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mobile phones
Samsung HMX-E10 Pocket Camcorder helps you shoot you in HD
Aug 1st
Why in the world hasn?t something like this come about a few decades ago? I mean, you should know by now that most of us are closet-narcissists and totally love adoring our brilliant deeds like smoking two cigarettes at a time (when there?s no one to hold your camcorder) or even when you?re smacking your lips in a la Heath Ledger mimicry. Samsung?s HMX-E10 pocket camcorder has a swiveling lens that can turn around and help you shoot your crazy deeds. The rotating angle extends to about 270 degrees. Also, it has a 2.7 inch touchscreen display, 3x optical zoom and (what do you know) 1080p recording!
If all of this wasn?t enough then get a hold of the HDMI-out available with this one and also the microSD recording.
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Motorola DEVOUR with Verizon USA at Cost of $149.99
Mar 25th
Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Motorola (NYSE: MOT) have just launched/announced the Motorola DEVOUR for use on ‘big red’. Available in-stores and online starting today, the DEVOUR will run you a cool $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate… Oh, and you’ll need to sign that 2-year agreement while you’re at it too. If the Droid ain’t your thing, the DEVOUR is the second Android-powered device to hit Verizon. Oddly enough, both devices are full QWERTY side-sliders, which, well all and good for many… I’m not a huge fan of. Just my personal 2 cents.
The Motorola DEVOUR packs Android 1.6 (Donut), a 3.1? touchscreen display, 3MP camera with video, MOTOBLUR (for all your social networking needs), WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 8GB microSD card, ah and yes, there’s that full QWERTY slider. Can’t forget about that keyboard.
Firstview of CE/Android tablets
Mar 7th
Doesn’t look too bad for a $95 Android tablet, huh? Well, there’s plenty more where that came from. Scattered along the main halls of CeBIT are dozens of Chinese and Taiwanese consumer electronics resellers looking to sell products to new customers, and this year they sure loaded up the suitcases with cheap Android / Windows CE tablets.
For the most part all these tablets (or small smartbooks) have ARM 9 or 11 processors and 5 to 7-inch resistive touch displays. While some like the FirstView PC607V tablet (pictured above) have attractive skins on top of Windows CE, others from companies like Forsa and Huawei have gone with stock versions of Android. In truth, all of the ones we played with felt chintzy, but it was easier to lower our standards when we learned they wouldn’t draw more than $150 from our wallets. We’ve got a hands-on video with FirstView’s Android tablet after the break, but if that doesn’t fill your cheap tablet needs hit the more coverage links for videos by some serious Android / ARM tablet lovers.
Low-Cost Android Devices from Innocomm
Mar 6th
Have you heard of Innocomm? Chances are it?s a name that doesn?t sound terribly familiar. That?s because it?s a fresh new smartphone manufacturer that has lofty inspirations to come out with several low-cost yet high-quality Android handsets and distribute them to carriers on a global scale.
We first saw Innocomm at MWC 2010, where it was demonstrating its upcoming Skate handset (pictured below), which will actually come out the second half of 2010 as the Innocomm Raja. Now the company is planning four additional devices, all using Android. The names of these handsets are the Innocomm Shark, Innocomm Shadow, Innocomm Scorpion and Innocomm Gemini.
The Shark is the closest to launch. Sales Manager Chuck Huang told PC World to expect this device to come out in May or June; he also mentioned that while it will be in the same category of smartphone as those that cost $500-600 retail, it will actually sell for much less at time of release.
Here?s some specs for the forthcoming Shark:
3.2-inch touchscreen
800 x 400 pixel resolution
8MP camera with flash
3.5mm headset jack
MicroSD slot up to 32GB
GPS, 3G, HSPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
115 x 58 x 12.5 mm
Analog TV Receiver
Digital TV Receiver in future model
The specs don?t mention processor speed, but we have been told that Innocomm has recently been making some changes in the chips for the Skate, so the final processor may not even be officially set yet in the Shark. But the 800 x 400 pixel resolution as well as analog TV receiver are great additions to the device.
On the other devices that were mentioned earlier, Huang told PC World that the designs are conceptual and haven?t been finalized, and could be influenced by customer requests. The only thing that can be counted on, according to Huang, is that Innocomm will always use Android OS in order to save money and justify a lower cost.
The Android smartphone market is becoming increasingly saturated with several young companies trying to make a name for itself. These companies typically choose Android because the OS just simply costs less to use than Windows. Innocomm is one of these young companies, and I believe that as long as it lives up to its mantra of being a high-quality device at a much lower cost, it will definitely stand out from the rest of the pack. But let?s not get too far ahead of ourselves; first Innocomm has to show up to the party before it actually gets judged. So, we?ll wait until May or June patiently to see how the Shark pans out?if it pans out at all.
