Free Mobile competitors could easily anticipate

The Chairman of Arcep, auditioned by a Commission of the National Assembly, returned to the entry of Free Mobile telecoms market.

Free Mobile competitors have, in the past months, regularly turned to - regulator Arcep for telecoms - to complain about the conditions enjoyed by the new entrant on the French market of mobile telephony. Arcep which, meanwhile, was very happy to see more competition to interfere in the market, since it benefits directly to the Subscriber. Accused of not sufficiently well assessed the impact of the arrival of a fourth operator on the market, Arcep held to be explained once again by the voice of its president Jean-Ludovic Silicani, at a hearing before the Commission of Economic Affairs of the National Assembly.

Jean-Ludovic Silicani began by recalling an indisputable fact: "everywhere in Europe, we find four fixed/mobile operators." All studies show that the price of the mobile France, was higher than elsewhere. "And the choice of the place to a new entrant was made as early as 2000, when the decision on the distribution of 3 G frequencies".

From there, according to him, nobody can say taking courses. The president of Arcep also does not hesitate to explain that those who complain today, could handle the situation differently. "If they had thought in 2006/2008 to spend a full-MVNO with Free agreement, the issue would not have arisen and they would not be in this situation, perhaps Free have not deployed fourth mobile network." "It is a choice on their part: they did everything to block the development of the full MVNO in France while they were abroad the increasing" he says.

As the price of the licence paid by Free Mobile, competitors believe bradee, yet Jean-Ludovic Silicani presents things flat: "If the conditions were so favourable, if the price was so low, other operators have jumped at the opportunity to be a candidate." "However, despite our efforts, a single operator competed". The price paid for the license is logical, because Free Mobile has a lower volume of frequencies. Not to mention that the new operator arrived very late on its competitors.

Finally, the last difficult question concerns the consequences of the arrival of Free Mobile employment, since its competitors dismiss to restore their margins, and relocate more: "I remember that the sector is facing a trend decline in its numbers, so is somewhat easy to do on the back of Free (...)" For direct employment we are to 1 600 posts deleted via voluntary departures. For indirect jobs, depends on the strategies of operators but 1,500 jobs could be affected (...) Meanwhile, Free have recently created 2,000 jobs including via the launch of two centres of calls in the Paris region. "In all we have 3,000 in losses and 2,000 in gains so the balance is negative 1 000 jobs".

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The Samsung Galaxy S3 is available at Free Mobile

The fourth mobile operator, Free Mobile, now offers the Samsung Galaxy S3 in his catalogue of phones.

The last flagship of Android, Galaxy S3 of Samsung smartphones, is officially its entry in the catalogue of phones available for sale on the Free Mobile web site.

The tariff proposed by the troublemaker of telecoms is significantly lower than that requested by other operators or 595 euros naked (it is 597 euros in B & You and 599 euros in Sosh for example). The proposed version is equipped with 16 GB of internal memory available in the colours white and blue.

The Subscriber can pay at one time cash by paying the sum of 595 euros so or choose a formula to credit spread over 23 to 35 months which brings back the tariff respectively to 655 and 685,60 euros still. Nu is therefore particularly interesting for who can release the 595 euros at once, by contrast credit offers are less attractive than in the competition.

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Free Mobile: two unions are still critical coverage

The Council of State will have to deal with the complaint of the two unions CFE - CGC and Unsa.

Telecoms CFE - CGC unions and the Unsa come to enter the Council of State to rule definitively on the issue of actual coverage of the Free Mobile network. They had already applied to the telecoms regulator that was oriented to the authority of competition, without success. If the Arcep and the ANFR already validated Free Mobile network coverage which would exceed the 27% of the French population, the two unions strongly criticise the method used, including at the level of the measure of the signal that does not necessarily mean that the network is operational. The two unions declare:

There is therefore to launch an inquiry under article l. 36 - 11 and use a suitable methodology to verify the capacity of the network Free-Mobile to take support calls to its customers and not the mere existence of a signal as it has already been done in previous controls.

For them, this new calculation will help to show that Free Mobile does not respect its commitments and thus the operator can claim roaming on Orange network. The two unions say that Free Mobile can claim this right of roaming since its own network does not cover 25% of the actual population for the voice at any time of the day. The two unions concluded with this sentence: "This is why the unions asked the Council of State of"reject"ARCEP and to oblige it to apply the sanction procedure".

According to Arcep, Free Mobile coverage exceeded the 27% of the French population at the end of February. ANFR (Agency national of frequencies), which challenged these measures at the beginning of March, was also on the ground to conclude that Free Mobile actually covered 30.8% of the population in metropolitan France. However, Orange continues to say that 90% of Free Mobile communications continue to go through its network. The Council of State will have to decide.

