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Nokia and others launching "iPhone-like" gear by Q2 2008?
Taiwan's OEM reporting pulse -- DigiTimes -- claims that handset makers Asustek, BenQ, Compal and Arima Communications are all "aggressively developing iPhone-like products" for 2008. According to their sources, the devices will run on Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform and target business markets with features such as 3G and GPS. DigiTimes' sources also claim that Nokia will release its Symbian-based "iPhone-like handset" in the first half of 2008. True or not, that's a lot of Apple hate-bait to swallow this early in the morning.
O2 reducing Asia Pacific presence, to eventually withdraw?
Though it doesn't even operate any networks of its own in the region, O2's Asia Pacific outpost has been known to release (or tease us with) some of the more lustworthy Windows Mobile devices out there. They apparently aren't lustworthy enough, though, with DigiTimes reporting that O2 is looking to reduce its footprint in that part of the world or -- horror of horrors -- withdraw altogether. The company has apparently stopped placing orders and taking delivery of existing ones from its Asian ODMs -- Quanta, Gigabyte, and Arima -- a pretty solid reversal from its recent trumpeting of four new Windows Mobile-based models for the second half of the year. O2 naturally claims that it's simply "adjusting its product strategy" and has no plans to withdraw, but with no new hardware in the pipe, what else could it possibly mean?[Via the::unwired]
E-Ten's X800 gets the nod from the FCC
E-Ten's glofiish X800 has received recognition for doing its job in every band -- both GSM and HSDPA -- VGA-style. The X800 will mark the first in a series -- apparently four will be released this year -- in E-Ten's collaboration with Arima, and if this is a hint of what's to come, we're positively stoked for the closing months of this year. Like the Asus P750 hinted at a few days ago, it seems our manufacturing friends are finally catching on that all-flavored GSM and HSDPA sets are where it's at. Now if they could just turf out a similarly svelte set with QWERTY, we'd not even think of complaining.[Via Phonescoop]
i-mate Ultimate 6150 catches FCC on a good day
Well well well, look what the FCC dragged in! We're still not sold on the sickly champagne color shared by members of the Ultimate line, but there's very little to not love about the i-mate 6150 Ultimate's internals: tri-band HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, Windows Mobile 6, integrated FM radio, and a glorious VGA display -- internals that look to be assembled by ODM Arima, according to the FCC documentation. Of the five Ultimates promised, this particular one might be more of a... shall we say, "acquired taste" than the four others, owing mainly to its lack of a physical keypad. Otherwise, though, we're down. Can we still expect this in September, i-mate?
E-TEN, Arima collaborating on 3G handsets
Despite a seemingly successful (and continuing) run with Quanta on 2.5G goodies, E-TEN has announced that it's working with ODM Arima on its 3G lineup. The first device to bear the fruit of Arima's labor will apparently be the glofiish X800 with HSDPA, VGA display, and Windows Mobile 6 -- so we've gotta say, the new kid on E-TEN's block is doing alright for itself. The company says that it plans to introduce four new smartphones by the end of the year, though it's unclear at this point exactly how many will get WCDMA under their hoods (our vote: all of them).[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
O2 Asia has four Windows Mobile models for 2H, ASUS left out
O2's Taiwan and Hong Kong chief has reaffirmed the company's long-standing commitment to rolling out Windows Mobile devices, recently commenting that it'll roll out four new models in the second half of 2007. That's good news for Quanta, Arima, and Gigabyte -- the ODMs taking on those orders -- but O2's partnership with ASUS has been scrapped, allegedly because it adopted Intel's 3G chipsets for its models when Qualcomm's are considered to be snappier. All four new models will rock out with Windows Mobile 6; one will be an entry-level piece with EDGE data while the other three will all burn rubber with downstream speeds of "at least" 3.6Mbps. At least this explains O2's untimely cancellation of the Xda Zinc, we guess.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Arima UM650UV1 UMPC: another XP ultra-portable that won't run Vista
It's been a long time since we've heard a notable peep from Taiwan's Arima... and then this. Meet the Arima UM650UV1 UMPC. This 1.1-inch thick / 1.5-pound UMPC delivers the, er, tricked-out specs of the UMPC poster boy -- Samsung Q1b -- only with a slim slidin' QWERTY always in tow. So we're talking a 1GHz VIA C7-M processor, 512MB DDR2 memory, VX700 UniChrome Pro graphics, up to 40GB of 4200RPM P-ATA disk, integrated webcam, and a 5-hour capable battery under a slightly leaner 6.5-inch 800x480 touch-sensitive LCD with LED backlight. Only thing is, you'll have to suck it up with your WiFi and Bluetooth jutting out the side on a USB stick. No? Us neither. You know, it's nice to see all these XP ultra-portables coming out of the woodwork suddenly, albeit, 6 months too late. What with Vista right around the corner, how 'bout announcing some of those v2 UMPCs running Vista we've been waiting on? Yes Acer, Averatec, LG, and Samsung, we're looking at you. [Via Carrypad]
