If you want a budget Android smartphone then Motorola's DEFY+ is probably somewhere on your shortlist.

The phone has just landed on Three on both budget data tariffs and pay as you go.

The phone, which has a five mega pixel camera, and is water and dust resistant, is available for £10 a month with no upfront cost on the Essential Internet 100 plan and for £25 a month with no upfront cost on The One Plan. It is also available on Pay As You Go for £69.99 plus a top up.

The phone also has bigger longer lasting battery than its predecessor the DEFY and comes with a 2GB memory card.

Sylvia Chind, Head of Devices at Three said, "The Motorola DEFY+ is a unique smartphone, perfect for those on a budget who don't want to compromise on reliability. In addition to being water, dust and scratch resistant, people can make the most of Three's all-you-can-eat data and share pictures, videos and jokes on social media on the move, without worrying about hidden data charges".

There will be more info here - link not working yet...

More Nokia rumours this morning. A Chinese site is touting some pictures which it claims show the next generation Nokia smartphone which has been nicknamed the Catwalk.

It has that moniker as, to give the handset a more premium feel it is finished in iPhone 5 style aluminium.

The phone will be an upgrade on Nokia's current flagship the Lumia 920 - but not much of one. According to the leak it will sport a 4.5inch display, an S4 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 16GB of memory instead of the current 32GB, a 2000mAh battery and an 8.7MP OIS camera with LED Flash. It will also include wireless charging facilities.

There have also been rumours of Nokia phablet and a very high-end cameraphone which you can read about it here.

The FT has a rumour this morning that yet another manufacturer is about to unleash a Phablet - or a phone with a big screen as non-techies call it.

The paper reports sources that say that the company will not only have a Phablet to rival the very successful Samsung Galaxy Note range but also that will boast a more advanced set of features.

In the same story there is an update on the long-time rumoured Nokia EOS - a top-end smartphone that will be shipped with a 41-megapixel OIS camera with Xenon flash and PureView technology. The story says that the handset will be announced in July but doesn't say when it will go on sale.

One of the most impressive looking mobiles we have seen in quite a while is the Sony Xperia SP. The phone, which was unveiled last month, is a cut down version of the also very impressive Sony Xperia Z with a smaller screen (4.6inches as opposed to 5inches) and slightly lower specification.

It does though come in aluminium, the Xperia Z is made from glass, and will be on sale in black and white - no news on the red version though.

The first network to have the phone seems likely to be Three, according to this source, which will be selling the handset from April 30th.

Other features include a a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor, 8GB of on-board memory, and stunning 8 mega-pixel camera.

Last week we ran a story in which Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities suggested that Apple was having serious issues with its range of products for 2013 and that there might be delays in getting them to market.

This has now been confirmed by another source who came to the view that the iPhone 5S, budget iPhone and iPhone 6 have serious pre-production issues after a visit to Apple's Asian suppliers.

Jefferies analyst Peter Misek says that the big issue for Apple is the delayed launch of the iPhone 5S which he thinks will have a knock on effect on other launches. He also adds that he has seen no evidence of an iWatch

So the iPhone 5S, which was due in July, might not arrive until later in the year causing a delay to the low cost handset too.

Misek said, 'After our Asia trip we now think the low-cost iPhone launch could be pushed to CQ4 and have increased confidence that the iPhone 6 will not launch until CY14.'

He added

'iPad mini refresh unlikely in CQ2 and if it does occur it would involve very low volumes due to yield issues of the new on-cell retina screen technology. iPad 5 refresh may occur in CQ2 but volumes also look very low. We have not yet seen any evidence of iWatch production.'

The worry for Apple is that growth in spring, summer and autumn might be sluggish as more people choose better specified devices from Apple's rivals or decide to wait until the end of the year before upgrading.

Before Apple fan persons get too upset though, Misek does have a habit of taking a negative view on Apple, not all of which came true. You can see them here.

So you own a Samsung Galaxy S3 and you have big plans to take it out and about with you this summer. Might be time then to invest in a serious case for your precious mobile - one that will keep it safe, dry and free from dust and other nasties.

Here then are nine of the best cases available

Here is a very smart bit of PR. It revolves around the amplicomms M6900 which as you probably don't know is a basic mobile phone aimed at those who are hard of hearing.

Well in a very clever twist its makers are rebiling it as a festival phone.

Leave your smartphone at home - they say - and instead take the amplicomms M6900

It will apparently...

* Run for seven days without needing a charge

* Features a super loud ring tone that is more than a match for any ageing festival rockers

* Has a boost button so you can hear conversations no matter how noisy the background is

* Comes with an integrated torch for helping you find your tent

* Boasts an SOS button to call 5 selected nearest and dearest until the call is answered if you have an emergency - or need to pester someone for more funds

They then suggest for that for the rest of the year that your Gran can use the phone!

