Omio News Blog

HTC Sensation XE ‘Lite’ Edition Scraps Pack-In Beats Headphones, Lowers Pay Monthly Cost

Wow, that was quick.

Mere weeks after Taiwanese manufacturer HTC said they would cease packing Beats by Dre headphones in with future devices, UK handset retailer BuyMobilePhones has already taken stock of revamped HTC Sensation XEs sans in-ear audio goodness.

The image above shows the new official HTC Sensation XE packaging (right) alongside the original Beats by Dre edition of the sizable smartphone, with the vendor dubbing it the ‘Lite’ edition and shaving a few quid off the monthly cost in the process.

You can see that the ‘Beats Audio’ branding – nor the headphones – are anywhere to be seen on the box, whilst the custom Beats wallpaper pictured on the Sensation XE has now been replaced with a stock Sense swirl of colours.

Word from BMP is that the device within is physically identical to the original XE and is still boasting Beats technology hardware-wise, just not shouting about it so loudly this time…also that this leaner package is available now.

It is all but certain the original HTC Sensation XE bundle is being phased out for this new cost-effective model to buoy a phone maker facing tough financial times, as well as stiff smartphone competition from the likes of Sony and Samsung.

The HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio is still available for free from £18.50 per month on various networks, but the canny retailer has also created some canny custom bundles by combining the stripped-down ‘Lite’ with pricier Beats Solo or Beats Studio headphones…effectively sweetening the deal for Android-loving audiophiles.

Despite word that recent corporate shuffles – CFO Winston Yung (said to have been instrumental in HTC’s $300m majority stake investment in the ‘Beats’ brand) being sent off into corporate development – have nothing to do with a costly foray into accessory territory, such a swift cost-cutting exercise does illustrate plans to shift the company into a stronger direction for 2012.

HTC One V Gets Bargain Pre-Order Pricing, Lippy Phone Free From £13.50 Per Month

The final member of the HTC One Series trio is finally up for pre-order, with the eminently affordable One V arriving on selected online retailers from today. 

BuyMobilePhones is offering the ambitious entry-level Android device for free from a rock-bottom £13.50 per month, chucking in 50 minutes, 250 texts and 100MB of data into the bargain.

Arguably a fantastic deal for the smartphone latecomer, the HTC One V marks the return of the (in)famous ‘lip’ or ‘chin’ that made HTC’s Hero and Legend such iconic devices, giving both an ergonomic and eye-catching differentiator to the 1Ghz single-core handset.

Other standout features for the One V include a 5-megapixel autofocus snapper, Beats Audio on the ones-and-twos for music and a 3.7-inch touchscreen display.

Memory may be a relatively lean 4GB of internal storage but given the sub-£230 SIM-free price tag, the One V boasts some healthy specs.

Taking aim at all sectors of the market with the mid-level One S and the flagship One X, HTC’s One Series seems geared to get the Taiwanese manufacturer back on track.

The HTC One V is currently scheduled for launch at the tail end of April.

HTC Sensation XE White Due February, Brings Beauty And The Beats

If you were only able to tell HTC’s Sensation handsets from each other by colourway, the Taiwanese phone maker is set to make things a lot tougher this month with a white model of the HTC Sensation XE.

The HTC Sensation XE white is due for a February 20th launchaccording to SIM-free phone seller Clove, with the Beats by Dre-equipped smartphone costing £408.

Powered by a dual-core processor, Android Gingerbread and a 4.3-inch qHD display, the Sensation XE is already a formidable device in the AV stakes, with enduring popularity stemming from affordable pricepoints.

With confirmed word that HTC is to be focused on quality over quantity this year, we look forward to seeing more from both the manufacturer and the amazingly successful Beats brand.

T-Mobile UK Launches January Sale, Slashes Contract, PAYG and SIM Only Deals

The mulled wine is still warm in Omio Towers and yet T-Mobile are already thrusting into a January sale of epic proportions!

