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i-mate's bumper crop for '07
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]
Say it ain't so: O2 kills Xda Zinc
It's not terribly often that we're here to tell a sob story about a European carrier killing off a hotly-anticipated handset prior to release, but alas, it does seem to happen from time to time. Such is the case here, where O2 first delayed the ASUS-supplied Xda Zinc -- a rather delicious Windows Mobile QWERTY slider, if we do say so ourselves, replete with 3G data -- and now has apparently deep-sixed it entirely, claiming it wasn't up to snuff with its "testing requirements." To be fair, O2's Xda line of Windows Mobile-based devices is deep and wide enough to accommodate nearly any user's needs, Zinc or no, so we're not going to be sending any flowers or cards expressing our condolences. If anything, ASUS might be the one needing consolation here, with the Zinc possibly proving to be a breakout handset for the company in Europe's white-hot smartphone market.
HTC's voice-free Census coming to Sprint?
If this is the device Census Bureau workers end up getting to use come 2010, we've gotta say, we're a little jealous. The aptly-named "Census" from HTC crossed the FCC's wires several months ago, and a fresh visit reveals that pictures of the device and a user's manual are now available. Sticking with the Bureau's claim that their device would be strictly used for data collection, the Windows Mobile Pocket PC-powered Census dispenses with calling functionality, instead loading up with a variety of options for transmitting collected data back to home base: 1xRTT / EV-DO, WiFi, and a phone jack (oh, my!) are all on board. Though we're not certain, we're guessing the jack is an analog modem, ensuring that even the most rural Census visits -- places where even CDMA may not penetrate -- won't go unreported in short order. The device also includes a fingerprint reader, which gives us some sense of security (however false it may be) that the intimate details we share with those workers are safe. A screen shot in the user's manual reveals Sprint as a possible carrier, but if this is in fact the Census device we've all been hearing about, it's uncertain whether it'll ever be made available outside the feds' bureaucratic hands.[Via phoneArena]
Treo 750, BlackJack with Windows Mobile 6 in the wild
We'd reported this would happen, and, well... it happened. In Microsoft's booth at CTIA, anyway. It's anybody's guess exactly when it is end users will be able to drop Windows Mobile 6 on Treo 750s and Samsung BlackJacks of their very own, but we take it as a pretty solid sign that Microsoft is comfortable showing it off already.
HTC's throwback "Panda" in the wild
Ring any bells here, folks? This one goes way back -- think back to the early days of all-in-one devices, when Windows Mobile 6 was nothing more than a twinkle in Microsoft's eye, GSM 1900 was all you needed to get a decent signal in North America, and telephony support was a hacky graft in the form of Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition. That's right: the "Panda" from HTC appears, for all practical purposes, to be the true successor to the one and only "Space Needle" released on T-Mobile many, many moons ago (and later, the "Alpine"). Features are said to include a generous 3.5 inch display, 256MB ROM / 128MB RAM, 802.11b / g, Bluetooth 2.0, EDGE data (no 3G here -- throwback, indeed!), and a 2 megapixel cam. The release schedule is unclear -- in fact, it's not even clear whether HTC will release it at all -- but for once, that's not breaking out hearts.
HTC Kaiser poses for a press shot
To capture the true essence of a handset, we typically like our visual footage in-the-wild style -- but there's something to be said for the clean, refined appearance of a good press shot, too -- and on that note, well, here ya go. The shot clearly shows what could end up being the HTC Kaiser's revolutionary feature, a flip-up screen that adds another dimension (literally) to the form factor popularized by its predecessors, the venerable Wizard and Hermes. Of course, with HSUPA data on board, the trick screen is far from being the only hotness here, so it pretty much goes without saying that we're a little excited for the (planned) mid-year release in "P4550" HTC-branded trim.
i-mate's N80... er, JAMA?
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]
Lenovo's lovely ET600 with Windows Mobile 6
Windows Mobile 6 Professional? Check. Brushed metal (or metal look, at least) body? Check. Dedicated Google button placed prominently front and center? Okay, sure, whatever. HSDPA? Eh, sorry folks, this one's a China-only special; GPRS still reigns supreme in those parts. Lenovo's not really known for its smartphone offerings in the western hemisphere, but on home turf, it's a different story -- this here ET600 is the latest example. Besides the rather comely exterior, you get a tri-band GSM radio sans 850 (no need for it over there), the usual QVGA display, 2 megapixel autofocus cam, Bluetooth 2.0, microSD expansion, and a 200MHz OMAP750 core. Like it? Us too -- bring back a few for us on your next trip to Beijing, wouldya?[Via Engadget Chinese]
HP shows the HTC of yesterday as concept of tomorrow
We've seen concept phones galore over the years, but a recent prototype spotted at the If Design Awards at this year's CeBIT convention piqued our interest a bit more than usual. Purportedly envisioned by Teague, the sure-to-be-renamed "Data Center Communications Vision of the Future Server" for HP looks to be a Pocket PC / rugged handheld hybrid with a slideout QWERTY keyboard, oversized touchscreen display, and quite a chunky motif. Of course, we doubt this will turn out to be your average PDA / phone, as it reportedly boasts "integrated hardware / software mobile technology to allow IT personnel to monitor data center equipment, diagnose and track problems, and perform system services" as well. Essentially, this presumably beastly device is intended to interface with HP servers and data centers rather than catering to the typical style-conscious consumer, as it even touts RFID / Bluetooth connectivity options to assist administrators in resolving outstanding issues sans wires. As with most products still stuck in the Photoshop stage, there's no word on whether this thing will actually hit the market, nor if it'll show up primarily through enterprise channels if it makes it that far, but it looks like the diagnostic handheld market is just starting to get interesting nonetheless.
