About Electronics

Electronista: Europe’s iPhone carriers may face a significant financial hit from sub-par iPhone sales in the region, says a report from UK’s The Times. Speaking to Morgan Stanley analyst Katheryn Huberty, the paper hears that temporary price drops at T-Mobile in Germany and O2 UK are likely to incur “significant” financial losses as the phones sell below cost. Carriers are expected to recover much of this through monthly fees, with T-Mobile altering its discounts depending on subscription rates, but are still anticipated to suffer to some degree.

While Orange has not joined the efforts and is allegedly under pressure from Apple to discount the iPhone’s price in a subsidized model, all three European carriers have allegedly sold well below expectations. Total continent-wide sales reportedly reached the 330,000 mark where the providers together had estimated between 500,000 and 600,000.

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PMP Today: Orange reports selling 70,000 units of the Apple iPhone a month after it launched at the end of November. AT&T and Apple stores were reported to have sold 270,000 iPhones in the span of 30 hours after the June 29 US launch. The iPhone went on to sell a million units after less than three months in the market. On a lesser degree, T-Mobile Germany reported selling 10,000 iPhones in the first 24 hours after launch.

Orange sold 30,000 of the 70,000 units in the first week after the launch, and sold the remainder during the holiday season, normally a favorable period for consumer spending. Orange previously estimated that they can sell 500,000 iPhones in 2008, but with the hype waning this already conservatve projective might seem over-optimistic.

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VNUnet: Orange customers in the UK are now able to take advantage of a further 7,500 UK Wi-Fi hotspots following a deal with The Cloud.

The mobile operator already offers Wi-Fi hotspots to its customers through existing partnerships with BT Openzone, France Telecom and WeRoam.

Following yesterday’s agreement with The Cloud, Orange business customers now have access to more than 10,000 hotspots across the UK through Orange Wi-Fi Access.

Customers are required to sign up to Orange’s Business Everywhere mobile data card service to gain access to the Wi-Fi networks.

Business Everywhere comprises a single data card that offers wireless connection to the internet through Wi-Fi, HSDPA, 3G, Edge, GPRS and 2G networks.

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VNUNet.com: Orange has unveiled what it claims is the world’s first solar-powered Bluetooth headset.

The Iqua BHS-603 Sun Bluetooth headset draws its power directly from the Sun, and offers ecologically friendly use free from any charging devices.

The 14g device fits directly into the ear and offers 200 hours of standby time and nine hours talk time in complete darkness, according to the company.

Orange said that the headset is compatible with a range of PDAs, Bluetooth-enabled PCs and mobile phones, including Apple’s iPhone.

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MacNN: France Telecom today announced that it holds exclusive rights to distribute Apple’s iPhone in France.

The company’s CEO Didier Lombard refused to offer details on pricing, but said that the iPhone will not be subsidized by the operator and that French consumers will see iPhones before Christmas and as early as November, according to Thomson Financial.

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International Herald Tribune: European Union regulators on Monday cleared the proposed acquisition of telecommunications company Orange Netherlands by T-Mobile Netherlands, a branch of Deutsche Telekom.In a statement, the European Commission said the deal would “not significantly impede effective competition” in EU markets.

Orange has about 1.9 million cell phone customers and 612,000 Internet users in the Netherlands. It is currently owned by France Telecom.

The merger would make T-Mobile the second-largest mobile phone operator in terms of subscribers in the Dutch market and the third-largest operator in terms of revenue, the Commission said.

KPN remains the market leader, and the new entity would be have a similar strength to the other main player, Vodafone, the EU executive agency added.

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Engadget: Rumors about a possible Google phone have run so hot and cold recently that it’s hard to keep up, but AppleInsider is reporting that the big G is making a big push in developing their own handset.

AI says that investment guidance firm Anian has issued a report quoting a development budget in the “hundreds of millions” of dollars and that HTC is being tapped to build a Linux-based Gphone to be launched on T-Mobile in the US in early 2008, with Orange getting the exclusive in France and other countries. Anian also says Google has been in talks with Verizon and AT&T, and that Verizon has already shot the big G down — much like it did with Apple and the iPhone.

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Mobilitysite: Jon Westfall from PocketPCThoughts calls it sleek, I think I would call it slick and my buddy OttRot would definitely classify it as sexy.

I have to agree with Jon when he asks if “Anyone else thinks it’s amazing how many Pocket PC Phones there are out there now compared to two years ago” … I agree Jon, it is simply amazing that there are so many that are so good. We certainly have choices!

Jason Langridge said that Orange France has another 3G/EDGE device to add to their portfolio. This new device is known as the SPV M700.It doesn’t have a QWERTY keyboard but it does have WiFi, 3G and a 2.0 Mega Pixel camera.

Fore more details, please check the productpage (in French).

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NewLaunches.com: Acoustic Energy and Orange have teamed up to let you hear amplified and excellent quality music from your Bluetooth enabled PDA, mobile phone, MP3 player etc.

Using Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) technology to enhance audio coverage over a Bluetooth network, the speaker also provides with a rear panel for input that enable you to connect even non-Bluetooth devices to it.

There are many such speakers already existing in the markets. But the 20 watt amplifier in this set makes it stand out from the others.

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