But some of you have been with O2 or Be for a long while now, and finding another ISP to match the service you’ve been happy with for all this time can be tricky. 

Here are a few alternatives to consider, and a few things to know before you rush to switch.

Before you switch...

Leaving O2 mid-contract because they’re being bought by Sky won’t get you out of paying a cancellation fee. You’re still liable for a charge, based on your package and the number of months remaining. The charges, as detailed by O2, are as follows:

For details on Be's cancellation charges you'll need to contact their support, though if you're on a monthly or 3 month contract you only need to give a month's notice.

You’ll also need to see what other ISPs are available as not every provider has equipment installed in all exchanges across the country. You might want to switch to TalkTalk or Zen, for example, only to find their best packages are not available in your area.

One way to check is with a SamKnows exchange search. This will give you a list of all LLU ISPs as well as showing whether cable and fibre are enabled. You can also use the coverage check tools provided by ISPs or the postcode search in our broadband comparison pages.

Don’t forget to follow the proper migration procedure and obtain a MAC code, too, otherwise you could find yourself without service for days or weeks.

Alternatives to O2 Broadband

BT

Since BT owns all the infrastructure it’s available throughout the UK, with speeds of up to 76Mb if fibre has been installed in your area. Prices start from as little as £10 (plus line rental), but for £16 you can get a completely unlimited service, and there are often special offers which make it even cheaper.

John Lewis

O2’s highly regarded customer service was one of the reasons behind its popularity. Newcomer John Lewis Broadband launched on a similar platform, aiming to provide the kind of customer support that its retail stores are known for. John Lewis is not the cheapest, but its no-nonsense packages do include 24/7 UK-based freephone helplines.

Zen

Zen is a good fit for those of you that enjoyed O2 and Be’s more technical features such as static IPs and faster upload speeds. All Zen ADSL connections offer 1Mb upload, and all packages include a static IP, 2GB web space and 11 POP3 mailboxes as standard. Support is UK based too.

AAISP

Another one for the more technically minded net user. Andrews & Arnold are fiercely proud of their independent service, offering completely uncensored internet access with UK based help, static IPv4 address and full IPv6 support. Pricier than some, but if you’re tired of faceless corporations and technical support staff who seem to be lacking technical knowledge this will be a breath of fresh air.

Plusnet

They’re owned by BT, but Plusnet runs its own show and has a wide range of packages to suit most budgets. There are limited bandwidth options for under £10 but even the top unlimited fibre deals aren’t pricey, and data caps only apply at peak times. Plusnet is also famous for its UK call centres, and it was the overall winner of our Broadband Survey 2013 with the highest scores in all categories including tech support and customer service.

Why you may not want to leave Sky

• It’s completely unlimited

Sky Broadband is one of the few big ISPs which has no fair usage or traffic shaping policy.

• Free TV and broadband bundle

O2 customers are being offered a year of free Sky broadband and TV as an incentive to stay, all you need to pay is the phone line rental. Even without this the broadband, phone and TV bundle deals offer excellent value. 

• ‘Only’ 39% of Sky is owned by Murdoch

Many have cited Rupert Murdoch as a reason for not wanting to have anything to do with Sky. That’s understandable, but he doesn’t have a controlling stake and it operates independently of News Corp.

• No hassle with switching

If you decide to swap providers you’ll have to deal with the costs and downtime associated with changing your broadband (and perhaps phone) company, but the transition from O2 to Sky should not cause anything other than a minor interruption to service at the very worst.

• It’s not a bad service

Some of you have had unfortunate experiences with Sky previously, but in our latest home broadband survey 73% of Sky customers said they would recommend the service. It was one of the few ISPs to actually improve on last year’s results.

Windows 8 was supposed to herald a new era for its desktop and mobile operating systems by unifying the interfaces and making it easier for developers to create applications for both platforms

But Windows users did not take kindly to the changes and it’s now being compared to the infamous Windows Vista.

By default Windows 8 drops you straight into the ‘Modern UI’, a new user interface which takes up the entire screen and presents all your programs with big bold panels. This style debuted on Windows Phone, where it was a refreshing change from the iPhone and Android, and it works very well on Windows 8 tablets.

But on a desktop using a mouse and keyboard Modern UI feels awkward and restrictive.

And it confuses people who have been using the Windows desktop since 1995. It’s easy to forget when you’re immersed in technology every day that there are millions who don’t know, or care, much about their computers beyond it giving them a way to write letters in MS Office and get on the internet.

Thankfully the familiar Windows desktop is still present, but there’s currently no option to boot directly to it, and the start menu is missing.

Microsoft is fixing that in the free Windows 8.1 update later this year, but if you can’t wait it is very easy to reclaim your desktop right now, and it doesn’t have to cost anything.

Classic Shell

This utility brings the start menu back to Windows 8, and bundles in a bunch of other UI enhancements, all for free.

It’s enormously customisable - as well as being able to set basic options like or booting to desktop there are tons of extra tweaks for advanced users. If you don’t want to spend any money for a start menu, get this one.

Start8

Start8 is another option for regaining your start menu, and while it does cost $4.99 rather than the very fair $0 of Classic Shell, I prefer it for the simplicity and style.

Where Classic Shell is a UI Swiss Army knife, Start8 is the quickest and easiest way to get the start menu you recognise from Windows 7. There are enough settings to tweak its behaviour to suit but it’s so straightforward to use that novice users should feel very comfortable.

Restore the Quick Launch toolbar in Windows 8

The Quick Launch is a little toolbar for commonly used programs that used to be standard in  Windows up to Vista, however in Win 7 its functionality was combined with the taskbar. But if you want to go fully old school with your Windows setup it does still exist, you just have to do a little digging to get it back. Here’s how (this works for Win 7 too):

1. Right-click on an empty area of the taskbar, open the Toolbars sub-menu and click New Toolbar.

2. Copy and paste the following into the location bar of the window that appears:

%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Hit enter, then press Select Folder.

3. Quick Launch will show up on the right side of your taskbar. To get it back in the normal position you need to first right-click on the taskbar and disable the taskbar lock. Then click and hold on the dotted lines which appear and drag it right over to the left.

4. To remove the text and get those neat little icons, right click on the dotted lines and un-check ‘Show Text’ and ‘Show Title’. Once you’ve finished positioning, re-enable the taskbar lock.

Clearly it's incredibly vital for many of us, so when moving the last thing you want is to be adding more stress from having to deal with broadband and phone companies, while suffering without connectivity for weeks on end.

If you are in the process of planning a house move then phone and internet should be high on the list with all the other utilities, and to minimise the hassle and downtime you just need to do a little bit of research and planning to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Checking mobile and fixed line broadband service at your new home

Before anything else, you need to find out what’s available at the new place, as you may discover the current ISP isn’t supported or there’s an opportunity to upgrade to a faster connection.

