Vodafone kindly make their tariffs simpler and more expensive at the same time

Those lovely people at Vodafone have only gone and rejigged their pricing tariffs. What does this mean? Well, for all of you who have been on a contract since before Feb 2011, you will have to pay more for you calls. Well, that is if you don't leave Vodafone. This is the perfect opportunity for all, including mobile broadband users, to re-evaluate your contract and it is now void. When the networks change their pricing whilst you are in contact then the contract becomes void.

Vodafone have made it very easy to see the differences, as in the table below. Questionably referred to as 'simplifying tariffs,' Vodafone have rounded some rates up to the nearest 50p. Making it, I guess, simpler to count up. However, if paying more is simpler then I guess we are all wanting the wrong thing.

 

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Source from Tracy and Matt's Blog.

Sony Ericsson Xperia ray now available on Vodafone

The Sony Ericsson Xperia ray is a brilliant multimedia Android smartphone with a super-slim 9.4mm body and aluminium frame.

Available in a gold coloured finish from Vodafone, the Xperia ray is free on £26, 24 month price plans, including 300 minutes, unlimited texts, 500MB of data and 1GB of BT Openzone WiFi allowance when purchased through Vodafone's online shop.
The 3.3" state-of-the-art Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine delivers sharp, bright, vivid pictures.  With Exmor R for mobile image sensor, also used in
Sony's Cyber-shot cameras and Handycams, you can shoot stills and HD videos on the 8.1 megapixel camera, even in low light.  And with Facebook inside Xperia you can share photos, status, likes, recommendations and more.

Specifications:

• Dimensions (mm) - 111 x 53 x 9.4mm
• Weight (g) - 100
• TouchScreen  - 3.3" capacitive multi-touch Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, 854 x 480 pixels (FWVGA), 16 million colours, scratch-resistant mineral glass
• Camera - 8.1 megapixel auto focus camera, Exmor RT for mobile image sensor, aperture f/2.4, LED flash, front-facing camera
• Internal memory  = Up to 300MB user-free, 4GB microSDT card included, up to 32GB microSD support
• Connectivity 3.5 mm audio jack, aGPS, Bluetooth (A2DP), DLNA, Wi-Fi

 

For more information on pricing, visit the Vodafone online shop.

 

Posted by: James

[ Post Tags: tracyandmatt.co.uk,Vodafone,Xperia ray ]

Source from Tracy and Matt's Blog.

RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS

Magellan just introduced a new RoadMate GPS with WiFi, called the Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM GPS navigation device.

The new GPS navigation system is already available for purchase for $300. It comes with a 5″ touch screen and WiFi connectivity. With the Wifi you get a built-in internet browser that lets you search for destinations on popular social travel sites or points of interest. You can also check for software or map updates and download them right there and then.

Another cool feature for 5175-LM GPS is that you can hold the device in portrait mode to enjoy the hi-def screen vertical if that’s what you prefer.

It comes with maps of USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and you get free updates for the lifetime of the device up to four times a year. A few other features of Magellan RoadMate 5175T-LM include subscription-free lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, and spoken street names.

From NaviGadget

Knowing the Advantages of GPS Navigation before Buying Garmin Units

Most people will buy a GPS unit sight unseen because their friends may have one of the seen a fancy commercial about them. Do you really know the advantages of a GPS navigation system though? Most people do not and this is why many of these units just sitting around collecting dust. Do not let yours be added to this pile in the coming months. Read further and you will discover the advantages of owning a GPS unit and how to use it to your advantage.

No, doubt in the last few years GPS technology has really become a part of our everyday lives no matter if we like it or not. GPS systems are constantly changing and being updated all the time. Most people will change their unit once a year anymore as they see new extras that they want. People who are just entering the market for the most part really do not understand the kind of product they need or what advantages they are getting from GPS. Let us look at some of those advantages in-depth so you can make a more informed decision about the product that you will want to purchase.

Location is one of the big advantages that make GPS so popular. Most people sometime during their travels will get lost and will have no clue where they are at. With this GPS technology, you can find out where exactly you’re at and how to map a plan to get out of it right away. This unit will even give you a route to get your trip back on track. It does this by locking on many satellites that orbit the earth give you precise information.

Navigation is the second main thing that a GPS unit will do for you. A lot of the time people know where they are, but not the best way to get to their next destination. This is where the GPS navigation system really excels. It will show you the quickest route from Point A to Point B without any problem at all and this will keep you on the right track through your whole trip.