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Personal mobile TV is dead and buried

The APF aborts the TMP project after five years of battle with broadcast operators.

TMP is definitely stopped. The CSA has indeed removed the allocation of frequencies for the DVB - H standard concerning the personal Mobile television. March 5, 2007, this standard was established in France for broadcast in television (at the Rugby World Cup) in a project led by the CSA.

The Supervisory Board of audiovisual French then opted for TDF society who was in charge of technical as antenna infrastructure deployment and distribution network between television and digital distribution network.

Before the immobilization of TDF and the difficulties of deployment, the APF subsequently asked that an operator is designated to mount an offer of access. Virgin Mobile was the only proposed an alliance with TDF in May 2010, but this project was stopped in January 2011. Following the announcement of Virgin Mobile, TDF also stated that he stopped the costs and to désengageait project.

Sixteen television stations that have an authorization to broadcast on the DVB - H network have not found a new transport operator and eventually asked the CSA to end definitively to the project, with solutions of broadcast programmes via the 3 G for example. The frequencies in question will not be reused for the mobile network, too remote of the GSM standard, UMTS or the LTE. Three blocks of frequencies are therefore abandoned, the VHF - III (174-230 MHz), the UHF - IV and V (470-830 MHz) and L-band (1452-1492 MHz) which are already used by other standards of dissemination such as DVB - T and the T - DAB currently being at stake for the TNT.

Elsewhere in the world, this standard is also abandoned for the 3 G or 4 G to monetize access to digital content much more easily. Unless the B2M (Broadcast Mobile Multimedia) led by TDF can replace the TMP within a few years. In any case, the digital TV on mobile is available that by paying a supplementary package.

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Free Mobile could be punished by Arcep

Alternative Mobile has, on behalf of the MVNO, before the Arcep regards wholesale offers Free mobile virtual operators...

The conditions for the entry of Free Mobile in the mobile telephony market have been defined by Arcep - Telecoms Regulator - and negotiated in exchange for commitments specific (and ambitious) to animate the competition. If, in terms of rates applied, Free Mobile has fulfilled its commitments and even a little more than that by planting a beautiful mess (the first results are visible, with an average revenue per user down), this is hardly the case with respect to offers of large virtual operators, the famous MVNO. Thus, Alternative Mobile seized Arcep comes formally to initiate a procedure against Free Mobile for breaches of commitments.

It must be said that the wholesale rates proposed by Free Mobile in the MVNO are such that they do not really to propose offers more interesting than those already placed on the market by the néo-opérateur. Thus, the monthly access subscription is billed at least €2 duty-free, while Free Mobile offers its customers to package to €2 per month TTC. According to Alternative Mobile, this demonstrates that Free Mobile does not take its commitments of animation of the competition, leaving no room for manoeuvre to the MVNO, as explained already here: Free Mobile does stimulate competition or kill the MVNO?

Alternative Mobile welcomes the decision of Arcep to have put in place a procedure and hope that it will go to an end to punish Free Mobile and force it to honour its commitments so that the MVNO who would rely on its network to offer their offers, can do so at competitive rates.

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Orange, SFR, Bouygues: Free Mobile will cost them dear

Time of Auditors arrived to three operators who had reason to fear the arrival of Free Mobile on the market.

Following the publication of the latest financial results, France Telecom and the point made by the operator for the modification to the portfolio of clients of Orange our colleagues in les Echos attach to a point on the changes in the sector of mobile telephony trained to this day by the arrival of Free Mobile on the market. Five months after the launch of the new highly competitive commercial offers incoming, "is starting to get an idea of the invoice paid by its competitors" indicate.

France Telecom has thus announced lost a total of mobile client 615.000 on the first quarter of the year, 2.3 million of termination and 1.7 million of recruitment. This represents a decrease of 0.7% over one year customer base. Remains that the operator does not it more recruits with its low-cost Sosh subsidiary and, if this is the case, how it affect its profitability. However, from an economic point of view, France Telecom is reassuring, recalling an asset have to resist Free Mobile: the roaming agreement signed with the néo-opérateur.

An agreement on the 2 G and 3 G very criticized (from a commercial point of view as from a technical point of view), but that, according to Orange, "compensates partially the decline in turnover" in the first quarter. 6 Years, this contract be earned 1 billion euros France Telecom, but as Free Mobile traffic is higher than that forecast does had anticipated it, revenues should ultimately exceed $ 1 billion in just three years. France Telecom has therefore not lost with the arrival of Free Mobile on the market, far from it.

