O2 launches into growing laptop market
O2 today unveiled its plans to enter the laptop market with a promise to couple market-leading home and mobile broadband with impressive devices and excellent customer service. With laptop sales expected to reach 9-10 million devices in 2009, O2 is ranging Samsung laptops to create exclusive packages that will give customers everything they need to be more connected, with minimum fuss and hassle.
O2 will introduce three new Pay Monthly deals, available online and at its 490 stores nationwide, on 27 February 2009. With broadband bundles set to take a large proportion of the overall laptop market within three years, O2 is entering this market in a strong position with an all-round package that will meet the consumer needs of style, substance, staying power, service and security head-on.
O2 CEO, Ronan Dunne, highlighted the great opportunity presented by the market today: "We all want to be better connected at all times and the substantial and continued growth in the laptop market is symptomatic of this desire. Laptops are rapidly eroding the desktop PC market and at the same time, the emergence of the mini-laptop has opened up a whole new market for ultra-portable devices – one that is expected to more than double in size in 2009 alone. To date, the subsidised laptop market has received some bad press due to poor equipment and frustrating customer service experiences. O2 is stepping into the market with a promise to turn this around by taking a holistic approach to the product offer. Our package ticks every box when it comes to the main purchase drivers in the market, which in turn means we are taking away the 'worry-factor' involved in buying a laptop."
O2's laptop package is designed to give customers everything they want at a price that they will love:
Style – Samsung's NC10 mini-laptop and R510 laptop models combine great design with looks for the ultimate in laptop style.
Substance – with strong specifications and great performance, Samsung's NC10 mini-laptop and R510 model deliver on functionality too.
Staying Power – Samsung's solid specifications deliver staying power and assure customers that their choice of device will meet their computing needs for years to come, rather than just months.
Service – Recognising the 'worry factor' that many consumers have when looking to buy a laptop, O2 will offer customers expert sales advice to meet their needs. This includes O2 Laptop Support at no additional cost for a limited period to help get them up and running, with a chargeable option to extend this cover, O2 Assistant software to allow computers to be fixed remotely and award-winning UK based customer service. In addition O2 is offering a 30-day Happiness Guarantee on all laptops and an extended two-year warranty on all devices at no extra cost.
Security – McAfee software to ensure customers feel secure online.
"The growth in the laptop market is clear to see and we want to be a part of it. But we want to ensure that our customers get a better experience, not just when they buy the package but throughout the duration of their contract with us. Our two year warranty and 30-day Happiness Guarantee are market leading and show our continued commitment to providing great service," adds Dunne.
"Our bundle packages, unique amongst those currently on the market, provide customers with everything they need and we are confident they will move people away from traditional laptop providers and into our stores."
Customers can purchase O2's new laptop packages at any of the 490 stores across the UK or by visiting our online shop at
www.o2.co.uk from 27 February 2009.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, netbook, o2
New laptops from Orange mobile broadband
Orange has announced new products in its mobile broadband portfolio, with two new laptops in its consumer "connected" range and a new dongle with data storage capacity.
The new devices are the HP Compaq Mini 700 and the Toshiba L300 that will both be available on 24 month contracts. The HP Compaq Mini 700 is a 10.1-inch netbook and will cost £30 per month whilst the Toshiba L300, a 15.4-inch full size laptop, will be available at £35 per month.
Both the HP Compaq Mini 700 and the Toshiba L300 come with Orange's "Internet Everywhere" mobile broadband service and dongle, as well as a 3GB monthly data allowance and 24 month manufacturer warranty.
In addition, Orange has announced the availability of the Huawei E160e dongle in black, white and pink that offers support for an 8GB microSD card.
As soon as these deals are available we'll
bring you details here.
Labels: dongle, laptop, mobile broadband, netbook, offers, Orange
Orange launches new laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals
This February Orange are expanding on their mobile broadband offering by adding some great new laptops to their current mix.
ASUS EeePC 901GO in black - £25 p/m"I want an embedded small and light laptop"
- 3GB usage
- 1.46p/MB OOB
- Embedded SIM
- 100 texts from laptop
- Inclusive ASUS Eee PC 901 GO laptop
- 24 month contract
- Customization
HP Mini 700 - £30 p/m"I want small and light laptop but I want to use my dongle on other laptops"
- 6GB usage
- 1.46p/MB OOB
- Free dongle
- 150 texts from laptop
- Inclusive HP Mini 700 laptop
- 24 month contract
- Customization
Toshiba L300 - £35 p/m "I want a traditional laptop that I can use at home and on the go"
- 10GB usage
- 1.46p/MB OOB
- Free dongle
- 200 texts from laptop
- Inclusive Toshiba L300 laptop
- 24 month contract
- No customization
We expect the official launch date to be 10th Feb, so
watch this space for details.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, offers, Orange
Netbook sales to reach 139 million units
Shipments of mini-laptops are expected to quadruple over the next four years, luring users with the right combination of size, price, and functionality, a research firm said Monday.
Mini-laptops, also called netbooks, are expected to grow in popularity mostly because of the failure of smaller mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and smartphones to deliver sufficient functionality to satisfy computer users on the road.
"In recent years, the industry still expected the smartphones to be more than they turned out to be, and most recently, MIDs were thought to be the next big mobile devices segment, but an unclear usage model continues to confuse the market," ABI analyst Kevin Burden said in a statement. "So today, netbooks' time has come, and ABI Research expects them to enjoy very strong market growth."
Smartphones, however, did a lot to pave the way for netbooks. The devices, which began as a convergence of personal digital assistants and cellular phones, introduced consumers to what was possible in mobile communications and Web access, ABI said.
ABI isn't alone in projecting strong growth in the netbook market, joining Gartner and IDC. However, the mini-laptops, which sell for as little as £180, have also had their problems with consumers. The rate of return for the devices has been higher than standard notebooks, primarily because of a failure to meet performance expectations.