Tracking is the next advantage that you will get with a new GPS navigation system. You can actually check the movement of objects and people in the world. Tracking varies widely on many models, but it is a big advantage that you can use to help you out when it is needed.

Mapping is our last advantage and this one could be one of the most important ones that you will have. If you travel in many remote areas than you will know that, no maps are really available which means the GPS unit is really the only way to go. It will be able to show you what to avoid and what direction you need to be heading. Without these units that would not be possible and you would just have to go it alone and hope you make the right decision. That will be a thing of the past as long as you have one of these units.

As you can see, many different advantages make up what a GPS unit can do for you. Most people do not realize all the things these electronic gadgets can do. Sure, they will give you directions and help you find your way, but they also do so much more. From mapping to navigation and tracking, you will find out these are very valuable to you no matter if you’re on a very long trip or just going across town.

If you are looking to purchase a GPS unit real soon you should weigh the advantages so you will be more informed about the decision you will be making. With all the advantages that these units give you, I cannot understand why anyone would not grab this new emerging technology as it is going to get much better in the future. GPS they say will be as commonplace as the television and telephone in the not so distant future. I hope that you can see the advantages to and will grab one as well.

GPS Navigation systems basically sells themselves as with the rising gas prices we need every advantage we can get and GPS technology also will help save you fuel as well. No more running around lost you will always being on the right route and thus saving you gas as well? The money you save can be put to better use doing things you want to do instead of putting it in the gas tank.

Why a Handheld GPS Unit Maybe a great Deal

It seems these days GPS systems come in all sizes, prices, and designs. You can get them for a vehicle or your wrist and even to hold in your hand. The real question though, which is really best for you. We have looked at all three different types and we have come up with why the handheld is really your best option. Read further to find out why the handheld GPS system is the way to go.

Handheld GPS systems are very popular these days and in my opinion probably, your best buy right now. Let us look a little closer and see why that is. First most handhelds are so portable that you can toss them in your pocket, purse, or even briefcase. These are much tougher to steal as you can hide them where a car unit that is mounted many ties cannot be.

Do you love to hike? Ride a bike? Or even go fishing? Than the handheld is the model for you. Most handheld GPS systems now can be used for a variety of different applications. This means no matter where you are or what you want to do just toss it in your pocket and you are ready to go. Other portable units do not let you do that.

Handheld portable GPS systems are fast becoming the units of choice. There use to be a time when the screens on these models were small and ugly looking, but that has really changed. The Screen resolutions are much better and many models have introduced color, which have been big selling points for these units, but it does not stop there. Map selection in many of these models also has improved and you can almost get any map you want. This means no matter if you’re traveling on the highway or deep into the mountains, you can access the map that you need.

Other big changes that have come to the handheld GPS unit are the SD memory card slot. This means you will be able to add more things to the unit as well. You can actually change memory cards and have certain data on each one. This means you no longer have to worry about searching all the time or running out of room on a certain memory card. Battery life is something else that a handheld has a big advantage over. Most portable units have a real short battery life while these units have a much longer time. This is very important as you need them to last a long time especially if you’re away from home or have no way to charge your battery.

Many of the newer handhelds also now use replaceable AAA or AA batteries so you can carry extra ones with you and never have to worry about your unit going dead. Prices are another area that has really seen a drop recently. When handhelds first came out they were on the expensive end, but that has change and they are much cheaper than ever before. I think that has a lot to do with the popularity of handheld GPS systems these days.

As you can see, handhelds have really changed since you first looked at them. They are much cheaper than when they first came out. You get many more extras than you can imagine. Battery life is also much longer so you can spend even more time wherever you are at. Lighted display even lets you do things at night without any worries about ever getting lost. Toss in SD memory cards and you can see why the handheld GPS system probably is the best deal for your money.

It is true that portable GPS systems have bigger screens and maybe able to do some really nice things, but short battery life really makes these not practical for long time use outdoors. This is why more people are turning to handheld units than ever before. The ability of these to do so many things make them very enticing for people and that is why sales are really taking off for these types of models.

Overall, if you want the best product for your dollar than probably the handheld is the way to go. You get so much for your money they are really hard to beat these days. As more features are added to them, they will just become even more popular. Grab yours today and you will see why people love the portable electronic powerhouses.

