Pros

Great interface.

Superbly designed including the packaging.

The touch screen works just the way you want it to and is very easy to adapt to.

The applications are easy to find and download, with some silly and some very useful.

Email works amazingly well, including the way you can view documents and PDF's.

The size is surprisingly small, but large enough for all that you will need.

Having email/camera/address book/internet/phone/calendar/calculator/map/itunes all in one place is incredible and cuts out the need for multiple gizmos.

The GPS works well, but the exciting news is that TomTom are working on a download for iPhones that will enable your iPhone to work like a TomTom Sat-Nav.

The ability to tap into wireless networks is great, meaning that you’re not always reliant on 3G networks.

In essence the iPhone 3G is unbelievably fun AND cool.

Cons

Short battery life, which can be aided by turning off 3G and the frequency which the phone ‘fetches’ your emails.

No copy and paste function.

No MMS, although if you're that way inclined you can 'crack' the iphone and download some opensource software to allow MMS.

Bluetooth is poor, it has no ability to transfer documents between one Bluetooth device and the iPhone.

Safari sometimes crashes for no reason.

Summary

Now that the iPhone has 3G and a lower price tag it is more accessible to regular phone users and not just the early adopters. The battery is a huge let down, but the features and ability to sync with itunes makes up for this.

The iPhone is much like (the old) VW beetle, it’s fun and everyone secretly wants one or is happy to admire them from a distance. However, whilst the VW Beetle owners look great and have lots of fun it isn’t long before they’re stranded on the hard shoulder, whilst the sensible boring cars chug on by en-route to their final destination.

If you want fun, mixed with multi-functionality, a dollop of new technology and a dash of smugness then the iPhone is for you. If you need something that will not conk out on you whilst you’re nipping up the M1, then save the iPhone for the weekends and get a blackberry or a nokia.

Having said this, I wouldn’t swap my iPhone for anything, except when the battery icon veers unnervingly towards 0% and I’m a long way from a charger.

Click me for Leicester Wireless Hotspots

Run by former workers at Google, Cuil (pronounced "Cool") say: "it [Cuil] uses more than 120 billion webpages to build up its index of the information it finds on the web...this is more than Google uses" (though the search giant has stopped reporting how much it indexes.)

Their website states that: "The Internet has grown exponentially in the last fifteen years but search engines have not kept up—until now. Cuil searches more pages on the Web than anyone else—three times as many as Google and ten times as many as Microsoft.

Rather than rely on superficial popularity metrics, Cuil searches for and ranks pages based on their content and relevance. When we find a page with your keywords, we stay on that page and analyze the rest of its content, its concepts, their inter-relationships and the page’s coherency.

Then we offer you helpful choices and suggestions until you find the page you want and that you know is out there. We believe that analyzing the Web rather than our users is a more useful approach, so we don’t collect data about you and your habits, lest we are tempted to peek.

With Cuil, your search history is always private." "The time may be right for a challenger," said Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engine Land. "Competing with Google is still a very daunting task, as Microsoft will tell you."

At Blue Cherry in Leicester we love our Search Engines, as we prove from the high level of success we achieve in Search Engine Optimisation. However, forgive us for sounding cynical if we say that we don't think "Cuil" will catch on and overtake the might of Google.

We did dabble doing a few searches and honestly did not like the look and feel of Cuil. It may fit more searches onto a page, but when it comes to convincing millions of web users to stop using Google and begin using Cuil, it will be like pushing water up hill.

Read the BBC article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7528503.stm

And go to Cuil here: www.cuil.com

Despite there being stores in Birmingham, Solihull and Milton Keynes, Apple have rightly made a decision to house their newest store in the Highcross centre in Leicester. (Less than a 5 minute walk from the Blue Cherry HQ on Swan Street.)

Highcross will be centred around two specially created public squares - St Peters Square and Grammar School Court. The restaurant quarter will provide a new focus for casual eating and fine dining at the heart of Highcross.

You will also be treated to food outlets from YO! Sushi, Wagamama, Canas y Tapas, Carluccio's, Nandos, Real china and Handmade burger company.

Read more about Highcross here: www.highcrossleicester.com

And more about Apple products here: http://store.apple.com/uk

As we continue to expand we needed an office which could accommodate our ever increasing business, which serves the lovely people of Leicester and the midlands with Public Relations, Marketing, Graphic Design, Web Design and Search Engine Optimisation.

