The latest figures to hit the news from GFK show that Android’s share of the contract phone market in the UK has more than quadrupled from 3% in Q1 of 2010 to over 13% in Q2.

To use nerdy Star Trek speak, Google look like they are going to translate their tactics in the online services sector to mobile phones and Borg us all.

To me, this battle for the smart phone operating system crown looks alot like the way the computer OS market went in the late eighties/ early nineties.

Back then there were a handful of serious players – Microsoft had DOS and the embrionic windows which were not tied to hardware, Apple were doing what they do now and selling hermetically sealed software/hardware combos, IBM had OS2 and Linus Torvalds was beavering away on Linux.

Ultimately Microsoft won, with Apple as runner up OS2 consigned to history and Linux finding a small niche with nerds.

The players in the phone OS game right now are Google with android,available free to any manufacturer who wants it, Apple again tying the hardware and software together, Microsoft with Windows Mobile and Samsung and Nokia with their proprietary Bada and Symbian systems.

So who’s going to win?

I’m not a betting man, but if I was I would be looking back at why MS won the PC operating system wars.  The bottom line is that there was more and better software available for windows than any of the others. It’s the same reason VHS won over Betamax and HD-DVD lost out to Blu Ray. Content.

Importantly in all these cases, the format’s fates were decided by third parties, the movie studios in the cases of VHS and Blu Ray, and software developers on the case of Windows.

Looking at the phone OS battle through this lens, it looks to me like a two horse race between Android and Apple. Microsoft are throwing money at developers and Samsung and Nokia have a small base of app developers too, but none of them compare to the numbers of  developers working on Android and iPhone apps.

Now, if you held a gun to my head and made me choose between them, I would have to say Android is going to win.

Apple have one product in the mobile phone sector, the iPhone, whereas every single major phone manufacturer aside from Nokia is rolling out Android phones. Developers go where the money is, would you write apps for one phone or apps that owners of many different handsets could use?

On top of that, many developers are growing concerned about the Orwellian level of control that Apple exert on their App Store, by contrast Android Marketplace is a wild west style free for all.

Apple will always have a place in the hearts of style concious buyers, unkindly dubbed” fanbois” by the less charitable commentators, they will always have a significant share of the market, but I can’t help feeling that Android has the edge.

There comes a time when tapping away at a QWERTY keyboard is too much like hard work, so the geniuses that brought us T9 predictive text are now introducing Swype technology to the mass market. Instead of pressing individual letters on the keyboard, users just drag their fingers from one letter to another in a fluid motion and the computer works it out from there.

It doesn’t even have to be that precise as the software can work out what you are trying to type. In demonstrations, hurdles like capitals and double letters are overcome by pausing or doing a squiggle, while spacing and punctuation are automatic.

Swype’s inventor Cliff Kushler said the technology could have an enormous impact and be used anywhere people have to use a keyboard, such as video games, sat-nav devices and ticket machines. ‘We’ve squeezed the desktop computer, complete with keyboard and mouse, into something that fits in a pocket,’ he said.

Obviously Swype technology has no taken over yet but the Samsung Galaxy S already has the technology and another 50 models worldwide are set to feature it by the end of the year.

Won Park, director of United States technology sourcing at Samsung said: ‘It could become the de facto standard for tablets, next-generation TVs or next-generation remote controls. It has tremendous potential.’

Mobiles Please compares thousands of mobile phone deals for you to get a contract that is suited to your needs but we also compare all the great Pay As You Go deals on the market for those who use their phone less and want a great cheap deal.

Pay As You Go mobile phones come in all shapes and sizes from pricey handsets to ultra basic devices. Today I’m going to show you the Pay As You Go handsets along with some great tariffs to get you the perfect Pay As You Go offer.

Nokia 2330

The Nokia 2330 Classic is a stylish candy bar phone packed full of essential features to keep you connected, informed and entertained throughout the day. With a solid compact design the Nokia 2330 Classic is available in a black and grey casing with smooth curved edges plus with user friendly features it is a simple easy to use device. Prices start at £9.79.

Samsung Tocco Lite

Currently the most popular touch screen phone in the UK, the Samsung Tocco Lite comes with a 3 mega pixel camera, fm radio and 50MB of onboard memory. The pocket friendly device provides a vivid bright screen which is fully touch sensitive making it easy to navigate around the many applications on the handset. The Tocco Lite is more expensive than the Nokia 2330 but it does come with a longer list of features and a great little design. Prices start at just under £52.