In Bouygues Telecom, it will take on 15 May and the release of the sales in the first quarter to learn more, but the operator already said that its revenues would decrease by about 10% this year. And on 15 February, Free Mobile had apparently already recovered client 134.000 of Bouygues Telecom, which recruits many through its low-cost B & You offer. Bouygues Telecom has recently launched a EUR 300 million per year savings plan, and announced that he would renegotiate some partnerships, including those with the Phone House distribution system. Today, Bouygues Telecom announced the purchase of Darty Telecom, as explained here.

Finally in SFR, resigned as the CEO Frank Esser who refused to lower its prices, and after the acting by Jean-Bernard Lévy, is Michel Combes who becomes CEO. Frank Esser has paid its inability to anticipate the difficulties caused by the arrival of Free Mobile, with the loss estimated at client 208.000 in only 50 days between January and February (all operators combined). The savings plan that provides to SFR is estimated at EUR 500 million, passing by the dismissal of numerous employees and pressure on suppliers to lower prices. SFR already announced sales fell by 12 to 15% this year. The pressure on prices caused by the arrival of Free Mobile that feel .

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Free Mobile, the rate for valid Freebox subscribers even after termination

Free Mobile packages dedicated to the Freebox subscribers reduced tariff is valid even after termination.

Free confirmed information concerning which the preferential tariff applied to subscribers Freebox on its mobile packages, namely €0 or €15.99, is valid even after termination.

Thus any subscriber offer ADSL for Free which is tempted to see in another mobile operator if the grass is greener and later decides to resume package with Free Mobile will always be the reduced rate. Until then the termination and renewal to a Free Mobile offer wavered on the normal tariff to €2 or €19.99 for a Freebox non-abonné.

Offering Free Mobile enhances therefore with time even if it was known and knows still some defects of youth which should quickly narrowed to meet the current and future subscribers.

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Free Mobile termination: Word of drive

We thank our readers for their testimony on this case. Our doubts of customer account management have steps been confirmed or reversed by the néo-opérateur, but your testimony give us new light...

Following our article on 24 April concerning the problems of termination of automatic lines for cause of unpaid for some Free Mobile customers, we have received many accounts to offset our doubts about the methods used by the néo-opérateur the "good" computer management of its customers. Before going further, please note that we always expect a response on the part of Free Mobile and Iliad on this subject, that despite our reminders remain silent for the time being.

To better understand what is happening from the point of view of a customer, we selected one of the email we received:

"Hello"

I am writing to bring some clarification to article "Free Mobile: termination of office for outstanding?", part I of the cancelled Office and with the subscription to €15.99.

My RIB was poorly made outset (because of a bug in Free failing key RIB starting at 0). I called 3 times to correct the very thing before receiving my SIM card, which affirmed the customer service not being able to do so and that this would be "quickly as possible" via the heading "My account" in the customer area on the Internet. Of course, that was the most time.

I sent them a RIB by mail, thanks to 4 weeks to process. Result, first denied collection... In the aftermath, an advisor called, to tell me that I could resolve the outstanding credit card, and that he could - finally - correctly enter my RIB.

Result: settled outstanding RIB ok, rectified... situation 2 months so far were collected and there was therefore no unpaid, at most a delay of a few days on the 1 month which, let us recall, is paid in advance.

My line but was cut on April 14, as those of many other customers. I immediately called customer service of Free Mobile, who asked me to send a recommended. This was done in the wake. This is almost 2 weeks I look now. I have called numerous times customer service which told me nothing could do, and that the situation will be rectified "soon"...

They give me the impression of being overwhelmed, my number is lost, and I am the reverse of the NRJ Mobile pub: I have a mobile, but not of SIM card. This suits me well, because I'm currently looking for a new job (the end of CSD requires) and my number is volatilized, I used 12 years and which appeared on my CV.

"Thank you Free…"

Even if all clients are not affected by this problem, those that are will have therefore lost everything in the case. Difficult to understand how this can happen, especially as Iliad is not in its first move to test on this sector. The automatic collection of Free ADSL subscriptions are made correctly, regardless of the used RIB.

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Free Mobile termination: Word of drive

We thank our readers for their testimony on this case. Our doubts of customer account management have steps been confirmed or reversed by the néo-opérateur, but your testimony give us new light...

Following our article on 24 April concerning the problems of termination of automatic lines for cause of unpaid for some Free Mobile customers, we have received many accounts to offset our doubts about the methods used by the néo-opérateur the "good" computer management of its customers. Before going further, please note that we always expect a response on the part of Free Mobile and Iliad on this subject, that despite our reminders remain silent for the time being.

