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Well, it looks like the reports of i-mate's demise may have been slightly exaggerated. Of course, most of its employees are still laid off, its offices are still closed, and no one's answering the phones, but i-mate CEO Jim Morrison assures us that "everything about i-mate will continue." It turns out the company is just dealing with some "major fraud" that was discovered at the end of August as it was beginning to introduce a new line of devices, which led to some problems with little things like "paying employees." Those employees are also now said to be considering taking things up with the local authorities in Dubai, which Morrison admits would make things "difficult," although he insists that the company still has those new products ready to go, that it's "looking for more funding," and that "there is a lot of good stuff happening."

[Thanks, Brendan]

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i-mate CEO says company isn't dead yet, just dealing with 'major fraud' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fraudi-matejim morrisonJimMorrisonlaid offLaidOfflayofflayoffsmobileothersshamblesThu, 24 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate CEO says company isn't dead yet, just dealing with 'major fraud']]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/i-mate-ceo-says-company-isnt-dead-yet-just-dealing-with-major/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/i-mate-ceo-says-company-isnt-dead-yet-just-dealing-with-major/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/24/i-mate-ceo-says-company-isnt-dead-yet-just-dealing-with-major/#comments
Well, it looks like the reports of i-mate's demise may have been slightly exaggerated. Of course, most of its employees are still laid off, its offices are still closed, and no one's answering the phones, but i-mate CEO Jim Morrison assures us that "everything about i-mate will continue." It turns out the company is just dealing with some "major fraud" that was discovered at the end of August as it was beginning to introduce a new line of devices, which led to some problems with little things like "paying employees." Those employees are also now said to be considering taking things up with the local authorities in Dubai, which Morrison admits would make things "difficult," although he insists that the company still has those new products ready to go, that it's "looking for more funding," and that "there is a lot of good stuff happening."

[Thanks, Brendan]

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i-mate CEO says company isn't dead yet, just dealing with 'major fraud' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fraudi-matejim morrisonJimMorrisonlaid offLaidOfflayofflayoffsshamblesThu, 24 Sep 2009 10:54:00 EST<![CDATA[R.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/#commentsR.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye
Oh, global economic crisis, when will you stop claiming our favorite companies? Oh, wait, it's just i-mate folding this time? So, the company that already laid off its US staff is totally going away? We can live with that. It seems i-mate's remaining employees in Dubai Internet City were told yesterday that they had to take an unpaid two-month leave. That, apparently, was a typo, as the people were actually supposed to take an indefinite unpaid leave. Oops. The company has already been delisted from stock markets around the world, and this abrupt closing has left a number of retailers hanging as orders for the 810F are apparently still pending. Now they, just like our hopes of a Dirty Dancing sequel, will never be fulfilled.

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R.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810-f810fglobal economic recessionGlobalEconomicRecessioni-matei-mate 810-fi-mate 810fI-mate810-fI-mate810fmobileothersout of businessOutOfBusinessr.i.p.recessionrest in peaceRestInPeaceripThu, 17 Sep 2009 08:24:00 EST<![CDATA[R.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/17/r-i-p-i-mate-we-barely-knew-ye/#commentsR.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye
Oh, global economic crisis, when will you stop claiming our favorite companies? Oh, wait, it's just i-mate folding this time? So, the company that already laid off its US staff is totally going away? We can live with that. It seems i-mate's remaining employees in Dubai Internet City were told yesterday that they had to take an unpaid two-month leave. That, apparently, was a typo, as the people were actually supposed to take an indefinite unpaid leave. Oops. The company has already been delisted from stock markets around the world, and this abrupt closing has left a number of retailers hanging as orders for the 810F are apparently still pending. Now they, just like our hopes of a Dirty Dancing sequel, will never be fulfilled.

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R.I.P. i-mate, we barely knew ye originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810-f810fglobal economic recessionGlobalEconomicRecessioni-matei-mate 810-fi-mate 810fI-mate810-fI-mate810fout of businessOutOfBusinessr.i.p.recessionrest in peaceRestInPeaceripThu, 17 Sep 2009 08:24:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's rugged 810-F tortured for science, pleasure]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/i-mates-rugged-810-f-tortured-for-science-pleasure/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/i-mates-rugged-810-f-tortured-for-science-pleasure/http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/i-mates-rugged-810-f-tortured-for-science-pleasure/#comments
Making a phone rugged is just begging reviewers to beat the hell out of it, so when i-mate decided to coat its 810-F with rubber and make it impervious to cold, heat, and water, they should've known damn well what was coming next. CNET Asia had the distinct privilege of doing the honors with this one, and happily, the WinMo 6.1-powered set survived being packed in ice for an hour and being dropped onto carpet from a normal height (we would've preferred concrete, but beggars can't be choosers). Unfortunately, the phone has a non-removable battery to help meet its rugged aims, the keyboard's said to be ridiculously stiff, and the stylus is unusably small -- but if you need Windows Mobile, GPS, WiFi, and a magnetic compass in a package that won't let you down in any environment, you might be able to overlook the shortcomings when the phone's released next month.

