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Nokia announces Australian carriers: Telstra gets the 920, Vodafone and Optus get the 820
Nokia's started its world tour of local announcements in Australia, letting slip that the Lumia 920 is coming to Telstra's LTE network down under. Those with an eye on the cheaper Lumia 820 are in luck too, as it's going to be carried by both Vodafone and Optus Business. The Finnish phone maker added that a number of leading retailers would be selling both handsets, but declined to go into specifics there. Pricing and availability will be announced toward the end of October, giving us hope that everything's on schedule for a strong pre-Christmas launch.
Nexus S on Vodafone Australia won't get Jelly Bean today after all
Continuing this morning's Jelly Bean soap opera, we've just heard that Nexus S owners on Vodafone Australia won't be getting their pioneering update today -- despite the fact that only 24 hours have elapsed since the carrier said the roll-out was on its way. According to the carrier's official blog, the update has been delayed because Android 4.1 "does not meet all Australian regulatory requirements related to emergency calls." Ouch. On the other hand, that sounds eminently fixable. [Thanks, Daniel]
Vodafone Australia promises Nexus S Jelly Bean upgrade on July 19th
While Google hasn't said when it will be bringing Android 4.1 Jelly Bean to devices other than the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 7, a blog post from Vodafone Australia has revealed a date for the update on the Nexus S. Vodafone's chart says Google's rollout taking its Nexus S from 4.0.4 to 4.1 is scheduled for 1PM AEST (11PM ET by our reckoning) on July 19th, at the same time updates are getting pushed for other devices (the original Galaxy S, for example, is getting the Value Pack update), even while its Galaxy Nexus JB update is still apparently under testing. That difference should be enough to tell you this doesn't necessarily mean anything is on the way in other territories, but Nexus S owners should probably stay on alert for updates all the same. [Thanks, Onel]
Nokia N9 coming to Australia in October on three carriers
The Nokia N9 will be considered a rarity in the US, UK and Germany when it's released, but at least fans Down Under won't have to look very far to get their hands on one. Espoo's officially announced its intention of selling the MeeGo device on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, in addition to distributing it through several major retailers. Look for the one-of-a-kind handset to make its way to Australia in October for roughly $850; those who opt for the 16GB model will be able to choose from black, blue and pink, whereas the 64GB version will only be made available in black. Full presser can be found below.
Galaxy Tab 10.1v up for pre-order at Vodafone Australia, shipping to start May 1st
Oh, sure -- it's pretty much an ultrathin Galaxy Tab 10.1, but then again, it's an ultrathin Galaxy Tab 10.1. The newly-christened Galaxy Tab 10.1v has finally found itself a pre-order host over at Vodafone Australia, with select customers receiving the newsletter shown above in their email accounts. Purportedly, this "exclusive" offer enables Vodafone customers camped out in the Land Down Under to pre-order the Honeycomb-based slate, with a trio of payment options available. A two-year agreement will cost you zilch upfront (but AU$39 a month over 12 months), a one-year plan dings your credit card for AU$259, and an off-contract option will demand a far stiffer AU$729. A book cover seems to be included with each option, and if you get your order in today, shipping should commence on May 1st. One nation down, six five continents to go. (Sorry, penguins.) [Thanks, Jeremy]
Vodafone Australia creates giant Android mascot, sets it free on the streets of Sydney
In the States it's almost voting time and the posturing has certainly come to a fever pitch. If someone hasn't come a knocking on your door yet, promising to fix whatever ails you, they surely soon will. So, it's nice to see a representative going door-to-door without an ulterior motive... well, without a political one, anyway. Meet Andy, the full-scale Android mascot who can be found wandering the streets of Sydney in an attempt by Vodafone to get people more familiar with the little OS that could (and is). We're thinking he's more likely to scare small children than create converts out of competing smartphone users, but maybe our pollsters are reading this one wrong. [Thanks, Geoff]
