Brits need £305,000 in their pension pot for a comfortable retirement
SINGLE pensioners will need a pension pot of £123,000 just for basics when they retire – and as much as £305,000 to be able to take holidays, new research shows.
This is on top of the state pension, typically around £155 a week, people get from the age of 66, this week’s report from Which? says.
MOBILE THAT TURNS INTO PC
NEED a decent Android phone – but also need a laptop for occasional use?
This handset with a quirky feature that turns it into a PC might be for you.
Motorola’s G series has made its name with low-priced phones with decent features.
The new G100 is a whole different beast. At £449.99 it’s in the mid-range price bracket with top-end features to rival Apple or Samsung. On contract it is about £30 a month.
But that price is pushed up with a special dock for Motorola’s new Ready For You platform, so you can use it like a computer on a TV or monitor. That’s right, you can link up a keyboard and mouse and turn it into a mini-PC or use the G100’s camera for video calls.
Plug the phone into the dock and it starts automatically. There’s no need to use an app. You then get a standard PC-like experience on your telly. You do need a mouse and keyboard for serious work.
The Ready For feature will appeal to those who want a fast phone with a decent camera, but don’t want to splash out on a laptop. But it’s not as good as a dedicated laptop.
Like flagship phones it has a dizzying array of different lenses in the camera. The main camera has four lenses. The main snapper has 64MP, basically taking photos made up of 64million dots.
There’s a 16MP wide-angle one for landscape shots and 2MP depth-sensor used for the artistic portrait photos, which can also be used as a macro for close-up shots. The fourth helps with focusing. Plus the new Dual Capture video mode is aimed at social media fans. Make a video and it records using the rear and selfie cameras at the same time to film your reaction to what you are filming.
The G100 is one of the first phones in the world to use the latest Snapdragon 870 5G chips – basically a really fast brain to power games, apps, photos and web access.
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The Moto G first hit the market in 2013 as a bargain Android phone costing £135. Even this year’s G10 is £130, or from £12 on a monthly contract.
Motorola is hoping the Ready For You feature will lure in those who like multi-tasking, but it would be good if they also sold it for £100 less without the dock for those who just want a cracking value phone.
MOBILE PHONE CAPACITY BOOST
MOBILE phone masts located at seaside resorts have been boosted to cope with the number of Brits taking staycations. EE, the UK’s biggest network, has increased capacity in places such as Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton in anticipation of a bumper staycation summer.
They have upgraded the 4G network, so more people can connect at the same time, and have rolled out the faster 5G. When places are crowded with people, there is a risk that phone masts cannot cope with all the phone use.
This can be a problem in quiet areas where there is a sudden influx of people, such as stadiums and beaches. Marc Allera, of BT’s Consumer division, which works with BT-owned EE, said: “With many seaside locations expecting a particularly busy summer season, we’re pleased to be providing improved coastal connectivity.
“The network upgrades will help ensure our customers stay connected this summer, even at the busiest times. Improvements to our 4G network, alongside the continued rollout of our 5G network, will help people make the most of their time at the coast.
“It will also provide a valuable lifeline for emergency services should an emergency occur.”
EE has upgraded the mobile phone networks in the following locations: Blackpool, Bournemouth, Brighton, Dawlish, Great Yarmouth, Isle of Sheppey, Maldon, Porthcawl and Rhyl.
Improvements to a further 16 locations will follow later this summer.