Modular Mobiles: Google's Project Ara, Fairphone, Plus One from 2009...

Ok, even though I'm patiently waiting, Google's modular mobile - the Android-running "Project Ara" - is taking a very long time to reach the market.

I am incredibly excited about this entire project, as it satisfies that nagging problem with mobile phone ownership: As soon as you have the best phone for you, a newer, better model is announced.
But what if your mobile didn't become out of date (or even obsolete) six months after you got it?
Google's Project Ara modular mobile phone system goes a long way to address that issue.

Need more RAM? A better camera? Faster processor? A bigger (or smaller) screen? Project Ara will create a mobile which stock items can be purchased and swapped, by the user, to upgrade their mobile if and when required.
Even repairs to broken or faulty components could be handled by replacing individual modules.

To be honest, Project Ara is just what I've been waiting for.

But, there is a downside to this. Smartphones are incredibly dull, especially now that every manufacturer has peaked in terms of design. Yes, you can put a better camera in and a faster processor (what about a two-day battery, anyone?), but all smartphones are very much the same - slabby, with ever-increasing screen sizes; but overall very boring.
Don't misinterpret this - I like smartphones, but provided that you buy one which isn't going to be obsolete within a year, and does what it's supposed to do without feeling the urge to hurl it at a wall, smartphones are boring.

Project Ara does have the potential to be a distinctive device. It won't be filled with pseudo-high-end class like HTC's mobile phones, but is an all metal rear cover really that beautiful? Even Vertu struggle to make an Android mobile look expensive.

Project Ara - "Be together. Not the same."

The individual modules will make this mobile stand out, and whilst it's not stunningly beautiful, it doesn't look like any mobile that has been created before.

When Project Ara finally reaches the market, I hope that Google will continue to support it by providing ongoing software upgrades. Too many Android phones get left behind when each annual Android version is released. A two year old Android is usually pretty useless these days, as app developers drop support for older devices much more quickly these days.

Also (and more importantly), not having the most up to date version of Android is now a major security risk.

Buying that two year old former flagship because it was a good price can leave you (and your company, if you BYOD) vulnerable to cybercrime.

Please, Google; give us at least some idea when Project Ara will be available. You told us that it would be this year, but I think that we can safely say that it's not going to be out in time for Christmas.

There is a danger that these modular mobiles might not be popular with the mobile network operators: They love to tie us in to 24 month contracts, with overpriced handsets and measly allowances. I've been amazed at how many people stay on a mobile contract when the term is over.

I've always upgraded, and sold my handset on, but since the dawn of SIM only contracts, this has been less of an issue.

But, customers still keep on paying out full price for a phone contract without acknowledging that they have "paid off the phone part" of the contract - O2's Refresh system goes a long way to address this problem, and it's commendable that they are open with their customers.

However, what if you never needed to get another contract handset because your Project Ara never really wore out? I don't think that the networks would be too happy if they realised that their customers were all moving over to SIM only contracts and upgrading their mobile's modules as and when needed.

But, this modular phone concept isn't for everyone. There will never be a modular iPhone, and I'm sure that some customers see an all-metal unibody as the pinnacle of desirability.

What if you want a modular phone right now?

Well, it's no Project Ara, but the Fairphone 2 is a modular phone that is available.

Engadget reported that the ethical mobile manufacturer Fairphone have announced their Fairphone 2.

Whilst it doesn't include swappable elements that you can upgrade, if it breaks, then the phone can be easily disassembled and replacement parts easily replaced by the user.

It's an ethical mobile, which seeks to minimise reliance upon conflict minerals that are used extensively in mobile phones. Plus, the fact that you can replace parts easily means that there should be no need to bin the phone if it breaks, which saves resources.

If you want a Fairphone 2, then The Co-op is the place to go (though it's at the pre-order stage, with stock expected in December).

The idea of modular phones is nothing new, and this gives me a great opportunity to reminisce about retro mobiles:

In 2009, Israeli mobile company Modu introduced their Modu mobile phone.

Even though it really did look very odd, I liked the concept. Unfortunately, I believe that it debuted at MWC but never made it to market outside of Israel. Plus, it arrived at the zenith of the feature phone era, when there really was so much great choice, and the iPhone and Android were rapidly gaining ground...

Modu mobile phone, with main handset in the middle, and swappable "jackets" either side

- Image courtesy of Mobile Gazette.

This tiny little handset was a basic call and text mobile, with a proprietary operating system and charging system - I'm not even sure if any PC connectivity was really considered.

On it's own, the handset was very basic, but you could insert it into a jacket-like sleeve and it would become a totally different mobile phone.

Inserting the Modu into the Fashion jacket

- Image courtesy of Mobile Gazette.

There were fashion jackets, sports jackets and a cameraphone jacket. Even by feature phone standards, this mobile was too limited. But, the idea was that you would pop your Modu into a jacket for taking to work, slide it into the sports jacket for taking to the gym, and slip it into the night jacket for taking it out on the town.

For a fuller rundown of Modu, take a look at the (much-missed) Mobile Gazette website.

This modular mobile never did make it, though Modu still exist and have yet another odd (and proprietary) mobile phone listed on their website.

I'm sure that some people will be swayed by the Fairphone 2's ethical policies, but when Google's Project Ara finally reaches the global markets, I sense that it will be very warmly received.

No modular mobile phone will ever sell in massive numbers, mainly because they strip back the smartphone to feature phone standards, but when mineral resources become limited, or then next billion people want to use Google, then I would say that the modular phone will find it's market - even if I would still love to have one myself.

BlackBerry Priv - My Thoughts

BlackBerry have come up with yet another marketing blunder. The long-rumoured and more recently confirmed BlackBerry "Venice" Android slider phone is officially named the BlackBerry Priv.

Lordy, the Chinese manufacturers think of some odd names, but given that BlackBerry is trying to reinvent it's bombed mobile business, you would have thought that they would have decided to give it a better name than Priv. It sounds a lot like privvy to me (which is an old name for a toilet in Britain, especially a cold outdoor toilet situated at the bottom of the garden.

The BlackBerry Passport was a good name, and they could have chosen all sorts of other names. Even the BlackBerry Slide might have been a better name, even though BlackBerry have undoubtedly slid down the ranks in global sales.

In my recent blog post (here), I speculated on how this new mobile might or might not work for BlackBerry. Now that we have a name, I think that they should have stuck with Venice.

