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Samsung Galaxy S Gingerbread now available

3GScottishUser — Sat, 21 May 2011 10:59:37 GMT

Just plugged the phone into Kies this morning and hey presto.... firmware upgrade - Gingerbread Android 2.3 now installed.

The update should be available across all networks but my version is from Vodafone.

Not had long to play with it but the handset seems more responsive and more stable. Had to reinstall a couple of apps but after that the phone is performing like new.

One has to wonder if the networks will be happy with software updates making handsets much better as it could affect sales as people hang on to what they own longer. I like the Galaxy S2 but I'm not going to pay more money for something that is only marginally better than what I have now.

Me, myself & Android.

@NickyColman — Fri, 20 May 2011 10:30:43 GMT

Most will know, this last week I've had my first real experience with Android. I bought a Pay & Go handset on Three - Samsung Galaxy S 2.

The short story - I'm going back to iPhone & iOS.

Instead of bore you all with a long write-up of my experience, I'm gonna list my hates/dislikes/comparisons to iOS below.

Push - The lack of.
The Android OS doesnt seem to have Push Notifications like iOS. Messages from apps such as Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook etc were all delayed, anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours (even with the refresh rate set to shorter intervals). Certain apps like Twitter for Android can be configured to refresh every so often, however 'WhatsApp' has no such option meaning messages were received completely at random.

Some notifications, such as Facebook, never turned up at all.

Unstable
Despite running Android 2.3.3, I found the OS to be very unstable at times. For example, the camera app would crash if the phone was moved form landscape to portrait with the viewfinder open.

The OS seemed to, how shall I put it? Fall over itself? It was going so fast that it was as if the phone was two steps ahead of the OS. Graphical hiccups, glitches, etc.

Poor camera
Not an Android issue, but the whole experience overall - The supposed 8 megapixel camera wasnt a patch on iPhone 4's 5 megapixeler.

Fiddly
Androids navigation system is a love/hate affair for me. Loved the fact you can use the hardware buttons for further options. The buttons themselves were very unreliable. Seemingly responding when they wanted to, with sometimes a delay of a few seconds before the OS responded to the touch.

Horrid battery life
Battery life was appalling. It was my understanding that the latest versions of Android were very power efficient. Not in my experience.

Obviously the Samsung GS2 has a larger, brighter screen than many other handsets, however, I found that I needed to have the screen on its lowest brightness setting to stop it from eating itself.

With wifi, Bluetooth & GPS on, the battery would soon plummet. I'm used to having my iPhone last me all day and then some.

Taking the GS2 off charge at 6.30, wifi off, screen on lowest, Bluetooth off, GPS off, no apps open (other than Twitter & WhatsApp) in the memory and phone on vibrate I could find my battery losing 10% by 11 o'clock in the morning. This all whilst not being used and sat in my pocket with only Twitter set to auto fresh once every 2 hours.

Finishing work at 3pm, my battery was regularly ~70%. A 15 minute car journey & a 7 minute phone call across Bluetooth can drag it right down to 50%.

Light browsing in the house and a few tweets later, I was reaching for my charger when the phone begins hitting 30%.

Gmail app
The stock Gmail app that comes with the phone is PANTS! Emails received are not properly formatted to fit the screen. Instead, I was constantly fingering the screen to read what was being displayed.

You can label items for use in Gmail, but no way to put multiple items in a folder. It was my understanding that Gmail on Android was supposed to be a more functional affair? Fair enough I cant Star items on iPhones stock email app, but at least I could move emails in folders.

Then theres the biggest problem with the Gmail app - Inconsistent Push. Gmail on Android is supposed to push emails within minutes of them being received. Hours later, still no notifications. Trawled Google and theres literally tons of forum posts from people having the same issues with Gmail Pushing whenever it wants.

This rendered the app, to me, useless.

Thinking it was perhaps a server issue, rather than a problem with the Gmail App, I switched to the stock Android email app.

