O2Germany
Latest
ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 with LTE stretches its legs on O2 in Germany (video)
It wasn't all that long ago, that the FCC tempted us with the idea of an LTE capable Transformer Pad TF300. Now, a video has popped up online from Germany's O2 network showing of the speedy tablet in all its 42 Mbps down / 32 Mbps up glory. After the obligatory speed test, you can see YouTube videos loading up a charm, along with plenty of other HD video being scrubbed along like it wasn't even a thing. A quick tour of the white-backed version reveals little else of note, but if the lack of LTE was keeping the dollars in your wallet, this might just be enough to tease them back out. [Thanks, Alexis]
Telefonica partners with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM for global carrier billing
Making a half dozen attempts to guess your login info or typing each digit of a credit card account certainly can get in the way of following through on impulse purchases, which is exactly how you'd categorize FarmVille cash or a featured flick that you know you may not have time to watch within the month. The solution is carrier billing, eliminating those precious seconds between impulse and reconsideration, and Telefonica has just signed on to offer the service to Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM account holders. The partnerships will enable O2 users in Germany or Movistar subscribers in Spain to charge purchases to their mobile phone accounts, for example -- in total, 14 Telefonica subsidiaries should be up and running with carrier billing by the end of the year, though some services, such as Google Play and Facebook, have already begun to roll out. Click through to the PR after the break for the full breakdown.
O2 Germany says HP Veer is coming in May
The tweet above just about says it all for this one -- well, in German, anyway. According to O2 Germany, the HP Veer will be launching on the carrier sometime in May, which presumably means it will also be available elsewhere in Europe around the same time, and likely in the US as well -- we've previously only heard "this spring" for a launch date. Unfortunately, there's still no word on any US carriers for the Pixi successor, though surely someone will be able to pick it up. It is rather light, after all. [Thanks, Mario]
webOS 2.1 for the Pre Plus now available to download for O2 Germany users
In spite of HP's strong assurances to the contrary, the Palm Pre Plus is actually going to give users the option to ride into webOS 2.x territory. As we speculated yesterday, O2 Germany Pre Plus owners can now download a new firmware package for their slider handsets, which will work its magic and update them to version 2.1 of HP's magnificent software. The company has been actively discouraging users and programmers from pairing the older hardware with the latest software, so we can't promise it'll be a bump-free ride for all upgraders, but having the option is all people have been asking for and now it's there -- and by "there" we mean the source link below. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC 7 Pro now available on O2 Germany, €22 monthly or €599 up front
Not that we had any reason to doubt O2 Germany's Twitter account, but a formal press release does help ease our few concerns. The HTC 7 Pro is now official on the European carrier for the asking price of €29 down and 24 months of €22.50. If you want to rip the proverbial band-aid off faster, it's also available for a €599 flat fee -- both of those without SIM lock. The rest of the world? We imagine it's just a matter of time before HTC offers this through its other channels.
HTC 7 Pro arriving on O2 Germany 'next week,' priced at €569
Last we heard of the HTC 7 Pro, it was taking a casual stroll through O2 Germany's website, throwing around boasts that it'll be on sale come January 2011. Well, guess what? That promise has just been reiterated by O2's German Twitter stream, which says that the 7 Pro will be on sale next week for an unsubsidized price of €569 ($735). That's available via O2's usual MyHandy payment plan, where you dish out €29 in advance and then pay off the phone in equal monthly payments over two years. We can't imagine HTC leaving the rest of the world sitting idly by, twiddling their QWERTY keyboard-loving thumbs, so look out for this WP7 handset to filter through to your local market some time soon. [Thanks, Mario]
HTC 7 Pro shows up on O2 Germany's site, promises January launch
HTC had pegged "early next year" for the 7 Pro's launch in Europe, and when you think about it, January is just about as "early" as you can get. O2's boys and girls in Germany have thrown up a teaser page for the QWERTY-equipped Windows Phone 7 handset, saying it's expected to be available next month -- a promising sign, indeed. Granted, launch dates can always slip, but considering how desperately the world needs some more landscape QWERTY options for WP7, we'd bet it's one of HTC's top priorities to get this thing pushed. [Thanks, Jens]
O2 Germany hooks up lucky LTE testers for free during six-month trial
Network trials occasionally benefit from real-world testing -- and nothing is better at real-world testing than... well, real-world testers. To that end, O2 Germany is going to start hooking up some of its customers with LTE next month free of charge for a solid half year, during which they'll have access to either a USB modem or an in-home LTE router along with an unlimited data plan. So far, O2's seen downlink speeds shoot as high as 93Mbps, a pretty amazing figure for any large-scale 4G network at this point -- though it goes without saying that the speeds will likely fall back into the realm of normalcy when more users start getting tacked on. The trial will be available in Ebersberg, Munich, Teutschenthal, and Halle initially... so if you want in, you'd better pack up your things and move awfully quick. [Thanks, Andy S.]