To better understand what is happening from the point of view of a customer, we selected one of the email we received:

"Hello"

I am writing to bring some clarification to article "Free Mobile: termination of office for outstanding?", part I of the cancelled Office and with the subscription to €15.99.

My RIB was poorly made outset (because of a bug in Free failing key RIB starting at 0). I called 3 times to correct the very thing before receiving my SIM card, which affirmed the customer service not being able to do so and that this would be "quickly as possible" via the heading "My account" in the customer area on the Internet. Of course, that was the most time.

I sent them a RIB by mail, thanks to 4 weeks to process. Result, first denied collection... In the aftermath, an advisor called, to tell me that I could resolve the outstanding credit card, and that he could - finally - correctly enter my RIB.

Result: settled outstanding RIB ok, rectified... situation 2 months so far were collected and there was therefore no unpaid, at most a delay of a few days on the 1 month which, let us recall, is paid in advance.

My line but was cut on April 14, as those of many other customers. I immediately called customer service of Free Mobile, who asked me to send a recommended. This was done in the wake. This is almost 2 weeks I look now. I have called numerous times customer service which told me nothing could do, and that the situation will be rectified "soon"...

They give me the impression of being overwhelmed, my number is lost, and I am the reverse of the NRJ Mobile pub: I have a mobile, but not of SIM card. This suits me well, because I'm currently looking for a new job (the end of CSD requires) and my number is volatilized, I used 12 years and which appeared on my CV.

"Thank you Free…"

Even if all clients are not affected by this problem, those that are will have therefore lost everything in the case. Difficult to understand how this can happen, especially as Iliad is not in its first move to test on this sector. The automatic collection of Free ADSL subscriptions are made correctly, regardless of the used RIB.

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Virgin Mobile launches its offensive: quadruple-play from €29.99 and mini-forfait to €4.99

Make the point on the strategy of Virgin Mobile, which announces three new packages including two mixed with a quadruple-play offering.

Virgin Mobile has, as expected, announced new offerings this week. The first virtual operator French first started to be reassuring about the impact that could have on the arrival of Free Mobile on the market. Recognizing "explosion" on the fifteen days following the announcements of Free, pressure is quickly settled according to the MVNO before his recruitment leave rising in mid-March, when Free Mobile began to experience technical problems on its network. In total, Omea Telecom (which includes Virgin Mobile, Tele 2, Breizh Mobile and Casino Mobile) has thus lost "only" 26,000 customers in January and 15,000 in February, and returned to 17,000 in March... or loss dry 24,000 customers in the first quarter on a total of a little less than 2 million subscribers.

"The Free margin is indecent, it must be that the authorities are studying this issue"

Indeed, the same analysis on the only Virgin Mobile brand, 16,000 customers left in January, 3,000 in February, and 29,000 arrived in March, which accumulated allows the MVNO to win 10,000 customers in the quarter! Omea Telecom Group is therefore well, with sales up 21% to EUR 567 million for the year ended March 31, with a level of profitability equivalent to that of the previous year. The Group has however assume the disappearance marks Breizh Mobile and Tele 2 term, to do more to focus only on Virgin Mobile and Casino Mobile. Therefore, Virgin Mobile is ready to launch "his new offensive" for 2012, with its full-MVNO status that grants him more technical and commercial freedoms to its network provider than other virtual operators.

Therefore, Virgin Mobile launches new packages. A mini-forfait to €4.99 per month Extaz Mini that provides 45 minutes of communication and 450 SMS, without commitment. As more generous than the package 2 commented offer € Free Mobile by Geffroy Bézieux Roux, the CEO. Alongside this, new blocked packages make their appearance, from €12.99 per month for 2 h of voice and unlimited SMS. It takes €19.99 to add 3 GB of data. These packages are also without commitment, and all are marketed on the Internet but also in shops, Virgin Mobile does not believing the model all online for mobile telephony.

But it is obviously not everything, because the big announcement that Virgin Mobile had to do concerning his arrival on the market of the ADSL. The CEO noted that the market has resumed an oligopolistic form with offers all roughly similar about €35/40 per month, and announced that it is possible to do better given the profitability of these competitors... especially for quad-play. "When we give lessons of morality the whole earth, it might better to apply these principles to all its offers." The Free margin is indecent, that the authorities are studying this question. "We no longer have the most competitive ADSL market in the world" said Geffroy Roux de Bézieux.

