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Huawei intros HSDPA USB modem
Huawei showed off what they're claiming is the world's smallest and fastest HSDPA USB modem, the E220, at CommunicAsia in Singapore last week. We don't know how long that claim will stand but it is, in fact, quite small (3.5 inches long) and fast (3.6 Mbps) -- and, while Huawei seems to mostly be playing up the HSDPA support, it also packs EDGE and GPRS compatibility, plus a nifty mini USB connector. No word on pricing or availability, as far as well can tell -- not that we're ever likely to actually get our hands on one anyway.
Possible details emerge on Samsung D830
We caught a brief glimpse of the Samsung D830 not too long ago during CommunicAsia, but it looks like some pics and specs are surfacing about the slimmer-than-thou RAZR competitor. Apparently the 9.9mm thick clamshell will have tri-band GPRS / EDGE, a capacious QVGA display and cramped but functional 96 x 16 external screen, Micro SD, 80MB internal memory, Bluetooth, mini USB, and 2 megapixel camera. Mostly standard fare (ok, so we didn't see the QVGA display coming), but a price still seems out of reach. Then again, this all came from a Hungarian mobile site, so there's little here we can trust, anyway, barring those pretty convincing pics.[Thanks, Harel]
DoCoMo bringing BlackBerry to Japan
Having already conquered the US and much of Europe, Canada's most famous contribution to consumer electronics is poised to take over yet another Asian market, when the ubiquitous BlackBerry hits phone-mad Japan this fall. Coming hot on the heels of KT Powertel's introduction of the 7100i in South Korea, wireless giant NTT DoCoMo has announced that it is partnering with BlackBerry-maker RIM to offer customers GSM / WCMDA "worldphone" versions of the addictive handhelds -- which is yet another step towards the carrier's commitment of having an all-GSM-enabled lineup within the next two years. Besides the traditional push email functionality that we've come to know and love, nothing is known about the specifics of these upcoming foreign models, like how the pocket-sized BlackBerries will manage to pack in the thousands of keys necessary to represent all those Japanese glyphs.[Thanks, Gina]
HP iPaq hw6915 PocketPC phone reviewed
We've been on the fence about HP's hw6000 line of Swiss Army phones ever since we first spotted the GPS-equipped iPaq hw6515 -- these models include everything but the kitchen sink, but they also force you to use that non-standard 240 x 240 screen. Still, MobileTechReview's in-depth look at the latest member of the family, the hw6915, makes us think we could overlook the square screen and lack of 3G data options because, well, the rest of this Windows Mobile 5.0-powered smartphone sounds like exactly what us convergence-geeks are seeking. According to MTR, the quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE handset impresses on many fronts, including its solid keyboard, powerful internal antenna, GPS performance, and best-in-class benchmark numbers. HP also throws in some nice extras, like helpful Today screen plug-ins, a full-featured wireless radio manager, the ability to location-stamp photos, and even A2DP in the Bluetooth stack, which isn't normally included in WM5 AKU2 devices out of the box. Besides the fact that this screen resolution may not support all third-party apps, the only real knock to this model concerns the camera's startup/shutter lags -- and if that's the worst thing to be said about a device that seemingly does it all, then we're totally sold.
HTC Tornado available from O2 as the Xda IQ
As of today, Brits have access to one of the hottest Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphones on the market, thanks to o2's much-anticipated release of the Xda IQ. Better known as the HTC Tornado (or the Cingular 2125 / T-Mobile SDA / Qtek 8310 / Orange SPV C600), this quad-band GSM worldphone sports both Bluetooth and WiFi, a 200MHz processor, 2.2-inch QVGA screen, 1.3 megapixel cam, miniSD slot, and EDGE data capabilities. The best part is that AKU2, with its sweet, sweet MSFP, will be available for download at launch, so customers can get their push email-on right away -- and even their A2DP, thanks to the godsend of a .cab assembled by the good folks over at the xda-developers forum. Even though this handset is already available, our best efforts have been for naught when it comes to finding a price -- a little help, UK readers?
