Galaxy Note 2 problems: What users complain about most

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is an impressive device, but today we’re interested in exposing faults and finding fixes you can use.

Who knew that a hybrid device combining elements of a smartphone and a tablet would prove to be popular with consumers? The original Galaxy Note took the market by surprise and Samsung’s follow up device, the Galaxy Note 2 has raised the stakes by improving on its predecessor in every way. Early signs suggest it will be a hit, but there are always flaws lurking in new mobile tech.

Here we examine the most notable Galaxy Note 2 problems that owners are complaining about and we try to find solutions or handy workarounds.

Cracked or broken screen

Problem: There are quite a few user reports of the screen being scratched or cracked after accidental drops. The Galaxy Note 2 has a truly mammoth 5.5-inch display, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 2, which is generally tough stuff. The device has performed well in most of the drop tests we’ve seen, but they aren’t hugely scientific. The size could make the display more prone to cracking on impact, or it could be the fact that the Note 2 is a little more difficult to handle than a smaller device.

If you’re worried, then it’s probably a good idea to have phone insurance or invest in one of the many Galaxy Note 2 cases on the market.

Solution: If your screen does get cracked or broken, you should be careful about where you order a replacement. The safest option is to go through Samsung and send your Note 2 away for repair, but it is likely to be expensive. Alternatively you could go to a local repair shop, or order replacement glass and try to do it yourself. If you are going to order replacement parts then make sure the source is reputable.

Won’t connect, very slow, or disconnecting from Wi-Fi

Problem: Some users have reported issues trying to connect to Wi-Fi, extremely slow speeds when they do connect, and random disconnecting. Sometimes it appears as though the Wi-Fi is on, but there is no Internet access on the Note 2. This can be down to individual routers and settings, or it can be caused by settings on your Note 2. There are probably various issues here, but the same troubleshooting steps apply.

Solutions: A simple restart of the Wi-Fi works for some people. You can turn Wi-Fi on your Note 2 off and on again. You can also try rebooting the device and your router.

You might want to take a look in Settings > Wi-Fi hit the Menu button again and choose Advanced and then make sure Keep Wi-Fi on during sleep is set to Always. You can also see if the Wi-Fi Timer is on and check your IP address in here.

If you’re on AT&T then check the Smart Wi-Fi app because it can override your device’s settings.

Some people have reported success after a Factory reset, but it does mean reinstalling apps and setting up your device the way you want again.

Can’t turn Wi-Fi off

Problem: Have you been turning Wi-Fi off only for it to turn itself back on again? This is a common issue for Sprint customers and it’s because of the Connections Optimizer.

Solution: You can find the Connections Optimizer by hitting Menu > Settings > More Settings > Mobile Networks and then disable it. You might find that the Connections Optimizer continues to turn itself back on again after you reboot the device.

Workaround: You can tell your Note 2 to forget Wi-Fi networks. If you go to Settings > Wi-Fi you can see available networks and forget them, but you won’t be able to use Wi-Fi until you add one again so it’s far from an ideal fix.

Phone won’t charge

Problem: You’re plugging your Note 2 in via the AC adapter or a USB PC port and you find that it isn’t charging.

Solution: Make sure the Micro USB port on your device is clean. You could try some compressed air to make sure there’s no dust in there blocking the connection. You could also reboot the device and try again. Some users are reporting that it works perfectly after a reboot, although that’s obviously not a good long term solution. If it’s not blocked and the problem keeps reoccurring after a reboot then contact Samsung.

Device takes too long to charge

Problem: Instead of charging in two or three hours as it should, some people have found that the Note 2 is taking much longer to charge.

Solution: Make sure you are using the correct 2A rated charger. The Samsung one that ships with the device is the most efficient in terms of speed. Try another 2A charger just in case the supplied charger is the culprit. If there’s no improvement you may have a faulty battery and it’s probably best to contact Samsung.

Sound while charging

Problem: A lot of people have complained about a buzzing or hissing sound while the Note 2 is charging. Apparently this is due to the charger and it’s normal. It is possibly more noticeable with the Note 2 because it is sucking down a lot of juice.

Solution: You could charge it via a USB PC port, but unless your PC is super quiet that won’t help and it will take much longer to charge. You could also try a different charger. A lower-rated charger will charge the device more slowly, but it should also make less noise.

Workaround: Charge it in a different room so the noise doesn’t bother you. It’s not ideal, but if typically charge at night and it’s keeping you awake then it might be the best idea.

Other Note 2 issues

That’s it for now, but if you’re experiencing any other problems with your Note 2 or you want to offer up some tips or solutions then please post a comment.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/samsung-galaxy-note-2-problems/

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Apple reveals top App Store apps and games of 2012

Apple's App Store has come a long way

On Thursday Apple revealed its lists of the top-selling apps and games of 2012, dividing them into top free and paid iPhone and iPad apps.

On the iPhone side, Google's Youtube was the most popular free app of 2012.

Given Youtube's popularity, maybe Apple shouldn't have dropped it from iOS 6?

Instagram and Zynga's Draw Something came in second and third place in free iPhone apps, respectively, while Angry Birds Space, WhatsApp Messenger and Draw Something (the ad-free version) were the top three paid iPhone apps of the year.

Top iPad apps

Skype took top honors in the category of free iPad apps, with Imangi's Temple Run and the Facebook app earning second and third place.

In the paid iPad category, Rovio scored again, with Angry Birds Space HD taking the top spot.

Disney's Where's my Water? and Apple's own Pages app followed up as the second and third most popular paid iPad apps of the year.

That's not all, folks

In addition to revealing the most downloaded apps of 2012, Apple revealed its selections for the best App Store apps and games of the year on iPhone and iPad.

Apple's iPhone app of the year was J.J. Abrams' Action Movie FX, which lets users add explosions and other "Hollywood FX" to videos.

Apple's favorite iPhone game was Rayman Jungle Run, a spin-off of Ubisoft's popular Rayman Origins.

The mystery game The Room was Apple's favorite iPad game in 2012, while creativity app Paper won for non-game iPad apps.

Clicking on the link below will take you directly to iTunes, where you can check out the rest of Apple's "best of" categories, including "Fun Runners," "Photo and Video Magic," "Casual Games," and more.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/apple-reveals-top-app-store-apps-and-games-of-2012-1119037

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Google Maps for iPhone hands on: Finally, a working maps app!

