The Voxtel BD50 is one of the rare brand of touch screen mobile phones, in an industry where general wear an tear can have a major impact on such luxuries. At first glance you would never guess that it was a mobile phone as it has the characteristics of a personal organisers. The fact that there are only two keys, pick up and hang up, gives away the fact that it is a mobile phone.
The phone itself is marginally bigger that a standard credit card, measuring in at 93.5 mm x 48.7 mm x 16.
8 mm and weighing only 89 grams (understandable bearing in mind the heavy keys which have been removed). The phone comes in one colour, black and silver, with a Li-Ion 710 mAh battery offering some 110 standby time and 2 hours of talk time.
As you would guess, the Voxtel BD50 is dominated by the vital TFT display screen, which is a larger than normal 34 mm x 43 mm offering pixel resolution of 176 x 220 and up to 262,000 colour variations.
The quality of the display is at least as good as the phone’s major competitors, like the Fly X7 and Haier M230, as it holds up well to strong sun light and gives a sharp crisp focus. It is however a little improved on the competitors above, in the fact that it offers 262,000 colour variations, rather than the basic 65,000.
The Voxtel BD50 also has a 1.3 Mpix camera which is positioned at the rear of the phone, with a useful LED light to confirm when the camera is working. The are the usual flash and brightness controls and the flash offers a neat handheld light for assistance in the dark.
Additional facilities include the standard phone book, although this only holds a rather disappointing 300 records. The basic messaging systems are also accommodated including SMS, EMS and MMS and there is also a WAP application, for those wishing to surf the internet on the move. There are also a number of pre-loaded games to while away those long journeys.
A useful if not spectacular phone, the Voxtel BD50 is a nice additional to the touch screen phone sector.
As the mobile phone industry looks for great untapped markets, both China and India are top of the list, with subscriber figures dwarfing the growth of markets elsewhere. While India is currently recognised as the front runner with regards to increased user number, China is also posting some great figures.
Recent figures from China show that there are an amazing 455 million mobile phone subscribers in the country, with an awesome increase of some 6 million subscribers in November alone! The number of subscribers has increased by 61 million between January and November 2006, showing that there is real money to be made in China for the mobile phone operators. The standard landline figures are also very impressive with a total of 370 million subscribers at the end of November.
When you take into account the mobile numbers and fixed line numbers, the country is well on the way to 1 billion phone subscribers. As the mobile phone operators have also realised, new technology in the mobile market will soon replace fixed lines, so there are currently a further 300 million plus potential mobile phone subscribers.
There are also signs that this relatively new and expanding market is not taking long to grasp the new technology with subscribers sending a mind boggling 38 billion text messages in November alone.
This averages out at just under 3 message per user per day. Even on relatively small profit margins for texting services, this represents a massive income stream for the mobile phone companies, not to mention subscription fees and talk time costs themselves.
The stockmarket has been very quick to realise the potential of the Chinese market, and even after a good 2006 there have been further share price increases in the local mobile network operators.
On the first day of trading after Christmas, China Mobile (H.K.) Limited, who are firmly entrenched as the main operator in China, rose some $2.
65 to $43.30 valuing the company at $171 Billion . This optimism for the region has also been reflected in share price rises for smaller operators such as China Unicom Ltd and other operators from around the region.
The mobile phone industry in the Far East is the “hot” investment area at the moment, with signs that this is set to continue for the foreseeable future. How long before the European and US majors try to muscle in and expand their share? It cannot be long before we see further takeover battles, partnerships, etc.
Fuelled by the growing popularity of mobile phones in regions such as China and India, there was a large surge in mobile phones sales in the 3rd quarter of 2006, with reported sales growing over 20% on a worldwide basis. Total handset sales in the 3rd quarter alone were in the region of 250 million, with forecasters recently upgrading their total year sales estimates to just under 1 billion at 986 million units.
While the overall trend has shown a substantial increase, there are obviously wildly varying degrees of performance between the local markets of the world.
Not surprisingly the third quarter sales in the Asia / Pacific region were the most impressive, although the fall in Japanese sales was a little surprising as many observers still see further growth in this market (there are however worrying signs of a falling population figure in Japan which may effect forecasts over the next 20 years or so).
