HTC: Revises pricing for Android devices in Malaysia

October 23rd, 2011 by ytechcity

HTC Malaysia has officially announced its new reduced retail pricing for HTC Wildfire S, HTC Chacha, HTC Salsa and the HTC Sensation.

The HTC Wildfire S which previously retails at RM1,099 is now priced at RM899, which is a RM200 reduction. Meanwhile, the 2 Facebook oriented devices, HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa are sold at RM799 and RM999 respectively. When announced, the ChaCha was going for RM1,099 and the Salsa at RM1,499.

The HTC Sensation meanwhile is still at RM1,799 as reported earlier this month. The reduction took place right before the HTC Sensation XE was announced at RM1,999.

Overall, the reduction of price is welcomed as there are plenty of decent 1GHz Android devices hitting below the RM1,500 mark such as the Sony Ericsson Xperia ray, LG Optimus Black and Samsung Galaxy S Plus.

When it comes to entry level Android devices, HTC isn’t really known for offering devices below the RM1000 mark. With this new revision, hopefully they will make waves with the entry level users. In the coming months, we are expecting more decent Android devices with lower pricing to enter the market which may make it tough for HTC in this segment. The next lowest entry device from HTC would be the HTC Explorer which is slated for Q4 this year.

[Source]

Yes: Yes Life for Android in beta version

September 26th, 2011 by ytechcity

YesLife-Android-2

Yes have just opened registration for the beta version of its Yes Life app for Android. You’ll need a Yes ID to sign-up and the app is not available in the Android Market just yet.

Only devices running Android 2.1 and above are supported. To sign-up click here. Yes has not mentioned when the final version of the app will be released. But considering that the beta is being distributed to the public at the moment, it going to be just a matter of weeks till the final version is released.

We’ve gotten our hands on the beta version of the application and we have to say it is much more polished than the iOS version with loads more useful features added making it much more conducive to use.

News: Android and iOS are Still Dominating the Mobile OS Market

September 25th, 2011 by ytechcity

connected-device-chart

The debate between Apple’s iOS and Android can get heated pretty quickly. I (in some cases) would rank someone’s mobile OS preference right up there with their political views. It can get that serious.

But whether you prefer Google’s open platform, or Apple’s more fenced-off approach, you have to agree with one thing: Both OSes are killing it. The proof is in the numbers, as 9to5Mac points out in Millennial Media’s Mobile Mix report…

In August, the mobile advertising firm tracked which mobile operating systems folks were using. And out of Millennial Media’s 15,000 users, 54% were using Android, 28% were using iOS, and only 13% were using RIM’s BlackBerry OS.

Perhaps the most surprising number was that only 1% of users were sporting Windows Phone OS, which a lot of folks believed to be gaining traction in the market. Obviously this research doesn’t cover every mobile user, but it is indicative.

handset-makers-chart

When it comes to hardware, Apple topped the other manufacturers. Of those tracked in last month’s Mobile Mix report, 23.19% were using Apple devices, followed by HTC at 16.33% and Samsung at 14.55%. Palm came in last at 0.22%.

With the Cupertino company rumored to be announcing multiple new devices this Fall, on multiple new carriers, it’ll be interesting to see what these results look like in 6 months. How much will Android’s share decrease? How much will Apple’s share increase?

U Mobile: Samsung Galaxy S II plan details

September 25th, 2011 by ytechcity

umobile-samsung-galaxy-s-2

Finally U Mobile has released the full details for its Samsung Galaxy S II offer. As reported earlier, the Galaxy S II is offered as low as RM849 with 24 months contract of U Premium’s RM168/month plan, while DiGi offering Samsung Galaxy S II from RM1349.

While that option is quite heavy for some, there are other lower options which are surprisingly affordable ranging between RM999 to RM1499. The best part is the contract duration of only 18 months instead of 24.

For example, those that want the least commitment and cost of ownership, the Galaxy S II is offered at RM1499 on U Lite plan. The U Lite plan offers combined 300 minutes of calls, 200 SMS (within U Mobile and for other networks) and a rather generous 3GB worth of data for just RM68/month. That totals up to RM1,224 for subscription over 18 months and you get to enjoy RM875 subsidy for the phone. On other telcos, RM68/month only give you mobile internet without any calls/sms included.

Overall, these plans aren’t too bad at all and probably is the lowest ownership plan for the Galaxy S II. The only downside of course is the upfront payment which you would need to pay as much as 7 months in advance. That doesn’t necessary mean its a bad thing since you would be paying for subscription anyway.

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Android Apps: Google+ now available in Malaysia

September 25th, 2011 by ytechcity

Google+ for Android is now available in Malaysia. You can download it direct from Android Market just search “Google+” and you’re good to go or just click on this link right here.