iPhone 4 and pay as you go tariffs

September 23, 2010

Design

The iPhone 4 is slimmer than previous iPhone models; it has metal buttons and band around the edges, this not only looks good, strengthening its appearance, but it is also the phone’s antenna. The top of the phone has a noise-cancelling microphone to ensure improved sound quality and there is a 3.5mm jack for connecting your headphones if required. The SIM card is now on the right side of the phone and is much smaller (a micro-SIM as used in the Apple iPad). Although this is space saving it has the disadvantage of making it more difficult if and when you change your network. Display

The iPhone 4 still has a 3.5 touchscreen but the quality has been vastly improved. Apple suggests it is ‘the sharpest, most vibrant display ever’. It has four times the number of pixels of the earlier iPhone models allowing sharp displays. Apple suggests that the glass is 30 times stronger than plastic and far more scratch resistant. Battery The iPhone 4 is powered by the same chip as in the iPad – an A4 chip making the phone quick and responsive. The new chip extends the battery life and enables improved power management. This should allow 7 hours of phone talk and web browsing for 6 hours.

Camera

The camera has dramatically improved from previous models a 5MB rather than 3.2MB; plus LED flash, a backlit sensor and an integrated 5X zoom.  It can shoot videos in HD at 720p at 30 frames per second.

Multitasking

The latest operating system OS 4 allows you to run several apps at once – great news. To multi-task double-tap on the home button, this shows you which apps are running and allows you to switch between apps.

Which PAYG network?

The iPhone 4 is now available from major UK networks as well as Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U. You have 3 iPhone tariff options:

  1. pay monthly
  2. micro Sim
  3. PAYG

This post only informs you about options 2 & 3. However, Tesco do offer a 12-month contract costing around £20 a month – check it out below as it has some advantages to consider. If you sign up for a monthly deal with a network provider you will receive a discounted price on your handset. The iPhone 4 uses a smaller than standard Sim card so make sure the network you select offers micro-sim plans.

O2 offers the Iphone 4  SIM free 16GB  from £495 and 32 GB from £595. IPhone PAYG is on O2’s Text and Web tariff, the more you top up the more texts you get. From the 1st October Text and Web will include unlimited wifi.  For a Sim only monthly deal choose the O2’s Simplicity deal available on 30-day or 12-month contract.

Tesco is offering the iPhone 4 on PAYG at an initial handset price of £479 for 16GB and £569 for the 32GB. All iPhone tariffs from Tesco come with 12 months unlimited wifi and 1GB of mobile internet. The cheapest 12-month contract costs £20 a month and an initial 16GB iPhone 4 will cost you £349.

Vodafone PAYG deals include 12 months mobile internet and wifi; 250MB a month of mobile internet and webmail in the UK and 1GB a month of wifi with BT Openzone hotspots. You will pay a one off cost for the handset.

Three (3) PAYG offers a SIM only tariff but this means purchasing the handset separately. Their one month rolling contract costs £15 and offers you 300 network minutes; 3,000 texts and 1GB internet.

Orange PAYG is offered on its Animal plans. Orange offers Sim-only rolling monthly plans costing £25 per month. This offers you 600 minutes and unlimited texts; unlimited wifi and unlimited UK mobile internet browsing (subject to fair usage policy of 750MB a month).

This page leads onto our news item entitled ‘Compare mobile broadband networks’ on Homepage.

For further pricing information and updates use the following links:

visit the o2 website

go to tesco website

visit Vodafone website

the three website

or see the Orange website

Get a reconditioned iphone

April 30, 2010

News fresh from Vodafone…

£5 OFF the standard monthly contract when you buy a reconditioned iphone handset from Vodafone

The iPhone is a great handset and chances are that if you don’t have one, you would probably like one! Reconditioned iPhones are now available at £5 less on each tariff (compared to when purchased new), making price less of a barrier and the phone itself more accessible!

