vodafoneuk
Latest
Vodafone Data Test Drive enables users to experiment with data, see what tier fits best
At the same time that kindly Mr. Vodafone released the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S to the children of the world, it announced a new program that helps you gauge your mobile data needs. Data Test Drive gives you three months of unlimited, kid-in-a-candy-van access for as much mobile Tweeting, Spotifying and YouTubing as your eyes and ears can handle. At the end of that period, the company will let you know if your current data plan would cover your usage and provide the option to increase if necessary. The program's only open to new customers, and there's no mention if you can down-shift your charges if you sip miserly at your data. Still, it's better than getting a slap in the face with the wet fish of a penalty data charge.
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S available now on Vodafone UK
Can't wait for your high-speed Xperia Arc upgrade? Well, you'll be glad to hear that Vodafone's Xperia Arc S page has now gone live, and we've confirmed with the UK phone network that the curvy smartphone will also be available in-store from tomorrow. Signing up for a two year plan at £31 per month nets you the gradient blue version for free. Aside from a new super-charged 1.4GHz processor and a "3D sweep panorama" mode, other specs are all-but identical to the original. Certainly not a deal-breaker, with an Exmor-equipped 8.1 megapixel shooter and that 4.2-inch Reality Display both squeezed into its very pocketable profile. So, please form a orderly queue at your nearest Vodafone store if that sounds like your thing -- or you could just click on the link below.
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 12, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 12, 2011: Vodacom South Africa has joined the data throttling club, though this carrier is taking a slightly different spin: BlackBerry users consuming more than 100MB of data each month will find their download speeds downgraded to GPRS or EDGE. The company claims this will only affect less than five percent of its BlackBerry customers. [via N4BB] Bada fans: the Samsung Wave 578 is featured on Orange's site as "coming soon." [via The Inquirer] Motorola announced the availability of the Fire and Fire XT in India this week. [via Motorola] The Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray is now being sold at Vodafone UK. [via Vodafone] Parrot announced the most recent addition to its lineup of Bluetooth products, called the Minikit+, a refresh of its popular hands-free speakerphone. The new model offers simultaneous pairing and voice commands. [via Parrot] Research in Motion is hoping to put the NFC functionality in OS 7 to good use, as it announced that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 / 9330 as well as the Curve 9350 / 9360 will support HID's iCLASS digital keys, which means corporate folks will able to use their smartphone as an access card. [via PhoneScoop] While digging through the Droid Bionic's webtop app, the names of two unknown Motorola phones were discovered: the Edison and the Common. Little is known about the Common, but a recent FCC filing mentioned the Edison and is speculated to be the follow-up to the Atrix, albeit sans LTE as originally hoped. [via Droid-Life] The manager of the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace, Matt Bencke, wrote a post pleading developers to submit their Mango-compatible apps as soon as possible, as the new update is coming to existing phones soon and it's obviously very important to have Windows Phone 7.5 run as smooth as possible. [via WMPowerUser] A leaked Radio Shack roadmap indicates the HTC Vigor should be available in stores by October 20th, and the QWERTY-packing Samsung Stratosphere will be up for online ordering as early as October 6th. As this is a third-party retailer, we can't say with surety that these dates reflect the carrier's official release. [via Droid-Life]
Samsung Galaxy Y coming soon to Vodafone UK's budget lineup
The Samsung Galaxy Y recently appeared on Vodafone's "Coming Soon" page, where Sammy's youth-oriented smartphone will look to carve a niche among the UK carrier's value options. While the handset compares favorably to the current bottom-of-the-line Galaxy Mini (free on all contracts over £13 per month), the low-res QVGA display makes it a timid competitor to better-equipped options such as the Wildfire S and Xperia Mini Pro (both free on all contracts over £20.50 per month). Along with a Gingerbread OS and an 832MHz CPU, you'll find a 2 megapixel camera and the usual assortment of 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS. Neither pricing nor a release date have been announced, which will certainly determine much of the Galaxy Y's fate. So, Vodafone, how low can you go?
Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray shows up on Vodafone UK, inches towards launch
If you've been counting down the days leading up to the Xperia Ray's release, get set to add a few more X's to that calendar. A recent product page over on Vodafone UK teases an imminent launch for the svelte, Sony Ericsson handset, and slims down that multi-hued selection to one gold-backed option. The 3.3-incher had previously been up for pre-order on Play.com with a purported mid-August release, only to see that date slip back into the folds of September. Whenever the phone does finally make it to market, expect to see this quadband HSPA-capable device sporting an 854 x 480 Reality display, 1GHz processor, 8.1 megapixel rear-facing camera and Android 2.3. Import-minded types can look forward to running an unlocked version on AT&T, or just wait around for a potential stateside release. Eager for more info? Then head to the source below where you can sign-up for the deets.
Mobile Miscellany: week of August 15, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of August 15, 2011: Vodafone's very own budget-friendly Facebook Phone, the Vodafone 555, is now on sale. £62.50 is all it will take to get the non-touchscreen featurephone in your fingertips. [via SlashGear] A spec sheet and screenshots of the Sony Ericsson Nozumi leaked this week. The handset will likely feature a 1.4GHz single-core Qualcomm S2 CPU, Adreno 205 GPU, and 4.3-inch display with 1280 x 720 resolution. Interestingly enough, the phone is rumored to require a micro SIM, much like the iPhone 4. [via XperiaBlog] US Cellular launched two new Android devices for its prepaid lineup, the Samsung Gem and HTC Merge. The Gem offers a 3.2-inch WVGA display, 800MHz CPU, and Android 2.2 for $140, while the Merge is a global-capable QWERTY slider with a 3.8-inch display, Android 2.2, and more for $300. [via US Cellular] Immediately following Google's acquisition of Motorola, discussion centered around the possibility of the latter company becoming the preferred OEM for Android -- a privilege that would, in theory, include designing and producing the next Nexus. Andy Rubin, the head honcho for the open-source OS, put such rumors to bed by offering more insight on the approval process for upcoming Nexus phones, and insisted that HelloMoto will continue to be treated the same as every other OEM; it will have to bid for the job just like every other company does. [via AndroidCentral] The Huawei Blaze, a budget Android handset that runs on Gingerbread, may arrive in the UK as early as September. The Blaze would mark the first time we've seen the company offer a phone under its own branding in the UK. [via CNet] Shocked to hear the Kyocera Echo isn't selling as well as the company had hoped? Yeah, neither are we. Nonetheless, in the hopes of sparking sales, it's started offering twelve premium games for free to the first 10,000 downloads as part of its "summer of free apps" campaign. Good luck with that. [via Electronista] With all of the buzz rightfully centered around Nokia and its quest for Windows Phone dominance, how bright does Vertu's future look? If Eldar Murtazin is to believed, Espoo's luxury phone branch will also be on the receiving end of WP7 devices. The main difference with Vertu's version compared to the rest of Nokia's lineup? It'll most likely be covered with gold and diamonds. [via WMPowerUser] The Samsung Galaxy Q, another name for the Gravity Smart, is now available on Rogers. The device is geared toward the lower end, so it may not be the most lustworthy letter in the Samsung Galaxy alphabet. [via MobileSyrup]
Samsung Galaxy S Plus now available on Vodafone for your purchasing pleasure
The Galaxy S Plus was the bee's knees of the mobile world for a day, promising a boost in its predecessor's internals and becoming a less expensive alternative to the flagship Galaxy S II. It definitely didn't take long for it to go public, as it's become available on Vodafone. The Plus appears to begin as an exclusive for the carrier before spreading its wings to other parts of the global sphere. So feel free to go and grab, if your heart desires; the faster CPU and larger battery certainly make for a more tempting buy. Of course, seeing the phone offered for free doesn't hurt, either.
Blackberry Bold 9900 up for pre-order at Vodafone UK, first official price tag
RIM was tight-lipped about pricing and availability when we went hands-on at the official launch of their OS 7-equipped Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and Torch 9860 handsets. We still can't be sure exactly when the Torches will hit British shelves, but the Bold 9900 is already standing proudly up for pre-order at Vodafone UK, along with a commitment to arrive at your doorstep in roughly a week's time if you take the plunge. However, just like the leaked T-Mobile USA pricing, it won't come cheap in the UK either: you'll need to swallow a £41 ($67) monthly price plan on a two-year contract before they'll give you the handset for free. Alternatively, you can opt for a monthly contract at half that price and pay a daunting £399 ($650) upfront for the phone. Nevertheless, if you're a BB fan and you're convinced of this form factor, then we predict you'll get on well with 9900's particularly chunky keyboard, high-res screen and top-notch build quality -- or you could just wait for our full review. Update: It's just been spotted going cheaper at Carphone Warehouse -- free from £31 per month on Vodafone or £500 off-contract, also with an August 12th delivery date. Let the market forces ensue. [Thanks, Roberto and Anthony]
Xperia Neo now shipping from Vodafone UK in stunning red apparel
Go ahead and admit it: ever since Sony Ericsson debuted the Xperia Neo, you've been concocting wild situations for exploiting the low-light imaging prowess of that 8.1 megapixel Exmor R sensor. Now thanks to Vodafone UK, you can actualize that vision for free with all monthly plans starting at £26 -- and score a ravishing red exterior to boot. With production back in swing for this Gingerbread-wielding handset, the only question that remains is whether you'll be cracking that bootloader wide open following the unboxing, or if you'll be waiting a few weeks before abusing the Neo's inner delights.
