NEW RELEASES COMING TO TELSTRA AND MOBILE EXTRAS SOON:-
Postpaid Mobile Phone Packages (as follows):
* HTC Velocity 4G Now Available
* Samsung Omnia W
* Telstra T28 Now Available (NB:- It has a direct RF port connector for Patch Lead use on the back of the unit and not under the battery cover.)
Prepaid Mobile Phone Packages (as follows):
* Samsung Galaxy Y (Grey and Pink)
Stay tuned in to Mobile Extras for all the latest product news, launches and releases.
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AsiaOne
Wednesday, Oct 05, 2011
Apple fans who stayed up for the highly anticipated iPhone 5 announcement might be disappointed to know that its latest mobile device is a souped-up version of the iPhone 4 - the iPhone 4S.
In a conference held at its headquarters in Cuppertino, Apple's new chief executive Tim Cook, who replaced ailing founder Steve Jobs, unveiled the company's latest products and developments, including its iPod, iCloud and the new iOS5, which will be lauched on Oct 12.
The iPhone 4S, which was announced by Apple's senior vice-president Philip Schiller, boasts the A5 processor which is used to power the iPad and will run on both CDMA and GSM networks, as well as the iOS 5 software.
But made iPhone lovers take notice is the upgraded camera of eight megapixels and the intelligent assistant, Siri, which recognises voice commands and makes calendar appointments just by talking to the phone.
According to Apple, the new voice command system can even perform mathematical calculations when asked to and is able to answer queries such as "will I need an umbrella this weekend?" and "what is the traffic like around here?"
Siri, which understands English, French and German, also allows users to search the web, search for restaurants, set the alarm, and have messages read back to the user.
The iPhone 4S, which will come in black and white, will launch on Oct 14 in the US, Canada, Australia, UK, France, Germany and Japan.
Apple will launch the phone in 22 more countries by Oct 28 and Singapore will be one of the countries to get the handset then.
By 3am local time, Singapore's Apple online store unveiled the iPhone 4S on their website but prices are yet to be available.
Prices for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS in Singapore will be available from S$788 and S$548 respectively.
The US price range for the iPhone 4S announced during the conference last night are US$199 (S$262) for 16GB, US$299 for 32GB, and US$399 for 64GB, the new capacity that is offered in the iPhone 4S.
The lower entry prices for Apple's newest iPhone will effectively make the iPhone 4 available in the US at only US$99, while earlier generations iPhone 3GS models will be free with telecom carrier contracts.
iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users will be able to upgrade to the iOS 5 software for free on Oct 13.
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Apple iPad 2 coming soon to Telstra (news source updated 04/03/2011).
According to Apple, the iPad 2 will feature an entirely new design that is a third thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen.
Warwick Bray, Telstra's Executive Director of Mobile Products said Telstra would support this new Apple iPad on our Next G® network when it arrives in Australia on March 25, 2011.
"The original iPad was a huge hit with our customers and exceeded all sales expectations - today more than 100,000 of these touch-screen devices are connected to the Next G network," Warwick said.
Apple says the iPad 2 will feature a new dual-core A5 processor for fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime® and Photo Booth®, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time.
Telstra's Pre-Paid Apple iPad Kits cost $30 and include a special micro SIM and 3GB of data to get customers started.
Recharge rates start from $20 for 1GB of data for use over 30 days and range up to a $150 recharge that allows customer to enjoy 12GB of data over a massive 365 day expiry period.
"Telstra customers will be able to connect their iPads to the Next G network via Telstra's existing Pre-Paid plans for Apple iPad," Warwick said.
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Telstra to launch 4G Mobile Broadband Network by end 2011.
Source: Media Release 15th February, 2011
Australians will again be at the leading edge of mobile telecommunications with Telstra today unveiling plans to upgrade its Next G™ network with 4G technology later this year.
Announcing the plan at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Chief Executive Officer David Thodey said the company plans to upgrade its existing Next G™ network with Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in the central business districts of all Australian capital cities and selected regional centres by the end of 2011.
“Telstra is proud to again be a technology leader, providing Australians with leading-edge mobile broadband services on the world’s largest national mobile network,” Mr Thodey said.
“The technology can provide many Australians with faster data speeds, high-quality video conferencing and faster response times when using mobile applications or accessing the internet.
“It can also help Telstra meet demand for mobile data, which is doubling every year as customers move to adopt data-hungry smartphones, mobile modems and tablets,” Mr Thodey said.
The planned upgrade will use the company’s existing 1800MHz spectrum to bring 4G to areas where traffic demand is most concentrated. It will be integrated with Telstra’s existing HSPA+ service, which uses the 850MHz spectrum range.
By the end of 2011 Telstra plans to sell dual mode LTE/HSPA+ mobile broadband devices that operate seamlessly across the 1800MHz and 850MHz spectrum ranges, giving customers the benefits of 4G where it is available. However, there will be no change in the quality or coverage footprint for customers who do not wish to upgrade their devices.
The planned upgrade will not require incremental investment to existing plans, instead being funded from Telstra’s existing budget for capital expenditure.
“We see the integration of LTE technology into the Next G™ network as a way to continue to deliver high quality services and meet growing customer demand, and we are very happy to bring this service to Australia thanks to a partnership with our long-time collaborators Ericsson, Sierra Wireless and Qualcomm,” Mr Thodey said.
Ericsson President and CEO, Hans Vestberg said: “Ericsson and Telstra have a long history of innovative network partnership and we are proud to bring the next generation of mobile broadband to Australia. Telstra’s Next G™ network is globally recognized as an advanced, world-class service and LTE will enable Telstra to continue to deliver a superior end-user experience for both existing and future Next G™ subscribers."
President and chief executive officer of Sierra Wireless, Jason Cohenour said: “Telstra’s planned upgrade to LTE technology is an exciting development that reaffirms the company and Australia as a world leader in high-speed, high-quality mobile broadband connectivity. We are thrilled to continue our longstanding collaboration with Telstra, Ericsson and Qualcomm to push mobile broadband technology forward and to provide LTE devices for the network.”
Mr Thodey confirmed that, as well as deploying 4G, Telstra would also upgrade parts of its network over time with next-generation HSPA+ technologies. These upgrades will provide customers in other parts of Australia with 4G-like services using Telstra’s 850MHz spectrum.
In line with Telstra’s longstanding record as a technology leader, Telstra is working with leading network, chipset and device vendors, in conjunction with the Global Suppliers Association and the GSM Association, to establish a global industry group to champion and guide the development of the 4G ecosystem at 1800MHz.
Telstra and Ericsson featured in a GSMA-hosted seminar during the Mobile World Congress to show how an integrated LTE and HSPA+ network can be effectively and economically deployed by operators. The seminar took place on Thursday, 17 February, 2011.