Vodafone Access Gateway
If you are getting frustrated with 3G reception problems at home when using your 3G mobile phone, cheer up. There are solutions available from your telecoms and networking companies that allow you to overcome weak 3G or cell site signals at home.
One of them is from Vodafone. Vodafone is making it easy for your household to boost 3G signals using the Vodaphone Access Gateway device. If you are on Vodaphone’s broadband subscription, just plug the router-like device to the Vodaphone line receptacle at home. These are very small devices that won’t get in the way nor become unsightly as you’d hardly notice their presence. The device gets plugged to your broadband line and four persons can access 3G with their mobile handsets concurrently. This service from Vodaphone can be enjoyed from as low as £5 a month with select pay monthly offers, please pop into a store for more information.
Get more than just a signal booster
Measuring a petite 190(h) x 150(w) x 37(h) mm and weighing just 414gm the equivalent of two mobile phones, the Vodafone Access Gateway is wedge shaped box looking like a fixed line router. It is basically a 3G signal booster that you plug to an existing broadband connection from Vodafone.
It doesn’t matter how bad the 3G signal is in your area as it works like a mini 3G mobile phone base station right in your home or office. Once connected to your broadband router, you can make all the calls and other 3G-related data services available on your mobile phone. In addition, the device can accommodate up to four 3G calls or data services simultaneously from different handsets. Any 3G certified mobile phone works with the device
The Vodafone Access Gateway is made by Sagem, a French telecoms equipment maker using a “femtocell” which makes a low-powered connection between your mobile handset with the nearest Vodafone network using home’s broadband connection instead of the normal wireless mobile cell station.
iPhone Apps
Sifting Through iPhone Apps
A lot of consumers waited before jumping into the iPhone bandwagon that started to roll as soon as the iPhone hit the store shelves in 2007. The hype that attended its release was monumental history for a mobile handset that was the first from a niche computer maker Apple. It was a great gamble as the iPhone was more of a status symbol and a head turner in social events rather than a full featured mobile phone you can find in just about every high end maker’s product line.
Countless Apps Online
These days, there’s no doubt that the iPhone and its more recent incarnation the iPhone 3GS are landmarks in mobile telephony. Not only was its user interface revolutionary, spawning look-alikes and iPhone wanabees from giant mobile phone makers, it is only one mobile phone that has remained unchanged in body style for 3 years now and has accumulated more 3rd party applications than for any other single mobile phone on the planet.
The sites where you can download iPhone apps is not confined to the iPhone App Store which as of June 2009 has more than 50,000 applications. One look at the net results of a Google search for iPhone apps will reveal countless other sites each offering thousands of applications. Sites like the appsafari offers around 4,500 apps alone. You have apps for just about anything, some are good and some are just rubbish. There are now countless sites on the net that review these apps and mare recommendations as well as thrashings.
There’s only so much uniqueness any one can do for handset applications and the chances grow everyday that some new applications will duplicate the functions of previously developed apps.
With the iPhone, it could take a lifetime just classifying the apps under generic groups as there are thousands of apps doing the same things with just different looks and features. For iPhone owners, this is both a blessing and a curse. You could spend your life making the iPhone act like new with new apps everyday, but it could be nightmare sifting through the apps to get find the best that you need.
The New Apple iPhone 3G S
In 2007, Apple made history as the first computer maker to venture into mobile phones. The iPhone made a lot of waves long before it was released and the hype around disappoints many when it was finally in the market. But a couple of generations later, you get what Apple should have delivered form the start – the iPhone 3GS.
Carrying much of the same features iPhone fans have grown to love, the new iteration not only has 3G, which the second generation model already has, but it uses a more powerful processor to make it the fastest iPhone to date.
Power Features
The iPhone 3Gs stands as Apple’s latest incarnation of its iconic iPhone launched in 2007. It is without doubt the most powerful iPhone on the market. Check out these features.
- There are two models with 18Gb and 32Gb, twice the memory capacity of its predecessors.
- Your get 2x faster access to your favourite apps. Downloading of email attachments and web surfing is a breeze.
- Multimedia Messaging with message forwarding capability is standard.
- There’s a more impressive 3 megapixel camera with Auto Focus
- Video recording is now in VGA mode with video editing software bundled.
- You can Cut or Copy then Paste between and within apps as well as from your browser.
- The internet browser supports YouTube.
- You get Apple’s Remote Wife and Remote Access services for 20Gb of remote storage and location finder in case your handset gets lost or misplaced. The Remote Wipe enables to remotely erase sensitive data in your handset if it gets lost.
From its look and feel, the new iPhone can be said to be settled as it has looked that way for the last 3 years. You still won’t be able to distinguish one with the 3GS from someone with the older iPhone. But no matter. It’s still an iPhone.
Apple iPhone 3G
The only mobile phone better than the iPhone is a new iPhone. And Apple released its new baby adding 3G support. The new Apple iPhone 3G launched in July 2008 looks identical with its earlier cousin, so you really would have no way of finding out in the crowd of iPhone owners who’s got the new one. Unless, of course, you start turning them on to see if one has 3G or not. The new ones have it.
Features
On top of its 3G capability using HSDPA/HSUPA data connectivity, the iPhone 3G runs on a newer ARM processors that makes it twice faster than its first iteration, allowing you to breeze though launching apps and getting the browser to open instantly. The same capacitive touchscreen and gorgeous display with the revolutionary user interface have been preserved in the new handset.
You have a choice of units with 8Gb or 16GB internal memories (not expandable from external slots as there are none.) It has WiFi support, GPS, a 2 megapixel camera which is rather weak by today’s standards, Bluetooth with A2DP for wireless stereo headset, and the usual 3.5mm headphone and TV out jacks.
What gives the new iPhone better value is that it’s a lot cheaper. Initially offered by O2 which got the exclusive contract with Apple to offer it, you can start at a mere £45 and £75 tariffs depending on the plan you choose. All its tariffs carry unlimited internet access on the iPhone. You also get unlimited WiFi access with O2’s International Traveller Service subject to its minimum 18-month service contract. Unlimited WiFi service comes from any of the 9,500 WiFi hotspots throughout the UK from O2’s business partners The Cloud and BT Openzone.
But Telefonica-owned O2’s exclusive 2 year distribution deal with Apple has ended and it’s now in the hands of Orange. This is a big boost to Orange as it moves to merge with T-Mobile UK to create the largest mobile network operator.
