Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Orange UK Launches the SPV E650 Windows Mobile Standard Smartphone

Posted by Pete Paxton in "ARTICLE" @ 11:00 AM

http://www.theunwired.net/?itemid=3759

"Announced earlier this year during the 3GSM World Congress, Orange Business Services today launched the first Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0-powered smartphone on the UK market. Available exclusively from Orange until the beginning of May, the compact SPV E650 (aka HTC Vox - see the::unwired's hands-on here) combines powerful functionality with sleek design and the ability to connect with Wi-Fi, EDGE and GPRS networks, making mobile messaging easier than ever before. Designed for business users, the SPV E650 offers all the advantages of a PDA, alongside quad-band functionality for ultimate connectivity. Users can update spreadsheets or documents on the move, using the mobile versions of Microsoft Excel and Word. Windows Mobile 6.0 means that documents appear on the device screen just as they would on a PC, avoiding formatting headaches."



I like this phone. Orange has announced the SPV E650 which is their version of the Vox and HTC S710. Seems everything I've read about this smartphone is positive. I really like my Dash but I'm afraid if T-Mobile gets it, I'm going to be tempted. Hmmm, I need a quick present giving holiday so I can justify this phone to my wife :lol:

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Friday, February 2, 2007

Fujitsu Launches World's Thinnest Waterproof Mobile

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 06:08 PM

http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2007/02/014854.htm

"The Fujitsu F703i measures only .7 inch thick and be be under water for 30 minutes, reports Laptop logic. 'The stylish and compact phone measures 3" by 1.8" by .7" and weighs 3.8 ounces. It features a 2.2-inch. Comes in white, pink, and black and will ship next month through NTT DoCoMo in Japan.'"



My heart almost stopped when I first saw the image shown above. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that I spent so long working in the cellular world. One of the first things you are taught is that water and phones do not go well together. Personally, I'm surprised that there are not more waterproof phones on the market, especially since a large majority of insurance claims on handsets are due to water damage! :(

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Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Amoi Launches Low-Cost Smartphones

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "HARDWARE" @ 09:23 PM

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/handhelds/0,39001709,61972184,00.htm

"At the ITU Telecom World 2006 event in Hong Kong, Amoi Electronics showcased four of its upcoming smart phone devices which it claims will be affordably priced to target the mass market audience. The first of the four smart phones, the Amoi E72, will retail in China for less than US$250. This, according to press release, makes it one of the lowest-priced Windows Mobile smart phones in the China market. Prices for the other three smart phones--the Amoi E75, E76 and E78--are expected to be announced at a later date."



Hopefully when Microsoft Asia stated that there are currently no plans to bring these Smartphones to other parts of Asia, that didn't exclude the rest of the world. Each one of these devices is a must have, if not for their beauty then definitely for their price! :)

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Saturday, November 18, 2006

Mercora M Launches on The Mobihand Network!

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "SOFTWARE" @ 11:59 AM

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Monday, November 13, 2006

Kerio Launches MailServer 6.3 With Push Email Via Activesync

Posted by Mike Temporale in "SOFTWARE" @ 07:00 AM

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• Source: Pocket PC Thoughts

Friday, November 3, 2006

Rogers Wireless Launches 3G HSDPA

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 08:30 AM

http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=2853

"Canada's only GSM carrier, Rogers Wireless, announced that it has turned up the first phase of its HSDPA 3G network. The new high-speed data network is available in the area of Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe, spanning from the greater Toronto metropolitan area to Niagara Falls. Rogers claims that their HSDPA network is the fastest wireless network in the country. Currently Rogers is only offering HSDPA access for laptops by way of the Sierra Wireless AirCard 860."



Great news! Well, not really, but it's a start. It will be nice to see them expand this to more than just Sierra Wireless AirCards.

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Thursday, November 2, 2006

Dopod Launches the C720W (Excalibur-Based) Smartphone

Posted by Mike Temporale in "ARTICLE" @ 01:30 PM

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39051200,39272180p,00.htm

"It was bound to happen. With all the buzz and hype surrounding the Motorola Q as well as the recently launched Samsung SGH-i320N, it was only a matter of time before a competitor would come and knock it off its pedestal--and that time is now. Taiwanese handheld maker Dopod, along with smart phone manufacturer HTC and Microsoft's Windows Mobile division, finally introduced the C720W (a.k.a. HTC Excalibur), and after putting it through its paces, we find that it deserves its title as a Moto Q killer for a number of reasons."