Virgin Mobile offering is called H@ppy 4 and includes ADSL access provided by SFR with a box similar to the old access (and not the Evolution model) with a maximum flow rate of 25 Megas, calls unlimited to fixed in France and 100 destinations international, calls to mobile and access to 130 TV channels and VOD portals. Since this offer is quadruple-play, guests can choose between a formula to €29.99 per month with a mobile package including 2 h of calls and unlimited SMS, or €39.99 per month with 4 h of voice, SMS and the data with 3 GB. The offers are without commitment, even if it is possible to commit to 24 months and €6 more per month to have a subsidized smartphone.

These attractive offers are available today for the Virgin Mobile customers and will be marketed at the end of may for the others. A few hidden costs are however unfortunate, as the additional minute charged 37 cents or the MB that will cost 10 cents. Any hassle, the box to mobile calls are available after the third minute and it takes 25 cent per minute of appeal before that, or 75 cents per call of more than 3 minutes. Also note that the box is not equipped with disk hard and not can not manage the TV recordings. However Business Mobile Virgin Mobile says that there are "move up the chain of value gradually" and improve its offer and its equipment with time. The intention of Virgin Mobile is actually itself as a player in the telecoms capable of pushing the market.

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Free Mobile called to reimburse its customers and to better inform

The UFC-Que choose application Free mobile to compensate its customers and better informed on sustained networks failures.

Free Mobile has been in default by the French Union (UFC-Que choose) consumers to explain to its client on the reasons for different dysfunctions that occurred on its mobile network, but also that it is compensation for harm suffered by some subscribers.

Alain Bazot, President of the consumers association, believes that the fourth operator Mobile does communicate enough on the technical problems he meets daily from 18: 00 to 20: 00 or on large outages occur and affect a large number of subscribers through the entire France.

The UFC-Que choose suggests, therefore, that something must be done to compensate customers who have suffered these problems because it is not normal to pay for a deficient service that the tariff is low or not. Free Mobile has promised to increase the technical means put in place to deploy its mobile network and must today, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, meet Orange to take stock of their roaming agreement.

The troublemaker of the Telecom must therefore show greater transparency to its clients and partners to not get everyone back to continue to offer low-cost mobile packages but also quality if possible. Because if it can be lenient with the newcomer for a while and accept some shortcomings the time he put in place, the lack of communication and repetitive problems becomes quickly tiresome and can tarnish the image of brand in the long term. When Xavier Niel intervention as he knows so well do to calm this restlessness?

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Orange is considering a cut of homelessness with Free Mobile

Orange evokes a possible cut of interconnection with the Free Mobile network. A real threat that the incumbent operator could implement?

AFP indicates that an Orange spokesperson said this weekend that a suspension of the contract of roaming between the incumbent operator to Free Mobile is not possible if the problems encountered by the latter disturbing quality of the service it provides to its own subscribers. Is it a real threat that Orange intends to weigh on Free Mobile or a somewhat abrupt way of presenting things? Hard to say, but these words are not gone unnoticed.

In any case, it is in this way that Orange has chosen to meet the Chairman of Arcep, Jean-Luc Silicani, explaining a few hours earlier that the technical difficulties encountered relate essentially the interconnection between the Free and Orange networks. Statements which are at the same level two operators, which has the gift of ruffled feathers Orange which the spokesman said: "Contrary to some assertions to Orange in fault occurred on the network of Free Mobile these days, the Group declines any responsibility in these dysfunctions".

Arcep reiterated, however, that the two operators have the opportunity to renegotiate the contract of homelessness if, finally, he does seem them more viable. Given the turn that take events, it is not impossible that this case lead to a renegotiation of homelessness. Recall that according to Bouygues Télécom, Free Mobile - which has not confirmed this figure - count approximately 2.2 million customers. And that half of the Free Mobile traffic would according to Arcep, in 2 G, and therefore only via towers of Orange, not counting the volume of traffic in 3 G which also through the network Orange, Free Mobile not covering antennas for the time that less than 30% of the population.

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MWC 2012 : Nokia 808 PureView avec APN 41 megapixels !

Even if Symbian smartphones sales decline more quickly that expected, Nokia has given up yet what was his fetish until last year mobile OS, before beginning a migration in March forced to Windows Phone.

And Symbian still has the resource, according to the announcement made at the MWC Barcelona 2012 show. Nokia has unveiled the Nokia 808 PureView, a smartphone under Symbian Belle who has the particularity to... an AFN 41 megapixels with Carl Zeiss Optics.

More than for the pleasure of taking huge pictures on mobile operators networks, such sensor is especially intended, when it is fully used to take pictures of quality which can recover a portion that will remain very detailed and that will be exchanged on social networks.

