Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/china-greenlights-apple-third-gen-ipad-for-3g-use/#comments Image

Apple's current iPad is already cleared for China in WiFi trim, but those of us who've wanted to roam through Kunming on care-free 3G haven't had any officially approved choices. That's ending soon, as the Chinese government just gave the cellular version (A1430) the all-clear. Like in most parts of the world, Apple's slate won't use LTE given the lack of any established network in the area; HSPA's as good as it will get. The clearance is slightly odd given that the State Administration for Industry and Commerce is leaning in Proview's direction when it comes to iPad trademark ownership. With the iPad still legally available in the country, though, it's safe to say that official 3G iPad carrier China Unicom is happy to prepare for a rush of customers who want to buy a cellular iPad without using the zipline delivery method.

China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3ga 1430A1430appleapple ipadAppleIpadapprovalcellularchinachina unicomChinaUnicomchinesehspaipadproviewregulatorytablettablet pctablet pcsTabletPcTabletPcstabletsWed, 30 May 2012 15:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Lenovo LePhone K800 launches, officially brings Medfield to China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/lenovo-lephone-k800-medfield-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/lenovo-lephone-k800-medfield-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/lenovo-lephone-k800-medfield-launch/#comments Image

At CES 2012, Lenovo was the first to announce a Medfield-powered smartphone: the K800. And while it was the first to be unveiled, it couldn't beat the Lava Xolo X900 to market. Lenovo's not too worried about that, however, as the K800 has arrived in China right on schedule, having originally aimed for a Q2 launch and later refining the timeframe to the end of May. The fruits of Intel's labor can be had for the grand 'ol retail price of RMB 3,299 ($524), which gets you a 1.6GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, Android 2.3, a 4.5-inch 720p display, an 8MP rear camera and 16GB of internal storage. We haven't heard any news of the phone reaching across the Pacific, but we're sure that won't stop the most insistent of you from grabbing a unit through alternative methods, right?

Lenovo LePhone K800 launches, officially brings Medfield to China originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.3android gingerbreadAndroid2.3AndroidGingerbreadchinachina unicomChinaUnicomgingerbreadgoogleintelintel medfieldIntelMedfieldk800lenovolenovo k800lenovo lephone k800lenovo medfieldLenovoK800LenovoLephoneK800LenovoMedfieldmedfieldmobilepostcrossWed, 30 May 2012 13:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/refresh-roundup-week-of-may-21st-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/refresh-roundup-week-of-may-21st-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/27/refresh-roundup-week-of-may-21st-2012/#comments Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of May 21st, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amaze 4gAmaze4gandroidandroid 4.0Android4.0apex launcherApexLauncherappleapple iphone 4AppleIphone4asusasus transformer padAsusTransformerPadattbellbell mobilityBellMobilityblackberryblackberry 7blackberry 7 osblackberry 7.1blackberry bold 9900blackberry curveblackberry curve 9360Blackberry7Blackberry7.1Blackberry7OsBlackberryBold9900BlackberryCurveBlackberryCurve9360bold 9900Bold9900canadachinachina unicomChinaUnicomcurve 9360Curve9360galaxy s iiGalaxySIihtchtc amaze 4ghtc raider 4ghtc sensation 4gHtcAmaze4gHtcRaider4gHtcSensation4gice cream sandwichIceCreamSandwichiphone 4Iphone4lenovolenovo thinkpad tabletLenovoThinkpadTabletlglg nitro hdLgNitroHdminipostmobilepostcrossnitro hdNitroHdraider 4gRaider4grefresh roundupRefreshRoundupresearch in motionResearchInMotionrimrogersrogers wirelessRogersWirelessromromsrrsamsungsamsung galaxy s iiSamsungGalaxySIisensation 4gSensation4gsmartphonesmartphonessonysony tablet pSonyTabletPt-mobiletablettablet pTabletPtabletstf300thinkpad tabletThinkpadTablettransformer padTransformerPadupdateupdatesSun, 27 May 2012 20:14:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola shows three all-touch Android 4.0 phones in China, we see a possible Verizon model]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/motorola-shows-three-all-touch-android-4-0-phones-in-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/motorola-shows-three-all-touch-android-4-0-phones-in-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/22/motorola-shows-three-all-touch-android-4-0-phones-in-china/#comments Image

It turns out that Motorola didn't want to wait until the Google deal closed -- or, for that matter, an American launch -- to undertake a significant revamp of its phone line. A quiet Chinese event last week is now known to have brought us three RAZR-derived, all-touch phones for the three carriers in the Asian country: the XT885 for China Unicom (pictured at left), XT889 for China Telecom (center) and MT887 for China Mobile (right). Other than the network types and pretty bits, you're mostly looking at the same device, where the highlight is an official dip into Android 4.0 waters that drops the physical navigation in favor of more Nexusish on-screen keys. Don't expect a revolution in performance over last fall's roster given that they still have 1.2GHz dual-core processors, eight-megapixel rear cameras and 4.3-inch, 540 x 960 displays. The trio arrives in China on June 2nd; Motorola is likely more worried about popping champagne than giving out US launch details right now, but earlier leaks give us a strong hunch that the MT887 could hit Verizon as the uncannily similar (if still very unofficial) Droid Fighter before too long.

Motorola shows three all-touch Android 4.0 phones in China, we see a possible Verizon model originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.2 ghz1.2Ghzandroidandroid 4.0android 4.0 ice cream sandwichAndroid4.0Android4.0IceCreamSandwichcellphonecellphoneschinachina mobilechina telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomchinesedroid fighterdroid razrDroidFighterDroidRazrgooglegoogle androidGoogleAndroidIce Cream SandwichIceCreamSandwichmobilepostcrossmotorolamotorola droid fightermotorola droid razrmotorola razrMotorolaDroidFighterMotorolaDroidRazrMotorolaRazrmt887omapqhdrazrsmartphonesmartphonestiti omapTiOmapverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessxt885xt889Tue, 22 May 2012 13:01:00 EST<![CDATA[New Baidu Cloud phone unveiled: Changhong H5018 with 100GB of cloud storage]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/baidu-cloud-phone-changhong-h5018/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/baidu-cloud-phone-changhong-h5018/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/15/baidu-cloud-phone-changhong-h5018/#comments Image

That new Baidu Cloud phone we told you about last week? You're looking right at it! Following the flagship Dell Streak Pro D43 (which was branded with what was then known as Baidu Yi aka version 1.0 of the platform), this Foxconn-built Changhong H5018 is the second smartphone to have its Android Gingerbread system enhanced by Baidu, meaning it'll come with 300GB of cloud storage space (instead of the old 100GB), voice search, voice control and a set of other online services offered by the Chinese search giant.

