In Other News: 18/04/2013.

• Sky have updated their mobile streaming app, SkyGo, to add support for the Sony Xperia Z, the HTC One, the Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Motorola RAZR HD! It's great Sky are bulking out the list of supported devices, we just want to see it on a few more Android tablets now!
  Via PocketLint.

• It's been discovered that Google's Glass project isn't quite compatible with iOS just yet. Over on the support page it says that to send SMS and use the GPS you have to have the MyGlass app for Android meaning that these features aren't yet in the iOS app!
  TheLATimes Via Slashgear.

• The UK phone, internet and TV provider, Talk Talk, have been fined £750,000 for an excessive number of abandoned and silent marketing calls to prospective customers. OFCOM discovered somewhere near 9,000 silent and abandoned calls were made in early 2011, as well as a failure to follow Ofcom policy on a separate marketing campaign in 2011! For more information hit up the source link below!
  Via PocketLint.

• Boulder Dash XL has launched on Android with over 100 levels! This is apparently exactly the same game which you can get on PC and Xbox 360! You can get the app for £2 on the Play Store here! At the time of writing it has eight 5* ratings so initial impressions seem good!
  Via Eurodroid.

• If you fancy picking up either a tablet, smart TV, computer or any other device which uses the internet for John Lewis then the company will offer you some of their new broadband packages. The deals aren't spectacular, but they're not bad: the Standard package costs £11 per month and that nets you up to 16Mb speeds and 20GB of usage. There's also unlimited broadband is from £18 per month, giving you 16Mb down and no monthly usage cap. Alternatively you go for Fibre which is £25 and gives you speeds up to 38Mb and 100GB of usage per month. All of these require line rental of £13.50 per month and if you buy an internet enabled device you get six months free!
  Via PocketLint.

• Archos have announced a new line up of three phones. Each of them is dual sim and they look relatively good! Check them out here!

• Samsung have confirmed that the Galaxy S4 won't have FM Radio support. A decision they justified by saying that they have seen a trend towards digital consumption through YouTube. We're not sure everyone with data limits will agree!
  Via SamMobile.

• Yahoo have updated their Mail and Weather apps for Android with nice new tablet interfaces! For little demos and more information check out Yahoo's blog page here!
  Via AndroidPolice.

• Anything Yahoo can do LinkedIn can do too! The latter have also refreshed their Android app, bumping it to version 3. There's a tonne of changes which can be found on their blog here!
  Via AndroidPolice.

• Wordpress are in on the act too having updated their Android apps with lovely new Holo themes! For full details on the update check out the Wordpress blog here!
  Via Engadget.

• Three Sweden have confirmed that the Sony Xperia S will get the update to Android 4.1.2 on their network from April 22nd! That means it's possible that unlocked devices will see the update much sooner!
  Via XperiaBlog.

And finally, rumours of a cheap iPhone simply won't go away and today we've got an image of what is purporting to be that exact device. There's every chance that this could be nothing, but once in a blue moon random leaks turn out to be true, we've still got a fair few months to wait before we hear anything official about new iPhones though!

Tactus Via PhoneArena.

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07/06/2012

Samsung Galaxy S3 latest to be targeted by Apple's patent gun.

   Yesterday, we reported that Apple had again tried to secure an injunction against HTC in the USA, for the whole of HTC's line-up. But, because Apple don't seem to like any sort of competition and this time the Galaxy S3 is focused squarely in Apple's sights.

   But, this time Samsung aren't going to lay down and accept this hindrance, instead they're planning to “vigorously oppose” any of Apple’s attempts to block the Galaxy S III coming to the US, and they're still aiming to launch the devices on June 21st.

   Samsung has pledged to “demonstrate to the court that the Galaxy S III is innovative and distinctive.” The two patents Apple has issues over are; firstly, the same patent that relates to the use of context menus that HTC's One Series was held at customs for. The other relates to “universal search technology” which is used in Siri, which Apple have accused Samsung of copying in its S-Voice application.

   One does have to question how much longer Apple can keep doing this for without getting a backlash from consumers. They are to all intents and purposes trying to stop competition over menial details. I for one think they're being ridiculous now, it seems clear that Samsung are not copying them in any regard here and I think Apple should try to realise there is a line. Or alternatively they could actually release some competitive devices, because they're standing in the way of progress now.

O2 and Vodafone partner to plan for the future.

   Two of the biggest players in the UK mobile market have announced today that they will be sharing infrastructure to mutually assist each other to speed up LTE rollout.

   The pair plan to continue running independent spectrum and competing services, but they will start sharing maintenance duties for their shared hardware and  they wil decommission unnecessary base-station sites.

  

   “Under the proposals, both companies will have access to a single grid of 18,500 masts representing an increase in sites of more than 40% for each operator” which should very much help if you are lacking signal from your provider in your area. “The joint venture will also be responsible for the building of new sites needed to extend coverage into rural and remote areas. There will be opportunities for the decommissioning of duplicate sites and, as a result, the two companies expect there will be a more than 10% overall reduction in the total number of sites, in the UK, used by the two operators" something which will save both companies money as well as increasing their customers signal, which can only be good for you!

   Telefónica, which is O2 parent company, will having the job of looking after radio equipment and local connections in the East (including Northern Ireland and most of Scotland), Vodafone logically will take care of the duties in the West (including Wales). Each network will continue to work independently, this is just hardware sharing there is no merger here so this is not like T-Mobile/Oranges merger. Everything Everywhere (T-Mo+Orange) actually allow cross-network roaming so you can pick up the others signal, this will NOT happen with Vodafone and O2. 

   Vodafone and O2 expect this to give them 98% population coverage by an LTE network, by 2015, if these proposals get accepted by OFCOM. That is the carrot for OFCOM to approve the deal, so we'll have to wait and see what happens now. So with O2, Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile having drawn up plans for 4G LTE, that only leaves Three all on their own. 

In other news:

• Angry Birds Space has hit 100million downloads!
• RIM has discontinued the 16GB Playbook, arguing that the 32GB and 64GB models represent better value for money. Is this a money making ploy or is this a sign of a new model? Or maybe RIM is genuinely trying to help consumers make a good choice.
• Facebook has announced carrier billing for their credits system.
• LinkedIN and eHarmony have had huge password leaks in the last few days, so make sure you change your passwords if you have accounts there!

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