Category: General

The mobile phones of the 1970’s

The year is 1976 and, on BBC Kids TV show “Blue Peter”, they’re about to show something amazing. A phone with no cable that you could even take outside. There are absolutely no trailing cables of any kind; it’s not connected to anything at all because it’s got …

Imagine being on lockdown 20 years ago!

Although our lives are becoming distinctly less mobile right now, our mobile phones are playing an incredibly critical part of life. Imagine, if you will, the coronavirus pandemic hitting us 20 years ago. It’s a sunny morning in the year 2000. You’ve got yourself the classic Nokia 3310 …

4G Coverage. Coming to the Moon!

NASA have selected Nokia to setup an actual mobile phone network on the Moon. Key points involve reducing power, size and cost whilst delivering reliable lunar surface communications with high data rates. As part of a potential future sustainable human presence on the Moon, a super-compact, low-power, space-hardened, …

giffgaff iPhone 12 pricing and offers

We’ve gone through quite a few iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro deals already, but now giffgaff have got in touch too. They will be offering the whole iPhone 12 lineup, including iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12, and iPhone 12 mini. You can already …

Lockdown success for developers

As we’ve seen in the UK, now we’re seeing it in the US too. The lockdowns, the COVID-19 restrictions, the closure of many pubs, bars, nightclubs and other social venues – it’s changed our habits. We’re now spending more time indoors and, although we’re using social media more …

Honor Watch ES – Review

So its that time again where we put a device under the microscope to find out if it is any good. This time around it is the turn of the Honor Watch ES. I want to get one thing out of the way first though. Even though this …

Moving away from regular upgrades

There’s been a noticeable shift in recent years away from regular phone upgrades. Customers are becoming more savvy, and with smartphones no longer taking such big “leaps” in technology, many are looking for ways to prolong the life of their existing phone instead of upgrading. In the post-COVID …

Driving? Don’t touch that phone!

The UK government are to firm up the law on mobile phones in cars. Next year the loopholes which allowed drivers take photos or film will be changed and it’ll be illegal for anyone to pick up and use their mobile phone while driving. You’ll still be able …

Yet more iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro deals

So we’ve got pricing from Sky Mobile and from Virgin Media, but what about the other offers out there? Well, iD Mobile (which sits on the Three network) seem to have a really good offering, provided you don’t mend a slightly hefty upfront cost. You can get the …

5G Oppo Reno4 handsets available widely in the UK

Well, we’ve already mentioned that Virgin Mobile have the Reno4 Pro on sale, but you can now get your hands on the latest 5G Oppo handsets from EE, O2, Carphone Warehouse, Amazon and Vodafone too SIM-free, you can pick up the Reno4 Z for £329, the Reno4 for …

Sky Mobile announce iPhone pre-order pricing

At 1PM the guys at Sky Mobile (sitting on the O2 network) will be putting their iPhone 12 and 12 Pro pre-orders live. Prices start from £34 a month for the iPhone 12 with 4GB with no upfront costs. Meanwhile the iPhone 12 Pro will be £47 a …

Virgin Media iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro deals go live

Following our iPhone 12 coverage, we now have pricing and pre-order details from Virgin Media. They operate on EE masts currently but will be switching over to the Vodafone infrastructure later in 2021. You can pre-order here and get the brand new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro. …

Unlimited data with Three. Just £16 per month SIM-only.

If you’ve got a strong Three signal in your area (check that here with the Ofcom checker), it’s definitely worth checking out this unlimited SIM-only deal. On a 12 month contract, it’ll deliver unlimited data, unlimited minutes and unlimited texts for a mere £16 per month. That’s £192 …

Just £1 for your first month with SMARTY. 30GB SIM-only.

This is a virtual network, but – like VOXI and Vodafone – SMARTY is very closely aligned to their parent – Three. It’s basically a sub-brand of Three company and they’re aiming to attract customers who are mainly looking for cheaper deals. That’s me then, because I’ve just …

OnePlus 8T – The cases

Following on from our OnePlus 8T review, we’re going to have a look at a couple of the cases you can buy. First though, what about the one you get free in the box? Well, all I’ll say is – put it on. It’s see-through, flexible and it’ll …

Another real-world 5G test

My son and I headed to Wembley a year ago and, while I was in the area, I decided to check out the new 5G connection that had popped up on my phone. Getting 5G back then was a hit-and-miss affair, and it was really only to be …

The hidden Vodafone SIM-only deals you need to know about

I’ve spent a couple of hours looking for a new SIM-only deal. I had one requirement – it had to be with Vodafone or one of the virtual networks (like Voxi) running on the Vodafone masts. This is because, in the areas I’ll be needing it, Vodafone is …

Call internationally from just £5 per month with Three

Last year I was in Malta. Whilst in the sunshine I called home, safe in the knowledge that I was in an EU country and I was calling another EU country. The cost was included in my plan and there were no big bill shocks. However, when you …

5 Smartphones you can use in 2020 for Forex trading

It is simply amazing if you think about just how much one can accomplish using a smartphone or tablet for that matter. When you look back at how technology has shaped today’s world, it is crystal clear that things are only getting better. The milestones being witnessed in …

Nokia 8.3 5G now on giffgaff

The Nokia 8.3 5G, which we covered here, is now available to buy on giffgaff. Now, as giffgaff split the cost of the handset and the plan (or “Goodybag”), you can get the phone for £499 if you want to buy it outright, or you can pay for ut …

