SingTel Priority Pass Mobile Broadband Service

 Technology  No Responses »
Jun 132011
 

SingTel just announced the launch of a premium priority mobile broadband service that will be available from 15th June onwards and will be activated at no extra charge for existing SingTel 7.2Mbps and 21Mbps mobile broadband plans with the following “typical speed range” that users can expect to achieve 80% of the time:

Mobile broadband plan Theoretical speed Typical speed range % of typical / theoretical Price Price / Typical speed
Classic 3.6 3.6Mbps 0.8Mbps to 2.1Mbps 22.22% to 58.33% SGD$29.90 $37.38/Mbps to $14.24/Mbps
Priority 7.2 (with Priority Pass) 7.2Mbps 1.4Mbps to 3.7Mbps 19.44% to 51.39% SGD$40.00 $28.57/Mbps to $10.81/Mbps
Premium 21 (with Priority Pass) 21Mbps 1.7Mbps to 4.8Mbps 8.09% to 22.86% SGD$59.90 $35.24/Mbps to $12.48/Mbps

This new service is only available for mobile broadband plans, not for mobile phone plans like iFlexi. As you can see, the plan that’s value for money is the Priority 7.2 (with Priority Pass) plan.

SingTel is also the first telco to disclose typical mobile broadband speeds using 2 different tests – 1 during the daytime with probes around the central area of Singapore (indoor commercial buildings), 1 during the evening with probes around residential areas. These tests are done over a period of 24 hours for 3 months. However, these tests are not standardized by IDA yet, and will be updated when IDA decides to come out with a standard way to test the mobile speeds.

Note that these speeds are only expected 80% of the time island-wide, and are typical speed ranges. However, you might achieve more or less depending on the situation.

Guidance to Port iOS and Android apps to Windows Phone 7

 Development, Windows Phone  No Responses »
Jun 132011
 

Microsoft really wants you, all you iOS and Android developers, to port your apps to Windows Phone 7, and they’ve done a great job by offering lots of guidance and even API mapping tools to help you transfer your skills and knowledge of iOS and/or Android skills quickly to Windows Phone 7.

Here’s what they’re offering:

iOS Developer Guidance to Windows Phone 7

Android Developer Guidance to Windows Phone 7

General Developer Porting Guidance to Windows Phone 7

  • a series of “developer stories”, in which developers share on video their experience porting applications to Windows Phone and explain why and how they did it.
  • “App Guy”
    • Get app porting assistance

With this many resources and help, there really isn’t any excuse for you not to try developing for Windows Phone 7. Head down to App Hub and download the Windows Phone 7 Developer Tools.

Best of Android Super Phones in 1st Half of 2011

 Technology  No Responses »
Jun 132011
 

Half of 2011 is gone, and we take a look at the best of the best Android super phones out there in the market for the 1st half of 2011. All these phones (with the exception of LG Optimus 2X and Motorola Atrix) are running the latest and greatest Android 2.3 Gingerbread with their own unique customizations. There is a reason why these phones will only hold their place as the best in the 1st half of 2011, because in the 2nd half of 2011 before the year ends, we will see more powerful Android phones scheduled to be released using quad-cores, and running the new version of Android 4.0 Ice-cream Sandwich, providing a completely new super phone experience. And now, we have the best top 5 phones from the 5 Android super phones manufacturers (in no particular order):

Here’s a table of comparison between the 5 devices:

LG Optimus 2X Samsung GALAXY S II HTC Sensation Sony Ericsson Xperia arc Motorola Atrix
Android OS 2.2 Froyo (Upgradable to 2.3 Gingerbread) 2.3.x Gingerbread 2.3.x Gingerbread 2.3.x Gingerbread 2.2 Froyo (Upgradable to 2.3 Gingerbread)
CPU 1GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9, Nvidia Tegra 2 1.2GHz Cortex A9 Dual-core Qualcomm 1.2GHz Dual-Core Scorpion, Adreno 220 GPU Qualcomm 1GHz Scorpion, Adreno 205 GPU 1GHz Dual-core ARM Cortex-A9, Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset
Display 4” 480 x 800 IPS LCD 4.27” 480 x 800 Super AMOLED Plus 4.3” 540 x 960 qHD 4.2” 480 x 854 LCD 4” 540 x 960 qHD
Custom UI Optimus UI 2.0 TouchWiz 4.0 Sense UI 3.0 Rachael UI Motoblur UI
Internal Storage 8GB 16GB 1GB 512MB 16GB
Battery 1500 mAh 1650 mAh 1520 mAh 1500 mAh 1930 mAh
Camera 8 MP rear camera with auto focus and LED Flash
1.3 MP front camera		 8 MP rear camera with auto focus and LED Flash
2 MP front camera		 8 MP rear camera with auto focus and dual LED flash
VGA front camera		 8 MP rear camera with auto focus and LED flash
(No front camera)		 5 MP rear camera with auto focus and LED flash
VGA front camera
Retail Price SGD$888 SGD$998 SGD$838 SGD$888 SGD$988 (with HD Multimedia Dock)

I’m always asked which phone I’ll recommend to people, and which phone I’ll buy if I had the money. Well, if I’m looking for the best of the best of all Android phones, I’ll get the Samsung GALAXY S II which will be out in Singapore by the end of June 2011.

I highly recommend the Samsung GALAXY S II because it has the best all rounded specifications, together with the Super AMOLED Plus screen (which dramatically reduces battery usage) and large battery capacity of 1650 mAh, you’ll be able to use this phone the whole day without charging up (the biggest complaint against Android phones).

My only complaint about the Samsung GALAXY S II is that it’s way too thin for my hands (which isn’t such a bad thing for many people), and TouchWiz UI. In terms of customized UI, HTC Sensation has got the best so far with the new Sense UI 3.0 bringing “Active Lockscreen” into the picture, enabling the possibility of music controller on the lockscreen, one of the biggest requests from everyone who wants to use (or has used) Android. But hey, that’s software and it will eventually be on every Android phone soon (I hope).

What do you guys think of the Best Android Super Phones in 1H 2011? Which do you like?

Best Android Super Phones of 1H 2011

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Launch Event of the Blackberry Playbook in Singapore (Video)

 Technology  No Responses »
Jun 132011
 

I had the pleasure of being invited to the launch of the Blackberry Playbook in Singapore, and it was really crowded with lots of celebrities (which I had no idea who they are). Took a few videos and photos for your pleasure. Check it out.

More photos after the break:  Continue reading »