CNet Asia has a write up on the newly announced Dopod C720w Smartphone - also known as the HTC S620/Excalibur. The review was written using a T-Mobile Dash, so I wouldn't count on it be 100% accurate once the Dopod's hit the streets, but it will be pretty close.

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• Source: Pocket PC Thoughts

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

T-Mobile Launches HotSpot at Home Service in Selected Areas

Posted by Jerry Raia in "NEWS" @ 07:30 AM

http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=200

"A couple of months ago I was offered a chance to beta test the upcoming T-Mobile UMA service and was given a full kit to try for 6 weeks. The kit consisted of a T-Mobile branded Linksys router and Samsung UMA WiFi-enabled phone. T-Mobile is now rolling out their HotSpot @ Home service to customers in the Puget Sound area of Washington State for more public testing purposes. You need to buy the WiFi enabled phone for US$49.99 and existing smartphones you may have with WiFi radios will not work."



Now here is a practical use for WiFi in Smartphones. I wonder if this will spread to Starbucks. Have any of you in the Puget Sound area heard of this or seen it in action? Is there anyone here in the Puget Sound area? :?

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Monday, October 2, 2006

T-Mobile Launches "myFaves" Service, New Branding!

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "NEWS" @ 03:04 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/02/t-mobile-launches-myfaves-service-new-branding/

"T-Mobile is dead, long live T-Mobile. October 2006 is looking to mark some major changes for the States' fourth-largest carrier, dropping their corporate branding in favor of what you see above -- a decidedly... well, bubblier font, along with a fresh slogan, "Stick Together." The color scheme (pink, and lots of it) carries over, but the spokesperson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, does not. On a related note T-Mobile is taking the opportunity to launch their myFaves service (reminiscent of Alltel's My Circle) which lets customers place calls airtime-free to five folks of their choice, regardless of carrier. It seems a little sketch that they're restricting the use of myFaves to certain handsets with special firmware -- but with plans starting at $40, we suspect plenty of folks will be willing to pick up new hardware to get in on the action."



Being able to talk to five people, on any network, for an unlimited amount of time is cool, especially if you have a talkative child or your work requires you to be on the phone for extended periods of time. On the other hand, one of the main reasons I moved back to Cingular was because everyone I talk to is on Cingular so now I get to talk to them for free! :roll:

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Friday, September 22, 2006

Bell Canada Launches Motorola Q Smartphone

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 07:45 AM

http://www.bell.ca/shopping/en_CA_ON/64117.details?

One month ago today, we told you about Bell Canada's listing of the Motorola Q as Coming Soon on their web site. Well, all that has now changed. Bell Canada has just launched the Motorola Q Smartphone. (For those of you who are not familiar with Canadian operators, Bell is a CDMA operator. So this Q would be a CDMA based Q. ;) ) The Q can be had for $449 without contract, or $249 on a 3 year contract combined with a minimum $60 data plan. It would be interesting to find out what differences this device has, if any, over the Telus or Verizon versions of the Q. Hopefully this ships with MSFP already in ROM.

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• Source: robertal

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

WebIS Launches VoiceMinder for Windows Mobile Smartphone

Posted by Mike Temporale in "SOFTWARE" @ 07:00 AM

http://pocketinformant.com/products_info.php?p_id=voiceminder&dir=wm&tab_id=introduction

"VoiceMinder is a simple solution for those of us who keep track of their task items via email. Currently available for the Windows Mobile 2003/5 Smartphone and Pocket PC, once setup VoiceMinder allows you to quickly record a voice note and have it sent on its way to your email address of choice with just two button presses. No user interface to mess with. No complexities. Just drive/walk/whatever and press the user-configured hotkey to start recording and the hotkey again to stop - instant voice mail!"



Well, there it is. Jason's dream has become a reality - VoiceMinder was officially launched yesterday. Now, you can quickly and easily record voice notes and have them sent to your inbox. You can pickup a trial version or purchase a copy for $6.95 from the WebIS website.