The goal offers an opening of f/2.4, proposes a macro mode to 15 cm and has a Xenon flash, with several possible modes and a 3 x optical zoom. It is also capable of recording video in Full HD 1080p. If the thickness of the smartphone is overall 13.9 mm, she spent almost 18 mm at the location of the AFN.

For "standard" photos, it will be possible to take pictures in a lower resolution. The Nokia 808 PureView proposes a 4 "AMOLED display resolution 640 x 360 pixels (16: 9 format), on-board WiFi (DLNA support), Bluetooth, GPS, FM Radio and module NFC.

There is a HDMI port, a TV output and Dolby sound improvement techniques to turn it into a real element of diffusion on the big screen. The Nokia 808 PureView also is a smartphone quad-band GSM / EDGE and tri-band HSPA +.

It will be proposed from the month of may 2012 for €480 HT. Why propose a technology on Symbian and not on Windows Phone, Nokia now preferred? It seems that Symbian development was already well advanced, to maintain its marketing (a bit like the Nokia N9 under MeeGo).

But, has already promised Jo Harlow, the smartphone Nokia, technology PureView a vocation to be responsible on other platforms and terminals. It should also eventually find it on a smartphone Windows Phone later.

MaJ : on its stand, Nokia confirms that photos taken with the Nokia 808 PureView will not compete with the AFN of the market but highlights the possibilities of "Lossless" zoom (up to three times) within the image incorporated, to obtain a relatively clear picture of detail.

The zoom is done very simply by pressing on the area you want in the photo and demonstrations on a scale model reproducing a district of a city are rather convincing (the little visible character below is little more than 1 or 2 cm on the model).

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ZTE Era: smartphone end ultra quadcore under Android 4.0

Displaying all just 7.8 mm thick, the ZTE Era smartphone relies on a couple processor quad-core nVIDIA Tegra 3 to 1.3 GHz + 1 GB RAM.

It offers a large screen touch multi-touch 4.3 inches with a definition 540 x 960 pixels, a sound system with Dolby Mobile technology and compatibility with networks 2 G / 3 G / Wi - Fi.

It also proposes the GPS navigation, digital camera 8 megapixel with autofocus / LED flash / géotagging / function video 1080p 30 fps and Bluetooth connectivity / USB / mini-jack.

It also do an internal memory of 8 GB, that it will be possible to extend with a microSD memory card / microSDHC for up to 40 GB of total space.

BONE to orchestrate the whole, is of Android in its version 4.0, code name Ice Cream Sandwich.

Commercialization is planned for the second half in Europe and China, at an unknown price for the moment.

The smartphone ZTE Era (click to enlarge)

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MWC 2012: Asus Padfone, smartphone becomes Tablet

The Asus Padfone was overdue and it is finally MWC Barcelona 2012 show that it has been presented, on the occasion of a press conference given at the Museum of the Rock of Barcelona, old arenas in the city.

Jonney Shih, President and CEO of the group, took the opportunity to do the show and unveil several new products, taking advantage of a good presence on the shelves and taking advantage of some inventiveness to move beyond the simple Tablet and provide a status of quasi-PC with docks / keyboards.

The Asus Padfone is in fact a mixture of smartphone and tablet, the first that can fit in the second (described as Padfone Station) via a hatch at the rear, providing cellular connectivity while providing a continuous experience of the views from one to the other.

Padfone smartphone has a 4.3 "qHD (960 x 540 pixels) Super AMOLED display and on-board processor dual core SnapDragon S4 (MSM8960 and GPU Adreno 225) 1.5 GHz with 1 GB of RAM and 16 to 64 GB of internal storage space.

The Padfone is compatible with WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0, has an A - GPS module and has an AFN 8 megapixels on the back, as well as a VGA camera on the front for video conferencing. It is a smartphone HSPA + 21 Mbps of dimensions 128 x 65 x 9.2 mm 129 g.

ASUS Padfone Station

This Padfone smartphone can be slipped in Padfone Station which then transform into a Tablet 10.1 " resolution 1280 x 800 pixels, with AFN 8 megapixels on the back and AFN 1.3 megapixels on the front for video conferencing.

ASUS Padfone

This combination allows to multiply by five the autonomy of the smartphone. Add the dock / keyboard and the autonomy of all is multiplied by nine, all constituting the equivalent of a small computer, and under OS Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

And on top of all, a pen Bluetooth is proposed as an accessory. Can be used with the Padfone Station (Tablet mode), it can also receive calls, such as a headset. The availability of the Asus Padfone is attached to the month of April 2012.

