Touch-screen phone use soars, iPhone on top

Market research firm ComScore reported on Tuesday that touch-screen mobile-phone adoption is not only on the rise, it's growing at a rapid rate.

Touch-screen phone adoption grew by 159 percent between August 2008 and August 2009, according to ComScore. The firm also found that by the end of August 2009, there were 23.8 million users with touch-screen mobile phones in the United States alone. In August 2008, just over 9.2 million people were using touch-screen phones.

But it's not just the touch screen that's enjoying strong growth. ComScore also found that smartphones are gaining traction across the U.S. Between August 2008 and August 2009, smartphone adoption grew by 63 percent. There were 20.7 million mobile subscribers using smartphones in August 2008. More than 33.7 million subscribers had smartphones by August 2009.

Unsurprisingly, it was the iPhone that led the way during that period. According to ComScore, the iPhone was the top touch-screen device for users aged 13 and older, capturing 32.9 percent of the touch-screen market. The LG Dare placed a distant second, accounting for 8.7 percent of the touch-screen phones in the wild. That device was followed up by the LG Voyager, BlackBerry Storm, and Palm Treo, which captured 7.8 percent, 7 percent, and 6.5 percent of the market, respectively.

It's also worth noting that the average user of a touch-screen device is younger than those who use standard mobile phones. According to ComScore, 51.4 percent of smartphone users are under the age of 35. A whopping 57.7 percent of touch-screen users fall within that age range. ComScore also found that 20.6 percent of touch-screen users range in age between 18 and 24. Less than 5 percent of touch-screen users are 65 and older.

Source: http://news.cnet.com/

Samsung Is Now, The Big Surprise

Samsung Electronics has been boosting its corporate image by injecting massive capital into computer memory chips and flat-screen panels.

The Suwon, Gyeonggi Province-based consumer-electronics company is now shifting its top corporate focus to highly-advanced electronic gadgets such as LCD TVs with light emitting-diode (LED) backlights and mobile phones equipped with the next-generation display of AM OLED panels.

Samsung executives say the time is ripe for Samsung Group's most powerful unit to set up a new global trend in consumer electronics markets as its decades-long efforts for the leadership in chips and flat panels have already been paid off.

Samsung has realized economies of a scale in both the memory chip and flat-screen sectors thanks to aggressive investments and faster decisions. As we are approaching a decision on pricing for our bigger clients, it is evident and natural to shift focus on to new segments," a senior Samsung Electronics executive told The Korea Times

Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/

Pay-as-you-go Android hits the UK this week at T-Mobile

Now if you want to try out Android without taking on a hefty contract, there is a pay-as-you-go option for the first time in the UK, with the launch of the T-Mobile Pulse.

The phone shares many of the characteristics of some other Android handsets targeted at the mass market of mobile web users and younger consumers – integrated social networking, simple user interface, midrange media features. The Pulse, which is actually made by Huawei but branded by T-Mobile, offers some of the features of new products like Motorola Dext/Cliq, but without any contract tie-in. Instead, users will have to shell out an upfront £179.99.

The Pulse has good connectivity – HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS, better than some smartphones – but is middle of the road on other hardware. For instance, its camera is 3.2-megapixels and has autofocus but no flash. The design is slimline with a 2Gb microSD card included and a 2.5mm headphone jack. It has a 3.5-inch touchscreen.

For those who prefer to spread their payments, the Pulse can also be taken on a two-year deal of £30 a month, spreading TMo’s bets when it has slapped a fairly hefty price tag on the pay-as-you-go option. This taps into the trend for even higher end users to go for prepaid in the current downturn. "We've seen an increase in the take-up of £80-plus devices on prepay," said T-Mobile UK, though it did add that the Pulse was designed to be “aspirational”. It expects the phone to appeal to 18 to 24-year olds, whereas the HTC Android products carried by the carrier were aimed at an older segment and early adopters.

The Pulse came to the UK this week and will also appear over the coming weeks in all T-Mobile’s European territories - Germany, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Macedonia and Croatia.

Other midrange Android handsets are starting to appear to broaden the platform’s appeal beyond the smartphone base. These include the Dext and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Lite, plus another HTC model, the Click/Tattoo.

Source: http://www.unthinkable.biz

Pay as you go deals: the best choice for travelers

For the people who have to travel as a part of their work and need to make frequent trips out of their native land, it may be a problem to stay connected. This problem will arise when the user is tied up in a commitment with the network provider and cannot switch to a local network of a foreign place to which he travels. This however is not enforced on the users if they go for pay as you go deals since they can easily switch to local networks.

When a user travels far and wide, it may not be possible for him to afford roaming charges for a long time. Therefore, the best way for him to be connected is to switch to a network which is local for that place. This would be against the network provider if the person is under a contract. It is rather better to go in for deals which are sim free and allow the users to switch to any other local network without any commitment or limitation. Pay as you go deal offers this freedom to the users with which they can easily switch networks according to needs.

Pay as you go deals are also beneficial in the case where a user is not getting adequate services and wishes to switch. Also, pay as you go deals are advantageous since they provide a control to the user of the expenditure that he makes on his phone. He can get his mobile account recharged according to his budget and then use it later on. Any latest handsets can be taken up for pay as you go deals.

Pay as you go deals make it really possible for the users to switch to better networks or save their money. No limitations can tie them down to one network.

Summary

Through pay as you go deals, the users can decide their expenditure on mobile expenses beforehand. Also, they can switch between networks easily at will when they are traveling anywhere outside of native land.

Pay as You Go Mobile Phones : Connecting People Everywhere

Pay as you go mobile phones are a marvellous means for people to stay connected with others. This phone deal is introduced with the idea that it would ease up connectivity with others. People can make good use of this option as it allows people to stay connected without having to bother about the mobile bills.

The users of this phone can make good use of it to stay ahead in life. People can depend on payg mobile phones so as to make good use of the phone even while they are located somewhere far away from the main service provider. Users are benefited with the deal as one can keep themselves connected having paid the bill amount beforehand. The user-friendliness of the deal is very inspiring. People get the scope to keep using the connection without having to bother for the call costs. The phone balance keeps people connected. A user can also easily recharge the account. It can be done online too.

Thus the utility of this deal is realised as users do not have the risk of losing money. The left over amount is credited to ones account once a person recharges his or her account balance. Here lies the usefulness of this deal. People feel reluctant to abandon this deal once they avail the pay as you go mobile phones.

Then there is also the option for people to keep complete control over their mobile expenditure. Users normally recharge the account in accordance to ones budget. People find this deal extremely beneficial for them to continue using the services of their mobile network at a budget that they desire.

A user also enjoys complete liberty with the pay as you go phone deal. It is exclusive and people can abort a network connection anytime one may wish to. It means that users can go for another connection be it that of Vodafone, O2, Orange or others. This is done by abandoning the present connection at anytime. People find it useful as they can use the connection without bothering about the costs involved.

Information about the payg mobile phones deal is available on the internet. Users can get details about this deal by simply surfing the internet. The various websites that provide details about the deal can be easily accessed. Users thus find it possible on their part to use the gadget for connectivity reasons.

Mobile of companies such Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, LG and others are accompanied with such marvellous deals such as that of pay as you go mobile phone deal. This handsets thus become extremely useful for people. Users all over the world can access the benefits of this deal. The payg mobile phones deal can be accessed from any region of the world. Users can file an online application for the deal.

The advent of internet gives the scope to people to avail this deal, no matter, wherever one may be located. The user-friendliness of the deal is what enables people to make the best use of it.

source : http://www.articlesbase.com/