[Via wmpoweruser.com]

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i-mate's rugged 810-F tortured for science, pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810-fedgegsmhsdpai-matemobileothersruggedumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6.1WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.1winmowinmo6.1wm6.1Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:22:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate prepping Warrior netbook to complement Legionnaire handset]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/i-mate-prepping-warrior-netbook-to-complement-legionnaire-handse/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/i-mate-prepping-warrior-netbook-to-complement-legionnaire-handse/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/25/i-mate-prepping-warrior-netbook-to-complement-legionnaire-handse/#comments
Turns out the Centurion wasn't the only surprise out of i-mate at MWC last week. The troubled WinMo licensee looks poised for a possible resurgence with its new hardware lineup, reinforced by an interesting combo of devices uncovered by Pocket-lint during the course of the show. First up, the "Legionnaire," pictured, is your average mid- to high-end WinMo slate -- HSDPA, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, 800MHz core, Windows Mobile 6.5, yada yada. Where it gets interesting, though, is what you do with the Legionnare; turns out i-mate wants you to plug it in to a $200 netbook shell with a 10-inch display codenamed "Warrior," which will use the Legionnaire both as its guts and as its touchpad. i-mate wants the combo to launch at the end of summer, which could make for some fun drama with presumed competitor Redfly if nothing else -- but then again, the Legionnaire's a nice looking handset in its own right, is it not?

[Via WMPoweruser.com]

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i-mate prepping Warrior netbook to complement Legionnaire handset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgegsmhsdpai-matelegionnairemobilenetbookothersumtswarriorwindows mobilewindows mobile 6.5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.5winmowm6.5Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:02:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's 810F and Centurion handled with wild abandon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/#comments
Technically, i-mate's only official announcement at MWC this year is the mega-rugged 810-F that'll withstand 140 degrees of heat, 14 degrees of cold, water resistance, and shock resistance courtesy of a nasty rubber casing, but it's certainly not going to appeal to the average consumer -- especially consumers who aren't wearing clown pants with one-liter pockets. So to that end, the company is also showing off a Windows Mobile Standard device codenamed "Centurion" -- and we're pretty sure this is the most compelling device i-mate has ever made. The version we saw was literally the first working prototype they've assembled, which meant it was creaky, wobbly, and felt like it could break at a moment's notice, but we're not taking too much stock in that; the more important thing to note is that it's freakin' tiny. The keyboard was too mushy from its overwhelming prototype-ness to take stock of whether it'll actually be usable in production, but our quick impression gives us hope that it might be wide enough to get the job done. The battery is absolutely tiny, so i-mate will be throwing in a battery wallet (remember the Upstage?) to help mitigate the problem -- they didn't have a wallet ready to show, but even with such an accessory tacked on, you're still looking at a smartphone leaps and bounds smaller than pretty much anything else you've used. There's no date on the Centurion's launch, but they're targeting mid-year -- and yes, both the 810-F and Centurion will get free Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrades. Cheers to that.

Gallery: i-mate's Centurion up close at MWC 2009


Gallery: i-mate's 810F up close at MWC 2009

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i-mate's 810F and Centurion handled with wild abandon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810fcenturionhands onhands-onHandsOni-matemwcmwc 09mwc 2009Mwc09Mwc2009windows mobilewindows mobile 6.5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.5wm6.5Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:37:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's 810F and Centurion handled with wild abandon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/i-mates-810f-and-centurion-handled-with-wild-abandon/#comments
Technically, i-mate's only official announcement at MWC this year is the mega-rugged 810-F that'll withstand 140 degrees of heat, 14 degrees of cold, water resistance, and shock resistance courtesy of a nasty rubber casing, but it's certainly not going to appeal to the average consumer -- especially consumers who aren't wearing clown pants with one-liter pockets. So to that end, the company is also showing off a Windows Mobile Standard device codenamed "Centurion" -- and we're pretty sure this is the most compelling device i-mate has ever made. The version we saw was literally the first working prototype they've assembled, which meant it was creaky, wobbly, and felt like it could break at a moment's notice, but we're not taking too much stock in that; the more important thing to note is that it's freakin' tiny. The keyboard was too mushy from its overwhelming prototype-ness to take stock of whether it'll actually be usable in production, but our quick impression gives us hope that it might be wide enough to get the job done. The battery is absolutely tiny, so i-mate will be throwing in a battery wallet (remember the Upstage?) to help mitigate the problem -- they didn't have a wallet ready to show, but even with such an accessory tacked on, you're still looking at a smartphone leaps and bounds smaller than pretty much anything else you've used. There's no date on the Centurion's launch, but they're targeting mid-year -- and yes, both the 810-F and Centurion will get free Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrades. Cheers to that.

Gallery: i-mate's Centurion up close at MWC 2009


Gallery: i-mate's 810F up close at MWC 2009

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i-mate's 810F and Centurion handled with wild abandon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810fcenturionhands onhands-onHandsOni-matemobilemwcmwc 09mwc 2009Mwc09Mwc2009windows mobilewindows mobile 6.5WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.5wm6.5Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:37:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's rumored "Hummer" rugged handset set to appear as 810-F?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/#comments
It's been some time since we've seen anything new come out of i-mate, and while we glimpsed the 810-F as a rumor ages ago, we're enthusiastic that mayhaps i-mate's got a few tricks left up its sleeve. The i-mate 810-F apparently runs Windows Mobile 6.1, a 624MHz CPU, HSDPA, QVGA display, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a big 'ol QWERTY pad, all tacked together by a rubberized housing and some hex screws. Other notable features include a 2 megapixel camera for rugged shots, and 2.2GB of internal storage space. Warranty? It's lifelong, if it breaks they replace it. Not a bad outing i-mate and judging by the date on the pic above, I expect we'll be seeing you in Barcelona.

[Via T3]

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i-mate's rumored "Hummer" rugged handset set to appear as 810-F? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810-f810fHummeri-matei-mate 810-fI-mate810-fimateWed, 11 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's rumored "Hummer" rugged handset set to appear as 810-F?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/11/i-mates-rumored-hummer-rugged-handset-set-to-appear-as-810-f/#comments
It's been some time since we've seen anything new come out of i-mate, and while we glimpsed the 810-F as a rumor ages ago, we're enthusiastic that mayhaps i-mate's got a few tricks left up its sleeve. The i-mate 810-F apparently runs Windows Mobile 6.1, a 624MHz CPU, HSDPA, QVGA display, GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a big 'ol QWERTY pad, all tacked together by a rubberized housing and some hex screws. Other notable features include a 2 megapixel camera for rugged shots, and 2.2GB of internal storage space. Warranty? It's lifelong, if it breaks they replace it. Not a bad outing i-mate and judging by the date on the pic above, I expect we'll be seeing you in Barcelona.

