O2 officially launches 4G LTE network, going live on August 29

Good news for O2's 23m UK customers

O2 has officially confirmed its 4G LTE network will go live in the UK on August 29, with SIM-Only tariffs starting at just £26 a month.

The company will switch on its next-gen network in London and Leeds and Bradford on the first day, with plans to open up 4G access in ten more areas before 2013 comes to a close.

Those additional cities will be: Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, Sheffield, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

In its announcement the network did not go into specifics regarding the range of tariffs it will offer at launch, but told TechRadar 'Pay Monthly' contracts will be 'beyond' the cheapest £26 a month SIM-Only deals.

'Oxygen of modern life'

The launch finally brings some competition for 4G trailblazer EE, which has had the UK market to itself since October 2012 and racked up close to 700,000 customers already.

As has been widely documented, EE took its rivals by surprise by winning permission from Ofcom to convert existing 1800Mhz spectrum for 4G use, while the rest were forced to wait for the spectrum auction.

O2 splashed out £550m to secure its own 4G spectrum earlier this year including the largest proportion of the low frequency 800MHz frequency. The network's announcement comes on the day that spectrum was cleared for use by Ofcom.

The CEO of Telefonica UK, which owns O2, Ronan Dunne said: "Digital connectivity will be made ubiquitous by 4G and become the oxygen of modern life. It is our intention to use 4G to inspire the nation through the possibilities of technology, encouraging people to live more, do more and be more with O2.

"The full potential of 4G is as yet unexplored, but what we can be sure of is that it will allow for a whole new world of opportunity that people are now ready for. Over half of our customers say they use more data than two years ago and even more use wifi wherever they go, to always stay connected. Given this trend, there is no doubt that 4G will transform our lives, be it as consumers, in business or through public sector services."

Happiness, guaranteed

The company said that all 4G contracts will come with a 30-day Happiness Guarantee enabling customers to be transferred to a 3G tariff if unsatisfied with 4G speeds.

O2 also revealed it will provide provide options for businesses and, naturally, give all customers access to its 9,000 free O2 Wi-Fi hotspots in the UK.

The company recently teased the 4G launch was 'right around the corner' with a new Rocky-inspired Fit for 4G campaign.

We'll bring you specific details of tariffs as soon as O2 announces them, but at last UK mobile users are about to have a little choice when it comes to 4G and, hopefully, some better deals.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/o2-officially-launches-4g-lte-network-going-live-on-august-29-1170171

Read More

SMS SOS: BlackBerry 10 users reporting messaging issues after latest update

BlackBerry magic makes messages disappear

As if BlackBerry hasn't had a difficult enough time re-establishing itself in the Android/iOS dominated market, the latest BlackBerry 10 update has certainly caused a few more brows to furrow.

According to N4BB, the latest operating system update has stymied the messaging attempts of a decent portion of the BB10 userbase.

Users have reported an inability to use messaging, while some others claim the update has erased their message history, leaving them unable to see what people said in the past, or are even texting them today.

While it's not uncommon for OS updates to cause issues for some users regardless of the device, accidentally removing functionality like the ability to send SMS texts is an bad omen for the re-emerging BlackBerry.

Missed messages

Since launching its new line of phones and the BB10 OS, BlackBerry has been struggling to gain the marketshare it lost to the likes of Android, iOS, and even Windows Phone 8.

Even with the Z10 and Q10 battling it out with the likes of the the Galaxy S4 and iPhone 5, BlackBerry hasn't been able to gain much ground (if any at all) these past few months.

Now, even if only a minority of BB10 users are feeling the effects of the message-eating update, the company is even failing those who adopted the fledgling phones.

The update hasn't yet hit U.S. consumers (it's due later this summer), but others around the globe in places like Canada, Europe, and some Asian markets are feeling the burn.

BlackBerry is now looking into the issue, but these types of growing pains won't win the company any favors from those thinking about making a switch any time soon.

• Which smartphone is best for you business: Android or BlackBerry?