Motorola Defy 'expected' to get Android 2.2 in Q1 2011, says O2 Germany
Though we loved the Defy, we were quick to admonish Motorola for having the stones to release a phone this late in the game running Eclair; after all, Froyo's been on retail devices since June, so rocking 2.1 on a new release is just a little insulting. How long is the wait going to be until we're upgraded? Hard to say -- but thanks to a helpful tweet, O2 Germany seems to have narrowed it down to the first quarter of next year, which means some time between January and March. Now, that doesn't mean T-Mobile USA customers will be getting it in the same time frame, of course -- but as with many Motorolas, we think the main challenge is updating Blur, and once that happens, updates should start to trickle out around the world in relatively rapid succession. Famous last words, we know. [Thanks, Mario] Update: As commenter Tiny_kawa notes, Motorola's official roadmap is listed here, which lists second quarter '11 for the Defy's upgrade in Europe -- so we're wondering if O2's getting early dibs, or if they're just being optimistic. Sadly, there's no listing for T-Mobile USA's version just yet.
HTC 7 Mozart and 7 Trophy set out to conquer the WP7 world, 7 Pro coming to Sprint next year
HTC's kicking the Windows Phone 7 era off in style today with no less than three new phones scheduled to debut on October 21 in Europe: the HD7, the 7 Mozart, and the 7 Trophy. Both the Mozart and Trophy offer a WVGA LCD screen, a 1GHz Qualcomm MSM8250 chipset, 576MB of RAM, 8GB of built-in storage, and 720p video recording. Where the 7 Mozart sets itself apart is in having an aluminum unibody construction wrapped around its 3.7-inch display, together with a more advanced 8 megapixel imager and a Xenon flash. The 7 Trophy makes do with an LED flash illuminating 5 megapixels' worth photons, but it does also come with HTC's promise to be the most aggressively priced WP7 handset from the company. It'll be a Vodafone exclusive across the big red network's global footprint, while the Mozart will be exclusive to Orange in the UK, France, Spain, and Switzerland, exclusive to Deutsche Telekom in Germany, and available on a choice of carriers elsewhere. No peep of an American release for either handset, however. For the home crowd, Sprint is set to deliver a HTC 7 Pro with a QWERTY keyboard that slides out and tilts -- you can see it pictured in the gallery below -- at some point in the first half of 2011. It too goes with the same old 1GHz Snapdragon, 576MB of RAM, 5 megapixel cam plus 720p video, and WVGA display resolution (on a 3.6-inch screen), but it gets a bump in storage to 16GB. Full spec sheets for all three phones, along with HTC's big Windows Phone 7 announcement, await just past the break. %Gallery-104739%
HTC HD7 leaks out once more with Dolby Sound, stars in a brief video
HTC may have stemmed the flood of HD7 activity, but details about the 4.3-inch Windows Phone 7 device keep leaking out. Today, an O2 Germany tipster blew off most of the remaining doors. We've got what appears to be a full spec sheet confirming a 1GHz processor, 8GB of storage and 5 megapixel camera but also detailing internal memory, a full complement of sensors, quad-band radio frequencies, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and more. There's also a few pictures sizing up the HD7 alongside a Galaxy S, a training slide for the hopefully-more-than-a-marketing-buzzword "Dolby Mobile Sound," and for what we believe is the very first time, a cameo appearance on video. Our tipster says it'll launch in Germany in just two weeks at €559 (about $770) or €79 ($109) on a two-year contract. Tempting, no? Video after the break. %Gallery-104129%
Another HTC HD7 leak: mid-October looks like a go, price is €559 without contract
We're getting very used to spotting the as-yet-unannounced Windows Phone 7-powered HD7 embedded in tables of serial numbers and release dates, and while, you know, a picture would be nice, it's good to see that it still exists in the world of carrier databases. WMPoweruser.com has a leaked O2 Germany lineup courtesy of a tipster, and that chart names an HTC HD7 for the 42nd week of the year, which lines up nicely with that original October 18 rumor we heard for O2 in the UK. What's more, this chart names a price, with €79 on a two year €20 monthly contract, and a hefty €559 tag if you'd like to go contract free. We suppose that sort of decision making is best left for after we've seen the handset, but we won't judge if you'd rather just rush in headlong -- with the HD series pedigree, we doubt you'll be disappointed.