[Via T3]

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i-mate's rumored "Hummer" rugged handset set to appear as 810-F? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>810-f810fedgehsdpaHummeri-matei-mate 810-fI-mate810-fimatemobileotherswindows mobilewindowsmobileWed, 11 Feb 2009 15:04:00 EST<![CDATA[i-Mate shutting down Momento Live digiframe service]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/i-mate-shutting-down-momento-live-digiframe-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/i-mate-shutting-down-momento-live-digiframe-service/http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/22/i-mate-shutting-down-momento-live-digiframe-service/#comments
Bad news for those of you who snagged an i-Mate Momento WiFi digital picture frame over the holidays -- the company's started emailing customers with the news that it's shuttering the Momento Live service that feeds pictures to the unit automatically. You've got until February 25 to get your pictures off the site (which now has an expired SSL certificate) before they're deleted forever, but don't fret too much -- Mom and Dad can still view their grandkids grow up in semi-real-time via Flickr, Picasa, SmugMug and other sites that support RSS. Actually, given the current state of the economy, we'd say those of you in the market should heed this as a warning to stick to the RSS WiFi frames, not the goofy proprietary ones -- standards are forever, people.

Update: Turns out the Momento doesn't support RSS without Momento Live -- we're not sure how it'll support the other listed services, but let us know if you find out, won't you?

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i-Mate shutting down Momento Live digiframe service originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>i-mateimatemomentomomento liveMomentoLiveThu, 22 Jan 2009 08:03:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate Go user interface masks Windows Mobile 6.1]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/i-mate-go-user-interface-masks-windows-mobile-6-1/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/i-mate-go-user-interface-masks-windows-mobile-6-1/http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/11/i-mate-go-user-interface-masks-windows-mobile-6-1/#comments
It's almost disturbing how many UI masks we have now for Windows Mobile 6.1, but even more frightening is the fact that Microsoft is sitting around rather than doing anything about it. All that aside, those frustrated with the aging OS can give i-mate Go a shot, which is a new UI for the company's WinMo 6.1 handsets that attempts to deliver "advanced capabilities and touch access to the user's favorite functions through a simple icon-based menu." It's available now as a free download for the Ultimate 9502, Ultimate 8502, Ultimate 8150, Ultimate 6150, and JAMA 101, and while you may be scared to give something like this a try, just ask yourself: what do you really have to lose?

[Via phoneArena]

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i-mate Go user interface masks Windows Mobile 6.1 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>downloadi-matei-mate GoI-mateGointerfacejama 101Jama101microsoftmobilesoftwareUIultimateUltimate 6150Ultimate 8150Ultimate 8502Ultimate 9502Ultimate8502Ultimate9502user interfaceUserInterfacevitoVITO WinterfaceVitoWinterfaceWindows MobileWindows Mobile 6.1WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.1winmowinmo 6.1Winmo6.1Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:50:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's rumored "Hummer" -- for when you absolutely, positively don't care what it looks like]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/i-mates-rumored-hummer-for-when-you-absolutely-positively/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/i-mates-rumored-hummer-for-when-you-absolutely-positively/http://www.engadget.com/2008/09/08/i-mates-rumored-hummer-for-when-you-absolutely-positively/#comments
Say, for a moment, that Windows Mobile is Planet Earth; if the Touch Diamond lies somewhere around the North Pole, then we think you'd find this one freezing its ass off down in Antarctica. It's a stretch of an analogy, we know, but it's difficult to express just how different (and by "different" we mean "less attractive") i-mate's rumored "Hummer" is than some of its Windows Mobile 6.1 contemporaries. Granted, it does HSDPA, WiFi, and it's supposed to be ruggedized -- but we're not really convinced that exposed screws were the right way to get that point across. Then again, most of the devices rumored out of the house of i-mate from last year didn't make it to production, and this one may very well not either, so why sweat it?

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i-mate's rumored "Hummer" -- for when you absolutely, positively don't care what it looks like originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgegsmhsdpahummeri-mateimatemobileothersumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6.1WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6.1winmowm6.1Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with i-mate's Ultimates]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/20/hands-on-with-i-mates-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/20/hands-on-with-i-mates-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/20/hands-on-with-i-mates-ultimates/#comments
Even as we marvel at the HTC Touch Diamond's gorgeous VGA display, let's not forget that 640 x 480 resolution (buried within the larger context of a monster spec sheet, no less) is old hat for some Windows Mobile devices. i-mate's Ultimate line has been reppin' the high res displays for a while now, starting with the 6150 and 8150 models that were announced well over a year ago; more recently, the 9502 was added, offering shoppers a grand total of three distinct form factors from which to choose plus a more traditional QVGA setup with the 8502. Hate on Windows Mobile all you want, but you have to admit, it's hard to find this kind of hardware diversity with any other platform out there.

We just had an opportunity to play with all four models side by side -- an especially rare opportunity, considering that neither the 8502 nor 9502 are officially being sold in the US (despite their support for HSDPA 850 / 1900). Follow the break for some quick impressions with each of the fearsome foursome.

