Mobile Phone Blog:

A 16 megapixel Windows Phone handset has been made public at CES 2012.

The HTC Titan II is the first Windows device to feature a mighty 16 megapixel camera as well as the first smartphone outside of Asia to do so.

Like its predecessor the HTC Titan the phone will feature a 4.7 inch LCD display as well as a 1.5GHz Scorpion CPU.

The handset will pack LTE and will hit the USA during the first half of 2012.

There has been a lot of talk about when the white iPhone 4 will appear, and that is if it even still exists.

The infamous handset has so far been delayed by 10 months due to paint and camera issues, but at last we have been told it will be available in just a few short weeks and definitely by the end of April!

Many of us assumed the white model had been cancelled after all the delays and after several images and references were removed from Apple’s online retail site the other week. But the company’s senior VP, Phil Schiller has tweeted that it does still exist and it will be out this spring.

Apple is also keeping us in suspense about the next generation iPhone, as the iPhone 5 still has not been officially announced. Rumours indicate that it may be mentioned at at developer’s conference and that it will be launched in September.

We are only four months into 2010 but some of the best mobile phones ever to hit the market have been released already.

Although handsets such as the Apple iPhone 3G  S Black 16GB will be in fashion for a very long time, certain models to have hit the market already this year are proving very popular. And with a multitude of pay monthly contract deals available, there are more tariffs and technology options to choose from than ever before.

Let’s take a look at some of the best new phones and how they’ve been reviewed.

Stuff magazine gave top marks for the HTC Desire…

Stuff magazine not only said the HTC Desire was a “premium smartphone” but also studied it in comparison to the hotly tipped Google Nexus One, describing it as a “compelling alternative”. Both use Android 2.1 and could divide consumers, as they are remarkably similar aesthetically, the publication said.

However, while the Nexus One employs touch-sensitive buttons at the base of the screen, the HTC Desire incorporates physical ones – therefore providing a more reliable control experience for the user.

Other big plus points include advanced email capabilities and a “great” AMOLED screen, Stuff added.

“Overall, the Desire is a highly, er, desirable object and makes Android shine. If you prefer the extra home screens and widgets HTC Sense user interface offers, it’s a shoo-in over the Nexus One..”

According to T3 magazine..

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini Pro is a smartphone to watch out for, combining all the best parts of its predecessor in a perfectly scaled-down and stylish device. Equipped with a five-megapixel camera and an Android operating system, it’s potentially perfect for heavy users.

T3 also hearts the “revamped” Blackberry Bold 9700, which comes complete with a nifty digital trackpad and “email services that are second to none”.

Trusted Reviews loves the Samsung Genio Slide…

The Samsung Genio Slide was reviewed by the gadget website and awarded an overall score of eight out of ten. It ranked even higher in the value category, totting up nine out of ten points.

So why all the fuss? Well, its slide-out qwerty keyboard is apparently fantastic and it’s therefore great for big texters and web users. The 2.8 touch screen is “bright”, with a reasonably uncluttered TouchWiz interface.

What’s more, it comes with a BBC iPlayer widget, so you can stream videos and watch them later – perfect if you can’t bear to miss the latest goings on in Albert Square.

Tech Radar pointed out the pros of the Portal…

The Samsung Galxy Portal has a long list of pros, thanks to the manufacturer learning from its mistakes, according to Tech Radar who gave the handset a three-and-a-half out of five.

Good battery life, a solid build quality, bright screen and “surprisingly good camera” were all listed as plus points by the website, despite an average button layout.

A rubberised back cover helps to minimise damage, while the 3.2-inch screen is impressive Tech Radar added, going on to say it is “bright enough and big enough, and if you haven’t yet used a modern smartphone you’ll be staggered by the HVGA resolution.”

The online publication, however, gave its highest mark this year so far to the HTC Legend  , which was given a lofty four-and-a-half out of five.

Describing the body as “sumptuous” and the user interface as “excellent”, a huge range of other highlights were picked out.

The “top notch” AMOLED screen yields better colour and contrast than an LCD, while the FriendStream function – enabling the user to log onto various social networking sites and see all their updates simultaneously - is also a hit.

“If you want to play with widgets and be able to customise your experience as much as possible, then Android – and more importantly the HTC Legend should be your first port of call,” Tech Radar concluded.

For those on a budget, CNET recommended the Samsung Diva…

Although most of the best smartphones are available for nothing on a pay monthly contract, those who want to stick to a cheap tariff might find some of the higher-end gadgets a bit prohibitive in terms of price.

However, the Samsung Diva, which was evaluated by CNET, could be ideal for people who want something chic and cheap. It’s aimed at females apparently – don’t let this put you off though, as it is said to be lightweight and with a “decent” capacitive touch screen.

