With such a plethora of smartphones around these days, it is not surprising that anyone thinking of getting one can be rather confused. This particularly applies to newcomers to smartphone ownership.

One of the first questions that perhaps could be asked is what do you need the smartphone for? Each one manufactured these days does have a primary focus, whether it’s a plain, simple device focusing on calls and texts or a more sophisticated handset that has social networking or business apps at its heart.

Another question that is also important relates to cost. A budget phone is generally considered to cost no more than £200.

Disregarding the network, and just focusing on the features and benefits of particular handsets, examples would be useful to mention. For instance, the Monte Carlo also called the ZTE Skate is Orange’s branded handset, manufactured by the Chinese company ZTE. An Android smartphone it’s considered excellent for web browsing.

If you are looking for something a little more intuitive, then the HTC Trophy 7 should suffice. It’s a WP7 handset. Although one of the more expensive of the budget range its features are well worth looking at more closely.

For business people and those who enjoy push email and a traditional QWERTY keyboard to play with, then the BlackBerry Curve series are great devices to get you started.

Like the BlackBerry Curve, the Samsung Wave 2 also uses the manufacturer’s own operating system. This one is called Bada. So if you are looking for something a bit different then this could fit the bill.

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One of the smaller smartphone makers, ZTE recently unveiled its latest device – a successor to its Blade handset.

Although originally called Blade by the Chinese outfit, Orange decided to re-brand it as the San Francisco when the handset was first launched. As such, keeping up with this re-branding, ZTE has decided to continue with the name. So the new Blade is now called San Francisco 2.

What’s new in this upgrade?

Among the features is an 800MHz processor. This replaces the previous 600MHz CPU. There is also a slightly larger camera at 5 megapixels. The remaining features are the same as before and include a 3.2 inch 800×480 pixel touchscreen and 512MB of RAM.

There is some speculation among the mobile fraternity that the San Francisco 2 is not the actual successor to the Blade. Instead, some experts argue that this is in fact another of ZTE’s creations – the V881. Specifications for this include a 1GHZ Qualcomm MSM8255 processor.

Irrespective of the actual handset launched, experts agree that the cost of the device in the UK is likely to be around £100 to £120. ZTE however has neither confirmed pricing nor when the official release date will be.

In other news, Sony Ericsson has announced that it is re-branding itself next year. Consequently, from 2012, the company will be officially calling itself Sony, although this won’t happen till the middle of the year.

Speaking with The Times of India, a spokesperson for the company said “We haven’t been as fierce as we were a few years back but we will step it up, refocus and invest more in brand-building in select markets…”

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If you are an Orange customer, get ready for a hike in prices from January 2012. It isn’t a small rise either – it’s 4.34% across the board.

The fees increase applies to all pay monthly customers. So, if you are currently paying £35 per month, then you are going to have to pay an extra £1.50.

On the surface this only appears to be a marginal increase, and is probably affordable for most people. However, with an economic outlook that seems to be getting gloomier by the day, if you are short of money an extra £1.50 is a big deal.

When asked about this increase, a spokesperson for Orange told mobilechoiceuk.com “As you probably know, inflation is at a 20-year high, which is having a significant impact on businesses and households alike. Unfortunately, we’ve had to re-evaluate our prices for the first time and are sorry to say that there will be a 4.34% increase in our monthly plan prices from 8th January 2012.”

If you think you can get out of paying this, then you are also scuppered. It seems the terms and conditions agreed to at the time of signing the contract allow Orange to increase its fees as and when. It appears to be exercising this right.

The company is also doing everything by the book, as it is giving its customers one month’s notice as detailed in its terms and conditions.

You could leave, but Orange may charge you a hefty fee for doing so. So it looks as if you are going to have to grin and bear it.

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Image Courtsey of Apple

Although Apple is still coy about exactly if and when the iPhone 5 will land on the shelves of UK shops, Orange has decided to offer a date for arrival.  According to Stéphane Richard, the CEO of France Telecom, the parent company of Orange, the iPhone 5 is expected to be here in October. He told mobilechoice.com: “If we believe what we have been told, the iPhone 5 will be released on 15 October.”

