Life can be busy and we can’t always be at home. We have been accustomed to using remote access software to remote access our PC’s. Now electronics firm AGA with some help from UK carrier Everything Everywhere have taken the idea of remote access and put it in our kitchens.

The AGA iTotal Control Cooker is a high tech cooker oven that can be controlled remotely by a mobile phone via SMS. Everything Everywhere has been chosen for its M2M Management Platform and Orange UK SIM cards for the new AGA iTotal Control oven. The oven offers remote control via an Android or Apple iOS application, a web browser or text message.

How it works:

The AGA iTotal Control is a further development of the AGA Total Control cooker, allowing remote controllability of the AGA Total Control cooker. The AGA Total Control cooker was the first electric AGA that could be switched on and off as the user required.

The AGA iTotal Control cooker works in just the same way but with the added feature of remote controllability.

There are a number of ways in which the AGA iTotal Control can be activated remotely.

   Directly via text message from a mobile phone
   Dedicated website via a smart phone, laptop, tablet or personal computer
   Dedicated smart phone apps for iPhone and Android

1. Directly via text message

A simple text message can be sent to operate the AGA iTotal Control ovens. To make it easy we’ve included a couple of options, either of which will work for the individual ‘oven on’ commands.

A message will be received by the user at the bottom of the screen to confirm that the command has either been successful or unsuccessful. The original message sent (e.g. ‘Roast Oven On’) will be replied, along with the word ‘activated’ or ‘failed’.

2. Dedicated website

The remote access of the AGA iTotal Control can also be used via a dedicated website, which can be accessed by smart phone, laptop, tablet or personal computer. The simple to use website shows a touch panel graphic when accessing the dedicated website.

The website can be accessed via the URL agatc.co.uk where you will be asked to register your cooker before being able to communicate with it.

Again, there are five commands that can be executed via the website control panel: ‘All Ovens On’ ‘All Zones Off’ ‘Roasting Oven On’ ‘Baking Oven On’ ‘Simmering Oven On’

3. Smart Phone Apps

A smart phone app has been developed for both iPhone and Android Smart phones. The app can be downloaded in the same way as other apps – through visiting the Apple App store for iPhones/iPads or the Andriod Marketplace (Google play) for devices using the Android platform. The app looks similar to the dedicated website and will show the same text commands when the given symbol is pressed on the smart phone screen. The app for both Apple devices and android phones are free to download.

GSM remote access device and the SIM contract

The AGA iTotal Control remote access hardware requires a standard mobile phone SIM card to receive the commands being sent to the cooker. A small box, similar to a broadband router is connected to the cooker via a cable which is supplied. This device receives the remote messages from the phone app, direct texts or website and transmits them to the AGA.

It’s not cheap and goes on sale in the UK from 1st June, it will cost £10,090 plus £5.95 per month for the machine-to-machine connection.

via

T-Mobile and Orange UK customer were promised back in October 2010 that both sets of customers could use the other carriers networks. Now 18 months later this is now a possibility as Everything Everywhere allows the switching of networks automatically.

Orange and T-Mobile customers can now switch to another network automatically if they start to lose their 3G connection, the company is calling the service ’Smart Signal Sharing’. If neither network can support 3G on a device, it will also automatically use a 2G network .

Olaf Swantee, CEO of Everything Everywhere, said “Smart Signal Sharing marks the completion of the Orange and T-Mobile signal integration project, which provides our 27.5 million customers with the widest 2G and 3G coverage available in Britain today. The launch is yet another proofpoint to our commitment to provide our customers with the best network in the UK – now and in the future. Our continued investment into the network, including the launch of 50% faster 3G speeds through HSPA+, allows our customers to access the internet, social networks or download emails faster in more places than ever before.”

via

Sony Xperia U, the cheapest model in the new Xperia lineup is now available for purchase in the UK.

The handset is available starting today on three.co.uk and from tomorrow it will be available at all Three stores in the UK.

The Sony Xperia U is available on Three from £15 a month on the Essential Internet 100 plan and £20 a month on the Essential Internet 500 plan. The Essential Internet and Ultimate Internet plans, offer a fear-free mobile internet experience, with a guarantee of no surprise out of bundle data charges.

The phone is also available on Pay As You Go for £179.99. All in One 15 costs £15 and gives 30-day access to all-you-can-eat data along with 300 any-network minutes and 3,000 texts. Or All in One 25 costs £25 and offers 500 minutes, 3,000 texts and all-you-can-eat data for a 30-day period.

The Xperia U features a 3.5 inch FWVGA display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine, 1GHz dual-core processor, 5MP rear camera, VGA front facing camera, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4GB of internal memory. It runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread at the moment and will be upgradable to 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

via

Announced earlier this month at CTIA Wireless 2012 in New Orleans, Samsung Focus 2 is now available for purchase. Is it worth? Check the full video review after the break.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5smvWRC3gPo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14VtBpDasOo

Focus 2 is Samsung’s first 4G LTE equipped Windows Phone smartphone. It features a 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED display, 1.4GHz CPU, 5MP back camera capable of recording 720p HD video, VGA front facing camera and 1,750mAh removable battery.