This mobile might just be the thing that BlackBerry needs to get onto the Android bandwagon, and a rose by any other name is still a rose, but the next thing that we are likely to hear about this close to its launch is the price in selected markets...
Given that BlackBerry do like to charge an absolute premium for their mobiles, I'm convinced that the price of the BlackBerry Priv (in the UK) is going to be around the £500-600 mark, which is way too high for a first venture into Android by a company that have really struggled to sell that many handsets globally in recent years.
It's not that the specs are poor, but how many people are going to "take a chance" on the Priv, just to get a decent hardware keyboard?

This week Microsoft announced the pricing of their new Lumia flagship, the Microsoft Lumia 950 (and 950XL) - They are set to be priced above the current iPhone 6s - That takes some balls.
Given that Lumia fans have been waiting for a new flagship for many months now, it seems like Microsoft may be thinking that there is a little too much loyalty to their brand, and BlackBerry are about to do the same.

I love cheaper mobiles, that's why I run http://mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com which is where I give details of the best value and cheapest PAYG bundles available. I will soon have a new mobile phone site set up to cover cheap handsets, so there is the possibility that I consider anything over £300 to be too expensive for a mobile phone.

I will be interested to hear what BlackBerry think they can charge for the Venice - sorry, Priv - as it will either make me laugh, groan, or possibly both.
Either way, it's going to cost a fair bit of you hard earned cash, and I'm not sure if even BlackBerry fans really want Android: After all, most of them have already moved to this platform already.

TalkTalk Don't Talk, They Tweet.

After my run-in with TalkTalk's awful call centre yesterday, I was not too unsurprised to see that they commented on my Twitter feed regarding my less-than-rosy tweets about their poor customer service.

Two of TalkTalk's representatives tweeted me, both asking how they could help. Given that I have (I hope!) already sorted out my issues with cancelling my broadband contract with them, I can't be bothered to reply to them, as I know that all they will say is "Sorry that you are having difficulties, please contact our 0870 customer support line".

It's no wonder why people complain about TalkTalk as they really aren't any good at all when it comes to customer service.

TalkTalk Customer Service - I've Had Enough, and PlusNet in Rural Areas

The latest telecommunications provider to annoy the hell out of me is TalkTalk.

I haven't even been with them long enough to provide a full review of TalkTalk, but from my limited experience all I can say is that I'm glad to be leaving them!

When Plusnet put their prices up even further than before - and let's not forget that I was paying an extra £10 a month for the privilege of living in a rural idyll - I was given the option of leaving my lengthy 24 month contract with them free of charge.
So, I promptly moved to TalkTalk, as they were charging a fair bit less.
I'd heard stories about TalkTalk's poor customer service, but name a phone/broadband provider who is really that good...

So less than three months into my TalkTalk contract I receive an email to say that their prices are increasing (pushing my bill up to more than I was paying with Plusnet)! Due to this increase, I could cancel and move free of charge.

Last weekend I phoned Plusnet, who offered me a new customer package, but without the £10 additional charge that they specified that I would have to pay to receive their services in my rural village. I'm glad that they aren't charging me this, but it does make you wonder if they charge everyone routinely in out-of-town areas for their broadband.
If you pay more for your broadband because you have been told that you are located in a rural area, I would find out if you really shouldn't be charged this "additional fee".

All is going well with my Plusnet order, but today I received a sneaky letter from TalkTalk:
It went on to say thank you for using us and sorry that you're leaving, here are your great benefits that you'll lose if you leave (there aren't any, if you are wondering).
However, on the reverse of the letter there was printed an outstanding bill settlement of £166 that would be taken by Direct Debit!
I'm sure that many people would miss this, as the letter really didn't look like there would by anything printed on the reverse side.

Moving suppliers should be an automatic thing: I'm sure that OFCOM have made it simple enough for everyone, yet TalkTalk appear to make cancelling within your statutory rights a mockery.

I phoned TalkTalk after finding a non-0870 number and was on hold for about ten minutes before one of their "customer service" representatives picked up the call and quickly hung up on me!
TalkTalk - You have targets in your call centres, but when you are told to answer calls, you should not hang up to meet your "answer X number of calls an hour" - It pisses people off and leads to people such as myself ripping into your shoddy customer service in online rants.

I tried again and my call was answered about eight minutes later.
The woman that I spoke to could barely speak English, making the simple request of cancelling my service very difficult. She was also highly argumentative, saying that I was only going to be charged £1 extra a month (really) and that she would not cancel my service without a good reason.
After about five minutes of actually arguing with this sales-orientated moron, I said "Just cancel my service and don't you dare charge me a penny", which she seemed to understand.

I thought that Plusnet were bad. I can see now why people hate TalkTalk!

All being well, I'll not be charged for cancelling, but my faith, and more importantly trust in TalkTalk is near zero.

FreedomPop Reaches the UK!

After several attempts to squeeze some information out of FreedomPop about when they will launch in the UK, they have quietly entered the UK market.

I don't know if people who pre-registered with them have been notified - I have had nothing, and I discovered that they were now active from Engadget.

Looking at the main reason for using them, it's hard to knock: A completely free mobile service, which gives you 200 minutes, 200 texts and 200MB of 4G data.
For many, many people, this is useless, but there are still a lot of people in the UK who will find these allowances enough for their needs.

Pay FreedomPop £9 a month, and you'll get 1000 minutes, 1000 texts and 1GB of data. £12 a month will see you get unlimited minutes and texts, and a tight 2GB of data.

To be able to use the free service, you'll pay £6.99 for delivery and activation of the SIM card.

There are some caveats:
As yet, you can't port your mobile number in to FreedomPop.
FreedomPop operates through the FreedomPop app, and doesn't make use of your mobile's call/text function, so it's a 3G only service.
Which brings me on to the network; it operates on Three.
To top things off, FreedomPop only works on Apple and Android devices - There is no Windows Phone or BlackBerry app, and non-smartphones are out, even if they are 3G.

For me, this is a great sounding service at the free level, even if the allocations are quite mean.
A FreedomPop SIM at the lowest (free) level would be great in a spare phone, but most people don't carry around spare Android and Apple mobiles because the battery life isn't good enough in most cases.
In a dual SIM mobile, this could be of use to someone for the free calls and texts, but you might as well right off the data.

The £9 a month plan isn't bad, but paying an extra £3 to get only 2GB of data isn't good value - You could do much better elsewhere, just take a look at the best value PAYG bundles on my website here: http://mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com/payg-bundles.html

Mobile Network Reviews - Update

I've been working on my PAYG mobile deals website overnight.