First stop should be your current ISP, either use their online check tools or call customer service. If you’d like a speed estimate at the new address you’ll need to provide the existing active telephone number (though you could just ask the current occupier what speed they get).

But you should also find out what else is available. If you visit our broadband comparison pages and tap in the postcode at the top of the table it’ll display a list of the ISPs and speeds supported at that location.

If you'd like to see more technical details we’d recommend a visit to SamKnows.

Using their Exchange Search you can view a wealth of information about the nearest exchange. SamKnows will show which services are available (including ADSL, LLU ADSL, fibre optic and cable internet) and even list which LLU (unbundled) ISPs have installed equipment at that exchange.

But it’s not just about fixed line broadband, it’s also important to check out the mobile connectivity at your new address - especially if you use mobile broadband.

To access the coverage check tools for each network click the logos below, and enter the postcode or other details when prompted.

You’ll need a good 3G signal at minimum for reasonable data speeds, but 2G is perfectly fine if you’re just worried about voice calls. Watch out for odd zones of low signal which can appear in areas which otherwise have good coverage - it’s not unusual to find streets where one or two houses have dead spots.

Can you cancel a broadband contract when moving home?

So you’ve checked out the service at your new address and it turns out that your existing ISP isn’t going to be much use, or another company can offer a much better connection.

It sounds like the perfect opportunity to drop your provider and get a new deal, but unfortunately it is not possible to terminate a contract early for this reason and avoid a charge. ISPs are within their rights to bill you a fee for every month remaining on the contract.

This is most problematic when moving from a home with cable or fibre internet to a location where these services aren’t available. Under these circumstances you will be offered the next best option, but if you choose not to take it the provider will charge a cancellation fee.

Virgin Media customers could have the biggest issue with this because the limited coverage of the VM network could mean they go from 100Mb cable to a much slower ADSL connection. If cable is not available Virgin will move you onto its Virgin National ADSL network, but there won’t be any change in the price and you won’t be able to receive the TV service.

In the event you do decide to cancel your provider will calculate a charge based on the type of package and the time remaining on the contract. Each provider’s charges differ so you should consult them for the exact cost, but as an example here’s how much you may be charged per month for early cancellation of some of Sky, BT and TalkTalk’s most popular deals:

• Sky Broadband Unlimited and Talk (without TV): £11
• Unlimited BT Infinity 1 with weekend calls: £14.25
• TalkTalk Essentials: £9.50

If you’ve only got a month or two remaining on your contract you might decide it’s worth paying these charges to swap providers, but the costs could become quite high if you’ve only recently signed up or renewed. There may also be additional charges if you do not follow the standard migration procedure.

What to do when you’re ready to move

Once you’ve made a decision about your broadband and phone services you can start getting things in motion.

• IMPORTANT: you must liaise with the existing occupier of the property to ensure they cancel their phone and broadband service otherwise it will cause delays.

To start, contact your existing provider(s). If you have phone and broadband from the same company you should just need to give them the new property details and moving dates and they’ll handle the rest.

There will be a minimum notification time for arranging a house move but it varies with each company, some may ask you to tell them at least two weeks before, others may require a month. Make sure you know their timeframes well in advance to avoid delays or additional costs.

If you’ve got separate phone and broadband providers you’ll need to first contact your telephone provider and arrange for the line move. You must ask them for a Link Order Reference Number (LORN), sometimes called a Simultaneous Provide Number or SIM. Give this to your broadband company and they’ll use it to activate the broadband the same day as the phone line.

Theoretically you should have very little delay in getting things setup. The most common problems occur when the broadband provider does not receive a LORN, which means they must wait until the line is active to order the connection (which could be 10 days later) or the previous occupier has not cancelled their services and your provider is blocked from using the line.

If the line is blocked your ISP should handle it - they’ll wait a few days to see if the line is clear, and if not follow a procedure to reclaim it for you. The delay can vary but the ISP should keep you informed of timescales.

If you are switching to a new provider when you move home you should notify the existing companies of the moving date so service is cancelled at that time, and arrange for the setup of the new phone and broadband. Remember that if you are dealing with separate companies you should give the new broadband service the LORN from your phone company to prevent long delays.

Why mobile broadband is useful when moving

In an ideal world you’d move into your new home and instantly have internet access, but often things just don’t work out like this. If you cannot be without internet during this time (and it can be a problem when so much is done online now) then mobile broadband is a good stop-gap until you get your fixed line service up and running.

First, use the mobile network coverage links above to check coverage at the new property and find out which offers at least a 3G signal.

Once you’ve identified a network, or networks, take a look at our pay as you go mobile broadband deals. Since this is just for the short term you don’t want to be signing up for another contract and PAYG is ideal.

There are some good value pre-pay offers which give you a dongle and a bundle of credit to get started. Provided you don’t go using it for big downloads or hours of streaming video, a gigabyte or two should be more than sufficient even if your fixed-line takes several weeks to activate.

Pay-per-day is also worth considering. Although expensive in the long term this is perfect for house moves since you may only be without internet for a couple of days. Another option is Samba Mobile, because as well as normal cash top-ups you can get free data credits by simply watching adverts on their web site, so it could be a big money saver for short term use.

If you’d rather not pay for a mobile broadband dongle you could also tether your smartphone by enabling it as a Wi-Fi hotspot, which is a feature built into Android and iPhone. The catch here is that networks generally require you to pay an extra fee for this, and may penalise you if they suspect you’ve been tethering without authorisation. A notable exception is the Three One Plan, which gives unlimited data and supports tethering.

Save money with a broadband bundle package

Despite the problems with canceling contracts, moving house is a good opportunity to examine your expenditure and see if there are savings to be made. And a really easy way to do this is by signing up for a broadband bundle.

Bundle packages can give you broadband, phone and TV for much less than you’d pay to receive each service from a different company. This is particularly true when it comes to the premium TV services where you can get fast cable or fibre broadband, hundreds of channels and phone line rental in one value package.

There are now four major TV and broadband bundle providers in the UK:

• Sky

We all know about Sky’s satellite TV services: it has a massive selection of channels including loads of HD content and the latest Sky+ box offers recording functions as well as access to catch-up TV from iPlayer and 4OD. Sky also provides internet at up to 76Mb using fibre optic lines, and it’s one of the few mainstream ISPs to offer an entirely unlimited and unrestricted connection - there is no traffic shaping, peak times or hidden caps.

• Virgin Media

In addition to its TV services (which includes the famous TiVo recording box) Virgin provides the fastest mass-market broadband service in the UK. You can choose from either 30Mb, 60Mb or 100Mb lines, and it has started to offer 120Mb in some parts of the country. The catch is that Virgin only has around 50% coverage so remains unavailable in many parts of the UK.

