iPhone 3G Solar Powered Case

The case design is different to the previous model – it’s now made from a tough polycarbonate that will help protect your phone from knocks and scrapes. The whole of the back cover is a solar panel and can generate enough energy to fully charge the case in around 3 hours in sunlight. Built into the case is a powerful 2100mAh battery – that’s 50% more than the iPhone’s built in battery.

The case can be charged using either the solar panel, or if you need to charge it faster, you can connect it to a USB port on your computer or laptop using a Mini USB cable.  Once fully charged, the case can more than double the standby, talk time and audio playback times of your phone. It has a separate on/off switch, giving you the choice to keep the extra power until you need it or to keep your battery topped up through out the day.

iPhone 3G Solar Case Charging Ports

Another new feature over it’s predecessor is that with the Solar Power Sleeve you can now charge any other device by connecting it to the USB output on the bottom of the case.

The Solar Powered iPhone Case is available to pre-order now with stock due shortly.

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1. InvisibleSHIELD for Sony Ericsson Satio

The InvisibleSHIELD is more than just a screen protector. Not only does it cover the front screen of your Satio, it also covers the back and sides of your phone. Installation takes a little bit longer than a screen protector would, but the end result is well worth it. It covers almost all of your phone and will withstand the toughest of scrapes. The InvisibleSHIELD has a matte finish with a non slip feel to it. It is great at repelling fingerprints and reducing reflections. As the InvisibleSHIELD doesn’t add any extra bulk to your phone, you can use in in conjuction with most other Cases and Skins.

InvisibleSHIELD Full Body Protector - Sony Ericsson Satio

2. Satio Leather Flip Case by Noreve

Noreve produce two cases for the Sony Ericsson Satio and both feature in my top 10. The Noreve Flip Case for the Satio is an elegant case that gives Piel Frama and PDair a run for their money. The case is the same shape as the phone and moulds around it beautifully. The whole case is hand crafted from top quality leather and leaves your camera, charging ports and volume keys accessible. The case has a detachable ratchet clip on the back that can be removed easily to leave the back of the case perfectly flat.

Noreve Tradition A Leather Case for Sony Ericsson Satio

3. Sony Ericsson Satio Ultra Thin Hard Skin

This is a brand new style of case for your phone. The Ultra Thin Hard Skin combines the best bits from silicone cases, FlexiShield Skins and crystal cases. The sides of the case are soft and flexible and allow you to insert and remove your phone quickly and easily, while the back is reinforced to help keep its shape and prevent damage to the back of your phone. Ultra Thin Hard Skins are hard wearing and have been designed to outlast most silicone and crystal cases. They’re exceptionally thin too – making them a great option if you want to protect your phone from scratches, but if you’re prone to dropping your phone, you may find the extra padding of a FlexiShield Skin will suit you better.

Ultra Thin Hard Skin For The Sony Ericsson Satio

4. Noreve Leather Pouch for Sony Ericsson Satio

The second of the Noreve Cases for the Satio. This case is a leather pouch rather than a flip case. It is made from the same high quality materials as the one shown above and is a perfect fit to your Satio. The inside of the pouch is a Micro-Fibre lining that helps to clean your phone every time you remove it from the case. As you will need to remove your phone from the case in order to use or charge it you’ll find that this case is better suited to those who tend to carry their phone around with them in a bag or pocket and use a Bluetooth Headset for their calls or a Stereo Bluetooth Headset to listen to their music.

Noreve Tradition C Leather Case for Sony Ericsson Satio

5. Sony Ericsson Satio Leather Flip Case

The Leather Flip case is made with a hardened leather outer shell for increased durability and protection. The inside of the case has a stitched pocket to keep your phone in place. Convenient cutouts allow full access to side buttons, sockets, charger & memory card slots without compromising protection. The flip folds up from the bottom of the phone and is reinforced to protect the screen against knocks and scrapes and is held closed with a magnetic fastening.

Sony Ericsson Satio Leather Flip Case

6. Satio Leather Pouch by Melkco

The Melkco leather pouch is a really simple, stylish case for the Satio. You slide your phone in sideways and the padded sides will not only clean your phone as you slide it in, but also protect the screen from scratches and crush damage. Getting your phone out again is nice and simple too as there are cut outs for your thumb and finger on both sides of the case. As the Satio has a side mounted charging/handsfree port you can still charge your phone or use your headset without having to remove your phone from the case.