I have added and expanded my mobile network reviews, and added a review of Polish MVNO Kontakt Mobile (UK) to my list of recently used mobile networks.
Please do take a look at the mobile network reviews here: mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com/mobile-network-reviews

I love a bargain, but I also like good customer service - or decent support when things go wrong at the very least. So, my network reviews are a useful resource, especially for anyone browsing my website looking for a great, low cost PAYG mobile tariff.

This week, I am also working on a new mobile phone PAYG website, but it's looking like it will not be ready before the weekend at this rate.
Watch this space, as it will have a slightly different "edge" to it, and for anyone looking to find a cheap PAYG mobile phone, it will be a very useful resource.

BlackBerry Priv ("Venice") Slides into View

The long-rumoured and now all-but-confirmed BlackBerry "Venice" has leaked in yet more photos - and it might be the droid that you have been looking for...

BlackBerry "Venice" - These look pretty real to me!

What's the hype about? First off, it's not hype: BlackBerry have been rumoured to have been working on a new phone that could run Android apps for many months now. The company has been keen to keep things relatively quiet, but Android fans have been speculating away until the cows come home about this potentially exciting new mobile.

The more that the rumours were (almost) confirmed, the more details kept on surfacing.
What now appears to be an operational handset running what appears to be an only slightly modified version of Android has been seen in several photos recently.
The other main rumour was that this new mobile would have a physical BlackBerry keyboard - which must surely be the truth after hearing the rumours and seeing the photos!

On one hand, this is an exciting new direction for BlackBerry: Their falling sales have continued for years, and they have been unable to innovate their way out of a corner.
Even Windows Phone has overtaken BlackBerry in worldwide sales.

I was worried that this would be just another BlackBerry that would run some Android apps. Just enough to whet the appetite of some people, but not enough to make BlackBerry a viable operating system for many.
It appears that BlackBerry might have taken their best bits, and combined them with a slightly skinned version of Android - If this works, it will be a big thing.

This is a BlackBerry after all, and I am incredibly pleased to see a hardware QWERTY keyboard on this phone. Android (in fact every smartphone operating system) needs some handsets which have this essential feature. I almost ditched my Android phones earlier this year in favour of a cheap BlackBerry Curve from eBay, just so that I didn't have to put up with swiping autocorrect hell.

The specs of the BlackBerry "Venice" are still sketchy, but this does sound like it will be a high-end device.

Whilst I welcome this device openly (what can I really dislike about a keyboard-touting Android phone?), I don't know what market this phone will really target.
I'm sure that some business customers will love it. A friend at work loves his BlackBerry Passport, due to its ability to handle spreadsheets, but on asking him how many spreadsheets he actually uses, he couldn't give me a definitive answer.
I don't know how many consumers will buy the BlackBerry Venice purely for the keyboard. It's a big selling point, but is it enough to pull these customers away from Samsung? I'm not convinced.

For me, the biggest issue is the as yet unmentioned price. This is going to be an expensive mobile. Top end BlackBerrys are (even the Curve range of handsets was pricey by comparison), so BlackBerry might be poised to crash and burn with this mobile as soon as it's launched.
- I hope that this isn't the case; BlackBerry deserves to do well by launching a good product and innovating. By innovating, I actually mean that they have done something that they should have done years ago.

Is there going to be a sea-change, because of this phone? For BlackBerry, this could be the turning point. It won't save them, but if it actually works, then there is a possibility that they could move on from here.
As for the other manufacturers, maybe they will start to move away from black, slabby 5 inch plus smartphones, and maybe we will see a few physical keyboards gracing Android mobiles.
This venture into Android territory could also herald a new beginning for Nokia, when they eventually get free reign to start designing mobiles again - Whilst I love Windows Phone (and it's a damn shame that Nokia was hampered, and then killed off by Microsoft), there's no doubt that Nokia will at least play with the concept of creating an Android phone at some point in the next couple of years.

One thing that may be against the BlackBerry Venice is its sliding form factor - I know that BlackBerry are very behind the times, but sliding phones? The last time I had a sliding phone was 2008, when they were really popular!
I actually hated the sliding form factor: It killed off flip phones and made candybar mobiles bulky and awkward to use. I'm guessing that the slide out keyboard on the BlackBerry Venice will make the screen/body of the phone top heavy.
Maybe a horizontal sliding keyboard would be a better option - Mobile phone designers please take note.

More Windows Phones Incoming - But Not from Microsoft

Microsoft have cocked up with their acquisition of Nokia. Big time.

The purchase of the former mobile phone massif has done nothing to bolster Windows Phone's position in the market globally. And they have destroyed the Nokia brand in the process.

I'm not that bitter about this debacle, even if it seems that I am.

What surprises me is that Huawei's Head of International Media Affairs, Joe Kelly, told the Seattle Times that "Nobody made any money in Windows Phone" - at a time when Huawei appeared to be aiming their sights at the lower end of the market (a position that they have now changed with their mid-to-top-end-priced Android mobiles).

This year, even Microsoft dropped the ball with their first ever Microsoft-branded Lumia phone, the Lumia 535 which is a great phone for the price, but it was plagued with touchscreen sensitivity issues when it first launched.
Microsoft didn't even learn from, or acquire, handset-building knowledge from their disastrous fling with Nokia.

Windows Phone's global market share currently stands at a mere 2.7% which is not great, and is certainly something that most handset manufacturers wouldn't be jumping into bed with.

So what is this about new Windows Phone mobiles being produced by other manufacturers?

American mobile maker BLU (not to be confused with UK e-cig maker Blu) is just entering the UK market with a range of Windows Phone mobiles. This source is from HotUKDeals, and they look like an absolute bargain: The two lower priced (£70 BLU Win JR and the £100 BLU Win HD) models are 4G enabled and dual SIM.
This reminds me of Wileyfox's new Android phones.
If I was in the market for (yet another) Windows Phone to add to my collection, BLU would be at the top of my current list.

Another Windows Phone manufacturer to enter the scene is French Android tablet company Archos.
Their Archos 50e Helium and Archos 50 Cesium Windows Phones are due to arrive in the UK this November.
Both are 5 inch phones with 4G, but somewhat mediocre specifications according to Gizmag.
Having owned (and binned) a terrible Archos Android tablet a few years ago, I'm not putting my money on either of these devices, unless the £99 price tag is a joke and they are actually going to retail in the UK at under £50. Microsoft's Lumia phones are better value than these things.

FREE £5 PAYG Credit from Giffgaff!

Yesterday, I wrote about how I have written some reviews of the mobile phone networks that I use, and have used in the recent past.

