Updated regularly to give you the latest from Unique Sims - FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY http://www.uniquesims.com/ Copyright: (C) Unique Sims On the 12th September at Apple’s Special Event in San Fransisco they unveiled their all new iPhone 5; the long awaited mobile phone which boasts a host a new and improved features. The first iPhone was introduced in 2007, and what a breakthrough it was. This iPhone eventually came to be the #1 smartphone in the whole world. Every year there has been a new version of the iPhone and each year they break records and expectations. This year they do not fail to impress with the iPhone 5. Apple claims that the engineering that has gone into this product’s hardware and software is the most difficult project they have ever embarked upon. The phone boasts a host of different features, not only in their own market but to competitors alike. This phone is the world’s thinnest smartphone which is 18% thinner than the iPhone 4 & 4s and is also 20% lighter than the 4. Every iPhone to date has had the same sized screen (3.5ich); the new iPhone 5 has a 4ich screen, allowing enough space for a fifth row of icons and a better viewing experience. The screen is no wider than its predecessors but is taller. Not only does this screen allow a better user experience but the software has been adapted to the size of the new screen, allowing you to see more emails, 5 day week view in calendar and see more of a web page in safari. The screen also has 44% more colour saturation that the 4s, making it the most accurate screen for a phone in the market. In addition the touch sensors are integrated into the screen, unlike others where there is an additional layer. This making the phone thinner, and bringing the screen closer to the surface, allowing the image to be crisper and more refined. This screen really is the worlds most advanced display. One of the biggest and notable additions to this phone is the ability to be able to access a new form of network. 4G is set to allow people to download at a much faster rate than the conventional 3G and offering download speeds that are faster than the average household internet connection. Although this sounds amazing, it will not be supported in the UK for a few weeks and even then rumours are that is could cost the earth. The 4G capability will only be available to the Orange and T-Mobile network and the scheme is going to be called EE or in layman’s terms ‘Everything Everywhere’. 3G mobile phone technology brought us download speeds of 5Mbps if you were lucky, however 4G promises to deliver download speeds of up to 100Mbps. System performance is also improved with the Apple A6 chip. This chip has a 2x faster CPU and 2x faster graphics than the A5 chip. Not only is this chip faster and better but it is also 22% smaller. You would think that with all the new features included in this phone that it would have a detrimental effect on battery life; however they have managed to add an additional 25 hours onto the standby time of the 4s resulting in 225 hours’ worth of standby time, outstanding for one of the most powerful phones on the market. This phone really looks the part, and will appeal to all markets in the same way that the previous iPhones have. Apple already have an advantage with this product as they will not have to embark on great promotion and costly advertising, this new phone will practically sell itself. Many shops in the UK have already sold out of the new phone and it’s not even here, showing that pre-ordering the device has proved the best option for people to be the first to get their hands on this fantastic bit of kit. Take your iPhone 5 to the next level with a personalised number from Unique Sims. With a variety of different numbers including; Special Numbers, Platinum Numbers, Gold Numbers and Silver Numbers, there is sure to be something to suit you and your price range. Images taken from the official Apple website. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=21 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Nowadays these are the three main contenders when looking for a new mobile phone; with just Blackberry a close forth. All three have their pros and cons and will suit different people. Each operating system has a sense of competition to the other, but how are they coping with Apple’s huge market share? Apple Apple always likes to keep on top of their game; not only with their phones but with their computers and tablets too. The software they use on their mobile devices is called IOS, with IOS 5 being their current version of software available and boasts a number of features which put them ahead of their competitors. With the release of IOS 6 planned in autumn this year they are planning on adding over 200 new features, including: Siri enhancements Facebook integration Facetime enhancements Safari enhancements Better security New mapping interface Apple have a huge fan base and this software update will be much anticipated my many; let’s hope the new features live up to expectations. Android Android have definitely upped their game with Android 4.0 (also called Ice Cream Sandwich). The new software powers all phones, tablets and more, in the same way IOS does for Apple. Android are using the slogan Simple. Beautiful . Useful for 4.0 which is what they believe the public are looking for. Features android are boasting about are: Home screen folders and favourites tray Resizable widgets New lock screen actions Quick responses for incoming calls Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks, and browser tabs Improved text input and spell-checking Powerful voice input engine Control over network data Face Unlock Android are trying hard to keep up with Apple and it is beginning to show; however some of the features Apple could learn a lesson from. Windows Phone Windows phones have been around for some time, however only recently have they stepped up their game. Predecessors were considered not user-friendly with tiny icons and slow reaction times. With the new phones and software they have really thought about what the user wants, and it looks really impressive to say the least. The new tiles function on the home screen practically pops out the screen when opening applications, plus looks very aesthetically pleasing. Windows phones key points include: People Hub Groups Threads Email featuring Outlook Mobile Pictures Hub + Camera The applications you want Start Screen + Live Tiles Marketplace Hub Games Hub featuring Xbox LIVE Music + Videos Hub Office Hub Internet Explorer One button to Bing PC World have done a great job of comparing the three different software’s in this easy to read check list, see which one takes your pick. Whichever platform you choose, add a touch of personalization with a unique mobile number from Unique Sims. Unique SIMs provides mobile phone numbers available on all UK mobile phone networks whether you are on a ‘pay monthly’ contract or as a ‘Pay As You Go’ sim card. We have a huge selection to choose from, at competitive prices. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=18 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 There are thousands of apps added to the App Store every day and with an ever evolving selection of devices to use them on, the possibilities are endless. With iPhone, iPod and iPad boasting a range of fully integrated features such as an Accelerometer and Three-axis gyro, the App Store is full of games that can really test your imagination. In the App Store there are 3 different categories in the top apps section, Top Paid Apps, Top Free Apps & Tops Grossing Apps. The titles speak for themselves; however the “Top grossing” section means the App that has made the most money. So the #1 app on that list is the one that has grossed (or made) the most. The apps in the Apps Store vary from the iPhone to the iPad to the iPod; the reason for this is that the different devices have different capabilities. For example the apps in the iPhone’s App Store may use the data network that a phone contains. Apps in the iPad App Store will be specifically designed to support the big screen of the iPad. The top apps usually change from week to week as when a new app becomes available there is often hype around it, pushing it to the top of the top apps. iPhone Apps iPad Apps iPod Touch AppsApps are a great way of personalising your iPhone, to personalise it further why not purchase cherished mobile numbers from http://www.uniquesims.com/.   http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=20 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Remembering yours and others mobile numbers is becoming increasingly difficult as technology is ever growing. Streamlining emails, mobile numbers, addresses etc. can be an arduous task to remember, with a competitive business and personal world we live, making a good impression and impact on potential clients can be assisted if you choose your own mobile number; this is where having a personal, unique mobile number can help. An easy custom mobile number to remember and one that sticks in people’s minds are imperative as the technological world evolves. There was a time when Gold Numbers, also referred to as Special Mobile Numbers were only affordable to the rich and famous, but because of the unique opportunity to offer the latest Gold mobile numbers to customers at a fraction of the cost, the price of Gold numbers has reduced remarkably based on the increasing level of demand, in turn reducing the cost, making them more affordable for everyone. Gold numbers is the most widely used term in the mobile industry, however there are many terms used to reference personalised mobile numbers. One of the services we provide allows you to customise the last 6 digits of your mobile phone numbers, with a million combinations per prefix. Choose mobile numbers from an extensive database that is easily viewable via the website. Make your mobile numbers easy to remember for your customers if you are a business or your friends and family if you are an individual. Gold numbers can be ported/transferred to your chosen network provider on either contract or pay as you go, quickly and efficiently. All personal mobile numbers that we offer work in the exactly the same way as your usual mobile phone numbers, starting with 074, 075, 077, 078, 079 followed by two pre-set digits, this is known as a prefix and it cannot be changed. Using our extensive knowledge these prefixes can be customised in most cases (subject to availability). There are no on-going charges to assign your new unique phone number to your existing or new phone. Simply purchase your unique mobile number and away you go. Choose mobile numbers that are easy for you and others to remember, or maybe consider using a date of an event for your mobile number or if you wish for your number to be memorable for customers then consider using digits that are consecutive, e.g. 1234 or double numbers 11 22. The more consecutive numbers included in your chosen number, the more expensive it will be, these numbers are referred to as Platinum Numbers. Platinum Numbers are more expensive than Gold numbers as they contain similar digits etc. 111 or 222. Desirable mobile number sequences for the last 6 digits (also known as the suffix) can only occur a few times when attached to a prefix. EG if the Prefix is 07456 and you would like 111111 to be added to the end of the number, this can only occur once in every million mobile numbers issued, hence why these numbers are more expensive, to summarise; The fewer the combinations available within a suffix and prefix combined the higher the cost associated. If you are a business the advantages of having a unique number are: 1. Easy for your customers to remember - could drive more business to you. EG, customers wanting a taxi late at night, a number such as 22 22 22 are easy to remember, so they are more likely to call you than any other company. 2. Lucrative opportunity - They look great on point of sale marketing, business cards etc. 3. Make and impact with your clients and you will ensure you are easily remembered. 4. Match your landline number with your mobile number to synchronise the profile of your business.5. Use alphanumeric words within your mobile number spelling your business name, industry, market sector etc. If you are an individual the advantages of having a unique number are: 1. Buy a mobile number that makes a great unique gift for your loved ones2. Fed up of changing your number and having to send messages to all of your contacts, keep your unique number for life.3. Make an impact with your friends and be sure they will remember your number, even when they don’t have your contact information with them. 4. Customise your mobile phone number with digits that have relevance or/meaning to your life. 5. Match your landline number with your mobile number as family tend not to forget a family landline. 6. Use alphanumeric words within your mobile number spelling a name, place, team, and feeling. There are some many ways to not only utilise a mobile number for your business to give presence in a particular market place, but also to have fun with creating your very own unique mobile number. Personalisation of our lives has become of great importance to us in modern day lives, from personal number plates to personal mobile phone numbers. Choose your own mobile number today, as we believe that everyone's requirements are different, everyone is unique. