For the last year or so I've been using a basic Nokia 6300 as my mobile. I've lusted after the iPhone and come close to signing up for one a couple of times but there's just no way I can justify the monthly cost. Sure, unlimited internet access is nice but that's unlimited access on the device, if you want to tether it's an extra chunk o' change a month. As for the included minutes and texts, it wasn't a bad figure a year ago but now it's getting slaughtered by offers on Android phones on other networks.
So what about an Android handset? Well, they're nice enough but I'm not yet convinced and the monthly cost is still too high considering my normal use. The problem is very simple - I don't call much via the mobile and texts have been replaced to a large extent by chat programs, facebook, twitter etc. I'd much rather make calls from my home number as it's usually more comfortable, better quality and, of course, free. The rest of my calls tend to be quick 'where the hell are you' conversations which really don't require hundreds of 'free' minutes a month.
Which leads me on to the point of this post and what I think might just be the best geek bargain of the year. The 3 network are currently selling a S2 Skyepphone on pay as you go for just £40 and their current PAYG deal is ridiculously good. The handset comes with free Skype to Skype calls forever (or until 3 change their policy I guess) but your £10 nets 300 free texts, free voicemail, free Windows Live Messenger, free three-to-three calls and, most importantly, 150MB of internet access either through the handset or tethered to a computer. All the free stuff lasts for 90 days or until you top up again. Oh, and of course you get £10 of calls which works out at 50 minutes. Add on the ability to use SkypeOut for international calls (note that national calls are forbidden as you'd be taking money away from 3) at the low low cost of 1.4p per minute (although you need to maintain credit with Skype seperately from your 3 bill for that) and you've got a very impressive package.
I'm reserving judgement on the handset until I've used it for a while but initial impressions are very positive. It's solid, surprisingly good looking, easy to use and fairly quick in operation. The screen's nice and while the keys are the annoying thin bar type it's actually not bad at all in use. My main worry right now is the battery life of such a cheap phone (especially as it's a 3G device) and the stability of the handset as it had turned itself off in my bag this morning (but I can't swear that it was locked before being chucked in). Time will tell I guess.
Obviously if you make a lot of calls to multiple networks or land lines this isn't the deal for you but if you want a good mix of freebies and internet connectivity for very little money you could do a LOT worse. I'll come back with some more in-depth thoughts about both the hardware and the bundle later on but for now it's certainly worth looking at.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
iPod's getting eyes?
It's been rumoured for a while now that Apple are planning on introducing cameras to their iPod range with the latest rumour suggesting that a 'massive' order for camera modules has been placed fairly recently. This seems to make an awful lot of sense to me and would, if these reports are accurate, give Apple a good solid platform when they refresh the iPod line in September.
Firstly, consider that back in January this year Apple made one of the major changes to their iPhoto software package geotagging of images. Sure it's a nice feature to have and their implementation is very slick (as you'd expect from Apple) but why put so much emphasis on it if you weren't planning to introducing hardware that makes use of it? Yes, the iPhone could and does do just this but it wouldn't seem like a great stretch of imagination for Apple to tie everything together at their next press conference with a suitably grand proclomation.
Next, the portable video market (well, okay, the youtube market) has shown itself to be fairly succesfull with the Flip range of recorders in particular proving very popular over the last year or two. When you look at that hardware you're paying around £80 to £100 for, basically, a couple of gig of storage space, an LCD viewfinder, a battery and a not-really-very-good lens / sensor combination. The resulting video isn't exactly professional quality but is good enough for youtube or other internet applications. Now consider what an iPod actually is... it's a screen, storage space and battery coupled to a headphone jack. Adding a lens would be a relatively cheap extra and would open up a whole new market segment for Apple
Finally, even on the basic Nano devices you could potentially have something that'd compare well with these low-end video cameras. On the touch, with its superb internet browser and potential for applications, you'd have a device that could potentially slaughter the current range of cheap video cameras and include a vast range of functionality that's goes far beyond a single purpose device, all in a form factor that can be easily slipped into a pocket. With (hopefully) up to 64Gb of storage space to play with you'd be able to record a LOT of video without worrying about having to offload it and, assuming Apple included the GPS capabilities of the iPhone in the next iPod Touch, you'd be able to take advantage of geotagging as well.
