o2
O2 Testing 4G Mobile Broadband Network (UK)
February 7, 2010
The massive UK mobile phone and broadband network of O2, along with telecommunications provider Huawei, have uploaded a video onto YouTube showing the next generation of mobile broadband, which is commonly known as 4G.
The video showed a test of the connection involving activities such as streaming high definition video over the web. The test showed speed results of just 8Mbps, much less than the potential 150Mbps that was earlier forecast.
However, this is of course a step in the right direction. At this 8Mb speed we can compare these mobile networks to the average-Joe’s home broadband speed. Other possibilities in the video are real time gaming made available through the 4G networks low latency.
Continue reading »Buy Palm Pre Exclusively On O2 Network (UK)
October 20, 2009
Well you can now buy the Palm Pre in the UK – but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we suffer quite a bit here in the UK from late releases and it seems we have to wait a reasonable period of time to get even some of the biggest names in tech – even this week we had the Kindle 2 and Mintpass, both of which have been available in the US and Korea respectively for ages!
This is a shame cause it not only means we have to wait but I feel the manufacturers themselves also suffer as the original euphoria from when the Palm Pre was first announced has somewhat died down over time – but now it’s time for the ‘Palm Pre’ to make its UK debut, and I’m sure Palm will be hoping that the interest is still strong, as will O2 who have the exclusivity on the handset in the UK.
Continue reading »iPhone 3G & 3GS On Vodafone Mobile Network (UK)
September 29, 2009
Another day, another iPhone announcement from a mobile network in the UK – you discuss the possibility of the iPhone on other UK mobile networks, then two announcements come along in as many days!
The day after we found out that we’d be getting iPhones on the Orange network in late 2009, we now find out that Vodafone will also have them available on their network after talks were completed and the deal was signed late last night with Apple.
Continue reading »iPhone 3G and 3GS On Orange Mobile Network (UK)
September 28, 2009
Good news everyone! The iPhone’s exclusivity deal with O2 is over and we’ll be seeing the iPhone available on the Orange network before the end of the year!
Orange have announced that they now have an agreement with Apple to offer the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS to Orange customers later this year in 28 countries and territories. Within the UK they will be sold via all direct Orange channels including Orange shops, the Orange website, and Orange telesales, in addition to other selected high street partners.
Continue reading »iPhone 3.0: The Dark Side – Part 2
August 18, 2009
“Bring On The Pain!”
Ages ago now (sorry), realising that I couldn’t really say what I had intended to say about Apple without actually going through the “fail” process for myself after writing iPhone 3.0: The Dark Side – Part 1, I decided to sacrifice my un-activated 1.0 iPhone in the name of science, and upgraded the firmware to iPhone 3.0. Here’s how it went…
I connected the iPhone to my PC, then waited the 45 minutes or so it takes for Apple’s flagship product to load in Windows. It duly reported that a firmware update was available, so I chose to install and waited. After downloading and installing, the iPhone re-booted and reported that it was waiting to be activated. “That’s all folks!” I thought, but after 2 minutes of sitting doing nothing, my iPhone gave up trying to activate and just turned on and worked.
Continue reading »iPhone 3G Available On Other UK Networks? (Rumour)
July 14, 2009
There’s apparently more talk, or shall we say rumours that Apple might be in talks with other mobile phone networks that would see O2 lose their exclusivity deal on the iPhone 3G handset. The UK networks in question could well be Orange and T-Mobile, both of which would no doubt be eager to get the now entry-level iPhone 3G handset available to their customers.
I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there who have ended up on the O2 network simply because they wanted an iPhone and had no choice in the matter – I know I certainly have, before I got my iPhone 3G PAYG, I’d been with Orange for nearly 10 years and for the most part I would have been happy enough to remain with them had they been able to offer me the iPhone at the time, especially since the Orange network signal is better in my local area.
Continue reading »iPhone 3.0: The Dark Side – Part 1
June 21, 2009
I know what you’re thinking.
Here’s the Windows Nerd, back for another round of Apple bashing. Well let me get a few things straight right now before we begin. I own an iPhone and more than that, I think it pretty excellent. There is absolutely nothing out there that even comes close to the intuitive user interface, the plethora of fantastic apps and the sheer usability of what is quite simply, the best phone ever made. Am I going to use an awkward, clunky Windows Mobile interface, or am I going to use an iPhone? Hmm, tough call isn’t it?
Continue reading »iPhone 3GS Upgrade Cost Farce
June 9, 2009
So, the eagerly anticipated new iPhone 3GS release happened last night (well, BST anyway) and my, wasn’t everyone a little peeved! Although I spent most of my time chuckling at the hordes of people infecting my Twitter account with talk of the same damn thing, I found solace in knowing that none of it affected me. I have avoided the iPhone so far, but in the last few months have really had urges to own one.
It turns out that O2 aren’t happy with their ridiculous monopoly over the iPhone and want to still charge their loyal customers hundreds of pounds to upgrade to the shiny new 3rd generation toy. You know what means, right? Yep – Twitter has been overrun once again with complaints from all sides of the UK.
Continue reading »Free SIM Cards
March 22, 2009
A few people have recently asked me about free SIM cards on Pay As You Go (PAYG) for mobile phones, so I thought I should perhaps provide a quick summary of the different options on offer.
Given the current economic climate, everyone is trying to save money wherever they can and I know from experience as when coming towards the end of my current mobile phone contract, I didn’t really want to commit to yet another 18 month contract, especially when I don’t use the included minutes and text messages that I’m paying for now.
Continue reading »iPhone 3G PAYG
September 21, 2008
The iPhone 3G has now gone on sale on Pay As You Go (PAYG) in the UK on the O2 network, this is great news for those people who don’t like being tied to a long contract (18 months in the case of the iPhone 3G) and also for people like me who already have a contract, it opens up the market for more potential customers for the iPhone 3G and O2.
When the original iPhone was released last year, I have to admit that I wasn’t overly impressed by it due to some of its limitations – no 3G, no GPS, a poor camera, reports of poor signal reception due to the metal back on it. Sure it had a great innovative touchscreen interface, but like many things from Apple in my experience, you’re often better off not getting the first generation of a product as an updated model seems to come along quite quickly.
Continue reading »