Mind you looking at this haul of smartphones that got left behind in a Brighton club in one night they might have a point.

The phone is available here for £59.99

There is a lot of speculation about the upcoming Apple iPhone 5S, but one thing is a certainty and this it will have a better camera than the one on the iPhone 5. But how much better?

To keep up with the Samsung Galaxy S4 (to say nothing of the Sony Xperia Z) it will need to have a 12 mega pixel camera and that's exactly what a Vietnamese site is predicting that it will include.

Tinhte.vn is suggesting that Apple's next generation iPhone may feature a 12-megapixel camera with an improved night shooting feature and HDR. The rumour comes from a source at Wonderful Saigon Electricsin Binh Duong, a company that provides camera modules for the iPhone and has been picked up by, among others, Mac Rumours.

According to Mac Rumours Tinhte.vn has a pretty good record of scooping Apple products and in the past and delivered a preview of Apple's redesigned EarPods and a version of the fourth generation iPod touch

Good news if you are one of the many people waiting to get your mitts on BlackBerry Q10 - the OS 10 handset that comes with an old school QWERTY keyboard. The device has just gone up for pre-order in the UK via Vodafone.

The handset will be available from free to around £37 per month.

It will be fascinating to see how successful the device is. BlackBerry initially reported good sales of the Z10 (the one without the keyboard) in the UK, but there have been rumours that it isn't faring so well in the US.

Might it be that hardcore BlackBerry users have been waiting for this phone as they don't want to sacrifice the keyboard which in many ways makes the device unique.

Personally I think BlackBerry missed a trick with its recent launches. They should have opted for a big screen device with a keyboard. I think they could have then had a huge cult hit and a totally unique device.

Just eleven days now to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4. And we are now seeing more videos turn up that explain its headline features.

Vodafone has just dropped this vid which goes into detail about the phone's twin camera mode. It is the one that enables the person taking the picture to place themselves in the main shot by using the camera' second camera. The person taking the image can customise the way they look too by moving their image around the screen and selecting from a number of frame designs and shapes to finalise it all.

The feature works with video too.

How many people do you think leave their mobile phone behind in clubs in a small-ish city on an average night. 10? 20?

Brighton police have just released the astonishing photo that shows that on just one night it retrieved 109 phones and 15 cameras.

Interesting to note that there don't appear too many iPhones and high-end Samsung phones there though, but rather a lot of BlackBerrys. And as for those old school Nokias, maybe people were a little bit less careful with them on purpose.

Still 109 phones in one night is a pretty incredible figure. There's more on the story here.

Don't know about you, but I prefer my BlackBerrys old style with a keyboard. In fact the sooner they make a handset with a keyboard and a whopping big screen the better in my book.

If you do want a phone that combines a touch screen and a keyboard then the BlackBerry Q10 is now imminent. Voda has put this little video together to run through the phone's features.

Annoyingly Vodafone haven't confirmed when the phone will reach the UK, but let's hope it is soon.

The Q10 runs Blackberry 10 mobile OS, features a 3.1inch 720x720 Super AMOLED touchscreen, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 16GB of internal storage expandable to 64GB via microSD and an 8MP camera.

The biggest phone announced so far - the ASUS Fonepad - is about to hit the UK. The handset will be on pre-order today and go on sale as of 26th April from Carphone Warehouse, Amazon and Sainsbury's. The handset will cost £179.99.

Its premier feature is its seven inch tablet style screen - the biggest on a phone available in the UK. But this is as much as mobile as it is a tablet as it comes with 3G voice and mobile data (HSPA+) and plenty of smartphone style features.

It is powered by an Intel Atom Z2420 processor with a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. It runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and boasts a 3MP rear-mounted camera and 720p high def video. It will fune for nine hours between charges. It is available with 16GB, and has an SD card slot for up to 32GB of additional storage. All models feature a front 1.2MP camera for video chat and ASUS SonicMaster audio technology with MaxxAudio 3 processing by Waves.

"It is ideal to have a larger screen with entertainment, social media and other online activities now playing an increasingly important part in our mobile lifestyles," said Jonney Shih, ASUS Chairman. "The incorporation of 3G mobile data with full telephony support, makes the Fonepad the perfect combination of a tablet and phone in one single device."

AppleInsider has got the scoop on what looks like a really hot story. It believes that Apple's new range for 2013 - which will include the "iPhone 5S," a rumored low-cost iPhone, and a second-generation iPad mini - are running behind schedule. Devices that were expected to be announced in July and available in August might not now go on sale until September or October.