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sms-sos-blackberry-10-users-reporting-messaging-issues-after-latest-update-1170134

Read More

Moto X to follow in iPhone 5's nano-SIM footsteps?

The Moto X, nano-SIM or not, will be unveiled tomorrow

Motorola's Moto X could be the next device to sport the new nano-SIM cards, judging by a photo that reportedly leaked out of Hong Kong this week.

Engadget today published this photo, which appears to show the Moto X with its nano-SIM tray ejected.

The nano-SIM is 40 percent smaller than the micro-SIM currently used in most devices, so it's easily recognizable, and the phone in the image appears to match up with some previous Moto X leaks.

If so, the Moto X will be the third handset, after the iPhone 5 and Asus Padfone Infinity, to adopt nano-SIM.

Casualties of the SIM war

The Padfone Infinity phablet's use of nano-SIM proves that you don't have to be as small as the iPhone 5 to utilize the new, smaller SIM standard.

But it's unclear why Motorola would choose to switch to nano-SIM, especially given its opposition of the technology.

A coalition formed of Motorola, BlackBerry (still RIM then), and Nokia dueled with Apple over what the next generation of SIM cards would look like, and Apple emerged victorious last year.

Nokia said in a statement at the time that Apple's nano-SIM was "technically inferior" to its own tech and even to the existing micro-SIM, and that "the existing micro-SIM (3FF) will continue to be a preferred option for many manufacturers."

But if today's leak turns out to be the real deal then it would seem Nokia's former SIM war bedfellow, Motorola, disagrees.

Designed by you

The phone formerly known as the Motorola X Phone is rumored to be highly customizable, coming with the possible tag line "designed by you."

Google's Motorola advisor Guy Kawasaki previously suggested that the Moto X will be as customizable as a classic Porsche, whatever that means.

The exact degree of that customization has yet to be seen, but there's a whole rainbow of colors rumored as well.

• We won't have to wait much longer to find out for sure: the Moto X launches Aug. 1, and rumor has it the X shipped to carriers yesterday.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/moto-x-to-follow-in-iphone-5-s-nano-sim-footsteps--1170125

Read More

Sony updates Xperia Z and Xperia ZL, improves performance

New firmware updates are now available for the Sony Xperia Z and Xperia ZL. Both new ROMs bring similar improvements over the system, signal and touch sensitivity, bug fixes and are still based on the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

There is no official change log on the updates, but some users have already compiled a list of all the notable changes.

• More smooth Boot animation
• Efficient RAM management
• Home launcher is smoother, no more lag
• Update Center has new UI
• 3G Signal strength improved
• Touch response is improved a lot
• Faster sleep and wake
• Low-light image quality improved
• Changes in car mode app
• High resolution image snapping while recording a non-HDR video
• No screen flickering
• No unusual battery reading bug

Our tipster mentions unusual heating when running the AnTuTu benchmark, but there's no confirmation of that from other sources.

The updates are available both over-the-air and via the Sony PC companion.

Sony recently updated the Xperia Z and ZL with Android 4.2.2 but the ROM contained some bugs and it seems Sony was working hard to fix them as fast as possible. As you can see some new features made it with the update as well that weren't probably ready in time for the previous 4.2.2 major update.

Anyway, it's good to see Sony is taking good care of its flagships and is pushing faster than ever firmware updates.

Thank you, Jean Bassil, for a great tip!

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_updates_xperia_z_and_xperia_zl_improves_performance-news-6498.php

Read More

Office Mobile shuffles onto Android phones, tablets left out

Pandas - the key to everyone's heart

After its launch on iPhone last month, Office Mobile is now rolling over to Android starting today.

Making the announcement on its blog, Microsoft declared that phones supporting Android 4.0 or higher will be able to get the app allowing access to Word, Excel and Powerpoint, although Android tablets won't be getting in on the action for now.

Of course, you'll also have to have bought Office 365 Home Premium and ProPlus service. They ain't giving that stuff away for free, you know?

