I've used giffgaff on and off for about 18 months now, and used them as my main mobile network since February this year, but today I have changed network provider back to Three.
Giffgaff offer some great value 30 day bundles and I make extensive use of the free giffgaff to giffgaff calls and texts, but this once quirky little network is now a major player - yet the services they provide are totally substandard.
I have experienced dropped calls daily since February. The odd dropped call is to be expected as you travel around, but standing still in an area with decent coverage shouldn't mean that you get cut off less than one minute into a call. Every day.
The issue with texts not being sent is also a major problem.
I texted several of my contacts last night to inform them of my new number and 40% of the texts didn't get sent.
I'm sure that some of these texts were also sent more than once.
My current giffgaff bundle (Goodybag) had 500MB of data included - yet I've struggled to use <100MB of this data as the giffgaff network just doesn't have useable data speeds.
I couldn't load a webpage whilst sitting in my car during my lunch break today. I thought that I didn't need a data connection most of the time, but today was the final straw.
So, I'm sorry to say that as much as I've followed giffgaff from it's early beginnings in 2010, it's grown and had long enough to sort out these problems.
Add to this the frequent network outages and the giffgaff website going down regularly, and it's not a network that can be relied upon.
Heck, I've even decided to go back to using Three...
Monday, 30 November 2015
Saturday, 28 November 2015
Black Friday is over, at last!
Maybe it's because I'm British. I'm not anti-capitalist and certainly I'm not against consumerism.
I love a great bargain and Black Friday should make me excited, but it doesn't.
When Amazon introduced their Black Friday lightning deals to the UK four years ago, they were rubbish, and things haven't improved since.
Last year there was way too much Black Friday hype, and this year even WalMart owned Asda decided to not participate in their own US tradition.
I'm pleased to see that UK shops generally didn't bother with Black Friday, and those that did didn't profit.
The shift to online sales merely highlights the gullibility of consumers who buy pointless tat for the sake of it being cheap.
Certainly if you hoped for a particular item to be discounted, it probably never appeared in any Black Friday deal.
I didn't bother posting any mobile deals, simply because there were none of merit.
Who wants to save £100 on a contract phone when the chances are that you're probably already tied in to a contract?
The best deal that I saw was with Three, who were selling the latest Moto G (with Moto Maker!) unlocked for £99.
The only other deal was the Blu Win Jr 4G dual sim Windows Phone for £35 from Amazon, which was worth a look if you weren't too bothered about the camera cap capabilities. £35 for a 4G dual sim Windows Phone is brilliant.
What can we expect next year?
Given that Black Friday deals from many retailers started on Monday, we'll see a shift to Black Friday Week (nobody has a clue about Cyber Monday in the UK).
I remember when there were no Boxing Day sales, and you would excitedly take your shopping vouchers that you got for Christmas off to the January sales.
Times have changed, and not for the better.
I love a great bargain and Black Friday should make me excited, but it doesn't.
When Amazon introduced their Black Friday lightning deals to the UK four years ago, they were rubbish, and things haven't improved since.
Last year there was way too much Black Friday hype, and this year even WalMart owned Asda decided to not participate in their own US tradition.
I'm pleased to see that UK shops generally didn't bother with Black Friday, and those that did didn't profit.
The shift to online sales merely highlights the gullibility of consumers who buy pointless tat for the sake of it being cheap.
Certainly if you hoped for a particular item to be discounted, it probably never appeared in any Black Friday deal.
I didn't bother posting any mobile deals, simply because there were none of merit.
Who wants to save £100 on a contract phone when the chances are that you're probably already tied in to a contract?
The best deal that I saw was with Three, who were selling the latest Moto G (with Moto Maker!) unlocked for £99.
The only other deal was the Blu Win Jr 4G dual sim Windows Phone for £35 from Amazon, which was worth a look if you weren't too bothered about the camera cap capabilities. £35 for a 4G dual sim Windows Phone is brilliant.
What can we expect next year?
Given that Black Friday deals from many retailers started on Monday, we'll see a shift to Black Friday Week (nobody has a clue about Cyber Monday in the UK).
I remember when there were no Boxing Day sales, and you would excitedly take your shopping vouchers that you got for Christmas off to the January sales.
Times have changed, and not for the better.