Google has blessed us with a new version of Google Maps for the iPhone, ending months of lost iPhone users. We give the new app a drive.

In the last few months, Apple Maps has led me dangerously astray no less than a dozen times. It’s told me to take the wrong exit off of a highway; its taken me to businesses that are shut down; it nearly forced me onto the Blue Water Bridge and into Canada when I just wanted to go to Port Huron, Michigan; and it thought our Digital Trends Portland office was on the other side of town. Why does Apple’s good-looking app screw up so majorly on such a regular basis?  I can’t tell you, but I can say that help has arrived. Months after Apple abruptly removed Google Maps from the iPhone, Google has finally released the first version of its maps in the App Store. It was worth the wait.

Swipe it like you mean it

Google isn’t developing apps for Windows Phone, but it definitely likes what it sees. The new Google Maps, like Android itself, is beginning to resemble Microsoft’s critically acclaimed, but slow-selling operating system in some functional and aesthetic ways. The app is full of areas to swipe back and forth between screens. For example, a swipe on the lower right of the screen will slide open options to turn on views for traffic, public transit, satellite imagery, or Google Earth, which requires a separate app.

The user interface is flat and clean, with an easy-to-read font. There’s a search bar on the top, and once you perform a search for a location like “Madison Square Garden,” you’re instantly taken to that place on the map and a bumper shoots up from the bottom. Pull or swipe the bar up to learn more about the location and/or initiate driving, walking, or mass transit directions to it. Google’s 3D maps are on display as well – use two fingers to tilt the angle and look around. Everything about this app looks slick and outshines Apple, which isn’t easy to do.

New features that work

Those who remember Google’s old Maps app should be happy. For the first time, Google has given iPhone users the same basic slate of features Android owners have had for years. The Google Maps for iPhone app has turn-by-turn, voice-navigated directions for walking, driving, and using the subway/bus. I’ve only done a few searches so far, but have had no problem finding absolutely everything I’ve looked for, from hidden laundromats to barber shops to burger joints. If you’ve been able to find it on Google Maps before, you’re back in luck. And those of you who are tired of driving right onto airport runways using Apple Maps, Google tends to know where you want to go.

As a New Yorker, my favorite feature is the mass transit map layer and turn-by-turn directions. Apple Maps does not have this at all yet and currently boots you to a third-party app of your choice (I use HopStop), but it saves time if one app can do the job. Being able to see where a subway train will stop on the map is also helpful.

Though it doesn’t seem to know where you’re going, Apple Maps does have a nice feature. When you are in the middle of turn-by-turn directions and minimize Maps, it keeps your directions on screen as a little notification. Either due to limitations or time, Google Maps doesn’t yet have this feature, so  you’ll have to keep the app open while you’re navigating.

My only other gripe is Street View. You can access it, but it’s hidden. To access it, find a yellow street, double tap to zoom in, and hold your finger to bring up a bumper about that street. Swipe up that bumper and tap the Street View picture to enter the mode. Once you’re in, you can walk around town just fine. 

Just download it

We’re going to have an in-depth comparison between Apple Maps and Google Maps soon, but until then, just download it. Google Maps is what powered your iPhone navigation for five years and this app is better than that one ever was. The rift between Apple and Google hurt all iPhone users for a few months, but it looks like ultimately, we’re the winners here. Without this split, who knows when we ever would have gotten turn-by-turn Google navigation. Now it’s here. Celebrate! Have a beer. And if you get lost in the woods, now you’ll know there’s a chance you’ll make it back alive before the bears get you.

You can download Google Maps in the iPhone App Store.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-maps-iphone-hands-on/

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Dell officially says goodbye to smartphones

The XPS 12 is part of Dell's new focus on Windows tablets

Dell is quitting the smartphone business more or less for good, according to a Thursday report from Forbes.

Jeff Clarke, Dell's Vice Chairman and President of Global Operations and End User Computing Solutions, dropped the news at the Dell World conference on Wednesday.

China became Dell's lone remaining smartphone market earlier this year when the Round Rock, Texas company stopped selling its smartphones in the U.S.

Now even China will have to live without Dell smartphones, and Clarke reportedly said Dell will not re-enter the smartphone market any time soon.

Building a business on Android

Dell smartphones are a thing of the past, partly because "it needs a lot of investments to really be successful," Clarke told Forbes.

Clarke reportedly said that Android business is a "content play," meaning it's more about what you can sell on top of smartphone hardware than the hardware itself.

"Amazon is selling books and Google is making it up with search," he said. "So far we couldn't find a way to build a business on Android,"

Hello, Windows tablets

Dell is reportedly in the fifth year of a transformation phase, and for now will focus on Windows tablets and laptop/tablet hybrids like the XPS 10, XPS 12 and Latitude 10.

These latest Dell devices all run Windows 8 or Windows RT.

But Clarke could not simply leave it at that - "It doesn't mean we're not looking at Android," he told Forbes.

"You should come and see what's in our labs," he added.

If Forbes does not take you up on that offer, Mr. Clarke, TechRadar will be waiting by the phone.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/dell-officially-says-goodbye-to-smartphones-1119023

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Google Nexus 4 now available on Three as O2 exclusivity ends

Three wants £35 a month, plus £29 upfront for a Nexus 4

The sought-after Google Nexus 4 smartphone is now available to buy from UK network Three.

The 4.7-inch, Android Jelly Bean handset had been solely available through the Google Play Store and on contract through a one-month exclusive with rival network O2.

That period has now come to an end, meaning Three subscribers can pick up the handset for £35 a month over two years, plus a £29 one-off fee for the handset.

With users struggling to get a Nexus 4 directly from Google in time for Christmas, the Three contract offer, which includes unlimited data, will be a good test of just how popular this phone really is.

Cost ineffective

Most of the buzz around the Google Nexus 4, made by LG and unveiled at the end of October, was surrounding the price.

Google has been offering the 8GB model for just £239, while the 16GB version is only £279 SIM-free.

Early supplies were extinguished within half an hour, while those who were able to snap up a device when new stocks arrived face a wait of over a month for their handsets.

With Three's offering works out at £870 over the two year contact, and there's no bargain whatsoever to be had, we'll see whether it was the cost or the fine feature set that was really motivating buyers.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/google-nexus-4-now-available-on-three-as-o2-exclusivity-ends-1119010

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Samsung exec says connected ecosystem is critical

Despite the rivalry, Samsung admits it can learn from Apple

Samsung and Apple may not be the best of friends, but that doesn't mean employees from either company don't see the merit in their rival's tech.

