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Dell smartphone rumors flare up -- Android or S60 phone in the works?
So rumors of Dell doing a smartphone have been around forever, but they've started heating up again today -- word on the street is that the company is planning a handset launch as early as next month at 3GSM or Mobile World Congress. That's just chatter we'd ordinarily dismiss as nonsense, but we couldn't help but notice most of the Dell people at the Adamo event were carrying G1s -- and Dell's director of consumer products was super-quick to pull out a Nokia E71 and gush over how well-built it was compared to other devices when we asked him where the Adamo line would be positioned. That jibes with long-standing rumors that Dell's working on Android and/or S60 devices -- rumors that Michael Dell himself refused to put to bed back in July. What does it all mean? Well, we have no idea, but we'd say that Dell's new focus on consumer-oriented design suggests that WinMo isn't really in the running if it is in fact planning a handset. We'll see how it plays out over the next few months -- we could be right, we could be wrong, but either way it should be interesting.
We're out, see you next year Mobile World Congress
It's been a pretty mad week at Mobile World Congress, with handset announcements coming faster than our sore legs, backs, and overused cameras could hope to keep up with. But in the end, it was all worth it as we peeped a few gems -- and a decent collection of crapgadget-worthy stuff as well. We were looking forward to Android news at this week's show and were rewarded with a goodly pile from various manufacturers. Standout handsets include Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1, modu -- we think this is really cool, here's hoping they can pull it off -- NVIDIA's APX 2500, and of course, Polymer Vision's Readius. Sadly we saw just about nothing from our friends at Motorola, and while the dirt hasn't filled the grave quite yet, it's looking like a close thing. We had a blast, hope to catch you again next year.%Gallery-16209%
Dell's building an Android phone to be unveiled next month? We're not holding our breath.
Stick this one firmly in the rumor category, since all the verbiage that's been thrown around about this story still traces back to one single source: a slightly ill-informed article done up in MarketingWeek in the UK. The article cites unspecified "senior industry sources," and goes on about how this is Dell and Google working closely together on what is more or less the "Gphone." Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer, the primary weight we can give to this rumor is that fact that Dell picked up a former Motorola executive, Ron Garriques, to run its Global Consumer Group early last year. Other rumors have cropped up over the years about Dell moving in this direction, so it certainly wouldn't signal the apocalypse if a Dell-branded Android phone does show up at this rumored unveiling at 3GSM, but giving how early on Android is at the moment, we'll believe it when we see it.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Quantum / AvMap's QTM 1000 Nav handheld touts DVB-H and GPS
Quantum and AvMap are teaming up to produce what they dub the "world's first" DVB-H capable Pocket TV with SAT NAV functionality, and while we've seen a touch of DVB-H in handheld devices before, it's good to see yet another creation joining the do-it-all fray. Announced at 3GSM, the Linux-based QTM 1000 Nav boasts a 4.3-inch WQVGA widescreen display, 400:1 contrast ratio, 80-degree viewing angle, DVR functionality, 128MB of Flash memory, 64MB of onboard RAM, an SD card slot, dual stereo speakers, a four-hour rechargeable battery, SiRF Star III receiver, Tele Atlas maps, and USB 2.0 connectivity. Aside from playing back DVB-H signals at 25 frames-per-second, it also allows viewing / purchasing of Pay TV channels, and it plays nice with H.264, MPEG4, AAC, MP3, JPEG / GIF / PNG, M4V, and AVI files when not tuning in to a broadcast. Unfortunately, there weren't any details regarding price or future availability, but those kicking around in Europe should give this one some serious consideration if you're looking to consolidate.
