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World's first GLONASS-enabled tablet unveiled in Russia, plays nice with GPS
After rolling out the world's first GLONASS-enabled smartphone, Russia is thinking bigger -- it's tablet time. This 7-inch Froyo-powered panel runs on a 800MHz processor, and sports 512MB of RAM, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and support for both GPS and GLONASS navigation. Russian provider Skylink hopes this new Android tablet, called the Xpad, will set a trend for future navigation devices -- utilizing data from both satellite positioning systems for increased accuracy in urban environments. The future of enhanced navigation hits (Russian) shelves for 14,000 Rubles in Q4 2011; that's about 500 greenbacks, if you were wondering. [Thanks, Yakov!]
Logitec's new wireless router is crazy-looking, crazy fast
The new Logitec (not Logitech) LAN-WH450N/GR offers four Gigabit Ethernet ports, 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking that maxes out at a theoretical 450Mbps, and just about the wildest router design we've yet seen. Yes, it's justified by improved wireless throughput as a result of having three antennas sprouting out of the thin-bodied device, but who is Logitec trying to kid? It's a futuristic, desktop-straddling robocopter and everyone at that company knows it. Should you or the geek in your life be interested in obtaining one, the new routers are going on sale in Japan in mid-April for ¥19,000 ($230).
Olive Telecom rolls out HSPA+ / EV-DO Rev. B dual-mode modem in Russia
Qualcomm's MDM6600 RF chipset might not ring a bell for you, but the ultra-flexible silicon -- introduced earlier this year -- has launched in a product you may have heard of: Motorola's Droid Pro for Verizon. What makes it so special? Basically, it supports just about every 3G+ standard you could possibly want, up to and including HSPA+ at 14.4Mbps and EV-DO Rev. B (with backwards compatibility to A, naturally) up to 14.7Mbps, and India's Olive Telecom is apparently the first to deploy it in a modem. It's not going to India, though -- instead, they've teamed up with Russian carrier Sky Link, which means you should theoretically be rocking among the best wireless speeds in Moscow regardless of the network technology in your local area. Follow the break for the full press release. [Thanks, Bhuvaneshwari]
Czech Republic and Slovakia hot for prepaid satellite service
Now, here's a concept: prepaid DTH satellite service. In fact, it's a reality in Czech Republic and Slovakia, and evidently locals are all about it. Reportedly, there is a grand total of over half a million active card customers between the two nations, making it the "leading satellite platform in the Czech Republic and second largest in Slovakia." Tough to say if this prepaid gig would even work elsewhere, but you can certainly color us (read: the "sick of contracts" crowd) intrigued.
Skylink goes both ways with Ubiquam U-520
Russian operator Skylink is apparently claiming that their U-520 candybar -- sourced from Korea's Ubiquam -- is the world's first dual-mode CDMA / GSM handset. While it's a nifty trick to be sure, we can think of countless phones that have managed to pull it off before; sorry Skylink, no gold star for you there. Anyhoo, on the CDMA 450 side of things, the U-520 rocks EV-DO data, but GSM suffers along with puny GPRS on 900 / 1800 networks. Other specs include a 2 megapixel cam, Bluetooth, expandable memory, and USB. We'll pass on this one -- partly on account of its homely appearance, partly because it offers precisely zero bands of interest to us -- but we're sure it'll come in handy in Moscow's rough-and-tumble mobile landscape.[Via Unwired View, thanks Staska]
From Russia, with love: the "Silver Mustang"
Turns out Gresso isn't the only way for Russian millionaires to get their mobile kicks, nor do they need to go the cryptographic route. Carrier Skylink has thrown together a one-of-a-kind designer example of the otherwise plain looking Ubiquam C300 clamshell, studding it with 29 gemstones and a horsey crafted from 7.2 grams of silver -- not the least bit gaudy. The "Silver Mustang" isn't for sale at the moment (though, let's be honest, everything's for sale at the right price) and if it garners sufficient interest, we can expect to be graced with more works of EV-DO art in the future.[Thanks, Staska]