The story is slightly different in the more mature markets of Europe and the USA where first time subscriber figures are still under pressure, as are the handset replacement sales figures. However, some market observers are forecasting a reversal of this tend in the medium term as the introduction of new technologies such as mobile broadband and mobile television pick up momentum.
On breaking down the sales figures between the handset manufacturers, Nokia, Motorola and Samsung account for a dominant 68% of total worldwide sales at present (with Nokia taking some 35% market share to retain number one spot). While this dominance is expected to continue for some time, there are signs of pricing pressures in the market place with many networks keen to introduce new technologies into the market place, via heavily subsidised handsets. This pricing pressure is forcing some of the major handset providers to seek both manufacturing and technological partnerships to reduce their expenditure, and reposition themselves further up the technology chain for the future.
The competitive nature of the industry was highlighted by the sudden downfall of BenQ, as financial difficulties hit the manufacturing arm. As the company closed many of its overseas operations, there are concerns that the brand name will disappear altogether just 12 months after its formation.
As the industry becomes ever more cut throat, BenQ will not be the last of the smaller operators to encounter difficulties, with the post Christmas period magnifying company specific difficulties.
Its seems inevitable that the industry will yet again be dominated still further by the majors, with new brands finding it very difficult to break customer loyalty to the larger brands.
In their search for ever more lucrative markets, the mobile phone operators are now looking to the skies for their next income stream, with the onset of inflight mobile phone and internet use set to “take off” in 2007. As ever the first major airline to look into this field is the innovative Emirate Airlines who have a system ready to go in January 2007, allowing passengers to make mobile phone calls while airborne.
For years we have been informed that the mobile signals can interfere with the navigational and control systems of the airlines, however it appears that recent advances in technology have enabled the carriers to isolate the mobile phone signals and ensure there is no interference. The business market is the obvious target for this service, with time critical and constant connections required in the ever changing face of industry. The network operators have opened a potentially very lucrative market with many business people (and personal users) willing to pay “any” price for the privilege of using their phones while airborne.
Not to be out done by Emirates Airlines, the Australian carrier Quatas is currently trialing a similar system which will allow passengers to use mobile phones as well as PDA’s, thereby slowly slowly expanding the market, and potential income. It seems that the day of the pre-paid airline controlled phone system are about to disappear, although the lost income will be more than made up by “commission” they will receive form the mobile phone network operators - who have been quick to come forward.
In a fairly unique scenario, the US carriers are not yet in a position to follow their international competitors, with the FAA currently reviewing their advice about the use of mobile phones inflight.
Some market observers feel that this is a slight smoke screen as the US carrier market is currently struggling with a number of operators seeking financial protection from the courts. Until the industry is back on its feet, there appears little likelihood of new services being introduced to falling passenger numbers.
While many will welcome the use of mobile phones during flights, there are a significant number of passengers who would rather enjoy the peace of a mobile phone free flight.
There is the potential for onboard arguments, increased tension, not to mention a potential heightened risk to passenger security. It will be interesting to see how this one develops.
As the use of mobile phones grows around the world, it was inevitable that as the more mature adult markets began to slow, the mobile phone manufacturers would move down to the younger users.
They have been targeted in many ways such as younger designs, bright colours, an emphasis on safety and knowing where your children are.
These are some of the factors which have caused a major boom in the 8 year old to 16 year old market. In many cases this has resulted in major problems at school with many phones being used for unsavoury purposes.
There has been a massive increase in the number of so called “happy slapping” incidents in the UK, where innocent parties are attacked and filmed on mobile phones for the “enjoyment” of the perpetrators. The effect of the so called “happy slapping” incidents has been so severe that police in the UK have been working with schools to reduce mobile phone abuse, as well as theft and bullying in schools. With the help of the police and school authorities a handbook has been circulated to the major education authorities of the UK with advice and tips about reducing bullying.
In this day of ever younger mobile phone users, it has become apparent that mobile phones are very often the source of much jealousy in the play ground as well as used to film unsavoury incidents. A number of perpetrators have actually been caught using evidence from mobile phones, and in particular the videos which are very quickly circulated when incidents such as “happy slapping” occur. Teachers and school observers have been instructed to target misuse of mobiles which has actually resulted in a drop in school bullying and attacks.