NHS Workers continue to get unlimited data with EE

As someone who’s in hospital for a few months, I can certainly attest to the hard work and dedication of the NHS staff. It isn’t just a job. I’ve seen doctors, nurses, HCA’s and everybody in-between caring, sharing, helping and listening. They work harder and longer than anyone …

Grab video from across the web – SnapDownloader

Here at Coolsmartphone we’ve previously taken a look at ways to archive and grab YouTube videos to your phone. There’s various online options out there, but for the most part they’re covered in pop-up ads, malware and lots of scary-looking downloads that can easily confuse most users. If …

Honor Watch ES – Unboxing

Its time for another unboxing and this time around it is a Fitness Band/Smartwatch – the Honor Watch ES. The reason I say that this fits into both the camps of wearables is that I feel it’s a crossover device. At least, that is my first impressions of …

Oppo Reno4 Pro now available with Virgin Media

Currently sitting on the EE network (but soon to switch across to Vodafone masts), Virgin Media are going great guns at the moment. They’re now offering the Oppo Reno4 Pro from just £28 a month. Not only that, but you get a free pair of B&O H4 Headphones …

Why is Google Chrome taking so much memory?

Writing about smartphones is kinda my thing, but you’ll find me doing that within the Chrome browser on a laptop. Despite the rather respectable competition (Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge etc), you’ll find that Chrome is my default choice of browser. It’s by far the most popular way to …

Zepp E Smartwatch – Review

Let’s get one thing out of the way. I like smartwatches. No, that’s not quite right. I really like smartwatches. I have reviewed many smartwatches for Coolsmartphone in my years as a writer for the site. They have varied from the complex, like the TicWatch Pro, to the …

Motorola Razr 5G – Pricing from Vodafone now available

So, we knew that the Motorola Razr 5G was coming to Vodafone but now we’ve got all the pricing. This is a rather cool flip-smartphone with a gapless closure system, even though it is a little pricey to buy outright. Unfolded the phone has a 6.2″ P-OLED screen …

5 Essential tips to safeguard your mobile phone digital security

The potential for a cybercriminal to hack your phone or tablet has continuously grown over the years, and now? It’s even more of a concern. Nowadays, hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated in how they hack devices. There are countless hacking software options online available for free, …

TicWatch Pro 3 GPS launched

I have a soft spot for TicWatch and Mobvoi, they make some really nice gear and I was a particular fan of their TicWatch Pro that I reviewed here. I have also been using the TicWatch S2 for nearly a year and it has been used and abused …

Aznu – Refurbished phones, done differently

A new name in the refurbished handset market has just appeared – Aznu (“As New”, Geddit?). Available exclusively from Argos, they will have a premium range of Samsung S devices for a budget-friendly price. Aznu will guarantee that phones are free from scratches, scuffs, dents or marks. Not …

VeryMe brings two cinema ticket deal back

For £7, and while the cinemas remain open, Vodafone customers can now get two cinema tickets for just £7. Just head straight into the “VeryMe” reward app to enjoy a discounted deal at over 89 Vue venues around the UK. The offer is available weekly and now VOXI …

Zepp E Smartwatch Unboxing

Today I received a new smartwatch to unbox. However, I should mention that there’s a couple of versions – a round model and this, the square version. You can see the difference between the two on Zepp.com. So, ahead of the full review, here’s a look at this …

AIR – The space-helmet designed to deliver a cleaner atmosphere

Produced in and shipped to the USA only at the moment, this is the “AIR”. A helmet which filters inlet and outlet air through HEPA filters via inbuilt fans. Looking a bit like a wrap-around face-shield / space-helmet, you can wear glasses and in-ear headphones without too much …

A selfie stick that’s also a pocket-sized gimbal

For $74.99 or £74.99, this is the “Smooth XS”. You can use it as a selfie stick, as a stand and as a way to make your videos super-smooth. It weighs 246g and slides out to 260mm for wider shots and is available in white or pink. You …

Virgin Mobile adds a free screen repair service

Hold up, it’s not for all smartphones, but Virgin Mobile have added a completely free screen repair service on some top-end models, including the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Those phones, I think it goes without saying, are expensive to …

US Customs say OnePlus Buds violate Apple AirPods trademark

Following our earlier story on the seizure of 2,000 “counterfeit Apple AirPods”, it would appear that the Border Police aren’t budging. Speaking to The Verge, they have stated that .. Upon examining the shipment in question, a CBP import specialist determined that the subject earbuds appeared to violate …

US Customs seize OnePlus Buds thinking that they’re Airpods

In New York, Border Officers at JFK airport have announced that they’ve seized a stack of counterfeit Apple Airpods. However, despite the rather tiny images of the seizure, it appears that they have instead seized a stack of OnePlus Buds instead. At least, that’s what we can make …

ARM sold to Nvidia

Based right here in the UK and licensing their innovations to companies like Huawei, Apple, Samsung and Qualcomm; ARM has now been sold to Nvidia. The deal values ARM at £31.2bn and Nvidia have promised to maintain the ARM brand, employ more staff and keep the business based …

What if TikTok USA isn’t sold?

Like Huawei and Honor, Chinese video-sharing app TikTok is suffering the wrath of US President Donald Trump. With an impending ban in the USA, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer has decided to quit the company – a mere two months into the job. He’d recently moved from Disney to …