The “pearly case” makes it a great accessory of sorts too, if you’re bothered abut matching your outfit to your phone!

Last but not least?

The LG GW620 is worth a look if you want an Android-powered smartphone with a physical qwerty keyboard says ZDNet who rated the slide model as worthy of 7.3 marks out of ten.

Although it is small enough to use one handed, it incorporates Wi-Fi, HSPA, Bluetooth, GPS and some of the best multimedia offerings from a phone on the market.

And, intriguingly, it’s reportedly a suitable device for people with tiny hands.

“There’s an accelerometer that flips the screen between portrait and landscape mode as you turn it in your hand,” ZDNet added. “The screen is small enough that even people with small hands should be able to reach right across it for one-handed use.”

So, there you have it. Whether you want to stream your favourite social networking sites all together, take great pictures, surf the net, watch the latest episode of EastEnders or use your tiny hands to work a phone one-handed, there is a huge range of choice currently available on the mobile market.

Just be sure to compare prices and tariffs and figure out which deal is going to be most suitable for you – visit the MobileShop.com pay monthly page to see the full rangeof currently fantastic deals.

Earlier last week Orange announced it was introducing three new varieties of mobile entertainment, which could shake up the handset-based gaming industry.

Neil Holroyd, head of gaming products and services for the operator, said it was an "exciting time" with "the launch of these new mobile gaming offerings forming a key part of our strategy to evolve our business through entertainment".

Good old days

As all the recent talk has been about applications and social networking, people may have forgotten just how much fun playing games on a mobile used to be, such as the days of Snake. The simple to use amusement was one of the most popular games around at the time with what seemed like everyone trying to beat their friends’ high scores.

Tetris was another example and that was even recognised for an award back in January this year. The retro title was named as the biggest selling mobile phone game of all time and since 2005 it had reportedly had more than 100 million paid downloads – not bad for fitting a few shapes together to make lines.

After winning the award Adam Sussman, vice-president of worldwide publishing at EA Mobile – which made Tetris available – said the reason for the success was the company’s ability to adapt it to the "ever-evolving" handset market and yet still make it appealing.

New beginnings

However, things have now moved on in what seems like a relatively short period of time and social networking appears to dominate young people’s lives when they are on their mobile phones.

Daniel Chubb, chief executive officer at Dansway Communications and Online Social Media, remarked earlier this month that the "younger generation cannot live without social media".

Orange has clearly recognised this as the first of its trio of gaming announcements is Playtomo – which went live on March 29th. It enables the handset user to play games for free through their favourite social networking website.

The "network first" permits UK customers to use sites, such as Facebook, to play card, platform or even action games. Users can download the function from Orange World and scores and points are recorded on the site to be compared with acquaintances’ results.

"Contact lists are easily imported to the service so friends can be invited to join in the fun from any UK phone operator," the network said.

In the zone

Free games are also available with the network’s second initiative called Games Zone, however there is a subscription service payment of £5 per month before the user can access their entertainment.

Once the service is paid for it will allow customers the use of two chargeless games a month, a 20 per cent discount on additional purchases and access to competitions. This could be an ideal service for a regular mobile gamer, who spends far more than £5 each month purchasing games to play while he or she is on the move.

People who are interested in the function can download it from Orange World or the Orange shop online and even if the user’s subscription ends after they have got the free games, it is still possible to keep them.

Consumers currently upgrading have the opportunity to trial the service for one month and Mr Holroyd added: "Innovative gaming services such as Playtomo and Games Zone give customers the best possible gaming experience and value for money on their mobile phone."

In the headlines again

Lastly, the operator’s third and final announcement was that all Orange Apple iPhone customers can access mobile games designed and produced by the network from the Apple App store.

The applications – which should come to Orange iPhone’s in late-April – is designed specifically by the company for the handset and some examples include off-road racing and Poker, as well as the newly launched Playtomo. It seems hard to keep Steve Jobs’ organisation out of the headlines in terms of mobile phones and Orange has made it almost impossible with its announcement.

Earlier this year, findings from the UK National Gamers Survey, conducted by TNS and Gamesindustry.com, noted 85 per cent of the 700,000 iPhone customers playing games were paying money for them, rather than opting for freebies. This was an increase of 18 per cent on British operator O2.

Nevertheless, the iPhone is already held in high regard in terms of entertainment on mobile devices and according to Peter Warman from Gamesindustry.com, it is "extremely good" at monetising the situation, despite lacking in the amount of amusement customers compared to some manufacturers.

With people using iTunes to download music they are already in an ideal location to receive games too, which could be one reason why the manufacturer sees so many people paying for titles. People may not necessarily go onto Orange World to buy the latest Girls Aloud song for example, but they might visit Apple’s music store and then purchase a game at the same time.