As for the hardware itself, we're looking at a 10.3mm-thick matte chassis housing a 650MHz MTK6573 processor, a 3.5-inch 480 x 320 display, a three-megapixel camera and a non-removable 1,400mAh battery, all of which would explain that highly affordable CN¥899 (US$140) off-contract price tag. That said, you'll still find a dual-SIM (WCDMA plus GSM) tray and a microSD slot hidden beneath the bottom cover. Not sure where ZTE is on this one, but for now, you can head over to Sina Tech for its hands-on report and photos.

Update: Baidu just confirmed that it's actually the same old 100GB of cloud storage, so somehow Sina Tech got lucky with its 300GB edition. We'll let you know when we hear more.

New Baidu Cloud phone unveiled: Changhong H5018 with 100GB of cloud storage originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.3.6Android2.3.6BaiduBaidu CloudBaidu YiBaiduCloudBaiduYicellphoneChanghongchanghong H5018ChanghongH5018chinaChina UnicomChinaUnicomcloud storageCloudStorageFoxconngingerbreadH5018mediatekmobile phoneMobilePhonemobilepostcrossmobilepostminimtkMTK6573phonesmartphoneTue, 15 May 2012 12:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/14/mobile-miscellany-week-of-april-9th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/14/mobile-miscellany-week-of-april-9th-2012/http://www.engadget.com/2012/04/14/mobile-miscellany-week-of-april-9th-2012/#comments Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen clues to suggest the Galaxy Nexus will arrive at Sprint in a matter of days, and leaked materials suggest Rogers will have the HTC One X in stock by April 20th. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 9th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of April 9th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.3Android2.3appappsattbbm musicBbmMusicblackberryblackberry curve 9380BlackberryCurve9380canadachinachina unicomChinaUnicomcurve 9380Curve9380dolphin browserdolphin browser hdDolphinBrowserDolphinBrowserHddual-simgalaxy nexusgalaxy nexus ltegalaxy noteGalaxyNexusGalaxyNexusLteGalaxyNotegingerbreadgooglegoogle playgoogle play storeGooglePlayGooglePlayStorehands-onhtchtc one xHtcOneXkorealglg optimus l5lg optimus l7LgOptimusL5LgOptimusL7ltelumia 900Lumia900mangommmobile miscellanyMobileMiscellanymobilepostminimotorolamotorola xt390MotorolaXt390nokianokia lumia 900NokiaLumia900one xOneXoptimus l5optimus l7OptimusL5OptimusL7pinkrimrogersrogers wirelessRogersWirelesssamsungsamsung galaxy nexussamsung galaxy noteSamsungGalaxyNexusSamsungGalaxyNotesmartphonesmartphonessouth koreaSouthKoreasprintstockverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelesswindows phonewindows phone 7.5WindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7.5xt390Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nokia unveils the Lumia 800 in China, calls it the 800C]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/nokia-unveils-the-lumia-800c-in-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/nokia-unveils-the-lumia-800c-in-china/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/28/nokia-unveils-the-lumia-800c-in-china/#comments So if you live out in China, and were counting down the days until you could get your hands on a legit Lumia 800 (or the 610), you're almost there. Nokia's slab of Windows Phone, renamed the 800C was unveiled by China Telecom today as we'd heard, and will launch in stores fully next month. There'll be 20,000 apps available in the Marketplace when it does finally ship, which should be enough to keep you going. Color-wise there'll be cyan and black options, setting you back 3599 RMB sans contract. Head down to the official PR for the company pomp.

Continue reading Nokia unveils the Lumia 800 in China, calls it the 800C

Nokia unveils the Lumia 800 in China, calls it the 800C originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>800cchinachina telecomchina unicomChinaTelecomChinaUnicomlumia 610lumia 710lumia 800lumia 800cLumia610Lumia710Lumia800Lumia800cmicrosoftmobilepostcrossnokianokia lumia 610nokia lumia 710nokia lumia 800NokiaLumia610NokiaLumia710NokiaLumia800Wed, 28 Mar 2012 04:31:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom says partnering with Apple was a good thing, we feign surprise]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/china-unicom-say-partnering-with-apple-was-a-good-thing/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/china-unicom-say-partnering-with-apple-was-a-good-thing/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/china-unicom-say-partnering-with-apple-was-a-good-thing/#comments ImageChina Unicom saw a 14 percent bump in profits for 2011, with company execs attributing much of that gain to its exclusivity deal on the iPhone. Despite the increased income, China's second largest network still fell short of analyst estimates, with much of the blame being pinned on the carrier's need to increase capital spending. New customers means network expansion and more handset subsidies, and the firm's augmenting its spending by 30 percent to 100 billion Yuan (about $16 billion) to keep up. This extra expense caused stock in the network to cool a little, falling 3.1 percent after the announcement. Not so good news then, considering what's around the corner.

China Unicom says partnering with Apple was a good thing, we feign surprise originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphonesmobilepostminiprofitprofitssalesalesFri, 23 Mar 2012 09:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Stephen Elop: Nokia Lumia coming to China on March 28th]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/nokia-lumia-coming-to-china-on-march-28th/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/nokia-lumia-coming-to-china-on-march-28th/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/12/nokia-lumia-coming-to-china-on-march-28th/#comments Nokia CEO: Get your Windows Phone, Lumia comes to China on March 28thChina recently greeted its first Windows Phone (on pre-order, anyway), but if Stephen Elop has his way, Nokia will be hot on HTC's heels. The company's CEO has revealed that Nokia will unleash its Lumia handsets upon the People's Republic on March 28th. While Elop offered no clues to suggest which models will be available, recent regulatory approvals hint that the Lumia 800 and 710 are both top candidates -- though personally, we'd be shocked if the Lumia 610 didn't rear its head sooner rather than later. Both China Telecom and China Unicom are said to be partners with Nokia, which is undoubtedly eager to offer something other than Symbian to its Chinese fan base.

Stephen Elop: Nokia Lumia coming to China on March 28th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachina telecomchina unicomChinaTelecomChinaUnicomlumia 610lumia 710lumia 800Lumia610Lumia710Lumia800microsoftmobilepostcrossnokianokia lumia 610nokia lumia 710nokia lumia 800NokiaLumia610NokiaLumia710NokiaLumia800smartphonesmartphonesstephen elopStephenElopwindows phoneWindowsPhoneMon, 12 Mar 2012 22:38:00 EST<![CDATA[China Mobile claims 15 million iPhone subscribers without selling Apple's handset]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/05/china-mobile-iphone-sales-subscribers-unlocked/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/05/china-mobile-iphone-sales-subscribers-unlocked/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/05/china-mobile-iphone-sales-subscribers-unlocked/#comments China Mobile iPhoneChina Mobile may be the world's largest telco with 655 million subscribers, but it's missing one major ingredient that any top tier carrier needs -- the iPhone. Apple's exclusivity deal with China Unicom is about to come to an end and China Telecom is going to start selling the 4S next week. Yet, China Mobile, the state owned behemoth, won't be joining the iOS fray officially until it starts shipping with an LTE radio (which we assume will happen next year). Still, according to the company, it has managed to rack up 15 million subscribers using unlocked iPhones on its 2G network. Perhaps most amazing, is that it was only in October that China Mobile announced it had 10 million subscribers using Apple's pride and joy. We can only imagine the pandemonium that will break out when the world's most popular phone comes to the planet's largest cellular carrier.

