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Sharp brings quartet of phones to India, maintains some of their Japan-ness
Think this phone looks like a device destined for the Japanese domestic market? Not quite -- its manufacturer is Japanese, but this puppy's an export. That's right: Sharp has announced four phones that'll be going on sale in India later this year, ranging in price from Rs. 6,499 up to Rs. 17,999 (about $146 to $404). Cheapest is the Blink, a simple clamshell with dual SIM support; stepping up a notch is the Alice, a low-end full touchscreen phone. Up another notch from that, though, is where things start to get interesting: pictured above is the awesomely-named Cyborg, featuring the pivoting clamshell design made famous in Japan with a 3.2 megapixel camera on board. Finally, you've got the Tango, featuring 3G support -- 3G is just starting to go live en masse in India, remember -- and a 5 megapixel camera. Hard to say whether any of these would sell in the US, but heck, we wouldn't mind if Sharp gave it a shot.
LG enV Pro not canceled, just delayed?
A trusted source has told us today that the LG enV Pro -- the latest incarnation of LG's line of dual-screen clamshells for Verizon, and the first with Android -- isn't actually canceled as we'd heard before. It is, however, delayed, with the launch currently scheduled for "some time in January." The good news is that the phone will launch with Android 2.2 installed, leading us to wonder whether the delay was put in place to give LG the time it needs to toss Eclair and get the Froyo build ready... so if this Nexus S happens soon with Gingerbread, they'll only be 0.1 behind. Not bad, we suppose -- but we're still hoping the phone looks more awesome in person. [Thanks, Kal; image via Android Life]
Samsung Contour slides (or flips, rather) onto MetroPCS
What do 49 contract-free dollars buy you these days? The answer would be this, the just-introduced Contour from Samsung for MetroPCS. Needless to say, you can't expect much in the way of smartphone operating systems here -- but you do get Bluetooth, a VGA cam, speakerphone, and voice command capability. The 2-inch primary display clocks in at 160 x 120 resolution paired up with a 1.07-inch external; not much, but the meager specs translate to a standby time that can reach a claimed 200 hours. As long as you like red, the Contour's available for you to buy right now.
Samsung M360 hits Sprint for a big, fat zero on contract
We wouldn't dream of paying a dime for this thing on a two-year agreement -- if anything, we'd expect a carrier to pay us -- so imagine our relief to hear that Sprint won't be charging anything upfront for the Samsung M360 after $160 worth of instant savings and a $50 "web special." It's not much of a looker, though it offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, speaker-independent voice dialing, and -- still a somewhat unique feature in this device category -- threaded text messaging support. It's available right now in any color you like, as long as it's blue.
LG Octane texts its way onto Verizon for $100
You might think $99.99 on contract after rebate is a little pricey for a phone with such a tiny display, but the new LG Octane's got a secret: it's a bit like the enV series with a secondary display inside the landscape clamshell accompanied by a full QWERTY keyboard. Other features include a 3.2 megapixel autofocus cam with flash (yes, autofocus, not fixed), a new email client, microSD expansion up to 16GB, and Bluetooth 2.1. Look for it online and in stores starting tomorrow.
BlackBerry Style first hands-on!
Yes, folks, it's true: Engadget's capable of scooping itself at its own reader meetup, as evidenced by the BlackBerry Style we just checked out at RIM's booth here. The phone is pretty much what you'd expect from what you've seen in the shots so far, essentially a clamshell riff on the Curve line; to that end, we'd argue that it feels a little cheaper than your average Bold, but it still seems to be a marked improvement from the Pearl flips of days gone by -- and at $99 on contract, we think that's exactly the market they were likely going for. Interestingly, the keyboard looks more like a Bold component than a Curve one... and depending on the faction of BlackBerry users you fall into, that's either a very good or a very bad thing. Like the old Pearl flips, the Style's definitely large and in charge, boasting dimensions barely smaller than the Bold -- when closed! Check out the gallery below.%Gallery-105738%
KDDI au outs Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 collections at the same time
A few of these handsets were already public knowledge, but by and large, KDDI's mind-numbing torrent of phones announced as members of its new Winter 2010 and Spring 2011 collections will leave you once again asking why you haven't sold your four-bedroom suburban home and relocated your entire family to a 125 square foot flat in the heart of Tokyo. We've already talked about the X-Ray, a member of KDDI's fashion-forward iida line, and the 16.4 megapixel Sony Ericsson S006 -- but other highlights include the IS04, IS05, and IS06, Android smartphones from Toshiba, Sharp, and Pantech, respectively (which doesn't even include Sharp's IS03 announced at CEATEC a few days ago). Of the three, none matches the IS03's 960 x 640 display nor its low-power secondary LCD, but the Toshiba Regza IS04 notably features a 12.1 megapixel cam. As the iida line goes, the X-Ray will be joined by the G11, a follow-on to 2009's G9 model -- and from what we can discern, it'll be a GSM / CDMA dual mode slider for international roaming with a touch-sensitive area below the 854 x 480 display in place of the G9's physical keys. Highlights among the other models include an upgraded Sharp Aquos Shot SH010 combining a 14.1 megapixel sensor with a waterproof shell, a Bravia-branded Sony Ericsson S005 with a 1GHz processor, and "simple" phones from Kyocera and Pantech -- the K008 and PT002, respectively -- that are designed for the occasional shopper that actually doesn't want ridiculous specs designed to make every phone outside Japan look like a DynaTAC. There's also a new e-reader, the E Ink-equipped Biblio Leaf SP02, featuring integrated solar recharging -- a smart feature for a device designed to sip power in the first place -- and a new mobile WiFi hotspot from Pantech, the WiFi Walker Data05. If you need to know more, follow the source link, but we've got to warn you: it might be hours before you're done.