Will it be an Orange world?

So could Orange change the face of mobile gaming after its three announcements? It seems unlikely it will completely revolutionise the industry, however it is refreshing to see the network take on board the rise of the social networking era.

Research company InSites Consulting recently announced findings which stated that more than half (51 per cent) of internet users are on Facebook, with 20 per cent on MySpace and 17 per cent on Twitter. These figures alone show how big this side of the internet is and the operator has clearly taken this on board with its launch of Playtomo, although it remains to be seen just how popular the function will become.

Making games more easily available on these sites could be beneficial to manufacturers in the industry after recent figures announced 16 per cent of Facebook and Twitter users check the sites first thing in the morning to get their news. And there could be even more social networking sites to come, as Mr Chubb stated: "Facebook overshadows all, but niche social media sites are more popular with many users with specific interests."

Visit the Mobileshop.com pay monthly page to see the full range of currently available fantastic Orange deals.

After the HTC Desire was released last week on the T-Mobile network, will this lead to greater competition for the Apple iPhone?

Apple dominance

The Apple handset has dominated the market in many different forms right up to the current iPhone 3G S, which the manufacturer describes as the “fastest” one of its kind ever.

It has a 3.5-inch widescreen multi-touch display that comes with a 480 x 320 pixel resolution and users could find the size useful for playing back videos on the gadget. The device has been advertised as an iPod as well as a mobile that may mean some consumers have resisted temptation to go out and buy a separate mp3 player.

But the applications market could be one of the main reasons why the handset has done so well because it can allow someone to customise their iPhone in many ways.

People can download apps from the Apple App Store – some cost money but others are free – and the company says there is one for just about everything.

From cookery to music or games, there is an application. One named the Epicurious Recipes and Shopping List enables the user to “cook up a storm” by browsing more than 25,000 recipes so they may never need a cookbook again. A certain dish can be found by using a keyword search and then the consumer can place the ingredients on their shopping list on the handset and check them off as they purchase the items.

Nevertheless, will the latest HTC design be enough to conquer the iPhone’s supremacy?

Desired effect

The most recent phone from the manufacturer – the HTC Desire – possesses a similar-size screen to the iPhone at 3.7 inches and it also has pinch-to-zoom technology.

Both come with Wi-Fi, although the Desire has a five-megapixel camera but the extra settings on it are similar to Apple’s device with geotagging and autofocus modes.

The manufacturer describes it as the “superphone you have been waiting for” saying it “delivers intense brilliance, sharp contrast and true colours on the expansive” screen.

And the battle could be won or lost within the applications market. HTC’s handset is operated by the Android system and so there are different apps available for the user compared to the iPhone.

It said: “If you’re a sports junkie or simply love to keep up to date with the latest news, the HTC Desire keeps you in the know with the News application.”

Standard social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, have shortcuts and the gadget comes with a 1GHz processor designed to not keep people waiting too long for things to load.

And the facilities can all be found in one place thanks to the Friend Stream mode, which is “handy” according to Stuff magazine.

Which One is the best?

Nonetheless, the publication opted to compare the device to the Google Nexus One and concluded the final verdict in favour of the Desire.

The reviewer noted it is a “premium smartphone with lots going for it and the HTC Sense extras make it a compelling alternative to the Google Nexus One”.

Both handsets are “near identical” in terms of their shape and styling and added the HTC buttons at the bottom of the screen were an advantage compared to the touch-sensitive lights on the Google phone.

On the Desire there are seven different home screens from which to choose, which means users can personalise their handset by using the HTC Sense option and there is a touch-sensitive button to scroll through them, in contrast to the Nexus One’s trackball.

Moreover, they are not the only two recent devices designed by the same manufacturer because the HTC Legend is another to have recently been released and all three gadgets managed a five out of five rating from the magazine.

What a Legend

It has some decent features with its “beautiful metal chassis” and a “cool” virtual trackball, according to the publication.

However, with a 3.2-inch screen it is smaller than the iPhone’s and that of the Nexus One, but the “premium handset” makes up for this in other ways, such as operating in a “slick manner”.

Yet, are any of these three devices worthy enough to be up there in the league of the Apple iPhone 3G S? The publication certainly doesn’t rate either of the trio above the creation by Steve Jobs’ crew. According to Stuff’s chart of top reviews, the Nexus One and Legend feature second and third respectively compared to Apple’s gadget.

The saviour?

But coming over the horizon in the near future could be a saviour and a possible trump card for HTC. The Evo 4 G phone, dubbed the “iPhone killer” by the Daily Mail, has been announced in America and it could be only a matter of time before it comes to the UK.