Bluetooth pen

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MWC 2012 : HTC One X, smartphone quadcore Tegra 3

End of 2011 slow growth, discretion on the volumes of past smartphones, less range in 2012...HTC is the pressure of the market, and that of Samsung in particular on Android, Nokia while trying to overflow via Windows Phone.

At the MWC 2012show, the Taiwanese manufacturer is always present but does not excessive risk. Point new tablet, not smartphone Windows Phone HTC Titan and the end of 2011 Radar, but a series of three smartphones under the HTC One range and the announcements of partnerships and services.

As in the case of Sony, expected perhaps too the manufacturer, which must at the same time take care to consolidate its positions. After the proliferation of declinations of models, the time is to focus on a small number of smartphones and the partnerships that will bring differentiation by services.

This does not mean that HTC waives a Cree maximum of mobile technology into its devices. Witness the series HTC, under Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with the new HTC Sense 4.0 and ImageSense wrapper, new technology of image processing via a dedicated processor HTC ImageChip, catches of views in 0.7 second and a development in 0.2 second for a mode even more effective burst.

The temptation for the integration of dedicated components seems to spread among manufacturers, in that it allows us to offer features not easily replicable by competition.

The HTC One family take new large aperture sensors to operate effectively even in condition of low light and a Video Pic to take a picture while filming function. And to display such content on the big screen, HTC Media Link HD accessory provides a wireless HDMI connection.

In addition to the image, emphasis is always placed on sound, HTC always taking advantage of its partnership with Beats Audio, and music streaming. If there is no announcement of a service implemented directly by HTC, on the other hand, the new Music Hub load music streams.

HTC One X
The Summit series HTC One, so is the HTC One X, widely fuité before his announcement and presenting himself as the firstmartphone quad-core (Nvidia Tegra 3) of the trade mark. Its unibody design identifies a 4.7 "1280 x 720 pixels display, Tegra 3 quad-core and its 4-more-1 technology, associated with 1 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage space.

On the back there is a AFN 8 megapixels, with the above mentioned technical advantages, flash LED and sensor BSI (Couture Illuminated), capable of recording video in 1080p and that forms a kind of truncated cone. In front, there always an AFN 1.3 megapixel for the visiconférence.

On board, there is connectivity Wireless WiFi (DLNA compatible) and Bluetooth 4.0, an A - GPS module, a set of sensors (motion, brightness) but also a NFC module. The quad-core Tegra the HTC One X 3 version will be quad-band GSM / EDGE and quad-band HSPA +.

There will be a declination LTE, including to the United States, and this version will then operate a dual core SnapDragon S4 1.5 GHz Qualcomm processor, for comparable performance (the same scenario is operated by Asus for the different versions of its Tablet Transformer Pad Infinity).

The marketing of the HTC One range will start in April 2012. The manufacturer will build on a broad distribution network consisting of 140 operators and resellers in the world.

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Samsung Galaxy Beam: smartphone Android with picoprojecteur

The picoprojecteurs are not really used in mobile devices but the improvement of technologies should make them more present the next few years. Samsung had already been in the technology demonstration by revealing in 2009 an i7410 model equipped with a projection module, without however that the trend is widespread.

Semiconductor manufacturers work however to improve the main characteristics of the picoprojecteurs (congestion, energy consumption, return of the image) to facilitate integration.

For the MWC 2012 show, the Korean manufacturer announces the Samsung Galaxy Beam, a smartphone Android 2.3 Gingerbread with display 4 "800 x 480 pixels and processor 1 GHz dual core boarding a picoprojecteur of power 15 lumens and to be used to share content in all circumstances, by displaying pictures and videos on any surface,"even in outside", promises the company.

It sees also recreational opportunities as productivity, allowing to display presentations without the need of equipment or dedicated rooms. The smartphone has dimensions of 124 x 64 x 12.5 mm (rather late compared to the previous models) for 143 g and has WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity, with storage space internal 8 GB expandable through microSD port.

The Samsung Galaxy Beam is also a smartphone quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE and quad-band HSPA 14.4 Mbps, all being fueled by a 2000 mAh battery. No date proposed availability or prices but the terminal will be demonstrated at the MWC Barcelona 2012 show.

Update 16: 00 pm : Engadget says that the processor is a ST Ericsson U8500 dual core (ARM Cortex-A9) with 768 MB of RAM. Accessories will be available to make a true make-up projection system.

Samsung Galaxy Beam on the Texas Instruments stand

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MWC 2012 : Nokia Lumia 610 sous Windows Phone Tango

As expected, Microsoft will offer a Tango update of Windows Phone by April with ambition is to lower the prerequisite hardware for Windows Phone. If the first smartphones unveiled by Nokia end of year 2011 and early 2012 were high, this will allow propose models more down range and reach a wider audience, in also tackling emerging markets.