Mio A701 GPS-enabled Windows Mobile smartphone reviewed
On paper, the Mio A701 smartphone sounds like almost the perfect convergence device, sporting a Windows Mobile 5.0-powered 520MHz Xscale processor, SiRF III GPS receiver, tri-band GSM radio, Bluetooth, and a 1.3 megapixel camera. Sadly, at least according to Reg Hardware, the A701 has so many little faults that the device is often barely usable, and sounds like a skip except for those folks who absolutely must have GPS and aren't into the square-screened iPaq hw6xxx series from HP. Some of the Reg's gripes with this model include its crappy camera (one of the worst they've ever seen, apparently), GPRS-only data connection, flimsy telescoping stylus, lack of dedicated buttons for WM5 softkey control, and buggy navigation software (luckily it's optional). Besides the full suite of accessories that come included in the box, there doesn't seem to be much good to say about the $660 to $790 A701, which is no doubt a big disappointment to those who may have been looking to import what appeared to be such a hot phone.
MPC TransPort T3200 business laptop
MPC Computers just announced their stoic little TransPort T3200 laptop targeting high-end, security-minded professionals. If that's your gig sonny, then listen up. The T3200 gets it done with a full line-up of Intel Core Duo processor options, up to 2GB DDR2 RAM, 120GB S-ATA (5400RPM) disks, DVD/RW combo drive, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, integrated fingerprint scanner, and 15.4-inch WSXGA (1680 x 1050) display driven by ATI Mobility X1600 graphics for right around $3,000 large, fully-spec'd. Slap in an optional GPS and GPRS module and set the workers free![Via MobileWhack]
Fujitsu-Siemens' 3G-enabled Lifebook E8210 reviewed
With most manufacturers concentrating on making smartphones ever-smaller, it's refreshing to see Fujitsu-Siemens flip the script and release what may be the world's biggest Windows-powered handset, eschewing CE for XP in the process. Actually, F-S is marketing the six-pound Lifebook E8210 as a laptop, what with its 15.4-inch, 1,680 x 1,050 display, 2GB of RAM, and full-size keyboard, but any data-centric device that can make cellphone calls (thanks to the built in HSDPA-compatible 3G card) is a smartphone in our book. Whatever you wanna call it, the E8210 impresses on many fronts, says Trusted Reviews, who give the 2.16GHz, Core Duo T2600-powered model nine out of ten stars, highlighting its connectivity (802.11/a/b/g, Bluetooth, HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS, PCMCIA/ExpressCard slot, four USB, and even serial, parallel, and D-SUB ports), security (fingerprint reader and Smartcard), and benchmark performance. The only downsides here seem to be the lack of a 3G CDMA option and the ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphics, which definitely makes this Lifebook anathema to gamers -- but at over $3,500, the E8210 is clearly being targeted at corporate, and not LAN party, deployment.
Elite Modeling's eML1 Elitephone
Ah, Elite Modeling, one-time home to such high-end faces as Tyra Banks, Claudia Schiffer, Gisele Bündchen, Cindy Crawford, and Engadget Mobile's all-time favorite Blackberry warrior, Naomi Campbell. Well, guess who made a phone for the Dutch. That's right, the Elite Modeling eML1 Elitephone doesn't only carry a killer byline ("A mobile for models by Elite Model Look!" -- no comment), it also features a "mini and sexy clamshell" (we can't tell if they mean the phone or its case), 6 Elite model wallpapers to remind you of your own bodily imperfections, VGA camera, 160 x 128 internal display, and GPRS data. But oh, the irony of such a modeling agency not only producing a cellphone -- which is just a crappy Korean device that's been knocking around for a coupla years (a Newgen, if we're not mistaken) -- but making that phone one of the chubbier, rounder devices on the market. In fact, if anything we would have expected Elite to badge the RAZR or one of the countless brand-name fashionphones, and let the chubby, homely handheld be the 1337phone instead.[Via Textually and Slashphone]
O2 announces XDA IQ
Though it shares many of the same facial features as the Feeler, the XDA IQ (which is really just the HTC Tornado) will benefit from the Tornado's inclusion of 802.11b and EDGE; the rest of the specs aren't much to phone home about (64MB flash and RAM, 200MHz OMAP, QVGA display, Smartphone 5, etc.), so what we're looking to set this thing apart is price (unannounced) and release time frame (same).