Biz360, a market intelligence firm, found that netbooks get a 40% lower rating from consumers than other laptops. The findings were based on an analysis of 20,000 online opinions culled from consumer reviews on retail sites between May 15 and Nov. 15.
While vendors often portray netbooks as offering strong performance, the systems' low-power processors are best suited for basic computing needs, such as e-mail and Web browsing.
This report contradicts the
views of AMD that we reported last week. Honestly, we believe AMD are more accurate in their predictions.
See the full range of netbook and notebook deals currently available with mobile brodband.
Labels: industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband, netbook
Netbooks - Notebooks, Netbooks - Notebooks, Netbooks - Notebooks
Advanced Micro Devices' (AMD) chief executive predicts that Netbooks will eventually disappear.
"The distinction between what is a Netbook and what is a notebook is going to go away," AMD CEO Dirk Meyer said on Thursday in the company's earnings conference call.
"Given the way Netbooks are configured today, consumers who want a notebook at those kind of (low) price points have to compromise and as a result don't enjoy a full PC experience, particularly around the graphics and media capability of the machine," Meyer said. "And likewise people who wanted a thin and light machine had to pay a lot of money, typically well over a thousand dollars."
Upcoming inexpensive ultra-thin notebooks will meet the need for a small, thin, lightweight laptop that is more powerful than a Netbook, Meyer said.
See the full range of netbook and notebook deals currently available with mobile brodband.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, netbook, quick-news
Dell offer 256GB Solid State Drives
Dell is doing its part to usher in the age of the super-sized solid-state drive. For the first time, Dell laptops can be configured with the newest large-capacity SSDs from Samsung. A year ago laptop buyers were stuck with 64GB maximum if they wanted SDD.
What a difference a year makes. On Friday, Dell quadrupled this to 256GB. The Samsung SSD is now available as an option on Dell's XPS M1330 and M1730 laptop lines. Apple announced a 256GB SSD option on its MacBook Pro on 6th January.
Labels: industry insight, laptop, netbook, quick-news
Ericsson and Intel to bring theft protection to Mobile Broadband laptops
Ericsson announced that it is collaborating with Intel to ensure that Ericsson's Mobile Broadband Modules are interoperable with Intel® Anti-Theft PC Protection Technology for notebooks to offer a secure and reliable anti-theft solution for mobile broadband users.
A theft management service residing in the network can send a message via SMS to the mobile broadband module inside the notebook, which securely transfers the message to Intel's Anti-Theft function inside the processor platform, which takes appropriate actions, such as completely locking the computer, making it unusable. When the notebook is located and recovered, an unlock message can be sent to the notebook that makes the data accessible again.
Intel Anti-Theft Technology provides an intelligent mechanism built into the processor platform that detects potential theft situations and responds according to IT policies. Anti-Theft PC Protection technology can be programmed to respond to repeated login failures and expiration of a timer that requires regularly scheduled connection to a central server. The theft management service can also take advantage of built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) technology in the Ericsson mobile broadband module, which can send location data to a central server. The location function can be utilized to determine a theft situation when the notebook is moved outside a pre-defined area - a so called geo-fence - to locate a lost notebook.
The solution will be available in commercial data protection products starting second half of 2009.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, netbook, quick-news
Sony Vaio P series netbook - only for the wealthy!
Sony have joined the 'netbook' market with their new Vaio P series announced at
CES this week.
A nice looking machine but we've just discovered that the UK version of Sony's baby Vaio will be £849 with VAT for the base 1.33GHz Atom and 60GB HDD spec P11Z/Q.
If you want SSD then it'll be a staggering £969 after tax. And that's just for the P19WN/Q Vaio with the same 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor and a 60GB SSD. If you want to move up to the premium P19VN/Q with a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 inside and a larger 128GB SSD, you'll have to fork out an incredible £1,368.99, with the VAT.
Many loyal 'Sony-ites' will be used to paying a premium for Sony products, but close to a grand for a 1.3GHz Atom netbook and £400 more to move up to a processor that's now standard on virtually every other £300 netbook - too expensive surely!?
Someone has already had a look inside one of these things!
Click here for alternative netbook deals.
Labels: laptop, netbook
T-Mobile offers mobile broadband with bundled Asus Eee PC 904HD
T-Mobile ended 2008 on a high note with the introduction of a new
netbook/mobile broadband dealThe Deutche-Telekom owned company is giving out a 'free' Asus EEE PC904HD laptop with a free USB modem stick, 3GB monthly fair use amount, 200 free texts and WiFi Spot access for only £25 per month on a 24-month contract.
The laptop comes with a 8.9-widescreen display, an Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, a 80GB HDD, WiFi, a card reader, Windows XP Home and a webcam. Should you want other laptops, T-Mobile is expected to launch two other models fairly soon. Mobile today reported that Acer, the original laptop supplier to T-Mobile, had to be replaced by Asus as it failed to provide with the required number of laptops
This leaves O2 as the only major mobile phone network without any netbook-inclusive mobile broadband package although this is unlikely to last for long.
View all laptop inclusive mobile broadband deals.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, T-Mobile
Laptop sales outstrip desktops for the first time
Global notebook shipments exceeded desktops on a quarterly basis for the first time ever, with Netbooks playing a decisive role, iSuppli said on Tuesday.
Acer's Netbook shipments appear to have been a deciding factor that catapulted notebook shipments over desktops. Notebook PC shipments rose almost 40 percent in the third quarter of 2008 over the same period in 2007, hitting 38.6 million units, said iSuppli, a market research firm based in El Segundo, Calif.
"The big news from iSuppli's market share data for the third quarter was undoubtedly the performance of Taiwan's Acer," said Matthew Wilkins, principal analyst for compute platforms at iSuppli, in a statement. "Acer shipped almost 3 million more notebooks in the third quarter than it did in the preceding quarter, with the majority of those 3 million being the company's Netbook products," Wilkins said.
