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| October, 2007 | Home| About us| Services| Contact | |
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Note from Jason Flick
Smart phones finally for the masses?
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Three New Smartphones from HTC, Including Touch Dual
By Michael Kwan
October 3,
2007
High Tech Computer (HTC) is probably one of the biggest manufacturers of Windows Mobile-based
devices in the world, even if the phone you happen to be rocking
doesn't have any HTC badging on it.
The company has made quite the effort in
getting their own name out there recently and this latest trio of handsets will
surely win over more than a few hearts. And all three boast Windows Mobile 6.
The Touch Dual was previously being bandied about on the blogosphere simply as the Touch II. Basically, the HTC Touch Dual takes the beautiful TouchFLO interface found on the original Touch and adds in a slide-out numeric keypad. This is the first HTC phone to have a vertical slider. Other niceties, as you recall, include HSDPA, 2 megapixel camera, microSD expansion, and tri-band GSM/EDGE.
Kyocera Lingo Launches QWERTY Onto Cricket
By Michael Kwan
October 1, 2007
Everyone loves to send text messages today, even users on Cricket. That's why the
smallest mobile operator has decided to add the Kyocera Lingo to its lineup.
The Lingo, also known as the M1000, features a conventional color screen and
numeric keypad on the front of the phone, but if you flip open the phone
like a book, you reveal a larger display and full QWERTY keyboard.
In this way, the form factor is eerily similar to the hugely successful LG enV available through Verizon Wireless. The key difference, of course, is that
the Kyocera Lingo lacks any of that V CAST goodness that you've come to know
and love. The rest of the vitals are pretty standard on the Lingo, including
Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera.
Sidekick LX: Hands-On Impressions
By Michael Kwan
October 1, 2007
While everyone else is just hanging on to their reservation cards, the lucky buggers at Boy Genius have managed to snag a handset for fondling purposes and
overall, they sound quite pleased. Sure, the spec sheet for the new Sidekick LX
isn't all that improved over the Sidekick 3 that it is replacing, but the
hands-on experience seems to make all the difference.
According to the
Boy Genius, the new QWERTY-touting device is "definitely thinner and feels right
when your [sic] typing, IMing, or MMSing on it." The speaker is very loud and
clear, whereas the screen is jaw-droppingly crisp. It's also notable that the
back of the Sidekick has some sort of rubberized textured finish in case your
hands get all sweaty while chatting with your friends. The OS has been tweaked
slightly, but Danger lovers will feel right at home.
Rogers Canada Picks Up Moto Q 9h, Second Windows Mobile 6 Smartphone
By James Alan Miller
October 4, 2007
A couple of weeks ago, Canada's only GSM operator, Rogers Wireless, said it would pick up Palm's Treo 750.
Today, it announced plans to add a second Windows Mobile 6 device with a QWERTY thumb-keyboard, the MOTO Q 9h, to its smartphone lineup.
In related news, Rogers has made available a free Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for the HTC S621, which is offered
in the US as the T-Mobile Dash. As with Roger's two new Windows Mobile
smartphones, the HTC S621 sports a BlackBerry-like tablet-style
design: display on top, keyboard on the bottom.
The Q9h is Motorola's second-generation Q for GSM carriers. It sports larger keys and sleeker design.
As with other Qs, the Q9h runs the Standard version of Windows Mobile 6 (formally known as Smartphone), so its
QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) resolution display is not a touch screen. The Treo 750, by contrast, leverages the Professional version
of that platform, so there is a touch display with that device.
There's also support for Rogers UTMS/HSDPA 3G data network with the quad-band GSM smartphone, a
2 megapixel camera with flash for picture and video, GPS for location-based services, and Bluetooth.
Palm Linux Smartphone Delayed Again
By Tom Sanders
October 4, 2007
The Linux version of Palm OS is intended to replace the
Garnet OS launched in 2006. The software was originally designed as a low-end
Palm OS and is essentially an update to the Palm OS 5 software released in 2002.
The new software primarily targets consumers because enterprises tend to buy
Windows powered Treo smartphones.
Palm will not ship its next-generation smartphone until the end of next year,
chief executive Ed Colligan said in an earnings call this week.
Originally slated for late this year, Colligan said in July that the launch
would take place "some time next year."
The executive clarified this week that the release will be towards the later
end of 2008, projecting availability "by the end of the next calendar year".
