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Samsung pulls a Samsung, leaks nine new models ahead of MWC
In typical Samsung go-big-or-go-home style, the world's number two phone manufacturer is now expected to announce no fewer than nine new models at this month's Mobile World Congress -- and that's just from the EDGE-powered middle of the range on down. Starting with the most interesting of the school (if we want to go with a fish analogy here), the pictured S5050 brings high style, a 3.2 megapixel cam, 2.2-inch QVGA AMOLED display, and most interestingly, dual SIM slots -- an indication that this will very likely see duty in the Far East. Heading on downrange, the B5702 is almost as awesome but trades the high-tech display for a 2.4-inch TFT. Of course, there's more than just sliders in the mix; you've also got bars like the S3310, which supports microSD expansion, a 2.1-inch QVGA display, and FM radio (an almost ubiquitous feature in developing market phones). The E2210 holds down the clamshell fort -- but to get it, you'll have to be cool with a meager 160 x 128 display and a weak VGA cam. Heading down to the very, very bottom of the range, you get into a couple candybars designed to be accessible to the world's poorest: the E1125 and E1100, which rock 128 x 128 displays, a data-less GSM radio, and 300 / 200-contact phone books, respectively. That E1100 sounds suspiciously like the legendary Nokia 1100, doesn't it? Anyhoo, expect this all to break at MWC, along with the usual array of moderately more droolworthy high-end fodder.[Via GSMArena]
Toshiba TG01 with 4.1-inch WVGA touchscreen: a world's first Snapdragon
Finally, an honest to goodness Qualcomm Snapdragon device is about to land in the form of the Toshiba TG01. The 9.9-mm thin handset will feature a 4.1-inch WVGA (800 x 480 pixel) touchscreen display, HSDPA data, GPS, WiFi, a microSD slot, and custom Tosh 3D GUI to hide the Windows Mobile 6.1 uglies within. Most notable is that 1GHz Snapdragon chip that Toshiba claims makes the TG01 considerably faster than any device currently on the market with the promise to "revolutionize the mobile entertainment world." Perhaps that's where the DivX support comes in? We'll see when the TG01 is unveiled at Mobile World Congress in less than two weeks followed by an expected summery launch. One more picture after the break. Update: Oh man, the hands-on photo galleries from the London launch are coming up over at Pocket-Lint and Electricpig, the latter with head-to-head pics of the TG01 against the 12.3-mm iPhone 3G chubster and BlackBerry Bold. She's definitely a slim-lined beauty but we have our doubts about that stripey UI. Hey Tosh, where's the Android OS we saw running on Snapdragon at CES?[Via Pocket-Lint and Stuff.TV]
Boost launching at least four iDEN phones this year -- i465 included
We've managed to get a look at launch documents for Boost Mobile's new $50 PayGo Unlimited plan, which just so happens to detail a few upcoming handsets for the scrappy little Sprint division. Look, we're not going to sugar-coat it -- it's not the most exciting lineup we've ever seen -- but then again, this is an iDEN carrier, and a low-cost one at that, so we've got to go into this with an open mind. First up, the venerable i290 candybar will see a $10 price drop to $39.99 on April 15, and if that's not a really awesome way to celebrate Tax Day, we don't know what is. Next, the text-focused i465 with QWERTY will swing by on June 15 for $109.99. A so-called "Banfi" will come on August 2 for $139.99, and while we can't really make out much about it, it appears to be a slider that might take some visual cues from the Z9 (in the same way the i9 takes cues from the V9, we suppose). Speaking of the i9, there's no sign of it here -- but we will get a "Mako" candybar on October 1 for $89.99. Anyone feeling a sudden, irresistible desire to do some push-to-talking?[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Nokia rests on laurels, launches 6700, 6303, and 2700 classic handsets
Nokia just launched three new handsets said to "build on the formula that made Nokia the world leader in mobile phones." The threesome includes the new 6700 classic (pictured) that continues the legacy of the Nokia 6300, a phone that "topped all sales records for a mid-range mobile phone" back in 2006 according to the tall slender cats from Espoo. As such, don't expect any fancy-pants software or touchscreen novelties here -- the "slim" 6700 classic (pre-tax €235 / about $311) plays it straight as a small-screened candybar with a 5 megapixel camera, aGPS navigation, and "high-speed" data access undoubtedly of the HSPA variety. Nokia has the nerve to call the 2.2-inch display on the (€135) 6303 classic, "large," but makes up for that assery with the inclusion of supposed "excellent" battery performance, a 3.5-mm audio jack, and aGPS with Nokia Maps. Bringing up the rear is the (€65) Nokia 2700 classic touting 2GB of on-board memory plus memory card expansion, a 2 megapixel camera, and full integration with Nokia's Ovi suite of services, natch. All are expected to ship before June. Hey, Nokia, we understand your quest for mid-market domination, but with market share in decline and your unlaunched, flagship N97 receiving a lukewarm response at announcement (think Palm Pre by comparison)... might we suggest looking forward, not back?%Gallery-43396%
Spice S940 brings out the student in all of us
Before you ask -- no, this candybar isn't specially equipped to help you cheat on tests, it's actually helpful for studying. Imagine that, right? The Spice S940 reportedly comes loaded with the ability to make / receive calls, take snapshots with its two megapixel camera, tune into FM radio, play back multimedia files and access an online portal that provides preparation for the CAT, IIT and a few other professional exams. Moreover, the "email2sms" feature beams your emails to you by way of text message, and the included "friend finder" is sure to go over well with the social networking fanatics. And hey, Rs 5,999 ($122) ain't bad for a digital study guide.
