orange

Orange sells 30,000 iPhones in U.K. on first day

U.K. wireless carrier Orange just started selling the iPhone, and it is trumpeting first-day sales numbers for the device.

The carrier signed up 30,000 people with a new iPhone contract on Tuesday, its first day selling Apple's smartphone, according to a post on Twitter from a member of Orange's marketing department.

While 30,000 isn't necessarily a lot, compared to the "hundreds of thousands" of iPhones AT&T sold in its first weekend selling the iPhone 3GS in the United States, it's not bad for being the second carrier in a … Read more

Trick or treat: Five fun orange gadgets

With Halloween just a few days away, it doesn't hurt to get in the mood for the fall holiday with some pumpkin-colored gadgets. Here are five orange treats to go with your costume this weekend:

1. Sony Webbie HD MHS-PM1: If you either want to record your child's first trick-or-treating experience or all of the best moments at a Halloween party or parade, this attractive Sony Webbie is a frugal option. Far cheaper than competitors like the Flip UltraHD or the Kodak Zi8, the Webbie HD MHS-PM1 is typically available for less than $150.

While it hasn't … Read more

BOL 1072: Mustache-twirling jerks at AT&T

As AT&T tries to accuse Google of violating Net neutrality, Molly wonders if they really just want to be seen as a villain. Also while you should never call anything unhackable, the Netbooks being given to students in Australia are pretty tight. Physical-layer BIOS protection is unusual in an educational situation like that. And we also get a little frustrated at people who don't listen. So please. Listen. Thanks.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 1072

Orange U.K. gets iPhone 3GS, O2 loses exclusivity http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/09/28/orange.uk.to.carry.iphones.in.2009/… Read more

Apple taps second iPhone partner in U.K.

Orange will carry the iPhone in the U.K. in the fourth quarter of this year, the operator announced Monday.

The move marks the end of competitor O2's lucrative exclusivity on Apple's handset in this country, and comes days after O2 announced the release details for the rival Palm Pre smartphone, on which it has U.K. exclusivity.

Orange did not say exactly when it will begin to carry the iPhone. When O2 launched its iPhones in November 2007, it did not specify the duration of its exclusivity deal with Apple, other than to describe it as "… Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Where we go paperless

We get CNET News editor Stephen Shankland in the studio to talk about the mammoth task of making your personal paper trail a digital affair. We also break down the latest headlines from the long holiday weekend. Listen in to find out what you missed.

Today's stories:

Orange, T-Mobile to unite in U.K. merger

Google makes concessions to European publishers

Dish ordered to pay TiVo $200 million

Intel's new Core i7, Core i5 desktop chips bring faster CPUs to the maintream

Windows 7, Vista zero-day flaw reported

To make better biofuels, researchers add hydrogen

Microsoft offers some Silverlight 4 details… Read more

BOL 1058: Windows 7: Set it and forget it

We realize the problem with an operating system installation party is there's nothing to do. We also warn you about the great iPod camera shortage of 2009..if it's real. And we all like the Asus Eee-reader. Too bad that and the glasses-free 3D TV aren't real...yet.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) Episode 1057

Technical issues could delay iPod camera upgrade http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/09/07/technical_issues_could_delay_ipod_camera_upgrade.html

AOL hires Yahoo’s “Peanut Butter” guy to make it relevant again http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/technology/internet/08aol.html?hpw… Read more

Orange, T-Mobile to unite in U.K. merger

Orange and T-Mobile are to merge their British operations to create the U.K.'s largest mobile carrier, their parent companies said Tuesday.

The as-yet-unnamed joint venture will have a combined customer base of about 28.4 million people, or 37 percent of the market, with the deal expected to complete in November. Orange chief executive Tom Alexander will be chief executive of the new company, with T-Mobile UK chief executive Richard Moat as chief operating officer.

The companies said the merger will cost between 400 million and 600 million pounds ($655 million and $983 million). It is expected to … Read more

LG Watch Phone GD910 hands-on photos, video

It was the big story of CES 2009, but only now has LG put the finishing touches to its first watch phone and put it on sale, if you know where to look. You can only buy the LG GD910 through one Orange shop in the U.K.--in Bond Street, London--at the moment, on pay as you go tariff 500 British pounds, although there will be a limited number available online later this month (register your interest here).

We had the chance to try one out briefly earlier Wednesday, and what struck us was that it's actually a pretty basic device. We're so used to seeing phones packed with features, apps, and a hundred ways to access your Twitter feed on the toilet, this felt like a letdown.

LG is making a big deal of the fact this isn't just a phone, it's a 3G phone, and a superfast HSDPA one at that. But before you get carried away thinking that you'll be able to access the Internet, check your e-mails and so forth, be warned--the 3G is just for video calls. (Does anyone know anyone who actually makes these?) To be fair, there's no way you would want something like a browser on this thing, as the screen is just 36 millimeters (1.4 inches), but it still seemed weird to us.

There are just three buttons on the whole of the device, at the edge, which you use for bringing up contextual menus and the like. You use the touch screen for everything else.

Calling people, video or otherwise, is easy enough. If they're in your phone book already, you simply select their name. If not, typing numbers on the touch screen is much more straightforward than you might think--the soft keys on the touch screen have enough space between them so you can type speedily without errors.

Video and voice calls are all piped through the internal speaker, turning the watch into a normal speakerphone. You might feel rather foolish and cause much irritation around you, but you don't have to bring the watch up to your mouth to be heard, unless you're trying out your best Dick Tracy impression.

You'll feel even more of a fool if you use the Bluetooth headset LG provides, though--ignoring the fact that everyone using headsets should be made to sign a register for the good of society, it has a really long microphone arm, straight from the early naughties. Then again, with the headset, people around you won't be able to hear the other end of your conversation, so it's not all bad.… Read more

LG GD910 watch phone in U.K.: Cheaper, still ludicrously expensive

That LG Watch Phone--which has our mobile reviewer Flora in hot flushes--goes on sale in a week in the U.K. (it's not for sale yet in the U.S.). The GD910 is on Orange, and we can confirm it will only be available on a pay-as-you-go basis, for a whopping 500 pounds (about $825). That might be eye-watering, but it's half as much as we were expecting.

You'll need to haul ass to the Orange shop in London's Bond Street Station starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, August 27, if you want one. Orange believes so many people will want to drop 500 squids on the gadget that it's limiting sales to one per customer.

But fear not, rich gadget posers. If you can't get to London, you'll be able to buy online from the Orange Web site starting in mid-September. Though once again there's a limited number available--Orange is being sensibly cautious over the unavoidable fact that it's fundamentally an enormous watch costing half a grand.

Check out our previous coverage for more info on the watch itself, and don't miss our hands-on video after the jump. … Read more