"I would say that the platform development effort has gone as well as could
be expected. We are excited about how that has been coming along and feel like
it is on schedule," said Colligan.
"Everyone would always like to do things faster, of course. But it is
certainly within our expectations."
The new software primarily targets consumers. Enterprises tend to buy Windows
powered Treo smartphones because they can be integrated more easily with
existing email infrastructures.
Rogers Wireless Releases
Windows Mobile 6 Upgrade for HTC s621
By Mike Temporale
October 3, 2007
Rogers Wireless has just released Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for the HTC s621 (aka: HTC Excalibur). If you have the Rogers version
of this phone you can now download and flash your phone with the latest ROM. But
be careful, as this will erase all your personal settings and data! Be sure to
sync your phone prior to flashing it and you might also want to give it the once
over looking for ringtones, home screens, camera phone images, or anything else you might have placed on it.
If you have the Rogers branded version, we
would love to hear how the upgrade goes.
You can find answers and download the ROM directly from the Rogers website at www.rogers.com/s621upgrade.
Pros seem to outdo cons in new phone charger standard
Cell Phone Manufacturers to Standardize on Micro-USB for Charging?
By David Meyer
September 20, 2007
The spaghettilike nightmare that forms many consumers' collection of phone chargers, headset connectors and data cables could be set to end after a major mobile-industry forum agreed to standardize on one type of connector.
On Monday, the Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP)--a forum dominated by operators but including manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony Ericsson and LG--announced that its members had agreed on micro-USB as the future common connector.
Micro-USB, which is thinner than the currently ubiquitous mini-USB standard and therefore better suited to the ever-shrinking dimensions of mobile phones and other consumer electronics, was introduced to the world by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) at the start of this year. Like mini-USB, the standard also makes it possible to charge phones from PCs.
"The USB-IF was first to recognize a clear market need for a universal data and charging mechanism for devices," said USB-IF President Jeff Ravencraft. "We are pleased to see OMTP support the USB technology as the standard for connectivity in the mobile space."
Markku Verkama, director of portfolio planning for Nokia's technology platforms division, said the decision would have wide-reaching benefits for the industry and consumers. "With the reduction of cables needed for mobile data connectivity, we can further enhance user experiences in our devices while reducing the burden to the environment."
T-Mobile Prepping Windows Mobile Smartphone with VGA Display
By James Alan Miller
October 3, 2007
T-Mobile has offered a number of different Windows Mobile smartphones over the years, most of which were built
by original design manufacturer HTC. Currently, America's fourth
largest wireless carrier supports the Dash and the Wing, with another
model, the Kaiser, rumored to be coming soon.
You can now add the HTC's Juno to the list, if unconfirmed reports
are are correct, according to Brighthand.
Rumor has it T-Mobile will offer Juno as the Shadow.
As a Windows Mobile 6 Standard smartphone, the Shadow won't feature
a touch screen. However, it is supposed to be the first Windows Mobile
Standard device with a display that sports a 480 x 640 pixel(VGA)
resolution. The screen measures 2.6 inches diagonally.
The GSM smartphone (it is going to be coming from T-Mobile after
all) is said to also include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 2 megapixel camera,
and a 4-way navigation pad with a trackball.
Ericsson launches HSPA in the 2.6GHz frequency band
October 1, 2007
The launch of HSPA products for the 2.6GHz frequency band
provides an immediate and secure choice for operators planning to offer mobile
broadband services in this band.
The initiative also follows increased interest from mobile device
manufacturers in launching HSPA devices for the 2.6GHz band. In turn, Ericsson
is adding 2.6GHz support to its successful family of WCDMA/HSPA device platforms
and mobile broadband modules for use in notebook computers.
New licenses for the 2.6GHz frequency band are now becoming available
globally and Ericsson's HSPA solution for the 2.6GHz frequency band supports
opportunities for operators to create new markets.
The deployment of HSPA on the 2.6GHz frequency band also stimulates current
HSPA operators to further grow their existing mobile broadband business into new
frequency bands, as it allows them to leverage existing infrastructure,
providing greater cost efficiency, and supports a wider range of end-user
devices.
Garmin Mobile XT turns phones into GPS navigators for $99
Looking for a way to skip navigator subscriptions?