Melkco Leather Pouch Case For Sony Ericsson Satio

7. Sony Ericsson Satio ToughGuard Shell

ToughGuard Shells are similar to Crystal Cases but are much more robust. Rather than being made from clear plastic, they are made from a more flexible, energy-absorbing polycarbonate. This means that the case is unlikely to break or shatter if you drop your phone and it will divert impact damage away from your Satio. ToughGuard Shells don’t cover the screen, so we’d recommend using a Satio Screen Protector with them. These cases are a secure fit to your phone and are more suited to people who want to put a case on their phone and leave it on permanently. ToughGuard Shells are available in Black & Pink.

ToughGuard Shell For Sony Ericsson Satio

8. Smart Edge Carry Case for Sony Ericsson Satio

The Smart Edge Pocuh for the Satio is a cross between a traditional pouch case and a flip case. Once you’ve slid your phone into the case it’s well protected against knocks and bumps, but unlike most other pouch cases, you can easily check for missed calls and messages without having to remove it from the case – just lift the flap and you’ll be able to see at a glance any alerts on your phone. The sides are lower too, so if you need to get to the volume buttons to silence an incoming call, you can – easily and with out removing it from the case. There’s also a secure belt clip on the back that you can use to securely attach the case to your belt or bag.

SmartEdge Leather Vertical Pouch Case

9. Sony Ericsson Satio Silicone Case

As the name suggests, Silicone Cases are made from a soft flexible Silicone gel that covers almost all of your Satio. The only part left exposed is the screen, so you’ll need to use a screen protector to prevent scratches. Silicone cases add very little to your phone in the way of bulk or weight, and are a great way to protect your phone against minor knocks and scrapes.

Silicone Case for Sony Ericsson Satio

10. FlexiShield Skin for Sony Ericsson Satio

If you like the idea of a silicone case but want something a little tougher to give your phone more bounce then take a look at the FlexiShield Skin. FlexiShield Skins for the Satio are thicker and tougher than standard Silicone Cases and will certainly give your phone more bounce if you drop it! They have a non slip feel and cover all of the back of the handset, leaving the camera free for you to take your photos. The FlexiShield Skin doesn’t include a Screen Protector so you’ll need to buy one separately if you want to prevent your screen from getting scratched and reduce fingerprints and smudges on the display.

This is just a selection of our Satio cases, so if you’ve not seen the case here that’s right for you, why not take a look at our full range of Sony Ericsson Satio Cases.

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1. Nokia CP-390 N97 Mini Carry Pouch

A Mobile Fun favourite – the Nokia CP-390 carry pouch is a custom made horizontal pouch made exclusively for the Nokia N97 Mini. It’s a hard-wearing Leather case, discretely embossed with a Nokia N-series logo. It holds your N97 Mini securely and allows you to use it in both portrait and landscape mode without having to remove it from the case, in fact you can even use the slide out qwerty keyboard without taking it out of the case. There is a secure belt clip on the back, and a strong magnetic catch to keep the case closed. The inside of the case has a microfibre lining that helps to keep your N97 Mini clean and fingerprint free.

Nokia CP-390 N97 Mini Carry Case

2. Nokia N97 Mini Crystal Case

Crystal Cases, as the name suggests are crystal clear clip on covers that are designed to protect the housing of your device from scratches and absorb impact damage when you drop it. Crystal cases aren’t the most robust case you can get, but if you drop your N97 Mini and the case breaks, then it’s done it’s job properly – after all a broken case is cheaper and easier to replace than your phone. Crystal cases are one of the most affordable cases available which makes them extremely popular.

Nokia N97 Mini Crystal Case

3. N97 Mini Toughguard Shell

ToughGuard Shells are similar to Crystal Cases but are much more robust. Rather than being made from clear plastic, they are made from a more flexible, energy-absorbing polycarbonate. This means that the case is unlikely to break or shatter if you drop your phone and it will divert impact damage away from your Tocco Lite. ToughGuard Shells don’t cover the screen, so we’d recommend using a Tocco Lite Screen Protector with it. These cases are a secure fit to your phone and are more suited to people who want to put a case on their phone and leave it on permanently.

ToughGuard Shell For Nokia N97 Mini

If you’ve not seen the accessory here that’s right for you, why not take a look at our full range of Nokia N97 Mini Cases.

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To help you make the right choice in deciding on accessories for your new smart phone, we’ve compiled our list of top accessories for the BlackBerry Bold 9700.

1. BlackBerry Skin for the Bold 9700

BlackBerry Skins are an extremely popular way of protecting your BlackBerry Bold 9700. They are a rubber case that wraps tightly around your phone protecting the back cover and edges against damage. They leave all the audio and charging ports accessible aswell as the side keys. BlackBerry Skins are available in a range of colours.