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Friday, September 8, 2006

Virgin Mobile Launches Mobile TV with Windows Mobile Smartphone

Posted by Jerry Raia in "HARDWARE" @ 05:00 AM

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?ContentId=6631

"British mobile operator Virgin Mobile has announced the launch of its new mobile TV service, Virgin Mobile TV, and confirmed the that it will be offering a selection of premium channels and programming to Virgin Mobile TV viewers, starting on 1st October 2006. Virgin Mobile TV will broadcast BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and E4, offering consumers a range of high-profile channels and TV programmes. Customers who have a Virgin Mobile �Tellyphone� will be able to watch their favourite TV programmes and listen to DAB digital radio wherever they are. BBC One will be available on a trial basis for 12 months and will be provided free to consumers."



Well the phone is a bit ugly but it does signal that TV on phones is well on the way. Even better it is a Smartphone! I'm not much of a TV watcher myself but I am intrigued by this. It might compel me to watch more. :lol:

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Sprint Launches Sprint Movies!

Posted by Rocco Augusto in "NEWS" @ 03:32 AM

http://www.mobilitysite.com/2006/09/sprint_to_offer_fulllength_pay_per_view.php

"Sprint launched today Sprint Movies, the first �pay-per-view� service for mobile phones in the U.S. that streams full-length movies, including recent box-office hits and timeless favorites from Buena Vista VOD, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures. Sprint Movies offers a growing list of more than 45 titles, including �National Treasure,� �Spider-Man 2� and �Scarface.� Sprint Movies is powered by mSpot, which is responsible for video production and ongoing operations of the service. Sprint Movies features many of the same conveniences as a DVD player. A movie can be seen in its entirety all at once, or it can be divided into chapters and watched over time. Customers can play, pause and skip forward or backward to different chapters. They can also resume a movie at the exact point where it was last shut down."




It is about time this happened! We have seen mobile television for years from services such as SmartVideo and MobiTV and with the availability of 3G networks popping up all over the US, one has to wonder, "When will we be able to watch movies on demand?" Well, that time is now thanks to Sprint! Granted, this service is only available on select handsets but it is a defiantly a step in the right direction. :)

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• Source: Chris

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Amazon Launches Unbox Video Downloads

Posted by Jason Dunn in "NEWS" @ 05:59 PM

http://www.amazon.com/b/?&node=16261631

Amazon has just launched their online video ordering system, and it looks pretty slick - though, unfortunately, it's available to US-based customers only, so I can't actually order any videos. Prices are about what I'd expect: $1.99 for one-hour TV shows such as 24 (with a 20% discount for buying the whole season) and full-length movies range in price from $9.99 to $14.99. That seems a bit high to me, though the price is offset by the fact that the purchase price includes two versions: one DVD-quality download for playback on a PC, and one mobile-ready version for playback on a portable video device. Both downloads seem to be WMV and use Microsoft DRM, so iPods won't be compatible.

Amazon has an impressive array of TV channels, including A&E, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, BBC, The Biography Channel, Cartoon Network, CBS, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, E!, Fine Living, FOX, FX, MTV and others. Movie studios that have signed on so far: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros.

Supported mobile devices include the Creative Zen Vision: M, Creative Zen Vision, Toshiba Gigabeat S, Archos AV 500, Archos AV 700 and the iRiver PMC (Portable Media Center). No word on other supported mobile devices, but given that PlaysForSure support is required, I'm inclined to think that Windows Mobile 5 devices will also work, but seeing as I can't order a movie, I have no way of testing this. Someone care to give it a try? Once the DRM authentication happens, Windows Media Player should offer to transcode the video file is necessary.

The whole thing centres around the Amazon Unbox Video Player, a Windows-based software application that serves as the central point for movie ordering and transfers. Unfortunately, this service does not allow DVD burning in a format that a DVD player can read. There's no mention of a Windows Media Center Edition 2005 plugin either, so I think the "TV" portion of this offering is a bit ridiculous. What do you think of what Amazon is offering? Is it compelling enough for you to try? They're offering a $1.99 rebate on your first purchase, so if you're in the USA, go grab a free TV show!

