10 posts tagged “three”

Looks like a lot of activity today over at the ALL NEW 3mobilebuzz.  It's not just the 3Skypephone any more.  So, what are they now focusing on?  Read the title!! Geez...

Yes, they're taking a look at 3's mobile broadband offering and handing out USB "3.5G" dongles left, right and center*!  Where's my one chaps?  Oh wait, I no longer have a laptop!  D'oh!  Having said that my nephew is going into hospital on Monday and he not only has a laptop, he's going to a hospital that has a very sensible policy regarding wireless devices (they allow them to be used!)  So, what do you say guys?  Want to cure a ten-year-old (and his uncle) of boredom?  He's a blogger too!

Failing that we'll be using a Skypephone for tethered access at slightly less than 3.5G

*sorry, couldn't resist, there's more North Americans reading this blog than Brits at the moment!

The above is a web-only clip from British channel Five's 'The Gadget Show'.  It features presenter Jon Bentley testing out and musing over VOIP* application Fring.  The demonstration doesn't go too smoothly, which is a shame as Fring is pretty good IMHO and if I were to criticise it it wouldn't be for anything seen in the clip.

I noticed that the two handsets used were on Three and that one of them was an N73** (X-Series by the looks of it).  Hardly cutting edge, is it Five? ;-)  I'm just about to give mine to an eleven year old (and I imagine they'll be less than impressed!)  As they're using Three I think they needn't worry about the data plan.   VOIP isn't barred in Three's T&Cs (unlike with some other operators) and the price of the plan (presumably they'll be on £5 per month) would ensure a lot of very, very cheap calls and IMs!

Five, Three?  What is it with company branding these days!?! ;-)
*VOIP = Voice Over IP (voice calls routed over the internet)
**the other one being a 6120 classic I do believe...

There's been a fair bit of coverage about Celio's REDFLY device/concept in the last 24 hours, almost all of it negative.

I like the idea and I like the look of the device (if it is in fact more than just a concept).  I carry around my smartphone everywhere and what it's capable of is amazing.  But now it has a big brother, in the shape of the ASUS Eee PC and now it also gets carried around (whenever practical) as well.  The two devices compliment each other and the Eee wouldn't even be half as practical if I didn't have my mobile to hook it up to the internet.

Sometimes all I need or want is my phone, but sometimes (like when I've got a lot to type, a lot to read or want to see the internet just as I can on a desktop) what I need is a laptop, a tiny laptop.

I don't seem to be alone judging by the amount of Eee users around the web who have theirs hooked up to their 3G phones (FWIW there are loads in the UK and most seem to be on Three)

What do others think?  Comments please.

Back to the 3Store (not literally, I'm sure the phones are fine!)...

I couldn't help but notice the guy that served me was doing a mighty fine impression of  Flavor Flav (OT but anyway... someone I know was recently in an elevator with Mr Flav and asked him what time was it.  Probably not the first time he'd heard it but it sure made me chuckle!)

So, why did the shop assistant look like a flamboyant rapper?  Because he was wearing an LG Viewty around his neck, that's why!  To be fair, he didn't look that bling or anything but it got my attention and that was the idea - it wasn't a personal phone.  Within moments of enquiring about it I was asked if I wanted to play with it.  If you've read even a few of my posts you probably know the answer!

Indeed it seemed like an excellent phone and the assistant reminded me about the excellent video quality (what with support for ridiculously high frame rates and high resolution) and I was told how to find and check out the videos on it.  The only problem was there were only videos in low quality, shot on the device itself and in 3gp format.  To really show of the device they could've done with some video demos off of the likes of Apple's, Microsoft or Divx's websites.

From what I saw it seemed like a nice phone.  For various reasons I'm sticking to Nokia.  However, if I were I was held at gunpoint and forced to choose between a Viewty or an iPhone I know which one I'd plump for, the Viewty!  IMHO the only things the iPhone excels at are the things the far cheaper Ipod Touch does.

Just noticed 3 UK's Planet 3 portal has had a bit of a spruce up.  Haven't had a chance to really form an opinion on it yet.  One thing I do like and one thing that stands out is their 'Free and easy' page linked from the homepage.  It's prominently signed and clearly worded.  This would seem like a no-brainer but having used T-mobile's portal this week (for the first time ever) it would appear that not all operators are so clear cut.

I like T-mobile's portal in places but for the most part it's a mess.  Bizarrely it kinda like seems some of it wasn't designed with mobile access in mind!

Back to 3's, I hope they've finally gotten rid of the adult content that is the first thing you see when opening the (built-in) browser on 3 phones every night.  There is no opt-out and although it's more suggestive than anything else, it really isn't the first thing you want to see when browsing in public.  I can also imagine many parents not wanting that on a phone they give to their kids.

Hmm, going into Bill & Ted mode.  Excellent!