China Mobile claims 15 million iPhone subscribers without selling Apple's handset originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2gapplechinachina mobileChina Telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 4sIphone4smobilepostcrosssalesalesMon, 05 Mar 2012 11:46:00 EST<![CDATA[HTC to launch "Dragon" series smartphone in mainland China, expand to international markets in the future]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/26/htc-to-launch-dragon-series-smartphone-in-mainland-china-expa/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/26/htc-to-launch-dragon-series-smartphone-in-mainland-china-expa/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/26/htc-to-launch-dragon-series-smartphone-in-mainland-china-expa/#comments HTC may have just announced its highfalutin One family of smartphones in Barcelona, but it's still the year of the Dragon back home -- and the Taiwanese outfit has the slabs to prove it. Meet the "Dragon" series, a trio of 4-inch Android handsets, each sporting a 5 megapixel camera, a 1GHz single-core processor and Beats Audio, all wrapped up in an Ice Cream Sandwich slathered in Sense 4.0A. Although the Dragon series seems a bit like the HTC One V -- albeit with a larger screen -- the outfit says it won't be packing the HTC ImageChip that hopes to give the One series' cameras a wicked performance boost. Sadly, the "Dragon" moniker is a temporary handle, and the three phones are only coming to mainland China. HTC says there are plans to expand the family in the future for international distribution, but for now the handsets are only coming to China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile.

HTC to launch "Dragon" series smartphone in mainland China, expand to international markets in the future originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AndroidBarcelonachinachina dragonchina mobileChina Mobile Ltdchina telecomChina Telecom Corp Ltdchina unicomChina Unicom (Hong Kong) LtdChinaDragonChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomcnDragondragon seriesDragonSeriesHTChtc chinahtc dragonhtc dragon seriesHtcChinaHtcDragonHtcDragonSeriesmobilepostcrossmwcmwc 2012Mwc2012Sci/TechSun, 26 Feb 2012 22:45:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom offers iPhone 4S free with subsidy, really just wants your commitment]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/07/china-unicom-offers-free-iphone-4s/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/07/china-unicom-offers-free-iphone-4s/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/07/china-unicom-offers-free-iphone-4s/#comments The leaders at China Unicom are placing their bets on the iPhone 4S in a very big way. With a new promotion that begins January 13th, the nation's second largest mobile carrier will offer both the 32GB and 16GB versions of Apple's latest iPhone free on-contract. To score the high-end model, consumers must sign a three-year agreement with a minimum monthly cost of 286 yuan ($45). Alternately, those looking to avoid the long-term commitment may pick up the 16GB version on a two-year contract with a minimum price of 386 yuan ($61) per month. With the obvious price differential, one thing is for certain -- China Unicom definitely wants its customers to stick around.

China Unicom offers iPhone 4S free with subsidy, really just wants your commitment originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomfreeiosiphoneiphone 4sIphone4smobilepostminipromopromotionsubsidySat, 07 Jan 2012 16:39:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone 4S coming to China, Caribbean islands next week]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/iphone-4s-coming-to-china-caribbean-islands-next-week/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/iphone-4s-coming-to-china-caribbean-islands-next-week/http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/04/iphone-4s-coming-to-china-caribbean-islands-next-week/#comments Apple has announced that the iPhone 4S will be making its way to China and 21 other countries beginning next Friday, January 13th. The smartphone will reportedly launch on China Unicom just before the Chinese New Year, which will be celebrated on Monday, January 23rd. Pricing has not been announced in local currencies, but is listed as $199, $299 and $399 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models, respectively. Apple China is clearly the most notable of the bunch, but other countries include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda. Jump past the break for the full PR from Apple.

Update: Apple got in touch to remind us that Siri will be updated to support Chinese at some point in 2012, along with Japanese, Korean, Italian and Spanish.

Continue reading iPhone 4S coming to China, Caribbean islands next week

iPhone 4S coming to China, Caribbean islands next week originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4sAnguillaAntigua and BarbudaAntiguaAndBarbudaappleapple iphoneAppleIphoneBoliviaBotswanaBritish Virgin IslandsBritishVirginIslandsCameroonCayman IslandsCaymanIslandscell phoneCellPhoneCentral African RepublicCentralAfricanRepublicchinachina unicomChinaUnicomchineseDominicaDominican RepublicDominicanRepublicEcuadorGrenadaGuamGuinea ConakryGuineaConakryiphoneiphone 4sIphone4siphonesIvory CoastIvoryCoastJamaicaKenyaMadagascarMaliMauritiusNigerSenegalsmart phonesmartphoneSt. Vincent and The GrenadinesSt.VincentAndTheGrenadinesTrinidad and TobagoTrinidadAndTobagoTurks and CaicosTurksAndCaicosUgandaWed, 04 Jan 2012 08:56:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone 4S cleared for use in China, sino-Siri coming soon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/iphone-4s-cleared-for-use-in-china-sino-siri-coming-soon/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/iphone-4s-cleared-for-use-in-china-sino-siri-coming-soon/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/10/iphone-4s-cleared-for-use-in-china-sino-siri-coming-soon/#comments While Apple fans around the globe have had the iPhone 4S for awhile now, many of our friends in the Far East haven't gotten to enjoy the fruits of their countrymen's labor due to a lack of governmental approval. You see, before a handset makes it onto Chinese networks, it's got to be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The good news is, the 4S has finally been blessed by Beijing and will be brought to the masses by Chinese Unicom sometime soon. That means that China's home-grown superphone, the Meizu MX, is going to have some Siri-ous competition for Chinese hearts and yuan in 2012.

iPhone 4S cleared for use in China, sino-Siri coming soon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>approvalapprovedchinachina unicomChinaUnicomchineseiphoneiphone 4sIphone4smiitministry of industry and information technologyMinistryOfIndustryAndInformationTechnologymobilepostminisiriSat, 10 Dec 2011 06:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Lenovo launches LePad S2005, a 5-inch Gingerbread tabletphone for China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-launches-ideatab-s2005-aka-lepad-s2005-a-5-inch-ginger/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-launches-ideatab-s2005-aka-lepad-s2005-a-5-inch-ginger/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-launches-ideatab-s2005-aka-lepad-s2005-a-5-inch-ginger/#comments You may recall that last week we had a cheeky peek at Lenovo's upcoming tabletphone, and now our brethren at Engadget Chinese are actually touching one in Beijing! Dubbed the LePad S2005 in China (and to be branded under the IdeaTab series elsewhere), this Android 2.3.5 slate packs a 5-inch 800 x 480 LTPS display with 178-degree viewing angle (but same resolution as the Dell Streak 5's LCD, sadly), a Qualcomm dual-core 1.2GHz chip, 1GB RAM, a five megapixel 1080p imager on the back, a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera and a 1,680mAh battery. In terms of connectivity and expansion we have a micro-USB port, micro-HDMI port and HSPA+ radio (so it's ready for China Unicom's network). All of this is packaged in a 9.95mm-thick body, weighing a total of 198g. Just as thick as the Streak 5 but lighter, even with the slightly larger battery capacity.

