8125
Latest
Cingular launches 3G-enabled 8525, sort of
It's still forwarding us back to the old-skool 8125's product page at the moment, but a tipster has managed to coax Cingular's site into giving up the goods on the 8525 -- Buy Now link and all. We're guessing it has something to do with region or Premier account status, we're not sure, but the point is that a select few are able to place their orders for Cingular's first HSDPA smartphone as we speak. Breaking out the wallet might be hard to justify for folks in 2G areas coming from an 8125, but if speed and power are top priorities, lick your chops as you read the full specs (highlights include a 400MHz Samsung core, 2-megapixel cam, and that fabulous 3G radio) after the break.[Thanks, John]Update: Judging from commenters' experiences, it's sounding like there's some buffoonery going on behind the scenes over at Cingular HQ -- the phone may not be shipping to anyone yet after all. In the meanwhile, enjoy the literature and imagery we've scooped, and we'll let you know what's going on as soon as we do.
Cingular 8525 (HTC Hermes) in the wild
It's with mixed feelings that we greet the Cingular 8525's first live shots in the wild. Yes, it's apparently real, and yes, it matches the renderings we posted not long ago, but these pics also seem to sadly confirm our fear that this particular rendition of the Hermes will be coming to American buyers sans front-facing cam. There's no crying in cellphones, though, so we're going to do our best to concentrate on the positive: the 8525 should improve significantly on the 8125's speed thanks to a new processor, and of course, it's hard to argue with HSDPA. We don't have ship date for this puppy, but given the pics, the state of Cingular's 3G network, and the general availability of Hermes variants worldwide, we'd say that "real soon now" is an appropriate attitude to take.[Thanks, Notorious Jatt]
Cingular brings Push Mail to 8125: MSFP up for download
Bang! Just as expected, Cingular pulled the trigger on that MSFP, finally bringing Microsoft's Direct Push eMail to your 8125. If you're packing a 2125 you'll have to hold tight; your update is "coming soon." No surprise, but Cingular fails to mention the inclusion of A2DP stereo audio support so we'll just have to wait for you brave souls to report back on your experience m'kay? Now best get to downloading 'cause your boss budgeted the extra $49.99 per month (same as BlackBerry Access) required for unlimited Internet and Direct Push mail, right?[Thanks, Ed Haber]
MSFP on the way for Cingular's WM5 devices
We know that many (if not most) of you have jumped the gun and installed modded Wizard / Faraday ROMs chock full o' goodies like MSFP and A2DP, but for the handful of you patiently waiting for Cingular to pull the trigger, mark June 19 on your calendars. That's the day Cingular's official ROM updates will drop, spreading Direct Push goodness across the lands. If you were counting on whipping out that Globalsat Bluetooth headset, you might get forced into the land of hacked firmware nonetheless -- A2DP is unlikely to make the official cut, if other vendors' releases are any indication.