And Innocomm, pretty please come out with the latest possible version of Android that you can!
Samsung launched the Clutch SPH-W9500 in South Korea – a luxury phone
Mar 4th
Samsung has launched the Clutch SPH-W9500 in South Korea, a new phone that resembles the Samsung Diva S7070 (recently released in the UK).
While the Diva S7070 is an entry-level touchscreen handset, the Clutch W9500 is a mid-end one. The phone features a 3.2 inch display, 3G, GPS, T-DMB, 3MP camera with 3D motion picture, secondary 1.3MP camera for video calls, MicroSD card support (up to 16GB), and a 960 mAh battery.
The Samsung Clutch W9500 has a ?Lady UI?, which is actually TouchWiz 2.0 with some extra apps (like party planner, meeting scheduler and calories calculator).
Samsung Clutch W9500 will be soon available in South Korea (via KT) in three color versions: Beige Silver, Romantic Pink and Black Gold. The phone should retail for about $520.
Apple iPhone 4G concept phone with multiple colors
Mar 4th
Apple (which has recently sued HTC for alleged patent infringements) will launch a new iPhone this year, possibly in June or July.
At the moment, no one knows exactly what the 4th generation iPhone looks like or what new features it will bring. Of course, we?ve seen some iPhone 4G concepts, and there are lots of rumors regarding the new smartphone?s specs (AMOLED touchscreen display, 5MP camera, more memory and so on).
Here?s another iPhone 4G concept that comes from Italy.
The creator of this new iPhone 4G concept sees it as having multiple color versions, a front-facing video calling camera, 32GB or 64GB of internal memory, and MicroSD card slot.
The black and white versions look pretty nice, and they might actually be close to the real new iPhone, which could be a bit taller than the iPhone 3GS.
A smartphone that combines WebOS and 4G / WiMax for Sprint? – Palm Pre and Palm Pixi
Mar 3rd
With Sprint getting ready to launch 4G / WiMax in many new US markets this year, some phone manufacturers are surely thinking about making WiMax hardware for the carrier.
Apart from HTC (which should launch the Supersonic Android phone), Palm may also introduce a WiMax handset via Sprint.
According to ComputerWorld, Kris Keilhack from PalmInfocenter says that there are some rumors regarding a Palm WiMax handset ? although, of course, nothing is confirmed yet.
At the moment, sales of the WebOS-based Palm Pre and Palm Pixi (pictured below) are ?below expectations?, despite the fact that Palm launched the Plus versions of the two smartphones via Verizon Wireless.
A smartphone that combines WebOS and 4G / WiMax could be successful and bring Palm some profit, even though the device would be made only for Sprint?s customers.
Palm could also launch handsets via AT&T and T-Mobile this year, but these won?t have 4G connectivity.
Nokia announcing its C-Series family phones – Nokia C5 CandyBar
Mar 2nd
Nokia has finally announced its first phone from the Cseries family ? the Nokia C5 candybar (first seen at the beginning of February).
Presented as a ?smartphone optimized for social networking and sharing,? Nokia C5 lets you see Facebook status updates from the phonebook, and it also provides easy access to other social networking sites like MySpace.
The handset also features: S60 3rd Edition, 2.2 inch QVGA display, HSDPA, Ovi Maps 3.0 with free navigation, Nokia Messaging, 3.5mm headset jack, ?stereo IHF speaker?, 3.2MP camera, and a 2GB card in the box. The Nokia C5 will come with ?Ovi Music? ? so, yeah, it looks like Nokia Music Store will indeed be rebranded to offer DRM-free music.
Nokia C5 will be available starting the second quarter of 2010. Its retail price: ?135 ($183).
No word yet about the Nokia C3 and Nokia C6, but they?ll probably be introduced soon, too.
With the announcement of the C5, Nokia has also unveiled its new naming convention, which includes the Nseries, Eseries, Xseries and, of course, the Cseries (representing ?the core of Nokia portfolio, focusing on social interaction between friends and family?).
According to Nokia Conversations, the new naming convention brings ?a new range of numbers, from 1 to 9, each signifying the range of functionality on offer, and the approximate prices of the devices ? 1 being the lowest and 9 being the highest?. So the Nokia C5 is somewhere on the middle in terms of functionality and price.
Sony Ericsson’s latest Android handsets, the Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X10 Mini Pro
Mar 2nd
Sony Ericsson?s latest Android handsets, the Xperia X10 Mini and Xperia X10 Mini Pro, might be available in the UK as soon as April (when Vodafone UK should launch the Xperia X10).
Expansys has both new devices on pre-order, saying that they?ll be out on April 13 ? the Xperia X10 Mini costs ?299.99 ($446), while the Xperia X10 Mini Pro is priced at ?339.99 ($506).