There aren't any prices just yet, but given that this device is entering the Chinese market in two days' time, it won't be a long wait for those obsessed with tabletphones (and speaking of which, it's rather odd that Lenovo's marketing this as a tablet rather than a phone). Stay tuned for our hands-on photos.

Lenovo launches LePad S2005, a 5-inch Gingerbread tabletphone for China originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beijingbreaking newscellphonechinaChina UnicomChinaUnicomideatabIdeaTab S2005IdeatabS2005launchlenovolepad s2005LepadS2005mobile phoneMobilePhonemobilepostcrosss2005smartphonetabletphoneTue, 29 Nov 2011 02:38:00 EST<![CDATA[SIM-based NFC gains global support from 45 mobile carriers, all huddled around GSMA's standard]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/sim-based-nfc-gains-global-support-from-45-mobile-carriers-all/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/sim-based-nfc-gains-global-support-from-45-mobile-carriers-all/http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/17/sim-based-nfc-gains-global-support-from-45-mobile-carriers-all/#comments You knew that NFC hardware can be embedded into SIM cards, right? Right? Regardless of whether you've been paying attention, the practice is about to become a whole lot more common, as 45 of the world's largest mobile operators have extended their support for the GSM Association's standard. Among the networks, you'll find heavy hitters such as China Mobile and China Unicom (which account for nearly 800 million subscribers between the two), along with familiar names such as America Movil, AT&T, Deutsche Telecom, KPN, Orange, Rogers, SFR, SK Telecom, Softbank, Telus, Verizon and Vodafone. Even Isis, the unholy mobile payment lovechild of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, has pledged its support... in hopes of taking your money, that is. The new standard is expected to drive the proliferation of NFC across the globe, with Anne Bouverot, Director General of the GSMA commenting, "Mobile operators, working together, are ideally positioned to roll out services based on the requirements published by the GSMA, providing proven security and interoperability, global reach and customer care for consumers and businesses and a secure platform for service providers." Now, as you'd expect, we just wanna see it happen. For a complete list of the cooperating carriers, check out the PR after the break.

[SIM card photo via Shutterstock]

Continue reading SIM-based NFC gains global support from 45 mobile carriers, all huddled around GSMA's standard

SIM-based NFC gains global support from 45 mobile carriers, all huddled around GSMA's standard originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Nov 2011 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>america movilAmericaMovilattchina mobilechina unicomChinaMobileChinaUnicomDeutsche TelekomDeutscheTelekomgsm associationgsmaGsmAssociationisiskpnmobile paymentmobile paymentsMobilePaymentMobilePaymentsmobilepostmininear field communicationNearFieldCommunicationnfcorangerogerssfrsimsim cardsim-based nfcSim-basedNfcSimCardsk telecomSkTelecomsoftbankT-MobiletelusTMobileverizonverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessvodafoneThu, 17 Nov 2011 03:02:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone 5 to have 21Mbps HSPA+ data? China Unicom says so]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/29/iphone-5-to-have-21mbps-hspa-data-china-unicom-says-so/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/29/iphone-5-to-have-21mbps-hspa-data-china-unicom-says-so/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/29/iphone-5-to-have-21mbps-hspa-data-china-unicom-says-so/#comments We know that Apple won't be unveiling its next superphone for a few more days, but we may have a tasty tidbit about the iPhone 5 ahead of schedule. So the story goes, China Unicom's Deputy Director Huang Wenlian was making a presentation at Macworld Asia, and stated that the new iPhone would utilize the company's HSPA+ 21Mbps network. Now, we aren't saying it's a sure thing, but it appears that Tim Cook could deliver a handset with thrice the data speeds of its predecessor next week. Fingers crossed, ya'll.

Update: We removed the original picture at the request of PC Watch. It was a presentation slide showing a timeline of iPhone models, with a simple line drawing in place of the iPhone 5 and a mention of HSPA+ 21Mbps underneath.

iPhone 5 to have 21Mbps HSPA+ data? China Unicom says so originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gapplechinachina unicomChinaUnicomHSPA PLUShspa+HspaPlusiphoneiphone 5Iphone5lets talk iphoneLetsTalkIphonemacworld asiaMacworldAsiamobilepostcrossThu, 29 Sep 2011 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Leaked K-Touch W700 bringing Tegra 2 to China Unicom, abandons hope of affordability]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/leaked-w700-bringing-tegra-2-to-china-unicom-abandons-hope-of-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/leaked-w700-bringing-tegra-2-to-china-unicom-abandons-hope-of-a/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/leaked-w700-bringing-tegra-2-to-china-unicom-abandons-hope-of-a/#commentsChinese phone manufacturer K-Touch has set out to prove domestic manufacturers are not solely KIRF in their intentions. Taking a huge leap into the high end, China Unicom's WO network will soon be graced with the W700, a Tegra 2 beast that's certain to instigate a double-take at China's design ambitions. As for specs, look for a 3.8-inch, 480 x 800 capacitive screen, 5 megapixel shooter on the back, (0.3 megapixel up front), and 512MB of memory keeping everything in check. K-Touch has previously dipped its toes into Android's currents with its more pedestrian W606, but this appears its first attempt a Froyo release. This powerful slab is set to retail for HK$4,200, or approximately $540 in actual money. Looks like the Optimus 2X is finally getting the company it deserves, eh?