Our email addresses and phone numbers are all the same, but our new address is:

Blue Cherry

Business Base

16 Swan Street

Leicester

LE3 5AW

If you're passing by feel free to pop in and say hi.

• Web Design and Programming
• Graphic Design - including logo design
• Search Engine Optimisation

To work specifically on this areas we have brought on board Kate - a skilled designer, website builder and SEO connoisseur.

Kate will be working on all of these services and a few more related ones in due course.

As always we can cope with small and large projects, but price ourselves so that small Leicester based businesses can afford high quality Marketing, Public Relations, Web and Design services.

If you would like us to take a look at some web or design work for you, please email info@blue-cherry.co.uk where we will be more than happy to meet up with you and discuss how we can help you.

Our website will be updated in due course to give you all the information we will need, but it's busy in the lab at the moment. Watch this space!

For your viewing pleasure we have just finished phase 2 of Bassenfell Manor's website which they are thrilled with, as well as with the way in which we are driving enquiries to them through our skilled SEO.

For those that don't know: Internet Explorer is a common browser that comes as standard on most computers. Firefox is simply a different (and better) browser. It's free, it's fast and the new version is out today.

According to a BBC Technology article today, Mr Schroepfer (vice president of engineering) said Firefox 3 promised to be faster, easier to use and more secure than rival browsers.

He claims that Firefox 3.0 loads webpages three to four times faster than Firefox 2.0 and more than seven times faster than Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

We love firefox 2.0 and are already on board with 3.0. All you need to do is download it from the link below and follow the simple instructions, then each time you want to surf the interweb, just click on the Firefox icon rather than the Internet Explorer icon. It'll still connect through the same Internet Service Provider (ISP), but will give you a faster and slightly better browsing experience.

The makers of Firefox are aiming to break the world record for most downloads in one day, so if you want to join them in their mission to break a Guiness World Record, pledge to download Firefox 3 by clicking below...

Mark is suitably pleased with the accomplishments his business has achieved, but is looking forward as the business looks to expand:

“80% of businesses fail in their first year, so although it’s important that we’ve passed that milestone we’re not focusing on that or easing up.

Over the next year I’m looking to expand the business, get larger premises in the city centre, give opportunities to graduates from the Leicester universities and continue to serve businesses across the midlands.

A year after it’s launch the Leicester PR and Marketing consultancy boasts an impressive range of clients, from Welsh footballing side ‘The New Saints FC’ through to new technology company ‘Textboards’.

Mark added: It’s a very exciting time for us and there are a number of Leicester based businesses that we’re thrilled to be working with.

I graduated with a degree in Marketing and PR and whilst I was lucky enough to launch myself straight into the PR industry, I had friends who struggled to gain experience in a commercial environment but not through a lack of talent and so I understand the challenges that graduates and students face today.

As a result of this I would like to offer Blue Cherry as a place where students and graduates can gain valuable experience in order that they can succeed in the challenging PR world.”

As Mr Crosby made these announcements the birthday wishes were pouring in from happy customers, Ian Williams the General Manager of The New Saints Football Club sent this message:

“Blue Cherry is always delivering for us. From successful events and post-match press coverage through to fun and innovative ideas to raise our profile. Everyone at The New Saints Football Club would like to wish Blue Cherry a very happy birthday!”

Whilst Leicester based Nicholas Maguire of innovative Bluetooth Company ‘Huetooth’ sent this message:

“Blue Cherry deliver time and time again. The press coverage that they have achieved for us has successfully raised our profile and introduced us to many new customers. We wish them many happy returns on their birthday.”

Blue Cherry is a fun, lively, creative, professional and ethical Public Relations and Marketing Agency based in Leicester at the heart of the Midlands. If you are a PR student or graduate and would like to talk to Blue Cherry about a career in PR, just email info@blue-cherry.co.uk

It's hard to believe we have been going for one year and yet have crammed so much in and are so well established, we have already achieved front page coverage for several clients, master-minded successful viral marketing campaigns, won awards for clients, achieved numerous newspaper, magazine and online articles, as well as countless other success stories that we are immensely proud of.

Although we're based in Leicester our customers now reach right across the Midlands, up as far as Newcastle on the east and Keswick on the west. In fact as I type this I'm sat in Telford after a day with a customer.