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=13 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 The Samsung Galaxy S4 is set to be released on 27th April 2013 and the iPhone 5 has been on the market for a few months now, but which is better? Samsung have really excelled themselves with their new flagship smartphone, offering one of the largest mobile phone screens on the market. Apple made their screen bigger on the iPhone 5 to 4in, which was a big difference, as all other iPhone models have a 3.5in screen. Enough questions, time for answers. First Glance Of the two phones, the Samsung screen definitely attracts attention with its size, but many people think that overall the phone looks too similar to its predecessor, the S3, and the materials used are of a cheaper quality than the iPhone. The Samsung has a plastic chassis and is very thin and light. It is running Android 4.2.2 and the screen on the Galaxy is full 1080p, producing an amazing pixel density of 441 pixels per inch. The iPhone has a general quality feel, boasting luxury aluminium and glass materials, giving it the advantage in terms of looks and feel. The iPhone has a retina display which is very good under bright sunlight, unlike the Samsung. Processing power The iPhone 5 has an A6 chip which achieves 1.3GHz compared with the Samsung’s 1.9GHz which is quite a big difference. Although the S4 has a much faster processor, it’s the way the phone comes together that makes the difference. For example switching between apps and the way in which apps open will make the speed of the phone feel different to different people. It’s the operating system that will determine this - if you love Android and the way it works then the Samsung will deliver. However some prefer iOS to Android, so that works for them. Camera The iPhone has an 8MP rear facing camera and a 1.2MP front facing camera. It records in 1080p which makes videos look stunning, with the added help of video stabilization, preventing shaky footage. The Samsung has a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 1.2MP front facing camera. 13MP is very impressive in a phone and will produce pictures that you would expect from a good spec camera. The camera records in 1080p and has the added feature of a dual camera mode that takes both a rear photo and a face photo at the same time. Key Features Samsung - the key features of the Samsung Galaxy s4 include the ability to be able to hover over the screen, instead of actually touching it, showing previews of image galleries, news stories, or whatever you’re hovering over. It has eye detection, so that when you are watching a film or video on the phone, then look away, the video automatically pauses. The battery life on the Samsung has been given an endurance level of 63 hours, though whether that really means you can go that length of time without having to recharge is another matter. iPhone - Apple have built on their great music capabilities and included their new ear-pods with the phone, which produce a crisp amazing sound. FaceTime is also another great feature of the iPhone, instead of just a voice call you can have a face to face conversation with people using the iOS software (iPad, iPod, iPhone and Mac) which is great for day to day use and long-distance professional meetings. Siri was first introduced in the iPhone 4s and is your very own personal assistant. You are able to ask your iPhone questions such as “Do I need an umbrella?” and the phone will check the weather for you. You can also ask Siri things like the location of the closest cash point, football scores, table reservations at restaurants and find films that are playing in your area. The iPhone also includes iCloud which enables you to have your content on a number of iOS devices. Summary Apple may have the advantage of an already strong and loyal fan base, but that’s based on the fact that they have a quality and desirable brand that brings its own level of status. Samsung does have better hardware and, debatably, software that rivals iOS, so don’t be surprised to see some customers change allegiance to the Galaxy S4 to be able to take advantage of its market-leading features. Pictures taken from www.samsung.com & www.apple.com http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=26 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 The world’s most popular online mapping system made its return late on Wednesday with the long awaited release of the Google Maps iPhone application. The announcement comes almost three months after Apple replaced Google Maps on the iPhone devices with an Apple version. A version which proved to be far inferior to Google’s, transforming what should have been a loss for Google, into a massive gain. So what was wrong with Apple’s Maps? A few things. It misplaced important landmarks, overlooked towns and it led to people getting horribly lost. Australian police branded Apple Maps as potentially ‘life threatening’ because the system took people heading to city Mildura into a remote desert, 44 miles away from Mildura. Google is hailing its new iPhone app as a major improvement from its inferior Apple predecessor. The additional tools in the free Google iPhone app include turn by turn directions, a feature which Google declined to put on their own previous app. A feature which has always being included on the android versions of Google Maps. This is a clear illustration of the continuous jostling for the leadership in the increasingly competitive smartphone app market. Google Maps also offers street level photography of local neighbourhoods, as well as three- dimensional views, public transit directions and listings for more than 80 million businesses. However it isn’t all good news, the app still lacks some of the mapping features available on the android devices, such as directions inside shopping centres and other buildings. All is not lost for Apple however. The addition of Google Maps to Apple’s arsenal means that customers are less likely to switch to an android advice for the improved map capabilities. It may even encourage some iPhone users to upgrade to the newer IOS 6 software. Some people resisted the new version as they didn’t want to lose access to the impressive old Google Mapping application built into the IOS 5 versions and previous models. The investors however struggled to see the positives as Apple’s shares slid by $ 9.31 when compared to Google’s creeping up $5.14. So how was the new Google App received? Well, from the outset incredibly well. The new alternative was already the top- ranking free app on iTunes by early Thursday morning. Nearly 90 per cent of users gave Google Maps a maximum five star rating. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=23 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Marketing texts are becoming a significant problem to the individual over the past few months. Marketing text messages have been around for a number of years, but with innovations in technology's and the use of mobile phones becoming a necessity, companies are finding it easier to send out mass messages. One of the biggest problems with marketing texts is that it can be hard to tell whether the text originates from a trusted company. A majority of the texts can be spam to trick people into entering personal details. Similar to email spam, the messages can take you to a web page where the individual is required to enter personal details or account details. A common email spam involves a company impersonating HSBC. The emails contains a link and a short piece of text saying ‘There are problems with your account, please log in to resolve this issue’. When following the link the web page is in fact insecure and a scam. The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 covers the way in which organizations send direct marketing by electronic means, this includes text message or SMS. Organizations and companies are not entitled to send you direct marketing text messages if you don't agree to receive them. The only way in which they can send you marketing texts is; if the sender has obtained your details through a sale or negotiations for sale, the messages are about similar products or services offered by the sender and if you were given the opportunity to refuse the texts when your details were collected and, if not refused, you were given a simple way to opt out of the messaging service. The big question is what can you do if you are receiving them unwanted marketing texts? If you think the text messages are breaching regulations then the first thing you should do is email the organization, informing them of the messages. It is key to keep a copy of every correspondence. On the other hand if your are unsure of where the messages originates from or if the message does not come from a company you are familiar with then you should not respond to the message as this can confirm your number is live. One of the most common solutions people will see on most marketing texts is the option to text 'stop' to a telephone number of 5-digit code shown in the text massage. Here are some ways in which to prevent unwanted marketing calls; Be careful who you give your mobile number to Check privacy policies and marketing options carefully, you can tell them not to contact you by text massage. If you reply "STOP" to the message be certain its from a referral company, google the number to validate or visit 192, whoisdomain to check the company. Some of the main culprits are those of accident, debt management, PPI and payday loan companies. Mobile network companies are aware of these text messages and the trick they play. A majority of them consist of message being directed to the wrong name, engaging the receiver of the messages. For example 'Hi Tom here's that site I was telling you about'. It’s not something to worry about, as it is believed that the companies sending the messages are not holding personal information about specific individuals but are randomly generating mobile numbers using a number database generation tool that calculates all possible options within a prefix, then sending 100's or 1000's of messages. Once the recipient receives the text message quite often the user responds to the text stating stop, this confirms to a database that the mobile number is live, and the company uses this as a generated lead to sell on to other company among those that have been mentioned. These messages breach the legislation and should be dealt with accordingly. You should either contact your network operator customer services or use one of the reporting numbers below; Vodafone: forward the text to 87726 Three: Forward the text to 37726 Orange, O2 and t-mobile forward the text to 7726 The issue the mobile networks face is that the company tents to use multiple mobile numbers and although the network can block certain numbers, the company would reappear under a different mobile number. If you search google with the mobile number you may find important information about that particular company who you can then contact to advise that are not interested in their services, asked to be placed on the “DO NOT CALL LIST” if the company fails to do so they in breach of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, use websites such as 192.com to find out about the company and contact them via a recorded letter to again confirm that you are not interested, if the problem still persists you can contact ICO (information commissioners office) to report for breach of the policy, a formal complaint can then be processed and ICO will act upto your information presented. Its also worth registering your landline and mobile numbers with TPS (Telephone Preference Service), this allows you to make known that you are not interested in direct marketing, you will be added to a database from which known companies will know not to contact you, once submitted the database will update within 28 days, and this should significantly reduce unwanted marketing calls/texts. Furthermore if companies after the 28 day registration process at TPS you receive unwanted marketing calls/texts the companies are instantly in breach of the DPA (data protection act) and again ICO can assist you with your enquiry in this instance. The more reports of such companies acting in this unsolicited manner the more likely the government will change the policies set out to tackle this increasing problem. A great alternative is to change your number; a fresh number will create new details that companies will find hard to track / re-track. For that executive touch and a memorable number that is easy for you and your friends to remember, find a huge range of numbers at Unique Sims. With a choice of special numbers, platinum numbers, diamond numbers, gold numbers and silver numbers there is something for every price range. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=17 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 October 2011 saw the much awaited release of the iPhone 4s; with many people queuing for hours to be one of the first to own Steve Jobs’ last mobile phone. With new features Siri and iOS 5 this was a very exciting updated version of the already popular iPhone 4. These simple tips and tricks will teach you how you can get the most out of your iPhone 4s. Siri The most exciting and exclusive feature of the iPhone 4s is Siri. You will of found yourself playing about with this voice recognition device for hours and hours. Siri lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, make phone calls and much more, but how can you get the best from it? To see what Siri can do press and hold down the ‘Home’ button, then press the small ‘i’. You’ll see a detailed list of all the ways Siri can help you get things done. You can use Siri to set up your relationships, so if you tell Siri to “call my wife”, it knows who in your contacts list to ring. To set this up open a contact, then press Edit in the top right hand corner. Scroll down to add field, then Related People and select how they are related to you. Alternatively you can