15 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

Things are about to get interesting... 3 are about to hit the bigtime in the UK Windows Mobile market

Our sources very close to 3 in the UK have confirmed that 3 are to have an EXCLUSIVE (at least initially) on the Motorola Q9 (aka Norman), and will be launching it as the first of a whole range of X-Series devices based on Windows Mobile!

The Motorola Q9, pictured here, features Windows Mobile 6 standard Edition, a landscape QVGA screen, QWERTY keyboard, TI OMAP 2420 processor running de 325 Mhz, 96MB RAM and 256MB ROM (!), a 2 megapixel camera and microSD expansion.

The Q9 will join the current Symbian X-Series devices, and will be offered with the usual X-Series flat(ish) rate data connections. Orange and T-Mobile, beware. In light of the 3 X-Series signature capabilities of Skype, Slingbox, Orb, Windows Live Messenger etc., it's clear the Q9 and other Windows Mobile devices are a perfect fit.

The move comes as 3 broadens it's X-Series data offerings to customers already with 3 and on a different tariff, as detailed here on the 3 site, branded X-Series add-ons.

The packages are as follows:

3 said:

X-Series - £5 a month

Unlimited web surfing, Yahoo! Search, Mobilcast and eBay. Subject to Fair Use policy

X-Series Silver - £5 a month

Unlimited Skype, web surfing, Yahoo! Search, Mobile Mail, Mobilcast, Skype and eBay. Subject to Fair Use policy

X-Series Gold - £10 a month

Unlimited Skype, web surfing, Yahoo! Search, Mobile Mail, eBay and Mobilcast, plus 50 hours every month of Sling and Orb. Subject to fair use policy.

A quick snoop around the terms of use reveals the following 'fair use policy'...

3 said:

Fair Use Policy - X-Series

To make the most of the X-Series from 3, we encourage you to use the services as much as you like. To help us meet our commitment to you and other customers, we also ask that you use the services fairly. Our take on fair use limits is set out below.

Please remember that the X-Series services are for your personal use only and do not include using your mobile as a modem with your PC or laptop.

A "month" is calculated from the start of each of your monthly billing periods. The following fair use limits are all separate and there is no double counting between them.

Unlimited Data

Fair Use Limit: 1 GB each month

X-Series - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use ISP email and download podcasts

X-Series Silver & Gold - 1 GB should be more than enough to allow you to surf websites, use Mobile Mail and download podcasts

We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using the included data services for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your data usage until the next month. This will not impact your access to other X-Series services.

  Unlimited Windows Live Messenger

Fair Use Limit: 10,000 messages each month

This is more than 300 messages each and every day! If you exceed 10,000 messages we may suspend your access to Windows Live Messenger until the next month.

Unlimited Skype to Skype calls

Fair Use Limit: 5,000 minutes each month

5,000 minutes is more than 2.5 hours a day of Skype calls – every day of the month. We will send you a text message to let you know when you have reached 4,500 minutes. If you exceed 5,000 minutes we will suspend your usage and it will not resume until the next month, however you will still be able to receive Skype calls.

  Unlimited Slingbox and Orb (on X-Series Gold)

Fair Use Limit: 80 hours each month

On X-Series Gold you get access to Orb and Slingbox (if you have one). These services have a total combined fair use limit of 80 hours each month. We will let you know by text message once you have reached the fair use limit and ask you to cease using it for the remainder of the month. If you continue to use the services we may suspend your Orb and Slingbox usage until the next month.

  Using the X-Services to exploit the unlimited offers

We will also consider your use unfair if you use the X-Series services in any way designed to unfairly exploit the unlimited usage or cause us loss, for example, by using the services for commercial purposes, accessing services that are not included or using an unauthorised device.

We may make reasonable changes this policy in accordance with the Terms for 3 Services and any new version will replace this version.

...but, you know, it's still not a bad deal.

And the Motorola Q9 looks hot

P

[bennish]

the q9 does look hot... just if only it had a square screen, with touch. i'd snap it up in a second.

