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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

Ericsson will 'muddle through' as income falls

Mark Bridge writes:

I spend much of my time writing about telecommunications and technology. I spend a fair amount of time dealing with big technology-related companies. Yet although I understand many aspects of telecoms, I certainly wouldn’t want to run one of those businesses. It’s a question of relevant experience.

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Apps World 2012: something for everyone... and for every platform

Apps World 2012 takes place on Tuesday 2nd October and Wednesday 3rd October at the Earls Court 2 exhibition centre this year. It combines an exhibition with workshops and conference sessions designed for mobile developers, marketers, network operators, manufacturers and other mobile industry professionals.

In addition, there’s an award event - the Appsters awards - with a drinks reception and party at The Roof Gardens in Kensington on the Tuesday night.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 16th July 2012

Black days for BlackBerry?

Mark Bridge writes:

BlackBerry and bad news seem inextricably linked at the moment. RIM’s CEO admits he’s “not satisfied” with recent company performance and warns of challenging times ahead... and then the company is hit by a $147 million dollar damages order for patent infringement.

Mind you, Research In Motion wasn’t the only mobile company bringing disappointment into the mainstream news last week.

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Application review for CamScanner

Turn your smartphone into a document scanner

Mark Bridge writes:

Every so often, I see a new product that I’d like to review. I’ll usually send a note to the relevant company, borrow a review copy and send it back when I’ve finished.

And every so often I’ll be approached by a company that wants me to review a product. Sometimes I’ll say yes, sometimes I’ll say no. It all depends whether or not I think I’m the right person for the job.

When IntSig offered me a copy of a mobile application called CamScanner, I wasn’t too sure. It seemed very clever... but I wasn’t convinced I’d have much use for it.

Author: The Fonecast
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Ian Brown, CEO of Axell Wireless, talks about underground mobile phone coverage

Mark Bridge writes:

Just a few weeks ago WiFi was made available on a number of London Underground stations - yet mobile coverage still stops when you go down the escalator.

So why is it taking so long for us to get mobile phone service on the Tube?

For an insight into some of the challenges and the possible solutions I spoke to Ian Brown, CEO of Axell Wireless. The company is a leader when it comes to providing additional wireless coverage in confined spaces - from tunnels to sports stadiums - and is currently involved in the project to install mobile phone service on the Channel Tunnel.

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