The Samsung Focus 2 is available exclusively to AT&T customers for $49.99 with a new 2–year contract.

via

Two days after announcing that Android 4.0 was finally coming to the HTC Sensation 4G, T-Mobile released the update for the device. There are a lot of great features included, and also some unique omissions that Sense 3.6 does include on other carriers.

Check the video after the break to find out what’s included and what’s missing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u7t6zxznwM

New Features:

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
• Data usage controls.
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life
• Note: HTC Sensation 4G will be required to add Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot feature in order to use the service after completing this update.

Improvements:

• Improved text input and spell checking
• Improved menu structure

via

After months of delays, T-Mobile has announced that the Android 4.0 update for HTC Sensation 4G  will start rolling out on May 16th. The new software is version 3.32.531.14710RD and will bring long awaited Android 4.0.3 with Sense 3.6 (sorry no Sense 4.0) update to Sensation 4G.

Check the full changelog provided by T-Mobile after the break.

Version:

• Android 4.0.3 / Software version 3.32.531.14710RD
• Approved 5/16/2012

New Features:

• Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)
• Sense 3.6
• System bar enhancements to easily view recent apps.
• Re-sizeable widgets
• Lock screen actions including pull down notifications and adjust volume while device is locked.
• Data usage controls.
• Face Unlock
• Home screen folders
• Improved battery life
• Note: HTC Sensation 4G will be required to add Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot feature in order to use the service after completing this update.

Improvements:

• Improved text input and spell checking
• Improved menu structure

Prerequisites:

• Manual update
• Device is running Android version 2.3.3 / Software version 1.50.531.1, 1.29.531.2, or 1.45.531.1
• Device software is not rooted
• More than 50% battery life
• Data or Wi-Fi connection

via 

Orange have announced their new social TV app, TVcheck, is now available to download from the UK Apple App Store for iPhones and iPod touch.

The free and simple to use app is available on any network and provides a new and exciting way to enhance the live TV experience with social and gaming tools. The app works with 25 free-to-air channels in the UK, including the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

One of TVcheck’s amazing features is its unique live TV image recognition technology.  During any programme on a compatible channel, you simply point your phone at the television screen. The app then quickly and cleverly recognizes the television programme and registers that you have checked in to the programme.

Once you have checked in to a TV show you can make use of the app’s other simple features.  You can participate in live quizzes, earn badges or challenge other viewers to become top dog of a specific programme or channel. Additionally, the app provides a seamless connection to social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter allowing you to chat and send messages about your favorite programmes while watching TV. Customers will soon also have access to other treats such as unseen footage from their favorite shows.

via

O2 in the UK is soon to launch a brand new service created specially for International roaming travelers which will allow fixed priced roaming charges in Europe.

Expensive roaming data charges are now a thing of the past as O2 is now allowing pay monthly contract users to use voice call minutes from their standard minutes allowance for a one time charge of 50p. Data charges are fixed at £1.99 a day for 25MB of data.

Sally Cowdry, Marketing & Consumer Director for O2 in the UK, said “We know people want to able to relax and enjoy their holidays without worrying about complicated phone charges. With simple charges and a generous 25MB data bundle, O2 Travel provides a great way for our customers to keep in touch and share their holiday moments with family and friends without having to worry about the costs.”

You can get more information about O2 Travel and the roaming charges from all destinations from their dedicated International page.

The days of swapping out SIM cards when you are on your holidays look like they are coming to an end. Do you normally look to buy a local SIM card soon as you touch down at your holiday resort?

via

The O2 More service that was launched in November 2009 has been quite a hit and success with O2 customers.

O2 More is a personalized media platform that is run by O2 Media and now boasts more than 10 million customers, which is almost 50% of O2’s total customer base. Customers can choose to opt in rather than the normal opt out options to receive just one promotional message every day based on their location and personal preferences.

Claire Valoti, managing director at O2 Media, said “We saw from the recent IAB Mobile Adspend Study that the industry is growing at incredibly fast rate and our sector in particular grew a huge 241% last year. We know the appetite is there from agencies and clients for engaging with consumers directly on their mobile devices. We have been working hard to grow our audience, ensure that our data is the best in the industry and develop and evolve our redemption and measurement. O2 More has evolved from a straight messaging service to a rich media service that now includes location-based work and often is delivered in tandem with other O2 services such as O2 Wifi and Priority Moments from O2. It makes our identity and proposition almost unique in the market today.

via

Learn how you can check your voice and data usage, update your MY5/MY10, view and pay your bills and more with the free Rogers My Account App. Check out the video after the break.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knl3A1Xz260

via