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HTC Wildfire S hits Carphone Warehouse in UK, free with contract
UK readers on a budget can finally toss that Treo (gently, please) and head over to Carphone Warehouse to snag HTC's Wildfire S. The low-end Android device just popped up on the distributor's website, and the phone is appropriately priced at £0.00 with a two-year contract on Orange UK. Plans start at £20 (about $33) with 250MB of data, 100 anytime minutes and unlimited texts -- an extra £5 ups that to 300 minutes and 500MB of data, which nets you a reasonable amount of talk time, assuming you can stay within the limits of that pesky data cap. No word on when the budget 'droid will be available from Orange's website or in stores, but Carphone is showing that these are in stock, so if you've been holding out for a higher-res Wildfire before making the jump to Android, get ready to have your world rocked. [Thanks, Jay]
Motorola Atrix to launch exclusively with Orange UK in early May
Just in time to duel with the Samsung Galaxy S II, Motorola's Atrix is crossing the Atlantic for an early May release in Orange livery. UK carrier Orange has proudly announced it'll be the "exclusive launch partner" for the Atrix in the UK, offering the dual-core handset for free on two-year contracts costing £35 per month or more. A Work and Play Kit that includes the phone's Multimedia Dock will be made available at a reduced £50 price to new customers buying the phone, or for free to existing Orange subscribers upgrading to the Atrix during May. Business customers on some of the more overpriced fully featured tariffs will also get the chance to snap up the Lapdock for free. Jump past the break for Orange's fulll press release or hit the source link to register your interest now.
Motorola's dual-core Atrix 4G announced for AT&T (Orange UK and Bell Mobility, too)
Noticing a trend here? First we had the Infuse 4G from Samsung, and now we've got the Atrix 4G from Motorola featuring a whopping 1GB of RAM -- so it would seem this is the device we'd had rumored as the Olympus. Announced at AT&T's CES-based Developer Summit today, the phone is the first to be unveiled for the carrier's lineup with a dual-core processor, but the fun doesn't stop there: it's got a 960 x 540 display that gives the iPhone 4's pixel density a run for its money, a fingerprint reader, support for 802.11n on both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, a ridiculous 1,930mAh battery that dwarfs the average 1,300 to 1,500mAh cell you see in most modern smartphones, HD video capture, and a wild set of peripherals -- HD Dock and Laptop Dock, primarily -- that allow you to use the Atrix in a "webtop mode" that bears a striking resemblance to a desktop operating system. Follow the break for the full press release! Update: It's coming to Orange UK and Bell Mobility as well, with Orange's version due Q2 2011 and Bell's "in the coming months." %Gallery-112701%
Subsidized iPads starting slow in UK
Orange UK, as part of Everything Everywhere, announced their subsidy plan for new iPads back in November. According to information relayed from The Times by paidContent: UK, the company had expected to sell tens of thousands of the tablet over the holidays. However, it turns out they only sold a little over a thousand in the first week. Updates to the original story say deeper sales occurred later in the holiday season, although there hasn't been much official confirmation about what that exact number might be. It seems clear that the subsidized iPads haven't started off as strongly as might have been hoped. The slow start could be due to subscribers being unwilling to stack iPad data plans on top of cellular plans, or Orange might not have gotten word out to its buyers. [Via MacRumors]
Orange UK prices 3G iPad at £199 on two-year contract, taking pre-orders today
Want an iPad but can't countenance the associated outlay of cash up front? Orange is making that pill easier to swallow today with the revelation of its contract-tied pricing for Apple's tablet in the UK. Pre-orders are about to start today for obtaining the 3G-connected iPad at prices of £199 ($312) for the 16GB version, £249 ($391) for its 32GB sibling, or £349 ($626) for the one equipped with 64GB of storage. This is all subject to you signing up for a two-year plan costing £27 ($42) a month that'll give you 1GB of anytime data, 1GB of off-peak data (judged by Orange to be between midnight and 4pm), and 3GB of BT Openzone WiFi access for each twelfth of the year. The expectation is that Orange's new best bud, T-Mobile, will be offering similar pricing shortly, leaving us to wonder what Vodafone and O2 might be cooking up. The day of the subsidized tablet might be with us sooner than we thought. [Thanks, Jon] P.S. - We've just spotted that Three, the UK's 3G-only network, is also planning to sell the iPad "in the coming months." Pricing and data allowances, however, have yet to be revealed.
