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Sony Ericsson TM717 becomes Equinox on T-Mobile, launching next month?
Are you a "connected socializer" or a "sharing optimizer" who's "motivated by the combination of affordability, style, and high-end features"? If so, good news: T-Mobile's directly targeting you with the release of its Sony Ericsson Equinox, a tweaked version of the T707 that we've seen in the FCC as the TM717 not long ago. Big features on this one include a 3.2 megapixel cam, a trick multi-colored pulsating light up front that can be assigned to individual contacts, and support for gesture controls, but don't get too excited just yet -- you'll have to wait until October 28 to enjoy this lovely little gem, it seems.
Motorola Entice comes to Verizon, available today
When we say "Motorola" and "Verizon" in close proximity to one another, you hope that it's got something to do with the Sholes (and we can't blame you), but alas, the next Moto to hit Big Red won't be running Android. The W766 Entice clamshell is a solidly midrange featurephone with a 2 megapixel cam, EV-DO, microSD support up to 8GB, touch-sensitive external controls, Bluetooth with A2DP, and USB 2.0 connectivity -- and at $39.99 on contract after rebate, it'll keep your wallet relatively well-padded. It's available online today and hits stores later this month.
Constellation F to be Vertu's first clamshell?
So far, Vertu's stuck to a tried-and-true candybar formula for hawking bejeweled, leather-bound handsets to the extraordinarily rich, but they may be shifting focus just a tad for their next release. mobil.cz seems to have scored a fuzzy little shot and a few specs of what's being billed as the "Constellation F" -- that's "F" as in "fold," which lines up with parent Nokia's off-kilter parlance -- with a 2.4-inch HVGA primary display, global GSM / EDGE and HSPA, 3 megapixel cam with dual LED flash, 8GB of storage, and in all likelihood, more ostrich skin finish options than any phone you've ever owned. The presence of HSPA 850 / 1900 combined with the clamshell form factor would seem to be a very material recognition on Vertu's part that it's selling a good percentage of its four- and five-figure handsets stateside -- flips are historically more popular there than in Europe -- and at $10,000 or more a pop, it shouldn't take too many to make the R&D expense worth their while.
Nokia Mural doesn't play nice with 3G, yanked from AT&T shelves
A North American Nokia with 3G that doesn't work on 3G, needs to be recalled and replaced... something about this story sounds familiar, doesn't it? Unlike the curious case of the 5800 XpressMusic, though, the Mural is a branded phone operated directly through AT&T -- so the fact that it was accidentally released without being able to connect to 3G is especially shady. It's a hardware problem which means a firmware update isn't going to magically make this particular quirk go away; replacement phones are expected next week, but if Mural owners prefer, they're welcome to come into an AT&T store and take a different device in its stead.
Sprint's Samsung M240 makes no attempt to be high-end
Tired of the flurry of Samsung announcements yet? Hmm? Of course you aren't, so here's another one to keep you fed, fat, and happy: the M240 flip is now available on Sprint. Samsungs without names are typically extraordinarily low-end, and the M240's no exception -- the company flat-out describes it as a "no nonsense device focusing on the basics" with a non-EV-DO radio, voice dialing, speakerphone, basic (and we do mean basic) web access, and support for up to 500 contacts. It runs a cool $19.99 on contract after instant discount -- in other words, roughly 10 percent of the functionality of a BlackBerry Tour for 10 percent of the price.
Samsung's gilded W910 'VVIP' has everything but the Armani logo
Phones like the W910 serve as a stark reminder that design house Giorgio Armani really isn't doing much (if any) actual work in its ongoing partnership with Sammy; just compare it to the W820, for example. Both phones have golden shells, push the boundaries of understated tastefulness, and have little in the way of unique industrial design -- yet only the W820 bears the Armani name. The W910 instead goes by the "VVIP" moniker for release on Korean carrier SKT, featuring a 2.6-inch WQVGA AMOLED primary display, HSDPA, and an FM radio for something in the range of 500,000 won (about $406). Hey Armani, if you're listening: trust us, checker patterns are the next big thing, so you might want to get in on this.
Nokia Mural announced for AT&T, coming September 6
It's really not going to move the S60 crowd much, but the Series 40-based Mural has finally been announced for AT&T following an FCC unveiling back in May. The clamshell puts an emphasis on style thanks to user-customizable multicolor cover lighting and a mirrored finish, but you've still got a reasonable dose of technology (sorta, anyway) thanks to a QVGA display, HSDPA, a 2 megapixel cam and microSD expansion up to 16GB. Look for it on the 6th for $49.99 on contract.
Nokia 2705 'Shade' lined up to replace Mirage on Verizon?
