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cellphone posts

Blinged out Michael Jackson phone is fashionably late

by Laura June posted Nov 6th 2009 at 12:25PM

Michael Jackson may never take the stage again, but that doesn't mean you can't commemorate him in your pocket, right? This special, "limited edition" mobile phone appears to have been dipped in gold and diamonds, and, if we're not mistaken... it's basically a Vertu KIRF that's dressed like a headless MJ? We're pretty light on specs and pricing information here, but rest assured that unless you live in China, you'll probably never be able to get your be-gloved hand on one of these. Nothing like cashing in on the dead.

[Via Shanzhai]

Dell Mini 3iX shows up at FCC, with WiFi and 3G in tow

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 6th 2009 at 5:40AM

Having already witnessed the case and UI of Dell's incoming Android invader, we can now pretty much complete the picture with the latest info from the FCC. Reassuringly, WiFi and 3G -- the two big modifications from the China-bound Mini 3i -- both make it onto US soil, leaving us with only the timeless questions of when and how much. The Chinese version of the phone runs a 360 x 640 resolution on a 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen, which makes for a nice base to get all that wireless communication (Bluetooth included) flowing. We can expect the Mini 3iX to find its way onto AT&T's awesome networks some time in 2010, joining a growing army of Android devices vying for your cash, love and understanding.

[Via Unwired View]

Sony Ericsson Kurara suffers leakage, reveals HD label?

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 5th 2009 at 7:10AM

Boy, we sure do love our early glimpses of pre-release hardware, and today we have not one, but two sources of purported pictures of the Sony Ericsson Kurara. Touted as a sibling to the Satio, the Kurara is mooted to have a 3.5-inch AMOLED touch-sensitive screen, 8.1 megapixel camera and, wait for it, 720p video recording. The image above seems to confirm this with a big "HD" inscription next to the camera lens, but that label is missing in the gallery below. We'll just put that inconsistency down to the extremely early samples on show, and start getting all frothed up in excitement over the possible UX inclusion on this Symbian S60 device when it starts selling in the first half of 2010.

Gallery: Sony Ericsson Kurara leaks out

[Via My Sony Ericsson and SlashPhone]

Read - PhonesDB
Read - Sony Ericsson Club

Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

by Richard Lai posted Nov 4th 2009 at 11:25AM

What we have here today isn't just another pair of ordinary headphones: Sony Ericsson's MH907s are button-free, minimalistic headphones that activate upon the magical touch of your skin. Well, your ears to be precise. You must bear in mind that the MH907s are exclusive to Fast port-equipped Sony Ericsson phones thus excluding the forthcoming XPERIA X10 -- so chances are you're already not interested. That said, we shall see if Sony Ericsson is really going to change things forever with these gleaming buds featuring SE's SensMe Control technology, or by just stopping everyone from using their 3.5mm headphone jacks. Read on to find out how these €39 ($57) headphones fared.

Gallery: Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Continue reading Ears-on with Sony Ericsson MH907 Motion Activated Headphones

Verizon looking to bump early termination fee to $350 on 'advanced' devices

by Darren Murph posted Nov 4th 2009 at 8:42AM

You know what's worse than showing your Bitter Beer Face to the world after you passed on Apple's iPhone and let AT&T enjoy the spoils? Raising your early termination fee to stratospheric heights. Just over a year ago, we honestly though this whole ETF thing was headed in the right direction, as most of the major carriers (VZW included) sought to prorate contracts in order to lessen the charge as one's contract drew closer to an end. Now, however, Big Red is evidently gearing up to pull a 180, with the slide above showing a $350 ETF for "advanced" devices (read: probably anything deemed a smartphone). The newly hiked rate will go into effect on November 15th, and while that $350 will decrease by $10 per month over the life of the agreement, this pretty much guarantees that you won't be adding a line, disconnecting and then flipping that phone on eBay.

HTC HD2 officially coming to US, out in Europe and Asia today!

