Ctia2009
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Nokia E71x struts its stuff on video
We were never able to track down an E71x with a SIM and an active AT&T Navigator account, but it's pretty clear from our time with the device that AT&T has left its S60 3.2-based core pleasantly untouched. We wouldn't call it "virgin" by any stretch, but the profile can be tweaked to your liking, we weren't able to find any options that were notably absent, WiFi's still there, and you can file all of the unremovable AT&T crapware in a separate folder that you'll never use (and yes, we did verify that it can't be uninstalled, sadly). And let's not forget -- you're getting one of the sexiest smartphones ever made for a penny shy of a hundie, so really, what do ya got to complain about?
NavGenius PND looks like a GPS, is really a covert location tracker
Those sadistic souls over at Lightning GPS are at it again, making the lives of parents and promiscuous children awesome and horrible, respectively. Just in case NavTrac's RTV10 PND isn't enough to keep your mind at ease when Johnny (and his track record of poor decision making) is out and about, there's the newly announced NavGenius. At first glance, this here navigator is about as vanilla as they come, but underneath the shell is a dedicated tracking module which enables the owner to monitor every turn, stop and donut from the web. Heck, you can even re-route vehicles from any connected computer, and the owner can get an SMS should the driver exceed a certain speed or break a customizable perimeter. All that's required to shatter the last pinch of trust you actually had with your offspring is $599.95 up front and $39.95 per month for the tracking service -- which you only pay until they wise up and take a Louisville Slugger to the device.
Jabra HALO hands-on
Finding awesome stereo Bluetooth hardware is challenging. There are a few good reasons for that: one, you've got to somehow pack a battery inside the headset itself, two, you've got radio circuitry in there, and three, it's all got to last a bunch of hours between charges. We're not saying that Jabra's just-announced HALO is for everyone, but it's an awfully interesting product -- probably one of the best A2DP sets we've seen -- and unlike most on-ear sets, it folds small enough to carry with you pretty much everywhere you go. The jury's out on audio quality and fit until we get our hands on an actual review unit (they're showing some pretty loose pre-production prototypes at CTIA) but considering how the HALO looks and works, we're cautiously stoked that this is going to end up being one of the better multimedia accessories of the year.
CTIA Roundup, Day Two
Day Two of CTIA Wireless 2009 was marked with little news -- most of the big stuff hit yesterday -- but that doesn't mean there wasn't plenty to see. We wrote a bit about Motorola's surprisingly awesome Evoke, LG's and Samsung's latest contributions to AT&T, and a couple of watch phones that you may (or may not) want on your wrist -- so if you haven't had a chance to catch up on the day's festivities, read on, won't you? #saleschart { border: 0px solid #333; border-collapse: collapse; } #saleschart td { padding: 4px; border-bottom: 0px solid #ccc; vertical-align: top; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 100%;} #saleschart th.bottomrow { border-right: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart tr.features1 { border-top: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart td.bottomrow2 { border-right: 1px solid #333;} #saleschart th { font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 4px; background: #f3f3f3; border-top: 1px solid #333; } NVIDIA's Franken-Mini is half HP, half Tegra, no IntelAnd now, a little visit to the "Why not?" department. Motorola Evoke QA4 hands-on with videoWhen you look at the Motorola Evoke QA4, the last thought that springs to mind is RAZR, and that's such a good thing. Sony Ericsson's T707 hands-on with videoSony Ericsson's presence at CTIA this year is a rather quiet thing, but we did catch up with them at Ericsson's booth as we were hell bent on seeing its newest, the T707. Samsung Propel Pro video hands-on, now with more keyboardA number of folks wanted video of AT&T's Samsung Propel Pro and a better view of the keyboard. Neutrano's Nutec WristFone watch phones at CTIAIf this guy looks serious, it's because he is -- serious about bringing you some awesome watch phones Also check out: Sanyo SCP-2700 hands-on LG Neon and Xenon hands-on
Neutrano's Nutec WristFone watch phones at CTIA
If this guy looks serious, it's because he is -- serious about bringing you some awesome watch phones. Canadian firm Neutrano is working with Chinese OEMs to import, tweak, and certify some of those watch phones that we've unfortunately been spending more time reading about than actually using -- and while they aren't going to appeal to everyone, the stainless steel version is the closest thing we've seen to something we'd consider wearing this side of an LG. Fans of chunky, stylish wristwatches should be able to pass it off as a fashion statement of sorts -- your friends don't even have to know it's a phone, really. When you get a call, the thing's got to come off your wrist and be held up to your ear unless you've got a Bluetooth headset ready to rock, but worry not: Neutrano's also showing a model of its Nutec WristFone that pops off at the base of the wristband so you don't need to unstrap it from your wrist. You pay for that convenience with some extra bulk (and we'd argue that this is the geekiest, ugliest model of the bunch), but we'll admit, it's pretty trick. Everything's controlled over touchscreen; you've got character recognition for entering text messages and a row of shortcuts silkscreened across the bottom of the display, and the detachable model also features an integrated keypad (think Casio calculator watch) to make entering phone numbers a little less painful. Neutrano is targeting June for these at a price somewhere between $300 and $400, and the company's president is still actively deciding on colors, band styles, and software features, so sound off in comments if you've got any hot ideas for 'em. Oh, and check some video of the phones in action after the break!