Push worked perfectly.

Emails received within seconds!

Great.

Until a link was received in an email. For some reason, the app only allowed part of any link in an email to be selected.

For example, a link received from the BBC showed http://bbc.com/mobile/news/UK/headlines, obviously taking you to the headlines page of the BBC news website. However, only http://bbc.com/mobile was actually highlighted and could be clicked. When you followed the link, you were just taken to the main landing page of the BBC's mobile website.

Tried it with various different links from different clients, different people, different sites. All the same result. Again useless.

Duplicate apps
The above highlights one of the most confusing and frustrating elements to Android - duplicate apps. Before even venturing into the Android Market, the handset comes preloaded with a few apps, all wich seem to be competing for the same job.

Example:

Google Talk & IM - Virtually doing the same job. Which is better? Who knows? (A side note, the Google Talk app was often the most unreliable, regularly displaying that my contacts werent online and message sending errors)

Another example was the Gmail app & email app - Again which is better?

Multitouch
Multitouch isnt native through the OS. Some screens have + & - options. Inconsistent.

Touch screen jumpy
Not sure if this is hardware or how the software interprets touches, but I found the touch screen to be very inaccurate when in the browser. Clicking links often resulted in a link being selected a few options down. Frustrating.

Android Market
The one good thing the Android Market has going for it is that you dont have to put a password in everytime you download an app (are you listening Apple???)

The rest of it is a pretty meh affair. The UI is revolting and looks like Sony Ericssons content 'wap site' from a few years ago. The whole thing is just a very poor competitor to Apple's humongous App Store.

Random bugs
I found the home screen widgets are more temperamental than Windows Vista at times. The clock widget regularly fell out of sync with the actual time. To remedy the whole handset had to be rebooted - WTF?

Some didn't stick to their refresh schedule. Some just stopped working.

The battery meter app displayed an up to date state % of the battery. That is, until it would stop working, leaving you thinking that the battery was ok. Wrong.

I also I received random error messages from time to time. However, the errors didnt explain what the issues were, instead just showing a long code followed by some gibberish text. A Google search sorted the issues, however, how many 'average' users would have been put off by this?

Conclusion, of sorts
Android is powerful. Its fresh and its undoubtedly got a strong future ahead of it. But right now, IMHO, its not ready to replace iOS. I dont quite trust it. Not yet, anyway.

To me, Android's biggest strength is that its helping to make iOS even better.

Contactless Payments come to Orange via Barclaycard

Ben — Fri, 20 May 2011 09:27:53 GMT

Orange and Barclaycard today launch Quick Tap, the UKs first contactless mobile payment service which allows consumers to make purchases on the high street using their mobile phone for the very first time. The landmark launch means that from today, in addition to using contactless cards or chip and PIN, consumers can simply tap their mobile phone on a contactless reader at tills in over 50,000 stores to make purchases £15 and under.

This entirely new, secure and convenient way to make payments is an evolution of how people pay and follows previous payment milestones such as the move from cheques to cards. Mobile payments will be accepted at stores nationwide including Pret a Manger, EAT., Little Chef, Wembley Arena, Subway, Wilkinson and McDonalds where contactless payments are currently accepted.

http://www.newsroom.barclays.com/con...6&NewsAreaID=2

From what I understand, users will have to load credit from selected cards onto an app stored on the SIM. Not ideal to be honest.

1p SMS Delivery Report charge starts June 6th

Ben — Thu, 19 May 2011 14:18:55 GMT

Three UK have begun texting customers advising them that a 1p charge for delivery reports on text messages will apply from June 6th 2011.

Under their own terms and conditions they are required to give you a month's notice of any changes that may be to your detriment.

Therefore anyone who has not been given sufficient notice could come to the conclusion that Three UK has breached these terms and conditions. I'm no expert, but you may be able to terminate your agreement early if you can demonstrate that you will be affected.