Despite being the top phone manufacturer during the third quarter of 2012, some of Samsung's executives believe there is more to be learned from Apple's practices.

In an interview with MIT Technology Review, Samsung's chief strategy officer Young Sohn talked about how envious he was of Apple's iCloud, even going so far as to admit he uses Apple devices outside of the office.

What's more, Sohn believes a critical point in Samsung's future relies on creating an open ecosystem like iCloud if the company hopes to have continued success.

It's better on the cloud

Samsung has just built two new research and development facilities in Silicon Valley, and Sohn revealed what he hoped those new branches would accomplish.

"We make really great devices," Sohn said. "But actually if you think of our future, it's in answering the question of how we put it all together and how we manage the data that's coming out of these devices and encourage the innovation ecosystem for our platforms."

Sohn added that Samsung would be looking into critical growth areas like cloud and mobile ecosystem technologies.

All of this would be to better emulate the strengths of Apple, which Sohn believes lie in the unified ecosystem iCloud provides.

"If you look at the strengths of Apple, in a way it's not the product per se. It's that consumers like their ecosystem such as iCloud," Sohn stated.

"[The Samsung Galaxy Nexus] is a better phone, in my view. It's a better display. It's faster. But eventually the connected ecosystem is really critical."

Unlike Apple, Samsung's devices are very single-minded according to Sohn, and that's an area he hopes to address soon.

"[If] you think about our experiences, it's device-centric," Sohn related. "It's experienced by itself. It's not experienced in a connected way. So we think we can provide a lot more things than what we are doing today with an open ecosystem with our partners."

Samsung is rumored to introduce a radical brand makeover at CES 2013, and indicated that consumers should expect "something new" at the convention.

Whether that includes some of the ideas Sohn presented in his interview remains to be seen, but at least there are only a few more weeks until we find out just what Samsung has in store for the future.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/samsung-exec-says-connected-ecosystem-is-critical-1119006

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SoundTracking supports Twitter Cards so you can listen to music clips inside a tweet

Announcing support for Twitter Cards, SoundTracking enables Twitter users to view photos and play music in expanded tweets

Now you can listen to music directly from Twitter – well, at least a sample of some songs, but baby steps, right? SoundTracking has added photo and player support for Twitter Cards at the request of its users.

If you’re not familiar with the app, SoundTracking is a music discovery service that marries images and music. You can then opt to share the music and photo combination with your social network (Facebook, Twitter), or simply leave it to be discovered by the SoundTracking community. Given Twitter’s strong media integration push, SoundTrack’s Twitter Card adoption is a natural fit, and one that Twitter should love. Of course, the only downside is that we wish we could listen to the full track within the SoundTracking Twitter cards.

SoundTracking isn’t the only platform that’s taking advantage of embedding their music services into a tweet. There are some popular platforms like Ustream and YouTube, which have for a long time have been integrated into Twitter to enable users to consume media inside tweets. Rdio embedded its services in 2010, and Offical.fm recently took advantage of this “free” distribution strategy to publish embedded playlists, with the hopes of reaching a wider audience.

It’s up for debate whether Twitter integrations are beneficial to third-party developers. If a user expands a tweet to get to the content, it means they are likely staying on Twitter to consume that media instead of making it over to the proprietary platform. This was, of course, the motivation for Instagram to pull its Twitter support. The sudden move was probably also spurred by Facebook’s impending monetization scheme.

SoundTracking, which is far from reaching the scale of Instagram’s size, is undoubtedly looking for additional channels to distribute its content. SoundTracking, based on rudimentary metrics from the Google Play Store, has between 500,000 and 1 million downloads so far – that doesn’t include its iOS downloads. Evidence to expanding its reach is SoundTracking’s announcement in October about its new Spotify app, which also for now exclusively allows users to publish Instagram photos. The iOS and Android apps have yet to add Instagram support.

Ideally SoundTracking has the opportunity to flourish on Twitter during large scale events like the MTV Awards show and music festivals when music loving Twitter users are the most active. Or it could take advantage of the hashtag #musicmonday, which according to 2012 Year on Twitter, was the fifth most trending keyword in the music category on Twitter. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/soundtracking-twitter-card-integration/

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Hands on with Flickr for iOS, Instagram for photographers with self-respect

For the first time in a year, Yahoo has updated the Flickr app for iOS, just as CEO Marissa Mayer promised she would. And you know what? It's good – as in better-than-Instagram good. Really. See why in this hands on with Flickr for iOS.

Until this week, Flickr for iOS was a sad piece of work. The Flickr community reviled the app for its poor functionality and slow operating speed. And, despite these complaints, the Flickr development team didn’t offer an update for 12 months – a lifetime in app years. The app just kept sucking, and there was seemingly no end in sight for the community.

That pitiful era is now behind us. Marissa Mayer, the president and CEO of Flickr’s parent company, Yahoo, promised users when she took over the company this summer that she would revive Flickr. And that is precisely what she and the rest of her team have done with the new Flickr for iOS, which is easily one of the best photo apps currently in the App Store. Let’s dive in and see what’s new.

Overall style and functionality

Flickr users will immediately notice that the iOS app is essentially a mini version of the website, with all the same functionalities – more, actually, since you can take and edit photos with the app itself. Groups, sets, tags – it’s all there. And it’s really smooth and easy to use. Compared to some, I am more of a casual Flickr user, so there may be features that more advanced (or just picky) people will find with the app. But as an average user, I was quite impressed with the design, depth, and functionality of Flickr for iOS.

Taking a photo

After firing up the app – you can sign in with a Yahoo ID or your Facebook credentials – you can immediately start snapping shots. The actual taking photos part works more or less like every other iOS camera app out there, with a few exceptions. For example, using two fingers, you can set both focus and exposure at the same time – the blue square is for focus, the red circle for exposure. Touch with just one finger, and both focus and exposure will be set by the same spot in your frame. I found that this feature worked surprisingly well, especially in instances with extreme differences in lighting.

Other on-screen features include a grid, which turns on or off with a single button touch, flash settings, and digital zoom. You can also bring pictures from your Photo Stream into the app for editing and sharing, either one at a time or in batches. All these functionalities work as they should.

