EE launches 4G in a further 12 towns – Oxford, Sale and Wigan now LTE enabled

EE’s 4G network is rolling on and now it seems we get a monthly update of locations that are newly 4G enabled by the UK’s newest network.

Today EE (who is owned, along with T-Mobile and Orange, by Everything Everywhere) has announced a further 12 towns in the UK that will be switched on to its 4G service.

12 UK locations will be switched on today which include:

• Ashton-under-lyne
• Chatham
• Gillingham
• High Wycombe
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Oldham
• Oxford
• Rochester
• Runcorn
• Sale
• Stafford
• Wigan

Back in February EE stated that it would be expanding its 4G EE coverage to a further 27 towns and cities across the UK by June 2013, which will bring the total amount of areas with coverage to 65, which the company has now exceeded with over 74 areas enabled before June has even started!

Olaf Swantee, CEO of EE, said the move keeps the company “at the forefront of the UK mobile market” and that “Just seven months after launch, we’ve covered millions of consumers and businesses with one of the fastest mobile networks in the world.”

EE needs to keep the speed of 4G conversion up though, as Vodafone, O2 and BT are all hot on their heels with their own incoming 4G networks.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Apple to launch 12.9-inch ‘iPad Maxi’ in 2014 to target Windows Ultrabooks

Apple’s iPad range is long overdue a big shake-up, by all accounts. The iPad 4 was a minor refresh launched 18 months after the iPad 3, which marks a delay much longer than Apple’s usual annual update schedule. A giant iPad would shake things up pretty good, right?

Korean publication ETNews reports that Apple will launch a larger iPad early in 2014, featuring a much larger 12.9-inch display. The site refers to the tablet as the ‘iPad Maxi’, though we really can’t see this being the final name, if the product does eventually become a reality.

The site believes that Apple CEO Tim Cook is already in talks with suppliers in Asia in relation to the new larger screen size, with the Cupertino company reportedly readying the new larger tablet for an early 2014 release. Apple’s iPad launch schedule tends to bring a new iPad to market in March/April time, so we should be seeing the ‘iPad Maxi’ around that time.

Why is Apple even considering a giant iPad? Well, the 12.9-inch screen size would put it in direct competition with UItrabooks, the new format of laptop that Microsoft is pushing with Windows 8. Ultrabooks are stylish, ultra slim, light and they tend to offer great battery life – the iPad ticks these boxes but it can’t match the 13-inch screen size an Ultrabook offers. A larger iPad could well be the answer for Apple, and so slowly the idea of an ‘iPad Maxi’ that seemed ridiculous at first starts to make sense.

With close to a year until the rumoured launch we currently know precious little about the rumoured ‘iPad Maxi’. Right now it’s nothing more than a rumour, but the idea has certainly got us thinking – could Apple take on Microsoft and laptops with a tablet?

Source: Gadget Helpline

Vodafone UK’s 4G network won’t launch until September this year

Vodafone won’t be launching its speedy new 4G mobile network this summer as planned; instead it will go live in September to coincide with the launch of a certain Apple smartphone.

The red network had originally planned to launch its 4G network over the summer after securing bandwidth in the 800MHz and 2600MHz spectrums earlier in the year through the Ofcom 4G auction. However, The Guardian reports that the network will be waiting until September to launch.

Speaking to the newspaper, Vodafone’s chief executive Vittorio Colao said; “We want to be able to launch it when it’s really ready. End of the summer means when there is going to be a good commercial window for launching it.”

It seems pretty clear that the network wants to launch its new network to coincide with the launch of one of the biggest phones of the year that will be able to make use of it – the next iPhone.

Apple’s current iPhone 5 supports 4G LTE networks although it would not work on Vodafone’s 800MHz and 2600MHz spectrums. Launching a network when one of the most well-known 4G phones doesn’t work with it wouldn’t make any commercial sense, but clearly Vodafone knows that the next iPhone – presumed to be the iPhone 5S – will feature wider support for all types of 4G network around the world.

On the other hand, most Android phones currently sold with 4G compatibility do support Vodafone’s spectrums, but clearly Vodafone isn’t going to use Google’s platform as a springboard for its 4G network.

The network will be working alongside O2 to share infrastructure for its new network, although O2 itself is aiming to launch its own 4G network this summer “at the earliest”. Three will also be launching a 4G network although has confessed it isn’t in a rush as it already offers a speedy ‘Ultrafast’ service. Orange and T-Mobile likely won’t offer 4G services for a while longer in order to draw attention to sister brand EE, which is currently the only 4G network in the country.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Samsung Galaxy SIII 4.2.2 Software leaked with S4 and Jelly Bean Features

Those good folks at SamMobile have got themselves another Samsung related Leak as they next iteration of the Samsung Galaxy SIII software has been leaked onto a handset that shows that a range of Samsung Galaxy S4 features will be coming to its older sibling handset.

