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Samsung Galaxy Tab on sale now in UK
While Steve Jobs doesn't like the form factor and Google thinks that Froyo is less than ideal for tablets, we were pretty impressed by the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab's ability to run Android 2.2. Today it's officially on sale in UK shops as previously announced. It's supposed to be coming to all the major UK carriers in addition to Carphone Warehouse, Dixons, and T-Mobile shops. At the moment, we're seeing it in stock at the Carphone Warehouse under a variety of plans ranging from a £499.99 with a £10 pay monthly plan on Talk Mobile that includes 1GB of data. On the other extreme is a £99.99 deal that requires a £40 per month two year contract that includes 5GB of data on Three. It's also offered for a standalone price of £529.99. And please, whatever you do don't call it a UMPC, that was so 5 years ago. Update: We've just heard that Orange is also launching the Tab at similar price points, starting from £499. Similarly, Vodafone's offering the same tablet for £499 across all of its monthly contracts. On the other hand, O2's slapped a staggering £599 tag onto the device for all of its plans -- a very odd move, we'd say (link only works within the UK).
Samsung suggests Galaxy Tab will cost between $200 and $400 on contract -- also coming to Vodafone
Early reports indicate Europe will pay a pretty penny for Samsung's Galaxy Tab, but the 7-inch tablet may cost a good bit less when it comes to US shores -- the Wall Street Journal paraphrases a Samsung executive who claims it could run between $200 and $300 depending on the all-important carrier subsidies. The Korea Times, meanwhile, suggests a $300 to $400 retail price according to a different Samsung bigwig, who added that the Tab "will cost slightly more than the Galaxy S smartphone." As you're probably aware, Sammy's Galaxy S typically retails for about $200 in the US -- excepting Sprint's Epic 4G at $250 -- so if you held a bursting Li-ion battery to our head and forced us to guess, we'd say the latter range of dollar signs is far more likely. By the way, Vodafone shows the Galaxy Tab as "coming soon." Hit our more coverage links for details. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Vodafone teases with exclusive green Nokia N8, still mum on prices and availability
With September just a few days away, things are really about to get real for Nokia's flagship N8, especially in Europe. For instance, Vodafone's UK arm has just updated the "Coming Soon" page for this Symbian^3 device. What's new? Just the fact that the carrier will be offering the phone in two colors: black and green, with the latter ironically exclusive to red Vodafone. Yep, that's pretty much it -- no prices or dates mentioned just yet, but we'll be keeping an eye out for you N8 believers.
Samsung Galaxy Tablet coming soon to Vodafone UK?
You know the old 'smoke and fire' adage by now, and while the alarms aren't sounding just yet, we get the feeling that they will be shortly. We've heard Samsung itself confirm that an Android-based tablet would be departing its labs sometime this year, and since then, we've also heard an IFA debut tossed around. Given that said show is but a few weeks out, it's halfway logical to think that Sammy would be notifying some of its launch partners of its intentions. We can't be certain that things are locked in just yet, but a 'Samsung Galaxy Tablet' has recently surfaced within Vodafone UK's systems (as shown above). There's no price or release date accompanying the mention, but it may signal that a 3G-enabled version could be coming to Britons following a proper unveiling in Berlin next month. We'll keep digging for more, and you can bet we'll be on the ground in Deutschland for a hands-on should the opportunity arise. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Vodafone UK details iPhone 4 plans a little early, we keep the screenshots
We don't know what shenanigans are going on over in Vodafone HQ, but the UK carrier gave the world a quick glimpse of its iPhone 4 pricing today, before promptly removing the data sheets from the ether. Thankfully, a fast-witted reader by the name of Liam Gladdy captured the incriminating data for us, and we can now sit and ruminate on what Voda has in store. As you might surmise from above, the vast majority of users won't be getting the handset for free, though that doesn't necessarily preclude the contracts from representing good value. We note with glee that Vodafone keeps its data limit at a robust 1GB, unlike a certain other network, and the £30 ($44) a month two-year contract is looking decent from where we're sitting. Prices over 18 months just jump by £5 in monthly outlay with handset costs remaining the same. Click past the break for the full breakdown, including details for the 32GB variety.