Perhaps more serious than the notice screw-up is the fact that Three, after going to such great lengths to make its tariffs transparent and great value, would introduce such a 'stealth fee'. It's absolutely at odds with all the advances they've been making lately, and my mind boggles as to how they could be so stupid as to risk tarnishing the brand that they've been doing such a good job of polishing up.

It looks like the mess surrounding tethering on 30-day One Plan wasn't a one-off. Somebody doesn't know what they're doing...

Can't add a second Google account

Silver Firefly — Thu, 19 May 2011 07:12:26 GMT

Hi,

I have a HTC Desire HD which is linked to my personal Google account. But I want to add my work account too, which is another Google account, which I'm having trouble doing.

These are the steps I've tried:

1) Menu > Settings > Accounts & sync > Add account > Google > Next > Sign in
2) I type in my username (the email address I use for my work account) and my password and then tap the sign in button
3) I get an error message saying "Sorry... Your username and password do not match. Please try again."

I have tried this several times. I have double checked my username and password several times. They are the same as what I use to sign in to my work Google account on my laptop. I know I am using the right username and password for this account. I am logged in this account on my laptop as I'm typing this so I know it's all working. So I don't get why it won't work on my mobile phone.

Any ideas?

Tier-1 European Mobile Network Operator Deploys Actix Network Acceptance Solution

newsprovider1 — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:42:47 GMT

Operator Selects the Actix Solution to Support a Combined RAN Swap and LTE Rollout

London 17th May 2011 – Actix, a leader in Mobile Network Analytics and Optimization, announced that a tier-1 European operator is deploying the Actix Network Acceptance solution. The solution supports a 3-year project to modernize the operator’s mobile broadband offering through a combined RAN Swap and LTE rollout impacting over 65,000 sites.

The Actix Network Acceptance solution was chosen by the operator to enable them to carry out an in-depth acceptance process across the whole network, helping them achieve an on-time and (more importantly) an on-quality network rollout. The Actix solution allows the operator to analyze various data sources to automatically track contractual acceptance KPIs, generate acceptance reports, measure live network impact and to provide a country-wide view of the rollout process.

The Actix Network Acceptance solution helps operators manage the substantial risks involved in “live-network” RAN Swaps and traditional new network rollouts. “Operators rely almost entirely on network equipment providers for the success of network rollouts – if rollouts are delayed or network quality isn’t up to scratch, the impact to operators can be substantial, both financially and in terms of reputation,” said Bill McHale, Actix CEO. “With operators looking to consolidate their networks, RAN Swaps are becoming commonplace. These carry greater risk to operators, since any degradation of network quality will impact existing customers immediately.”

Using the Actix solution, operators can shorten their network acceptance process by up to 75%, increase engineering efficiency, and drive higher network quality.

About Actix
Actix is the industry leader in network acceptance, with over 200 operators, network equipment providers, and third parties using Actix to support 2G, 3G, and LTE rollouts. Founded in 1992, today Actix has major offices in the U.K., U.S., Malaysia, Germany, Japan, Brazil, and China. In 1997, Actix invented the world's first multi-vendor post-processing tool for mobile network analytics, Analyzer, which is the current de facto global standard. for desktop network acceptance. In 2007, Actix delivered the first mobile analytics and optimization platform for network acceptance, ActixOne. ActixOne is used by 6 of the top 10 operators worldwide.

Vodafone profits up 10%

Ben — Tue, 17 May 2011 09:01:23 GMT

As expected, Vodafone have reported significant profits. This, then, is good news for Vodafone, its shareholders, and, assuming it's not all locked away in tax bunkers, George Osborne.

Data-centric offerings apparently increased revenue by 26%. What remains to be seen, however, is whether Vodafone is investing significant amounts of cash in its networks in order to support the surge in data usage.

Vittorio Colao must guard against overselling Vodafone's networks for short-term gains.

RIM BlackBerry Playbook gets surprisingly cheerful review?