Desktop PC shipments fell by 1.3 percent in the third quarter over the previous year to 38.5 million units. Global PC unit shipments rose 15.4 percent over the third quarter of 2007, with 79 million units shipped. Overall third-quarter PC shipments exceeded iSuppli's expectations of 12 percent year-over-year growth for the third quarter, the market researcher said.
Hewlett-Packard remained the No.1 PC supplier in the third quarter, with shipments of 14.9 million units, and a market share of 18.8 percent. Dell held onto second place with shipments of just under 11 million units, translating into a market share of 13.9 percent. Acer was No.3 with a market share of 12.2 percent, as shipments hit 9.7 million during the quarter. Lenovo and Toshiba were ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.
iSuppli is revising its 2008 forecast upward. "In view of the better-than-expected third-quarter PC shipments, iSuppli has slightly increased its full year 2008 unit growth forecast from 12.5 percent to 13.0 percent," the firm said, adding that its revised 2009 outlook calls for PC unit growth of 4.3 percent.
Labels: industry insight, laptop
Free laptop tactic pays dividends for mobile broadband
A new study reveals the tactic of bundling
free laptops with mobile broadband contracts is proving popular with customers.
The contracts typically require the customer to take out a two-year mobile broadband contract for around £25-35 per month, with a laptop thrown in to sweeten the deal.
Vodafone and Orange have taken this one step further, offering customers Dell and Asus netbooks with embedded 3G. The tactic was questioned by analysis firm Disruptive Technologies, which produced a report claiming that by 2011 only 30% of mobile broadband subscribers would have been lured in by this method.
However, a recent study by price comparison site Top 10 Broadband refutes this claim. The site monitored sales of a 1,000 mobile broadband 'free laptop' deals in November, and found the Dell Mini 9 and Asus Eee PC 901, both of which offer embedded 3G, were outselling dongle deals by a ratio of three to two.
We have
listing of all laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals currently available if you're interested.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, quick-news
Embedded mobile broadband over-hyped but will grow
The near-term importance of new embedded-3G and embedded-WiMAX notebooks has been significantly over-estimated, according to a new research report published by Disruptive Analysis. Even in three year's time, laptops with built-in wireless access will only be used by 30% of total, active mobile broadband subscribers globally. External USB modems (or "dongles") will account for 58% - almost twice as many.
However, the report, "Mobile Broadband Computing: Device Market Forecasts & Business Model Scenarios" predicts that in the long term, embedded mobile broadband will indeed overtake separate modems, in terms of both shipments and the active user base. By 2014, there will be 150m users of notebooks and the smaller "netbooks" with embedded mobile broadband worldwide. In terms of device shipments, 100m wireless-enabled laptops will be sold annually by then although not all of them will actually be activated.
The study identifies numerous reasons for the slower-than-anticpated growth of embedded WWAN (wireless wide area networking). Key reasons include: the global recession impacting notebook purchases, unfavourable pricing differentials; the limitations of the sales and support channels for mobile-enabled notebooks; and the typical two-year monthly contract payment model, which does not fit with much of the target market for these devices. This makes comparisons with the rapid rate of adoption of WiFi in laptops appear over-simplistic.
Interestingly, the report also predicts that 2009 will be a much more difficult year for mobile broadband, compared with the huge growth experienced in 2008. The recession and non-availability of credit will drive a softening of demand for laptops generally, as well as a focus on value. For most people, built-in 3G or WiMAX is a "nice to have", not a "must have".
Despite upgrades to higher peak speeds for HSPA, the total capacity is still limited by a range of network bottlenecks - referred to as the "Capacity Crunch".
One outcome will be a shift to new business models for mobile broadband. As well as revised prices and bandwidth caps, Disruptive Analysis expects to see new payment mechanisms emerge. Prepay ("pay as you go") accounts are already popular in some markets and this will increase. In addition, new session-based, sponsored or "free" mobile broadband models will start to mirror the WiFi hotspot business especially where network congestion can be lowered by the use of new femtocell access points. Conventional, long-term, monthly contracts will account for only 40% of worldwide mobile broadband subscribers by the end of 2011.
The report, "Mobile Broadband Computing: Device Market Forecasts & Business Model Scenarios" is available to buy from Disruptive Analysis. It includes detailed analysis of new product sales (3G laptops, netbooks, dongles, MIDs), installed base and mobile broadband service uptake by device type, network technology and business/payment model. Details are available at
disruptive-analysis.com.
Labels: industry insight, laptop, LTE, mobile broadband
O2: "We won't do a Carphone with laptops"
O2 UK chief Ronan Dunne reckons O2 would "lack ambition" if it were to follow current model for laptop retail in mobile space
Telefonica O2 UK chief executive Ronan Dunne (pictured) said last week O2 will not sell laptops in the manner of rival network and multiple retailers. Dunne said such a move would be a step back, towards an old box-shifting model of mobile retail.
O2 will likely range laptops in its stores early next year, but will work web content and services into the bundles to drive mobile broadband revenues. O2 wants devices optimised to drive traffic across the O2 network, whether that is mobile phones or laptops.
He said: "If O2 is just moving laptops sold in PC World and Carphone Warehouse, then we lack ambition. If a connected world is a better world, the question is how to move that model forward."
Dunne explained: "We are seeing a huge uplift in the laptop market in the UK at the same time as a surge in mobile broadband sales, and I'm not sure which is driving which.
"But all that is really happening is the mobile model is being replicated [in the laptop sales]. That doesn't give value to customers. We have to innovate around this whole connected world."
He added: "Next year, you will see significant innovation from us in the whole connected world space, beyond just shifting hardware."