Saturday, 14 November 2015
BlackBerry PRIV - UK Availability
It's amazing.
I never thought that I would see the day when people were genuinely clamoring for a BlackBerry handset.
The reviews have been unkind to BlackBerry's latest mobile. I can't understand why - Reviewers liked the BlackBerry Passport when that was released over a year ago, so for BlackBerry to decide to make an Android phone, you would have thought that these reviewers would be ecstatic about the prospect of a "new" Android manufacturer.
I've heard (and even mentioned it myself) that sticking Android inside of a BlackBerry mobile in 2015 is at least five years too late - BlackBerry could have done this much earlier and perhaps held on to their customers, as well as drawing in some new ones.
Ok, the BlackBerry PRIV might not be right up there with the other similarly-priced top of the range Android handsets, but give them a chance: It's what customers have wanted for years, so people shouldn't be too quick to dismiss the PRIV.
It just so happens that this isn't quite the case.
Pre-orders of the PRIV in the USA and Canada are high, and they look like they might possibly outstrip supply.
Some customers are excited about the PRIV. Maybe because it's BlackBerry's first Android mobile, and it looks like it will actually be really good, or maybe it's the slide-out hardware keyboard (I miss keys and buttons).
Either way, there is a lot of interest, and if BlackBerry decide that Android is an OS worth supporting, I'd say that we may see more Android handsets from this manufacturer.
In fact, the BlackBerry "Vienna" has already been rumoured...
But, here in the UK BlackBerry faces a different problem.
For a start, I think that us Brits are a fickle bunch. Samsung is still the current Android manufacturer of choice, even though the likes of HTC, LG and Sony have released some brilliant mobiles recently.
Breaking through this brand blindness will not be easy, though there are increasing armies of customers who have taken a chance with cheaper mobiles from the Far East after finding that most premium handsets really aren't worth >£500.
If BlackBerry can drop the price of the PRIV to below the current £559 pre-order price, it will help.
To illustrate just how brand-blind us Brits are, none of the UK carriers are willing to stock the PRIV.
They just don't believe that BlackBerry phones will sell.
So, apart from ordering a PRIV directly from BlackBerry in the UK, the only option currently available is to order one through Carphone Warehouse, who have an "exclusive" agreement to retail the PRIV.
I have to admire their sales technique.
You can get the PRIV from Carphone Warehouse on a two year contract starting from £49 per month, which is still rather high for my liking.
I hope that customers are drawn away from 5 inch plus slabs of dullness, and embrace the PRIV.
The market needs something different, and BlackBerry have finally given customers what they have been asking for for years. Their marketing is way off, but by the sounds of it there are a lot of interested (potential) customers out there.
I never thought that I would see the day when people were genuinely clamoring for a BlackBerry handset.
The reviews have been unkind to BlackBerry's latest mobile. I can't understand why - Reviewers liked the BlackBerry Passport when that was released over a year ago, so for BlackBerry to decide to make an Android phone, you would have thought that these reviewers would be ecstatic about the prospect of a "new" Android manufacturer.
I've heard (and even mentioned it myself) that sticking Android inside of a BlackBerry mobile in 2015 is at least five years too late - BlackBerry could have done this much earlier and perhaps held on to their customers, as well as drawing in some new ones.
Ok, the BlackBerry PRIV might not be right up there with the other similarly-priced top of the range Android handsets, but give them a chance: It's what customers have wanted for years, so people shouldn't be too quick to dismiss the PRIV.
It just so happens that this isn't quite the case.
Pre-orders of the PRIV in the USA and Canada are high, and they look like they might possibly outstrip supply.
Some customers are excited about the PRIV. Maybe because it's BlackBerry's first Android mobile, and it looks like it will actually be really good, or maybe it's the slide-out hardware keyboard (I miss keys and buttons).
Either way, there is a lot of interest, and if BlackBerry decide that Android is an OS worth supporting, I'd say that we may see more Android handsets from this manufacturer.
In fact, the BlackBerry "Vienna" has already been rumoured...
But, here in the UK BlackBerry faces a different problem.
For a start, I think that us Brits are a fickle bunch. Samsung is still the current Android manufacturer of choice, even though the likes of HTC, LG and Sony have released some brilliant mobiles recently.