This is just another example of how the mobile phone has become a status symbol for some, and an object of jealousy for others. In the fickle mind of the younger school children these devices are a major part of their lives, and essential to their image - both at school and home.
No doubt this Christmas many children will be waking up to new mobile phones, with the best facilities and services.
Prior to letting your child use the phone it is ever more essential that they are shown a few ground rules about how to use, and also how to act with their new mobile phone. While the instances of misuse have been out of control over the last few years, mobile phones do play a very important part in keeping your family safe and in constant contact. The tricky bit is finding a balance between use and abuse of their mobile.
A world renowned mobile phone company recently reported charging a subscriber in excess of $66,000 for downloading three full length movies from the internet via his mobile phone.
The user was subscribed to the Vodaphone “Connect 600” service, offering “unlimited downloading”, which when reading the fine print actually meant 600 megabytes every two months!
As each movie was a massive 600-700 MB, it is easy to see why the Italian gentleman ran up a bill for $66,000!
He has since appealed to the consumer authorities for assistance in paying his bill, but it is not clear whether any help has been forthcoming.
The moral of this story is, read the fine print.
Thirty year old Indian Tkamzalian had a miraculous escape after an accident while driving between Itanagar and Churachandpur, Manipur with his mother, sister and brother.
Their the car was involved in a terrible 300 feet fall, although amazingly Tkamzalian managed to survive.
While the relatives of Tkamzalian had reported the family missing, police where unaware as to the location of the vehicle. It was then revealed that Tkamzalian’s mobile phone had remained active, and using cutting edge technology the police were able to find and retrieve the car.
Astonishingly Tkamzalian had survived 5 days without food, water or warm clothes, in the sub zero temperatures of Nagaland. After medical treatment, and a stint convalescing Tkamzalian has recovered from his ordeal. His mobile phone truly was a life saver.
Its All Part Of The Show!
After placing an advert in the local newspaper, offering her two poodle puppies for sale, Sally Edwards was amazed to pick up her answer phone message and here the voice of popular comedian Russell Brand asking if the puppies were still for sale.
It was only after rechecking the message sometime later that Ms Edwards overheard what sounded like an “audience” in the background, cheering and clapping Brand’s every word.
Slightly bemused by the whole episode, Sally spoke with some of her friends only to find that Brand had been performing locally. Apparently he had commandeered a member of the audience’s mobile, taken her number from the local paper and set her up live on the show.
Russell Brand is well known for his flamboyant style, and recently got into trouble for wasting Police time after calling them on his mobile during one of his live shows.
Sally reports that the dogs have gone to good homes, and no comedians are involved!
Although the recently introduced laws outlawing the use of mobile phones while driving were hailed as a life saving measure, the impact on drivers has not been what it should be.
Recent reports have shown that the majority of drivers are ignoring the ban, putting both themselves and innocent bystanders at risk.
This is not just a UK problem, with surveys worldwide indicating a lack of respect for the new laws. So what next?
It seems inevitable that the UK government will further crack down on the use of mobiles while driving, with increased fines and the risk of imprisonment if involved in a major incident.
On the spot fines and penalty points will continue, however the courts are set to be given tighter guidelines to punish offenders. It is widely reported that over 60% of drivers are flouting the laws, with the majority of incidents occurring in the male, under 25 age group.
While the majority of drivers cautioned by the police have been talking on their mobiles, there has been a growing number of cautions for drivers texting while on the move!
What are the consequences of using a mobile on the move?
There are many well documented side effects of using a phone while driving, including amongst others, a reduced level of concentration, a lack of awareness of your surroundings and reduced control of the vehicle. These three elements together are a recipe for disaster, and have played a large part in many road accidents reported in the UK.
Even though there are many so-called “hands free” products available, these devices have been shown to play a major part in road fatalities. Even if a drivers attention is distracted for one moment, there is the potential for disaster.
While the government have acted to try and curb the use of mobiles while driving, the vast majority of drivers are of the opinion that they will not be caught.
Unfortunately, the authorities have no option but to increase the penalties for drivers caught flouting the laws, with imprisonment a real possibility for those using a mobile and involved in any road incidents.