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, o2
Massive range of Laptop-Inclusive mobile broadband deals
We've just reviewed and updated our
list of laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals here at MobileBroadbandInfo.co.uk.
You can now
find and compare laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals from all the major network providers. We offer you an unparalleled and extensive range of deals both direct from the networks and via retailers such as Carphone Warehouse.
Our site carries detailed specifications of the available laptops as well as meaningful cost comparisons - including total contract cost etc.
So, if you're in the market for a laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deal this Christmas start your search now at
MobileBroadbandInfo.co.uk.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, offers, quick-news
Laptop-inclusive deals only for the credit-worthy
Mobile broadband has seen exponential growth in 2008, yet in the face of the credit crunch mobile providers and retailers are turning away 50% of their business due to very stringent credit checks. During October and November UK based broadband comparison site Broadband Expert has witnessed that on average half of the sales sent to retailers offering a mobile broadband and free laptop deal were rejected after running a credit check.
Broadband Expert Commercial Director Rob Webber believes certain retailers and mobile providers are being overly cautious, "companies are spending huge amounts on advertising campaigns promoting these offers yet when the consumer comes to sign up, there is a strong chance they will be refused based on a credit check".
Webber sees a certain irony in the high rejection rates of these contracts since the offer of spreading the cost of a laptop over an extended period is "particularly popular with students and those on lower incomes who cannot afford the upfront costs of a new laptop, yet these are the people most likely to be excluded from these offers."
Most mobile broadband and laptop deals have contract periods of between 18 and 24 months with a typical monthly cost of £25 to £40. Since these contracts carry no upfront charge for with the laptop or the dongle, there is a significant level of risk for the retailer. Webber believes the "stringency of credit checks is an interesting barometer of the confidence retailers have in consumers meeting repayments with many only unwilling to extend these deals to those without a very good credit rating".
Labels: industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband
Orange to offer Asus Eee PC with integrated 3G
Orange have announced a new edition to its 'connected laptop' range. Following the huge popularity of its
initial laptop offering launched in August, Orange is now upgrading its consumer offer to make it even easier for consumers to get online by launching the Eee PC 901 with embedded 3G connectivity.
Available from mid-November, the new ultra portable
Eee PC comes in a choice of either black or pink and features Intel's Atom processor. What's more, the Eee PC 901 comes equipped with five hours of battery life, an integrated webcam, and features an 8.9" compact design, weighing in at just 1.1kg - making it the ultimate portable computing experience.
We'll bring you details of the offer just as soon as it's officially available.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, Orange, quick-news
Linux is the way forward for fast PC startup
Irritated by 5-minute boot-up time on your PC? Despair-thee-not, hope is on the horizon!
HP, Lenovo, Asustek, and other PC makers are developing computers that can give people access to basic functions, such as e-mail and Web browsing, in less than 30 seconds.
Linux will ship on more PCs next year than Microsoft Windows, but not as the core operating system. Instead, it will be used to boot computers, particularly notebooks, faster.
That's the prediction of Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux foundation, in a blog posted Wednesday. In making his forecast, Zemlin references a recent New York Times article that chronicles how Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Asustek, and other PC makers are developing computers that can give people access to basic functions, such as e-mail and Web browsing, in less than 30 seconds.
To make that happen, PC makers are turning to Linux as the foundation of the software used for the fast boot, Zemlin said. The Times article says such instant-on technology could be mainstream over the next few months.
In establishing the momentum behind the trend, the Times article points to the growing use among large PC makers of Splashtop, a boot software developed by Silicon Valley company DeviceVM. HP's Envy laptop is available today with Splashtop-based software, and the company plans to ship an undisclosed number of machines with the technology in the coming months.
Dell plans to ship instant-on software with a pair of laptops in the near future. The software would run on a separate ARM processor, instead of the main CPU from Intel or Advanced Micro Devices. By early next year, Lenovo plans to ship a version of Splashtop on some of its consumer notebooks.
Finally, the Times said Phoenix Technologies is working on downloadable software that would start a Linux-based system early while Windows boots in the background. Phoenix is expected to make the software widely available in January under a monthly subscription fee.
"We may see a world at the end of next year where Linux ships on almost every notebook computer regardless of whether it is loaded with Windows," Zemlin said. "This in addition to the huge potential of the netbook, mobile internet device and mobile Linux market can mean huge and immediate inroads for a Linux desktop, albeit not in the form most people had predicted many years ago when the first 'year of the Linux desktop' was declared."
Labels: industry insight, laptop
Want to design the next Asus Netbook?
If you could design your own computer, what features would your dream machine have?
That's what Intel and Asus are hoping to learn from
WePC.com, a Web site launched jointly by the two companies that solicits ideas from consumers with the goal of producing what they call "the world's first community-designed PCs."
The site divides its focus into three "conversation groups," in which consumers work together to design Netbooks, notebooks, and gaming notebooks.
"Visitors to the site can share ideas, vote on submitted concepts and engage in discussions with other community members about the qualities of the 'dream' PC," Intel said in a statement.
"Intel believes the spark for innovation can come from anywhere," Mike Hoefflinger, general manager of Intel's Partner Marketing Group, said in a statement.
Labels: laptop
Orange sells out of laptops in store and online!
Asus and HP laptops sold out; new stock scheduled for November 1st.
Orange retail director described sales of laptops with Orange USB broadband dongles as 'amazing' to date. She said new stock will be available from Orange's direct sales channels by November 1, including 'exciting' new laptop models.
Orange shops started selling laptops for the first time on August 16; the
Asus Eee PC was its first sale model; 'free' on Orange 'Internet Everywhere' mobile broadband for £25 on a 24 month contract inclusive of 3GB data allowance and 100 texts from the laptop.