It's no Twist, but the latest Verizon-branded Nokia leak suggests that the newfound love between the two companies is showing no signs of slowing down -- good news for a carrier shunned by some manufacturers for its CDMA ways. The alleged 2705 "Shade" would replace the 2605 Mirage as its name suggests, which means that we're expecting strictly low-end specs here; that means EV-DO might not even be in the cards, so if you need anything other than a basic voice tool, you probably shouldn't bother getting all excited and marking down the days on the calendar until this thing is released. Oh, that, and also the fact that there's no guidance on when this might be released -- the Mirage arguably still has a little life left in it, so it's plausible that we might not see the Shade drop until the holidays or beyond.
Nokia 3710a, some Motorola (Morrison, perhaps?) get FCC approval for T-Mobile
For T-Mobile USA customers, the FCC slid a couple particularly interesting batches of docs into its vast library in the past week: the Nokia 3710a and a mysterious Motorola. First, the 3710a (pictured) is simply an Americanized version of the 3710 flip introduced a couple months back, offering a 3.2 megapixel cam, Series 40, and a concealed external display in addition to that all-important dose of 3G on T-Mobile's AWS band. The more interesting item, though, might be this Motorola -- as usual Moto has done a terrific job of concealing virtually all useful bits of information about this phone, but we have reason to believe that it could be the Android-powered Morrison since it's got WiFi on board in addition to 3G, Bluetooth, and the usual RF suspects. With Moto's big announcement just around the corner, we wouldn't be surprised. [Via Unwired View] Read - Motorola device Read - Nokia 3710a
Motorola W766 'Entice' ramping up for Verizon?
Seems like it was just yesterday that the W755 launched, doesn't it? Actually, no it doesn't -- it was a good fifteen months ago -- so it makes sense that Verizon would have a replacement all queued up and ready to go. The W766 has apparently graduated to the point of coolness where it's worthy of an actual name, getting the "Entice" title and featuring a 2.2-inch primary display, 2 megapixel cam, microSD support up to 8GB, and touch-sensitive music controls (just like the phone it's replacing). If you want it... well, the good news is that retailers are apparently already starting to take stock, but the bad news is that they're under strict orders to hold off on breaking 'em open until they've run out of W755s. So who's going to take one for the team and buy those up, huh?
FCC filing confirms Sony Ericsson Jalou could be the ugliest phone ever made
You'd think the FCC would have legal clearance to reject this on humanitarian grounds.
Verizon announces Escapade global flip, available tomorrow
Typically, dual-mode global handsets on carriers like Sprint and Verizon have a distinctly high-end (or at least a midrange) flair to them, but the Escapade is rolling up on this scene to ask "why is that?" Verizon's new Pantech-sourced clamshell -- which will be sold under the Verizon name alone -- lacks EV-DO, UMTS, and even EDGE data, concentrating instead on offering voice and text services in "220 destinations worldwide." It's got a 2 megapixel camera, support for voice commands, Bluetooth, and VZ Navigator, but the most compelling feature might be the price: $29.99 on contract after rebate. Look for it to launch online and in stores tomorrow.
Samsung's SCH-W830 is like a window to your soul, if your soul is a circular dot-matrix display
If you spell happiness T-W-E-L-V-E M-E-G-A-P-I-X-E-L-S, you're looking in the wrong place. Samsung's SCH-W830 -- along with its SPH-W8300 and SPH-W8350 cousins for other networks -- finds inner peace through the simplicity and beauty of a scintillating light show set around an ultra-low res display. You've only got two megapixels to work with around back, but seriously, who has time to snap pictures when you're being dazzled by a seemingly endless array of colored lights? Between that and the spring-loaded opening mechanism, this is a flip fit for the fiddler / fidgeter in all of us, and it's available now on South Korea's LGT, SKT, and KTF. [Via mobile-review]
Mystery Nokia flip for AT&T turns out to be 6350
Remember that nameless midrange flip from Nokia that the FCC outed complete with AT&T branding not long ago? Well, we've now got a name to put with the face: 6350. The good folks at the Bluetooth SIG have come through once again, revealing a picture -- admittedly a small one -- of the phone that we can safely identify as the same thing we'd seen getting FCC approval a little while back. We don't have a launch date yet, but the SIG confirms that it's an HSDPA-equipped piece with a 2 megapixel camera -- in other words, nothing that's going to knock your socks off, unless your socks are mysteriously knocked off by 2 megapixel cameras, in which case you need to check your socks. [Via Unwired View]
Sony Ericsson eyes fashionistas with Dolce&Gabbana Jalou clamshell
