One of the great things about Mobile Broadband is that you can go online anywhere you like – but you can almost guarantee that the place you need it the most is the place where signal is at its weakest.
While 3G coverage is getting stronger with all networks, there will still be blackspots where it drops out, or you can only pick up a 2G signal. Thankfully, a couple of solutions are now available to try and get round these signal issues. If you don’t have a dongle yet and are looking for the network with the strongest 3G signal, then the OFCOM website has just published updated coverage maps (as of 31/12/08) that allow you to view the 3G coverage by network.
UPDATED: There are now three different types of antenna available:
Clip Antenna: This Antenna is designed to be a portable solution that clips onto the screen on your laptop or sits on your desk. It is omni-directional, which means that it will pick up signals from all directions.
High Gain 3G Directional Antenna: This is a much more powerful signal booster than the clip antenna and is ideal for people who have problems with 3G reception or use their dongle in a fixed location. They are directional, which means that you will need to point this towards your network’s transmitter in order for it to improve the signal. The High Gain antenna when positioned correctly will make a significant difference to the signal you receive and can be wall mounted as a permanent fixture.
Mobile Broadband Outdoor Panel Antenna:This is also a more powerful signal booster than the clip antenna and is ideal for people who have real problems with 3G reception. They are also directional, which means that you will need to point this towards your network’s transmitter in order for it to improve the signal. The Outdoor Panel antenna when positioned correctly will make a significant difference to the signal you receive and is designed to be wall/pole mounted outside.
Each of the antenna’s can make a big difference to the signal you receive. Some will have an ariel connection that will plug straight into the dongle, and others will use a Universal “strap on” connection. Antennas are available for Dongles and Data Cards made by:
To help you find the right antenna for your dongle, you can now check the 3G Antenna Compatibility chart or, to view all available antennas, head over to the Mobile Broadband section of the site, and then choose your device – either a USB Dongle or a Data Card. You’ll need to know the model number of your dongle, but this should be printed on a label on the underneath of your Dongle or Data Card.
Your model number is printed on the base of your dongle and is not the CE number
Setting up your Antenna
Clip 3G Antenna to screen
Set up is quick and simple. The Clip Antenna easily clips onto the screen of your laptop or can be mounted in the desk stand (if included).
The High Gain Directional Antenna needs to be mounted on the deskstand, or fixed to the wall (bracket included)
3G Antenna Installation
Next you’ll need to connect the antenna to the adapter cable. If your dongle has an antenna connection, carefully connect the end of the cable to your dongle.
The Clip Antenna includes a 50cm cable, the High Gain Directional Antenna comes with a 1.2m cable. Longer 3m cables and 5m cables are available for the High Gain and Outdoor Panel Antenna.
Universal 3G Antenna Installation
If your dongle doesn’t have an antenna connection, wrap the universal adapter round your dongle and make sure that it doesn’t stop it from going in to your pc/laptop.
The High Gain 3G Directional Antenna and Outdoor Panel Antenna will need to be positioned so that they are facing your nearest mobile phone transmitter.
The iPhone is great for internet, email and phone calls, and now thanks to a number of apps in the App Store, it’s also great when you’re out and about. Since Apple added GPS to the phone, the number of location based apps has grown quickly – especially those that track your location when you’re out walking or cycling.
Use your iPhone to track your progress when cycling
If you enjoy venturing out on your bike and like to track where you’ve been, how fast you’re going or just find your way home again there are a number of Apps that will help you. One of the most popular amongst cyclists is MotionX GPS, a handy app that lets you track your route, record the distance travelled and monitor your speed. I’ve covered more of these apps in detail in a separate post on the Top 10 iPhone Bike Apps.
MotionX GPS - Available from the App Store
If you’ve got one of these apps, you can leave it running in your pocket while you’re cycling, but this can often be uncomfortable and there’s always the risk that your phone could fall out.
The best way to use these kind of apps is to use an iPhone Bike Mount. These are secure cradles for your iPhone that clamp onto the handlebar of your bike, making it easier and safer to use.
We’ve had a number of enquiries recently as to which is the best iPhone Bike mount, so I’ve put this guide together that runs through some of the best iPhone Bike Mounts available.
The iPhone Bike Mount is a simple, no frills holder for your iPhone. It fastens securely to your handlebars without the need for any special tools. It has a tilting base plate that also rotates, allowing you to use your phone in either portrait or landscape mode, although the cradle is designed primarily for landscape use.
The Krusell Bike Mount on it’s own isn’t enough to attach your iPhone to your bike. In order for it to work you’ll need to make sure that your phone is in a case such as the Krusell Classic or Krusell Orbit Flex. Both Cases offer great protection for your iPhone, but personally I’d opt for the Krusell Classic. If covers all of your phone, so will give it some protection against the elements, and the clear plastic window on the front doesn’t get in the way of using your phone.