BlackBerry Bold 9700 Skin - Black

2. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Battery

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 will be a workhorse for some people – a business tool that you can’t be without. If you’re going to be out of the office for the day and know that you’re going to be on your phone a lot, then then best accessory you can get will be a spare battery.

BlackBerry Bold 9700 D-X1 Battery

3. BlackBerry Bold 9700 Car Charger

Battery life is never great on a smartphone so a car charger is a worthwhile investment. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 uses a different charger to some of the older BlackBerry devices so double check to make sure you order the right one. The genuine BlackBerry MicroUSB Car charger will work in both 12v and 24v vehicles (Cars, Lorries and Trucks).

BlackBerry Car Charger - Micro USB

4. Sandisk 8GB Micro SD HC Memory Card

The high resolution display and the 3MP camera make this phone perfect for recording videos, taking photos and playing music, but it’s limited internal memory means that it won’t be long before you run out of storage space. This SanDisk 8GB Micro SDHC memory card will hold over 7000 photos, 1500 songs or 9 hours of video recording.

SanDisk MicroSDHC Card - 8GB Without Reader

5. Etymotic HF2 Headphones with music remote

The EtymoticHF2 headphones are the world’s first in-ear, high fidelity, noise-isolating headset. They allow you to enjoy clearer communication and better quality music playback from your BlackBerry Bold 9700. The Etymotic HF-2 has a built in microphone that can be used for phone calls, as well as a multi function button that can be used to control music playback.

Etymotic HF2 High Fidelity Headphones - Black

6. BlackBerry HS500 Bluetooth Headset

BlackBerry are expanding their range of genuine accessories and have just released the new BlackBerry HS500 Bluetooth Headset. It’s a lightweight headset that can be used for calls, music and turn by turn directions. It’s styled to match the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and will compliment your phone perfectly. The HS500 can be charged using the same Micro USB Mains/Car Charger as the Bold 9700. It supports last number redial, voice dialing, volume change and mute.

BlackBerry HS-500 Bluetooth Headset

7. BlackBerry VM605 Bluetooth Car Kit

Another genuine accessory from BlackBerry. Just clip the Visormount VM605 to your car’s sun visor, turn it on, and you’re ready to start making and taking hands-free calls on the go. It supports voice activated dialling, caller ID, and verbal notifications to let you know who’s calling, you can stay in touch while keeping your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. It has a built in FM transmitter that can be used to broadcast audio from your calls, music and sat nav through your car stereo without having to connect any wires. It comes with a Micro USB charger, the same as you’ll need to charge your phone, so you won’t need to buy a separate car charger for your Bold 9700.

BlackBerry VisorMount Speakerphone VM-605

8. Parrot MKi9100 Bluetooth Car Kit

Parrot have always made fantastic car kits and the MKi range are no exception. There are three options available, the MKi9000, MKi9100 and the MKi9200. The main differences between them being the display screen that comes with them. I’ve chosen the MKi9100 as the best one for the Bold 9700 as the external screen makes it easier to navigate the car kit menu’s and to see who’s calling you without having to look at your phone. You can play music from your phone through the MKi9100 using Bluetooth or 3.5mm line in. The MKi9100 will synchronise with your phone book automatically and supports phone independent voice dialling. The MKi9100 comes with a small remote that you can attach to your dash or steering wheel to control your music playback and calls. If you’ve got stereo controls built into the steering wheel of your car you can use the optional Parrot Unika to control the MKi9100 car kit with your existing controls instead of the remote. Regular software updates that improve compatibility with BlackBerry phones are available free of charge from the Parrot website.

Parrot MKi9100 Bluetooth Car Kit

This isn’t the full range of accessories, just a selection of the ones that we think do the best job of enhancing your BlackBerry Bold 9700. If you’ve not seen the accessory here that’s right for you, then take a look at all of our BlackBerry Bold 9700 Accessories.

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The VM-605 is a Bluetooth Car Kit from BlackBerry

In the Box

BlackBerry seem to be keeping things quite simple with the VM-605, inside the box is just the device, car charger and a quick start user guide. There’s no mains charger and no USB charging cable either, so you’re restricted to charging it only in the car. One problem I have with this is that the charging port is on the right hand side, so if you try and charge it while it’s attached to the sun visor you’re likely to have the anti tangle cable crossing the steering wheel and blocking your view slightly, so for this reason you’ll need to remove it from the sun visor in order to charge it. Having said that, the VM-605 has a Micro USB connection, so if you’ve got a newer BlackBerry handset you’ll be able to use your existing mains charger or data cable to charge it up. Personally I’ll stick to using the car charger with my phone and charging the VM-605 in the house when it runs down.