That’s the point though. Apple has never even announced officially that there is even a new handset called the iPhone 5. This has just been rumour and speculation although the little pieces of information that have drifted out of Apple headquarters do seem to indicate that the iPhone is a reality and not a mirage.

Some experts though think Mr. Richard has got it wrong. They had been under the impression that the date would be the 21st October; this date it’s been suggested is a Friday, and Apple by tradition release things on a Friday, and not a Saturday, which the 15th October is.

The commentators also point out something else. Apple’s latest version of their operating system, iOS 5 is not due out until the end of September and a date three weeks after iOS 5’s release is a more likely date than just 2 weeks. Whatever the actual date, most commentators agree on one thing – there is an iPhone 5 coming at some time, probably October.

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If you are looking for an Xperia Play deal, then there are number available.  For instance Three UK is offering the gadget for £49.99. For that you get 500 call minutes, 5000 texts, and 1GB data at £20 per month on a 24 month contract. You can also get the handset for free from Three provided you sign up for 24 months and pay £28 per month. In return you are given 2000 call minutes, 5000 texts and interestingly, unlimited data.

T-Mobile is offering customers an unusual deal with a free Xperia Play handset plus a 19 inch HD ready TV set plus £10 cash back. You will have to sign up for an 18 month contract and pay £35.75 per month for which you also get 900 call minutes, 500 free texts and 1GB data usage. Orange also offers a similar deal.

Perhaps the most expensive deal is O2’s. First you will have to pay £149.99 for a white version of the Xperia Play. Next, you will have to sign up for a 24 month deal. The line rental is lower at £13.50 per month but you only get 50 inclusive call minutes, 250 free texts and 100MB data.

Sony Ericsson has been promoting this unusual hybrid between a phone and a games player for many months now. Sales have not been as good as the company hoped however, which is rather surprising. Some of the key features of the device are a 1GHz Scorpion processor and Adreno 205 GPU which has enough power to deal with gaming. It also possesses a sizeable 5 megapixel camera including autofocus and LED Flash.

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If you enjoy helping charities in some way, then here’s your chance with Orange’s new app called ‘Do Some Good.’ The way it works is that Orange fills the app up each month with particular charity actions, as they are called – they add one or two every month. Users can then choose which one they want to act on.

For instance, with Photofoundation, you can send your photos taken by your mobile to a charity of your choice; they can then use them for free. Other ‘actions’ currently loaded on the app include a survey about mobile volunteering, a Samaritan questionnaire and the ability to upload a photograph of a rundown green area which ‘mobile’ gardeners can decide whether it is worthy of their time and effort to be tidied and improved.

Without doubt this particular app is probably one of the most unusual yet important applications as it isn’t about giving money but practical help and giving up time to volunteer. What’s more this type of application is likely to be used by many more people who would not at first think of volunteering. To most people doing some good means going out and physically getting involved, but it seems that you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

Interestingly, the Do Some Good app is available for Nokia phones, which could just do Nokia itself some much need good. You can download it for free from the Nokia Ovi Store. The application is also available for both the iPhone and BlackBerry handsets.

Launched in March this year some 10,000 app users have donated around 1,000 hours of their time to participate in causes they find interesting.

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It is generally agreed that the European mobile phone market is now saturated. For this reason, Orange, one half of Everything Everywhere has decided to focus more on emerging markets on the African continent.

The Chief Executive Officer of Orange Stephane Richard recently told reporters at a lunch that he intends visiting every African country where Orange does business within 2 years. Currently the network operator is in some 17 African countries ranging from French speaking West African territories to English speaking nations in the east such as Uganda and Kenya.

Why is Orange doing this?

Commentators believe that the African market is still wide open to increase market share in mobile technology. Fixed and mobile communication systems are still underdeveloped. Not just that, while mobile banking is beginning to develop strongly in Europe, the US and other traditional Western nations, it barely exists in Africa.