UK iPad subsidy plan to be announced later today
Everything Everywhere is the UK's largest mobile network operator, and it owns the UK telecom brands Orange UK and T-Mobile UK. According to Marketing Week, the two telecom brands are expected to issue a formal announcement on November 22 that they will sell the iPad at their dual-branded stores. Not only will the Everything Everywhere stores be carrying the iPad, but they will also offer a discount plan to consumers who enter a service contract with their telecom brands. The discount plan to Orange and T-Mobile subscribers could mean up to 70 percent off of the iPad price tag if the subscriber signs an 18 month or 2 year contract. This is pretty big news, since this is the first widescale iPad subsidy being offered to consumers. Hopefully, Everything Everywhere is merely leading the charge, and we'll soon see iPad subsidies from other mobile carriers. No further details have been offered yet, although we should expect more contract details with the formal announcement soon.
Orange and T-Mobile set to offer 3G iPad on contract in UK, £200 price rumored
Orange has just dropped a rather enigmatic note in our inbox letting us know that it plans to offer Apple's 3G iPad on "one of [its] great new plans" in the UK, resulting in what the company promises will be "more affordable prices." Current rumors making the rounds place that expenditure at the £200 ($320) mark, should you be willing to commit to a two-year data plan to go with your 10-inch tablet. It's also expected that Orange's new dance partner, T-Mobile, will be making a similar announcement soon, complete with a matching price. We'll keep digging until we know for sure. Full PR after the break. Update: Sure enough, T-Mobile is now also listing the iPad as "coming soon." Thanks, Dilwar!
HTC 7 Mozart review
Out of all the Windows Phone 7 launch partners, HTC's obviously been the most hard-working kid in Mr. Ballmer's sculpture class. So here's the question: which of the five launch devices is the Taiwanese company's best work? Well, there's no such thing as a perfect phone, but we dare say the 7 Mozart's the most stylish out of the lot. Not convinced? Flip the phone around and you'll see its two main selling points: its aluminum unibody construction (as applied on the Nexus One and Legend), and its 8 megapixel camera with Xenon flash (as opposed to 5 megapixels with LED flash on the other WP7 devices). Will these goodies suffice to win WP7 fanatics over? Join us after the break to find out. This review is primarily of the HTC 7 Mozart hardware. Check out our full review of Windows Phone 7 for our thoughts on the OS. %Gallery-105337%
HTC 7 Mozart and Samsung Omnia 7 on sale tomorrow at 7am on Orange UK
We knew Windows Phone 7 was scheduled to land first internationally, but it's always a treat to hear the particulars. Orange UK has just (re)revealed that it'll be the exclusive carrier of HTC's 7 Mozart across the pond, and it'll be joined by Samsung's Omnia 7 as both go on sale tomorrow morning in Orange's Oxford Street shop -- fittingly, at 7am local time. Naturally, the carrier is going to blow out the launch, with each customer buying a WP7 handset to receive a complimentary Bluetooth headset... while supplies last, anyway. You'll also get a stockpile of Orange applications and services (like it or not), and we're told that each phone will be offered for zilch with a fresh contract starting at £35 per month (7 Mozart) / £40 per month (Omnia 7). Jealous, North America?
