ZTE Blade Q Mini launches in UK exclusively on Virgin Media for only £60

ZTE has announced its Blade Q Mini smartphone will be on sale in the UK from today as a Virgin Media exclusive.

The handset is a mid-range smartphone offering a 4-inch 480 x 800 resolution (233ppi) IPS display, 1.3GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, 5-megapixel autofocus camera, 4G storage up to 32GB with microSD, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS, and a 1500mAh battery.

The ZTE Blade Q Mini will be sold exclusively on the Virgin Media network. ZTE has not said if other networks will sell the handset in future or if there will be an offline version available. What's certain is that pricing will be excellent with this handset aimed at those hoping to buy an affordable smartphone with mid-range specs.

Argos and Sainsbury's are selling the ZTE Blade Q Mini for £60. Argos should have it first. It will be locked to the Virgin Media network.

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Sony fuels speculation that it will release a Windows Phone

Sony is rumored to be considering launching a Windows Phone this year, and now the company has confirmed it’s still in discussions with Microsoft. Speaking to TechRadar this week, Sony’s European mobile chief, Pierre Perron, says the company doesn’t want to be a “single OS manufacturer, noting it’s not a viable position long term. "[Working with Microsoft] is an interesting proposition for us in the PC environment, and we continue our engagement with them,” says Perron. "We are exploring this as part of our discussion in mobile space too. One thing is using the platform [Windows Phone] itself, and another is 'what can we deliver on top of it'?"Images of prototype Sony Windows Phoneshave emerged several times over the past few years, and it’s almost certain that the company has been experimenting with Microsoft’s phone software. Perron has also previously revealed Sony was working with Microsoft in 2012. The latest hints come just weeks after rumors suggested Sony and ZTE were both considering Windows Phone 8 hardware. Microsoft is expected to detail a Windows Phone 8.1 update in April, and it’s almost certain that associated hardware will be ready for when the new software launches.   Any future Sony Windows Phone may be branded with Vaio, the same moniker used for Sony’s range of Windows PCs.Nokia currently dominates Windows Phone market share and it’s understandable that Microsoft would want to rely on other phone makers to push the platform. The software giant is even considering lowering licensing fees for Windows Phone in an effort to attract more hardware partners. It’s key for Microsoft to find additional support for Windows Phone through established phone vendors, and it’s possible that Sony might be the next big name to put its name to Windows Phone hardware.

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