Samsung Propel Pro video hands-on, now with more keyboard
A number of folks wanted video of AT&T's Samsung Propel Pro and a better view of the keyboard. We just couldn't get it the first night and coupled with the horrible lighting, the results would have been miserable anyway. So we did one better and combined both in one well lit video. We checked the device's browser, too, but sadly the signals in the building weren't helping us out. Enjoy the tour right after the break.
MSI X-Slim X340 photographed, benchmarked in mysterious hotel room
We've seen plenty of photos of MSI's X-Slim X340 floating around as of late -- but these ones -- which were taken in a Las Vegas hotel room at CTIA, are pretty interesting, artistically speaking. More interesting, however, is the fact that the lucky chap from Laptop Magazine also did a little preliminary benchmarking of the laptop as well. He found the display to be quite satisfactory for viewing videos from any angle, though the speakers (housed on the bottom of the system) produced disappointingly weak sound, and that performance-wise, the CULV CPU is speedy enough to run Windows Vista without any hitches. Applications also loaded quickly, and things like multiple browser tabs didn't strain the system either. They're planning on running the full battery of benchmarks at a later date, but hit up the read link for further impressions. Also, there's one more snap after the break.[Via Slashgear]
Palm Pre Classic emulator demoed on video
Longtime Palm fans are gonna want to lock the doors and turn down the lights -- our friends at PhoneScoop just got the first demo of Motion App's Classic Palm OS emulator for the Palm Pre. Palm OS apps can be installed by just dragging the .prc files over the Pre in mass storage mode, and they're run as though they were on an SD card. There's no tethered HotSync, although there's a compatibility mode of some kind and apps will be able to pull data down over the air. Check the video after the break, including a demo of ePocrates, which we know a lot of potential Pre owners are interested in.
Sanyo SCP-2700 hands-on
With devices like the Samsung Magnet competing directly in this mega-low-cost portrait QWERTY space, expectations for quality and style are pretty frigging high here. Does Sprint's SCP-2700 from Sanyo deliver? Truth be told, we came away with the impression that it didn't feel good enough to cost $29.99 on contract after rebate; free before rebate, perhaps, but that's about it. We found that the 2700's awfully thick and bulky (while still feeling cheaply light) for its lease in life as a fashion-forward texting machine for the kiddies -- odds are that since it's a Sanyo it'll probably be able to take a beating, but what kind of 15 year-old cares about reliability? Are these the people that grow up to be actuaries?
Sony Ericsson's T707 hands-on with video
Sony Ericsson's presence at CTIA this year is a rather quiet thing, but we did catch up with them at Ericsson's booth as we were hell bent on seeing its newest, the T707. What we found was a fairly simple quad-band GSM / triple-band HSDPA set with the standard suite of Sony Ericsson features and some golly-gee gesture controls. Building on what it already does in the gesture realm we had fun setting up Chris "Amethyst" Ziegler as a contact on the phone -- a necessity to assign one of 5 indicator colors to his contact -- and seeing just what could be done with them. When a contact calls with a color assigned to them the exterior blinks with their color to let you know who is calling, waving your hand over the device can end the call. In the music player and games, the handset can be flailed about to control music volume or a perhaps a car in a racing game. Basic stuff, but nonetheless still a decent phone, here's hoping a North America carrier picks this up. Pics and vid are just after the break.
LG Neon and Xenon hands-on
We suspect both of these devices are going to sell at a brisk clip for AT&T, but interestingly, it was the much lower-end of the two -- the Neon -- that ended up leaving the bigger impression on us. The phone's solid (but light) to the touch, the keyboard is expansive and easy to use (thanks in no small part to its three-row layout as opposed to the Xenon's four), and you get a touchscreen for typing digits so you don't need to do any craziness to dial with the slide closed. Don't get us wrong -- there's nothing wrong with the Xenon, and the bright blue shell ends up being really attractive in the flesh -- but the Neon feels more unique, especially considering its expected ultra-low price tag. Follow the break for video!