tell Siri “Jean is my wife”, “My brother is John”. Also, tell Siri the address of where you live and where you work, and Siri can then remind you to do things when you leave or arrive at places. Wi-Fi Sync The iOS 5 feature means your devices can be activated without iTunes and you can sync the contents of your iPhone using Wi-Fi. To do this, just plug the cable into your computer, open up iTunes, select your device from the left, and scroll down and select ‘Sync with this device over Wi-Fi’. Then follow the set up process. iCloud Another great feature is iCloud. This is like a hard drive in the sky, storing all your content, such as photos, apps and music. It keeps your email, contacts and calendars up to date across all your devices. No syncing and no management required. To take full advantage of iCloud you need to install an app on your computer. The setup process is easy enough, but it will take some time for the first synchronization if you’ve taken a lot of photos and videos. You can also customise exactly what gets uploaded and downloaded. Using these new features on your iPhone 4s will make your phone a much more useful device. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=16 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Both the latest iPhone 4s and Blackberry Bold 9900 are very capable phones and are also aesthetically pleasing, but which one is best? First looking at the aesthetics of both phones, it is very clear that they both look very crisp and modern however, the iPhone still looks sharper than the Blackberry with its one piece screen and glossy surfaces. The Blackberry still stands out with a bigger screen than previous models and the signature Blackberry keyboard tops other rivals. The Blackberry has an advantage over the iPhone with it's keyboard for the simple fact its very easy to use, with individual keys typing can be easier than that of a touch screen and less typing mistakes are made. As for the screens and navigation, the iPhone is the easiest to use with large icons and simple design. The Blackberry navigation has improved with the release of the newest model. The introduction of a touch screen to the Blackberry Bold range alongside the track pad has maybe given it the edge. The track pad can be at times, difficult to work with but by changing the sensitivity in the settings you can personalise it to your preferred settings. The iPhone offers a 3.5inch retina display which is the highest-resolution phone screen to date. Smaller than the iPhone, The Blackberry Bold has a 2.8-inch touch screen with an inferior resolution to the iPhone, this doesn't stop it looking impressive. Both phones are way ahead of any other smart phone on the market, with the iphone and Blackberry holding the majority of the market share. Both phones offer great performance and battery life as well as innovative technology. The Blackberry shines above the iPhone with a 12.8 day standby time compared to the iPhone's 8.3 days. The processor may have an effect on the battery life as the iPhone has a advanced Dual-core A5 chip compared to the Blackberry's 1.2GHz. Some people love their Blackberry all because of its unique feature known as BBM (Blackberry Messenger) this feature has its very own contact list and is an instant messenger service, allowing the user to see when the message is delivered, read and when the recipient is replying. You can also leave a BBM status so other users in the contact list can see what’s on your mind or what you are doing. Apple has fought back with its imessage, instead of adding different contacts to a separate contact list the iPhones imessage converts text messages into imessages instantly when sent to another iPhone's with the right software. The cameras on both phones are impressive to say the least. The iPhone, to get straight to the point has a much better camera with its 8-megapixel and 1080p HD video recorder; what more can you need? The Blackberry has an adequate 5-megapixel camera and 720p HD video recorder which is still more than enough for a mobile phone. Both phones have a flash, face-detection and geo-tagging that really come in handy when on the move. Although the iPhone beats the Blackberry when it comes to memory, the Blackberry has an impressive expandable microSD memory where you can insert memory into the designed slot. The iPhone is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB compared to the Blackberry, which features an internal memory of 8GB. Depending on the users needs, 8GB should still be enough. Some people may think the iPhone has some features that make it stand out from the rest such as Siri. Siri (Speech Interception and Recognition Interface) is a cool personal assistant which was introduced as a new feature on the iPhone 4s. Siri can do things such as, set reminders, send a text and ask about the weather plus much more, all you need to do is ask. The iPhone also boasts a secondary camera on the front of the phone which can be used with Apple's facetime technology. Facetime is a revolutionary feature which allows you to see the person you are calling and they can see you, it is as clear as a web cam. The Blackberry has many exciting features but as Apple's shares reached $600 this week, how can it keep up with the technology giant, Apple. Whichever phone you choose you can be sure you have the latest, most innovative smart phone on the market. Once you have made your decision on which state of the art smart phone you choose, why not keep that VIP feeling by adding that special touch and opt for a personalised number. Personalised numbers can make you stand out from the rest and give your company the executive touch. Ensure your loved ones and friends never forget your number by selecting a unique, memorable mobile phone number from Unique Sims. With a choice of special mobile numbers, platinum numbers, diamond mobile numbers and gold numbers you are sure to find the one for you. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=15 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Mobile technology has progressed leaps and bounds over the last 15 years with advances in both hardware and software, transforming our lives in ways that would not have been predicted 20 years ago. Only ten years ago it was hard to find a mobile phone with a built in camera, colour screen, touch screen and internet access, however now-a-days we take all these things for granted. There is still huge potential for future developments in mobile phones over the next 5 years. Future mobile phones are being considered as the ultimate multifunction device. With experts predicting that phones of the future could become remote controls for our lives, or that mobile phones may run our lives for us. With such a high rate of improvement over the last few years in both mobile phones and mobile communications, the possibilities for the future seem limitless. What the future may hold Nokia is the first to present their version of the future with the Nokia Morph. Nokia has claimed this phone could transform the user’s experience of day to day life. The concept has been designed by Tapani Tyhanen; director and head of Nokia's Research Center Laboratory in Cambridge. The Morph phone suggests that mobile phones of the future will incorporate transformability and transparency. In other words, the phones of the future will be able to bend, come in many shapes and sizes and you will be able to see through the device. Nokia believes that in the future the entire phone casing will be a display providing good accessibility for users and a great platform for people to use and navigate. The phone will include a wide range of high tech features including silicon microphones, speed and motion detectors, thermal detectors plus many more. This means the phone will be able to sense the environment, health and temperature of people nearby. The phone will be able to morph into different shapes so it can be used as a wide screen for watching videos on and a watch like bracelet that will clip around your wrist. What to expect Mobile phones of the future will be expected to incorporate the development of high resolution touch screens and better quality speed recognition. They will also be expected to feature much bigger memory and storage to accommodate for the amount of media people are starting to use. Social networking has become a huge part of the public’s day to day life in the 21st century and will continue to grow. Mobile phones are also starting to incorporate fast internet browsing and built in GPS to provide location information of yourself and people around you. In the near future mobile phones will encourage interpersonal interaction, in both social and business scenarios. The future today Although most of what is mentioned is unthinkable to most at present, it may be hitting the high street sooner than you think. You can give your current mobile phone a futuristic feel by personalising it. A great way of doing this is through giving your phone a personalised mobile number. This gives your phone that unique touch and although it doesn’t affect your handset it can definitely give you or your business the professional, personal touch. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=19 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 The New BlackBerry10 - Features and Funtionality BlackBerry is gearing up to launch their brand new super-smart phone in January the BlackBerry10. With the ideal of rivalling iPhones, HTCs and Samsung Galaxy’s for functionality and usability, the Blackberry10 has stripped back its former complexities and gone right back to basics, putting user satisfaction at the top of the list of priorities. Research In Motion (RIM) is the development company behind BlackBerry’s operating system BlackBerry OS and they feel that the BB10 puts them one step closer to becoming the market leader in mobile computing. Recently leaked this year was also a Bold version of the BB10, with a standard QWERTY keyboard for those who aren’t fans of a fully touch screen device. There are a number of new features on the BB10 which are extremely simple for the user, but massively complex and sophisticated underneath: Multilingual Text Prediction BlackBerry Hub BlackBerry Flow BlackBerry Peek BlackBerry Hub The Hub is essentially a portal provided by the OS. Swipe up and right on the screen and you can see everything integrated into a side-bar messages pane. From here you can see all of your notifications from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, BlackBerry Messenger and emails. It is completely customisable, so you can have whichever notifications in The Hub that you want. One of the greatest things about The Hub is that it is not an external application, it is an integral part of the BB10 which is constantly running alongside the OS so there is absolutely no waiting or load times. You can also manage your events and calendar, getting contact details of participants and all the information you need about the event. And the glory of having this calendar? You still haven’t even left The Hub, which means fast and efficient time management. BlackBerry Flow Blackberry Flow is a new user paradigm in BB10 which is going to excite all of us who love touch screens! You are able to control every area of the generously-sized screen, which might not sound like much, but rather than it being a simple tap and drag system like most other touch screens, the BB10 flows from section to section with grace and ease. Waking up the BB10 from a “sleep” or locked screen is a completely unique function too. Touch the screen and glide your thumb anywhere to reveal the screen underneath. This allows you to check apps for notifications without having to actually go into the phone itself. As soon as you let go, without unlocking the screen by swiping from the bottom to the top, then the BB10 will lock itself again, preserving the battery life. To return the BB10 to sleep mode simply pull down on the screen. This will turn sounds off and massively maintain battery life. However, some functions are still available like being able to set an alarm with a jazzy feature of being able to touch the clock face at the time when you want the alarm to go off. BlackBerry Peek Blackberry Peek is a concept which allows you to see what notifications are sent to you simply by swiping and holding thumb up from bottom of screen. You do this without closing current open applications, but instead minimising them to the centre of the screen. Peek is available from any screen on the BB10, whether you are within a game, text messaging, BBM or internet browser. It gives you quick and easy access to all of your notifications in one place. Multilingual Text Prediction This new feature, as demonstrated by Vivek Bhardwaj on stage at BlackBerry Jam Americas, allows you to type on a touch-screen QWERTY keyboard but suggests following words for you to select and swipe upwards into the message that you are creating. Not only that, but if you start typing in a different language, then your BB10 will recognise this and automatically start suggesting words in Spanish, French, German, Italian or any other major language. We can imagine this coming in very handy for those supercalifragilisticexpialidociously long words that we all have difficulty spelling, however if you’re a sharp-shooter with the thumb-tapping then this might be a process that slows down the messaging process until you actually learn how to utilise the feature and get maximum messaging speed. For Personal and Business Use The whole idea behind the new BB10 is for users to get maximum usability throughout all aspects of their personal and professional life. With “BlackBerry Balance” you can have two separate identities on the same device - one for