alcatel
Latest
The Elle Glamphone N3 slider coming in 2007
We just love cellphone names with "Elle" in them, like this Elle Glamphone from the recent past. This newer Glamphone Nº3 slider above -- we guess -- is meant to denote a hot degree of perkiness maybe -- but we'll pass on that. This rather normal but "glammy" handset will be offered by Alcatel soon, with its curvy slider looks having been to the paint factory for all those off-primary colors --orange, pink, purple, white and yellow-green. Onboard is a 1.3 megapixel shooter (now the norm) and of course an unspecified color screen and MP3 player functionality. For the cheeky factor, you get a rather tauty necklace for hanging that Bluetooth headset around your neck. Plus, you get a steel charm on that beauty. Aww.[Via Textually.org]
Alcatel sues Microsoft regarding online video patent
In yet another patent infringement case from Texas, French networking gear manufacturer Alcatel has just taken Microsoft to court for violating seven, count 'em, seven patents pertaining to fast-forward and rewind functions in online video streams. In a pair of suits filed in US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas this week, Alcatel is seeking damages for those alleged patent violations. As our buddies at PVR Wire point out, given that Alcatel worked with Microsoft to build an IPTV platform, it's likely that this will settle before this legal snowball gets too out of control -- that way, both parties could fast forward the outcome, too. Or would that be another violation?[Via PVR Wire]
Lucent and Alcatel merge to form... wait for it... Alcatel Lucent
In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Lucent Technologies has disclosed the new name of their mega telco-tech merger with Alcatel they announced in April. The newly formed $25 billion company will be formally known as Alcatel Lucent, ending intense rounds of speculation by nobody at all. Everything should be sealed up by the end of year, and Lucent investors will own around 40 percent of combined company, with Alcatel types holding the rest.[Via The Wireless Report]
Alcatel's "GlamPhone ELLE" slated for US release
If showing your allegiance to ELLE Magazine ranks high on your list of priorities when cross-shopping phones, you may not be alone -- if Alcatel did any market research on this one, that is. We first told you about their "GlamPhone ELLE" last year, but at the time, we thought the uninspiring clamshell would only be finding its way to GSM 900 / 1800 networks; a new version sports 850 / 1900, though, and will be dropping stateside on September 1 in your choice of red or black for $180. Unfortunately, the phone's 3MB of internal memory, VGA shooter, and GPRS data leave a bad taste in our mouth that no mirrored display or free year of ELLE Magazine can overcome, but we're guessing they'll manage to push a few through in-mag advertising.[Via paidContent]
Alcatel's OT-635a "she" phone earns FCC approval
Apparently looking to reach nooks and crannies of the market that haven't yet been fully saturated, a handful of recent handsets seem to be developing genders; Alcatel's the latest manufacturer to join the party with their "she mobile by Alcatel" OT-635a clamshell. We're not sure whether "she mobile" is a single model or a new series of phones, but for the sake of tech-savvy women everywhere, we're hoping it's a series -- the glossy white 635a is a bit thin in the specs, featuring GSM 850 / 1900, a VGA cam, no external display, and seemingly no Bluetooth. Personally we'll pass, but then again, that's exactly what Alcatel wants the men of Engadget to do.
New budget slider from Alcatel
We don't talk much about Alcatels on this side of the pond, but that doesn't mean they aren't holding down the low to mid range, with a full 14 cellphones in their current lineup. Latest among them is the OT E260, a GSM 900/1800 no-frills slider that lacks a camera (gasp!). For its lowly market segment, the E260 is a looker, sporting a simple glossy black face and weighing in at a svelte 90 grams. Besides a straight-outta-2002 102 x 80 color screen, you'll get 16-channel polyphonic ringtones, and that's about it. [Via Mobilewhack]
