LG Nexus 4 reappears on Carphone Warehouse for pre-order

After a false start at taking pre-orders last week for Google’s new LG Nexus 4 smartphone, prompting an apology from Carphone Warehouse, it looks like things are back on track for UK buyers to place their order. The pre-order page has reappeared with an expected delivery date of November 13th, the same date Google indicates the device will be available for purchase at the Google Play Store.

Pricing for the LG Nexus 4 via Carphone Warehouse is listed as free for customers signing up for a new line or upgrade starting at £31 ($50 USD) per month for the 16GB version, although adding data pushes the price up. Carphone Warehouse lists the device as being available for O2 or Vodafone subscribers. The LG Nexus 4 will be available for £239 ($383 USD) via the Google Play Store, so you will need to do your math to figure out whether a subsidized phone is the better deal. Hit the source link for more details or to start your order.

source: Carphone Warehouse

UK availability and pricing released for the Galaxy S III Mini

Earlier today Sean Stewert wrote a breaking article on Samsung’s official details of the upcoming Galaxy S III Mini. You guessed it, it’s a miniature version of Samsung’s most beloved smartphone. Unfortunately the South Korean-based company did not talk about any upcoming release dates, but just a few hours later, it looks like the UK is almost ready for the arrival of the Mini.

UK mega-retailer Clove Technology is now taking pre-orders on the Galaxy S III Mini. For just £298.80 (VAT included), you will be able to snatch a blue or white variant, much like its big brother. This translates to around $400, packing some pretty impressive features for the price, including:

• 1GHz dual-core processor
• 1GB of RAM memory
• 4-inch (800×480) screen
• 4.1 Android Jelly Bean OS
• And a 5MP camera

There is still no “official” shipping date for the device, but keep checking back to get the latest information on the Galaxy S III Mini. Are you going to pre-order the device? How does this measure up against the original Galaxy S III? I would love to hear your comments.

UK 4G ready for widespread rollout after agreement between regulators, providers

Several UK mobile network providers, the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom, and other government officials have announced a deal that will accelerate the rollout of 4G LTE services throughout the UK. The settlement means carriers like O2 and Vodafone will likely be able to start deploying their 4G LTE networks in early 2013, about six months earlier than originally thought.

UK carrier EE was previously granted permission to use some of their existing 1800 MHz spectrum for 4G LTE network purposes and they were expected to start that rollout this fall. However, other UK carriers like O2 and Vodafone had been threatening to launch legal action claiming the permission to use the spectrum for 4G services was improper and that EE was being given an unfair advantage. Ofcom has now agreed to accelerate the approval process for 4G LTE services for other carriers after a planned January action of old analog television spectrum occurs in January 2013.

With the agreement, EE is anticipated to announce the imminent launch of their 4G LTE network. They have indicated they have plans to deploy the service to 16 UK cities before the end of the year and to 98% of the UK by 2014. Other carriers will be behind with their deployments which should now occur sometime in early 2013, but with the agreement the head start that EE gets will not be as great.

The settlement means the UK will be able to start to catch back up to other countries that already have 4G LTE services well established. As Ed Richards, Ofcom’s chief executive notes, consumers are the big winners as they will not have to wait for “a considerable period for the next generation of mobile broadband services.”