Benefits of a Portable GPS Vehicle Tracking Device

The advance of technology, miniaturization, more powerful GSM networks and the implementation of high sensitivity GPS has prompted the development of a new breed of portable vehicle tracking system.

The tracking devices for these systems are truly portable and will work anywhere in the world, which basically means you can now track anything, anywhere!

Portable GPS Tracking will Operate Anywhere!

The integrated high sensitivity GPS ensures that these devices will operate in places where previous GPS units did not, such as in urban canyons, in natural canyons, under heavy foliage and even indoors.

These compact devices can be easily attached to any tracking subject as they are so small and can utilize a magnetic mount. The units have a long lasting rechargeable built-in battery for their own power source and an integrated antenna system and therefore don’t need to be wired in to anything else. They are highly reliable, completely independent and portable units with no installation costs.

Because of the highly sensitive nature of the internal antenna these units permit installation in locations where a direct sky view is not actually available. This makes them particularly suitable for operation in and under vehicles.

Some can even be remotely configured from a PC using a web site interface on the Internet.

A web interface is also the normal way for viewing and monitoring the current location and status of the device and to look at historical data on when the unit (or vehicle) has moved, stopped, started and where.

Applications for a Portable GPS Vehicle Tracking System

Vehicle Tracking is easy as these devices allow you to monitor the location of vehicles and other moveable assets of all kinds.

Asset Tracking by using the units hidden in valuable goods to track them when out for delivery or transfer.

Theft Prevention by using the tracking device to monitor the position of valuable items like cars, autos, vans, trucks, boats and trailers for long periods and be informed when they start to move.

Covert Surveillance on-demand by quickly attaching units to targets which can now be tracked in difficult environments.

New Business Concepts can be designed and realized because each unit is compact and totally self-contained.

Your imagination is the only limit on what you will be able to do with a portable GPS Vehicle Tracking System.

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Tell us about Pet GPS and What It Is All About

Many people every year lose their pets to thefts, runaways or just a dog that has wandered away for a few minutes. Finding your pet is sometimes tough especially if you have no tracking device at all. This is where Pet GPS can really help. Most people have not even been shown what this emerging technology can really do. We have looked it over and it looks very promising to a certain extent. Read a little further to discover what we have learned about Pet GPS.

Pet GPS is the latest wave of technology that is being used to track dogs and reunite them with their owners. More than 2 million pets are lost or stolen in the USA every year. Pet owners are looking for ways to slow this trend down and they are turning to GPS to help lower these numbers. Let us look deeper into GPS for Pets and also the types of tracking available.

Most of the systems in use microchips that are developed into tags. Microchips circuits contain information about the owner and the dog. These are usually implanted under the skin of the pet under the shoulder region. The pet once found than can be scanned and the information can be accessed. Other tracking devices are available as well. One of those is a harness or collar is attached to the pet. This is widely used in hunting and research. Usually a transmitter is in the collar or harness so you can find the pet. It emits a pinging sound and as you point the transmitter in a certain direction, it gets much louder.

Pet GPS is much more detailed than the devices that we have mentioned above. They can pinpoint the location of your pet with relative accuracy. They can also reveal the velocity and the direction your pet maybe traveling in. This is very valuable information especially if your pet maybe heading for highways where he or she could get killed. This is why this technology is so important to pet owners. It really cuts down the time it takes to find your pet. Now some pet GPS sends the information to a central station and this information is then sent to you by an email, sms text message, or a website that you can visit. Other applications can actually send the information to a hand held receiver, which will make it much easier for you to find your pet. The main problem though with these types of tracking devices is if the transmitters do; get detached it is possible all you will find it the pet’s collar. Even with that, though it is still a much better way to find a pet than to just walk around or ride in a vehicle trying to find your pet.

Pet GPS is not perfect my any stretch of the imagination but right now it is one of the best things we have. Losing your pet can be a very painful experience this is why more people are looking towards this type of technology. No matter what anyone tells you for many a pet is a vital part of their family. Losing a pet really hurts deep and owners will do whatever it takes to be reunited with the animal that they love. This means even greater demand for this type of service.

Overall the Pet GPS system is getting much more press than ever before as it really does work. It has drawbacks, but it is better to have some kind of chance to get your pet back than nothing at all. It gives owners another hope to find their lost pet, which is something that we are all looking for right now. Pets are becoming more expensive and people want to protect their investments. One way they are doing that right now is through Pet GPS and most like the results they see from it. It gives pets owners a sense of security that they normally would not have.