Gallery: Hands-on with i-mate's Ultimates

Continue reading Hands-on with i-mate's Ultimates

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Hands-on with i-mate's Ultimates originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6150815085029502edgefeaturesgsmhands onhands-onHandsOnhsdpai-matemobileultimateumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6winmowm6Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kaiser killer? i-mate's Ultimate 9502 reviewed]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/19/kaiser-killer-i-mates-ultimate-9502-reviewed/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/19/kaiser-killer-i-mates-ultimate-9502-reviewed/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/19/kaiser-killer-i-mates-ultimate-9502-reviewed/#comments
i-mate's "Sidekick for grown-ups" (our phrase, not theirs) is finally starting to ship, and Pocketnow's among the first to score an opportunity to put the beastly WinMo device through its paces. The Ultimate 9502's spec sheet is certainly enough to impress -- triband HSUPA, TV out, 3 megapixel autofocus cam, VGA display the list goes on -- but is it as good in practice as it is on paper? In a word, yeah, it looks like it is, as long as you're willing to pay the astronomical prices the first batch of 9502s are commanding on the open market. It's super quick, has a gorgeous display, and is built like a tank, although that last point could also be the phone's downfall -- with a boxy black shell and one of the chubbiest profiles of any WinMo device out there today, the 9502 isn't about to win any beauty contests. The GPS was a little finicky to operate and the keyboard's quite a bit smaller than that of its arch nemesis, the TyTN II, but otherwise, this looks like a winner for anyone who values extreme mobile productivity over making a fashion statement.

On a side note, we've learned from i-mate that the 8502 and 9502 are both affected by Qualcomm's chip ban, so availability in the US is limited strictly to gray market imports (though they'll be officially offered in Canada). In other words, if you want to play, bring cash -- lots of it -- and don't expect the price to plummet any time soon.

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Kaiser killer? i-mate's Ultimate 9502 reviewed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 May 2008 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9502edgegsmhsdpahsupahsupa1i-matemobileothersultimateumtswindows mobilewindowsmobileMon, 19 May 2008 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's Ultimate 8502 clears the FCC hurdle]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/13/i-mates-ultimate-8502-clears-the-fcc-hurdle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/13/i-mates-ultimate-8502-clears-the-fcc-hurdle/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/13/i-mates-ultimate-8502-clears-the-fcc-hurdle/#comments
On paper, the Ultimate 8502 and 9502 from i-mate rock specs that rest at or near the pinnacle of what's available from a Windows Mobile device today: HSUPA, TV out, integrated GPS, QWERTY, and in the case of the 9502, a true VGA touchscreen. While it's historically not been terribly easy to track down i-mate hardware in the States, one thing that might make it just a little bit easier to do so is an honest to goodness FCC approval, and that's what we have here laid out before our very eyes. In this case, it's the 8502 that's been approved under manufacturer Mobinnova's name; we haven't spotted the 9502 yet, so it's probably only the form factor purists and traditionalists that are getting excited about this one. We can almost feel the stupid-fast upload speeds from here!

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i-mate's Ultimate 8502 clears the FCC hurdle originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 May 2008 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've caught wind from a number of employees -- or ex-employees, as the case may be -- that i-mate's US division in Redmond, Washington has all but disintegrated after a Friday bloodbath that saw the entire engineering, QA, and tech writing departments laid off, among others. Several honchos who weren't cut left anyway, perhaps unwilling to work in a ghost town or as a show of solidarity to their fallen brethren; notably, the Chief Software Officer and VP of Sales and Marketing are both gone, leaving a sales director to be promoted to the lofty title of GM of what seems to be all US operations. Apparently, the Dubai-based firm is in the hurt locker after its inability to get the Ultimate line (also known as "the basket with all of i-mate's eggs in it") fully deployed to retail channels in the time frame it had hoped, and meeting massive resistance from US carriers to carry the devices, it's been left with no option but to leave behind just enough employees to set up and maintain a web-based portal for purchasing unlocked devices in the States. To those who've been handed your walking papers, we wish you the best of luck.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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i-mate's US outpost implodes, most laid off originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We've caught wind from a number of employees -- or ex-employees, as the case may be -- that i-mate's US division in Redmond, Washington has all but disintegrated after a Friday bloodbath that saw the entire engineering, QA, and tech writing departments laid off, among others. Several honchos who weren't cut left anyway, perhaps unwilling to work in a ghost town or as a show of solidarity to their fallen brethren; notably, the Chief Software Officer and VP of Sales and Marketing are both gone, leaving a sales director to be promoted to the lofty title of GM of what seems to be all US operations. Apparently, the Dubai-based firm is in the hurt locker after its inability to get the Ultimate line (also known as "the basket with all of i-mate's eggs in it") fully deployed to retail channels in the time frame it had hoped, and meeting massive resistance from US carriers to carry the devices, it's been left with no option but to leave behind just enough employees to set up and maintain a web-based portal for purchasing unlocked devices in the States. To those who've been handed your walking papers, we wish you the best of luck.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: ,

i-mate's US outpost implodes, most laid off originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsi-matelayoffmobileothersSat, 01 Mar 2008 14:23:00 EST<![CDATA[Telstra gives i-mate's 8502 and 9502 some love]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/15/telstra-gives-i-mates-8502-and-9502-some-love/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/15/telstra-gives-i-mates-8502-and-9502-some-love/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/15/telstra-gives-i-mates-8502-and-9502-some-love/#comments
Not only has Telstra secured exclusive rights to i-mate's freshly minted 8502 and 9502 Windows Mobile superphones in Australia -- it turns out they'll also be the very first carrier to launch 'em anywhere in the world when they hit shelves early next month. The carrier has historically been an excellent customer of i-mate's, bringing a grand total of ten devices to its airwaves so far in a five-year deal. Lucky Aussies will see the 8502 landing for $999 AUD (about $898) while the Sidekick 9502 drops for a whopping $1099 AUD (about $988).