Orange has also been selling Hewlett-Packard laptops on business mobile broadband tariffs. HP stock has also run dry.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, Orange, quick-news
Top 10 free software for your laptop, netbook or PC
We know there's hundreds of these Top 10 'free software' lists all over the 'net but often they contain 'free to try' (expensive to buy) software or applications that you simply won't use or that will nag you until you either buy it or uninstall it.
This however, is a list of truly great, completely free, software that all of us here at MobileBroadbandInfo use on our PC's and laptops every day. These 10 applications are
all you need and they won't cost you a bean!
Enjoy...
1.
NetSetMan 2.5.1Are you tired of changing your network configuration on your laptop or computer every day...
Then NetSetMan is your solution; it's a powerful, easy-to-use interface to manage all your network settings at a glance. Give it a try and you'll never want to be without it again.
2.
Smart DefragThe World’s Most Efficient Defragmenter...
What's the primary cause of slow/unstable PC performance? It's disk fragmentation. Smart Defrag helps defragment your hard drives more efficiently than any other product on the market – free or not.
3.
AVG FreeDo you want Fast, effective security that is kind on resources...
AVG Free provides you with antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows and is available to download for free. It provides Protection against viruses and spyware (antivirus and antispyware) and is the most downloaded software on CNET's Download.com.
4.
Ad-Aware FreeNeed efficient, reliable and effective spy-ware removal...
Ad-Aware 2007 Free is a popular anti-spyware product for computer users around the world, with nearly one million downloads every week. This free anti-spyware version provides you with advanced protection against spyware that secretly attaches and takes control of your computer, resulting in aggressive advertising pop-ups, sluggish computer activity, even identity theft through stolen bank details, passwords, and credit card account numbers.
5.
CCleanerPC getting clogged up after all those programmes you installed but never used...
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!
6.
WinampFed up of iTunes...
Nullsoft Winamp is a fast, flexible, high-fidelity music player for Windows. Winamp supports MP3, CD, WMA, Audiosoft, Mjuice, MOD, WAV and other audio formats, custom appearances called skins and audio visualization and audio effect plug-ins. Download and enjoy it free of charge, free of guilt. A great alternative to iTunes with full iPod support.
7.
OpenofficeDon't want to pay Mr Gates for all your software...
OpenOffice.org 3 is the leading open-source office software suite for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, graphics, databases and more. It is available in many languages and works on all common computers. It stores all your data in an international open standard format and can also read and write files from other common office software packages. It can be downloaded and used completely free of charge for any purpose.
8.
PicasaNeed to organise your photos...
Organize - manage your photos in one place, and find photos you forgot you had. Edit - eliminate scratches & blemishes, fix red-eye, crop and more. Create - turn photos into movies, collages, slideshows and more. Share - upload seamlessly to Picasa Web Albums to share with friends, family & the world.
9.
Zone AlarmKeep the baddies out...
Keep hackers and data thieves out of your computer with ZoneAlarm, the PC firewall that protects against Internet-borne threats like worms, Trojan horses, and spyware. ZoneAlarm provides the basic protection individuals need to secure their PC and keep their valuable information private. ZoneAlarm barricades your PC with immediate and complete port blocking. And, then runs in Stealth Mode to make your PC invisible on the Internet - if you can´t be seen, you can´t be attacked.
10.
GMailProper email...
Not strictly software but we've tried them all and there truly is only one email worth having - honestly!
Bonus entry!
K9 Web ProtectionWe couldn't leave this one out; it's excellent...
If you're like most of us, parenting in the age of the Internet has you facing a new set of challenges. Blue Coat is committed to helping you and all communities through this 'First Generation of Internet Parenting'.
K9 Web Protection is a free Internet filtering and control solution for the home. K9 puts YOU in control of the Internet so you can protect your kids from inappropriate sites and content.
Labels: laptop, software
Vodafone releases Dell Inspiron Mini 9 deals
The long awaited
Vodafone laptop-inclusive mobile broadband plans are finally available.
The device, weighing around 1kg and featuring an 8.9 inch display, is being sold with built-in mobile broadband, exclusively through Vodafone stores and online.
The starter plan is a
1GB deal at £25 per month on a 24 month contract - competing directly with the Orange Asus Eee PC package. Those who are slighly more data hungry might prefer the
3GB plan - again on a 24 month contract - for £30 per month.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, quick-news, Vodafone
Toshiba unveils 256 GB SDD drives for 'Netbooks'
Toshiba this week said it plans to begin mass production of a 256-GB solid-state drive for mainstream notebook PCs in the fourth quarter.
The 2.5-inch, 256-GB SSD has a maximum read speed of 120 MBps and a maximum write speed of 70 MBps. The drive uses a SATA 3.0-Gbps interface. The modules for lightweight, ultraportable notebooks offer maximum read and write speeds of 80 and 50 MBps, respectively.
Computer makers are increasingly offering
notebooks with SSDs as an alternative to traditional hard-disk drives. While HDDs are far less expensive, SSDs are lighter, more reliable, and faster, according to proponents. The drives also are more rugged because they don't have any moving parts.
For computer makers, SSDs carry higher margins than HDDs. Prices for SSDs, however, have been dropping, which could position them to play a bigger role in notebooks, desktops, and data centers in the future.
SSDs are typically offered as options in the lightest, smallest notebooks. They are standard, however, in many of the new category of mini-notebooks launched this year by computers makers, including Asus, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. Mini-notebooks - or 'netbooks' - are defined as sub-£350 laptops with screen sizes of 10 inches or less. They run a full operating system, typically Windows XP or Linux, but have weaker processors than mainstream notebooks and a less-than-full-size keyboard, which makes them best suited for e-mail and Web browsing.
Labels: industry insight, laptop
200 Million Ultra-Mobile Devices to ship in 2013
From just 10 million units in 2008, shipments of ultra-mobile devices (UMDs - the umbrella term for ultra-mobile PCs, netbooks and Mobile Internet Devices) are expected to exceed an incredible 200 million in 2013.