The VM-605 includes a car charger

Simple Controls

One of the first things that struck me about the VM-605 is the apparent lack of buttons on it, but when you look closely you see that it’s got just as many controls as any other car kit, but the kit is styled so that you can’t really see them. The whole of the front of the VM-605 is actually one big button and serves as the on/off, Answer/End key as well as activating last number redial and voice dialling. Given it’s size you can’t miss it, so answering calls or activating voice dialling while you’re driving couldn’t be easier.  The only other key you’re likely to need on a regular basis is the volume key, that’s mounted on the right hand side of the kit, however if you’re using the FM transmitter part of the kit, the volume controls won’t make any difference as volume is controlled by your stereo.

Styling:

The VM605 is a very slim car kit that sits almost flush against your sun visor. The mounting clip is removable so you can choose to rest the charger on your dashboard if you’d prefer, but the non slip pad on the back of the kit is small and I found that it kept sliding around the dashboard. There are 4 LED’s that glow red when the unit is in use, and at night these can be a little on the bright side, but on a positive note they don’t flash so they won’t distract you while you’re driving. As you can see from the image below, the high gloss finish is extremely reflective and in bright sunlight it makes it difficult to see if the LED’s are on. It’s a fingerprint magnet too, so you may find yourself having to wipe it down frequently.

Slim design sits almost flush against your sun visor

Easy Setup

As with most current Bluetooth devices, the BlackBerry VM-605 goes straight into pairing mode the first time you turn it on. This makes pairing it to your handset really easy as you don’t have to fiddle around pressing buttons trying to figure out how to get it into pairing mode. The VM-605 also has voice prompts that tell you when the phone is in pairing mode and when pairing has been successful – a great bonus as it means you no longer need to flick through the user manual trying to figure out what the random sequence of flashing lights mean. A quick search for devices on your phone and it shows up. Tap in the PIN 0000 and you’re connected. If you’re using a BlackBerry handset you’ll be asked if you want to connect automatically – I’d always say yes to this as it means your phone will connect to the car kit every time you turn it on.

If you’re only planning on using the VM-605 as a simple handsfree unit in the car, then that’s all the set up you’ll need to do. Just clip it on your sun visor and you’re ready to start taking calls – however, that’s only half of what the VM-605 is capable of. One of it’s best features is the built in FM transmitter.

Clean design keeps buttons to a minimum

FM Transmitter

If you’ve not come across an FM transmitter before in a car kit, they basically transmit all audio from calls & music playback over FM and can be picked up by your car stereo. All you need to do is activate it on the kit and re-tune your radio. This means that instead of listening to your calls on a single, low-powered speaker, you can enjoy them through your existing car stereo speakers. This not only makes your music clearer, most car stereo’s can go much louder than a car kit meaning you’ll be able to hear your music and callers at higher speeds or on noisier road surfaces.

Setting up the FM Transmitter is surprisingly simple. To activate it, you just press the FM button on the side of the speaker and the kit will tell you the frequency that you need to tune your car stereo into in order to pick up the audio from the VM-605. When I tried mine, it started off at 88.1, but as I got some interference from a local radio station, I had to adjust it. There are two ways you can do this, you can either press the volume + key briefly and the kit will change the frequency by .1 (88.2, 88.3 etc..) but this is quite time consuming. The best way to do it is to press and hold the volume + button for a few seconds and the VM-605 will scan all frequencies to find one that is clear of any other broadcasts. Once it’s done it will again announce the frequency that you need to tune your stereo into. As a tip, I’d then recommend storing this station as one of the station presets so that you can return to it quickly and with out any fiddling around.

Stereo Displays shows what audio is being received

Once broadcasting to your stereo, the VM-605 uses RDS to display information on your stereo about what the car kit is currently doing. As you can see from the picture above, if you’re listening to music, you’ll see ‘MUSIC’, when your phone rings, the kit will call out the callers number and display ‘CALLING’. During phone calls, ‘ONLINE’ is displayed.

From the information on the BlackBerry website, I was under the impression that the kit would broadcast song information and caller-ID to the display too, but I couldn’t get it to do this, regardless of what phone I was using. I tried with a Nokia, BlackBerry and iPhone but didn’t see any additional information. It’s not the end of the world, but it would have been a nice feature to have as car kits like the Venturi Mini have been able to do this for a while.

There is one thing to bear in mind when it comes to using FM transmitters for phone calls and that is that FM transmissions are not secure and other people may be able to listen in on your phone calls. If you’re going to be making a call that needs to be private, you’ll need to just press the FM button on the side of the kit to route the audio back to the built in speaker on the VM-605.