Below is a short video clip I took with my N73.  It shows the TV show 'Californication' as it was broadcast last night on Five (aka Channel 5).  What's so great about that?  Glad you asked!  The laptop is connected via the 'net to a set-top-box about a mile away and it's connected to the 'net thanks to my Skypephone.

I can only imagine what the quality would be like with HSDPA (aka 3.5G) and the possibilites!  Anyone fancy cable or satellite TV in the back of their car on a 17" screen?  MTV, pimp my ride!

Seems like a pretty good deal to me even if the N73 is an old model superceeded by far more capable (and far more expensive) models such as the N95 and N82.

Downside?  Well it's PAYG not SIM-free - it might need to be unlocked if you don't want to use it on T-Mobile.  Oh, and this is the price at Currys (and anyone in the UK will know this is a retailer that one tries to avoid whenever possible!)

If you're in the market for a cheap and capable smartphone, 'gerrymoth' has pointed out the Nokia 6120 Classic is available for £99.99 too (again on PAYG).  That's better in many ways to the N73 but has a smaller screen.  Oh and that's available from Three's website

I'm astounded, I really am.  Why?  Well, I've never needed to type the word astounded before... and er, the reason why...

Yesterday I mentioned that 3 in the UK have just launched an all-you-can-eat music service.  Looked okay if not a little bare-boned.  Today I stumped up 49p to try it for the day.  49p isn't a lot of money but even 1p would be too much for what is on offer!

The streaming audio is actually a video stream with audio.  The video stream consists of a few stills that change periodically.  The audio quality sounds like the kind of thing you get with streaming 3gp video - if not worse!  That kind of quality is okay if it's accompanying a weather forecast or news headlines... it's no good for a subscription music service.

Another way to describe it is... it sounds just like that call centre music you're forced to listen to when in a phone queue.  I'm really not kidding!

As I set this up on the Skypephone on PAYG (prepay) I wasn't able to choose the £5 a month option - which, as it turned out, was a lucky break.  As it's a video stream I'm unable to listen to it in the background and my stereo bluetooth headset will not work with it.  One last thing, a few BBC music stations are thrown in with it too but not on PAYG.

Much better value for money (and that's an understatement if ever there were one) is the mobile version of Social.FM.  Excellent sound quality, works in the background, amazingly vast selection of music.  The service works on Symbian S60, UIQ and Windows mobile - there's no java or BREW version... so no Skypephone support.  You will need a decent data plan and the service isn't free (although it is for the next couple of days)

Earlier today I noticed mobile operator 3's new streaming music/audio service.  It's a step in the right direction but it's not quite there yet.  There's minimal choice and the price isn't right, certainly not for what's currently available.  I've yet to try it so can't comment on sound quality, ease of use and the all important thing... whether it can be used in the background!

It costs 49p per day or £5 per month.

This is a UK-centric post but may be of relevance to those visiting the UK too.

I'm in the UK (the username probably gives the game away) and use internet on my mobile phone a lot, a real lot!  This time last year it would've been unbelievably expensive to use the 'net so much, so often.  Even this year, right now, this very minute, I would be spending a small fortune if I were on a different network.  This was brought home to me just this past weekend when trying to get a data plan sorted out for my sister who happens to be on Vodafone...

Price comparison of the data plans on the UK networks:

• Vodafone:       £7.50 p/m - for 120MB

• O2:                £7.50 p/m - for 200MB

• T-Mobile:        £7.50 p/m - for 1GB

• 3 (aka Three): £5.00 p/m - for 2GB

• Orange:          £5.00 p/m - Unlimited evening and weekend "fair use"

This is an over-simplification as, with anything mobile or internet, there's way too much small print and, sometimes,  not enough!  Vodafone's appears to be capped at 120MB, you go over you start paying extra.  O2, T-Mobile and 3 all state unlimited but have "fair use" limits.  I'm on 3 (not any of the other networks) so, personally, can only comment on their "fair use" limit:  I regularly go over and have never been charged extra.  Recently I've been getting SMS messages telling me I've gone over, but nothing else.  Orange class their's as unlimited - but only in the evening and weekends.  The odd thing is they seem to have no plan that covers the daytime as well!?!

I should also point out that some operators exclude some kinds of usage in their data plans.  All the above are for use on the handset only (no using the phone as a modem for a laptop etc.)  Some don't allow media streaming and/or VOIP services (such as Skype).

On 3 I can do pretty much what I like - making the most of internet radio, YouTube, Google Maps.  I don't worry about the cost as, after nearly a year with the service, have yet to be billed anything more than the monthly rate. On Vodafone I could easily use up my monthly allowance in just hours!  Unfortunately Vodafone is the network my sister is on and unfortunately her phone is only 2G (that's unlocked IPhones for you!) so she has had to settle for the miserly 120MB for £7.50.  YouTube will be out for her unless she's in range of a working (and free) WiFi hotspot.

Read a more in depth piece about UK data plans over at Pocket Picks

Hmm, first proper post!  Next one could do with less text more pictures....