According to
ABI Research principal analyst Philip Solis, "The UMD market will still be small compared to the wireless handset market, but with a forecast revenue of nearly USD27 billion in 2013, it will certainly be significant."
While netbooks account for about 90% of today's UMD market, they will fall to a distant second place by 2013, while MID (Mobile Internet Device) shipments surge ahead to take nearly 68% of the market, with Ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) remaining a niche category.
To put the UMD market forecasts into perspective, the 2013 estimate of 200 million shipped devices is roughly the anticipated size of the worldwide laptop PC market.
"As this market enters its rapid growth phase and starts to evolve,” Solis continues, “we will see considerable experimentation with different distribution channels: some will sell direct from the manufacturer, some via retail outlets, and some through mobile operators who will subsidize them to encourage new data plan subscriptions."
You can access the full report
here.
Click here to view the latest laptop-inclusive mobile broadband plans.
Labels: industry insight, laptop
How 'free' are mobile broadband laptop deals?
Most of the tech-savvy buying public are aware of the recent, and likely ongoing, release of laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals from the likes of
Orange,
3 Mobile and
T Mobile. We've featured
several articles on this blog on the subject and there's little doubt that thousands of happy customers have taken advantage of the deals.
But just how much do these 'free' laptops actually cost you, the consumer?
Well, in this article for the first time, we compare three of the most popular direct
laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals with their equivalent dongle-only tariffs to give you a true picture of the value for money you're getting.
Laptop-inclusive 24-month plans:
Dongle-only equivalent plans:
*Note that Orange is a special case because its dongle-only plan is only an 18month contract.What's immediately apparent from the tables above is that the laptops offered in these plans are not, in any way, 'free'; you pay for them in full. However, this is
perhaps to be expected, after all, nothing in life is truly free!
So, you obviously do cover the laptop cost over the contract period but, the payments are spread. The premium you pay for this privilege is £31 for the Orange and 3 Mobile plans whilst for T-Mobile it's £25 over the contract term. These premiums equate to around 5%, 4% and 3.5% interest respectively on the total contract cost; not quite interest free, but competitive nonetheless.
In our view, if you're in the market for a new laptop and need mobile broadband, then this may be a great way to spread the cost. In two years time, when your contract is up, simply pick up another laptop-inclusive deal. The chances are the monthly payment will be lower by then and the laptop specification will almost certainly be better.
So students, households without landlines and small businesses - bag your
laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deal now!
Labels: 3-Mobile, laptop, mobile broadband, Orange, T-Mobile
Orange offers new connect laptop range for business
Orange today launches its new
mobile broadband and laptop offer targeted specifically at the business market. Small and medium business customers can now sign up to a new Orange Business Everywhere mobile broadband package and come away with a laptop as well.
The three new Business Everywhere with Laptop bundles each include an unlimited data allowance and a whopping 500 WiFi minutes per month, which can be used at over 10,000 UK hotspots from BT Openzone and The Cloud. On top of this, customers will receive a business-spec HP laptop with Microsoft Windows Vista Business.
Depending on the package chosen, the laptop will come either embedded with an Orange SIM or with an Option ICON 225 USB dongle, meaning customers can get online instantly without the need for a fixed line internet connection. The new packages range from £35 - £45 per month for a 24 month contract, with the price varying according to the choice of laptop.
Paul Tollet, Vice President Business,
Orange UK said: "In the current economic climate, businesses are demanding the capability to work flexibly at a reasonable price. Our Business Everywhere with Laptop gives customers all the tools they need to do their jobs in the way that they want - a business grade HP laptop, unlimited UK data access and inclusive WiFi minutes. Businesses can literally be up and running the moment they open the box. This is another fantastic example of Orange listening to its customers and providing solutions to meet their needs".
Find out more
here.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, offers, Orange
Crazy Christmas for laptop-inclusive mobile broadband!
Laptop manufacturers are putting massive emphasis on the mobile sales channel to boost sales of notebooks this Christmas.
LG mobile has also announced its first foray into notebooks with the Netbook X110, released via its mobile arm rather than its electronics segment. There will be two versions of the X110, which has 1GB of RAM and an 80GB storage capacity. It will be available exclusively via Phones 4U until the end of the year, before it is made available through conventional PC channels.
"Laptops are going to be big this Christmas," said LG Mobile UK sales and marketing director John Barton. "We know people want to be able to access the internet in its entirety, wherever they are. Now we're allowing them to do just that from a feature-rich device with all the styling people have come to expect from LG."
Laptop manufacturer Asus has included notebooks in its product line for the first time this year and expects to shift 400,000 units in the three months to Christmas.
"The [
mobile broadband] deals have created a gap in the market – 96 per cent of the people who buy these deals have at least one PC or laptop and buy this one as a second," said an Asus spokeswoman.
HP head of telco channel Graeme Badenoch: "It's a very important part of the market for us. The
bundling of PCs with broadband is definitely here to stay and embedded SIM cards are going to significantly increase from now."
Elonex said its 'One' laptop, launched in February, said sales via its exclusive retail partner
Carphone Warehouse had gone "crazy".
So, the message from us at Mobile Broadband Info is; get your
laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deal quick before stock runs out in the run up to Christmas.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband
Carphone Warehouse battle PC World over laptop ad
PC World has riled
Carphone Warehouse by running a provocative advert in The Sun over the weekend comparing its laptop deal with Carphone’s laptop deal.
Carphone is now readying itself for a battle with the computer retailer, and is even believed to be considering lodging a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority.
DSG, PC World's parent company, ran a direct comparison between Carphone’s mini laptop, the ‘
Webbook’ and PC World’s version, the Advent 4211. Carphone offers its free Webbook in a
mobile broadband deal with Orange, while PC World has a similar deal in place with
Vodafone.