Filters and editing

Ah, yes, filters. It’s the hot new thing. Everybody’s doing it, including the new Flickr. But that’s not the only trick Flickr for iOS has up its sleeve.

Flickr’s app includes 15 stylized filters – three fewer than Instagram. And they are all pretty much what you will find in most other photo apps with filters: Lomo and cross-processed wannabes, black and white, Hipster blue, etc. (Their actual names are perhaps the most obnoxious part of Flickr for iOS, cutesy things like Ocelot and Narwhal and Salamander. Fortunately, this is entirely inconsequential.) In fact, the filters come courtesy of a company called Aviary, which provides the filters for other such apps, including the new Twitter filters. As Digital Trends’ Molly McHugh pointed out, however, this isn’t really a good thing – Instagram still has the best pre-cooked filters.

Fortunately, you aren’t stuck with nothing but baked-in filters with Flickr’s app, which has a complete set of photo-editing tools. Don’t like one of the pre-cooked filters? Make your own – and make it better. That’s what Flickr for iOS is for: Making great photos with your phone. And it might be the first app to give users the ability to actually do this easily and well.

To access the photo-editing tools, click the pencil icon that appears in the top-right corner when viewing the photo in its “original” form. If you’ve added one of the filters, the editing option disappears – a slightly annoying feature when you’re first starting out.

Of course, Flickr also gives users the ability to crop a photo however they like, or to not crop it at all – something I consider a major advantage over Instagram, whose tenaciously square crop has pissed me off on more than one occasion.

Sharing

Because this is a Flickr app, all photos you share will be posted to your Flickr profile. Wisely, Yahoo has made it just as easy to share across other social networks. After you’ve edited or filter-ized your picture (or set of pictures – batch editing is possible), you can add a title and description, and post to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or send via email with the touch of the corresponding buttons. And unlike Instagram, images shared to Twitter with the Flickr app will still show up for your Twitter followers.

The entire set of Flickr functionality is there as well, under the “advanced” drop-down menu, which reveals the ability to add the pictures to a photo set, or create a new set; add groups and tags; set the photo’s safety level; adjust location privacy settings, etc.

Yet another leg up on Instagram is the ability for Flickr users to choose the upload size. This can be changed under the Settings menu, which is accessible via the Flickr icon button on the home screen. Size options include original, large, and medium.

One thing that Pro users might not like is the fact that the photos taken with the Flickr app are not automatically separated from non-smartphone pictures, nor are they identified as having been taken with a mobile device. Of course, you can always tag the photo as such, or add that in the description. But it would be nice if there were a way to turn on automatic differentiation.

Browsing

The ability to browse and discover other users’ photos is just as deep as Flickr’s photo-editing capabilities. Under the “people” icon, you can access photos from your Flickr contacts, or groups. To scroll through a specific set of photos, just swipe to the left – a feature Instagram should steal. Tap the “world” button, and you’re given “interesting” (popular) photos from around Flickr. And the “nearby” tab will show you images uploaded close to your physical location. You can, of course, easily access your personal profile, where you’ll find all the photos you’e uploaded to Flickr (not just those added through the app), as well as your sets, groups, favorites, and more.

Final word

Flickr has completely won me over with this app. I went in preparing to hate it, but fell in love. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is significantly better than Instagram. Are the filters as good? Nope. But everything else about it is superior. And I adore the fact that you can apply more of your photography skills than just clever framing – as it should be in a photography app that caters to actual photographers.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/hands-on-with-flickrs-fancy-new-ios-app/

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Sony Xperia V goes on sale in Russia, steeply priced

The Sony Xperia V, a water-proof version of the international Sony Xperia T flagship has gone on sale in Russia today.

The smartphone's initial pricing is pretty steep, though. It will set you back 24999 Russian rubles (around $815/€623/£505) off contract, though.

The black Xperia V can be ordered online right now and shipped to your doorstep tomorrow. The phone will also arrive in the brick and mortar stores of the seller starting December 16.

The white Xperia V is still on pre-order with no word on when it will beging shipping.

The Xperia V was already delayed in France and is expected to launch with Jelly Bean in January. It also has launched as Xperia VL and Xperia AX in Japan.

The smartphone runs on a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon chipset with two 1.5 GHz Krait CPU cores, the Adreno 225 GPU, 1 GB worth of RAM and a 4.3" 720 x 1280 screen at the front.

Thanks, Artem for sending this in!

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/sony_xperia_v_goes_on_sale_in_russia_steeply_priced-news-5204.php

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Amazon Instant Video iOS app update brings iPhone and iPod support

Amazon has updated its Instant Video app for iOS, adding iPhone and iPod Touch support to the existing iPad-only application. This will be of particular interest to Amazon Prime members, who can enjoy their free streaming videos on the small screen too.

Amazon has released an iPhone version of its Instant Video app, previously only made available for the iPad. It’s free to download from the iTunes App Store, but to take advantage of its free content, you’ll have to be a paid-up member of Amazon Prime, the $80 per year service which provides free two-day shipping and access to the video library.

So what do you get for your money? Prime Instant Video contains 30,000 videos which can be streamed to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch for free, plus the regular Amazon Instant Video catalog has a total of 140,000 titles ready to buy or rent, then download ready for viewing when offline. Amazon’s WhisperSync keeps your spot in a film should you have to stop, then syncs it up when you can restart, no matter whether you do so on the same device, or on your computer or games console.

The app isn’t without its technical drawbacks though, as there’s no streaming over 3G or 4G networks – a Wi-Fi connection is essential – and Apple’s Airplay is still not supported either, although this is less of a problem if you own a PS3, Xbox or have an Instant Video application on your TV or Blu-ray player.

Amazon Instant Video is available now from the App Store, and the iPhone/iPod support has been added in version 1.4, so if you already own the app on the iPad, an update is all that’s needed.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/amazon-instant-video-app-now-available-for-the-iphone-and-ipod-touch/

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Dell says goodbye to both smartphones and Android, stops international sales

Dell has withdrawn from the international smartphone market, saying it requires too much investment before becoming successful, however it will continue building Windows 8 tablets and laptops.