Leaked K-Touch W700 bringing Tegra 2 to China Unicom, abandons hope of affordability originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 04:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>700androidchinachina unicomChinaUnicomchineseFroyok-touchleakleakedmobileNVIDIANVIDIA TegraNvidiaTegraTegraTegra2w700WoMon, 04 Apr 2011 04:44:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom launches WoPhone Linux platform, because the world can't get enough of Tux]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/china-unicom-launches-wophone-linux-platform-because-the-world/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/china-unicom-launches-wophone-linux-platform-because-the-world/http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/01/china-unicom-launches-wophone-linux-platform-because-the-world/#comments Another day, another Linux mobile platform launched. The latest flavor hails all the way from China Unicom -- Apple's sole iPhone partner in China thanks to its WCDMA network -- who's just announced the WoPhone platform to, ironically, "break up the foreign smartphone platform monopoly." Of course, this isn't the first time that a Chinese carrier has pushed out its own OS -- TD-SCDMA operator China Mobile already has OPhone, though it's really just a bastardized Android; whereas China Unicom claims that WoPhone's an entirely new OS built around the Linux core. That said, some of WoPhone's UI elements do look awfully familiar.

While we don't expect to see this new OS trickling out to the rest of the world any time soon, a big handful of manufacturers -- namely Motorola, Samsung, HTC, TCL, K-Touch, ZTE, Huawei, etc. -- and cloud service partners were present at yesterday's launch event to show off the first batch of devices, including the K-Touch U2 pictured above. Head over to ifeng for more hands-on pics.

China Unicom launches WoPhone Linux platform, because the world can't get enough of Tux originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appcellphonechinachina unicomChinaUnicomhtchuaweik-touchk-touch u2K-touchU2linuxlinux platformLinuxPlatformmobilemobile phoneMobilePhonemotorolaphoneplatformsamsungsmartphonesoftwaretclu2unicomwcdmawophonezteTue, 01 Mar 2011 08:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Apple's iPhone 4 coming to China on September 25]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/apples-iphone-4-coming-to-china-on-september-25/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/apples-iphone-4-coming-to-china-on-september-25/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/19/apples-iphone-4-coming-to-china-on-september-25/#commentsTurns out the rumors weren't too far off. After fighting for ages to get the iPhone 3G to Chinese shores, citizens of the aforementioned nation will soon be able to pick up one of Apple's latest (the iPhone 4, if you're keeping count) without reverting to importers and KIRF shops. Starting on September 25th, the iPhone 4 will be available across China in retail locations as well as China Unicom shops, with off-contract pricing set for CNY4,999 (16GB model) and CNY5,999 (32GB model) -- that's around $743 and $892 in greenbacks, respectively. Those looking for subsidization options will need to do some digging once China Unicom starts talking numbers. But hey, at least this one has WiFi!

Continue reading Apple's iPhone 4 coming to China on September 25

Apple's iPhone 4 coming to China on September 25 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple iphone 4AppleIphone4chinaChina UnicomChinaUnicomchineseios 4Ios4iphoneiphone 4Iphone4Sun, 19 Sep 2010 21:58:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung Galaxy S keeps up global offensive with three Chinese launches]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/samsung-galaxy-s-keeps-up-global-offensive-with-three-chinese-la/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/samsung-galaxy-s-keeps-up-global-offensive-with-three-chinese-la/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/08/samsung-galaxy-s-keeps-up-global-offensive-with-three-chinese-la/#comments Samsung's done an admirable job of pushing its Galaxy S line far and wide already, but when you enter the Chinese market -- a market with a billion wireless customers -- you're potentially taking things to a whole new level. Sammy has crafted HSPA, EV-DO, and TD-SCDMA versions of its high-end Android phone for China Unicom, China Telecom, and juggernaut China Mobile, respectively, all offering the same 4-inch Super AMOLED display seen elsewhere around the world. The Telecom model launches first -- this month, in fact -- but all three versions will be available before the end of the year. Follow the break for the full press release.

Gallery: Samsung Galaxy S keeps up global offensive with three Chinese launches

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S keeps up global offensive with three Chinese launches

Samsung Galaxy S keeps up global offensive with three Chinese launches originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchinachina mobilechina telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomgalaxy sGalaxySgooglemobilesamsungtd-scdmaWed, 08 Sep 2010 12:42:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola Ming A1680, MT810, and XT806 begin their Android mercy mission in China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/motorola-ming-a1680-mt810-and-xt806-begin-their-android-mercy/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/motorola-ming-a1680-mt810-and-xt806-begin-their-android-mercy/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/30/motorola-ming-a1680-mt810-and-xt806-begin-their-android-mercy/#comments Motorola's venerable MING handset revisions were just made official in three Android-toting varieties for China Unicom (model A1680 pictured above left), China Mobile (MT810, pictured center), and China Telecom (XT806, on the right). The TD-SCDMA riding MT810 ships with the Android derived OPhone 2.0 operating system and two touchscreen displays: a 3.2-inch stylus-friendly resistive touchscreen and a second transparent capacitive cover that provides a finger-friendly experience when closed. Other specs include 720 x 480 video capture, 720p video playback, and support for China's CMMB mobile television spec. China Telecom's XT806 is built on Android 2.1 with GPS, 720p video capture, and support for both CDMA EVDO and GSM for global wanderings. Finally, China Unicom's A1680 packs a 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen, Chinese WAPI WiFi, 5 megapixel camera, GPS, and Motorola's sixth-generation SoftStylus handwriting system.

Continue reading Motorola Ming A1680, MT810, and XT806 begin their Android mercy mission in China

Motorola Ming A1680, MT810, and XT806 begin their Android mercy mission in China originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a1680androidcdmaCDMA2000chinachina mobilechina telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomcmmbevdogsmmingmotorolamt810ophoneophone os 2.0OphoneOs2.0td-scdmawapiwifixt806Mon, 30 Aug 2010 05:33:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom getting WiFi-enabled iPhone 3GS next week, iPhone 4 on September 1?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/06/china-unicom-getting-wifi-enabled-iphone-3gs-next-week-iphone-4/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/06/china-unicom-getting-wifi-enabled-iphone-3gs-next-week-iphone-4/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/06/china-unicom-getting-wifi-enabled-iphone-3gs-next-week-iphone-4/#comments Remember that WAPI-compliant version of the iPhone approved back in May? Yeah, well, China Unicom is just now getting around to rolling it out, promising it'll be available next week in the form of an 8GB 3GS for an incredible 4,999 yuan (about $739). As far as we can tell, the phone will be compatible both with straight WiFi and WAPI wireless networks, which is a big step for the country -- traditionally, the Chinese iPhone has been WiFi-free while the iPod touch has gone unfettered, the result of bureaucracy, product categorization, and strange laws that don't fly in many other locales. On a related note, rumor has it that the iPhone 4 -- presumably also with WiFi / WAPI -- is on track for a September 1 release, so if the 3GS is feeling a little too 2009 for you, you may not have long to wait.

