Skypephone S2 from 3 will have email capabilities

July 21, 2008

Today 3 mobile let me see one of new Skypephone S2 and it has some fantastic new features that make it even more desirable than the first.

Built into the phone are a host of new upgrades. The main physical changes from the original Skypephone are the larger screen which is upgraded to 2.2 inch QVGA (upgraded from 2 inch QCIF) and the 3.2 megapixel camera (upgraded from 2MP), there’s also the welcome addition of Bluetooth.

It’s the applications that make the difference though - the new Skypephone S2 has RSS feed capability and a facebook application built in but the killer new app will be email.

3 are introducing email on their entire range of handsets from highest spec gizmo down to the most bog standard mobile. Cost will be from just £2.50 per month and it’ll work with any POP3 or IMAP email account (even Hotmail or Gmail). Email on the Skypephone S2 won’t be available on launch date, but is expected to be available within a few weeks of the first phones shipping.

Now email on the Skypephone will make it a true business tool for eBay sellers. Not only can you keep in contact with customers with Skype chats and Skype calls, but you’ll even be able to respond to email from your mobile handset.

Of course you won’t *have* to use a Skypephone to access email, 3 have a whole range of handsets right up to the Nokia E71 and even a Blackberry due out in the next few weeks. The Skypephone however is the only handset in the world that has Skype as a built in as an “always on” embedded tool rather than as an add on application. That means it doesn’t eat into your data allowance and 3 allow a generous 4,000 Skype minutes and 10,000 Skype chat messages a month for free on the Skypephone.

The Skypephone S2 has 3G mobile broadband capabilities with HSDPA speeds of up to 3.6Mbps and comes with the drivers built into the phone so you won’t need an installation disk. It can be used either with a USB cable to your laptop or via Bluetooth.

The cost is expected to be £69.99 on PAYG, and free for contract customers. Delivery of the first handsets is expected to the the 18th August. I can’t wait to get my hands on one that I can keep - email to my mobile at a reasonable cost will save me carrying a laptop around.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | 32 Comments 

Preview of the new Skypephone 2 from 3 mobile

July 9, 2008

For everyone that loved the Skypephone there’s some great news - there’s a new updated model in development and it should be even better than the first. As rumours began spreading mobile operator 3 confirmed them saying “We are working on a new 3 Skypephone to follow on from the success of the first version.”

They’re short on detail but have confirmed that it’ll be again be a 3G model with an upgraded 3.2 megapixel camera instead of the old 2 megapixel. Sadly the camera is still on the rear of the phone meaning no video conferencing capability. RSS looks like a great feature that may be available on the new Skypephone, the screen shows an RSS symbol so it may be possible to get your favourite feeds (like TameBay) direct to your handset.

The part number will be WMA8709 and the phone when released will be the IMP2. The manufacturer of the original Skypephone, AMOI will again build the new one.

It appears that the new Skypephone has been approved by the FCC and some are speculating this indicates a quad band Skypephone meaning it could be used in the US.

I’m looking forward to the release of the new phone, I’ll be first in line to grab one when it becomes available.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | 10 Comments 

The iPhone gets eBay enabled

June 10, 2008

This post was written in June 2008; specific information contained within it may be out of date.

I’ve largely ignored the iPhone, not particularly because of the price but more because it was tied to O2. That’s just changed with the announcement of an iPhone eBay auctions app at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

What’s even better news are the rumours that Apple are to offer the iPhone with Vodafone, T-Mobile and the Carphone Warehouse in Europe. Although this might not include the UK doubtless some Vodafone ready units will slip into the UK and I won’t need to change my mobile provider. The release of a new 3G model iPhone should be launched in the near future with O2 already offering free upgrades to some existing customers or just £99.00 to those on cheaper contracts.

Unlike other mobile experiences the iPhone screen and functionality allows a much richer eBay experience, this is one toy I just *have* to have and it now qualifies as an eBay business tool.

You can view the eBay iPhone software in your normal browser to give it a test run without an iPhone. The eBay software will available for free when Apple launch the App Store, expected to be some time this summer.

Written by Chris Dawson · Filed Under News | 4 Comments