With a “robust” line of features, according to the producer, it comes with an eight-megapixel auto-focus camera and a video camera which is HD-compatible. The world’s first 3G/4G Android smartphone, exclusively from Sprint, offers consumers an experience unlike “anything available in wireless to date”, chief executive of the company Dan Hesse noted.

He added: “Not only is this feature-rich device incredible on our Sprint 3G network, but Sprint 4G speeds will take mobile multimedia, including live video streaming, gaming and picture downloads, to a whole new level.”

So, the new-look HTC model that is set to come to the US in the summer, could be a serious rival to the iPhone. But as yet it looks like Apple is staying firmly on top of Stuff’s best reviewed charts.

The recent release of the Nexus One, Desire and Legend could have all given the American company some food for thought, however, it doesn’t look as though its dominance will be broken with these models. The telling point will be with the sales of the Desire – the latest of the threesome – but Apple could well have done enough to resist another competitor once again.

Visit the Mobileshop.com pay monthly page to see the full range of currently available fantastic HTC deals.

With just under 50,000 people in attendance, agreements, new handset launches and a never seen before focus on applications, the Mobile World Congress (MWC) had a lot this year – so what does it tell consumers about the future of the mobile?

New innovations

The Motorola QUENCH handset was one of the first new devices to kick-start the event – the manufacturer’s eighth phone on the Android platform, which is fast becoming a big rival to Apple. It is full-touch with a qwerty design and came out alongside the Motorola MILESTONE – available from mid-March.

And it wasn’t just new handsets that were released in Europe and the US that were the talk of the show. Vodafone announced it is set to launch two new gadgets in Africa and India.

The new phones – named the 150 and 250 – will provide users with the chance of use internet mobile banking and are set to retail at $15 (£9.50) for the 150 and $20 (£12.70) for the 250.

The emergence of Near Field Communication (NFC) took another step on the worldwide mobile ladder at the event and manufacturers including Samsung, gave consumers the opportunity to use more than 400 NFC handsets at the congress.

NFC works by allowing people to use their mobile phone to pay for items by simply scanning it against a payment point, like people do with an Oyster card on the London Underground. And the debut of this innovation was made possible after consumers were able to use some selected NFC phones with pre-loaded credit around the complex to purchase food and drink.

Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer at the Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA), said it was a "fantastic achievement" to be able to trial the system.

He added: "Mobile operators have been requesting sim-based NFC handsets for some time now and it’s great to see such progress in this area. Now that the handsets are coming, we can expect to see a number of commercial launches of mobile sim-based NFC services this year."

Agreements

But arguably a bigger launch than the NFC trial was a new agreement which saw 24 operators join forces with the main idea of trying to make applications more widely available to all mobile phone customers.

The network group – including Orange – set up the Wholesale Applications Community which plans to build a platform of apps and make them available to its customers, whom reaches the three billion mark combined.

LG Samsung and Sony Ericsson all pledged their support to the initiative, which if successful could harm Apple’s seemingly current app dominance, as well as the emerging Android application market. The GSMA also said they were in support of the idea because it is completely in line with their principles.

Rob Conway, chief executive and member of the board of the GSMA, added: "This is tremendously exciting news for our industry and will serve to catalyse the development of a range of innovative cross-device, cross-operator applications."

Further positive vibes also came from the organisation, which published Women and Mobile: A Global Opportunity. It is a report designed to highlight the problems faced by women in adopting mobile technologies and understand more about the nature of women mobile subscribers in parts of the world with lower incomes, such as Kenya and India.

This move was welcomed by the former prime minister’s wife Cherie Blair, whose organisation – the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women – helps support female entrepreneurs.

Ms Blair said all women need a mobile phone and it can be beneficial to help them unlock "real prospects for themselves". "By being better connected, women feel safer, find employment, start businesses, access banks, learn about market prices and altogether benefit socially and economically," she added.

App crazy

Having a handset is one thing, but that is not just the norm with applications sweeping the mobile phone industry. The MWC recognised this by having an inaugural App Planet section at the congress, which it said afterwards was a "huge success" after more than 20,000 people visited it. This included a "very busy" App Exhibition part which had 140 companies promoting their products.

At the event the BBC announced that it would be jumping on the apps bandwagon by launching free mobile applications that could be used on Blackberry, Android and of course the iPhone. And it is the latter which the corporation’s first app will be designed for – a BBC News tool due out in April 2010.

Erik Huggers, director of future media and technology at the organisation, said that the announcement meant the company is catching up with audiences and their plan is to try to create "greater public value". He added: "It’s been 12 years since the launch of BBC Online, but as media converges and technology accelerates, licence fee payers are increasingly using sophisticated handheld devices to access information."

Round-up

So the apps market has certainly had a big foot in the door at the MWC, but is the potential battle for dominance that may happen after the creation of the Wholesale Applications Community the only thing that we can take out of the event for the future?