Finding a lost pet is also a very rewarding experience and anything that helps you do that will be embraced by the public and Pets GPS does that. In the future, the technology should get much better and thus more pets will be recovered over time. The technology still is fairly new so problems still exist, but companies are really looking hard on that. I see Pets GPS being a very big part of dog owners must have gift anymore.

Different Uses of Laptop GPS

Most people do not even realize that laptop GPS units are available and the wide array of uses that they can do. Even though this technology is fairly new it is being accepted by many more people than ever before. What is laptop GPS and how does it really help you? Read a little further and discover why your laptop can do more than just send email, play games, and look up different information.

People sometimes worry if their laptop computer will work with a GPS unit, but most of them do and work very well indeed. One of the biggest advantages that a laptop unit gives you over most is it is very cost effective. Most of the laptop GPS systems are much cheaper than any other type of unit that you could be looking for. Many of these are actually smaller than a matchbox and plug into your USB ports, which make your life so much easier. Ease of operation is something these units bring us and that is why people love them. Most people are not tech savvy so anything that is easy to understand and gives you quick learning as well will be a big seller. This is why the laptop GPS units are growing in popularity. Let us look now at some of the biggest advantages to the users of this new product.

One thing that the laptop unit will let you do that most units will not is let you download many maps. Sure, other GPS units will let you download maps, but are usually limited because of lack of memory and space. This usually is not a problem with a laptop as they have plenty of room. This means you can have everything at a click of the mouse, which makes traveling so much easier. Screen size is much bigger on your laptop than handheld and in-dash car models as well. This means you will get more detail and will be easier for you to follow. Portable computers also have buttons that give you shortcuts to get the information you need. This means accessing the information can be much quicker than normal because the speed of the computer processor is much faster. That gives you information quicker so you can process and be on your way much quicker as well.

Travel planners are something more and more of us are using than ever before. Time is becoming something that we have less of so anything that can save us time we will use very often. The laptop GPS unit makes travel planning much easier in various ways. One of those is you can preplan your trips and keep it on the computer until you want to erase it. With the tons of memory on a laptop, you can make almost an indefinite amount of travel plans. The other big thing about this is you can access individual travel plans at any time, which is something that a laptop gives you. Sure, you can do it with handhelds and portable units, but you can never add as many as a laptop affords you.

Most people who travel will at one point want to visit another country. This sometimes could be a problem especially if you did not preload your handheld or portable GPS unit. With these laptop units, though it is much easier to do. The main reason for that is Internet connections are almost everywhere so hooking up is relatively easy. No matter if it is a business or personal trip finding your way around a foreign country can be tough. The easiest way to save yourself some money, know where your going is getting a laptop GPS unit, and download any map you need.

If you are, traveling abroad or even local getting the most accurate information is the key. Laptop GPS units are just another way to do it. As more people find out that the laptop computer that they use for everyday things can also give them directions the demand, will really pickup for these units. GPS units are very popular today and one of the hottest items right now, but few actually know that the laptop computer is an option that they have. Overall, this could very well be the best option that you have right now. More memory, more space, and easier to operate makes the laptop an option that you will want to consider. GPS units are constantly changing and so are the applications and this is just a very good extension of that.

BlackBerry PlayBook Arriving At The Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy

At last it looks like we have some pricing and a release date for the BlackBerry PlayBook here in the UK. Carphone Warehouse and Best Buy will be stocking RIM's first tablet which they say will be in store on June 16th,

Pricing is pretty much as I expected with the 16GB at from £399; a 32 GB model will be available from £479; and a 64 GB model will be available from £559.

You can see the full press release below:

from Tracy and Matt's Blog.

GPS integrated hedgehogs in New Zealand

Researchers in New Zealand are tracking movements of hedgehogs using GPS receivers to see how well they are adapting to their environment and what kind of effects they are having on native fauna.

These animals were brought to the island back in 19th century by Europeans and they seem to have no natural predators to control their numbers which poses a threat to local insects, lizards, and ground nesting birds.

These little GPS backpacks seem to big and clumsy but researchers claim they don’t get in the way of natural behavior such as defensive rolling and nesting. This particular receiver can record location every five minutes for five days. It’s been discovered that they could travel as far as 1.5km in a day but usually they chill out at specific locations…

via

HTC Incredible S Unboxing Video

Announced at Mobile World congress last month the HTC Incredible S has launched running Android 2.2 but with a promised upgrade to 2.3 coming very soon. The device looks great in black and with it sporting a 4-inch WVGA Super LCD display it is somewhat easier to handle in my opinion than the 4.3 inch Desire HD.