[Christopher Woods]

Who decided that a good codename for it would be bloody NORMAN?! hahaha

That two tariffs are both priced at £5, one with a lot more features too, seems a little odd to me... Is it not a typo maybe?

If 3 were to bring out smaller format smartphones (like the Hermes), I'd seriously consider switching to them when my T-Mobile contract was up. That'd be a hard decision to make, whether to stay with TM or not!

[genaldar]

Why do they consider 1gb unlimited?  I mean its quite a bit, but calling it unlimited is just an outright lie.

[neilg]

On one hand it is great to see more WM devices out there.  on the other I fear that this will mean that the rest of us will not be able to buy slingplayer for our WM devices (BOO) officially........   ....lucky I have a friend or two in the accross the pond.....!  A shame as it works an absolute treat on my i600 and the 'Norman' woudl be a great device for it too - I just dont want to use 3!  And by the way in case you are wondering, '3' seem to tinker with the software to go through their proxy or something as even with a fully unlocked '3' symbian device, all paid up an official, with all the correct settgins, none of the x series apps seem to work with another SIM.  So highly likely to be no good getting your Q on 3 and unlocking it if you wanted to use on another network for orb, sling etc (although i realise I am jumping the gun a bit here!)

Edited by neilg, 27 April 2007 - 08:30 AM.

[Pagemakers]

These 'unlimited' tariffs are pretty pointless if you can't use your phone as a modem for your laptop.

[Stuart_f]

Christopher Woods, on Apr 27 2007, 04:51, said:

That two tariffs are both priced at £5, one with a lot more features too, seems a little odd to me... Is it not a typo maybe?

Wouldn't surprise me.  X-series gold is described as having 50 hours of orb streaming in some places and 80 hours in the terms and conditions.  3 don't seem able to make their minds up.  Perhaps the 80 hours refers to x-series gold as part of the £45 tarrif and 50 hours refers to the bolt on.  It's certainly not clear!

[PaulOBrien]

Pagemakers, on Apr 27 2007, 11:56, said:

These 'unlimited' tariffs are pretty pointless if you can't use your phone as a modem for your laptop.

Oh come on Pagemakers, that's your usage scenario but not that of most of the rest of the planet!

They're certainly not pointless!

P

[Pagemakers]

Hmm. Maybe but if they give you a data cap what difference should it make how you use your data?  Modem or phone browsing, if I use 1GB I use 1GB.

Very few people are going to use 1, 2 or 3GB browsing with their phone, but they are more likely to do it with a modem, but if you can't do that......

[jimbouk]

And with Orange now about to release the £8 unlimited data package to a lot more customers, mobile internet is going to really take off.

[ajb3000]

In respect to using data through your phone, 1GB can be classed as essentially "unlimited" as it's very unlikely people would use more than that.  If they allowed you to use your phone as a modem for your PC however, 1GB could in no way be seen as unlimited usage so they wouldn't be able to class it as such.

Also, in regards to X-Series and X-Series Silver being the same price, the Silver and Gold offerings are only available on selected handsets, so those with an unsupported device can only get the data aspect.

[battletank]

neilg, on Apr 27 2007, 09:26, said:

I fear that this will mean that the rest of us will not be able to buy slingplayer for our WM devices (BOO) officially........

Actually, Slingplayer Mobile is now officially available in the UK from the Slingmedia website.

[neilg]

battletank, on Apr 29 2007, 22:43, said:

Actually, Slingplayer Mobile is now officially available in the UK from the Slingmedia website.

I take it back!!  Good on Sling.  Sling for all!!!

[Weasley]

Where is the Motorola Q9 they promise us? Now that 3 had launched HSPDA Turbo Broadband

[PaulOBrien]

I hope this is still happening, it would be a great a device for 3!

P

[Monolithix]

On the off chance i emailed 3 about this device a few months ago, no info on availability was...er...available :/