There has been a good sign of the times showing that the richer people and organisations are looking at poorer areas to try to help them with mobile integration, which is fantastic for the future of the world as much as the mobile phone industry.

The Cherie Blair Foundation-supported Women and Mobile report is one example of this, which will hopefully help females in Africa become more acquainted with technology. And Vodafone’s new handsets that are set to be made available in the continent could mean there will be more Africans with handsets in the future, thus further increasing their possibilities in life.

Visit the Mobileshop.com pay monthly page to see the full range of currently available fantastic pay monthly deals.

The sale of mobile phones increased by eight per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009, but was down overall compared to 2008 – so what could help them increase this year?

Figures released by technology research company Gartner found there was a single-digit increase in market share and a growth of 8.3 per cent in sales in the last three months of 2009, compared to the previous quarter. More than 340 million units were purchased by consumers in that time, a small part of the 1.211 billion units which were sold in the whole of 2009, however the seemingly large figure managed to be down on 2008′s sales by nearly one per cent.

So what could increase growth this year?

New beginnings

There has been an emergence of green phones in the past few months such as the Sony Ericsson Aspen that still included standard functions such as Wi-Fi and a qwerty keyboard. This could therefore mean that because eco-friendly handsets are improving, more people may want to dip their hand into their pockets and purchase a device. It could interest consumers who were previously against the rise of the mobile phone due to the energy being consumed by the gadgets.

Another way in which growth could increase worldwide has been touched upon at the recent Mobile World Congress (MWC) when both Vodafone and the Global System for Mobile communications Association (GSMA) made moves to try to integrate more devices across the globe. The network announced plans to release two cheap new handsets to be marketed in India and Africa – the 150 and the 250.

The GSMA published a report at the MWC called Women and Mobile: A Global Opportunity to try to increase the amount of females worldwide using mobile phones. The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which helps out female entrepreneurs, was particularly pleased with the announcement and the former prime minister’s wife said women can find a lot more opportunities in life in terms of jobs and the economy. This could prompt more phones to be created and targeted towards women.

Market capturing

As well as new innovations, handsets released this year could have a big impact in attracting more sales. According to Gartner’s research, Apple and Blackberry "successfully captured market share from other larger device producers". Its comments come after the former managed 14.4 per cent of sales in the worldwide smartphone market, with the latter recording 19.9 per cent. This seemed to fuel an increase in the sales of smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2009 – up by 41.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2008.

Both have a powerful arsenal of handsets with Apple’s iPhone 3G S 32GB Black and the Blackberry 8520 Curve Black among some of their leading brands. The former features a touchscreen and users are able to record videos. Described by the manufacturer as "the fastest iPhone ever", it said everything that can be done on the 3G S – such as loading applications – is up two times quicker than the previous 3G model.

The Blackberry 8520 Curve Black has push email, allowing your messages to be put through to your handset straight from your personal email account and also features trackpad navigation. This allows the user to browse the functions of the handset like someone can do on a laptop touchpad.

Mid-tierSamsung had a rise of 3.2 market share percentage points in the last quarter of 2009 compared to 2008, which was helped because of its "rich mid-tier portfolio". Gartner also said that the manufacturer "addressed the needs" better for individual customers. And its new operating system (OS) Bada could spell an increase of even more sales this year if it is successful.

Talking about the manufacturer’s new OS in November, Dr Hosoo Lee – executive vice-president and head of media solution centre at Samsung – said it would be their iconic new platform and allow "unprecedented opportunity for operators, developers and Samsung mobile phone users around the world".

Operating the way to the top

But Samsung’s new OS may face stiff competition from the other already established mobile phone platforms. The top two for 2009 were Android and Apple, whose market share went up by 3.5 and 6.2 percentage points respectively. Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner, predicted that the Android OS should continue its growth into this year.

LG announced its first Android device in January – the LG InTouch Max GW620 – and said it would spell "the end of expensive and exclusive applications". John Barton, sales and marketing director for the manufacturer, added that there were people who are unaware that the Android Market offers more than 20,000 applications.

Nevertheless, Leigh Geary, from CoolSmartPhone.com – an online mobile news forum – admitted it would take time for the handset to compete in a "market place flooded with iPhones.

"Even if it was the best phone in the world it still couldn’t gain that much momentum in an iPhone world," he added.

Looking forward

Looking to the future, Carolina Milanesi, research director at Gartner, predicted that there will be a "strong focus" on operating systems and applications, but not so much on hardware. She added: "Sales will return to low-double-digit growth".

The increased development of the OS could well be a catalyst for an improvement in yearly sales in 2010 and Vodafone’s launch of its new handsets in poorer areas will hopefully spark other operators into following similar ideas. The increase of mobile applications may also encourage people to purchase a device, because you can now do so much more on them. And possibilities are going up all the time, including a recent agreement by 24 operators at the MWC to join forces and build a platform of apps available to its combined three billion customers.