Breaking through this brand blindness will not be easy, though there are increasing armies of customers who have taken a chance with cheaper mobiles from the Far East after finding that most premium handsets really aren't worth >£500.
If BlackBerry can drop the price of the PRIV to below the current £559 pre-order price, it will help.
To illustrate just how brand-blind us Brits are, none of the UK carriers are willing to stock the PRIV.
They just don't believe that BlackBerry phones will sell.
So, apart from ordering a PRIV directly from BlackBerry in the UK, the only option currently available is to order one through Carphone Warehouse, who have an "exclusive" agreement to retail the PRIV.
I have to admire their sales technique.
You can get the PRIV from Carphone Warehouse on a two year contract starting from £49 per month, which is still rather high for my liking.
I hope that customers are drawn away from 5 inch plus slabs of dullness, and embrace the PRIV.
The market needs something different, and BlackBerry have finally given customers what they have been asking for for years. Their marketing is way off, but by the sounds of it there are a lot of interested (potential) customers out there.
Friday, 13 November 2015
Leaving Mobile by Sainsbury's
In case you haven't heard, Mobile by Sainsbury's is shutting down on the 15th of January 2016.
If you use this service, don't forget to use up your existing credit and call them to request your PAC code, if you wish to keep your mobile number!
I'm gutted that MBS is closing down. They were one of the cheapest PAYG networks around and had some great value 30 day bundles.
MBS is also one of the very few Vodafone MVNOs, and I have always been able to get a Vodafone signal everywhere that I've lived for the last fifteen years, so to see this MVNO disappear is particularly troublesome for me.
Tonight, the time has come for me to ask if I could get a refund for my PAYG credit, which through various special offers I've managed to get up to around £74!
There was no way that I'd use this up by next January, plus there is a deadline (15th of November) which is the last day that you can buy a 30 day bundle, so I thought that I'd take a chance and ask for my credit...
MBS is not the easiest network to deal with over the phone. Their call centre is fine, but they ask lots of security questions about your account (when did you last top up, when did you last call us, what was the last number that you called two days ago, that sort of thing).
Some customers may be able to reel the answers to these questions off, but for a casual PAYG customer, it's not as easy.
As before, I had to remove my SIM and jot down the number printed on it before calling them back.
I was put through to the PAC request team, and the chap who I spoke with was very helpful.
He said that I could take my credit as Nectar points, a Sainsbury's voucher or a cheque, if I was prepared to wait 28 days.
Requests for credit refunds are processed as soon as MBS receives a number porting request from another network.
All of this was very straightforward and self explanatory - And to be honest I was very surprised to be able to reimburse my PAYG credit!
I hope that MBS do, one day, manage to find a MNO to partner with, but it sounds like they were squeezed a little too hard by parent network, Vodafone.
So, I've got my PAC and am eager to obtain my credit. I had a spare Three SIM lying around, so I'm moving this number back to Three, simply because they offer cheap PAYG rates and have a decent data network.
My main number is still with giffgaff, though due to the ongoing dropped calls, unsent text messages and appalling data speeds I will be returning to the Vodafone network soon, though now that MBS are on their way out I'll have to consider Talkmobile or Vodafone themselves.
Mobile by Sainsbury's, you will be missed.
Asda Mobile were originally on the Vodafone network, and I used them for a few years, so to see MBS fold after two years leaving a Vodafone MVNO-shaped gap in the market is pretty bad news.
If you use this service, don't forget to use up your existing credit and call them to request your PAC code, if you wish to keep your mobile number!
I'm gutted that MBS is closing down. They were one of the cheapest PAYG networks around and had some great value 30 day bundles.
MBS is also one of the very few Vodafone MVNOs, and I have always been able to get a Vodafone signal everywhere that I've lived for the last fifteen years, so to see this MVNO disappear is particularly troublesome for me.
Tonight, the time has come for me to ask if I could get a refund for my PAYG credit, which through various special offers I've managed to get up to around £74!
There was no way that I'd use this up by next January, plus there is a deadline (15th of November) which is the last day that you can buy a 30 day bundle, so I thought that I'd take a chance and ask for my credit...
MBS is not the easiest network to deal with over the phone. Their call centre is fine, but they ask lots of security questions about your account (when did you last top up, when did you last call us, what was the last number that you called two days ago, that sort of thing).