Dell has decided it doesn’t want, or can’t get, a slice of the smartphone market. According to the company’s VP of Global Operations, Jeff Clarke, Dell has withdrawn from the business of building smartphones completely and apparently, from using Android too. Dell’s announcement stands out as a surprise in these days of being told the PC market is shrinking, Android’s market share is growing, and the smartphone business has the potential to be worth $150 billion by 2014.

Speaking at Dell World, it’s headline event of the year currently underway in Austin, Texas, Clarke said it had no plans to re-enter the market in the near future either, saying, “It needs a lot of investments to really be successful.” Many of you may have thought Dell had already stopped selling phones, however it was still active in the Chinese and Indian markets until now.

Android will also become less important, as according to Clarke the company found it difficult to monetize in a world apparently dominated by content delivery models such as Amazon’s and Google’s.

While Dell will abandon smartphones, it will continue to build Windows tablets and touchscreen laptops, based on both Windows 8 and Windows RT. Speaking on stage at the event, CEO Michael Dell said they were “optimistic” about Windows 8, calling the touch experience “incredible” and that we’re seeing “a revolution in PCs.” Instead of smartphones and in addition to tablets and laptops, Dell is also working on what they call end-to-end solutions, cloud computing and PC virtualization.

In November, Michael Dell said its Mobility unit wasn’t performing to expectations, and analysts figured its revenues fell by 26-percent and its share of the business dropped by 6-percent too.

Since very few will have missed devices such as the Streak, Venue and Venue Pro since they left U.S. stores earlier this year, it’s perhaps for the best that Dell concentrates its efforts on something new.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/dell-says-goodbye-to-both-smartphones-and-android/

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Eric Schmidt: Android is winning the war with iOS pretty clearly

In an interview with Bloomberg yesterday, Google's CEO Eri Schmidt said Android is quite clearly winning its war against iOS. Schmidt compared the rivalry between Android and iOS in the mobile OS space to the Microsoft versus Apple debacle 20 years ago.

This is a huge platform change; this is of the scale of 20 years ago -- Microsoft versus Apple. We're winning that war pretty clearly now.

He also added that now new users are activating more than 1.3 million Android devices a day. In the third quarter alone, Android took 72 percent of the market, while Apple's iOS managed just 14 percent.

"The core strategy is to make a bigger pie," Schmidt said. "We will end up with a not perfectly controlled and not perfectly managed bigger pie by virtue of open systems."

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/eric_schmidt_android_is_winning_the_war_with_ios_pretty_clearly-news-5203.php

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Google could be shutting down 4G access on Nexus 4

Bye bye 4G

Google may be making it harder for people to switch on 4G on their LG Nexus 4, after it removed some key documentation from public view.

Back in November we reported that a 4G chip was found during a teardown of the Google Nexus 4, with LG later explaining the reason behind it was because the handset used the same board as the LTE-enabled Optimus G.

Further digging revealed the 4G chip could be enabled in the settings menu, allowing super-fast connectivity over the 1700MHz spectrum – especially handy for Canadian users.

However Google has now removed some keys files from its developer archives including the factory images for the Nexus 4 which are used to restore the handset to its original state.

Cover up

The Nexus 4 isn't officially licensed to use 4G, meaning Google could be at risk of attracting unwanted attention from governing bodies if people hack it on, which has led people to believe this latest move is a way of making it harder for users to access the LTE capabilities.

For now this is purely speculation, and there could be plenty of other explanations as to why the images were removed – maybe there was an error in them and they've been taken offline while they are fixed? We can't be sure.

Google has not made any official comment regarding the removal of these files, but we'll be keeping an eye out for any further developments.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/google-could-be-shutting-down-4g-access-on-nexus-4-1118949

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Xperia Yuga to have Exynos 5 Quad chipset, 5" OLED display?

This probably comes from the "if only" sections of the rumor mill, but a rumor about Sony's upcoming flagship, the C660X Yuga, promises that the Japanese company will deliver on its promise to release a phone to compete with the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S III in a big way.

According to a poster in the IT168 forums, the Sony C660X Yuga will pack a Samsung Exynos 5 Quad chipset (marking a move away from Qualcomm), 3GB of RAM and a 16MP camera, all behind a 5" OLED display of 1080p resolution. The rumor further suggests there will be 128GB of built-in storage, a 3000mAh battery, plus water and dust resistance and an IR port.

Now, there is some credibility to this rumor. The Samsung Galaxy S IV is also rumored to use an Exynos 5 Quad chipset. And a 5" 1080p display is quite probable, considering other companies are already launching phones with such screens. The Sony Xperia V is water and dust proof, the Xperia Tablet S has an IR port for remote control functions and so on.

But then reality steps in - a quad-core A15 processor might be a bit much, even for a 3000mAh battery, and not to mention that Sony doesn’t usually use the biggest batteries and has never made a phone with an OLED display. Also, earlier leaks suggest that the Yuga will use a 12MP camera.

A different rumor all together is that the phone will have a glass back a la iPhone 4/4S and the Nexus 4. That's not out of the question - we still haven’t had a clear look at the Yuga's back as all the spy shots are quite dark.

Well, Sony is supposed to bring its next flagship at CES and MWC, so it will take a little patience but we'll know the Yuga's specs soon enough.

Source 1 (in Chinese) • Source 2 | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/real_or_not_xperia_yuga_to_have_a_exynos_5_quad_5_oled_display-news-5202.php

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Budget-oriented Samsung I8262D with Jelly Bean leaks

Yet another Samsung leak from China, this time in the form of the dual-SIM GT-I8262D. Specs-wise there's nothing really groundbreaking, the smartphone offering a single-core 1 GHz CPU and WVGA screen.

Alongside the 4.3 inch display, you'll get Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, microSD support, and an 8MP shooter.

Perhaps its greatest feature will be support for Android 4.1 out of box, and given the meager specifications, the I8262D will probably be sold at a very low price point.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_unveil_new_budgetoriented_galaxy_with_android_41-news-5201.php

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Google Maps vs Apple Maps

Google Maps has arrived back on iOS

Google has been busy: not only is it making nice Android phonesand tablets to annoy Apple, but it's also released a brand new iOS version of Google Maps.

With Apple's own mapping service still the butt of internet jokes and apparently trying to kill Australians, the arrival of Google Maps for iOS should be good news for anyone who needs to find somewhere fast. Is it?

There's only one way to find out...

