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Sony Ericsson Xperia X1: Confirmed On Orange And O2 At Carphone Warehouse

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
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About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Sony Ericsson’s biggest new handset in many years, the Xperia X1, will be in Carphone Warehouse in the next couple of weeks, available on the O2 and Orange networks.

The device will hopefully be on £45 per month tariffs for free! The slightly more pricey option is to buy the handset on prepay for £600.

Kinda know why they weren’t so eager to shout the cost of from the rooftops, 600 quid is some serious money! Considering the bells and whilstles in the Xperia, it sounds about right.

The big question, is it wise to release such an opulent phone at a time when most manufacturers are focusing on cheap and cheerful solutions like the LG KP500 and Nokia 5800?

Source: Mobile Today

Nokia 5800 XpressMedia To Miss Xmas?

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

In our excitement over the new touchscreen Nokia 5800, we neglected to realise that the release date was not one of November as was initially rumoured, but rather a 2009 launch in the US and UK.

According to a Reuters report, the emerging markets will be the first to benefit from the phone’s arrival, with India, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia and Spain to all see the Comes With Music equipped phone by the end of the year. What is usually considered the larger markets of the UK, America and most of Europe will have to go without…

Thinking about it, this is a very shrewd move. Apple did the exact opposite, launching in the established Western territories first, then turning their attention to countries like India and Russia, where the lack of appealing network subsidies meant a far later release. Heck, Russia hasn’t even got an iTunes store yet, Apple has plenty to straighten out before forging links in foreign markets.

Nokia has years of experience in precisely these areas, selling tens of millions of phones in emerging sector over the years. By releasing the 5800 quickly, and at a far cheaper price point than the iPhone, they stand to make far more of an impact in these areas.

“The phone is competitively priced and Nokia’s competitive advantage is in emerging markets. When putting two and two together it’s logical they start the roll-out from emerging markets,” said analyst Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics.

However, to lose out on a festive period which will see the powerhouses of the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, the Samsung Pixon, the LG KC910 Renoir and T-Mobile’s Android-powered G1 poised to force their way into people’s stockings, Nokia’s 5800 may not get a look in come 2009.

Who’s to say they won’t have an even more snazzy touch phone waiting in the wings by then?

Apple iPhone: Over 10 Million Served…Three Months Early

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

At an Apple conference early last year, when Steve Jobs announced their new entry into the mobile phone market and a lofty goal of 10 million sales in 2008, many were very sceptical.

This was an industry with established titans like Nokia and Samsung, dedicated sellers who would not let such an unconventional device go unchallenged for long.

Despite the legions of iPhone killers, the flood of touch-based challengers that have been released or announced like the Samsung Tocco, the Samsung Omnia, the HTC Touch Diamond, the LG Viewty, the LG Renoir, the Samsung Pixon…none have had close to the same impact.

Even Nokia and BlackBerry have reluctantly entered the touchscreen domain, and whilst the 5800 and Storm 9500 seem like the most well equipped to dethrone the champ, is it too late to stop the charge?

With help from the revamped iPhone 3G, Apple have managed the unthinkable and reached their goal…three months early.

Looking at individual IMEI codes (a unique 15-digit handset identifier given to every single mobile phone made), the Apple Finance Board have tracked and logged 8 million handsets manufactured by early September, and all of those and many more have since been sold through. Wow.

The double whammy of the iPhone 3G and the new firmware and App Store (which I correctly predicted to be a game changer, thank you!) has worked wonders for the iPhone, breathing new life into what was considered a fad and technologically underwhelming device.

Apple performed what can now be officically coined as “doing a Nintendo,” perplexing the industry and consumers alike whilst selling lots of units through innovative ideas and application, despite what many would consider to be an inferior product. Wii Golf, anyone?

Champagne and cigars all round for Apple, methinks! As impressed as we all are with their success the big question, as ever, is “What next?”

The Nokia N96 Reviews Are In!

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Arguably one of the most exciting handsets from Nokia in a long time (until they went and unveiled the 5800!), the N96 with it’s focus on multimedia playback and digital TV awesomeness has got a lot of websites excited, but some are underwhelmed…

GSM Arena is impressed by the phone in general, but have a few minus points including the battery life, a lack of USB charging and the hefty price tag. Having said that, they loved the camera and extra memory the N96 provides…

An excellent point which they raised was the DVB-H digital TV functionality. As awesome as it is, if you aren’t in the big universites of Oxford and Cambridge then no TV for you! Check out this list for which places in the globe currently support it. Lucky Nigerians.

Stuff.tv have a glowing 5 star review of the phone, stating that it picks up the mantle from the Nokia N95 in impressive fashion, and bar an 8 megapixel camera it provides to be everything a smartphone should.

If only it could cut down on the pies a bit and had a more svelte, Samsung i8510-esque look, the N96 would have torn the industry asunder! As it is, features like the vibrant 2.6 inch screen and BBC iPlayer will be more than enough to convert mobile phone fans to pray at the altar of the N-Series.

As soon as we can have a sneaky peek at one, we’ll let you know our take on it…

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Adds A Facebook Feed “Human Interface”

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Nokia’s first touchscreen device is certainly one for the people, and they have completely capitalised on this fact by adding an RSS-feed style update for your contacts on the Home screen of the 5800 XpressMusic.

The smartphone’s Contacts menu smacks of a social networking site, allowing a one touch method to access details of any stored names and numbers.

