Cell C offers low-cost HSPA+ phone (South Africa)
South Africa’s Cell C has introduced its own branded handset for using its HSPA+ network in the 900MHz band.
The Cell C F250 features a MP3 player, Java applications and games, a 2 megapixel camera and a video recorder, 15 MB on-board memory and an integrated web browser with pre-loaded shortcuts to Facebook and YouTube.
Furthermore, the customers will receive 200MB of data, 50 on-net minutes and 100 SMS when they activate the Cell C Welcome pack Sim Card. The F250 mobile phone is available at all the operator’s retail outlets for US$72.24.
Tigo Rwanda introduces dual-SIM phone
Tigo Rwanda has launched a dual-SIM handset, which it claims is the first offer of its kind on the Rwanda market. The phone comes with a price tag of US$41.19.
One of the slots is fixed for a Tigo SIM card, and the other is open for any other SIM card. The phone also comes with a video camera, a still camera, FM radio, internet, MP3 player, Bluetooth, a memory card slot and a color screen.
Consumer Reports confirm Verizon iPhone 4 defect (USA)
Consumer Reports have revealed that the Apple Inc. iPhone 4 carried by Verizon Wireless suffers from a problem similar to the one that plagued AT&T Inc.’s version — it may result in dropped calls in certain areas.
After testing the phone, which was released this month, Consumer Reports stated that it won’t include the device on its list of recommended smartphones.
According to Consumer Reports, published by Yonkers, New York-based Consumers Union, the Verizon iPhone 4 closely resembles the original AT&T iPhone 4 in many positive respects which includes offering great multimedia functionality, a sharp screen and the best MP3 player they have seen on a phone. Unfortunately, it also shares with its sibling the possibility of compromised performance in low-signal conditions when used without a bumper or a case.
The group added that the iPhone, which first hit stores in 2007, has become Apple’s best-selling product. It accounted for 39% of $26.7 billion in total sales in the most recent quarter. Calls may be dropped when the phone is gripped in a way that affects the phone’s signal strength.
Consumer Reports also stated that the device performs superbly in most respects and using a case can fix the signal.
Consumer Reports similarly didn’t recommend the iPhone 4 when it was released for AT&T last year, citing an antenna design flaw that led to dropped calls. Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs apologized and offered customers free cases to help fix the problem with the AT&T phones.
Mobile music revenues to reach $5.5 billion by 2015
A new report has unveiled that music consumed on mobile handsets will generate $5.5 billion annually in 2015, a rise of $3.1 billion from 2010. The report has found that mobile music is becoming an increasingly important part of the digital music sector, which is propping up a failing industry hit by over a decade of widespread online piracy.
Since the popularization of P2P file sharing at the end of the last century, the music industry’s sales have gone into free fall, as consumers rejected the physical distribution of music in favor of easier, but illegal means of acquiring it. The industry response was initially slow, but legal digital distribution services, such as Apple’s iTunes are now blossoming, and mobile handsets are increasingly becoming the key platform for them.
Initially, PC downloading and side loading to MP3 players was the only way to go but the development of mobile devices has now reached the point where they match the technical specs of dedicated MP3 players. Add in connectivity, just one click to buy and download along with all the other smartphone features and no competition between the two are the reasons why sales of Apple’s iPhone are going to outstrip its iPod in the not too distant future.
However, the report warns that piracy still remains a significant threat – both online and on the mobile. Researcher also found that P2P file sharing is slowly migrating to the mobile, with BitTorrent applications now available on Android Market, for example. With the launch of 4G networks about to increase, the report recommends that the graduate response – enacted by legislation in many countries – be strongly enforced and expanded to mobile networks.
ZTE Launches ZTE Blade in France
ZTE has announced the launch of the ZTE Blade smartphone in France. The new smartphone runs on Android 2.1 and features a 3.5 inch capacitive touch-screen, which supports multi-touch and runs at a resolution of 480×800 pixels.
ZTE-BLADE includes a 3.2 MP camera, alongside other vital functionalities of contemporary smartphones such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, email, internet, video player / recorder, MP3 player and FM radio. The phone will also be delivered with a 2GB microSD card to help users make the most of its multimedia capabilities.
ZTE’s smartphone weighs in at just 110g and includes both brightness and proximity sensors. It is embedded with a Qualcomm QCT MSM7227-1 microprocessor and a micro USB 2.0 port.
Samsung gravity to come to Fido on March 16
The Samsung Gravity is expected to come to Fido on March 16 this year. Priced at a measly $25 on a 2-year contract, the official date of the launch has not been disclosed as yet. However the off-contract price tag can vary later. As Rogers originally launched the Gravity on their main network just over a year ago, the move to Fido would be sensible for it.
Most of the time big daddy Rogers will pass select devices down to his dog ‘Fido’ to make an end-of-life run at a discounted price. The few prominent features of the phone include 1.3mp camera with Bluetooth, Bluetooth, QWERTY keyboard and build-in MP3 player.
