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INQ1's Facebook status says it got FCC approval
We're happy to see that 3's customers with the INQ1 will be able to safely roam on 1900MHz while tooling around the States -- nothing about a phone billed as social network-centric says that you should be traveling to countries where you can't stay on the grid, after all -- but we're a little less happy with the band and technology selection here. Okay, fine, it comes as no surprise that the phone has been tested only for 2G and without any sign of 850MHz, but we know the INQ1's maker Amoi has done North American stuff before, so why couldn't they humor us? For the same reason they couldn't make it look like anything but a generic Nokia slider, maybe?
3 launches Skypephone S2
Hold up just a second, this is more than your average WiFi-powered Skype handset for yakking it up while you're wandering around the abode in your skivvies. In fact, it's none other than the follow-on to 3's Skypephone of last year -- the aptly-named Skypephone S2 -- offering HSDPA data, a 3.2 megapixel camera, 50MB of memory with a microSD slot for plenty more, and pretty much all the Skype support you can handle (hence the name, we suppose). Skype-to-Skype calls are completely free from the phone, and the Skype service can be kept active by adding £10 (about $19) monthly on a pay-as-you-go arrangement; otherwise, the phone can be had for as little as zilch if you sign up for a monthly plan. It'll work as a broadband dongle, too, which we think officially makes this thing oodles more useful than even the most capable of WiFi phones, skivvies or otherwise.[Via Tech Digest]
3's new Skypephone clears the FCC -- to be called IM2?
So it turns out Skype was more than a mere experiment for 3, apparently, seeing how the FCC just approved its rumored new Skypephone -- though contrary to what we'd heard, the documentation indicates that the candybar might end up being called the IM2, not the S2. Crucial difference, we know. Anyhow, the phone sports a 3.2 megapixel cam, HSDPA (up from the original's mere UMTS), and features a rather attractive brushed metal backing, not bad for a phone that's theoretically designed to save you cash by routing calls over the internets. Still no launch details for the thing just yet, but at least we now know we'll be able to use it in the good ol' US of A without drawing the FCC's ire.
Mythical SMT5700 finally near launch on AT&T?
We like to rag on the SMT5700 every so often -- not because it's low-end, not because it lacks 3G, not because it's not the prettiest smartphone we've ever seen. No, we give the SMT5700 a well-earned dose of crap because it earned FCC approval over a year ago. That's pretty insane even by US carrier standards, and new intel over at Boy Genius Reports indicates that AT&T may finally be ramping up to sell this thing. As we mentioned, it'll be pretty low-end on account of its EDGE data and 2 megapixel cam, but hey -- in the year 2008, there's no good reason folks shouldn't be able to get a capable smartphone for next to nothing on any major carrier, in our humblest of opinions. The site doesn't seem to know when exactly it'll launch, but they've posted a few puzzle piece-like press shots of the phone to whet our appetite (or get us to gag, depending on your disposition toward these kinds of phones).
Sharper Image selling self-branded cellphones
Many of us know The Sharper Image best as a purveyor of massaging lounge chairs (which makes their stores a must-stop location in the mall), a chronic pusher of ozone generators, and as a perennial favorite in SkyMall catalogs as we bide our time on the redeye. What we don't know The Sharper Image for, though, is its broad selection of no-name phones procured from Chinese manufacturers. We just happened to be flipping through TSI's latest catalog today and came across these four little gems, three with "The Sharper Image" proudly emblazoned across their faces. The pack includes a touchscreen equipped Chocolate knockoff (very 2006, but still quite strapping), a branded version of the AMOI N810 Windows Mobile 6 Professional device, a black slider that looks like death incarnated, and an ultra-generic silver clamshell that looks straight out of the early part of this decade. The good news is that they're all unlocked and range from a very reasonable $169.95 to $499.95; the bad news, however, is that you may have to keep your thumb over the TSI logo to keep the public mockery to a minimum.%Gallery-12421%Read - Sharper Image 101TSIRead - Sharper Image 008TSIRead - Sharper Image 007TSIRead - Sharper Image 005TSI
AMOI busts out vaguely familiar Windows Mobile smartphone
If we were to pick two smartphones to use as inspiration for our own work, we're not sure we'd go with a curious amalgamation of Motorola's Q and the BlackBerry Curve -- but here it is, AMOI's memorably named "GSM6711A." For what it's worth, the phone actually looks like it could be a solid (if not plain) Windows Mobile 6 Standard handset on account of its utilitarian design, seemingly well-spaced keyboard, BlackJack-esque matte black finish, and trackball navigation. We'll leave it at that since the lack of GSM 850 puts this outside the grasp of our American readers anyhow, but we're still holding out hope we'll manage to get our hands on some legit AMOI kit via AT&T's SMT5700.
