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Friday, December 7, 2012

Vodafone Smart Tab II: painfully positive spin

Mark Bridge writes:

There are some things I don’t want to accept. Events that have rocked my perception of the world. Dave Lee Travis being arrested. The death of Amy Winehouse. Visiting a pork pie factory. I now have a new one on my list: Vodafone’s blog post today about the Smart Tab II.

As I’ve said more than once before, I have a soft spot for Big Red. I’ve worked for it as an employee and as a contractor. I’m still something of an evangelist for the network. And yet… and yet I feel as though I’ve just seen my telecoms role model getting out the back of a police van with a blanket over its head.

Subtitled “What the web has to say”, the Vodafone article reposts a few online reports about the company’s new 7-inch tablet.

It starts with the Daily Mail, which describes the device as being best-suited for skinflints. “It’s scaly and rubbery, with the air of having been hewn from the floor-sweepings of a Chinese tyre factory”. Hang on, no. Vodafone understandably left all that out. Instead it quotes a reference to the device’s expandable memory - a positive point, it’s true - and notes “Rob also liked the fact that the Smart Tab II comes pre-loaded with ‘the latest version of Android’.” Except that part’s not true. It comes with Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.4., not Jelly Bean 4.2. A big difference, not just to ‘geeks’ (who are recommended to buy the Nexus 7 anyway) but to anyone who takes language literally.

Still, we all make the occasional mistake. That probably explains the spelling of ‘Vodaphone’ in the headline, too. Let’s move on.

Pocket-Lint next. According to Vodafone, “the site’s reaction says… it’s certainly great value”. Hmmm. Not explicitly, it doesn’t. Not by actually using the word ‘value’ or by offering a price comparison.

Off to Mobile Choice now, which says favourable things about the price and the usability. Vodafone reports “They were most smitten with the 7-inch tab’s rather sleek design”, adding that Mobile Choice “concluded that it’s an ‘attractive device’.” Again, not good news for those who use the English language in its conventional sense. No mention of the “poor build quality”. The real verdict is the Smart Tab II “simply has too many flaws to succeed”.

It needn’t have been this way. For a tablet with a built-in 3G connection, the Smart Tab II really is decent value for £149 on a pay as you go tariff. It’s made by Lenovo; a well-respected manufacturer. Vodafone, dear Vodafone, you really didn’t need to write a blog post that played as fast and loose with quotes as a film poster. You should have stuck with the truth.

And finally, that’s what happens. The Vodafone blog entry ends by quoting from a fourth site.

Probably the most concise reaction to the Smart Tab II was from Phones Review, however, which summed it up perfectly with the below:

“Want to get your hands on a reasonably affordable 7-inch Android tablet in time for Christmas?  Well then you might like to consider the Vodafone Smart Tab II.”

Can’t say fairer than that, can you?  Phones Review hasn’t reviewed the product, it’s only reporting Vodafone’s tablet is on sale. And therefore its comments are entirely reasonable.

You may well like to consider the Vodafone Smart Tab II. You might also want to consider reading a few reviews first. Full reviews; not merely the good bits.

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Opinion Articles

Satellite phones may work everywhere... but that doesn't mean they're legal

Mark Bridge writes:

Every time a British citizen finds themselves in trouble abroad – whether the problem is pirates, police, having a drink or having a cuddle – it’s very likely someone somewhere will say “you should have checked first”.

That’s sensible advice when it comes to looking at the FCO website… but an extra reminder about checking the legality of your technology came this week when biofuel bus driver Andy Pag was arrested in India for using a satellite phone.

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Google, Android and TouchDown – demonstrating the new "old" business model

James Rosewell writes:

If you work for a sizeable organisation it’s 65% likely your email, contacts, calendar and task list will all reside on a Microsoft Exchange server. That’s quite a lot of mobile phones to connect and synchronise with Exchange. Microsoft has a solution called ActiveSync now supported by Nokia, Apple and a few others. RIM requires a server that IT departments need to install to allow their BlackBerry users to access these features.

Android has been left behind when it comes to accessing ActiveSync.

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Google Nexus One – a tale of 2 power supplies

James Rosewell writes:

Last week I decided to use my own hard earned money to buy the latest high-end HTC smartphone running Android 2.1 in the form of the Google Nexus One. I’ve not used an Android-based device as my main phone for some time so was keen to understand the improvements to the operating system and see for myself how fast the Snapdragon processor really is.

Author: The Fonecast
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Ten tips for mobile working at home

Mark Bridge writes:

So you’re stuck at home because the snow’s made your journey to work too hazardous?  Or perhaps you just needed a little peace and quiet to finish an important project?

Well, technology can certainly make your life easier – but how can you make the best of it?  Here are my top ten tips… all gathered from personal experience. So switch on your BlackBerry, connect to your VPN and let’s do some telecommuting.

Author: The Fonecast
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Today, Nexus One... tomorrow, the world

Mark Bridge writes:

To my mind, the Google Nexus One is just another Android-powered handset. It’s a very good Android-powered handset – and one that might dissuade me from my planned upgrade to a Motorola Milestone – but in reality it’s only another phone.

And, as I mentioned yesterday, I don’t think Google’s method of selling the phone is going to transform mobile retailing. Well, no more than the internet is doing already.

Because that’s not why the Nexus One has been created.

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