Of course you can expect the usual wailing from the geek crowd about quality and how we all carry mobile phones that do the exact same thing but, as usual, they're missing the point. It's not about getting the best possible quality but about getting good enough quality wrapped up in a user experience that people enjoy and actually want to use. There's something very compelling about delivering an end-to-end experience in the way Apple are now doing with the iPhone and, make no mistake, it's something that WILL appeal to the masses.
It would, to my mind, make an awful lot of sense for Apple to go in this direction. They've already got the software on the Touch side, they've got the applications on OS X to support it and they seem to have a 'good enough' quality 3Mp camera on the iPhone that should be simple to graft into the iPod Touch if they want to. There'd be a minimum cost increase in production and it'd be a fairly unique selling point in the media player space. Add in Apple's ability to sell tech that's been around for a while as if it's the latest and greatest and they may have a winner on their hands IF this rumour is true.
Firstly, consider that back in January this year Apple made one of the major changes to their iPhoto software package geotagging of images. Sure it's a nice feature to have and their implementation is very slick (as you'd expect from Apple) but why put so much emphasis on it if you weren't planning to introducing hardware that makes use of it? Yes, the iPhone could and does do just this but it wouldn't seem like a great stretch of imagination for Apple to tie everything together at their next press conference with a suitably grand proclomation.
Next, the portable video market (well, okay, the youtube market) has shown itself to be fairly succesfull with the Flip range of recorders in particular proving very popular over the last year or two. When you look at that hardware you're paying around £80 to £100 for, basically, a couple of gig of storage space, an LCD viewfinder, a battery and a not-really-very-good lens / sensor combination. The resulting video isn't exactly professional quality but is good enough for youtube or other internet applications. Now consider what an iPod actually is... it's a screen, storage space and battery coupled to a headphone jack. Adding a lens would be a relatively cheap extra and would open up a whole new market segment for Apple
Finally, even on the basic Nano devices you could potentially have something that'd compare well with these low-end video cameras. On the touch, with its superb internet browser and potential for applications, you'd have a device that could potentially slaughter the current range of cheap video cameras and include a vast range of functionality that's goes far beyond a single purpose device, all in a form factor that can be easily slipped into a pocket. With (hopefully) up to 64Gb of storage space to play with you'd be able to record a LOT of video without worrying about having to offload it and, assuming Apple included the GPS capabilities of the iPhone in the next iPod Touch, you'd be able to take advantage of geotagging as well.
Of course you can expect the usual wailing from the geek crowd about quality and how we all carry mobile phones that do the exact same thing but, as usual, they're missing the point. It's not about getting the best possible quality but about getting good enough quality wrapped up in a user experience that people enjoy and actually want to use. There's something very compelling about delivering an end-to-end experience in the way Apple are now doing with the iPhone and, make no mistake, it's something that WILL appeal to the masses.
It would, to my mind, make an awful lot of sense for Apple to go in this direction. They've already got the software on the Touch side, they've got the applications on OS X to support it and they seem to have a 'good enough' quality 3Mp camera on the iPhone that should be simple to graft into the iPod Touch if they want to. There'd be a minimum cost increase in production and it'd be a fairly unique selling point in the media player space. Add in Apple's ability to sell tech that's been around for a while as if it's the latest and greatest and they may have a winner on their hands IF this rumour is true.
What you can expect
First of all, welcome to yet another tiny, insignificant blog in the desolate wasteland of t'Internet.
It seems fitting to make the first post on this site a quick overview of what you can expect to find here over the coming weeks / months / whatever. I'm intending to post, well, general rambles on everything from gadgets to politics as the mood takes me so hopefully you'll find something to interest you as time goes by.
Ultimately I'm hoping to use this site to improve my own skills as an author so any and all feedback will be welcomed.
It seems fitting to make the first post on this site a quick overview of what you can expect to find here over the coming weeks / months / whatever. I'm intending to post, well, general rambles on everything from gadgets to politics as the mood takes me so hopefully you'll find something to interest you as time goes by.
Ultimately I'm hoping to use this site to improve my own skills as an author so any and all feedback will be welcomed.
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