Keep rolling

The app itself, however, is free of charge. And when you've downloaded it (and subscribed) you'll be able to keep working on documents on your phone when you leave your PC, with all files stored in Microsoft's SkyDrive.

Office Mobile is more for editing than actual document creation though, so don't expect to be getting the full 365 experience.

Office Mobile is available in the Google Play store today for US Android users. Microsoft says it will then be "gradually" expanding the software to 33 other languages.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/office-mobile-shuffles-onto-android-phones-tablets-left-out-1170072

Read More

Samsung outs dual-mode LTE Galaxy S4 and S4 Mini versions

Samsung has made big claims regarding its readiness to support developing LTE markets, and its most recent announcement of two new Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S4 Mini variants supporting both FDD and TDD LTE networks confirms that sentiment.

As global LTE coverage expands, many markets are adding support for TDD-LTE networks, particularly in places where FDD-LTE technology is already in place.

The two dual-mode variants of the Samsung flagship and its compact counterpart are able to seamlessly switch between different types of LTE networks while maintaining uninterrupted voice and data communications.

Samsung's head of Mobile and IT JK Shin elaborated that the first commercially available dual-mode LTE handover devices will "will allow customers to fully enjoy the benefits of fast mobile data communications no matter where they are."

Samsung is vested in the LTE market more than simply through handsets. Through developing LTE infrastructure, its network gear division grew by some 30% since 2010, and is one of Samsung's more profitable ventures.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_outs_two_new_versions_of_the_galaxy_s4_and_s4_mini-news-6497.php

Read More

Microsoft releases Office Mobile for Office 365 Android app

Last month Microsoft unveiled the Office Mobile for Office 365 for iOS and now the Redmond company is following up with an Android version. It allows you to edit docs on your phone and sync them with SkyDrive.

The user interface looks lifted straight out of the Windows Phone 8 version, but the flat design goes well with Android's Holo looks. The app supports Word, Excel and PowerPoint docs with charts, animations, SmartArt Graphics, shapes and comments.

Better still, the Office Mobile for Office 365 reflows the docs so that they look good on your phone and are easy to edit, but that doesn’t break the formatting on the PC. Speaking of the PC app, the last files you edited will show up in the Recent Documents tab so you can continue editing on the phone right away, even the Resume Reading feature works (it takes you to the point of the document you were editing last).

Sharing is enabled, so you can easily share a doc from your phone when you're done with the corrections.

The Office Mobile for Office 365 (catchy name, isn't it?) is available right now in the Google Play Store, but there are some limitations. For one, the app is available only in the US, but Microsoft is promising to add more countries to the list in the coming weeks.

Also, you need an Android 4.0+ phone. Note phone, not tablet – it's an annoying limitation as people are more likely to edit a doc on a tablet than a phone. Also you need an Office 365 subscription to use the app (you can get a 30 day trial), unlike the WP8 version which is free out of the box. And unlike the iOS version, which also requires a subscription, you can't buy one from the app itself, you need to go www.office.come and get one from there.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/microsoft_releases_office_mobile_for_office_365_android_app-news-6495.php

Read More

Xiaomi unveils quad-core Red Rice droid as Hongmi

Xiaomi has announced the long rumored Red Rice smartphone. Its official name is Hongmi which is Chinese for... well, red rice.

Xiaomi Hongmi packs a 4.7-inch 720p IPS display with 312ppi density, protected by a Gorilla Glass 2. The Hongmi is powered by Mediatek's MT6589 chipset featuring a quad-core 1.5GHz Cortex-A7 processor, PowerVR SGX544 graphics and 1GB of RAM. Other notable features are the 4GB storage plus a microSD card slot, and a 2000 mAh battery.

Xiaomi Hongmi

The phone comes with an 8MP BSI Samsung-made rear camera with 1.4ųm pixels for improved low-light performance and 28mm wide five-element lens. The Hongmi is capable of shooting 1080p videos. There is also a 1.3MP front snapper for video chats.