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: accuracy

Let's start with what really matters: there's no point in having a pretty map engine if it directs you to Burkina Faso when you're trying to get to Birmingham. While we found that both apps performed perfectly when asked to take us to particular addresses,

Apple failed badly when it came to locating places such as businesses, shops or pubs: for example, Apple's mapping data includes outlets of Our Price, which went out of business in 2004, and our local M&S appears twice - both times in the wrong place.

As you can see here, most Apple errors affect businesses, unless someone's hiding TK Maxxes in suburban gardens.

In most cases the errors are relatively minor, such as large shops being pinned to housing estates rather than the retail parks those estates back on to, but such errors do appear to be the rule rather than the exception. With Apple, the chances of finding a particular business in the right place seems to be roughly 50/50; with Google, it's 100%.

Apple does accept map corrections, but it's taking its time fixing them: we notified Apple of several errors and omissions back in October, and they're still wrong or missing.

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: interface

Are you sitting down? In a complete reversal of how things are supposed to work, Google's interface is miles better than Apple's. It's much nicer to look at, and its beauty isn't just skin deep: start typing a business name or address and autocomplete kicks in, with superb results.

For example, we wanted to search for a nearby restaurant called Andiamo: Google had it as the first option by the time we'd typed "Andi". You then get a little panel at the bottom of the screen telling you how long it'll take to get there, with a little icon you can tap to get driving, walking or public transport directions; if you slide the panel up you get additional data such as Street View, contact details and any reviews.

Here's Apple's problem in a nutshell: Google autocompletes it, Apple doesn't know it exists. Google first here, Apple second.

There's another slider on the Google app, this time from the lower right side of the screen: pull that across and you can bring up traffic information, public transport routes, satellite view and even Google Earth (if you have the Google Earth app installed).

Traffic and transport information depend on where you live - your reviewer lives just outside Glasgow, and live traffic information stops a few miles out from the city centre; however, Google Maps does know where the nearest bus stops are and what services stop at them - but where it's available it's very useful.

Going back to iOS Maps after using Google's apps feels like travelling backwards, if not in time then at least in location awareness: searching for the same local restaurant, Apple decided that "Andi" was probably Andijan, which is in Uzbekistan.

Typing the whole name did find the restaurant, but unfortunately not the one half a mile from our house: Apple directed us to identically named sister restaurants, 15 and 21 miles away respectively: an old-data problem again, as our local restaurant is a few years newer than the others. Like Google there's traffic data for major routes, but unlike Google there's no public transport information.

One benefit Apple's Maps app does have over Google Maps is iOS integration, so for example you can bring up Siri and ask for directions or lock your phone and continue to see live mapping. With Google, Siri won't use it to navigate and you'll be left with banner notifications if you switch out of the app.

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: turn by turn directions

Both apps deliver driving directions in two ways: as a flat list of instructions, such as "go that way for ten miles then take the first left", and as real-time satellite navigation accompanied by Siri's voice. You can turn the voice off if you don't like it.

Apple's navigation is prettier than Google's, although things can get awfully cluttered sometimes as you can see here.

Where necessary both apps tell you about multiple changes of direction, which is useful when you're approaching complex junctions and roundabouts, and while they both do it in slightly different ways - Apple pretty and Google minimalist - it's always clear what's going on and where you should be going.

It's worth noting that both apps get their maps from the cloud, so if you veer off route they need a data signal to re-route you: if you plan to do lots of driving where there isn't a 3G/4G mobile signal or where using 3G/4G will cost you money, you'd be much better off with a stand-alone sat-nav app such as the superb TomTom app.

Google's turn by turn navigation is more minimalist but just as useful as Apple's prettier design:

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: performance

The original Google-powered Maps app was desperately slow, which was a real pain on poor mobile data connections. The new one, however, is a screamer: it uses vectors, not tiles, and as a result it delivers instant results when you swipe, search or zoom.

Apple's app is vector-powered too and feels slightly faster than Google's one, although that speed difference is negated by Google's superior autocomplete and location-aware searching.

Both apps also offer satellite views, and in Apple's case there are also 3D models of many urban areas. Where they aren't available, however, both apps use image tiles that take their time on anything other than the fastest 3G connections. We found Google's tiles often delivered more detail, especially in rural areas.

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: privacy

According to reports, the reason Apple wanted to give Google the boot from iOS was because Google wanted too much user data - so is it monitoring every step you take? Yes, sort of. With the app, Google gets your data in two ways: by connecting anonymised location data from your travels, something it lets you opt out of when you first run the app (you can also disable it by going into the app's settings menu), and by logging you into your Google Account.

You don't need to do this, although Google would of course prefer it if you did. The carrot for you is that Maps will share data, searches and favourites across the various devices you use instead of existing in a little world of its own.

Google Maps for iOS vs Apple Maps: early verdict

Google Maps and Apple Maps both offer excellent turn-by-turn navigation and won't cost you a penny, but when it comes to the crunch Google's app beats Apple's one hands down. Apple's app doesn't come close in the accuracy stakes, and the Google app is also nicer and faster to use.

The downside, of course, is that you're giving ever more data to Google, although you can opt out of the data sharing and Google Account integration if you're feeling a little tinfoil hat-y.

Despite the more excitable press reports, Apple's app isn't bad if you're using it to get to a particular address. The wheels only come off when you're trying to find specific businesses by name rather than the number on their doorbell. Whether that's a problem or not depends on what you tend to use mapping for: if you're using it because you're meeting friends in a restaurant, trying to find a specific shop or locate your nearest Nando's then Apple's app is often completely useless. If you know exactly where something is then Apple Maps will get you there, but for everything else we'd go with Google.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/google-maps-vs-apple-maps-1118928

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Google opens its magazine store in Google Play UK

Google has opened the doors to its magazine section of Google Play to UK customers today, where more than 100 titles are available to purchase individually or by using an annual subscription.

When the Android Market rebranded itself as Google Play, it brought with it a considerable amount of new content, including movies and TV shows to buy along with magazines too. At the time, outside of the U.S., very few of these new stores have been opened, however Google has been working hard to solve the licensing issues that no doubt plague its stores, resulting in new countries being added to the list all the time.

Today, it’s the turn of Google Magazines to launch in the UK. Announced through GoogleUK’s Google+ account, there are more than 100 magazines ready to purchase, either individually or through a subscription. The store went live last night, but the option to buy didn’t get switched on straight away, however it seems to be up and running now.