From today (23rd December) until the 31st of January, T-Mobile are offering discounts on contract deals, pay-as-you-go handsets and propping up their SIM only offers too.

In the pay monthly arena, the magenta network are taking a fiver off per month from the HTC Desire S, making it available for free from just £20 on a 24-month contract. A fiver more will net you the new and improved BlackBerry Curve 9360, complete with unlimited BlackBerry mail.

T-Mobile’s own-brand Android handset – the Vivacity – will now only set you back just £10.21 per month, a bargain for a Gingerbread-powered device complete with 3.5″ touchscreen and 5-megapixel camera.

For those happy with their current device and looking for a SIM only deal, T-Mobile now offers up to 500MB of free internet with every package, including both 30-day and 12-month plans. Factoring in unlimited texts to the bargain, and the offer stacks up favourably with the SIMO competition.

Phone fans will also appreciate the myriad offers in the PAYG section, including the HTC Wildfire S having its price shaved by £30 from £179.99 to £149.99, and the ever-popular BlackBerry Curve 8520 falling to £119.99, a saving of twenty quid.

There are a ton of other discounts across the board, so please be sure to check out their site for the full line-up of reductions!

Best Mobile Phones of 2011 : Omio’s Top 5

It’s been some year in the world of mobile. And whilst looking forward is what us tech watchers and gadget fanatics love doing more than anyone, it seems the right time to take stock and reflect on what’s happened on planet mobile in the last 12 months…specifically, the five best phones to hit the shelves in 2011.

Here’s our pick of the bunch.

1. Apple iPhone 4S

A controversial inclusion? Maybe. But the iPhone 4S is still one of the best phones that money can buy, even if it did leave Apple fans cold when it was first announced. Look beyond the phone’s year-old design (which is still head and shoulders above the competition), and this is a phone crammed with the best modern mobiles can offer. Full HD camcorder, stunning 8 megapixel camera, Siri voice recognition and access to countless stunning apps. Apple might have big plans for the iPhone 5, but the Apple iPhone 4S is a mighty impressive iterative update.

2. Nokia Lumia 800

Nokia’s had yet another tough year. Yet having started it with boardroom upheaval, it ended 2011 releasing its best smartphone ever and its first to use Windows Phone. The Nokia Lumia 800 is a glorious piece of engineering, with an operating system that remains vastly underrated and sadly lacking in a vast app ecosystem. But with Nokia Drive and Mix Radio, this is a device that’s well worth investing in. A welcome return to form.

3. Samsung Galaxy Nexus

The best Android phone ever? Possibly. Samsung’s latest ‘pure Google’ device is the most cutting edge smartphone out there, using Android Ice Cream Sandwich in conjunction with the kind of tech that rival handsets can only dream of. NFC, Full HD video and a gorgeous 4.65-inch super AMOLED screen make the Samsung Galaxy Nexus an all round winner. 2011’s finest Google phone, no question. Except…

4. Samsung Galaxy S II

The Samsung Galaxy S II runs its stablemate a close second. While not using the latest Android OS, it can be forgiven seeing as it landed months beforehand. This device really saw Sammy move into the big leagues and prove that Android has helped put it well ahead of the pack. The phone has become the choice, not just of Android fanatics, but also mainstream phone users not keen on Apple’s “walled garden”. A great piece of kit.

5. HTC Sensation XE with Beats Audio

It’s been a hard year for HTC. After an all-conquering start, its spluttered to a halt, with profit warnings and falling sales. But the HTC Sensation XE is one of its finest ever phones. A rebrand of the Sensation, it uses Beats Audio tech to make it the most musically-focused phone ever. That means improved audio tech under the hood, as well as bundled iBeats headphones, which are better than any other buds we’ve ever used out of the box with a mobile. One for music lovers everywhere.

HTC To Offer Fewer Smartphones in 2012, Focus On Quality Over Quantity?

After a successful – if somewhat turbulent – year, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC is to change up their smartphone strategy for 2012, according to word from Boy Genius Report.

