Win a Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY!

Win a Sony Ericsson Xperia™ PLAY!
By Sylvia Chind
Monday March 21, 2011

If you’re an avid reader of our blog you might have spotted that we’ve already confirmed that the certified Playstation phone – Sony Ericsson’s Xperia™ PLAY – will be coming to Three. You can check it out on our ‘Coming Soon’ page now and it’ll be available in our stores and on three.co.uk in April.

So, what would you say if we gave you the chance to win a limited edition Xperia™ PLAY before it’s even available in the UK?

Well, as part of their ‘First 10’ campaign, our friends over at Sony Ericsson have given us the third Xperia™ PLAY off the production line to give away. It comes in a specially made box with the digit 3 engraved into the casing, and if you’re into phones, it’s sure to become a collector’s item.

The lucky winner will receive a Pay As You Go SIM from Three, already preloaded with credit and all-you-can-eat data, and you and a friend will also get a money-can’t- buy ticket to the Xperia™ PLAY launch party on March 31st in London. You’ll be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tinchy Stryder, and we’ll even pay for your travel and accommodation.

So how do you take part?

First of all, make sure you’ve got the 23rd March between the hours of 12pm and 3pm marked in your diary, because in true gaming spirit, we’ll be giving away the phone in our own online competition.Everything will be happening over on Twitter, so make sure you’re following us at @ThreeUK

Now, pay attention. This is science part .

We’ll be chaining up our limited edition Xperia™ PLAY with 30 different padlocks, and Sedge will be keeping hold of 30 different keys. Each key and padlock will be numbered, and all you need to do is tweet the hashtag #WinThreeXperiaPLAY followed by the key and padlock combination that you think will release the Xperia™ PLAY.

So if I was playing, my tweet might read: ‘Try padlock 15 with key 9! #WinThreeXperiaPLAY’.

We’ve also squirreled away 9 MiFis as runners-up prizes, so if your key and padlock number combination doesn’t release the Xperia™ PLAY, you’re still in with a chance of winning your own personal WiFi hotspot.

We’ll be using TwitCam to live stream the action, so you’ll be able to see Sedge actually trying the key and padlock number combination that you’ve tweeted. And if the winning combination is tweeted, it’ll be the first person that tweets that correct combination according to Twitter that wins.

There are over 900 different combinations, so you’ll have plenty of chances to play, and you can enter as many times as you like.

You can find out more about the ‘First 10’ campaign over on Sony Ericsson’s Facebook page.

If you didn’t win – don’t panic. From Friday you can pre order your very own Xperia™ PLAY over on the deal summery page.

Good luck.

SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/03/21/win-a-sony-ericsson-xperia%E2%84%A2-play/

Easier access to the internet on your mobile.

Easier access to the internet on your mobile.
By Sonal Finn
Friday March 18, 2011

A hot topic that’s prompted you guys to get in touch with us is the filter that we apply when you try to access some websites though your phone.

All mobile operators are obliged under the Mobile Content Code to offer a filter designed to protect anyone under 18 from accessing age sensitive sites on their phones. But the filter can sometimes be quite black and white, and because more and more of you have chosen to use your mobiles to get online, it’s become clear that we’ve needed to revisit our approach.

Our filter has sometimes restricted more than just the adult content sites it was designed to block; it has limited access to some sites you might use everyday, like some forums, gambling websites (including The National Lottery website) and magazines that were seen to contain age sensitive content. We know this has frustrated many of you.

Having listened to your feedback we’ve taken the decision to remove the filter for all our Pay Monthly customers.

We take our responsibilities as a network seriously, and because we know that you might have bought your Pay Monthly phone as an over 18 to pass down to a younger family member, you can have the filter reinstated within 72 hours by texting the word ‘Filter’ completely free to 33333.

Because our Pay As You Go customers aren’t required to provide proof of their age, unlike Pay Monthly customers, the filter will remain in place unless they pop in to a store with proof of age or call customer services and do a quick credit/debit card check.

There will be no change for our Mobile Broadband customers. Just as with fixed-line broadband, parents can set their own filter and security settings on a PC or laptop.

The filter is being lifted in stages and some of you may have already noticed the change. We’re planning to have completed the programme for all Pay Monthly customers by the end of June.

Keep an eye out for a bill message confirming the filter has been removed on your smartphone.

Any questions, ask away…


SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/03/18/easier-access-to-the-internet-on-your-mobile/

Three’s price plans for iPad 2.

Three’s price plans for iPad 2.
By Marc Allera
Friday March 25, 2011

Hi guys

We know you’ve been asking so in case you haven’t spotted it, I wanted you to know that we’ve announced our dedicated data plans for iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G.

You can check out our complete pricing here www.three.co.uk/iPad.