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 4th 2009 at 6:02AM

Be still, our beating hearts! HTC has just pressed the "Go" button for European and Asian shipping of its latest object of desire, and it's served notice to American phone lovers that the HD2 is coming to them soon as well. Slated for a "major US carrier" some time "early 2010," it'll land squarely in the same time bracket as the XPERIA X10, which should lead to some really quite interesting decisions to be made, presumably by March 2010. The WinMo 6.5 device might be shipping now, but you'll have to wait at least until the 9th of November before you can spill your Euros for it, and we expect to see a flurry of pricing and contract information filling that short waiting time. Full PR after the break.

[Via MobileTechWorld]

Continue reading HTC HD2 officially coming to US, out in Europe and Asia today!

Dell Mini 3iX has WiFi, 3G, and a number of leaked UI photos

by Ross Miller posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 10:08PM

You know what's ridiculous? Modern smartphones without WiFi (why hello there, Pixi and Tour). Looks like Dell's getting the message with the supposed Brazil-bound Mini 3iX, which as far as we can tell is the Mini 3i as it should've been -- same specs, plus WiFi and 3G connectivity. The OPhone-esque user interface also seems to have gone through some changes, at least cosmetically, and Cellular Cafe has the vivid imagery -- so might this be the little guy rumored to be coming to AT&T, or will we get the 2G variant instead? How about we just skip this one altogether and get the Streak?

TAG Heuer Meridiist Lamborghini model announced, snickered at

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Nov 2nd 2009 at 11:36AM

In the market for an over-priced luxury handset? Do you equate luxury with a brand name, snakeskin, perhaps even a feature phone with all but the barest of "features?" You're in luck! Once again looking to give Vertu a run for its money, Tag Heuer has upped the ante with its newest, the Meridiist Automobili Lamborghini. In addition to that world famous 1.9-inch sapphire crystal display, 2 megapixel camera, media player, Bluetooth, and roughly seven hours of talk time, this guy throws the Lamborghini logo into the mix. Available in a limited edition of 1963 (the date that its namesake was first sold), look for it sometime this month at selected TAG Heuer and Lamborghini retailers -- which we're sure you frequent anyways. PR after the break.

[Via Pursuitist]

Continue reading TAG Heuer Meridiist Lamborghini model announced, snickered at

Xperia Pureness unboxed, performs for the camera (video)

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 30th 2009 at 3:33PM

As you are no doubt well aware, the launch date for the Xperia Pureness is looming. If you've been dying for a closer look, you're in luck: the fashion icons over at MobileBurn have got their hands on one and have been kind enough to make us a short film of the reveal. At first blush, the phone doesn't look any less impressive than it did in the shots and video we've seen before. There doesn't appear to be any hint of a keypad before the thing when shut off, although that obviously changes once it's powered on. As far as that transparent glass display goes, we can tell from here that it's not likely to be visible in direct (or even some indirect) sunlight -- but since you're a jet-setting nightclub habitue' who hasn't been outside in the daylight in four years that probably shouldn't bother you much. The UI is pretty much standard for an SE feature phone, and the battery is not removable. The price? Looks like it will run you a healthy £530 (about $875). Still interested? Peep the video in action after the break.

Continue reading Xperia Pureness unboxed, performs for the camera (video)

Ask Engadget: Which Android phone should I get?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 29th 2009 at 9:02PM

We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Chris, who is deathly afraid that making the wrong choice on an Android phone will ruin his life completely.

"Listen, I am an obsessed gadget hound who needs some real help. I just switched to Sprint from Verizon about three months ago for the Pre. Mostly because they said that they weren't getting an Android anytime soon (ha!). Anyways, I like the Pre but Sprint in my area is spotty at best. I have been intrigued with Android and have had HTC in the past with some good success, so I went for the Hero about a week ago. Now, I miss my hardware keyboard and am thinking about switching to the Moment. After Chris's pithy review of the Moment it seems that may not be the correct choice either. So, I am still able to switch back to Verizon if I want and get the Droid when it arrives. Should I just trade up to the Moment when it comes out, see if I like it, and if not switch to the Droid? Or something else entirely? Help!"