Ben — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:51:51 GMT

Just read this on The Register: http://www.reghardware.com/2011/05/1...erry_playbook/

Quote:

The operating system is deeply attractive and easy to use arguably better than Android though in need of more apps, of course. RIMs main customers are business users and some may find it too frivolous to be worthwhile. But if you want a tablet that offers strong leisure features like games, browsing and video playback plus uncompromising security, the PlayBook suggests that the future of tablet computing may not be limited to a two-horse race after all.

Generous? While scoring at 75% the reviewer appears to be saying that this gives a better tablet experience than Android does. Is there hope for BlackBerry tablets or is this review just a little too rose tinted?

Message Guy Lawrence, Vodafone UK CEO

Ben — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:30:10 GMT

Well, I stumbled across this today!

http://campaigns.vodafone.co.uk/guylaurence/

I'll certainly be sharing my recent experiences with Guy Lawrence. Hopefully if he has his finger on the pulse then they wont be alien to him.

To anyone else who has noticed Vodafone slipping lately I say this - make your voice heard!

A snippet from the GSMA referencing the Vodafone group CEO:
"Colao highlighted the issue during an earnings announcement last year, stating his intention to shift the companys focus from creating a stronger Vodafone, to a more valuable Vodafone a clear message that he was more concerned with generating (shareholder) value, than keeping a foothold in as many markets as possible."

I'm not sure there's anything for the consumer in Vittorio Colao's strategy at all.

Iphone 4S the rumours

hecatae — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:19:39 GMT

Dual core A5 cpu
8mp camera
OTA IOS Updates
HSPA+
No LTE

http://t.co/ojsMqvU < rest here, sounds convincing

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-...pdates--956098

http://blogs.forbes.com/ericsavitz/2...rint-t-mobile/

http://www.unwiredview.com/2011/05/1...hone-4s-not-5/

The Asus Eee Pad Transformer - Two Weeks On

Hands0n — Sun, 15 May 2011 19:26:14 GMT

I have now had the Transformer for just over two weeks and figure that it is time for a brief summingup on how the experience has been so far. Definitely it has been an interesting experience. And I mean that in a positive way.

As a tablet computer the Transformer is likely to be a near identical experience to any of the known 2011 models that we know about right now. I cannot see very much to differentiate with the exception of hardware add-ons, such as the Transformer's hardware keyboard/dock.

The Tegra 2 processor lends a significant performance bonus thanks to the dual cores. But this is not always apparent. It has left me wondering if this is a Honeycomb issue or a new hardware constraint. I witnessed similar with the Motorola Xoom when I had a play with one in the store before picking up the Transformer.

For me, the most noticeable performance issue relates to the touchscreen keyboard. It is horrible, laggy, and very prone to mis-strike. I find the custom Asus keyboard worse than the stock Honeycomb one. Thankfully you can easily flip from one to the other. What I can see happening is that the autocorrection is absolutely killing the the tablet as it struggles to check what you have just typed and keep up with your keypresses in real time. Even bringing up the editing cursor and repositioning it is a laggy hit and miss business. None of that is apparent on Gingerbread on my Nexus S. So what is going on?

Of course these are early days for Android's tablet OS. This is, after all, its first outing and things wikk be a bit quaint. Any of us old iOS hacks will clearly really version 1.0 of that particular OS. So there is a sense of de ja vous about all of this.

Apps
Much has already been said about Honeycomb's lack of applications. My feeling, generally, is "so what?". Most Android phone apps work very well in Honeycomb without that dreadful pixelation that is seen in iOS pads. And there is a steady growth in the number of Honeycomb pad apps each week. It will take a while for the numbers to bulk up, but it is clear that they are on their way. And the quality already is not at all bad.

Glitches
There has only been one so far. Yesterday the Transformer appeared to have just died. There was no power and it was unresponsive to the power switch. I had to reset the device by holding the power switch down for ten seconds and it then booted back up. I do not know why this happened, it was used and then set down for an hour or so previously. Very odd, and it hasn't happened again.