Samsung have always been pretty good to share their software love across its flagship handsets (see the Note 2 features coming to the S3) so this update whilst unexpected isn’t a complete shock.

It appears that the Samsung Galaxy SIII will be getting an Android 4.2.2 software in the coming months that will bring a load of changes to the older (but still very powerful handset) including some currently exclusive SGS4 features.

See Also Samsung to free up more Galaxy S4 internal storage after Watchdog investigation and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition announced – GS4 running stock Android

The update will bring more lockscreen options and refinements, screen modes, enhanced voice commands and the new S Voice, and new look to the settings interface, reflecting that of the SGS4, what’s more there will be Android 4.2.2 Jelly bean updates too including changes to the notifications and the new Daydream function.

You can check out a video of the new software at SamMobile, and if you are feeling brave they also have a cracked version of the software that you can install yourself if you dare!

Source: Gadget Helpline

8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 pictured with leaked specifications in tow

It looks as though Samsung has plans to expand its new Galaxy Tab 3 range with new sizes, as a leak from SamMobile shows, with images and specifications of an 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 surfacing.

Samsung launched the first model in the Galaxy Tab 3 range in the form of a 7-inch tablet, so we’re not quite sure why it will also reveal an 8-incher – the size difference in the display will be so minimal that surely there’s no point?

Nevertheless, the tablet will rock the same white finish and curvy design as its 7-inch counterpart, with an 8-inch TFT display being the focal point, offering a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It’ll also run the very latest version of Android out of the box, version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean – that is until Google launches Android 4.3.3 next month.

Inside the new 8-inch tablet will be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor along with 1.5GB of RAM, the latter of which we’re rather dubious about – it’s usually a 1GB or 2GB affair, not something in the middle. There’s also 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded using the micro SD card slot by up to 64GB.

Dual cameras are present, with a 5 megapixel camera on the back and a 1.3 megapixel sensor on the front for video calling.

Samsung will pack in a host of the latest connectivity options including Wi-Fi N, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 2.0, GPS and 3G, which will be available in a 3G + Wi-Fi model. A 4,450 mAh battery will power the whole thing, although we’re not sure what sort of battery life we’ll be able to expect from it.

SamMobile tells us we can expect the 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3 to launch officially in June. We can only assume that the odd decision to launch an 8-inch model when you already have a 7-inch model is down to Apple’s 8-inch iPad Mini – Samsung wants a slice of that market.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Hot Deal: Motorola RAZR i for £159.99 at EE stores

Through scouring the interwebs for the latest gadget news we occasionally come across a gadget bargain that’s too good not to share. Today’s deal is the excellent Motorola RAZR i for £159.99 from EE stores.

The network is currently selling the Intel-powered Android handset on pay as you go for this crazy price, provided you also get a £10 top-up. The deal only looks to be available in EE stores and not online, but the saving – regular price is £299 – is surely worth a trip to the shops.

Motorola’s RAZR i is the company’s first smartphone to use an Intel processor, which is clocked at a speedy 2GHz. The phone runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) but is currently in queue to receive the Jelly Bean update from Moto. There’s also dual cameras – 8MP on the back, VGA on the front – plus 8GB of expandable internal memory.

You’ve also got an excellent quality display that runs right to the edges of the phone, whilst the handset itself is pretty compact and very well-made – we love the rubberised carbon weave effect on the back.

If you’re put off by the huge smartphones from Sony, HTC and Samsung of late, the sleek, fast and compact RAZR i is an absolute steal at this price.

Source: Gadget Helpline

BBM for iOS: BlackBerry won’t bring Messenger to iPad…yet

The news of BlackBerry’s BBM coming to Android and iOS got most of us hot under the collar earlier this week, but there’s bad news for tablet fans hoping to use the app.

BlackBerry has confirmed that its BBM app will not be coming to the iPad when it launches on iOS and Android over the summer. The company will be focussing on phones to begin with and showed an iPhone 4S and Nexus 4 as examples during the keynote at BlackBerry Live, Florida.

The app will however be available on iPod Touch, which we’re sure will help make it a hit with the younger generation. Little ones seem to love the iPod Touch and BlackBerry combination we’ve noticed, so it’s likely that the app will prove popular. BBM will go up against the established and very popular WhatsApp, but with the iPod Touch it could have an edge – WhatsApp will only work on the iPod Touch when linked with a separate mobile number and usually after doing a workaround.

See also: Budget BlackBerry Q5 QWERTY smartphone launched in red, white, black and pink

Speaking to Trusted Reviews at BlackBerry Live, Vivek Bhardwaj, head of BlackBerry software said; “Smartphone is our real focus and again it comes back to what BBM is. If you like BBM and the engagement and the activity, it’s because it is mobile, because people are on the go.”