• BT

BT is the UK’s largest internet provider, and as well as everyday ADSL up to 16Mb you can sign up for BT Infinity to get speeds of up to 76Mb. Its top packages are also completely unlimited.

BT’s TV offerings do not have the same dizzying choice of channels as Sky or Virgin, but it is inexpensive. Starting at £5 per month, you get a digital recorder TV box with Freeview channels plus a big helping of on-demand content, while other channels like MTV and SyFy are available for a relatively small extra fee.

• TalkTalk

Popular budget ISP TalkTalk also now offers a TV bundle. This uses a YouView box (same as BT) and the basic package gives you Freeview plus free on-demand content using their own TalkTalk Player application. But you can boost it with a selection of add-ons to give a very similar choice of channels to Sky and Virgin.

Setting up broadband in your new home

Here are a few tips to help you get the best out of the broadband connection in your new home...

• Make sure the router is plugged into the main BT or Virgin Media socket (indicated by a logo on the box).

• Avoid extension cables if possible. If you must use an extension get a good quality rounded phone wire, not the cheap flat cables. If you’re having work done it’s a good opportunity to get it properly setup in the right location so you can avoid extensions (and have the wiring checked).

• You may find wireless doesn’t work very well. This is a common problem in older properties where thick walls or certain types of construction methods block the signal. You can buy range extender devices to spread the Wi-Fi connection, but a cheap method is to re-purpose old routers by disabling DHCP (consult the manual) and connecting them to a wired network anywhere else in the home to create a new Wi-Fi point.

• If you’d like a wired network for the least amount of hassle, pick up some powerline network adapters - these use electrical lines to transmit data and require no complex configuration. All you need to do is plug in one next to your router, then wherever you fit the others you’ll have fast network access without the signal issues of wireless.

Still got questions about your broadband, mobile or telephone service and home moves? You can always ask for help in our forum.

It’s the more subtle gear like smartwatches that will hold mass-market appeal.

Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung are all rumoured to be working on their own wrist-mounted hardware, but if you can’t wait to see what Jony Ive is going to come up with the future is here right now in the form of Pebble.

Pebble hit headlines last year after it raised over $10 million of crowd-funded investment via Kickstarter. Backers received the first batches for as little as $99, a significant saving over Pebble’s final retail price of $150. After delays caused by the huge demand, the gadget started shipping several months ago and we’ve been playing around with one for the past few weeks.

Water (but not scratch) proof

Going by the early pictures and video I had some concerns about the Pebble’s size but these turned out to be unfounded. While it feels a little bulky at first you soon become accustomed to its presence. It measures 50.33mm by 32mm with a width of 8.4mm at its thickest point - there are certainly much larger non-smart watches out there.

It’s made from plastic (in black, white or red) which is sealed to provide water resistance. The screen is covered by a protective layer, but this is where I ran into the first snag with Pebble: it’s really easy to scratch.

Somehow in the first hour of having it out the box I’d managed to get a light scratch right down the middle of the display. It was only visible at certain angles, but I knew it was there. Having seen the complaints about this online I'd purchased a screen protector, but made the mistake of not fitting right away. If you want to keep yours neat and tidy that’s an essential extra.

It is disappointing to discover it can become marked so easily but perhaps the best solution is to not so be so precious about it. Accept that it’s a watch and it’s going to collect some damage.

On the right side of the watch you’ll find up, down and select buttons, with back button and magnetic charger port (again to retain water resistance) on the left. The buttons require a fair amount of pressure to activate but this means you’re not going to hit them accidentally.

Overall, the design is understated and quite smart for a nerdy bit of gadgetry. It’s no Rolex or Omega so if you like to wear a nice watch with a suit it might look out of place, but it doesn’t advertise its presence loudly. And with the right choice of watch face it can look downright cool.

Face on, face off

One of the key attractions of Pebble are the customisable watch faces. Three are built in but there’s already a growing collection to download free at mypebblefaces.com. Installation is as simple as accessing the page on your smartphone browser so it can transmit them to the Pebble over Bluetooth.

You can instantly switch faces with the up/down keys, and when in a menu pressing back always returns you to the time display. In the original software release you were forced to choose a face from a menu each time but it now simply defaults to the last displayed.

But customisable faces don’t make a watch particularly smart, so what else can this thing do?

Pebble is primarily a secondary display for your smartphone. When not showing the time its compact 1.26-inch screen will pop up notifications such as incoming texts and caller ID.

This is geeky, but incredibly useful. When a call or text comes in a glance at your wrist is all that’s needed to decide whether it’s something that should to be dealt with right away or if you can safely ignore for the moment. You can even reject calls with a push of a button.

And with the right apps there are few limits on what Pebble can show you. Thanks to software like Augmented Smartwatch Pro, Pebble Notifier, Light Flow and Tasker users are pushing - among other things - GPS directions, calendar alerts and Google Now updates to their wrist.

Turn-by-turn navigation is particularly interesting as you can use a Pebble to find your way around a city while your phone is safely stashed in a pocket.

One important caveat: Pebble is a rare example of an accessory that works better with Android. The iPhone OS is more restrictive and while Pebble handles the basics like texts, emails and calendar you can’t access more advanced notification functionality without jailbreaking.

Apps on your wrist

Pebble isn’t just about notifications. Communications go both ways and it can be used to control some smartphone functions. Unfortunately this aspect is basic compared to the notification side of things and it’s currently the most disappointing part of the device.

The Kickstarter pitch promised golf rangefinders and fitness trackers, yet music controls are the only thing which has been delivered so far.

This is great, though. The music app displays track and album details and gives you a quick way to play/pause and skip tracks. I’ve come to rely on it instead of constantly reaching for the handset.

More like it are needed. In fairness the SDK was only released last month so devs haven’t had much time to get to grips with it, but if the Pebble is ever going to be more than a wrist-mounted notifier and music remote it needs an active app ecosystem. Hopefully once the Kickstarted units are delivered the firm will be able to concentrate on some first-party apps.

Battery life

One important advantage the Pebble holds over other smartwatches is longevity. The display uses an e-paper LCD which draws very little power, so while its low-res monochrome screen looks less impressive than the likes of Sony’s SmartWatch you should only need to be recharging Pebble once a week rather than every few days.

You do need to consider its impact on your smartphone battery, however, because when Bluetooth is active it will cause a noticeable drain. Pebble estimates this will result in a difference of 5-10% but in my experience it was at the lower end of the scale, perhaps because I’m not powering up my phone display anywhere near as often as I would have before.

If you want to get the most out of your battery life when using Pebble I’d also recommend using something like Juice Defender to automatically disable mobile data.

Conclusion

I’m not going to try and argue that Pebble is essential. This is a nerdy toy for dedicated smartphone geeks. But it’s a lot of fun to play with and the price is about right.

