This interesting article over at tech.co.uk about the decreasing role of the mobile phone networks in the new mobile world that has Google and Apple at the business end of the table has got me thinking about what the future holds for the UK Mobile operators.

With mobile networks giving us the option of as many anytime, any network minutes and texts for a set amount per month do you really care which mobile network you are with anymore?

A few years ago 3 had a hard time getting anyone on their network due to the poor network coverage but these days I rarely hear of people complaining of poor network coverage, even on 3!

The web savvy users of this and other mobile phone sites seem to only care about the cheapest deal that allows them to get the handset they want, with the right amount of inclusive minutes and texts every month that allows them to budget X amount per month and never overspend.

I know I and other mercenary mobile phone users like me have no real loyalty to any one network anymore. For example I have no amazing allegiance to o2’s web portal or Vodafone’s live service as I go to www.google.co.uk on my unlocked windows mobile smartphone whenever I am out about town and couldn’t tell you what unique services either provide currently. I remember my wife had a 3 mobile for a while that allowed her to see how many mintues and texts she had remaining on the home screen - this looked handy but I never get near my oodles of inclusive minutes / texts allowance so wouldn’t be that interested in this feature really.

In fact the only time I ever overspend is if I have been too lazy to find an internet cafe to use Skype to phone home whilst abroad! However these days you don’t even need an internet cafe as your smartphone can use a decent wifi connection to make calls using it’s inbuilt wifi and skype configuration

Over the last few years I have been contracted to Orange, Virgin, O2 and Vodafone purely because a particular deal was available that my then network wouldn’t match due to my miserly monthly spend and surely I am not alone?

With Google, Skype and others like Yahoo providing network indepedent must have mobile applications are the networks likely to simply turn into any other commodity despite their massive advertising budgets?

Technorati Tags: future, mobile, networks

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Posted: February 15th, 2008 under News, Thoughts.
Comments: 1

It’s been a busy day for Sony Ericsson news - here’s the last news for today…

Sony Ericsson today launched a new generation of phone: Touchscreen organisers with a broad appeal. The G700 and G900 phones are essential tools designed to organise the lives of all those with busy schedules to juggle, both at home and at work.

• The G700 is here to help you live your life to the full. This personal organiser in-your-pocket keeps your contacts, calendars, notes, pictures and favourite Web sites all in one place and just a fingertip away. Touch and go.

• The G900 has all the functions of the G700 with the added features of a unique new 5.0 megapixel Touch Auto Focus camera, touch photo album and editor. Perfect for those looking for a one-touch media experience combined with their organiser.

Martin Winkler, Director Global Marketing and Head of Multimedia Web at Sony Ericsson said…

“Sony Ericsson is delivering touchscreen and innovative organiser capabilities to a wide audience without compromising on the size or shape of the phone. Both the G700 and G900 have regular keyboards and are no larger than a regular phone. These phones are ideal for users that are only interested in making their lives simpler. It’s not about technology for the sake of it.”

Sony Ericsson G700 phone

• One-touch full organiser functions
• Touch controlled Notes application - write and draw your memo’s
• Large 2.4″ display with unique single touch control menu
• 3,2 megapixel camera
• Compact size

Calendar is King
Access your calendar, reach family and friends and scribble and save your notes on your phone. With the G700, you can jot down a note on the screen with a stylus, just as you would with a pen on paper, and save it on your phone’s desktop to remind you - just as you’d stick a note on the fridge. You can even draw a map to the local shop or doodle personal notes to send them to your loved ones! Holding everything that is important to you wherever you go, the G700 is the most natural way to manage life. There’s no longer a need to have your home calendar separate from work – it works with you, the way you do.

Intuitively simple
With the G700 you can enjoy touchscreen text input, Web surfing, calendar and phone navigation. Want to contact someone at home? Just touch the relevant name in your phonebook and all of the various contact options will appear onscreen. It’s instantly intuitive messaging. You can even browse your photo album using the tip of your finger. The G700 also has dedicated keys for messaging, notes and a key lock on the side of the phone. All it takes is one press to unlock.

Sony Ericsson G900 phone

• One touch media experience
• 5.0 megapixel camera with touch Auto focus and Multi-shot function
• One- touch media and organiser menu
• Large 2.4″ display with single touch control menu
• Wi-Fi™ for high speed data transfer and internet browsing

Print-quality photos to keep
The G900’s 5.0 megapixel camera lets you take print-quality photos and share them with friends and family straight away.

Frame your shot and decide where you want to focus the camera by simply touching the screen. Also, with Camera Multi-Shot, hold down the camera key and take as many pictures as you like. Great for taking photos of your kids as they dash around the garden! Scroll through all of the photos on your phone with touch control and even edit them there with the Touch photo album and editor.

Stay mobile
Got a moment to surf? Access your favourite Web pages when you’re in a Wi-Fi™ hotspot and view them on the large 2.4” display. Use the stylus or your finger to zoom-in or pan around the page. When you’ve barely got a moment to spare, get RSS feeds direct to your phone for the latest updates; news, football scores or whatever you are in to.

Organize with a personal touch
Touch, type or write… Everything comes naturally with the G900. Organise your schedule, touch and tap to make calls and jot down notes before you forget it. The G900 works your way to let you get more into your day. It’s the power of personal touch.

The G700 will launch in Silk Bronze and the G900 will launch in Dark Red and Dark Brown. Both are UMTS 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phones that will be available in selected markets from Q2 2008.

Technorati Tags: g series, g700, g900, mobile, phone, sony ericsson

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Posted: February 10th, 2008 under News.
Comments: none

Mobile Checker has had a major facelift and now provides you with an even easier way to compare mobile phone reviews, prices and deals

The site has a new tab search feature on each handset page to allow you to compare every phone across all networks, individual networks, each payg network and not on any network (sim free).

Also each mobile phone page allows you to see a detailed desciption of the phone, the main features, any user reviews and the abiltiy to share that page on social bookmarking web sites.

Lastly the site is accessible as possible allowing people on any device or with disabilties to use mobile checker to find the best mobile phone and tariff that meets their needs.

Take the site for a spin now… www.MobileChecker.com

We welcome all feedback good and bad so let us know what you like and what else you would like to see!

Technorati Tags: comparison, mobile, phone, shopping, site, UK

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Posted: February 8th, 2008 under Site news.
Comments: 1