Xiaomi Hongmi is dual-SIM handset with support for GSM/3G and TD-SCDMA networks on both SIM slots.

The Hongmi is running on the proprietary MIUI V5 launcher on top of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean.

Xiaomi Hongmi

Here comes the best part of the news - the Xiaomi Hongmi costs only CNY799 which equals a few cents less than €99. The phone is already available on pre-order in China at QZone and is going to start shipping on August 12.

There are three flavors you can choose between - Black, Chinese Red and Metallic Gray. The battery cover is exchangeable and you can opt for additional blue, green and yellow panels.

Unfortunately the Xiaomi Hongmi is highly unlikely to leave China. We'll keep you updated if we hear something about international availability, though.

Source 1 | Source 2

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_unveils_ultracheap_quadcore_hongmi_aka_red_rice_droid-news-6494.php

Read More

Is that what the Samsung Galaxy S5 will look like?

New look, new era? (credit: Patent Bolt)

Samsung could be about to ditch nature and shake up its smartphone design if a new patent is any indication.

With the Samsung Galaxy S4 now a few months old - and a slew of S4 variants out the door - it's little surprise that we're hearing rumblings of what could be next.

The patent images, unearthed by Patent Bolt, show off a rectangular shape but with edges that are slanted. All in all, it looks a little bit more in line with the HTC One, moving away from Samsung's current nature-inspired look.

Brand new galaxy

Samsung applied for the patents in 2012 in the US and 2011 in South Korea, so they're not all that new and there's nothing here to indicate when, or indeed if, such a handset might materialise.

But Samsung was no doubt thinking about its S4 follow-up during that time. Or, this could even be for a possible variant of the S4, though we'd say that's less likely given the design overhaul.

And let's not discount the Samsung Galaxy Note series either, although the design doesn't agree with the Galaxy Note 3 leaks we've been seeing.

We'd previously heard rumours that the Galaxy S5 could be the first Samsung phone with a fully aluminium chassis although these new patents give no indication of the materials that could be used on the new handset.

But throw this new patent into the bag and we might be getting a vague idea of where Samsung is heading.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/is-that-what-the-samsung-galaxy-s5-will-look-like--1170008

Read More

Samsung denies rigging Galaxy S4 benchmarking results

We just don't know what to believe any more

In response to the accusation that it has been jimmying Galaxy S4 benchmark results just to make its handset look good, Samsung says nuh-uh guv'nor.

The company's statement explains that whatever GPU frequencies "BenchmarkBooster" rigged up on the Exynos 5 variant are "not intended to improve certain benchmark results" and the same maximum settings can just as easily be used to optimise performance on a users' handset based on what they're using it for.

That's as may be, Samsung, but using phrases like "BenchmarkBooster" in your code is still a bit suspicious in our book. It seems pretty clear that, regardless of whether these maxed out settings have real world use, Samsung was also hoping to beef up its benchmark results.

Now for the science

The full statement reads: "Under ordinary conditions, the Galaxy S4 has been designed to allow a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz.

"However, the maximum GPU frequency is lowered to 480MHz for certain gaming apps that may cause an overload, when they are used for a prolonged period of time in full-screen mode.

"Meanwhile, a maximum GPU frequency of 533MHz is applicable for running apps that are usually used in full-screen mode, such as the S Browser, Gallery, Camera, Video Player and certain benchmarking apps, which also demand substantial performance.

"The maximum GPU frequencies for the Galaxy S4 have been varied to provide optimal user experience for our customers, and were not intended to improve certain benchmark results. We remain committed to providing our customers with the best possible user experience."

So to summarise: Samsung made sure its phone aced the benchmark tests, it got slightly found out, it justified the decision, phones keep going as before. Whoop.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-denies-rigging-galaxy-s4-benchmarking-results-1170026

Read More

Government unveils plans to extend mobile coverage

You'd be lucky to get this in some parts of the country

Eastern Scotland, Cumbria, central Wales and Strabane will be the first parts of the UK to benefit from the Government's £150 million spend on improving mobile phone coverage in rural areas.