The big issue right now is that there’s a lot unfulfilled potential. If you have an Android phone and you’re willing to spend time figuring stuff out with apps then it can do some very interesting things, but it needs more tools like the music controls.

If nothing else, Pebble has set a benchmark for others to follow. Most smartwatches have tried to be wrist-mounted computers with touch screens and colour displays but navigating a 1-point-something inch screen with a fingertip is not fun, and a colour display means the battery goes dead very quickly. Pebble’s minimalist approach makes a lot of sense and results in something that’s more useful than any other smartwatch before it.

Globalgig offer low cost internet access in the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, United States, Australia, Hong Kong and Australia.

Prices start at just £10 per month for 1GB, up to only £29 for 10GB. That’s far cheaper than roaming on a UK provider: for example, 1GB in Europe using T-Mobile would set you back £175!

With a Globalgig package you get a Huawei Wi-Fi dongle which allows you to share the connection with up to five users, perfect if you’re travelling with family or have other devices such as tablets and games consoles you want to get online.

Normally this mobile broadband setup with 5GB data would cost £73 including the dongle and first month’s credit, but we have three packs to give away to three lucky people!

Even if you’re not going abroad soon you can still get online in the UK as Globalgig uses the Three mobile network to provide 3G access all over the country.

To be in with a chance of winning, use one of the following entry methods:

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS - James Donovan, @Donnie_Kildoo and @Robynlclarke !

The competition opens Friday 26 April 2013 and closes at 5pm on 10 May 2013. Winners will be announced no later than 14 May, and their names published on this page. In order to be in the running you must either be following us on Twitter or subscribed to our newsletter at that time.

PLEASE NOTE: Globalgig mobile broadband is a contract service. In order to use the Wi-Fi dongle you will need to provide a credit card number for your account. To continue using Globalgig after the free month you can contact customer service and choose a plan from the available options, or cancel without charge. If cancelled, you will need to pay a reactivation fee if you decide to use the Globalgig SIM at a later date. For further information on plans and fees visit Globalgig.com.

Terms and conditions

By entering this competition you agree to the following terms and conditions:

• Competition opens 26 April 2013. Closing date is 5pm on 10 May 2013.
• Winners will be selected and notified by 14 May 2013.
• Winners will be notified via Twitter or email, and their names published on this page.
• Open to residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland aged 18 or over.
• One entry per person.
• Entry via Twitter or newsletter sign-up form only.
• Entrants must have Tweeted a link to this page and be following Broadband Genie, or signed up to our newsletter using the above form, when the prize draw takes place.
• No purchase necessary.
• No cash alternative.
• Not open to employees of Genie Ventures Ltd or Voiamo Group.
• This promotion is operated by Genie Ventures, Unit 9 & 10 Millers Yard, Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RQ

Last year the EU put its foot down and told all European networks that they had to get their act together when it comes to the cost of calls and data. They’re now unable to charge more than 70c per MB, and that’s going to fall to just 20c per MB by July next year.

Many providers also offer data roaming add-ons which can work out to be slightly cheaper than the per-MB price. And there are companies which specialise in international mobile internet.

(To win an international mobile broadband package, check out our Globalgig competition)

All together, it’s never been cheaper or easier for travellers to get online while abroad.

But which UK provider offers the best value international service? And is data roaming right for you? With many of us starting to think about summer holidays it’s a good time to take a closer look at the state of mobile broadband roaming on UK networks.

How does mobile broadband roaming work?

When you go abroad with a mobile phone it will automatically latch onto available regional networks. So long as your provider allows it, a mobile broadband device will do the same thing to offer local internet access.

But this can be expensive. Typically, roaming data is not included in your monthly usage allowance so everything is charged at a higher per-MB rate. 

People have run into problems because they carry on using the internet as they would at home, not realising that watching a YouTube video or downloading a file could be costing hundreds, or thousands, of pounds.

If you do plan on using mobile broadband abroad you need to make sure you’re fully aware of the costs and be very careful about how you use it.

UK data roaming head to head: price per MB compared

Here’s how much you’ll pay per MB for each network within Europe and in the United States and Australia.

Where applicable this includes both the standard cost and charge with an add-on (some providers only offer data roaming with an add-on, though). We’ve only used the cheapest available add-ons but if you spend more on the higher bundle tiers it will work out to be less on a per-MB basis.

While prices for roaming in Europe are controlled there are no rules in place for the rest of the world, so it will be a lot more expensive and vary country to country. We’ve used the US and Australia as examples but you should always check the cost for a particular country ahead of time.

	Europe	United States	Australia
	69.6p	£3	£3
	33p	??	??
	69p	£6	£6
	58p / 10p (add-on)	£5.50 / 20p (add-on)	£5.50 / 20p (add-on)
	33p	£1.66	£1.66
	69.9p / 8p (add-on)	£3 / 25p (add-on)	£3 / 25p (add-on)

Orange and Vodafone are easily the cheapest if you take advantage of their add-on deals, which prove to be great value for money both inside and out of Europe. 

Vodafone is generous in offering 100MB per day for £8 (or £25 in the rest of the world), a good option if you need a larger chunk of data allowance a couple of times throughout a holiday - other providers charge a great deal more for a similar amount, though they often last for 30 days.

Vodafone's out of bundle costs outside the EU should be watched though - £3/MB to 5MB, then £15 for every 5MB afterwards.

Neither Vodafone nor O2 allow roaming on PAYG mobile broadband.

Finding more than the most basic pricing information on EE’s mobile broadband is an exercise in frustration. They list the cost of roaming in Europe, a very fair 33p per MB, but there is no explanation for other countries aside from the price of smartphone data with a roaming bundle, which costs an extra £5 per month. We’ve asked EE for further details.

International mobile broadband services

There are now a number of companies offering mobile broadband services geared specifically toward international use, the idea being that they offer hassle-free net access abroad with better value packages than roaming on your own network.

Many of these involve hiring a mobile Wi-Fi dongle, for which you get a set amount of data. Cellhire charges £79.98 per month for a dongle with 1GB data to use within Europe. Competitor Tep Wireless  will ask for a hefty £145 for 30 days of a Wi-Fi dongle with 1GB of data.

Neither of these options seems cheap at first, but they can prove good value in comparison to the cost of a similar amount of data on a UK network. For example, 500MB of data in Europe on Orange would set you back £150, and it jumps to £175 elsewhere.

The likes of Cellhire and Tep make sense if you need a large amount of data. It’s also perfect if you don’t already own a mobile broadband dongle and are only likely to need the service occasionally. Some services, like Tep, even offer airport pick-up and drop-off for the kit.

Globalgig - mobile broadband for frequent fliers

If you are abroad often and want an affordable international mobile broadband service with a generous helping of bandwidth, Globalgig is worth considering.