WSJ: iPhone 4 to be offered by Vodafone and O2 in Germany as T-Mobile loses exclusivity
The last bastion of Applephone exclusivity in Europe is about to be toppled, according to the Wall Street Journal, as Deutsche Telekom is said to be preparing for the loss of its iPhone 4 monopoly ahead of this year's holiday shopping season. Citing separate sources familiar with the matter, this report suggests that Vodafone and O2's German arms are earnestly reaching out for Apple's latest and greatest, and while distribution deals haven't yet been finalized, negotiations have reached an "advanced stage." Much as with O2's UK exclusivity deal, Apple looks to have opted against extending its arrangement with Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile in an effort to reach the widest possible consumer base. Makes a lot of sense to us, now how about doing the same back home?
iPad international data plans roundup: Japan gets SIM-locked devices, Spain gets a great deal more (updated)
With international pre-orders now being taken, more data plan details have started emerging for Apple's iPad. We now know that Rogers will be charging Canadians pretty similarly to how AT&T treats American 3G users, albeit with the inclusion of a 5GB monthly data cap on the pricier tariff. O2 has also outed its plans, though it's not much better news in the UK where it's matching Orange's pricing with a 3GB monthly allowance for £15 per month ($22), while Vodafone has completely lost its marbles with a 250MB offers a 1GB option costing £10 a month and 5GB costing £25 per month. Apple engages in a bit of false advertising in Germany, claiming unlimited data plans with O2 (€25) and Vodafone (€29.95), but there are clear limits set out on the carriers' sites of 5GB and 3GB per month, respectively. Finally, Japan gets the stiffest deal of all with iPads there officially confirmed to be SIM-locked to Softbank Mobile's network, something that has already earned plenty of ire from the local populace. The carrier does offer a variety of monthly payment plans for obtaining your tablet, though its data tariffs are nothing special: ¥2,910 ($32) for a month's unlimited use if you sign up to what seems like a longer-term plan, or ¥4,410 ($48) for a 1GB allowance if you go pre-paid. There's a third option for spendthrifts, costing ¥1,510 ($16) for 100MB pre-paid, but that's not even enough for you to watch a full Engadget Show, so we'd probably advise against it. You can find price breakdowns for each country after the break. [Thanks, Bram] Update: Rogers has killed that lovely third option shown in the image above. Hope you weren't excited about it. Update 2: Turns out Apple had the wrong details about Vodafone UK too -- you get 1GB of data if you spend £10 a month. [Thanks, Rob] Update 3: Movistar, Telefonica's consumer arm in Spain, has announced a pretty stonking deal: if you already have a smartphone data plan costing €25 a month, you can get a Micro SIM and 3G data on your iPad for free. Espana totally just won the "best place to own an iPad" contest. Update 4 (12 May): The perpetually-emailing Steve Jobs has apparently chimed in to say Japan's iPad 3Gs accept international SIMs, so feel free to pick one up and take home on your next trip to Fukuoka. [Thanks, David]
Official: Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus hitting Vodafone and O2 Germany on April 28
Palm's news activity doesn't seem like abating any time soon, as the company has just made the Deutsch arrival date for its Plus-ified phones official as April 28. It matches earlier speculation about late April, but also -- very importantly -- introduces a new carrier options for our Teutonic brethren in the form of Vodafone. Formerly locked in with Telefonica (whose local representative is O2), Palm seems to have finally seen the error of its ways and started offering choice as a side dish to its delectable WebOS main course. So, forget about who's buying the company, will you be buying its phones? [Thanks, gizmo21]
Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus could be coming to Europe by the end of this month
