O2 Refresh plans split service and handset charges for easy upgrades
Most people will have some experience of lugging around a tired handset, knowing they’ve an eternity to wait before upgrading. UK carrier O2 has just announced its solution to phone fatigue called O2 Refresh, which splits overall costs into a “Phone Plan” and an “Airtime Plan.” Much like Phones4U’s JUMP plan or T-Mobile USA’s new UnCarrier model, you’re charged for the handset separately, so you can switch whenever you like as long as the current one’s paid off. That price will vary depending on how much you lay down upfront and the Airtime Plan you choose; also, if you’re done with the old one, you can get up to £260 towards the new one using O2′s Recycle option. Unlike the Magenta carrier’s new direction in the US, however, you will still be locked into a two-year contract, with a £12 monthly payment getting you 600 mins, unlimited texts and 750MB of data. Increase that to £17 for 1GB and unlimited calls / texts, or head for the £22 tier to increase that cap to 2GB.
So, you’ve decided on the Airtime Plan, but what about handsets? There’s a solid choice of flagships (and some less exciting models), including the HTC One, Xperia Z, BlackBerry Z10, Note II, Nexus 4 and iPhone 5, with the Galaxy S 4 and BlackBerry Q10 arriving later — hopefully in time for O2′s 4G launch this “summer.” To give you an example of what Phone Plans will be like, an HTC One will set you back £529.99 (around $815) in total with a £49.99 upfront payment and £20 each month. O2 Refresh is launching April 16th in stores, and will expand to online and phone orders “in the coming months.” Head to the source link below to check out the full list of phones available at launch, but don’t blame us if the loathing you have for your current pocket pal is subsequently increased.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Via: Pocket-lint
Source: O2
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Hawaiian Airlines Exteeeends its Service
Announced this month by Hawaiian Airlines, Ohana by Hawaiian will be a new über regional airline between the islands of Moloka‘i and Lana‘i flying in adorable-looking, 48-passenger ATR42 turboprop aircrafts. The new name — the Hawaiian word for “family” — logo, and livery have been designed by renown textile and apparel designer Sig Zane (and son). Before we get to the rest of the post: my apologies for the crappy logo image above; there is no clean image anywhere of it.
In-depth look at the design and its concept with the designer. Long but worth a watch.
The Hilo-based designers used Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland route map as a basis for the design, and incorporated three kapa patterns: piko, representing ancestor and progeny; manu, representing both a bird in flight and the prow of a canoe, the traditional form of migration; and kalo, representing family.
— Press Release
To summarize the concept as you scroll down: There are three different patterns with their own significant meanings (shown directly below) which are then applied within shapes derived from the flight routes of Hawaiian Airlines which is then flipped and made to fit unto the tail fin.
“The piko symbol is derived from patterns seen in braided ti leaves.”
“The manu symbol is derived from the shape of a bird in flight.”
“The kalo symbol is derived from the shape of a taro leaf.”
“The kapa elements are woven together in a pattern derived from the Hawaiian Airlines route map, tracing modern connections between the communities of our island home.”
The concept is fantastic. It’s extremely local and appropriate. Everything has a reason for being there. And based on the video at the top, it’s clear that there was a lot of thought and vested passion that went into it. Unfortunately, the execution is quite poor. I mean, it’s not terrible, but based on what they were working with, it could have been so much better. The patterns are nearly impossible to decipher on the livery and the thick strokes that were applied to the route map graphic only help obfuscate the patterns. The overall texture is quite nice, it looks almost like a lizard’s skin but all the clarity that went into the thinking is nowhere to be found on the plane. The super extended wordmark doesn’t help either, it’s an extremely disproportionate, unpleasant piece of typography that has no relation to the patterns or its parent brand. Still, I would jump on one of those planes any day of the week to go to where they go.
Thanks to Edgar Omar Garcia for first tip.
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TomTom intros iPhone app for its taxi trial service, helps Dutch get home quickly
There’s been a perpetual catch with TomTom’s taxi hailing service in Amsterdam (and now Rotterdam): passengers have to hail from a specific terminal, which isn’t much help when they just need a ride home from the club at 2AM. The Dutch don’t have to necessarily forgo one convenience for another now that there’s an iPhone app. Edging closer to services like Uber, the TomTomTaxi app lets travelers order a cab from their own devices, learn about drivers and choose favorite drivers if they have good experiences. The software may keep rude surprises to a minimum, as well, when both the driver and travelers can see the fastest route for themselves. Expansion outside of the Netherlands is still a mystery, although there’s an Android app on the way that should cover a larger swath of taxi seekers.
Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation, Mobile
Via: The Next Web
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GigaOM: Intel Media TV service won’t launch at CES, but it is coming soon
We’ve seen several reports over the last week about Intel’s set-top box efforts, and an impending CES launch. According to GigaOM, some of those rumors simply aren’t true. The site has confirmed with several sources at Intel that a set-top box (and a whole lot more) is in the works, but a CES announcement has not been planned. Instead, Media, the mysterious Intel division, which is run like a startup with staffers hired from other Silicon Valley companies rather than shifted from different departments, could be unveiled in March, or perhaps even at the AllThingsD Dive Into Media conference in February.
