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Sony Ericsson W300i music phone reviewed
The W300i may not be the most fascinating phone out there, but golly, it's good to see a midrange flip once in a while coming from someone besides Samsung and LG. The music-oriented W300i earned a 7.6 on CNET's 10-scale, earning praise for its "remarkable" call quality but getting knocked for its tricky button placement, lackluster VGA cam, flimsy feel (attributed to the phone's feather-like 3.3oz), and tendency to freeze for a few seconds on occasion. In our opinion, the dismal 20MB of internal storage doesn't really jive with its Walkman branding -- thankfully, the Memory Stick Micro slot is there to bail you out. No word on any US carriers picking the W300i up, but it's rockin' quadband GSM plus EDGE, so feel free to buy your own if you can stomach the $299 Sony Ericsson is asking.[Thanks, Jen B.]
Samsung brings SGH-P200 UMA phone to Italy
We've been pining after Unlicensed Mobile Access and the promise of seamless VoIP / cellular handoffs for so long, we've admittedly become a little jaded, so forgive us if we seem a bit desensitized to the news that Samsung has launched its SGH-P200 UMA slider in Italy this week. Samsung's claiming that the P200 is the world's first commercially available UMA mobile, and we're inclined to believe them, despite a string of promising announcements over the past couple years that have yet to materialize. UMA aside, the P200 sports a 1.3 megapixel camera, EDGE, smallish 220 x 176 display, and 80MB of shared internal memory in a 22.5mm thick package -- fairly pedestrian specs, but hey, the draw of VoIP is strong, is it not? Expect the phone to spread elsewhere in Europe shortly, while our American friends shouldn't have much longer to wait for the similarly styled T709 on T-Mobile.
Orange shows small army of Windows Mobile devices
Talk about sensory overload -- MoDaCo got its hands on a bunch of semi-official Orange debuts for a number of devices over the weekend, and we have to admit, we're insanely jealous. Perhaps the most interesting of the bunch, Samsung's "Blackjack" WM5 Smartphone comes fresh on the heels of the i320, offering basically the same functionality plus 3G data and a forward-facing camera for video calling (feeling the heat, Moto?). Also shown were the HTC Breeze and Oxygen, known on Orange as the C700 and C100 respectively; no real surprises here, though we can now confirm that the Oxygen won't be sporting DTV like we had previously heard might be the case. In case that all doesn't have ya impressed, the Hermes (M3100) and Star Trek (F600) showed up for the party, too. Don't know about you, but we're feeling a bit overwhelmed here; excuse us while we lie down for just a few minutes.
UTStarcom joins the slim candybar game
If you're into the form factor, you don't need Bluetooth, and you're looking to save some coin, you might turn your attention to the FCC's deets on UTStarcom's GPRS1226 (or UT1200, depending on what documentation you're reading). Like the SLVR it loosely mimics, the microSD-equipped GPRS1226 emphasizes its music playback capabilities, even offering a dedicated music player button on its side. GSM 850 and 1900 support mean this thing is likely targeted at the North American market; we're not sure which carrier would offer it, but given its meager spec sheet, we're guessing you could walk away with it nearly free on contract.[Via phoneArena]
Keepin' it real fake, part XXIX: Dubya 800
So, if we were going to rip off a phone's design, we'd probably do current-gen hardware (a la TechFaith), not played-out music phones whose successors are already starting to look a bit long in the tooth. Granted, we don't know how long Fifth Media's W800 rip has been floating around, but the last time we checked in on these cats, they were pumping out generic Windows CE 4.2 smartphones -- we'll let you decide whether they're moving up or down in the world. Specs seem about the same as the real deal, so if you're down with no-name hardware, you just couldn't justify dropping the cash on that W800 last year, and the first knockoff wasn't doing anything for you, well, here's your chance.