Vodafone UK bids adieu to Galaxy Tab 10.1v, likes its slates skinny
Back in February, it looked like Vodafone UK was more than happy to get its hands on the original Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v, but with the impending UK release of a younger, slimmer model, the carrier is giving the 10.1v the boot. According to some helpful tipsters, customers who showed early interest in the thicker version of the tablet have received an "important update" from Vodafone saying, "We've decided to add the slimmer Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to our range, which will now take the place of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v." The landing page for the original 10.1 has also been removed from Vodafone's website. Looks like it's a sad day for our friends across the pond who like their tabs with a little extra cushion, not to mention an 8 megapixel camera. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
HTC ChaCha dances its way onto Vodafone, available now
If you've come to the realization that status updates are far more important than actual phone calls, you're going to be very excited to hear that the HTC ChaCha -- the Facebook phone that's not a "Facebook Phone" -- is now available on Vodafone starting at the low, low cost of zilch. There's not a lot to distinguish this phone from other Sense-powered devices, with the exception of some additional social network functionality integrated into the UI. Oh, and there's that little F button below the keyboard with a light that pulsates anytime you're doing something that could be shared with the entire world. Top it all off with Gingerbread, an HVGA display on a 2.6-inch screen, 512MB RAM, and a 600MHz CPU, and you've got a device that should reasonably handle all your social tendencies. So, boogie on down to the press release after the break or tango over to the source to purchase the ChaCha online.
Vodafone truck can recharge 2,000 devices at once, is coming to an Isle of Wight near you
Nothing like a dead battery to kill your Foursquare buzz at a British summer concert, eh? Vodafone feels your pain and so, in an act of brilliant PR, is rolling out a 40-foot truck capable of charging up to 2,000 devices simultaneously. Peeking inside the 44-ton station, it's hard (for us, anyway) not to think of a bowling alley with cubbies, except they aren't filled with rental clown shoes, but outlets ready to revive iPhones, BlackBerrys, Nokia handsets, and a host of Android phones. The free service is made exclusive to Vodafone UK customers, and the carrier expects to charge roughly 72,000 handsets this summer alone. All told, our friends across the pond will get 11 chances this year to try it out, with the first public outing coming at the Isle of Wight festival next month. If you'll be stuck elsewhere watching repeats of Lady Gaga's concert special on HBO, have a peek at the Union Jack-blanketed press shots below.
HTC Desire S gets a candy apple makeover exclusively at Vodafone UK
Oh, the Desire S. It's attracted plenty of attention around these parts, and if a thorough review or family scuffle wasn't enough to draw your attention, we imagine this fire engine paint job will do just nicely. Vodafone is bringing this exclusive red-headed beaut to its UK network, where it's available free with all monthly plans £30 or more. So, if you're the type who loves aluminum unibody enclosures but detests the color of... well, aluminum... it seems that you're in luck. Just don't get too cocky around MacBook Pro fans -- they're likely to get jealous of your free paint job.