Some customers may be able to reel the answers to these questions off, but for a casual PAYG customer, it's not as easy.
As before, I had to remove my SIM and jot down the number printed on it before calling them back.
I was put through to the PAC request team, and the chap who I spoke with was very helpful.
He said that I could take my credit as Nectar points, a Sainsbury's voucher or a cheque, if I was prepared to wait 28 days.
Requests for credit refunds are processed as soon as MBS receives a number porting request from another network.
All of this was very straightforward and self explanatory - And to be honest I was very surprised to be able to reimburse my PAYG credit!
I hope that MBS do, one day, manage to find a MNO to partner with, but it sounds like they were squeezed a little too hard by parent network, Vodafone.
So, I've got my PAC and am eager to obtain my credit. I had a spare Three SIM lying around, so I'm moving this number back to Three, simply because they offer cheap PAYG rates and have a decent data network.
My main number is still with giffgaff, though due to the ongoing dropped calls, unsent text messages and appalling data speeds I will be returning to the Vodafone network soon, though now that MBS are on their way out I'll have to consider Talkmobile or Vodafone themselves.
Mobile by Sainsbury's, you will be missed.
Asda Mobile were originally on the Vodafone network, and I used them for a few years, so to see MBS fold after two years leaving a Vodafone MVNO-shaped gap in the market is pretty bad news.
Thursday, 12 November 2015
BlackBerry PRIV to Save BlackBerry?
Earlier today I wrote about how I have remained faithful to Windows Phones over my other OS of choice, Android.
This has made me think about the BlackBerry PRIV, the firm's first Android-running smartphone.
The PRIV is a weird bit of kit: The best review I've read so far is from Techradar, and it was a less than glowing review, citing a (surprisingly) poor physical keyboard and less than premium build quality. Maybe their reviewer firmly believes that BlackBerry is simply too late to jump on the Android bandwagon - A conceited idea, as there are countless Far Eastern manufacturers now selling Android-running handsets aplenty - none of whom are even household names yet.
However, the impressions that I'm getting from BlackBerry PRIV owners and other reviewers is that the PRIV is a great handset - It's almost as if they have forgotten that it's a BlackBerry, and many are enamored with the fact that it's an Android phone with a proper physical keyboard.
The PRIV might just be exactly what BlackBerry needed, and if it sells well, then we might possibly see more Android phones bearing physical keyboards within the next year or two - Though whether they'll be BlackBerry phones has yet to be decided.
Every credit to BlackBerry for finally taking a chance and producing a product which people might actually want.
This has made me think about the BlackBerry PRIV, the firm's first Android-running smartphone.
The PRIV is a weird bit of kit: The best review I've read so far is from Techradar, and it was a less than glowing review, citing a (surprisingly) poor physical keyboard and less than premium build quality. Maybe their reviewer firmly believes that BlackBerry is simply too late to jump on the Android bandwagon - A conceited idea, as there are countless Far Eastern manufacturers now selling Android-running handsets aplenty - none of whom are even household names yet.
However, the impressions that I'm getting from BlackBerry PRIV owners and other reviewers is that the PRIV is a great handset - It's almost as if they have forgotten that it's a BlackBerry, and many are enamored with the fact that it's an Android phone with a proper physical keyboard.
The PRIV might just be exactly what BlackBerry needed, and if it sells well, then we might possibly see more Android phones bearing physical keyboards within the next year or two - Though whether they'll be BlackBerry phones has yet to be decided.
Every credit to BlackBerry for finally taking a chance and producing a product which people might actually want.
Windows Phone = Best Budget Smartphone Experience
I've been a little hasty in my panning of Microsoft's Lumia (Windows Phone) range of handsets recently, all because of Microsoft's announcement that they are to drastically reduce OneDrive's free storage from a healthy 15GB to a cruelly tiny 5GB.
I use cloud storage a lot, and OneDrive ties in with Lumia phones and devices incredibly well, so to have my options reduced so much has irked me. Why should I pay for a service that Google provides for free?
Moreover, Google Photos is an excellent app and allows me to store every photo I've ever taken digitally for free, and they are all accessible on my other connected devices.
I have been looking at cheap Android mobile phones to replace my collection of Lumia mobiles - DOOGEE mobiles offer great value, but the cameras are not really good enough for my needs.