China Unicom getting WiFi-enabled iPhone 3GS next week, iPhone 4 on September 1? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gsapplechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 3gsiphone 4Iphone3gsIphone4mobilerumorwapiwifiFri, 06 Aug 2010 20:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Lenovo LePhone unboxed, exhaustively reviewed ahead of launch in China]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/08/lenovo-lephone-unboxed-exhaustively-reviewed-ahead-of-launch-in/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/08/lenovo-lephone-unboxed-exhaustively-reviewed-ahead-of-launch-in/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/08/lenovo-lephone-unboxed-exhaustively-reviewed-ahead-of-launch-in/#comments We're not sure how we missed this one, but it's better late than never -- turns out some lucky jerks in China were given a Lenovo LePhone to play with back in mid-April, and the guys at Sooyuu have just finished the fifth and final part of their lengthy review, just in time for the May launch. We weren't expecting any changes since our last encounter at CES, but apparently the 3.7-inch screen's now been upgraded from LCD to AMOLED, and like the Palm Pre, the LePhone also sports a gesture area below the screen. Of course, there's also the never-before-seen packaging that we totally dig, not to mention the bundled goodies such as a leather case, a noise-isolation handsfree kit (but sans music and volume control), plus a magnetic dock adapter. As for software, the reviewer praises Lenovo's snappy, heavily customized Android with its vast Chinese social networking service integration, music store, video apps, and an impressive Chinese turn-by-turn navigation suite. We almost want to adopt this baby, only to be let down by its 3.2-megapixel camera's mediocre quality, lack of flash, and inability to autofocus. Anyhow, you can be the final judge -- head over to Sooyuu for plenty more pictures.

Lenovo LePhone unboxed, exhaustively reviewed ahead of launch in China originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 May 2010 17:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3GW100amoledandroidcellphonechinachina unicomChinaUnicomlenovolenovo 3GW100lenovo lephoneLenovo3gw100LenovoLephonelephonemobile phoneMobilePhonephonequalcomm snapdragonQualcommSnapdragonsmartphonesnapdragonSat, 08 May 2010 17:13:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom won't use Google's search engine on Android phones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/china-unicom-to-sell-android-phones-not-use-googles-search-eng/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/china-unicom-to-sell-android-phones-not-use-googles-search-eng/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/25/china-unicom-to-sell-android-phones-not-use-googles-search-eng/#commentsOh, brother. This just keeps getting better and better, and by "better and better," we mean "uglier and uglier." Google's abrupt decision to stop censoring results in China and redirect users on the mainland to the outfit's Hong Kong portal has stirred up all sorts of tense feelings around the globe, and if you thought this whole war would be confined to the desktop, you were sorely mistaken. China Unicom, which is gearing up to present its customer base with a few more smartphone options with Android loaded on, recently announced that it wouldn't be using Google as the search engine on those very phones. Lu Yimin, president of the operator, was quoted as saying that his company was "willing to work with any company that abides by Chinese law," but that it didn't have "any cooperation with Google currently." Granted, this is just the latest in a series of blows to Android's proliferation in the world's biggest nation, but you can really tell it's getting personal now. C'mon guys -- can't we just hug it out?

China Unicom won't use Google's search engine on Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchinachina unicomChinaUnicomchineseconflictGoogleissueoperating systemOperatingSystemospoliticalpoliticsproblemsearchsearch engineSearchEnginesoftwareThu, 25 Mar 2010 16:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola XT701 finally completes Android trio in China, courtesy of Unicom]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/06/motorola-xt701-finally-completes-android-trio-in-china-courtesy/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/06/motorola-xt701-finally-completes-android-trio-in-china-courtesy/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/06/motorola-xt701-finally-completes-android-trio-in-china-courtesy/#comments It's no surprise that the Motorola XT701 (aka Motoroi) was going to land in the hands of China Unicom with its WCDMA radio, but man, that must've been a painful two-and-a-half-month wait for Chinese Motofans. Mind you, considering earlier worries about Google's departure from China, it's better late than never, right? Like its Korean and American counterparts, the XT701 also sports Android 2.0 but boosted with WAPI support -- China's very own WiFI standard. Fork out ¥4,299 or about $630 and this phone's yours.

Motorola XT701 finally completes Android trio in China, courtesy of Unicom originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchinachina unicomChinaUnicommobilemotoroimotorolamotorola xt701MotorolaXt701ophonext701Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:14:00 EST<![CDATA[China sent 23 billion text messages during Chinese New Year]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/china-sent-23-billion-text-messages-during-chinese-new-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/china-sent-23-billion-text-messages-during-chinese-new-year/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/china-sent-23-billion-text-messages-during-chinese-new-year/#comments 23 billion text messages in one week, with 13 billion from the first two days alone. Pretty mind-boggling, isn't it? And this 10 percent growth in the number of gung-hey-fat-choi messages is the work of just 747 million phone users in China -- imagine what would've happened if all 1.3 billion people in the country had a phone during Chinese New Year. Throughout the same period, China also produced 1.33 billion MMS messages -- a staggering 40 percent increase from last year -- while China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom operated 127.6 percent, 19.5 percent and 15.7 percent more voice calls respectively. Looks like someone's bagged themselves some extra red pockets here. Now, any guesses for next year's figures?

China sent 23 billion text messages during Chinese New Year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachina mobilechina telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicomchinesechinese new yearChineseNewYearmmsmobilesmstext messagetext messagestext messagingTextingTextMessageTextMessagesTextMessagingMon, 22 Feb 2010 10:01:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom profits down 50 percent, NTT DoCoMo up by the same margin]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/china-unicom-profits-down-50-percent-ntt-docomo-up-by-the-same/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/china-unicom-profits-down-50-percent-ntt-docomo-up-by-the-same/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/01/china-unicom-profits-down-50-percent-ntt-docomo-up-by-the-same/#commentsCall it proof that there's a global wireless karma equilibrium, if you will, that needs to be maintained: China Unicom has warned that its net profit for 2009 will be down a whopping 50 percent, while one of its doppelgangers across the Sea of Japan -- NTT DoCoMo -- has encountered exactly the opposite fortune on news that it has posted a 48 percent year-over-year improvement in black ink. Unicom blames a perfect storm for its misfortune, citing the sale of its CDMA network in 2008 for an artificially inflated profit a year ago combined with the immense expense involved in rolling out its HSPA cells over the course of 2009.

DoCoMo, meanwhile, ironically benefited from weak demand for new handsets that pushed its procurement costs lower, and it might be the start of a revolution in the way Japanese phones are announced and offered. Reports circulating today suggest that the carrier is gearing up to offer micro SIMs capable of working with Apple's iPad, which would mark a first for any major Japanese network; historically, you've had to buy a phone from them, but with LTE looking more globally harmonious than any network technology before it, this might be the start of something good. Speaking of LTE, NEC has announced that it'll be demoing a concept LTE "terminal" (presumably a handset) in cooperation with DoCoMo at MWC this month, likely the first example of many we'll see over the course of the year as a number of carriers around the world march toward live 4G networks.