Garmin Mobile XT may offer a solution for that
By Sindre Lia
October 3, 2007
Garmin today announced Garmin Mobile XT, an all-in-one software
solution that turns a range of smartphones with internal GPS into Garmin
navigators. This mobile phone software application seamlessly pairs the phone's
built-in GPS with Garmin's software so that customers have the benefits of
navigation anywhere in North America or Europe.
Garmin Mobile XT offers
preloaded maps on a microSD card and include access to dynamic content like
premium real-time traffic alerts and fuel prices, but does not require monthly
fees or subscriptions of any kind. Once the card is inserted into a compatible
smartphone with embedded GPS, the Garmin Mobile XT application will launch
automatically. The list of supported phones includes a range of Windows Mobile,
Symbian and BlackBerry smartphones, and more phones will be supported soon.
Leveraging technology from other GPS markets Garmin serves, Garmin
Mobile XT builds in features such as support for travel guides, topo maps and
custom point of interest, as well as advanced features such as route planning
with saved routes, custom avoidances and visible trip logs.
Garmin
Mobile XT also includes PeerPoints, enabling users to send their position to any
other phone as well as view and navigate to the location of other Garmin Mobile
XT users.
Engadget checks out TI's cellphone projector
By Chris Ziegler
September 20, 2007
Now that we have email, internet, TV, GPS, cameras, and satellite radio on our cellphones, our next wish is for bigger, higher resolution screens -- which
seems paradoxical, because larger displays almost always mean bulkier devices.
Well Texas Instruments thinks it'll soon be able to nullify this trade-off with
an in-handset projector that we've heard about several times before, but last night's
Pepcom event in New York was the first time we've been able to peep the
technology up close. Not that the TI reps made it easy to do so: the prototype
unit was in a locked metal case underneath the table, and we had to swear up and
down that we saw Walt Mossberg getting a demo before they'd cough it up. As you
can see, the reason they want to keep this under wraps for the time being is
that the quality and brightness are certainly not ready for prime time yet;
while the unit we saw used lasers as the light source, we're told that an
LED-based model still in the lab offers significant improvements. Keep reading
for more shots of this rare prototype -- along with a video courtesy of Popular Science -- and give yourself a few moments to
bask in the future before returning to the stark reality of your own phone and
its dim little QQVGA action...
Sprint to offer $100 Palm Centro QWERTY phone in mid-October
Aiming to attract traditional high-end feature phone users;
Palm introduces the compact, yet full-featured $100 Palm Centro
By Sindre Lia
September 27, 2007
Designed for individuals and traditional mobile users looking
for a better way to manage their professional and social lives, Palm and Sprint
today introduced the Palm Centro. With voice, text, IM, e-mail, web, contact and
calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen and full QWERTY keyboard,
Centro brings Palm simplicity and organization to customers who want to stay
connected with co-workers, friends and family.
With a new compact
design, Centro is the smallest and lightest Palm phone to date. Centro has a
modern, stylish look that feels comfortable in the hand, pocket or evening
purse.
"Palm Centro has the power of a broadband smartphone at the price
of a standard 12-key phone," said Ed Colligan, CEO of Palm. "People looking to
have all their contacts and calendar at the touch of a button, plus YouTube
streaming videos and the Internet can now get it in a small, cool design with
the trademark Palm ease of use. If you're thinking about stepping up to a
smartphone, the Palm Centro should be your choice."
The HTC TyTN II
More powerful than any mobile communications device you've seen before,
the HTC TyTN II takes global connectivity to the next level.
Staying connected means staying ahead. The TyTN II supports the full
spectrum of network standards, guaranteeing that you will stay in touch
ANYWHERE in the world. With an internet connection via 3.5G HSDPA that is
nine times faster than 3G, using the TyTN II to download files and surf the
Web is a breeze.
Communicating on the go is easier than ever with an innovative, ergonomic
LCD design that positions the touch screen perfectly for reading and
creating e-mails, using applications, or even just playing games.
Important information is just a glance away with HTC Home™, which
displays a big clock and provides live weather updates, access to a quick
application launcher and one touch ring settings, easy photo dialing, and
more.
With a complete suite of Microsoft® Office Mobile applications, including
Outlook® Mobile, Word Mobile, Excel® Mobile, and PowerPoint® Mobile, being
out of the office doesn't have to mean you're out of the loop. Always ready
for business - and pleasure - the HTC TyTN II makes sure you are too.
Events
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Wireless Congress 2007: Systems & Applications |
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WiMAX 2007 |
Smartphone Summit |
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