The advert made various comparisons between the two laptops inclusing memory and operating system and the fact that PC World customers pay £20 per month, and customers signing up to the Webbook pay £25 per month. However, there are numerous aspects to consider such as the contract length and retail value of the PC when making a comparison of
laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deals such as these.
Carphone is also believed to be planning an advertising fightback in response to the PC World campaign, by trying to claim the territory as the first place consumers think of when buying a laptop or broadband deal.
Labels: Carphone Warehouse, industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband
Should I go for an embedded 3G laptop?
Everyone's excited about the
recent announcement that the new Dell Mini 9 netbook that will come with
Vodafone 3G mobile broadband built-in.
But, should you opt for a 3G-embedded notebooks at all?
In our view, the simple fact of the matter is that (for now) it makes no economic sense to include a 3G module and antenna in a PC unless it's definitely going to be used for a mobile subscription. Otherwise it's just a costly lump of extra electronics - not ideal for consumer or retailer - which would hurt the competitiveness of the PC in the marketplace.
At the top end of the market laptop, 3G might start to become a standard feature in the not too distant future, but if you're trying to sell a £200 low-end netbook with £25 worth of unused electronics inside, it won't make your gross margin look very pretty.
Add to this the fact that you can't then use your 3G SIM in another PC, then you're effectively limiting yourself to mobile broadband access on your netbook. One of the great selling points of
mobile broadband via a dongle is that you can use it on
any PC.
For us it's a no-brainer at the moment...dongle every time!
Labels: dongle, industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband, Vodafone
Vodafone to offer Dell Inspiron Mini 9
Vodafone has announced an exclusive agreement with laptop manufacturer Dell to range its new Inspiron Mini 9 ultra-mobile device.
The device, weighing just 1.035kg and featuring an 8.9 inch display, will be sold with built-in
mobile broadband, exclusively through Vodafone stores and online, and directly from Dell, in key European markets.
Vodafone director of PC connectivity Andrew Sangster said: "The recent acceleration in the take up of mobile broadband has demonstrated just how hungry consumers are for Internet access. Building on our long relationship with Dell, the availability of the Inspiron Mini 9 will further enhance what a customer can achieve with
mobile broadband whilst on the move. Today's announcement marks the next step in the evolution of mobile broadband services bringing mobile broadband into the hands of many more customers."
Dell Europe vice president and general manager for consumer Michael Lombardo said: "Technology has become an essential part of how people connect with one another - whether it's surfing the web, chatting with friends, keeping updated on the latest news, sharing photos or social networking. Dell is committed to providing consumers with technology that allows them to connect any place, any time with
mobile broadband."
Details of country availability and pricing will be made available in coming weeks.
Labels: industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband, offers, Vodafone
Mobile broadband to drive laptop market?
The Times has published an
interesting article today describing the industry motivation for providing free laptops with 3G
Mobile Broadband contracts; it says...
Mobile phone companies have long offered free handsets to customers to encourage them to sign up for contracts, but now they have a new lure to persuade people to part with their hard-earned money – free laptop computers.
In doing so, they are threatening to spark a boom in the laptop market and to generate a return on the fortunes they invested on bidding for 3G bandwidths in 2000.
Shaun Collins, managing director of CCS Insight, a technology analysis group, believes that
mobile broadband is the best thing to happen to mobile operators since the text message, in terms of its ability to drive revenue. He said: "The most important thing is that no subscriber stops their voice and text package – it's always an addition."
"Some laptops are cheaper to buy than mobile phones, so why wouldn't operators do it? The sheer economics of it means it's a wonderful opportunity."
Mr Collins expects to see a boom in the laptop market as a result. "It beckons an explosion in laptop growth and an explosion in connectivity and that's very potent. Most of the additional growth in the laptop market is likely to be connected devices.
"How often do you change your laptop now? Probably never. But if they were free every two years? It would encourage people to think of laptops like mobiles. Laptop prices are also falling as fast as mobile prices."
Read the full article
here.
Labels: industry insight, information, laptop, mobile broadband
Orange Asus Eee PC bundle exceeds expectations
Orange says early sales of its 'connected' product line have outrun expectations
Orange's first laptop deal for consumers, a bundle including a 'free' Asus Eee PC on two-year mobile broadband deals of £25 per month, launched early in August, is the first of Orange's new 'connected' product line; a range of laptops bundled with USB modems on Internet Everywhere tariffs.
An Orange spokesman said: "It has gone down well. We've sold more than anticipated and early signs are very encouraging."
"The connected range is part of [Orange UK chief] Tom Alexander's agenda to improve the business. We want to evolve, and will do so by taking the range across the board and into stores."
Orange intends the
connected range will evolve into a landline product with a wider range of laptops. The £25 Internet Everywhere tariff includes 3GB of UK data allowance and 100 texts from the laptop.
Laptop demo bays have been installed in 85 stores for customers to try out the product. The
laptop range will expand to include Hewlett-Packard devices as well. Business tariffs will also be made available.
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, Orange
Orange offers Eee PC with mobile broadband
Orange has launched a consumer mobile broadband package bundled with the desireable Asus Eee PC 900. £25 a month for the laptop, dongle and 3GB data...
The Connected Laptop package starts at £25 and includes an
Asus Eee PC 900 alongside a dongle for mobile broadband access and connection to Orange's Internet Everywhere tariff that offers a data allowance of 3GB and 100 inclusive texts from the laptop. The contract tie-in is 24 months - in line with most
laptop-inclusive mobile broadband packages.
Find out more
here...
Labels: laptop, mobile broadband, offers, Orange
Are the dongle's days numbered?
USB stick manufacturer dismisses embedded Sim fears UK: Mobile Magazine
Dongle manufacturer
Huawei believes that USB broadband sticks will continue to outsell embedded Sim cards. The Chinese manufacturer, which produces the majority of Europe's dongles, has seen global dongle shipments surpass 10 million.