Even my first generation Moto G is still a good phone.
- But - Having played around with Android Lollipop has made me realise that I want a clean, easy to use, simple operating system. Android just doesn't offer this any more.
I've looked at installing launchers on my Android phones, but all they really do is turn the home screen into a "senior" mobile phone.
I like the simplicity and dark theme of Windows Phones, and they do exactly what I expect them to do.
There are no issues or tinkering required to keep the things chugging through the day (no apps need closing), and Lumia phones will happily keep going for a day or more between charges. The frugal use of data is also a respectable trait.
Any of the currently available Windows 8.1 mobiles work well - so much more so than equivalent Android mobiles at the £40-150 mark.
Windows Phone is not for everyone, though:
It's a simpler operating system with fewer options for customisation, and the minimalist Live Tiles (widgets) are not to everyone's taste.
The app selection is fine for my needs - I can do the basics, but apps such as Facebook really are still in the Dark Ages.
The look of the Lumia range of handsets is, for me, about the closest thing that you can get to a "designed" mobile phone - The brightly coloured plastic backs are distinctive, but don't cry out premium by any stretch of the imagination.
If you need Google's services, then you're out of luck (obviously things like email, calendar, etc. all work well enough on Windows Phone, but Google's search and integration simply isn't part of this smartphone experience.
I do miss Google Maps and Streetview, but the mapping options on Windows Phone work well.
For now, Windows Phones will continue to serve my needs, though I suspect that at some point in the next couple of years Microsoft will follow BlackBerry and decide to move their services to an Android handset.
Bear that in mind - And also remember that Nokia still aren't allowed to make a mobile phone for another 12 months or so, but when they do (and they probably will), it will probably be running Android.
Microsoft Lumia could be phased out in favour of Android, and I suspect that they will end up playing a game of catch up to Nokia's Android-running mobiles.
I'll enjoy continuing to use my Lumia mobiles for a good couple of years until that time.
I use cloud storage a lot, and OneDrive ties in with Lumia phones and devices incredibly well, so to have my options reduced so much has irked me. Why should I pay for a service that Google provides for free?
Moreover, Google Photos is an excellent app and allows me to store every photo I've ever taken digitally for free, and they are all accessible on my other connected devices.
I have been looking at cheap Android mobile phones to replace my collection of Lumia mobiles - DOOGEE mobiles offer great value, but the cameras are not really good enough for my needs.
Even my first generation Moto G is still a good phone.
- But - Having played around with Android Lollipop has made me realise that I want a clean, easy to use, simple operating system. Android just doesn't offer this any more.
I've looked at installing launchers on my Android phones, but all they really do is turn the home screen into a "senior" mobile phone.
I like the simplicity and dark theme of Windows Phones, and they do exactly what I expect them to do.
There are no issues or tinkering required to keep the things chugging through the day (no apps need closing), and Lumia phones will happily keep going for a day or more between charges. The frugal use of data is also a respectable trait.
Any of the currently available Windows 8.1 mobiles work well - so much more so than equivalent Android mobiles at the £40-150 mark.
Windows Phone is not for everyone, though:
It's a simpler operating system with fewer options for customisation, and the minimalist Live Tiles (widgets) are not to everyone's taste.
The app selection is fine for my needs - I can do the basics, but apps such as Facebook really are still in the Dark Ages.
The look of the Lumia range of handsets is, for me, about the closest thing that you can get to a "designed" mobile phone - The brightly coloured plastic backs are distinctive, but don't cry out premium by any stretch of the imagination.
If you need Google's services, then you're out of luck (obviously things like email, calendar, etc. all work well enough on Windows Phone, but Google's search and integration simply isn't part of this smartphone experience.
I do miss Google Maps and Streetview, but the mapping options on Windows Phone work well.
For now, Windows Phones will continue to serve my needs, though I suspect that at some point in the next couple of years Microsoft will follow BlackBerry and decide to move their services to an Android handset.
Bear that in mind - And also remember that Nokia still aren't allowed to make a mobile phone for another 12 months or so, but when they do (and they probably will), it will probably be running Android.
Microsoft Lumia could be phased out in favour of Android, and I suspect that they will end up playing a game of catch up to Nokia's Android-running mobiles.
