Going Sim Only Mobile Phone Deals

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For the past few years Ive always looked forward to renewing my phone contract, and getting a nice shiney new handset. This year was a little different. Things have not gone well work wise (I lost my job) and I dont have much money to spare.

Also, not much excited me in the smartphone world, frankly I think manufacturers are starting to run out of ideas. All the “big wins” seem to have already been done. Samsung are a case in point. They lead the way in the Android world (at the moment) but if you look at their recent innovations, they are not really things that help you. For example, the S3 had a few tricks on the camera to help you “find the best picture”, but I would rather be the judge of that.

Rumoured for the Galaxy S4 is eye tracking, so the screen will auto scroll down, saving you a swipe of your finger, clever, but not particularly useful unless you have arthritus or some other injury. You still have to hold your phone after all!

Also, I am finding my Samsung Galaxy S2 is holding up just fine, its still a great phone, in fact, its just as good as it was when I got it, and still does more than I need. I havent used all of the features on it, so the idea of paying more money to even more features I wont use doesnt really make sense.

Also, it seems silly to get rid of such a capable phone, even though I could sell it for a reasonable amount it just seems silly to do so.

So, my solution this time around is not to get another upgrade, I wont be going for the Galaxy S3, the iPhone 5 or holding out for the S4, Im sticking with the S2 and found I can save a lot of money by doing so.

I started looking at Sim Only Deals, which are increasingly popular. Sim Only Deals are exactly what they say they are… Sim Cards with no phone. No phone means less cost (phones are not free, networks have to pay for them), and savings can be passed on to you (me!).

The other thing with a Sim Only is that there is less tie in. Wheras an affordable phone contract with a top handset will most likely lock you in for two years, an equivalent Sim Only Deal will only lock you in for 1 month. Thats right, 1 Month, which when you think about it is about the same level of commitment you make when buying a topup for a Pay As You Go Phone.

On that note, Sim Only works out a lot cheaper than almost all Pay As You Go phones to, there are some real bargains to be had!

Comparing deals is really easy too as you are freed from the complexity of choosing a handset. A great website I found to shop for these offers is mobilephonedeals.me and they have some useful info on sim only deals here. They have a riduclous number of deals to choose from, well worth checking out if you are looking for the best offer.

Another point made on mobilephonedeals.me is that Sim Only Deals are a great option if you have bad credit because you are not asking anyone to give you a £300 phone up front in the hope you will pay your bills on time.

So, I think this has been one of my best phone contract renewals ever, and I havent even got a new phone to show for it!

My FIFA 11 Review

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The new FIFA – FIFA 11 – is without doubt one of my favourite games of all time. It’s not perfect, but it’s a definite improvement on the previous version, and far better than the latest PES. There’s still the odd moment where your goalie decides to sprint inexplicably for the ball, and the frequent drops in online mode are annoying, but overall it’s a fantastic game.

What’s New

The main development in FIFA 11 is the completely overhauled career mode. Instead of having a “Be A Pro” and Manager mode, the two are now rolled into one, making the whole thing seem more streamlined. There’s also now the option to play as a “player manager”, and you can work your way through the ranks as a player before becoming a manager. In short, there’s enough in the new career mode to keep you entertained until the inevitable FIFA 12.

The passing system has also been redone – it’s not so easy to play like Barcelona anymore. A problem with the previous games was that you could ping the ball around like a footballing genius with pretty much any team, but this is much harder now, forcing you to play to a team’s strength. Top players of FIFA 10 may find the new system annoying, as it is difficult to get the pass strength right every time, but it’s undeniably an improvement and means it’s not just about slick passing moves, but it also opens up the wings and other tactics.

It hasn’t been advertised as a new feature, but it’s now much easier to score from crosses. Whether it’s a header, volley, or overhead kick, more goals are scored from crosses than ever before. The result is that games are much more realistic and not so one dimensional, making for a better overall experience.