Sony Ericsson W595

The W595 from Sony Ericsson is a music lovers dream. For a fraction under £80 you get a great music player, stylish phone and a decent camera in one device.  Music features include shake control which changes the tune when you shake it, music recognition which allows you to find out the name of ‘that’ song and FM radio. The handset offers direct access to ‘Playnow’, a download service which allows you to choose from a list of the latest hits and a 3.2 megapixel camera. A stylish handset with great features, specially made for those who love their tunes.

To get your hands on a Free Samsung Tocco Lite enter the Mobiles Please competition to win a free phone.

If the election is well and truly boring you by now here’s a bit of exciting news from Samsung to lighten up your day. The day has finally come for mobile phones to enter the 3D world and Samsung are the first of probably many to produce a mobile phone with a 3D display.

The SCH-W960 AMOLED 3D runs on the Samsung TouchWiz 2.0 interface and comes with a 3.2 inch capacitive touch screen and a number of decent features including a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, TV tuner, 3G HSDPA and Bluetooth.

If you don’t want to look into a virtual world all the time when using your mobile, there is a dedicated 3D shortcut key on the phone for switching on/off the 3D mode.

The device doesn’t require glasses for proper 3D visualization but before you get too excited its currently limited to the South Korean market so you won’t be able to get your hands on one any time soon.

For the coolest phones on the market compare latest phones at Mobiles Please for the best deal on the market.

Samsung are known for releasing middle of the road handsets that offer a good range of features to help you stay in touch with friends and keep you entertained on the go. The super stylish Monte S5620 is almost that but has that special something to make you stand out in the crowd.  With a 3 inch capacitive touchscreen display and intuitive TouchWiz user interface all the phones features come to life with funky graphics guiding you through menus and applications with ease. Never miss the latest bit of hot gossip with live updates from your favourite social networking sites just one touch away.

The Monte comes with a web browser with HSDPA and WiFi support for super fast Internet and Google Maps with A-GPS support to ensure you will never get lost again! To fully customise the Monte, users can download applications to make the phone even more accessible, giving them their perfect pocket friendly companion.

Size-wise the Monte will fit perfectly in your palm measuring 109x54x12mm and won’t weigh you down at just 92g. The Monte makes a statement with a striking colour stripe placed down the side of the phone and sleek outer casing giving the user something different from the normal smartphone.

On board there is also a great 3.2 megapixel camera with a number of image enhancing features including smile detection, geo-tagging, night mode and image editor along with a superb video camera. Further entertainment is provided by a media player with excellent audio quality and an FM radio.

Overall the Samsung Monte S5620 is a must for those who love to have fun with their mobile. This funky little phone is available from just £10 a month from a number of different networks and retailers. Compare Samsung Monte deals now!

Samsung’s latest offering’s come in the form of the super stylish Diva range. The S7070 Diva and the S5150 Diva folder are perfect for girls with style and are set to be the must have accessory for every fashionista!

First to be released is the S7070 Diva, a touchscreen phone with a super sharp 3 inch display.  The touchscreen Diva is the girly version of the Samsung Blade with large navigation keys placed under the screen and a fabulous 3D quilted design on the back to give your phone that extra bit of super style. Features of the phone include a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus and video record to snap those unexpected special moments, an FM radio and media player for music on the go and Bluetooth. For social networking fans the S7070 comes with integrated Facebook and Myspace to ensure you never miss out on the latest bit of hot gossip.

If a touchscreen isn’t to your taste then the soon to be released S5150 Diva folder is a fashionable flip phone is all about the looks with an embossed mirrored exterior that you will definitely want to show off! For the style conscious there is a cool LED display that lights up when important notifications come through to keep your fashion accessory as compact as possible measuring 94 x 47 x 17.4 and weighing just 82.8g.

Open the Diva up to find a great user friendly interface with handy features aimed to please the female market such as a “wish list” for those important shopping list and an “etiquette mode” to turn the phone on silent quickly. There is also a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with video record, Bluetooth and media player with FM radio to keep you entertained wherever you are. With some great features and a beautiful design the S5150 could certainly be a girl’s best friend!

To get your hands on these Divaliscious phones and compare all the best tariffs follow this link.

Mobile phone manufacturers are constantly upping their game with the latest touchscreen technologies. Even basic handsets now feature large touch screens; and with increased technology comes an enhanced user experience.  Samsung has recently released two exciting touchscreen handsets into the market.