I'll enjoy continuing to use my Lumia mobiles for a good couple of years until that time.
A FreedomPop Review (UK)
Hats off to Engadget for a really useful review of the (UK) FreedomPop network - I heard nothing from FreedomPop since I signed up, and quite frankly this free service just won't be good enough for my mobile telephony needs.
Engadget have written a decent review of FreedomPop in the UK, which I advise you to read HERE.
In my case, free doesn't mean that FreedomPop is a network that I'll be using for one main reason:
The reviewer (like many people) uses more data than anything else on his mobile. They noted that call quality on the FreedomPop network is, by the sounds of it, really bad.
Now, I know that most people prefer to email colleagues at work rather than speak to them on the phone, but I do use a lot of minutes every month, and having a less than perfect voice connection just isn't good enough.
I doubt that FreedomPop will be able to do much about this, plus of course they rely on Three's 3G network for all data/voice/text connectivity, which isn't always the most reliable service in some parts of the country.
If I was a very casual mobile user, FreedomPop would be a good choice, especially since the last "free" network to operate (Ovivo) sank without trace in 2014, leaving a gap in the freemium mobile phone market.
I have waited a good few months to see what FreedomPop were going to be offering in the UK, but unfortunately I feel that I would be disappointed having read this review and other people's opinions elsewhere.
Engadget have written a decent review of FreedomPop in the UK, which I advise you to read HERE.
In my case, free doesn't mean that FreedomPop is a network that I'll be using for one main reason:
The reviewer (like many people) uses more data than anything else on his mobile. They noted that call quality on the FreedomPop network is, by the sounds of it, really bad.
Now, I know that most people prefer to email colleagues at work rather than speak to them on the phone, but I do use a lot of minutes every month, and having a less than perfect voice connection just isn't good enough.
I doubt that FreedomPop will be able to do much about this, plus of course they rely on Three's 3G network for all data/voice/text connectivity, which isn't always the most reliable service in some parts of the country.
If I was a very casual mobile user, FreedomPop would be a good choice, especially since the last "free" network to operate (Ovivo) sank without trace in 2014, leaving a gap in the freemium mobile phone market.
I have waited a good few months to see what FreedomPop were going to be offering in the UK, but unfortunately I feel that I would be disappointed having read this review and other people's opinions elsewhere.
Thursday, 5 November 2015
OneDrive Storage Limit Cull and the Impact on Windows Phone
Microsoft have announced in the OneDrive Blog that they are going to seriously limit the amount of storage offered through the OneDrive service as of early 2016.
Essentially, most OneDrive users have enjoyed free storage of up to 15GB, which is great.
However, this will be dropped to a measly 5GB of storage early in 2016.
The current $1.99/month 100GB storage plan is also going to be reduced to just 50GB.
The unlimited camera roll storage for all photos taken using a Windows Phone/Lumia will disappear altogether!
I encourage you to read the full blog here, which will help soften the blow (anyone using up to 15GB will have at least 12 months to reduce their storage or redeem a free, one year Office 365 subscription which includes 1TB of storage.
All of this smells of "freemium".
Microsoft have said for many months now that Windows 10 will be the version that a generation grows up with, and that whilst it would be free (for many users), they would introduce pay-per-use for certain elements of the entire software package.
Everyone's favourite Windows game, Solitaire, can be downloaded for Windows 10, but has horrified players by injecting advertisements into the game. Purchasing the game removes these adverts.
This move to reduce useable storage from OneDrive looks to be the first major way in which Microsoft intends to force Windows users to fork out for lots of its services.
Ok, $1.99 a month doesn't sound like a lot for 50GB of storage, but Google offers 15GB for free with their Google Drive cloud storage option, and 100GB for $1.99 a month.
Given that the world has moved away from Internet Explorer in favour of Google's Chrome browser, the world is a very different place from the one that Microsoft believe we live in.
In daily life, I use a variety of cloud storage options, but GDrive and OneDrive are my favourites.
I've invested in the Windows ecosystem after Android simply became too complicated(!) to use, and I do like Windows Phone, even with its many limitations. So, to discover that my various Lumia phones and tablets are about to lose the ability to access all of my digital content is a big blow.
The removal of the Camera Roll unlimited upload feature is a big deal.
