T-Mobile has finally begun pushing out the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) update for the Samsung Galaxy S2.
Customers on T-Mobile tarrifs with a Galaxy S2 can now update to the latest version of Android via Samsung's Kies update software, which needs to be installed on a PC or Mac.
Ice Cream Sandwich brings a number of menu and interface changes to make things easier in general. More specifically there's a fast app switcher for slicker multi-tasking.
Performance should be improved all round and it's a much more stable build than Gingerbread.
Samsung has also updated the TouchWiz user interface (UI) and T-Mobile has been good enough to put together a 'Top 10' of interface changes you should know about.
With ICS installed the Galaxy S2 is still a viable handset with plenty of power and storage space, a great display and a decent camera.
Following T-Mobile's announcement the update to ICS has now rolled out across unlocked devices and all UK networks.
If you’re not particularly taken by the new Galaxy S3’s design and plasticky materials you might want to consider going for a Galaxy S2, which is now of course much cheaper, and getting the update to the latest Android build.
Deutsche Telekom Sees Obstacles to French Network Merger - Bloomberg
Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) said a combination of its German network with France Telecom SA (FTE)’s domestic system to create Europe’s largest single network would create little value and be too difficult to manage.
“I’m not sure there are many advantages for both parties because you get to limits,” Niek Jan van Damme, Deutsche Telekom’s head of Germany, said in an interview in Cologne today. “The management of a bigger network normally has more challenges than a smaller network.”
France’s new Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg favors France Telecom merging with its German counterpart to create a group modeled after European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EAD), Journal du Dimanche said June 10. Bonn-based Deutsche Telekom and Paris-based France Telecom already cooperate on joint purchasing of 13 billion euros ($16 billion) worth of items including handsets and infrastructure every year. They also co- own the largest U.K. phone operator, Everything Everywhere.
Van Damme said he couldn’t say whether Deutsche Telekom’s current alliance with France Telecom will lead to deeper integration. He declined to comment on the prospect of a full merger. The German government owns 32 percent of Deutsche Telekom, while France controls 27 percent of its biggest phone company through a direct stake and another held by the sovereign fund Fonds Strategique d’Investissement.
Low Valuations
The valuation of European phone companies has fallen during the region’s debt crisis, with the 19-member Bloomberg Europe 500 Telecom Services Index (BETELES) near the lowest in three years. That has invited investors such as Carlos Slim’s America Movil SAB, which last month made an offer to increase its stake in Royal KPN NV, and may facilitate the return to large intra-European telecommunications deals reminiscent of Vodafone Group Plc (VOD)’s 1999 takeover of Mannesmann AG and Telefonica SA (TEF)’s 2005 move on O2 Plc.
Deutsche Telekom shares jumped 1.7 percent in Frankfurt today, while France Telecom gained 1.5 percent in Paris.
The French Minister discussed the ideas of combining the companies in a June 4 meeting with France Telecom Chief Executive OfficerStephane Richard, Journal du Dimanche reported, without saying where it got the information. A representative at Montebourg’s ministry couldn’t immediately be reached today for comment.
Cost Pressure
Europe’s former phone monopolies are under pressure to cut costs as the crisis saps demand for services. A combination of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom would create a company with sales of more than 100 billion euros, assets covering most European markets and stretching from the U.S. to the Middle East.
“Even if there are numerous topics of discussion and collaboration between Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, there is no discussion about a merger,” Tom Wright, a France Telecom spokesman, said today.
Members of Deutsche Telekom’s supervisory board have discussed how to deepen the cooperation with France Telecom, according to a person familiar with the situation, who declined to be identified because it’s an internal matter.
Suggestions include obtaining access to emerging markets through France Telecom’s network, cross-border phone service free of roaming charges, joint negotiations with content providers and building shared fiber-optic networks in border regions, according to a document obtained by Bloomberg News.
To contact the reporter on this story: Cornelius Rahn in Frankfurt at crahn2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Kenneth Wong at kwong11@bloomberg.net
Deutsche Telekom
Wolfgang von Brauchitsch/Bloomberg
The headquarters of Deutsche Telekom AG stand in Bonn.
The headquarters of Deutsche Telekom AG stand in Bonn. Photographer: Wolfgang von Brauchitsch/Bloomberg
T-Mobile’s 4G Devices Free for Father’s Day - Softpedia
As part of this promotion, all of the carrier’s 4G smartphones and select mobile broadband devices will be available for free on Friday, June 15th and Saturday, June 16th.
Users interested in taking advantage of this deal should know that these devices are being offered for free only with the signing of a two-year contract agreement on qualifying plans.
T-Mobile has already accustomed us with its special promotions put in place to celebrate Father’s Day, in an attempt to make it easier for users to stay connected with their families.
The Father’s Day promotion enables them to purchase fast 4G smartphones and select mobile broadband devices on the carrier’s fast 4G network, including the HTC One S 4G, Samsung Galaxy S II 4G, Nokia Lumia 710, BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the T-Mobile SpringBoard tablet with Google.
“We want to say thanks to fathers for all they do and keep them easily and affordably connected to family throughout the entire year,” said Andrew Sherrard, senior vice president of marketing for T-Mobile USA.
“Whether through voice calls, photos, texts, video conferencing or social media updates, T-Mobile’s ‘All Phones Free’ promotion provides families a great opportunity to get the latest cutting-edge smartphones running on lightning-fast speeds via America’s Largest 4G Network.”
The deal is available for all new and existing T-Mobile customers. Users will receive their devices for free after the signing of a contract agreement on any qualifying unlimited Classic plan or after a mail-in rebate card when signing for a new qualifying Unlimited Value plan with an Equipment Installment Plan (EIP).
