Mobile News is carrying an interesting article, and in the manner of giving a balanced view, I thought I would bring it up for our readers to comment on.

The gist of the article is that the N95 (and to a certain extent N95-8GB) was the first of a new breed of devices to cram in a superset of features, that was arguably not in any other devices at the time. However, that isn’t the case anymore, and there are some serious contenders out there, from Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), Samsung, and the like:

…the N96, due next month, may find it harder with the heightened competition to make a mark in the same way.

Notably, O2 (NYSE: TEF) has already ruled the N96 out. It has the Apple iPhone of course, and a spokesperson said simply its move was a “portfolio decision”.

Of course, Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) and Three WILL be carrying the device (as I posted earlier), but, do you think there is an argument here to suggest that the N96 won’t sell as well? My perspective was that the N95 and variants sold exceptionally well, so it might be hard to live up to those figures just because they are so high! What say you, our IntoMobile readers?

[Via: Mobile News]

Picstop.co.uk - a good website for memory cards

I like it when I get nice emails. Emails that tell me something interesting and/or amusing, and leave me with a nice warm gadgety feeling inside. That’s kinda what happened when I got an email from Picstop today, telling me they are doing some really good offers on Memory cards.

Now you can never have enough memory, so I say (certainly for UK readers), it’s worth a trip over to the Picstop site to see if you can boost the storage for your device – I know I’ll be getting some solid state storage goodness!

You can find the Picstop site here.

X Factor website video player, sponsored by Carphone Warehouse

In past years, it has been Nokia (NYSE: NOK) who have taken on the mantle of sponsoring the X Factor, but this year sees new blood, with Carphone Warehouse stepping in to the breach. They have adopted quite a cartoony visual style, which is applied to all the in/outs on the Ad breaks, plus the online properties of the X Factor – as can be seen above from the X Factor website video streamer. Unfortunately when I checked, the video player didn’t seem to be working properly, but nonetheless, the Carphone visual ID is all over it.

Of course, CPW sponsoring the X Factor is perfect, as it’s just the demographic they want in their stores, buying devices and contracts. A quick flight over to the CPW website, and they have some attractive tariffs, and devices – notably the iPhone 3G, and the Samsung i8510 (the 8MP, Series60, 16Gb, uber-device!).

So if you want to take a look at the X Factor site, go here.

If you’d prefer to see the Carphone Warehouse site, go here.

Mobile games publisher PopCap has just launched a D2C (direct-2-consumer) WAP portal, selling it’s selection of mobile games.

If you wanna get in on the PopCap games goodies, then hit up http://m.popcap.com in your mobile browser, or text POPCAP to 85585 (in the UK – in Ireland, the code is 54722 apparently).

There are a stack of games on the site (see pic), but bear in mind if you aren’t on an unlimited data tariff, then there will be browsing/download charges.

[Via: pocketgamer.co.uk]

Tesco (UK Supermarket) has launched a new service called ‘Talkwifi‘, which allows customers to make cheap mobile calls, via VoIP, over WiFi. The offering makes use of a service developed by Australian company Freshtel, and requires an app download to get things going. Once that is done, and the user is in a ‘free’ WiFi area, then calls can be made, at a pretty cheap rate (for how cheap, you’ll need to check the website here).

The service is currently restricted to only a limited amount of handsets, all of which are Series 60, WiFi-toting, Nokias – the E51, E81, N95, and E65. However, more handset support is due soon.

I favour WiFi for certain scenarios of mobile connectivity when I am out and about, but that’s all about the data – whether VoIP can and will run consistently, and suitably, is another question. Any IntoMobile readers regularly using their Mobile devices for VoIP are welcomed to input….

The Tesco Talkwifi site can be reached by clicking here

[Via: mobilenewscwp.co.uk]

Following relatively hot on the heels of Vodafone, Orange UK has announced plans to open 60 new stores through 2008, and into 2009. These will take up locations such as Southampton, Bristol, and parts of London – adding to the existing 338 shops. If that wasn’t enough, another 100 stores are set to get a facelift in the next 12 months!