Google Photos launched recently and has made me jealous of Android users.
Most of my photos are already backed up with Google, so to have Microsoft pull this feature means that I'm even more reliant upon my OneDrive storage limit.
I love my music. I have a huge music collection (which is mostly awful, really) and this is synced and available on my Android devices courtesy of Google Music, which offers free, unlimited storage of all of my music.
OneDrive doesn't even come close to this, as I have to manually (and painfully slowly) upload my music to the relatively new OneDrive music folder.
Microsoft, haven't you heard? The future is in cloud storage.
Most services are going cloud-based (for better or worse), and it's what customers expect these days.
Yes, I can bang a 128GB microSD card into my phone, but I can't be arsed to plug my phone into my PC to download my music to it.
If you have several phones and/or devices, you want things to sync so that they are there, ready and waiting - Nobody wants to go back to USB cables, booting up their PC once a week and downloading photos and uploading music.
Ten years ago, this was the norm. Five years ago, it was uncommon. In 2015, customers want things to work properly and sync, not manually copy and move files around their devices using cables and cards!
Microsoft, you want your next generation of customers to rely on your services. What part of massively limiting their storage makes you think that they will choose Windows over Google or IOS?
Microsoft's Lumia phones are struggling at 2% of all smartphone sales, and this figure is likely to drop as the sales of Lumia devices has dropped around 58% last quarter.
BlackBerry is trying with their PRIV Android slider, but Microsoft just don't seem to realise that flogging a few cheap and very capable handsets doesn't mean that everyone wants to ditch their 'droids and sign up for a Lumia phone with 5GB of online storage.
This reduction in free OneDrive storage, combined with the limitations of Windows Phone is enough to make me reconsider my switch from Android to Lumia.
I miss my music. It's all there waiting for me on my one remaining Android phone.
I have three Lumia phones, one of which is redundant.
I don't want to return to Android, as I find it is now very un-user friendly (double taps and swipes are needed for actions that should only need one prod).
But, Microsoft is forcing me to choose whether I want a dumbphone that syncs my contacts and calendar (Lumia), or do I return to Android and put up with a confusing and inefficient interface and woeful memory/battery management?
I guess that I have a year to decide.
Essentially, most OneDrive users have enjoyed free storage of up to 15GB, which is great.
However, this will be dropped to a measly 5GB of storage early in 2016.
The current $1.99/month 100GB storage plan is also going to be reduced to just 50GB.
The unlimited camera roll storage for all photos taken using a Windows Phone/Lumia will disappear altogether!
I encourage you to read the full blog here, which will help soften the blow (anyone using up to 15GB will have at least 12 months to reduce their storage or redeem a free, one year Office 365 subscription which includes 1TB of storage.
All of this smells of "freemium".
Microsoft have said for many months now that Windows 10 will be the version that a generation grows up with, and that whilst it would be free (for many users), they would introduce pay-per-use for certain elements of the entire software package.
Everyone's favourite Windows game, Solitaire, can be downloaded for Windows 10, but has horrified players by injecting advertisements into the game. Purchasing the game removes these adverts.
This move to reduce useable storage from OneDrive looks to be the first major way in which Microsoft intends to force Windows users to fork out for lots of its services.
Ok, $1.99 a month doesn't sound like a lot for 50GB of storage, but Google offers 15GB for free with their Google Drive cloud storage option, and 100GB for $1.99 a month.
Given that the world has moved away from Internet Explorer in favour of Google's Chrome browser, the world is a very different place from the one that Microsoft believe we live in.
In daily life, I use a variety of cloud storage options, but GDrive and OneDrive are my favourites.
I've invested in the Windows ecosystem after Android simply became too complicated(!) to use, and I do like Windows Phone, even with its many limitations. So, to discover that my various Lumia phones and tablets are about to lose the ability to access all of my digital content is a big blow.
The removal of the Camera Roll unlimited upload feature is a big deal.
Google Photos launched recently and has made me jealous of Android users.
Most of my photos are already backed up with Google, so to have Microsoft pull this feature means that I'm even more reliant upon my OneDrive storage limit.
I love my music. I have a huge music collection (which is mostly awful, really) and this is synced and available on my Android devices courtesy of Google Music, which offers free, unlimited storage of all of my music.