We're excited about the forthcoming year, with a new office on the horizon, more staff, bigger expectations but still the same ethics, level of effort, creativity and love for what we do. Our customers love Blue Cherry nearly as much as we do and so couldn't wait to wish us many happy returns:

"Blue Cherry deliver time and time again. The press coverage that they have achieved for us has successfully raised our profile and introduced us to many new customers. We wish them many happy returns on their birthday." - Nicholas Maguire, MD of Huetooth.

"Blue Cherry are great to deal with. I am continuously impressed with the quality and work ethic behind Blue Cherry and would like to wish them a very Happy Birthday!" - Sian Williams, North Wales Newspapers (not a customer but a great group of newspapers who produce some brilliant publications.)

"Blue Cherry are always delivering for us. From successful events and post-match press coverage through to fun and innovative ideas to raise our profile. Everyone at The New Saints Football Club would like to wish Blue Cherry a very happy birthday!" - Ian Williams, General Manager, The New Saints Football Club.

It's all very exciting and I'm thrilled that other companies appreciate our work and spirit.

We're off to blow out the candles and have some Birthday cake now...

Here's to many more Birthday celebrations.

Mark

Launching on July 11 the new iPhone has addressed previous issues like the lack of 3G and the cost.

It is also now available on a pay as you go tariff; free on certain tariffs; but only comes in 8gb or 16gb. Bad news for the 32gb fans.

Announced as always by Steve Jobs and to rapturous applause although to listen to the crowd you would have thought that the most exciting bit was when he announced the new headphone socket, which you can watch here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7443543.stm

At Blue Cherry we're waiting for them to confirm rumours that the new iPhone will come with Bluetooth headphones, enabling you to listen to your music with no wires/cables coming out of the phone, through the power of Bluetooth.

If Bluetooth is your thing why not head over to Huetooth.com and see how friends of ours are forging ahead with Bluetooth technology.

For iPhone demonstrations, inspiration and to be blown away by this soon to be market leader, just visit http://www.apple.com/iphone/

With increasing awareness around Values Lead business, Binary Ink are not only highly skilled at what they do, but they also have a genuine social conscience.

We recently undertook some Marketing work for them and were thrilled to learn more about them. Here's some points for you to digest: Binary Ink have three main values:

1. To Minimise Environmental Impact

2. To Donate an Average of 20% Profits to Charity

3. To Use Community Positive Suppliers

They also conduct superb work - something we can vouch for. If you like the sound of Binary Ink, why not head over to their website to find out more and tell them we sent you.

For further reading we can also recommend a great book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's fame, the book entitled "Ben & Jerrys Double Dip: How to Run a Values Led Business and Make Money Too" is well worth a read for anyone with an interest in having core ethics in the DNA of theis business.

The outcome of a meeting could be influenced by the range and quality of biscuits, according to 1,000 business professionals quizzed by Holiday Inn.

The chocolate digestive was deemed to make the best impression followed by shortbread and Hob Nobs. Lawyers were most impressed by good boardroom biccies, the survey added.

Dunking Do-Nots Jammie Dodgers and Bourbons were also among the biscuit types thought to help sweet-talk customers. However crumbly biscuits are a big no-no in the meeting environment, the questionnaire found, with 30% frowning on a regular digestive in the work environment. And when it comes to helping yourself to biscuits from a communal plate, the most acceptable number to take is two, the research concluded.

However more than half of respondents looked down on dunking biscuits in tea or coffee during a meeting. A survey released last year, which quizzed 7,000 people, suggested that the custard cream is the nation's favourite biscuit.

At Blue Cherry HQ we are firm believers in the power of good coffee and food, so if you want to meet up with us in Leicester to see how we can help you with your Public Relations or Marketing just give us a shout and we'll happily treat you to a Starbucks so we can enjoy good coffee as we find out more about your business.

Incidentally our favourite biscuits are Tim Tams as championed by the aussies, with a nod of the head going to the delicious Cherry Ripes.

The full BBC article can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7432092.stm

Blue Cherry had the pleasure of meeting Miss Universe finalist 2008 Sarah Rowlands at a The New Saints FC match last week.

Sarah Rowlands is a Miss Universe Finalist 2008, pictured in a home 'Saints' shirt with Colin Benbow a Vice-President from The New Saints Football Club.

Blue Cherry would like to wish Sarah all the best as she aims to reach the grand final in Vietnam.