Laptop manufacturers have begun to ship a broader range of laptops with embedded Sim capabilities but the company dismissed fears that dongle technology has already reached a peak with embedded Sim cards set to overtake. A
Huawei spokeswoman said: "How long it takes the market to move away from dongles to embedded Sim cards depends on the development trend of the whole product chain and the preferences of the end users."
"Embedded Sim cars are a trend, but Huawei believes dongles still have a unique market space and market opportunities, which won't be replaced by embedded Sim cards in the short term."
Labels: dongle, industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband
How to use and share mobile broadband at home
Many people have already invested in a monthly contract for 3G mobile broadband at home or on the road, but the question is how to share that connection?
Typically, home users will need to share an internet connection between more than one PC. The good news is that this is entirely possible with 3G mobile broadband. Many home users are even considering ditching traditional fixed-line broadband altogether, however they require a robust system to share their 3G at home. In fact, for some in remote areas out of range of fixed-line ADSL service, 3G mobile broadband may be the only option if they want broadband.
So, what do you need to share a 3G mobile broadband connection? Well, in simple terms, all you need is a router - but one that can accept a 3G dongle instead of (or in addition to) a wired connection to the fixed-line ADSL service. 3G mobile broadband routers enable you to share your mobile broadband at home, or even to create your own portable hot spot while travelling, at shows, exhibitions, field trips etc.
One such router is the
Billion BiPAC 7402GXL. Priced at a reasonable £88 incl VAT RRP, the Billion BiPAC 7402GXL is compatible with Vodafone, T-Mobile, 3, Orange, O2 (dongle not included) - you can
check compatibility with your dongle here. Billion have led the market in the development and release of 3G routers and their UK MD Edward Kung has said: "[A 3G router] is the ideal product for the latest boom in 3G broadband – and Billion is enabling consumers to maximise their connection easily and flexibly. The BiPAC 7402GXL is a very useful gadget for home and business users at an unbeatable price!"
Basic setup is relatively straightforward; simply plug your 3G mobile broadband dongle into the USB port on the back of the router, connect you PC (either via and ethernet cable or wirelessly), check the router configuration and that's it; 3G mobile broadband available to your entire suite of PC's.
A word of caution though; just remember your data limit. It is obviously far more difficult to keep an accurate monitor of your data usage if your kids, granny or anyone else in the family has unfettered access. A couple of films downloaded or an episode of Eastenders on the iPlayer will quickly devour your allowance. Use our
broadband usage calculator to get an idea of how much data you might need.
Update:3 Mobile now offer
this mobile broadband router designed specifically for sharing 3 Mobile mobile broadband from a single dongle.
Labels: information, laptop, mobile broadband, network coverage
How many PC's do you need?
If your household is anything like mine, you'll have a main 'family' desktop PC or two at home and a laptop for use in front of the TV or on the move. However, computer makers hope they can pursuade you that that's just not enough. They would have us believe our PC estate won't be complete without a mini-notebook for surfing the Web at the coffee shop.
Manfacturers including Acer, Asus, Dell and Hewlett-Packard are creating this market with low-cost mini-notebooks. Intel®, which manufactures its Atom processors for such devices, coined the term "netbooks" to describe these cheap, ultra-mobile, internet-connected laptops.
Asus was first to market with its much-hyped, lightweight, low-cost subnotebook called the Eee PC. Despite these solid-state memory devices selling out prior to Christmas, they were lacking in some respects, specifically storage. Since then though, Asus has been quick to release more roomy versions that will satisfy all but the most demanding users.
With the success of the Eee - Asus have sold more than 2 million of them - it was only a matter of time before other manufacturers jumped on the bandwagon. HP followed with its Mini-Note in April and Acer with the Aspire One notebook a couple of months later. Dell will release its interpretation - the Dell E series - later this month.
But could the success of these diminutive devices be at the cost of sales revenue in the traditional laptop market? There's surely a risk of cannibalising the market for higher-priced, full-function notebook PCs. Well, no...
Market research firm IDC forecasts worldwide shipments of ultra-low-cost notebook PCs to jump from fewer than 500,000 units in 2007 to more than 9 million in 2012. But with low selling prices, sales will be less than $3 billion in 2012. By comparison, total laptop computer sales that year could total 282 million units, or $213 billion, IDC says.
IDC's David Daoud says "The netbook market is being driven by the PC makers. They're trying to stimulate demand among consumers for a new type of computing device."
Computer makers are targeting netbooks at young, first-time PC customers as well as experienced notebook owners. They're convinced users will be interested in an Internet device that's bigger than a smart phone but smaller than a traditional notebook computer. They say customers will appreciate a small, lightweight device that they can whip out in a coffee shop, plug in their
mobile broadband dongle and surf the Web in a matter of seconds.
I for one, get the feeling it's not going to be too long before our PC family has a new toddler for us to play with!
Labels: industry insight, laptop, mobile broadband
T-Mobile offers Acer TM5320 laptop with mobile broadband
T-Mobile has today launched their first laptop-inclusive mobile broadband deal. They're offering an
Acer TravelMate 5320 laptop worth £349.99 to new customers signing a 24-month mobile broadband contract at £30 per month.
This makes
T-Mobile the second network provider to offer a direct inclusive laptop deal -
3 Mobile was first to market last month with a
range of laptops available with their mobile broadband service.
We expect other players to follow suit soon, so watch this space.
Incidentally, the introduction of this offer sees a re-branding of T-Mobile's mobile broadband products. For simplicity and to avoid confustion with their mobile phone Web'n'Walk service add-on, their mobile broadband packages are now termed 'Broadband Plus' and 'Broadband Max'.
Labels: 3-Mobile, laptop, mobile broadband, offers, T-Mobile