HTC Kaiser in the wild
Whoa, what's that HTC Kaiser doing there? Don't whip out your Wizard or Hermes and try this, folks -- you'll only end up with tears and a broken Pocket PC -- it's a hot new trick HTC's Hermes follow-on has up its sleeves. Besides the wacky flip-up action, the Kaiser ups the camera to a full 3 megapixels (an extra million pixels over its predecessor), adds HSUPA support for crazy fast uploads, GPS, and the now-obligatory Windows Mobile 6 Professional. No word on release, but we know with certainty that HTC wants this thing in users' hands in 2007, so we'd expect it to start showing up on European networks before too long. Click on for plenty of gorgeous photography.[Via Howard Forums]
BenQ lets the P51 piggie fly
Can it really be true? One year after announcing the P51 (we had a hands-on at CeBIT 2006 for crissake), BenQ has finally released the damn thing beyond the confines of China... and Singapore and Turkey too, apparently. Don't even get us started on the P50 this handset was meant to follow. It doesn't look like there's anything new on this FCC approved handset, but hey, we'll run down the specs again anyway: quad-band GSM / GPRS (that's right, not even EDGE), 802.11b/g WiFi, GPS, A2DP Bluetooth, SDIO slot, and 1.3 megapixel cam with a 2.83-inch QVGA touchscreen LCD for Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC to dance upon. We agree, a bit rusty for a 2007 release.
Zenum Opus Operis aims for spring launch
Man, we hope this is true. Switzerland's Zenum has been talking up its gorgeous "Opus Operis" concept Pocket PC for a while now -- but as is too often the case, the alleged release date came and went with no product in sight. Zenum's site has been reborn recently, though, suggesting that the company is still on track to eventually offer the QWERTY device, this time with a spring '07 launch. Though the site shows Windows Mobile 5 as the platform of choice, we trust Zenum will have the wisdom to switch over to 6 by the time the Opus gets out the door. Other specs should include 128MB ROM, 64MB RAM, 2 megapixel cam, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 1.2, and a tri-band GSM radio (no 850MHz, apparently) atop a 200MHz OMAP750. We'd love to see a successful launch on this one, folks, but we'd gladly wait a few weeks if you could squeeze some quadband action in there. Oh, and Windows Mobile 6, while you're at it, eh?[Thanks, Ramesh]
HTC slides in with "Nike" P5500
We don't generally associate the terms "HTC" and "slider" -- at least in the traditional, numeric keypad sense -- but it seems the Taiwanese patron saint of all things Windows Mobile would like us to have a change of heart in that regard. The rumored HTC "Nike" (these code names of theirs keep getting weirder and weirder, we swear) should bow as the P5500 when it becomes available this fall in HTC-branded trim, rolling deep with a 400MHz Samsung core, 128MB ROM / 64MB RAM with microSD expansion, integrated FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, a 3 megapixel cam, and a 2.6-inch QVGA touchscreen. Best of all, it'll pack GPS and industrial-strength data via both 802.11b/g and HSDPA (no word on bands, though) -- and yes, that is Windows Mobile 6 Professional you see there, hence the touchscreen.[Via Navigadget]
Socket Mobile's SoMo 650 Pocket PC
The phone-free PDA is indeed a dying breed, especially in Windows Mobile land, but the SoMo 650 from Socket Mobile is just such a beast, and it really doesn't come off looking too badly. The rugged exterior isn't much to look at, but is built to withstand one meter drops, while the 802.11b/g WiFi allows for a semblance of phone capabilities, since the 624MHz Intel processor is more than enough for VoIP apps. Also onboard is a Bluetooth 2.0 radio, along with CompactFlash and SDIO slots, 128MB of SDRAM and 256MB of flash memory. The SoMo 650 should be shipping for $648 in limited quantities starting this April, to be followed by mass production in May.[Via MobileTechReview]
HTC Titan all up in the FCC's business
The existence of HTC's follow up to the venerable Apache comes as a surprise to no one; after all, we've seeing it time and time again. Still, there's some sort of wave of reassurance that washes over us when we see a promised new handset get two thumbs-up from our boys and girls at the Fed. Still no word on exactly when we'll see the device materialize -- which is expected on Sprint and Verizon alike as the PPC6800 and XV6800, respectively -- but this filing should at least clear the path for both carriers to hold to their roadmaps; with EV-DO Rev. A, Bluetooth 2.0, and beefed-up internal storage all in the cards, those roadmaps really can't come quickly enough.
