Mobile Phone Blog:

Right then, a leak appeared online yesterday, and basically, what it amounted to, was a list of new stuff set to appear in the next full version of Windows Phone, codenamed Apollo; or, if you like, you can use the actual proper name it’ll have, Windows Phone 8. At that point, it was just a rumour, so I figured I’d wait a bit, to see what happened, before I blogged about it.

Turns out to have been the right thing to do, ‘cos those details have now been confirmed by Paul Thurrott of WinSupersite. And so, what we’re looking at is the actual list of new stuff that Apollo, version 8, will bring to Windows phones.

So, what can we expect? Read the rest of this entry »

Now then, here’s a bit of good news for anyone who uses an Android phones, and who likes using the Android Market. Y’see, it’s well known that there’s been a fair amount of malware popping up on the Android Market, and as we all know, malware is bad. On PC, you’ve got loads of options for protecting yourself, and while there’s a couple of ways on Android, it’s always nice to have extra protection, right?

So, this new thingie that Google have come up with, according to their own blog, is a very welcome addition to the Android platform. It’s called Bouncer, and it’s specifically designed to add another layer of protection to Android users. So, then, how does it work? Read the rest of this entry »

Well, that’s that sorted, then. I pretty much gave up referring to the Big Five (in terms of mobile phone manufacturers) ages ago, ‘cos it’s a list that’s in a constant state of flux, so who I say is the Big Five might not be the Big Five tomorrow. See, back when I first got into this trade, the Big Five was Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, LG and Motorola. And then it changed. And then it changed again.

But every now and then, I feel like doing a post about who the current top manufacturers are, ad now we have the results of the IDC study for 2011. And the top three?

In ascending order, it’s Apple, then Samsung, but to my surprise, Nokia still has the top spot… Read the rest of this entry »

Now then, this is a story I like. It’s not a story about one of the big boys, somebody like HTC or the juggernaut that is Samsung; it is, instead, a story about the triumph of the little guy. Specifically, it’s the story of a design student from Middlesex University, one Kieron-Scott Woodhouse, who got bored with all the smartphones on the market, and decided to come up with his own idea for his own unique smartphone. The unique bit?

The body’s made out of bamboo.

So, he designed the phone in his spare time, and posted the designs up online, to show people what he’d been up to. But then, something brilliant happened… Read the rest of this entry »

[The opinions expressed in the blog post are entirely those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mobileshop.com.]

Well folks, I wondered when this day would come. Ages upon ages ago (two-and-a-bit years ago, in fact), I did a blog post about the TwitterPeek, a thingie that was only tangentially related to the topic of mobile phones, ‘cos it was a handheld device designed only to do Twitter. There was also an email version, designed only to do emails, and at the time I said that, even as a concept, it was utterly, irredeemably pointless.

Well, the day has now come when I am proved right, according to Engadget, but it’s a shame that the death of this thing has also led to customers being shafted.

Allow me to explain/rant… Read the rest of this entry »

Well, there’s a disappointing bit of news, even if it’s something that is, overall, a good thing. Yes, according to IntoMobile, the biggest mobile event of the year, the Mobile World Congress, is happening this month, but it turns out that the Samsung Galaxy S III won’t be there. Nope, it turns out that Samsung will actually be unveiling it at a separate event, some time in the first half of the year.

While that’s undoubtedly disappointing news for people who’re looking forward to seeing the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S II, it’s actually probably the smartest move Samsung could make, and there’s a very simple reason why.

That reason is the iPhone 5… Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a PC gamer, it’s practically a certainty that you’ve heard of the Humble Bundle. It’s a bundle of indie games (often really good ones), you pay what you want for it, and some of the proceeds go to charity. It is, very possibly, the best thing to happen to PC games in years, and awesomely, it’s now come to the world of Android phones…

It’s not often that I get to write a blog post in which I have absolutely nothing but happy feelings. I utterly love the Humble Bundle, in every single way, so seeing it arrive on mobile phones is the best thing ever, as far as I’m concerned. But why should you care? Well, I’ll tell ya… Read the rest of this entry »

Now then, it’s a rare day indeed, when I talk about an LG phone on this blog, the reason being that it’s a rare day when LG show off a phone that I reckon is worth talking about. It’s just that everyone else, the likes of HTC and Samsung, all make more interesting phones, and there’s only so many hours in a day, right?

Anyway, the point is, LG have unveiled a new phone in Sweden, according to GSMArena. Yes, I know, you may be wondering why I’m talking about a phone on sale in Sweden, but go with, okay? Y’see, the reason I’m talking about this wee beastie, the LG Optimus L3, is because it’s funky as all hell, it appears to be dirt cheap, and I’m hoping LG will see fit to release it in Blighty… Read the rest of this entry »

I always love it when people do things, not because they have to, but because they can. Or just to see if something can be done. Or, more likely (we are on the internet, after all), for the lulz. After all, isn’t the one of the most fundamental tenets of science to do things, to see what happens (followed, of course, by observing what happens, then keeping the good bits, or failing that, the bits that go off bang in useful and/or amusing ways).

So, therefore, you can assume I love the fact that some enterprising peeps over at XDADevelopers have taken it upon themselves to stick some operating systems besides on an HTC phone. Now, you may be asking is why they would do that, but the reason’s quite simple, really… Read the rest of this entry »

Woohoo! I always love it when phones get leaked before their official unveiling, but when that phone is a brand new HTC smartphone, I get doubly excited. So, without further do, and courtesy of Engadget, say hello to what appears to be the HTC Ville…

Yup, looks pretty genuine to me, although there’s always a chance it’s just a clever mock-up. It does look genuine, though, which is good, ‘cos that phone, right there, is gorgeous. It reminds me of the HTC Sensation XE, only without the red bits, and with a more sensible design for the panels on the back. Of course, the comparison to the Sensation XE goes deeper than just the looks… Read the rest of this entry »