Wow Chris, that's a pretty compelling story. Really engrossing. So much so, in fact, that we're sure you'll have no issue getting all sorts of helpful replies in comments below. Right, Android lovers? Right?

Nokia's N97 mini gets its shipping papers

by Darren Murph posted Oct 28th 2009 at 2:31PM

Right on cue, the smaller-but-just-barely N97 mini is now ready for public consumption over in Europe. Granted, we're certainly at the tail end of October, but we can't say that we caught Nokia in a lie or anything based on what was said last month in Stuttgart. You've already committed the specifications to memory and read all about firmware 2.0, so now all that's left to do is run along, fork out €450 ($667) and wonder forever if this decision will positively or negatively change the course of your life.

Palm Pixi on sale November 15 exclusively at Sprint for $100 on contract

by Darren Murph posted Oct 26th 2009 at 10:27AM

Just as we'd heard earlier this morning, today's the day that Palm and Sprint come clean with their undercover plans for the former's second-ever webOS device. The Pixi, which we toyed with back on our first Engadget Show, is slated to hit Sprint stores, Best Buy, RadioShack and select Walmart locations on November 15th for $99.99, but that's after a $50 instant rebate and a $100 mail-in rebate that you'll be waiting ages for. Nothing here is all that surprising -- after all, we knew it'd be on shelves before the holiday season -- but the $100 price point is downright depressing. The Palm Pre can be had right now for just $150 (also on contract), and beyond that, both webOS devices are being offered on the exact same network. Throw this thing on Verizon, AT&T or T-Mobile, and you've got a whole new wave of Palm customers; as it stands, who's really buying this with the Pre just $50 away?

Ukraine war memorial given eternal LED torch, cell antenna

by Ross Miller posted Oct 25th 2009 at 6:43AM

An eternal flame that once blazed via good old fashioned science has now been given a new lease on life thanks to modern technology. This Cherkassy, Ukraine war monument, erected in honor of fallen World War 2 soldiers, had been sitting extinguished given the price of natural gas after the fall of the Soviet Union. Now, though, the bowl has been gifted with a LED marquee simulating a flame, which covers up its alternate use as a cell tower. Sure, beauty's in the eye of the beholder and we're fairly certain this hasn't been accepted with universal approval, but if you ask us, and admittedly we're biased, the more LEDs the better.

[Via Hack a Day]

Nokia N900 not coming until some time in November

by Vladislav Savov posted Oct 22nd 2009 at 5:45AM

We've just heard some pretty sour news. Peter Schneider, head of Maemo marketing, has waxed official about the N900's release and quite casually noted that it'll "start shipping during November 2009," which as you very well know is a whole month later than originally expected. An interesting tidbit to his post is that he notes Nokia had lent out 300 pre-production units to the community, and he stresses the importance Nokia places on the feedback received. Connecting the dots might suggest that feedback wasn't quite as hot as Espoo had hoped, and a few last-minute refinements are now being applied. Either way, you're gonna have to refill your patience for potentially another month of waiting.

[Via Chronicles of N900; Thanks, Habib Q]

Screen Grabs: Nokia N96 preserves the evidence on Dexter

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 21st 2009 at 12:01PM

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

No this isn't the first Nokia-wielding fictional character or celeb that we've seen in this space, but the N96 recently spotted in the hands of our favorite psychopath has us wondering: would Dexter Morgan try N-Gage? And wouldn't he prefer something with a QWERTY keyboard? Come to think of it, we always thought of him as a BlackBerry guy. Then again, times are tough, and as a new father he has to make... sacrifices.

Update: We originally identified this one as the N81. Thanks to all you raving Nokia fanatics who pointed out the error.