Audio Quality

The built in speaker was powerful enough to cope with calls at pretty much all speeds. On motorways there is obviously more road and wind noise which makes hearing anything more difficult, but the VM-605 coped really well. On calls, I had no problems in hearing the caller and they had no problems in hearing me. Music playback though wasn’t so great. The built in speaker is loud enough, but as it’s a mono speaker, the music sounds a little tinny and muffled.

Hit the FM Transmitter button and turn on your car stereo and it’s a different story. Calls are clearer and louder and music play back is excellent – you wouldn’t know that you weren’t listening to a CD. I’ve tried several Bluetooth car kits and music streaming devices and found that most suffer with some degree of drop out, even if it’s just for a fraction of a second, but the VM-605 held the connection well and during my test didn’t drop out or cause the music to skip at all.

The voice that announces menu options and caller ID is worth mentioning here too.  Normally devices that speak have a very robotic sounding voice, the female voice of the VM-605 seemed very natural and not as cheesy as others I’ve tried.

Summary

Overall, I’m impressed by the VM-605. In terms of quality, it’s as good as the Jabra SP700, in fact I’d almost go as far as to say that it is the Jabra SP700, just optimised to work with BlackBerry phones – although it will work with any Bluetooth enabled phone. As good as it is, there are a couple of features that would have been nice to have considering the cost. Support for AVRCP (the ability to control music playback over Bluetooth) and as I mentioned earlier song/caller information on the radio display would be a would have been great features to have, but considering that this is BlackBerry’s first attempt at a car kit it’s a great bit of kit.

My Rating: 8/10

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This week saw the release of the iPhone on Orange, with Vodafone expected to release it early next year. For some this will solve the problem of coverage, but if you’re tied into a contract with O2 it’s not really going to help you much until you’re out of commitment with O2.

The good news is that as the phone is no longer exclusive to one network, O2 have agreed to unlock all pay monthly iPhone handsets – allowing you to use an alternative sim card in the handset if you want to.  You’ll still need to pay O2 your usual line rental each month, but at least you’ll be able to use a sim card from a different network in the phone. You can find more details on what you need to do to unlock your phone on my post that explains “How to Unlock your iPhone“

Unlock your iPhone to use it on any UK network

As you’ll still be paying for minutes and texts with O2, you might as well still use your O2 sim, but having to constantly swap sim cards over is a hassle we could all do without. To overcome this, we’ve just launched the Twin Sim Charging Case for the iPhone 3G & iPhone 3GS.

The idea behind the case is simple. It works in a similar way to the Mophie Juice pack and Case-Mate fuel to charge your iPhone while it’s in the case, but also adds a twin sim adapter that allows you to have two sim cards in your iPhone at the same time as long as your iPhone is unlocked.

iPhone 3G & 3GS Twin Sim Charging Case

The Twin Sim Charging Case contains a rechargeable 1900mAh battery that can be used to charge your iPhone or extend battery life by:

• 300 hours stand by time
• 5 hours talk time
• 25 hours music playback
• 8 hours video playback
• 5 hours game play
• 6 hours Internet surfing over Wi-Fi

To recharge the battery or your iPhone, you just need to plug it into a spare USB port on your laptop or PC. You won’t need any additional cables as the case has a USB cable built in.

Having two sims in your phone opens up no end of ways to save yourself time and money:

• Better Deals: Since the iPhone launched, the number of ‘Sim Only’ tariffs available has increased significantly, with most networks offering much better deals than you can get on the iPhone. If you find you’re constantly exceeding your free minutes, get a Sim Only deal from a different network and switch to it when you’re out of minutes or texts.
• Tethering: O2 charge quite a bit for using your iPhone as a modem to connect your laptop to the internet. By using a Mobile Broadband Sim from 3, you can cut your data costs considerably.
• Calling abroad: Using a sim card from a company such as Lebara will save you money on calls abroad. By using the twin sim adapter, you can easily switch to the cheaper sim card when ever you need to make a call, without having to restart your phone or try and remove your O2 sim.
• Travelling Overseas: If you travel often, the cheapest way to make calls is by using a local sim card. Instead of buying a second phone, simply put your foreign sim in the twin sim case and switch to it when ever you’re away.
• Everything Together: If you currently use two phones, there will be times when the number you need to call is in the phone you don’t have with you. By using just one handset, all your contacts, calendar appointments and emails are with you all the time.

Fitting the Twin Sim Adapter:

Fitting the case takes just a couple of minutes, all you’ll need is your sim tray removal tool that came with your iPhone, or if like me you’ve lost it, a paperclip.

1. Remove the sim tray and attach your sim cards to the Twin Sim Reader and insert into your phone

Attach the Sim Cards to the adapter and insert into phone

2. Remove the top cover of the case and slide it onto the phone

Slide the top of the case onto the phone.

