Whoa, Nelly! Isn’t this something? Apple has just posted details on its iPad battery replacement service, which is really not a battery replacement service at all. Check out the company’s opening line:

“If your iPad requires service due to the battery’s diminished ability to hold an electrical charge, Apple will replace your iPad for a service fee.”

Now, let’s compare that to the verbiage found in the iPhone’s battery replacement program details:

“If your iPhone requires service only because the battery’s ability to hold an electrical charge has diminished, Apple will service your iPhone for a service fee.”

We can see the puzzled look on your face from here, and we’re sharing in the same disbelief. Apple is actually saying that it won’t bother cracking open your withered iPad, replacing the battery and sending it back your way; instead, you’ll pay $105.95 (including shipping) for a completely different iPad, which certainly has its pros and cons. On one hand, you’re getting a new (or potentially refurbished, actually) iPad in around “one week,” but on the other, you’ll be waving goodbye to every morsel of personal data on the device that you send in — unless you backup beforehand, of course. Here’s Apple’s take on answering “will the data on my iPad be preserved?”

“No. You will receive a replacement iPad that will not contain any of your personal data. Before you submit your iPad for service, it is important to sync your iPad with iTunes to back up your contacts, calendars, email account settings, bookmarks, apps, etc. Apple is not responsible for the loss of information when servicing your iPad.”

Lovely, don’tcha think? Head on past the break for the full text.

[Thanks, David]

Continue reading Dead iPad battery? Never mind replacing it, Apple just sends another iPad for $99

Vofone Social Sharing and Online Backup for Mobile

We’ve got to say this looks pretty promising.

Groundbreaking new mobile and web service helps users share, synchronise and backup mobile content online, bridging the gap between mobile and web

London, 22 April 2009 – vufone, a new mobile service that enables users to share, manage and unify all the social content between their mobile devices and the Internet through one simple interface, launches today in the UK.

Bridging the gap between mobile and web applications, vufone’s pioneering service allows users to automatically synchronise personal mobile content with photos, videos and other multimedia across the spectrum of popular social media websites. Accessing their personal profile via mobile handset or the web, vufone members are able to organise and share content on Facebook, Flickr, Gmail and soon Youtube and more from one location.

Rafi Ton, CEO of vufone, said “For most mobile phone users, their handset isn’t just a phone – it’s a camera, a social networking tool, a personal organiser and a source of entertainment. It’s the centre for a lot of life’s activities.

People want to unify their various online identities and all of the content they generate for both work and play easily, quickly and without compromising on security – vufone is the first ever service to deliver this. It’s an automatic sharing companion that makes sure personal mobile content gets to where users want it to be, every time.”

As well as being able to post content to their desired online social networks and services, vufone users can share their mobile pictures, videos and calendar appointments with friends and contacts through the easy-to-use mobile or web interface. Text messages can also be viewed, stored and sent via vufone, unifying mobile and web functions under one identity.

vufone’s key features at a glance include:

• Share: Users can automatically upload and send their camera phone images and videos to their favourite social networks like Facebook, Flickr, Picasa and soon also YouTube and Twitter with one update. Online vufone albums can also be created to share with contacts via the web.

• Synchronise: Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar meetings, tasks and contacts can be automatically synchronised with user’s mobile phones. Again, by automating this service users can ensure they are always up-to-date with key dates and appointments.

• Backup: Valuable mobile phone content like SMS messages, calendars, photos, videos and Smartphone documents can be easily safeguarded through regular and automated backup.  This feature is set to put an end to the stress caused by lost or stolen handsets. Personal content like photos or text messages can be deleted from one web access point so you do not need to worry about private information falling into the wrong hands.

Other innovative features allow users to upload songs to their handsets from the web or listen to their mobile music when online. The MyPersona feature lets users have their profile picture appear on their friend’s phone when they call. Cheap texts can also be sent from vufone’s web interface and images can be forwarded to your friends’ mobiles free of charge – eliminating the need for costly MMS messages.

vufone is supported by major handset providers including Nokia, SonyEricsson, Motorola, Samsung, LG and BlackBerry. The service is now available worldwide at www.vufone.com at a special subscription offer of only £9.99 per year – a small price to pay for synchronising your mobile and web worlds, and great peace of mind.