The first realization of this strategy is called Nokia Lumia 610, the fourth smartphone unveiled by the Finnish manufacturer. It has rounded with a metallic outline form and is the companion of communication to a young audience and fan of social networks.

Here all the ingredients can therefore be found to communicate by e-mail or via the networks, but also the latest version of Nokia Drive, free Nokia GPS navigation system, with the addition of Nokia Transport, which provides information on public transport in more than 500 cities in 66 countries.

Nokia Transport can indicate the time of passage of the next bus or view the metro map. It will always find the Xbox games and Xbox Live avatar management service.

Characteristics
Features side, Nokia Lumia 610 embarks a 3.7 "800 x 480 pixel display, processor SnapDragon S1 800 MHz of Qualcomm, with 256 MB of RAM and 8 GB of storage space, and an APN 5 megapixels on the back.

The smartphone on-board WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1, and a GPS module connectivity. Its battery 1300 mAh provides approximately 10 hours of autonomy in communication and 700 hours standby. It is a smartphone quad-band GSM / EDGE and quad-band HSPA + 7.2 Mbps.

Nokia Lumia 610 is expected in the second quarter of 2012 for a price of €189 HT. Note that the arrival of the Windows Phone update will allow Nokia to expand the availability of its range Lumia to China, the manufacturer having negotiated with the operators of networks CDMA2000 and WCDMA (China Telecom and China Unicom).

Drive, Reading, Transport Nokia Nokia Nokia

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Intel Medfield: Z2460 2 GHz, Z2580-Z2000 for smartphone

The Intel fondeur, who wants to take advantage of the growth in sales of smartphones and place its processors, is officially present on the market since these 2012 show and the announcement of the Intel Medfield Z2460processor.

The company had announced its first partnerships with Motorola and Lenovo, and they are now joined by ZTE, Orange and Lava International. It also benefits the MWC 2012 show to announce an extension of the range Medfield with new SoC (System on a Chip).

Capitalizing on its first Medfield processor, Intel indicates that the processor Z2460 may now be running at up to 2 GHz to extend its possibilities of integration in different configurations of smartphones.

The skier also announces the processor Medfield Z2580, presented as two times more powerful than the Z2460 and able to manage a modem multi-mode 2 G / 3 G / LTE. The Z2580 is aimed therefore configurations high-end but it does will be supplied only as sample in the second half of 2012 while the first products to be equipped with will appear in the first half of 2013.

Medfield also in entry
The migration of volumes of sales to smartphones to entry-level also required taking account of this development and the provision of a solution. It is made with the Intel Medfield Z2000SoC.

Prototype Intel Medfield and Android at MWC 2012

Running at 1 GHz, he put on his versatility to seduce and may be accompanied by the modem Intel XMM 6265 HSPA + and dual SIM 2 G / 3 G (important in emerging markets). But here, too, it will be early 2013 to discover the first smartphone shipping processor Medfield Z2000.

Smartphone Orange under Intel Medfield

And if these processors are engraved in 32 nm, Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel, indicates that the first SoC engraved 22 nm will be subject to certification by next year, pending a pass in the short term to 14 nm, optimizing every step the balance between performance and efficiency.

Having bought the branch of modems Infineon wireless in 2010, Intel logically communicates on its advances, with a platform XMM 7160 2 G / 3 G / LTE available as sample in the second quarter of 2012 and marketed by the end of the year, and the solution XMM 6260 HSPA + 42 Mbps (descendant) / 11.5 Mbps (amount).

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eBooks: or how to reconcile children with reading

The current debate concerning the arrival of these lights is essentially about the battle between the paper and the screen, fans of traditional books against the users in phase with their time. Between the refractory and enthusiasts, we forget sometimes to realize the impact of this breakthrough in terms of accessibility of reading.

Academe more détracteurs, the light might be that which will reconcile a day most youth with reading. In the United States including, and a study of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, applications dedicated to the young develop faster than those of adults. Compared to 2010, are those that have experienced the most significant progress, then that those of the "great" have tended to decline.

The market for young people is significantly higher. What with kindergarten and primary children that the best sales applications. Of course, for the very young, it is not of great novels, but to appeal to educational applications. Demand is strong, the tool appears to be adapted in terms of education but also to the young public. What are finally not digital books that take the most beautiful part of the market, but well educational books.

The introduction of this digital tool from the earliest age may make it indispensable in the children grow with him and to dispose, at each age, adapted content. And thus to maintain a continuous link with the world of letters...

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