A detailed GigaOM report outlines the company’s plans, which do include a STB manufactured by Intel that would compete with Apple TV, but also solutions for other platforms, including computers, tablets and smartphones. According to GigaOM sources, the company has spent more than $100 million on Intel Media, so it’s clearly taking the effort seriously. Still, until Intel Media has been exposed to the market, it’s too soon to judge its success. Hit up our source link for the full scoop.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Intel
Source: GigaOM
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Skype updates terms of service to make mention of ‘Video Messaging’ feature
Skype hardly has a history of keeping its forthcoming features secret, but then again, surprises aren’t all they’re chalked up to be. This go ’round, an updated terms of service page has outed a heretofore unannounced update: Video Messaging. While it’s not possible to indulge just yet, we’re left to assume that an impending update will enable Skype Premium users (who pay $8.99 per month for certain privileges) to “send and receive an unlimited number of Video Messages.” For those taking advantage of Skype’s free offerings, you’ll be able to send a “limited” amount, though you’ll be able to receive an unlimited quantity of ‘em. We’re also told that non-premium members will see their video messages expire within 90 days — unless it was sent by a premium member or you upgrade your account in time, of course — but the TOS makes no mention of when any of this will find itself under public scrutiny. Hopefully it’ll be before those year-end fireworks go up, you know?
Filed under: Internet
Source: Skype
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New Google Indoor Maps Service, With Over 10,000 Floor Plans Available via Mobile
If you are a shopping enthusiast, or simply find it practical to have an indoor map of a mall when looking for a certain household object, this new service launched by Google Maps will come in handy. Google Indoor Maps comes with over 10,000 indoor layouts, for stores, malls, casinos, museums and airports around the world. And this is just the beginning, as anyone can upload their own building plan online.
The service is currently available in selected locations in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, the U.S., Sweden, and Switzerland. Navigating on Google Indoor Maps is just like exploring Google Maps. All you have to do is type in the location and zoom into the map, until you see the floor plan. A special feature lets you switch between levels, thus making it easy to find the area of the store you are interested in. Find the service practical?
You’re reading New Google Indoor Maps Service, With Over 10,000 Floor Plans Available via Mobile originally posted on Freshome.
The post New Google Indoor Maps Service, With Over 10,000 Floor Plans Available via Mobile appeared first on Freshome.com.
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AT&T cutting returns and service cancelation period from 30 to 14 days, starting tomorrow?
Prone to bouts of buyer’s remorse? Well if you were planning an AT&T flavored purchase, you might want to start the car. A tipster has sent in what appears to be a notice to staff advising that the returns period for equipment and service cancellations will be shrinking from 30- to 14-days — effective tomorrow. Purchases made today would benefit from the longer period, and our tipster claims that there may be a grace period until November where returns could be processed as if still under the original scheme (what sounds, to us, like a courtesy for those who didn’t read the fine print). We don’t have all the fine print, but head past the break for a little more on the specifics.
[Thanks, Anonymous]
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, AT&T
AT&T cutting returns and service cancelation period from 30 to 14 days, starting tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 12:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The extremes of technology customer service: how common sense and empathy create unmatched loyalty
Allow me to explain how two discussions started off in very similar ways, and ended… shall we say, differently. This is me, attempting to muster any sort of pleasantness in my voice at some ungodly hour of the morning on a Google Voice connection from Dubai back to the US:
“Hey! I’m having to cut a trip short due to an emergency back home. I actually purchased a trip protection plan when I checked out online — would it be possible to provide a refund for this flight now that I need to cancel it?”
From here, I was told that this was too vague. That I would need medical proof of an injury or illness, and that if it were a pre-existing condition — something like reoccurring cancer — that simply wouldn’t do. Oh, and if it’s a home emergency, you’ll need proof from your home insurance company that your abode is “uninhabitable.”
“So… I’m basically hosed here? This trip protection plan doesn’t really protect very much, does it?”
“… Do you want to file the claim?”
“No. That’s okay. Thanks for your time.”
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Filed under: Misc
The extremes of technology customer service: how common sense and empathy create unmatched loyalty originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Wilson Electronics’ Sleek 4G-V Verizon flavored signal booster reports for service
If you’re often finding that your super-duper 4G service is more LT-Eh?, than LTE, then you might have been curious about Wilson Electronics’ Sleek 4G-V cellphone signal booster. If you were, it’s time to stop waving your hand in the air looking for bars, and stick it in your pocket in search of some sheets, as it’s now available in stores. Of course, it’s Verizon customers who’ll benefit the most, with the Sleek 4G-V being designed with the big red’s 700MHz service in mind. That said good old 2- and 3G services are still given a leg up. The MSRP remains $129 for the standard “in-vehicle” model, with an optional accessory kit for indoor use (no price at this time). If this message kept dropping out, head over to the window past the break for the PR.
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Filed under: Cellphones
Wilson Electronics’ Sleek 4G-V Verizon flavored signal booster reports for service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 07:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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UK department store John Lewis launches broadband service, get in on the ground floor
If you live in the UK, and were thinking “If only I could get my broadband from the same place I get my crystal tumbler set” then maybe now you can. Department store John Lewis, a favorite for wedding lists, furniture and homeware is branching out into the British ISP game. The standard package will be £11 a month (not including line rental,) offering “up to” 16Mb speeds and a 20GB data cap. More eager users can pay and extra £7 to remove that download limit. Both bundles benefit from a free phone support, no activation fee and, of course, wireless router. Sound like your kind of deal? Head down to the source link, or past the haberdashery section to find out more.
UK department store John Lewis launches broadband service, get in on the ground floor originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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