[Thanks, Rata]

China Unicom profits down 50 percent, NTT DoCoMo up by the same margin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinachina unicomChinaUnicomearningsfinancialjapanmobilentt docomoNttDocomoprofitMon, 01 Feb 2010 13:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Lenovo LePhone launching in Le May]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/lenovo-lephone-launching-in-le-may/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/lenovo-lephone-launching-in-le-may/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/22/lenovo-lephone-launching-in-le-may/#comments As Google and China trade blows on the global stage Lenovo just keeps on truckin' with its plans to launch the Android-powered LePhone in China and overseas. Samsung and Motorola you'll recall, already bent under Google's pressure and agreed to delay the launch of their respective handsets in China last week. Lenovo execs are planning for a hat-trick launch in May on China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom with a rest of world launch expected later in the year. Lenovo shareholders also approved the company's planned buy-back of its mobile handset division today, making them just the latest tier-1 PC maker to join the smartphone party. Picture of the LePhone with its optional keyboard accessory after the break.

Continue reading Lenovo LePhone launching in Le May

Lenovo LePhone launching in Le May originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 04:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidchinaChina MobileChina TelecomChina UnicomChinaUnicomlenovolephoneFri, 22 Jan 2010 04:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Google's spat with Chinese government causes 'postponement' of Android phones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/19/googles-spat-with-chinese-government-causes-postponement-of-a/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/19/googles-spat-with-chinese-government-causes-postponement-of-a/http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/19/googles-spat-with-chinese-government-causes-postponement-of-a/#commentsYou have to love a good clash of legitimate titans, and they don't get much bigger than Google and China. After deciding to stop censoring its Google.cn results, the Mountain View company of evil-non-doers has stepped up its offensive with the announcement that two Android phones -- one from Samsung and one from Motorola -- which were slated to make their arrival on China Unicom on Wednesday have now been postponed. We'll read between the lines and guess that the phones will be "postponed" if China plays nice, or "never gonna happen" if it doesn't. Google seems intent on demonstrating the full impact of its potential withdrawal from China, and this show of its sway with mobile manufacturers will hardly go unnoticed.

[Thanks, David Casteneta]

Google's spat with Chinese government causes 'postponement' of Android phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid osAndroidOschinachina unicomChinaUnicomgooglemotorolapostponementsamsungTue, 19 Jan 2010 07:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Motorola's XT701, MT710, and XT800 do Android for China's big three carriers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/19/motorolas-xt701-mt710-and-xt800-do-android-for-chinas-big-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/19/motorolas-xt701-mt710-and-xt800-do-android-for-chinas-big-th/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/19/motorolas-xt701-mt710-and-xt800-do-android-for-chinas-big-th/#comments Even through the lean years, Moto's been making waves in China where it enjoys comparably high popularity -- it was one of the first major manufacturers to throw its support behind the nation's homegrown TD-SCDMA 3G tech, after all, and it's had a tendency to get the company's sexier WinMo smartphones like the SURF. On that note, it doesn't come as much of a surprise to see that they've now announced not one, not two, but three fairly attractive, high-end Android handsets specifically for duty in the Far East, one for each of China's big three carriers (each of which employs a different 3G technology, per the gub'mint's orders). Starting on the left, the XT701 is the phone that we'd believed to be the Sholes Tablet -- and considering that it uses HSPA for China Unicom's airwaves, we still have no reason to believe it couldn't make the leap across the Pacific. The MT710 (pictured center) is an OPhone for China Mobile and stands the least chance of making an unfettered jump to another continent since it uses a completely customized UI along with a positively China-only TD-SCDMA radio. Finally, the XT800 on the right looks like a Dell Mini 3i done right to us, rocking dual-mode GSM and EV-DO for China Telecom's rather heterogeneous network. We've got to hand it to Moto here: by all appearances, these 3.7-inch WVGA, 5 megapixel beasts could get Android fans drooling pretty much anywhere in the world, so let's get 'em over to Europe and America on the double, eh?

[Thanks, Vitala]

Motorola's XT701, MT710, and XT800 do Android for China's big three carriers originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidbreaking newsBreakingNewschinachina mobilechina telecomchina unicomChinaMobileChinaTelecomChinaUnicommotomotorolamt710ophonext701xt800Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom, Huawei rolling out '3G Inn' femtocell service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/16/china-unicom-huawei-rolling-out-3g-inn-femtocell-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/16/china-unicom-huawei-rolling-out-3g-inn-femtocell-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/16/china-unicom-huawei-rolling-out-3g-inn-femtocell-service/#commentsChina's carriers still have their work cut out for them to deliver wide-area 3G services nationwide, but they're already looking to get into the business of augmenting that coverage with femtocells -- probably not a bad strategy, considering the time and money involved in erecting towers in every nook and cranny of the country. China Unicom -- the carrier using UMTS as its 3G weapon of choice -- has partnered up with Huawei to deliver its 3G Inn femtocell solution that promises up to 7.2Mbps downstream. That's about 7.1Mbps faster than Verizon and Sprint's Samsung-sourced units, by our rough math -- of course, those older Sammies are 1xRTT-only, so it's good to see that newer units are stepping on the gas around the world. Right now, 3G Inn's only rolling in Beijing, but the carrier looks to eventually expand the service around the country.

China Unicom, Huawei rolling out '3G Inn' femtocell service originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3g inn3gInnchina unicomChinaUnicomfemtocellhuaweimobileWed, 16 Dec 2009 12:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Android 2.1-equipped Motorola Sholes tablet spied in China as XT701?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/android-2-1-equiped-motorola-sholes-tablet-spied-in-china-as-xt7/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/android-2-1-equiped-motorola-sholes-tablet-spied-in-china-as-xt7/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/03/android-2-1-equiped-motorola-sholes-tablet-spied-in-china-as-xt7/#comments No sooner do we get brief corner glimpses of the supposed Motorola Sholes tablet do we get tipped off to this writeup from Androidin.net which has a number of pictures of an eerily similar keyboard-less handset with a 3.7-inch screen, Android 2.1, FM radio, and interestingly enough, only a 5 megapixel camera -- last we heard it was going to be 8. Also debatable is a HDMI port, since the image that would show it is a tad too blurry. Otherwise, it seems to be about in line with what we expected, and it also seems destined for China Unicom as the XT701 (analogous to China Mobile's Motorola Android device). Now how about a few dashes of hope we'll see this stateside, eh Moto? Two more shots after the break.

[Thanks, yee]

Continue reading Android 2.1-equipped Motorola Sholes tablet spied in China as XT701?