OneDrive doesn't even come close to this, as I have to manually (and painfully slowly) upload my music to the relatively new OneDrive music folder.
Microsoft, haven't you heard? The future is in cloud storage.
Most services are going cloud-based (for better or worse), and it's what customers expect these days.
Yes, I can bang a 128GB microSD card into my phone, but I can't be arsed to plug my phone into my PC to download my music to it.
If you have several phones and/or devices, you want things to sync so that they are there, ready and waiting - Nobody wants to go back to USB cables, booting up their PC once a week and downloading photos and uploading music.
Ten years ago, this was the norm. Five years ago, it was uncommon. In 2015, customers want things to work properly and sync, not manually copy and move files around their devices using cables and cards!
Microsoft, you want your next generation of customers to rely on your services. What part of massively limiting their storage makes you think that they will choose Windows over Google or IOS?
Microsoft's Lumia phones are struggling at 2% of all smartphone sales, and this figure is likely to drop as the sales of Lumia devices has dropped around 58% last quarter.
BlackBerry is trying with their PRIV Android slider, but Microsoft just don't seem to realise that flogging a few cheap and very capable handsets doesn't mean that everyone wants to ditch their 'droids and sign up for a Lumia phone with 5GB of online storage.
This reduction in free OneDrive storage, combined with the limitations of Windows Phone is enough to make me reconsider my switch from Android to Lumia.
I miss my music. It's all there waiting for me on my one remaining Android phone.
I have three Lumia phones, one of which is redundant.
I don't want to return to Android, as I find it is now very un-user friendly (double taps and swipes are needed for actions that should only need one prod).
But, Microsoft is forcing me to choose whether I want a dumbphone that syncs my contacts and calendar (Lumia), or do I return to Android and put up with a confusing and inefficient interface and woeful memory/battery management?
I guess that I have a year to decide.
TalkTalk Customer Service Problems - Again!
In September TalkTalk announced that they were putting their prices up, shortly after I joined.
Regular readers will know that I have been very unimpressed by TalkTalk's customer service, as they have been really ineffective at cancelling my contract.
Well, I thought that all was well following my last experience of talking to them on the phone.
Unfortunately this isn't the end of my ordeal with this cut price outfit.
Yesterday I received an email from TalkTalk saying that my next bill would be £214! This is the payment for the remainder of my contract with them - Even though I cancelled within the 30 day notice period and the customer "service" adviser that I spoke with assured me that I wouldn't be charged an extra penny for leaving TalkTalk.
After 71 minutes on the phone to TalkTalk (yes, 71 minutes), I finally spoke with a customer service manager, who, after having to explain the issues that I've had with trying to cancel my contract yet again, agreed to waive the fees.
Luckily I used the Say No app to find a TalkTalk number that wasn't a pricey 0845 number, otherwise I would have also been asking for compensation!
Seriously TalkTalk - Your data breach has been bad enough, but I can safely say from my own experience that your customer service is every bit as bad as all of the negative reviews there are of your services. I shall never use your services again, if in fact you survive the fallout from your recent hack.
I'd be amazed if anyone would be stupid enough to choose TalkTalk now.
Regular readers will know that I have been very unimpressed by TalkTalk's customer service, as they have been really ineffective at cancelling my contract.
Well, I thought that all was well following my last experience of talking to them on the phone.
Unfortunately this isn't the end of my ordeal with this cut price outfit.
Yesterday I received an email from TalkTalk saying that my next bill would be £214! This is the payment for the remainder of my contract with them - Even though I cancelled within the 30 day notice period and the customer "service" adviser that I spoke with assured me that I wouldn't be charged an extra penny for leaving TalkTalk.
After 71 minutes on the phone to TalkTalk (yes, 71 minutes), I finally spoke with a customer service manager, who, after having to explain the issues that I've had with trying to cancel my contract yet again, agreed to waive the fees.
Luckily I used the Say No app to find a TalkTalk number that wasn't a pricey 0845 number, otherwise I would have also been asking for compensation!
Seriously TalkTalk - Your data breach has been bad enough, but I can safely say from my own experience that your customer service is every bit as bad as all of the negative reviews there are of your services. I shall never use your services again, if in fact you survive the fallout from your recent hack.
I'd be amazed if anyone would be stupid enough to choose TalkTalk now.
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