your corporate profile and one for your personal profile. Essentially, you are getting two phones inside one handset. All you have to do is pull down on any screen and you can change profiles. Each profile is completely different and customisable so you can have one for the office, and one for home. To make life even easier for you within the corporate world you can get a personalised mobile number so it is easy for clients, customers and colleagues to remember your phone number. Here at Unique Sims, we believe that owning a memorable phone number is beneficial to every aspect of your working life, so browse our available mobile numbers today and start improving your corporate relations today! http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=22 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Many people won’t have heard of Vertu, a mobile and smartphone designer, manufacturer and distributer from the UK. But they have been making huge headlines lately with the release of their newest smartphone, powered by Android. The Vertu Ti has a 3.7” sapphire crystal screen, which is practically scratch proof, with an 8mp rear and 1.3mp front facing cameras, along with 1080p HD video capture. This is practically the perfect all-round media phone, but with the added elegant oomph of ultimate luxury. It isn’t just the screen that’s amazingly tough; a titanium casing surrounds the Ti, which makes this smartphone one of the most incredibly durable ones available on the market. With the Ti, you get the most clear symphonic sound on any phone ever made, with musical from the London symphony orchestra and tuned in collaboration with Band and Olufsen. Every single Vertu Ti is handmade in England by a single craftsman, J. T. Bridge, who carefully constructs the 184 individual elements, and finishes by signing every single phone. The love, care and dedication that goes into every single Vertu TI phone, along with the top of the range specs and fast Android is justification enough for its price tag. One of the greatest benefits of having this phone is the new Vertu Key, which provides the user with a round-the-clock service, connecting them to a “curated world of benefits” and team of people anywhere in the world. You’ll be very hard pressed to see any of these phones in general use on the streets of England, as the majority of them are sold in Asia, but you can always contact a UK boutique if you’re interested in buying one. A phone such as this, which handles all aspects of personal and professional life, is nothing without a personalised phone number to really top off the whole luxurious lifestyle. If you have to ask what the price of this phone is, you probably can’t afford it. But £7,000 is the answer. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=24 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Mobile network processes vary from network to network, all networks are regulated by Ofcom the regulative authority, figuring out the jargon to achieve your own consumer requirements can be challenging at the best of times, so we have compiled a summary on transferring networks to help you through what may seem like a daunting task. The Topic in this article relates to transferring your mobile number to another mobile network. Transferring from one mobile network to another - Cross network transfer. So your looking to transfer your new or existing mobile number to another network, the process is called porting and the two common departments based at each network are MNP or Mobile Number portability, and Retentions, these departments deal solely with the transferring of mobile numbers in and out of the current network provider by the issuing of a PAC (port authorisation code). Once generated a PAC allows customers to move their existing or new mobile number to the network of choice. To obtain your PAC some networks require certain processes to be completed prior to a PAC being generated, they include registration of the mobile number under the users name, standard details such as name, address, d.o.b and P.I.N / I.D or password are required, it is also common for the networks to request in the event that the mobile number is in pre-active state (never used, brand new) that a topup and chargeable call is made from the SIM card to enable the PAC to be provided. It is important that these policies are adhered to, to ensure a smooth transition. Once the PAC is generated, usually provided via the telephone or SMS, the PAC will always start with 3 letters, commonly these letters are an abbreviation of the mobile network that issued the PAC, some examples include; TEL = O2, VPT = Vodafone, ORG = Orange etc. followed by 6 digits ??" 123456. On the day of issue regardless of the network there will be an expiration date of the PAC, this is 30 days, the network should advise you of this time frame. At this point it would be advisable to backup any contacts on your mobile phone and use up any remaining credit if using a PAYG (Pay as you go) SIM card. If the PAC is not provided to the transferring network within 30 days the mobile number will remain with the issuing network, however please note that if transferring from a closing contract account you may risk losing your mobile number, as it will be terminated into a disconnected state that may not be recoverable by the network. It is advisable to provide the PAC to the transferring network at your earliest convenience to avoid such problems occurring. And remember that generation of a PAC does not aways mean closure of account, customers would not appreciate receiving two bills in the post from two different networks, old and new. Call customer services of the transferring network to provide the PAC or with some networks the PAC can be processed online. Once provided the mobile number should transfer within 2 working days under the latest / revised Ofcom MNP policy. On the day of transfer completion put your new network SIM card into the mobile phone leave switched on throughout the day, at some point during the day you will lose signal, this would indicate the transfer is almost complete, switch the handset off for approximately 10 minutes and back on again, the cross network transfer should now of completed, in the event that the number has not transferred, repeat the fore-mentioned process. Transferring from Prepay to Postpay on the same network - Internal Migration. The process to complete a mobile number transferring from a PAYG SIM card to a Contract SIM card on the same network is known in the industry as internal migration, in most cases a PAC is not required to complete this process, simply provide the SSN (SIM Serial Number) to contract customer services along with relevant security details, and the advisor will be able to transfer within 24 hours, however this can be processed in as little as 1-2 hours (Varies per network). If the advisor requests that a PAC must be issued then you will be required to speak with the PAYG department and ask for a PAC to be generated, then calling back the contract department. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=14 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 With new apps and mobile internet allowing us to do more and more on our mobile phones, it is not only mobile phone handset technology that needs to keep evolving, but the data networks too. Most of us will remember when mobile phones were simply used to call friends. Thanks to the launch of a super-fast mobile network launched in the UK, opening web pages in a split second and watching TV will soon be a reality for the UK population. The country’s largest Mobile Phone operator, EE, has launched the service in 10 British cities in an attempt to obtain a bigger slice of the market than the 34% it already controls through its Orange and T-Mobile brands. Let’s explore the evolution of the phone network’s data networks. Every decade or so has brought us a new generation of mobile phone technology. 1G brought us the 1980’s “brick-like” phones which were immortalised with the yuppies, and their Filofaxes. Derek Trotter owned a 1G phone too. The 1990’s witnessed the birth of the 2G network. This new technology meant that the size of mobile phones became smaller. New designs were introduced, phones started to slide and flip open. In the 2000’s 3G network technology meant that phones became ‘smart’ and able to effectively use the internet. Emails could be checked on the go and websites could be browsed - a huge development. Now in 2012 we have 4G: the next step. 4G connection will give your mobile phone an internet connection similar to that of a desktop computer, meaning watching TV, playing online games, and video calling on the go will become as easy as it is at home. In layman’s terms, 4G will do all this by squeezing larger amounts of data over radio waves. The 4G auction took five years to organise and involved 50 rounds of bidding by seven rivals in one of the most complicated and intricate auctions ever performed. George Osbourne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, was expecting the auction to raise around £3.5bn for the government’s coffers, but in reality it only made £2.3bn ??" which is nothing in comparison to the £22bn that the 3G licence raised. The main mobile networks have managed to outbid their opponents and gain specific gigahertz ranges to roll out their respective 4G services ??" where analogue TV used to occupy in the airwaves. BT gained some 4G air space but explained that, rather than using it to launch a customer-driven 4G strategy, it would be using the space to improve their current services; and paying £186,476,000 for the privilege! The Three network paid £255m for two 5MHz slices of the 800MHz pie, which will go with their share they already bought from EE in 2012. EE paid almost £600m for two 5MHz pieces in the 800MHz band and two 35MHz pieces of the 2.6GHz band. Lastly but by no means least, Vodafone paid the most for the most allocation across the 4G spectrum. Almost £800m was spent with two 10MHz pieces in the 800MHz band, two 20MHz and a 25MHz piece in the 2.6GHz band. It looks like 4G is going to be an expensive luxury initially, hopefully with prices being reduced as time goes on. But it looks like Vodafone is going to be the network to beat for 4G connectivity, with increased national coverage, a massive amount of freed up spectrum for now and the foreseeable future. How will the networks assign their frequencies to the acquired spectrum, in a race against time to offer the UK an unrivalled 4G experience, which then leads me to ask what will the networks marketing strategies be moving forward, and who will cross the finishing line with the most amount of subscribers? Expanding on the uses of 4G connectivity not only is this exciting how this technology increases download speeds for the consumer, but how this will develop businesses in the ever expanding M2M market, is it the right time for your business to start considering the possibilities and a change of infrastructure, utilising this powerful technology… How will you use 4G? http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=25 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100 Once you have found the phone you want you need to choose whether you pay as you go or opt for a monthly contract. The choice is up to you, you should never feel pressured into buying a contract phone.The advantages of PAYG are as follows: You pay for what you use you can control your spending Network providers are able to offer you bundles or packages such as top up by £20 and you can receive unlimited texts for the month. You can track how much you use and what you use more of. EG texts or calls, this way you can be certain you aren't wasting money on added benefits such as the internet which you rarely use. Disadvantages of PAYG: Brand new phones such as the IPhone tend to be expensive; opting for these models on PAYG could see you paying a fortune for the handset. If you are in an emergency and you have no credit left on your phone, you may not be able to top up and make that important call. You may be using your phone excessively, constantly having to top up; this could cost you more on a monthly basis than the contract would. Advantages of Contract phones: One way of avoiding the huge upfront fee of the handset. Many network providers will offer the phone at a reduced rate when you opt for contract, often £300 less. Unlimited calls and texts are often included in the tariff you chose, ensuring you never run out of minutes when you need to make that emergency call. Credit is never a problem with contract phones and you can cap it so you don't go over your tariff – eliminating the hassle of topping up. Disadvantages of Contract Phones: There are no reminders that you are reaching the limit on your internet or data usage When you go abroad, you must ensure to turn off your data roaming otherwise you could face a huge bill. You are bound to the contract for 12, 18 or 24 months; you are unable to change providers in this time. You may get a surprise when you open your bill, often it is difficult to stick to the tariff, 0845 numbers are very expensive to call and you must check your tariff is cross network so that you aren’t paying extra to call other mobile network providers. So which is best I hear you ask?There is no right or wrong answer, if you just need your phone to make the odd call or to ensure you are reachable when you’re out and about, then PAYG would be best for you. If you are constantly on your phone and it is attached to your hand, then contract is the way forward to ensure you don't get a huge bill, consider capping your tariff so you can't go over the minutes allocated. http://www.uniquesims.com/news/news.php?id=7 Thu, 23 May 13 22:11:08 +0100