Vodafone carefully check and test all reconditioned iphones – so they look and work just like new. You get a battery, charger and user guide with your iphone, plus pay monthly handsets also come with a warranty that lasts as long as your contract (PAYG handsets come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty). In short, you benefit from great deals on often popular handsets, without the risks commonly expected!

Check out the offer – visit the Vodafone website.

Update (October 2010): Three are now offering refurbished iPhone 4 phones – visit the Three website for more information.

Update (June 2011): We have written a guide to buying a reconditioned iphone – visit or guide page for more information.

Refurbished iphones available on Vodafone

April 11, 2010

News fresh from Vodafone…

£5 OFF the standard monthly contract when you buy a refurbished iphone handset from Vodafone

The iPhone is a great handset and chances are that if you don’t have one, you would probably like one! Refurbished iPhones are now available at £5 less on each tariff (compared to when purchased new), making price less of a barrier and the phone itself more accessible!

Vodafone carefully check and test all refurbished iphones – so they look and work just like new. You get a battery, charger and user guide with your iphone, plus pay monthly handsets also come with a warranty that lasts as long as your contract (PAYG handsets come with a 12-month manufacturer warranty). In short, you benefit from great deals on often popular handsets, without the risks commonly expected!

Check out the offer on the Vodafone website.

Multitasking your PAYG iPhone

February 28, 2010

The  Apple iPhone 3GS is the fastest and most powerful yet. It is the best mobile phone on the market with a variety of impressive and useful applications. The iPhone is much more than a mobile phone. It allows, internet tethering, so that you can use it to get a 3G, connection on your PC or Mac. Web pages and attachments can be viewed quickly while you are on the move and the 3D graphics will offer you an amazing gaming experience. However, you are constricted by the ability to only play games that involve the touchscreen or the accelerometer to detect movement.

The iPhone 3GS is faster and more responsive than the previous iPhone 3G. You can record, video, edit and share your videos by email to your MobileMe Gallery, publish them on, YouTube, or sync them to your Mac. You can multitask, you can be downloading email and files while web-surfing or composing text messages.

The 3-megapixel camera takes excellent photos as it has integrated auto focus and just by touching the screen you can manipulate your focus of choice. Voice control recognises names in your address book and music on your iPod. Voice control can allow in-car dialling and usable voice control this can all enhance the user’s experience. It also has a digital compass application for when you are on the road. The Apple iPhone is a phone, iPod and Internet device in one attractively designed package – its mail application is worthy of a desktop computer. The PAYG iPhone 3GS is available from Orange, Vodafone, O2 and Tesco Mobile – visit their sites for the latest deals …

  • orange website
  • vodafone website
  • tesco website
  • o2 website

At present O2’s offers are cheaper than Orange saving you £15 approx. on similar pay-as-you-go deals for handsets around £449 for 3GS 16MB and £549 for 3GS 32GB.  Alternatively try Amazon website  for a competitive PAYG deal.

The  Apple Iphone can change the way you can work with colleagues, socialise with your friends, purchase goods and interact with both organisations and objects in the environment. It could change the dynamics of how you now live in that it enables you to carry out business activities at anytime and anywhere. To feel good about yourself get an Apple iPhone.

Money saving apps:

Once you have aquired your iPhone (with or without a network contract) you can get free and paid for applications that are great for saving money.

1. Redlaser (£1.19) lets you scan barcodes and search online for lower prices using Google product search and Amazon online.

2. PetrolPrice Pro (£4.99) will give you cheaper fuel options within a 5,10,15 or 20 mile radius of where you are.

3. Meter Readings (59p)  tracks energy and water use in your home by day, week or month (as line graphs); knowing/altering your consumption habits can help you save money.

4. Tipulator (£1.19) Useful for restaurant tipping; enter bill amount, select percentage and number of people tip is being split by and the numbers are crunched for you.

5. App Sniper (59p) track the latest apps on sale and will notify you when your target apps have met your set price

Please let us know which apps you feel are good money saving choices

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