Running Android 1.6, the X10 Mini and X10 Mini Pro are identical, save for the fact that the latter has a sliding QWERTY keyboard. Their common features include: QVGA touchscreen display, a homescreen with four icons in the corners, HSPA, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera and MicroSD card support.
Both the SE Xperia X10 Mini and the SE Xperia X10 Mini Pro should be offered with a 2GB memory card in the box.
New Moto Devour – A sturdy design with a functional feature from MotoRola
Mar 1st
The Motorola DEVOUR for Verizon Wireless features Google’s popular Android 1.6 (Donut) operating system as well as the MOTOBLUR service. MOTOBLUR syncs and delivers your messages, status updates, contacts and more to the DEVOUR’s multiple, customizable homescreens. With no logins or apps to open and an intuitive design, you will always have the most up-to-date information at your fingertips. Lots of your favorite Google and Verizon Wireless apps are pre-loaded, and thousands more are available to download from the Android Market. When words aren’t enough, record videos and snap photos with the 3 megapixel camera/ camcorder and easily share on your favorite sites, including Picasa, MySpace, Facebook, Photobucket and YouTube. Never miss an incoming message with the DEVOUR’s universal inbox, routing all your communication (personal and corporate email, texts, status updates, etc.) to one easy to manage inbox.
Feature:
- Size: W 2.4 in X H 4.5 in X D 0.6 in
- Talk Time: 389 min
- Connector Type: 1 x Micro-USB , 1 x Headset jack – Mini-phone 3.5 mm
- Display Resolution: 320 x 480 pixels
- Color Depth: 16-bit (65000 colors)
- Camera highlights: With a resolution of 3 megapixels, this camera phone will give you higher quality pictures than other phones.
- Operating System Google Android 1.6
A Shanzhai PSP phone from China is just like a SONY PSP Phone
Feb 27th
Sony Ericsson may never launch a genuine PSP phone (although the company admitted that it?s thinking about it), but there?s still hope if you really, really want such a phone.
A Shanzhai PSP phone is reportedly coming soon from China. The phone looks like a regular Sony PSP console, but it has Call and End call keys, as well as a photo camera on the back.
No word yet on specs, but it?s said that the Chinese PSP phone probably uses a MTK (MediaTek) platform, which means it might feature Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and even dual SIM capabilities.
The price and release date of the Shanzhai PSP phone are not known, but it looks like some shady Chinese company is really close to launching the handset.
LG GW620 as LG LinkMe in ITALY
Feb 27th
Available since last month in the UK as LG InTouch Max, the LG GW620 has now been launched in Italy, too, as LG LinkMe.
The GW620 / LinkMe is LG?s first Android smartphone and comes with a 3 inch HVGA touchscreen display (resistive, unfortunately), as well as a full 5-row QWERTY keyboard.
The handset also features HSPA, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, full HTML browser, access to Android Market, LinkBook (which provides easy access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter), 3.5mm headset jack, 5MP autofocus camera with flash, and a 1GB memory card in the box.
Like the GW620, LG LinkMe runs Android 1.5 and it will probably be upgraded only to Android 1.6. In Italy, the phone costs ?299 (about $405).
LG Phones now with Windows Phone 7 coming in September?
Feb 25th
Last week at MWC 2010, when Steve Ballmer officially announced Microsoft?s new Windows Phone 7 Series platform, he said that the first WP7 devices would be available in time for the holiday season this year.
Usually, this is another way of saying ?in the fourth quarter.? However, the first WP7 phone might be launched in September ? although it may also happen a few months later. Engadget China got this info from some LG Mobile officials in Hong Kong.
This is in line with some older rumors about a so called LG Apollo Windows Phone 7 Series handset, which could (but probably won’t) be launched by both Verizon and Sprint in August or September.
Other manufacturers that will launch WP 7 handsets this year or in early 2011: HTC, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Dell, Garmin-Asus, Toshiba and HP.
Skype application for Windows Mobile removed from Skype website?
Feb 25th
If you have a Windows Mobile smartphone and want to download Skype from Skype’s official website, you?re in for a little surprise
According to Skype, ?Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Mobile are no longer available? ? although, if you go here, you can still download the application to your WM phone.
Reportedly, ?Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Mobile were not offering the best possible Skype experience?, and that?s why Skype decided to remove them. However, if you already have Skype Lite and Skype for Windows Mobile, you can still use them (throughout 2010, anyway).
Most probably, Skype is readying a version of its moible app for Windows Phone 7 ? but this will only be available when the first WP7 phones are launched (sometime in late 2010).
Until then, Skype is still available for iPhone, Symbian and Maemo.
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