Samsung Galaxy S taking UK pre-orders, Vodafone promises June 15 delivery
Were you looking forward to purchasing a 16GB smartphone with unique screen technology and an app-centric OS this month? Great, because the Galaxy S pre-order has now gone live in the UK, offering a delivery only four days away from now and prices that are pretty much par for the superphone course. If you want the Super AMOLED machine for free, minimum monthly cost will be steep, starting out at £35 ($51) a pop over 24 months or £40 ($58) over 18 lunar cycles. Both those deals furnish you with 900 minutes of talk time, unlimited texts, and 1GB of 3G data, but the latter works out to be the better value as it tallies up to £720 ($1,045) in total investment over the full term. Then again, most of what Vodafone has on tap compares favorably to the madness O2 is asking iPhone 4 buyers to pony up.
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.
Nokia N8 gets first official carrier in Vodafone UK
Expect this to be the first of many similar announcements as Nokia works out carrier agreements for its new flagship phone. Vodafone's always informative Coming Soon page has today been updated with the N8, touting its "incredible" camera, social features, and personalization options. Nothing resoundingly new or informative then, but at least you'll know where to look come late August. [Thanks, Moominking]
British garbage collectors to get 1,500 BlackBerrys
First it was the rozzers, now British bin men are getting BlackBerrys as part of their job equipment pack. Biffa, a private garbage collection firm responsible for cleaning up 25 local authorities around the UK, has agreed a £1.7 million ($2.44 million) deal with Vodafone for the provision of some 1,500 BlackBerry handsets along with dongles and 3G data cards. This somewhat curious capital investment has been made in order to allow drivers to download maps, collect data from customers, liaise with head office, and even take photos where necessary. The RIM phones will also allow Biffa to track its trucks' locations -- an option that's sure to get plenty of use, considering how much Brits love to keep an eye on things.
Samsung Wave hits Vodafone UK on June 1, free on £25 a month plans
The UK is about to get its first taste of Samsung's Bada OS courtesy of the Wave, which is launching with Vodafone on June 1. Already announced amid the carrier's list of "coming soon" devices, this Super AMOLED-sporting phone has now been slapped with pre-order availability and some pricing info. Should you opt for Voda's £25 ($36) per month two-year plan, which also furnishes you with 300 free minutes, unlimited texts, and a 500MB data allowance, you can have the Wave for free. Prices start to climb from there, though strangely enough, no 12-month or partially subsidized options are on offer. And before we forget, buying this phone will also get you a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes rucksack as an extra freebie -- how's that for value?
Samsung Galaxy S and Wave 'coming soon' to Vodafone UK
Perhaps eager to steal some of the thunder from Everything Everywhere's recent debut, Vodafone has updated its Coming Soon page to show a selection of new handsets, which is highlighted by Samsung's pair of Super AMOLED beasts, the Wave and Galaxy S. The Wave brings the new Bada sensibility to British shores, while the Galaxy S will be pretty much the most advanced Android handset the UK has yet seen. It runs version 2.1 with Samsung's own skin on top, but it's the hardware behind it that'll be pushing Brits to upgrade. Hit the source link to peruse the full list, which also includes the new BlackBerry Pearl 3G, but do remember to be patient -- an Amazon pre-order listing for the Wave (priced at £350, or 521 greenbacks) indicates a one to three month waiting period.
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]
Nexus One launches on Vodafone UK this Friday, April 30
The first European carrier for the Nexus One is all set to start offering Google's superphone for free on two-year contracts costing £35 ($54) or more per month. Pre-orders are being taken today and full retail availability is slated for April 30. It's kind of an anticlimax now that the Incredible has started stalking the American prairies, but we're sure there'll be plenty of Brits who've been waiting with bated breath for this. There'll be 18- and 24-month contract options, with prices starting at £25 per month, and a 1GB 3G data allowance is included together with a 1GB WiFi allowance via BT Openzone hotspots. Not exactly the most generous price plans we've ever heard of, but then the handset's looking eminently affordable with its zero cash up front requirement. Full PR after the break.
iPad will have 'dedicated tariffs' on O2 UK, Orange and Vodafone also doing Western Europe and Australia
A bevy of identically worded UK carrier announcements has emerged in the wake of Apple's statement about the iPad's delayed international release. The good news is that you'll be able to take your pick from O2, Orange or Vodafone, though the bad news, by the sound of their robotic PR, is that there probably won't be too much price differentiation in their eventual offerings. Naturally, we'll have to keep waiting until at least the May 10th pre-order date to find out how much an iPad will set us back with either of them. Concurrent with its UK announcement, Orange has revealed it'll also offer iPad plans in Switzerland, France and Spain, while Vodafone adds Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia. We've also heard from an insider at O2 that the network operator will not itself stock the iPad, with only Apple's retail, web and "authorised dealers" offering the device for purchase. [Thanks, Rob and anonymous O2 tipster]
Vodafone UK to bring HTC Legend on April 2nd, still mum on date for Desire
Compared to some gadgets, a two-week waiting period is only as painful as a mere mosquito bite, but we're pretty sure that British fans of the HTC Legend would strongly disagree. Thankfully, our friends over at TechRadar ended this torture today with the news that Vodafone UK finally has a date for its exclusive Legend -- "arriving on 2 April." This presumably refers to stock availability in retail stores, since Vodafone's still honoring its website's April 6th date for its pre-order deliveries due to the Easter weekend. As for the Desire, Vodafone's still pointing at the April window, which provides plenty of time to choose between the various UK carriers. Oh, so many decisions!