It bases the story on a research note that was shared with the site by Ming-chi Kuo of KGI Securities. According to the site Ming-chi Kuo has been very accurate in predicting Apple product launches in the past.

He forecast Apple's entire fall 2012 product lineup, including unexpected products like a redesigned iPod nano and tweaked fourth-generation iPad with faster processor and Lightning connector.

And it isn't just one issue that is responsible for the hold up. Apple have problems on several fronts.

Ming-chi Kuo says that the issue with the "iPhone 5S," is that Apple plans to integrate a fingerprint sensor which he believes poses a number of new challenges.

"Apple has to work out how to prevent interference from the black and white coating material under the cover glass. Apple is the first to attempt this function and technology, and time is needed to find the right coating material, which will likely affect iPhone 5S shipments."

Kuo, along with others, have said that that fingerprint sensor is essential if Apple is to integrate secure e-wallet functionality thereby enabling the new phone to work as a very secure credit card.

Kuo also says that the development of iOS 7 is behind schedule with more time is likely to be needed for software development and testing, particularly with respect to the fingerprint scanning functions that will be included with the software.

Kuo also believes that there are challenges with the casing of the low cost iPhone.

"The slimmer casing may make it more difficult to ramp up production yields of coating and surface treatment, and could slow down the shipment timetable," he said.

It could mean that the new range of products does not reach the stores until towards the end of the year.

The worry for Apple is that growth in spring, summer and autumn might be sluggish as more people choose better specified devices from Apple's rivals or decide to wait until the end of the year before upgrading.

You can read the whole story here.

If you are an O2 customer who fancies upgrading their phone on a fairly regular basis then it is worth taking a look at its new service O2 Refresh.

According to the network the service has been designed for customers to get a new phone at any time, without having to pay out their airtime contract.

Customers get their new phone, pay off the remaining balance and then start afresh.

They can also trade in their old mobile for cash using O2 Recycle, getting up to £260 to put towards their new phone.

"Mobile phone technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, yet the way phones are sold has remained largely static," said Feilim Mackle, Sales and Service Director at Telefónica UK. "Increasingly our customers are telling us that they don't want to be tied to the same phone for two years and, with 4G coming to O2 this summer, we want to make it easier for our customers to benefit from the latest technology. For the first time in the UK, O2 Refresh will make it possible to get a new phone part way through a pay monthly contract, at any time - quickly, easily and cost-effectively."

O2 Refresh is available on a range of phones including the HTC One, Sony Xperia Z, Blackberry Z10, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple iPhone 5. The Samsung Galaxy S 4 will be added when it becomes available. O2 Refresh will be available in O2 stores from Tuesday 16 April.

More details here.

There is some pretty grave news for BlackBerry this morning with several news sources reporting that sales of its Z10 flagship in the US are, well, less than impressive. ET mag even suggests that returns of the phone might outnumber sales something which the company categorically denies.

This contrasts with the story coming from the BlackBerry camp less than a month ago when it not only said that the Z10 was selling well in Europe but it had just landed an order for one million smartphones.

Much has been written about BlackBerry's meteoric rise and disastrous slide, but most commentators seem united on one thing - that the brand needed to offer an iPhone style touch screen phone.

I wonder though if the brand has made an error though in the way that it has pushed the device at the expense of its more traditional style model the Q10.

The Q10, which is reputed to land in the UK later this month,is a smartphone with a 3.1inch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard. It runs BlackBerry's acclaimed OS 10 and has many of the features that debuted on the Z10. It is continuity for the brand rather than a significant break - which was what the Z10 turned out to be.

I do wonder whether in following the agenda set by Apple, Samsung et al that BlackBerry has jettisoned much of what made its handsets special.

The biggest problem with the keyboard phones is that they don't sport a large screen - which makes them looks and feel a little odd when compared to much of what else is currently on sale.

Here's where I think BlackBerry went wrong. Instead of offering the Q10 as a kind of afterthought maybe the Q10 could have been the flagship. The difference could have been a significant increase in the size of the screen.

Phablets - phones with five inch plus screens - are everywhere at the moment and yesterday Samsung unveiled a handset with a 6.3inch screen. I do wonder how BlackBerry's core audience might feel if they were offered a handset with a keyboard and a larger screen. It could never be over five inches because of the requirement to accommodate the keyboard but it could certainly be larger than the 3.1inches offered the by the Q10 - 4.5 inches would be a possibility.

That would be a real statement phone. A proper hybrid between a phone and a tablet and one that would enable traditional BlackBerry fans to use and send their text messages and email etc. Sure it would be big - but we seem to be fine with big phones now.