3. Fold the 2nd sim card over the top of your iPhone and clip it into place behind the USB connector. Once in place, clip the back cover onto the case.

Clip the 2nd sim into place and refit the top cover

4. To switch between sim cards, go into the Sim Applications menu within settings on your iPhone

Sim Application menu lets you chose which sim card to use.

Don’t forget though, the twin sim functionality will only work once you’ve unlocked your iPhone.

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Although the software is compatible with touch based Symbian handsets, you’ll need to download some additional software in order for the software to install successfully.

Route 66 - Sat Nav for S60 Handsets

If you’re finding that the phone is telling you that the software isn’t compatible with your phone, you’ll need to download an updated version of Route66 Sync in order for it to run on S60 V5.

To download the updated version, head over the the Route 66 Support Site

If you’re still having problems after downloading this update you’ll need to contact Route 66 technical support as there may be other files that need to be updated.

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1. FlexiShield Skin for Samsung Genio Touch

If you’re not one for leather cases, or you want a case that is a bit more practical then a FlexiShield Skin will probably suit you better. FlexiShield Skins for the Genio are thicker and tougher than standard Silicone Cases and will certainly give your phone more bounce if you drop it! It has a non slip feel to it and covers all of the back of the handset, leaving the camera free for you to take your photos.

FlexiShield Plus Skin For Samsung Genio Touch

2. Genio Touch Silicone Case

Silicone Cases are made from a soft flexible Silicone gel that covers almost all of your Genio Touch. The only parts left exposed are the screen and keypad, so you might want to invest in a screen protector to prevent scratches. Silicone cases add very little to your phone in the way of bulk or weight, and are a great way to protect your phone against minor knocks and scrapes.

Silicone Case for Samsung Genio Touch

3. InvisibleSHIELD for Genio Touch

The InvisibleSHIELD is more than just a screen protector. Not only does it cover the front screen of your Genio Touch, it also includes a tough protective film for the back of your phone. Installation takes a little bit longer than a normal screen protector, but the end result is well worth it. It covers almost all of your phone and will withstand the toughest of scrapes. The InvisibleSHIELD has a matte finish with a non slip feel to it. It is great at repelling fingerprints and reducing reflections. As the InvisibleSHIELD doesn’t add any extra bulk to your phone, you can use in in conjuction with most other Cases and Skins.

InvisibleSHIELD Full Body Protector - Samsung Genio

4. Genuine Samsung Genio Carry Pouch

Samsung Genio pouches have been crafted to fit the Genio perfectly. Their sleek design ensures protection of your Genio. The inside of the case is made of a soft material that helps protect your handsets screen from dirt and scratches.

Samsung Genio Leather Pouch

5. Bugatti Easy Out Pouch for Samsung Genio

Bugatti Easy Out cases are high quality leather cases that have a fabric strap to make removing your Genio quick and easy. They protect the screen of your phone and don’t add much extra bulk, making it a perfect choice for those who prefer to carry their phone around in their pocket or bag.

Bugatti Slim Leather EasyOut Case

We’re expecting more cases over the coming weeks and will update this post as stock arrives. If you’ve not seen the case here that’s right for you, why not take a look at our full range of Samsung Genio Touch Cases.

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The even better news is that now the iPhone is no longer exclusive to one network, O2 have agreed to unlock all pay monthly iPhone handsets for free and Pay & Go customers that have had their iPhones for more than 12 months for a one off cost of £14.69 (taken from your pre-paid credit).

Unlock your iPhone to use it on any UK network

This means that once your phone has been unlocked you’ll be able to use your iPhone on any network. You’ll still need to pay O2 your usual line rental each month, but if you were an early adopter of the iPhone 3G, this could be as little as 2 months.

To get O2 to unlock your iPhone, simply head over to http://shop.o2.co.uk/update/unlockmyiphone.html where you’ll need to enter your details and the IMEI of your iPhone and O2 will unlock your phone within 14 days.

Unlike other handsets, the iPhone unlocking process is extremely simple and is carried out by O2 and Apple. O2 will update the activation servers at Apple and tell them to unlock your phone the next time that you sync with iTunes. Once you’ve received a confirmation text message from O2, you just need to put the sim card in the iPhone from your new network and sync the phone with iTunes. Once the sync is complete you’ll see a screen confirming that your iPhone is now unlocked and ready to be used on any network.

Confirmation in iTunes that your iPhone has been unlocked

If you want to use your existing O2 sim as well as a sim for cheaper international calls or use abroad, you might want to take a look at our Twin Sim Charging Case. It allows you to use two sim cards in your iPhone without the need to keep swapping them over and has a built in extended battery that more than doubles the life of your iPhone.