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Telstra gives i-mate's 8502 and 9502 some love originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Those two rather dashing new models in i-mate's off-again, on-again Ultimate line that we peeped all the way back at CTIA last fall are finally official. The 9502, undoubtedly the more interesting of the pair, is almost Sidekick-ish in its design, featuring a VGA touchscreen that slides to the side to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. The 8502 meanwhile makes do with a more traditional form factor, sticking the QWERTY pad below the 2.6 inch QVGA display up front. Both models feature HSPA (yes, both HSDPA and HSUPA), TV out, and integrated GPS, hence earning their keep in the thin-but-growing Ultimate stable. Still no word on release or pricing, but since they've both been kicking around since CTIA, we imagine we'll see 'em in the pipe before too long.

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i-mate officially adds 8502, 9502 to Ultimate line originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>85029502edgegsmhsdpahsupahsupa1i-matemobilemwcothersultimateumtswindows mobileWindowsMobileTue, 12 Feb 2008 15:06:00 EST<![CDATA[Palm, i-mate, others moving manufacturing contracts back to HTC?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/#commentsWe thought that HTC's bold venture into the direct-to-consumer space pretty much spelled doom for its once-burgeoning ODM business, but apparently not. We don't know if these guys are just exceptionally good at what they do, exceptionally cheap, exceptionally convincing, or some combination of the above, because a report out of Taiwan's Commercial Times claims that Palm, i-mate, and MWG -- all companies who've moved their manufacturing contracts solidly away from HTC in recent years -- have come back into the fold, ultimately bumping HTC's contracting business to account for more than 10 percent of its total business in the first quarter. We're skeptical that these three brands (all of whom compete with HTC at retail) would suddenly decide to throw up the white flag at roughly the same time, but considering the kinds of things that happen when other ODMs come into the picture, a little HTC TLC could be just what the doctor ordered.

[Via IntoMobile]

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Palm, i-mate, others moving manufacturing contracts back to HTC? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewscellphonecontracthtci-matemanufacturingmwgodmpalmphoneThu, 17 Jan 2008 17:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Palm, i-mate, others moving manufacturing contracts back to HTC?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/17/palm-i-mate-others-moving-manufacturing-contracts-back-to-htc/#commentsWe thought that HTC's bold venture into the direct-to-consumer space pretty much spelled doom for its once-burgeoning ODM business, but apparently not. We don't know if these guys are just exceptionally good at what they do, exceptionally cheap, exceptionally convincing, or some combination of the above, because a report out of Taiwan's Commercial Times claims that Palm, i-mate, and MWG -- all companies who've moved their manufacturing contracts solidly away from HTC in recent years -- have come back into the fold, ultimately bumping HTC's contracting business to account for more than 10 percent of its total business in the first quarter. We're skeptical that these three brands (all of whom compete with HTC at retail) would suddenly decide to throw up the white flag at roughly the same time, but considering the kinds of things that happen when other ODMs come into the picture, a little HTC TLC could be just what the doctor ordered.

[Via IntoMobile]

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Palm, i-mate, others moving manufacturing contracts back to HTC? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewshtci-matemanufacturingmobilemwgodmotherspalmThu, 17 Jan 2008 17:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with the i-mate 8502 and 9502]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/hands-on-with-the-i-mate-8502-and-9502/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/hands-on-with-the-i-mate-8502-and-9502/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/hands-on-with-the-i-mate-8502-and-9502/#comments
We saw these fellas announced this morning so thought it only reasonable to get down to i-mate's booth here at CTIA and get some shots of the 8502 and 9502. First thing we noticed about these handsets was the top shelf build quality and high-end heft factor -- if you're not feeling it both of these look and feel like a million bucks. The booth was positively swarming with curious onlookers peeking at the video out demonstration that these two were putting on and to their credit, both handsets looked grand on big plasma screens. Check the gallery for some more i-mate candy.

Gallery: Hands-on with the i-mate 8502 and 9502

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Hands-on with the i-mate 8502 and 9502 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We saw these fellas announced this morning so thought it only reasonable to get down to i-mate's booth here at CTIA and get some shots of the 8502 and 9502. First thing we noticed about these handsets was the top shelf build quality and high-end heft factor -- if you're not feeling it both of these look and feel like a million bucks. The booth was positively swarming with curious onlookers peeking at the video out demonstration that these two were putting on and to their credit, both handsets looked grand on big plasma screens. Check the gallery for some more i-mate candy.

Gallery: Hands-on with the i-mate 8502 and 9502

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Hands-on with the i-mate 8502 and 9502 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>85029502gsmhsdpai-mateimatemobilewindows mobilewindowsmobileTue, 23 Oct 2007 16:21:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate working on a Foleo-like "shell" for the Ultimate line?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/#commentsThe last we heard about i-mate's Ultimate line, the company was allegedly planning on "staggering" the release of the WM 6 Pro handsets, but it's been over two months without any news to report -- and now suddenly the tubes are alive with i-mate news: not only did the company announce the Ultimate 9502 and 8502 handsets today, UberGizmo is reporting that i-mate is working on a Foleo-esque "shell" for the line, with 1024 x 768 display, larger keyboard, and 80-hour battery. Unlike Palm's charming folly, however, the i-mate shell won't contain any processing power of its own, instead serving more as an extended dock for the Ultimate devices themselves. It's a pretty sketchy rumor, to be sure, but given the i-mate's topsy-turvy handling of the Ultimates, it's as likely as anything else.