Time to get those speculative juices flowing again. Pre Central have unearthed the above O2 Germany promotional poster displaying a Palm Pixi stood in front of such smartphone luminaries as Sony Ericsson's X10 and Motorola's Milestone. Given that the Pixi has yet to make the hop over the Atlantic, their supposition is that we're looking at its Plus variant and that this early flier is indicative of a soon-ish release for the Euro-bound Plus devices from Palm. Can we be any more specific than that? Why yes we can, thanks to Laurent Guyot, a French PR chap, who indicates an April 27th launch date for the Pre and Pixi Plus on the SFR network. Put as much trust into this info as you feel appropriate, though it does look like a resoundingly logical time to get these handsets out into eager European hands. [Thanks, Garth]
Achtung! Motorola Milestone now free on contract in Germany, sort of
Already jealous of the multitouch functionality afforded by Motorola Droids (or Milestones, as it were) sold outside the United States? Well, you might just want to look away for this one -- it seems that O2 is now practically giving away the phone in Germany. Specifically, it's selling it for a mere €1 with a 2 year-contract, which itself can be had for as little as €20 per month. As with other non-US carries, however, you'll have to make do without Google's own free navigation service, but you will at least get a 60-day Motorola's MotoNAV service in its place, and the endless joy that comes from telling your American friends that you got a free Droid. [Thanks, Bob] Update: As some commenters have helpfully pointed out, that €20 a month for two years is actually on top of a standard contract, which certainly makes the deal a tad less attractive -- although you can technically still walk away with a Droid for just a handful of Euros.
First GSM Palm Pre now on sale in Germany, with new Euro-specific apps in tow
We knew it was coming, and here it is -- the glorious first showing of the Palm Pre in its GSM garb. From today, our Deutsch comrades can grab a Pre and do whatever they want to do to it, courtesy of O2, its exclusive German supplier. The device will set you back €481 without contract, with the O2 My Handy option letting you finance it via 24 monthly payments of €20. Check out the online store link below for full details and available calling plans. Pre Thinking have also noted the arrival of two new free apps in the Pre catalog -- ran and VZ-Netzwerke, both in German -- and the likely prospect of even more coming along as the Pre starts its long-awaited rollout across Europe over the next few days. [Via Engadget German] Read - O2 Germany Palm Pre launch announcement Read - O2 Germany online store Read - Pre Thinking
Nokia Booklet to hit O2 Germany October 22 for €249 on contract (update: €749 total)
Nokia just posted up some of the first official details on the launch of the Booklet 3G, and they're... actually a little confusing. The aluminum netbook will hit O2 Germany for €249 ($366) on a €20 ($29) tariff over 24 months, but there's also mention of a "flat rate data tariff" of €25 ($36) per month -- we're guessing the flat rate is for buyers who snag the Booklet for the full price of €699 ($1,029), but honestly, that's not how the post on Nokia Conversations reads at all. We're trying to get it cleared up, and we've got a feeling we'll be hearing about availability in other markets including the States soon enough, so stick around. Update: Okay, the Nokia PR is out and as commenter Amyd has helpfully translated for us, you're looking at two different payments here: the O2 MyHandy purchase program, where you buy the Booklet for €249 upfront and dish out €20 a month for two years, and the actual O2 wireless service, which is €25 a month. That's a total of €749 for the Booklet 3G, plus the service fee -- yeah, we'll pass.
GSM Palm Pre for O2 Germany pictured in the wild
The Palm Pre is scheduled to make its big GSM debut on O2 in Europe in just a few weeks, and it looks like final production units are making their way into the wild -- these shots of a German Pre complete with final box art and a localized keyboard just hit the wires. Nothing here you're not familiar with already, but man -- the GSM and the Pre, gettin' down. We'd only dared to dream, you know? Now all we need is a version with some North American 3G bands and we'll be all set.