Verdict?
I am still quite happy with the purchase. It has not disappointed. The link into Google's ecosystem is rather good. I am looking forward to trying out the full integration into the Google cloud aps on this device.

The question I am constantly asked is whether or not this Honeycomb device can or will replace the iPad in my box of toys. The answer continues to be a strict no. I have too much invested in the iPad and the Apple ecosystem to just throw it away on a version 1 of this product. But what I can say is that Android tablets are not to be under estimated. They are here to stay and the chances are that they will repeat the mobile phone phenomeon over the next year or two.

Meanwhile, I can recommend the Transformer highly. It is a surprisingly well made device, even for an Asus and should not disappoint. What is missing today will arrive tomorrow, or at least soon enough.

LG Optimus 2X - the first dual-core smartphone

Ben — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:36:22 GMT

Well, according to Trusted Reviews this handset is finally at mainstream availability. They seem to have really liked it, but you must have to have used one because I find it very difficult to get excited about!

http://www.trustedreviews.com/lg-opt...e-Phone_review

Quote:

The LG Optimus 2X is an excellent phone. Its styling is lovely, it packs in oodles of high-end hardware and thanks to its Android OS, it's hugely versatile. However, LG has made a few too many slip ups for it to really hit the top spot. Nontheless, particularly thanks to it being a bit cheaper than the competition, if you're looking for a true smartphone powerhouse, it's well worth considering.

It runs Android 2.2.

Motorola Flipout £49.99

hecatae — Thu, 12 May 2011 19:39:18 GMT

http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/motorola-flipout

have to buy £20 top up, but nice price

Google Chromebook is coming to Three.

Ben — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:55:11 GMT

Today at the annual Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco, Google unveiled Chromebooks, a range of new computers built and optimised for the web.

Three is delighted that weve been selected as the 3G connectivity partner for the Chromebook launch in the UK. Well have more details to share in the next few weeks so stay tuned.

Read the blog post on Three's site here: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/05/11/g...ming-to-three/

European Union Naval Force communicates securely from remote destinations with AEP Ne

newsprovider1 — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:09:46 GMT

ASCOT, UK. (May 12, 2011) - Officers at the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) are benefitting from military levels of security to communicate from remote locations back to base thanks to a secure communications solution from trusted security provider AEP Networks. Officers in the field are able to send highly confidential data using AEP Networks SCOPE SecComm solution ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of their data.

The EU NAVFOR was launched on 8 December 2010 to help protect UN World Food Programme vessels and to deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery. It also focuses on protecting vulnerable shipping and monitoring fishing activities off the coast of Somalia. Officers are deployed remotely and act in accordance with UN Security Councils resolutions.

During field operations, secure communications equipment is airlifted onto participating ships, enabling officers to send highly confidential data securely over the best available network. AEP Networks SCOPE SecComm device determines automatically which network to connect to using predefined policies. Once connected, EU NAVFOR can exploit 3G, broadband or satellite networks to send and receive secure IP traffic. AEP Networks optimises the voice and data in real time to ensure reliable high quality transmission using the least amount of bandwidth.

SCOPE SecComm is a small carry case containing an intelligent communications router, an IPSec encryptor and a rechargeable battery power pack. A pan-European accredited encryption solution, AEP Networks SCOPE SecComm is CAPS approved by CESG to NATO, EU and UK Confidential meaning that officers can access restricted and confidential data over widely available public mobile and wireless networks.

The challenge for any military organisation is to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of every type of communication, one hundred per cent of the time including voice, video and data. There is absolutely no room for error, said Mark Darvill, director at AEP Networks. When the successful transmission of data can make the difference between the success and failure of an operation, its critical that the European Union Naval Force have the confidence and assurance that everything they transmit is secured to the highest level.

AEP Networks launched SecComm in April 2009.