In this entry (available here), I mentioned the mobile networks that I currently use.
One of these is giffgaff, and whilst you can register an account with them from their website, you could actually earn yourself some money by registering from different sources!

Quidco will pay you £4.50 cashback if you register and activate a new giffgaff SIM through their website, but you could earn yourself a full £5 of free credit to use with giffgaff if you use my own giffgaff SIM order link HERE.

You can use my SIM order link as many times as you like (Quidco restrict you to one activation), so if you want to make use of the free giffgaff to giffgaff calls and texts between yourself, your family and your friends, then my SIM order link is the best way to do this.
Each free SIM will receive £5 of free credit and can be delivered by Royal Mail to any address of your choosing in the UK. I don't get any access to any of your personal details, as the transactions and registrations are handled solely by giffgaff.

Once you have your SIM(s), they can be activated by topping up with £10, which if you have friends or family on giffgaff will entitle you to free calls and texts to them for three months - and your £15 credit will remain untouched until you start to use it as PAYG credit, or buy a 30 day bundle (aka "Goodybag").

I save a fortune using by giffgaff, and you could too!

Three's 4G Super Voice VoLTE Calls Miss the Mark - Completely

Mobile phone network Three have launched their Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) system today, which they are marketing as "4G Super Voice".

The concept is simple - and it's a good one:

LTE (4G) network signals can only handle data, not calls or texts, so customers have to rely on a decent 3G signal to be able to make and receive calls and texts.

Three's 4G Super Voice aims to provide VOIP-like calling and texting, much like WiFi calling and messaging.

4G signals are also better at penetrating buildings and covering wider areas than 3G signals, so this technology should be able to provide improved voice, text and data coverage inside buildings and in rural areas. These are two areas where the Three network really struggles.

Three have said that they aim to be able to provide this service so that "customers in rural areas can receive better mobile services".

All of this is great, apart from the fact that Three really have screwed up with their marketing.

Firstly, "4G Super Voice" is only available to Three customers using a Samsung Galaxy S5 or LG G4 - Not even S6 owners get an opportunity to improve their network.

Three have stated that the iPhone 6/6 Plus, the HTC One M9, plus some other (not yet specified) handsets will also be able to make use of 4G Super Voice later this year.

Secondly, Three have mentioned how this technology will help people get a signal in rural areas, yet the rollout is currently confined to: London, Edinburgh, Exeter and Birmingham, with Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol expected to be able to make use of VoLTE towards the end of the year.

- Not exactly "rural" areas, Three?

It's good to see that this technology is being used, but like all networks, Three are rolling out the best bits to the most subscribers, with marginal and rural areas losing out on getting decent signals yet again.

I live within easy reach of three major towns and a three cities, yet 4G on Three is a myth, apart from in the very centre of two of these town and the cities. Rural areas in-between can just about get a 3G data connection, and calls/texts are unreliable.

Within cities and towns with 4G coverage, this service will be welcomed by some, and remain cryptic for most.

Three's "4G Super Voice" is a step in the right direction, but I believe that it will be many years before it really starts to benefit anyone in rural areas (if Three even bother to improve out of town coverage at all).

Mobile Network Reviews

I have just completed the long outstanding network reviews part of my PAYG mobile deals website - Here's the link.

For years, I've been involved with finding myself the absolute best value mobile phone deals.
I've worked my way through lots of phone contracts, networks and PAYG plans.
Now, finally, I have written some brief but practical reviews of the mobile phone networks that I have used.

Admittedly, I've written a fair number of online reviews about my experiences with various mobile phone networks, but this is the first time that I've committed to hosting my own, and it is a natural progression for my PAYG mobile deals website to have some reviews so that other people may benefit from my experiences.

Which network is right for you? This question can only be truly answered by finding out which mobile network provides you with the best coverage where you spend most of your time. It's pointless choosing a deal on a network which doesn't work for you.

For example, EE is useless everywhere that I go. I can barely get a 2G signal at home, work, or anywhere in-between. This is a shame, as there are some great MVNOs operating on the EE network - Post Office Mobile is one of the best value, and you can see how it stacks up against the other networks on my website at this link: http://mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com/bundles.html

Due to EE's inability to provide decent network coverage around Hampshire and Berkshire, I cannot test any of the EE MVNOs, so they will remain un-reviewed until such time as EE's network coverage improves, or I move house.

I have detailed the three networks that I currently use on my webpage; they are

• Three (3)
• giffgaff
• Mobile by Sainsburys

Out of these three networks, the best for overall coverage is Mobile by Sainsburys, as they run on the Vodafone network which I have always found to be consistently reliable, if only for 2G voice and text coverage.
My main phones are on giffgaff, because the O2 coverage is acceptable for the price. I make extensive use of the free giffgaff to giffgaff calls and texts, and the monthly/30 day bundles provide me with exactly what I need.
Three is great: Their 321 PAYG tariff is the cheapest and most reliable 3G network, though I've found that call and text coverage is not reliable enough for my daily needs.

At this time, most of the mobile networks have plateaued again. Apart from Post Office Mobile quietly creeping onto the scene, there's not been significant change in the market for a little while. Giffgaff's 4G at no extra cost is great, and I have yet to test this out properly in my area.
I shall update my mobile network reviews page as and when this happens, and I'll let you know when I've done this on this blog, too.

Retro Mobile Reminisces

This time of year is now pencilled in for Apple's iThing announcements, but it's also the time of year when I've bought the majority of my mobile phones.

The reason is simple: Back in the "golden era" of mobile phones (2005-2009), feature phones were churned out by handset manufacturers in their droves.
Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and LG were the main rivals, with many others coming and going over the years.

Feature phones were successful not because each one was only a minor upgrade of the last flagship model (Apple and Android - I mean you), but the fact that each model was different and customers were left with choice.
Mobile phones back then ranged from about £20-£500, and you could pick a phone to suit your budget, own it for a year before selling it on and buying another great (yet different) model.

Around this time of year some of the greatest feature phones had been announced at Mobile World Congress in February and had only just reached the shelves in the UK in Summer. A couple of months later, and the prices dropped. Add to this the handsets released around this time of year in time for Christmas, and there was a lot of choice available - and the prices were great, too!

After several years of mobile phone contracts, I decided that mobile phones were cheap enough to buy outright, and it was cheaper to go down the PAYG route to phone ownership and usage.

So, onto the retro mobile trip down memory lane...

2009: Nokia XpressMusic 5230 - My First Touchscreen Phone

This great phone was my first touchscreen device. (The Samsung Tocco Lite was the must-have touchscreen phone for many at the lower price point.) Ok, the screen was resistive, but the stylus that slid securely into the phone's housing was fast and accurate.