HTC Sensation up for pre-order at Vodafone UK, delivery promised by May 19th
HTC couldn't let Samsung and Motorola have all the dual-core fun in the UK and it's now let Vodafone detail the earliest known availability of its mighty Sensation. That 1.2GHz, aluminum-clad handset has gone up for pre-order today, with Vodafone aiming to deliver "by the 19th of May." Not exactly the firmest of promises here, but it's good to know that in a couple of weeks we'll have yet another contender in the dual-core Android wars. We suspect other European markets will be joining the UK at about the same time, and T-Mobile in the US shouldn't be too far behind either. [Thanks, Tom]
Vodafone lets Londoners pay for taxis via text message, charge their phones in transit
Mobile payment systems may be gaining only gradual steam in the US, but over on the other side of the pond, Vodafone UK has launched a broad new campaign to integrate smartphone technology where Londoners may need it most -- in the back of taxis. As of today, many cab passengers will be able to charge their smartphones in transit, thanks to a wide range of chargers that the mobile carrier has installed in more than 500 of London's iconic black vehicles. Vodafone is also rolling out a new payment scheme today, whereby cash-strapped travelers can text their cab's license number to a specific code, allowing any owed fares to be charged directly to their phone bills. The system certainly doesn't sound as elegant as some of the NFC-based operations we've heard about, but it still beats having to navigate your cab driver to the nearest ATM, with the meter tick-tocking away.
Xperia Play meets shipping delays in UK, Vodafone and Three bump launch to next week
Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play isn't having the best of starts in the world, having been delayed by UK carrier O2 due to "software issues," and it's now missing its targeted launch date of April 1st with two more of the local operators, Vodafone and Three. Both have today announced that, due to shipping issues, they won't be able to meet tomorrow's launch date -- leaving only Orange on track to release it on time. T-Mobile, Orange's partner in Everything Everywhere, says it'll have the Xperia Play in "mid-April." Still, the wait isn't that much longer as Three hopes to sell you a Play "early next week" and Vodafone, a bit more cautiously, is shooting for availability "as soon as possible."
Vodafone's UK network taken down by a break-in (update: some services restored)
Some of our UK readers have woken up to the less than awesome discovery this morning that their phones have lost all connectivity to the outside world. 3G, 2G, SMS, and BlackBerry services on the Vodafone UK network are all down for what seems like a significant proportion of its user base -- an issue the carrier has since identified as being caused by a break-in at its Basingstoke exchange center. No further details have been provided, though work is naturally underway to repair the damage done and we're assured customers' private data has remained so. We can't imagine quite such a service disruption being caused by a random act of vandalism or burglary, perhaps a disgruntled employee felt the need to vent his or her frustrations in grand style? Or has O2 gone gangster on the competition? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Vodafone got in touch to say that 2G and 3G voice connectivity has been restored as of lunchtime in the UK and text and data services should be up within "the next couple of hours." The company estimates the issue has affected "a couple of hundred thousand users", though it expects that number to drop to zero before the day is through.
Vodafone UK lands Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 exclusive launch
We reported yesterday that Vodafone customers would be the first to get their hands on the lightweight 10.1-inch tablet, and now we're getting word via Twitter that Vodafone UK will carry the Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 exclusively in Britain, at least to start. Thus far, that's all she wrote -- Vodafone's tweet ends with "More info Coming soon!" but they've yet to follow up. So there's still no confirmation of a solid release date -- we've heard March for Asia and Europe -- or pricing, and Americans eagerly awaiting the tablet's Stateside debut have been left out in the cold, but at least our British friends will know where to go when the slim slate makes it to market. [Thanks, Chris W.]
HTC Magic gets Froyo on Vodafone UK
Sure, it might be half a year after the hackers did it, but cut 'em some slack: bureaucracy always makes issuing firmware updates difficult, so we're just happy to see that Vodafone has outed a Froyo update for the HTC Magic at all. The Android 2.2.1-based package appears to contain all the usual goodies -- including tethering support and the ability to move apps to external storage -- which should give these aging beasts a new lease on life. Don't get us wrong: the draw of a new Desire HD, Galaxy S, or Nexus S is probably strong for current Magic owners... but if this update is enough to keep 'em in use until mid-2011, we bet the patience is going to pay off.
Vodafone UK now selling HTC Desire Z, can be had for free if you play your cards right
Of course, the fact that a high-end smartphone can be scored for free on a European carrier should come as no surprise to anyone -- but in the case of the Desire Z on Vodafone in the UK, you'll be looking at a minimum monthly spend of £35 (about $55) on a two-year contract if you don't want to spend anything upfront, scaling up to £199 ($310) for the phone on a £25 ($39) plan. The specs are the same ones that you've come to know and love (or hate) -- QWERTY keyboard mounted on a crazy hinge, 5 megapixel camera, 3.7-inch SLCD, and access to HTC's new cloud-based Sense features -- so if that gets the hairs on the back of your neck to stand up, run on down to your local Voda shop now and have at it.