Vodafone Spain replacing microSD cards on 3,000 virus-infected handsets
It looks like the virus-strewn HTC Magic that was recently purchased from Vodafone UK is only the tip of the iceberg. According to Vodafone Spain, some 3,000 users in all may have been exposed to Mariposa malware -- which used the handset's storage to make its way to customer's PCs via USB, leading the company to replace the microSD cards for infected customers. The company also says that the incident is "isolated and local," but with the number of infections rising from one in the UK to 3,000 in Spain in just over a week we wouldn't be surprised this story was just heating up.
HTC Legend will be exclusive to Vodafone in UK, coming in April together with Desire
Vodafone has today announced that it will be the exclusive UK carrier of that aluminum-clad successor to the Hero: the HTC Legend. Advance registration pages for it and its family mate, the Desire, have gone live today and indicate an April launch date -- something we'd already expected thanks to Amazon's delivery estimates for unlocked handsets. The two HTC devices are flanked by Sony Ericsson's long awaited X10 and the Nexus One, with the latter lacking a release date. It's interesting that as things stand the Desire (HTC's own-branded Nexus One) will beat its precursor to the UK market. Same could be true of Spain, where Engadget Spanish notes that Vodafone has confirmed an April arrival for HTC's full family of new phones, including the HD Mini.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz available on Vodafone, Satio looks on with envy
If you don't have a need for a physical keyboard -- or you're just not willing to wait long enough for the Vivaz Pro to come to market -- then you might want to take a gander at Sony Ericsson's plain-Jane Vivaz now that it's available from Vodafone in the UK. The Symbian-powered slate features a 3.2-inch WVGA display, 8.1 megapixel still camera, and 720p video capture with continuous autofocus -- a truly unique feature for a cameraphone at any price. As is usually the case with these guys, you're able to score the Vivaz for a big, fat naught on contract as long as you're willing to pony up at least £30 (about $46) a month on your plan.
Customer greeted with malware on Vodafone-issued HTC Magic (good thing it's discontinued)
Crapware's bad enough, but having your life torn asunder simply by plugging in that shiny new (insert USB-connected device here) is an exciting new trend -- viruses find their way into the darnedest places, don't they? It seems an employee at anti-malware firm Panda Research who'd ordered a new Magic off Vodafone UK's site was greeted with no fewer than three nefarious executables upon plugging the device into her PC: a bot client, a password stealer, and a Conficker variant, and running a network sniffer quickly confirmed that the virii were live and ready to do harm as soon as the autorun in the Magic's mounted mass storage was executed on her Windows machine. If this were a widespread issue, we'd certainly have heard about it in other places, so odds are good (as Panda points out) that this was simply a case of HTC or Vodafone doing an awful job of wiping a refurbished set -- but it gives you pause and kind of makes you wish you worked for an anti-malware firm, at least on days when you're plugging in a new phone for the first time. The silver lining, we suppose, is that Vodafone has recently discontinued the Magic, though that creates another problem: the only Android device it currently stocks now is the lowly Tattoo, so the X10 and Nexus One can't come soon enough.
Vodafone spicing up HTC Legend with 360 services
Vodafone 360 has yet to come to Android -- but really, what's stopping it? Though it initially launched on some custom Samsung dumbphones, the megacarrier's cloud-ish social platform ended up spreading to the desktop and a couple of S60 devices, so there's no good reason we couldn't see it on smartphones across the whole range. Indeed, the company has now announced that the Legend will be loaded up with 360 services of some sort, but what's really interesting is that the Desire won't be, even though Vodafone will be carrying both models. It's possible that HTC wants to leave its top-of-the-range model as virgin as it possibly can be, but at any rate, just remember this simple guide, folks: if you hate 360 but you've got to get in on HTC's latest round of hotties, get the Desire; if you like it, get the Legend or prepare to live without it.