Configure Internet, MMS and Voicemail:

Once your phone has been unlocked, you’ll need to change a few of the settings in order for your iPhone to be able to access the internet, send picture messages and divert to voice mail. I’ve listed the settings below for each of the main UK networks.

To change these settings, you’ll need to access the ‘Cellular Data Network’ settings. To do this, Press Settings -> General -> Network -> Cellular Data Network and change the settings in each section to what’s listed below.

You'll need to adjust the network settings in order to access the internet

If your network isn’t listed below, you’ll need to contact your network’s technical support team for them.
T-Mobile UK (& Virgin)

Cellular Data

• APN: general.t-mobile.uk
• Username: user
• Password: pass

Visual Voicemail – Not currently supported on T-Mobile UK

• APN: general.t-mobile.uk
• Username: user
• Password: pass

MMS

• APN: general.t-mobile.uk
• Username: user
• Password: pass
• MMSC: http://mmsc.t-mobile.co.uk:8002
• MMS Proxy: 149.254.201.135:8080
• MMS Max Message Size: (blank)
• MMS UA Prof URL: (blank)

O2 UK

Cellular Data

• APN: idata.o2.co.uk
• Username: vertigo
• Password: password

Visual Voicemail

• APN: idata.o2.co.uk
• Username: vertigo
• Password: password

MMS

• APN: idata.o2.co.uk
• Username: vertigo
• Password: password
• MMSC: http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
• MMS Proxy: 193.113.200.195:8080
• MMS Max Message Size: 307200
• MMS UA Prof URL: (blank)

Vodafone UK

Cellular Data

• APN: internet
• Username: (blank)
• Password: (blank)

Visual Voicemail – Not currently supported on Vodafone UK

• APN: internet
• Username: (blank)
• Password: (blank)

MMS

• APN: wap.vodafone.co.uk
• Username: wap
• Password: wap
• MMSC: http://mms.vodafone.co.uk/servlets/mms/
• MMS Proxy: 212.183.137.012 (note the leading zero in the last octet)
• MMS Max Message Size: (blank)
• MMS UA Prof URL: (blank)

Orange UK

Cellular Data

• APN: orangeinternet
• Username: (blank)
• Password: (blank)

Visual Voicemail – Not currently supported on Orange UK (even though the phone is sold on Orange)

• APN: N/A
• Username: N/A
• Password: N/A

MMS (username and password are case sensitive)

• APN: orangemms
• Username: Orange
• Password: Multimedia
• MMSC: http://mms.orange.co.uk
• MMS Proxy: 192.168.224.10:8080
• MMS Max Message Size: 307200
• MMS UA Prof URL: (blank)

Three UK

Cellular Data

• APN: three.co.uk
• Username: (blank)
• Password (blank)

Visual Voicemail – Not currently supported on Three UK

• APN: N/A
• Username: N/A
• Password: N/A

MMS

• APN: three.co.uk
• Username: (blank)
• Password: (blank)
• MMSC: http://mms.um.three.co.uk:10021/mmsc
• MMS Proxy: 217.171.129.2:8799
• MMS Max Message Size: 307200
• MMS UA Prof URL: (blank)

Setting up Voicemail

As Visual Voicemail isn’t supported on any network other than O2, you’ll need to set up your voicemail box on the iPhone. Setting up your voicemail is fairly straight forward.

1. Obtain your voicemail number from your network
2. Open up the phone screen and go into the dial pad
3. Dial in *5005*86*xxx# (Replacing xxx with your voicemail number, e.g. 121 for Vodafone)
4. Press call

All done. Your iPhone should now work regardless of the network or sim that you’re using, but remember, you’ll need to have your handset unlocked by O2 in order to use it on another network.

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To help you make the right choice in deciding on accessories for your new smart phone, we’ve compiled our list of top 10 accessories for the Nokia N97 Mini.

1. Nokia CP-390 N97 Mini Carry Case

A Mobile Fun favourite – the Nokia CP-390 carry pouch is a custom made horizontal pouch made exclusively for the Nokia N97 Mini. It’s a hard-wearing Leather case, discretely embossed with a Nokia N-series logo. It holds your phone securely and allows you to use it in either portrait or landscape mode without having to remove it from the case, in fact you can even use the slide out qwerty keyboard without taking it out of the case. There is a secure belt clip on the back, and a strong magnetic catch to keep the case closed. The inside of the case has a microfibre lining that helps to keep your N97 Mini clean and fingerprint free.