IEEE pushing 802.16m WiMAX to 1Gbps, hopes to converge with 4G
If there's one thing that we'll never be satisfied with, it's finding out just how many nanoseconds we can shave off our download times from year to year, and thankfully, the IEEE seems to get that. While it has certainly taken its sweet time with 802.11n, the task force has already voted to make 100G the next Ethernet speed, and now it's pushing to make WiMAX implementations even quicker. Reportedly announced at 3GSM, the IEEE has began working on a new version of the 802.16 standard, dubbed 802.16m, which "could push data transfer speeds up to 1Gbps while maintaining backwards compatibility with existing WiMAX radios." Potentially more interesting than cheering for speed boosts is the group's outright assurance that this protocol will meet the ITU's requirements for 4G, insinuating that it should be the token choice for further 4G developments. Nevertheless, the increased bandwidth is supposedly needed due to convergence between VoIP and various forms of multimedia (IPTV, streaming video, digital downloads, etc.), and however true that may be, some skeptics are still understandably doubting the whole "backwards compatibility" aspect. Still, the IEEE hopes to have this together by "the end of 2009," but considering the team's less-than-stellar track record in the deadline department, we're not holding our collective breath.[Via DailyWireless]
Polymer Vision's Readius rollable display gets face time
Talk about a long time coming, as what is now Polymer Vision has seemed to finally put all the pieces together and produce an actual working product from the idea envisioned by Philips around two years ago. We knew the spinoff was looking to commercialize the product later this year, but after nearly 24 months of coming up empty, a bit of understandable skepticism begins to seep through. Nevertheless, the firm's rollable, pocket-friendly "Cellular-Book" was out and showing its stuff at 3GSM, proving that there's at least something there to put on store shelves. Although the unit on display was indeed a standalone device -- sporting 16 shades of grey, USB, "10-days" of battery life, 4GB of internal storage, and GPRS, EDGE, and DVB-H connectivity just like we'd heard -- Polymer Vision is actually hoping to integrate its e-paper technology into mobile handset displays in the near future. Sadly, there still didn't seem to be any hints of a release date for the nifty pocket reader, but be sure to click on through for the very long awaited pictures of the Readius in action.[Via Slashdot]
NVIDIA's GoForce 5500 mobile platform demoed in action
While we've already seen some still images of the newfangled OpenKODE-based interface for cellphones, and heard plenty of details about the capabilities of NVIDIA's GoForce 5500 mobile chipset, there's nothing like a good video to pull it all together, which Shiny Shiny has thankfully provided on their recent trek through the wilds of 3GSM. As you can see for yourself after the break, the combination definitely impresses, with full 3D games, seemingly high-quality video, and other multimedia capabilities on full display, not to mention a fairly snazzy and customizable interface. Somewhat ironically, NVIDIA seems to have decided to show it all off on the biggest monitor they could get their hands on. Although that may have ultimately been for the best -- the sight of a gaggle of sweaty and tired tech journalists huddled around a cellphone screen probably isn't the best way to attract interest from passer-bys..
ACCESS ALP hits 1.0, new specs released
We only caught a brief early glimpse of ALP at 3GSM this year before they quickly snuck away all the gear, but PDAStreet claims that ALP has hit 1.0 in its dev cycle, and has screencaps and a lot of info we've been waiting for to make the case. First up, hardware: it should run on current generation devices, requiring at least a 200MHz ARM9 CPU (400MHz+ recommended), 64MB RAM and 64MB flash memory, and has support for input via QWERTY, 12-key with 5-way d-pad, and touchscreen (obviously) or digitizer (interesting!)with four or five hard keys. Interestingly, supported resolutions include QVGA (240 x 320), HVGA (320 x 480), and WVGA (800 x 480) -- where's the 320 x 320 Palm OS Treos have had since the 650? We dunno. ACCESS still hasn't announced any licensees, but unless ALP switches up and adds a square aspect ratio, it doesn't look like we'll see this running on any Treos as we know them today. Oh, app list after the break.[Via Download Squad]
Engadget Mobile: "We've got your 3GSM right here"
Do you like your coverage of Barcelona's 3GSM conference heavy on flavor and light on fluff? May we kindly suggest, then, that you head on over to Engadget Mobile for a comprehensive roundup of one of the most exciting phone shows in recent memory? Go on! We'll wait here.
So long, Barcelona: 3GSM roundup!