Visit the Mobileshop.com pay monthly page to see the full range of currently available fantastic pay monthly deals.

The popularity of online shopping continues to rise, with record numbers of consumers logging on to buy their Christmas presents in 2009. Books, clothes, DVDs and music remain the most popular online purchases, but an increasing number of people are also choosing to buy mobile phones via the internet.

Two years ago, the starting point for most people when purchasing a new handset would have been the high street and a chat with the salesman in one of the major networks’ retail outlets. However, with consumers now much more familiar with and confident about the idea of shopping online, mobile phone buyers have begun to recognise the benefits of using the internet.

The main advantage that people associate with online shopping is convenience – and that applies to mobile phones, as much as it does to any other product. Consumers can search for the best deals at a time to suit them – perhaps most usefully, outside working hours – and from the comfort of their own home. However, this is not the main benefit of choosing to shop on the internet.

A recent study by accountancy firm Deloitte found that 60 per cent of shoppers spent more time researching potential purchases on the internet in 2009 than in 2008, with half of those quizzed for the research saying that they had increased their usage of price comparison sites.

Deloitte’s UK head of retail Tarlok Teji said that the wealth of information available on the internet means consumers now often know more about products than sales staff.

"Today, the savvy shopper has information about the product and the retailer at their fingertips via the internet and mobile devices," he explained.

"Being online and always connected is a way of life – and this permanent shift in shopping behaviour is set to grow."

This is likely to be particularly true for mobile phones, as the wealth of choice and the variety of factors which consumers must take into consideration when selecting a handset make them an ideal product for online shopping.

When choosing a new phone, consumers may want to find out about the technical capabilities of handsets, what new phones are due to be released, the different tariffs available and what types of bundled deals are on offer.

A member of the sales staff at a mobile phone retail outlet cannot hope to deal adequately with all the questions a customer needs answers to in order to identify the best deal – particularly if the shop is only affiliated to one network. However, all the information is available on the internet.

The number of phones now available means that identifying the one which is best suited to a consumer’s needs can be a tricky task. Just how can they decide whether an Apple iPhone 3G S 32GB Black is better than a Blackberry Bold 9700 or Palm Pre?

Logging on to a specialist mobile phone comparison site will allow buyers to read detailed descriptions of the features of each of the handsets they are considering. Many also provide the full specification of each phone – something which can also be found on the manufacturers’ websites.

Even once the mobile phone buyer has an idea about the technical capabilities of the various handsets, they will probably still have questions. For example, is the Sony Ericsson Satio’s 12-megapixel camera better than the Samsung Pixon 12′s?

This is where internet shopping offers something that high street shops cannot possibly hope to. There are a host of websites which provide reviews of mobile phones, helping consumers to differentiate between handsets which really deliver on the technical claims made by manufacturers, and those which have not managed to find the right balance between technology and usability.

Forward-thinking online retailers and comparison sites often also have sections allowing people who own the various phones to contribute their own reviews and feedback. This can help potential buyers to work out how the handsets perform in everyday usage, rather than in the hands of technology journalists who may have different priorities from consumers.

There is another issue which people selecting a new mobile phone often want to consider alongside the pros and cons of the handsets currently available – what is coming next? For many gadget lovers, their mobile is not just a practical device, it also demonstrates how up to date they are with new technology.

With mobile phone manufacturers seemingly on a constant drive for innovation, a handset which appears to be state-of-the-art now can be out of date within months. Checking the news sections of mobile phone retailers’ websites and comparison sites can help consumers to get an idea of which handsets will be launched in the coming months and what new technology they will utilise. That should help them to decide whether it is worth postponing the purchase of a new smartphone until, for example, the HTC Smart and Sony Ericsson Kurara go on sale.

Of course, selecting the handset is only half the challenge when buying a new mobile phone – the choice of network and package is equally important.

There are a huge variety of options available, ranging from pay-as-you-go to bundled deals which link a mobile contract to digital television and broadband services.

A recent Ofcom report revealed that the mobile phone market is evolving, with 20 per cent of buyers now opting for sim-only contracts and a rising number looking to save money by signing up for bundled services. The regulator also found that length of contract is an increasingly important factor in the buying process, with 42 per cent of new mobile phone contracts now for two years or longer. In 2008, only five per cent of new contracts ran for 24 months.

The easiest way to keep up with the range of deals offered by the major networks is to use a mobile phone comparison site. Such services provide lists of all the deals available for each handset in an easy to compare format, detailing the price of the phone, the monthly contract charge, the duration of the deal, and the number of minutes and texts included in the package.