[Thanks, webon]

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i-mate working on a Foleo-like "shell" for the Ultimate line? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>companioni-mateimateshellultimateTue, 23 Oct 2007 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate working on a Foleo-like "shell" for the Ultimate line?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-working-on-a-foleo-like-shell-for-the-ultimate-line/#commentsThe last we heard about i-mate's Ultimate line, the company was allegedly planning on "staggering" the release of the WM 6 Pro handsets, but it's been over two months without any news to report -- and now suddenly the tubes are alive with i-mate news: not only did the company announce the Ultimate 9502 and 8502 handsets today, UberGizmo is reporting that i-mate is working on a Foleo-esque "shell" for the line, with 1024 x 768 display, larger keyboard, and 80-hour battery. Unlike Palm's charming folly, however, the i-mate shell won't contain any processing power of its own, instead serving more as an extended dock for the Ultimate devices themselves. It's a pretty sketchy rumor, to be sure, but given the i-mate's topsy-turvy handling of the Ultimates, it's as likely as anything else.

[Thanks, webon]

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i-mate working on a Foleo-like "shell" for the Ultimate line? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>companioni-mateimatemobileothersperipheralsshellultimatewindows mobilewindowsmobileTue, 23 Oct 2007 11:35:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate reveals Ultimate 8502 and 9502: move over Kaiser]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-reveals-ultimate-8502-and-9502-move-over-kaiser/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-reveals-ultimate-8502-and-9502-move-over-kaiser/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/i-mate-reveals-ultimate-8502-and-9502-move-over-kaiser/#comments
Well even though we have yet to see three of the five high-end Ultimate smartphones promised by i-mate earlier this year, the company has decided to reveal yet another pair of QWERTY-packing family members, including one -- the 9502 -- that gives the HTC Kaiser / TyTN II a run for its money. Almost identically-spec'ed to what is now the AT&T Tilt (save for the, um, tilt), the quad-band GSM / tri-band HSUPA Windows Mobile 6 handset manages to step up the game by featuring a VGA display along with video out, LED "flash," and standard 2.5-millimeter audio jack. Slightly less impressive but still pretty feature packed, the candybar-shaped Ultimate 8502 sports the same radios (including WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth 2.0), memory configuration (256MB ROM / 128MB RAM) and 400MHz Qualcomm processor as its big brother, but replaces the 3.0 megapixel autofocus camera with a 2.0 megapixel fixed focus and, more importantly, drops the display down to a pedestrian 2.6-inch QVGA. Still, there's a lot to love here, but until we see some pricing and release dates, i-mate, we're not gonna go blending our current phones just yet.

[Thanks, Salem S.]

Read - Ultimate 9502
Read - Ultimate 8502

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i-mate reveals Ultimate 8502 and 9502: move over Kaiser originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well even though we have yet to see three of the five high-end Ultimate smartphones promised by i-mate earlier this year, the company has decided to reveal yet another pair of QWERTY-packing family members, including one -- the 9502 -- that gives the HTC Kaiser / TyTN II a run for its money. Almost identically-spec'ed to what is now the AT&T Tilt (save for the, um, tilt), the quad-band GSM / tri-band HSUPA Windows Mobile 6 handset manages to step up the game by featuring a VGA display along with video out, LED "flash," and standard 2.5-millimeter audio jack. Slightly less impressive but still pretty feature packed, the candybar-shaped Ultimate 8502 sports the same radios (including WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth 2.0), memory configuration (256MB ROM / 128MB RAM) and 400MHz Qualcomm processor as its big brother, but replaces the 3.0 megapixel autofocus camera with a 2.0 megapixel fixed focus and, more importantly, drops the display down to a pedestrian 2.6-inch QVGA. Still, there's a lot to love here, but until we see some pricing and release dates, i-mate, we're not gonna go blending our current phones just yet. Check out the entire US Ultimate team -- including the already well-known 6150 and 8150 -- in the gallery below...

Gallery: i-mate reveals Ultimate 8502 and 9502: move over Kaiser


[Thanks, Salem S.]

Read - Ultimate 9502
Read - Ultimate 8502

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i-mate reveals Ultimate 8502 and 9502: move over Kaiser originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We're not sure why it took so long for the i-mate Ultimate 8150 to follow its almost identical sib (the keypadless 6150) through FCC labs, but whatevs, it's here now. The Arima-sourced handset rocks the usual array of high-end specs touted by i-mate's entire Ultimate line: HSDPA, Windows Mobile 6 Professional, WiFi, VGA display resolution, 2 megapixel camera, and the list goes on. Seeing how these bad boys are already supposed to be finding their way into retail channels, the FCC certification comes just in the nick of time. Let's hope the units customers receive are black, because we're still not any closer to digging the sickly gold than we were six months ago.

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i-mate Ultimate 8150 sees FCC approval, and just in time originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>8150edgefccgsmhsdpai-matemobileothersultimateumtswindows mobilewindowsmobileFri, 19 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate slots JAMA 101 and 201 below the Ultimates]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/15/i-mate-slots-jama-101-and-201-below-the-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/15/i-mate-slots-jama-101-and-201-below-the-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/15/i-mate-slots-jama-101-and-201-below-the-ultimates/#comments
Remember the i-mate JAMA? Yeah, we don't really remember it either, but it looks like i-mate upped the specs on its JAMA 101 and 201 models just enough so that they might (emphasis on "might") get some notice the second time around. Designed to give the manufacturer a pair of lower-end options to balance out its Ultimate models, the two share an overwhelming majority of their respective spec sheets: 2 megapixel cams, triband GSM / EDGE radios without 3G or WiFi, 64MB of RAM and 128MB of ROM, microSD slots, and Windows Mobile 6 underpinning the whole mess. i-mate lists the 201 -- its Standard device with a QWERTY keypad -- as having a VGA screen, though we're skeptical since QVGA seems like a far more logical choice for a handset in this class. No word on availability yet, but we don't expect to see 'em stateside without GSM 850.