After a succession of iterations and updates might have led to market confusion and a subsequent decline in fortunes near the close of the year, HTC is rumoured to restrict their output to a few strong ‘hero’ handsets including a 4G Windows Phone variant for the U.S. and a new flagship Android device.

Whilst 2010 and early 2011 saw HTC rule the smartphone roost as far as Android was concerned, the well-documented success of handset competition like the Samsung Galaxy S II would mean that a revised plan of action could indeed see them come return with more pinpoint accuracy in the New Year.

As someone who has had to add the Wildfire S, Desire S, Sensation, Sensation XE, Sensation XL, Titan and Radar to Omio’s mobile database in the second half of 2011 alone, this change of tack would be a good thing.

Source: IntoMobile

Three Launches Pre-Emptive January Smartphone Sale, Starts 22nd December

An early Xmas gift from mobile network Three as they’ve decided to start their January sale before we’ve even unwrapped our presents, launching from 22nd December.

Both pay monthly and prepay are up for grabs in this winter warmer, with a fiver per month being saved on Android contracts and as much as £70 coming off the Samsung Galaxy W and Facebook-friendly HTC ChaCha on Pay As You Go.

Sylvia Chind, head of devices at Three said, “Smartphones will continue to be the must-have gadget in 2012 so we’re keen to give customers a head start in the New Year with the best phones on the most affordable price plans.

“Our January sale has been launched ahead of Christmas this year to help people planning to jump feet first into the world of smartphones, or those seeking a last-minute Christmas gift, get hold of the best possible deal on the UK’s fastest growing mobile network.”

Other exciting savings include the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Arc S going down to just £25 per month and the HTC Sensation becoming sub-£30 for 500 minutes, 5,000 texts and Three’s ever popular all-you-can-eat data offer.

Go on, treat yourself…

HTC Bliss Getting Musical Makeover, Now HTC Rhyme?

After spending a pretty penny on the majority of the ‘Beats’ line of headphone gadgetry, could the Taiwanese phone maker HTC be following up their Sensation XE with another audiophile’s dream in the Rhyme?

Leaked plentifully and dubbed ‘Bliss’ at the time, the HTC Rhyme could well be revealed on September 20th (if the date on the gloriously Photoshopped image above is any indication), but the Sensation XE’s flagship status could see this musical mobile become an affordable alternative.

According to both the image and German blog HTC Inside, the Rhyme is rocking Sense 3.5, as well as a simple and clean form factor…shades of the LG Arena, maybe?

Either way, not long to wait before we find out more if that 20th September date is any indication…

HTC Sensation XE Makes Motion Picture Debut, Sounds Awesome

Besides making Dr. Dre the 6th richest rapper in 2011 – despite not having released a proper album in ten years – Beats Audio integration has also made the new HTC Sensation XE a handset to watch (and listen to) in Q4.

Hooked up with Dre’s range of premium headphones, the Sensation XE also packs a nice line in beefed up hardware, an improved processor and Beats audio processing on the decks, making for a great all-round experience.

One Mobile Ring lays the HTC Sensation XE bare in the below video…check out the latest Android floor filler in detail!

Mobile Phone Review Round Up: Samsung Galaxy Pro, Nokia X7, Samsung Tocco Icon, Sony Ericsson XPERIA neo and HTC Salsa

TechRadar

Samsung Galaxy Pro review

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Pro is a slippery little fish. We want to praise it for its keyboard, but berate it for its screen. Samsung could have helped matters by offering a higher resolution on the screen.

If you want a handset of this design, take a look at the HTC ChaCha or Nokia E6. But don’t forget the Sony Ericsson Xperia 10 Mini Pro which, while it is a side-slider, is teeny – or, indeed, any of the larger side-sliders that offer a more desirable, larger screen.

- Check out all the Samsung Galaxy Pro deals at OMIO today!

Nokia X7 review

Verdict

There are nice things we can say about the Nokia X7. It has good hardware design, a basically pleasing screen and good battery life. And Symbian Anna is a step in the right direction.