Nokia N97 Mini Carry Case - CP390

2. Nokia CR-117 N97 Mini Car Holder

The Nokia Mobile Holder CR-117 keeps your Nokia N97 Mini firmly in place as you drive.Your display remains unobstructed so you can stay connected with the outside world and use Nokia Maps to guide you to your destination. It can be rotated for use in either landscape or portrait mode. It attaches to your windscreen using a compact suction mount that is secured by twisting the base of the holder.

Nokia N97 Mini Car Holder - CR-117

3. Martin Fields Screen Protector for N97 Mini

The last thing you’re going to want to do the the screen of your new phone is scratch it. Martin Fields screen protectors are the best quality screen protectors you can get for your N97 Mini. They’re precision cut to size and can be removed easily and leave no residue behind. They’re re-usable too, so if it ever gets dirty, just take it off, run it under the tap and re-fit it. Best of all, these don’t interfere with the touchscreen of your N97 Mini.

Martin Fields Screen Protector - Nokia N97 Mini - Twin pack

4. Sandisk 16GB Micro SDHC Memory Card

One of the main differences between the N97 and the N97 Mini is the internal memory. The original N97 has a massive 32GB internal memory, where as the N97 Mini has 8GB. Using a SanDisk 16GB Memory Card with the N97 Mini will allow you to store 24GB of  music, games, photos and videos on your phone. Images taken using the 5MP Camera will take up more space, so more memory is a must. A 16GB memory card will let you store over 6000 high quality photos, 3000 songs or 80 hours of video. A 16GB card is the largest memory card that is currently available.

SanDisk MicroSDHC Card - 16GB

5. Nokia N97 Mini Toughguard shell

ToughGuard Shields are a similar kind of case to a Crystal Case, but they are much more robust. Rather than being made from clear plastic, they are made from a more flexible, energy absorbing polycarbonate. This means that the case is unlikely to break or shatter if you do drop your phone, but will still divert impact damage away from your N97 Mini. ToughGuard Shields don’t cover the screen, so we’d recommend using an N97 Mini screen protector with it. These cases are a secure fit to your phone and are more suited to people who want to put a case on their phone and forget about it.

ToughGuard Shell For Nokia N97 Mini

6. Nokia BH-804 Bluetooth Headset

The Nokia BH-804 is Nokia’s Premium Bluetooth headset and will look great with your N97 Mini. It’s made from lightweight aluminium and comes with a coordinating charging stand. Controls are simple, one button to answer/end calls and activate voice dialling and another to adjust the volume. The headset is considerably smaller than most other Nokia Bluetooth Headsets and it weighs just 7 grams. Charging time is around an hour and this will give you about 4 hours talk time or 120 hours standby.

Nokia BH-804 Bluetooth Headset

7. Jabra Halo Bluetooth Headphones

The Jabra Halo Stereo Bluetooth Headset is the latest stereo headset to be released, and to be honest its probably the best one yet. It has incredibly simple controls – a touch sensitive slider on the right ear lets you adjust the volume by sliding your finger up or down, where as a double tap will skip the track. One multi use button lets you play/pause your music as well as answer/end calls and activate voice dialling. When they’re not in use, the headphones fold away so as not to take up too much space and to reduce the chance of them getting damaged. If you want to know more take a look at my Jabra Halo hands on review.

Jabra Halo Bluetooth Headphones

8. Nokia DC-6 Car Charger

The Nokia N97 Mini great for taking photos, checking your email, watching videos and using Nokia Maps as your Sat Nav system – but as with every other smartphone, any application that relies on an internet connection will drain your battery. The N97 Mini uses the now standard Micro USB charger, so any older Nokia chargers won’t work with them. This DC-6 Car Charger will charge any Micro USB device including phones and Bluetooth Headsets.

Nokia DC-6 Car Charger

9. Venturi Mini FM Transmitter & Car Kit

For those that don’t want a fully fitted car kit, or if you share a car,  this product has got to be top of your wish list! Combining the latest FM transmitter and Bluetooth Technology, the Venturi Kit allows you to make phone calls and listen to your music from your N97 Mini through your car stereo by simply plugging into the cigarette lighter socket of your car. Caller ID and song information is also sent to your radio display so you can see who’s calling and what you’re listening to!

Venturi Mini Bluetooth Car Kit

10. Nokia DC-11 Portable Charger

The DC-11 has a Micro USB and 2mm Nokia charger connections and can charge 2 phones at the same time. It’s the same sort of size as the N97 Mini, but can provide up to two full charges of your N97 Mini’s Battery.

Nokia DC-11 Extra Power

If you’ve not seen the accessory here that’s right for you, why not take a look at our full range of Nokia N97 Mini Accessories.

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