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Monday, July 24, 2006

HTC Launches Self-Branded Accessory Line

Posted by Jerry Raia in "HARDWARE" @ 05:00 PM

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2006/07/22/htc-launches-self-branded-accessory-line/

"If your HTC-branded TyTN just doesn't feel complete without the matching branded range of accessories, it looks like HTC feels your pain. Browsing on over to the company's European site, a couple of accessories have popped up with more promised in the pipeline: the BH S100 A2DP headset and BH M100 mono Bluetooth headset, both with expected August availability."



For all you brand name fans HTC has a little something for you. Brand name accessories! Ok you are not excited. I can feel that much from here. We just wanted to let you know about them. :)

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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Dopod Launches the HTC Breeze as the Dopod 595 in Taiwan

Posted by Kris Kumar in "HARDWARE" @ 05:15 AM

http://www.dopodasia.com/Dopod/Taiwan/Products/SmartPhone/595/

HTC's first 3G Smartphone, the HTC Breeze, has been launched by Dopod in Taiwan and is being called the Dopod 595. The retail price is supposed to be NT$16,900, approximately US $515. The press release can be viewed over here. Unfortunately all the information on the Dopod Web site about this Smartphone is in Chinese, but I am sure some of us have the specifications memorized. ;-) Cingular recently launched its first 3G phone; wonder how long we will have to wait to see the HTC 3G phones added to the list?

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Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Samsung Launches the Slim QWERTY i320 Smartphone in Europe

Posted by Kris Kumar in "HARDWARE" @ 06:10 AM

http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20060704_0000268466#

"Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading provider and innovator of mobile phones, announced its launch of the SGH-i320 , new Slim QWERTY Smartphone, signaling the company's drive to the smartphone market. The sleek and stylish Samsung i320 is a super-slim bar type handset, measuring just 11.5mm in depth and 95g in weight with an easy-to-use QWERTY keyboard. The QWERTY keyboard has the same keyboard layout used in personal computers, enabling users to send emails and text messages far more conveniently; such a fun and simple methodology proved to be a huge success amongst consumers in the US and Europe. ... The SGH-i320 will be launched in Europe this month. The following launches will take place throughout the rest of Europe and South East Asia shortly."



Samsung has officially announced the Moto Q challenger, the i320, in Europe. Even though this unit is for the GSM networks, the fact that Samsung chose to launch it with a tri-band (900/1800/1900 MHz) module means that this unit will not be launched officially in the US. :( I am surprised that Samsung is making tri-band cell phones at a time when quad-band is becoming a standard, especially on the devices aimed at the enterprise users who tend to be travelers. The good news for the European users is that the device will have MSFP/push email support out of the box. They will also be able to claim that their i320 which measures 111 x 59 x 11.5mm is smaller than the Q (116 x 64 x 11.5mm).

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• Source: the::unwired

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Sling Media Launches Slingbox in UK

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 07:00 AM

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Friday, May 5, 2006

Dopod Officially Launches the HTC StarTrek

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 11:30 AM

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• Source: Mobile Gadget News

Monday, May 1, 2006

SecureGSM Launches Next Generation Crypto Smartphone Solution

Posted by Mike Temporale in "NEWS" @ 10:45 AM

http://www.securegsm.com/pages.php?pageid=4

"SecureGSM is pleased to announce the immediate availability of SecureGSM� SP for Windows Mobile Smartphone. SecureGSM� SP represents the next generation cryptographic phone application for Windows Mobile Smartphone devices. SecureGSM� SP's advanced architecture, combined with exceptional integration with Windows Mobile Smartphone, provides truly unparalleled ease of use and convenience in a traditional phone form factor. SecureGSM� SP is designed to combat eavesdropping and interception by providing Military Grade security for your confidential mobile phone conversations and messaging."



If you need a little more security in your phone calls, you might want to consider the SecureGSM SP. Personally I think this is very cool software. However, I don't really have much need for it. It's no skin off my back if you want to listen to me talk to Grandma about her Grand-kids and the trouble they're getting into. :lol: But I'm sure there are a number of companies that would be really interested in this software. I imagine a lot of them would be the same places that don't allow camera phones. ;)

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