Remember that geometrically-inspired Bao handset we peeked back in July? Turns out Sony Ericsson has another name for it: Jalou. Announced today in both boring and limited edition Dolce&Gabbana versions, the compact-esque clamshell is definitely designed to put "style" first and substance last. Reportedly shorter than "your favorite lipstick," the cellie is actually marketed more as an accessory and less of a phone, boasting a diamond shape design, two-inch display, 3.2 megapixel geotagging camera, video recording, built-in mirror (seriously), an FM tuner, Bluetooth 2.0, multimedia player, step counter, antediluvian web browser and quad-band GSM / tri-band HSPA connectivity. The "normal" version is expected in Q4 in Deep Amethyst, Aquamarine Blue and Onyx Black, while the 24k gold-plated D&G edition will ship in Sparkling Rose along with a matching Bluetooth headset and fanciful packaging. No prices are mentioned for either, naturally.Read - Standard JalouRead - Dolce&Gabbana JalouRead - Hands-on with standard Jalou
Sony Ericsson's W508 coming in stunning Bob Sinclar bundle
If you celebrate French DJ and producer Bob Sinclar's entire catalog (and who doesn't?), we'd like to direct your attention to a very special version of Sony Ericsson's W508 Walkman clamshell that's launching in "select European markets" this quarter. The aptly-named W508 Bob Sinclar Edition has the usual array of pack-ins that you expect from any self-respecting special edition -- wallpapers, ringtones, themes, and a unique mega-colorful cover -- but it also includes a copy of Sinclar's latest album, Born In 69, right in the box. Of course, you'll need to be cool with a QVGA display and 3.2 megapixel cam, but really, who needs 8 megapixels when you're in the VIP section of a basically unlit club with French house music permeating your very core?
Nokia 6750 Mural for AT&T still exists, because the Bluetooth SIG says so
We haven't heard a peep about the so-called Nokia Mural flip since May -- basically an eternity (as opposed to an Eternity) by mobile standards. Was it canceled? Did AT&T get distracted playing Call of Duty 4 and forget to release it? It's possible -- crazier things have happened -- but we're taking some comfort this week in the knowledge that the Bluetooth SIG hasn't forgotten about the darn thing anyway. What's more, they're showing it with the AT&T logo up front, the first time we've actually seen it there; the FCC docs where we first learned of the phone had it blurred out (though there was plenty of other evidence to gather that AT&T was the destination from day one). Given that the Mural doesn't seem to be running S60, we're having a hard time getting too worked up about the fact that it hasn't launched -- but we're sure they'd manage to sell a few if it was actually on a shelf somewhere.[Via Unwired View]
LG KG376's most fascinating feature is its color
Style is commonly considered a luxury; form follows function, as they say. The commoditization of phones over the past fifteen years has done weird things to economics, though, which leads directly to phones like LG's KG376. You won't find a single item on the flip's spec sheet that even begins to interest you (unless you're really, really into 128 x 128 displays), but it seems that LG intends to market the phone directly at women with an eye for style on account of its purple case with pink accents. It's got an integrated FM radio and an external light (where you'd normally expect a secondary display to be) that'll go all blinky on you to indicate messages and the like, but don't get too excited -- it seems pricing and availability are still on the downlow.
Hitachi's 720p Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo now shipping in Japan
If you're more concerned about your ability to record stunning high-definition video on the road than you are about your ability to comfortably and conveniently say the name of your phone, look no further than the latest model in Hitachi's Wooo series over in Japan. Announced earlier in the year, the Mobile Hi-Vision Cam Wooo stands starkly as one of the longest, most unfortunate model names in phone history, but we suspect that the presence of 30fps 720p recording will quickly allay any disappointment you may have with branding. Anyhow, it's finally available now on KDDI au, the country's big CDMA provider -- so go on, show us what sort of Oscar-caliber stuff you can cook up.
LG Whistle is so named for reasons unknown
Is this phone capable of putting its lips together and blowing air so as to create a high-pitched tone of some sort? Doesn't seem like it -- phones don't typically have lips or breath -- but that doesn't explain why LG decided to christen its latest clamshell for the domestic Korean market the "Whistle." No matter; the LV7500's still pretty cool, owing in no small part to its front-facing array of some 115 LEDs that can be user-customized, presumably to flash messages such as "KEEPIN IT REAL" and "LG 4 LYFE" -- not a totally unique feature, but something we don't see much of around these parts. It'll roam in just 18 countries, which suggests to us that CDMA figures prominently in its radio circuitry; look for it now in three colors for around 400,000 won (about $325) on LG Telecom. If you're in Seoul, that is.