Globalgig offers mobile broadband service in the UK (using Three's network), Ireland, US, Sweden, Hong Kong, Australia and Denmark at a far lower cost than UK providers.

£10 per month nets you a very respectable 1GB, while upgrading to the top package at £29 provides an enormous 10GB. Out of bundle costs are only 4p per MB. You do need to purchase the Wi-Fi dongle for £50 on monthly contracts but the 18 month deals include free equipment.

It’s a huge saving on comparable UK roaming deals, but the catch is that Globalgig does only work in a few countries right now. Provided you are regularly travelling to one of the countries supported though you’re unlikely to find a cheaper way to access mobile broadband abroad.

Keep in mind that if you decide to stop the contract you'll either be switched to a £3.50 per month per-MB package, or the service will be cancelled and you'll have to pay a fee to have it reactivated. That makes it best suited to frequent travellers, but as it also works in the UK and is reasonably priced there's nothing stopping you from using it as a regular mobile broadband service at home.

Top tips for using mobile broadband abroad

• Stick to web browsing and email

Streaming video and audio or downloading files is a great way to quickly burn through your data allowance. Unless you’ve signed up for a large data package using one of the specialist roaming services you should avoid these activities.

• Disable background services and file updates

Make sure you disable apps which may automatically update before connecting to mobile broadband, otherwise they could quietly use up a big chunk of your allowance.

• Check the price of the country you’re visiting

Each provider has different ways of applying roaming charges so you should double-check the cost of the country you’re visiting before you travel.

• Set a limit

Providers will, by default, cap your usage (at around £40-50) and let you know when you’ve hit that limit. It is possible to raise or remove this, but we would not recommend it unless you’re fully prepared for the consequences.

• Protect your dongle with a PIN

Heard about those kids who spend thousands on a parent’s credit card using Xbox Live? PIN protect your dongle and monitor children when they’re online to ensure they aren’t playing games or watching videos. The PIN will also stop other people using it in the event the dongle is lost or stolen.

Mobile broadband abroad: frequently asked questions

Will I get 3G or 4G?

3G is now commonplace across the world so there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to get a signal wherever you go (there’s even coverage up Mount Everest). 4G is another story - due to the many different frequencies this won’t work, but your dongle will still support 2G and 3G services.

How can I check coverage on international networks?

Use the Mobile World Live GSM Coverage tool to see maps of networks across the world. If any are not included try visiting the network’s own web site for further information (but you might need to speak their language).

Can I buy a dongle or SIM from foreign networks?

Absolutely. In fact purchasing a local SIM or dongle is one of the best ways to get internet access abroad as you’ll benefit from local pricing so it’s almost certain to be much cheaper. This is recommended if you frequently visit the same country.

If you want to use a UK dongle with a foreign SIM you'll need to make sure it's unlocked.

Broadband Genie does not have information on the pricing or availability of mobile broadband services in other countries but you can post a question in our forum to see if anyone else has used mobile broadband in the same location.

I have mobile data on my smartphone - can I tether this to a laptop?

This is a tempting option as you wouldn't need to buy any more equipment, and smartphone packages can include some competitively priced roaming deals.

However, providers do not allow smartphone tethering while abroad. That’s not to say it won’t work, but you could get hit with a nasty bill if they find out. It’s also much easier to use a lot of data on a computer than it is with a mobile phone.

For the uninitiated, Google launched a fibre broadband service in Kansas offering 1Gb speeds for reasonable prices - blowing the US competition out of the water (details below).

Hundreds of column inches have been dedicated to this 'new' superfast phenomenon; most of which started out raving and ended up moving back towards a more realistic stand point. Remember kids, Google Fiber is in one US city and the smart money is the whole play being one designed to kick the American broadband incumbents up the backside - while giving Google a great test bed for its more usual ad services (especially in the TV space).

In truth smaller, less newsworthy providers are already offering 1Gb (and even 2Gb) broadband in less fashionable countries (including this one). And it remains to be seen what real benefit most of us would currently get from broadband so fast you could download a movie quicker than you could blink.

But we at Broadband Genie have never been ones to look a Google gift horse in the mouth so we asked ourselves: if Google did the implausible and actually became a home broadband network player, at its current rate of expansion (equally implausible, admittedly), how long would it take to assimilate us all into Google World...?

When will Google Fiber take over the world? by Broadband Genie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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The battle for supremacy

Blackberry's phones and operating system looked unbeatable for a long time. However, all eyes are now focused on watching Android and Apple battle for business-platform supremacy.

Industry analysts IDC is reported in The Telegraph as stating that, “corporations will buy 15.1 million handsets from Android manufacturers this year, compared to 31.1 million iPhones from Apple."

It also predicts that the iPhone will remain the number one corporate smartphone supplier until at least 2016. However, despite the stiff competition, Android has already demonstrated its staying power and its popularity looks set to continue.

But it’s far from a clean fight. Apple's marketing chief landed a punch on the Android operating system in a recent interview by claiming it isn't as good as the iPhone and services “don't work seamlessly together”. Meanwhile, BlackBerry’s chief executive clearly wanted a piece of the action, saying shortly after that Apple has not kept up with the pace of innovation and that it is now “five years out of date”.

Security equals success

Of course, security concerns are a key factor influencing the phones used by business users. Blackberry remains the gold standard to many, but Apple’s iPhone is gaining ground – and is considered to be ahead of Android on this issue. The fact that UK government departments have recently gained approval to use iPhones for sensitive emails instead of Blackberry devices sends a clear message on this issue to the business community.

Staff seize ownership of devices from employers

Bring your own device, or BYOD, the growing trend for staff to use their personal mobile devices to access company networks potentially carries its own security risks. However, from the perspective of the staff using their personal phones in this way, it’s important to be aware that they are likely to have to cover the cost if their personal device is damaged, lost or stolen – but smartphone insurance is easily available. .

All you need is (brand) love

Looking ahead, it’s not just the ‘hard’ factors such as the capabilities of platforms and devices and how robust they are to cyber crime which will decide whether Apple or

Android wins the fight. Factors such as being the must-have brand that businesses and their staff want to be associated with could ultimately be the deciding factor.

Stephen Ebbett is Global Head of Direct Distribution at Protect Your Bubble, a leading online insurance brand in the US and the UK.

If you're shopping for a new handset and aren't keeping up with the market the choice can be bemusing, so here are ten of the best phones on the market as of April 2013.

Apple iPhone 5

The iPhone regularly sits at the top of smartphone best-of lists, and with good reason.

Apple’s smartphones have always boasted outstanding build quality and industrial design, but the iPhone 5 is the best yet. It has a unibody aluminium shell which is a big improvement over the glass back panel of the iPhone 4, topped by Gorilla Glass. It feels like a product of the highest quality and is surprisingly slim and light despite the materials used in its construction.