It was a blast, but it's time to say goodbye to the land of El encierro, tapas, and QWERTY handsets with HSDPA. We came away with the impression that this was one of the most game-changing tradeshows for the mobile industry in recent memory; tri-band WCDMA is starting to become the rule rather than the exception, Microsoft rolled out its next-gen platform, and in general, it seemed like all the major manufacturers brought their "A" game to the party. Follow the links below for a trip down memory lane to see just what made this year's 3GSM so special. Hands-ons, live shots Read - Hands-on with Motorola's MOTORIZR Z8 Read - Hands-on with the Neonode N2 Read - Hands-on with Samsung's Ultra Edition II 12.1, 10.9, and 5.9 Read - Hands-on with Nokia's E90 and E61i Read - ACCESS Linux Platform on display at 3GSM Read - More shots of Samsung's i760Read - Hands-on with Sony Ericsson's Walkman W880Announcements Read - i-mate goes deep with Ultimate line, five models promised Read - Samsung shows off Mobile WiMAX wares at 3GSMRead - MOTOKRZR K3 with 3G gets official Read - Samsung's Ultra Smart F520: HSDPA touchscreen with dual-sliding actionRead - Toshiba's G900 and E01 with Windows Mobile 6 Read - Motorola's new Qs: Q gsm and Q q9 Read - ASUS Aries Read - Nokia's 6110 quad-band HSDPA GPS navigator Read - Nokia's E61i QWERTY and E65 slider announced: some style for the suits Read - Nokia's N77 with DVB-H mobile TV Read - Nokia's E90 communicator launched! Read - Motorola's MOTORIZR Z8: a Symbian "kick-slider" with HSDPARead - Motorola's SLVR L9 brings the multimedia Read - Samsung's Ultra Edition II series loosed at 3GSM: U300, U600, U100, and U700 Read - i-mate adds splash of color, WM6 to SPL Read - i-mate Ultimate 5150 in the wild Read - i-mate JAQ4 Read - RIM's BlackBerry 8800 launched Read - HP iPAQ 510 Voice MessengerRead - Windows Mobile 6 out, supports new resolutions tooRead - Sony Ericsson adds trio of headsetsRead - Sony Ericsson's entry level J110, J120, K200, and K220Read - Sony Ericsson's W610 Walkman for US plebesRead - Sony Ericsson's K810 and K550 Cybershot phones: slim 3.2 and 2.0 megapixel shootersRead - Sony Ericsson's W880 (Ai) Walkman musicphone unleashedRead - Goodbye HTC Athena, hello HTC Advantage
Samsung WiBro handset sports RSS button?
We can't 100% guarantee this is for real, but Kosso over at NokLog snapped a pic at 3GSM this week of what appears to be a Samsung WiBro handset with a dedicated RSS button. Yeah, you read that right -- an RSS button. We're as crazy about this RSS stuff as you can get, but an entire button just for accessing your handset's feed reader? Then again, we are hitting the feeds these days as often as we check email, and we definitely don't mind having a phone with a dedicated email button. Anyone recognize this thing or know its model number?[Via Scripting News and kosso's braingarden]UPDATE: It's legit, the handset is the SPH-M8100.
Sandisk intros 8GB iNAND embedded flash drive
It may not be 16GB, but Sandisk's new embeddable 8GB NAND flash drive is still pretty darn spacious as far as these things go, so much so that the company's deemed it necessary use an extra letter to fully express the drive's expansiveness. Dubbed the "iNAND," the drive is fully JEDEC-compliant (that's Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, for those that have better things to memorize) and SD bus-compatible, designed for use in just about anything that needs to cram a lot of storage into a small space, including cellphones, PDAs, MP3 players, and GPS devices. It looks like we'll still have to wait a while before we see one of these actually turn up in a device, however, with SanDisk only just now distributing engineering samples for testing and evaluation, with mass production slated to get underway sometime in the third quarter of this year.[Via Tech Digest]
Texas Instruments demos first 720p playback from a mobile phone
Texas Instruments demonstrated its first processor to enable high definition (720p) playback on mobile phones yesterday at 3GSM World Congress. The OMAP3430, first announced last year, is the first in TI's series of OMAP 3 processors and also first to include support for the OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics standard for 3D acceleration. The 3430 gets the muscle to move your HD files and 3D gaming from its embedded ARM Cortex-A8 processor, but from the specs it seems that the video portion is only currently supporting up to 1024 x 768 (XGA) output via composite or S-video connections. Still, with this power available, sometime in the future your common cellphone will be playing back HD on the go or outputting video to a big screen HDTV. We previously expected to see handsets based on the technology this year, but while TI is shipping samples of the processors now, don't expect your HD-capable cell to hit stores until early 2008.