“We have used touch technology where it really adds value such as the Contacts Bar, Media Bar, and clever shortcuts from the home screen to menu items such as calendar, profiles and clock,” crowed Nokia’s Senior VP Jo Harlow, triumphantly. “Users can highlight up to four favorite contacts on their home screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, e-mails, phone logs, photos and blog updates.”

The Nokia 5800 is a handset poised to tackle Apple’s iPhone 3G in the competitive savvy youngster market. Perhaps this kind of always connected messaging system is what the kids are into these days…

Two tin cans and some string, I was happy.

Nokia 5800 Tube Unveiled At Comes With Music Event, Has A Plectrum!

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Sure enough, the touchscreen Nokia 5800 hyped to high heaven is here, and looks pretty nice. 3.2 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, 8GB of memory, 3 inch haptic screen, plectrum, the phone certainly has it all on paper but we’ll wait and see if it still feels like a traditional Nokia…

At a bargain price of £219 upon it’s eventual launch, it is the right price to challenge certain other touchscreen music phones, but whether it has the kids excited remains to be seen.

Check out the phone in motion from this NokNok video!

Nokia CEO Tips Hat To Heavyweight Challenger, Set To Take On All Comers

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Speaking at a gathering of the big names in Silicon Valley, Nokia’s CEO acknowledged the threat posed by new competitors to their phone industry dominance, but vowed to put up a good fight in the coming months.

Nokia’s head honcho Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo realised that the introduction of businesses once rooted in the computing world have changed the focus of the mobile phone market to high-powered smartphones and online connectivity.

“Suddenly you have the mightiest companies in the world there as your competitors. That is a little mind-boggling,” Kallasuvo said, speaking of Google and Apple entering what was previously Nokia territory…and making waves.

Also Nokia have been impressed by BlackBerry makers Research in Motion making their handsets more appealing to the casual market, but have aligned with Microsoft to get Symbian compatible syncing software, thus remaining competitive in the business sector.

Apple did get a special shout-out, as the post-iPhone market has changed the requirements and desires of phone consumers forever:

“We have a new, credible competitor in this business. You know I need to take my hat off. Of course we need to be able to respond to any competitor and we will.”

Kallasuvo’s opinion of the new phone by online behemoth Google was somewhat muted, but not without a hint of recognition that the G1, and more importantly new operating system Android, as a threat: “They are a newcomer here. I think the jury is still out: What is the new thing they bring here?” Talking of the inception of Symbian architecture alongside Motorola and Ericsson, he said: “I realized that we could have made the same announcement 10 years ago.”

With the oft-rumoured 5800 Tube to be announced in mere hours alongside the iTunes-battling “Comes With Music” service, it is clear to see that Nokia can have become a bit of an industry also-ran as far as innovation is concerned, but they are far from comfortable there.

Moving into 2009, the Finnish company certainly seems to have the drive and determination to reclaim lost ground from their competitors, but you cannot shake the feeling that they would swap the hundreds of millions of handset sales for just some of the ‘cool’ that Apple has brought to the table.

Well, maybe not all those sales…

Source: Reuters

T-Mobile G1 : Initial Production Run Of 2 Million?

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

With under a month to go until the launch of the G1 handset, word is that T-Mobile and Google have high hopes for it, tapping up HTC for 2 million of the things!

They hope to sell approximately half a million over Q4 2008, with the following sales contributing NT$18 billion into HTC coffers into 2009. Two million may not seem a high figure in the face of 100 million units a quarter for Nokia, but to enter the market with a new device, OS and brand is no small feat.

The combination of a low price point and open hardware might make the G1 a success in the short term, but with forthcoming handsets to use the Android offer a different enough experience to warrant attention?

Time will tell.

Source: EMSNow

Nokia Comes With Music Launch Event - Location Revealed!

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

There I was, walking down leafy Camden on the way into work, when I saw plenty of workmen buzzing around the famous concert venue Koko…

Putting my sleuth hat on, I took a closer look and discovered a clue as to what could be going on there today…see if you can spot it:

So, there you go! It looks like the Nokia will be going ahead with the “Comes With Music” launch very soon, but will the 5800 Tube touchscreen phone be making an appearance?

More riveting pics follow!

Read the rest of this entry »

Nokia N96 Out Today! New Firmware Update Messing With It?

By Ernest DokucloseAuthor: Ernest Doku Name: Ernest Doku
Email: ernest.doku@omio.com
Site: http://blog.omio.com
About: I like gadgets, loads! I like talking about them, writing about them, using them, watching other people use them though binoculars... Some would say it was an unhealthy fascination, but then I'd be all like, "Shh...," and go back to doing gadget-related things. Hit me up on Xbox Live or PSN, I'm EJStyleS. I promise to give you a good match as well as talk about things that aren't gadgets. A bit.See Authors Posts (565)

Good news for those who didn’t win the Euromillions this weekend, as the N96 is now a little cheaper having been released on Pay Monthly at the major retailers!

I’m slightly biased, but Omio have some really great Nokia N96 deals which went live today.

£35 a month for 600 minutes and unlimited texts on Orange with the phone costing only £29.99 from Dial-A-Phone is our most popular one, and it’s not hard to see why!

Quite the bargain for the super multimedia successor to the N95, complete with digital TV, BBC iPlayer and a whopping 16GB of storage for all your music and movies! If you’re in two minds about taking the plunge, get an in-depth rundown on the Nokia N96 features page!

Slightly less happy news from some early adopters is that the newest firmware update released by Nokia is making their gorgeous new handsets play up a little. The v11.018 update seems to wonkify call quality and speaker output a little bit, but this is the opinion of big time Nokiaholics in the official forums so we’ll wait and see whether these problems are widespread…

Source: Pocket Picks