Publishers such as IPC Media, Future and Hearst are all represented, resulting in a varied collection of titles, including everything from Hello! to the New Statesman. Some areas are lacking though, with the Automotive section being without flagship magazines such as Top Gear and Evo, although both What Car? and Autocar are present. That said, it’s considerably better than Amazon’s Kindle Newsstand offering in the UK.

As far as pricing goes, a copy of Golf Monthly will set you back £4.99, while the Official Xbox Magazine costs £5.99. There are some bargains to be had too, as the current issue of Total Film is yours for only £1.99, and Wired for £2.99. Subscriptions are equally as varied, with Wired costing £17.99 for a year, but many come with a free trial period of either 14 or 30 days. Comparing these prices to Apple’s Newsstand sees Wired prices at £1 more in Google Play, but the annual subscription is the same, while Tatler costs £3.99 in both stores.

All magazines are listed as being compatible with Android 7-inch and 10-inch tablets, along with Google Chrome’s web reader too. Google hasn’t opened its Magazine store to any other European countries yet, although the tab has appeared in Google Play France and Germany, but could do soon.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/googles-magazine-store-opens-in-the-uk-today/

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Oppo Find 5 camera samples and video ad emerge

The Oppo Find 5 was officially unveiled yesterday and is the most impressive phone to come out of China yet. It packs a 5" screen with full HD resolution and the quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip, in addition to the sleek design.

The camera department is quite impressive, using the latest 13MP Exmor RS sensor from Sony. It boasts HDR support for both videos and stills and 120 fps high-speed video recording. Sounds great indeed and luckily a trio of camera samples are now available for your viewing pleasure below.

Oppo Find 5 camera samples

The samples look great - sharp and with great colors, while noise is pretty low. We can't wait to spend some quality time with the camera and do some more extensive testing.

Additionally, Oppo has released the first video ad for the Find 5 powerhouse. Check it out.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/oppo_find_5_first_camera_samples_and_advertisment_emerge-news-5200.php

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EE UK to bring LTE coverage to 17 new cities by March 2013

Everything Everywhere UK, the carrier merger between Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, will add 17 new markets to its list of 4G-supported ones by March 2013.

UK's only 4G provider for now announced that it will close 2012 with a bang, bringing next-gen network coverage to 18 cities instead of the estimated 16.

The 17 new towns and cities are Bradford, Chelmsford, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Leicester, Luton, Newport, Reading, Rotherham, St Albans, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall, Watford, West Bromwich and Wolverhampton. The extended coverage will allow 4 million new UK residents to get a taste of LTE (as long as they have an LTE-enabled phone, of course).

The rest of the UK carriers are still on 3G but that should change once the auction of 800 MHz and 2600 MHz spectrum is complete, hopefully, next year.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/ee_uk_will_offer_lte_in_17_new_cities_by_march_2013-news-5199.php

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ZTE Grand S name-checked by CES 2013 website

Cheeky leak from the CES team

The official CES 2013 website has given us a helping hand by revealing the ZTE Grand S smartphone, which is set to be the firm's flagship device.

Only yesterday we reported that ZTE's global chief design director had confirmed the Chinese manufacturer would launch a high-end handset at the Las Vegas-based show in January – and we now know what the device will be called.

Take a gander at the Exhibitor Press Events Schedule for Tuesday and at 1.30pm PST you'll notice the "Introducing the ZTE Grand S" event.

World's thinnest 5-incher

Click through to the event details and we're given some more clues as to what we can expect from the Grand S, including an impressive display and slender frame.

"ZTE's first FHD smartphone is also the world's thinnest for 5-inch FHD smartphones.

"Made of ceramic and featuring traditional Chinese style, the Grand S is the perfect phone for the fashionable set."

There has been a host of rumours surrounding various manufacturers working on 5-inch devices to challenge the popular Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and HTC has already officially unveiled its J Butterfly/Droid DNA/Butterfly around the world with a variety of names to keep us all on our toes.

We've contacted ZTE to see if we can find out any more details on the Grand S, but rest assured we'll get the full lowdown on the handset live from the show in January.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/zte-grand-s-name-checked-by-ces-2013-website-1118865

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ZTE’s Grand S 1080p tablet/smartphone hybrid to be launched at CES 2013

A snippet of information published on the CES 2013 schedule has revealed ZTE will launch the Grand S at the show, its first entry into the burgeoning 5-inch, 1080p smartphone/tablet hybrid market.

The coming year is shaping up to be one filled with 1080p smartphone/tablet hybrids, a trend kicked off recently with the arrival of the HTC J Butterfly, the Droid DNA and this week, the Oppo Find 5. The next model could be coming from ZTE, at least that’s the impression we get from its listing on the CES 2013 schedule.

An entry for January 8 reveals a ZTE announcement set to take place between 1:30pm and 2:30pm, where it will be, “Introducing the ZTE Grand S,” a currently unannounced device. Clicking the link brings up a windows with some explanatory text, saying, “Be the first to see the brand new Grand S, ZTE’s flagship handset in its high-end Grand Series of products.”

A new top-of-the-range phone from ZTE sounds interesting enough, but it gets better, “ZTE’s first FHD [which we take to mean Full HD] smartphone is also the world’s thinnest for 5-inch FHD smartphones. Made of ceramic and featuring traditional Chinese style, the Grand S is the perfect phone for the fashionable set.”

Quad-core power

So, the Grand S will have a 5-inch, 1080p screen just like the other devices we mentioned. For it to take the title of world’s thinnest, it needs to beat the Droid DNA’s 9.7mm thickness, which doesn’t sound too difficult, although we’re still waiting for the Oppo Find 5’s official dimensions. Early leaks pointed to a 6.9mm thickness, making it only sliver off the record-holding Oppo Finder at 6.65mm thick. If this is right, and as the Find 5 looked a lot thicker in the final pictures it may not be, then ZTE will have managed quite a feat if the Grand S is under that figure.

ZTE has previously been rumored to be producing a 5-inch, 1080p device named the Nubia Z5, which according to a recent rumor will measure 7.6mm thick, bringing it well under the DNA’s dimensions. The same source hinted the phone would feature a 12-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM and a Snapdragon S4 chip. In the past, ZTE has used the quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, in the Grand Era for example, and sources have told CNet the Grand S will indeed feature a quad-core processor.