Orange and T-Mobile complete UK network merger
There you have it, boys and girls. Exactly as promised, Orange and T-Mobile have flipped the switch in the UK, allowing subscribers to one carrier to roam onto the network of the other for free. This really is the most important consumer-facing aspect of the Everything Everywhere merger, at least until they figure out how to mix orange and magenta without charring our eyes with the resulting shade of crazy. Don't forget to let us know how your newly expanded network affects your phone's utility -- better, worse, no difference? [Thanks, Lewis]
HTC Mozart slips out on official Orange UK website, shows us how to replace its SIM and battery
This is so bad, it's hilarious. As if the HTC Mozart needed any further confirmation of its existence and imminent arrival to British shores, Orange's official web portal has decided to instruct us on how to replace the internal bits of this unannounced Windows Phone 7 handset. That's right, even though HTC and Microsoft are acting all cloak and dagger about it, the freaking phone's name and likeness are hanging out on Orange's official website. Have we said the word "official" enough times already? Skip past the break for a couple more image grabs which are sure to disappear just as soon as Orange finally figures out what day of the month this is.
Windows Phone 7 confirmed for all five major UK mobile operators
This will hardly be the most surprising thing you'll hear today, but Microsoft has officially confirmed that all five major operators in the United Kingdom -- Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile, Orange, and Three -- have signed up to offer its Windows Phone 7 handsets when they make their long-awaited debut in the coming weeks. Additionally, the Carphone Warehouse and Phones 4U will also be stocking WP7 devices.
Orange, T-Mobile UK start sharing networks on October 5
The first customer-facing fruit of the blockbuster Orange / T-Mobile merger over in Old Blighty becomes available next month, allowing customers of both carriers to roam on whichever network offers the best signal in their location. That's just the first change, though -- the combined venture, Everything Everywhere, is already touting mid-call automatic network switching and "enhanced data and internet coverage" that'll be coming next year. Together, Everything Everywhere accounts for around 30 million subscribers, which means there should be plenty of people enjoying the improved coverage -- at the cost of some amount of competition, of course.
Orange begins HD Voice trial in Southern England, leaves out Buckingham Palace
Remember the good news that Orange brought to the UK on our alcohol-fueled New Year's Eve? We thought so. Anyway, it looks like said fruit company's still on course to "a new era for UK mobile communications" as it launches HD Voice trial in England today. Lucky participants across Bristol, Reading and Southampton will benefit from "crystal clear" voice calls, courtesy of the wider speech bandwidth -- 50–7000 Hz as opposed to the current 300–3400 Hz. Sadly, Orange isn't keen on dishing out deets about the special hardware, but our friends over at What Mobile had the chance to play with a modified Nokia X6 from yesterday's demo -- "It was like listening to AM radio and then switching over to listen to a CD." If all goes well, we'll meet the rest of the gang when HD Voice is rolled out "before the end of the summer." Press release after the break.
How-to: figure out the best value iPhone 4 contracts in the UK (updated)
Choices, choices. Do you get the 16GB or 32GB iPhone 4? The black one now or the white one a little later? We can't tell you which variant of Apple's next phone will hold its value best over the coming months, but we can try to clear up a bit of the fogginess surrounding price plans on offer from UK networks. Orange and O2 are the first to drop handset pricing and full contract details, but they haven't made it easy for the discerning buyer, with each carrier offering more than a dozen options. Vodafone, T-Mobile, Three, and even Tesco Mobile are set to follow suit in the coming days and weeks, but we thought we'd get the ball rolling with the pair we have now. Update: And just as we publish this, Voda has gone official with its tariffs. We've now broken them down into a more digestible format as well. Just for you. Update 2: Tesco Mobile has also outed its pricing and it's by far the best of the bunch. Check out the full chart inside the post. Update 3: Three's iPhone 4 pricing has now also been made known.
