated the motion for Terminate the Rate. He is now joined by other MPs, including former Liberal Democratic party leaders, Charles Kennedy and Sir Menzies Campbell, the Independent MP Clare Short, Jon Cruddas from the Labour Party, Chairman John Whittingdale of the Culture, Media, and Sport select committee from the Conservative Party, and Mark Durkan, the leader of the Social Democratic and Unionist Party.
According to Julie Minns, the head of Regulatory and Public Policy at 3 Mobile, over 150 MPs announced their support for Terminate the Rate, which is a huge achievement for the campaign. It will now be raised in Parliament for a full debate. Minns also mentions that the campaign’s progress in Parliament proves that the issue is significant to both the public and government alike.
The petition is still open for other MPs who would like to support the cause. Each MP who signs EDM 1531 could help in lowering the prices of Mobile Termination Rates and allowing true competition to prosper in the mobile sector.
August 13th, 2009 | Blackberry, Mobile Phone Reviews
The Blackberry 8120 Pink, which is also known as the Pearl, is a great smart phone. Users looking to stay organized without having to tote around a clunky mobile phone will appreciate the small design of the 8120. Although it does not have a full QWERTY keyboard included, it functions in a similar fashion with two letters to every button instead of just one.
The 8120 Pink from Blackberry is 107 mm long by 50 mm wide and it is 14 mm thick. The overall weight of this Blackberry mobile phone is a trim 91 grams. The battery that comes with the Blackberry 8120 will provide the user with up to 4 hours of talk time or around 360 hours of standby.
One nice feature that can be found integrated into the 8120 Pink is Wi-Fi which supports 802.11 b/g networks. Users will also be happy to know that this mobile phone has a 3.5 mm audio jack which means you do not have to rely on proprietary headphones in order to listen to the music you have stored on the device.
The Blackberry 8120 Pink has 64 megabytes of internal flash memory. This can be expanded by using the microSD slot. Those that want to store a large amount of music or pictures on their mobile phone will certainly appreciate this. The camera that is included with the 8120 Pink is 2 megapixels and provides the user with features such as flash and the ability to capture video.