The devices are most likely the same, as ZTE has a habit of renaming its phones for different markets, however there’s a chance the Nubia name has been dropped in favor of continuing to build its already partially established Grand series.

CES 2013 begins on January 8 and continues until January 11.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/zte-to-launch-the-grand-s-1080p-smartphone-at-ces-2013/

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Woman goes to buy iPhones from Apple store, gets Tasered by cop

Being Tasered by cops certainly isn't part of the usual Apple store shopping experience. So why did it happen to Xiaojie Li at the tech giant's store in Nashua, New Hampshire?

An Apple store in Nashua, NH is at the center of a somewhat disturbing story surrounding the Tasering of a Chinese woman who wouldn’t leave the store when asked.

The woman, 44-year-old Chinese national and Newton, Mass. resident Xiaojie Li, reportedly turned up at the store last Friday to buy two iPhones. After making the purchase, Li, who says she can’t speak English, then tried to buy several more iPhones but was refused by Apple store staff, who told her a two-per-customer limit was in place.

Unhappy with this, Li started videoing other customers she claimed were being allowed to buy more than two units. Hardly surprisingly, staff told her to leave.

Over the weekend, a determined Li apparently ordered two more iPhones online, returning to the same store on Monday to collect them. Staff recognized her and refused to give her the items, and once again ordered her to leave.

When she refused, staff called the cops. Despite an officer asking her to leave, Li stayed inside the store. At this point an attempt at arrest was made but Li reportedly resisted for 15 minutes.

Taser

In a video (below) uploaded to YouTube showing part of the incident, you can see – and certainly hear – Li screaming as she’s Tasered by a cop.

Having been issued with a stay-away order by the Apple store, Li was arrested for trespassing and resisting arrest.

“If she left the store when she was told to leave the store, it would’ve been done at that,” Nashua police captain Bruce Hansen told WCVB TV. “She was told she was under arrest after repeatedly being told to leave the store. She didn’t submit to the arrest. The officer used the Taser on her to get her to submit to the arrest.”

Resellers

With her daughter acting as interpreter, Li said she was buying the phones for relatives back in China, but according to Nashua police chief John Seusing, the store has been having trouble with visitors buying multiple devices to sell at inflated prices overseas.

Li, who was carrying $16,000 in cash when she was arrested, said through her daughter that she was trying to buy the handsets for relatives back in her home country.

Li’s boyfriend, John Hugo, said he was outraged by what had happened. “You go into a store, and you end up getting brutalized by the police,” he told WCVB TV, adding that even if she was a reseller, “does it rise to the level of getting a beating from police?”

[Small image: Stephen Coburn / Shutterstock]

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/woman-tasered-outside-apple-store/

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Can EE make 4G a success in Britain?

4G: faster speeds for those with cash to burn

There's no doubt that 4G is going to be a success in Britain; faster speeds, improved services and better handsets are all things most consumers are constantly hankering over.

However we're in a special situation in the UK, with one network allowed to deploy the superfast networks ahead of its competition. EE already owned 1800MHz spectrum, capable of delivering the LTE signal, and successfully petitioned the government to allow it to offer the service to consumers.

The other big players: O2, Vodafone and Three, will have to head through an auction in 2013 to get their hands on the prized spectrum to deliver the same services, so it would seem EE has gained a huge advantage by going first.

But with the announcement of the next wave of cities getting 4G from EE, will the network gain enough from being the first to rollout the technology, or will it be associated with high costs and unknown technology? If, as it states, it will have one of the best networks out there, could launching at the same time as the others pr have prevented it having to learn how we will use 4G data while everyone is looking?

It's had to invest in a huge marketing spend, convince consumers to pay more for phones and we've many people I've spoken to don't like the prices: £36 for 500MB of data, all the way up to £56 per month for an 8GB allowance was seen as eye-watering to many.

While we can't expect to pay rock-bottom rates for the faster speeds (it's not free to deploy 4G, obviously) there was a massive contradiction in the messages from EE. On the one hand, it was saying it had chosen the data limits based on 3G usage, yet with all its posters and marketing materials it was extolling the virtues of all the new things customers can do, such as gaming and video on the go.

What will we do with it?

These activities suck down reams more data, making any 3G learnings largely irrelevant. While it's not fair to expect EE to know how Britain will consume 4G data on the go, saying 'you used to use 512MB happily, so you'll do the same on 4G' makes very little sense.

Tom Bennett, director of network services at EE, told TechRadar that EE has spent a lot of time with large networks in other countries that already have 3G, such as Verizon in the US, and confirmed that it was expecting 4G to bring the likes of YouTube into the top 10 most visited websites on a mobile.

With that in mind, it might have made more sense to give more generous data limits on 4G; if EE is confident consumers won't use them, where's the harm? It's now got to deal with being seen as overly expensive, even though the sky high prices should be expected.

The point to be made here is that by being first to market EE gets the reflected glory of being a technology pace-setter; Bennett told us that in his opinion doing so would put EE 'ahead [of competitors] by a significant margin' in terms of its 4G network quality.

And that's the key point: come mid-2013 when Vodafone et al come online with their own offerings, EE will have an entrenched customer base and a (hopefully) refined range of price plans to provide super fast speeds at a lower cost.

It's perfectly plausible that Three or O2 will use EE's 'expensive' reputation to offer cheaper 4G, but all have to bear the cost of a massive roll out and network update, making such a scenario less likely.

Do we want 4G yet?

So here we are, five weeks into 4G Britain. We've got no stats on user take up as yet, but TechRadar's tests have shown 4G to be much faster, provided you have a faster signal. Bennett tells us that independent tests in Manchester saw 4G and 3G combined speeds averaging 7.6Mbps , which is definitely faster than 3G offers.

But beyond the early adopters, very few will pay the high price to get a 4G contract when they're unsure how much data they'll be using. We need education, statistics and most importantly, a price war to convince most of us need a 4G phone in our lives.

We should raise a glass to the networks for the speed of the rollout though: the transition from 2G to 3G took nearly seven years in the UK; the move to 4G will take under two. Businesses that can swallow the cost will be able to be more connected than ever before which will provide a boost to the economy.

Price aside, 4G speeds will bring us faster downloads, more connected devices than ever before and a new world of entertainment – but consumers need to be convinced that's worth paying for when their current smartphones are providing a decent experience already.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/can-ee-make-4g-a-success-in-britain-1118731

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