So, it isn’t just mobile phones that Orange wants to develop, but mobile money systems as well. For instance, Orange Money (a mobile banking system) now has a 10% take up in Africa. This figure also represents a doubling from 1 million subscribers to 2 million in just 5 months from the end of 2010 to the end of May

Subscribers to Orange Money can open a mobile account for free. They can also deposit or withdraw up to £134 at any one time. It is open to small businesses as well as individuals, something that will help boost the local economy.

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Well, strange as it may sound, you can.  Orange has developed a T-shirt that uses noise to charge a battery in a mobile phone.  It has been designed specifically for the Glastonbury music festival.  It works by using a system called piezoelectric film which is more generally used in hi-fi speakers.  Vibration from the noise is turned into an electrical signal, while the film itself is thin enough to be woven into the T-shirt fabric.

While the idea is novel, engineers do say that the amount of energy stored is not that huge.  A spokesperson for Orange however told the Daily Telegraph that over the festival weekend it would potentially be possible to store sufficient energy for one re-charge of a smartphone (approximately six watt hours).

It will be interesting to see how this rather strange technology will go down with the Glastonbury revellers.

It is not the first attempt for Orange to try to use clothing as a vehicle for its mobile technology.  Last year for instance the company used wellington boots.  Chargers were installed in the heels of the boots which received energy when individuals walked.

The year before Orange created small, portable windmills to generate power.

Orange is not the only company however to attempt to develop portable chargeable devices for mobile phones.  A raft of different technologies are also being developed by other manufacturers, ranging from portable methods to charging stands in the street.

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At last, anyone itching to get their hands on Sony Ericsson’s combi-phone, the Xperia Play will be available very shortly. Well, that’s the plan anyway.

Unfortunately, there is as yet no official release date. But at least you know that Orange has managed to wangle a deal with the manufacturer, presumably for first shot, if not an exclusivity deal.

The news was announced to readers in mobiletoday.co.uk who said that the parent company Everything, Everywhere is getting the hybrid. As Orange is the senior partner analysts believe this part of the new company is likely to get the first consignment. That said there isn’t any reason why T-Mobile won’t get its hands on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play as well.

The new hybrid phone – come – PlayStation was expected to be officially launched at the CES in Las Vegas earlier this month, but this didn’t materialise. With the unofficial announcement of the device going to Orange, it is now expected to be officially on show at the Mobile World Conference in February.

Sony Ericsson has been very tight lipped about its new handset, but experts have managed to glean some probable specifications. These are thought to include a 1GHz Snapdragon Qualcomm processor and 512MB of RAM. Also expected is an Android operating system.

The manufacturer did very well when they created the original PlayStation. A combination of a phone and a games console will no doubt appeal to earlier fans.

But will it appeal to modern consumers?

Image Source: Engadet

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With the VAT increase taking place this week, many mobile phone users will be understandably worried about how it’s going to affect them. With this mind perhaps the following can help.

Orange has decided to freeze all prepay prices permanently, choosing to absorb the cost for these rather than pass it on to consumers. The company is also doing the same for mobile broadband.

However for those with Orange contracts, it’s a different story. Monthly deals and out of bundle tariffs will be charged the full VAT rise.

O2 on the other hand has decided to charge 20% VAT on all its prepay charges, but this won’t start till the end of March. As for the monthly tariffs, the VAT rise will be applied immediately. O2 says that texts will rise from 10p to 12p.

Vodafone is also hiking its prices roughly in line with O2 and Orange, including pay as you go charges. However the company has also introduced a new data tariff to try to offset this. The new cost is a daily rate of just £1 per day per 100MB used. Vodafone hope this will attract people who currently don’t use any data tariff or bundle.

T-Mobile is charging the full rise to all pay as you go charges. Texts will cost 11p now, a rise of one penny. The company appears to be absorbing the rise on monthly charges though– the reverse on its partner, Orange.

As for Three UK, all tariffs are hit.

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