Goodbye HTC Athena, hello HTC Advantage
While Athena was far from the worst product name we've come across, HTC seems to think they can do one better, using the 3GSM conference to officially rebrand the desirable device as the HTC Advantage. Apart the spiffy new moniker, however, the Windows Mobile-based device remains otherwise unchanged, with that same 5-inch VGA display, Intel PXA270 624 MHz processor, 8GB hard drive, 3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS, not to mention tri-band HSDPA and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity. Of course, this isn't the first identity crisis that the device has suffered, with it already once undergoing a name change at T-Mobile's behest, who found the friendly-sounding Ameo more to their liking. In case you haven't seen enough of the device yet, you can check out another pic it sans keyboard after the break, and click through to HTC's newly-launched Advantage website for product shots aplenty, including a hypnotizing 360° view.[Via Laptoping]
Fujitsu packs 7.2Mbps HSUPA into a LifeBook
Fujitsu has a "world's first" at 3GSM this week, with HSUPA UMTS 3G data built into one an upcoming LifeBook model. We're pretty sure we could get used to those 7.2Mbps downloads courtesy of HSDPA, and we naturally find the 1.4Mbps uploads that HSUPA brings to the table agreeable, and but unfortunately that's about all we know about this laptop so far, except that it's packing a webcam and will launch at the beginning of March.[Thanks, Jarle]
nVidia's GoForce 6100: no, it's not another iPhone clone
Yup, just another touch-screen media phone up there which have are poppin' dime-a-dozen since you know what. Ok, it's just a rendering from Quanta (yeah, that Quanta); no worries, it's only meant to demonstrate nVidia's GoForce 6100 multimedia applications processor -- the company's first. That's right, nVidia just unleashed their new silicon slab pumping a dedicated 250MHz ARM processor are its core with hardwired acceleration for processing-intensive multimedia and security (read: DRM) functions. It's capable of delivering H.264 and WMV9/VC-1 video at up to VGA resolution and 30fps. Hell, it even integrates 802.11b/g WiFi with WPA2 security and QoS, and supports USB 2.0 hosting and camera sensors up to 8 megapixels. Best of all, it's said to do all this while consuming less than half the power of "any applications processor available on the market today." NVIDIA is demonstrating a prototype at 3GSM running Chronos' OpenKODE 1.0 (think DirectX for handhelds) for rich, 3D widgety goodness. Expect the new proc to show up in a wide variety of portable electronic devices in 2007/2008. Oh, and peep the OpenKODE interface after the break. Read -- NVIDIA Read -- Khronos OpenKODE
Hands-on with Motorola's MOTORIZR Z8
We just got the chance to go mano a mano with the MOTORIZR Z8 here at 3GSM. Whether you call it a kick-slider or banana, one thing's for sure: it feels good pressed up to the face. Just check the pics to see how greasy close it's been to the legions of sweaty geek-cheeks here in Barcelona. Eww, man sweat -- but ohhh Symbian. Hands-on with Motorola's MOTORIZR Z8
Hands-on with the Neonode N2
We had a chance to go hands-on with the Neonode N2 today while trippin' the floors of 3GSM. So how was it? Pretty sweet. Although lacking WiFi and 3G, the device felt excellent in the hand. Text input was a bit buggy but that touch-screen interface and long (theoretical) battery life will likely be a hit in whatever market the N2 ultimately reaches... someday.%Gallery-1614%
ACCESS Linux Platform on display at 3GSM
As promised, ACCESS has rolled into Barcelona to let its long-awaited ACCESS Linux Platform (ALP) loose on the teeming masses at this week's big 3GSM conference, also taking the opportunity to introduce version 1.0 of its Product Development Kit and a pre-release version of the equally important Software Development Kit. As evidenced by the shot above, the OS is also looking a fair bit more polished than it was in the last few screens of it we've seen, with those in attendance at the conference also able to test out its all-important Bejewled and Solitaire capabilities (sadly, Doom doesn't seem to have been ported just yet). On the hardware side of things, both Marvell and Texas Instruments have hooked up with ACCESS to show off how their respective wares work with the OS, with both not surprisingly touting high performance and low power consumption. While that lone pic above will have to do for now, we're working to sneak in a few more peeks of the OS in action before 3GSM wraps up and we'll bring 'em to you when we've got them.
i-mate goes deep with Ultimate line, five models promised
i-mate is taking a pretty interesting approach with its newest range of Windows Mobile devices -- the WM6-equipped "Ultimate" range -- by shoving a full five models out the door, all differing only in form factor. Clockwise from the upper left, we have all five in purely theoretical, rendered form: the 5150, 6150, 7150, 9150, and 8150. The strategy makes sense, really; everyone wants a solid spec sheet, but getting everyone to agree on a single shape is an exercise in futility. With 256MB of ROM, VGA displays across the board, tri-band 3G radios, Bluetooth 2.0, and FM radios, the Ultimates definitely hold their own in the spec department -- the only question, then, is whether they've nailed the industrial design. The first model being shown all public-like, the 5150 slider, is admittedly an acquired taste, but some of the others really caught our eyes (7150 and 9150, we're looking at you). Gallery: i-mate's Ultimate line