Spec wise the HTC Incredible S does not bring us anything new and amazing that we have not seen on other devices but with the specs it has, bundled with great build quality and HTC's Sense UI it sure looks to be a big seller.

You can see the unboxing video below along with the Incredible S's full spec.

Oh, and ignore the part in the video when I say it has a 4.3 inch screen. I got over excited and my mind played tricks on me!

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Original post.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X8 review

The Xperia X8 was unboxed a good few months ago, but now here is the review with one small but important difference. It's now running the 2.1 Éclair update which may not be the latest but it's still better than 1.6 was. That has now brought it up to scratch with other options for cheapish midrange Android handsets, but it's not alone - the likes of the Wildfire and the San Francisco sell like hotcakes, a trend which Sony Ericsson would no doubt like the X8 to follow.

The X8 slots in somewhere in-between the daddy X10 and the X10 mini & mini pro but with specs more like the minis, its actually a very similar experience but in a slightly larger form factor and that could well be a good thing. The X10 minis received excellent reviews with the main criticism that it was too small - but the X8 is the answer to that call.

Does it have enough to compete? Read on to find out!

 

Original post.

Russia Loses Contact with Military Satellite

Russia said it lost contact Tuesday with a military satellite launched that morning. The incident follows on the heels of Russia's failed launch of three GLONASS-M satellites in December.

Update: GPS Testing off Southeast Atlantic Coast

FAA and Coast Guard advisories about GPS testing by the Department of Defense, which advised "During testing, the GPS signal may be unreliable or unavailable," turn out to be, if not routine, at least fairly frequent, and not a cause for great concern. Richard Langley investigates.

giveaway: Enzym 3D GPS navigation system

We’re giving away this week a GPS navigation system that we’ve had in our garage for a long time now. The device is called Enzym 3D SG-350 and we’re not even sure they have a presence in the U.S. market any longer. We’ve used this many times before and it still works quite well but like we said before but we’re clearing out the garage so it must go. This GPS navigation system has a 3.5″ screen, touch screen display, text-to-speech engine, SD card slot, ability to play MP3 and video files. It even comes with a car kit which includes a car charger and a windshield mount.

How to enter? Really easy. 1) Follow our RSS feed and then 2) leave a comment below. That is all. Do make sure you enter a valid email so we can contact you back.

We will ship this out to a U.S. address only. Sorry rest of the world. Also duplicate entries, emails, IP addresses will be disqualified.

One week from now we’ll announce the winner.

Brought to you by your GPS navigation site

Fleetmatics Closes Investment Deal

FleetMatics, which provides GPS tracking applications for commercial fleets, has closed a $68 million growth equity financing deal. As part of the round, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), one of the premier later-stage venture capital and growth equity firms, invested with Investcorp Technology Partners, FleetMatics’ majority owner. New World Ventures also participated as a new investor.

Spirent Solution Identifies Smartphone Performance Issues from Voice, Data and Location Service Interaction

Spirent Communications announced the availability of the industry’s first automated R&D solution for testing smartphone performance in the presence of simultaneous voice, data and location-based services (LBS).

GLONASS Vows Return to 24 by March

Anatoly Perminov, the head of Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency, has given several interviews to news organizations in the past few days following the failed launch of three GLONASS-M satellites last Sunday. If the launch had been successful, the new satellites could have returned GLONASS to a full 24-satellite constellation with continuous global coverage, something it only briefly...

Compass Rising: New IGSO Launch

Fleetly following an October 31 launch of the first inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellite in its Compass/Beidou-2 constellation, China thrust a second IGSO vehicle into orbit on December 17. This makes five new satellites in space this year alone for the rapidly expanding system.

Russia’s First Hybrid Car Has GLONASS Navigation, Standard Feature

The Yo, Russia’s first hybrid concept car goes through its paces this week in a Yo-mobile pavilion in downtown Moscow. All Yo models carry a smart-car system featuring a data panel, GLONASS navigation devices, air conditioning, a telephone with a keyboard, and a system controlling all functions, including the Internet and multimedia.

Russian Space Officials Fired Over Satellite Crash

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fired two senior Russian space officials Wednesday over the loss of three navigation satellites that crashed into the sea this month.