First up is the Samsung Galaxy Portal which is currently only available on T-Mobile and is one of the first affordable handsets to run on the Android operating system. Previously known as the Galaxy Lite or Spica, the device comes with a powerful 800MHz processor to access all the phones many features on offer without slowing down. Perfect for business users it supports HSDPA and WiFi for fast web browsing when you are out of the office and email client to keep you in touch wherever you are as well as GPS and Bluetooth connectivity.  With expandable memory up to 32GB via a microSD card this Galaxy Portal I5700 is full of superb features in a stylish phone.

The second device to come from the Samsung camp is the Samsung Wave (S8500) which is the first device to use the Bada open mobile platform. Part of a new series of handsets that aim to suit every lifestyle the Wave offers a fantastic 3.3inch ‘Super AM-OLED’ display which gives crystal clear results for movies, photos and web browsing. The Wave has a 1GHz processor so applications run quickly and smoothly and with 3D graphics it offers a fantastic user experience. Not only that the Samsung has a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and HD video recorder to capture those special moments wherever you are.

Mobilesplease compares all the latest Samsung handsets to get you the best deal.

Save £55 when purchasing the Samsung Genio QWERTY! Normally priced at £139.95, you can now save £55 with e2save using voucher code QWERTY55 at the checkout. The voucher code expires this Friday so order your fun and funky Genio Qwerty from Samsung now!

The Genio QWERTY is a BlackBerry-style messaging device aimed at text addicts! The entry level phone is simple and lightweight and features a 2.2 inch landscape screen and a full Qwerty keyboard for writing quick messages. The Genio Qwerty has a 2 megapixel camera, multimedia player and FM radio as well as a 3.5mm audio jack. This fun phone has a cartoon style user interface and supports GPRS, HSCSD and EDGE which allows users to check emails and browse the web. The Genio Qwerty comes with two back covers, one brightly coloured and one plain black one.

To get this great deal today follow this link.

A number of mobile phone companies have been turning their plain black and silver phones into girly pink devices that are sure to make an impression and even set a new trend in time for the season of love! Mobile phone brands have caught on to the fact that girls love to make a statement with their mobile phone and have come up with a way to make it their ultimate arm candy. From hot pink to cutsie baby shades, pink phones are here to stay!

Recent phones to be tickled pink include;

The Nokia 6700 Classic Illuvial - a super stylish hot pink powerhouse. The 6700 is the epitome of what Nokia represents, a highly accessible, simple and stylish device that ticks all the boxes with it’s features and the Illuvial makes it more accessible to the female market. The flat keypad has hot pink numbers and pink accents around the phone with a floral pattern engraved on the back.

Samsung Tocco Lite Pink – A pretty pearly pink touch screen multimedia machine, the Tocco Lite includes a 3 mega pixel camera, fm radio and 50MB of onboard memory. A pocket friendly device, the Tocco Lite provides a vivid bright screen which is fully touch sensitive and makes it easy to navigate around the many applications on this handset.

LG GD510 Pop – The LG Pop GD510 is the most compact 3 inch full touchscreen phone on the market and is now available in baby pink.  The GD510 looks and feels like a high end handset which means a compromise has been made with it’s features to produce a mid-priced phone. Features include a 3 megapixel camera with video record, mp3 player and FM radio to keep you entertained on the go and Bluetooth support.

For all these deals and more visit www.mobilesplease.co.uk

Samsung has brought together the popular Genio Touch with the Genio QWERTY to give Vodafone customers the funky looking Genio Slide! The Genio range is an affordable range of messaging phones aimed at the youth market who may not have a lot of money but love to keep up with the latest gossip on Facebook and Twitter.

The hybrid slide-out QWERTY device comes with two interchangeable rear ‘fashion jackets’ and features Samsung’s TouchWiz interface lets users customise their homescreens to access frequently used apps with just one touch. The Gennio Slide is not just a pretty face and shines above the Genio Touch and QWERTY with Wi-Fi, HSDPA and internet browsing and DivX support for great media playing.

Being a social networking phone the Genio Slide has built in applications for Facebook, Twitter and Myspace and the 3 megapixel camera allows you to upload great photos for all your friends to see with ease.

The Genio Slide is currently only available on Vodafone but will be availble with other networks soon at www.mobilesplease.co.uk