They are covered by the first phase of the Mobile Infrastructure Project, details of which have been published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on a map outlining the different stages of the investment. The first sites are expected to go live by the end of this year, and the Government is aiming to have them all in place by 2015.

The Government is providing the money for communications infrastructure company Arqiva to install the masts. The company has begun to identify suitable sites and apply for planning permission.

Four mobile network operators – EE, Telefonica, Three and Vodafone – will use the sites and cover the operating costs over the next 20 years.

• Check out our round-up of the best smartphones for business.

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: "This project will see mobile phone coverage extended to many of the people who currently live and work in areas where there is none. The project will provide a significant boost to local economies across the UK, and will be instrumental in helping Britain win the global race."

The DCMS has acknowledged that the project will not reach every area without mobile coverage. A spokesman told TRPro it will not be able to identify the 'not spots' until the survey work is completed, but that it is likely that a few areas will not get mast coverage in the long term because it would be uneconomical, and would need an alternative such as satellite phones.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/government-unveils-plans-to-extend-mobile-coverage-1169985

Read More

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 leaked from inside out in yet more snaps

Cover yourself up, Note 3

With September 4 inching ever closer, more leaks about the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 are trickling out and, while we're still missing a proper photo of the thing, today's sees the handsets insides displayed for all to see.

These photos are supposedly of a prototype Note 3 and were posted on Weibo by an "insider" known as C Technology - yes, we'd say keep the sodium chloride handy for this one.

The photos aren't really giving much away. The battery details have been scrubbed out and there's no way of knowing if the recently revealed 3GB RAM unit is present or not.

Elusive

Samsung's J. K. Shin has said that the Note 3 will come with a 5.9-inch screen, which could give some clues as to the size of the device itself.

However, the latest word is that there will be around three different Note 3 models with screen sizes ranging from 5.5-inch to 6-inches. Who knows which, if any, these photos are of.

We're also expecting an octa-core processor and a 13MP camera to feature when the handset lands.

The fuzzy nature of the snaps make it hard to tell if the chassis is plastic or some kind of aluminium unibody type affair - we're leaning towards plastic though, sorry metal fans.

Anyway, not too long until IFA 2013 and the big Note 3 reveal. Feel free to fill your boots poring over these photos til then.

Supposedly what the Note 3 will look like on the inside

• What else is what with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3? Find out everything we know so far

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-note-3-leaked-from-inside-out-in-yet-more-snaps-1169973

Read More

Spy shots reveal Moto X will be very compact, use nanoSIM

The Moto X phone will be announced at tomorrow's event but the specs won't be a huge surprise as we've seen so many leaks already and today brought a new batch. First off, the phone will use a nanoSIM card, instead of the more popular microSIM as revealed by a photo from Hong Kong.

Moto X will use a nanoSIM card

Why Hong Kong, when the Moto X should be assembled in the US? Here's hoping this means that Motorola will launch the phone worldwide not just the US (Google is usually quite terrible at this).

Other photos have surfaced, comparing the Moto X to the Motorola Milestone 3, which gave us an opportunity to measure the dimensions of the X. The photos are heavily cropped (presumably to hide the identity of the leaker), you can get a better look at the Moto X here.

Moto X sized up against the Motorola Milestone 3

The Motorola Moto X phone measures 8.7mm at its thickest part and just 5.8mm at its thinnest. The other measurements work out to 125.9mm tall and 66mm wide, which sounds amazing for a phone with a 4.7" screen. We got a little suspicious, so we measured the screen size in the first photo and ended up with 4.7".

Other specs on the Moto X include a 720p resolution for the screen, dual-core Krait processor, 10MP camera with an unusual image sensor that can shoot 1080p video at 60fps.

The Moto X will be announced tomorrow and we'll be covering the event, so make sure to tune in for the official specs and (hopefully) availability details.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/spy_shots_reveal_moto_x_will_be_very_compact_use_nanosim-news-6493.php

Read More