Motorola Evoke QA4 hands-on with video
When you look at the Motorola Evoke QA4, the last thought that springs to mind is RAZR, and that's such a good thing. Let's face it, long live the RAZR, but its time is past, though, we're over the moon to see Moto step up with a piece of hardware that's made us genuinely happy excited about Moto (well, Aura aside) in a long while. While it is an EVDO handset, and our travel often makes us lean toward distinctly more GSM-flavored devices, we're throwing it all to wind and will be rushing to get our hands on one. The layout in-hand is frickin' ideal, the material choices, finish, and style are just so well executed that we found ourselves fairly stunned when we first got out mitts on it. The capacitive screen works extremely well for flipping through apps, surfing, messaging, and the keyboards (both landscape and portrait are here) work very well. Honestly, what's not to like? Motorola's new slider is without a doubt going to be a winner when it lands. Here's hoping we hear where and for how much soon, but in the interim feel free to check the gallery and absorb some of the video goodness that is the Evoke in action.
NVIDIA's Franken-Mini is half HP, half Tegra, no Intel
And now, a little visit to the "Why not?" department: NVIDIA is showing off an HP Mini 1000 at CTIA that it has totally gutted, replacing the laptop's stock Atom-based circuitry with its own Tegra wares atop a bone-stock Windows CE build. At first the move seems counterproductive since Tegra can't run XP or Vista, but if you look at this as the first prototype of a large Tegra-powered $99 MID, you're thinking along the right lines. The concept isn't indicative of any sort of partnership between NVIDIA and HP, but the chipmaker is looking at this as an opportunity to demonstrate to manufacturers how easy it is to make a device like this -- and like other Tegra devices we've seen, this thing could easily have HDMI, run fluid 3D graphics, and generally make the world a better place at a stupid cheap price. We were also shown a Tegra single-board computer measuring no larger than a single small-outline DIMM like you'd find in a modern laptop, proof that this action can be scaled way down depending on the kinds of devices manufacturers are looking to make. Check out a video of the Franken-Mini after the break.
CTIA Roundup, Day One
#saleschart { border: 0px solid #333; border-collapse: collapse; } #saleschart td { padding: 4px; border-bottom: 0px solid #ccc; vertical-align: top; margin: 0; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 100%;} #saleschart th.bottomrow { border-right: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart tr.features1 { border-top: 1px solid #333; } #saleschart td.bottomrow2 { border-right: 1px solid #333;} #saleschart th { font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold; text-align: left; padding: 4px; background: #f3f3f3; border-top: 1px solid #333; } Pandora, Amazon, other third-party apps demoed on Palm PreDovetailing dreamingly with the company's SDK announcement today, Palm's chosen CTIA to show off a round of third-party apps for the Pre. HTC Snap hands-onWhat the Snap lacks in flair, it makes up for in sheer, unadulterated function -- and having an utterly awesome keyboard certainly helps in that regard. AT&T's Samsung Propel Pro hands-onAT&T's Propel Pro ups the ante not only in build quality and material, but the new set is also reborn as a proper smartphone thanks to the inclusion of Windows Mobile 6.1. AT&T's Samsung Impression hands-on with videoWith AT&T's Samsung Impression packing things like quad-band GSM, dual-band HSPA for the Americas and a supremely useable QWERTY keypad, we're suitably impressed. Sprint's Samsung Instinct S30 hands-on with videoWe had a few minutes with Sprint's Samsung Instinct S30 at CTIA this evening and while we couldn't dive in to find its deepest darkest secrets, we did get in a quick tour. Also check out: AT&T's Samsung Magnet hands-on with video Samsung Mondi WiMAX hands-on with video Nokia E71x graces us with its presence
AT&T's Samsung Magnet hands-on with video
Samsung's Magnet is inexpensive, orange, QWERTY, and we're really liking it. Sure, we don't have a price or an official date, but we we came away from our meeting with the Magnet feeling rather happy about the whole experience. Yeah, the web browser is a bit lightweight, and the color choice garish, but we can't find fault with that as it is aimed directly at a market that digs messaging and bright colors. The Magnet is comfortable to hold, the OS very responsive, and the screen ample bright and large enough to get the job done. The Keyboard, and the phone's size are very similar to a Nokia E71 (which we compare it to in the video for scale) so if you've checked one of those out, you'll know where we're coming from. A dash of 3G would add to the joy here, but then again, it would add to the price, too. Pics and videos are just after the break.Update: Trimmed out background noise, or tried to.