It had Nokia/Ovi Maps onboard, which was great, but I had to buy a separate Bluetooth GPS receiver to make use of this feature.

I loved this phone, and the camera was really great for it's time. The various themes that could be downloaded meant that I could change the appearance of the screen regularly.

2010: Samsung Galaxy Europa i5500 - My First Android Phone

What a shocker this thing was! I desperately wanted a phone which would sync my contacts and calendar, and GPS was something that I had to have, so this first foray into Google's new OS seemed like the perfect, affordable candidate. I did get this on a 12 month Talkmobile contract, but I'd been using Nokia's Series 60 smartphones for years and was used to their meagre data usage and week long battery life. This Samsung sapped data so quickly that I was alarmed that my 500MB allowance would be gone before the month's end. It's battery life barely made it through the day and I hated the tiny, sensitive capacitive touchscreen, so it went back to Carphone Warehouse a few days later to be exchanged for a Nokia XpressMusic 5530, which wiped the floor with this pile of poo.

2010: Nokia 5530 XpressMusic - Back to Symbian

Now that I was tied in to a Talkmobile contract, I may as well have made use of my 500MB data allowance, so rather than my previous Nokia 5230 which was WiFi only, this new model had 3G, which finally had a use in 2010.

This was a good phone, with built in GPS and great maps, but I was unable to sync my treasured contacts and calendar events, so ultimately I returned to Android in early 2011 with the Samsung Galaxy Apollo GT-5800.

2011: Samsung Galaxy Fit 5670 - A New Version of Android

This curvy little phone was great. My Samsung Galaxy Apollo suffered terribly when trying to get a GPS fix, the camera was really poor compared to my Nokia phones of two years previous, and to top things off the operating system was Android 2.2 (Froyo), whereas Gingerbread (2.3) was the new flavour that worked with most of the new apps. Little did I realise that I was being sucked into Android's OS upgrade cycle.

I was happy with this phone, especially the camera, but internal storage became a problem when it became filled with text messages.

2014: Moto G - Happy with Android Once More...

My final (for now) foray into Android came to a sticky end: Read my thoughts about this phone and Android in 2015 in my recent blog post HERE.

If this issues that I have with Android Lollipop aren't bad enough, the further fragmentation of Android almost makes me want to give iOS a go!

- And one last problem with the original Moto G: It might have an up to date version of Android, but it's an impossible phone to live with due to the lack of internal storage. Even with just the core apps installed (and these are non-removable!), the phone needs to be tinkered with and have its cache cleared each time an app needs updating. I'm sick of it.

Given that I was happy with this budget blower last year over my Samsung Galaxy S3, this clearly indicates to me that Android is constantly progressing and requiring ever more expensive hardware to run on.

Upgrading to Windows 10: Banging my Head Against a Wall

I'm still trying to upgrade an old Windows 7 laptop of mine to Windows 10.

Everything is ok with the drivers and things, but no matter what I try I cannot get the Media Creation Tool to install Windows 10.

I've even tried using the Media Creation Tool to try to create a USB stick drive but it's still not happy.

Microsoft, you expect the world to grow up with Windows 10!?

All I can say to you is this:

Something happened.

Moto G (2013) in 2015: Android Agony

Two years ago the original Motorola Moto G (2013) was released.
Damn, it was a good mobile phone, with the likes of HotUKDeals going into rapture over it's features and affordable price tag.

The Moto G 1st Generation (2013)

- How does it perform in 2015?

I commented recently about Apple's hypegasm iThing launch event, and how this time of year I get very nostalgic due to the number of great phones I've bought each August/September, which made me decide to write this article about how the original Moto G handles the world two years after its release.

I bought one of these great little phones this time last year for just over £100. I'd been using Windows Phones for about nine months, but was feeling the need to have something a bit more functional as I rarely had access to a PC last year.

I'd tried to go back to my Samsung Galaxy S3, but its awful battery life was really dogging me, so I decided to give Android a fair chance by buying this budget lovely.

The Moto G impressed me right from the start. The screen was very bright and crisp, the phone rarely lagged and the battery life was, by comparison with the S3, simply amazing.

I was very happy with my Moto G for several months until February this year when it upgraded to Android Lollipop 5.0.

Android Lollipop has completely turned me off the whole operating system.

Simple tasks such as checking notifications now require a range of taps, double taps and a series of swipes.

Android Lollipop now "thinks" for you and pushes certain notifications to you at the expense of others.

To make matters worse, Android Lollipop has also introduced a massive amount of lag to my Moto G - which I still hold onto as my only remaining Android device.

My affair with Android Lollipop was short lived. I was excited when my Moto G was first upgraded, but over the course of one torrid weekend this relationship turned very sour.

My once trusted Moto G now saw fit to wake me up in the middle of the night because an email had arrived, rather than dutifully letting me sleep by using the "Silent Hours" feature.

My phone was turning against me and making my life uncomfortable. The sporadic night-time notifications even started to make my wife suspicious, as the once previously silent mobile was now pushing "important" notifications to me 24 hours a day, keeping us both awake.

I couldn't trust my Moto G anymore.

Within two days of having the sickly new version of Android's sugary operating system on my Moto G, I relegated my Moto to the bedside drawer and returned to my trusty Nokia Lumia 620.

Why did it go so wrong for such a great mobile?

Google is keen to make every new version of Android more "compatible" with more devices, and Google keeps telling us that their OS will work on devices with less than 1GB of RAM, yet this is not the case. Android Lollipop slowed my previously swift Moto G to a crawl, and that doesn't even include the additional time it takes to navigate the now extensive and incomprehensible menu system!

The original Moto G has been updated to a modern version of Android, and is now more up to date than many (much cheaper) Android handsets that are still being sold by retailers, so this example proves, once more, that Android really is an arms race that you can't win: You constantly need to upgrade to a higher-specced handset on an annual basis.

Not a Fanboi

Today's iPhone and iThing announcements have left me feeling more indifferent than ever.


I haven't followed Apple's hypegasm at all, mainly because none of it interests me and the tech media have gone crazy over yet more incremental improvements to devices that should have had such features a year or more ago. FFS you pay enough for iThings, you'd expect them to lead the pack like they did in 2007.


Speaking of 2007, I've read with nostalgic whimsy the evolution of the iPhone, and it's made me look back on the other handsets which were around at this time, and around the time of other iPhone releases.
This trip down memory lane made me realise just how many phones I've bought at this time of year, and in a soon to be written blog post, I'll recap these phones and my very reason for building my own PAYG deals website: http://mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com/


I shan't write much tonight, as the next 48 hours are a waste of time due to so many people reading and writing about the new iPhones, so I'll sign off for now.