Krusell Bike Holder works with Classic and Orbit Flex cases
The Krusell Bike Mount bolts on to the handle bars of your bike, then the Multidapt clip on the back of the case slides into the mount and is held in place. You can lock the orientation of the phone, but it’s a bit fiddly and involves pushing the clip further into the holder. Customer reviews are all good, but the general feeling is that it can be a bit fiddly to remove your phone from the holder.
This is probably the most flexible bike mount that we offer, and by flexible I don’t mean bendy! It’s adjustable in a number of ways and has an extendible arm – although I’m not sure you’d ever need it. You can adjust the angle of the mount at the base and behind the cradle. It secures to your bike using a clamp and allen keys, so if it comes loose while you’re out and about you won’t be able to tighten it.
Stabilo Bike Mount has a choice of iPhone Cradles
It doesn’t come with a phone cradle – you’ll need to buy these separately and you have a few to choose from. Personally I’d opt for the tall iPhone Cradle. This has a long support that will help keep your iPhone secure regardless of whether you’re using it in landscape or portrait mode. If you’re only planning on using it in portrait mode, then the shorter iPhone Cradle will do the job nicely.
More Coming Soon…
In addition to the ones listed above, we’re expecting the following iPhone Bike Mounts to arrive in the next few weeks. As soon as they start to arrive I’ll get this post updated with better images and some hands on reviews.
The Dahon BioLogic Mount looks like it’s going to be an extremely popular option for bike enthusiasts. The mount incorporates a waterproof case that allows you to use your iPhone even in light showers. It has cut outs for your headphones and charger that have rubber covers to prevent liquid getting in.
Dahon BioLogic Bike Mount includes a splashproof case
You might think having access to the charger while it’s attached to your bike is a little unusual, but it’s actually a great feature as it means you can use external batteries or chargers such as the Freeloader Globetrotter to keep your iPhone charged – even when using GPS applications that really suck the power out of your phone. The BioLogic mount is bolted on to your handlebars and has a quick release button that makes removing the case from your phone quick and easy.
Arkon iPhone Bike Mount
We launched a wide range of Arkon mounts earlier this year and they’re all proving to be extremely popular. Their latest iPhone holder is this bike mount. It has a clamp that is bolted together for a secure fix and a fully adjustable cradle. It can be rotated and tilted to ensure good visibility and has 5 arms to hold your iPhone in place – 2 at the bottom, 2 at the sides and a spring clip at the top.
Arkon iPhone Bike Mount
Ram Mounts for iPhone
Ram Mounts are one of the most talked about brands of iPhone Mount. Instead of using a bolt to clamp it to your handle bars, it uses zip-ties. The base of the holder has a rubber coating to prevent it from slipping and spinning round. It’s designed to hold your phone securely in portrait mode and has a sprung clip to keep your iPhone in place.
Ram Mount Simple and effective mount for iPhone
GoRide Bike Mount for iPhone
The GoRide Bike Mount fixes to your bike in a similar way to the Ram Mount, but instead of having a rigid holder, it has a detachable case for your iPhone. This means that you can leave the case on your phone all the time, and quickly dock/remove it from the holder. Unlike the Ram Mount, this holder can be used in both portrait and landscape modes.
GoRide iPhone Bike Mount
Brodit iPhone Bike Mount with passive holder
To be honest, this is probably not the best solution for mounting your iPhone to your bike. It’s not the cheapest option, and to get a set up like the one shown below will set you back about twice as much as the Dahon BioLogic. Having said that, this is the set up I’ve got on my bike and it does a pretty good job. I opted for the padded holder which helps prevent scratches, but it doesn’t cope to well with mud or rain.
Brodit Passive Holder and Handlebar mount
On a positive note, the cradle is separate from the handlebar mount, so if/when I change my phone I’ll only need to replace the cradle, not the whole lot. Brodit holders for the iPhone are available now, the handlebar mount is due in a few weeks and is available to fit 26mm and 31.8mm handlebars.
If you’ve seen any other types of iPhone Bike mount that you think do a great job, let us know using the comments form below.
In an unusual twist, Nokia seem to be producing accessories for phones made by other people. The Nokia SU-36 is a stylus for Touchscreen handsets that use capacitive displays. You might think this isn’t anything special, but Nokia currently only produce one handset that has a capacitive screen – the Nokia X6.
What’s more unusual, is that on the Nokia website, they’re promoting this as an accessory for the iPhone, HTC Hero and a number of other smart phones. Other handsets that will work but aren’t listed include the HTC HD2, HTC Desire and Nexus One.
Nokia Stylus works with the HTC Desire
It’s not unusual for Nokia’s accessories to work with other phones, but it is unusual for them to advertise it.
As for the stylus itself, it’s a compact, retractable stylus that works on phones where a traditional stylus doesn’t. For more information on why they don’t work, read my post on using a stylus with your touch screen phone.
The Nokia SU-36 is available to pre-order now with stock due to arrive in the coming weeks.