Recent hard hitting advertising campaigns by the UK government seemed to have a short term effect, although this was short lived and drivers soon fell back into their old ways. Until the attitude of drivers changes, the mobile phone will continue to be a very dangerous weapon in the hands of a driver.
As Google continues the quest to rule the world, there are yet more reports that the company is strengthening its stable of partners in the mobile phone industry. The company is already in talks with massive US operator Airtel about introducing its specialised search engine expertise into Airtel handsets. Now it appears they are looking to go one step further, and release a Google-Orange handset, but will they be able to crack the market?
While it will take a very brave person to back against the might of Google, they are entering a market which is cut throat, very fashion conscious and is dictated by fickle consumers. This is a market place which is not in the natural “comfort zone” of Google.
As you would expect the company are looking to leverage their search engine expertise still further, and develop an additional more rounded service than the one currently being discussed with Airtel.
Quite why Google have chosen Orange to be their partner is unclear, but it may well be the fact that Google should be able to retain senior status in the relationship, because of the companies good name and financial muscle - we have yet to see Google play second spot to anybody in a partnership.
In essence, Google are looking to bring the functionality of the PC to the new breed of mobile phones. As we enter the mobile broadband and mobile TV era, there has been a major increase in the size of the market and the options available.
While mobile internet functionality has been around for some time, the speed and reliability factor has not always been there. This is something which Google should be able to improve dramatically, thereby making a name for itself in the mobile phone market.
It would appear that planning for the Google phone is a fair way down the line because it is even rumoured that the partnership have chosen Taiwanese firm, HTC to manufacture the Google-Orange branded phone.
While Google will be dealing with companies who have a greater financial clout than themselves, there are every few any industry who are as quick on their toes and as innovative as Google. This potential competition may well be what the sector requires, as recent investment and spending has been heavily dictated by the operators such as Vodafone, etc.
While Google has been successful with the majority of their new ventures, let us not forget the failure of ventures such as Google Answers (resulting in the purchase of AskJeevers.
com) which have conveniently been scrubbed from the Google history books.
The HTC TyTN (Hermes) is one of today’s brighter, sharper and more compact smartphones which offers a vast array of services and functionality within a very handy sized casing. This phone is targeted at both the personal and business users, who needs to be able to work on the move, as well as be constantly available and able to keep up with world events.
The handset itself is controlled by Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC which is the most up to date version of Windows Mobile available The casing itself is dominated by the large display screen and the QWERTY keyboard, neatly tucked away behind the screen. The dimensions of the phone are obviously a little bulkier and heavier that your normal mobile phone, measuring 112.
5 mm x 58 mm x 21.95 mm weighing in at some 176 grams. The device is powered by a Li-Ion 1350 mAh batter, which is more powerful than the normal batteries available, offering up to 200 hours standby and 5 hours talk time.
The TFT screen display on the HTC TyTN (Hermes) is a fairly large 2.8 inches diagonal, with resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, and is able to show a combination of up to 65,000 colour variations.
The screen itself is touchscreen, thereby simplifying the navigation procedure, while also offering a manual system for those uncomfortable with touchscreen. The memory capacity includes 64MB of RAM and 128 MB of ROM, which allows vast storage space for information such as phone records, etc. The phone records on the HTC TyTN (Hermes) allow you to store multiple information for each contact, including more than one phone number, email address, image specific to contact, and also attach an MP3 tune to the ringer if a specific person calls.
The additional services available include a 2 megapixel camera offering both still and video services plus the more advanced video call option with compatible phones. The camera facility has your standard zoom, multi shoot, timer options which are all fairly standard. The pixel resolution varies itself from 128 x 96 to 176 x 144 offering a different focus quality.
The HTC TyTN (Hermes) also has the standard messaging services including SMS, MMS and email together with SyncML and Synchronisation with PC - all very useful in today’s mobile office environment. Other connection options include GPRS/EDGE class B software, HSDPA, WAP, Wi-Fi, Irda and Bluetooth, ensuring that all options are covered.
Add to this a personal organiser service and you have a quality smartphone, sleek design, and very useful into today’s market place.
The HTC TyTN (Hermes) ticks all of the boxes.
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