The new and re-furbished stores will be based on the design of Cardiff’s flagship city centre shop, following its success since the opening last year. The stores will be designed to enhance the shopping experience, display our full product range from mobiles to laptops and to improve customer service, with a clean, stylish look and feel and open floor space. Features will include modernised displays for PAYM phones, making it easier for customers to browse and view the products on show as well as a dedicated space highlighting Orange only offers.

It seems like the battle for new and existing customers (on other networks) is going to played out at least partly on the shopfloor – with Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) announcing stores, now Orange, and other Operators surely making moves, this is going to be an interesting one to watch…..

[Via: Cellular News]

My favourite online shop, Expansys, have emailed to let me know that I can know pick up a WinMo 6 O/S Smartphone for under a ton! Yes, just less than 100 GBP (exc. postage) will see this little beauty making it’s way in to your ownership… highlighted features are:

• Operating System Windows Mobile™ 6 standard
• Integrated camera 2.0 megapixels
• Display 240X320, 2″ , 65K color TFT LCD
• Video Functions : MPEG4, WMV, H.264 , 3GP Both recording and playback
• Audio Functions : MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, AAC+ Music background playing
• Messaging : SMS, MMS, Email, MSN, Mundu IM
• WLAN 802.11b/g
• Bluetooth® 2.0
• USB 2.0
• Internal memory: 128MB Flash ROM + 64MB DDR RAM
• Extended memory: microSD™ Card supported up to 2GB
• Weight 90g

In a period where we are all tightening our belts, you could do a lot worse than this – if you fancy a piece of BenQ pie, then visit Expansys here.

O2 are currently advertising a SIM-only deal (which they call “simplicity”) on their website, which is £20/month, and includes 600 mins/unlimited texts. If that wasn’t enough, there isn’t a contract tie-in either. Obviously the deal isn’t unique as other Operators have this offering, but in a more general sense, I’d like to “open a question to the floor” if I may, with the IntoMobile readers….

Do you prefer a higher price, locked-in, contract period WITH a Mobile Device of your choosing, or, do you prefer the pretty much contract-less approach with the SIM-only deals being offered?

If you have a strong opinion on this (and I am sure our readers will!), then let us know by dropping a comment! If enough people respond, we’ll revisit the issue and see whether the lure of a new handset is enough to get you to tie-in to a (typically) 18 month contract at a higher monthly rate…..

Following up on Dusan’s post about the announcement of the Samsung i8510 (”INNOV8″), with 8MP camera, the uber-imaging device has now hit UK shores!

There are an extremely impressive set of specs (as you can see above), and Carphone Warehouse is offering the device on the Orange network with a £35/month Tariff over 18 months, giving the device for free!

This is one cameraphone we might have to try and get hold off, to see if those 8 Megapixels actually do deliver great images – for now though, you can find the official Carphone Warehouse page for the i8510 here.

Asda has made the next step in the supermarket prices wars by halving (yes, that’s right) it’s PAYG charges, as some of the more traditional rivals are raising theirs.

The supermarket group said that it would cut its flat-rate calls from 16p to 8p, with the price of texts falling from 5p to 4p, from September 1.

Asda has about 150K mobile customers, and is now claiming to be the cheapest Operator in the UK, which was a title previously held by Ikea. As mentioned previously, supermarkets are busy stripping their prices back, but the MNOs are actually raising theirs – tariff rises have been seen on O2 (NYSE: TEF), T-Mobile (NYSE: DT), and Orange, with Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) increasing theirs soon.

The supermarkets and suchlike are in this game for a loyalty kick-back with customers, whereas MNOs are under fire to try and plug the drop in earnings from recent issues such as the regulators capping prices.

It’s not just Mobile costs that the likes of Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are cutting – core foods such as milk have also seen their prices dropped, to try and lure cash-strapped customers. But Asda is still going to have to go some on the Mobile side, if it wants to catch the UK’s biggest MVNO, which is Virgin Mobile – it has around 435K customers.

[Via: Times Online]