Another big feature is being able to play as a goalie. I haven’t tried this much, as it involves waiting around for long periods of time, but the system seems to work well. Essentially, you just have to get in the right position (which is displayed as a market beneath the player’s feet) and decide when to dive. It sounds easy, but it’s actually pretty hard, and will take some getting used to. This feature is where the “We are 11″ slogan comes from, as it allows you to play in a team full of other players.

What doesn’t work

It seems that the hardest part of developing a football game is getting the goalies to play like the real thing. FIFA 11 is much improved in this department, with suicidal rushes out the penalty area into no man’s land much less common, but they still make inexplicable mistakes.

I also have a lot of trouble getting an online game, as the lobby seems to drop frequently. This may be something to do with my internet connection, but I’ve heard other people have the same problem.

Sometimes the games seem a bit pedestrian, but this is probably a consequence of the more realistic passing. Some matches can degenerate into a lot of midfield tackling, which is frustrating but closer to the real thing, which is the ultimate goal of FIFA after all.

Overall, FIFA 11 is a top game that any football fan should buy. I haven’t played the full version of PES this year, but from the reviews I don’t think I need to. Along with the new features, FIFA also comes with all the correct players, licences for the FA cup and other competitions, and a range of other game modes that make it the best football game I’ve ever played.

HTC Desire and Battery Life

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I love my HTC Desire, but there’s a major problem with it that I haven’t seen addressed anywhere – the battery life. I understand that it’s a high tech phone with a lot of features, but if it can’t last more than 24 hours with medium level usage then it becomes extremely frustrating. Have I just got a bad battery, or is this a problem with all the Desires?

Part of the problem is the phone seems to use so much battery when it’s on standby. I can understand it being battery intensive while playing games or watching video, but even the iPhone seems to retain battery life better when it’s not in use. Looking at my battery usage, it seems that WiFi takes up about a third of the battery life (on a side note, does anyone know how to turn off the WiFi without it turning itself back on?).

Yes, I could turn off the live background, go without WiFi and various other things, but the whole reason I bought the phone was to use these features! If I go on a quick train journey to London, I don’t want to have to be thinking about the battery life even if I left with full charge.

So for now, my only option is to charge the phone every night. Not the end of the world, but hopefully by the time I need to get my next phone the batteries will be a lot better. Aside from the battery life, the phone is brilliant and does everything I want, so it’s a shame to be let down by this fundamental problem. I don’t think it’s something that just affects the Desire though – more smart phones have big issues with battery life.

Things I Recommend In London

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I always enjoy visiting London – there’s so much to see and do. Living in a city isn’t something that appeals to me, but there’s no denying that there is always something to keep you entertained. Here’s a few trips that I recommend to anyone who wants to visit London, but isn’t sure what to see.

London Dungeons

This is a tourist attraction – not the real dungeons at the Tower Of London – but it’s still a great family day out. There are a number of “rooms” where actors tell stories of horrible things that have happened in the past, and the trip ends with a short ride for those that want to go on it. It’s very well done, and people of all ages will enjoy it. The queues can be huge though, so make sure you book in advance and try to get there early. We booked but still ended up waiting outside for about an hour, and then there’s another queue inside.

See A Play

Going to the theatre isn’t something I necessarily want to do, but every time I go I enjoy it. Plays in London aren’t as expensive as you’d think, and there are a number of different ones to see. Some good ones include Monty Python Spamalot , Wicked and Blood Brothers. The classics such as Cats are also always around.

Do a Run

This is something that needs to be planned in advanced, but it’s a lot of fun running for charity in a London event. There’s always lots of entertainment, and the general atmosphere is friendly. Not only that, but you can raise a lot of money for a worthy charity by doing a 5k or 10k run, and you don’t have to be super fit to do them as most people don’t race.

London Eye

Going on the London Eye is simply something that you have to do while in London, as the views from the top are amazing. It’s a fairly slow ride, so it isn’t going to scare people who don’t like rides, and it takes around 20 minutes in total. Like all the attractions in London, the queues can be quite long so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to go and see it.

These are just some of the fun things to do in London, do you have any other recommendations? If you do, leave them in the comments below.