FCC comes clean on Motorola KRZR (Canary)
If you've had any lingering questions about Motorola's RAZR successor, the KRZR -- aka Canary, aka RAZR 2, aka RAZR K1 -- you might shuffle on over to the FCC's site and have a look-see. All the good stuff on the GSM variant has gone live, with unfettered access to external and internal pics plus a draft user's manual. The KRZR does get honest-to-goodness EDGE which'll be a fun experience for original V3 owners making the switch -- but as Pete pointed out, it's basically a glossy, slimmed down RAZR, so don't expect any juicy specs buried in the documents. If by chance you still find yourself mesmerized by all that blue, glossy goodness, look for the KRZR at your friendly local Cingular outlet come this fall.[Thanks, Handset Freak]
LG CU500 launches Saturday on Cingular
The handset itself might not be anything spectacular in terms of specification, but one aspect of LG's CU500 clamshell makes it extraordinarily interesting: it's North America's first retail HSDPA handset. A little private investigation on our part (meaning we called a few stores) reveals that the phone officially drops in Cingular's 3G markets tomorrow, but several persistent individuals have managed to get stores in the Boston and Atlanta areas to part with their units a day early. HowardForums has a rather active thread heralding the news, which you can read after you give your local store a call, eh?[Thanks, The Bullfrog]
Runthrough with Samsung's Q-killing i320
Slim, wide, full keyboard-packin' WM5 Smartphones might be out and about this side of the pond, but our European friends have yet to get in on the Motorola Q -- making Samsung's release of the i320 even more interesting for them, not to suggest there aren't a few Americans that'll be reading PPCReviews' first impression with bated breath. Unfortunately, the outcome isn't exactly a love fest, with the reviewers knocking the i320's sluggish response, odd speakerphone positioning, under-battery microSD slot and lackluster camera. On the positive side, well, it's a WM5 Smartphone with a full keyboard if you're into that sort of thing, and the QVGA display gets high marks. They were also a bit confused about the inclusion of two batteries, suggesting that the i320 might eat some serious power. We'll wait for a couple more reviews before issuing a final judgment, but the HSDPA Q is looking better every day.[Via Smartphone Thoughts]
Palm announces WM5-powered Treo for Vodafone
So Palm has officially announced one of those three Treos we were promised at the end of last year, and just as we expected, this Windows Mobile 5 AKU2-powered model will be sold exclusively overseas. Unfortunately the company neglected to include a detailed spec sheet in its press release -- more information will be available closer to the as-yet-unspecified launch date -- so all we really know at this point is that it's destined for Vodafone's 3G UMTS network in several European countries. Also unclear is how this model relates to other upcoming Treos we've seen under such codenames as Hollywood, Lowrider, Nitro, and Lennon -- we sure wish Palm would be a little more forthcoming with its product roadmaps. As usual, though, you can always count on us to bring you every little bit of Treo news we get our hands on, even if Palm and friends don't give us much help putting it in context.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
i-mobile's 309 DDZ musicphone
Our pal Michael Sommer just hooked us up with the 309 DDZ, a compact new musicphone being sold in Thailand by an outfit called i-mobile. Of course, it's not hard to keep the size down when you leave out all the internal memory (there's a TransFlash memory card slot for storing all your tunes), but even so, we weren't entirely convinced that this thing was both an MP3 player and a cellphone until we we popped out the battery to reveal an honest-to-goodness SIM card slot. Not likely to turn up over here anytime soon, but for what it's worth the 309 DDZ does also sport an FM tuner, a proper 3.5mm headphone jack, and a jog dial on the side for navigation.
Another blurry Treo "Hollywood" shot, plus specs?
Palm's sieve-like reputation for keeping a lid on unreleased devices continues to the current round of Treos in the pipeline, and we're happy to feed the fire today with possible specs of the upcoming "Hollywood" accompanied by the obligatory hastily-snapped shot (blurred here to protect our valiant tipster). Though we still don't fully understand the relationship between this bad boy and Cingular's upcoming "Nitro" and "Lennon," it's said that we're looking at an antenna-less GSM Treo rocking Windows Mobile 5, 128MB of internal storage, and a 412MHz XScale core, all gussied up in a package "considerably lighter" than its 700w stablemate. If our source is accurate, all this goodness will drop sometime this September -- not a moment too soon for Treo fans on GSM carriers getting a little jealous of their CDMA brethren. Naturally, skepticism is in order here, but the engraving on the device lends some validity to the thought that it's a prototype, and this all lines up pretty nicely with Cingular's roadmap, no?[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
FCC blesses Nokia N73
Are you loving the N93's spec sheet, but gargantuan clamshells aren't your cup of tea? No worries, friends; the 3.2-megapixel candybar N73 has just been approved by the FCC, and thanks to quadband GSM, we have a fighting chance of seeing this one drop in the States -- at least in Nokia's flagship store, if nothing else. Specs are enough to get the juices of any S60 fan flowing: UMTS (albeit on the 2100MHz band), 2.4-inch QVGA display, MiniSD slot, stereo speakers, FM radio, Bluetooth 2.0, and the list goes on. Now let's just cross our fingers Qualcomm doesn't get its way, and we might be seeing this hotness before too long in these parts.[Via Mobilewhack]
Philips 588 music phone drops in Taiwan
Sorry, fellas, this one's for the ladies. Philips has officially launched its 588 model in Taiwan this week, a featherweight (78g) clamshell targeted at the fairer sex. Available only in purple and white, the feminine 588 sports triband GSM, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and -- as you may have guessed from the external controls -- a music player feeding off a little over 100MB of internal storage with no expansion slot. No word on pricing for the Asia-only flip, but with its lack of Bluetooth and external display, we're guessing the 588 is designed to be a fashion phone for the masses. At least the female masses, that is.[Via Slashphone]
Sky+ users can record TV via mobile phone
Ever got stuck in traffic or got called into a meeting that forced you to miss that crucial episode of your favorite show? Own a cell phone? Sky+ is on a mission to persuade you that just having a mobile could solve all your TV recording dilemmas, as if this hasn't been conceived before. Touting itself as the first company to allow TV recording commands to be sent via SMS, mobile internet, or online, Sky steps up once again. The free "Remote record" software lets you access a listings guide on your 2.5G, 3G, or GPRS-enabled phone and communicates the record commands to your Sky+ box. If you don't have a data plan, you're still covered, as SMS messages accomplish the same task. Up to 8 handsets can control a single Sky+ box, and they've integrated the service into all of their HD boxes, too. The company claims the trifecta of inputs is a "world's first," but later mentions the online portion is "coming soon." This is good news for UK users, but Sky+ should probably climb down a few rungs and realize this isn't exactly groundbreaking.