What you can be assured of it's that I'll never have any iPhone deals on my websites, blog or Twitter account as the iPhone becomes old hat so quickly and it is such a poor value device.

Giffgaff 4G For All: A Shaky Start

Mobile PAYG network giffgaff have recently whittled down their range of 30 day PAYG mobile bundles (aka "Goodybags") to reduce confusion and allow for 4G services for all customers at no extra cost.

Whilst I welcomed this news openly, giffgaff failed to deliver when the scheme went live: New customers and customers who had not previously purchased an "old" 4G Goodybag were unable to access 4G services for around five days.
In my recent post HERE, I went on to say that a "third party" was working on this problem on behalf of giffgaff.
Well, many existing giffgaff customers did find that their 4G services were finally activated on Sunday evening, but giffgaff were reluctant to step up and make any announcements regarding this service outage until things were moving in a positive direction.

In giffgaff's online "community", a member of staff eventually said that services would finally be enabled for most customers on Sunday, though there are still a few customers who have joined after the 2nd of September who may still be experiencing problems.
Don't get me wrong, giffgaff isn't awful, but the Community Managers have asked us, the customers what we would like to see. One of the main issues is that there is little to no community involvement with giffgaff's proper staff.
So, once again giffgaff experiences an outage and looks to a third party to fix it whilst leaving the members (sorry, customers) to deal with the questions and complaints in the online community forums.

Giffgaff, take responsibility. If you can't do that, don't run a mobile network and money laundering service (or whatever giffgaff money is).
It's just common courtesy to inform your customers if you are having a problem, or at least make this known to the people who work for peanuts in payback on your online help and support forums.

Now that I've got this off my chest, I can happily say that 4G for all on giffgaff is working for the vast majority of people.
I still use giffgaff as my main number, and there are many benefits including free same network calls and texts for three months if you top up by at least £10 (not £10 a month, like most networks who offer this perk).
If you would like a free giffgaff SIM with £5 of free credit (you can't get this if you order directly from giffgaff), just go through my own affiliate link HERE.

EE Finally Provide a Unlock Code. Customer Service at its Worst

Following on from my post last Friday regarding EE's absolutely abysmal customer service - or lack of it - I am glad to be finally able to put a lid on this debacle.

EE have - after nearly one month - provided me with a phone unlocking code. A "service" that they contract out badly and still manage to make a mess of.

To recap; EE have managed to create a catalogue of errors in providing me with a simple phone unlocking code. They incorrectly entered my IMEI code, made me wait weeks and promised to maintain good customer care skills by providing me with this service free of charge, and have since made me wait even longer and still charged me for it!

Last Friday's post is available HERE, and I let rip. Please do have a read, if you haven't done so already.

Anyhoo, I have finally received my code and successfully unlocked my mobile, but it shouldn't have been so hard or unpleasant.

EE are now bottom of my list as far as network recommendations go, and they are highly likely to remain at the bottom for a very long time.
If they sell their business to another company, I might try them again, but for the foreseable future, their customer service truly is every bit as bad as some people say it is.

In fact, this incident has made me more determined than ever to further build my PAYG mobile website (mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com) by adding network reviews.
I did say that I would add some network operator reviews to my site at some point, and I will probably start work on this aspect over this coming weekend.

Just in case anyone from EE does read this, I'm sorry but I can't be sweetened with a deal - I cannot use your network at home, work, or any of the places in-between.
You say that you are the "Biggest, fastest and most reliable network", but not anywhere within a 15-20 mile radius of here you're not.

Recruitment Agencies; My Daily Rant

I've been looking for a job on and off since 2007. During that time I've taken one new job, so I'm clearly very picky - or more likely there really aren't that many solid jobs out there.

However, the company that I work for is far less secure than it was when I joined in 2011. Therefore it pays to be a few steps ahead of the game and have my CV out there ready for when I need to make my next move.

Unfortunately, this isn't 2001. Head hunting doesn't happen anymore (those that say they've been head-hunted have actually been mugged into taking jobs that nobody else wanted).

Because my CV is out on the main job websites (Reed, Jobsite, etc.), it gets picked up by salespeople - sorry, recruitment agencies - and I get numerous phone calls and scattershot emails asking me if I'd be interested in some job which is clearly totally unsuitable for me for various obvious reasons.

The most obvious of these is the fact that I'm a permanent employee in my current job. In fact I've never contracted in my life, so why would I start now on an "amazing opportunity for a 6 month contract"?

I know that recruitment agencies want as many candidates on their books as possible, but they also want to shift vacancies fast, as well.
But, by sending out lots of shoddily-worded emails targeting candidates with no interest/experience in contract work, these agencies are making themselves known for peddling bad jobs. I'm also guessing that the candidates they put forward are also as clueless.
The thing is that candidates aren't all stupid.
I recognise phone numbers and email addresses that keep offering these "fantastic opportunities", and as a result I'd never go through any of these recruitment agencies.

If you are a such a recruitment agency, change your tactics now. Would be candidates such as myself are tired of your sales pitches and are now going directly to employers to cut out the middle man.

I will be writing more about the world of job hunting and recruitment in this blog soon, as it is something that I do spend a lot of time on and might even help you to understand what recruitment agencies need to do, what you need to do when looking for a job, and what employers should be doing - and in that final case I would recommend that you go back to recruiting the old fashioned way; recruitment agencies aren't the best option anymore.

EE's Survey Doesn't Even Work

Two day ago EE's shockingly bad customer service angered me. If you missed the post (it's been my most popular post to date, so please share it!) - here's the LINK.

One thing that I forgot to mention in my rage was that they sent me a text-based survey shortly after I hung up. You know the ones; they ask how satisfied from 1-10 you are with the way that your call was handled, whether your problem was resolved, etc.

To top off the awful customer service experience that I had with EE, their text survey was going to get some scathing replies, but EE couldn't even get this right: I couldn't reply to the text message that they sent me!

The text failed to send twice, at which point I gave up and sat down to write my blog post.

EE probably base much of their customer feedback on these text surveys, as they are cheap, reach every calling customer and I have used them in the past - to comment on both positive and negative customer service that I've received.

EE probably think that they are doing well if they send out these unanswerable surveys, but let me tell you now, EE - No matter how much you keep telling us that "You are the biggest UK network", and you might have Kevin Bacon on board, but your customer service is the worst that I've experienced from any network.