[Via the::unwired]

Read - i-mate JAMA 101
Read - i-mate JAMA 201

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i-mate slots JAMA 101 and 201 below the Ultimates originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>101201edgegsmi-mateimatejamamobileotherswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6wm6Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:39:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's Ultimate 8150 out and about]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/07/i-mates-ultimate-8150-out-and-about/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/07/i-mates-ultimate-8150-out-and-about/http://www.engadget.com/2007/09/07/i-mates-ultimate-8150-out-and-about/#comments
Okay, we've gotta admit, it looks way better in black than it did in the sickly champagne hue we'd originally seen. ce4arab's had a chance to play with the production version of i-mate's 8150, one of the first members of its flagship Ultimate line to see the light of day. We'll save the review itself for the Arabic speakers among us, but the extensive visuals (right down to a test of its TV out capability) here are enough to justify taking a peep. In particular, we're feeling the blue backlighting on the keypad -- and as we said, the black theme is a huge improvement. The specs are less notable now than they were back when these things were announced at CeBIT, but hey, if you can score one at the right price, at least it's not gonna look like you're pulling a brick of fool's gold out of your pocket.

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i-mate's Ultimate 8150 out and about originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We wish we could say we were surprised about this, we really do. It seems that i-mate has canceled arguably the three most interesting versions of its Ultimate line: the 5150 slider, 7150 QWERTY flip, and 9150 numeric flip. Remaining and now apparently scheduled for October production are the 8150 numeric candybar and keypadless 6150, devices that could be considered pretty uninteresting by the time they enter a market rife with 3G capable Windows Mobile 6 hardware. So far, this is all unconfirmed -- it's being reported by a UK retail firm, Clove Technology -- but it seems plausible considering that the 7150 and 9150 have taken on a certain air of vaporeware-ness that the FCC approved 6150 has not. We have to admit, we're a little surprised that the 5150 bit the dust since it's nothing more than a slider grafted to a 6150, but considering the strength of its competition, it's probably for the best.

[Via All About Symbian]

Update: Crave Asia is reporting that i-mate says all five devices are still on track, but will be released on a "staggered" schedule starting with the 6150 and 8150. We'll keep you updated as we hear more.

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Three of i-mate's five Ultimate devices canceled? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>51506150715081509150edgegsmhsdpai-mateimatemobileothersultimateumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6wm6Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:05:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate Ultimate 6150 catches FCC on a good day]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/14/i-mate-ultimate-6150-catches-fcc-on-a-good-day/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/14/i-mate-ultimate-6150-catches-fcc-on-a-good-day/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/14/i-mate-ultimate-6150-catches-fcc-on-a-good-day/#comments
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?

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i-mate Ultimate 6150 catches FCC on a good day originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6150arimaedgefccgsmhsdpai-matemobileothersprofessionalultimateumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6wm6Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:08:00 EST<![CDATA[All five i-mate Ultimate devices to land in September?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/26/all-five-i-mate-ultimate-devices-to-land-in-september/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/26/all-five-i-mate-ultimate-devices-to-land-in-september/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/26/all-five-i-mate-ultimate-devices-to-land-in-september/#comments
It seems i-mate is making good on its promise from earlier this year by delivering its Ultimate line handsets in one 5-round salvo. While i-mate has chosen Singapore as the base of operations for its spring into new Asian markets, we do hope some of these will still trickle over here -- though we doubt they will carry any North American-carrier branding. i-mate CEO Jim Morrison commented on i-mate's ability to customize the new handsets to individual user's needs, and while we're loving the idea of customizing something, we're worried about the process. Another tasty tidbit is i-mate's newfound focus on the bundled software; its new suite will apparently offer tools for remote wipe, the ability to push updates (corporate users rejoice) and even the ability to remotely lock the handset down. We were a bit down on its last announcement, but this news has certainly renewed the shine we all once held in our hearts for Dubai's best, now let's get those shipped.

[Via the::unwired]

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All five i-mate Ultimate devices to land in September? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>51506150715081509150edgegsmhsdpai-matelaunchmobileothersultimateumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6wm6Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:03:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate announces dual-band JAMA handset]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/i-mate-announces-dual-band-jama-handset/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/i-mate-announces-dual-band-jama-handset/http://www.engadget.com/2007/06/18/i-mate-announces-dual-band-jama-handset/#commentsColor us underwhelmed on this one folks, the i-mate JAMA has just hit the streets and it brings little to the game but a small footprint. In a time of quad-band GSM and multi-band HSDPA, dual-band GSM in 900 / 1800 without EDGE, 3G, or even WiFi just don't cut the mustard. Other specs include Bluetooth 1.2, a Samsung 300MHz CPU, 64MB RAM, 128MB ROM, and Windows Mobile 5, which really nails the coffin shut on the JAMA. While there is some hope that this minimalist device will land with an absolutely stunning price point (we are talking low low, bargain basement pricing) i-mate's efforts usually ring in with premium-flavored pricing, and this little mobile definitely doesn't have premium written on it anywhere.

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]

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i-mate announces dual-band JAMA handset originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gsmi-mateimateJAMAmobileotherswindows mobilewindowsmobileMon, 18 Jun 2007 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Will it freeze? i-mate JAQ takes a chilly beating]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/#commentsWe won't say it's for certain just yet, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that the now-infamous Will It Blend series of destruction videos has created a monster. In a zany spinoff of the violent series, an i-mate JAQ is dealt a chilly beating as a presumably deranged individual ponders if it will "pass the freeze test." The snazzy smartphone was placed in frigid waters and then frozen block solid, only to be bashed repeatedly once it returned from the freezer. As with most of these cases, the JAQ didn't exactly perform admirably, and in fact, it failed to ever turn on again. So if you don't mind seeing perfectly good electronics go to waste, or you'd just like another bright idea to try yourself, be sure to hit the read link for the ominous video.