Motorola C139 offers low admission onto Cingular
Our friends over at Engaget Chinese showed us the Motorola C139 not too long ago, and now the palm-sized GoPhone is available on US shores from Cingular. Although embroiled in a few legal matters, Cingular isn't missing the opportunity to boast about their affordable new offering. This dual-band GSM handset includes a minuscule 96 x 64 TFT screen, SMS-capability, games, monophonic ringtones, iTAP, and some simple tools such as a calculator and currency converter. How do you sell a phone in 2006 that lacks a built-in camera and can only store 100 contacts? Why, by offering a rock bottom price, of course. The C139 can be had for $39.99, and that includes a $10 pre-paid card (better talk quick!). While limited to being a pay-as-you-go device, the boon here is the tiny pricetag. The handset is available now through all major Cingular outlets to handle the basics.
Qualcomm announces ITC's probe of Nokia
Apparently, Qualcomm was serious when they asked Nokia to halt sales of GSM phones in the US a few weeks ago, triumphantly announcing that the US International Trade Commission (ITC) has now gotten in on the action. The ITC is looking into whether Nokia is in violation of the six patents Qualcomm claims them to be, presumably some of the same CDMA-related patents that have come up several times before -- patents that Nokia licenses for its CDMA handsets, but GSM and UMTS devices (which apparently tread on the same patent work) are not covered by the agreement. With Nokia potentially phasing out its CDMA business citing (in part) unfair licensing terms with Qualcomm, they don't exactly have the option of going the same route on the GSM front, so this battle looks set to play out to the bitter end. Meanwhile, we're going to start hoarding N93s in case things go south in a hurry.
Up close and personal with the Qtek 9600 (Hermes)
French site PPCReviews has managed to score a Qtek-branded copy of the hotly anticipated HTC Hermes, and thanks to some decent Google translation, we've managed to take away quite a bit from the thorough review. Many folks are expecting the Hermes to be a superstar compared to its already good older brother, the Wizard, but PPCReviews is a bit bummed out about the switch from miniSD to microSD expansion, the lackluster battery performance, rather portly 175 grams, and lack of true VGA display. Of course, we all know the good stuff the Hermes brings to the table by now, and the review ends on a happy note, confirming that the 3G and fresh 400MHz Samsung core work wonders for the device. Pardon the interruption, everyone; you can go back to incessantly refreshing Expansys' TyTN product page every few minutes in the hope of an early shipment.[Via kaitech.hk, thanks Ajit]
m300 "Mobile Watch" in the wild
As you may recall, we touched on the m300 GSM watch a couple weeks ago with a healthy dose of skepticism, but it now appears the device is more than just vaporware. SMS Technology, the m300's manufacturer, did us the favor of sending along a handful of in-the-flesh pictures along with a detailed account of its development. Apparently, the m300 owes its existence to another Australian product -- MTrak -- a kevlar-strapped GPS bracelet designed for tracking children. MTrak evolved into a CDMA watch phone, and then on to its current GSM incarnation. Packing the GPS proved too bulky for a mainstream watch, though, so the December '06 delivery date is giving SMS some additional time to engineer that part of hardware out of the platform. The result is said to be roughly the size of a TAG Heuer, supports speech-to-text for messaging, and rocks both Bluetooth and a speakerphone -- not shabby specs for a phone the size of a few coins. The company claims to have some 1.2 million Australian orders alone on tap, so hats off to these guys for giving it the old college try, eh? More wrist-talkin' eye candy after the break.
The comprehensive guide to pwn1ng your T-Mobile SDA
If your SDA is feeling a little long in the tooth, don't throw cash out the window on a new device -- give 'er a makeover! Besides overclocking the 195MHz OMAP to a more palatable 240MHz, we have here some tips on unlocking the phone yourself (at no cost) and throwing Skype on there for some do-it-yourself dual mode action. Like the article says, proceed at your own warranty-voiding risk, but honestly, what red-blooded Faraday or Wizard owner hasn't putzed around with ROM images at this point?[Via Hackaday]
LG preparing another Chocolate-like phone
LG is really running with the checkerboard keypad theme these days as details are beginning to emerge on the KG99, a candybar with fairly obvious Chocolate roots. No word on whether the phone falls into LG's Black Label category, but at 95 x 52 x 9.9mm, it seems chic enough for the task. Specs are unconfirmed at this point, but the phone is reported to sport triband GSM (sorry yanks, no 850), a 220 x 176 display, microSD slot, Bluetooth, and an FM radio. Now granted, as a fashion phone, we may not be the KG99's target demographic, but the specs still feel a bit weak to us -- we're going to wait a few weeks and see what else is in the checkerboard pipeline.[Via Slashphone]