Willcom's BAUM and WX340K handsets are clearly delicacies
Only in a market where a diamond-studded mobile sells out in three days during economic turmoil will you find a not-too-riveting handset being served up for brunch. Over at what we can only assume was a lively presser in Japan, Willcom has taken the wraps off of its WX340K flip phone and ultrathin BAUM candybar (both crafted by Kyocera). Outside of style alone, neither phone is all that mesmerizing, with the former packing a 2.7-inch QVGA display, two megapixel camera with AutoFocus, POP / SMPT support and a NetFront browser; the latter simply changes it up with a 2.4-inch LCD. Both critters fully support the FeliCa e-wallet system, though pricing and availability details seem to be missing. More completely odd hands-on shots are in the read link.[Via Engadget Japanese]
Samsung outs another low-end candybar overseas with the E1070
If the E1110 / E2510 handsets from Samsung were just too vivacious for your tastes, why not simmer on the freshly unveiled E1070 for awhile? Expected to launch later this month in Eastern Europe (along with other less developed markets, we presume), this simplistic mobile does little more than make and receive calls. It features includes a 128 x 128 resolution display, send / end buttons, a number pad, a battery and all the correct internals necessary to handle cellular communications. Niceties like a camera and multimedia player are nowhere to be found, but for just 650 CZK ($30), we'll let it slide.
Sony Ericsson's Filippa reportedly being rechristened C901
Take this with a healthy grain of salt for now, but Sony Ericsson's so-called Filippa -- which has been hiding under deep cover the past few months -- is about to get official as the C901. Not surprisingly, SEMCBlog has it that the next Cyber-shot will be officially unveiled next month at Mobile World Congress, and with it will come a 5 megapixel camera (with AutoFocus and Xenon flash) along with your choice of Noble Black, Sincere Silver and Precious Peach hues. It's expected that the handset will go on sale in at least some corners of the globe this April, though pricing remains a mystery. A shocker, we know.
Sony Ericsson's T700 gets dressed in two exciting new colors
The T700 is one of those handsets we wish Sony Ericsson had bothered to launch in North America, and now they're just rubbing it in. Well, maybe not with that red and gold abomination, but the all black setup really suits the ultra-thin candybar well -- granted, it strays from the T610 heritage the phone was designed to carry forward, but let's not get hung up on the past, alright? No word on when or where you'll find these, but if you guessed the US, go ahead and dock yourself five points. Actually, on second thought, go read a couple years' worth of Sony Ericsson history and come back to us when you're good and ready.[Via SEMC Blog]
Nokia 6208c poses for beauty shots
Outside Asia, the world seems to have turned squarely against styli in the past couple years -- but devices like Nokia's 6208c certainly give us pause. ePrice has a review of the freshly-announced set with plenty of fabulous pictures, and unless you're in a Chinese-speaking territory, this is about as close as you'll likely ever get to one. Most of us know Series 40 as a purely button-based platform, but it looks like Nokia has done a commendable job of adapting the UI to the demands of a touchscreen and on-screen character entry -- and it doesn't hurt that the phone's mighty nice to look at, either. Wonder if that stylus would open a bottle of Tsingtao?[Via Daily Mobile]
LG's GB110 and GB106 candybars keep it real, real simple
Make no mistake -- LG isn't hoping to earn too many dollars (or too many of any other currency, actually) with the GB110 and GB106, but as Nokia has shown, there are solid deals to be made even at the low-end. The GB106 checks in with a 1.5-inch LCD, FM radio module, speaker, a calculator, stopwatch and a battery good for around four hours of yappin'. As for the GB110, you'll find most of the same specs in a slightly tweaked body, though the inclusion of a VGA camera and support for downloadable ring tones just might sway you over its scantily-featured sibling. There's no mention of pricing / availability at the present time, but we're guessing these are destined for emerging markets first and foremost.[Via UnwiredView]Read - LG GB106Read - LG GB110
Nokia N79 Active to come with heart rate monitor, guilt
We knew something was up with these Bluetooth heart rate straps from Polar, and sure enough, Nokia has announced a partnership to get serious fitness monitoring integrated with its products. The first to take advantage will be a special version of the N79, creatively dubbed the N79 Active, which will include 4GB of onboard memory the requisite strap right in the box and sell for about €375 ($494) when it ships "soon" in "select territories." Of course, the new hardware isn't any good without new software, and it just so happens that the N79 Active will include a new version of Nokia's Sports Tracker app for keeping tabs on workouts. We'd heard that other Polar accessories like cadence sensors for biking fanatics were in the works, so this could end up developing into a whole franchise.[Via All About Symbian]
Samsung's t119 for T-Mobile lulls us into a peaceful slumber