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Will it freeze? i-mate JAQ takes a chilly beating originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>colddestroyfreezefreezingi-mateicejaqsplayedvideowaterwill it blendwill it freezeldestructionWillItBlendWillItFreezeldestructionWed, 18 Apr 2007 03:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Will it freeze? i-mate JAQ takes a chilly beating]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/18/will-it-freeze-i-mate-jaq-takes-a-chilly-beating/#commentsWe won't say it's for certain just yet, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that the now-infamous Will It Blend series of destruction videos has created a monster. In a zany spinoff of the violent series, an i-mate JAQ is dealt a chilly beating as a presumably deranged individual ponders if it will "pass the freeze test." The snazzy smartphone was placed in frigid waters and then frozen block solid, only to be bashed repeatedly once it returned from the freezer. As with most of these cases, the JAQ didn't exactly perform admirably, and in fact, it failed to ever turn on again. So if you don't mind seeing perfectly good electronics go to waste, or you'd just like another bright idea to try yourself, be sure to hit the read link for the ominous video.

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Will it freeze? i-mate JAQ takes a chilly beating originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coldCulturedestroyedgefreezefreezinggsmi-mateicejaqmobileotherssplayedwaterwill it blendwill it freezeldestructionWillItBlendWillItFreezeldestructionwindows mobilewindowsmobileWed, 18 Apr 2007 03:32:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's bumper crop for '07]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/i-mates-bumper-crop-for-07/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/i-mates-bumper-crop-for-07/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/i-mates-bumper-crop-for-07/#comments
i-mate has wisely decided to keep its release tempo on the up-and-up following its disassociation from Windows Mobile megagiant HTC -- at least that's what we're believing following a strong showing at 3GSM this year and now this, a leaked roadmap document detailing what we can expect out of the Middle Eastern outfit for the next few months. Notable models include the "Odyssey," a Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Phone Edition device with UMTS 1900 / 2100 (what, no 850?), 2 megapixel cam, and WiFi; a four-pack of so-called "X Series" devices in a variety of form factors, blacked out and chock full of dual-band HSDPA, Windows Mobile 6, Bluetooth 2.0, and WiFi; and a Fastap-equipped handset in the Ultimate line -- codenamed "Acorn" -- with triband HSDPA and the video out that is a signature of the series. Healthy competition for HTC? Bring it on, folks. [Warning: PDF link]

[Via Boy Genius Report]

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i-mate's bumper crop for '07 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgegsmhsdpai-matemobileothersphone editionPhoneEditionpocket pcPocketPcprofessionalroadmapsmartphonestandardultimateumtswindows mobilewindows mobile 6WindowsMobileWindowsMobile6Thu, 05 Apr 2007 17:07:00 EST<![CDATA[i-mate's N80... er, JAMA?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/22/i-mates-n80-er-jama/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/22/i-mates-n80-er-jama/http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/22/i-mates-n80-er-jama/#comments
Italian site Age Mobile has apparently managed to scoop i-mate's latest Windows Mobile device (my, i-mate's been busy lately, haven't they?), the "JAMA." Rumor has it the Pocket PC phone will help fill in a low-end line underneath the recently-christened Ultimate series devices, and the JAMA's spec sheet shows it in a bad way: data tops out with GPRS (ugh), Windows Mobile 6 is nowhere to be found, and you get some crazy me-too Nokia styling. On the plus side, the 128MB of internal storage is at least par for the course, and you get Bluetooth 2.0, a 2 megapixel cam, and stereo audio in a 16 millimeter thick package. We can't tell if there's a slider lurking underneath that silvery surface, but either way, we're seriously getting some N80 vibes from the front, no?

[Thanks, Massimo]

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i-mate's N80... er, JAMA? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2007 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gsmi-matejamamobileothersphone editionPhoneEditionpocket pcPocketPcwindows mobileWindowsMobileThu, 22 Mar 2007 10:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Is i-mate misquoting dimensions on its Ultimates?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/is-i-mate-misquoting-dimensions-on-its-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/is-i-mate-misquoting-dimensions-on-its-ultimates/http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/27/is-i-mate-misquoting-dimensions-on-its-ultimates/#comments
i-mate's recently unveiled "Ultimate" Windows Mobile 6 devices from 3GSM a few weeks ago initially looked like an offering to kill all other offerings. In a nutshell, all five Ultimate devices sported the exact same killer specifications except for form factor (and of course, dimensions). But -- egad! -- has i-mate soiled some of the initial excitement over these devices by not proofreading the dimension specs on the 7150 model? You be the judge here. i-mate's official specs state that the 7150 is a 110mm x 74mm x 18mm device. Yet, when set against the i-mate K-Jam, the new 7150 looks huge -- even though there is supposedly only a 2mm difference in height. We think i-mate needs to revisit some dimensional relations for the 7150 -- and fast. We're thinking about 125mm for the 7150's height, no?

Read - Official i-mate 7150 website
Read - Quite a few 7150 pics and angles at phoneArena
Read - Size comparison at Howard Forums

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Is i-mate misquoting dimensions on its Ultimates? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>edgegsmhsdpai-matei-mate 7150i-mate K-Jami-mate Ultimatei-Mate Ultimate 3GSMI-mate7150I-mateK-jamI-mateUltimateI-mateUltimate3gsmmobileUltimate WM handheldsUltimateWmHandheldswindows mobilewindowsmobileTue, 27 Feb 2007 15:48:00 EST