BlackBerry Style (or Oxford?) launching on Sprint October 31?
The so-called BlackBerry Style got kind of lost in all the recent PlayBook noise, but fear not, clamshell lovers -- it seems the phone is still very much on track. Some literature leaked this week by way of BGR suggests that it'll be called "Oxford" at retail, and that a gray version will be launching at the tail end of this month -- October 31, to be exact -- for $99.99 on contract after rebates and discounts, while a purple version will follow on soon thereafter. For what it's worth, we've been hearing from other sources recently that the name of this thing is still Style, not Oxford, but it's more than possible that they've made a last-minute branding decision internally. We prefer Style, we think... but regardless of what it's called, we'd wager the wild QWERTY clam format is going to make for some pretty polarizing water cooler chat. [Thanks, Delon]
Fujitsu dual-touchscreen concept phone hands-on
Back at Mobile World Congress in February, the mobile UI gurus at TAT showed off their interpretation of a dual-screen phone interface using TI's powerhouse OMAP4 testbed. Seemed a little pie-in-the-sky at the time, but frankly, the concept device being shown off by Fujtisu at CEATEC this week -- created with TAT's involvement, it turns out -- seems virtually ready for production. Or the hardware did, anyway; the software was spartan by comparison, obviously designed to call out a few key use cases where having two giant, glorious 960 x 480 displays right next to each other might come in handy. We were shown browser and email list scrolling across both displays -- boring, if not obvious -- but what really piqued our interest was a cool photo sharing feature whereby you fling photos you want to share from a gallery on the bottom display to a list of contacts on the top one -- very TAT, if we do say so ourselves. Both displays can be rotated between portrait and landscape, creating either a nicely-sized clamshell or a gigantic flip, not an uncommon shape among Japanese phones. Indeed, given the form factor, the entirely-Japanese interface, and Fujitsu's history, we're sure this was designed entirely with the Japanese domestic market in mind -- and we wouldn't be at all surprised to see it show up in a retail capacity there within a year or so. Follow the break for video. %Gallery-104244%
Casio G'zOne Ravine blasts its way onto Verizon
Alright, Boulder owners, heads up -- your upgrade has arrived. The rumored Casio G'zOne Ravine is now official for Verizon, offering a 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash, noise cancellation, VZ Navigator support, and -- of course -- MIL-STD-810G compliance for resistance to "water, dust, shock, vibration, humidity, altitude, salt fog, solar radiation, and high and low temperatures." Salt fog can be brutal, can't it? It's also got push-to-talk capability over Verizon's EV-DO network, though we suspect that ain't a thing for most would-be Ravine buyers -- serious push-to-talkers have long since rallied around Sprint and Boost, both of whom offered their own ruggedized gear. We don't have a date just yet, but it'll be "coming soon" for $149.99 after $50 rebate on a two-year contract.
BlackBerry 9670 series clamshell earns FCC love
At first, we thought we were looking at the back of yet another standard design Bold or Curve -- but check out that nice, fat hinge up top. Indeed, we have every reason to believe we're looking at the long-rumored BlackBerry 9670 clamshell here, and the test reports confirm the presence of 802.11b / g / n and dual-band CDMA in this particular version -- in other words, it'll almost certainly be coming to either Sprint or Verizon. Given what we've seen of this little monster so far, we're going to need to reserve judgment until we play with one; RIM's BlackBerry Developer Conference is next week, and we wouldn't be shocked if it showed up there. Here's hoping!
Sanyo Vero for Sprint: the headline feature is the price
Have $10 to spend and a willingness to sign your name on a dotted line? Well, has Sprint got a deal for you: the new Vero clamshell from Sanyo swings in at an easy-to-swallow $9.99 on contract. Of course, at that price, you make certain sacrifices; it's got a mere 1.3 megapixel cam, a 2.5mm (yes, 2.5mm, not 3.5mm) headphone jack, and little else, though it does manage to pack in a few trick features like stereo Bluetooth and threaded messaging. When phones like the Pixi are being offered in the same store for free, it makes $10 sound a little pricey -- but after a couple years of bills, we imagine you'll make your money back. The Vero's available starting today.