You’ll be able to buy iPad 2 at 45 selected Three Stores from 5:00pm today, and we’ll be keeping those stores open later than usual. If you just want to try out an iPad 2 for size, you can demo one live in 220 of our 3Stores nationwide.

iPad 2 features an entirely new design that is 33 percent thinner and up to 15 percent lighter than the original iPad, while maintaining the same stunning 9.7-inch LED-backlit LCD screen. iPad 2 features Apple’s new dual-core A5 processor for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics and now includes two cameras, a front-facing VGA camera for FaceTime and Photo Booth, and a rear-facing camera that captures 720p HD video, bringing the innovative FaceTime feature to iPad users for the first time. Though it is thinner, lighter, faster and packed with new features, iPad 2 still delivers the up to 10 hours of battery life* users have come to expect.

SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/03/25/ourpriceplansforipad2/

HTC Desire S is available on Three.

HTC Desire S is available on Three.
By Sylvia Chind
Tuesday April 5, 2011


During Mobile World Congress back in February we announced that we’d be ranging the HTC Desire S and I can now confirm that it’s available to purchase on Three. It’s available online now and in-store tomorrow.

Back in February we have you a ‘Sneak Peek’ at the HTC Desire S and now we’re back fully loaded up with final software and hardware so, as promised, Brendan’s back to give you a full review.

The Desire S is a great smartphone. It runs on Gingerbread, version 2.3 of Android, and comes with a 1GHz processor and a 3.7 inch LCD display screen which means that it’s nice and quick.

It also comes with a rear facing 5MP camera and an LED flash, which is great if you love taking pictures. The front facing camera is a really useful feature for those of you that make video calls.

But it’s the technology behind HTCsense that I’m really exited about. I’m constantly loosing my phone behind the sofa so now with the help of my laptop I can make it ring (even if it’s on silent!). You can also locate your phone on a map if you’ve left it at a friend’s house or in the car.

And even if for whatever reason your phone really is lost without a trace, with HTCsense.com you can lock it with a pin number, and even set a message to appear on the front screen with a short note and a contact number. If someone finds your phone they can call you and to let you know it’s in safe hands.

If worst comes to worst and you don’t manage to get your phone back, you can completely wipe the memory with HTCsense.com so your personal information is kept away from prying eyes.

The HTC Desire S is a great smartphone and we’re really happy to have it on Three. Take a look at Brendan’s video, and let us know what you think

SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/04/05/htc-desire-s-is-available-on-three/

Best Holiday iPhone 4 apps

Guest post: Best Holiday iPhone 4 apps.
By Kieran Alger
Friday April 8, 2011

Not sure if you spotted but the sun just came out. Since clapping my eyes on it my thoughts have turned to holidays. It’ll soon be time to escape the grind for sunnier climes but actually booking and organising a getaway is a stressful business at best, whether it’s a weekend for two in the Cotswolds or a month of extreme sports in New Zealand.

So let your phone take the strain, and check out the best five holiday-booking, stress-killing apps for Apple’s iPhone…

KAYAK Pro Flights, Hotels, Flight tracker
Covering off all your booking needs in one place, KAYAK PRO lets you search for flights, hotels and even cover off your car rental situation.
A tool comparison tool ensures you’re getting the best deal, and if you are waiting for a friend to fly in, you can use the flight status checker to avoid hanging around the airport for hours.
Price: £0.59

Tripit – Travel Organizer
Constantly worried about missing connections or misplacing hotel addresses? Trip helps keep all your travelling plans in order.
Once you’ve sent your itinerary details to plans@tripit.com, all of your information including flights, hotels, and car rental can be checked online and offline, which should come in handy when you’re airborne.
Price: Free

Exodus Adventure Holidays
Because lying on the beach sipping cocktails isn’t everyone’s idea of the perfect holiday, Exodus caters for those prefer to get their adrenaline pumping while in their shorts.
Grab a last minute deal or speak to one of the Exodus travel experts, and you’ll soon be trekking, biking or even going on a polar expedition in no time.
Price: Free

Travel Tip-off
Gone the days when you had to sit through hundreds of pages on Teletext Holidays, Travel-Tip-off serves up the latest deals whether it’s a far flung trip or a cheaper ‘staycation.’
You can check out the top 10 deals and use one-click dialling to make the call to seal the deal with the relevant tour operator.
Price: Free

British Airways
Making that often lengthily stay in departures a stress-free experience, the BA app gives you access to check-in details, departure times and gate numbers.
If you subscribe to the British Airways’ frequent flyer scheme you’ll also be able to use your Apple smartphone as a boarding pass. Although this means check-in staff have no idea where to put your luggage stickers…
Price: Free

See more of the best apps on the T3.com App chart or get updates via Twitter at @T3dotcom.

SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/04/08/guest-post-best-holiday-iphone-4-apps/

Guest Post: Samsung Galaxy tablet review.

Guest Post: Samsung Galaxy tablet review.
By Nigel Powell
Thursday April 7, 2011

David Kerrigan, Head of Mobile Broadband, said that this ‘was the year of the tablet,’ so we asked Nigel Powell of the Red Ferret to do a guest post for us to test out a Samsung Galaxy tab on Three. He’s taken a close look at everything the tablet has to offer to see how it fits in your day-to-day lives.


To read Nigel’s blog head over to The Red Ferret here.

So the world’s gone tablet crazy, and no, I don’t mean aspirin. Everywhere you look there’s yet another svelte tablet computer hitting the shelves, led of course by the mighty Apple iPad. I tend to shy away from tech hype, so the current media enthusiasm for this new handheld format has sort of passed me by. Even so, I was happy to put aside my lofty indifference when asked to take a look at one of the latest tablet products to reach our shores, the Galaxy Tab from Samsung.

The first surprise comes when I open the box, for what I encounter is not the expected flimsy cheapo plastic product, but a very impressively crafted handheld computer. The whole thing reeks of attention to detail, sleek lines and a solid glass screen which screams out quality. Ho ho ho, someone is taking this market seriously methinks. Newcomers to the tablet genre should understand that unlike many of its rivals at the lower end of the price scale, the Tab is designed along the lines of a high end smartphone, since it comes with an integrated SIM card slot like a conventional mobile phone.
This smartphone motif feeds across to other areas too. The controls are what you’d expect, a volume rocker, power on/off, standard 3.5mm headphone socket, microSD slot etc, and because the Tab uses the Android operating system, you benefit from an immediately familiar user interface. There are no surprises, which makes it easy to get to grips with. Just charge it up for a few hours, slot in the SIM and memory cards and you’re basically using a 7 inch screen mobile phone. Handy!
There are some other nice touches built in like the cool Swype data entry tech, which lets you enter text by swiping your finger across the on-screen keyboard. It’s very fast and a great option for clumsy fingered typists. The tablet also comes with the Android Market, from where you can instantly download and install from a range of over 130,000 free and commercial applications to spice up your life.
So how is it to use, I hear you ask. Well, it’s actually again surprisingly nice. The capacitive touchscreen is gorgeous, silky smooth to navigate, and probably the nearest to an iPad screen in terms of responsiveness I’ve used. It doesn’t have that delicious top class resolution that Apple users now expect, but it’s not far off. I won’t bore you with tech specs, but suffice to say I found it impressively snappy in performance terms, although you’ll need to upgrade the browser

to Dolphin HD to really get the best out of surfing speeds. Web browsing is definitely more fun with extra inches on the screen.
Battery life is supposed to be 7 hours continuous while watching a movie (oh yes, Flash video is supported, so yay for some YouTube fun) but it’s probably safer to expect a days action per charge for intermittent web and WiFi use, which suggests it will deliver less for more frequent 3G data and GPS use. The quality of the main 5 megapixel camera is what you’d expect from this type of product, which means fairly average results in badly lit scenarios, and I’m still bemused by the fact that no Android tablet appears to have cracked the simple video call feature properly. Why on earth can’t we use Skype video calling along with these twin cameras? Madness.
So overall? Pleasantly surprised. For those with a yearning for slinky flat portable computers, this is probably as good an option as any on the market, and who knows it may just save you the odd headache as well along the way.

SOURCE: http://blog.three.co.uk/2011/04/07/guest-post-samsung-galaxy-tablet-review/

Get a Free Three UK SIM from me & get £2 extra credit!

Get a free SIM from me & get £2 extra credit.

Hi!

I've just become a Free Agent for Three and wanted you to know about all the huge allowance of calls, texts and internet you can get with Pay As You Go as well as an extra £2 credit you get when you order your SIM from me.

To get your free Three SIM and £2 extra credit, order from my link below. Just put the SIM into a 3G mobile phone and top-up by £10 or more - the extra £2 credit will be automatically added to your balance within 14 days.

Order your SIM from my Free Agent for Three page
Pay As You Go on Three is a great choice - you don't need to sign a contract to get a big bundle of calls, texts and All-you-can-eat data. Buy an All in One £15 Add-on and you'll get 300 minutes, 3000 texts and All-you-can-eat data for a whole month – so there's no need to worry about how much data you need to use the internet on your phone.

Start making money yourself by joining Three's Free Agent team with me. Get paid for promoting Three's free SIMs to your friends and get £5 cash when every SIM is topped-up by £10 or more for the first time. There's no limit to the amount of money you can make – so why not join today?
Join now
Thanks,
JayGB1982
http://freeagent.three.co.uk/stand/index/id/14077