Giffgaff 4G Fail! Product Delivery and Customer Service Disaster.

I have been looking forward to the day when giffgaff would finally announce that they would provide 4G at "no extra cost".

That day arrived on the 2nd of September, and as I'm currently using giffgaff as my main provider I specifically bought my first 4G capable phone a week or two ago.

In my blog this week I championed giffgaff for providing 4G across their entire (but now reduced) "Goodybag" range (their range of 30 day bundles) - even though their "unlimited" data bundle is now pretty poor value.

This evening I learned a valuable lesson: Giffgaff is still a fledgling MVNO. Their 4G Goodybags are working only for existing customers who have previously purchased a 4G Goodybag.

• New giffgaff customers will find that they are unable to access 4G, though 3G services are working.
• Existing customers who have purchased one of the new 4G Goodybags, who haven't bought one of giffgaff's old 4G Goodybags will find that they too are unable to obtain a 4G signal.

This is something that giffgaff don't seem too concerned about, and they have "A third party working on the problem".

I only came across this issue when I logged on to giffgaff's "community" pages (aka forums).
The Help and Support section is filled with customers complaining that they can't get 4G, and giffgaff have made a minor announcement on their Service Updates page HERE.

What galls me is that the majority of the comments are from diehard giffgaff customers who do really believe that they run the company - many of whom admit that they really don't use data at all.

Giffgaff has been in operation for over five years and has grown to become the UK's third largest MVNO - yet this is a typical problem for this network operator which might have been acceptable in the early "community run" days, but not now that they are charging as much as some of the main networks for services that simply aren't working.

Giffgaff say that the "third party" is working over the weekend on the problem, but for all new customers and those, such as myself, who wanted to finally be able to use 4G at "no extra cost", it's a smiley face and a kick in the groin.

I doubt that there will be a fanfare when/if this problem is rectified, though given giffgaff's previous track record for letting someone else fix their problems I daresay that it will be many days before new and "upgrading" customers can access the services that they have already paid for. Oh, and giffgaff don't do refunds, especially as they will say that you can use 3G instead.

I was only happy about having 4G as the O2 mast in my village is 2G and 4G only; O2 decided not to bother with 3G to force customers onto their more expensive and restrictive 4G data plans.

Giffgaff, get it sorted out otherwise you'll feel the wrath of yet another fleet of unhappy customers. If you spent as much money securing your network as you do on your TV advertising campaign, your network might actually work.

EE: The Worst Network for Customer Service. A Review of How Badly EE Handle a Simple Request

EE - All of the Bad Reviews are Right:

EE's Customer Service is Spectacularly Bad

Avoid

After over twenty days trying to obtain a mobile unlocking code, dodgy mobile network EE have failed me.

Actually, they haven't just failed me - They have performed spectacularly badly and lied to me.

Their customer service is not just bad, they seem to relish pissing off their customers. You would have to be mad and/or stupid to use EE.

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will remember last month that my experience with EE's customer service department has been rocky. (Read these blog posts HERE.)

-To recap: I wanted an EE PAYG handset unlocking. This costs £8.99, and for some unfathomable reason it takes EE ten days to obtain this. Fair enough, and it is a simple request.

In my experience, Vodafone and Three have been stellar in providing unlocking codes there and then on the phone.

After the full ten days had expired, EE helpfully sent me a text telling me that they couldn't unlock my code, as it was incorrect.

On calling EE again, they eventually confirmed that they had not taken down the last two digits on the IMEI code that I had provided, and that I would have to wait another ten days.

I said that I wasn't happy with this, as it was evidently EE's mistake and did not fall into the category of "good customer service" - The EE representative that I was speaking with cheered me up by telling me that there would be no charge for this service, as EE wanted to keep me happy as a customer.

Ten days later (today) a text arrived from EE telling me that my unlocking code would take a few more days as they are having to request it from the handset manufacturer - Yet this is why EE told me that it takes them so long to obtain the unlocking code!

To top things off, I then received a text telling me that my credit was running low. £8.99 had been taken from my credit!

So, this evening I called EE again. I spoke with a cheery young girl called Nathalie, who after a couple of minutes (and referring to me as "My lovely" many, many times) said that she had only been in the job a week and that she needed to consult with someone as she didn't want to get anything wrong.

Nathalie then unhelpfully transferred me to the PAYG department, which is located somewhere in India which has never been touched by the British Empire, as the customer service representative who I spoke with couldn't even get my name right or understand my queries.

The guy that I spoke with gleefully informed me that my unlocking code would take an extra 7-10 days to arrive, and that I didn't need to worry because EE had already charged me for the unlocking fee!

Due to his inability to speak and understand English, I asked him to verify what he had told me at least twice.

Eventually I stopped him as it was clear that EE expect customers to wait weeks for unlocking codes - and charge them £8.99.

I told him that I was now extremely dissatisfied with this service, as I was told that due to the length of time I'd already waited for my code, and the fact that EE had screwed up the first time, I was going to get my unlocking code provided free of charge. His response was "EE always charge for unlocking codes, unless you're moving from Orange to EE".

I don't give a shit what EE say: Their representative told me that as a gesture of goodwill, EE would unlock my handset for free, and that I wouldn't be charged.

To have some clown tell me that the charge has been taken and that there is nothing else to pay is infuriating, dishonest and quite frankly shows up just how bad EE's customer service actually is.

Their customer service people clearly lie. They are unhelpful and rude - or at least incredibly stupid.

If I ever meet one in person, they will be exceedingly sorry as I'm not some geeky keyboard warrior - I will rip them a new arsehole.

To summarise, I still haven't got my unlocking code. EE have still charged me to unlock my phone, even though I was told that it would be free of charge as a gesture of goodwill.

They have lied to me, been massively unhelpful and angered me.

EE have failed to keep me as a customer. They have tarnished their reputation forever, and hopefully anyone thing of joining EE as a PAYG or contract customer will read this and think twice.

(EE are damned expensive, so why people join them makes no sense anyway.)

This rant will now come to an end. I have experienced EE's customer service first hand, and it has been an exasperating, fruitless process which has highlighted how inefficient and careless they are.

I have never experienced anything so bad within the mobile industry - Thank fvck I didn't take out a contract with them!

The many terrible reviews that there are online about EE's poor customer service are all true. Now I can add my own (thankfully brief) experiences to this list of reviews, complaints and gripes.

EE - Never again, and I cannot possibly recommend you to anyone.

Everything Everywhere? Go find yourselves a rock to hide beneath and return to the UK when you can run a business correctly.