The Father’s Day promotion will be available on June 15th and June 16th at all participating T-Mobile retail stores around the country. Specific info on the deal can be found on the wireless carrier’s website.
Eurozone woes hit Chinese telecoms - Jakarta Post
OTMT pays $0.17 dividend after Mobinil sale - Reuters UK
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Samsung appoints new chief executive - it World Canada
LONDON, U.K. -- South Korean technology giant Samsung has announced a management reshuffle that will see Kwon Oh-hyun replace Choi Gee-sung as chief executive of the company.
Kwon, who currently heads up the company's component business, will continue to oversee that division, but will also work alongside consumer electronics chief Yoon Book Keun to handle broader corporate matters, Samsung Group said in a statement.
The company's mobile phone business will remain under the control of its president, Shin Jong-kyun, and Jay Lee, the son of Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee, will retain his post as chief operating officer.
In his previous role, Kwon led the expansion of Samsung's mobile chip business, capitalising on the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets. The company later became the sole supplier of processors for Apple's iPhone and iPad - rival products to Samsung's own Galaxy and Note.
Samsung has a 50 percent share of the global market in memory chips, and its logic chips for mobile devices now account for 40 percent of the company's overall semiconductor revenue. The company today announced plans to invest $1.9 billion (£1.2bn) on a new logic chip line, using its 20nm and 14nm processing technology.
Demand for system chips used in smartphones and tablets is set to more than double to $59 billion (£38bn) in 2016 from $23 billion (£15bn) last year, according to research firm Gartner.
Samsung said the new line - which it hopes to complete by the end of next year - will help meet growing demand for "smart mobile solutions".
Meanwhile Choi, who has been Samsung chief executive since early 2010, will retain his seat on the board and will take over responsibility for parent Samsung Group's Corporate Strategy Office, focusing on developing the new business.
"Choi is the best candidate who can chart Samsung through the global economic crisis and ever-intensifying competition," Samsung said in a statement. "Under Choi, Samsung plans to pursue innovative changes."
Spectrum auction: Governement mulling secured bank loans for telcom companies - Economic Times
"We are having internal consultations. We are taking legal opinions. Issues are being resolved. Once issues are resolved, then I think bankability will be there," Department of Financial Services Secretary D K Mittal told reporters here.
He added that issues related to the matter "are likely to be resolved in a week or two ensuring the protection of capital."
Mittal said that some of the companies that would be bidding will be existing companies and if their balance sheets support, then banks would like to lend to them.
"But the question to me as banker (is that) whether my money is having enough security," he said.
Mittal said the Finance Ministry has proposed tripartite agreement to be executed with regard to auction of spectrum.
"We have taken inputs from the banks. SBI Capital Markets have done this work for us. Then this agreement has been sent to them (banks) about two months ago. There has been two or three meetings. We will have another one or two meetings then we will close this," he said.
The Telecom Department would offer the agreement to those who participate in the bids. This will be between the banks, Department of Telecom and the bidder, he added.
Telecom companies have been pushing the government to consider payment option in installments as suggested by telecom regulator TRAI as they consider base price of spectrum to be very high.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended 10 times high minimum base price of spectrum for pan-India operations at around Rs 18,000 crore. This is around 10 times high than what companies paid in 2008 when A Raja was the telecom minister.
However, the inter-ministerial panel at DoT, the Telecom Commission, in its recommendation to the Empowered Group of Ministers on Telecom has decided against the option of staggered payments.
Win a share of $4,080,000 in the Samsung Smart App Challenge 2012 - Pocket Gamer
If you're interested in taking part, there are two different categories to enter: Samsung Apps Super Apps and Best S Pen Apps.
The former category, which will be judged by consumer downloads, will spawn 60 winners (30 games and 30 non-games). Meanwhile the latter category, which will be judged by a panel, has 20 places up for grabs.
All 80 winners will receive a share of $4,080,000.
To submit your application and be in with the chance of getting your mitts on some money, head on over to the Smart App Challenge website and register using your Samsung Apps Seller Office ID.
Good luck.
T-Mobile’s Galaxy Note Emerges at the FCC, Blue Version Expected - Softpedia
The handset has been rumored before to be en-route to the wireless carrier’s offering, yet no confirmation on the matter has emerged until now.
Today, however, we learn that the phone has been spotted on the FCC website, and that it was approved for use on T-Mobile’s network.
Apparently, this is the same Samsung device featuring model number SGH-T879 that leaked a while ago for T-Mobile, and it might soon see an official unveiling at the operator.
The listing over at the Federal Communication Commission shows that SGH-T879 will arrive with support for voice and 2G data connectivity on the 850MHz and 1900MHz bands, and that it will also support 3G on 1700MHz.
As Pocketnow notes, the handset is also listed with support for 3G on 1900MHz, the frequency that T-Mobile has started to use in some areas around the country only recently.
Additionally, the documents show that Magenta’s Galaxy Note will arrive on shelves with support for 3G on 850MHz, as well as with NFC (Near Field Communication) capabilities packed inside.
Some of the previous rumors on the handset’s landing suggested that it could reach carrier’s network on July 11th, but no other details on the matter have emerged.
However, it appears that the phone might be launched in a Navy Blue flavor, if we were to believe a leaked inventory sheet that made it online over at TmoNews.
The wireless carrier is said to be gearing up to deliver a Galaxy Note Navy Blue Demo set to its stores, most probably in preparation of the aforementioned July 11th launch.
With no official confirmation on any of these, we’ll have to take the info with a grain of salt, but we’ll keep an eye out for more details on the matter, so stay tuned.
Chinese Telecom Firms to Expand in Latin America - CRIENGLISH.com
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