They also contain links to web pages where consumers can buy their chosen handset and sign up for a contract – meaning the transaction can be completed in minutes from the comfort of an armchair at home.

So, convenience is a benefit of choosing to buy a mobile phone online. But, any transaction is easy once the customer knows exactly what they want – and in the case of buying the right handset at the right price, the internet is by far the simplest way for them to find out what they want and where they should buy it from.

Visit the Mobileshop.com pay monthly page to see the full range of currently available fantastic mobile phone deals

As Christmas approaches, many consumers may be considering the benefits of furnishing their friends and family with a new mobile. With so many deals to choose from and a selection of free gifts on offer, the initial search may seem a little daunting – but initially, there is one main decision that needs to be made.

Whether the handset is an upgrade, reserved for emergencies or intended as a means to keep track of a young child and give them the ability to get in touch should they need to, the question still remains – should I opt for a pay monthly contract or take the pay-as-you-go route?

Undoubtedly there are benefits to both, but with a contracted device, consumers get the chance to upgrade for free at a later date, choose any number of gifts, enjoy packages that include free calls, texts and web access, as well as get some of the most up-to-date mobile phones on the market.

One of the most talked about handsets online this month is also one that is available on a selection of tariffs that come with numerous benefits. The HTC HD2 is the latest device to emerge with the brand new Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system and has one of the largest touch-sensitive screens around.

This month, the handset joined the Apple iPhone 3G and Palm Pre as the new smartphone on the O2 block and in addition to its "massive" 4.3-inch screen, was praised for its "simple, natural and personal" user experience. The HD2 features a 1 Ghz processor, MicroSD card support, a 3.5mm audio socket, an FM radio, as well as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity.

Steve Alder, general manager of devices for O2 in the UK, said: "We are proud to be the home of smartphones and the HTC HD2 adds a new dimension to the range of devices we offer to our customers."

But in addition to all this, those who subscribe to a new contract with O2 that features the model will be furnished with a plethora of extras. The phone is available free on selected tariffs from £30 per month, but those who decide to take advantage of one of the premium options will also be entitled to 3,000 free calling minutes, unlimited text messaging and a PlayStation 3 console – which could prove particularly handy with Christmas around the corner.

Of course, the HTC HD2 may not be the device people are looking for, but this does not mean they cannot enjoy similar benefits by choosing other mobiles. Those who favour Sony Ericsson mobiles can get their hands on the all-new Satio multimedia smartphone, or consider the music-focussed W995 or camera-based C510. Samsung is represented by the Tocco Lite – a model it was revealed recently had shifted ten million units worldwide – as well as the speedy Jet and the colourful Genio. Professionals may be more interested in gadgets like those in Research In Motion’s BlackBerry range, with the 8520 and 8900 Curve just two that can be picked up with a free laptop, console or TV. Nokia lovers, on the other hand, are also well catered for with the 5530, N97, 6700 and E71 all available with similar deals.

Of course, some people may still be wondering if – despite the wide selection of special offers, free gifts and handset choices [I would move this to here - a contract is right for them, but this is a subject that has come up time and again with many writers helping to address the matter.

A post on the Mobile Phone Buzz website earlier this year listed the benefits of having such a contract and how they have the advantage over the prepaid option - the first of these being monetary. It explained: "The biggest advantage for signing yourself up to a pay monthly deal is the price. Pay monthly packages come with a varying array of complimentary minutes and texts. The more you pay on your monthly contract, the more free minutes and texts you will receive." Cheap data was another reason the article said consumers may find they are better served by this means of mobile ownership, noting: "If you want to browse the web from your phone [it] is almost always the cheapest way to do it." Finally the site also drew attention to the fact that the best devices are usually available and international usage is often made easier than with pay-as-you-go.

Elsewhere, Mobile Phones and Safety published an article that pitted the two options against one another, noting it was a "big decision" people face when opting for a device. "If you are likely to use your new phone frequently then a contract would suit you better," it said. "With pay-as-you-go you, don’t get the great deals on the flashy new phone upgrades – if you want the latest model then you have to pay the full RRP for it. The call and text costs are typically higher than on a contract and you don’t get all those free minutes, texts and various other perks you have with a contract deal."

Finally, it may be worth taking into account why the phone is being purchased and whether one can put a price on reliability. By shopping for a tariff-based handset, parents are safe in the knowledge their youngsters will always be able to get in touch and how they spend their talk time and texts can be managed just by looking at the bill.

With a whole host of cheap mobile phone deals available, as well as one that provide the best new gadgets and a host of freebies, consumers could quite easily find that the "big decision" is made for them.

The recent announcement that Research In Motion (RIM) would follow up its first-ever full touchscreen phone with a new model has sparked much excitement in a number of online sectors.