SEVEN brings Google Calendar to legions of handsets
Mobile software vendor SEVEN may not be bringing any huge news to Vegas, but it's still making a small-to-medium sized splash by delivering Google Calendar access to millions of handsets. The access is being delivered via an update to the company's Integrated Mobile Messaging Platform, and any current mobile supported by SEVEN can take advantage. The improved calendar access is an extension of SEVEN's true push technology, and aside from giving users the ability view calendar requests, it also gives 'em the ability to update their calendar, create and delete appointments and more -- right on their phone. We'll be hitting the floor at CTIA to see what the fuss is all about, so be sure to keep it locked for more.
Pandora, Amazon, other third-party apps demoed on Palm Pre
Dovetailing dreamingly with the company's SDK announcement today, Palm's chosen CTIA to show off a round of third-party apps for the Pre, and the good news is that they're definitely dispelling some doubts we had about the robustness of webOS' development platform and its ability to deliver compelling software. We were emphatically reminded that everything here is strictly for the sake of preview -- it's all beta, just like the Pre itself -- but that being said, it all looked smooth and relatively crash-free (as best as we could gather anyhow without giving it a more ruthless hands-on beating of our own). First off, we saw a NASCAR app, perfect for die-hard fans (but really, even more perfect for Sprint's track record of sponsoring NASCAR events) that culls video highlights, driver profiles, and more. Next, we were treated to a brief look at the Pre's Google Maps implementation, Pandora, Amazon's music store, and FlightView, a trick little flight status app that every frequent traveler will likely want loaded. We also saw a Pre version of the Sprint TV player -- a staple service on most of Sprint's devices -- proving that the Pre has the stones to handle multimedia within its development framework. Video was just a little bit choppy, but they're not making any claims that this is final, optimized code at this point. The best part of the whole demo, perhaps, is Pandora's notification implementation, which brings up a mini-player by tapping on the "P" visible at the bottom of any Pre screen; from here, you can play / pause, rank tracks up and down, and see a full track name, all without leaving the comfort of whatever app you might be in. Try that on an iPhone, eh? Follow the break for video!
HTC Snap hands-on
What the Snap lacks in flair, it makes up for in sheer, unadulterated function -- and having an utterly awesome keyboard certainly helps in that regard. It's easy to pass off HTC's latest portrait QWERTY handset as a bit frumpy from photographs, but trust us when we say that it's totally passable in person (some might even call it insanely attractive) -- think of it as the anti-8900, if you will. Pictured on the Snap above is the configuration screen for Inner Circle, which HTC also introduced this week. There's really not much to it -- you can add email addresses from your address book or from incoming emails, and when Inner Circle is enabled, only emails from those contacts will be visible in the Snap's unified account-agnostic inbox. It's a great idea for shutting out the electronic noise most of us experience in our day-to-day lives, and we're hoping this little feature finds its way to HTC's full WinMo lineup going forward. Follow the break for a video tour of the phone (and pay close attention, Yanks, 'cause it'll be coming your way as the S522 in the next few months).
Samsung Mondi WiMAX hands-on with video
While we caught this at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Samsung officially launched its WiMAX / WiFi Mondi at CTIA today. Samsung's SWD-M100 MID runs Windows Mobile -- and we have to say that it looks really polished -- with the transitions between homescreen panels being particularly stunning -- check the vid to see it in action. While thin, the popout lower lip keypad is a tough thing to use, the width of the keypad itself and the positioning of the d-pad make it all seem a bit awkward to use. We do like the 4.3-inch display, though suspect it may prove to be a tad power hungry once this gets a little more real on Clear's WiMAX network. Follow on for a short vid and a handful of pics of us playing with this big glossy thing.
Kyocera intros G2GO M2000 and Laylo M1400 handsets at CTIA
As the handset news begins to flow at CTIA, we've got a new duo from Kyocera splashing down in CDMA land. Up first is the G2GO M2000 (a follow to the Lingo M1000), which sports a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera, 2.4-inch QVGA display, MP3 player, an accelerometer and a microSD expansion slot. Next, we're looking at the Laylo M1400 slider (shown after the break), which features Bluetooth 2.0, a calculator, scheduler, stopwatch, timer, tip calculator and little else. Not a peep on pricing, availability or what carriers will be picking this up, but we'll keep an ear to the ground for more.[Via MobileBurn]