T-Mobile couldn't possibly be expected to bring a non-stop barrage of heat in its new lineup this week -- you've got to have an occasional sleeper in there, after all, otherwise the interesting phones stop to actually look interesting after a while. The t119 takes one for the team by being a truly, genuinely uninteresting handset -- a foil for the Shadow and Curve deemed so uncool that it didn't even get its own press release -- but considering that it'll likely be free (or within a few bucks of it) when it launches next month, we guess it's allowed to be lame.%Gallery-41307%
Motorola W233 Renew hands-on
We hear this thing is made out of water bottles... and lameness. We totally applaud Moto's efforts in recycling stuff, reducing excess packaging, and offsetting carbon footprints, but couldn't the first phone to enjoy that initiative be just a little cooler? The W233 Renew really has nothing of consequence in its spec sheet, leaving the green shell (get it? green for environmental friendliness?) to do the talking. We'll personally pass, but let us know when you're making a treehugger SURF, k, Moto?%Gallery-41281%
Nokia E63 finally up for grabs in the US, yours for $279
If you've been lusting over the E63 since it was announced back in November, you can resume respiration now that Nokia has finally announced availability for the US here at CES. We've already got our hands-on with the QWERTY candybar so you know how we feel, but if you've got a burning desire to drop $279 on a ruby red or ultramarine blue unlocked S60 device, your ship has finally come in.
Nokia's 1006 does CDMA on the mega low end
There's nothing in the world quite as enthralling as bottom-of-the-barrel CDMA gear, but when Nokia gets involved, well... that really spices things up. The 1006 isn't going to set any imaging resolution or data speed records, but seeing how it's specifically identified as a North American device developed in Nokia's San Diego labs, it'll likely see some US and / or Canadian duty when it launches in your choice of blue or silver. Voice memo, speakerphone, and a whopping 500 address book entry capacity really tell you all you need to know about this little puppy, which means we're still waiting (hopelessly, of course) for CDMA S60 gear.
Motorola's SURF A3100 headlines three-pack of new phones
If these fine specimens look familiar, well, they should -- one's already been announced (albeit on a different carrier) and the other two have been thoroughly scooped. Motorola's CES haul includes the eco-tastic Renew W233, a simple candybar destined for T-Mobile that features a neutral carbon footprint and components made of recycled water bottles; the Tundra VA76r, a rugged 3G flip with push-to-talk that previously launched on Rogers and has its sights set on AT&T this time around for a January 13 release; and the headliner of the bunch, the SURF A3100. The WinMo 6.1-based SURF -- alias A3000, alias Atila -- features a full 2.8-inches of touchscreen adorned with a custom skin designed by Moto, 7.2Mbps triband HSDPA, a 3-megapixel autofocus cam, AGPS, and support for microSD cards up to a purely theoretical 32GB in size. Though the radio is fully equipped for North American action, no stateside launch is in the cards just yet; for now, you'll find the SURF in Asian markets before the quarter's out.[Via Phone Scoop]%Gallery-40675%
Nokia 1680 comes to Canada by way of 7-Eleven
How do you say "boring" in Canadian? The Nokia 1680 is a good guess, especially considering that the company had intended this puppy for emerging markets -- which, nine times out of ten, is code for "boring." 7-Eleven's Speak Out Wireless is the upstanding organization that we have to thank for this particular launch, bundling the 1680 with 20 minutes of talk time for $89 Canadian -- about $73 -- and when you take into account the VGA cam and integrated FM radio, we guess the price ain't bad. Yeah, there are plenty of cheaper prepaid phones on the market, but how many of 'em let you snap uselessly blurry photos?[Via MobileSyrup]
Motorola's Renew for T-Mobile is as boring as it is green
A quick glance at this positively anonymous Moto candybar isn't going to stir any emotion, but a closer look reveals something pretty important -- as its name implies, the W233 "Renew" is made from a lot of renewable stuff. Both the packaging and the phone itself are made of materials designed to reduce impact on our lovely planet, a trend picking up a nice head of steam in the mobile biz these past couple years. Rumor has it this low-spec (and hopefully low-cost) handset will be launching on February 4 -- much to Mother Nature's relief, we're sure. Good to see that whole environmental crisis is solved now, eh?
Philips' Xenium X710 swallows 1900mAh battery whole
If there's one thing Philips' Xenium line is really good at, it's ridiculously long claimed talk and standby times; and if there's one thing it's really bad at, it's 3G. Personally, we'd rather recharge an HSPA phone once a day than an EDGE phone once a week, but for those who don't share our love of high-speed data -- particularly those in Russia -- we give you the Xenium X710, complete with dual SIM slots and a respectable 3 megapixels of autofocus power. It's got Bluetooth, an integrated FM radio, and microSD expansion, too, not to mention an unabashedly clean, simple look that does a pretty good job projecting its low-end aspirations. [Via Unwired View]
