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Franklin Wireless intros U600 WiMAX modem, R526 and R536 mobile routers
Franklin Wireless supplies modems (primarily of the CDMA variety) to a number of carriers across the Western Hemisphere, and they've introduced a handful of rather interesting new products in that vein here at CTIA this week. First up, the U600 is an EV-DO Rev. A / WiMAX hybrid USB modem with a 270-degree swiveling USB connector for those ridiculously hard-to-manage ports (ahem, Apple), integrated GPS, and zero-CD installation -- all pretty standard features these days, and we saw a Sprint-branded unit at Franklin's booth which leads us to believe we'll be seeing it at retail shortly. Much more interesting, though, was a pair of pocketable WiFi routers -- the R526 and R536 -- that support EV-DO and EV-DO / WiMAX, respectively. Most of the units were unbranded, but we did spy an R536 done up in snow white with a Clear logo slapped up top, so you can pretty much gather that this thing will be filling a glaring hole in Clear's lineup (right now, the best you can do is a USB modem plus the Clear Spot, which is basically a branded Cradlepoint). What intrigued us about the R536 the most was the fact that it's got the functionality of an Overdrive packed into a smaller, more MiFi-esque form factor without any of the Overdrive's bells and whistles, so it'll be a great alternative as long as it performs well and has enough juice to last a couple hours off the power grid; the 3G-only R526, meanwhile, had an Ethernet jack stuck on the side, which is kind of cool in the rare event that you need to connect a WiFi-less device and you don't want to go through the hassle of installing a new driver. The R526 launches in April (with what carrier, we're not sure) -- as does the U600 -- while the R536 should start to trickle out in May. %Gallery-88966%
Helio's Mysto: A Samsung U600 with EV-DO
Ok, here you go, the first rendering of Helio's new Mysto -- AKA, the Samsung SPH-A523. Looking every bit as fine as Samsung's U600 Ultra Edition slider (on the right), the Mysto busts EV-DO data, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and a 3.2 megapixel camera up under that QVGA display while maintaining the U600's 10.9-mm thin profile. Date and price? In time friends, in time.
Samsung readies Yahoo-ready Ultra Edition II handsets
Samsung's Ultra Edition II lineup is about to receive a Yahoo-approved makeover, as the firm has reportedly decided to install Yahoo! Ready on the 10.9 (SGH-U600) slider to begin with, with the Ultra Edition 9.6 and Ultra Edition 5.9 to get internally branded soon after. Essentially, users can expect "enhanced web-searching along with quick access to Yahoo Mail, Messenger, Address Book and Calendar services while on the go." Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Yahoo widgets on a cellphone, and it seems like Samsung's lagging a bit behind Motorola's decision to pull this same stunt months ago, but if you just can't wait to get your hands on a Yahoo-stamped handset, the 10.9 should hit France before too long, while the 9.6 and 5.9 will launch in May. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]
Hands-on with Samsung's Ultra Edition II 12.1, 10.9, and 5.9
We caught Samsung showing off their new Ultra Editions today at 3GSM, too; as we expected, the 12.1 (U700), 10.9 (U600), and 5.9 (U100) were there and sleek as hell. Did we mention we also got a shot of the F700 in there? Because we did. Unfortunately, it was behind a glass case. Ok, well, Samsung was smart about that, we might have made off with it if it wasn't under lock and key. Gallery: Hands-on with Samsung's Ultra Edition II 12.1, 10.9, and 5.9
Samsung's Ultra Edition II series loosed at 3GSM: U300, U600, U100, and U700
What better way to kick off 3GSM than with a shotgun blast of second generation Samsung Ultra Editions. Don't worry, it won't hurt... much, these are Ultra IIs which means they're ultra slim. All the phones start with tri-band GSM, Bluetooth, and that new 3 megapixel shooter we've been expecting. The thinster of the bunch is of course the "world's thinnest" 5.9-mm U100 candybar we've already seen. Next up is 9.6-mm U300 clamshell which packs a 2.2-inch, 240 x 320 TFT internal display (98 x 16 OLED external) and 70MB of on-board storage. Bumping things up by a millimeter comes what Samsung calls the "crown jewel" of the pack, the 10.9-mm U600 slider (pictured second from the left). It ships in sapphire blue, garnet red, platinum metal and copper gold. Get it, "crown jewel!" Uh hem. The U600 comes brandishing a fourth band, a 3.1 megapixel camera, 2.2-inch 240 x 320 TFT display, Bluetooth 2.0, and 60MB of on-board storage with microSD expansion. Last up is the 12.1-mm U700 3G slider (far right) whose biggest claim to fame is 3.6Mbps HSDPA data and microSD expansion. All are expected to hit Europe before March with some hope of that quad-band U600 coming Stateside.%Gallery-1582%