Casio G'zOne Ravine coming soon on Verizon, it seems
Fact: the QWERTY clamshell Brigade is the only Casio G'zOne that Verizon currently sells. Fact: not everyone that wants a G'zOne wants a QWERTY clamshell (well, okay, that's more of a suspicion of ours than a fact, really). Anyhow, looks like Big Red is finally getting around to replacing the now-discontinued Rock with a new model, the Ravine, which appears to carry over all of the G'zOne lines usual features and styling cues -- most notably the ultra-rugged shell and push-to-talk capability. The external LCD reads Wednesday, September 29, which we suppose could be the launch date; in the meantime, we guess we'll just have to continue being careful not to drop our phone into creeks or mud pits. [Thanks, Terrence]
Nokia Star Trek Communicator is simply awesome, sadly just a prototype (video)
Nokia had a little product placement going on in the latest Star Trek movie, you know that already. But did you also know that those crazy Finns made a few never-released prototypes for a most bodacious tie-in handset? That "Starfleet Communicator" above is said to be one of only 14 units built by Nokia, intended to simulate the iconic voice comms devices of the original TV series. Hardware-wise, it's based on the somewhat less exciting N76 and comes with an external LCD and a trifecta of lights on its front, both protected by a big and heavy brass grill. It's a fully functioning phone, too, replete with preinstalled chirps when flipping it open. Check it out on video after the break! [Thanks, Randall]
Intel's Clamshell Classmate PC now more rugged and longer-lasting
Don't expect any new swivels (ahem, Dell), but Intel's education-focused Classmate PC nonetheless learned a few new tricks at this year's IDF 2010. First up is battery life, a six-cell lithium-ion energy source "so students may be able to work all day long on a single charge" also helped by the latest 45nm Intel Atom processor (we're pretty sure that means Pine Trail and not that other newcomer). There's additionally more ruggedness in the form factor, allowing for added protection on 70cm "desk heights" drops, increased water resistance of at least 100cc of liquid, and an antimicrobial coating for a cleaner environment.
Sanyo Innuendo announced for Sprint, if you catch our drift
If it looks (and sounds) vaguely familiar, well, it should -- Sanyo's new Innuendo clamshell replaces the similarly-named Incognito launched earlier this year. Specs have been bumped and warmed over all the way around, moving from 2 to 3.2 megapixels on the camera and adding an extra 0.2 inches of real estate on the WQVGA internal display, which compliments a "hidden" 1.3-inch OLED display out front paired with a full set of touch-sensitive buttons for those times when QWERTY isn't a priority. It's available now for $49.99 on a new two-year deal after $50 rebate.
BlackBerry Style 9670's UI demoed in leaked official videos
RIM has yet to officially announce the upcoming Style 9670 flip, but the leakfest continues today with a handful of new videos -- professionally-produced ones this time -- that show off key features of the UI and how to use them. Unlike the Torch, the Style lacks a touchscreen -- it just wouldn't be prudent in a clamshell form factor -- which means we're seeing just what it's like to navigate the finer points of BlackBerry 6's user interface with an optical pad (and secondary display) alone on a larger, portrait-oriented display. We're hopeful that RIM's new platform has a certain... well, a certain "something" on non-touchscreen devices that the Torch lacks, but time will tell, we suppose. Follow the break for the full video series.
Verizon's Samsung Gusto shows a surprising lack of gusto for $20
Every once in a while, carriers need to re-up the very bottom of their product lineups -- the part of the range where features like VGA cameras and tiny displays still reign supreme. Thing is, these are the kinds of phones that frequently aren't bestowed awesome model names, because... well, they're just not that awesome. On that note, we we're a little surprised at first to see that Samsung and Verizon were calling the ultra-basic clamshell the "Gusto" today until we remembered that this was the same carrier that released a phone called the Wireless Coupe -- at which point everything started to make sense. Sort of. It's available online today for $19.99 on contract after rebate; follow the break for Samsung's full press release.
Motorola's dev site details Android-powered Ming A1680
We've always been fans of the odd form factor espoused by Motorola's longstanding Ming series of devices in China -- a form factor seen only briefly in the US with Verizon's Krave -- and now that Moto's made the leap to Android across its global smartphone lineup, it makes sense to move the MING from custom-cooked Linux to Android, too. The A1680 has been floating around in the wild since back in April of this year, but Motorola's MOTDEV site for developers has now spilled the beans on all the crucial specs. Strangely, there are some basics missing like proximity and ambient light sensors -- usually must-haves for touchscreen devices -- and the 624MHz PXA935 core should doom it to the lower end of the performance spectrum, but at least it can scale up to 32GB of add-on storage and you've got a WVGA display at your disposal. Hey, Moto, if you're listening: we still think this kind of design is pretty cool, in the odd chance you're game to give Westerners another shot at it. [Thanks, Austin]
Motorola Rambler coming to Boost Mobile with full QWERTY on a hinge
Motorola already offers the Clutch if you're looking to get your text on through Boost Mobile -- but what if you want that oh-so-rare combination of full QWERTY plus a clamshell form factor? That's pretty hard to find regardless of carrier or network technology, but it looks like Moto is going to deliver with a phone called the Rambler featuring a 1.3 megapixel cam with video capture, stereo Bluetooth, GPS, and not much else -- in other words, like most Boost devices, this one will be pretty low-end. More on price, release date, and specs as we get it.