But it isn’t just about good looks. Apple’s App Store has an incredible wealth of games and apps that is still not matched by Android, with some extremely impressive demonstrations of technical aptitude that take full advantage of the powerful hardware and beautiful display.

Samsung Galaxy S3

Samsung’s flagship handset is stuffed with the latest tech, and while very closely matched to other leading handsets there are a couple of things which mean the S3 just edges it as the best Android smartphone available right now.

Like others it has a powerful quad core processor, plenty of RAM and a large display - 4.8-inch with 720p resolution. But the S3 also includes a memory card slot which means you can potentially have up to 128GB storage (64GB internal, 64GB microSD) on your phone, and a larger battery which can, with careful use, keep the S3 going for days without a charge.

The plastic construction and silly nature inspired design waffle has come under fire. It certainly doesn’t feel as cutting edge as an iPhone or the HTC One, but in some respects this is a good aspect of the S3 - it’s svelte and lightweight, offsetting the awkwardness of that big display.

HTC One

It’s been a rough few years for HTC. After the big wins of its Windows Mobile phones and the Desire range it saw a huge drop in sales as competition in the Android market intensified. But the Taiwanese firm is not taking this lying down and its latest release is an impressive effort that deserves a lot of success.

The HTC One is a very attractive chunk of hardware. It’s built with a unibody aluminum case that easily matches the iPhone 5, while the display is protected by Gorilla Glass. Flanking the screen are a pair of stereo speakers using Beats technology. This is a fantastic feature as the audio output is on a par with portable speaker sets, so it’s brilliant for sharing music or watching movies.

There’s an intimidating level of technology packed inside too. Driving the One is a 1.7GHz quad core CPU and 2GB RAM, though it’s the screen that’ll really grab your attention. The 4.7-inch LCD has a resolution of 1080p and 469 ppi pixel depth, and this vibrant, sharp display is easily the best available on any handset right now.

Samsung Galaxy Note 2

This hefty smartphone is a ‘phablet’ - part phone, part tablet - packing an enormous 5.5-inch AMOLED screen. Significantly larger than mainstream smartphones, but it makes the Note 2 an amazing portable web browsing and entertainment device, and thanks to the built-in stylus it’s also well suited for on-the-go document and image editing.

The specification is cutting edge too, packing a 1.6GHz quad core processor, 2GB RAM, up to 64GB storage plus microSD support and a bundle of the latest extras. NFC? 4G LTE? GPS and a suite of environmental sensors? All present and correct.

This is a serious Android heavyweight that stands out from the crowd thanks to a combination of innovative hardware and strong selection of bundled software features.

LG Google Nexus 4

The Nexus line is designed to show off the capabilities of Android by presenting the OS without manufacturer modifications, which means that software updates come out far sooner as they do not require modification.

That’s a big plus point as many Android phones can be left languishing with outdated software, but the Nexus 4 also has a comprehensive set of features at a very reasonable price.

With a 1.2GHz dual core CPU, 1GB RAM and either 8 or 16GB of storage, plus a gorgeous 720p screen, NFC and the standard kit of extras (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 21Mb 3G) it’s not lagging too far behind the latest releases. More impressive is that this one can be purchased SIM free from £239, making it an amazing bargain.

LG Optimus 4X HD

We’ve never been too impressed by LG smartphones, and have experienced several buggy devices that ended up being withdrawn from the market, so the 4X HD was a pleasant surprise.

It’s a nice looking handset for starters, and the 720p screen is pretty. Plus at 4.7-inches it’s one of the more compact high-end smartphones on the market, now that everyone is doing 5-inch models.

The specs stack up nicely too: 1.5GHz quad core NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and a microSD slot for another 32GB more. Admittedly this isn’t stunning in the face of some of the latest superphones, but there are some great deals available which make the 4X HD worth considering alongside the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One.

Motorola RAZR MAXX

Battery life is the smartphone’s Achilles heel. As more powerful hardware is stuffed inside ever slimmer packages, something has to give and the result is many of the latest phones won’t last through the day.

The Maxx aims to solve that issue with a very simple solution: an enormous battery.

The MAXX is kitted out with a hefty 3000mAh power pack which enables it to keep on trucking for far longer than any other smartphone. Its specification is reasonably average (4.3-inch qHD display, 1.2GHz dual core CPU, Android 4.0) but that battery is the main selling point.

If you’ve put off buying a smartphone because of battery life the RAZR MAXX should be your first and last choice.

HTC Windows Phone 8X

Nokia’s Windows Phone handsets have come to represent the WinPho brand, and are generally excellent, but in our opinion this is the best Microsoft-powered smartphone you can buy right now.

Like the Nokia models HTC’s 8X has a polycarbonate shell, but it’s a soft-touch case with a gently curved rear that feels fantastic. At 130g it’s very light, too.

Specifications are good too. It’s hiding a 1.5GHz dual core CPU and a gig of RAM (though unfortunately the 16GB internal memory can’t be upgraded with a memory card). The camera is a particular highlight: its 8-megapixel sensor produces sharp snaps with excellent colour reproduction, putting much of the competition to shame.

Best of all the HTC 8X is very affordable with contracts starting at around £21 per month with no up-front fees.

Huawei Ascend P1

Huawei has previously dabbled in the budget end of Android smartphones but this is its first go at taking on HTC and Samsung in the mid/high range.

It’s a successful debut. Despite the slightly cheap build quality the Ascend P1 is an impressive package with dual-core 1.5GHz CPU providing smooth performance on the Android 4.0 OS. And while its plastic shell lacks the style of, say, the HTC One S it does make it extremely thin and light.

Somewhat uniquely, the P1 allows you to switch to stock Android, making it one of the very few phones outside the Nexus range to not foist a custom skin on the user.

Sony Xperia Z

The Xperia Z is Sony’s latest release and also one of the newest handsets on the market. It represents a new direction for Sony smartphones, one that’s finally free of the Ericsson partnership.

Sony kicks things off with a well considered design and premium build quality. The handset is made from specially treated glass, and unlike the iPhone 4 this one is able to withstand knocks and falls. In fact durability is a key feature - the Xperia Z can be completely immersed in up to a meter of water.

Hidden behind this tough facade is a quad-core 1.5GHz processor and 2GB RAM, 16GB storage and a 13-megapixel camera. The phone’s also capable of handling 42Mb DC-HSDPA 3G mobile broadband and 4G data, so even if you’re not using EE’s 4G network you can take advantage of faster 3G services and still be ready for 4G once it’s available on your network.

While firms like JCB and Cat are still making bulky armoured phones aimed at the building industry we’re now starting to see battle-hardened smartphones which can withstand some punishment without compromising on specifications or looks. Durability is rapidly becoming a standard feature and it won’t be long before phones which don’t offer some basic protection will look outdated.