AMOI outs N8, N800, and N810 Windows Mobile phones; Nokia grumbles
We're about to get our first official taste of China's AMOI in these parts as the UTStarcom 5700's ODM, and if these suckers are any indication, we should be in good shape. The recently-announced N8, N800, and N810 Windows Mobile 6 Professional devices (pictured from left to right) won't likely find their way out of Asia -- which is just as well, considering the lack of 3G and the fact that Nokia might not be too pleased with the naming convention -- but all three are lookers, if we do say so ourselves. The N8 is the only keyboard-sporting handset of the three, while the N800 sets itself apart with a VGA display. GPS, Bluetooth, and 2 megapixel cameras grace the whole lot. It looks like all three are expected to ship this month, but triband GSM / EDGE is a tough pill to swallow, though, ain't it?[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]Read - Amoi N8Read - Amoi N800Read - Amoi N810
Updated AT&T availability dates!
Like pretty much everything else in life, carriers' launch dates tend to slip, sometimes to the extreme (oh, come on, you can't tell us you've never procrastinated to the point where you couldn't make a due date!). To that end, we've gotten an updated look at AT&T's expected drop dates, and it seems like the wait has gotten a little longer for a few of the more anticipated handsets in the pipe. Some devices like the red version of the Nokia 6555 have slipped a couple weeks, while others -- the lowly Samsung A127 comes to mind -- have actually moved up. The Pantech Duo has also been pushed out from October 9 to the 30th, possibly to give the just-launched Tilt a little breathing room in the spotlight. Click on for the full list![Thanks, Kal-El]Update: A second source is telling us that the Duo is still tracking for shipment "on or about" the 9th. Of course, the proof is in the pudding -- but either way, at least we'll be getting our Duo on before the month's out.
Orange intros SPV C200 with Windows Mobile... 5?
While the general assumption would be that handset manufacturers would jump at the chance to pre-load their mobiles with the latest and greatest Windows Mobile flavor on the market, it seems that the SPV C200 is going against conventional wisdom. The Amoi-built handset is slated to launch on Orange, and will include tri-band support, Bluetooth, and an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera. Of course, the expected €9 ($12) pricetag that will reportedly grace this device (if you commit to a two-year agreement, that is) may explain the lack of WiFi and slightly obsolete OS, but this sure is an interesting maneuver to slash the price.[Via TheUnwired]
AT&T's QWERTY-equipped SMT5700 drops by FCC
Whoa, what do we have here? First up, this is the first smartphone (thought not the first phone) we've seen with the new AT&T branding. Second, this is the first partnership of which we're aware between China's Amoi and an American carrier. Third -- and perhaps most importantly -- the QWERTY-equipped Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone evokes the storied "SMT" model series which long ago served up the original AT&T Wireless' SMT5600, considered by some to be the first truly usable Smartphone device sold stateside, though the addition of the full keypad on the 5700 puts it in a slightly different category. We're not solid on specs here, but it'll have a 2 megapixel cam, microSD expansion, and we're guessing data will top out at EDGE (though we're obviously hoping for more); the user's manual here depicts Windows Mobile 5, but slipping in an upgrade to 6 Standard would be a pretty trivial process. As usual, the presence of the device doesn't mean much for a release date, but with the QWERTY market getting more saturated almost daily, we reckon time is of the essence here.
Amoi launches four Windows Mobile Smartphones for China
Normally, low-end Windows Mobile Smartphones destined for China aren't anything to get terribly excited about, but Amoi's new quartet of handsets share a distinction that'll hopefully set a trend for the industry. The E72, E75, E76, and E78 Smartphones rock all manner of form factors (QWERTY included) but share largely common guts, and here's where it gets interesting: there's a TI OMAPV1030 "Vox" in there running the show at 200MHz. The Vox core is typically associated with high-function dumbphones; Amoi's use of it to power a smartphone could (and hopefully will) push the market toward ever-cheaper convergence devices that can run effectively on ultra low-cost processors. Despite skimping on the internals, the spec sheet holds its own with EDGE data, 128MB of internal storage, Bluetooth, and a 2 megapixel cam (1.3 megapixel in the E72). The first of the bunch to hit store shelves will be the E72, which will be available for under $250 -- when you consider that's an unsubsidized price, that's quite impressive indeed. Look for all four to be available in China by early '07.[Via the::unwired]