But we just aren’t sure where Anna is headed in the long term, and that alone could make the Nokia X7 a blind alley. And it doesn’t do anything supremely well.

If you are a Nokia fan and want a top quality camera you should be looking at the Nokia N8.

If you want a superb physical keyboard, then the Nokia E7 is worth your attention.

Great social networking integration? Go Android instead, with something such as the HTC Sensation.

With those bases covered, it’s tricky to see precisely where the Nokia X7 fits in.

- Check out all the Nokia X7 deals at OMIO today!

Cnet.co.uk

LG Optimus Me P350 review

Conclusion
You might have expected LG to better the Optimus One with the LG Optimus Me. Sadly, the Me is inferior in all but a few areas. The screen is smaller, the processor isn’t any faster and the camera’s still mediocre. Check out the Samsung Galaxy Fit, HTC Wildfire S and Optimus One before laying down your moolah.

- Check out all the LG Optimus Me deals at OMIO today!

Orange Rio II review

Conclusion
The Orange Rio II improves over its predecessor with a neater design, 3G and an updated operating system. Issues such as poor battery life, no Wi-Fi, unresponsive touchscreen and a generally slow processor take the edge off its performance, but you have to remember it’s costing you well under £100.

If you’re considering a BlackBerry 8520, but begrudge spending over £100 for a phone that lacks 3G, we’d recommend you seriously consider the Rio II. It’s cheaper and in many ways provides a superior experience.

- Check out all the Orange RIO II deals at OMIO today!

Pocket Lint

Samsung Tocco Icon review

Verdict
Overall, the Samsung Tocco Icon isn’t a massive step up from the Tocco Lite, but the inclusion of a capacitive touchscreen is certainly a compelling reason to buy if you liked the original phone. The compact chassis, slick design and ease of use also add to the package, while the features such as the straightforward audio player and the sneaky fake call function may appeal to some.

While the screen is large, the resolution isn’t great and that combined with the fact that there’s no 3G connectivity means that web browsing isn’t brilliant, although it is just about usable. Likewise, the social networking offering is very basic. What you really miss out on, however, is all the fun that you’d get opting for an entry-level Android phone with much more potential.

If your budget is tight, then the Samsung Tocco Icon offers you a reasonable touchscreen experience for your cash.

- Check out all the Samsung Tocco Icon deals at OMIO today!

Trusted Reviews

LG Optimus 3D review

Verdict

There’s plenty to like about the Optimus 3D, including its fun 3D features, fast processor and beautifully bright and vivid screen. However, problems with displaying 3D images on the screen and the phone’s short battery life mean that it’s not the must-buy handset that many were expecting.

- Check out all the LG Optimus 3D deals at OMIO today!

Reghardware

Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo Android smartphone review

Verdict
The Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo has much of the cool technology sported by Sony Ericsson’s top-notch Xperia Arc but at a fraction of the price. It’s not as slim, but if you can put up with the bulk, it’s really a bit of a bargain.

- Check out all the Sony Ericsson XPERIA Neo deals at OMIO today!

Vodafone Smart Android smartphone review

Verdict
Though it runs Froyo and has a capacitive screen, the Vodafone Smart has been ruthlessly built down to a price. Despite that, for talking, e-mailing, texting, navigating and social networking it’s up to the job. Yes it falls down when faced with more demanding tasks, but a £75 mobile will never be the gaming or multi-media platform that a £400 1GHz Snapdragon handset is. The Orange SF is a better phone but then it’s twice the price and still doesn’t support Adobe’s Flash player

- Check out all the Vodafone Smart deals at OMIO today!

HTC Salsa Android smartphone review

Verdict
The HTC Salsa is a solidly built smartphone with a good screen, reasonable camera, fine UI and an emphasis on social networking, thanks largely to its clever Facebook button. This latter will endear it to ’bookers, but otherwise it doesn’t stand out strongly from HTC’s ever-expanding range of handsets.

- Check out all the HTC Salsa deals at OMIO today!