We know that searching through websites to find the information you need can often be confusing and time consuming, so we’ve spent the last few months working on a brand new tool to help you find accessories for your phone quickly and with as few clicks as possible and are pleased to announce that a beta version of our brand new phone selector tool is now live.
To make sure it all works as it should, we’ve activated it on just one of our servers, so at the moment you may not see it every time you visit, but in the coming weeks we’ll be rolling it out across the whole site.
To find out what it does and how to use it, carry on reading!
Phone Selector is now live
Using the tool is extremely simple, just click in the box and start typing the model number of your phone. As you type, a list will form at the side of the widget that lists all the possible matches. When you see your phone, just click on it and the site will remember your choice and take you straight to the page that lists all the accessories for your phone.
Select your phone from the list on the right
Once you’ve told the site what phone you have, the widget will change to show a list of any handsets that you’ve entered. To jump back to the accessories for that phone, simply click on the name of your phone. If you want to jump to a specific type of accessory, move your mouse over your phone and you’ll see a list of all the types of accessory available. Click on the type of accessory you want and you’ll be taken straight to them.
Hover over your phone for a full list of accessory types
You can add more than one phone to the list, so if everyone in your household has a different phone, you can add everyone’s phone to the list to make it quick and easy for everyone to find accessories for their phone. If you’ve arrived at the Mobile Fun site from a search engine and are already on a page that lists accessories for your phone, the widget will give you the option to remember this handset as your phone.
You can add a phone to the list if you're already looking at accessories
Any handsets you enter will be saved for the next time that you visit (as long as you don’t clear your browser cookies). If you change phone and want to remove your old one from the list, simply click on the orange cross and it will be removed. If you don’t know what phone you’ve got, take a look at my post on how to find the model number of your phone.
To give you a better idea of how it works, here’s a quick video showing the Phone Selector widget in action.
The HTC HD2 is an incredibly popular phone, and even though it’s been on sale for a while now, a lot of the genuine HTC accessories for it are only just making their way onto the shelves. Last month we saw the release of the long awaited HTC HD2 Car Upgrade Pack, and this month we’ve finally managed to get our hands on the HTC HD2 Extended battery.
HTC HD2 Extended Battery
If you’ve pre-ordered one from us, then it’s good news, yours is on it’s way and should be with you in the next day or two. If you haven’t, you’ll need to be quick as these are selling fast. I managed to get my hands on one very briefly in order to write this hands on review, but it wasn’t long before that was being reclaimed by the warehouse team!
Features
There’s not a lot you can say about a battery so I’m not going to. It’s a higher capacity battery – 2300mAh compared to 1230mAh in the standard battery, which should in theory almost double the battery life of your phone. It’s almost three times fatter than the standard one though which is why you get a replacement back cover included with the battery.
Extended battery gives your HD2 more power
The back cover is what makes this bundle so interesting. Instead of just making it a bigger cover, HTC have built in to the back cover a fold away kickstand.
Design
The back cover is styled exactly the same as the standard one. It’s the same finish, with the exception of the kickstand which is has a brushed metal finish. The kickstand folds away flat into the back of the cover and is spring loaded to prevent it from coming out when it’s not needed.
Kickstand folds away when not needed
The kickstand is perfect for watching videos or flicking through your photos in landscape mode. HTC do state that you can use the stand in portrait mode too, but I found it to be a little unstable and at the wrong angle for comfortable viewing – having said that, I can’t really see anyone settling down to watch a movie in portrait mode, so can’t see this being a problem.
Metal Kickstand is perfect for viewing videos
What some people might have a problem with, is the increased size of the phone with the back cover fitted. It adds 7mm to the depth of the handset, taking it from a slim and sexy 11mm thin to a rather bulky 18mm thick. It’s worth pointing out that all of this extra depth is because of the battery and not the kickstand – the kickstand sits lower down the back of the phone, just above the sim card.
Side profile of the HTC HD2 with extended battery fitted
To give you a better idea on the differences between the two, here’s a quick size, weight and power comparison between the two.
Original Battery
Extended Battery & Cover
Battery Capacity
1230mAh
2300mAh
Battery Thickness
4mm
11mm
Phone Size
120 x 67 x 11mm
120 x 67 x 18mm
Phone Weight
157g
approx 200g
In the Box
No real surprises here, the box contains just the battery and back cover.
Why Buy
If you know you’re going to be away from a power supply for a couple or three days and need to use your phone, or spend a lot of time on trains/planes watching films, then the extra battery power is worth the increase in size. If you want to use this as your everyday battery, you may find it a little on the bulky side, and may prefer to use an external battery pack instead.
Genuine HTC HD2 Extended Battery
We like: Kickstand is great for movies, extra power is welcome on long flights or train journeys We don’t like: Increased size renders most cases and car holders useless as they won’t accommodate the thick battery
One of the great things about Mobile Broadband is that you can go online anywhere you like – but you can almost guarantee that the place you need it the most is the place where signal is at its weakest.
(83 votes, average: 3.42 out of 5)
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