Android 2.1-equipped Motorola Sholes tablet spied in China as XT701? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidandroid 2.1Android2.1breaking newsBreakingNewschinachina unicomChinaUnicommotorolamotorola sholesmotorola sholes tabletMotorolaSholesMotorolaSholesTabletsholessholes tabletSholesTablettabletxt 701Xt701Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:46:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom hits a million 3G users, only sells 5,000 iPhones so far]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/china-unicom-hits-a-million-3g-users-only-sells-5-000-iphones-s/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/china-unicom-hits-a-million-3g-users-only-sells-5-000-iphones-s/http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/china-unicom-hits-a-million-3g-users-only-sells-5-000-iphones-s/#comments Nearly six months after large-scale trials kicked off, China Unicom -- the only carrier among China's nationals to be deploying HSPA -- has broken the magical million-subscriber mark that have made the leap to its "Wo" 3G network. If you're wondering whether the recent launch of the iPhone on Wo has contributed to that count, the answer is a definitive "no" -- amazingly, a mere 5,000 units have apparently been sold so far, likely due to the phone's prohibitive cost and the availability of unlocked devices and interesting alternatives. Be that as it may, the carrier seems convinced that the iPhone will contribute to Unicom's bottom line in the fourth quarter, countered by continued marketing and build-out costs for Wo. Networks aren't cheap -- particularly when you're dealing with a country the size (and population density) of China.

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China Unicom hits a million 3G users, only sells 5,000 iPhones so far originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gapplechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphonemobilewoTue, 03 Nov 2009 15:22:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom prices iPhone for October 1st launch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/#comments While the iPhone got an official announce for China last month, its retail pricing and delivery date have remained a mystery. That's going to change later today when China Unicom is expected to announce an October 1st launch for Cupertino's darling. Eight service packages ranging in price from 126 yuan (about $18) to 886 yuan (about $130) per month will be available to Unicom's 141 million subscribers from a pool of 700 million cellphone toting Chinese. How much will it cost? 5,000 yuan or a steep $733 green retail. Subsidies of about 893 yuan (about $131) to 4,253 yuan (about $623) will be offered for those signing to long-term plans on Unicom's fledgling 3G network. Looks like somebody's standard of living is on the rise.

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China Unicom prices iPhone for October 1st launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomgsmhsdpaiPhoneiphone osiphoneoslaunchmobileretailMon, 28 Sep 2009 03:35:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom prices iPhone for October 1st launch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/28/china-unicom-readies-october-1st-iphone-launch/#comments While the iPhone got an official announce for China last month, its retail pricing and delivery date have remained a mystery. That's going to change later today when China Unicom is expected to announce an October 1st launch for Cupertino's darling. Eight service packages ranging in price from 126 yuan (about $18) to 886 yuan (about $130) per month will be available to Unicom's 141 million subscribers from a pool of 700 million cellphone toting Chinese. How much will it cost? 5,000 yuan or a steep $733 green retail. Subsidies of about 893 yuan (about $131) to 4,253 yuan (about $623) will be offered for those signing to long-term plans on Unicom's fledgling 3G network. Looks like somebody's standard of living is on the rise.

Filed under:

China Unicom prices iPhone for October 1st launch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiPhonelaunchretailMon, 28 Sep 2009 03:35:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone coming to China Unicom in Q4 -- it's official (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/#comments And now it's official: China Unicom has struck a 3-year exclusive deal to finally bring the iPhone to China's massive subscriber-base potential. The carrier will offer two different "3G iPhones" to its 141 million subscribers and it will buy the phones wholesale from Apple -- no revenue sharing deal here kids. Neither Apple nor China Unicom will reveal specs on the phones (WiFi?) or pricing. So that's it, short and sweet after what feels like years of rumors. But really, unless you live in China and subscribe to China Unicom what else is there to know?

Update: There was apparently an error in the WSJ piece -- the deal is not exclusive to China Unicom.

Read -- China Unicom announcement
Read -- More detail

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iPhone coming to China Unicom in Q4 -- it's official (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebreaking newsBreakingNewschinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 3giphone osIphone3giphoneosmobileFri, 28 Aug 2009 04:32:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone coming to China Unicom in Q4 -- it's official (updated)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/28/iphone-coming-china-unicom-in-q4-its-official/#comments And now it's official: China Unicom has struck a 3-year exclusive deal to finally bring the iPhone to China's massive subscriber-base potential. The carrier will offer two different "3G iPhones" to its 141 million subscribers and it will buy the phones wholesale from Apple -- no revenue sharing deal here kids. Neither Apple nor China Unicom will reveal specs on the phones (WiFi?) or pricing. So that's it, short and sweet after what feels like years of rumors. But really, unless you live in China and subscribe to China Unicom what else is there to know?

Update: There was apparently an error in the WSJ piece -- the deal is not exclusive to China Unicom.

Read -- China Unicom announcement
Read -- More detail

Filed under:

iPhone coming to China Unicom in Q4 -- it's official (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3gapplechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 3gIphone3gFri, 28 Aug 2009 04:32:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom denies having bought 5M iPhones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/#comments We'd still venture to say that all signs are pointing toward an iPhone launch on China Unicom before too long, but one key element of the launch -- Unicom's upfront buy -- is now in question. A spokesman for China's third-largest carrier (which is an amazingly low rank considering they've got about as many subscribers as Verizon and AT&T combined) has denied earlier reports that they've stockpiled five million handsets in preparation for launch, saying that negotiations with Apple are still ongoing. We imagine that when you're dealing with a nine-figure subscriber count, any hardware negotiation is complex, tense, and filled with counteroffers, so there's no telling how much longer this process could take.

[Via Unwired View]

Filed under: ,

China Unicom denies having bought 5M iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 3giphone 3gsIphone3gIphone3gswoSun, 16 Aug 2009 18:22:00 EST<![CDATA[China Unicom denies having bought 5M iPhones]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/16/china-unicom-denies-having-bought-5m-iphones/#comments We'd still venture to say that all signs are pointing toward an iPhone launch on China Unicom before too long, but one key element of the launch -- Unicom's upfront buy -- is now in question. A spokesman for China's third-largest carrier (which is an amazingly low rank considering they've got about as many subscribers as Verizon and AT&T combined) has denied earlier reports that they've stockpiled five million handsets in preparation for launch, saying that negotiations with Apple are still ongoing. We imagine that when you're dealing with a nine-figure subscriber count, any hardware negotiation is complex, tense, and filled with counteroffers, so there's no telling how much longer this process could take.

[Via Unwired View]

Filed under: ,

China Unicom denies having bought 5M iPhones originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applechinachina unicomChinaUnicomiphoneiphone 3giphone 3gsIphone3gIphone3gsmobilewoSun, 16 Aug 2009 18:22:00 EST