Corning Gorilla Glass

When it comes to smartphone durability, Corning Gorilla Glass is arguably the single most important development of recent years. This toughened material is able to withstand scratches and impacts that would destroy normal glass, offering a huge improvement over the fragile screens we’ve become used to.

Gorilla Glass has gone through a few iterations and this year we’ll start to see phones fitted with version 3, which as you can see from the video below offers a very impressive level of protection.

If you care in the slightest about the toughness of a phone, Gorilla Glass (or competing hardened glass materials) should be a basic requirement when shopping for a new smartphone. Vitally, it’s cheap and easy enough to manufacture that Gorilla Glass shows up on everything from budget models to the latest flagship superphones.

Waterproofing

Water is the smartphone’s number one enemy. In a survey of almost 2,000 mobile phone users, 31% had suffered water damage of some description, and inevitably 47% of those were dropped in a toilet. 

This is incredibly problematic for both users and the networks - lots of phones are returned for this reason but it’s not covered by warranties so you have to pay for a repair or replacement.

The basic approach to waterproofing is to ensure the outer casing is watertight with secure joins and ports enclosed with flaps. This is how most water-resistant phones are handled currently, and it is effective, however this places restrictions on the hardware design. As well as the sometimes inconvenient port flaps, batteries are often not replaceable because it’s simpler to just seal up the compartment.

There is a high tech alternative though. A UK firm called P2i Labs has developed a nanotech treatment which is applied at the factory and offers water resistance for any kind of hardware.

The first version - Splash-proof - is being used on Motorola smartphones already and prevents damage from small amounts of liquid on the outside; simply wipe the phone down and carry on without worrying about drying it out.

It’s the next generation P2i tech that’s truly revolutionary though. Its ‘Dunkable’ treatment coats every component with a hydrophobic barrier that prevents liquid from touching those vital innards. In tests, treated phones have been left running while completely immersed in water for hours without any lasting damage. The batteries run out of charge before the components fail.

Because this is a chemical that can be applied to almost any solid object there’s no need for manufacturers to change their designs to offer additional protection against water damage.

The future of rugged smartphones: classy yet tough

Sony’s latest smartphone release is a good example of where we’re headed. The Sony Xperia Z is a premium Android handset with powerful hardware and a beautiful design. At a glance you wouldn’t expect this to be very durable but survivability is one of its best features.

The casing and various ports and slots are sealed against liquid ingress, able to survive immersion in up to one meter of water. Its tempered glass chassis can take a few knocks, and it’s got protective glass on the display (not Gorilla Glass, but similar). All this and it still looks good.

Slightly less attractive, but a touch more rugged, is the forthcoming Huawei Ascend G50. This is a little chunkier - no Sony sleekness here - but in return you get a handset that is very resilient. At MWC Huawei had a demonstration where the phone could be called while sat in a tank of water.  

But it might not find things quite as easy as it did last year. Samsung's enormous sales numbers have put other manufacturers on the defensive, and they're fighting back. In the last couple of months both Sony and HTC unveiled some impressive new hardware. 

Sony, finally free of Ericsson's influence, is showing off its famous design skills in the classy Xperia Z, while struggling HTC has gone all out with every aspect of the beautiful One.

If you're looking to upgrade to a cutting-edge Android smartphone sometime soon it's not an easy decision as all three of these handsets have something to offer. 

To help you decide here's how they stack up head to head... 

	Samsung Galaxy S4	Sony Xperia Z	HTC One
Display	5", SuperAMOLED, 1080 x 1920, 441 ppi	5", LCD, 1080 x 1920, 441 ppi	4.7", SuperLCD3, 1080 x 1920, 469 ppi
RAM	2GB	2GB	2GB
Processor	1.6GHz/1.2GHz octa-core	1.5GHz Krait quad-core	1.7GHz Krait quad-core
GPU	PowerVR SGX 544MP	Adreno 320	Adreno 320
Chipset	Exynos 5 Octa 5410	Qualcomm Snapdragon	Qualcomm Snapdragon
Internal storage	16/32/64GB	16GB	32/64GB
Expandable memory	microSD up to 64GB	microSD up to 32GB	No
Mobile data	DC-HSDPA, 4G LTE	DC-HSDPA, 4G LTE	HSPA+, 4G LTE
Wi-Fi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac	802.11a/b/g/n	802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared, microUSB	Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, microUSB	Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Infrared, microUSB
Rear camera	13MP, 4128 x 3096, LED flash	13MP, 4128 x 3096, LED flash	4MP 'UltraPixel', 2688 x 1520, LED flash
Front camera	2MP	2.2MP	2.1MP
Video	1080p/30FPS	1080p/30FPS	1080p/30FPS
Sensors	A-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer	A-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	A-GPS & GLONASS, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Operating system	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean	Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
Battery capacity	2600mAh	2330mAh	2300mAh
Battery life (estimate)	unknown	530 hours standby, 14 hours talk (3G)	unknown
Output	3.5mm audio, MHL video out, Bluetooth A2DP	3.5mm audio, MHL video out, Bluetooth A2DP	3.5mm audio, stereo speakers, MHL video out, Bluetooth A2DP
Weight	130g	146g	143g
Dimensions (HWD)	137 x 70 x 7.9mm	139 x 71 x 7.9mm	137.4 x 68.2 x 9.3mm
Build materials	Polycarbonate, Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Tempered glass, aluminium	Aluminium, Corning Gorilla Glass 2
Colours	Blue, white	Black, white	Silver, black
Price (SIM free)	unknown	£515	£519 (32GB)

On the face of it these three handsets are evenly matched. 1080p displays, multi-core processors, 2GB RAM...all reasonably slim and light, too.

But dig deeper and the differences surface. Both the Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 have screens with 441 ppi pixel depth so they should be equally matched for sharpness, however the Xperia Z has received some criticism for its poor viewing angles, while early indications are that the updated Galaxy S4 screen is pretty stunning, and thanks to its AMOLED technology it offers true blacks and vibrant colour reproduction. AMOLED is more energy efficient than LCD, too. 

The HTC One wins by a margin on this front, though, as it's got a stupendously sharp and gorgeous display. Having said that the typical user will be happy with any of these screens - you might discern some differences when they're side by side but they each offers full HD resolutions with a pixel count that exceeds Apple's much vaunted 'Retina Display'.

Eight core better than four?

How about raw processing power? This is an interesting area because the Galaxy S4 is the first 'octa-core' smartphone. It's an unusual configuration however; its main 1.6GHz quad-core CPU is there for heavy lifting but is accompanied by a 1.2GHz quad-core chip designed to handle day-to-day tasks and save on battery life. 

This does not appear to provide a big leap over existing handsets. Engadget says it benchmarked the S4 and discovered it was outperformed by the HTC One and LG's new Optimus G Pro, falling roughly in line with the old HTC One X+.