PAYG Mobile Website Updated

As promised, I've updated my PAYG mobile bundle deals website mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com

The changes are mainly due to giffgaff's alterations to their Goodybag (30 day bundle) range, which now includes 4G as standard across all Goodybags - Which is a true rival to GT Mobile.

Personally, I feel that the Goodybags do offer good value, especially the £15 Goodybag which has had a massive injection of 500 additional minutes. The main boost is of course that all Goodybags now have 4G.

The biggest con however is giffgaff's "unlimited data" Goodybag; the £20 Goodybag with "Always On Data". Strictly speaking, data is unlimited, but after the initial 6GB of 4G data has been used up, the speed is throttled to 256kbps between 08:00am and midnight.
256kbps is EDGE data speeds, or close to what you could expect from a 3G phone in 2006.
This £20 Goodybag isn't good value at all now, and effectively removes giffgaff from the ranks of network operators who actually offer unlimited data.

The £20 Goodybag is perhaps most suitable for those who are real night owls, such as people working on night shifts with ample free time (when their bosses aren't looking).

To see giffgaff's new Goodybag range click HERE.
To see how giffgaff now compare with the other best value PAYG networks, see my website HERE.

If you are tempted by giffgaff's new range of 4G ready bundles, you can order yourself a free giffgaff SIM with £5 of FREE credit from my link HERE.

Best Value PAYG Mobile Bundle Website Update

My own, unbiased Pay As You Go mobile bundles website http://mobile-networks-uk.weebly.com is going to be updated today with the latest bundle information.

The main change is that giffgaff is making all of their 30 day bundles (aka "Goodybags") 4G-enabled.
Giffgaff previously had a confusing array of 30 day bundles, some of which offered 4G at a higher price and with less data than the 3G bundles.
In this consolidation, the 3G bundles are being merged into the 4G bundles, which means that some of the previously good value bundles are no longer that great.

If you fancy having a look at the range, head to https://www.giffgaff.com/goodybags

My website will list the best value PAYG network bundles, and I can safely say that giffgaff does not offer the best value for unlimited data, though the lower priced (£5-15) bundles are still reasonably competitive.

I will update my website sometime this evening after I get in from a hard day of QA work.


Whilst I'm on the subject of giffgaff and 4G, their PAYG tariff will also be benefiting from this upgrade to 4G.
As yet, no other PAYG network offers 4G without some sort of monthly bundle, so giffgaff get top marks from me in this respect.

4G on giffgaff PAYG (standard tariff) is being rolled out gradually to all customers from the 2nd of September, and it is anticipated that all customers will be able to use 4G without buying a 30 bundle by October.

If you would like a free giffgaff SIM with £5 of free credit, please click on my affiliate link here (£5 of free credit will be applied to your account on activation and initial £10 top up).

Contactless Payment Limit Set to Increase

Retailers love finding new ways to part us from our cash.
Contactless payments via debit and credit cards are the current hot topic for retailers in the UK, and these payments have been on the rise for the last year (Apple Pay, you are still a niche product).

The thing is, most people didn't like the idea of a card reader being used to "bump" our cards and take a small sum of money from us - It felt (and still does feel) like we, as customers, are being removed from the payment loop.
When CHIP and PIN was introduced, I sighed with relief: Too many retailers would question the faded signature on my debit card (if they even bothered to look at it, that is). But contactless payments are a step too far for many people.

Admittedly, I've used it a handful of times in small Co-op stores. The first time, it seemed "fun": There was an air of novelty about paying for some shopping by tapping my debit card against a terminal.
However, each time that I've used contactless payment, it has been instigated by the cashier - In many cases, cashiers simply don't use these systems, or maybe they lack the training required for them to feel confident in using it - Just like many customers.

The current spending limit on contactless payments is currently £15.
Fifteen quid doesn't buy you much in a convenience store these days.
Most of the occasions that I go into a local Co-op or Tesco, I spend at least a tenner, and often more.
Contactless payments just don't cut it, and it's a bit like the old "five items or less" basket checkouts that were a great idea, before they were abused by everyone in the 1990s.
Soon, however, the spending limit on contactless payments is to be increased from £15 to £30, which is a much more sensible maximum - Though I'm sure that it will lead to a lot of overspending!

There is the remotest possibility that I'm not young enough to fully understand the whole "pay by bonk" (or "tap to pay") thing.
I was in a local shop some months ago and a teenage lad was demonstrating how cool he was to his girlfriend by using his £1.99 phone case from eBay:- What he was trying to do was pretend that his phone had NFC* and he could pay for his purchase using his phone, when in fact his contactless debit card was clearly tucked into a slot in the faux leather case.
It didn't work, so he had to remove the card and use the CHIP and PIN service instead.

* Do any retailers have NFC payments enabled? I've yet to see one.

Contactless payments still have a way to go. NFC is a prime example; manufacturers stick the technology into some mobile phones, but nobody else (retailers or otherwise) has yet found a real use for it. Yes, you can pair your Bluetooth speaker with your NFC-capable phone, but what was so hard about scanning for nearby devices? (Plus you have to haul yourself out of your armchair to tap the two together to pair them.)

These are all solutions looking for problems.

Until payment can be secure, electronic and universal, we will all be making the most of the many, varied methods of handing over currency for services for some time to come.

Google's New Logo: Patronising as FvcK

Google, if you are trying to take over the world, at least have the decency to not treat us all like children. Your new logo takes your use of primary colours to a whole new level.

Google, eBay and many other brands focus on primary colours for their logos and branding, but Google does appear to be trying to make absolutely everything that it does so basic, we'll all be turned into thickies soon.
The new Google logo even has a child's hand drawing it in crayon to begin with if you look at the animated logo and Google's website.

I've had Android phones for over five years, and used Google's products for a lot longer than that. I find it annoying that Google wants to make our lives simpler by integrating everything. Unfortunately, Google Now is a total pile of poo in the UK: It might work in the US where people have lots of flights and share calendars, but here in the UK most of us don't give a damn about what each other does and our transport system simply doesn't work with Google Now. If you tried to live your life using Google Now, you would end up being late for your own funeral.

So, Google. Why do you feel that your artificial intelligence is ready for us to remove our brains and leave our lives at the mercy of your US-orientated products?
Not everyone in the world is stupid, so to create such a playschool-esque logo is a very risky business.

I can't be the only person to have noticed this, and as for marketing departments - they must be laughing their arses off!

Google, the more you "progress", the more I think that you either think that people are stupid, or you are trying to emulate Apple's success in producing idiot-proof devices that fools carry on buying.

I'm really going off Google.