We have allegedly seen BlackBerry's road map for next year and there appears to be a phone which has a keyboard and a four inch screen called the R10. The disaster for BlackBerry is that it doesn't appear to be scheduled until the time next year. I do wonder if this might prove to be the undoing of a once great brand. I am sure that we will see a handset like this in the stores soon - though I wonder it will come from Korea or China rather than North America.

It has been rumoured for a while now but Samsung has today confirmed that it will drop a pair of large screen phones called The Galaxy Mega. The handset will come in two editions - one with a 5.8inch screen - the other with a 6.3inch screen - the biggest screen on a Samsung handset so far.

As you'd expect both are stacked out with high-end facilities. They will run Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update features a host of software enhancements some of which are also on the Galaxy S4 - like Multi-window, Group Play, WatchON, Air View, Samsung Link, S Translator, S Travel, Story Album.

Of the two the Galaxy Mega 6.3 not only comes with a bigger - 6.3-inch HD (720p) TFT screen- it also has a faster 1.7GHz dual-core processor and is LTE )4G compatible). Other specs include 1.5GB RAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 8MP rear and 1.9MP front-facing cameras, 8 or 16GB internal memory, microSD card slot and 3200mAh battery.

The Galaxy Mega 5.8 has 5.8-inch display with HD resolution with a 1.4GHz dual-core CPU, HSPA+ as opposed to LTE. The other specs are fairly similar though it does have a less powerful 2600mAh battery.

It sounds like they are the net gen versions of the Galaxy Note, but without the stylus.

If you fancy the HTC First - the handset announced yesterday that runs Facebook Home, the social network's home screen on steroids - you will have to wait a while.

The device goes on sale in the United States on 12 April, but won't land in the UK until the early summer where it will be an EE exclusive.

In addition to Facebook Home the First runs Android Jelly Bean OS, sports a dual-core Qualcomm 1.4GHz processor, includes 16GB of storage and packs a 5 mega pixel camera.

Pippa Dunn, chief marketing officer, EE, said: 'We're proud to have been chosen by Facebook and HTC to be their UK launch partner for the HTC First. In combining our unique superfast network with the latest integrated Facebook experience, customers will constantly be at the centre of conversations with their friends.'

Peter Chou, CEO of HTC said: 'Along with our partners and fellow innovators--EE in the UK--we anticipate excitement from customers when the HTC First becomes available, putting a user's friends and family at the centre of their mobile experience.'

In a couple of days time Facebook has a press event in the US where it has invited journalists to 'Come see our new Home on Android.'

However if you were expecting a minor tweak or two to its Google app, forget it. The gossip is that this is something much bigger.

Rumours of Facebook phone have been buzzing for years now and on Thursday it seems like we will finally (sort of ) get it. We may also get a Facebook skin that you can download as your home screen.

Several sites, most notably this one, are running with the story that Facebook will unveil a HTC handset called the Myst, which will be running a tweaked version of Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). The big change is that Facebook will be totally integrated into the handset so that when you switch the phone on the first thing it does is log you in.

There's also a Facebook powered home screen which will at the very least give you notifications as well as displaying contacts that you can now make voice calls too using Facebook Messenger.

The Myst phone apparently sports a 4.3inch screen, 1.5Ghz processor, 1GB RAM and packs a five mega pixel camera too.

The big question is whether you will be able to download a version of the new tweak and install it on your Android phone. Also will it work with any Android OS, or just Jelly Bean?

So what do you think? Surely the upgrade will be available across all Android handsets - well Jelly Bean ones at least. And as for the phone I am not sure how many people are going to be tempted into buying a mid-range HTC handset purely on the strength of being able to access a Facebook skin/launcher - especially if they can get that via the Google Play store anyhow.

Well, we will find out soon enough.

It appears that BlackBerry could be through the worst. The company today released its latest financial results - which include figures from the launch of its Z10 handset - and they are not too shabby.

In fact Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of the company claims that BlackBerry is back in profit.

It has sold over 1 million BlackBerry Z10 handsets and 6 million smartphones overall were shipped in the quarter ending March 2nd.

"We have implemented numerous changes at BlackBerry over the past year and those changes have resulted in the Company returning to profitability in the fourth quarter," said Heins

"As we go into our new fiscal year, we are excited with the opportunities for the BlackBerry 10 platform, and the commitments we are seeing from our global developers and partners. We are also excited about the new, dynamic culture at BlackBerry, where we are laser-focused on continuing to drive efficiency and improve the Company's profitability while driving innovation. We have built an engine that is able to drive improved financial performance at lower volumes, which should allow us to generate additional benefits from higher volumes in the future."

The company still has the Q10 handset up its sleeve too. That's the one that runs the new OS but has an old school BlackBerry keyboard.