PCCW Finally Has an Android To Call Their Own

PCCW jumps on the Android bandwagon with their own handset.

Hong Kong is going Android crazy! Now PCCW is releasing its own Android phone along with a mobile data intelligent price-cap scheme.

PCCW’s new U handset (remember “i” and “o” are taken!) running the Android operating system will allow PCCW users to download apps from the Android Market, just like all the happy Smartone-Vodafone users who have access to a myriad of HTC Android phones in Hong Kong already.

Customers will receive a full rebate for a U handset, the only full-featured starter version on the market and enjoy the price-cap when they subscribe PCCW mobile’s “Web & Talk” plan at HK$199 or above per month on a 24 month contract. The plan is the first of its kind in Hong Kong for customers to make voice and local mobile data service anytime, anywhere with the additional local 3G mobile data service charge capped at HK$298 per month. AND unlimited broadband Internet access at no additional charge via PCCW Wi-Fi’s 6,000 Hong Kong hotspots.

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Google’s Nexus One in Hong Kong

We go all Blade Runner on the un-boxing of the Nexus One.

It’s here Googleheads! Hong Kong is one of the 4 ground zeros for the new Google Nexus One, and we went all Rick Deckard-like on a brand new Google Nexus One with un-boxing photos for you to examine.

The only way to get one of these phones is to directly order it online from Google, who will then DHL ship the phone from the US to Hong Kong. The price of the unlocked phone is US$529 plus US$28.32 for the DHL international shipping, which brings the total cost of the phone to  about HK$4,347 (US$557.32). We ordered the phone on Monday and by Wednesday afternoon it’s in the Neonpunch.com office! At this point, we’re pretty sure this will be the only way to get the Nexus One in Hong Kong for the foreseeable future, but if you don’t like to order products online expect to pay a premium at retail shops in Hong Kong – we’re hearing prices going from HK$5,000-$7,000 because of the online order limit.

Google offers buyers an option to buy a 220-240V AC wall charger (US uses 110-120V) for about an extra HK$100.We advise not getting the charger since the Nexus One can be re-charged via the USB port and it’ll only cost you about HK$40 for an AC wall charger in Mong Kok, no more than HK$60 in Wan Chai!

Un-boxing gallery below:

 

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Google Nexus One Round-Up

Putting the best chatter on the new Googlephone on one page.

So, Google released their new Nexus One smartphone and the world has gone relatively crazy about it. One of the best things about it is that Hong Kong is on the list of test cities that Google is going to sell direct to, so if you’re in the market for the newest smartphone, the Nexus One is available for you here for HK$4,103/US$529 unlocked.

Here is a list of links we’ve been reading up on about the new phone:

• Michael Arrington’s review calls it: “It’s Google’s vision of the perfect Android device, from the huge and beautiful screen and massively fast Snapdragon processor to the software elegance of Google Navigation, Live Wallpaper and the Voice Keyboard. When combined with Google Voice there is no phone on the market today that can touch the Nexus One.”

• Comparison of the Nexus One to the iPhone, Pre and Droid.

• Lots of great photos from Gizmodo

• 13 ways a Nexus One is better than an iPhone – but also included are 5 ways the iPhone is better than the Nexus One and 5 ways the iPhone and Nexus One equally suck.

The general consensus around U.S. gadget sites is that the Nexus One is the greatest Android phone yet! But it’s funny as the last supposed “Greatest Android Phone” shipped less than 30 days ago from Motorola. And the one before that came from HTC itself, who in turn made the Nexus One, albeit under Google’s supervision.

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Neonpunch Shop: Motorola Droid

Be a real hero this Christmas, and get the Droid from us.

Since Neonpunch.com is basically a giant gift blog all year round, bringing you the news of the latest and greatest gadgets to buy in Hong Kong, we’ve decided to go one step further and actually make the buying part even easier with the Neonpunch.com Shop. Starting today, we’ll be featuring new gadgets and offering them straight to you at special prices.

For the rest of December, or until stocks sell out, we have a limited number of the Motorola Droid – or the Milestone, as it’s called in the U.K. – phone that we’ve been excited about for sale in Hong Kong only.

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HTC Gives Hong Kong an Android Tattoo

AngelaBaby helps launch the newest Android phone in HK.

HTC has just launched the HTC Tattoo smartphone in Hong Kong. The lightweight Android 1.6 phone weighs in at 117 grams, has a 2.8 TFT LCD touch screen with a 240×320 resolution, a 3.2 megapixel camera and is the cheapest Android phone on the market, available today in Hong Kong for HK$2,998.

The Tattoo differentiates itself from the Magic and more recently the Hero as an entry level smartphone for the social media generation. If you are like us, you’re Facebooking, YouTubing and Twittering all at the same time AND you want to customize your phone casing then the Tattoo is the phone you are looking for. And as its Android it has all the Google goodness like maps, Gmail, Gtalk and access to Android Market where there are thousands of free and paid apps that you can install.

If you are an early bird buyer of the HTC Tattoo, you will be given 1 complimentary phone skin redemption card at selected stores and can redeem online here.

HTC is also launching a brand new ad campaign that will kick off on Hong Kong TV soon. Below is a bounty of photos from the launch event at The Mira hotel featuring Neonpunch’s newest girlfriend of the week – AngelaBaby:

 

Interview: Terry Chung, Country Manager of HTC

Spotlight on HTC on the eve of their Tattoo launch in Hong Kong.

HTC launched the new Tattoo phone in Hong Kong today (full coverage tomorrow), and Neonpunch.com had a chance to sit down with HTC Country Manager Mr. Terry Chung to talk to him about the Tattoo, what’s coming up for HTC and Android 2.0:

Why a new HTC Android phone so soon after the launch of the Hero?

The Hero has been in the market for 2 months and we think the Android platform is very popular and accepted by the Hong Kong market so that is why we have launched a new handset into the market, which is centered at a different market and the price point is different as well. Tattoo is the first Android phone that is under HK$3,000.

What market are you going after with the Tattoo?

I think the young and stylish people. As you can see it has a user-define casing, and for the young generation who likes the social network device for using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube its a great device for them. The Hero has more business functions while the Tattoo is designed and priced purely with the new generation in mind.

I understand you can re-skin the Tattoo anyway you like?

We have a promotion with Garskin.com in Singapore, you can upload your personal design and within 1 month they will send that new skin to you. It’s free in Hong Kong to the first group of people who buy the Tattoo but you can use their service anytime.

With so much hype and buzz, how is the uptake of the Hero so far in Hong Kong?

Since we launched for 2 months, every week we are facing a supply shortage. Its really out of our plan and expectation that it can be so popular. So there are a few key reasons that it can be so popular in HK market: HTC Sense is more friendly and also the Android Market can also provide all kinds of applications.

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