Category Archives: In the News

Tech news and opinions

Spotify introduces a new inbetweener package for non-mobile users

Leave a Reply

Spotify has today launched a new go-between package, presumably to try and increase the amount of paying customers.

The new package sells at £4.99 per month. It includes unlimited streaming (see Free package below), abroad usage for more than 2 weeks and no advertising. However, it lacks the offline syncing and mobile use. I actually think that this is a clever idea – not everybody has a phone or device that works with the mobile system so it makes sense to have a cheaper PC only package.

The £9.99 Premium package remains unchanged. However, Spotify have now introduced a new free package that doesn’t require an invite. You essentially get the same as the old free package, but you are limited to 20 hours streaming per month. You also don’t get the Spotify radio mode, but I don’t believe that many people use it.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased. It won’t really affect me, but for those who don’t have a compatible mobile device it makes sense to just go for the cheaper option.

Skype introduces new fixed minute monthly plans but hikes up prices at the same time

Leave a Reply

Skype, the giant VoIP network, has recently launched their new subscriptions which mean you can now by monthly subscriptions which give you a certain amount of minutes per month. This supposedly makes the service cheaper for users who don’t get through many minutes in a month.

You can also get plans with unlimited minutes (subject to fair usage) but these seem to have heavily increased in price.

Anyway, for the UK, the fixed minute plans actually seem to be very good value. The 100 minute per month plan to UK landlines costs just £1.19 per month (ex vat) and seems very practical. For 400 minutes, you’ll be paying £2.99 per month (ex vat) which also seems to be very good. However, you have to consider that this is a substantial price increase, as you used to be able to get unlimited (FUP of 10,000) minutes per month for £2.95 per month (excluding vat), so eBay (the company behind Skype) are obviously trying to make more money.

As for the mobile minutes plans, I’m very disappointed. In the UK, 60 minutes per month to UK mobiles costs a whopping £6.99 per month (ex vat). You might be thinking big whoop, £6.99 isn’t much – but when you consider that with giffgaff I get 100 minutes to any number + unlimited texts + unlimited calls/texts to people on the same network for just £10 a month, it matches Skype and has the added convenience of being mobile.

So overall, I’m pretty uninspired by the price increases. I think it’s just increased prices broken down into new plans, but I suppose some people will like the new plans which could be better value for people only using Skype casually for PSTN calls.

Oh and by the way, if you currently have one of Skype’s old subscriptions (such as the unlimited calls to UK landlines for £2.95 per month ex vat), don’t cancel it. You can keep paying the old, cheaper rate if you keep your subscription. However, as soon as you cancel it or miss a payment, you are subject to the new rates.

Ubuntu 10.04 out in the wild!

Leave a Reply

In case you aren’t already aware, Ubuntu 10.04 is now out of beta and in a final release. You can either download it at ubuntu.com or update directly from 10.04’s predecessor.

I haven’t got round to downloading it yet but I hope I’ll be able to do so in the very near future. It looks there’s a lot to look forward to.

As soon as I’ve got it up and running, I’ll review it here on GEEK!.

PS: I’m trialling a new writer here on GEEK!, so if you see a post not written by GEEK!, don’t worry – the site hasn’t been hacked.

Office 2010 at RTM stage

Leave a Reply

It’s been announced – Office 2010 is finally at the Release to Manufacturer stage. It looks like it will be on the store shelves by late May/early June.

That does sadly mean that Microsoft will probably cut life support to the beta within the coming weeks. It’s a shame really as I love Office 2010 – but having said that I’ll probably go out and buy it. Maybe even pre-order it. I don’t know.

Giffgaff announces brand new bundles for their network finalisation

1 Reply

Giffgaff – the new “people powered” mobile network – has today announced it’s brand new bundles that will come into play very shortly (tomorrow – I believe?). The new plans make calling and texting much more economical.

The new plans (or goodybags, as they are being called) are explained as follows (all last for one month):

  • For the texter, £5 will give you unlimited texts.
  • £10 will give you 100 off-net minutes (calls to networks other than giffgaff – all giffgaff calls and texts are free), unlimited texts and unlimited internet (no fair use policy – providing you aren’t tethering)
  • £15 will give you 300 off-net minutes (calls to networks other than giffgaff – all giffgaff calls and texts are free), unlimited texts and unlimited internet (no fair use policy – providing you aren’t tethering)
  • £35 will give you unlimited off-net minutes (calls to networks other than giffgaff – all giffgaff calls and texts are free), unlimited texts and unlimited internet (no fair use policy – providing you aren’t tethering).

Here’s a couple of things you may want to know that aren’t in the original forum post:

  • Voicemail is included in your minutes. On that basis, you won’t be charged 8p per call but presumably you’ll be charged 1 minute out of your allowance.
  • There is no fair use policy on the unlimited internet – you can use as much as you like. However, tethering is not permitted. Tethering means connecting your phone to your computer to provide a connection to the internet.
  • Calls and texts to other giffgaff members are still free – they will not come out of your allowance providing you stick to the 60 minute per call limit (hang up and redial).
  • If you use one part of your allowance (ie you use all your calls), you will need to use all other parts of your allowance before another goodybag can be started. So if you still have unlimited internet for the rest of the month, you’ll be charged 8p per minute on calls until next month, if you have another goodybag queued.

The initial feedback on the forum seems good. A few people are concerned that there is too longer line between the £15 goodybag and the £35 goodybag. I would probably agree, but the £15 goodybag is plenty for me.

Overall, I’m really impressed. I think it will prove popular in time, but we’ll have to see what comes of all this. Bring on my PAC transfer :).