Unveiled on October 15th, it is expected the BlackBerry Storm2 will be available to shoppers on the 26th of the month – and is initially being launched on the Vodafone network across seven European nations and South Africa.

RIM explained it would endeavour to equip the revised model with many of the same attributes as its predecessor, pointing out it was this that had won the original model a number of plaudits. However, it also advised the touch-enabled smartphone "significantly improves" on that which has gone before – building on the user interface to provide a more connective experience.

As the multimedia gadget is being launched ahead of the Christmas period, it is hoped it will be an ideal festive treat for users across the UK and the manufacturer pointed out recipients may also appreciate the inclusion of a revised fifth-generation operating system (OS). This, it noted, would come "with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements" that include changes to its integrated SurePress Technology that make it a more tactile interactive facility.

"The new system responds equally to gentle pressure applied anywhere on the surface of the screen and makes clicking the display practically effortless. Typing on the smartphone’s virtual keyboards is easier, more comfortable and more accurate," RIM explained. In addition, it was noted the technology allows letter buttons to be pressed with one while the other rests elsewhere on the screen – which it noted could be useful in making emails and text messages faster, as well as keying combinations more diverse.

BlackBerry‘s Storm2 has also had something of a redesign, with RIM promising a "smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate", while the 3.25-inch screen itself boasts a 360 x 480 pixel resolution. UMTS and HSDPA connectivity of up to 2100 Mhz is onboard and quad-band support for EDGE, GPRS, GSM and Wi-Fi is an option at 802.11 b/g on enabled networks. In terms of multimedia, the device boasts a 3.2-megapixel camera capable of video recording, the usual integrated player with BlackBerry Media Sync and a memory capacity of up to 32 GB when using a microSD card.

But the question remains – how have BlackBerry users taken to the revised version of the Storm? One of the first hands-on reviews to emerge regarding the device was featured on the Crave website and was put together by Flora Graham. In the piece, she noted RIM has delivered a front panel that displays a menu with "huge, finger-friendly icons that we had no trouble pressing", while the touch aspect of the phone was praised for an interface that is "more intuitive than traditional qwerty BlackBerries".

"For example, you can tap the signal-strength icon on the home screen to open a connection menu, without having to navigate through the phone’s menu," Ms Graham added. Other areas of change which were welcomed was the revised shape. "BlackBerry has tweaked the [design] so it feels smaller … although it’s the same size. The Storm looked oddly massive, but the Storm2 looks more like a normal, large smart phone, similar to the iPhone," the review concluded.

Elsewhere, comment has come from a number of other experts, with some making the inevitable Apple iPhone 3G comparisons and others putting the new device up against a number of its competitors – to see how the model fares overall in today’s touch-based smartphone market.

The Telegraph looked first at the Palm Pre – which went on sale exclusively via the O2 network last week – noting that although it is currently "make or break" for the manufacturer behind the device, there are a number of interesting features that make it a worthy adversary. "Its biggest selling point is its operating system, webOS, which … aims to make it much easier for users to draw together social networking sites, disparate contacts, email accounts and other communication tools in to a single, unified platform," the publication said. Moving on to the Apple smartphone, the article focused on the flexibility of the model and heaped praise on the App Store that has given the gadget a lease of life that makes it everything from a personal organiser to a gaming machine. However, when it came to the BlackBerry Storm2, the reporter was equally filled with good things to say, noting that Wi-Fi, better battery life, an improved user interface and a "seamless push-email experience" were all things that were welcomed. "The BlackBerry remains the best mobile email device on the market," it concluded, "and the Storm 2 looks to have satisfactorily married a touch-screen interface with that all-important productivity."

In a piece for ZDNet, Sandra Vogel called the second Storm a "vast improvement" in her headline, drawing attention to the changes RIM has made to the SurePress technology that make the overall experience of navigating the handset "more rewarding". Two separate online outlets where people can purchase their applications were noted as worthy of mentioning and with the initial 2 GB of internal memory available for storing this software and other data, the unit is ready straight out of the box. "I’ll need a longer hands-on to get to grips with the many software tweaks, but first impressions are good," she said.

Phones Review was another site that decided the way forward was to pit the Storm2 against its fiercest rivals, but instead asked readers to offer their vote in a desirability poll. "There are now several smartphones available on the market, all hoping to be the best out there. Currently the leader of the pack is the iPhone, but barking at the iPhone’s door is the Palm Pre, the HTC Hero and now newcomer the BlackBerry Storm 2," it advised. At the time of writing, the results showed the new BlackBerry with 22 per cent of the vote behind the HTC Hero (31 per cent) and the Palm Pre (29 per cent). However, the fact that the Apple iPhone was at the bottom of the pile with 15 per cent shows that the newest of the smartphone challengers has people in anticipation of its arrival.