We're at the point now where mobile processors are very powerful but there's little software that can actually use their full capabilities, so a fancy CPU isn't much of a selling point. Certainly wouldn't base your decision on the number of cores.

More tangible benefits are offered by the camera and storage capacities. 

Both the S4 and Xperia Z have a 13-megapixel sensor on the rear and 2-megapixel front cam. Unfortunately the Xperia Z has apparently been let down by poor software, and while we'll have to wait to fully judge the S4, Samsung did a bang-up job on the S3 camera so there's no reason to expect anything less with its latest smartphone. 

The HTC One is an oddity. It only has a 4-megapixel sensor, which seems like a strange decision for a flagship device, but this is because it's using a new trick dubbed 'UltraPixel' which is supposed to pick up three times as much light. This greatly improves low-light photography, and it's very quick to snap a picture too.

Sounds good, but overall quality suffers. Here's what the Verge had to say in their review:  "I like the shots I'm able to get with the One's camera — I've started taking more pictures in dark restaurants, or on the street at night — but I'm not always impressed with the shots I get."

So the S4 leads when it comes to taking pictures...and it also has the most flexible storage options. The phone will be available with 16, 32 or 64GB internal memory plus support for 64GB memory cards, giving a potential 128GB of storage. 

The Xperia Z also supports memory cards but 'only' up to 32GB, and it does not currently offer more than 16GB internal. This should not be a big deal for most though, 16GB still gives plenty of room for apps and you can fit a 32GB card for music or movies. If you're still short on space after that there's Dropbox and other cloud services.

Sadly the HTC One is a bit more restrictive as it's yet another HTC smartphone without a memory card slot, but there will be a 64GB model coming along to join the 32GB offering. 

Who wins?

There isn't a bad smartphone among this bunch. The core specifications are fairly equal, all of them providing HD screens and more than enough processing power.

Size is one thing to consider. We're not ecstatic about this new fashion for 5-inch smartphones, it's really pushing the limits of what's acceptable for a smartphone in our opinion. 

The original Galaxy Note 'phablet' was only marginally larger at 5.3-inches, and these new 5-inch handsets feel almost as ridiculous to hold and use. It's just a touch too unwieldy for the average hand. 

Therefore we're very happy that the HTC One has a more reasonable 4.7-inch screen. That's a big plus point in its favour, and if you're put off by massive smartphones it makes this the only viable choice from the latest flagship releases.

But the Galaxy S4 and Xperia Z have their own unique points. Sony's phone is a great looking device, its tempered glass frame gives it a premium feel sorely lacking from the Samsung S4. And it can survive complete immersion in up to a meter of water. No more toilet disasters!

With the S4 we're very much looking at an evolution of the S3. Its polycarbonate frame is almost identical to the previous model and the hardware changes shouldn't make S3 owners jealous. But it does offer a very comprehensive set of features, and battery life - so often a major weakness - should be excellent as its packing a 2600mAh power cell in addition to the energy-saving AMOLED screen and promised efficiency of its CPU. 

Videos

Check out these hands-on videos to see the phones in action:

Samsung Galaxy S4

Sony Xperia Z

HTC One

As someone who can comfortably make several mistakes per word, let alone page, on a full-sized keyboard I’m happy to embrace a keyboard revolution. 

And this has become especially true as full touchscreen QWERTY keyboards have become the norm; if I'm struggling on a keyboard (with 'real' buttons) that’s a foot wide, what chance have I got on 3.5-inch touchscreen with 4mm keys…

SwiftKey Keyboard

Now in its fourth iteration, SwiftKey is the number one 'paid' app on the UK Google Play store (and many others) – and for good reason. It will set you back £2.99 (March 2013), but with more than 70,000 five-star reviews from users it’s one of the safest app buys you can hope for.

In terms of being an alternative, this isn’t as much a reworking as a 'best in class' QWERTY. Its superfast, has support for more than 50 languages (you can enabled three at once) and has what it claims to be "the world’s most accurate autocorrect".

Better still, SwiftKey will predict which word you're going to type next – with unnerving accuracy. This is because, with your permission, it crawls your Gmail, Facebook and Twitter – even blog – accounts and learns how you tick in terms of language.

The latest version also includes SwiftKey Flow – a concept made popular by the Swype app. This lets you drag your finger across the keyboard, rather than typing individual letters/words, predicting the letters to ignore along the way. Flow even lets you do entire sentences without taking your finger from the screen, although this functionality takes a bit of getting used to.

Snapkeys Si

If even a perfected QWERTY is still too, well, qwerty for your liking – how about something completely different? Snapkeys laughs in the face of the 26 keys from SwiftKey and says, I can do that with four. Yes, four.

Well, actually, it’s five: four keys have three letters each (YIT, WNA, ESL, ROD) while the fifth (essentially the empty space in the middle of the other four) is used for any of the other letters of the alphabet. Using predictive text based on the old T9 system made famous by feature phones with traditional phone keyboards, it manages to work out what you’re typing.

And would you believe, it works. It may take you a day to get to grips with it – and it may not be quite as quick or accurate as the likes of SwiftKey – but as an alternative it has some fascinating extra functionality.

For a start, as it's just four keys, it overlays the programme you're using it in rather than forcing you to work on a screen half dominated by a QWERTY. Better still, once typing becomes second nature you can change the transparency of the buttons – even down to 0%, so you’re typing on an invisible keypad. Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.

Right now Snapkeys Si is in beta on the Google Play app market, so can be downloaded for free. Even if only out of curiosity we’d suggest you give it a go.

Some interesting options

If those don’t take your fancy, here are the best of the rest in terms of quirkiness (and don’t forget your handset probably has the likes of Swype as options built-in already – on an Android handset, just go to 'settings' and then 'language and input'):

• Thumb Keyboard: As someone with 10 thumbs, this is essential. Seriously though, Thumb Keyboard has some interesting features and is highly customisable. It's especially useful for typing on larger devices (including tablets, iPads) as the keypad is split (QWERT on the left, YUIOP on the right) with the numbers and symbols in the middle. This makes typing with a device in two hands manageable. £1.87
• 8pen: Like Snapkeys, 8pen (pictured, right) completely reinvents the wheel – by, well, using a wheel. It's innovative, although certainly not for everyone and is going to take you a while to get to grips with, but for 99p it's better than some games I've played! In fact, if you do download it be sure to also get 8pen Wordcup – a game that helps you learn how to use this odd yet endearing keyboard.
• MessagEase: Like Snapkeys, MessagEase goes for the 'less is more' approach with just nine large keys. Optimised for one or two fingers, each key has one main letter and one other letter – except the centre key (that caters for nine) and the centre bottom key (that has three). The main letter on each key is chosen by pressing, while the others are accessed by dragging your finger to the spot you need. It's also free.