Whilst it seems the company’s key focus for the foreseeable future is on smartphones, Vivek didn’t rule out the possibility of an iPad or desktop version; “When you start looking at tablets, computers and other screens, the usage model changes and behaviour changes,” Bhardwaj said. “For us right now the absolute focus is getting BBM on to smartphones.”

BBM for iOS and Android launches this summer.

Source: Gadget Helpline

PokerStars wins Best Mobile Poker Operator award

The world’s largest online poker site, PokerStars, has been named the Best Mobile Poker Operator of 2013 at the mGaming awards in London. The awards ceremony was organised by leading industry media company, iGaming Business, along with sponsors MicroGaming, and concluded the four-day long mGaming summit last month.

The PokerStars Mobile app is a free to download version of the website and has been available to iOS and Android devices since February of last year. Users are able to sign up to the site without the need for a desktop computer and play against the 50 million registered members in various poker games, including Zoom tournaments and access major online events, such as the WCOOP and SCOOP.

In addition to PokerStars Mobile, PokerStars also offer their customers additional apps that have been designed and developed to meet the needs of the online poker community. These include the PokerStars Clock, the EPT (European Poker Tour) Guide and PokerStars TV, which allows access to poker shows and live coverage of PokerStars events. “Users are also able to not only stream anything that they wish to see,” according to poker.co.uk, “but even download it in total if they want to watch it at a later date.”

“Poker is one of the most-loved games in the world and in recent years has become one of the most popular online games,” said the Director of New Platforms at PokerStars, Jeffrey Haas. “Our mobile app allows more people to discover the game, while providing more opportunities for existing fans to play wherever they want and whenever they want.”

The other winners at the mGaming awards included Paddy Power, who scooped three awards for Best Gambling App, Innovation in Mobile and the Best Mobile Sports Betting Operator for their Paddy Power Sportsbook. The title of Best Mobile Bingo Operator went to Mecca Bingo, while mFortune won the Best Mobile Casino Operator category and the Best Mobile Billing Application title went to OpenMarket.

Source: Gadget Helpline

Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition announced – GS4 running stock Android

It would seem that Google has been listening to our prayers and has answered. To the surprise of the large majority, it revealed the Samsung Galaxy S4 Google Edition today at its I/O event – a version of Samsung’s flagship that runs stock Android, Nexus-style.

For those out there who like the sound of the S4 but, like many, are put off by the large amount of bloatware and unnecessary apps that come installed, this is the answer. Just like the Nexus 4, the S4 Google Edition runs Android Jelly Bean in its purest form.

The new model will be available directly from Google, SIM-free and ready to use on any network. Unfortunately for us, it will only be available in the US for the forseeable future, and that will be exclusively through the Google Play Store from June 26^th for $649.

The handset features 16GB of internal memory and exactly the same specs as the regular S4. The only thing that’s changed is the software, with all of Samsung’s add-ons removed. It’s currently unclear, but we think that’ll mean that Samsung’s extra features like eye tracking, Dual Mode camera snapping and S Voice will be gone, so you’ll be forgoing almost all of Samsung’s key selling points with this phone. Still, if you’re an Android fanatic you’re probably already past caring about that!

Android Jelly Bean 4.2 will be the operating system installed, without a sniff of Samsung’s TouchWiz UI in sight. With Samsung’s hardware this should make for a very fast phone indeed. Now, are there any friendly US folk out there that want to send us one?

Source: Gadget Helpline

Glastonbury Organisers Partner with EE to Bring 4G Coverage to Music Festival

The promoters of the long-running Glastonbury festival have announced that mobile super-network Everything Everywhere will be the official technology and communications partner for the annual five day music and arts event which is held in our nearby Pilton, Somerset.

The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (to give it’s full and esteemed title) first took place in 1970, and the 2013 event will be the first of its kind to boast an on-site 4G network allowing revellers to keep in check with the outside world as well as bringing up exclusive and informative content about the event on their pocket gadgets. Included in the virtual festival guide are a GPS map, live updates and line-up schedules for the top acts on offer including The Rolling Stones, The Arctic Monkeys, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Mumford & Sons.

EE will also be running promotions up until the start of the event with competitions to win Glastonbury tickets happening through the company’s social accounts on both Facebook and Twitter. And if you’re lucky enough to go you can benefit from a battery boost for your mobile when visiting one of the several EE Recharge Tents. This is available to anyone regardless of your network.

As you may know from reading the Gadget Helpline’s earlier coverage, Orange and T-Mobile, which are both owned by Everything Everywhere, recently combined to form a new network simply known as ‘EE’ and are the company responsible bringing improved internet speeds through the 4G network (or ‘4GEE’ as they cleverly brand it) to mobile devices in many parts of the United Kingdom.

The company’s ad campaign will also be familiar to cinema-goers for featuring Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon spoofing a number of his most famous roles who discuss the perks of 2-for-One Wednesdays!

www.ee.co.uk
www.facebook.com/ee
www.twitter.com/EE

www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

Source: Gadget Helpline