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Low-end 3G love: Cingular rolls out LG's CU400
Folks that can live with a stub antenna (and without HSDPA data) might just find their Cingular soulmate in LG's new CU400, which at just $30 after contract and rebates, seems to be Cingular's way of saying, "Okay folks, our 3G network is now officially ready for the masses." It's pretty rare that we aren't gushing with superlative descriptions of a new 3G release, but honestly, there's not a lot to say here; besides the UMTS radio, you get quad-band GSM and EDGE, Bluetooth, Cingular Video support, and a lowly VGA cam -- though push-to-talk is a welcome inclusion. The Cingular Music button found on the also recently-released Samsung SYNC is curiously missing here, suggesting that Cingular might be focusing on phones with a little more horsepower under the hood to promote that feature. The CU400's already on sale, so if this budget clamshell has you frothing at the mouth, we suggest you have yourself promptly tested for rabies and head down to your Cingular shop (in that order, please).
Up close with the LG CU400 for Cingular
Remember that CU400 on Cingular's latest rebate form? Well, turns out it's real -- and as the model number implies, it looks like it'll slot in right under the CU500 in Cingular and LG's 3G lineup. Granted, most of what we know about the clamshell is hearsay at this point, but we think it's safe to say that the monochrome external display and stub antenna foretell a lower-end 3G offering. As long as Bluetooth is in the box, we'll keep our complaints to a minimum. According to our sources, look for the CU400 to drop before the year's out (and possibly by the end of November) for $50 or less on contract. Click on for more pictures![Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Cingular's latest rebate form hints at holiday releases
Cingular's rebate forms are about as accurate at predicting the carrier's releases as weathermen are at predicting blizzards, but nevertheless, there are several juicy tidbits in the latest form (dated November 5 to December 30, 2006) worth pointing out. First up, the Samsung ZX30 and LG CU400 make appearances, both presumably destined to bring yet more clamshell love to the HSDPA game, and it'll be interesting to see how the ZX30 slots in against its SYNC stablemate. Also showing up to the party is the CU500v -- a phone we know nothing about -- but we're guessing it represents some sort of incremental upgrade to the CU500 (video calling, perhaps?). Next up, the SGH-i607 seems to have been officially christened the "Blackjack" for Cingular's release of the slim, 3G, QWERTY smartphone. Finally, the Treo 680 and 750 get some rebate love with both models coming in camera and non-camera variants. Conspicuously missing from the form, though, is the hotly-anticipated Nokia N75, suggesting that American S60 fans might be waiting until early '07 to get some 3G action.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: Looking closer at the form, we find a couple other goodies in the mix -- the Motorola K1 KRZR (in its GSM flavor, of course), the V3r (basically a red V3i, we hear), and the Pearl, a phone we'd previously heard wouldn't drop until 2007. Oh, and if you look really close, the ZX30 actually reads "ZX20" (how boring!). [Thanks again, everyone]