Pocket PC gets iPhone makeover
While skins to make your Pocket PC look like a little more like the iPhone are nothing new, they've got nothing on this full-on interface change an enterprising programmer created for his E-TEN M600 smartphone. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much to pretty up the exterior of the device, but it does manage to successfully emulate some of the iPhone's more notable bells 'n whistles, including its trademark finger-touch scrolling, its slide-to-lock feature, and its now-familiar menu system, all of which was apparently written in PPL (Pocket Programming Language). It also appears to have had the not unexpected side effect of bringing down its creator's site (linked below). Possibly as a result of past brouhahas, it seems that the software won't be going very far beyond that one lucky E-TEN anytime soon, although you can check it out in action in the video after the break.[Thanks, Joel]
HTC "Gene" makes FCC appearance
After a fairly productive 3GSM last week showing off new Windows Mobile 6 wares in the form of the Vox and the Advantage, everyone's favorite Taiwanese Windows Mobile ODM has graced us with this here "Gene" (or at least we think that's what it's called, based on its model number, GENE100) via our usual Tipster Extraordinare, the FCC. The specs aren't really enough to knock our socks off -- data tops out with quadband EDGE, the cam is a simple 2 megapixel unit, plus the usual Bluetooth 2.0, 128MB of ROM, 64MB of RAM, and QVGA display atop a 201MHz TI OMAP850 -- but at this point, we're still happy to get whatever new Professional hardware we can get.
Palm makes Treo 700wx official for Verizon
Palm and Verizon have made official today what we've known now for a while (as have Sprint and Alltel): 32MB of RAM in a Windows Mobile 5 device just doesn't really cut it. The Treo 700wx rights the 700w's wrongs with an extra 32MB of memory for a grand total of 64MB; otherwise, though, the device is all but identical to its older sibling, with Windows Mobile 6 sadly nowhere in sight. Get it now while it's hot at Verizon stores or online for a stiff $399 on 2-year contract after $100 rebate.
Sharp shows EM-ONE Pocket PC for Japan's EMOBILE
Goodbye W-ZERO3, hello EM-ONE. As lust for Japan-only Windows Mobile devices goes, Sharp's W-ZERO3 for Willcom (along with its various spinoffs) has always held a very special place in our hearts, but it looks like there's a new sheriff in town. The EM-ONE, also from Sharp, will be a launch device for Japan's new GSM carrier EMOBILE next month, rocking HSDPA, WiFi, and one-seg TV tuning in a 18.9mm-thin package. "But wait," as they say, "that's not all." Nope, not hardly. The madness continues with a dual-slide design, providing what Sharp calls "Control Style," "Input Style," and "View Style." And just what will you be viewing, you ask? A true wide VGA (800 x 480) display showing Windows Mobile 5 in all its glory sitting atop a 520MHz XScale. Throw in a little Bluetooth here, 512MB of onboard Flash there, and you have pretty much the hottest thing going (at least among the outgoing batch of WinMo 5 devices). It'll apparently run ¥95,000 (about $796) contract-free, but tack on the requisite 2 year agreement and you're only looking at ¥39,800 ($333) -- not bad at all, considering the package.[Via Unwired View]
Sharp's EM ONE: a dual-sliding Pocket PC with HSDPA and WiFi
Check it W-Zero3, Sharp just one-upped your azz with their new EM ONE handheld. This Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC device brings 3.6Mbps HSDPA and 802.11b/g data to the game along with hot dual-sliding action under that 4.1-inch touch-screen display. Unlike Samsung's F520 dual-slider which combines a QWERTY and numeric keypad for making calls, Sharp's slab is a data-only device so they combine the QWERTY with a side-sliding navigation pad for scooting around the 800 x 480 pixel display. However, Sharp's EM ONE comes heavy on the chub at 140x70x18.9-mm compared to the F520's 105x54x17.4-mm or even Nokia's N800 which is about the same length and width but much thinner at 145x75x12.7-mm. The whole kit comes powered by a Marvell 520MHz PXA270 processor and nVidia GoForce 5500 graphics along with 512MB/128MB flash/SDRAM memory and miniSD expansion. The display boasts a rather anemic 65k color palette (albeit, the same as the N800) for viewing integrated 1-Seg mobile TV and WMV videos with WMA and MP3 audio playback supported by a pair of built-in stereo speakers. Rounding out the specs are Bluetooth 1.2, a 1.3 megapixel CMOS camera, stylus, and a 4-hour battery. On sale in Japan starting March 31st for ¥95,000 (about $797) without contract or ¥39,800 ($332) with 2-year commitment.%Gallery-1694%[Via Impress]