Orange slips out a few Samsung Galaxy Apollo details
Orange's UK outpost has fessed up to the Galaxy Apollo's existence just as it started showing up on an official Samsung site, saying that the Android-powered phone -- a handset that looks a bit like the South Korean market M120S -- is "coming soon." Beyond that, we don't have much to go on, but we now know that it'll have a 3 megapixel cam with autofocus, FM radio, 3.2-inch display, and "up to 1GB external memory," which we're pretty sure is a typo or misunderstanding of some sort; in all likelihood, they mean it's got 1GB internal and it can support up to 32GB external. Or so we hope, anyhow. No word on price or a release date just yet.
Orange and O2 announce UK iPhone 4 pricing
UK carrier Orange has already confirmed that it'll be joining in on the iPhone 4 party on June 24th, and it's just now revealed exactly how much the phone will cost you depending on the service you choose. As with the 3GS, the iPhone 4 is available on both monthly or pay-as-you-go plans, and actually starts as low as free for a 16GB iPhone 4 on the highest monthly plan (£75 per month) and goes all the way up to £570 (or $845) for an off-contract 32GB iPhone 4 on a pay-as-you-go plan. There's literally no less than twenty different price points in all, however, so be sure to hit up the source link below to see exactly what's available before you go line up. Update: Hey, O2 has followed suit. Imagine that! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iPhone 4 confirms June 24 date with O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone in UK
Good news for non-America: O2 UK has become the first international carrier to confirm it'll have the iPhone 4 ready for purchase and adoration on launch day, June 24. After the iPad gave preferential treatment to the US with its release schedule, some might have feared the similarly hot piece of tech Apple just announced today will also suffer from a tiered launch. It's looking like Brits won't have to worry about that particular pain, but it's also curious that Vodafone and Orange -- the other local carriers of the iPhone -- are remaining mum tonight. Is Apple lending a hand to its old partner by allowing it early stock? That wouldn't be entirely unfathomable, though it would be pretty unpleasant for impatient types who fancy some carrier choice. Update: Never mind that whole conspiracy theory: we've just seen that Orange is also throwing its hat into the June 24 ring -- let's keep this momentum going, guys! [Thanks, Blizzard] Update 2: And now Tech Radar has heard direct from Vodafone that June 24 is a go, giving us a complete Brit pack. Update 3: Hey, what do you know? T-Mobile UK's getting it too. Choice is good.
Motorola Flipout preview
We know you're excited -- the Nokia Twist finally has a legitimate competitor in the square-shaped pseudo-smartphone space! Motorola snuck up on us with its Flipout unveiling yesterday, so today we diligently trudged along to its local offices to get properly acquainted with this new Android handset. Running version 2.1 (Eclair) on a 600MHz processor might seem like a recipe for trouble, but it's the same Cortex A8 (TI OMAP 3410) as used in the Droid, and our time with the little quadrangle revealed it could handle itself with aplomb. The Flipout also boasts a freshened up Motoblur implementation and 512MB of both RAM and ROM, but only 150MB for user storage -- time to bring on Froyo, eh? With interchangeable back covers (two will come in the retail box) and that handbag-friendly form factor, the Flipout is unashamedly flirting with being a phone for style-conscious lady-geeks, but let's see if it doesn't appeal to gruff old types like us as well. Join us after the break for our full hands-on impressions.%Gallery-94308%
Orange and T-Mobile become Everything Everywhere (in the UK)
We did ponder how you can rename the Orange and T-Mobile coalition (topical word, eh Britain?) without offending either party, and the strategy seems to have been to just go for a name so bombastic that it overshadows all other concerns. Say hello to Everything Everywhere. Such is the strident new moniker attached to the joint venture between the French and German telecoms, with the justification being that the resultant "super-network" will be the biggest in the UK and therefore capable of providing both universal coverage and limitless services. We'll see how that works out, but for now it's important to note that the high street brands won't be changing. T-Mobile and Orange will retain their separate identities (and eye-searing color schemes), while offering you all the synergistic benefits resulting from the scale of the new company. Full PR after the break.
